Don't Stop Us Now AI Edition

This week’s mini episode is a tribute to all parents and everything they do for their children, particularly when they raise their daughters and sons to believe that women can be CEOs, adventurers and innovators. 

When we thought of all that parents do, we were reminded of our conversation with the wonderful social entrepreneur Navyn Salem who has 4 daughters. She started a social business called Edesia Nutrition aiming to end malnutrition in the world. 

Edesia produces a life saving formulation called Plumpy Nut which is given to very malnourished and unwell children in developing countries. So far this mission-driven business has nourished more than 14 million children in 60 countries to date. 

When we spoke to Navyn nearly 3 years ago, we asked her about how she manages the juggle of leading her business and raising 4 daughters.  We also asked her about how she thinks about what she’s role modelling for her four young girls, and it’s pretty inspiring. 

Enjoy this mini episode - a tribute to all parents everywhere. 

Useful Links

Our full interview with Navyn

Edesia Nutrition website

Navyn on LinkedIn

Edesia on Facebook

Edesia on Instagram

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Our latest podcast episode takes you on a journey all the way to Kathmandu in Nepal.

We speak with Sonika Manandhar, a Nepalese entrepreneur and former senior software developer for Microsoft, who’s now a fintech founder committed to improving the lives of women small business owners in Nepal. 

Sonika is co-founder and CTO of Aeloi Technologies, an innovative social enterprise and fintech that uses digital tokens to facilitate affordable loans to Nepali small businesses that are working in a sustainable and climate-friendly fashion. Think things such as electric mini buses and sustainable agriculture. 

She also happens to be one of Nepal’s highest flyers, almost literally, as she was selected to participate in International Space training at the Korean AeroSpace Research Institute. 

Not only that. Sonika was named a National Geographic Explorer for 2020, a UN Young Champion of the Earth in 2019, and she attended Singularity University where exponential thinking is cultivated. 

In this episode you’ll hear:

• How Sonika is going about creating change when her customers have low literacy levels
• Her advice for introverts
• How her use of digital tokens is helping to build trust between financiers and female-run businesses; and 
• Her inspiring advice for women who want to start their own business.

So come on this journey with us and enjoy this episode with the purposeful and pioneering Sonika Manandhar.

Useful Links

Sonika on LinkedIn

Sonika on Instagram

Aeloi Technologies Website

Singularity University

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We’ve been thinking about the impact the global pandemic has had on peoples’ careers and one thing that’s been happening is many folk have been wondering whether it’s time for a career change and, in particular, whether they should start their own business. 

So for today’s mini episode, we’ve chosen to share some brilliant advice for founders and potential founders from the successful British entrepreneur, Debbie Wosskow OBE.

Debbie is well known for building and selling her online home exchange business, Love Home Swap for £53 million. 

Not only that, Debbie is now co-founder of another business called AllBright, an education and networking organisation designed to provide skills and connections to working women particularly in the UK but also internationally. We talked all about AllBright when we first spoke with Debbie on the show some years ago. 

Having sold her own start-up and also being a start-up investor, Debbie knows first hand what it takes to build a business from scratch and, as you’ll hear, there are 3 key things she believes founders need. 

Useful Links

Debbie’s full interview episode - Debbie Wosskow, OBE – What It Takes To Be A Successful Female Entrepreneur

AllBright Website 

The AllBright Academy 

TheAllBright on Twitter 

Debbie on Linkedin 

Debbie on Twitter 

Book on Grit - by Angela Duckworth 

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We’re excited to share this week’s episode with changemaker, leader and author, Holly Ransom. 

Holly has pioneered her way into boardrooms and forums at the top end of town but what’s really interesting about Holly is her deep thoughtfulness, her fortitude to blaze her own path, and her drive to make the world a better place. 

This 31 year old Aussie has Chaired the G20 Youth Summit, she’s an internationally sought after speaker and conference MC, and she’s recently completed her Masters of Public Policy in technology at the Harvard Kennedy School of Business - as a Fulbright Scholar no less. 

Holly has made the most of conversations with some of the most high profile people in the world, interviewing everyone from President Obama to Muhammad Yunus and Malcolm Gladwell. These encounters, plus her own journey, have resulted in her first book, The Leading Edge. 

Holly was awarded the US Embassy’s Eleanor Roosevelt Award for Leadership Excellence in 2019 and she was nominated by Richard Branson as his pick for future game changers to watch. 

In this episode you’ll learn SO MUCH including: 

• How Holly’s life has been shaped by her curiosity about the big questions in life
• Why developing depression was one of the most powerful shifts in her life and what she now does differently
• How she goes about connecting with, and learning from, some the world’s most successful people
• What she learnt from doing something that scared her every day for a year; and
• Why she’s so passionate about busting myths around who can be a leader. 

This is a memorable conversation, so don’t miss the pioneering and inspiring Holly Ransom.

Useful Links

Holly’s website

Holly’s new book - The Leading Edge

The Leading Edge - 28 Day Challenge

Holly’s podcast - Coffee Pods

Holly on LinkedIn

Holly on Instagram

Holly on Twitter

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Greetings everyone! 

This week’s mini episode is all about challenging our beliefs about who we can and can’t ask for help. 

A couple of years ago we spoke with serial entrepreneur, and now author, Rebekah Campbell about her career journey and her childhood growing up in New Zealand. 

Rebekah happened to mention that she met with the Prime Minister of New Zealand when she was just 12 years of age as part of a school project she was doing. She went on to explain how this seminal meeting, that she had arranged herself, became an incredibly valuable lesson for her as she started her entrepreneurial career. 

We love this story and its lesson that reminds us all to get better at asking people (when we have a good question for them) even if they seem way more senior or more powerful than us. 

Enjoy this entertaining and valuable story from Rebekah.

Useful Links

Rebekah’s website

Rebekah’s new book 138 Dates

Rebekah on LinkedIn

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This week’s episode shares the story of founder Sophia Matveeva who found herself having to make a big pivot when the global pandemic hit. 

Before Covid, Sophia, a Russian by birth and based in the UK, had been making inroads with her fashion app called Enty. Think of it as a kind of ‘Uber for fashion stylists’, used by growing numbers of consumers, and being featured as App of the Day on Mashable.

However the global lockdowns last year quickly put an end to the need for we consumers to seek stylist advice on our outfits. 

Fortunately, Sophia had also been developing a side-hustle giving talks and creating a course called ‘Tech for Non-Techies’ where she shared what she’d learnt as a non tech founder and CEO running a tech startup. 

So whilst Sophia’s fashion-tech business stopped dead last year, her side hustle started to build real traction. 

In this episode you’ll learn: 

• How hearing her app developers painful feedback was the best lesson she could have had
• How it took Sophia till well in to her 30’s to feel confident enough to back herself
• Why she chose to do an MBA
• And, her advice for those without tech experience who want to work in the tech industry.

If you’re wondering how you can get a role in a tech business or startup then don’t miss this episode with the articulate and enterprising Sophia Madveeva...

Useful Links

Tech for Non-Techies website

Sophia’s Tech for Non-Techies podcast 

Sophia on Twitter

Sophia on Instagram

Sophia on LinkedIn

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week’s mini episode features a global branding and design icon talking about the renewed power branding has in today’s ‘social’ world to create change-making movements. 

When we invited the designer, author and podcaster, Debbie Millman, on the show last year she talked about how branding has evolved in the past decade and how the power has shifted to us as consumers and citizens. She explained it in a historical context that really stuck with us and we thought it was so important, we wanted to share it with you again.

Debbie is a global authority on brands, as well as creating them, she co-created and teaches a Masters in Branding at New York’s famed School of Visual Arts.

Understanding how branding, as well as content, has been democratised and how it can be harnessed for good and even turned into social movements is important; not just for future proofing our careers but also for future proofing our planet as well. 

On that note, sit back, pretend you’re in NYC and drink in Debbie’s wise words now! 

Useful Links

https://www.debbiemillman.com/

Debbie’s TED talk – How Symbols and Brands Shape our Humanity

Society 6 Debbie Millman – various designs by Debbie that you can buy

How to Build Your Personal Brand – A Course with Debbie Millman

The Art of the Story – Creating Visual Narratives

Debbie’s reading list

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We are so excited about this episode featuring an inspiring and no-topic-off-limits conversation with the globally renowned Sarah Wilson.

Sarah has achieved massively in multiple arenas; she’s a former journalist and TV presenter, she’s an author and activist and successful entrepreneur. She wrote the New York Times bestsellers I Quit Sugar and First, We Make the Beast Beautiful, which best-selling author Mark Manson described as the best book on living with anxiety that he’d ever read. 

Along with her latest book, ‘This One Wild and Precious Life’, Sarah has been ranked as one of the top 200 influential authors in the world and her online wellness ‘I Quit Sugar’ program was taken by 1.5 million people around the world.

These days, Sarah’s a campaigner for the causes that matter and, in particular, the climate crisis. Her determination to motivate us all to do what we can, is matched only by her research, her passion and her own crusading life. 

In this open and vulnerable episode you’ll learn:

• How Sarah’s childhood explains so much about the leader she is today
• How she has completely reframed and values her anxiety
• What happened when she was at her lowest ever point
• How important hiking is to Sarah, and
• Why 3.5% is such a magnificent and hopeful number. 

Now, on a serious note, during our conversation as Sarah goes deep and vulnerable, we want to alert you that she describes a time she had dark and suicidal thoughts. If you think this might trigger you or someone listening with you please take the appropriate care. 

We think you’ll just love this episode with the crusading and inspiring Sarah Wilson...

Useful Links

Sarah’s website 

Link to Sarah’s book tour in Australia

All of Sarah’s Books

Sarah’s Favourite Hikes

Sarah on Instagram

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This week’s Future Proofing mini episode is all about not letting your ego get the better of you.

We were blown away by the maturity and wisdom of young New Zealand entrepreneur, Brianne West, the founder and CEO of Ethique, the global and sustainable cosmetics company. We spoke to her on the show last year. 

Brianne’s mission is to rid the world of single-use plastics and Ethique replaces bottled products like shampoos with solid bars of concentrated product.

Brianne has won all kinds of honours including New Zealand’s Young Entrepreneur of the Year and she was named an Obama Leader for Asia Pacific.

With these accolades Brianne could be forgiven for running her global business exactly as she pleases. But what’s so refreshing about this entrepreneur in her 30’s is that she’s well aware she’s never worked in any other business and so she knows she needs other people's expertise to help her succeed. 

And that’s where mastering your ego comes into it. Brianne is so authentic and open about what she does and doesn’t know. 

In a world where it’s so easy for all of us to think we have to role play and claim more experience and capability than we may have, one of the secrets to Brianne’s success is that she’s learnt her business needs her to listen to the recommendations of others in order to succeed. She leaves her ego at the door when she goes to work and so do her colleagues.

Take a listen and be inspired how vulnerability really can be the best way forward.

Useful Links

Brianne’s Full Interview with us - Brianne West – Running the World’s most Sustainable Cosmetics Company

Ethique Website

Brianne on Instagram

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This week we feature the first ever visual artist on the show when we talk with the entrepreneurial and talented American artist, Taylor White. 

Taylor has worked around the world creating incredible street murals and fine art. You may have seen her work in Melbourne, Oslo, Berlin, LA, Miami, and her hometown of Raleigh in North Carolina.

Taylor spent a lot of last year driven by the goal to create and produce her own solo exhibition (The Pursuit of Happiness) inspired by her observations of life in the time of Covid. As you’ll hear, producing your own exhibition is no small undertaking.

Being a professional artist is a tough gig - a recent study showed that only 17% of artists make most of their income from their actual art practise. So Taylor’s experiences make this all the more interesting. 

In this episode you’ll learn: 

• How Taylor creates large scale street murals
• Her advice for anyone who wants to be more creative
• Why focusing on what you can control is so important 
• And, why she believes almost anything is possible today.

So don’t miss this great conversation with the thoughtful and creative Taylor White.

Useful Links 

Taylor’s Instagram - @taylurk

Taylor’s website

Taylor’s Exhibition - The Pursuit of Happiness

Shaun Hussack - Melbourne street artist agency - Juddy Roller

Silo Trail in Australia (very cool murals in regional areas)

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