AI is changing how quickly businesses can build, solve problems and get ideas into the world. But as AI becomes more capable, a bigger question emerges: how do we know we can trust what it builds?

In this episode of Beyond Growth, Reyan Fernando sits down with serial tech entrepreneur Mark Kuch from FieldTaskora to explore what happens when AI moves from being a tool we use to something that starts working alongside us.

Mark shares lessons from his experience building multiple technology businesses and explains why the biggest challenge with AI may not be development, but governance.

His approach is simple: if you're going to treat AI like a new employee, you need to give it clear processes, documented standards, boundaries and quality gates.

They explore:

• Why sometimes the best instruction you can give AI is to slow down.
• How business owners can start using AI safely and practically today.
• Why the startup world is shifting from pitching ideas to demonstrating working products.
• The hidden risks of AI-driven development and who is ultimately responsible when things go wrong.
• What happens when AI can build software faster than humans can understand the code.
• Why governance, trust and validation will become increasingly important as AI takes on more responsibility.

A fascinating conversation for founders, leaders and anyone trying to understand not just what AI can do, but what it means to actually trust it with important work.

This episode was proudly brought to you by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ISO365 - ISO Compliance⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, as a Service.

You can connect with ⁠⁠⁠⁠Reyan Fernando⁠⁠⁠⁠ via ⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠ or by heading to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.reyanfernando.com.au⁠⁠⁠

Join us for an in-depth conversation with three-time Olympic marathoner Lee Troop as he shares the unfiltered story of his journey from a young boy running with his father to a world-class athlete and now, a community visionary.

Lee provides a raw and honest account of his twenty-year professional career, unpacking the relentless discipline required to run 250-kilometer weeks and complete a 1,000-day running streak.

He reflects on the highs of his major city marathon performances and the hard-won lessons from three vastly different and challenging Olympic campaigns.

He also speaks candidly about the immense physical and psychological toll of elite sport, including the career-ending injury that reshaped his life's purpose.

The conversation then shifts to his current passion: an eight-year mission to bring a world-class running festival to his hometown, Geelong. Lee details the immense logistical hurdles, from navigating city-wide road closures to emergency service access plans.

This is a masterclass in community building, as Lee explains how the Geelong Running Festival is designed to be "more than just a race."

Discover the intricate details behind its purpose-driven model, including partnerships with local charities, the creation of an Indigenous running group, a meticulously designed medal celebrating Geelong's heritage, and a finish-line festival built to celebrate every single participant.

This is not just a story about running; it's a powerful narrative about resilience, the importance of mentorship, and transforming a lifetime of personal achievement into a lasting legacy for an entire community.

Sign up for the Geelong Running Festival by visiting https://www.geelongrunningfestival.com.au/

This episode was proudly brought to you by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ISO365 - ISO Compliance⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, as a Service.

You can connect with ⁠⁠⁠Reyan Fernando⁠⁠⁠ via ⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠ or by heading to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.reyanfernando.com.au⁠⁠

What happens when two brothers take a punt on a few billboards and end up building a regional media business with more than 600+ billboards and 50+ people?

In this episode of Beyond Growth, Reyan sits down with Luke Course, co-founder of Gawk, to unpack the real story behind the business.

What started as an idea to build a few passive-investment billboards turned into something much bigger. Luke shares the highs, lows and plenty of lessons from the journey, including the early days of getting their hands dirty, navigating COVID, making bold decisions during uncertainty, and building a business where people and culture sit at the centre.

They talk about why the brothers chose to focus on regional Victoria, how Gawk has maintained its unique larrikin culture while scaling, and why investing in people has become one of their biggest competitive advantages.

In this episode, they explore:

• ​Taking a punt and turning an idea into a growing business
• ​The early challenges that shaped Gawk
• ​Why COVID became a major turning point
• ​Betting on regional Victoria and seeing an opportunity others overlooked
• ​Building and protecting culture while growing beyond 50 people
• ​Making sophisticated advertising technology accessible to local businesses
• ​Why being independent and genuinely consultative matters
• ​The lessons Luke has learned about leadership, people and scaling

If you're a founder trying to grow, a leader navigating the challenges of scaling, or simply love a good underdog story, this conversation is about backing yourself, backing your people and doing business differently.

Find out more about Gawk by heading to www.gawk.com.au

This episode was proudly brought to you by ⁠⁠⁠⁠ISO365 - ISO Compliance⁠⁠⁠⁠, as a Service.

You can connect with ⁠⁠Reyan Fernando⁠⁠ via ⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠ or by heading to ⁠⁠⁠⁠www.reyanfernando.com.au⁠

In an era of AI, digital saturation and endless content, why is local radio still thriving?

Reyan Fernando sits down with Rachel Patterson, General Manager of Geelong Broadcasters (K Rock & Bay 93.9), to explore the enduring power of localism and what makes radio so difficult to replicate.

From her journey across 25 radio stations to her “listening-led” leadership style, Rachel shares what she’s learned about building genuine connections with audiences, teams and communities.

Together, they unpack the “magic bundle” of radio, from real-time human connection and local relevance to authenticity, personality and community.

In a world increasingly shaped by algorithms and artificial content, this conversation explores why the human touch might just be the ultimate competitive advantage.

This episode was proudly brought to you by ⁠⁠⁠ISO365 - ISO Compliance⁠⁠⁠, as a Service.

You can connect with ⁠Reyan Fernando⁠ via ⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠ or by heading to ⁠⁠⁠www.reyanfernando.com.au

After 21 years as a police detective, Dale Smith made a life-changing decision to walk away and build Scaada, an environmental solutions business driven by people, planet, and community.

In this conversation, Dale shares the personal transformation behind the business. He reflects on letting go of an ego-driven leadership style, navigating ADHD, and learning that true leadership comes through collaboration, trust, and empowering others.

We also explore how Scaada has built a culture that hires for character, develops leaders from within, and tackles some of Australia's toughest environmental challenges, from disaster response to water conservation.

This is an honest conversation about leadership, personal growth, and building a business that creates a lasting impact.

This episode was proudly brought to you by ⁠⁠ISO365 - ISO Compliance⁠⁠, as a Service.

You can connect with Reyan Fernando via ⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠ or by heading to ⁠⁠www.reyanfernando.com.au

Join Reyan Fernando for a deep dive into the professional lives of Bill Winter and Mark Edmonds, two seasoned business leaders with decades of experience across family business consulting, corporate retail, and board governance.

In this episode, we explore:

"Technology is the great enabler, but trust is the foundation."

In this episode, host Reyan Fernando sits down with Tristan Ellett, founder of Bigfish Technology, to unpack the rapidly evolving world of IT. From the early days of dial-up to the current AI arms race, Tristan shares his journey of building a business that prioritizes people over pixels.

They dive into:

What if the biggest opportunity for growth isn't beating your competitors, but working alongside them?

In this episode, Reyan Fernando sits down with Ryan Toppin, Founder of The Toppin Group, COO of Evolved Ecosystem, Co-Founder Auto Fetch and Melbourne host of Founders Live, to explore why strategic partnerships are becoming one of the greatest competitive advantages in business.

Ryan shares the mindset that has shaped his entrepreneurial journey, from sport and retail to finance, fintech and AI, explaining why an obsession with customer experience has been the common thread behind every venture he's built.

Together, they dive into the impact AI and automation are having on modern businesses, why leaders need to embrace change rather than fear it, and how collaboration consistently outperforms a scarcity mindset.

Ryan also unpacks the importance of aligning sales and marketing, solving real customer problems and using long-form content to build trust and create meaningful business relationships.

Whether you're a founder, business owner or business leader, this conversation is packed with practical insights on innovation, leadership and building a business that's ready for what's next.

In this episode you'll learn:

• Why partnerships create more opportunities than competition
• How AI is reshaping the future of business
• The importance of becoming obsessed with the customer experience
• Why sales and marketing must work together
• How long-form content is changing networking and trust-building
• The leadership lessons Ryan has learned across multiple industries

If you're looking for practical ideas to grow your business in an AI-driven world, this is an episode you won't want to miss.

You can connect with Reyan Fernando via ⁠ LinkedIn or his website.

This episode was proudly brought to you by ISO365 - ISO Compliance, as a Service.

In this episode, Reyan Fernando sits down with Mark Neeld, CEO of Geelong United Basketball, to explore a remarkable leadership journey spanning elite AFL, high-performance sport, and community impact.

From his years as a player, coach, and football executive to leading one of Australia's fastest-growing basketball organisations, Mark shares what it takes to build winning cultures, develop great people, and create a lasting sporting legacy.

Mark takes us behind the scenes of launching the Geelong Venom WNBL team in just three months, a bold undertaking that required vision, community support, and relentless execution.

He discusses the challenges of building a professional sporting club from scratch, the importance of increasing female participation in sport, and why creating pathways for women and girls remains a key focus.

The conversation also explores leadership under pressure, lessons learned from his time at the Melbourne Demons, managing public scrutiny, and maintaining a high-performance mindset while staying connected to the community.

Whether you're a business leader, sports fan, coach, or entrepreneur, this episode offers valuable insights into resilience, culture, leadership, and the power of bringing a community together around a shared vision.

Topics covered:
• Building high-performance cultures
• Launching the Geelong Venom WNBL team
• Leadership lessons from AFL and basketball
• Community ownership and engagement in sport
• Developing female participation and coaching pathways
• Managing pressure, setbacks, and public scrutiny
• The future of sport in Geelong

A fascinating conversation with one of Geelong's most influential sporting leaders.

You can connect with Reyan Fernando via ⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠ or his ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠.

This episode was proudly brought to you by⁠⁠ ISO365 - ISO Compliance, as a Service.

Dive into the extraordinary story of Kate Darby, an AFLW pioneer who defied expectations and reshaped the game.

From her childhood dream of playing footy to her late-career debut at 27, Kate shares the grit and determination that defined her path.

Discover how a life-changing encounter with a young fan ignited her passion for community work, and hear the powerful account of her return to elite sport after becoming a mother – a journey that not only led to her best season but also inspired significant policy changes within the AFLW.

Now coaching the next generation, Kate's legacy is one of unwavering spirit, profound impact, and continuously rewriting the playbook for what's possible.

Get in touch with Kate at Kate Darby Talks

You can connect with Reyan Fernando via ⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠ or his ⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠.

This episode was proudly brought to you by⁠ ISO365 - ISO Compliance, as a Service.