Danielle Owen-Whitford founded start up Pioneera in 2018 to improve our mental health by tackling the crippling issue of workplace burnout and improving “positive” productivity.  Pioneera's purpose is to unleash everyone's potential to be happier, healthier and more productive at work. In this episode we explore the transformational role of artificial intelligence (AI) in preventing workplace burnout. Danielle narrates her inspiring journey, explaining how her personal experience with burnout led to the creation of Pioneera, a platform using AI to foster positive mental health and safe workplace atmospheres. Their world-first solution uses artificial intelligence informed by evidence-based psychology, to identify signs of burnout and provide tech-assisted early intervention. Ahead of it’s time, Pioneera's award-winning solution is now the only product in the market that can provide real-time mental health data to meet new safety regulations and ESG reporting requirements and is gaining strong interest across both large and small Australian businesses. Pioneera's app won the social impact category of the 2022 Australian Good design awards and was recognised as a World Changing idea by Fast Company in 2021.  Productivity in the modern workplace and the delicate balance between efficiency and wellness are explored in-depth in this interview, providing listeners with valuable insights on these critical issues. Our conversation highlights the disturbing prevalence of 'toxic productivity' and the need for systemic changes in the way productivity is measured. We explore the corrosive effects of a relentless drive for efficiency on both work quality and employee mental health. Danielle provides a fresh perspective on combating workplace stress, focusing on the value of 'positive productivity' -- a productivity paradigm that prioritises mental clarity and wellness over sheer output. Our discussion further examines the innovative role of Pioneera in promoting systemic change. By using data and AI, Pioneera not only detects signs of burnout but also encourages organisations to change outdated productivity measures and create healthier workplaces. Discover more about Indie, the groundbreaking app designed to provide real-time, data-driven feedback to individuals and teams. Tune into this insightful conversation to understand the necessity of reassessing productivity measures and embrace systemic change for the mental well-being of employees and society as a whole. The conversation also sheds light on trust-building, risk-management, and fostering productive workplaces through technology. Gain valuable knowledge about organisational dynamics management, especially during challenging times. This episode is a must-listen for employers, leaders, and individuals interested in enhancing workplace safety and productivity. The inspiring journey of Pioneera, from a personal hardship story to a game-changer in workplace environments, leaves listeners with an impactful realisation about the immeasurable potential of AI in transforming workplace cultures. GET A FREE HEALTH CHECK FOR YOUR ORGANISATION Danielle is offering a free health check to assess where your organisation is and where you want it to be. To claim your free health check, email Danielle with Free Health Check in the subject line. Connect with Danielle On Linkedin Pioneera website

Desmond Campbell is a proud Gurindji and Alawa-Ngalakan man from the Northern Territory and is the CEO of Welcome to Country with a background in consulting, social policy and Government services. Desmond joined Welcome to Country to continue to build a platform that is First Nations led and operated, contributing to economic independence of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and by sharing the world's oldest continuous living cultures and languages by First Nations people on their terms and cultural integrity.  Our yarn starts with Desmond sharing his own identity and the proud legacy of his family which flows through his blood. It weaves through to his role at Welcome to Country, why this organisation exists and how it serves its stakeholders. And it ends with a powerful and emotional vision for the future. For those of us who believe we should be proud and fiercely protective of the oldest living civilisation in the world, through this interview, Desmond opens a door which he invites us to walk through. Highlights: Desmond shares his family background including his legacies from both his mother’s and father’s side. He highlights on his father's side his relationship to Vincent Lingiari, his Great Grandfather, who Paul Kelly’s song “From Little Things Big Things Grow”  is about; and his mother's Uncle who was awarded a Member of the British Empire Medal for, amongst other things, diagnosing leprosy in Aboriginal people throughout the Northern TerritoryWe talk about the importance of identity and Desmond shares his approach to leadership and his mission to carry forward his cultural legacy through his role at Welcome to CountryHe shares his view on leading with emotion despite being told that it might not be appropriate and we discuss the human value of emotion in leadershipDesmond takes us through some of his childhood experiences which made him feel like a second class citizen, but contrasts this with his deepening curiosity and pride as he started learning about the history and legacy of his mobHe talks about how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have always led events to connect language and culture and connect to our past so we can move forward together. By acknowledging our traumatic past and walking forward togetherDesmond describes himself as a “walking billboard”, sharing a couple of stories about being approached at the pub by two different non-Indigenous people separately to talk about things related to his Aboriginal identity. He explains that while he doesn't mind it, there is an emotional cost to him of engaging, which is why he offers some advice to non-indigenous people who might want to ask questions of or discuss relevant issues with an Aboriginal person Desmond introduces what Welcome to Country is all about and its purpose – to support greater economic independence for First Nations entrepreneurs, sharing the language and culture with the world on their termsHe shares what Welcome to Country has achieved so far since launching in 2019 during the bushfires and leading into the pandemicHe tells us about Welcome to Country’s new location in Glebe and his vision for what the space will enable as a vibrant cultural hub, including a shop. He highlights the Open Day that is planned (dates tbc will be shared)Desmond explains the challenge of balancing cultural integrity with the need to educate those organisations that want to be connected with Welcome to Country and more widely with Aboriginal cultureDesmond’s dream: he shares his vision of what he’d love Welcome to Country to look like in 5 years time, but he also shares what he’d love our world to look like in that time. Desmond closes the episode by sharing what Australians who voted YES in the referendum on the Voice can do to continue to show their support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Connect with Desmond and Welcome To Country Desmond on Linkedin Welcome To Country on Linkedin Welcome To Country website

My guest is a woman after my own heart. Aga Bajer is obsessed with the opportunity to create thriving cultures by understanding what it is that people need to do their best work.  Aga wears many hats as the driving force behind CultureBrained®, where she steers the ship as both founder and CEO. Beyond leading her company, Aga is an author and a captivating keynote speaker, known for sharing insights that resonate deeply with her audience. She's the voice and brain behind the CultureLab podcast, where she dives into the intricacies of organisational culture, and has built a vibrant community for culture leaders around these conversations. Her impactful contributions, books and thought leadership in her field have earned her a spot as one of LinkedIn’s Top Voices of 2024, marking her as a must-follow for those interested in the world of company culture and leadership. I absolutely loved our conversation. Aga challenges some of the ‘truths’ that we as a society seem to have accepted with very little rigour. She shares the insights she has uncovered through her research as well as her own experience. For Aga, her work is personal and this shines through our interview. The need for people to feel a sense of belonging is the central theme of this episode and Aga also shares with us what it takes to help foster a sense of belonging in organisations. Interview highlights: Aga shares and expands on her insights on the 3 things people need to do their best work – fun, meaning and belongingShe shares her fascinating career journey from starting an ice cream factory aged 22 to later joining large consulting businesses, in a quest to understanding how to build an environment where people can thrive.Her fascination and obsession with understanding the impact of environment on people and their ability to do great work and to thrive.She introduces her consultancy CultureBrained® and it’s “crazy dream”, a mission to make work synonymous with fun, meaning and belonging.Aga explains CultureBrained’s approach: Codify cultureEmbed and activate itEvolve culture She shares that a big part of this is focused on creating a community of practitioners, a creative space for heads of people and culture, CEOs, CMOs, all finding new better ways of cultivating healthy culturesWe talk about the Fireside Chats that Aga hosts for her members – a small, deep, intimate format. She confesses that, as a business owner, this can be quite terrifying to run this kind of format, when the rest of the world seems to be pulling in the other direction of big, mass, scaled.Our discussion moves to Dunbar’s number – Robin Dunbar’s theory that the maximum number of people we can manage to be ‘friends with’ is 150 people – and how this inspired Aga in how she manages her CultureBrained communityAga shares the story of how she came to be writing her book, which originally started as an exploration of the concepts of fun, meaning and belonging, but eventually moved to single-mindedly explore the topic of belonging She shares a fascinating insight into scientific research which reveals that belonging is actually the Number 1 human need (in conflict with Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs)Aga takes us on a deeper dive into the topic of belonging and why she is so personally invested in exploring and understanding it. She talks about her personal experiences as well as what she has observed in organisations and teamsShe explains the three things we need to generate Belonging, providing deep insight on what it takes, including being valued as well as creating valueThe strong link between belonging and organisational performance, which is backed up by scientific researchThe cost of “Unbelonging” and the benefits of BelongingAga’s ambition for the next five years towards a more regenerative society and what that could look like for business   Connect with Aga and CultureBrained The Culture Lab Insider Newsletter Aga on Linkedin  agabajer.com   The CultureBrained community

Can you imagine loving your bank? Can you imagine your bank being a reflection of how you see yourself, in the same way we choose fashion brands to reflect parts of our identity? Well, perhaps if your bank is Bank Australia, you might not have to imagine too hard. From today’s interview, this bank is one that I can easily imagine loving and identifying with. My guest today is Georgia Windrum, Manager Climate Action Strategy, Bank Australia. Georgia leads Bank Australia’s work to reach their ambitious net zero by 2035 target. She has previously worked on climate strategy, policy and campaigns at Climateworks Centre, the Australian Conservation Foundation and the Australian Council of Trade Unions Our conversation uncovers the unusual way that Bank Australia conducts it’s business, from being customer-owned, to not paying out bonuses or dividends and to serving their purpose – to inspire and empower our customers to use their money to create a world where people and the planet thrive. There’s much we can learn from this Australian bank and one of their ambitions is that other financial institutions use and adopt their model. This collaborative mindset comes from the ambition they have to use business as a force for good. Interview highlights: Georgia shares her background journey from growing up with a strong connection to nature to her role at Bank Australia today, managing their climate action strategyShe explains what it means to be a customer-owned bank, including what it means to have values-aligned customers as your shareholdersGeorgia highlights Bank Australia’s four key impact pillars – climate action, affordable and accessible housing, nature and biodiversity and First Nations reconciliation – and some of the ways they support these areasShe shares Bank Australia’s 2035 Net Zero target and highlights some of the initiatives that have come from this targetI ask Georgia to share an initiative that she’s particularly passionate about and she highlights their pilot home electrification program in Victoria, getting their customers off gasWe discuss the benefits and challenges of having customers who are so aligned and emotionally invested in the bank’s activitiesGeorgia shares what it means from an employee perspective to be part of a purpose-driven bank   Connect with Bank Australia and Georgia Bank Australia website Georgia on Linkedin

I first came across Neal Foard about a year ago. I saw one of his videos on Linkedin and I was hooked. Since then, I light up every time I see the distinctive black backdrop with his smiling face inviting me in for another immersive life lesson. Neal is a storyteller. He shares beautiful, heart-warming stories – always with a powerful takeaway. In an age where many of our political leaders and media personalities encourage us to think the worst of each other and to focus on the rage, Neal highlights the best of us. Through his stories, he inspires the best of us. Neal’s background is in in advertising and marketing. Thirty years spent creating award-winning campaigns for global power brands like Budweiser, Sony and Nokia. For his work on Toyota, Neal ranked among the top ten most awarded creative directors in the world in 2002. As the author of an innovative talent development series, Neal was named Worldwide Director of Creative Learning for global ad agency Saatchi & Saatchi. He has consulted on creative messaging for Fortune 500 companies and universities and been a featured speaker at TEDx conferences. Most recently, Neal has gained a sudden following on social media for his inspirational videos about the kindnesses of everyday people. Today, I am so excited to introduce you to Neal. This episode is filled with stories and insightful nuggets of gold. Ultimately the message that rises up is the immense power of stories to connect us in a disconnected world, to build trust and to inspire the best from us.    Highlights: Stories – many of them - littered through our chat. You’re welcome!Neal shares a story about a car dealer friend, whose philosophy is to be prepared to lose a little money to make a friend. I’ll leave you to figure out how healthy his bank balance is!We talk about how the best leaders bring a real energy when they walk in the room; they don’t just have that energy, they inspire it in othersNeal shares his belief that brands are not only defined by what they do, but what they don’t, or won’t doWe talk about trust and Neal shares his view (which I share) that trust is the most valuable commodity a business can offer. He shares the story of Sandra, a hotel receptionist who left an enduring impression on him through her thoughtful and playful approachNeal shares his background story of thirty years in advertising, along the way he shares the insight of what great brands do – enable people to be seen. He uses the Barbie movie as a great example of this.He explains what Storyfire does and why it is so important – words, persuasion and most powerfully stories, allow us to relate to each other, which build trustWe explore the idea of energy, the magnetic gravitational pull, that stories can inspireNeal loops back to the story of Sandra, sharing a deeper explanation of why the impression she created was so powerful – by making him the hero of a story he could share with others, she had played to his narrative (one we all share) of being the hero of his own story. There’s a beautiful insight here around ‘Story Gifting’ and the power we all have to do this.We explore the value of being our unique selves and attracting the people and opportunities that reflect who we are – connecting to our identity. Neal shares a personal story that demonstrates the Pygmalion effect – when you set a standard of behaviour and expect people to live up to it, they usually will.Neal explains why he shares stories of human kindness; through his own personal experiences, to combat the confected rage that is being stirred up by elements in societyWe discuss the importance and power of stories to inspire the best of us. Not brand stories or marketing stories, but everyday stories that reflect our identity.Neal explains why he believes CEOs should be the greatest tellers of stories, to infuse a culture with belief… “Stories are the CEO providing a vision and warm safe place for people to be their best self; for them to think of new ideas because they’re not terrified of losing their job tomorrow” (had to include that)!He also shares why CFOs ought to be storytellers – to tell you where the numbers are headed; and of course, why sales people too should be storytellersNeal envisions his dream for the future: travelling America to tell the stories of American small businesses – relationships, truth telling, values, old fashioned traits - people taking care of each other Connect with Neal On Linkedin On YouTube On Instagram On TikTok Storyfire website

Sasha Titchkosky is the co-founder and CEO of Koskela; Australia’s leading sustainability practitioner in the furniture and design industry. She has become an influential voice for circular business and social impact as she transforms Koskela towards total circularity by 2027 and absolute-zero emissions by 2035.  She also leads programs that use design skills to support Australia's Indigenous communities. Sasha founded Koskela in 2000 with her partner Russel Koskela, both leaving behind lucrative jobs in the corporate sector in a bid to create a company with a courageous mindset and strong social conscience.  Today, they work with some of the world's leading corporations and educational institutions to create work and learning spaces of the future, from Airbnb to Pinterest, Apple, Google, and Australia's leading law firms and banks. In 2017 Koskela became Australia’s first certified furniture B Corporation. Sasha is committed to manufacturing Koskela’s range in Australia and is a fearless advocate for using design skills to affect social change. Our interview covers Sasha’s career journey leading to why and how Koskela started 24 years ago. Sasha shares the story of Koskela’s evolution from a business that started with the principles of designing furniture that was affordable and sourced and manufactured locally, to their commitment to achieve total circularity by 2027. It’s a story of innovation and leadership and one that I’m certain will provide inspiration and insight to others who want to understand how business can solve some of society’s most challenging problems.   Interview Highlights: ❤️ Sasha introduces Koskela, highlighting their two impact pillars – reconciliation and environment ＄ She shares her background journey from law and working at the ASX to how she and her partner started Koskela ❤️ The problem Koskela set out to tackle – the horrific level of waste in the way commercial tenancies worked ＄ The evolving thinking of Koskela’s founders on certain climate certifications and why they decided to move beyond carbon neutrality ❤️ Sasha explains their move towards creating their own carbon budget and she highlights  and recommends the tool they’ve adopted, through The SME Climate Hub ＄ She shares their ambitious 2027 deadline to become fully circular ❤️ Sasha explains the scale of the problem they are tackling, highlighting both waste and health factors.  ＄ This provides the context for her to share how Koskela have designed their shift to circularity, including their ReHome second life program ❤️ Sasha shares the next exciting phase of Koskela, a subscription model award-winning concept that is currently in development ＄ We discuss the importance of profitability for a purpose-driven business ❤️ Sasha outlines her vision of what Koskela could look like by 2030 Connect with Sasha and Koskela: Sasha on Linkedin Koskela website Koskela's 2027 Circularity Action Plan

Lucy Piper is the Director of WorkforClimate and a passionate voice for moving the needle on climate change. After a decade in the corporate sector working in advertising and film production, Lucy faced her own climate reckoning. As a new mother, hearing the voice of Greta Thunberg addressing the UN, "We will never forgive you", echoed in her mind and she decided to turn her skills towards climate solutions. In 2020, she left her much-loved role as the Global Head of Creative at Intrepid Travel to join WorkforClimate – a non-profit that equips climate-concerned professionals with the education, resources and community to make impactful change. Since then, Lucy has spent her days empowering Australians to push for change within their workplaces so that more businesses can set and achieve ambitious climate goals. Lucy believes that businesses are key to solving the climate crisis and that employees are critical to its success. “You don't need to quit your day job in order to have a big impact on climate change.” She says. Her team is helping build a ‘green collar’ workforce and increasing practical climate literacy in every role and department. My interview with Lucy was such a boost of energy and I hope it flows through to you. It is exactly the kind of energy we need, because it comes from a place of empowerment. A recognition that we all have a role to play in the climate crisis. And we can do something. And that something – no matter how small it is – can level up into something bigger. Work for Climate is an antidote to the philosophy that little old me can’t do anything. Yes you can.   Interview highlights: ❤️  Lucy shares her background from the perspective of – as she describes, a “geriatric millennial” – starting work at the intersection of the analogue and digital worlds. Her ten years at Intrepid Travel – from starting on contract to becoming Head of Creative; and why she loves the company so muchHow the catastrophic bushfires in Australia in 2019, combined with Greta Thunberg’s inaugural speech at the UN became a catalyst for Lucy to join WorkforClimate 💲  Lucy explains the concept behind WorkforClimate – empowering people to take action on climate change within their organisations ❤️  She recalls and describes a powerful Venn diagram concept shared at the 2023 Purpose Conference by Adaptation Architect Digby Hall, explaining how we all need to respond to the Climate Crisis today – at the intersection of mitigation and adaptation. She connects this with what corporate organisations must do now to meet their stakeholders’ needs 💲 Lucy explains the specifics behind WorkforClimate and the four comprehensive action areas they support, which include the tools and resources for employees – leadership skills to influence others in their team; and technical skills ❤️ She fleshes out the four action areas: Energy – switching to renewable energyEmissions - Getting the organisation to have a science aligned ambitious target to reduce emissionsMoney – investments, default superannuation fundsInfluence – Lobbying efforts and what they call Scope X – advertised emissions (what emissions are you enabling? Who are your clients? Using your influence to minimise the expansion of the fossil fuel industry).💲  Lucy passionately describes the imperative for everyone to take some form of action. Because the alternative is to be a bystander! ❤️  Lucy shares the dream for WorkforClimate – that “every job should be a climate job” - to grow the community exponentially globally, for employee-led change, across industries, sectors, companies, to accelerate what is possible in the corporate sector.   Get Started now in your climate job here WorkforClimate website http   Connect with Lucy On Linkedin

There are 40,000 victims of modern slavery on any one day in Australia, as reported by the Australian Federal Police. Shocking right? My guest on this episode is Sally Irwin, Founder and MD of The Freedom Hub, who is committed to create a world of freedom by ending Modern Slavery.  Sally has a career background in the corporate sector, but in 2008 she moved to Germany when her husband took up a Diplomatic post in Berlin. There, Sally was confronted with the issue of human trafficking in Eastern Europe, and established a charity in Berlin to fund organisations that supported the victims. She became very active in a centre supporting women trafficked in prostitution and was personally involved in helping a number of these women return to their country and begin a new life.  After four years working face to face with trauma victims of modern slavery, Sally returned to Sydney in 2012, keen to apply her experience in Australia.  She found a gap in Australia’s care for slavery victims, resulting in the creation of The Freedom Hub (TFH). In March 2014 Sally founded TFH Survivor School, that rebuilds the lives of slavery victims and is the ONLY specialised long-term support in Australia. TFH trauma informed classes train, equip and provide work experience to survivors of modern slavery in Australia. With over 14 years of frontline experience TFH is now a leading organisation in this field.  Sally is such an inspiring leader committed to creating change and this is an episode you don’t want to miss. What is remarkable and what I absolutely LOVE is how her commitment to tackling this problem has led her to creating an innovative organisational model that creates value for a range of different stakeholders. Her story and that of The Freedom Hub is utterly compelling and will – I have no doubt – inspire you. My hope is it inspires you into action. Small steps or big leaps, it doesn't matter. One action almost always begets another, as Sally's story confirms and as the quote featured on TFH's website also supports... “Start by doing what’s necessary, then do what’s possible, and suddenly you are doing the impossible.” ~ Saint Francis of Assis   Interview highlights: ❤️ We learn about the shocking scale of the problem that is modern slavery in Australia. 💲 Sally describes the problem that she discovered – not just the existence of Modern Slavery in Australia, but the absence of long-term care for its victims.  ❤️ Sally shares her extraordinary story that saw her move from a corporate career in procurement to being posted overseas as a diplomat’s wife, to eventually starting The Freedom Hub, the only organisation that exists in Australia to support victims of Modern Slavery with long-term care. 💲 Sally tells us about the origins of The Freedom Hub - a cafe in Surry Hills, Sydney - that then became an event venue ❤️ How the Modern Slavery Act 2018 led to Sally expanding TFH into ethical business consulting for corporates, leveraging the work of TFH as well as Sally's earlier corporate expertise in procurement. 💲How Sally's passion to eradicate the problem of Modern Slavery has led to TFH also running Zoom training sessions for smaller organisations to do it themselves as a voluntary exercise, making improvements over time. She also talks about the business opportunity for medium and small organisations supplying corporates. ❤️ The galvanising statistic! 75 per cent of global slavery in the world is in Asia-Pacific - Australia's shopping ground, for our government, businesses and consumers. Meaning WE, Australians can dramatically impact global slavery just through conscious buying. 💲Sally describes the 5 pillars of TFH's Survivor School - the human-centred journey for survivors, the length and depth of which can vary for each individual; and which links to TFH's employment program. ❤️ Marking TFH's 10 year anniversary, Sally shares her inspiring 5 year vision of success and what she needs (businesses, please take note - there is so much opportunity for business partners in this, corporates and small to medium businesses alike)!   Connect with Sally Linkedin The Freedom Hub Website

In the last episode for 2023, I reflect on the interviews that have aired this year and some of the themes that have emerged. When I started this podcast back in 2021, it was only meant to be a limited 12-episode series and yet here we are at Episode 52. I guess I have become a bit addicted to interviewing people who I consider to be true leaders of our time, who are charting a new and better path for business. Our 2023 interviews covered a range of topics including: ❤️DEI – Diversity Equity and Inclusion 💲Social Enterprise, BCorp and Fair Trade ❤️Brands leading change 💲 The power of community and collaboration ❤️Creating more human-centric workplaces 💲Challenging the purpose of business ❤️Leadership 💲The Environment ❤️Cultivating Resilience   And I then dive into two key themes that consistently emerge through these interviews and my conversations with others on purpose-led business. And that I believe are intrinsically linked: ❤️ The proliferation of women driving purpose-led change 💲The importance of connecting profit with purpose   I also talk a bit about an article by author and researcher Thomas Klaffke on “Pleasure Activism”. It is such a perspective-altering read about the organising principle of the modern world being pain and the opportunity that reframing it to one of pleasure offers us. If you're enjoying this podcast, please rate/review it on your favourite listening app and share with others who you think may also enjoy it.   Connect with Carolyn: Linkedin The Cause Effect website Carolyn's personal website Buy the For Love & Money book

Heidi Dening is a professional keynote speaker, author and trusted expert and educator on resilience. She regularly features in the media on this topic and believes that education changes lives. Combining the insights she has learned from surviving a paralysing illness, a gunpoint kidnapping, a life-threatening tsunami, and petrol bombs with her impressive business and health education background, she has a unique ability to elevate the professional resilience of leaders and their teams. This enables them to make better decisions, be more innovative, have more energy, optimism and empathy, and successfully deal with change, stress, and uncertainty. Heidi has dedicated her career to inspiring thousands of people globally with practical strategies that improve resilience, self-leadership and wellbeing, from small children on remote Pacific Islands to professional teams across numerous industries.   In this episode, Heidi shares her story that brought her to becoming one of Australia’s foremost experts on resilience. She generously shares some strategies for cultivating resilience and why it is so important. Why is this relevant to a podcast that explores the intersection of Love & Money (Purpose & Profit)? Well, leaders of the movement for purpose-led business will face many bumps on their path to purpose. There will be resistance to the change that becoming truly purpose-driven demands of businesses and leaders. Cultivating resilience in yourself is vital if you are going to go the distance. Clearly it is also a vital trait for teams, but today’s episode is for you. This is about cultivating resilience for yourself. I hope you get value from this episode. Heidi is amazing and has so much wisdom to impart on this subject.   Interview Highlights: Heidi shares her back story into how she came to become a trusted expert and keynote speaker on ResilienceShe shares her actual “petrol bomb” moment – a frightening and confronting life-changing experience for Heidi – and relates this to a metaphor for the “petrol bomb moments” we all face in our lifetimes, offering advice on how to prepare for those momentsWe talk about the Voice Referendum result in Australia and the impact of the No result on First Nations People, as well as non-indigenous supporters of the Yes campaignI ask Heidi to share her thoughts on how those of us who were committed supporters of the 'Yes' campaign can respond to the feeling of disempowerment that comes from the 'No' result. She talks about the vicarious trauma from bearing witness to traumatic events and the deep need for connection with likeminded others at this time.She also shares one powerful practice we can do that is all-important at times like this – scanning for the “micro-wins”We talk about the unrivalled resilience of First Nations Australians and what we all might be able to learn from that, including our moral obligation to honour the resilience of our own ancestors, by showing up to do the right thing for future generationsHeidi shares her insights on how we can give the world "the best of us, not what's left of us". Link to the mental health plan template she mentions here.   Connect with Heidi Heidi's website Heidi on Linkedin

In this episode, I wanted to introduce our listeners to an organisation that I love; one of our amazing impact partners.   Rainforest Rescue is a not-for-profit organisation that has been protecting and restoring rainforests since March 1999 by providing opportunities for individuals and businesses to Protect Rainforests Forever.   Their projects re-establish rainforests through planting, maintenance, and restoration programs, as well as purchasing and protecting high conservation value rainforest and preserving its biodiversity   The majestic Daintree Rainforest is their key client, if I can put it that way. The forest they love, learn from and invest most of their time to protect.   I interview Rainforest Rescue’s CEO Branden Barber and Partnerships Director Kristin Canning. Both of their bios are below. It was a wonderful opportunity for me – and I hope, n turn, for you – to learn more about the Daintree and Rainforest Rescue’s efforts in collaboration with their partners, to protect it forever.   Here are some of the highlights:   Branden introduces us to Rainforest Rescue, including the history of how it started and why it exists.He and Kristin share with us the impact that Rainforest Rescue are creating and some of the ways in which the Forest is a teacher.Branden touches on the UN’s decade of restoration and what that means.We learn a bit about some of the new investment schemes coming out that are supportive of restoration and that go way beyond Carbon Credits, including the Government’s Nature Credit Scheme, Reef Credits and Cassowary Credits and the Land Restoration Fund.Branden describes the importance of the work that Rainforest Rescue is doing with the Traditional Owners of the land, the Jabalbina Aboriginal Land Corporation, representing the Eastern Kuku Yalanji; and their desire to do more and learn more from them.For those listeners who enjoy learning how people of impact came to do what they’re doing, both Kristin and Branden share their respective journeys that led them to work with Rainforest Rescue.Why Rainforest Rescue? What makes them unique and so appealing as an impact partner for businesses as well as individuals.Why business partnerships are so vital to Rainforest Rescue and the confidence it gives them to take on some mighty risks.The 1% Profits to Rainforest Rescue Program which opens partnerships up from small business all the way to large corporates.The necessity of setting big audacious and scary goals.Branden shares a bit about one of their projects, Lot 1 Cape Tribulation Road And if you’re looking for some great Christmas gifts, take a look at their wonderful merchandise here

Before founding her own enterprises, All of the Good Things and Authentic Selling, Nimmity worked for 25+ years in senior management in the software industry.  Working across a broad international landscape, this included working in Africa, Middle East, Europe (including Russia and Central Europe), Scandinavia, Asia and the Americas.  As well as providing fantastic experiences exploring the world, these experiences also highlighted the extreme contrast in her living and travelling circumstances, and those she saw in her travels. Nimmity is passionate about using her business experience for good. Her travels and work experience sparked a passion in the Fair Trade movement. Nimmity currently volunteers as the Chair of the Executive Committee of the Fair Trade Association of Australia and New Zealand. Nimmity enjoys hiking, exploring new cities, art and camping.  In this interview we explore the importance of relationships – the emotional bonds we build with other human beings. Not just friends and family, but through business. Nimmity talks about Fair Trade being the antidote to Modern Slavery, but our conversation also reveals it is so much more than that. It is about moving away from transactional bonds to emotional bonds. And in the process building more human businesses and reconnecting to our humanity. I loved this conversation. It has inspired me to dive deeper into the Fair Trade movement. I hope it achieves the same for you. Some of the highlights: The value of the relationships we build with people through the organisations we work withNimmity’s background and the role travelling played in opening her eyes to the inequities in the worldHow Nimmity’s experiences inspired her to volunteer with the Fair Trade Movement and to eventually leave her corporate background to start her business “All Of The Good Things”She shares the mission of All Of The Good Things, including why ethical gifting has such positive impactNimmity explains what Fair Trade is about – the problems it is committed to solving and the principles it adheres toShe talks about how Fair Trade goes beyond reducing negative impact and instead creates positive impactWe discuss the empowerment of consumer choice and how the importance of micro actions, on their own but all  collectively in creating positive impact She explains the scale and depth of Modern Slavery and and how Fair Trade is the antidoteShe reveals to us the Artisan side of the Fair Trade movement beyond goods like coffee/tea/chocolate that people usually associate with Fair TradeWe chat about the idea of buying less but better quality and products using natural fibres; and wearing things till they fall apartThe stories we can tell about the things we buy including the connections we have as a buyer to the people who produce the goods – bringing us back to the value of relationshipsExpanding on this theme of relationships, Nimmity shares a beautiful story about what happened during Covid when overseas artisans were unable to work during lockdowns and how Fair Trade businesses here in Australia respondedThe ripple effect of employing someone and the positive impact it createsThe different ways people can support the Fair Trade movement – as a consumer, as a business and as a citizen Connect with Nimmity  On Linkedin  All Of The Good Things website All Of The Good Things on Instagram   Connect with the Fair Trade movement Fair Trade Association website List of Fair Traders in Australia Get involved NSW Meet-ups Fair Trade Australia (commodity products)

In this special episode on The Voice to Parliament, I have the privilege of interviewing Yes campaigner and Director for Australians for Indigenous Constitutional Recognition, Thomas Mayo. Thomas is a Kaurareg Aboriginal and Kalkalgal, Erubamle Torres Strait Islander man. He is the Assistant National Secretary of the MUA.  Thomas is a signatory of the Uluru Statement from the Heart and has been a leading advocate since its inception in May 2017. He is the Chairperson of the Northern Territory Indigenous Labor Network and a director on the Australians for Indigenous Constitutional Recognition board.  Thomas is the author of six books published by Hardie Grant and has many articles and essays published across the major media providers. His latest book is co-authored with well-respected journalist, Kerry O’Brien: The Voice to Parliament Handbook - All the details you need; published 17 May 2023.  In this special episode I ask Thomas to answer the many questions arising from the proposal for the referendum for the Voice to Parliament. Some of these questions are legitimate. Sadly and frustratingly many are borne from a campaign of wilful disinformation. This means there is a lot of misinformation floating around and this episode is a chance to hear directly from one of the leaders of the YES campaign. I hope you find this episode valuable, however you ultimately decide to vote. And I ask you please – if you have found it valuable, please share it with someone else who you think it could be helpful to. I also echo Thomas' ask at the end of our interview; to reach out and speak to people about this important proposal. To listen to them with patience, curiosity and respect and if and when you hear some of this misinformation as part of their consideration process, share the truth. A healthy democracy depends on our citizens being well informed. Sometimes we need to get involved personally to protect our democracy. I believe this is one of those times. Highlights of this episode: Thomas shares his vision of the future if this referendum is successfulHe shares the lessons learned from the history of struggle of Indigenous people for recognition and justice and how that has shaped the path forward including the proposal for the Voice to ParliamentWe talk about the deliberate campaign of disinformationHe explains the history and the comprehensive process leading up to this proposal todayThomas answers some of the legitimate questions arising from the proposalHe also debunks the more mischievous claims and outright disinformation designed to confuse and manipulate AustraliansHe invites Yes supporters to reach out and speak to others respectfully about the Voice proposalHe shares his hopes for a future where as a nation we have turned a page and taken the colonial past of their shoulders   Connect with Thomas Mayo on Linkedin  Yes23 website   Other links Uluru Statement from the Heart AEC Disinformation Register RMIT FactLab The Voice To Parliament Handbook by Thomas Mayo and Kerry O'Brien

Today's episode features Kirrily Graham, founder of Dovetail Social Enterprises. Through Dovetail, Kirrily is on a mission to transform how small & medium sized charities operate, creating more sustainable organisations through empowering micro, small and medium sized businesses to develop successful charity partnerships that don’t just raise the funds they need for their projects but also become social impact investors, building the charity's capacity and capabilities to amplify the great work that they do in the world.  Kirrily’s combined experience of working in the NFP industry, running her own micro, small & medium-size businesses (MSME) as well as working in the corporate sector, has led her to create her own Social Enterprise to empower partnership between MSME's and small but mighty, grass-root charities.  If you are a leader of a small to medium business and you want to make a greater difference in the world through simple and powerful partnership with grass-root charities that will help them scale – this episode is for you! Kirrily shares with us How her background in the charity sector and her own personal burnout experience opened her eyes to a massive gap that small charities are struggling withThe TED talk by Dan Pallotta that got right inside her head and spurred her to take actionHow all of this led to her starting Dovetail Social EnterprisesShe explains what a Social Enterprise isShe shares the really smart model that she has created through Dovetail that benefits both charity partners and the for-profit businesses who join her programShe talks about some of the charity partners within her program as well as the vetting procedure she goes through in selecting themShe highlights the different levels of partnership a business can come in at; and at the top level, she talks about Charity Challenges – a wonderful opportunity to fundraise while challenging yourself and potentially your team or even your clients.Her vision for scaling the program to create more impactNetwork for Good - a great way for anyone interested to get involved now   Resources and links to connect with Kirrily Kirrily Graham Linkedin Dovetail Social Enterprises website Network for Good

Earlier this year I was part of a panel at Mumbrella CommsCon 2023 to discuss "how to profit with purpose". I joined three leaders in Australia’s communications industry – all women, movers and shakers; founders and leaders of their respective Communications Agencies. The discussion we had was a good one, but barely had time to scratch the surface of such an important topic within an industry that has such influence and leverage.  So I invited them to join me on the podcast to take a deeper dive into the topic. I managed to get two of them into the interview. The third, Simone Gupta, who is co-founder of a new independent creative agency, Supermassive, helped us shape the subject but unfortunately couldn’t make the actual interview on the day. My two guests in this interview are  Joanne Painter - Co-founder & Group Managing Director of Icon Agency Dena Vassallo - CEO and Founder of SOCIETY   Joanne Painter Co-founder & Group Managing Director of Icon Agency Joanne has over 30 years of experience across media, strategic communications and public relations. She was recently named ‘2022 PR Agency Head of the Year' in the prestigious PR Asia Awards. Formerly a senior journalist with The Age, Joanne now consults to Icon’s government and corporate clients in Australia and across the Asia-Pacific, including Salesforce, Schneider Electric, ADP, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Department of Defence, AUSTRAC, the Department of Education and the National Library of Australia.    Dena Vassallo CEO & Founder of SOCIETY SOCIETY is an independent, female-led creative agency with a fresh and brave approach to marketing communications. SOCIETY puts people at the heart of everything they do, and works to support brands and organisations that are positively shaping the societies in which we live, work, and play.  Dena lives her values of environmentalism and female representation and empowerment through her work on the board of Green Adelaide and as the Chair of She Creates.   In this interview, the rabbit hole we go down is, I believe, a really important one...the power of brands to lead positive change within business. But it’s actually more than that – this interview is about brands leading societal progress. Our conversation expands to leadership, the risk of inaction, the need for bravery and how brands and leaders can move forward with their purpose agenda. It's a rich conversation with two brilliant women who are driving change through their industry. I hope you enjoy it. Highlights of this interview: Brands – the benefits of emotional characteristics over functional in building brand saliency and resilience; and the impact of a brand on building connection and belonging Who leads purpose and ESG standards within an organisation?Why brand leadership is so important to building a purpose-led economy.The importance of the SME community to embrace ESG standards to meet Australia’s ESG targets, as well as to position themselves for the supply chain needs of large organisationsBud Light and Dylan Mulvaney – a case study of how to damage a brand through inauthentic cause marketing/purpose washing and a failure of leadershipUnilever ANZ’s B Corp Certification – how Society approached PR and Comms announcing this achievementJoanne and Dena’s advice to business leaders who are holding back on leading with purpose because of fear of the risks   Connect with Dena Linkedin Email Society website   Connect with Joanne Email Linkedin Icon Agency website

Danielle Chiel is founder and CEO of KOCO, a knitwear company specialising in commercial hand knitting. KOCO (Knit One, Change One) engages women in rural villages in the south of Tamil Nadu, India, to produce artisan knitwear for global fashion brands. Combined, her lifelong passions for innovation, education, and giving women a voice, have enabled her to make significant social contributions in both Australia and India. She’s a published author, her book KOCO – How Handknitting is Changing Lives and the Fashion Industry describes the story of KOCO’s sisterhood, has touched the hearts of brands and consumers around the world. In this interview, Danielle shares... How knitting became a passion for her from a young age, but because of family expectations, she initially took an academic path before finding her way back to fashion.The story of how new Australian government legislation in the fashion industry forced her to find knitters outside of the country, taking her to Southern India.How KOCO was established in Australia by Danielle in partnership with women who live in rural villages of Tamil Nadu southern India.Danielle talks about what began as a solution to producing hand-knitted garments offshore is now a sisterhood of artisans and a business with the United Nations’ Global Goals for Sustainable Development entwined in their DNA. They have scaled the art of hand knitting to produce commercial quantities of garments, all entirely hand knitted.Along the way she is helping to give those women a voice, inadvertently also helping to break the economic cycle and the cycle of DV that many of them have lived with. As she says it’s about supporting them to be strong, independently-minded women.We also talk about how for people who have connected to their higher purpose, it is often connected to something that they experienced in their childhood. I reference a book called The Desire Map Experience by Danielle le Porte I hope you enjoy this episode and the fascinating stories and insights that Danielle shares.   Connect with Danielle: KOCO website Danielle's Linkedin Profile

“Imagine waking up to a world without nature. Blue skies replaced by grey, grass by dirt, oceans turned to dust and mud.  This isn’t some far-fetched Science Fiction movie, it is the reality we are facing now. We are staring down the gun at the end of the world as we know it and business leaders need to unite to implement new ways of thinking and doing before it’s too late.”   Introducing Paula Kensington, award-winning CFO, business leader and director of consulting group, PK Advisory; and founder/CEO of CFO Conversations. In her recently published green paper, Paula draws on global research, highlights the pitfalls of the past and offers hope for the future by outlining a strategic road-map out of outmoded, profit-focussed business practices to a new ‘planet-centric’ approach, with CFOs and CEOs leading the way. “More than just a numbers person, CFOs are ‘key stewards’ that can drive change from within to align business outcomes with earth outcomes to go beyond carbon credits to turn profit into purpose,” she says.   Our conversation on this podcast centres on three key themes: Why should CFO’s lead the purpose agendaHow do we ‘flip the business model’?How do we reconstitute what we value as business success  If you are a CFO, this episode is especially for you.  If you’re not a CFO, the value this interview offers is understanding that Purpose and Sustainability is no longer a ‘nice to have’. The ‘compliance’ stakes are gearing up and soon. Paula shares her thoughts, insights and paths to navigating from ‘business-as-usual’ to a new world of business. Great insights and I hope you might consider sharing with a CFO you know; perhaps in your own business. Some of the highlights of this interview: Why CFO’s should lead the purpose agenda What might be holding CFOs back from leading the purpose and sustainability agendaCFO Excellence Index report – when the CFOs leads the sustainability agenda, the business is more successfulHow new regulations and standards are going to mandate sustainability reporting which sits alongside the financial results and reportingHer thoughts on probable timing of these reporting requirements (and it’s soon!)What can CFOs do to prepare for these new mandatesThe risk frameworks (COSO) around effective internal controls over sustainability reportingCampfire Conversations: Paula’s approach and an analogy on how CFOs can navigate this new world and expectationsHow “CFO Conversations” works and what CFOs can expect to gain out of them “Flipping the business model” – how do we change our focus on valuing the end product to a new world where we also value all inputs and resources?  How do we value nature while its living? How do we bring living nature onto the balance sheet?How do we transition to this new world which may be 5-10 years away?Disrupting the business model. Paula shares the deep questions she believes business leaders must askShe questions how businesses are allocating their capital reserves, challenging the notion that the majority is re-invested into business-as-usual How do we reconstitute what we value as business success? Do we need new language, models, ledgers?Horizon conceptsWhat can we do right now?Stewardship over ownershipWhole system approachAs a CFO now we need to be aware of whole system thinkingRegenerative principles… challenge our thinking …decoupling everything tied to a financial outcome Links promised in the interview: BCG Article on CFO leading the way on Sustainability and ESG   Paula's Green Paper No.1   COSO report on Achieving Effective Internal control over sustainability Reporting   CFO Conversations on LI   Connect with Paula Linkedin PK Advisory Website Email

Episode 43 features Nikki Beaumont…Founder and CEO of Beaumont People, a leading recruitment business who are all about placing people first – whether its their own people, their clients or the candidates they place. This ‘people first’ philosophy and purpose-driven vision to connect people with organisations that empower them to do meaningful work and to create more opportunities for meaningful work in Australia, has seen Nikki's team provide much more than standard recruitment services to her customers. Key to Nikki's and Beaumont People's success has been the unfaltering investment she makes in her people. She has crafted a work environment that is conducive to success - where her people are nurtured and motivated to achieve their personal best not only for the business, but as importantly, for themselves. In this episode we talk a little bit about Beaumont People’s approach and some of the initiatives it has driven, but we zero in on one key initiative that they implemented 3 years ago – the 4-day work week. As one of the first Australian businesses to do this, Nikki has some valuable insights to share. I hope our listeners can take these insights and use them to think – not just about the 4 day work week – but also to question some of the other rules of business that we rarely examine. How can we do things better? What can we change? I hope you enjoy the gems that Nikki shares in our chat. Here are some of the highlights: Nikki shares Beaumont People’s origin story, including how the GFC was the stimulus that led to Beaumont’s strength in serving the charity sectorWhat their purpose around meaningful work means to Beaumont PeopleWe talk about the ripple effect that having meaningful work has beyond the individualNikki shares her pride in the people in the Beaumont People team, in implementing the Four Day Work Week; in launching gender neutral parental leave; and their work in the charity sector (having saved almost AU$35 million for the charity sector to date)What inspired Beaumont People to launch the Four Day Work Week and some of the best advice they were given to make it work by Andrew Barnes from the 4 Day Week organisationHow they announced it to their people at their annual conference and engaged them in thinking about how it would workHow Beaumont People’s peoples’ ideas were central to how the initiative was implementedHow they approached the ‘Productivity’ question, including understanding that productivity varies so much across teams and functionsHow introducing the Four Day Work Week has clarified how Beaumont People measure productivity and successThe role of trust in the success of this initiativeNikki shares her greatest learnings from the last 3 years of running the Four Day Work Week   Connect with Nikki Nikki's Linkedin Profile Beaumont People on Linkedin Beaumont People website

Our guest on this episode of the FOR LOVE & MONEY Podcast is Kelly Beater. Kelly is Head of felix mobile, a brand that describes themselves as “passionate about enabling a seamless telco experience for our customers, while driving a positive impact for our planet through our partners like One Tree Planted.” felix’s mission is to inspire a better mobile industry; one that’s great for people and cares for our planet. felix mobile is part of TPG Telecom, one of Australia’s biggest telecommunication companies. One of the interesting things about this brand is that they exist as a siloed business unit within the larger TPG Telecom organisations. This represents a really interesting model on how large organisations might start navigating their way to balancing profit with purpose – by starting with a small business unit, to build confidence in a profit through purpose model. In this episode, Kelly shares the journey so far with felix, highlighting the power of a BHAG – a big hairy audacious goal – which for them was to plant one million trees. A goal they have just achieved! So much gold in this episode. Here are some of the highlights, but make sure you listen all the way to where Kelly talks about her love of what she does and her pride in what she and the felix team are doing (around the 41 minute mark). Kelly shares how the brief to create a “digital-only” brand led to the development and launch of a purpose-led digital-only brand and business unit within TPG TelecomWhy the felix team chose climate action as their greater cause; the environmental impact of mobile phone usageKelly shares felix’s three powerful values and how these shape the behaviour and decisions of the felix teamOn achieving their BHAG (big hairy audacious goal) to plant one million trees on behalf of their customersKelly shares the benefits of tree planting including environmental and also the restoration of habitat of threatened species like koalasShe talks about some of the projects that felix have supported both in Australia and overseas through their partner organisation One Tree PlantedThe role of their customers in choosing their projectsKelly shares a fascinating insight on what attracts their customers about felix’s value proposition and what drives their ongoing customer satisfactionThe role of purpose in attracting the brand’s stakeholdersBeyond the one million trees, Kelly shares some of felix’s other successes, from awards, to customer growth, customer feedback, customer referral and customer retentionThe inextricable link between purpose and profit in felix’s success metricsKelly talks about the value of credible partnerships and she shares some of the partnerships that felix have, that help build trustKelly talks about how much she loves what she does and how proud she is of what she’s doing through felix (I just love this section of this interview)!How felix mobile operates within TPG Telecom and how the felix business is influencing the wider businessThe next big goal!! And more big news which Kelly couldn’t share during our interview, but we will link to here when “it” is announced Connect with felix mobile and Kelly felix mobile website  Kelly’s Linkedin

Today's guest on the FLAM podcast is Graeme Cowan, whose dedication and commitment to creating mentally healthy workplaces has seen him named one of LinkedIn’s top voices for 2022 in the Mental Health & Resilience space. Graeme helps leaders and teams to be more caring and resilient - and enjoy growing together.  He was founding Board Director of R U OK? and is the author of four books, including the internationally acclaimed BACK FROM THE BRINK, which has a testimonial from the former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, and which has become a best seller in China.  He is the Co-Founder of WeCARE365, which creates simple scalable eLearning to prevent mental health issues.  Graeme is also host of The Caring CEO podcast, where he interviews CEO’s who champion a culture of care AND high performance. In his earlier career he worked in senior leadership positions with Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer, and the management consulting company, Kearney.  In 2000 he went through a 5 year episode of depression that his psychiatrist described as the worst he had ever treated. He emerged from this crisis with a different view about how we can increase our resilience, mood, and performance.  Today, his purpose – helping leaders and teams to be more caring and resilient and enjoy growing together – is the guiding force that drives everything Graeme does in this space.   Key highlights of this interview: Graeme’s personal journey that led him to have such clarity of purpose. His own painful experience with serious depression, but also the pivotal experience of work he did many years ago as a consultant with Ramsey Healthcare, in shaping his view on the value of “people caring for people”.His insights on what poor mental health is costing our workplaces in absenteeism, presenteeism and even on workers compensation premium costs.Some of the insights he’s gained through his podcast, The Caring CEO, and the characteristics these leaders share.An overview of the programs he and his business partner Brendan Carter have developed through their business WeCARE365, empowering managers to create mentally healthy workplaces.How to measure the impact of a mentally healthy workplace – including an interesting development in a tech startup as something to watch out for For anyone who believes that people are an organisation’s greatest asset, this interview will get you thinking about how you can create organisational and team environments where people feel safe and are able to bring their best to their work.    Connect with Graeme Linkedin  Email   Websites: http://www.graemecowan.com.au/ (Personal) https://wecare365.com.au (WeCARE365)