15 Minutes with the Boss

Rob Coombe, executive chairman Generation Life, planned his career moves meticulously and made sure not to trample on colleagues to climb the corporate ladder. Now Coombe is at the top of the corporate tree, he has tools and habits to help him stay there.         

On this week's episode, BOSS editor Sally Patten joins Coombe to discuss creating a high performance culture, how to survive it, and why EQ is so important for leaders.

This podcast was sponsored by Ripple.

Further reading:

What makes this CEO drop everything in the middle of a meeting

Natalie Culina, boss of iconic hat manufacturer Akubra, talks children, imposter syndrome, branding and what not to do when you are tapping new export markets.

‘One of the worst markets I’ve seen’: Property CEO fears job cuts

Jellis Craig head Andrew McCann reveals what it’s like inside the real estate downturn and why agents are having to deliver hard truths to sellers.

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Akubra chief executive Natalie Culina has over 20 years working with some of the most recognised and iconic Australian brands.

When managing imposter syndrome she says that "you cannot forget that you have to master a skill in something, have to have a black belt in something. And that's something that you can always reach down into your core to draw upon". When she did, it faded away.

On this week's episode, BOSS editor Sally Patten sits down with Culina to find out who is in her inner circle, how she overcame imposter syndrome and the one reason she will interrupt a meeting.

This podcast was sponsored by Ripple.

Further reading:

‘One of the worst markets I’ve seen’: Property CEO fears job cuts

Jellis Craig head Andrew McCann reveals what it’s like inside the real estate downturn and why agents are having to deliver hard truths to sellers.

What this top lawyer wishes he had done early in his career

Sam Nickless, chief executive of Gilbert +Tobin, says young lawyers and executives have more control over their time than they think.

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Jellis Craig chief executive Andrew McCann has been a real estate agent for almost 30 years, and he reckons "this is one of the worst markets" he's ever seen.

"It's very hard for vendors to adjust to price changes, and it's very hard sometimes for agents to pick up the pace of change," he says. "And because of that, it's a challenging environment to navigate."

On this week's episode, BOSS editor Sally Patten sits down with the real estate boss to find out how he is navigating the property downturn, the effect it's having on staff and whether he expects it to change any time soon.

This podcast was sponsored by Ripple.

Further reading:

What this top lawyer wishes he had done early in his career

Sam Nickless, chief executive of Gilbert +Tobin, says young lawyers and executives have more control over their time than they think.

Why giving up control was Lune founder Kate Reid’s best business move

An eating disorder shaped the croissant queen’s career. A piece of advice from her father is also one of the secrets to her company’s success.

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When it comes to the rise of artificial intelligence in the workplace, Sam Nickless, the chief executive of law firm Gilbert + Tobin, has some useful advice for lawyers and executives in the early or middle stages of their careers.

"The first level of advice is don’t freak out about it, but don’t ignore it either," he says.

"Get really good at using it, but also be very attuned to the things that it doesn’t do and that you can do over and above it."

On this week's episode, BOSS editor Sally Patten finds out what the top lawyer thinks of AI disruption, how it will affect the legal profession and the best way lawyers can protect their jobs.

This podcast was sponsored by Ripple.

Further reading:

Why giving up control was Lune founder Kate Reid’s best business move

An eating disorder shaped the croissant queen’s career. A piece of advice from her father is also one of the secrets to her company’s success.

Daniel Mookhey: My younger self would hate my respect for John Howard

The NSW treasurer opens up about failure, conflict, his political heroes – and why he hates waking up early.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Growing up, Kate Reid had always dreamt about working in Formula 1. And in her early 20s, she achieved that dream by joining the Williams team as an aerodynamicist.

But this F1 enthusiast quickly realised the job was not all she'd hoped.

"I imagined it would be an incredibly dynamic, collaborative, exciting job, and all of those things didn't come to fruition for me, and it sent me down a pretty dark path," says Reid.

On this week's episode, BOSS editor Sally Patten finds out how this aerodynamicist applied her scientific rigor to become one of Australia's most well-known pastry chefs.

This podcast was sponsored by Ripple.

Further reading:

Daniel Mookhey: My younger self would hate my respect for John Howard

The NSW treasurer opens up about failure, conflict, his political heroes – and why he hates waking up early.

The email that cost this top exec a major deal

Esther Colwill, president of Asia-Pacific at Korn Ferry, loved her job at Deloitte – and then she had twins.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As a teenager, NSW Treasurer Daniel Mookhey loved federal budget day.

“I’m not saying I was popular at high school, but I used to love it when [former Liberal treasurers] Peter Costello and John Howard would hand down the budget,” the self-confessed nerd says.

As a 16-year-old, he may not have liked the Liberal grandees’ politics, but these days Mookhey “is a little bit more sympathetic and understanding of where they were coming from".

On this week's episode, BOSS editor Sally Patten sits down with the Labor politician to find out what eight years of opposition taught him, and the one piece of advice he would give his younger self.

This podcast was sponsored by Aussie Broadband.

Further reading:

The email that cost this top exec a major deal

Esther Colwill, president of Asia-Pacific at Korn Ferry, loved her job at Deloitte – and then she had twins.

Do what others won’t do: AFL great Chris Judd’s formula for success

The former sports star and founder and portfolio manager of Cerutty Macro Fund has one career rule.

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From a young age, Esther Colwill, a former partner at Deloitte and now country head for Australia at Korn Ferry, dreamt of climbing the highest peaks on each of the seven continents, including, of course, Mount Everest.

Colwill succeeded, emerging with critical lessons that have helped her in both her private and professional life.

On this week’s episode, BOSS editor Sally Patten finds out how having a goal outside work spurred on this executive’s professional career.

This podcast was sponsored by Aussie Broadband.

Further reading:

Do what others won’t do: AFL great Chris Judd’s formula for success

The former sports star and founder and portfolio manager of Cerutty Macro Fund has one rule that changed the course of his career.

This exec left banking to buy a caravan park. Now he runs an empire

Grant Wilckens co-founded G’day Group in 2004 and never looked back – apart from the time when he could have lost everything.

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Asked about a pivotal moment in his career, former AFL star Chris Judd is quick to respond: don’t do what everyone else is doing.

“[The pivotal moment] was taking complete control over my fitness program,” says Judd.

In business, Judd, who is the founder and portfolio manager of Cerutty Macro Fund, a concentrated equities fund that invests primarily in smaller companies, applied the same rule – and it changed the course of his career.

On this week's episode, BOSS editor Sally Patten finds out how the former West Coast Eagles captain secured a premiership, two Brownlow Medals and is now tackling the world of small caps.

This podcast was sponsored by Aussie Broadband.

Further reading:

AFL great turned stockpicker Chris Judd just made 20pc returns

One of the greatest to play Aussie rules, Judd has kicked off a second career in fund management buying ASX small-cap stocks. 

‘The phone stopped ringing’: How retirement shock hit this Olympian

In 2016, former Opals star player and Olympic medallist Lauren Jackson was forced to retire. Since then, her life has taken several turns.

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"I had everything on the wire, on the line," says Grant Wilckens, remembering when the global financial crisis hit.

The chief executive and founder of G'Day Group had started his holiday parks business in 2004 when Lehman Brothers collapsed.

"It was probably the hardest I've ever worked, the most stressed I've ever been."

On this week's episode, BOSS editor Sally Patten sits down with the former investment banker to find out how he survived the GFC, the lessons it taught him and how it fundamentally changed his business.

This podcast was sponsored by Aussie Broadband.

Further reading:

The key trait private equity looks for when hiring a CEO

Thomson Reuters president Steve Hasker shares HR tips and why the soaring cost of AI tokens might just save your job.

Fasting, coffee and no chores: A Young Rich Lister’s success formula

Oscar Ledlin reveals the secrets of his success, including where his best ideas come from, his morning routine and the advice he almost always ignores.

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“I've really changed my relationship with exercise over the past few years”, says Katie Lyndon, the chief executive of Exercise and Sports Science Australia.

The exercise physiologist has made a conscious effort to shift her mindset around workout routines from something she has to do to something she loves.

On this week’s episode, BOSS editor Sally Patten sits down with Lyndon to find out how she designed a workout program that provides physical, mental and professional benefits.

This podcast was sponsored by Aussie Broadband.

Further reading:

Inside Ahmed Fahour’s high-performance morning routine

The chief executive of Gurner Group and former boss of Australia Post says the way he starts his day has been “transformational”.

Morning sun, and eat your vegies first: 19 habits for a healthier life

Exercise and nutrition are vital, but which specific habits offer the greatest bang for buck? Five doctors and a physiologist share their top longevity secrets.

The 20-minute ‘power’ fix missing from midlife workouts

Muscle power helps us perform basic everyday tasks but declines twice as quickly as strength during the ageing process.

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