His Most Essential Travel Item: A 6-Year-Old’s Enthusiasm
You know how people’s lives are often referred to as journeys? Well, I’ve always thought that comparison was extremely apt. A well-spent life, like an outstanding trip, is made up of unexpected turns, strange encounters and priority-changing experiences.

The first turn on my personal journey came when I was 6 years old. My parents were in Hawaii on a business trip and my two older brothers, Peter and Rod, and I had to fly out from our home in Geelong, Australia, to meet them. I was so excited.

Forty years later, I still remember the meal the flight attendants served: steak with mushroom sauce. It was the single most delicious meal I have ever eaten. And what made the trip extra special was that my brother Rod got sick on the flight. That meant I could eat his meal, too. And I did. But it was that first flight in a beautiful Boeing 707 that planted the seed that eventually grew into my business.

One of my greatest accomplishments in life is that I still have that excited 6-year-old inside me, despite spending an average of 180 days a year on the road. Some of the time I’m traveling for work, meeting with Intrepid’s local partners, assessing the results of our philanthropic projects and scouting locations for our customers.

New York Times