Cairns Crocodiles: Katie Page and Ariana Titmus give business advice in Queensland

From Olympic medallists to multinational CEOs, Australia’s finest have revealed their secret to success in a multi-day Queensland convention.

News Corp Australia managing director of client partnerships Lou Barrett and Harvey Norman chief executive Katie Page speak at the first day the Cairns Crocodiles media, marketing and advertising conference, held at the Cairns Convention Centre. Picture: Brendan Radke

From Olympic medallists to multi-national CEOs, Australia’s finest have revealed their secret to success in a multi-day Queensland convention.

The Cairns Crocodiles is a three day conference which attracts the country’s sharpest minds in media, marketing and creativity to the centre of Cairns’ CBD.

Eight-time Olympic medallist Ariarne Titmus said she lives by a saying from her father — “you regret the things in life you didn’t do” — which is why she’s decided to take a break from the pool.

Ten years ago the champion swimmer moved to Queensland from Launceston, Tasmania at just 14 years old when it became clear the southern state couldn’t accommodate her Olympic dreams.

“Mum quit her job, and mum, my younger sister and I moved up to Brisbane with nowhere to live,” Ms Titmus said.

“I started sleeping on my bed that I got when I was a baby, like my first single bed, we didn’t have a TV, my sister slept with my mum, and we really did it tough for the move.

“The sacrifice that they made for me to pursue my dreams, I think has been the most pivotal choice that we made as a family.”

Ariane Titmus won gold for women’s 400 metre final in Paris 2024. Picture: Michael Klein

After winning two gold medals in Tokyo and another two in last year’s Paris Olympics, Ms Titmus said she was now considering her ambitions outside of swimming.

“I’ve been very public in saying that I’m taking a 12 month hiatus from the pool after the Olympics, which is really brave in Olympic sport to take 12 months away, because you lose form (easily).

“But I just truly needed the time to explore who I am and my life outside of the pool, also to set myself up for one day when eventually swimming is not there.

“I want to know what I want to do and be fulfilled in other ways.

“The best advice I’ve received, my dad says this to me all the time and it’s actually what he said to me when we first moved to Queensland, is you regret the things in life you didn’t do, not what you did do.”

In another session, News Corp Australia client partnership managing director Lou Barrett picked the brains of Harvey Norman chief executive Katie Page.

Ms Page, who exploded the homewares company from a single outer-Sydney store in 1987 to 196 stores across eight countries in 2024, said the key to success was being on “24 hours a day”.

“If you look at our life, we work seven days a week. You know this morning, I was on a call with America at 3.30am,” Ms Page said.

“Nothing is a problem, if you’re going to be running businesses doing what we’re doing, nothing can be a problem. You’ve got to turn up, you’ve got to be a part of it.”

News Corp Australia managing director of client partnerships Lou Barrett and Harvey Norman chief executive Katie Page speak at the first day the Cairns Crocodiles media, marketing and advertising conference, held at the Cairns Convention Centre. Picture: Brendan Radke

The retail mogul and women’s sports advocate stressed that humanity will only become more critical as the business world is increasingly digitised and AI-dependent.

“We’re onto our fourth generation of technologists within our business that keeps us at the forefront,” Ms Page said.

“If we were just homeware, furniture and bedding we’d be there, but not to the level that we’re at, so where we’re always at the cutting edge of what’s happening.

“Because the next thing is ‘AI-physical’, we’ll be selling robots and that will start very quickly.

“Zoom is great, but it doesn’t do it for me, right? You’ve really got to face people, and you’ve got to allow them to talk to you.”

The Cairns Crocodiles is held in the Cairns Convention Centre from May 13-15 2025.

Originally published as Cairns Crocodiles: Katie Page and Ariana Titmus give business advice in Queensland