I started working for my uncle and, more broadly, the JLF group of companies on 10 May 2010. My responsibilities were far-reaching: assisting the legal team to prepare contracts, leases, employment agreements and even the odd litigation matter. I recall asking my bosses what my title was, to which they responded, ‘There really isn't one, so you can give yourself whatever title you want.’ I went home that night and brainstormed with Dad, eventually settling on ‘Acquisitions Expediter' — Dad's suggestion, not mine!

‘An expediter speeds thing up, makes things more efficient and gets things done,’ my father explained, sensing I might have a few reservations.

It made sense, despite being a little cornball — and truth be told, I enjoyed the uniqueness and underlying meaning.

At the start of each week, I was given a list of things to do. I'd tell my boss when I was finished and he would identify additional tasks. I found myself becoming more and more efficient.

One day, John's personal assistant called in sick, so I was asked to fill in for her. John had me doing research, taking minutes of meetings, writing letters and responding to emails (he had an email address, but no computer!). Gaining exposure to a day in the life of a CEO, property developer and entrepreneur was invaluable. John's working world was fascinating. Soon enough, I moved to five days a week, with some flexibility to duck off during the day to attend university lectures. I found myself dividing my time between the legal team and working directly with John, helping him in any small way I could on specific standalone projects.

It was a fantastic job for a 20-year-old university student, getting exposure to the practical inner workings of a diverse business and the razor-sharp mind of its founder and CEO. One of my daily tasks was to sift through the Australian Financial Review newspaper and pick out three numbers that appeared in news articles that had direct application to our business, and to John as an investor. He told me he didn't like reading newspapers because there was so much negative news, but he did like to stay abreast of what was happening. So reading the news became my job. I learned a lot in the process, seeing how someone as successful as John interpreted specific numbers. He often gleaned something very different from what I would describe as mainstream thinking. He taught me to look beyond the obvious.

The weeks and months flew by. I looked forward to going to work every day, knowing I would be hanging around with people I liked, learning new things and contributing to a successful team, while having the flexibility to continue my university studies. One of the best parts of my job — one that left a lasting impression — was helping John in some of his interactions with the ‘Mum and Dad property investors’. These were clients he advised and coached, either via email, over the phone or face to face. John would ask me to prepare for the client meetings or respond to letters and emails that he had received from them. For every individual, I was required to research and prepare a brief — what the client did for work, how old they were, how much they earned, what assets they owned, what those assets were worth, their level of debt — any information we had on file. John would then explain the rationale behind the advice he was planning to give them — what they were doing right and areas in which they needed coaching. In some instances, it was simply a case of providing an answer to a specific question.

Change your outlook, change your life

Over the course of 12 months, I saw more than 100 different case studies of everyday people who were financially successful. I came across all different types: teachers, tradies, mining workers, lawyers, accountants, business owners, CEOs and surgeons.

These individuals were no different from people in my own life, except their homes were debt free (often at an impressively early age). Even after debt, most had net investment assets worth in the vicinity of $1 million to $2 million. You knew from meeting them they were happy and not the slightest bit worried about money. That's not to say that they didn't talk about their finances, but they seemed very relaxed and in total control of their lives. Yet if you had to pick them out of a crowd gathered at the local footy or a café, you couldn't. They didn't act any differently; they didn't wear designer clothes or drive inordinately expensive cars. They just thought about their finances differently and had taken control, based on the coaching and advice they had received at a powerful stage of their lives.

This exposure to ordinary, everyday investors began to fast-track my thinking around my own financial circumstances, particularly in relation to investing. I was very conservative in my thinking. I had been brought up to value every dollar. In our comfortable, middle-class environment, financial safety came first. You worked hard and built gradually. I'd also witnessed first-hand the consequences of failing to do so.

A few years later, when I bought my first investment property, I remember my primary concern being to protect the assets I already had, rather than accumulating wealth and pursuing genuine financial freedom. I couldn't think of anything worse than the prospect of risking an asset after a long, hard grind, all for the sake of some ‘get-rich-quick scheme’, but it gradually dawned on me that wasn't what I was seeing at JLF. The impetus behind the success of John's business, and the key message he was delivering to clients, was the importance of mindset. In the accumulation of assets and wealth, it was impossible to eliminate risk. Instead, you needed to manage it.

It was in late 2010 that I decided to commit 100 per cent to working for John. I had been offered an opportunity to join a property law firm in Brisbane — a firm that John used extensively — but for some reason it didn't feel right. I wanted to stay where I was. I was learning an enormous amount, as well as having fun. Would it be a long-term move? Something I could stick with forever? I didn't know, but my gut told me I was in the right place at the right time.

I had finished all my law subjects at Bond University and had two semesters of accountancy to go. The way the subject timetables were structured, I would have to do the balance of my degree part-time but, thankfully, JLF was very accommodating. Mum and Dad weren't exactly thrilled with my decision. I distinctly recall Mum cautioning me that I was leaving a very stable career path to go into property and real estate, which she regarded as uncertain. I understood what was behind her thinking. There was always going to be demand for lawyers and, to her, that equated to predictable employment and stable income. I could tell Dad shared Mum's reservations, but Dad was always supportive of any decisions I made. He found a way to be positive. I felt that if things didn't work out at JLF, I could always go back to the legal profession further down the track.

It was a fascinating time in my life. I had grown up in a middle to upper-middle class family, gone to the best schools and universities available and yet, when it came to navigating my way through life, I was still on training wheels. I needed to know more. I had seen Mum and Dad work 10- to 12-hour days all their lives to provide us kids with everything we could possibly want, and yet there was always a level of anxiety around finance and money.

On the other hand, I had witnessed up close and personal what John was doing and I wanted to be part of it. I had seen how his staff and clients had control over their money and how that delivered peace of mind. It's difficult to explain and understand until you've experienced it. The best example I can think of is having dinner at an expensive steak restaurant. Someone with a level of anxiety around money might say, ‘I went to that new steak restaurant the other day. They do a fantastic steak — it was $55 for a meal, but the food's superb.’ Whereas someone without money worries simply focuses on the quality of the steak and the ‘amazing Diane sauce served on the side’. The nuance often goes unnoticed — unless you're looking for it. It has nothing to do with how much money you earn. I've met people earning $60 000 per year who focus on the meal, not the price. It has everything to do with the feeling of control.

But I didn't know that in 2010. All I knew was that there was a different way to look at things and that it involved accumulating knowledge and skills I hadn't been taught during my upbringing, or through my school or university studies. I had no idea that my decision to stay at JLF would be my game changer. What I learned from Uncle John would set me up for life. It would enable me to take and keep control of my finances and, ultimately, lead me to a place of comfort and contentment.