From Gold Coast to Mumbai - Sonya McGuire's Fascinating Life Story

Sonya McGuire started ACIT IFTV and IFTV Studios 1995 in the Gold Coast of Queensland, Australia. She has decided to embark on a Bollywood venture after meeting with a Bollywood producer at a film festival in the Gold Coast. Her passion for Bollywood increased as she discussed opportunities to collaborate with various production houses when she visited India.

As an educator for over 2 decades she is very keen to collaborate with the industry to create opportunities for investment and internship for graduating students. She has been helping many international students to find new careers since the college first opened.

She serves as an advisor to government and education providers in select countries and collaborates with programs for training and industry development. Her projects extend globally from Australia to Brazil, Fiji, Chile, Philippines, India and China.

For how long did you have the idea for this business and why did you decide to start ACIT & IFTV?

ACIT & IFTV is a business I founded 23 years ago. At the time I was a systems analyst / programmer as well as a trainer at the Bond University and Gold Coast TAFE. I was also a contract trainer in many private companies including the Gold Coast Hospital, Northern Territory University, Frances Bay Slipway and Department of Transport and Works.

I saw the opportunity for training combined with industry placements, which is a big need locally. I took the opportunity to launch the company in 1995 to provide world class training and education along with providing job placement services.

You travel all over the world, speaking at conventions and working in such amazing industries - It sounds like a dream! Is this reality as great as we envision?

Helping people is what I love to do and it comes naturally to me. As a kid I played as a teacher to my cousins, we also had theatre productions with the curtain where we invited all our neighbours and had regular shows at my parents' house.

I am always looking at how I can improve the quality of others' lives, and giving people a chance to fulfil their dreams. I am steadily building my network of business colleagues who have become my friends. I hope to be helping people every day of the week because this is my dream job!

So tell me about what it's like to meet with the greatest Bollywood hero Randir Kapoor, and how did you get to meet with him?

I was delighted to meet with Randir who is a colleague of a dear friend of mine in India. The Bollywood industry is amazing and Randir's family is of course very famous. I was delighted to have tea with him at his amazing studio in Mumbai. He and his family have been involved for generations with Bollywood film making, acting, and operate their own studios in Mumbai.

I was quite privileged to be given the tour of some of his productions taking place on set as well. I was fascinated to see Indian film makers at work. I was very appreciative of his advice, mentorship and hospitality.