Leadership Odysseys

In this episode of the Leadership Odysseys leadership podcast, James Rhee, private equity investor, former CEO of Ashley Stewart, Harvard Law graduate and author of red helicopter, shares a powerful redefinition of leadership in business.

This is a conversation about kindness in business, corporate leadership, culture transformation and high performance. James challenges traditional finance and management thinking, arguing that goo...

Leadership is not built in the spotlight. It is built in the quiet decisions that shape who you become when no one is watching. In this episode of Leadership Odysseys, I sit down with Tory Archbold to explore what real leadership looks like when you stop performing and start leading from truth. This conversation moves beyond titles and success to examine voice...

Lucy Lin on Leadership, Curiosity, and Building a Non-Linear Career in Technology

Lucy Lin didn’t follow a straight line. She followed her curiosity.

In this episode of Leadership Odysseys, Lucy Lin, award-winning innovation leader, founder of Forestlyn, and host of the Emerging Tech Unpacked podcast, shares her leadership odyssey across technology, STEM, and education. Her path spans startups, corporates, universities, and nationa...

This episode contains discussions of suicide, mental health crises, and related topics. If you or someone you know is struggling, support is available. You can contact [Lifeline: 13 11 14] or your local helpline for help

Burnout does not arrive with a warning. It arrives quietly, after years of carrying pressure, expectation, and identity without pause. In this episode, Kirsty sits down with Mark Jones, author of The Story Code f...

Dean Salakas has built his career around decisions most people avoid, and the discipline to stand by them.

From turning down public opportunities to letting go of a legacy family business at the right moment, Dean’s leadership has been shaped by judgment, not noise. He grew up inside retail, questioned how things were done, and learned early that progress comes from clear thinking, not applause.

In this episode, Dean reflects on th...

Some conversations stay with you long after the microphones turn off. This is one of them.

In this episode of Leadership Odysseys, Kirsty sits down with Raj Nanra, CEO of SLE Worldwide Australia, for a powerful conversation about leadership shaped through lived experience, cultural belonging, resilience, and loss. From growing up as the child of one of Melbourne’s first Sikh families, to leading businesses across Asia for two decad...

Some stories shimmer at the surface; others reveal their depth only when you listen closely. Kellie Hush’s journey through Australian fashion has been anything but linear – from Canberra schoolgirl to magazine editor, retail founder, and now CEO of Australian Fashion Week 2025. She’s seen the glamour, the grind, and the grit behind an industry built on reinvention. In this episode, Kellie opens up about the power of resilience, the...

Leadership shows up when everything changes. Some leaders build empires. Others build character. Guy Maine has done both, and rebuilt himself along the way.

This Leadership Odysseys episode explores leadership through change, resilience, and personal conviction.

From launching Australia’s prepaid mobile era at Optus, leading Virgin Mobile’s turnaround, driving Foxtel’s shift from analogue to digital, and starting an aviation busine...

After more than five decades leading some of the most complex business transformations across enterprise and government, Ken Garrard has seen it all – from billion-dollar portfolios to local government restructures that changed lives. But what stands out isn’t the scale of his projects, it’s the humanity behind them.

In this conversation, Ken shares how a lifetime of systems thinking, resilience, and belief in people has shaped not...

Some leaders chase growth. Others build movements that last.

In this episode of Leadership Odysseys, Kirsty Gee sits down with Rosy McEvedy, the founder of IV League Drips and Academy by IV League, to unpack how she turned a simple idea into a national model for integrative health. From a single clinic to a network of more than 200 licensees, Rosy shares the clarity, conviction, and discipline it takes to build something that scal...

Great leaders don’t just run companies. They set the rhythm, shape the culture, and build belief.

Sacha Laing has led some of Australia’s most iconic retail brands—CEO of General Pants, Group Executive at David Jones and Country Road Group, and now CEO of Adore Beauty. Beyond the titles is a leader anchored in family, clarity, and conviction.

This episode looks beyond strategy. We talk about values as decision filters, the cultural...

She made other people famous. For more than 15 years, Carlii Lyon was the quiet force behind global names like Miranda Kerr and bestselling authors — building influence, shaping reputations, and keeping herself invisible in the process.

Then came the pause. Time away to raise her two sons brought with it a brutal truth: the phone stopped ringing, the invitations disappeared, and people she thought were friends went silent. What fel...

What if paying with friends could be as easy as checking out solo? In this episode of Leadership Odysseys, we sit down with Cam Richardson, Founder & CEO of PaySquad, the world’s first "Buy Now, Pay Together" platform. From growing up across continents and navigating loneliness to becoming a purpose-driven founder reshaping group payments, Cam opens up about the origin story of PaySquad, the challenges of building a fintech fro...

Wilson Poon doesn’t just build businesses, he builds trust. From his early days as a software engineer to founding Whitetower Digital and co-founding MemberPulse, Wilson’s journey has been marked by sharp strategy, deep integrity, and a human-first approach to innovation. In this candid and compelling conversation, Wilson shares how he’s grown multiple businesses, sold a company, navigated failure, and led with quiet clarity all wh...

Michael Ragavan was born in Australia to parents who had fled genocide in Sri Lanka, arriving with little more than resilience, hope, and an unshakable belief in opportunity. That belief would become the foundation for Our Leg Up, a bold venture reimagining home equity as a tool not just for building wealth, but for widening the path to ownership and opportunity. In this conversation, Michael shares the grit it took to challenge th...

Nearly two years on, we’re thrilled to replay Episode  1 of Leadership Odysseys with Simon Molnar. Simon’s path from weekend shifts in his parents’ jewellery store to helping drive Afterpay’s surge and now reinventing in-store retail with Flagship encapsulates everything our mantra, 'Embrace the Journey,' stands for. Press play to hear the lessons, pivots, and breakthroughs that shaped his leadership—and reignite your own sense of ...

In this deeply human episode of Leadership Odysseys, Kirsty sits down with Michelle Brenton—clinical naturopath, nutritionist, herbalist, personal trainer, and founder of Cell Wellness Co for a conversation that goes far beyond supplements and health advice.

Michelle shares the evolution of her 20+ year career in the wellness space: from running health food stores and clinics to co-creating Cell Charge, a globally trusted micronutr...

In this profound episode of Leadership Odysseys, we sit down with transformational coach Linda Wallace, whose journey spans global leadership roles, a personal reckoning, and a deep return to self. Once climbing the ranks of major corporate brands, Linda hit burnout—mentally, physically, and emotionally. But instead of pushing through, she paused. And in that pause, everything changed.

Today, Linda helps others step into lives of a...

In this episode of Leadership Odysseys, we’re joined by Claudine Ogilvie, an executive and entrepreneur who’s spent over two decades at the intersection of technology, transformation, and leadership.

From her time as CIO at Jetstar and Ridley Corporation to board roles with Cuscal and Scyne Advisory, Claudine has built a career shaped by curiosity, courage, and bold transitions. Today, she’s the founder and CEO of HivePix, a data o...