In Episode 18 of BITE BIG, I sat down with Astrud Burgess, Group Chief Marketing Officer at ANZ, to unpack the mindset, mantra and marketing savvy behind her powerhouse leadership.

Astrud’s journey from the retail floor to the C-suite is anything but typical. Starting as a graduate at ANZ, her path has spanned continents, industries, and disciplines, from media and telco in London to transforming customer experience, brand, and data strategy back home. Now, as Group CMO, Astrud is proving that creative instinct and commercial impact are not mutually exclusive.

Her mantra? “Optimise for joy.” A deceptively simple philosophy that drives how she leads, how she works, and how she stays sane in a high-pressure world.

👑 Boss Takeaways from Episode 18 with Astrud:

• “Optimise for joy.” It’s not about chasing happiness, it’s about choosing the work that energises you, builds momentum, and lets you play to your strengths.
• Embrace job kleptomania, mindfully. Astrud owns her love of saying yes to big opportunities, but with one caveat: it has to serve joy, not just busyness.
• Creative empathy is a leadership superpower. Whether leading data teams or developing brand platforms, Astrud blends logic with intuition and consistently backs her team with trust.
• Longevity in agency partnerships pays off. Her 12-year relationship with ANZ’s creative agency proves that trust, listening, and curiosity lead to bold, effective work.
• Brand is your trust engine. Especially in industries under public scrutiny, brand isn’t fluff, it’s foundational. And when done well, it lifts every other comms piece in market.
• Intuition = a personal data set. For a leader driven by evidence, Astrud still champions the value of gut instinct, because decades of experience is data, too.
• Help women take up space. From mentoring young marketers to advocating for financial literacy, Astrud is helping more women step up, take risks, and thrive.

🔗 Follow BITE BIG for more unfiltered stories from women who lead big—one mantra at a time.

Links:
Astrud LinkedIn
ANZ Website
ANZ Instagram
Orange Sky NZ

Amber's Instagram
Amber's LinkedIn
The Edison Agency's LinkedIn
The Edison Agency's Instagram

CREDITS
Host & ECD – Amber Bonney, The Edison Agency Founder
Producer  – Niki Beeston, Group Account Director, The Edison Agency
Marketing – Liz Archer, Head of Operations, The Edison Agency
Social Assets – Alyssa Payad, Intern, The Edison Agency
Post Production – Francine Toscano, 17th Street Audio

In Episode 17 of BITE BIG, we go behind the scenes of one of Australia's most successful luxury skincare brands, Rationale, with its trailblazing CEO, Shamini Rajarethnam. From navigating global expansion and regional relocation, to staying ruthlessly focused in a fragmented market, Shamini shares the story of building an enduring brand without compromising on values.

With a mantra passed down from her father, "Nobody cares how much you know until they know how much you care", Shamini's leadership style is deeply human, deeply strategic, and unapologetically clear on what matters most: purpose, people, and integrity.

👑 Boss Takeaways from Episode 17 with Sharm

• Leadership is caring: Sharm’s leadership mantra reminds us that empathy and connection are the real currencies of influence.I
• Curiosity builds capability - From digital marketer to CEO, Sharm’s rise was fuelled by intellectual curiosity, humility, and the courage to ask questions, no ego required.“
• Integrity is your strategy- Saying no to distractions and staying laser-focused on your North Star isn’t just brand discipline it’s brand leadership.
• Culture starts at the top You can’t delegate culture. Sharm leads her team with the same care and intention she brings to her customers.
• Bite big, but know when to stop- From global expansion to building a regional HQ, Sharm proves that knowing when to pivot or quit is as brave as pushing forward.
• DE&I drives insight - Diversity isn’t a checkbox—it’s a competitive edge. From packaging to policy, inclusive voices lead to better decisions and better design.

🔗 Follow BITE BIG for more unfiltered stories from women who lead big—one mantra at a time.

Links:
Shamini's LinkedIn
Shamini's Instagram

Rationale Skincare
Rationale Instagram
Rationale Facebook

Primed to Perform by Neel Doshi
The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins
Fight Parkinson’s

Amber's Instagram
Amber's LinkedIn
The Edison Agency's LinkedIn
The Edison Agency's Instagram

CREDITS
Host & ECD – Amber Bonney, The Edison Agency Founder
Producer  – Niki Beeston, Group Account Director, The Edison Agency
Marketing – Liz Archer, Head of Operations, The Edison Agency
Social Assets – Alyssa Payad, Intern, The Edison Agency
Post Production – Francine Toscano, 17th Street Audio

Episode 16 of BITE BIG features the brilliant Professor Jenni Romaniuk, Associate Director of the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute and leading voice in marketing effectiveness, brand salience and distinctive brand assets.

Jenni’s mantra, “Progress is more important than perfection”is the lens through which she approaches her life’s work: from developing world-first theories in mental availability to helping brands avoid the costly trap of vanity metrics. Her insights are as grounded as they are game-changing.

👑 Boss Takeaways from Episode 16 with Jenni

• Progress is more important than perfection – Jenni reminds us that great ideas come from testing many imperfect ones. Don’t wait for perfect, start moving and make it better as you go.
• Evidence VS Ego – Good marketers don’t just have opinions; they evolve with the evidence. The best ideas hold up under scrutiny.
• Distinctive beats different – You don’t need to be wildly different to win. You need to be unmistakably you. Distinctive assets are your brand’s true superpower.
• Don’t chase the loudest voices – Social media can distort reality. Make decisions based on balanced data, not Twitter tantrums.
• Big brands aren’t invincible – Size brings opportunity, but also complexity. Without visual consistency and evidence-led direction, scale can become a liability.
• Know what you know – Confidence comes from expertise. Jenni’s advice to women: anchor your voice in what you know best and let your impact grow from there.

🔗 Follow BITE BIG for more stories from women who lead big one mantra at a time.

Links:
Jenni Romaniuk LinkedIn
Jenni Romaniuk Books
Ehrenberg-Bass Institute web
Ehrenberg-Bass Institute Instagram
Academy Of Social Sciences Australia
Catherine House
Amber's Instagram
Amber's LinkedIn

CREDITS
Host & ECD – Amber Bonney, The Edison Agency Founder
Producer  – Niki Beeston, Group Account Director, The Edison Agency
Marketing – Liz Archer, Head of Operations, The Edison Agency
Social Assets – Alyssa Payad, Intern, The Edison Agency
Post Production – Francine Toscano, 17th Street Audio

In Episode 15 of BITE BIG, Amber is joined by Donna de Zwart, CEO of Fitted for Work, a social enterprise that’s helped over 46,000 women reclaim their independence through employment.

With a career spanning education, consulting and social enterprise, Donna’s mantra is clear and quietly radical: “Look for the beauty.” Born from personal hardship, it’s a daily practice that shapes everything from the way her team answers the phone to how they prepare clients for job interviews.

👑 Boss Takeaways from Episode 15 with Donna

• “Look for the beauty” – Donna’s mantra reminds us that even in moments of darkness, beauty can be found in people, in purpose, and in the quiet dignity of starting again.
• Work is power – It’s not just about a job. Employment is a key to choice, safety and autonomy, especially for women recovering from family violence.
• Reinvention is resilience – From wardrobes to worldviews, Donna shares how beauty and creativity are deeply connected to personal reinvention and healing.
• The ripple effect is real – Helping one woman into work can shift the trajectory for entire families, communities and future generations.
• Systemic change starts with action – From launching programs for girls as young as 14 to partnering with corporate giants like Coles and Accenture, Donna proves that small acts can spark big shifts.
• No safety net? Build one – Donna’s decade of leadership at Fitted for Work hasn’t been easy. But with tenacity, vision and a board that believes, she’s shown that passion, not privilege, builds progress.

🔗 Follow BITE BIG for more unfiltered stories from women who lead big one mantra at a time.

Links:
Donna De Zwart LinkedIn
Donna De Zwart Instagram

Fitted For Work Web
Fitted For Work Instagram
Fitted For Work Facebook Page

Amber's Instagram
Amber's LinkedIn
The Edison Agency's LinkedIn
The Edison Agency's Instagram

CREDITS
Host & ECD – Amber Bonney, The Edison Agency Founder
Producer  – Niki Beeston, Group Account Director, The Edison Agency
Marketing – Liz Archer, Head of Operations, The Edison Agency
Social Assets – Alyssa Payad, Intern, The Edison Agency
Post Production – Francine Toscano, 17th Street Audio

In Episode 14, we crank the volume way up. Amber is joined by speaker, author, and rebel leader Lucy Bloom, a woman who doesn’t just challenge the rules of leadership, she rewrites them in hot pink.

From running a top creative agency to leading game-changing charities and launching global firsts like Beer + Bubs (childbirth education for dads at the pub), Lucy’s career is a wild masterclass in passion, resilience and reinvention. With four books under her belt and a speaking career that lights up global stages, she brings truth bombs, belly laughs, and brilliant advice in equal measure.

💥 Boss Takeaways from Episode 14 with Lucy Bloom

• “Do it with passion or not at all.” Lucy’s mantra isn't just catchy, it’s a life philosophy. If it doesn’t light her up, it’s a no. Period.
• Burnout is not a badge of honour. After decades of going full tilt, Lucy’s now all about boundaries, sleep, and putting health first.
• Confidence is a muscle, not a gift. Lucy proves that being bold doesn’t mean being fearless, it means practicing courage over and over again.
• Be so good they can’t ignore you. Whether she’s on stage or running a business, Lucy’s approach to success is simple: back yourself and deliver.
• Purpose makes it worth it.From training midwives in Ethiopia to empowering women in Uganda, Lucy shows that real impact comes when passion meets mission.
• When in doubt, just start. Whether it’s a business, a book, or a sewing project, Lucy’s advice is clear: you don’t need a perfect plan, just the guts to begin.

🔗 Follow BITE BIG for more unfiltered stories from women who lead big one mantra at a time.

Links:
Lucy Bloom LinkedIn
Lucy Bloom Instagram
Lucy Bloom Facebook
Lucy Bloom Website
Lucy Bloom's Books
Lucy Bloom Blog: Why I will never work full time again

The Imperfects: The Science of sleep
Love Mercy Australia

Amber's Instagram
Amber's LinkedIn
The Edison Agency's LinkedIn
The Edison Agency's Instagram

CREDITS

Host & ECD – Amber Bonney, The Edison Agency Founder
Producer  – Niki Beeston, Group Account Director, The Edison Agency
Marketing – Liz Archer, Head of Operations, The Edison Agency
Social Assets – Alyssa Payad, Intern, The Edison Agency
Post Production – Francine Toscano, 17th Street Audio

In Episode 13 of BITE BIG, I sat down with Mim Haysom, Executive General Manager of Brand and Customer Experience at Suncorp Group, to dig into exactly that.

Mim’s career is one that most would consider enviable. From GM at M&C Saatchi to holding one of the most influential brand roles in Australia, overseeing AAMI, GIO, and Shannons, to name a few, her resume is heavy with achievements. But what really stood out in our conversation wasn’t her accolades. It was her authenticity, self-awareness, and a mantra that reminds us what really matters: Life is short, so love what you do.

👑 Boss Takeaways from Episode 13 with Mim

• “Life is short, so love what you do.” - Mim’s mantra, inherited from her father, is a powerful reminder to find meaning and joy in your work because we spend too much of our lives working not to.
• Passion can drive impact - From GayTMs to One House, Mim’s most defining projects were powered by belief, not just data. When purpose meets bravery, extraordinary things happen.
• Leadership is symbiotic - You’re only as good as your team, and they’re only as strong as the confidence and support you give them. Empowerment is not optional; it’s essential.
• Progress isn’t always linear - Forget the ladder. Mim’s journey proves that growth often comes from sideways moves, big leaps, and unplanned pivots.
• Say yes, but be intentional -  Early in her career, Mim said yes to everything. Now, she says yes to what aligns with her values and serves her whole self. A reminder for all of us to be more thoughtful about how we spend our time.
• Define your purpose early - Understanding your personal values and purpose isn’t a mid-career luxury, it’s a strategic advantage. Get clear on it sooner, and let it guide your path.
• Bite big and chew like hell - Taking on the Suncorp role was a huge pivot and she’s still chewing. Mim’s career is a masterclass in bold moves backed by belief and a lot of hustle.

🔗 Follow BITE BIG for more unfiltered stories from women who lead big one mantra at a time.

Links:
Mim Haysom LinkedIn
Mim Haysom Facebook
Suncorp LinkedIn
Suncorp Instagram

St Vincents Clinic Foundation
The Marketing Academy

Amber's Instagram
Amber's LinkedIn
The Edison Agency's LinkedIn
The Edison Agency's Instagram

CREDITS

Host & ECD – Amber Bonney, The Edison Agency Founder
Producer  – Niki Beeston, Group Account Director, The Edison Agency
Marketing – Liz Archer, Head of Operations, The Edison Agency
Social Assets – Alyssa Payad, Intern, The Edison Agency
Post Production – Francine Toscano, 17th Street Audio

In Episode 12, Amber Bonney Bites Big with guest co-host Jo Stanley - a super star radio and TV presenter who has grown up telling stories and connecting with Australian audiences on award winning commercial TV and radio show.

Inspired by Amber's own Mantra, "bite big and chew like hell", in this episode we talk about Jo's belief in the power of words, ideas and metaphors and one of her favourite mantras, 'Freedom lies in being bold'. Now as the co-founder and CEO of start up digital radio platform Broad Radio, Jo's talks about her commitment to changing the inequalities of women in radio, disrupting the status quo and helping the most invisible women to be seen and heard.

In this conversation we look back over Jo's eclectic entertainment background, get curious about why radio is her first love and where her true passion lies. Jo shares the journey of writing the 'Play Like a Girl' book series, losing a high profile job and why never wasting a minute is an important part of her gratitude for life. We get under the skin of how the Broad Radio concept came to be after a trip to Berlin left her inspired to create something different. Jo truly is a woman who has bitten big and now chewing like hell!

Bite Big has donated $500 to the chosen charity Fitted For Work a charity helps women, non-binary, and gender-diverse jobseekers to become job-ready, find meaningful employment, and thrive in their working lives.

If you would like to know more about our host Amber Bonney her business The Edison Agency or co-host Jo Stanley you can connect and follow these boss women via their socials links below!

Links:

Jo Stanley LinkedIn
Jo Stanley Instagram
Jo Stanley Facebook

Broad Radio Web
Broad Radio Instagram
Broad Radio Facebook

Play Like a Girl Book Series
Elizabeth Gilbert - Big Magic
Glennon Doyle - Untamed

Fitted For Work

Amber's Instagram
Amber's LinkedIn
The Edison Agency's LinkedIn
The Edison Agency's Instagram

Credits
Main Host: Amber Bonney
Producer: Niki Beeston
Post Production : Fran Toscano, 17th Street Audio,

In Episode 11, Amber Bonney Bites Big with guest co-host Denni Francisco - proud Wiradjuri woman, a pioneer in the Australian fashion industry and a strong advocate for First Nations people.

Inspired by Amber's own Mantra, "bite big and chew like hell", in this episode we talk about how Denni's own Mantra centralised around the notion of "Together we create". Denni's mantra has been the guiding foundation of both her business's where she sees collective togetherness as being at the heart of her values, actions and impact.

We talk about the powerhouse that is Ngali, Denni's high-end fashion label which saw her secure her first standalone show as a First Nations designer in 2023! Denni's shares her experience of this journey from the daunting task of preparing for the show to the sense of relief when it was over, only allowing herself to reflect and acknowledge the magnitude of what she had achieved in the weeks and months that followed.

As a First Nations woman, Denni discusses her childhood and the profound influence of her grandmother in shaping the woman she is today and her perspective of the world. Denni delves into how she feels she has a responsibility to take advantage of the opportunities she has had, to understand her privilege, and to help generate opportunities and to shine a light on First Nations creativity.

Bite Big has donated $500 to the chosen charity Dot Com Mob a charity that aims to improve the lives of people living in remote Australian Indigenous communities by providing access to technology centre, Youth IT training & digital inclusion projects.

If you would like to know more about our host Amber Bonney her business The Edison Agency or co-host Denni Francisco you can connect and follow these boss women via their socials links below!

Links:

Denni LinkedIn
Ngali Website
Ngali Instagram

The Edison Agency's LinkedIn
The Edison Agency's Instagram
Amber's Instagram
Amber's LinkedIn 

Dot Com Mob

Credits
Main Host: Amber Bonney
Producer: Niki Beeston
Post Production : Fran Toscano, 17th Street Audio,

In Episode 9, Amber Bonney Bites Big with superstar guest co-host Leisa Bacon who has been described as a brand & experience evangelist, she's one of Australia's most credentialed marketers and creative thinkers and holds the role of Director of Audiences for the iconic ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation).

Inspired by Amber's own Mantra, "bite big and chew like hell", in this episode we discuss Leisa's 25+ years of marketing experience and how her two Mantra's, "Just Do It" & "Be Kind", has shaped her career and personal life, especially during the difficult time of the COVID-19 pandemic where here value's- based decision making and ingenuity has been well documented as a best-in-class example of how to lead, pivot and innovate during challenging times.

Being named the number 1 CMO in the top CMO50 Awards in 2020 and being in the top 5 for the 3 years previous, Leisa is a formidable force that consistently shows up for her team as well as herself, and in this episode we find out exactly how and what leadership strategies Leisa uses to get the best out of her teams.

Leisa shares how she likes to flip challenges into opportunities by using the enterprise design thinking process, a methodology Amber practices in her own business. Leisa specifically discusses the media landscape and the advancement of AI and the challenges it brings with misinformation. How staying relevant to current and future generations requires harnessing diversity across a range of dimensions to produce better content and creative across a multitude of platforms.

Bite Big has donated $500 to the chosen charity CanToo an independent health promotion charity committed to funding Cancer research.

If you would like to know more about our host Amber Bonney her business The Edison Agency or co-host  Leisa Bacon, you can connect and follow these boss women via their socials links below!

Links:
Leisa's LinkedIn
ABC, ABC iView or ABC Listen

References:
Brene Brown – Daring Greatly
Byron Sharp – How Brands Grow: What Marketers Don’t Know

The Edison Agency's LinkedIn
The Edison Agency's Instagram

Amber's Instagram
Amber's LinkedIn

CanToo

Credits
Main Host: Amber Bonney
Producer: Niki Beeston
Post Production : Francine Toscano, 17th Street Audio

TRIGGER WARNING

This episode contains depictions of self-harm and suicide that you may find disturbing. If you want to avoid this content, please skip forward to 10.17 sec. If you are experiencing a personal crisis there is a 24hour crisis support and suicide prevention service through Lifeline Australian on
13 11 14.

In Episode 9, Amber Bonney Bites Big with co-host Suji Sanjeevan an exceptional Australian business owner whose intellect, tenacity and resilience has seen her graduate with a medical degree from Kings College London, shape medical policy and research governance in Australia and co-found two successful businesses & appeared on Shark Tank!

Inspired by Amber's own Mantra, "bite big and chew like hell", in this episode we get real and raw about what it was like for Suji growing up in London with family pressures to study medicine, experiencing failure for the first time and her career "rebirth". With exceptional humility, Suji shares how her experience of the all-too-familiar 'glass ceiling'  - how being a migrant, a woman and a mother was inhibiting her career options and the actions she took to break that class and become her own "boss woman".

Amber gets under the skin of Suji's mantra, "It's not successful people who are thankful, it is thankful people who are successful", and how being thankful show's up for her in a practical way everyday. Suji speaks from the heart and with gratitude about her success, reflecting on how  her failures have helped her achieve all that she is today, including her experience with Channel 10's Shark Tank Australia, the lead-up to her appearance & how she has used it to further benefit her business.

Bite Big has donated $500 to the chosen charity Bridging Lanka a charity that is bridging the ethnic, religious and geographic divides for peace and prosperity in Sri Lanka.

If you would like to know more about our host Amber Bonney her business The Edison Agency or co-host Suji Sanjeevan you can connect and follow these boss women via their socials links below!

Links:
Suji Sanjeevan LinkedIn
Light & Glo
Brandscent
Shark Tank Australia Episode with Brandscent

Brene Brown TED Talk
James Clear - Atomic Habits

The Edison Agency's LinkedIn
The Edison Agency's Instagram
Amber's Instagram
Amber's LinkedIn

Bridging Lanka
If you need crisis support, contact Lifeline

Credits
Host: Amber Bonney
Producer: Niki Beeston
Sound Edit: Fran Toscano, 17th Street Audio