Conversations That Grow

A lot of people seem to struggle with this idea of being true to themselves and often times end up doing things they don't want to do or compromising their values just to fit in or please others.

In this episode, Chris Ivers shares why it's important to stay true to yourself, how to strike the right work-life balance and what to do when the going gets tough. 

Here's some of the great great stuff that we cover in this show:

• Chris talks about her experience transitioning from a big agency to running her own small business. She says that when you run your own business, you suddenly have an appreciation for all the different facets involved in keeping it afloat.
• One of the keys to success for creatives is learning how to walk away from their work and take breaks in order to avoid burnout.
• The global financial meltdown of 2008 impacted Chris's advertising agency and it was difficult to keep the business running during that time. But she is proud of her team and herself for making it through.
• Getting the right people around you, particularly around finance, to help set up and run your business from a financial standpoint is Chris' advice to business owners.
• Chris enjoys being outside and spending time on her farm in New Zealand. She likes to stay active, and enjoys diving, fishing, swimming, and walking. She is a creative person who appreciates art galleries and live theater.

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ABOUT CHRIS

Chris has been a Director of her own advertising and brand strategy agency for over 15 years, and understands what it takes to build a successful business. Getting the right people and giving them an inspiring vision, creating teams that know where they are heading, and feeling passionate about what they are achieving is what she strives to deliver. If you get this right, growth follows.

Chris is an unusual combination of left and right-brain thinking with a career that is truly a creative background: one where new ideas, complex problem solving, and critical thinking were a daily occurrence.

She was born and bred in New Zealand and loves the country. She believes businesses can deliver not only economic success, but social success and works hard to help New Zealand and the Kiwis succeed.-----------------------

For complete show notes, transcript and links to our guest, check out our website: www.pushtobemore.com.

Ready to discover the hidden wisdom of "just keep turning up"? Check out this episode with guest Andrew Kelly on the power of curiosity and unstoppable motivation! This inspiring journey is guaranteed to help you move forward one step at a time.

Here's some of the great stuff that we cover in this show:

• Andrew became interested in cycling in his early teenage years. He went on to pursue this passion and raced competitively in Australia and Europe, but had to stop due to a burst appendix, which almost killed him. but looking back, he feels happy about how things turned out.
• He shares how the lessons learned from road cycling - such as the importance of conserving energy and always showing up - have impacted his life.He credits his coach with teaching him the "great secret" of just turning up, which has led to success both in his career and personal relationships.
• He attributes his success to curiosity, something that drives him to constantly seek out new information and knowledge.
• Andrew is an avid reader and considers reading a valuable pastime because it requires imagination and effort. It also helps spark new ideas and fuel curiosity.
• Talking about his work with the Antarctic Science Foundation, Andrew shares how Antarctica is a huge repository of information that could help us understand our moment in time and build strategies to mitigate climate change.

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ABOUT ANDREW

Andrew Kelly started his career with eight years in banking and at the same time, competed at an elite level in Road Cycling. It was here that Andrew learned the importance of preparation for racing, training, visualisation, strategy, analysis, persistence, tenacity, determination, accountability…and, as we are talking about today - the unsexy wisdom behind the idea of just keep turning up.

He went on to build and sell an advertising agency before heading to the third sector captivated with the idea of doing good in society. Across two decades, he has witnessed the power of generosity by facilitating transformational gifts to Youth Off The Streets, The Smith Family, The Refugee Advice and Casework Service (RACS), the Society of St Vincent De Paul and Children’s Medical Research Institute.

Andrew is now the CEO of The Antarctic Science Foundation, which creates connections between philanthropists and researchers to enable catalytic scientific research on the Icy Continent and is an Observer on the Australian Antarctic Science Council.

He still cycles around 300km per week, plays the piano and guitar, reads lots of books but his self-proclaimed favourite role is simply being a dad!

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For complete show notes, transcript and links to our guest, check out our website: www.pushtobemore.com.

Are you ready to become a more intentional and authentic leader? Learn from our guest, Brett Curry's inspiring stories, practical strategies, and expert advice on leading with integrity and staying rooted in your values.

Here's some of the great stuff that we cover in this show:

• Brett Curry has been in the digital marketing industry for a long time and has seen many changes. Throughout his journey, he has learned many lessons - one of the most important being to hire people who will fit into the company culture. He also believes in training and supporting employees so they can reach their full potential.
• Brett highlights the importance of being authentic as a leader. People can tell when you're not being genuine and that if you have the right team, they will appreciate your transparency.
• Brett discusses the importance of delegation in parenting and business. He and his wife always wanted a big family and they have eight kids who are being homeschooled. They believe that having a strong relationship is key to their success as a family.
• In order to stay centered, Brett has restructured his diet, regulates his sleep, and uses a five minute journal. What really matters in life is something that Brett learned at a young age after losing his mother to cancer.

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ABOUT BRETT

Brett is a seasoned entrepreneur, digital marketer and podcast host. He leads an 8-Figure ad agency of Google, YouTube and Amazon marketing rockstars. Brett is also the father of 8 children, and a basketball coach.

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For complete show notes, transcript and links to our guest, check out our website: www.pushtobemore.com.

Resilience is not something to be learned, but something to be discovered. It requires an inner sense of knowing and can be developed through the experience of facing challenges and pressure. Whether it's conquering your day-to-day tasks or striving for a bigger goal, resilience is the key to success. 

Here's some of the great stuff that we cover in this show:

• Entrepreneurship is about more than just having a good idea--it's also about being confident and resilient. It can be difficult for entrepreneurs to find the right team members who complement their skillset, but it's essential in order to create a successful business. Resilience is key in entrepreneurship--without it, businesses are likely to fail.
• As an entrepreneur, it is important to be able to work in the front line and understand what the real problems are. It is also important to have a mind that is resilient and can tolerate ambiguity. Part of being an entrepreneur is learning to be a leader. A leader is someone who works in the front line and has enough capacity to take on other people's problems.
• Matt and Simon discuss the importance of core values and how they can help you understand when it is time to move on from a situation. For Simon, one of his core values is people. He loves being around people and finds them essential for success. However, he also recognises that as he gets older, he may need to find ways to recharge that don't require so much face-to-face interaction.

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ABOUT SIMON

Simon has spent over 40 years of creating and delivering projects and figuring out this whole entrepreneurial thing! Starting out life as a dentist, moving into the sun-bed and eventually the health spa game he sold it all and moved to NZ. Now he creates change and development in peoples lives and their business, with 1-2-1 coaching and mentoring. He's also been doing a lot of short-term change assignments in the health sector.

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For complete show notes, transcript and links to our guest, check out our website: www.pushtobemore.com.

A lot of times we get held back by our limitations, but the truth is that most of these limitations are self-imposed and mind over matter. In this episode, Ram Gidoomal shares his journey of going from a rich boy to a refugee and then coming full circle to succeed in ways beyond his imagination. His story is nothing short of inspiring!

Here's some of the great stuff that we cover in this show:

• Ram Gidoomal is a British author, businessman, and philanthropist who has written several books, including his most recent one - The Silk Road. He decided to write this book to highlight the issues facing young Asian women and the differential treatment between men and women in their community.
• Ram was born into an Indian immigrant family of silk traders in Kenya and enjoyed an idyllic childhood in Mombasa. As he turned 17, his family endured devastating second deportation, to London. Starting from scratch, his family worked hard and eventually became very successful.
• In 1987, Ram visited the slums of Bombay and was shocked by what he saw. He joined hands with Steve Chalke to initiate Christmas Cracker, a project that aimed to raise 1 million pounds for 200 youth groups across the UK. The project ended up raising nearly 5 million pounds over 7 years.
• In 2000, Ram was approached to run for Mayor of London by a new Christian Democrat party. He agreed to run, and his campaign shifted the political agenda to focus on the needs of the carless, homeless and jobless. Gidoomal proposed issuing a 500 million pound bond to regenerate East London, and today social impact finance has reached over a billion pounds in London.

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ABOUT RAM

RAM GIDOOMAL was born into an Indian immigrant family in Kenya and has worked for over 30 years at board and senior management level in the private, public, and voluntary sectors. At present he is, among other things, Chair of Cotton Connect. Author of several books, and recipient of Honorary Doctorates from three UK universities, he is included in High flyers 50 - the 50 most eminent people of Indian origin living and working outside India. In 1998 he was appointed a CBE by HM The Queen.

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For complete show notes, transcript and links to our guest, check out our website: www.pushtobemore.com.

Leading a business is not an easy feat and the organisation changes only as fast as the slowest person there. Ian Finch, the CEO of Mando joins Matt in the first episode of Push to be More to share his learnings on how to build a sustainable future and growing a little bit better each day!

Here's some of the great stuff that we cover in this show:

• Mando is a digital agency that focuses on technology and change. They offer services such as managed services, professional services, and consultancy services. They have a few programs of work every year with a relatively small customer base.
• In their first year, the company picked up a one-page website and some brochureware. They landed their first competitive pitch with Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation and delivered a successful project. This led to more work with bigger brands, including Sony and Final Fantasy. The company then developed their own technology and partnered with other companies to create an e-learning system which then opened the door to working with even bigger clients who were looking for a combination of experience design, best-of-breed technology, and systems support.
• In the early 2000s, after the dot com bubble burst, the company decided to focus on design and problem solving instead of just media and games. They also changed their sales strategy from trying to sell anything to treating sales more like project management and facilitation. Recently, they have been focusing on becoming more vertical in terms of market proposition and building intellectual property.
• In his forties, Ian realizes that less is more. He says he has four rooms in his life: emotional, physical, mental, and spiritual. He tries to do something mentally, physically, spiritually and emotionally every day to stay balanced.

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ABOUT IAN

Ian Finch is CEO of Mando, a digital agency focused on engineering positive change in organisations through specialist product development teams. Ian is also a husband and dad, mental health advocate, a big fan of outdoor pursuits and a yoga devotee.

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For complete show notes, transcript and links to our guest, check out our website: www.pushtobemore.com.