Troy Hazard

There are theory specialists and then there are those who have been there. Troy Hazard, recent Global President of the elite Entrepreneurs' Organisation, has survived moments of sheer desperation in business. Drawing from a lifetime of innovative, real-life leadership experience, Hazard now shares with businesses his powerful Lessons from the Edge.

How do you make the right decision when you're faced with a situation you've never experienced before? What do your customers really want from your company and how do you ensure your relationships with your consumers are as strong as possible? How do you recognize trouble and change your strategy accordingly?

There are few situations in the business world that Troy Hazard has not experienced and survived - from massive financial loss to stunning success. The entrepreneurial genius, who has founded and nurtured thirteen businesses over three decades, has been a few days from bankruptcy, has turned around businesses that were making enormous losses and has consulted to countless successful companies, including high-profile brands like Goodyear, Baskin Robbins, Subway, and Fisher & Paykel.

Hazard's business talents earned him international respect, so much so that he was elected by the world's foremost business leaders for the role of Global President of the Entrepreneurs' Organisation, a position he held twice and says were among his greatest challenges. "That was by far the toughest leadership position I have held," he admits, speaking of an organization that represents a global community of successful business owners. "I was leading leaders who lead leaders who lead people—a large collection of the world's most brilliant business minds, and they all at some stage thought they could do the job better than I could. It was extremely challenging and rewarding, and thrilling at the same time."

Hazard's experiences in the business world have allowed him valuable insight into the workings of organizations and the minds of customers. Most business owners, for instance, believe they have a great relationship with their customers when in fact only twenty per cent really do. Why? Because business owners believe that when a customer comes in to purchase a product or service, this constitutes a relationship. They assume their customers care about them!

"It's this same experience that gives me such great value," Hazard says. He drills down success into four key areas: understanding your own personal values, being a visionary leader, solid market positioning, and customer relationships. "The key thing about what I have to share is that I've done it—I'm speaking from experience, the good and the bad."

Troy's Lessons from the Edge provide businesses with potent and refined tools, all of which have been road tested in real-world situations. His approach to business also integrates his understanding of how to manage significant economic downturns, having survived five major corrections, and focuses on creating a culture that embraces change, a topic he elaborates on in his book "Future-Proofing Your Business."