By Guy Turner · Turner & Co
In one of the world’s youngest – and most determined – democracies, we didn’t just find a project. We found a purpose.
Before Tasch and I launched Turner & Co, I spent my career in media and customer growth strategy, first in digital sales and platform management, then leading commercial strategy, customer solutions, and insights. I’d navigated M&As, built high-performing teams, and delivered strong, measurable results. But during Covid, life cracked open.
My father passed away suddenly. My mother fell apart. Tasch and I almost lost our off-the-plan apartment when a zoning change doubled our required deposit. We ended up paying rent for eight months longer than expected, only able to stay thanks to a kind landlord who granted monthly extensions. I needed a reset. Like many resets, it didn’t go to plan.
Growth Through Lived Adversity
The first business I joined post-media collapsed – a so-called unicorn turned cautionary tale, going from a $500 million valuation to the poster child of Western Australia’s homebuilder collapse. The next looked promising, but when I scratched beneath the surface, I uncovered what many hoped no one ever would. Founders clung to hopium, accountability vanished, shareholders rebelled and in the fight for control, only the lawyers won.
More ventures followed. From promising to fraudulent, the tech pipeline across my desk began to erode my energy. The joy was gone. I was out of resilience.
Then came a call from a trusted friend; one that led to Turner & Co contracting with ABC International Development and the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. We began with commercialisation training across Pacific Island media. Now, we’re in Timor-Leste.
This isn’t just strategy. This is nation building.
Why We’re Here
The work is ongoing, and much is still under wraps. But here’s what we can share.
Timor-Leste is young, bold, and uniquely complex. Over 70% of its population is under 30. There are four official languages and more than 30 Indigenous ones. Infrastructure is evolving rapidly and so is its audience.
You can’t roll in with a formula. You need fresh eyes, cultural sensitivity, and the ability to zoom out and see the whole system.
That’s why our clients call Turner & Co. Not for recycled playbooks, but for clarity in the noise. For the courage to ask the uncomfortable questions. For the skill to co-design what comes next.
Because systems in emerging markets aren’t inherited; they’re built in real time. Shaped by politics, people, platforms and possibility.
What we found in Timor was a powerful mix of resilience, local brilliance, and deep commitment. The systems around it? Still catching up. That’s not failure. That’s the opportunity.
Our Lens
We specialise in identifying what’s getting in the way of momentum. Sometimes that’s legacy systems. Sometimes it’s strategy crafted by committee. Sometimes it’s simply too many smart people pulling in different directions. Our job is to help teams find centre again.
The school of (very) hard knocks has qualified us for this. Not a string of shiny wins. Lived experience. Real setbacks. Lessons earned.
Tasch leads on consumer psychology, digital transformation, and brand voice. I lead on market research, governance, and commercial viability. Together, we apply a forensic, honest lens — not to criticise, but to construct.
Currently, we’re supporting three viability studies: scaling a UK timber architecture business, designing a Spanish real estate fund, and expanding a memorialisation platform in Australia. We’re proud partners with LeadHERship Global and She’s The Boss, championing female founders as they cross the growth divide from micro business to SME.
And we start every engagement with one question: does this idea stand up to scrutiny?
Because it’s not enough to look good on the outside. We want to know what’s holding it together when no one’s watching.
And no — this can’t be outsourced to a large language model. Without human refinement, LLMs default to uncritical praise. They become echo chambers of mutual gratification, handing out gold stars and mantras like you’ve got this while bypassing the harder questions.
The real threat isn’t AI running wild. It’s critical thinking being replaced by an overenthusiastic chorus of bots.
Why This Matters
This is the kind of work we live for. Projects that challenge us, stretch us, and remind us why we do what we do.
In Timor, the stakes are higher, and the impact, deeper. We’re not just building strategies. We’re helping shape systems that could last generations.
We’re also lucky to partner with specialists like Mercy Me Marketing to bring client campaigns to life. But above all, we’re grateful for the trust placed in us, and the opportunity to contribute meaningfully.
An Open Invitation
If you’re navigating change, whether you’re building something new or rethinking a legacy structure, we’re here to help.
Turner & Co brings clarity, momentum, and psychology-led insight to every engagement. No fluff. No gimmicks. Just the real work of transformation.
If that sounds like your kind of partnership, let’s talk.
