GOAT MILK & REALITY TV
Does having a profile from footy open doors? Sometimes, sure. There have been a few occasions where it’s helped set up a meeting or got a conversation started.
But it’s not something you should rely on. Take my business, Thank Goat, for example. We have been planning to expand internationally. How helpful do you reckon my games for the Kangaroos and Hawks have been in our discussions with China?!
I was fortunate in a way. I had been preparing for life after footy for quite a while. And Hawthorn were brilliant in arming me with life skills for after retirement. I was realistic about what was coming. It wasn’t one of those, ‘Argh! I’m out on my own! What do I do?!’ scenarios.
Your life post-footy is up to you. You’re not the club’s responsibility anymore. Self-reliance is critical.
When I went down injured in what would be my last senior game – against the Suns in round 12 last year – I already had a reasonable idea of where I wanted to go.
For me, it was skincare. It was something I’d always had an interest in. I did some research around the benefits of goat milk and gradually built Thank Goat over a few years.
We started with clay facemasks. They were well received so we branched out into moisturisers and lip balms. We’re about to launch a babies’ range soon, shampoos and conditioners. We’ll be launching in Myer soon and then the idea is to expand internationally – Europe, the USA and China.
It’s been exciting to have a goal, start something and see it evolve.
I’m very hands-on. Through the early stages I worked with a graphic designer on packaging, I found a company to work on a formulation and sourced packaging solutions from businesses in China. I’m still across all our accounts, dealers, manufacturing. I have some people in to help with social content, but I’m always dealing with distributors and the like.
I’m fortunate to have a terrific business partner who was able to take the lead while I was in South Africa shooting I’m A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here. It was actually a really stressful time. We were starting to produce a lot of products and I was locked away on location on the other side of the Indian Ocean!
But that’s one of the great things about life after footy: all these little random opportunities that pop up that you would be in no way capable of following up if you were still playing.
One of the main reasons I wanted to go to the jungle was because they said they don’t cut vision to make people out to be heroes or villains. They just encouraged me to be me.
You get grouped with 12 people who probably aren’t your first friend choices. You’re forced to create bonds and work together to get through people’s fears. As a footballer, with that competitive side of you, it was exciting.
Would I do it again? Who knows. But I’m glad I did.
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