The SME Stream

The big US companies used to buy back more shares than they issued, but that's changed in recent months.

The latest bank estimates claim 2026 could be the first year in almost three decades that that reverses.

Milford Asset Management expert Brendan Larsen explained further.

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Dairy trade customers stock up ahead of any climate hit to winter production; Nicola Willis will consider a "strong commercial" Kiwibank growth plan.

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If Meta is found guilty, it might have to delete all personal data for children and the algorithms and models that were trained using that information.

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I’ve built and sold multi-million-dollar businesses. But no one’s ever asked me these questions.

In this episode, Podcast Producer Holli steps out from behind the scenes to turn the mic on me - asking me the unfiltered questions no one’s ever asked.

From paying $300,000 for Kylie Jenner to promote my shapewear brand, to selling the business for $3.3 million, navigating the public fallout of Celebration Box, breaking into supermarket shelves with Brewe, and now helping more than 4,000 entrepreneurs across New Zealand and Australia through Make It Happen - this is the side of business you don’t normally see online.

I get candid about making millions, the decisions that backfired, losing friends because of success, dealing with stalkers, and what REALLY happened behind the scenes when everything blew up publicly…

We also get into the lessons I’ve learned from building, scaling and selling multi-million-dollar businesses, taking calculated risks, breaking into FMCG and supermarkets, and why I believe moving fast beats waiting for everything to be perfect.

Got a burning business question you’ve always wanted to ask me? Drop it in the comments below and we might just answer it in the next Behind The Business episode.

Subscribe for more honest conversations about what it actually takes to build, grow and scale a business.

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How do you build a workplace where people don't just stay, but grow, return, and recommend it to others?

In this episode of HR Unlocked, Lisa Oakley sits down with Khush Sethi, Head of Talent & Culture at ClearPoint, to explore leadership, organisational culture, talent management, and the future of People & Culture.

Drawing on more than 15 years of experience, Khush shares practical insights into creating exceptional employee experiences, developing leaders, fostering psychological safety, and balancing technology with genuine human connection.

From co-creating organisational values and embracing AI to building curiosity, resilience, and authentic leadership, this conversation offers practical lessons for leaders looking to create cultures where both people and businesses thrive.

What You'll Learn

• Why talent management is about the entire employee lifecycle

• How organisational values should guide everyday decisions

• The importance of curiosity, psychological safety, and continuous learning

• How AI can enhance, rather than replace, human connection

• Why leadership development is an ongoing journey

• How co-creating culture strengthens engagement and trust

• The difference between being kind and simply being nice as a leader

Key Takeaways

• Strong cultures are built through everyday behaviours, not words on a wall

• Great leaders lead with curiosity, empathy, and authenticity

• AI is most valuable when it supports, rather than replaces, human connection

• Leadership is about creating environments where people can learn, grow, and contribute

• Trust, communication, and shared ownership are the foundations of high-performing organisations

About Khush Sethi

Khush Sethi is Head of Talent & Culture at ClearPoint, leading People & Culture across Australasia and the United Kingdom. Passionate about creating meaningful employee experiences, she specialises in organisational culture, leadership development, talent strategy, and building workplaces where people feel connected, valued, and empowered to do their best work.

Why This Episode Matters

As organisations navigate AI, changing workforce expectations, and increasingly complex leadership challenges, creating cultures built on trust, learning, and authentic human connection has never been more important. This episode offers practical insights for leaders, HR professionals, and business owners looking to build resilient, high-performing organisations.

Resources

• Connect with Khush Sethi on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/khushsethi/

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New Zealand’s housing market remains stubbornly flat, our birth rate has fallen to historic lows, and Auckland is once again talking about another Harbour Crossing.

Liam Dann and Tamsyn Parker ask whether the great Kiwi property boom is truly over, what slower population growth means for the economy, and why New Zealand can spend decades talking about major infrastructure without actually building it.

The Economy of Everything is brought to you by CMC Markets.

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Labour leader Chris Hipkins says he will be saying 'no' to the various tax policies being proposed by his potential coalition partners.

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Fletcher Building, Spark and Sky City yet to come. Mark Lister Craigs investment Partners.

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Gorilla Technology CEO Paul Spain says an expected IPO by Claude maker Anthropic would mark a serious turning point for the technology industry.

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Jarden’s head of derivatives previews tonight’s GDT auction, expecting stronger dairy prices driven by higher powder values. He also discusses the impact of European production declines, New Zealand milk flows and global dairy market signals.

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