Arete Podcast with Richard Triggs

Troy Setter never planned to become a CEO. Starting his career as a jackaroo, he followed opportunities to learn, work with great people and stay true to his values.

Now CEO and Managing Director of Consolidated Pastoral Company, Troy joins Richard Triggs to share the experiences that shaped his leadership—and how he helped rebuild trust and direction after years of leadership changes.

Their conversation explores leading teams across Australia and Indonesia, creating a culture where people can succeed, taking a practical approach to sustainability, and why volunteering is powerful training for business leaders.

What does it take to lead when the pressure is on?

Richard Triggs sits down with Mark “Squiz” Squirrell OAM, former Australian Special Forces soldier, United Nations humanitarian and Everest summiteer, to explore leadership through the lens of extraordinary experiences.

From conflict zones to the world’s highest mountain, Squiz brings a powerful perspective on resilience, teamwork and performing under pressure—with lessons for anyone responsible for leading others.

In this episode of the Arete Podcast, Richard Triggs welcomes back his very first podcast guest, Marty Moore—former CEO of CS Energy and co-founder of No Bullshit Leadership.

Marty shares why effective leadership means setting high standards, having honest conversations and making hard decisions, even when they’re unpopular. They explore the balance between compassion and accountability, how AI is changing the way leaders work, and Marty’s transition from corporate CEO to building a global leadership education business with his daughter, Emma.

A candid conversation about demanding better performance, helping people grow and choosing impact over status.

Listen to Marty’s podcast, No Bullshit Leadership, on your favourite podcast platform.

In this episode of the Arete Podcast, Richard Triggs sits down with Errol Leboydre, Managing Director of WyldLynx, to explore information governance, AI, business growth and what technology might mean for the future of work.

Errol’s career has taken him from the Royal Australian Air Force and aircraft electrical systems to the family fuel business, IT and ultimately the creation of WyldLynx. While the industries have changed, one theme has remained consistent: a fascination with systems, technology and finding better ways to make organisations work.

Today, WyldLynx works predominantly with government organisations across information management, records, compliance, privacy and data governance. Errol explains why these foundations are becoming even more important as organisations begin adopting AI and agentic technologies.

Richard and Errol discuss the uncertainty many leaders feel around AI, and why organisations need to balance innovation with security, governance, auditability and sensible guardrails. Rather than treating AI governance as an entirely new challenge, Errol argues that many of the same first principles organisations have relied on for years still apply.

The conversation also moves beyond the technology itself.

In this episode:

04:06 – Building a deliberately small, highly skilled team

05:08 – Errol’s early ambition to become a photographer

07:58 – Nine years in the Air Force and discovering a love of systems

09:45 – Joining the family business, Mini Tankers

14:06 – Starting his own technology business

17:41 – Meeting co-founder Chris McLaren and the beginnings of WyldLynx

20:24 – Building a business around long-term relationships and trust

22:59 – A major Queensland Government information system project

26:20 – AI, governance and getting the fundamentals right

29:08 – Is the response to AI fear or uncertainty?

32:52 – Could technology give us more time to be human?

35:29 – Why more technology hasn’t always made communication better

39:01 – The right to disconnect and the pressure of constant communication

45:31 – Moving beyond the AI hype to practical implementation

WATCH THE FULL VIDEO PODCAST ON OUR YOUTUBE - https://youtu.be/PDTeRQo-6Do

USEFUL LINKS:

Errol Leboydre on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/errol-wyldlynx/

WyldLynx – https://wyldlynx.com.au/

Richard Triggs on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardtriggs/

Arete Executive – https://www.areteexecutive.com.au/

In this episode of the Arete Podcast, Richard Triggs sits down with Mark Brand, Vistage Practice Chair, executive coach and leadership facilitator, to explore the value of peer advisory, the realities of leadership and why having the right people around you can make such a difference in business.

Mark currently leads multiple Vistage peer advisory groups across Brisbane and South East Queensland, working with CEOs, founders, business owners and senior executives. Alongside his work with Vistage, he continues to contribute to leadership development and coach training across Australia and New Zealand.

Mark shares his varied career journey, from starting his own business in his early twenties to working across technology, labour hire, career transition and executive coaching before ultimately becoming a Vistage Chair.

Richard and Mark explore the distinction between coaching, mentoring and advisory work, and how leaders benefit from having access to people who can challenge their thinking while still supporting their success. Mark describes Vistage as a place where executives can have conversations they may not be able to have anywhere else, supported by confidentiality, accountability and the shared experience of other business leaders.

They also discuss the vulnerability required from CEOs and founders, the importance of challenging limiting beliefs and the concept of “carefrontation” — confronting someone’s thinking from a genuine position of care.

The conversation also explores what sustainable business growth can look like, why some leaders struggle to receive challenge from within their own organisations and how experienced executives can continue contributing to the business community later in their careers through coaching, mentoring and peer advisory roles.

In this episode:

03:36 – Mark’s career journey

07:08 – How careers evolve through unexpected opportunities

08:25 – Coaching vs mentoring

10:58 – What makes peer advisory valuable?

14:42 – Vulnerability and “carefrontation”

17:45 – Supporting leaders through business challenges

20:03 – Balancing personal support with business accountability

24:22 – Common limiting beliefs among CEOs and founders

28:38 – What motivates Mark as a Vistage Chair

33:29 – How to experience Vistage

34:39 – Life outside of business

36:57 – Mark’s final advice: find your tribe

WATCH THE FULL VIDEO PODCAST ON OUR YOUTUBE - https://youtu.be/qI7bIiGOR6s

USEFUL LINKS:

Mark Brand on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-brand/

Vistage Australia - https://www.vistage.com.au/

Richard Triggs on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardtriggs/

Arete Executive - https://www.areteexecutive.com.au/

Jason Malouin – Personal Presence, Powerful Images and Showing Up as Yourself

In this episode of the Arete Podcast, Richard Triggs sits down with Jason Malouin, founder of Superpower Portraits, to explore professional photography, personal presence and what it means to create an image that genuinely feels like you.

Jason shares his unconventional journey from live theatre and wilderness guiding to moving to Australia, buying a camera and building a highly specialised photography business from scratch. Although these chapters may seem disconnected, each taught him how to guide people through unfamiliar experiences and bring something meaningful to life.

The conversation explores why a professional portrait should do more than make someone look good. For executives, business owners and professionals entering a new chapter, their images need to communicate credibility, intention and personality across LinkedIn, websites, podcasts, books and speaking engagements.

Jason also explains his “mic drop and pin drop” approach, his calibration process for uncovering what makes someone distinctly themselves, and why AI can create content that looks like you without necessarily creating something that feels like you.

This is a fascinating conversation about identity, authenticity, reinvention and the power of showing up as the person you know yourself to be.

Key Timestamps

2:40 – Jason’s work with executives and business owners

4:35 – Creating the “mic drop” and “pin drop” moments

6:36 – From live theatre to wilderness guiding and photography

8:52 – Moving to Australia and building a new career from scratch

10:46 – How Jason’s previous careers shaped his photography

12:51 – Finding his niche in professional portraiture

15:12 – Why so many people dislike being photographed

19:08 – Why professional images need to do more work

23:27 – Using physical direction to create genuine presence

28:17 – The calibration process and uncovering what makes someone distinct

32:01 – AI imagery and the difference between content and context

WATCH THE FULL VIDEO PODCAST HERE - https://youtu.be/3t2NspK09gY

USEFUL LINKS:

Jason Malouin on LinkedIn -https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonmalouin/

Superpower Portraits - https://www.superpowerportraits.com/

Richard Triggs on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardtriggs/

Arete Executive - https://www.areteexecutive.com.au/

In this episode of the Arete Podcast, Richard Triggs sits down with Brian Cooke, Co-Founder of MooCoo Ventures and a key figure in the Brisbane Angels community, to explore angel investing, AI, risk and the realities of backing early-stage companies.

Brian currently works with investors through a venture syndication platform connected closely with Brisbane Angels, helping people participate in early-stage startup investment without needing to be Elon Musk or Jeff Bezos.

The conversation explores Brian’s experience building and listing an online gaming company, only to see around 70 per cent of its market disappear almost overnight following US regulatory change. It was a defining lesson in how quickly regulation can reshape a business, especially in emerging or technology-led markets.

Richard and Brian also discuss AI, why Brian sees the current moment as similar to the internet-era inflection point, and why he believes the largest companies in the world in ten years will be AI companies. They also explore the difference between digital AI and physical AI, including driverless cars, intelligent devices and the next wave of technology-led disruption.

This is a practical and fascinating conversation about technology, investment, risk, community and how to think intelligently about the companies that may shape the future.

Key Timestamps

0:32 – Brian’s current work with MooCoo Ventures and Brisbane Angels

2:31 – Why angel investing does not require enormous personal wealth

4:54 – Brian’s early life in Ireland and move to Australia

8:21 – Moving into online gaming and digital commerce

12:02 – Losing 70 per cent of the market after US regulatory change

12:56 – Strategy consulting, PwC and the move into technology investing

15:18 – Why AI represents another major inflection point

21:43 – Digital AI versus physical AI

25:35 – Understanding risk, return and early-stage investment

30:09 – Why diversification is essential in angel investing

Useful Links

USEFUL LINKS:

Brian Cooke on LinkedIn - https://au.linkedin.com/in/briancooke

MooCoo Ventures - https://moocoo.vc/

Brisbane Angels - https://www.brisbaneangels.com.au/

Richard Triggs on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardtriggs/

Arete Executive - https://www.areteexecutive.com.au/

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In this episode of the Arete Podcast, Richard Triggs sits down with Brad Church, Chief Executive and Senior Advisor at Goodman Private Wealth, to explore wealth, values, wellbeing and what it really means to build a successful life.

Brad has been with Goodman Private Wealth for 28 years, having joined as the third person in the business after attending only one job interview. Today, he leads a small, privately owned firm that works closely with financially successful individuals and families across South East Queensland.

The conversation explores the evolution of Goodman Private Wealth, from a more traditional investment advice business into a comprehensive private wealth firm. Brad also shares the succession journey that saw the business transition across management, client relationships and ownership, each requiring its own distinct plan.

Richard and Brad discuss why financial advice should begin with values, not products. Brad explains the financial roadmap process Goodman uses with clients, starting with the question: “What’s important about money to you?” From there, the conversation moves into goals, current financial position and the bigger picture behind better decision-making.

Brad also shares his philosophy of wellbeing, which moves beyond the traditional idea of work-life balance. Instead of trying to balance work against everything else, Brad focuses on eight areas of wellbeing: physical health, inner and emotional health, environment, generosity, recreation, relationships, business and career, and financial wellbeing.

They also explore philanthropy, values-led leadership, recruitment, culture and what it takes to build a workplace people genuinely want to be part of. Brad explains why Goodman hires for fit and trains for skill, and how its recruitment process begins with a values conversation rather than a traditional skills-based interview.

This is a thoughtful conversation about money, meaning, consistency, curiosity and the importance of building success across every part of life, not just the financial one.

Key Timestamps

0:58 – Brad’s role at Goodman Private Wealth and the clients they serve

2:21 – Joining the business in 1998 after only one job interview

4:45 – The succession journey from founder-led business to second-generation ownership

7:37 – Curiosity, leadership development and the value of Vistage

11:51 – Why Brad moved beyond the idea of work-life balance

16:23 – The financial roadmap process and why it begins with values

22:37 – Why successful people still struggle to organise their financial records

25:49 – How values shape money, leadership and business decisions

29:35 – Philanthropy, generosity and the impact of giving

33:45 – Hiring for values fit and building a great place to work

USEFUL LINKS:

Brad Church on LinkedIn

Goodman Private Wealth Website

Richard Triggs on LinkedIn

Arete Executive Website

In this episode of the Arete Podcast, Richard Triggs sits down with John Lewis, Co-Founder of Lewis Woolcott and Lware, to explore entrepreneurship, innovation and the changing future of major infrastructure projects.

John’s career began on construction sites in the UK after he left university early. He later returned to study construction law, moved through senior commercial and project leadership roles with organisations including ConocoPhillips, Origin Energy and GE, and eventually recognised that he was better suited to building businesses than navigating a traditional corporate career.

Today, John leads two connected but very different businesses. Lewis Woolcott provides commercial, project controls and dispute advisory services across major construction, infrastructure and mining projects. Lware develops technology designed to give project teams better visibility, stronger analytics and faster insight into cost, delay and performance.

Richard and John discuss the realities of growing two businesses, why construction has been slow to adopt new technology, and how combining industry expertise with software can solve problems traditional consulting has struggled with for decades.

They also explore the impact of AI on consulting, the tension between billable hours and greater efficiency, and why human judgement will remain essential even as data analysis becomes faster and more sophisticated.

This is a conversation about recognising opportunity, challenging accepted ways of working and having the confidence to build something the market has not seen before.

Key Timestamps

1:45 – How Lewis Woolcott and Lware work together

4:02 – Supporting major infrastructure, construction and mining projects

11:36 – John’s journey from leaving university to senior project leadership

16:15 – Realising he was naturally suited to entrepreneurship

18:09 – Why the consulting and technology businesses became separate brands

24:19 – The moment an Uber journey inspired a new approach to construction data

26:52 – How AI is changing consulting and billable-hour models

31:51 – Why major projects experience cost and schedule blowouts

34:44 – Using technology to predict delays and improve project performance

39:25 – The next stage of growth across Australia, the UK and the US

USEFUL LINKS:

John Lewis on LinkedIn - https://au.linkedin.com/in/john-b-lewis

Lware's Website - https://lware.com/

Richard Triggs on LinkedIn - https://au.linkedin.com/in/richardtriggs

Arete Executive Website - https://www.areteexecutive.com.au/

In this episode of the Arete Podcast, Richard Triggs sits down with Dr Meg Hooper, organisational psychologist and founder of Carousel Consulting, to explore workplace culture, collaboration and what it takes to lead people successfully through change.

Meg has a PhD in organisational psychology and works with organisations navigating structural, technical and cultural transformation. She explains why meaningful change requires more than a new strategy, system or set of values. It requires clear behaviours, supportive environments and leaders who understand how people actually experience change.

The conversation explores why purpose alone is not enough to sustain a healthy organisation, particularly within the not-for-profit sector, and how even positive qualities such as care and commitment can become “overdone strengths”.

Richard and Meg also discuss her Collaboration Maturity Model, known as CM2, which helps organisations understand why collaboration cannot rely solely on individual goodwill. Incentives, leadership behaviour, systems and organisational structures must all support the way people are expected to work together.

They also examine psychosocial risk, the responsibility organisations have to create psychologically healthy workplaces, and the accidental change managers who are often expected to lead their teams through disruption without any formal preparation.

Beyond her consulting work, Meg shares the story of founding Circus Ipswich, which has grown from eight young participants into an inclusive community of more than 60 enrolments. Through circus, she is helping young people build confidence, take safe risks, experience belonging and realise their potential.

This is a wide-ranging conversation about change, leadership, culture, community and the environments people need to thrive.

Key Timestamps

2:04 – How Carousel Consulting helps organisations navigate workplace change

3:17 – Building values and cultural frameworks that translate into behaviour

6:09 – Why purpose and goodwill are not enough to sustain an organisation

8:38 – How positive qualities can become “overdone strengths”

9:52 – Measuring cultural change, engagement and organisational outcomes

15:19 – Introducing the CM2 Collaboration Maturity Model

20:51 – Why organisations struggle to create genuinely collaborative cultures

24:20 – Understanding and managing psychosocial risks in the workplace

31:51 – Supporting the “accidental change managers” leading teams through disruption

39:41 – The story and purpose behind Circus Ipswich

USEFUL LINKS:

Meg Hooper on LinkedIn - https://au.linkedin.com/in/meg-hooper

Carousel Consulting - https://carouselconsulting.com.au/

Richard Triggs on LinkedIn - https://au.linkedin.com/in/richardtriggs

Arete Executive Website - https://www.areteexecutive.com.au/team/richard-triggs/