Steve Vamos’ Post

Through Shifts and Shocks is now in bookstores around Australia and it has been great to receive several photos of the book on shelves from friends who have come across it. I really appreciate their proactive help with merchandising to make sure it is highly visible in store.  When I first saw the book on the shelf at Dymocks in Sydney, it was another big step in the book-writing journey that I set off on more than 20 years ago.  My publisher Wiley did a great job with the cover, it really stands out in the pack – and I was pretty impressed to see it keeping company with some big business titles. There have been plenty of milestones along the way including completing a first draft of the manuscript, only to park it for five years during my time as CEO of  Xero. When I picked it up again in mid-2023 after retiring from that role, I realised how much more material I wanted to add. I heard someone say once that when you think you’re about 80% done with a manuscript, you probably still have about 80% to go - and I can tell you it sometimes felt that way! One of the great joys since launching Through Shifts and Shocks is hearing feedback and reading reviews from those who have already read it. It means a lot to me that some of the busiest people I know have taken the time to read the book and then craft detailed and provide thoughtful feedback. I’m also starting to see reviews on Amazon which means a lot to me and also helps the book stand out in the digital world when more people rate and review it. For those who might have the opportunity to read it over the coming end of year break, I’d love to hear what you think. And thanks to the leaders I respect so much who helped me on the journey, and took the time to read earlier drafts and provide feedback and guidance – all of which made the book better. David Thodey AO, Tom Daunt, Emeritus Professor Roy Green AM, Professor Leanne Rowe AM, Narelle Hooper, Rachael Powell, Brett Chenoweth, David Do, Christa Davies, David Shein, Sophie Crawford-Jones, John Vamos, Kendra Vant, Cheryl Godkin, Stephanie Avramides, Jamie Pond and Damien Ponweera.