CEO: Behind the Scenes

What does it really take to build a business that lasts? In this episode, Verne Harnish, Founder and CEO of Scaling Up, breaks down the truths most founders miss about growth.

From pricing power and compensation models to curiosity-led leadership and culture, Harnish shares how great CEOs build companies that scale without losing their soul. He reveals how to identify your company’s true constraints and why naming your strategy matters more than any mission statement.

If you’re ready to move beyond hustle and learn how to grow smarter – not just bigger – this conversation is for you.

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Website: https://coaches.scalingup.com/ 

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What if one of your most effective brand levers isn’t a campaign – it’s what your people wear every day? In this episode, Pamela Jabbour, Founder and CEO of Total Image Group (TIG), breaks down how intentional uniform design boosts confidence, signals values and delivers real ROI. 

Jabbour shares the hard lessons behind her ‘no client over five percent’ rule, how B Corp certification reshaped operations without blowing the budget and why details – collars, pockets and trims – separate forgettable from iconic. 

We also get into leadership habits: the power of the pause, ‘kill it with kindness’, reframing imposter syndrome into preparation and building sustainable growth as TIG expands into New Zealand.

Listen now to learn how to turn uniforms into strategy – and culture – one thoughtful detail at a time.

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Website: https://totalimagegroup.com.au/ 

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The journey from founder to true CEO is statistically nearly impossible – 97 percent of businesses fail within 10 years. In this episode, Brandon Dawson, Co-Founder, CEO and Chairman of Cardone Ventures and 10X Health System, reveals what separates the rare few who break through to build nine-figure companies.

Dawson discusses the critical distinction between founders and CEOs, the three questions that expose fake experts and why execution always matters. Having built two multimillion-dollar companies from the ground up in just 60 months, he shares the belief-action-results framework and leadership evolution that determines whether businesses stagnate or scale beyond US$25 million.

Packed with insights on entrepreneurial intuition versus executive awareness, confidence versus ego and the depression trap catching 80 percent founders post-exit, this conversation delivers brutal honesty about what it takes to become a real CEO.

Listen now to discover where you sit on the founder-to-CEO spectrum and what you must do differently to break through.

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Website: https://cardoneventures.com/

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Most leaders think company culture is about values on walls and team-building events, but what if they're missing the most important element? In this episode, Amaysim Vice President Virinder Nath reveals the single transformation that turns struggling teams into self-managing powerhouses and why execution beats perfect strategy every time.

From his journey leading 20,000-plus team members in India to building startup energy at one of Australia's largest mobile virtual network operators, Nath shares the belief-action-results formula that drives consistent high performance.

Packed with practical insights on leadership philosophy, team dynamics and sustainable growth strategies, this conversation will challenge everything you thought you knew about building a successful culture.

Listen now to discover how to transform ordinary teams into extraordinary ones.

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Website: https://www.amaysim.com.au

Family business succession rarely goes according to plan, but few stories are as dramatic as that of AME Systems. In this episode, Nick Carthew, AME Systems Managing Director, opens up about taking over a company torn apart by family conflict, being given just six months to prove himself and then facing unimaginable challenges that tested everything he'd built.

Carthew discusses the falling out that nearly destroyed the business, the difficulties involved in such a rapid transformation and why the board initially had little faith in him. He shares candid insights on leading through loss, the power of company culture during crisis and why his employees took pay cuts and renegotiated mortgages to save the business.

Packed with raw lessons on succession planning and loyalty that survives anything, this conversation reveals what it really takes to carry a legacy forward.

Listen now to hear one of the most honest CEO stories you'll ever encounter.

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Website: https://amesystems.com.au

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What if the key to exceptional leadership isn’t about having all the answers, but about how you view the people around you? In this episode, Stefan Vermeulen, Managing Director of Nespresso Oceania, reveals his transformative leadership philosophy and the five-part framework that has guided his 15-year journey with one of the world’s most iconic brands.

Vermeulen discusses his “5Cs” leadership model, why vulnerability is actually a sign of strength and how building your own personal board of advisors can accelerate your growth. He also shares insights on leading through legacy, balancing global brand consistency with local innovation and how assuming good intentions changed how he approaches every leadership challenge.

Packed with practical frameworks and real-world examples from sustainability initiatives to team dynamics, this conversation offers a masterclass in authentic leadership for today’s complex business environment.

Listen now to discover the mindset shifts that separate good leaders from truly great ones.

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When Craig Kearney became CEO of Vitaco in 2018, he faced a counterintuitive challenge: the company had too many brands. While conventional wisdom says more products equal more revenue, Kearney discovered the opposite was true.

In this episode, Kearney reveals how he cut Vitaco’s brand portfolio and watched revenue double. He shares the ruthless decision-making process behind discarding profitable products to focus resources on fewer, stronger brands.

This is the portfolio management masterclass that shows how less really can be more in business.

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Website: https://vitacohealth.com/

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Most property investors worldwide are trapped in negative cash flow cycles, watching residential yields drop while mortgage rates climb.

In this episode, Scott O'Neill, Founder and CEO of Rethink Group, sits down with Chris Dutton, Founder of The CEO Magazine, to reveal why he abandoned residential property.

O'Neill, who achieved financial freedom by 28, explains why commercial tenants pay all your expenses and how to recession-proof your portfolio with boring businesses. He also shares his zero-failure formula for building multiple companies.

This is the investment shift that's creating wealth while residential investors struggle. Listen now to discover why the smart money is moving to commercial property and how you can escape the negative cash flow trap forever.

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The AI revolution has many leaders questioning whether they still need entry-level workers, but what if they have it backwards? In this episode, David Ellis, Managing Partner of IBM Consulting for Australia, reveals why his company is actually increasing graduate hires during the AI boom and how smart leaders can turn young talent into their competitive advantage.

Ellis discusses the 50 percent displacement prediction, why AI-native workers possess untapped potential and the IBM strategy that delivered 50–80 percent productivity gains. Packed with insights on workforce strategy and responsible AI implementation, this conversation will challenge how you think about talent acquisition. Listen now to discover why betting on young workers might be the smartest move you make this year.

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Healthcare is at a tipping point – growing demand, limited resources and soaring costs are testing the system like never before. In this episode, Mark Middleton, Group CEO of Icon Group, reveals why innovation and authentic leadership are the only ways forward and what it takes to transform care at scale.

He discusses the global cancer burden, the cost of resisting change and the technologies redefining treatment, while sharing how leaders can balance urgency with discipline when making bold decisions. Packed with lessons on resilience, purpose and the future of healthcare, this conversation will challenge how you think about innovation, leadership and impact. Listen now to gain insights that matter for every leader facing transformation.

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Website: https://icongroup.global/en/

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