I'm Dante.

I help business owners, solopreneurs and organisations do better with today's technology and ways of doing things.

I promised to never allow myself to be reliant upon a single, vulnerable income source ever again.

After spending thirteen and a half years working in a national radio network as a presenter, writer, online developer, content creator and manager, I was promptly told that I could either resign and take a payout - or the company would make life hell for me until they had time to invent an excuse to fire me.

After all that time, I was out of practice at learning new things and was convinced that I was unemployable and too old at forty to start a new career. I was very wrong.

I started my own web and social media agency on the Gold Coast in 2017, took a job in Darwin selling television ads, moved my life up north for the fourth time since 2003, put my tail between my legs and tried my luck.

The move paid off.

I grew my digital creative agency in to a client list that I sold for enough to clear my debts in 2022.

I kept the name and converted it to a digital skills training business that has contracts with two of Australia's biggest companies, three state/territory governments and the biggest social media company in the world.

Then I split out a public speaking training business from it in late 2022.

I bought a failing cafe in North Queensland in 2020 during the pandemic for $18,000 that now makes $1.7 million a year.

I bought another North Queensland cafe in 2021, and another in 2022.

The cafe group is on track to bring in over $3 million in 2025.

I just bought into a NSW country menswear store group that I am reinventing into community destinations and hubs for people to meet, talk and collaborate.

By the end of 2026, it will be grossing $3.5 million.

I have been the Chair of a 450-member business network.

I am the Chair of Darwin City Retailers Association.

I am one of just five trainers contracted by Meta (Facebook) Australia & New Zealand.

I was awarded Top Voice status on LinkedIn in 2024.

I contract to Darwin Innovation Hub supporting startups and growing a thriving entrepreneurship community.

I am a trainer for the Public Sector Network across Australia and New Zealand.

Breaking away from the dangers of full-time-employment has given me a life that I could not have imagined.

I'm not filthy rich and I don't really want to be.

But I have freedom to choose, move and act.

The freedom to work the hours I want for the people I want on the things I want and in the places I want.

It's not a life that everyone wants. But it's the life I want.

And that's what I want to help others to do.

Because only business can save the world. But first, business needs to start, grow and sustain itself.

And that's what I'm here to help with.

Latest from The Saturday Sprint

People at a table talking

How to choose the right AI platform

December 04, 20242 min read

Selecting the right generative AI tool requires careful consideration of several key factors to ensure it aligns with your organisation's needs and capabilities.

Business Objectives and Use Cases

First, clearly define your specific business goals and use cases. Identify the particular challenges you want to address, whether it's improving customer support, automating content creation, or enhancing operational efficiency. Consider how the AI will integrate into your existing operations and what specific parts of your business could benefit from automation.

Technical Evaluation

Integration Capabilities

- Ensure compatibility with existing systems like CRM and ERP

- Assess data format compatibility

- Consider integration challenges and potential disruptions

Scalability Requirements

- Choose solutions that can grow with your business needs

- Evaluate the tool's ability to handle increasing workloads

- Consider support for parallel processing and distributed computing

Cost Analysis

Financial Considerations

- Evaluate upfront costs including licencing and implementation

- Account for ongoing expenses like maintenance and updates

- Calculate potential ROI through:

- Direct financial gains

- Operational efficiency improvements

- Enhanced customer experience metrics

Implementation Factors

User Experience

- Consider the technical expertise of end users

- Evaluate the interface's intuitiveness

- Assess training requirements

Security and Compliance

- Verify adherence to industry regulations

- Assess data privacy protections

- Consider data storage locations and security measures

Performance Assessment

Model Quality

- Evaluate model size and training data diversity

- Consider computational resource requirements

- Check for fine-tuning options

Support Infrastructure

- Review documentation quality

- Assess customer support responsiveness

- Check for active user communities

Long-term Viability

Consider the provider's:

- Financial stability

- Innovation track record

- Update frequency

- Integration ecosystem

Remember that the right choice depends on your specific organisational context and requirements. Regular evaluation of the tool's performance against your business objectives will ensure continued value from your investment.

blog author image

Dante St James

Dante is the Director of Australian Digital Education & Retail Group and Founder of Clickstarter, Speakstarter and Dante St James Consulting.

Back to Blog

The Confidence to try new things.

The Skills to get things done.

The Drive to Innovate.

The Strategy to Succeed.

Start Here.

Your email is not shared with anyone and will not be used to send you anything apart from my newsletter.

Australian Digital Education & Retail Group Pty Ltd

ACN: 683428882

PO Box 36078 Winnellie NT 0820 Australia

Messsage Service: +61 440 137 779