Rachael Thompson

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Name: Rachael Thompson

Occupation/Title: Company Secretary

Company/Organization: Kokoro International Pty Ltd(pic main spotlight)

Age: 33 yrs

Business Profile

After working for years in large corporations, and running businesses for other people, I felt my life would be better off with my own business or company. In 1996, I was offered to act as an agent for a South East Asian mining company. While the first few months were very successful, the Bangkok market crash caused the price of gems to go crazy. I was forced to look for other commodities during that time.

My company took on all kinds of contracts with other small and large firms. We took on secretarial duties, audit work and even worked on the Y2K projects in order to stay viable.

In 1997, I sent a lady friend of mine to Asia to investigate further trade opportunities and she arrived in Melbourne Airport wrapped up in pashminas. Unfortunately there was no interest in 1997, however, this has completely changed in the last year.

In the near future, I will be looking at markets overseas such as Japan and central Europe to sell, as well as any kind of reciprocal trade which may come in the process.

Where did you grow up?
I was born in Rangoon, Burma, and my parents migrated to Australia in 1975. Most of my schooling was in Australia.

What was your first job?
An office assistant for a refuelling business at the Essendon Airport.

How many hours a week do you work? 50-60 hours, not counting hours of thought that goes into planning for the business.

Name a movie that actually inspired you?
'Unbearable Lightness of Being' and 'To Live'. Both of the movies showed the strength and fragility of human beings so well.

Name a talent you don't have that you wish you did?
I would like to be an accomplished pianist.

What was the last book you read?
'Kokoro' by Natsume Soseki. I read the English version three years ago and now I am reading the version in Japanese. It takes me a month to read a page.

If you could solve one environmental problem, which would it be?
To somehow be powerful enough to place a world wide legislation to make all big corporations be completely accountable for their actions. Unless these multinationals change tact, we as individuals are so defenceless.

Have you ever had a celebrity crush and if so who?
Currently it's Kevin Spacey.

What song transports you to another place when you hear it?
'Somewhere My Love' from Doctor Schivago. This movie played over two years in the Airforce base where I lived as a child, my mother used to sing it all the time. It takes me back to my childhood.

What's your idea of the perfect Sunday?
Sleeping in until 10.00 am and enjoying a long, late breakfast at the Continental or European with my partner.

Looking back 10 years ago are you now where you expected to be?
If not, where did you expect to be? I have probably done a little more than I expected. However, my expectations of myself for the next ten years have completely skyrocketed, therefore you might get a much more interesting answer in ten years time.

What's your favourite city in the world and why?
I think it would have to be Melbourne. There is a tiny piece of the world here. While I enjoy being lost in other parts of the world, I do get home sick for Melbourne after the first few weeks. I haven't been to another city in the world where you can get everything from all other parts of the world and yet it's not too cramped for living.

More about pashmina

Pashmina is woven from the coat of the Capra Hircus goat, which lives at altitudes of up to 15,000 ft in the Himalayas and the central plains of China.

The Pashmina (literally 'fine wool') is combined by hand from the fleecy underbelly of the goat.

Traditionally given as wedding gifts, handed down as heirlooms, the pashmina is now the ultimate accessory. Timelessly elegant.