Name: Patrick Tuttle
Title: CEO, Pepper Homeloans

What was the last book you read?

The last book I read was Observations of a Very Short Man by Nigel Marsh. This guy is an Australian and he is a senior advertising executive. It's about how he manages his work/life balance. He actually has some very young kids and a very senior job so it's actually something I could relate to quite easily. He has twin children like I do and I'm also very short so I could relate to that too.

If you did not live in Australia, where would you like to live?

That's easy. I would like to live in London. My wife and I lived there for close to three years, between '94 and '97. We both love London. We've always had financial services roles and it's the epicentre of financial services. Great culture, history, it's a great base to travel from and we have lots of friends there. It's an easy place for Australians to live because there is a lot of history between the two countries.

If you could sit down to lunch with anyone you like, who would it be?

I love comedians so this was easy. I like Billy Connolly, I'd have Robin Williams and I'd throw in Ricky Gervais from The Office. I'd also have Gordon Ramsay as the chef. That would make a good lunch. My wife can't watch The Office because she finds it too excruciating, but that show just cracks me up. It is very clever.

What was the first job you ever had?

First job I had was pumping gas. My brother-in-law's father owned a Mobil service station in Seven Hills in the north-west. My first job as a 15-16 year old was pumping gas before there was self-service. I would have done it for two-and-a-half years. I probably learnt I wasn't a salesman. I had to sell a quota of oil with the gas and I never broke any records, put it that way.

What do you do to unwind?

When I can I like to walk or jog after work, normally with iPod in hand. Or more quirkily I like to ride my tractor. I actually live on a semi-rural property on five acres. So I've got a fair bit of work to do on weekends. I live out Dural, Penshurst way. We've only been there for 18 months. I've resisted farm animals so far but as the kids get older that may well happen so watch this space! My wife think alpacas are cute, but they look like hard work to me.

What's the most extravagant gift you ever bought yourself?

My wife and I bought a holiday house for the family about two years ago. It's actually based in the grounds of the Hyatt in Coolum. Lend Lease bought the resort a few years back and they started building mini residential pockets within the actual grounds of the resort and this particular development was built between the fourteenth and seventeenth fairways of the golf course.

What CD is currently playing in your car stereo?

The current CDs I have in the car are Thirsty Merc. The other one I like is Maroon5. I am into music to the extent I get a chance to listen to it.

If you could give anyone starting out in business one piece of advice, what would it be?

My original career was as a chartered accountant with Price Waterhouse. I would say to people: take you opportunities when they present themselves and don't be afraid to take calculated risks when you are considering career choice. I know a lot of people who have almost got stuck in careers because they had opportunities at key moments but they didn't take them. They always have this 'if only I'd done this'. Thankfully in my career I've made a few key decisions which have made a huge difference.

If I was not working in the mortgage industry, I would like to be...?

Somewhere in financial services. I've always been in a sort of finance-related industry. Probably in banking.

Where was the last place you went on holiday?

We were up at Coolum for school holidays.