Leading questions: 2degrees CEO Eric Hertz

Eric Hertz expects to be in the wireless telecommunications game for many years to come. Photo / Brett Phibbs

2degrees Mobile chief executive Eric Hertz looks back on a tough year and ahead to what's in store for him.

How was the recession for you?

We're building and we're investing during the recession.

The biggest issue is capital markets. Investors get conservative so raising capital is a bit more of a challenge.

What was the biggest lesson you'll take out of it?

I think [the importance of] having a really solid business plan and persistence - hanging in there - because it does get better.

Are we through the worst of it yet?

I don't think so. I'm not an economist but I think there is a commercial real estate bubble that hasn't fully burst yet and the lending world is still pretty tight.

If the financial world is still going through some transitions, that's the blood flow for all commerce, all business.

So I think until that really sorts itself out, until the banks and financial markets really get back to normal, then it's harder in the world of business.

I think consumers are still conservative and that's an important part.

Although for us coming in as a more affordable alternative that will be good for us - I think that gives us a good position, but in general until the financial markets sort out I don't think we're going to see a full return to what is normal.

What do you think is the thing most likely to trip up the recovery?

The commercial real estate market. Dubai is an iconic example.

I think there will be others. There are plenty of places where commercial real estate still hasn't fully sorted through the changes that are ahead.

What will you be doing in 2025?

I will still be doing something in this world of wireless telecommunications.

But it's going to be such a radically different world in this space - what you can do with devices and where you can do it from.

I think about a really global communications world where there is nowhere that you can't have some kind of connection.

So, I think I'll be talking to my daughter and my grandkids over some device at a beach somewhere and doing work on another device.

There's this notion of telepresence. I think that's quite feasible in that timeframe, where we'll live in a world where we're really connected always.

We're untethered but we're always connected.