Latest news with #MarkBouris
Daily Mail
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
The Block star Elle Ferguson calls out the most shocking interview question she's gotten: 'Do you think a man would be asked this?'
Elle Ferguson has called out a series of shocking episodes from her past that she had to endure while building a successful career as a businesswoman. The 39-year-old The Block star and influencer took to her stories on Wednesday to a share a throwback moment that many women can relate to. Captioning the story 'awkward question' Elle related the cringe worthy experience in the post. 'I remember so vividly sitting in a job interview (conducted by a woman) and being asked is the reason why I've come so far in my job because of the "way I looked"?' She also posted a single black tile with the caption, 'can I ask you a question?' 'I'm sitting here looking at an attractive looking 'How important does that play in getting yourself to stand out amongst the crowd?' She posted another tile that asked, 'Do you think a man would be asked this question?' and including a 'Yes/No' dialogue box. Elle then finished her story by posting a final tile that claimed, 'This was one of the questions I was asked in 2019 by Mark Bouris.' The entrepreneur was referring to her guest spot on Bouris' The Mentor podcast when she was interviewed by the Wizard Home Loans founder. During the interview Bouris can be heard telling the former Block cast member, 'Going through life, being an attractive woman in the fashion industry, hoe do you reconcile that as an advantage and I think its an advantage and how did you work it.' Bouris contuned: 'I mean there's nothing wrong with using your assets and I'm not saying you are just that, because I know people will be how do we deal with it?' Elle replied that she has had to work 'harder' for her success in order to break through the 'Legally Blonde dumb blonde' stereotype. Elsewhere in the segment Bouris made a point of telling Elle he wanted to defend her large following and discounting critics who claim its 'because' of the fashion gurus looks. She also included this comment Elle also shared a link to an Instagram post from the Unstoppablyher Instagram group who shared a parody video sending up sexist questions. The clip, created for International Women's Day, featured men being asked questions intended for women, including. 'Do you think your looks helped you getting promoted?' It comes after Elle recently opened up about the heartbreaking reason she has held off on getting married to her retired AFL star fiancé Joel Patfull. The influencer who quit The Block series in 2022 due to personal hardship, told Stellar Magazine last month that the pain of her mother's death has prevented her from tying the knot. 'My mum was in palliative care for two years and was sick for over 10. I remember at the end her not being able to walk,' Elle began. Elle's beloved mother Kim died in March 2023 aged 57, following a long cancer battle. She said she couldn't imagine having a wedding without her mother present, despite being engaged to her The Block co-star for seven years. 'I'm trying to move through it because I'm so blessed to have this amazing man with me in life,' she said. However, Elle said she and Joel would eventually get married when she felt the time was right: 'I do want to lock it down. We'll get there.' In March, she and her jewellery designer sister Lucie will mark the tenth anniversary since the death of their mother Kim on her 57th birthday after a long and hard fought battle with cancer. The NSW Central Coast mum-of-two was diagnosed with colorectal cancer 10 years earlier, which resulted in three 'quite full-on operations'. She was diagnosed with bowel cancer a few years later, which moved into her pelvis and cervix, forcing her to quit teaching as she underwent chemotherapy and radiotherapy at the same time. Ferguson was eventually given the devastating news her cancer was terminal and had 12 months to live. Ms Ferguson died surrounded by her daughters on March 14, 2015. It was her 57th birthday and she outlived her 'expiry date' by two years.
Sky News AU
15-05-2025
- Business
- Sky News AU
'It was a wake up call': Mark Bouris, 68, opens up about his secret health scare and the costly mistake he made by ignoring the warning signs
Australian entrepreneur and media personality Mark Bouris has opened up for the first time about a serious health scare he faced in 2009. The 68-year-old shared the personal revelation in a candid new blog post, reflecting on the experience and what it taught him about valuing his health. "I didn't slow down. I thought I didn't have a choice," Bouris wrote. "I worked myself into the ground, and it landed me in hospital with a serious illness." The experience, he said, "was a wake-up call". "I'm sure you've also heard stories of people suffering serious physical and mental consequences from burnout. I became one of them." Born and raised in Punchbowl, Sydney, to a Greek father and Irish-Australian mother, Bouris credits his father- a factory worker- for instilling in him a strong work ethic. In 1996, he founded Wizard Home Loans, which became one of the country's largest non-bank lenders. Three years later, he launched Yellow Brick Road, a financial services company aimed at supporting suburban Australians. Just two years into building his second company, Bouris found himself seriously ill in hospital, worn out from overwork. "I often tell business owners that prioritising your health is non-negotiable," he reflected, now nearly two decades later. "We're so worried about charging our phones but forget to recharge ourselves. "Rest doesn't mean heading to the pub or replying to emails after hours. It means giving your body and mind real time to unwind." In September, the father-of-two launched Project 100, a podcast dedicated to exploring the science and secrets behind living a longer, healthier life. He also hosts Straight Talk and The Mentor, interviewing leading entrepreneurs, business figures, and politicians. Despite advocating for balance, Bouris remains a prolific figure in the business and media worlds. He's authored two books, fronted The Apprentice Australia and The Celebrity Apprentice Australia, and regularly weighs in on key financial issues. Recently, he urged Australians to rethink their retirement expectations amid the rising cost of living and increasing life expectancy. "If you're 20 now, you won't be retiring until you're 80, maybe 90," he said on his Mentored podcast. "If you think you're going to retire at 65 or if you think you're going to have enough money to retire at 65, you've got another thing coming." As of 2025, Bouris' net worth is estimated to exceed $200 million.
News.com.au
15-05-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
‘Shouldn't get one': Fury over interest rate cut hopes
Desperate Aussies need to be granted three more rate cuts before their dire cost of living situation improves. That's according to one of Australia's leading economists who said February's RBA rate cut has done little to ease financial stress in households nationwide. However debate continues to bubble away as to whether it's the best thing for Australia's economy as a whole, right now. Stephen Koukoulas – regarded by The Australian Financial Review – as one of Australia's most influential economists – believes struggling Aussies will be gifted three more rate cuts through 2025. Speaking on Mark Bouris' Yellow Brick Road podcast, Koukoulas, said February's rate cut had done next to nothing to ease the financial burden on Aussies and little will until the RBA continues to slash the cash rate. Only then will Aussies nationwide be able to toss the gorilla of money worries off their backs. 'People are still not changing the way they spend,' Koukoulas, who is a former senior economic adviser to the Prime Minister's Office, said. 'We need to see three or four rate changes before we see a real change from interest rate relief.' Koukoulas said the vast majority of Aussies are still battling with financial concerns despite overall improvements in the economy, including a reduction in inflation. 'Interest rates are still very restrictive on the economy,' he said. 'They are still causing financial stress through the cost of living issue. Inflation has fallen but cost of living is still very much about mortgage serviceability. '[Worries about] cost of living are not gone, it is still bad.' Despite the big headlines about February's 25 basis points cut to the RBA cash rate, bringing it down to 4.1 per cent, Koukoulas said it didn't move the needle for Aussie households. 'Consumers aren't stupid,' he added. 'They know what is going on. They see the first 25 [basis] points [cut] and think 'that doesn't change my life', the second – 'that's better', but it's only by the time you get three or four cuts that things change.' Such an outlook corresponds with polling that indicates Aussies are planning to hunker down this year and save rather than spend in a trend expected to drag on businesses and stymie economic growth and property prices. February's rate cut certainly hasn't led to a change of conditions in most property markets around the country. The good news for mortgage holders is that Koukoulas believes Aussies will get what they are wishing for – four rate cuts in total by late 2025 of a likely total of 100 basis points. That will start with another rate cut when the RBA meets again on May 20. Real relief might not flow through until 2026 but Koukoulas is confident it will come. 'I do think the RBA will deliver the rate cuts that are priced into the market,' he said. 'We are going to see a series of three, four rate cuts. I think they will cut in May, July and then September. The first cut [February] is just that figurative sigh of relief, it's later when the cash flow relief comes.' Koukoulas said that the RBA would likely make moves to considerably cut interest rates given an improving economic outlook, a stable political environment and the tempering of inflation. However he did says the RBA might not go much further than four rate cuts in the current cycle given global uncertainty. The US Federal Reserve adopted a 'wait and see' approach early this month, when it kept rates on hold in the 4.25 per cent to 4.5 per cent range. In some quarters, the RBA's February cut was seen as an appeasement to the Labor Government ahead of the Federal Election and Bouris echoed the thoughts of several leading economists as to whether the cash rate should have been slashed at all. Those thoughts were based on the fact Australia's trimmed mean consumer price index – which gives a view of underlying inflation by reducing the effect of irregular or temporary price changes that can impact the CPI – was 2.9 per cent in the first quarter of 2025. That is just inside the RBA's target inflation band of two to three per cent. As a result, the rate cuts could hinder the RBA's ability to keep inflation, which has been a massive worry for several years now, under control. 'There's was no way we should be getting a rate cut, if you look at the December quarter number and even the quarters before that. We should not get a rate cut, it's not in the band,' Bouris said. Bouris named respected economist Chris Joye as one leading figure who had questioned the RBA's rate cutting moves. After the February rate cut, Joye wrote in the AFR, that the RBA had 'ignored it's own numbers. 'To avoid the potential for deep rate cuts of 100 basis points or more suddenly being the central election issue, Martin Place has bent over backwards this week to dismiss its own new neutral numbers,' Joye wrote. Bouris also said he had butted heads with Federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers over several contentious economic issues, including inflation and productivity.
Daily Mail
15-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Australian millionaire Mark Bouris reveals his secret health battle - and the three things he did to stop burnout and change his life forever
Australian millionaire and entrepreneur Mark Bouris has recalled the moment he hit rock bottom after he pushed himself so hard it landed him in hospital. The high-profile businessman and media personality, 67, is the founder of Wizard Home Loans and the chairman of mortgage-broking business Yellow Brick Road. He also hosts two podcasts, Straight Talk and The Mentor, where he interviews leading entrepreneurs, business figures, and politicians. In a candid blog post this week, Bouris wrote that he had learnt the value of hard work from his father, but that same drive had almost destroyed him in 2009. He reflected on the dangers of burnout, admitting that despite his success, he had paid the price of ignoring the warning signs. 'I didn't slow down. I thought I didn't have a choice,' he wrote. 'I worked myself into the ground, and it landed me in hospital with a serious illness.' That experience, he said, changed his view point forever. 'That was a wake-up call,' he wrote. 'I'm sure you've also heard stories of people suffering serious physical and mental consequences from burnout. I became one of them.' Now, Bouris advocates for sustainable performance and health in his industry by urging entrepreneurs to treat themselves as their most valuable asset. In his article, Bouris stressed that success isn't about working 24/7, it's about working smart, maintaining discipline, and knowing when to stop. 'I often tell business owners that prioritising your health is non-negotiable,' he said. Adding that the secret isn't in fads or extreme routines, but in nailing the basics, sleep, exercise and recovery. He also warns against blurring the lines between work and rest, something he believes many business owners get wrong. 'We're so worried about charging our phones but forget to recharge ourselves. Rest doesn't mean heading to the pub or replying to emails after hours. It means giving your body and mind real time to unwind,' he said. Bouris said it was vital for business owners to know their purpose and their 'why'. He said that when life in business gets chaotic, what gets you through is knowing why you're doing it in the first place. 'There'll be times when your routine goes out the window. Late nights, early starts, and everything in between,' he said. 'When that happens, purpose gives you that extra gear, like a boxing world champion digging deep in the final round.' Bouris's message is clear, burnout is real, and no one is immune to it. 'Stop ignoring the basics,' he wrote. 'When it's time to work, get it done. When it's time to rest, actually rest.'
Yahoo
10-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Multi-millionaire's blunt retirement message for Aussies: 'Work until 90'
Australian businessman Mark Bouris has a blunt warning for the nation's youngest workers: "You won't be retiring until you're 80, maybe 90." The reason? "Because you won't have enough money," the Yellow Brick Road chairman and Yahoo Finance contributor said on his Mentored podcast. Traditionally, most Australians stop work between the age of 60 and 65. But the "straight talking" entrepreneur said as the cost-of-living continues to rise, and Australians live for longer, the calculations young workers would've watched their parents hinge the end of their career on will no longer be relevant. "You might be putting super away, but the super you're putting away today will never be enough by the time you're 65 years of age," Bouris said. Retirees facing 'profoundly worrying' superannuation reality as Aussies' inheritance threatened 6am lines for Costco warehouse opening in $118 million move to compete with Coles, Woolworths Centrelink closures and payment changes to hit millions from next week "Everything's gonna be so expensive, it's just gonna keep going up, and up, and up. We've seen house prices and what they've done. "If you think that you're gonna retire at 65 or you're gonna have enough money to retire at 65, you've got another thing coming." The Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia (ASFA) found couples aged 65 now need $73,077 per year combined to achieve a comfortable retirement, while singles need $51,805. This assumes the retiree owns their own home outright. The budgets for a modest retirement were $47,470 for couples and $32,897 for singles. The average age of retirement for men is 66.2 years and 64.8 years for women, according to a KPMG analysis. Meanwhile, the average life expectancy for Australian men and women is 81.1 and 85.1 years, respectively. The majority of Aussies think they will have enough savings to last them 15-20 years after retiring, Bouris said he was worried the youngest working generation would not have that same luxury. "If you're going to die when you're 100, and you retire at 65, but the assumption has been made that you're going to die at 80, you're going to have 20 years where you've got no money," he said. "So I can tell you now. you will be working till you're 80."In addition to the rising cost of living, it's feared that many young workers now won't be hitting retirement with their mortgages fully paid off. Griffith University senior business lecturer Di Johnson said we have to "start being Zen" with that concept because it isn't going away. Data provided to the ABC showed the number of Aussies aged 55 to 64 who owned their homes outright had nearly halved from 64 per cent to 36 per cent from 2000 to 2020. Digital Finance Analytics also found that close to three-quarters of retirees with a mortgage owe more to the bank than they have in super. 'This is why it's so important that a robust superannuation balance is part of a 'whole of wealth' retirement plan, so Australians can have confidence and security in retirement," Vanguard Australia managing director Daniel Shrimski said. 'We've all heard about FOMO – Fear Of Missing Out – now, there's FORO – Fear Of Running Out." The Super Members Council of Australia forecasted that 40 per cent of singles and 33 per cent of couples will end up using their entire superannuation fund to pay off their debt - leaving them with little to nothing to survive retirement. If house prices continue to outpace wage growth and inflation, this will only become a bigger problem for young workers. The Grattan Institute is predicting the proportion of Aussies aged 65 and over who own a property will fall from 76 per cent to 57 per cent by 2056. 'In about 30 years, when millennials start retiring, they're going to have much lower rates of home ownership … if housing remains expensive, it means a big chunk of your diminished [retirement] income from super goes into housing', demographer Simon Kuestenmacher said. Bouris, an alumni of the Australian School of Business who works with the university to mentor business leaders and entrepreneurs, had some frank advice for those gearing themselves up for a longer career — "accept it now" but find passion in what you do. "I'm going to enjoy working - that's what I'm going to be doing, with all my mates," he said. He recommended surrounding yourself with similarly motivated people and warned against "getting pushed and pulled by different sort of points of view". "It's going to get harder and harder and harder, and therefore you've got to make it more fun ... and more competitive," he said. "Enjoy the moment, every single moment, every day. "Enjoy that competition. Otherwise, you're getting left behind."Sign in to access your portfolio
