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Last year, The Project Lab turned 10.
A friend and I started the company in 2013 inspired by the idea that we could make Tasmania the best island in the world (read more about our story here). Along with a group of other business professionals, we saw the potential of pooling talent and skills to give organisations the highest standard of support as they pursued their goals. Over the years, this vision has been refined as the company evolved and changed, adapting to all the factors that effect a business: people, environment, economy, competition, market needs, and global pandemics (!)
What has stood true throughout is that The Project Lab exists to do work that matters. Ask anyone from our team what motivates their work, and they will articulate in their own words our goal: to help make Tasmania the most liveable island in the world. To be working with people who represent such a diverse range of skills, experience and cultures, and yet are aligned in their values, driven by a common goal and fiercely loyal to each other, is a privilege and what truly motivates me to continue aspiring to fulfil our mission.
One of our values is ‘no ego’. I believe this is crucial for any team to work together and to succeed. It creates an environment where the goals of the team are more important than those of the individual. Where you can work together, combining your strengths to gain the greatest achievement.
Which is why this week I was excited and proud to be handing over the role of Chief Executive Officer of The Project Lab to Ben Jones, a highly talented and established business leader who is the right person to take The Project Lab into the next season of growth and expansion. Crucially, Ben has been part of our team for four years and in that time, has become a trusted comrade, friend and business partner. His expertise in business strategy and financial planning has strengthened the company through times of incredible challenge and opportunity. Equally, his loyalty and genuine care of people has helped build a team that is ready for growth.
I am eager to give him the space he needs to lead our people into a new decade of sustained performance and fulfilment of our mission.
As Founder of The Project Lab, I am passionate about supporting Tasmanian organisations in their pursuit of achieving the extraordinary. A relentless visionary, I have set my own goal for the next 10 years, which is for our team to work on projects and services that will in some way have a positive impact on the 40,000 businesses working in our state. Bold, yes, but being bold keeps us pushing forward.
Ben Jones’s appointment releases me to dedicate my time and energy into understanding more deeply the opportunities and challenges our client businesses face and support them to succeed in their purpose. Working alongside our delivery team, I am committed to sharing our learnings, designing solutions that can be tailored to specific needs, encourage collaboration, build teams and strengthen sectors that serve our communities.
I believe what will make Tasmania the most liveable island in the world is when each person, each team, each community and each business is empowered to use their strengths and talents to pursue the extraordinary for all. That is the model our company is built upon. That is what makes us truly Tasmanian.
If you would like to find out more about the leadership changes we’ve made, you can read more here. Or feel free to get in touch with me here. I’d love to have a chat.
Ben Cashman.
