scalr sagecast

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This week, I’m joined by Simon Kearney, co-founder of Readiness and former elite sports performance coach. Simon spent over two decades in high-performance roles across AFL, NRL and professional tennis. 

Over the last 7 years, he's brought that experience into the workplace - helping organisations proactively support mental health and wellbeing through data-driven tools and human connection.

We cover a lot in this one:

• His transition from elite sport to co-founding readiness.
• How performance principles from sport apply to business.
• The importance of proactive mental health monitoring.
• Building a culture of wellbeing and resilience in organisations.

If you're interested in how to build high-performing teams and support wellbeing in your organisation, this one's for you.

scalr sagecast is proudly brought to you by scalr, a talent advisory business headquartered in Melbourne, Australia.

If you're a founder or operator thinking about your next hire, building out a TA function, or just not sure where your hiring process is letting you down - reach out to Matt directly at [email protected] or find him on LinkedIn.

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This week on scalr sagecast, I'm joined by Megan Luttrell, Founder of Kairos Recruitment and the driving force behind the Aussie Founders Club (AFC). Megan has carved out a niche in the startup ecosystem, helping founders make sense of the often chaotic world of recruitment, with clarity, focus and a real understanding of the pressures they face.

With over a decade in IT recruitment, Megan’s journey hasn’t been linear. From launching her own ventures to building communities that support founders at every stage, she continues to play a huge role in reshaping how startups think about hiring, growth and sustainability.

In this episode, we dive into:

• Megan’s move from traditional recruitment to startup-focused solutions
• The story behind the Aussie Founders Club and the impact it's having
• How to build scalable hiring strategies that actually prioritise founder well-being
• Why community is the real secret weapon in the entrepreneurial journey

Megan’s insights are a reminder that success in the startup world isn’t just about hustling harder—it’s about building smarter, surrounding yourself with good people, and keeping your feet on the ground while aiming high.

scalr sagecast is proudly brought to you by scalr, a talent advisory business headquartered in Melbourne, Australia.

If you're a founder or operator thinking about your next hire, building out a TA function, or just not sure where your hiring process is letting you down - reach out to Matt directly at [email protected] or find him on LinkedIn.

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This week, I had a fantastic catch-up with my good friend and talent trailblazer, Lauren Sharp. She's the co-founder of TaPod and, along with the equally legendary Craig Watson, the driving force behind the Internal Talent Awards. We talked about all things talent, community and building something that matters.

We cover a lot in this one, from Lauren’s early career in the air to her move into recruitment, how TaPod came to life, and how she’s played a huge role in building one of the most connected Talent communities in Australia.

And of course, we dive into the story behind the ITA's, what started as a kernel of an idea has become the go-to event on the Aussie talent calendar.

We also cover a few topics very close to her heart - perimenopause, the gender pay gap and the impact of AI on our industry. 

Most people know Lauren as an all-energy, positive force within our industry. Often outspoken and never shy to speak her mind, I found her in a reflective mood and really enjoyed learning more about what makes her tick. Fascinating listen, well worth checking this one out! 

scalr sagecast is proudly brought to you by scalr, a talent advisory business headquartered in Melbourne, Australia.

If you're a founder or operator thinking about your next hire, building out a TA function, or just not sure where your hiring process is letting you down - reach out to Matt directly at [email protected] or find him on LinkedIn.

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This week, I’m joined by Brendan Lee. He's the Founder of BE Digital Group, a consultancy established to support businesses by implementing clear, scalable digital marketing strategies. 

With over 20 years' experience across marketing, sales and digital, Brendan has worked with countless businesses - from early-stage to established - across a variety of industries. His sweet spot is the ability to shift organisational mindsets, helping to modernise their approach and grow with purpose.

In this episode, Brendan shares:

• His own career story - from junior sales to growth leader.
• How businesses can avoid common digital marketing traps.
• Three key tips for setting up a successful digital marketing strategy.

If you’re a founder, marketer, or just trying to make sense of your digital presence, this one’s packed with value.

scalr sagecast is proudly brought to you by scalr, a talent advisory business headquartered in Melbourne, Australia.

If you're a founder or operator thinking about your next hire, building out a TA function, or just not sure where your hiring process is letting you down - reach out to Matt directly at [email protected] or find him on LinkedIn.

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Welcome to a very special episode of scalr sagecast!

This week, we’re pausing the usual guest format to celebrate something close to my heart - the Melbourne Talent Meetup.

Over the past nine years, this community has grown into something pretty special. With 30+ in-person events, countless conversations, and an incredible group of people behind it, we thought it was the perfect time to take a moment and reflect.

I’m joined by my fellow organisers and legends of the meetup scene - Caitlin Clements, Stefan Welack, and Nat Badawy - to chat about:

• Why we started the Melbourne Talent Meetup in the first place.
• How the talent industry has evolved over nearly a decade.
• How the meetup scene has changed - and where it’s headed.
• Our most memorable moments from the journey so far.

Whether you’ve attended every meetup or just discovered the community recently, this one is a little trip down memory lane - and a celebration of what we’ve built together.

Normal sagecast programming resumes next week - but for now, let’s get into it!

scalr sagecast is proudly brought to you by scalr, a talent advisory business headquartered in Melbourne, Australia.

If you're a founder or operator thinking about your next hire, building out a TA function, or just not sure where your hiring process is letting you down - reach out to Matt directly at [email protected] or find him on LinkedIn.

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In this episode of scalr sagecast, I had the pleasure of chatting with Rita Anagnostopoulous, CEO at Transform and Grow, to dive deep into what it really takes to build high-performing teams and great cultures - especially in growing businesses.

Her career has taken her around the world and spanned sales, leadership development, and organisational transformation. Rita brings a wealth of experience in helping businesses scale, develop leadership capability, and create workplaces where people thrive.

Despite the scale she has worked at, and the success she has enjoyed, throughout her illustrious career to date, Rita’s philosophy remains focused on a practical, human-first approach to leadership and growth. She knows hiring great people isn’t enough - you must build the right environment and leadership behaviours to unlock their potential.

In this episode, we unpack:

• The role of leadership and culture in scaling successfully.
• Common mistakes businesses make when scaling their teams.
• Key philosophies to building successful businesses in new regions.

Rita's essential business reads are: 

• Multipliers by Liz Wiseman
• Age of AI by Daniel Huttenlocher, Eric Schmidt, and Henry Kissinger
• Humanocracy by Gary Hamel and Michele Zanini

If you’re a founder, leader, or anyone involved in building teams, this episode is packed with absolute gold.

scalr sagecast is proudly brought to you by scalr, a talent advisory business headquartered in Melbourne, Australia.

If you're a founder or operator thinking about your next hire, building out a TA function, or just not sure where your hiring process is letting you down - reach out to Matt directly at [email protected] or find him on LinkedIn.

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In this latest episode of scalr sagecast, I chatted with David Yip, an "optimistic technologist" and early-stage tech adopter, to explore how businesses need to rethink their approach to AI.

David has overseen large, complex transformational projects at some of the world’s biggest multinationals, including IBM. Now, through Impactive Systems, he helps organisations embrace AI in practical, impactful ways, navigating the hype to find real opportunities for growth and efficiency.

What stood out to me is David’s balanced view of AI - he’s enthusiastic but realistic, focusing on how businesses can apply AI with purpose, not just for the sake of it.

We also discuss his recently launched start-up, Alumly, an innovative platform that is reshaping university hiring through a skills-based approach, and his new podcast, Relearning Work, which explores how work is changing in real-time.

In this episode, we cover:

• Why mindset is the biggest barrier to adopting AI effectively
• How to cut through AI noise and apply it meaningfully
• The future of hiring and skills-based recruitment

A book David highly recommends to anyone seeking to better understand the impact and opportunities within the AI revolution is Co-Intelligence by Ethan Mollick.

If you’re considering using AI in your business or are interested in the future of work, this is a conversation full of insights.

scalr sagecast is proudly brought to you by scalr, a talent advisory business headquartered in Melbourne, Australia.

If you're a founder or operator thinking about your next hire, building out a TA function, or just not sure where your hiring process is letting you down - reach out to Matt directly at [email protected] or find him on LinkedIn.

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The latest episode of scalr sagecast features a truly insightful conversation with Megumi Miki - an accomplished leader who carved her own niche by challenging traditional leadership norms.

Through her professional, and personal, experiences, Megumi recognised that leadership isn’t about being the loudest voice in the room - it’s about authenticity, influence, and harnessing quiet strength. This realisation led her to build Megumi and Associates, where she now helps organisations embrace diversity, unlock hidden leadership potential, and create more inclusive cultures.

She’s also the author of the award-winning book Quietly Powerful, which offers a game-changing perspective on leadership. It encourages thoughtful, reflective, and impactful leadership styles and proves that power doesn’t have to come from dominance.

In this episode, we dive into:

• Why traditional leadership models are outdated - and what needs to change.
• The power of quiet leadership and how organisations can leverage it.
• Practical ways businesses can create more inclusive, diverse workplaces.

Megumi’s work is reshaping the way leadership is defined and developed—making this episode a must-listen for anyone interested in leadership, diversity, and creating stronger teams.

scalr sagecast is proudly brought to you by scalr, a talent advisory business headquartered in Melbourne, Australia.

If you're a founder or operator thinking about your next hire, building out a TA function, or just not sure where your hiring process is letting you down - reach out to Matt directly at [email protected] or find him on LinkedIn.

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In the latest episode of scalr sagecast, I caught up with Natalie Flynn, Founder of equidi, to talk about equity, inclusion and the evolving conversation around gender pay transparency.

With WGEA confirming 4 March as the next release date for employer gender pay gaps, the focus on workplace equity has never been sharper. Organisations will soon be under greater scrutiny, and the businesses that take proactive steps towards transparency and fairness will attract and retain top talent.

Nat and the team at equidi are at the forefront of this space, providing the tools and insights businesses need to bridge the gap between intent and action. Their latest offering, equidi lite, is designed to make pay equity insights accessible to more businesses, helping companies of all sizes benchmark their data, identify disparities and take real steps towards fairer pay structures.

In this episode, we break down:

• What does the upcoming WGEA reporting mean for businesses?
• How organisations can move beyond compliance and embed equity into their culture.
• The role of equidi lite in making pay transparency easier and more accessible.

Nat highly recommended Diary of a CEO by Steven Bartlett and The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins as her recent go-to learning tools. 

If you’re a business leader, HR professional, or just passionate about workplace equity, this is a must-listen.

scalr sagecast is proudly brought to you by scalr, a talent advisory business headquartered in Melbourne, Australia.

If you're a founder or operator thinking about your next hire, building out a TA function, or just not sure where your hiring process is letting you down - reach out to Matt directly at [email protected] or find him on LinkedIn.

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On this week's episode, I’m joined by David Neal, a leader whose career has been anything but conventional. After a distinguished decade-long military career, Dave didn’t take the usual transition period. Instead, he finished his service on a Friday, and by Monday, he was leading IT projects in the not-for-profit aged care sector.

Fast forward to today, where he's now CEO of The Eighth Mile Consulting. They specialise in training and education - helping businesses build stronger leadership skills, enhance cultural communications and manage conflict more effectively. 

Drawing from his military background, he’s applying battle-tested principles of leadership, strategy and resilience to help these organisations navigate complex challenges and develop high-performing teams.

What stands out about Dave is his practical yet innovative approach to problem-solving. He and his business partner, Jono, don't hail from a typical L&D background and so approach traditional challenges with curiosity and a willingness to challenge the status quo. This has led his clients to achieve different, more progressive outcomes for their organisations. 

In this episode, we dive into Dave’s unique career journey, the leadership lessons he’s carried across industries, and how structured training and education can transform businesses. Whether it’s honing leadership skills, addressing cultural change, or challenging preconceptions around areas like DEI, this episode is full of practical takeaways.

A key part of Dave’s leadership philosophy has been shaped by books like 1984 by George Orwell and Brave New World by Aldous Huxley - two classics that offer deep insights into power, control, and human behaviour. Their influence is clear in the way Dave approaches his own management and communication style.

scalr sagecast is proudly brought to you by scalr, a talent advisory business headquartered in Melbourne, Australia.

If you're a founder or operator thinking about your next hire, building out a TA function, or just not sure where your hiring process is letting you down - reach out to Matt directly at [email protected] or find him on LinkedIn.