In 2010 podcast host Kate Peardon met fellow Australian Emilia Simonin in an MBA classroom in Paris. Throughout the years they've shared their journey across a number of countries and through corporate leadership, and today Emilia is the Global Market and Business Intelligence Director at L'Oreal, in Paris. Today's episode interviews Emilia on her …

Join Claire O'Shea on her journey from young dancer to Dance Energy Studios founder, podcast producer, and business mentor. At just 19 she started her first dance studio and in this interview she shares insights on scaling her studio, building the right team, and navigating leadership in the arts. Learn about her transition from dance teacher (the …

If you've got a problem at work, is it: a) you b) other people c) the environment d) all of the above. Have you ever changed jobs, only to find the issue still exists in your new job? This is a definite sign that you thought it was (C - the environment) but it was actually (A - you). So how do you figure out the cause of the issue before making big…

Have you experienced burnout, or know some who has? Today's guest is the remarkable Liz Bradford, a seasoned leader with 20 years of diverse experience, currently serving as the Managing Director of Wholesale Banking at HSBC Asia in Hong Kong and the CEO of Transform Perform. Liz shares candidly about her defining moment in leadership, experiencing…

When challenges arise, the wise prioritise over powering through. Lauren Fraser, founder of Thea Media, challenges the conventional wisdom that toughness is the only answer. Join us as we delve into her entrepreneurial journey—from navigating chronic fatigue to building a thriving digital marketing agency that values balance and well-being. Lauren'…

Ever dreamt of ditching your corporate gig to start your own creative agency? Emma, the brains behind Sparo Studios, did just that. Join us as we unravel Emma's journey from her childhood in prairies in Canada, to the bustling corporate world of Sydney, Australia to founding a thriving design agency. This isn't just a story of entrepreneurial coura…

Ever thought about how a wardrobe refresh could actually kickstart a positive shift in your life? Today I'm sharing my recent experiences with virtual stylist Anna from Anna Mabin Styling. Life threw me a series of curveballs, from health scares to the joys of new motherhood, and my closet was in desperate need of a revamp. In this chat, Anna break…

Low Motivation and Procrastination can be really great mates, particularly in my case. I always picture them sitting at a bar together and Motivation says, "Okay, it's probably time to do something." And Procrastination says, "Well, we could, let's just have one more drink." Today’s episode focuses on my recent dip in motivation and the science on …

In today's world, the concept of career paths has transformed drastically. No longer is the question merely, what do you want to be when you grow up? Because the average 12 year old today will have 17 different jobs over five different careers. Back when I was at school, I had no idea that a profession like mine even existed. This episode interview…

In my business journey, spanning from human resources roles to executive leadership, entrepreneurship and consulting, I've honed the elusive art of interviewing. It's been a bit like discovering a superpower, useful not only for recruiting but also for everyday life. Picture this: my first interviews were more nerve-wracking than a rollercoaster ri…

Today's show is a double whammy, a two-part series tailor-made for all you leaders out there, whether you're steering the ship in a big corporation or you're the captain of your own startup. We're diving headfirst into the wild world of interviews, and trust me, it's not just about asking "Tell me about your strengths and weaknesses." Nope, we're g…

Welcome to today's leadership podcast episode, which marks the beginning of our exciting leadership interview series. In this series, we will be diving deep into the world of leadership by talking to leaders and specialists to shed light on the multifaceted concept of leadership. Our first guest is none other than Dr. Alis Anagnostakis. Alis and I …

Ever feel like you're stuck dealing with those mind-numbing, everyday tasks that almost drive you to pull your hair out? Oh boy, I've been there too. Just the other day, I had this whole drama with the fridge at one of my investment properties. It just decided to throw in the towel, and guess who had to scramble to find a replacement? Yep, yours tr…

A delightful tale of my coffee machine woes and how professional tweaks can work wonders for your team. Imagine me, sipping my morning elixir, when I realize it doesn't taste heavenly anymore. Panic sets in—are my taste buds betraying me? Have I become immune to caffeine? But then, it hits me like a caffeine rush—I've got a coffee machine emergency…

An embarrassing story of my time as a new manager. Even as I’m recording it I can’t believe I’m sharing it with you. I was in my early twenties, I was confident and competent, but on the inside I was worried that they might notice that I'd never led a team before, and would I be good enough? As a new leader, I thought it was my duty to deliver hard…

I'm whisking you away (mentally!) to the awe-inspiring landscapes of Patagonia. Picture this: snow-capped peaks, icy blue lakes, and winds fierce enough to unseat a politician's toupee. Back in November 2019, I embarked on a thrilling hiking expedition through this wild wonderland. But Patagonia became more than a physical challenge; it became a ma…

Five years have passed since my Vertebral Artery Dissection and Minor Stroke, marking a significant milestone in my journey. While lying in the hospital bed, I set an audacious goal for myself—to complete another half-ironman triathlon in just six months. However, the reality of my condition quickly set in. Simple tasks like walking down a corridor…

I absolutely love travelling and have been fortunate enough to visit 38 countries and counting. Currently, I'm on an exciting adventure, but this time, there's a twist – I'm travelling with my five-month-old baby, Alba. It's a whole new experience that both excites and makes me nervous. I want her to grow up exploring the world, just like me, with …

We often get caught up in the never-ending to-do list frenzy without stopping to ask ourselves if the work actually aligns with our goals. Being busy doesn't automatically mean we're being productive. Trust me, I've learned this the hard way, and so have my clients So, how do we escape this productivity quicksand? It's time to flip the conversation…

I'm excited to share my upcoming journey to Europe with my husband and our five-month-old daughter. Over the next six weeks, while my husband takes parental leave, I'll be working remotely and exploring new places during the European summer. To ensure a smooth operation for my business while I'm away, I've implemented five key strategies. First, de…

Join Kate as she takes a thoughtful journey through the first six months of 2023, evaluating the highs and lows in both her professional and personal life. In this candid and introspective review, Kate reflects on her goals, the transformative experience of becoming a new mum, and the impact it had on her business while on maternity leave. With ref…

Are you tired of avoiding those dreaded feedback conversations like they're a swarm of angry bees? Well, fear not! In this podcast episode, we dive deep into the world of feedback to help you become a confident and effective feedback giver. Feedback isn't just about formal performance conversations or receiving grades on tests. It can take various …

The year is 2010 and I decided to quit my high paying corporate job and move to Paris. I was studying an MBA and curious to see the cultural differences and similarities in leadership. This episode shares a story of one night I experienced in Paris watching a french kitchen. I’ll share two delegation lessons from that night, and how you can apply i…

Do you ever feel like a fraud at work? Do you doubt your success despite years of experience? You might be suffering from imposter syndrome, and you are not alone. Tom Hanks, Sheryl Sandberg, and Maya Angelou also experienced it. But how can you overcome it? In this episode, we explore the first steps to conquer imposter syndrome. We discuss how aw…

Have you ever had the feeling of inadequacy, not deserving your achievements, of being a fraud and worry you'll get found out? This is called Imposter Syndrome. It is a common experience, whether you're a new leader, solopreneur, senior manager, or a C-suite business leader. Whether you're just starting out in your career or a seasoned professional…

SUMMARY: One key action I talk to all my clients about from new leaders, seasoned leaders, small business owners and corporate execs, is the idea of a CEO session. Now, this is not about the title of CEO, it's about a CEO mindset. In today's podcast episode, I'm going to talk about my own CEO sessions, three examples of some small business CEOs and…

Earlier this month, (hopefully) you set goals for the year—including mapping out delegating tasks to make it happen. Maybe you’ve run into a common problem that so many of my clients end up in: How do you keep track of who’s doing what? You got so good at getting things off your plate that you created a new challenge for yourself to navigate. This …

Monopoly is one of those games where everyone has slightly different rules. All of a sudden you were playing with someone and a new rule would come out of the blue and your strategy just went out the window. One of the keys to leadership is about setting expectations early, clearly and often. So no one feels blindsided or wants to flip the board ga…

Micromanaging is a task that many new emerging leaders and even seasoned leaders are guilty of committing. Officially it's the management style where a leader, excessively supervisors their employees. Maybe you think you’re just actively managing your team (but the team are rolling their eyes because they feel completely micromanaged). How do you k…

When we come into a new year we can't help but reassess. Do I want this year to be like last year? What do I want to be different? One of the popular episodes from 2022 Level Up Leadership podcast was episode 9, all about the three different models we can design our business by, Solo Hero and Agency. I'm recasting this episode at this time of year …

I'm going to take you through my exact reflection and projection end-of-year process I've done for the last four years to close the year, and open the new one. Find out what I’m proud of, my word of year, what I would name the book (or movie!) about my 2022 year, and how you can do your own Year Compass reflection with a free template. Links Get th…

What if in 2023, you could take things OFF your plate, instead of adding them ON? Last week on the podcast I spoke about mindset shifts, one which was about working smarter, not harder, and today's episode is all about the "clean slate" method. Most people start the new year with a lengthy list of things that they have to or want to do. Today, I ch…

When people go into the new year, often, the conversation is about new year's resolutions. I'm not a big fan of new year's resolutions, but I do have a couple of mindset shifts that I want to share today that you might like to carry with you through the holidays and into 2023. The first thing is share a story and then we'll follow it by four differ…

One thing that I pride myself on is helping others. But do you know what that is really bad for? Boundaries. If this resonates with you, then join me to learn how to set better boundaries with your team and clients, especially around the holidays. We’ll uncover four things to help you set better boundaries, plus something extra festive at the end o…

Today's topic is all about whether you should hire employees or contractors. It is a topic that is both suitable for people that work within a business in a leadership role, looking at expanding the team, and also for people that own their own business and looking at how to expand the team. As you step into 2023 and to think about how you want the …

As we head into the December season a lot of people are thinking about how much work has to be done before the end of the year and also thinking about holidays. But mostly my clients tell me they are thinking about how to keep their team or business running, while spending some time with family and friends. It’s not too late to delegate! Learn the …

Do you know something that isn’t a good use of your time, but unsure when you should be delegating it? What is the tipping point to know if you should be doing a task or delegating it to your team or contractor. Today we’ll learn how to apply the delegation rule of three, and how the Delegation Playbook can help you to be a rockstar leader. Links B…

What would your life look like if you were competent at delegating? You come into work every day and the team is already working on the project and giving you updates instead of you feeling like you have to chase or check in with them. You feel in control while they're ticking off your list. You've set expectations and accountabilities, and you can…

if you can't delegate effectively, you can never expand your productivity beyond the work that you can personally deliver. Delegation might seem like a no brainer, but there are 5 common things that stop us from effectively delegating. See how many of these 5 you might be doing, plus learn what ONE THING you can start delegating, TODAY. Links · Joi…

When something goes wrong, is your first thought “who’s fault is this?”. Now on the surface, this makes complete sense. Once you find out whose fault it is, you can fix it. It might feel like you are gaining control by blaming somebody else or working out whose fault it is. But actually you are giving away control. Poor leaders ask "who is at fault…

Imagine this: your phone rings. It's a client you've been working with on a really big project. The person on the other end is furious. They cannot believe the work that you've done has not hit the mark of what was agreed, and the impact that is now having on their clients and their work is astronomical. They are pissed. What do you do? And what do…

Everyone is always on the lookout for the Next Big Thing. Today's podcast is about a book called Company Of One by Paul Jarvis. It is a book all about why staying small is the next big thing for business. "What if the real key to a richer and more fulfilling career was not to create and scale a startup, but rather be able to work for yourself, dete…

I am asked so often what my favorite leadership books are that I decided to create a list. Today I share my list, and the three different categories that leadership books fall under - Leading Self, Leading People, and Leading Organizations or Cultures. Get your Rockstar Visual summary of a leadership book each month by joining here: https://campus.…

What was your New Year's Resolution? Are you still working on it, or perhaps it's been abandoned with a little mental note to think "I'll try again next year". We all do a bit of self-sabotage, but when does it start to cause havoc in your work and personal life? In this episode, learn what self sabotage is, why we do it, and how to take action tow…

In today's episode, I'll be sharing "how fear controls us" through a story about swimming with whales. Tune in for your one tip that you can apply to your life and to your work straight away about how to be able to better control fears and emotions that pop up for you. Links Join 1:1 Leadership Coaching/Mentoring for the final quarter (last chance …

So you've got two people talking AT each other, not listening, wanting the other person to listen, because if they just LISTENED to you, they would see it your way, and realise that you’re right. We have all been there. Today's podcast takes a lesson from the book "Edge: turning adversity into advantage" by Laura Huang and award-winning Harvard Bus…

What is happiness? Does happiness at work make our employees more productive? Will we be more profitable? Will we have an edge on our competitors? Will this help make a positive impact on the world around us?” What is the criteria for happiness at work? We are going to be talking about the topic of happiness and how it impacts us on a work sense an…

What can the beginning of a season or the beginning of a quarter mean for you and your mindset? If you think about the beginning of the year, often that we have this idea of a fresh start and a new chance to start things. We might have big goals for our life or for our business or for our job and full of fresh energy. But sometimes when we think ab…

Negative feedback. Love it or hate it? It won't surprise you to know, most people hate it. In today's episode, we're going to be covering four key things about negative feedback. Number One: why negative feedback is so hard. Two: discover how open you are to feedback. Three: four quick ways to improve your openness for feedback, and Four: how you c…

In the movie Training Day, Denzel Washington plays a rogue detective character and he tells his new protege, in effect "this is chess, not checkers". He means the job is way more complicated than it seems. It's fast, dynamic and with lots of moving parts. This is a similar analogy for leadership. So how does thinking about chess help you as a leade…