In this special episode of Notes From The Executive, we picked the best moments from some of our top interviews, all focused on starting a business the smart way.

You'll hear from:Josh Comrie (The Exit Pro) on how to spot seismic shifts in AI and why timing is everything in business

Dominic Sutton (SaaS founder) on the $1.2 million mistake that taught him what really matters when building a startup

Stu Lees (Marketing expert) on why a $9 website and a few coffee meetings can outperform fancy ads

Watch

YouTube: https://youtu.be/_nW3E09pZ7E

#startingabusiness #businessgrowth #entrepreneurship #notesfromtheexecutive #podcastguestnz

Episode Sponsor:www.podcastguest.co.nz

Stu Lees is a New Zealand-based marketing strategist, consultant, and workshop trainer who helps small business owners scale using practical, low-cost marketing strategies.

Known as the "shoestring marketer," Stu Lees has helped hundreds of Kiwi businesses grow without relying on paid ads or expensive websites.

His honest, no-fluff take on lead generation, content strategy, and emotional marketing is increasingly relevant for entrepreneurs and B2B professionals worldwide who want sustainable business growth.

Follow Stu

https://shoestringmarketer.co

Follow me:

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/notesfromtheexecutivepodcast/

Watch on YouTube - https://youtu.be/5wKAyw70_Dg

Timestamps:

00:00 – Intro

02:10 – why in-person coffee meetings bring better leads than ads0

3:30 – Stu Lees reveals his own winning marketing strategy

17:00 – Why marketers are B^%L Sh$%ting us19:00 – the $9 website that generated $20k in sales

30:09 – lead magnets that actually work: workshops vs ebooks

36:00 – workshop strategy: how to sell without selling

50:00 – handling no-shows: turn a missed event into a client

57:00 – how to use testimonials to remove customer fear

01:01:00 – biggest mistake business owners make, emotional marketing: how to make buyers feel

how to start a small business, small business marketing strategies, low budget marketing ideas, affordable marketing for startups, marketing tips for entrepreneurs, lead generation without ads, DIY marketing tactics, effective marketing on a budget, startup marketing plan, cost-effective marketing techniques, grow your business online, marketing strategies for new businesses, digital marketing for beginners, building a client base, marketing without spending money

Episode Sponsor: 

Podcast Guest - www.podcastguest.co.nz

Baylyes Auckland CEO Lloyd Budd reveals the defining moments that shaped his leadership — including the time he took on a franchise too soon, watched it collapse, and had to rebuild from scratch. 

He has nearly two decades of experience in the property busienss.

Bayleys Auckland is the flagship franchise of Bayleys Real Estate, New Zealand’s largest full-service real estate agency. Founded in 1973, Bayleys has over 90 offices across NZ and internationally, known for high-end commercial, residential, and rural property services.

If you’re an aspiring entrepreneur, a business leader, or someone navigating tough seasons in your career — this episode is your playbook for sustainable growth.

Follow Lloyd

https://auckland.bayleys.co.nz/

Follow me:  

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/notesfromtheexecutivepodcast/

Watch on YouTube:

https://youtu.be/49R3DQZ14us

how to become a ceo, business journey to ceo, new zealand real estate, bayleys auckland, business leadership podcast, business failures and recovery, how to scale your business, entrepreneurship lessons, leadership under pressure, real estate insights nz, aspiring entrepreneurs podcast, how to grow a business from scratch, business mistakes to avoid

Episode Sponsor: 

Podcast Guest - www.podcastguest.co.nz

Episode Sponsor: www.podcastguest.co.nz

Max Whitehead is one of New Zealand’s most trusted voices in employment relations, with over two decades of experience advocating for both employers and employees.

He's built a reputation for cutting through legal jargon to deliver straight-talking, ethical advice that protects everyday Kiwis.

From national media to courtroom battles, Max is the go-to expert when the workplace turns messy.

Follow Max

www.linkedin.com/in/maxwhitehead

Follow me:Instagram https://www.instagram.com/notesfromtheexecutivepodcast/

Watch on YouTube:

https://youtu.be/G9T4cb4ZunQ

Episode Sponsor: www.podcastguest.co.nz

Episode Sponsor: www.podcastguest.co.nz

Wyndi Tagi is a Māori business leader, speaker and co-founder of accounting and advisory firm, We Mana. She scaled her firm across New Zealand and Samoa — all while putting people before profit.

In this raw and honest conversation, she opens up about what it really takes to grow a business built on values:

✅ How a bad hire cost her $250,000

✅ Why she outsourced across the Pacific

✅ What it’s like running a business after surviving cancer three times

✅ How EOS and systems saved her business

✅ And why she refuses to sacrifice family for profit

If you're an aspiring entrepreneur, or a small business owner trying to scale without burning out, this episode is your blueprint.

00:00 – podcast intro: scaling a business with purpose in New Zealand

02:30 – growing up with an entrepreneurial dad in a Maori family

05:00 – how to start a business without a product or plan

07:30 – building a people-first business model in New Zealand

15:00  - the lessons I wished I learned 

18:04 - how Wyndi Tagi feels about being a leader of a lot of staff?

18:56 - how Wyndi Tagi handles stress

30:00 - sales tips for those who hate to sell

38:56 - how Wyndi Tagi scaled her business and hiring people

40:00 – hiring mistakes that cost $250k and what to do differently

44:00 – outsourcing to Samoa and Fiji: how small businesses can go global

45:00 – the truth about growing your team as a small business owner

50:00 – what surviving cancer taught me about business and legacy

54:00 – how to build a life and business with no regrets

Follow Wyndi:

https://wemana.co.nz/

Follow Me

https://www.instagram.com/notesfromtheexecutivepodcast/

Watch on YouTube:

https://youtu.be/2cFVZVjP3Jg?si=lnRTUidcB54ClWjz

Episode Sponsor: www.podcastguest.co.nz

#entrepreneurship #leadership #scalingbusiness #podcastnz

Dominic Sutton is an Auckland-based entrepreneur and investor with over two decades experience in the New Zealand advertising industry founding Pumpt advertising. He is now CEO and co-founder of StockTrim, a SaaS (software as a service) platform that helps product-based businesses forecast inventory more accurately.

00:00 – Intro

00:21 - how dominic built a $10m agency and bounced back from a $1.2m mistake

03:40 – biggest business mistake that cost me $1.2 million

04:04 – how i survived losing millions in business

05:15 – what i’d do differently if i started again

07:04  – the most common mistakes business owners make

09:00 – should you start a business at 28 or wait until you're older?

10:00 – how to grow a business from 0 to $10 million

12:01 – how to hire a general manager (and not lose your company)

19:30 – black hole days: surviving the early stages of business

23:00 – how to keep going when you want to quit

24:00 – why we avoid hard tasks (and how to fix it)

28:00 – best types of businesses to start in new zealand

29:30 – what stocktrim does and who it's for

33:35 – building and scaling a SaaS business from scratch

37:00 – how to pitch to angel investors and raise capital

40:35 – how much funding should you raise?

45:30 – my biggest advice for new entrepreneurs

Follow Dominic

https://www.stocktrim.com/

Follow Me

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/notesfromtheexecutivepodcast/

Watch on YouTube:

Professor Elizabeth Broadbent is a leading health psychologist at the University of Auckland, renowned for her groundbreaking work at the intersection of psychology, healthcare, and robotics.

• With over 15 years of research, she has pioneered studies on how technology, digital humans, and AI can improve mental health, reduce loneliness, and enhance patient care.

• She is best known for developing the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire, a widely used tool that helps doctors and researchers understand how patients perceive their health conditions.

• Professor Broadbent is a Fellow of the Royal Society Te Apārangi, a prestigious recognition for her contributions to science. Her research on companion robots like Paro the seal has shown that AI-driven technology can reduce loneliness in older adults, help patients adhere to medication, and even improve mental well-being in people with dementia.

• Her work has been cited over 21,000 times, making her a globally respected figure in health psychology and human-robot interaction. With a background in both engineering and psychology, she is at the forefront of reshaping the future of healthcare through technology.Her latest research focuses on digital humans and AI-driven cognitive behavioral therapy, exploring how virtual therapists could support mental health treatment and fill critical gaps in the healthcare system.

• Professor Broadbent’s insights are shaping the future of healthcare, mental well-being, and AI-driven support systems, making her a key voice in the future of human-technology interaction.

Watch on Youtube: Click Here

Follow Me:  / notesfromtheexecutivepodcast  #entrepreneur

Josh Comrie is Kiwi entrepreneur, advisor, and angel investor with over 25 years of experience transforming ideas into multi-million dollar successes.

Having built, scaled, and exited five companies, Josh’s journey from humble beginnings in South Auckland to becoming a sought-after business strategist is a masterclass in the art of timing and self-investment. 

Known for his no-nonsense mantra, “Invest in yourself above all else,” he leverages emerging trends like AI and alternative investments to redefine what’s possible in today’s business landscape. 

Watch Instead on YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/@NotesFromTheExecutivePodcast

Follow Josh

https://www.joshcomrie.com/

Follow Me

https://linkin.bio/notesfromtheexecutive

Richard Conway is a digital marketing expert who turned a $200 investment into a multimillion-dollar business called Pure SEO.

Founded in 2009 by Richard - now multi-award winning -Pure SEO has grown from a one-man start-up into a multimillion-dollar digital marketing agency, now recognized as one of the largest independent players in the Asia Pacific region.

We question everything from the future of Google search to how AI is poised to disrupt the digital marketing industry.

You will get insight into:

- The power of recurring revenue

- Hiring employees before affording them

- Meeting Richard Branson

- The future of Google Search

- Why AI could lead us in a race to the bottom

Whether you’re a digital marketer, entrepreneur, or tech enthusiast in NZ, this conversation is a game-changer.

Follow Richard

www.pureseo.com

Follow Me

https://linkin.bio/notesfromtheexecutive

#DigitalMarketing #SEO #AI #Entrepreneurship #NZBusiness #BusinessGrowth #TechTrends #Innovation #MarketingInsights #Leadership