By Leanne Hughes
4.9
2323 ratings
The podcast currently has 378 episodes available.
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In this episode of the First Time Facilitator podcast, I am thrilled to welcome Steve Demedio to the show. Steve shares his inspiring journey from a career in sales leadership to becoming a passionate facilitator obsessed with creating engaging and memorable learning experiences.
Join us for our retreat: The Red Carpet Campout
Psst.. Come along to our Red Carpet Campout 10-12 March, 2025, only 90 mins from Brisbane, Australia. Only six tents remain!
What You'll Learn:
About Steven Demedio
Steve Demedio is an entrepreneur, facilitator, travel consultant, and home-made pizza and camping enthusiast, but above all, a devoted father and husband. His career is built upon a foundation of roles in sales, management, learning, and facilitation across the travel, IT, and corporate services sectors.
Steve’s career has been full of unexpected twists, yet his clear purpose has always been rooted in people, connection, and communication.
Recently, Steve joined forces with his long-time friend Mark Hodgson, who founded Mind & Body Travel in 2019. Together, they’ve created a unique synergy between travel, training, and events.
As Director of Mind & Body Group, Steve curates and facilitates inspiring retreats and training programs that bring teams together, unlocking deeper levels of authentic connection and collaboration.
Connect with Steven Demedio:
Join Leanne Hughes (and a small group of amazing people) in Las Vegas
One day only.
It’s on October 30, 2024
Because it's a small group, I'm going to design in content that YOU most want, including:
- Group dynamics
- X-factor workshop ideas
- Deep dive beyond the 2-Hour Workshop Blueprint SPARK framework, and more).
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Send Leanne a message
Host Leanne Hughes takes you behind the scenes of the recent "How to Face Change" event she co-hosted with Michael Bungay Stanier (MBS).
From brainstorming ideas, locking in the perfect venue, to manufacturing demand for tickets, Leanne spills all the details on how they turned a bold idea into an unforgettable experience.
Expect candid reflections, actionable tips, and a whole lot of fun as Leanne shares the highs, challenges, and big wins from this Brisbane-based event.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
Episode Highlights:
Links Mentioned in the Episode:
Upcoming Events with Leanne:
Join the Conversation: What resonated with you from today’s episode? Let us know! Share your thoughts on social media and tag Leanne and Michael.
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In this episode, we're joined by Hitomi Whitlock, Organizational Change Manager at the University of Washington's Housing and Food Services, and an experienced real estate investor.
Hitomi shares her journey from moving to the U.S. as a child to leading change at one of the nation's top universities—all while managing a successful real estate business.
🔍 What You’ll Learn:
About Hitomi Whitlock
Hitomi is an Organizational Change Manager at the University of Washington's Housing and Food Services and a real estate investor, co-owning a property management business in the Seattle area since 2005. She attributes her success to her customer-centric focus and effective communication, always thinking about how to best serve her customers. Hitomi loves making new connections and friends while nurturing existing relationships. In her spare time, she enjoys travelling, attending concerts, and exploring new restaurants/bars with family and friends.
📌 Links Mentioned in the Episode:
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Come along to our event! https://lu.ma/rooftopbne
In this episode, host Leanne Hughes chats with Michael Bungay Stanier on their upcoming event in Brisbane together on 3 Sep 2024, and the art of co-facilitation.
Reflecting on their first podcast experience in Brisbane, they dive into topics such as managing facilitation dynamics, preparing for keynotes, and what makes their upcoming event in Brisbane unique.
They also share personal anecdotes and practical tips for successful facilitation, offering valuable insights for anyone interested in leadership and change management.
Welcome and Introduction
Reflecting on Past Collaborations
Upcoming Event: How to Face Change
The Art of Co-Facilitation
Why You Should Attend
Closing Remarks and Excitement
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In this episode, host Leanne Hughes provides an update on her activities as a solopreneur and content creator, sharing insights from her recent experiences and projects.
She provides an update on her book, some of the work she's delivered this year, including a recent innovative conference presentation focused on flexibility.
She also shares upcoming events like a rooftop workshop in Brisbane with Michael Bungay Stanier and a small group workshop in Las Vegas.
You'll also hear the first episode of Talk the Walk with Alan Weiss, a bi-monthly broadcast coming to you on LinkedIn and YouTube!
Cool events:
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Are you currently running workshops, generating ace ideas, have some cool toolsup your sleeve? Maybe you should turn all of that great stuff into a book!
If you're curious how to do that, you'll love today's conversation with fellow first-time authors and Brisbane business owners, Mel Loy and Jade Miller.
Both Jade and Mel are experienced workshop hosts, and they share their journeys from facilitating workshops to writing books. We discuss how their workshop experiences influenced their writing, the challenges they faced, and tips for turning workshop content into a book.
Connect with Jade Miller
Connect with Mel Loy
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Watch our conversation on YouTube.
Alan Weiss returns to the podcast this week, for the third time, to (metaphorically) poke me in the eye again.
In this conversation, we riff on:
Connect with thousands of facilitators from all over the world in our free Facebook group called The Flipchart: / firsttimefacilitator
Love Alan’s shares? Contact him and let him know!
Learn more about the host, Leanne Hughes' work at https://www.leannehughes.com
Grab Leanne’s book, The 2-Hour Workshop Blueprint: https://2hourwork.shop
Alan Resources
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Today, I'm joined by Lisa Leong, a broadcaster, author, and facilitator.
Watch us chat on YouTube.
Her superpowers, which you'll hear very clearly in this episode, are curiosity and creativity.
She's a former IP, technology, and wine lawyer—yes, that's actually a thing. She caught the radio bug in 2001, which is exactly why I brought her on the show.
Wedelve into the parallels between having talk-back radio and getting listeners to call in to hosting workshops and being truly present.
We also talk about energy, meeting the room where it's at, and the best ways to prepare to be spontaneous—an awesome oxymoron, right?
And Lisa shares how she does this, even down to the detail, like her unique research approach, which includes a bit of LinkedIn stalking.
Lisa draws on her unique experiences, combined with design thinking and mindfulness practices, to bring a fresh approach to conversations and connection.
She presents on ABC Radio Melbourne on Sundays and also hosts 'This Working Life' on ABC Radio National, which is an awesome show.
Connect with Lisa Leong
Why you can't miss this episode
It's not every day you get to hear from someone who's mastered the art of engaging people through radio, law, and facilitation. Lisa's stories are not just inspiring—they're packed with actionable tips you can use to level up your facilitation game. Plus, her take on mindfulness and presence is a game-changer for anyone looking to connect more deeply with their audience.
Memorable Quotes:
Resources Mentioned:
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In the First Time Facilitator podcast, host Leanne Hughes introduces guest Sally Prosser, a voice and confidence coach.
We riff on the concept of 'breveloquence', a portmanteau of brevity and eloquence, and how they aim to develop and use this tool in verbal and written forms.
We also take you behind the scenes of our new workshop called Get to the Point, which we're co-hosting in Brisbane on 16 April 2024.
Find out more about the Brisbane workshop and grab your ticket here.
Conversation time-stamps
About today's guest: Sally Prosser
Sally helps you fire-up your voice so you can share your light with the world.
Her background as a TV reporter, company spokesperson and speech & drama teacher gives her the ideal skill set to work with professionals, biz owners and corporate teams on -
⭐ Building confidence
🥊 Combating a fear of public speaking
❤ Producing a warm, trustworthy voice
🎤 Speaking with clarity and impact
🎥 Media Awareness and Spokesperson Training
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In today's conversation, Phil Woods from Catalyst Strategy shares his journey from a legal career to becoming an independent strategy and team development consultant.
Watch our conversation on YouTube.
Phil outlines how he uses frameworks to guide organisations through transformation, draws on his command and activator strengths for maximum impact, and explains the importance of managing energy in workshops.
From strategic ideation to facilitating self-realisations, Phil offers valuable insights into his facilitation style and how he prioritises the participant experience.
Phil delivers impactful strategy and positive, strengths-orientated team transformation for a diverse mix of clients in Australia and abroad. He has a practical, no-nonsense style leveraging decades of real-world experience, and brings contagious energy and authentic passion to his client collaborations.
Conversation prompts:
Connect with Phil Woods
Other things mentioned:
Join Leanne Hughes (and a small group of amazing people) in Las Vegas
One day only.
It’s on October 30, 2024
Because it's a small group, I'm going to design in content that YOU most want, including:
- Group dynamics
- X-factor workshop ideas
- Deep dive beyond the 2-Hour Workshop Blueprint SPARK framework, and more).
Support the show
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