John Ilhan - A Crazy Life

John Ilhan: A Crazy Life tells the fascinating story of John Ilhan -- a working-class immigrant who overcame incredible odds to become one of the richest men in Australia. Founder of phenomenally successful mobile telephone company Crazy John's, Ilhan tragically passed away in 2007 at the age of forty-two. As told through the eyes of his family, friends and colleagues, this poignant biography reveals new insights into the man behind Crazy John's, the wife and four children he left behind and his David and Goliath battle with Telstra.
Ilhan's inspirational journey shows how self-belief, passion and a never-say-die attitude can see you achieve your dreams.
'When you share your life with a true achiever it's hard to fully comprehend the impact they can have on the broader community. Unfortunately for my family, I learned about that impact the day John passed away.'
-Patricia Ilhan, co-founder, Ilhan Food Allergy Foundation
'When John passed away we lost a truly wonderful person who was a giant at everything he did and a truly free spirit. The amazing thing was he'd only just started to make his mark on the wider community.'
-Brendan Fleiter, Chief Executive Officer, Crazy John's
'...he was a migrant from Turkey who grew up in Broadmeadows and rose to a very senior position in our community. To my mind John lived until he was 100; he just did it in forty-two years.'
-Eddie McGuire, President, Collingwood Football Club


Stephen Dabkowski is a former business editor of The Age, having worked in the media for almost fifteen years for various publications including The Sunday Age, the Herald Sun and The Herald. Stephen is Chief Executive Officer of the Ilhan Food Allergy Foundation. He also works as a communications consultant to various companies.

Annie Reid is a Melbourne-based writer. She has written for The Australian, the Herald Sun, The Age, Leader Community Newspapers and various property and lifestyle magazines. Annie also works with a number of corporate clients and non-government organisations.