The Inner Chief

“Make it your goal in 2025 to not just simplify, but focus. Get more dialed in on just a few things, stuff that will make a difference. Make some hard calls.” In our final episode for 2024, we are going to cover the five big themes from 2024 that are going to be vital in 2025. I'm seeing these 5 themes emerge more and more through the work we do with executives and boards. And what I'm seeing is if we don't all lean in and get better at these five things, life is going to get more difficult and frustrating and we're going to find it harder and harder to win. Chief, the best executives right now are nailing these things. And all the best organisations need people with these five traits right now, more than ever. 🎧👉 chiefmaker.com/353 👂   INFLUENCE DIFFICULT STAKEHOLDERS USING THIS STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE: chiefmaker.com/stakeholders   Stay epic, Greg Follow Chief Maker 📝 Subscribe to the Finish Strong monthly newsletter and podcast drops 👍 Follow Chief Maker on LinkedIn 📈 Join the waitlist for the Chief Maker MiniMBA 🎓 Take one of the Chief Maker Academy courses 🍏 Subscribe to The Inner Chief podcast on Apple Podcasts 🎵 Subscribe to The Inner Chief podcast on Spotify 🎬 Subscribe to the Chief Maker YouTube channel 🤝 Connect with the Chief Maker

“If you spend too much time worrying about the outcome and not about the process, then you just create anxiety and a lack of focus.”   This is a special episode only available to our podcast subscribers, which we call The Mini Chief. These are short, sharp highlights from our fabulous CEO guests, where you get a 5 to 10 minute snapshot from their full episode. This Mini Chief episode features Rob Patterson, Managing Director of Parkins Lane. His full episode is titled Humility, relationships and scaling fast. You can find the full audio and show notes here: 🎧👉  chiefmaker.com/351  👂   IS YOUR PROGRESS BLOCKED BY DIFFICULT STAKEHOLDERS? Download this step-by-step guide to build trust, get buy-in and turn difficult stakeholders into ambassadors: http://chiefmaker.com/stakeholders   Rob is a CEO and COO with extensive experience in leading the significant growth of national professional service firms. He is the former COO of  HWL Ebsworth, where he played a key role overseeing the metamorphosis of a small Melbourne-based legal practice (40 employees, turnover $3m) into a national commercial law firm of over 600 people and turnover in excess of $150m, now Australia’s largest firm by partner numbers. Rob then joined Macpherson Kelley as COO and led a similar transformation there, followed by an MD stint at Rankin Business Lawyers. For the past 2 years, Rob was GM of FCW Lawyers but has returned to Parkins Lane Consulting Group as the Managing Director once again. The firm focuses on creating and executing on strategy, growth and marketing for professional services firms. Outside of work he is a keen surfer and he also grows Sangiovese vines.   In the full episode we talk about:  ✅ How he grew their business from $3M to $150M ✅ The importance of relationships and being a known quantity when going for roles ✅ Humility and self-regulation ✅ How to grow your personal brand and business   Stay epic, Greg   Connecting with Rob Patterson You can reach Rob on LinkedIn and on X. Books and Resources Built to Last - by Jim Collins Good to Great - by Jim Collins Starts with Why - by Simon Sinek Similar Episodes on scaling fast Vince LeBon, CEO of Rollie Nation, on Streamlining systems, scaling up and business rhythm Ben Lipschitz, Co-Founder and CEO of FoodByUs, on Being data-driven, starting and exiting a business, and successfully securing funding Celebrity Apprentice Mentor, Nick Bell, on the threat of AI on addressing productivity gaps, looking after his A-players and living to 150 years old Follow Chief Maker 📝 Subscribe to the Finish Strong monthly newsletter and podcast drops 👍 Follow Chief Maker on LinkedIn 📈 Join the waitlist for the Chief Maker MiniMBA 🎓 Take one of the Chief Maker Academy courses 🍏 Subscribe to The Inner Chief podcast on Apple Podcasts 🎵 Subscribe to The Inner Chief podcast on Spotify 🎬 Subscribe to the Chief Maker YouTube channel 🤝 Connect with the Chief Maker

“A CEO client of mine said that when he dies, his to-do list will be full. Not empty, full. In 10 years’ time, are you going to look back and be happy with how you spent those 10 years?”   In this episode of The Inner Chief podcast, I speak to Nigel Marsh, Former CEO Leo Burnett and Y&R Brands, Founder Earth Hour, viral TED Talker, Bestselling Author and Podcaster, on following your own path to achieve balance, getting cut-through, and authentic success. 🎧👉  chiefmaker.com/352  👂   INFLUENCE DIFFICULT STAKEHOLDERS USING THIS STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE: chiefmaker.com/stakeholders   Nigel is the former National CEO of D’Arcy and Leo Burnett, Regional Group CEO of communications group Y&R Brands ANZ, and the Chairman of strategic and research consultancy, The Leading Edge. Alongside his 30+ years experience in business leadership roles, Nigel has pursued a number of creative ventures including writing four bestselling books (‘Fat, Forty and Fired’, ‘Overworked and Underlaid’, ‘Fit Fifty and Fired-Up’ and ‘Smart, Stupid and Sixty’), co-founding the global environmental initiative Earth Hour, founding The Sydney Skinny and creating The Five Of My Life podcast. His TEDx speech on work-life balance, with nearly 6 million views, remains the most watched talk ever given outside of the US. In today’s Masterclass we will share: ✅  Why you should stop following the masses and rather seek balance by treading your own path. ✅ That clarity of purpose is the most fundamental pillar of any business, and how to do it in a simple way. ✅ How he got cut-through in launching Earth Hour globally and how you can use that in your marketing and communications, and ✅ Using reflection to achieve authentic success in your life and career. Stay epic, Greg   Connecting with Nigel Marsh You can connect with Nigel via LinkedIn. Books and resources The Halo Effect - by Phil Rosenzweig Nigel’s TED Talk - How to make work-life balance work Deep Work - by Cal Newport Nigel’s podcast - 5 of My Life Similar Episodes on work-life balance Minisode on Is work-life balance actually possible? Damien Price, Spiritual Guru on Balance, Life Chapters and Your Rhythm Mike Schneider, Managing Director of Bunnings Group, on Career diversity, genuine empathy, and the 4Hs of authenticity Follow Chief Maker 📝 Subscribe to the Finish Strong monthly newsletter and podcast drops 👍 Follow Chief Maker on LinkedIn 📈 Join the waitlist for the Chief Maker MiniMBA 🎓 Take one of the Chief Maker Academy courses 🍏 Subscribe to The Inner Chief podcast on Apple Podcasts 🎵 Subscribe to The Inner Chief podcast on Spotify 🎬 Subscribe to the Chief Maker YouTube channel 🤝 Connect with the Chief Maker

“What are the things that I do daily to build and maintain relationships with people I deeply care about. And then I just do that to the people that are the next sphere out from me.”   This is a special episode only available to our podcast subscribers, which we call The Mini Chief. These are short, sharp highlights from our fabulous guests, where you get a 5 to 10 minute snapshot from their full episode. This Mini Chief episode features Mike Smith, Founder and CEO of Zero Co. His full episode is titled How to build a tribe of loyal customers, creating a better world through business, and personal growth. You can find the full audio and show notes here: 🎧👉  chiefmaker.com/350  👂   INFLUENCE DIFFICULT STAKEHOLDERS USING THIS STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE: chiefmaker.com/stakeholders   Mike’s travels around the world exposed him to the devastating effects of plastic pollution, particularly in remote areas. Inspired to find a solution, he founded Zero Co, an Australian company he launched in 2019 to eliminate single-use plastics in everyday household products by facilitating consumers to switch to eco-friendly, refillable alternatives. Mike’s background was in advertising and marketing, and bringing products to market and he worked with some of the world’s largest brands, including Coca Cola. He then co-founded, launched and sold Hot Chip, a surfing technology start-up developed in collaborations with some of the world's best surfers and Billabong. He was also the Co-Founder of Cake Wines, a disruptive winery that aimed to make wine fun again, which he scaled and sold to one of the biggest wine brands in Australia. Mike is committed to broader environmental change, advocating for responsible production processes and raising awareness about the impact of plastic pollution on the planet.   In this CEO masterclass, we talk about: ✅ How to build a tribe of loyal followers for your organisation. ✅ On why a social enterprise can help you to balance meaningful work with making money. ✅ The evolution of Zero Co’s operating model from a buy-return-refill model to a circular economy model, and ✅ The immense work he has done on self-awareness and personal growth. Stay epic, Greg Connecting with Mike Smith You can connect with Mike via LinkedIn. Similar Episodes on social impact businesses Rory Hunter, Founder and CEO of MODEL, on Spearheading the build-to-rent movement towards sustainability, seeking solitude and healing on the ocean, and the adventure of a lifetime after buying an island in his twenties Rochelle Courtenay, Founder and MD of Share the Dignity, on Leading volunteer armies, witnessing female trauma inside prison and eradicating period poverty Juliette Wright, founder and former CEO of GIVIT, on Revolutionising misguided charitable giving, having a million conversations, and leaning into anxiety Follow Chief Maker 📝 Subscribe to the Finish Strong monthly newsletter and podcast drops 👍 Follow Chief Maker on LinkedIn 📈 Join the waitlist for the Chief Maker MiniMBA 🎓 Take one of the Chief Maker Academy courses 🍏 Give The Inner Chief podcast a 5-star rating on Apple Podcasts 🎵 Give The Inner Chief podcast a 5-star rating on Spotify 🎬 Subscribe to the Chief Maker YouTube channel 🤝 Connect with the Chief Maker

“If you spend too much time worrying about the outcome and not about the process, then you just create anxiety and a lack of focus.”   In this Best of Series episode, we replay a chat we had in 2019 with Rob Patterson, Managing Director of Parkins Lane, on humility, relationships and scaling fast.   🎧👉  chiefmaker.com/351 👂   IS YOUR PROGRESS BLOCKED BY DIFFICULT STAKEHOLDERS? Download this step-by-step guide to build trust, get buy-in and turn difficult stakeholders into ambassadors: http://chiefmaker.com/stakeholders   Rob is a CEO and COO with extensive experience in leading the significant growth of national professional service firms. He is the former COO of  HWL Ebsworth, where he played a key role overseeing the metamorphosis of a small Melbourne-based legal practice (40 employees, turnover $3m) into a national commercial law firm of over 600 people and turnover in excess of $150m, now Australia’s largest firm by partner numbers. Rob then joined Macpherson Kelley as COO and led a similar transformation there, followed by an MD stint at Rankin Business Lawyers. For the past 2 years, Rob was GM of FCW Lawyers but has returned to Parkins Lane Consulting Group as the Managing Director once again. The firm focuses on creating and executing on strategy, growth and marketing for professional services firms. Outside of work he is a keen surfer and he also grows Sangiovese vines.   In this episode we talk about:  ✅ How he grew their business from $3M to $150M ✅ The importance of relationships and being a known quantity when going for roles, especially useful when you hit a career crossroads ✅ Humility and self-regulation, and ✅ How to grow your personal brand and business   Connecting with Rob Patterson You can reach Rob on LinkedIn and on X. Books and Resources Built to Last by Jim Collins Good to Great by Jim Collins Starts with Why by Simon Sinek Similar Episodes on scaling fast Vince LeBon, CEO of Rollie Nation on Streamlining systems, scaling up and business rhythm Ben Lipschitz, Co-Founder and CEO of FoodByUs, on Being data-driven, starting and exiting a business, and successfully securing funding Celebrity Apprentice Mentor, Nick Bell, on The threat of AI on addressing productivity gaps, looking after his A-players and living to 150 years old Follow Chief Maker 📝 Subscribe to the Finish Strong monthly newsletter and podcast drops 👍 Follow Chief Maker on LinkedIn 📈 Join the waitlist for the Chief Maker MiniMBA 🎓 Take one of the Chief Maker Academy courses 🍏 Give The Inner Chief podcast a 5-star rating on Apple Podcasts 🎵 Give The Inner Chief podcast a 5-star rating on Spotify 🎬 Subscribe to the Chief Maker YouTube channel 🤝 Connect with the Chief Maker

“We built this school. And then over the next 12 months, we ended up building two more schools in other, other villages around. And it completely changed my perspective on what meaningful work is.”   In this episode of The Inner Chief podcast, I speak to Mike Smith, Founder and CEO of Zero Co, on how to build a tribe of loyal customers, creating a better world through business, and personal growth. 🎧👉  chiefmaker.com/350  👂   INFLUENCE DIFFICULT STAKEHOLDERS USING THIS STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE: chiefmaker.com/stakeholders   Mike’s travels around the world exposed him to the devastating effects of plastic pollution, particularly in remote areas. Inspired to find a solution, he founded Zero Co, an Australian company he launched in 2019 to eliminate single-use plastics in everyday household products by facilitating consumers to switch to eco-friendly, refillable alternatives. Mike’s background was in advertising and marketing, and bringing products to market and he worked with some of the world’s largest brands, including Coca Cola. He then co-founded, launched and sold Hot Chip, a surfing technology start-up developed in collaborations with some of the world's best surfers and Billabong. He was also the Co-Founder of Cake Wines, a disruptive winery that aimed to make wine fun again, which he scaled and sold to one of the biggest wine brands in Australia. Mike is committed to broader environmental change, advocating for responsible production processes and raising awareness about the impact of plastic pollution on the planet.   In this CEO Masterclass, we talk about: ✅ How to build a tribe of loyal followers for your organisation. ✅ On why a social enterprise can help you to balance meaningful work with making money. ✅ The evolution of Zero Co’s operating model from a buy-return-refill model to a circular economy model, and ✅ The immense work he has done on self awareness and personal growth. Stay epic, Greg   Connecting with Mike Smith You can connect with Mike via LinkedIn. Similar Episodes on building culture Rory Hunter, Founder and CEO of MODEL, on Spearheading the build-to-rent movement towards sustainability, seeking solitude and healing on the ocean, and the adventure of a lifetime after buying an island in his twenties Rochelle Courtenay, Founder and MD of Share the Dignity, on Leading volunteer armies, witnessing female trauma inside prison and eradicating period poverty Juliette Wright, founder and former CEO of GIVIT, on Revolutionising misguided charitable giving, having a million conversations, and leaning into anxiety Follow Chief Maker 📝 Subscribe to the Finish Strong monthly newsletter and podcast drops 👍 Follow Chief Maker on LinkedIn 📈 Join the waitlist for the Chief Maker MiniMBA 🎓 Take one of the Chief Maker Academy courses 🍏 Give The Inner Chief podcast a 5-star rating on Apple Podcasts 🎵 Give The Inner Chief podcast a 5-star rating on Spotify 🎬 Subscribe to the Chief Maker YouTube channel 🤝 Connect with the Chief Maker

“Good character is essential because talent isn't enough to navigate through a messy time.”   This is a special episode only available to our podcast subscribers, which we call The Mini Chief. These are short, sharp highlights from our fabulous guests, where you get a 5 to 10 minute snapshot from their full episode. This Mini Chief episode features Zaklina Craig, Executive Director - People, Culture & Workplace of Business NSW. Her full episode is titled Optimising role design for peak performance, managing differences in confidence between men and women, and navigating the decision to fire someone. You can find the full audio and show notes here: 🎧👉  chiefmaker.com/348  👂   GET THE FREE CHIEF MAKER TOP 30 INTERVIEW QUESTIONS: chiefmaker.com/interview   Zak is an experienced people, culture and change leader with over 20 years of experience working with businesses in every aspect of their employee lifecycle. She has led large teams in enabling core business functions delivering systemic and sustainable change. Her niche expertise is integrating strategy, systems, culture and leadership. Zak commenced her career as a lawyer in private practice and is also degree-qualified in human resources management and industrial relations. She also holds several leadership and coaching qualifications and is one of few practitioners in Australia accredited in Requisite Organisation and Stratified Systems Theory. She has also held senior roles with Sydney Water and the Australian Retailers Association, and has been the Chief People Officer of Business NSW since February 2022. In the full episode we talk about: ✅  How to optimise role design, complexity and clarity for higher performance ✅  Overcoming the natural tension between operations, support and commercial teams ✅  The mindset shifts that HR leaders need to have in order to get a seat at the executive table ✅  Moving past confidence barriers for both men and women, and ✅  Hiring and firing people and having difficult coaching conversations. Stay epic, Greg   Connecting with Zaklina Craig You can connect with Zaklina via LinkedIn.  Books and resources Dancing with the Divine - by Julie Vance Similar Episodes on building culture Carolyn Creswell, Founder and MD of Carman’s Kitchen, on How to fire people, doing what you love, understanding menopause and having genuine work-life balance Mike Schneider, Managing Director of Bunnings Group, on Career diversity, genuine empathy, and the 4Hs of authenticity Cliff Gale, former MD of Lite N’ Easy for22 years, on Leading with passion, respect for your people and keeping the soul alive in your business.  Follow Chief Maker 📝 Subscribe to the Finish Strong monthly newsletter and podcast drops 👍 Follow Chief Maker on LinkedIn 📈 Join the waitlist for the Chief Maker MiniMBA 🎓 Take one of the Chief Maker Academy courses 🍏 Give The Inner Chief podcast a 5-star rating on Apple Podcasts 🎵 Give The Inner Chief podcast a 5-star rating on Spotify 🎬 Subscribe to the Chief Maker YouTube channel 🤝 Connect with the Chief Maker

“Your brand or your reputation is what people say about you when you're not in the room.”   Chief, today we are going to guide you through the process of mastering the art of influencing stakeholders and partners, such that it catapults you forward (and upwards!) in your career. Stakeholders have a huge impact - negatively and positively - on your career and your personal life whether you like it or not. These people can be your corporate peers, suppliers, customers, board members, executive team members, your boss, the community, media, anyone out there who's got a key stake in what you do. As such, getting buy-in from difficult stakeholders is one of the most important tasks and skills of all senior executives and leaders. 🎧👉 chiefmaker.com/349 👂   INFLUENCE DIFFICULT STAKEHOLDERS USING THIS STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE: chiefmaker.com/stakeholders   In this episode, I talk about: ✅  Sharing a few personal success stories of why strong stakeholder management works ✅  The 4 most powerful tips for building key stakeholder relationships, and ✅  A free downloadable we’ve created for you to develop plans and strategies, and then to be able to execute them with confidence.  Stay epic, Greg   Follow Chief Maker 📝 Subscribe to the Finish Strong monthly newsletter and podcast drops 👍 Follow Chief Maker on LinkedIn 📈 Join the waitlist for the Chief Maker MiniMBA 🎓 Take one of the Chief Maker Academy courses 🍏 Give The Inner Chief podcast a 5-star rating on Apple Podcasts 🎵 Give The Inner Chief podcast a 5-star rating on Spotify 🎬 Subscribe to the Chief Maker YouTube channel 🤝 Connect with the Chief Maker

“For me, the four H's were a very simple way of outlining what I stood for as a leader.”   This is a special episode only available to our podcast subscribers, which we call The Mini Chief. These are short, sharp highlights from our fabulous guests, where you get a 5 to 10 minute snapshot from their full episode. This Mini Chief episode features Mike Schneider, Managing Director of Bunnings Group. His full episode is titled Career diversity, genuine empathy, and the 4Hs of authenticity. You can find the full audio and show notes here: 🎧👉  chiefmaker.com/347  👂   DOWNLOAD THE CHIEF MAKER OPERATING RHYTHM HOW TO GUIDE AND PUT YOUR VISION AND MISSION INTO ACTION FAST: chiefmaker.com/operatingrhythm   Before being appointed to the top role, Mike was the Managing Director of Bunnings Australia & New Zealand and had also led the store operations teams, having joined Bunnings in 2005. His career has seen him hold a range of senior operational, commercial and human resource roles, both in retail and financial services, most notably at Target, Westpac and The Warehouse Group. Mike holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of NSW and has completed the Advanced Management Program at INSEAD, and the Advanced Strategic Management Program at IMD.  In the full episode we talk about: ✅ How having a diverse career path has been to his benefit ✅ Why genuine empathy and being a consistent, not predictable, leader is vital to success ✅ What he means by an integrated life as opposed to work-life balance, and ✅ His 4Hs Framework that allows him to lead an authentic life. Stay epic, Greg   Connecting with Mike Schneider You can reach Mike on LinkedIn. Books and Resources World’s Best by Ric Charlesworth On Violence by Natasha Stott Despoja Similar Episodes on Retailers Carolyn Creswell, Founder and Managing Director of Carman’s Kitchen, on Running a multinational business, loving what you do and having a genuine work-life balance Cass Spies, food industry innovator, founder & CEO of Twisted Healthy treats, on Being nimble, promoting from within, and winning globally Julie Mathers, founder of Flora & Fauna and now CEO of Snuggle Hunny, on Bootstrapping a business from start to $30M exit Follow Chief Maker 📝 Subscribe to the Finish Strong monthly newsletter and podcast drops 👍 Follow Chief Maker on LinkedIn 📈 Join the waitlist for the Chief Maker MiniMBA 🎓 Take one of the Chief Maker Academy courses 🍏 Give The Inner Chief podcast a 5-star rating on Apple Podcasts 🎵 Give The Inner Chief podcast a 5-star rating on Spotify 🎬 Subscribe to the Chief Maker YouTube channel 🤝 Connect with the Chief Maker

“You're a business leader first, and a HR professional second.”   In this episode of The Inner Chief podcast, I speak to Zaklina Craig of Business NSW, on optimising role design for peak performance, managing differences in confidence between men and women, and navigating the decision to fire someone. 🎧👉  chiefmaker.com/348  👂   EQUIP YOUR MIDDLE MANAGERS AND SENIOR LEADERS WITH THE TOOLS TO DRIVE CHANGE AND RESULTS. JOIN THE WAITLIST: chiefmaker.com/minimba   Zak is an experienced people, culture and change leader with over 20 years of experience working with businesses in every aspect of their employee lifecycle. She has led large teams in enabling core business functions delivering systemic and sustainable change. Her niche expertise is integrating strategy, systems, culture and leadership. Zak commenced her career as a lawyer in private practice and is also degree-qualified in human resources management and industrial relations. She also holds several leadership and coaching qualifications and is one of few practitioners in Australia accredited in Requisite Organisation and Stratified Systems Theory. She has also held senior roles with Sydney Water and the Australian Retailers Association, and has been the Executive Director - People, Culture & Workplace of Business NSW since February 2022.   In this episode we talk about: ✅  How to optimise role design, complexity and clarity for higher performance ✅  Overcoming the natural tension between operations, support and commercial teams ✅  The mindset shifts that HR leaders need to have in order to get a seat at the executive table ✅  Moving past confidence barriers for both men and women, and ✅  Hiring and firing people and having difficult coaching conversations. Stay epic, Greg   Connecting with Zaklina Craig You can connect with Zaklina via LinkedIn. Books and resources Dancing with the Divine - by Julie Vance Similar Episodes on building culture Carolyn Creswell, Founder and MD of Carman’s Kitchen, on How to fire people, doing what you love, understanding menopause and having genuine work-life balance Mike Schneider, Managing Director of Bunnings Group, on Career diversity, genuine empathy, and the 4Hs of authenticity Cliff Gale, former MD of Lite N’ Easy for22 years, on Leading with passion, respect for your people and keeping the soul alive in your business.  Follow Chief Maker 📝 Subscribe to the Finish Strong monthly newsletter and podcast drops 👍 Follow Chief Maker on LinkedIn 📈 Join the waitlist for the Chief Maker MiniMBA 🎓 Take one of the Chief Maker Academy courses 🍏 Give The Inner Chief podcast a 5-star rating on Apple Podcasts 🎵 Give The Inner Chief podcast a 5-star rating on Spotify 🎬 Subscribe to the Chief Maker YouTube channel 🤝 Connect with the Chief Maker

“The biggest thing a leader can bring to the business is the responsibility to put the right people on the bus. And when it's time for someone to hop off the bus, to have the bravery to say that there's a reason that they need to hop off the bus.”   This is a special episode only available to our podcast subscribers, which we call The Mini Chief. These are short, sharp highlights from our fabulous CEO guests, where you get a 5 to 10 minute snapshot from their full episode. This Mini Chief episode features Carolyn Creswell, Founder and MD of Carman’s Kitchen. Her full episode is titled Hiring and firing people, doing what you love, understanding menopause and having genuine work-life balance. You can find the full audio and show notes here: 🎧👉  chiefmaker.com/346  👂   INFLUENCE DIFFICULT STAKEHOLDERS USING THIS STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE: chiefmaker.com/stakeholders   In 1992, as an 18-year-old university student, Carolyn founded Carman’s when she bought the small muesli business she was working at, for $1,000. More than 30 years later, Carman’s Kitchen is now Australia’s favourite muesli brand, alongside being a market leader in deliciously good for you snacks. Carolyn’s determination and focus on producing quality products using whole foods, has seen Carman’s grow internationally, exporting to more than 30 countries. Carolyn won the 2007 Ernst & Young’s Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award and was named the 2012 Telstra Australian Business Woman of the Year. She is also a graduate member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. In the full episode we talk about: ✅  Her philosophy on continuous improvement and evolution as a business leader. ✅  The mindset and process required for better hiring and firing; and ✅  Why menopause in the workplace is a critical issue, and how she is navigating this for her own wellbeing and those in her organisation. Stay epic, Greg   Connecting with Carolyn Creswell You can connect with Carolyn via LinkedIn. You can learn more about Carman’s on their website. Books and resources Jim Collins interview - Tim Ferriss show Similar Episodes on Retailers Cass Spies, food industry innovator, founder & CEO of Twisted Healthy treats, on Being nimble, promoting from within, and winning globally Julie Mathers, founder of Flora & Fauna and now CEO of Snuggle Hunny, on Bootstrapping a business from start to $30M exit Vince Lebon, footwear brand trailblazer, CEO of Rollie Nation, on Streamlining Systems, scaling up and business rhythm Follow Chief Maker 📝 Subscribe to the Finish Strong monthly newsletter and podcast drops 👍 Follow Chief Maker on LinkedIn 📈 Join the waitlist for the Chief Maker MiniMBA 🎓 Take one of the Chief Maker Academy courses 🍏 Give The Inner Chief podcast a 5-star rating on Apple Podcasts 🎵 Give The Inner Chief podcast a 5-star rating on Spotify 🎬 Subscribe to the Chief Maker YouTube channel 🤝 Connect with the Chief Maker

“The danger for CEOs is to allow yourself to be surrounded by people who tell you how good your ideas are. You actually need a balance of people who tell you when you’ve got something wrong or if you could have handled something in a different way.”   In this Best of Series episode, we replay a chat we had in 2019 with Mike Schneider, the Managing Director of the Bunnings Group, on career diversity, genuine empathy, and the 4Hs of authenticity.  🎧👉  chiefmaker.com/347 👂   BE MORE EFFECTIVE WITH YOUR TIME AND TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR CALENDAR: chiefmaker.com/saveanhour   Before being appointed to the top role, Mike was the Managing Director of Bunnings Australia & New Zealand and had also led the store operations teams, having joined Bunnings in 2005. His career has seen him hold a range of senior operational, commercial and human resource roles, both in retail and financial services, most notably at Target, Westpac and The Warehouse Group. Mike holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of NSW and has completed the Advanced Management Program at INSEAD, and the Advanced Strategic Management Program at IMD.  In this episode we talk about:  ✅ How having a diverse career path has been to his benefit ✅ Why genuine empathy and being a consistent, not predictable, leader is vital to success ✅ What he means by an integrated life as opposed to work-life balance, and ✅ His 4Hs Framework that allows him to lead an authentic life. Stay epic, Greg   Connecting with Mike Schneider You can reach Mike on LinkedIn. Books and Resources World’s Best by Ric Charlesworth On Violence by Natasha Stott Despoja Similar Episodes on Retailers Carolyn Creswell, Founder and Managing Director of Carman’s Kitchen, on Running a multinational business, loving what you do and having a genuine work-life balance Cass Spies, food industry innovator, founder & CEO of Twisted Healthy treats, on Being nimble, promoting from within, and winning globally Julie Mathers, founder of Flora & Fauna and now CEO of Snuggle Hunny, on Bootstrapping a business from start to $30M exit Follow Chief Maker 📝 Subscribe to the Finish Strong monthly newsletter and podcast drops 👍 Follow Chief Maker on LinkedIn 📈 Join the waitlist for the Chief Maker MiniMBA 🎓 Take one of the Chief Maker Academy courses 🍏 Give The Inner Chief podcast a 5-star rating on Apple Podcasts 🎵 Give The Inner Chief podcast a 5-star rating on Spotify 🎬 Subscribe to the Chief Maker YouTube channel 🤝 Connect with the Chief Maker

“The biggest thing a leader can bring to the business is the responsibility to put the right people on the bus. And to have the bravery to say that there's a reason that they need to hop off the bus.”   In this episode of The Inner Chief podcast, I speak to Carolyn Creswell, Founder and MD of Carman’s Kitchen, on how to fire people gracefully, doing what you love, understanding menopause and having genuine work-life balance. 🎧👉  chiefmaker.com/346  👂   INFLUENCE DIFFICULT STAKEHOLDERS USING THIS STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE: chiefmaker.com/stakeholders    In 1992, as an 18-year-old university student, Carolyn founded Carman’s when she bought the small muesli business she was working at, for $1,000. More than 30 years later, Carman’s Kitchen is now Australia’s favourite muesli brand, alongside being a market leader in deliciously good for you snacks. Carolyn’s determination and focus on producing quality products using whole foods, has seen Carman’s grow internationally, exporting to more than 30 countries. Carolyn won the 2007 Ernst & Young’s Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award and was named the 2012 Telstra Australian Business Woman of the Year. She is also a graduate member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. In this episode we talk about: ✅  Her philosophy on continuous improvement and evolution as a business leader. ✅  The mindset and process required for better hiring and firing; and ✅  Why menopause in the workplace is a critical issue, and how she is navigating this for her own wellbeing and those in her organisation. Stay epic, Greg   Connecting with Carolyn Creswell You can connect with Carolyn via LinkedIn. You can learn more about Carman’s on their website. Books and resources Jim Collins interview - Tim Ferriss show Similar Episodes on Retailers Cass Spies, food industry innovator, founder & CEO of Twisted Healthy treats, on Being nimble, promoting from within, and winning globally Julie Mathers, founder of Flora & Fauna and now CEO of Snuggle Hunny, on Bootstrapping a business from start to $30M exit Vince Lebon, footwear brand trailblazer, CEO of Rollie Nation, on Streamlining Systems, scaling up and business rhythm Follow Chief Maker 📝 Subscribe to the Finish Strong monthly newsletter and podcast drops 👍 Follow Chief Maker on LinkedIn 📈 Join the waitlist for the Chief Maker MiniMBA 🎓 Take one of the Chief Maker Academy courses 🍏 Give The Inner Chief podcast a 5-star rating on Apple Podcasts 🎵 Give The Inner Chief podcast a 5-star rating on Spotify 🎬 Subscribe to the Chief Maker YouTube channel 🤝 Connect with the Chief Maker

“Your direct reports actually want you to provide a clear framework and guidance, and then get out of their way so they can do the job you're paying them to do.” Chief, today we complete our Think Like a CEO Series, and we’re going to look at how great chiefs work on the business, not in the business. As you move up the ranks, your role increasingly becomes about working on the business. If you are in a senior or executive role, this is about stepping out of the day-to-day operational grind: the thousands of tasks, the endless emails, the back-to-back meetings, the constant demands of stakeholders. That is what your employer actually employs you for. The best leaders I've ever met embrace this responsibility. They look beyond their immediate role and work to improve the entire organisation. 🎧👉 chiefmaker.com/345 👂   DOWNLOAD THE CHIEF MAKER OPERATING RHYTHM HOW TO GUIDE AND PUT YOUR VISION AND MISSION INTO ACTION FAST:  chiefmaker.com/operatingrhythm   In this episode, I talk about: ✅  Being a person of value and having the courage to start letting go ✅  Building a tight operating rhythm to engage a high performing team, and ✅  Not going it alone and bringing in trusted advisors to help you on your journey. Deal hope, Greg   Follow Chief Maker 📝 Subscribe to the Finish Strong monthly newsletter and podcast drops 👍 Follow Chief Maker on LinkedIn 📈 Join the waitlist for the Chief Maker MiniMBA 🎓 Take one of the Chief Maker Academy courses 🍏 Give The Inner Chief podcast a 5-star rating on Apple Podcasts 🎵 Give The Inner Chief podcast a 5-star rating on Spotify 🎬 Subscribe to the Chief Maker YouTube channel 🤝 Connect with the Chief Maker

“All the best leaders of change I've noticed, bring their people with them.” Chief, today we continue with Part 4 of our Think like a CEO Series, and we’re going to cover how to overcome resistance to change. This is one of the most difficult and stressful parts of running a business. Getting people on the train, keeping them inspired and creative, and not slowing momentum down can be an incredibly difficult journey. I've been involved in a lot of transformations now, and I've seen every mistake under the sun. And what I've learned is that the CEOs and the senior leaders who successfully drive change happen to do a few things that others seem to skip. So I want to share with you five things that I know that if you apply them properly, it will make an immediate, tangible difference to the momentum you are getting in leading change in your organisation. 🎧👉 chiefmaker.com/344 👂   DOWNLOAD THE CHIEF MAKER GUIDE FOR SENIOR LEADERS ON HOW TO HAVE DIFFICULT PERFORMANCE CONVERSATIONS: chiefmaker.com/difficult   In this episode, I talk about: ✅  Taking a step back and understanding your business and your people, and how they relate to the change curve ✅  Knowing your role and managing yourself to be able to perform at your peak, and ✅  A unique but hugely effective tactic around breaking fixed mindsets. Deal hope, Greg   Follow Chief Maker 📝 Subscribe to the Finish Strong monthly newsletter and podcast drops 👍 Follow Chief Maker on LinkedIn 📈 Join the waitlist for the Chief Maker MiniMBA 🎓 Take one of the Chief Maker Academy courses 🍏 Give The Inner Chief podcast a 5-star rating on Apple Podcasts 🎵 Give The Inner Chief podcast a 5-star rating on Spotify 🎬 Subscribe to the Chief Maker YouTube channel 🤝 Connect with the Chief Maker

“Correctly diagnosing your people’s performance issues will mean you enjoy the benefits of watching your people grow and thrive, and they will never forget that you did that for them.” Chief, today we continue with Part 3 of our How to think like a CEO Series, and we’re going to look at how to build confidence in your people. I believe that one of the biggest problems in both sport and business - and I have seen this over and over and over again - is misdiagnosis of performance issues. Leaders will talk about their people not having the right capability, but they simply lack the skills. Luckily, misdiagnosis of performance issues is something we can fix, and I will take you through this process in this episode. 🎧👉 chiefmaker.com/343 👂   GET THE FREE CHIEF MAKER TOP 30 INTERVIEW QUESTIONS: chiefmaker.com/interview   In this episode, I talk about: ✅  How leaders misdiagnose performance issues and why this hampers confidence ✅  How to correctly diagnose confidence blockers, and ✅  Overcoming confidence struggles properly and building confidence over time. Deal hope, Greg   Follow Chief Maker 📝 Subscribe to the Finish Strong monthly newsletter and podcast drops 👍 Follow Chief Maker on LinkedIn 📈 Join the waitlist for the Chief Maker MiniMBA 🎓 Take one of the Chief Maker Academy courses 🍏 Give The Inner Chief podcast a 5-star rating on Apple Podcasts 🎵 Give The Inner Chief podcast a 5-star rating on Spotify 🎬 Subscribe to the Chief Maker YouTube channel 🤝 Connect with the Chief Maker

“They're thinking I must be really famous and know what I’m doing, but I'm just laughing because I wrote 20% of the content I'm sharing and 80% I'm sharing other people's.”   This is a special episode only available to our podcast subscribers, which we call The Mini Chief. These are short, sharp highlights from our fabulous CEO guests, where you get a 5 to 10 minute snapshot from their full episode. This Mini Chief episode features Ted Prodromou, America’s #1 LinkedIn Coach. His full episode is titled Perception, connecting properly with purpose, and standing out online. You can find the full audio and show notes here: 🎧👉  chiefmaker.com/340  👂   DOWNLOAD THE CHIEF MAKER GUIDE FOR SENIOR LEADERS ON HOW TO HAVE DIFFICULT PERFORMANCE CONVERSATIONS: chiefmaker.com/difficult   Ted has bounced back from many setbacks; not only did he survive the dot com crash, which wiped out his successful 20-year tech career working for companies like IBM, he then came out the other side of the Global Financial Crisis of 2008, which turned his consulting business upside-down. Today, Ted is America’s #1 LinkedIn coach and he helps clients to super-charge their online profile and presence, and how to connect properly with purpose. He is the author of the Ultimate Guide to LinkedIn for Business and has also been featured on Entrepreneur.com, the New York Times, CNBC, and Forbes. In the full episode we talk about:  ✅ How he got made redundant 3 times in 12 years ✅ How co-writing a book with Perry Marshall launched his LinkedIn coaching career ✅ Some simple tips on how to make your LinkedIn profile really stand out, and ✅ How to dial up your LinkedIn content management so that you are perceived to be associated with well-known brands. A special thanks to former guest, Alex Mandossian, for introducing me to Ted. Deal hope, Greg   Connecting with Ted Prodromou You can connect with Ted via LinkedIn. Books and Resources Ultimate Guide to Linked In for Business - by Ted Prodromou Contribution to an article on predicted LinkedIn trends for 2019 on Digital Marketer (Ted’s piece is two-thirds down the article) Snappr, a great resource for taking a high-quality LinkedIn professional photo How to Win Friends and Influence People - by Dale Carnegie Leadership and Self-Deception - by The Arbinger Institute Similar Episodes on Social Media Natalie Speers, Founder & CEO of Social Ally, on being an early adopter, how anyone can thrive on social media, and visual disruption Alex Mandossian, CEO and Founder of Marketingonline.com, on ethical influence and the art of storytelling Jack Slade, Managing Director of Luxity Media, on being an accidental entrepreneur, saying no to increase revenues, and the future of new media Follow Chief Maker 📝 Subscribe to the Finish Strong monthly newsletter and podcast drops 👍 Follow Chief Maker on LinkedIn 📈 Join the waitlist for the Chief Maker MiniMBA 🎓 Take one of the Chief Maker Academy courses 🍏 Give The Inner Chief podcast a 5-star rating on Apple Podcasts 🎵 Give The Inner Chief podcast a 5-star rating on Spotify 🎬 Subscribe to the Chief Maker YouTube channel 🤝 Connect with the Chief Maker

“A strong track record earns you a network. As a result, you get called upon straight away to solve a problem and that is the power of having a great network with ambassadors.”   Chief, today we continue with Part 2 of our How to think like a CEO Series. And we’re going to cover something that is 100% linked to your ability to get promoted faster, and that is the size and value of your network. I’m going to outline five core principles that CEOs and leading executives use to leverage their network fully and these will help you to get your network to work for you when you're not in the room. 🎧👉 chiefmaker.com/342 👂   JOIN THE WAITLIST FOR THE MOST PRACTICAL LEADERSHIP & EXECUTIVE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM ON THE MARKET (NPS: 91): chiefmaker.com/minimba   In this episode, I talk about: ✅  Thinking about what you can do for your network, not what your network can do for you ✅  Being the problem solver in your network ✅  Understanding how your network is your network’s network, and ✅  How to ask someone you’ve helped without it seeming like a favour being returned. Deal hope, Greg   Follow Chief Maker 📝 Subscribe to the Finish Strong monthly newsletter and podcast drops 👍 Follow Chief Maker on LinkedIn 📈 Join the waitlist for the Chief Maker MiniMBA 🎓 Take one of the Chief Maker Academy courses 🍏 Give The Inner Chief podcast a 5-star rating on Apple Podcasts 🎵 Give The Inner Chief podcast a 5-star rating on Spotify 🎬 Subscribe to the Chief Maker YouTube channel 🤝 Connect with the Chief Maker

“A positive brand can mean opportunities for promotion. It can mean a lack of resistance when you're trying to get results, and an endless list of positive outcomes for you and your family.”   Chief, today we are kicking off Part 1 of our How to think like a CEO Series. And we’re going to cover something that is one of the most crucial elements to career progression and outcomes, and that is personal branding. Every single time you turn on a Zoom or you walk into a meeting room or every single time you send an email, people have a filter and a bias for or against you. Your reputation enters the room before you do. People are always watching. 🎧👉 chiefmaker.com/341 👂   BE MORE EFFECTIVE WITH YOUR TIME AND TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR CALENDAR: chiefmaker.com/saveanhour   In this episode, I talk about: ✅  Thinking and behaving like a professional services firm of one ✅  Working up at level to the top team you’re in ✅  An exercise that will help you discover whether you’re likeable, reliable and capable to your peers, and ✅  Why meetings are where your personal brand either sinks or swims. Deal hope, Greg   Follow Chief Maker 📝 Subscribe to the Finish Strong monthly newsletter and podcast drops 👍 Follow Chief Maker on LinkedIn 📈 Join the waitlist for the Chief Maker MiniMBA 🎓 Take one of the Chief Maker Academy courses 🍏 Give The Inner Chief podcast a 5-star rating on Apple Podcasts 🎵 Give The Inner Chief podcast a 5-star rating on Spotify 🎬 Subscribe to the Chief Maker YouTube channel 🤝 Connect with the Chief Maker

“83% of people will look at your LinkedIn profile now before they take a meeting with you.” In this Best of Series episode of The Inner Chief podcast, I speak to Ted Prodromou, America’s #1 LinkedIn Coach, on perception, connecting properly with purpose, and standing out online. 🎧👉  chiefmaker.com/340  👂   DOWNLOAD THE CHIEF MAKER GUIDE FOR SENIOR LEADERS ON HOW TO HAVE DIFFICULT PERFORMANCE CONVERSATIONS: chiefmaker.com/difficult   Ted has bounced back from many setbacks; not only did he survive the dot com crash, which wiped out his successful 20-year tech career working for companies like IBM, he then came out the other side of the Global Financial Crisis of 2008, which turned his consulting business upside-down. Today, Ted is America’s #1 LinkedIn coach and he helps clients to super-charge their online profile and presence, and how to connect properly with purpose. He is the author of the Ultimate Guide to LinkedIn for Business and has also been featured on Entrepreneur.com, the New York Times, CNBC, and Forbes. In this episode we talk about:  ✅ How he got made redundant 3 times in 12 years ✅ How co-writing a book with Perry Marshall launched his LinkedIn coaching career ✅ Some simple tips on how to make your LinkedIn profile really stand out, and ✅ How to dial up your LinkedIn content management so that you are perceived to be associated with well-known brands. Deal hope, Greg A special thanks to Alex Mandossian for recommending Ted.   Connecting with Ted Prodromou You can connect with Ted via LinkedIn. Books and Resources Ultimate Guide to Linked In for Business - by Ted Prodromou Contribution to an article on predicted LinkedIn trends for 2019 on Digital Marketer (Ted’s piece is two-thirds down the article) Snappr, a great resource for taking a high-quality LinkedIn professional photo How to Win Friends and Influence People - by Dale Carnegie Leadership and Self-Deception - by The Arbinger Institute Similar Episodes on Social Media Natalie Speers, Founder & CEO of Social Ally, on being an early adopter, how anyone can thrive on social media, and visual disruption Alex Mandossian, CEO and Founder of Marketingonline.com, on ethical influence and the art of storytelling Jack Slade, Managing Director of Luxity Media, on being an accidental entrepreneur, saying no to increase revenues, and the future of new media Follow Chief Maker 📝 Subscribe to the Finish Strong monthly newsletter and podcast drops 👍 Follow Chief Maker on LinkedIn 📈 Join the waitlist for the Chief Maker MiniMBA 🎓 Take one of the Chief Maker Academy courses 🍏 Give The Inner Chief podcast a 5-star rating on Apple Podcasts 🎵 Give The Inner Chief podcast a 5-star rating on Spotify 🎬 Subscribe to the Chief Maker YouTube channel 🤝 Connect with the Chief Maker