John Sikkema: How a car crash and recession turned his life around

JOHN Sikkema was working 80 hours a week, was losing tens of thousands of dollars a month, and had two mortgages on his house. He almost lost it all.

‘My rich lesson from recession disaster’

JOHN Sikkema was working 80 hours a week, was losing tens of thousands of dollars a month, and had two mortgages on his house.

With a raft of maxed out credit cards and a family to support, the businessman was hitting burn out.

Soon his health and relationships began to crumble.

While Paul Keating told us it was the recession “we had to have”, the high stress life and massive losses had taken their toll and Mr Sikkema knew he was on the brink of losing it all.

The successful businessman and former CEO of Garrisons Financial Planning and Synergy Funds Management Company, had turned into a burnt-out workaholic and he knew something had to give.

“I felt I was losing, not winning at life,” he told news.com.au

“Specifically I had great financial pressure. Our business was a start-up and we used borrowed funds to grow the business. I had two mortgages on the house, several credit cards were maxed out, and the business debt was uncomfortably high.”

Hit with health problems which became more debilitating with stress, his personal life also began to suffer.

John Sikkema during his time at Garrisons.

But according to the now Melbourne-based business leader, things finally changed when he was involved in a car accident in 1993.

“Not long after, I was listening to a bikie talk about making a difference in the world,” he said.

“His passionate message reignited a boyhood dream of using my time and business wealth to help the marginalised and the less fortunate.

“During the same talk, I heard virtually an audible voice saying my life was about helping others succeed — this caused me, with amazing clarity, to come up with 13 things I needed to immediately change in my life.”

The father-of-four sold his business in 2000 and left his idyllic Tasmania to start a new life in Melbourne with wife Sue and soon set about teaching others how to give back.

The now 65-year-old has detailed his life-changing journey in his biography, Enriched and now spends his time working with others to help inspire positive change in their lives.

The now executive chairman of Halftime Australia helps business owners look past material success, and direct the ‘second half’ of life to find their true purpose and to give back to community.

His new role sees him travelling around the world teaching business executives that there’s more to life than just making money.

John Sikkema and wife Sue now live a hectic yet more fruitful pace of life.

As part of this role, he takes a different group of business leaders to the villages of North India every year in a bid to take them outside of their comfort zone “where they invariably gain a vision for their lives beyond simply business success.”

“I have spent 12 years giving away my skill and on average 40 hours a week to not for profits for zero payment plus substantial amounts of money,” he said.

And while it may sound cliche, he insists if all business gave back, the world would not only be a better place but businesses would see an increase in profit and happiness.

“Since I am naturally a business builder, my goal now is to further grow and leverage Halftime Australia,” he said.

“I am focused on recruiting and training new coaches and seeing not just Baby Boomers, but gen X and Y business leaders and owners, make intentional decisions to live and leave a legacy.

“My goal is to help more Australians discover their life purpose and ensure they align their business and career to it. This will result in them becoming better corporate citizens and start winning and giving on the home and community fronts. This goal I know will positively impact not only Australia but also the world.”

Mr Sikkema said people, and in particular, business owners could learn from his story.

“The exciting thing is that while people may be in a very difficult spot with their business, career, health or relationally, there is always a way forward,” he said.

“If people are open to transitioning from being success and wealth creation focused, to being focused on living a life that impacts the world and knowing there is a greater purpose and reason for their life, they will have a sense of meaning and satisfaction that money or status can’t buy.”

He said while he has learnt a lot from books and stories of entrepreneurs as well as seminars on making more money it wasn’t enough.

“What I learnt is that when I took time out to pause and reflect on my life’s mission statement, and then dovetailed it in to my business, it gave me peace and satisfaction that I had never experienced before,” he said.

“I became clear about what legacy I wanted to leave and needed to start now.

“I live with less fear and have more fun and adventure in stepping out of my comfort zone, doing things I know that changes lives and give hope.”