The release of Alan Bond's last interview has revealed a side of the entrepreneur seldom seen by the public, as he reflected on his personal flaws.
The interview was filmed at his Perth home in 2014, as part of television series The Thread featuring notable Australians.
Film makers Hugh Minson and Jack Morphet spent two years convincing Bond to participate, and when he did, the sound bites could be considered somewhat surprising.
From Bond giving himself "six out of ten" as a businessman: "The score would have been a nine except for 1987 stock market crash."
To a candid analysis of his self-proclaimed biggest flaw: "Unfortunately, I think a little bit of ego gets control of you and you start to believe the rhetoric, you've got to bring your feet back to the ground."
Alan Bond pictured arriving for his wedding to Diana Bliss on April 15th 1995. Source: AAP
The one-time tycoon, who at the height of his purchasing power owned a Telco, television network, property holdings and even art houses, said he was never motivated by money.
"It was what you could try ... I don't think money is the main aim for most of these people. It never was for me," he said.
Wins didn't come easily
"You have to be willing to work on your Saturdays when everyone is out and sacrifice your time. It is not something everyone can do but there are still plenty of opportunities if you work for it."
Bond served three years in prison for large-scale corporate fraud, something upon which he didn't linger, in his reminisces over a long, colourful career.
The Perth native became a widely loathed businessman in his later years, particularly in Western Australia, after his investments went south and he landed in almost $2 billion worth of personal debt.
He spent the last years of his life, living in London, returning to his home town of Perth when health issues arose.
The 2014 sit-down was to be his final interview.
Alan Bond passed away aged 77 with complications arising from open-heart surgery, surrounded by his three children.
Both celebrated and condemned, alternately succeeding and failing, in Bond's own words: "It is better to have tried and failed than never tried."
