In this episode I am joined by insurance broker Nick Wells a Director of Amicus based in Christchurch. Nick talks with me about what he is seeing in the personal risk side of the insurance industry in 2024, the conversations he is having with clients and their trusted advisers and the different levers that insurance brokers can pull for you. We also talk about the positive impact industry reforms have had in the insurance space and the importance of having your broker advocate effectively for you come claim time. I really enjoyed speaking with Nick who is easy going and relatable yet very knowledgeable and professional. If you are curious about how an insurance broker can add value to you and your business then give this one a listen.

In this episode I am joined by Sarah Robb from Spring with Sarah (www.springwithsarah.com). Sarah is a certified coach and NLP Master Practitioner. Sarah helps her clients to retrain their brains and breakthrough beliefs and patterns that keep them stuck. Sarah and I talk about the power of mindset and the subconscious and how you can look to breakthrough and change thought patterns that might be holding you back as well as how to help employees who may be stuck in their thought patterns. We talk about the importance of remaining curious and embracing change in order to grow, evolve and thrive. Sarah helps transforms lives so if you know that you have some thought patterns that are keeping you stuck and you want to evolve and be at your best in life and in business then this episode is a must listen.

In this episode of the Real Business Solutions podcast I am joined by Chris White from Rise Wellness (www.risewellness.co.nz). This is a welcome return to the podcast for Chris having previously guested. Chris talks to me about the concept of stress in the workplace, the narratives we tell ourselves about the nature of stress (and our responses to it) and whether a little stress is, or can be, in fact performance enhancing. It was fascinating listening to Chris unpack the concepts behind stress, the physiological responses to it, the narratives we tell ourselves about stress and how that influences our reactions. This really resonated with me as it seems many people in business (whether that be leaders, managers or team members) complain of being 'stressed out' all the time. If you want to learn more about this topic and how a small mindset change can help you turn the stress narrative around then listen to this episode. Chris kindly also makes a special offer for the first 3 listeners who email him on [email protected] and mention this podcast to get a free 90 minute stress workshop for you and your team.
Finally, below you will find some useful links mentioned by Chris during the podcast to dive a little deeper on this topic:

In this episode I am joined by Jon Foulkes, Senior Consultant from Redvespa Consultants a national business consultancy firm with an office here in Christchurch. Jon talks with me about the concept of Risk Management considerations for NZ SMEs when looking at and deploying new projects within their organisations. Jon talks with me about the fact the there is no avoiding every risk in a new project or its delivery, rather it is knowing what risks are deal breakers and which can be navigated or lived with depending on an organisations risk appetite. Jon talks with me about the 'Triangle of Tension' inherent in all projects along with the 7 key takeaways for an organisation considering or delivering a new project. This one is a fascinating listen. If you have ever wondered about "creeping bloat" in your projects then you need to listen to the sage advice imparted in this episode. If you are interested you can learn more about Jon and the team at RedVespa here www.redvespa.com

In this episode I am joined by Max John from White-Mirror Cyber Security Awareness and Consulting to discuss the emergence of AI in business. Aside from consulting in the cyber security space, Max has a number of years’ experience in IT across a diverse range of industries and professions. Max talks with me about the emergence of AI and what it may mean alongside ChatGPT and the dangers of exposing confidential data online to AI. We then talk about the issue of early adoption of AI Solutions in business alongside a new software product to be released by Microsoft called “Copliot” which is described as an evolution of how we will interact with computing. You can find out more about Copilot here https://blogs.microsoft.com/blog/2023/03/16/introducing-microsoft-365-copilot-your-copilot-for-work/ if you are interested and want to keep ahead of the curve. This was an enjoyable chat with Max around AI, its emergence and uses for the business sector, especially for those in professional services. If you want to know more about Max and what he can for you and your team then drop him an email on [email protected] or check him out on LinkedIn.

In this episode I am joined by Max John from White-Mirror Cyber Security Awareness and Consulting to talk about the topic of “end user cyber security” in your business. In this context an “end user” is anyone in your business who has access to your computer system including email and the internet, read pretty much most team members in any SME in New Zealand. Max talks with me about the importance of “end users” having a working understanding around the impact of their actions on an organisations data security. Max then explains the consulting and training that he can offer to businesses to help bolster team preparedness and vigilance for cyber threats. The reality is that cyber threats are always present to anyone in business and the consequences of suffering a cyber-attack could be devastating, both to reputation and business survival. You can have state of the art systems and software and think you are safe but all it can take is one click by a team member on the wrong thing and all your hard work can be seriously undone. If you are serious about cyber security in your business then you need to get serious about training your team about to be your first and best line of defence. If you want to know more about Max and what he can do for you and your team then drop him an email on [email protected] or check him out on LinkedIn.

In this episode I do my first podcast recording over Zoom with the wonderful Alex Davids from Next Evolution Performance. Alex is co-founder of this high-performance coaching business. She has a background in psychology and over 20 years of coaching experience working with SMEs and large corporate to help leaders achieve high performing cultures by increasing energy, profitability, mindset, accountability, staff engagement and retention. In this episode Alex talks about her background path along with what she and her team at Next Evolution performance do for their clients. We then zero in on the pressing topic of ‘burnout in the workplace’, including thoughts around the continual drain on our batteries from many quarters, some signs/reactions to burnout and how leaders might look to address this including a fascinating concept called freedom within the framework. I then ask Alex a burning question that I had around how to handle the hard to have conversations with team members and how I can look to empower them to imagine a different reality to help themselves. If you are worried about the issue of employee burnout, fatigue or overwhelm in the workplace then this is a must listen. You can find Alex and her team on www.nextevolutionperformance.com

In this episode I am joined by Judy Celmins from ThriveableBIZ. Judy and her partner run a marketing consulting business for small businesses. Judy is a practical, pull-no-punches, creative problem solver. She is a big picture thinker who challenges the status quo thereby opening opportunities for small businesses to take their marketing game to the next level. I had a great time talking with Judy and learning about the fast paced and ever-evolving world of marketing for business owners. Judy brings heart, nouse and humour to her craft. There are a lot of takeaways in this one but I loved the concept of remaining curious, continual marketing evolution and listening to the wants and needs of your customers, not to mention the large pool of potential customer. If you would like to know more about Julie and her business then please head to www.thriveablebiz.com to up your marketing game and get ahead of the pack.

Is there a topic you want covered or a person you want to hear from? You can contact us through the Godfreys Law website, or you can message the Godfreys Law Facebook page. We'd like to hear from you, and any ideas you have about making the podcast better. The Real Solutions Business Podcast is presented by Godfreys Law - A Christchurch based law firm, serving Canterbury for over 140 years.