Who is the person behind SutherlandShireOnline?
Is he a person or a figment of someone's imagination?
Online publisher and YourOnlineCommunity founder Andrew Connery. What does your job involve?
Starting up a brand new and rapidly growing online venture creates numerous new roles that our small staff of ten and up to 80 part time volunteers try and handle on a day-to-day basis. My job is to search for motivated people to handle the workload and if I can't find someone to join the team to do it myself till I can.
What's the best thing about what you do?
I believe within five years online communities will become an integral part of modern day living. Being part of a venture bringing all the advantages of the internet into a local context is very exciting - or perhaps challenging would be a better word.
What's the hardest thing you have done in life?
Completing my Masters Degree in Information Systems before reaching sixty was the culmination of four years' research and a gap in learning of about 20 years since I did an MBA.
Who has influenced you the most and why?
I have a number of close friends and colleagues who I listen to but I have reached the time in life that I accept ownership for all my decisions … the good and the not so good.
In terms of inspirational business leaders Ray Kroc from McDonald's is hard to beat. I particularly like the fact that he was in his fifties before he finally discovered the McDonald brothers!
What did your parents always tell you?
My parents never placed any limits on me or any of my personal ambitions - in fact they actively supported anything I decided to do. Now as a parent of two grown up daughters myself I can appreciate how difficult that must have been for them.
What can't you live without?
It probably sounds glib but a new challenge every day keeps me going.
What do you wish you had?
Given that my family live in Australia at a very prosperous time in world history I think I've had my fair share. Anything more would be a real bonus.
What do you do with your free time?
What free time!
What would you buy if you won Lotto?
It's not going to happen - because I never buy tickets.
Where would you like to retire to?
It's not something I think about a lot. | 
