Stefan Ackerie Quotes
104 Stefan Ackerie Quotes
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It’s good to do things to help if you can.
Stefan Ackerie
[On his purchase of Brisbane’s Skyneedle from Expo 88] Now that’s one hell of a story. I had a phonecall one day from a person and he wouldn’t stop calling or tell the girl on the switchboard what it was about. Finally he told her it was about the Skyneedle. I said what about it? He said if somebody doesn’t buy it by Friday – this was Tuesday – it was being sold to Tokyo. So I said OK, you’d better come in and we’ll talk. I had been in Europe in that period of time and I saw a lot of monuments and lots of landmarks and symbols that represented great moments, for example the Eiffel Tower in Paris. That was an Expo symbol and they were going to tear it down. What they wanted to do to the Skyneedle is kind of the same thing. It’s a 10 million dollar piece of art and they want to tear it down and sell it to Tokyo. Then I started to get quite upset, because where I live I see it every night, so I became quite emotional and attached to it. It was a very special monument for Brisbane, and I got caught and thought how dare they sell this to Japan. So I got a bit carried away and I did it. The Skyneedle is the highest symbol in Australia, it is 300ft, and it’s the biggest piece of art in Australia. Forget the money issue, you need to have history.
Stefan Ackerie
I just feel privileged. I live in Australia, I love Australia, I love what I do. People say ‘When are you going to quit?’ I say what do you mean? I’m just starting.
Stefan Ackerie
[On Stefan Boating World] The boat of your dreams at a dream price.
Stefan Ackerie
Along with hair, boats have been my second passion. I have dreamt of one day being able to offer amazing different styles of pleasure boats at affordable prices for lovers of the boating world.
Stefan Ackerie
Stefan? Yes!
Stefan Ackerie
Discover yourself at Stefan’s. Discover yourself at Stefan’s. Exciting new and beautiful hair…
Stefan Ackerie
‘Stefan’ – Makes your life more beautiful.
Stefan Ackerie
[In June 2002] A long time ago, somebody got me to sponsor a boat and took me out and tried to scare me. But I enjoyed it, so then I went out and bought the best team in the country and started driving. I've been racing for 20 years now.
Stefan Ackerie
[In June 2002] Boat racing is a bit like when you become good at golf. Then it’s not relaxation, because you have to work hard to hold your game.
Stefan Ackerie
[In June 2002] If you can do something at a national level you have to be gifted to start with, but to do it at that level is beyond description.
Stefan Ackerie
[In June 2002] With the boat, the adrenalin starts on the Monday before a race, and it will be with me for two weeks.
Stefan Ackerie
[In December 2005 on considering one option of floating the ‘Stefan’ business on the ASX when it had 50 stores and turning over $30 million/year.] It is debt free with no hang-ups or hiccups and the stores have never performed better. I don't really need the money, it's more about growing the business.
Stefan Ackerie
[In July 2006 on putting the ASX float on hold whilst he build’s up his new cosmetics line.] I can't rule a float out, but I also can't waste that opportunity. I have 45 years of credibility behind me and I want to do it nice and proper and correct. The cosmetics has to go first and if that's a success, that will almost double Stefan's market value. They will be one of the most advanced cosmetic products we have seen.
Stefan Ackerie
[In November 2006 on vowing to restore the Sky Needle after it had a fire and making it.] Better than it was originally.
Stefan Ackerie
[In November 2006] With today's technology it will be better than it ever was. It will be made state-of-the-art in every possible way.
Stefan Ackerie
[In December 2006 to his staff whilst they were together in Hong Kong.] You're the best, the absolute best!
Stefan Ackerie
[In December 2006] I believe the Asian bloc, from Hong Kong to Tokyo, is at the cutting edge of international hairstyle trends. I want our girls to learn and be the pacesetters. I honestly believe we have some of the best stylists in the world, and for us to remain number one it's important we grow and continue to learn.
Stefan Ackerie
[In December 2006] We pay our staff the highest wages, but it's not enough. If someone works with me, I feel lucky they have given me their time, of which there's no greater gift. My staff worked damn hard and I think it's up to me to reward them. For a lot of these girls, it's their first time overseas and the smiles of their faces is simply priceless.
Stefan Ackerie
[In July 2007] We take care of 10,000 people a week. If you do that well, money is not an issue.
Stefan Ackerie
[In July 2007] I've never given a damn about money and I don't now.
Stefan Ackerie
[In July 2007 on his business.] I steer the plane, but without a great crew it would be a waste of time.
Stefan Ackerie
[In July 2007 on words from his grandfather.] He told me, `Don't let anybody outwork you; some people may be smarter than you and there's nothing you can do about that, but you can choose whether you work harder than them'.
Stefan Ackerie
[In August 2007] Sydney is the heart of Australia. We should have succeeded there last time we had all the right ingredients in place but I was very young and inexperienced.
Stefan Ackerie
[In April 2008] I was the first person in Australia to offer a 100 per cent money-back guarantee, and we still do that. When I was in Queen Street, I'd chase customers down the street if they weren't happy. I'd take money with me to give them a refund and some people just told me to get lost, but others believed that I was sincere and would come back.
Stefan Ackerie
[In April 2008] I tried to retire and my retirement lasted three days. [‘What did you do on those three days?’] I came to work. [Laughing] It was funny. But there's just so much to do. I've never been busier and business is great.
Stefan Ackerie
[In April 2008] I'm reinventing myself.
Stefan Ackerie
[In April 2008] People said to me early on, 'When you put your name on the line there are consequences’ But I said, 'There'll be no consequences because I intend to do the right thing.' My grandfather once told me, 'You only have one name, don't lose it.' When you put your name on the line there's more scrutiny, but I don't mind.
Stefan Ackerie
[On opening his hair salon in Maryborough.] A bank manager told me to start up there because the people had plenty of money, but they weren't spending it. I almost went broke, but then I put up a sign saying 'free haircuts'. People asked me, 'What's the trick?' I said, 'No trick, I just want to show you how good we are. [Business was soon booming.]
Stefan Ackerie
I sometimes wonder how I knew that this was the place for me. I can't fully comprehend how that happened.
Stefan Ackerie
Stefan? Yeah, Stefan.
Stefan Ackerie
[In May 2008 on the Sky Needle] I like how it looks and what it represents. It is a beautiful sculpture and it has a lot of power. To me, it represents Expo, which was one of the very best times in Queensland history.
Stefan Ackerie
[In August 2008] My big plan for the next year is to make Jo Jo's the most exciting restaurant in Australia.
Stefan Ackerie
[In August 2008] You must make people happy when they do business with you and you must take the risk out of it. That's why we've always offered a complete money-back guarantee and still do.
Stefan Ackerie
[In June 2009] MY greatest achievement in life has been finding Queensland.
I remember so clearly the day I drove into Brisbane. I had lived in Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney, but about five minutes after I arrived here, I knew this was where I wanted to spend the rest of my life. My memory is so clear of that first day - the sky was blue and everything was smiling at me and I thought, ‘This is where I belong’. I've travelled the world three or four times a year, and in my opinion nothing compares. Nothing compares to the lifestyle we have, the food we have, the beaches we have, the golf courses we have and the choices we have. People can go where they choose, to the country or the beach, and you don't have to be rich. You don't have to pay to go to these places. I am proud of my business on many levels. I started out in Longreach before opening a salon in Maryborough, Mackay, and then in Adelaide St in Brisbane. To have in excess of 500 people helping you on your journey and seeing how they develop is very satisfying. I am constantly getting letters from my staff who have gone on with their careers, saying thank you for my help. It is an amazing thing when you are lucky to help so many young people, and the end result is that they are helping you on your journey. The Skyneedle is also one of my greatest achievements. After the Paris World Expo, half the city wanted The Eiffel Tower torn down and the other half didn't and then it was put in the too hard basket. Now it is the greatest icon in the world. Well, Brisbane's Skyneedle was going to be sold to Japan, or to Tokyo's Disneyland. I feel very lucky and very privileged to have kept it in Brisbane. People stop me in the street and offer the most amazing compliments.
I had a police officer stop me once and I thought, ‘What have I done’', but he just shook my hand and said, ‘Congratulations for giving Brisbane a heartbeat’. The Skyneedle is an amazing thing. I love Queensland. When you are walking down the street, people will stop and say hello. I think we should never forget our duty and our commitment. We should contribute to the place where we live and contribute to the people we come in contact with. It's no different to a garden. If you don't contribute to a garden, it won't grow. If you don't contribute to the moment, it won't grow. I live in Queensland, and I love to contribute to this great state.
Stefan Ackerie
People look for magic. They go to seminars, they read books. But don't read the books, don't take any notice of the books. If you want to succeed, there's only one way to succeed - to have staff take care of your clients. If the staff are nice, the clients will come back. If the staff aren't nice, the clients don't come back.
Stefan Ackerie
I keep fresh because I love what I do, I love serving people. The staff won't be fresh if you're not fresh. The staff won't be excited if you're not excited.
Stefan Ackerie
[On what good staff do.] They have to see the unseen, read the unwritten, and hear the unsaid. People say 'no' but they mean 'yes'. People say 'yes' but they mean 'no'. People mean to say something but they don't say it. You need to know what it is they were going to say. People mean to send you a notice giving you a mouthful about how bad it was, you need to see that. If you see a woman not smiling and fiddling with her hair, you don't need to be told she's not happy. She's not happy. And you need to say, Hey, I'm sorry, let's do something about it.
Stefan Ackerie
[On opening a hair salon in Maryborough in 1965] It was a tough town breaking through; anybody that makes it in Maryborough will make it anywhere.
Stefan Ackerie
[To the waiter when he was regularly cycling and exercising with a personal trainer four times a week.] From now on, no more milk, no more sugar. I will try and lose some weight and you can help me.
Stefan Ackerie
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