Where are they now? Adam Farrell

What year did you graduate? 2016

What were your senior subjects at Proserpine State High School? English, Maths B, Health Education, Biology, Physical Education, Cert III in Fitness.

Favourite Proserpine State High School memory? Senior Leadership Camp was made extremely memorable by all of the students and teachers involved. There was such a strong sense of comradery and community in our cohort after this camp.

Where did life take you after you graduated? Things didn't go as I'd planned. Soon after graduating, I moved to Brisbane to search for a job to support myself through a Bachelor of Exercise and Sport Science at University of Queensland. I fell into sales, and quickly found some success. I realised that my degree was unlikely to be useful in achieving the level of success I was pursuing, so during O-Week I made the decision not to continue with this degree, and instead chose to pursue a sales career. I knew I was young, and if I needed to, I could always go back to university next year. 

To cut a long story short, that led to my move to New Zealand in 2019 to manage the expansion of a sales business. I then transitioned into property investment consultancy, and have now co-founded Lighthouse Property alongside Lighthouse Financial, where we help everyday people achieve their financial goals.

What job position are you currently in? Director of Property and Sales, Lighthouse Financial (Auckland).

Tell us about why you picked a career in sales and what your study/training journey has been? Sales is an industry that disproportionately rewards high performance. The more you achieve, the more you are rewarded. While salespeople are often stereotyped as pushy or inauthentic - like the classic "greasy car salesman" - my success has come from simply doing the opposite. I prioritise peoples' best interests, and that authenticity builds trust. It's that trust that helps people take significant action towards their goals.

My training has come through daily self-development and ongoing professional courses to continually improve my skills.

Best experience since graduating at Proserpine State High School? Travelling through East Java in 2023 on an expedition with 10 content creators from various countries around the world. 

Best advice for current Year 12 students? University is a major investment - both in time and money. While it’s essential for certain careers like medicine, law, or engineering, it's not the only path to success. 

Before committing, explore fields that interest you. Talk to people already working in those careers. If you're not certain, take a gap year to gain experience and clarity.

You're young and you have time. Spending one extra year to make the right choice can save you from spending four years - and thousands of dollars - on the wrong one.

Favourite quote? One of my business mentors once told me "money is just the applause you receive from the marketplace". If you want to find success in your career, find the place where you can personally help the most people, and have the biggest impact.