The Values Lab

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In this episode, I chat with Jimi Maroudas about his value of Contribution. We speak about:

- The Latin roots of the word contribution and how it resonates with him

- Taking a leap of faith from engineering into a career in music

- The surprising similarities between getting the best out of others in the recording studio and the corporate world

- Creating environments where every voice is heard

- The difference between making a contribution and making an impression

Enjoy 😊

Links

Supporting slide deck Jimi made for the show 

Corporate:

•  Jimi Maroudas | LinkedIn

Creative:

• Website: Jimi Maroudas - Producer, Mixer, Engineer
• Pictures from the studio: JIMI MAROUDAS (@jimimaroudas) • Instagram photos and videos

About Jimi

From the recording studio to the boardroom, Jimi’s career has been anything but conventional. 

He’s a management consultant, award-winning record producer and Board Director of the Music Producers & Engineers Guild of Australia (MPEG).

Jimi started in music with no skills or network, just a strong desire to be part of it. After quitting his safe job and refusing a safety net, he worked unpaid 18-hour days as a studio runner, fetching coffee for some of the world’s biggest artists. 

He has since become one of Australia’s most respected record producers, working on numerous multi-platinum and number one records and earning a reputation for his ability to mine the creative potential of artists and help them realise their vision.

Seeking new ways to make a meaningful contribution, Jimi became a learner again. He completed his MBA and brought that same approach into the corporate world, working closely with businesses and leaders to help them navigate their toughest challenges and deliver
 meaningful change.

These two seemingly different worlds have much more in common than you might think. What connects them is his passion for people, understanding what truly matters, bringing out their best and working together to get hard things done.

Driven by curiosity, a love of learning and a genuine desire to make a difference, Jimi believes an important part of success is what you contribute to others as you work towards a shared goal.

Keywords

Contribution, Values, Growth, Leadership, Creativity, Corporate Culture, Music, Personal Development

The Values Lab is brought to you by Viren Thakrar, Founder of Values Map - valuesmap.com

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In this episode, I chat with Jacqui Maloney about her value of Honesty. We speak about:

- The importance of being honest with yourself

- Lessons from the acting world about direct feedback

- Reading people's behaviour and not just their words

- How honesty helps with reducing people-pleasing

- Honesty in the world of Social Media

Enjoy 😊


About Jacqui

Since recording the episode, Jacqui walked her own walk and spent time thinking about and being honest with herself about all areas of life: career, her business, relationships, and health. She made some tough decisions she didn't think she was capable of or ones that felt hard but knew she was putting herself first for once! Being honest with yourself doesn't always mean making life-changing decisions, but it reminds you to always be aware of the things you are choosing and the ones you are letting happen to you

keywords
honesty, authenticity, storytelling, feedback, social media, personal growth, coaching, values, communication, self-awareness

The Values Lab is brought to you by Viren Thakrar, Founder of Values Map - valuesmap.com

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In this episode, I chat with Leanne Hughes about her value of Resourcefulness. We speak about:

- The value of being imperfect, and how it can lead to better, more unique outcomes

- Balancing values alignment, job satisfaction and long-term growth

- How she started a podcast series when she got thrown in the deep end

-  How becoming 'Work Famous'  made opportunities for her instead of waiting for them to happen

Enjoy 😊

Links

• Connect with Leanne on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leannehughes/
• Website: https://www.leannehughes.com
• Work Fame: https://getworkfame.com

About Leanne

Leanne Hughes makes people famous at work. As a keynote speaker, advisor and author, her career has taken her from regional Australia to stages in New York, Mumbai and Mongolia.

She is the host of two podcasts, and the author of the bestselling The 2-Hour Workshop Blueprint. Work Fame is her second book.

Based in Brisbane, Australia, Leanne is known for blending warmth, humour and bold ideas that challenge people to think bigger and act sooner.

keywords
resourcefulness, personal development, career growth, entrepreneurship, mindset, innovation, creativity, self-trust, AI, business strategy

The Values Lab is brought to you by Viren Thakrar, Founder of Values Map - valuesmap.com

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In the first episode of season two, I chat with Camey O’Keefe about her value of Joy. Here are some of the things we spoke about:

• How Joy can be experienced in different ways and at different levels
• The way in which personal values can play an co-exist together
• The impact of cultivating Joy on performance and well-being
• How Joy and Play foster more presence and energy
• Adopting the Play Posture when it comes to sharing disagreement
• The online world being a weak proxy for IRL joy
• The magic of collective effervescence

Enjoy 😊

Links
https://www.linkedin.com/in/cameyokeefe/

https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/play-it-forward/id1896896014

https://gambol.com.au/

About Camey
Camey O’Keefe is the founder of Gambol, a seriously playful creative company helping teams do better work by making space for play.

A strategic suit with 25 years inside top agencies and global brands, she’s built a career around making creative work better: for the people behind it and the businesses it serves.

She’s the creator of Suit School, a certified Executive Coach, and a regular panellist on the ABC’s Gruen. Through it all, her belief is simple: when people play, ideas flow, teams gel, and the whole business lifts.

keywords
joy, play, connection, creativity, leadership, well-being, collaboration, mindfulness, fun, values

The Values Lab is brought to you by Viren Thakrar, Founder of Values Map - valuesmap.com

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And that’s a wrap on Season 1 of The Values Lab! It’s been one of my highlights from the first half of the year. I’ve had such interesting and meaningful chats and walked away with lots of ideas about better integrating my own values into my life. In this episode, I reflect on the four most interesting themes from the season (value uniqueness, origin stories, the absence of AI and intentional living) and share more about what's next, including season two.

A massive thanks to all my special guests who’ve come on the show and shared such personal stories and examples of what it takes to put your values into action.

Season 2 is coming soon, where I’ll be experimenting with the format. Ideas or suggestions welcome!

The Values Lab is brought to you by Viren Thakrar, Founder of Values Map - valuesmap.com

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In this episode, I explore the value of freedom with Penelope Barr. Penelope shares her 633 model focused on balancing work, travel and creation.  She talks about the importance of freedom within structure. We also discuss how conversations in Paris planted the seed for working and living differently. Penelope also shares her decision criteria for saying yes to work, how she helps others design their own portfolio careers, as well as more about her book "Win the Night to Win the Day", the strategic guide for high performers to sleep well, work better and live best.

Links

www.linkedin.com/in/penelopebarr

https://www.winthenighttowintheday.com/

About Penelope
Penelope Barr is a Portfolio careerist, Advisor, Author, Technology innovator, Coach and working parent. Penelope draws on more than 25 years of executive experience to help high performers and organisations design more aligned and sustainable ways of working and living. She’s the creator of the 6:3:3 concept, focused on the connection between rest, performance, and strategic, sustainable success.

Penelope’s new book “Win the Night to Win the Day. Sleep Well. Work Better. Live
Best.” (Hardie Grant, 26 May 2026) is a guide created by research, interviews with
global experts and years of experiments to help you design your personal best days to sleep well because your best days are made at night.

Keywords

freedom, structured living, personal development, portfolio careers, life design, sleep optimisation, experimentation, values, travel, work-life balance

The Values Lab is brought to you by Viren Thakrar, Founder of Values Map - valuesmap.com

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In this episode, I explore how to put your values into action under pressure using mantras. I talk about where I first learned about mantras through sport psychology and self-talk, then walk through the live process of building one. I cover the guiding principles and share ideas for how to build your own one. 

The Values Lab is brought to you by Viren Thakrar, Founder of Values Map - valuesmap.com

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In this episode, I explore the value of growth with Jen Ryder. Jen shares how growth evolved for her from accumulating knowledge to accumulating understanding, and how her father's lifelong learning shaped this value. We discuss seeking discomfort intentionally, from uncomfortable hikes to reading opposing viewpoints, and her morning learning ritual. Jen also shares how she creates space for business leaders to grow through peer advisory groups and why she's passionate about supporting regional Australian communities.

Links

Jen Ryder | LinkedIn

Jen Ryder - Vistage Chair - Leadership Coach and Mentor

About Jen
Jen Ryder is a Vistage Chair, Fractional General Manager, and facilitator who works with business owners and leaders to create clarity, challenge thinking, and unlock growth. With a background in business operations, leadership, and professional services, Jen brings a practical and deeply human approach to leadership conversations.

Known for asking thoughtful questions that cut through noise and complexity, Jen creates spaces where leaders can think more clearly, make better decisions, and reconnect with what matters most. Her work centres on the belief that leadership can be both challenging and deeply relational — and that some of the best breakthroughs come through honest conversations, shared wisdom, and values-led reflection.

Based in regional Queensland, Jen works with leaders across industries through peer advisory groups, strategic facilitation, and operational advisory work.

Keywords

growth, values, personal development, leadership, introspection, entrepreneurship, community, learning, comfort zone, self-improvement business strategy, personal growth, marketing, peer advisory, learning, boundaries, skills development, entrepreneurship, community support, professional development

The Values Lab is brought to you by Viren Thakrar, Founder of Values Map - valuesmap.com

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In this episode, I explore how both your peak moments and your low points can reveal your values. I share some prompts to help you reflect on your own peaks and pits, and how my own pit moment from a few years ago illuminated my achievement value. I also introduce Chris Voss's concept of "violating your values" and share how my disproportionate reactions in micro-moments give insights into what your values are.

The Values Lab is brought to you by Viren Thakrar, Founder of Values Map - valuesmap.com

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In this episode, I explore the value of humility with Adam Axon. Adam shares how humility means not always being the hero and accepting you're not the main character in the story of humanity. We discuss how an area manager asking "what does it look like when you're not here?" was a pivotal moment in shaping Adam's perspective on leadership. We also explored Adam's journey from burnout, through to personal expectations management and how he tames his 'Advice Monster' when it rears its head.

Links

www.giveadamn.com.au

https://px-dojo.group/

About Adam

I help fast-growing companies scale with clarity, agility, and heart, using product thinking combined with human-centred design to honour what matters most: your people, and the people your work enriches.

Keywords

humility, personal growth, values, burnout, impact, business, leadership, self-awareness

The Values Lab is brought to you by Viren Thakrar, Founder of Values Map - valuesmap.com