The Business Of

At the start of the 2017 AFL season, the Swans were in serious trouble. After reaching the Grand Final the year before, expectations were sky‑high. Then came six straight losses. Confidence fell, pressure mounted, and nothing seemed to work. 

So where do you begin as a leader when everything is going wrong? 

Former @sydneyswans head coach John Longmire says a series of critical decisions helped turn the season around. He shares the non‑negotiables he relies on to motivate teams, rebuild belief, and create cultures that perform under pressure. 

Now working with the Sydney Swans Institute, John partners with leaders across sport and business to lift performance and sustain it. 

If you’re leading a team through uncertainty, or looking to raise your own performance, this episode offers a practical and proven leadership playbook. 

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John Longmire is facilitating a special short course on leadership with AGSM at UNSW Business School on 12 May, 2026 – register here. 

Interested in the business of sport? Listen to our episode with Drew Arthurson, Chief Operating Officer at Sydney Swans. 

The Business Of podcast is brought to you by the University of New South Wales Business School, produced with Deadset Studios. It’s hosted by Dr Juliet Bourke, and the transcript can be found on our website. 

Want to follow the latest research and news from UNSW Business School and AGSM @ UNSW Business School? Subscribe to our industry stories at BusinessThink and follow UNSW Business School and AGSM on LinkedIn. Or listen to more episodes of The Business Of and subscribe to our UNSW Business School and AGSM channels on YouTube. 

We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the Traditional Custodians of the land on which this show was made. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We’re living longer, but not all those years are healthy ones. In Australia, there’s now roughly a 12-year gap between how long we live and how long we live in good health – meaning many of us can expect a decade or more of life with health problems. So, how can we shrink that gap?

UNSW Scientia Professor Kaarin Anstey is one of the world’s leading experts on cognitive ageing and dementia prevention. She explains why brain health is key to ageing well, and how demographic shifts are transforming workplaces and opening new markets in the ‘brain economy’.

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The Business Of podcast is brought to you by the University of New South Wales Business School, produced with Deadset Studios.

This episode is hosted by Dr Juliet Bourke, with insights from Professor Barney Tan.

The transcript and show notes can be found on our website here.

Listen to our episode with Aware Super’s Katrina McPhee here.

Want to follow the latest research and news from UNSW Business School and AGSM @UNSW Business School and subscribe to our industry stories at BusinessThink and follow UNSW Business School and AGSM on LinkedIn. Or listen to new episodes of The Business Of and subscribe to our UNSW Business School and AGSM channels on YouTube.

We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the Traditional Custodians of the land on which this show was made.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pet ownership is booming – and so is the business behind it.  

From birthday parties for pets to organic food and premium grooming, consumers are spending big to keep their animals healthy and happy. So why are people so invested in their pets?  

AGSM @ UNSW Business School MBA alumna Anneke van den Broek is the CEO and founder of premium pet-care brand Rufus & Coco. She explains our changing relationship with our pets and how it’s reshaping the multi-billion-dollar industry.  

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The Business Of podcast is brought to you by the University of New South Wales Business School, produced with Deadset Studios.  

  This episode is hosted by Dr Juliet Bourke, with insights from Professor Barney Tan. 

  The transcript and show notes can be found on our website here. 

Want to follow the latest research and news from UNSW Business School and AGSM @ UNSW Business School? Subscribe to our industry stories at BusinessThink and follow UNSW Business School and AGSM on LinkedIn. Or listen to more episodes of The Business Of and subscribe to our UNSW Business School and AGSM channels on YouTube. 

We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the Traditional Custodians of the land on which this show was made. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What if you paid a different price for the same product – not because of demand, but because of your data.
Prices change, whether it’s annual sales or seasonal variability. But what happens when AI sets the price – not just for the market, but for you?

“The scope and the scale and the pervasiveness down to the individual with personalised pricing is pretty unprecedented.” 

UNSW Associate Professor Sam Kirshner explores the trade-off between personalisation and privacy, and the importance of responsible AI use as companies employ new personalised pricing models. 

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The Business Of podcast is brought to you by the University of New South Wales Business School, produced with Deadset Studios.

This episode is hosted by Dr Juliet Bourke, with insights from Professor Barney Tan.

The transcript and show notes can be found on our website here.

Listen to our episode on how AI is reshaping the way we work with Professor Frederik Anseel here.

Want to follow the latest research and news from UNSW Business School and AGSM @ UNSW Business School? Subscribe to our industry stories at BusinessThink and follow UNSW Business School and AGSM on LinkedIn. Or listen to new episodes of The Business Of and subscribe to our UNSW Business School and AGSM channels on YouTube.

We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the Traditional Custodians of the land on which this show was made.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Millions of people lack access to reliable healthcare. Can technology help bridge global healthcare gaps?

Dr Jackie Rabec (AGSM MBA 2020) is co-founder of MedTech company ThinkMD.ai, which builds tools that put a doctor’s expertise into the hands of frontline healthcare workers. She explains how the company is bridging health divides in low-income countries where doctors are scarce, and what technology could mean for healthcare all around the world.

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The Business Of podcast is brought to you by the University of New South Wales Business School, produced with Deadset Studios.

This episode is hosted by Dr Juliet Bourke, with insights from Professor Barney Tan.

The transcript and show notes can be found on our website here.

Listen to our episode with Australian med tech entrepreneur Hayley Saddington here.

Want to follow the latest research and news from UNSW Business School and AGSM @ UNSW Business School? Subscribe to our industry stories at BusinessThink and follow UNSW Business School and AGSM on LinkedIn. Or listen to new episodes of The Business Of and subscribe to our UNSW Business School and AGSM channels on YouTube.

We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the Traditional Custodians of the land on which this show was made.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Burnout has gone from a buzzword to a business risk.  

According to the latest Women’s Agenda Ambitions Report, 72% of women say they’ve experienced burnout in the past year. It’s no longer just a personal struggle—it’s a workplace crisis. So what’s driving this rising tide of exhaustion?  

Angela Priestley, co-founder of independent news platform Women’s Agenda, shares the findings of their 2025 report, exposing the pressures pushing employees to breaking point and what leaders can do to stop it. 

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The Business Of podcast is brought to you by the University of New South Wales Business School, produced with Deadset Studios.  

This episode is hosted by Dr Juliet Bourke, with insights from Professor Barney Tan. 

The transcript and show notes can be found on our website here. 

You can read the full 2025 Women’s Ambition Report here. 

Want to follow the latest research and news from UNSW Business School and AGSM @ UNSW Business School? Subscribe to our industry stories at BusinessThink and follow UNSW Business School and AGSM on LinkedIn.  

We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the Traditional Custodians of the land on which this show was made. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

That satisfying ding when you scan your rewards card. The little thrill of watching points accumulate. The smug satisfaction of using miles for a "free" flight. Sound familiar? 

We're all players in the massive loyalty program game—whether we're collecting coffee stamps, airline miles, or cashback percentages. But here's the million-point question: Who's really winning? 

Is that loyalty card in your wallet a golden ticket to genuine value, or are you just a willing participant in the most sophisticated customer retention scheme ever devised? 

Steve Hui, founder of iFLYflat, explains the psychology behind those irresistible point systems, the real mathematics of "free" rewards, and the critical difference between programs that genuinely reward customers versus those that incentivise loyalty more than deliver true benefit. 

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The Business Of podcast is brought to you by the University of New South Wales Business School, produced with Deadset Studios.  

This episode is hosted by Dr Juliet Bourke, with insights from Professor Barney Tan. 

The transcript and show notes can be found on our website here. 

Want to follow the latest research and news from UNSW Business School and AGSM @ UNSW Business School? Subscribe to our industry stories at BusinessThink and follow UNSW Business School and AGSM on LinkedIn.  

We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the Traditional Custodians of the land on which this show was made. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Loneliness is quietly affecting workplace productivity more than many organisations realise. 

Despite being more digitally connected than ever before, many employees today report feeling isolated, unsupported, and burned out. This isn't just impacting individuals – it's costing businesses financially, and damaging workplace culture and team cohesion. 

From performative perks to genuine peer connection, clinical psychologist Dr Zac Seidler unpacks how tech and hybrid work blur boundaries, why men are especially lonely, and what’s missing in our approach to employee wellbeing. 

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Please note, this episode contains references to suicide and stillbirth. Please take care while listening. 

The Business Of podcast is brought to you by the University of New South Wales Business School, produced with Deadset Studios.  

This episode is hosted by Dr Juliet Bourke, with insights from Professor Barney Tan. 

The transcript and show notes can be found on our website here. 

Listen to our episode on creating healthier workplaces with psychosocial safety expert Carlo Caponecchia here.  

Want to follow the latest research and news from UNSW Business School and AGSM @ UNSW Business School? Subscribe to our industry stories at BusinessThink and follow UNSW Business School and AGSM on LinkedIn.  

We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the Traditional Custodians of the land on which this show was made. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You don’t become a globally renowned designer by accident. But if you ask Sibella Court, one of Australia’s most sought-after stylists, she never had a master plan to make it big. 

From global brand campaigns to bestselling books and hit TV shows, Sibella built a design empire balancing great instincts, good relationships, and sound commercial judgement.   

Her approach to business is somewhat unconventional, but it is a masterclass in backing yourself, building a brand organically, and knowing when it’s time to move on. 

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The Business Of podcast is brought to you by the University of New South Wales Business School, produced with Deadset Studios.  

This episode is hosted by Dr Juliet Bourke, with insights from Professor Barney Tan. 

The transcript and show notes can be found on our website here. 

Listen to our episode about blending creativity and commerciality with Alexandra Smart here. 

Want to follow the latest research and news from UNSW Business School and AGSM @ UNSW Business School? Subscribe to our industry stories at BusinessThink and follow UNSW Business School and AGSM on LinkedIn.  

We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the Traditional Custodians of the land on which this show was made. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Could collaborative consumption be the cure for our throwaway culture? Robert Chan, the managing director of car-sharing platform Turo, believes we're on the brink of an ownership revolution. 

“The average power drill is only on for 13 minutes of its life. You don't want (to buy) the power drill; you want (to fix) the hole in the wall. How do we get the benefit without having all the stuff is really what the sharing economy is trying to do.” 

From rideshares to designer handbags, power tools to luxury getaways, the sharing economy is rewriting the rules of how we consume. But as Robert explains, behind the success stories lie a complex web of challenges that can make or break these platforms. 

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The Business Of podcast is brought to you by the University of New South Wales Business School, produced with Deadset Studios.  

This episode is hosted by Dr Juliet Bourke, with insights from Professor Barney Tan. 

The transcript and show notes can be found on our website here. 

Listen to our episode with Roby Sharon-Zipser about how he started hipages, a digital marketplace that connects tradespeople to homeowners, here. 

Want to follow the latest research and news from UNSW Business School and AGSM @ UNSW Business School? Subscribe to our industry stories at BusinessThink and follow UNSW Business School and AGSM on LinkedIn.  

We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the Traditional Custodians of the land on which this show was made. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.