The Dialogue

Lyndey Milan is a force of nature. She walks her own way and has created a path within the food media that is by all standards exceptional. Her journey as a single mum to successful food personality has all the makings of an incredible TV series. She has featured on our TV screens and authored cookbooks, launched a range of baking aids and MC'd enough events to last a lifetime. She loves a sing-a-long around the piano with the family and is now a very proud grandmother. The loss of her beautiful adult son Blair rocked the industry but as luck would have it Lyndey had filmed an incredible overseas food trip with Blair not long before he fell ill. Her story is of strength and perseverance and told in the beautiful way only a great storyteller can. We bow to Lyndey.

Meiron Lees took the high road. The one you often walk alone. From his journey through religion to his success as a financial planner and then his brush with cancer Meiron has been a personal disruptor. Not happy to just agree and carry on, he has questioned everything bringing himself into a place that is often challenging. Hard work, an expansive world view and a book on stress has him sharing his business knowledge and his life journey with corporate businesses and the speaking stage. His honesty is breathtaking and his story inspiring.

Lucy is likable and passionate. You want her at your dinner party and to have your back in business. She is also challenging and refuses to tow the party line. Her decision to go her own way has had positive and negative consequences for her career. As the former CEO for Sunrise Cambodia and Hamlin Fistula Ethiopia, she raised impressive donation amounts and shook the charities from their sleepy hollows. Her personality is as electric as her pink hair. You can't help but follow her.

Lucy ran a successful creative services firm for 20 years before she took on the start-up challenge as founding CEO of a brand new women's health charity. In less than three years at the helm, Lucy built the team and the communication strategy which raised $7M for a network of hospitals and a midwifery school in Ethiopia. Lucy then moved on to transform Sunrise Cambodia as the charity's first CEO. The rest will be history.

Investigating homicides, leading international teams into scenes of crisis and disaster is not your normal path to global keynote speaker and business consultant. Peter Baines worked in countries following major crisis including Indonesia, Japan, Thailand and Saudi Arabia.

His grounding came from two decades as a forensic investigator that saw him unravel the mysteries and discover the secrets of criminals thought rested solely with them. Prior to finishing his career as a forensic investigator he would spend time working with both Interpol in Lyon, France and the United Nations Office of Drug and Crime advising on Counter Terrorism and capacity building.

But it was the work his in Thailand that brought the biggest change. In response to the needs of the children left without a home and without parents Peter formed Hands Across the Water and commenced fundraising in Australia to build these needy children a home. Ten years after starting the charity he now spends much of his time helping other charity leaders through The Growth Project and advises business on how they can and indeed should benefit from their engagement with their community partners through corporate social responsibility programs.

Peter had seen things no man should ever have to experience from identifying dead bodies after bomb blasts and tsunamis to witnessing the crushing hopelessness of orphaned children he is a man that has risen to the challenge of Doing Good. He has not come out unscathed but is without doubt one of the most incredible individuals I have ever been blessed to meet.

Adrian Newstead OAM is recognized for his contribution to Aboriginal Art in Australia and as the Owner of Coo-ee Aboriginal Art Gallery, Art Consultant and Author. Adrian grew up with the desperate fear that he would be ordinary and instead he has turned out quite extraordinary. Adrian has actively supported Australian ethnic art and the artists who produce it for many years and is viewed by many as the man behind the the promotion of our beautiful ethnic art landscape.

Adrian Newstead OAM established Cooee Aboriginal art Gallery in 1981. A former President of the Indigenous Art Trade Association and Director of Aboriginal Tourism Australia he became the Head of Aboriginal Art for Lawson~Menzies in 2003, and Managing Director of Menzies Art Brands until 2008. An Aboriginal art consultant, dealer, and art commentator, based in Bondi, NSW, he has more that 30 years experience working in Aboriginal and Australian Contemporary art.

Adrian Newstead began working with Aboriginal communities in 1981 when Coo-ee Emporium (founded with Louise Ferrier) held the first exhibition for Tiwi Design of Bathurst Island. By 1985, when prominent Aboriginal identity Joe Croft became a partner in the business, Aboriginal art had become its primary interest. The company organised more than 100 exhibitions of Aboriginal art in Australia and overseas during the following decade.

As a prominent retailer in Sydney's Paddington precinct through the 1980s and 1990s, Adrian acted as the President of the Chamber of Commerce and Chair of the joint working party between Woollahra and South Sydney Councils for more than a decade. In that role he steered the rezoning and streetscape refurbishments of this lively tourism precinct through both councils.

For more information visit http://www.cooeeart.com.au/

Listen to my fabulous interview with the remarkable Jean Kittson, funny, intelligent, passionate and authentic.

I was fortunate enough to be present at an event when Jean Kittson took the mic to share some of her insights about being a woman. Not only did I almost hit the floor with laughter I felt myself feeling so incredibly understood. She is funny, ruthlessly honest and yes remarkable. i loved interviewing Jean because like every remarkable person I have had the pleasure of interviewing she has a perfectly fascinating story and i discovered that nothing is as easy as it looks.

Jean Kittson is an Australian performer, writer and comedian in theatre and print on radio and television. She made her comedy debut at Melbourne's comedy venue Le Joke in a series of solo performances, and then in the stage version of let The Blood run Free.

She came to national attention on The Big Gig. This was followed by Let the Blood Run Free, Kittson Fahey, the Great Debate series as well as Good News Week, The Glasshouse and The einstein Factor. She is also well known for her lively comedy debates for the ABC, Channel 9 and Channel Ten and was a regular guest on Channel 7's the Morning Show, Channel 9's KAK Show and 20 to One. She has also been a judge on Strictly Speaking and a guest on Talkin' About Your Generation.

Jean Kittson is a regular guest on TGIF, ABC radio 702, Sydney and has been a regular columnist with New Weekly, Sunday Telegraph, the SMH Sydney Magazine, Inspire Magazine, and the Readers Digest Health Smart magazine.

She is the author of Tongue Lashing, published by Penguin.

Its hard not to know about the brand Roses Only. The beautiful long stemmed roses set the bar for Valentines Day and all the days in between from I love you to I'm sorry. So how did this brand grow so formidable?

James Stevens grew up with immigrant Greek parents who worked tirelessly to give their children the best opportunities. In response James learnt from an early age about the challenges of running a small business at the mercy of landlords and decided that he wanted to change the game. So he took a bold step as his father's business partner and launched a roses brand aimed at men. The rest is history.

Listen to my fascinating interview with this dynamic businessman and brand builder.

Bebette has built her career as an internationally recognised leader in the field of Competitive Intelligence (CI) and Strategy in business and academically. She founded The MindShifts™ Group in 1992, as a leading consulting company specialising in Competitive Intelligence, Strategy and Business Mentoring, in response to the number of organisations looking to interpret the landscape of business and make smarter decisions.

Since then Babette has undertaken 350 projects with Australian and Fortune 500 companies. Utilising skills and principles of CI and Strategic Intelligence she has worked with industries such as aerospace, information technology, pharmaceutical, manufacturing, and financial services companies.

Babette was appointed a Fellow of SCIP (Strategic and Competitive Intelligence Professionals) in 1997. In 2006, she was the recipient of the SCIP Meritorious Award, and is the first Australian and first international female recipient to be honoured with this award.

The SCIP Meritorious Award is the most prestigious award within the international CI community. Awarded annually, it recognises a single individual for their significant contributions to the CI profession. These contributions are judged in terms of both the advances made within the industry practice and the publicity for CI that has resulted from this person's achievements.

In recognition of her international awards and endeavours, Babette received the 2006 Alumni Award from Macquarie Graduate School of Management (MGSM).

Listen in to be inspired and motivated by this remarkable woman.

Here is a story of a life journey from loss to support, near death to success and the realisation that giving back is the only way forward.

Emlyn Scott loves Business Development. Creating new and exciting businesses, products and services and helping businesses grow. he has over 20 years experience in the finance sector with experience in startups, turnaround situations, SMEs, capital raising, clearing, exchanges, funds management, trading, all across a broad range of financial products and services. Hi stellar CV includes 4.5 years as CEO of the National Stock Exchange of Australia (www.nsxa.com.au), co-founder of CapitalPitch (www.capitalpitch.com), co-founder of OpenMarkets Online Trading (www.openmarkets.com.au), and nine years as head of business development of equities & CFDs at LCH.Clearnet (www.lchclearnet.com) in London.

Listen in to be inspired and motivated and for some great tips on raising capital.

Garry Browne AM

Garry Browne AM is the CEO and Managing Director of Stuart Alexander & Co, an importer, marketer and distributer of premium consumer brands throughout Australasia.

Beginning his career as a sales and marketing graduate trainee at Stuart Alexander & Co, Garry has held several positions within the company including Sales and Marketing Director and National Sales Manager. Garry also spent two years at Sara Lee in Europe in Product Development and Product Management roles.

Promoted to CEO and Managing Director in 1997, Garry is a respected business and industry leader and a master of brand building, successfully introducing numerous international brands to Australia including Moccona instant coffee, Lindt, Baci and Guylian chocolates, Betty Crocker cake mixes, Homer Hudson ice cream, Tabasco sauce, Stimorol, Hershey's, Fisherman's Friend and Mentos.

Delivering retails sales well over $300 million, Garry is an expert in transforming organisations that have lost their way through a combination of cultural change and innovative practices.

A committed philanthropist and advocate of social corporate responsibility, Garry founded the Stuart Alexander's S'Team Foundation in 2004, donating over $100,000 every year to worthy charitable organisations in Australia.

Garry currently holds non-executive board roles with the Centre for Social Impact, NSW Procurement Board Industry Advisory Group, Outcomes Australia, Foundation of National Parks and Wildlife, Jewish Communal Appeal. He is a past president of the Food and Beverage Importers Association and of the Rotary Club of Sydney and was Sydney District Governor for Rotary International from 2013-14.

Garry's significant service to the community was recognised with a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in 2014.

A truly inspiring interview about the man behind the business. Garry Browne is one of the most accomplished and humble men I have met.

Enjoy.