I’m so thrilled that Dirk wants in on the subscription box business, especially knowing that he’s not as big on Dutch snack foods as I am. That’s understandable – they are pretty niche. I only have such a soft spot for them on account of that semester abroad I did during undergrad. But yeah, I really appreciate that he’s trusting me to make this work. I know I can come across as having no sense of proportion, and I’m determined to prove to him that I can be sensible. I’m tired of being typecast as the wild child.
I have a grand vision for this startup. Ultimately, it’s not about the boxes – I mean, they’re the focal product, but what I’m really doing is using them as a platform to showcase ecologically sustainable business practice in the global ecommerce domain. I plan to make our warehouse completely off-grid, and also feed energy into neighbouring facilities to create a ‘solar precinct’ of sorts.
If my vision comes through, it’ll be among the most innovative commercial solar systems Melbourne has ever seen, and a model of how solar projects can be meaningfully integrated into industrial centres. I need to get Dirk to see that conservative thinking will only get us so far in this game, but at the same time, I need his operational expertise. I mean, would I have had that brainwave about how to work in industrial energy storage if it hadn’t been for his practical know-how? Probably not.
It’s all a matter of balance, isn’t it? That’s part of the problem, though. Ever since we were kids, people have seen Dirk and I as a package deal wherein we balance each other out. I think we’re both starting to get over being seen as halves of a whole. We’re each a whole in our own right, and perfectly capable of achieving inner balance, thanks very much. Once we iron that out, I think we’ll work even better as a team.