Mark Bouris - My Humble Beginnings

The star of ‘The Mentor’ reflects on the work ethic and family unity that set him up for mega success

- Karina Machado

 A yellow brick road of possibilities opened up for Mark Bouris when he was around 13, thanks to a savvy classmate selling his mum’s toffees in the playground for a few cents each. “I’ll never forget this kid,” says Bouris, who lived in the south-western Sydney suburb of Punchbowl. “I thought, ‘Wow, that’s good. He’s making money!’ ” Duly inspired, he crafted a classic-style wooden pipe out of an old cricket stump and showed his friends. “I started making them and selling them,” the celebrity businessman tells WHO. “It took off.”