Arete Podcast with Richard Triggs

In this episode, I sit down with Mark, the Managing Director of Bennett + Bennett. We discuss his experiences growing up in Brisbane, his journey in the land surveying industry, and his rise through the ranks at Bennett and Bennett. Mark shares insights on the company's history, their involvement in major projects like Snowy Hydro and Gold Coast Light Rail, and the importance they place on wellness and leadership programs. He also opens up about the personal transitions that accompanied his professional growth and his future vision for the company amidst the exciting backdrop of the upcoming 2032 Brisbane Olympics. Useful Links: Bennett + Bennett website: https://bennettandbennett.com.au/ Mark Billsborough on LinkedIn: https://au.linkedin.com/in/mark-billsborough-gaicd-836a334a Richard Triggs LinkedIn: au.linkedin.com/in/richardtriggs Arete Executive website: www.areteexecutive.com.au

In this episode of the Arete Podcast, I welcome Nick Symonds, the director of MAS, a Brisbane-based architecture studio specialising in hotels, resorts, and multi-residential projects. Nick shares insights into his company's focus, the transition from an established firm to starting his own business during COVID, and the strategic decisions that paved the way for MAS's growth. He also touches on his early life, the influence of his upbringing, and his creative interests. The conversation highlights the importance of team culture, adaptability, and strategic planning in running a successful architecture firm. Nick also talks about his personal pursuits, including building his own house and future travel plans to Europe. Useful Links: MAS - Architectural Studio website: https://www.mas.com.au/ Nick Symonds on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-symonds-82414631/ Richard Triggs LinkedIn: au.linkedin.com/in/richardtriggs Arete Executive website: www.areteexecutive.com.au

206 - Matthew Dowd - Co-Founder - Keystone Training Group by Richard Triggs

205 - Darren Godwell - Chief Executive Officer - i2i Global by Richard Triggs

204 - David Smith - Chair & CEO - Ceres Tag Ltd by Richard Triggs

The sky's the limit when it comes to aerospace, and ASX-listed Quickstep taking that literally. I spoke with Mark Burgess, MD and CEO, about the stellar growth the company has had in recent years, growing from a staff of 12 to 265 just on one manufacturing site alone. The company has diversified from being primarily focused on the international military market and now includes commercial transport, including sophisticated commercial drones. We discussed the hard recruitment and employment decisions Mark had to make to turn the company around when he took the helm some six years ago. It was a fascinating interview that will leave you in no doubt that Australia is at the leading edge of this important industry. Useful Links Mark Burgess on LInkedIn: linkedin.com/in/mark-burgess-43238b49/ Quickstep Website: www.quickstep.com.au/ Richard Triggs LinkedIn: au.linkedin.com/in/richardtriggs Arete Executive website: www.areteexecutive.com.au Richard's book on Amazon: areteexecutive.com.au/free-book/

When you can contribute to improving the education and prospects of young people, you can sleep at night knowing that your work is worthwhile. This interview gives us a brief, behind-the-scenes look at the work of an organisation that's doing fantastic work and changing lives at the point where it's most critical. It's a testament to what can happen when a husband and wife start off with a simple, yet powerful idea. Useful Links Australian Indigenous Education Foundation website: aief.com.au/ Andrew Penfold AM on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/andrewpenfoldam/ Richard Triggs LinkedIn: au.linkedin.com/in/richardtriggs Arete Executive website: www.areteexecutive.com.au Richard's book on Amazon: areteexecutive.com.au/free-book/

Useful Links Omnii website: omnii.com.au/ Peter Glodic on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/peter-glodic-3625101/ Richard Triggs LinkedIn: au.linkedin.com/in/richardtriggs Arete Executive website: www.areteexecutive.com.au Richard's book on Amazon: areteexecutive.com.au/free-book/

Engineering workshops have come a long way in the past 30 years. With the advent of computer-aided design (CAD), laser cutting and CNC folding, much of what used to be noisy and dirty work is now done by machines that wouldn't look out of place in a hospital. My guest on the podcast this week is Douglas Dart, Director of GCI Group, a fabrication business started by his father 18 years ago. What started as a retirement project for his father is now a thriving enterprise, employing over 120 staff. Douglas says it's the type of business that normally wouldn't have made it past the business planning stage but, because there was no business plan it's been able to succeed on its own terms. Useful Links GCI Group Australia website: gcigroup.com.au/ Douglas Dart on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/douglas-dart-3a207814/ Richard Triggs LinkedIn: au.linkedin.com/in/richardtriggs Arete Executive website: www.areteexecutive.com.au Richard's book on Amazon: areteexecutive.com.au/free-book/

While most industries have embraced digital innovations over the past 30 years or so, few people probably appreciate the enthusiasm with which the energy and resources sector have done so in that time. With infrastructure downtime costing hundreds of thousands of dollars per hour, and optimisations returning millions of dollars in bottom-line profit, ignoring digital trends is not an option for any serious players in the sector. But in order for organisations to be ‘on-trend' they have to work with other organisations that are already ahead of the curve. I interviewed the Managing Director of one such firm on the podcast this week; Nick Bamford, from SRO Technology. Nick described how the business takes customers from a breakdown support situation, through to ongoing preventive maintenance programs, then to optimisation programs by making use of the vast amounts of data collected on sites. It's a formula that's proving successful, and has seen the business grow from five million dollars revenue to $20 million in a few short years, including revenues from a recent acquisition. It's an interesting interview, including Nick's own international globetrotting back story. Useful Links SRO Technology website: srotechnology.com Nick Bamford on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/njbamford/ Richard Triggs LinkedIn: au.linkedin.com/in/richardtriggs Arete Executive website: www.areteexecutive.com.au Richard's book on Amazon: areteexecutive.com.au/free-book/

Open discussion about mental health issues has lost a lot of the stigma it used to have in years gone by. But one aspect of mental health that we don't hear a lot about is the impact on children growing up with parents struggling with mental health issues, diagnosed or otherwise. Luckily we have organisations such as Kookaburra Kids to cater for the needs of these children. I spoke to board chair Patricia Reid and board director Lee Knight on the podcast and found out about the fantastic work they are doing with their team of paid and volunteer staff throughout Australia. While they shared some disturbing statistics, such as 23% of Australian children living in families impacted by mental illness, amounting to 644,000 children in the 8-18 age group alone, they also gave good cause for an optimistic outlook, sharing the strategies and programs they are implementing throughout the country. It was an uplifting discussion and gave a lot of food for thought about the unsung heroes who are working behind the scenes helping the next generation become more resilient. Useful Links Kookaburra Kids website: https://kookaburrakids.org.au/ Lee Knight: kookaburrakids.org.au/about/governance-board-of-directors/ Patricia Reid on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/patricia-reid-par88/ Richard Triggs LinkedIn: au.linkedin.com/in/richardtriggs Arete Executive website: www.areteexecutive.com.au Richard's book on Amazon: areteexecutive.com.au/free-book/

Opera Queensland website: www.oq.com.au/ Patrick Nolan on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/patrickjgnolan/ Richard Triggs LinkedIn: au.linkedin.com/in/richardtriggs Arete Executive website: www.areteexecutive.com.au Richard's book on Amazon: areteexecutive.com.au/free-book/

While advances in technology should theoretically make things simpler, the reality is that it actually makes things more complex. Luckily though, we've got people like Phil Shipley who can make sense of out of complexity. Phil and his wife own two businesses, CompliantERP and Cerpass Software, specialising in IT and SAP security and compliance business management applications. While that may seem like a dry subject to most of us, Phil is anything but. He joined me on the podcast and shared his journey, from being recruited while he was still at university, moving to and working in the UK, and how he and his wife built their reputations to the point that starting their own consulting and software businesses. About Phil With over 23 years of combined IT and SAP Security experience, Phil Shipley specialises in helping SAP customers in Government, Mining, Pharmaceuticals, Petroleum, FMCG and Utility industries to secure transactions, tighten processes and prepare for higher compliance. . Compliant ERP website: complianterp.com/ Phil Shipley on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/philshipleycomplianterp/ Richard Triggs LinkedIn: au.linkedin.com/in/richardtriggs Arete Executive website: www.areteexecutive.com.au Richard's book on Amazon: areteexecutive.com.au/free-book/

Brand Energy & Infrastructure Services website: beis.com/ Tom Herok on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tom-herok-98468113/ Richard Triggs LinkedIn: au.linkedin.com/in/richardtriggs Arete Executive website: www.areteexecutive.com.au Richard's book on Amazon: areteexecutive.com.au/free-book/

Few executives get through their career without having to tackle change management on multiple occasions, but few people thrive at it quite like my guest on the podcast this week, Barton Green. Barton is the current CEO of The Committee for Brisbane, a not-for-profit established in 1958 as the Brisbane Development Association, with a mandate to represent business in all matters relating to make Brisbane and Southeast Queensland a vibrant place to live and do business. Brought in to restructure the association three years ago, Green has done just that, growing the membership base from 95 to 230, and expanding the base to include other stakeholder organisations as affiliate members. Though the restructure was completed within 18 months, as a proud Brisbane boy, Barton has elected to stay on to continue his work to make Brisbane the world's most livable city. With the population in the region expected to double in size in the next twenty years, that will be no mean feat. Our chat covers so much more of Barton's career than just the last three years though. Find out how he became the youngest union leader in Queensland at 27, his 10 years at the helm of Keep Australia Beautiful and his role as a drummer in the Filberts, an ex-journo band that he co-founded in the 1980s. Committee for Brisbane website: committeeforbrisbane.org.au Barton Green on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/barton-green-843a6314/ Richard Triggs LinkedIn: au.linkedin.com/in/richardtriggs Arete Executive website: www.areteexecutive.com.au Richard's book on Amazon: areteexecutive.com.au/free-book/

What do you do when a promising professional sporting career with the Sydney Roosters in the National Rugby League is cut short by injury? For Thursday Island born, Jack Reis, it meant an unexpected diversion to studying business and finance, a diversion that ultimately led to him co-founding Baidam, a Cyber Security Consultancy in Brisbane, four years ago. Pivotal in Jack's decision to start the business, was his experience as a branch manager for Commonwealth Bank and a seven-year stint at Indigenous Business Australia, a Federal Government body tasked with helping indigenous citizens with business startups, home loans and investment support. Jack explains in our podcast interview that he and his business partner bootstrapped the business, working out of the coffee shop at the Hilton for 18 months, before they could afford a dedicated office in the Brisbane CBD. He also explains the strategic yet mission-based choice of cyber security for the business, and the unique opportunities and pathways it's now providing for young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. If you like stories of businesses doing good, listen in on my chat with Jack. Baidam Solutions Website - http://www.baidam.com.au/ Jack Reis on LinkedIn - www.linkedin.com/in/jack-reis-446ab1102/ Richard Triggs on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/richardtriggs/ Arete Website: www.areteexecutive.com.au/

How many people do you know who can be in the same job for 17 years and still feel like they are 'living the dream'? Mitchell Giles was the CEO of the Alcohol and Drug Foundation of Queensland (ADFQ), before it merged with the Gold Coast Drug Council in 2012 to become Lives Lived Well, and he's remained CEO since then. If compassion were a blood type you could be certain that Mitchell has it running through his veins. After the obligatory career experimentation upon leaving school, which included a failed attempt to get in the air force because, he could "basically only see in black and white," he settled on nursing, way back when male nurses aren't so common as they are today. A posting in a drug and alcohol unit at a not-for-profit hospital became the start of a long career, rising to the role of Nursing Manager, but when the hospital was privatised, Mitchell soon realised that he had a distinct preference for the not-for-profit environment and made the switch to community nursing. His passion for his work and his part-time studies for a Masters of Health bore fruit when he was tapped on the shoulder to take on the CEO role at the ADFQ. Starting with 40 people, and with a handful of mergers along the way, he's since grown the organisation to over 500 staff, providing drug and alcohol support as well as mental health and gambling support, throughout Queensland and in rural New South Wales. Useful Links Lives Lived Well Website - https://www.liveslivedwell.org.au/ Mitchell Giles on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mitchell-giles-84baa318/ Richard Triggs on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/richardtriggs/ Arete Website: www.areteexecutive.com.au/

The mining and resources sector often gets a bad rap when it comes to environmental credentials, but what most people don't realise is that mining is actually critical for many of the emerging technologies that environmentalists are urging us to switch to. Glass for solar panels, for example, doesn't grow on trees. It relies on high-quality silica sands, such as those found at Cape Flattery in Far North Queensland. My guest on the podcast this week, Theo Psaros, is the Executive Chairman of ASX-listed Metallica Minerals Ltd, who made the strategic decision a few years ago to focus soley on silica mining projects. That decision will bear fruit in the next 2-3 years, when they expect to export their first shipment. Theo explains it's a long and careful process. Apart from the obvious logistical concerns, Metallica have also gone to great lengths to build a strong and respectful relationship with the traditional custodians of the land upon which they are working. It's an episode worth playing close attention to, not just for Theo's interesting back story, which includes 10 years behind the scenes of professional rugby and motor sports, with the Queensland Rugby Union and Porsche Motor Sports, but also for Theo's number one tip for raising capital. That one tip alone could be worth millions to you. You're welcome! Metallica Minerals Website: https://www.metallicaminerals.com.au/ Theo Psaros on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/theo-psaros-gaicd-64653b58/ Richard Triggs on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardtriggs/ Arete Website: https://www.areteexecutive.com.au/

Yaron Lifschitz on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yaron-lifschitz-73683056/#experience CIRCA Website: https://circa.org.au/ Richard Triggs on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardtriggs/ Arete Website: https://www.areteexecutive.com.au/

Brad Welsh on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brad-welsh-a880a449/ Energy Resources Australia Website: http://www.energyres.com.au/ Richard Triggs on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardtriggs/ Arete Executive Website: https://www.areteexecutive.com.au/

IHG Hotels & Resorts Website: https://www.ihgplc.com/en/ Leanne Harwood on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leanne-harwood-0a89892a/ Richard Triggs on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardtriggs/ Arete Website: https://www.areteexecutive.com.au/

Australian Honey Bee Industry Council Website: https://honeybee.org.au/ Richard Triggs on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardtriggs/ Arete Website: https://www.areteexecutive.com.au/

Ben Strong LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-strong/ Ausenco Website: https://www.ausenco.com/ Richard Triggs on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardtriggs/ Arete Website: https://www.areteexecutive.com.au/

Jared Hawkins on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jared-hawkins-02404b86/ ActivTec Website: https://www.activtec.com.au/ Richard Triggs on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardtriggs/ Arete Executive Website: https://www.areteexecutive.com.au/

VET Development Centre Website: https://vdc.edu.au/ Richard Triggs on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardtriggs/ Arete Website: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardtriggs/

Cyrus Allen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cyrusallen/ CapFeather Website: https://www.capfeather.global/ Richard Triggs on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardtriggs/ Arete Executive Website: https://www.areteexecutive.com.au/

It's always nice to speak to a business leader who understands the power of community. Jarrod Stephenson is the GM of CadMac: agricultural machinery specialists with branches in Southern Riverina and North East Victoria. He tells us how his company connects with the local agricultural community to (literally) keep the wheels turning, and how he has overseen change in the business to move its focus away from the bottom line and towards becoming ‘purpose led'. Agtech is certainly an exciting sector. Where previously a firm like CadMac would spend most of their time servicing or repairing machinery, they are now expected to provide innovative tech solutions. He tells us a bit more about ‘precision farming' and how agtech in general is revolutionising the way things are done in the agricultural sector. This provides an interesting challenge… how exactly can people be persuaded to adopt technology in a sector steeped in tradition, with family businesses that go back multiple generations? Listen in to find out how Jarrod has navigated through Covid to deliver a record-breaking 2021 for CadMac, and how he has guided the company through a period of change without forgetting any of its community spirit. Episode Highlights: -The definition of a purpose-led business -How to successfully target family businesses -Innovation in the agricultural space -Why uni life wasn't suitable for Jarrod -How Jarrod made the transition from small to large company -How Jarrod learnt to make change in a bigger organisation -How CadMac rode out Covid when farmers were not spending any money -How CadMac invests in its staff -The difference between being a branch manager and a GM -The growth opportunities in agtech -How agtech is enabling lower chemical use and staff costs -How the disruption to the labour force during Covid affected fruit farming -How to persuade people who don't think they need new technology -Why farming machinery is far easier to operate now than ever before -The national trend of people moving out of the cities -The importance of integrating with local communities Jarrod Stephenson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jarrod-stephenson-81167b63/ Cad Mac Website: https://cad-mac.com.au/ Richard Triggs on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardtriggs/ Arete Website: https://www.areteexecutive.com.au/

Dreamfarm website: https://dreamfarm.com/ Richard Triggs on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardtriggs/ Arete Executive Website: https://www.areteexecutive.com.au/

Natasha Collins on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natasha-collins-752284115/ Rob Collins on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-collins-61a419b0/ Tidal Solutions Website: https://tidalsolutions.com.au/ Richard Triggs on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardtriggs/ Arete Executive Website: https://www.areteexecutive.com.au/

Alan Sparks is a senior executive with Harris Technology, a publicly listed company on the Australian Securities Exchange and is an online retailer of technology products and solutions aimed specifically at SMEs. He has also worked with tech companies like Cybernetic Generator & Behavior Corp., Renewable Power Australia Ltd., BlueAnt Wireless Pty Ltd., Buddy Technologies Limited, Cellnet Group Limited, Belkin International, Philips, etc. He was part of the key management team that led Philips Mobile Phone to profitability within nine months after they posted losses of $2 billion. He has built an extensive portfolio of Chair, Board Member, and advisory positions for various ASX-listed and private companies. In this episode, Alan talks to us about his journey from Johannesburg to Australia, the different roles he played in various companies, and the business culture in different countries. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: Harris Technology is growing at the rate of 200% per annum. Harris Technology has its e-commerce site, which is about 20% of its sales, but the rest of it all comes through websites like Amazon, eBay, etc. Alan has also been a board member of a company called Renewable Power Australia Ltd. It is a power plant generating electricity off the back of a sugar mill in Coomera. He represents a group of investors in Singapore for a company called Gazelle Capital. Allan is also a board member of Pacificomm Group Ltd. It is a trans-Tasman tech distributor operating its biggest businesses in New Zealand and Pacific Islands, dealing with the retailers such as Harvey Norman, Noel Leeming, etc. He also runs his own online company selling products such as a garage door opener connected to your mobile, where you can see or control your garage door from anywhere in the world. He has been running the business for five years. He was born in Johannesburg and grew up there. He graduated in accounting and is a qualified chartered accountant. After graduation, he worked for some time in the finance industry and then picked the computer industry. He left South Africa in 1999 and has worked in countries like Singapore, Hong Kong, China and Australia. Alan says you earn the right to live in Hong Kong. The business language is pretty universal, but it's the nuances that count. And the nuances in China are much more pronounced than they are in the UK and USA. Chinese don't necessarily rely on the contract per se. They rely much more importantly on the relationship. Americans are all about driving the business deal and less about the relationship, whereas the Chinese are much more about the relationship and whether they can trust you or not. The artificial intelligence arena will burgeon in the next couple of years and start to show some real benefit to a greater variety of businesses. A virtual meeting is not the best thing in the world because human contact is still essential to seeing the body language and feeling the vibe, etc. USEFUL LINKS: Alan Sparks on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/alan-sparks-72b469/ Harris Technology Website - https://ht.com.au/ Richard Triggs on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardtriggs/

Michael is the Regional General Manager for Asia, Russia, and Australia for RPMGlobal (aka RPM). RPMGlobal (Runge Pincock Minarco) Holdings Limited operates as a holding company. The company, through its subsidiaries, provides mining software, enterprise mine management, planning, simulation, consulting, and training services. In this episode, Michael discusses his 12-year career path, which included six different jobs, his education, how RPMGlobal grew from a small business to a global corporation, and the changes in RPMGlobal's management that expedited the company's growth. Michael also shared his views on the impact of the pandemic on how the business delivers services and whether or not the change will be permanent. Episode Highlights: Michael was born in Brisbane and grew up there into a coal mining technology family. His parents started a small business that was called Tri-Tronics. The business pioneered a dragline monitoring system that went global. Michael worked for his parents business for 11 years, from 2000-2010. Leica Geosystems acquired his family business in 2003, and then Hexagon acquired Leica Geosystems in 2005. When Michael joined RPMGlobal, it was still a substantially sized business. It was publicly listed in 2008 and had done a number of acquisitions, growing the software side of the business. Still, primarily it was a consulting business and globally had some seriously good engineering solutions. RPMGlobal is a software provider in the mining space, focused on advanced mining. They have a long history of being involved in the industry for over 40 years and currently employing over 400 people. Around 2012, there was a change of management in RPM, which coincided with a change of investor profile, which went from a lot of smaller investors to large institutional investors that brought in the transformation of management. When you've got a very good team underneath you, it's more about validating and setting a good strategy rather than having to get into the day-to-day stuff. RPM have a customer success team working closely with their clients to ensure they are using their software to its best capability. They also have our technical pre-sales teams that will work with people during the engagement, when they're looking at the software and whether it's a good fit for them and the design of the solutions. In 2012 RPM bought around 35 new products to market and invested around $150 million. Sitting in front of people and talking and having interpersonal interaction solves issues quicker than when you're trying to do things via Zoom, Teams or any other virtual mode. Michael Baldwin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-baldwin-6042141/ RPM Global Website: https://www.rpmglobal.com/ Richard Triggs on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardtriggs/ Arete Website: https://www.areteexecutive.com.au/

John Grant on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-grant-023b8313b/ First Wave Cloud Website: https://www.firstwavecloud.com/about-us Richard Triggs on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardtriggs/ Arete Website: https://www.areteexecutive.com.au/

John Wilton on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-wilton-aa61423b/ PSSS Website: https://psssa.com.au/ Nick Barnsdall on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickbarnsdall/ CST Hire Website: https://csthire.com.au/ Richard Triggs on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardtriggs/ Arete Executive Website: https://www.areteexecutive.com.au/

Gavriel Schneider on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-gav-schneider/ Risk 2 Solution Website: https://risk2solution.com/ Richard Triggs on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardtriggs/ Arete Website: https://www.areteexecutive.com.au/

Mushfiq Rahman on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mushfiqtrahman/ Valmec Limited Website: https://www.valmec.com.au/ Richard Triggs on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardtriggs/ Arete Website: https://www.areteexecutive.com.au/

Mark Campbell on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-campbell-69138330/ DBM Vircon Website: https://www.dbmvircon.com/ Richard Triggs LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardtriggs/ Arete Website: https://www.areteexecutive.com.au/

Vard Group Website: https://vardgroup.com.au/ Judah Rowe on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/judah-rowe-b18157197/ Richard Triggs on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardtriggs/ Arete Website: https://www.areteexecutive.com.au/

Educare Website: https://www.educare.net.au/ Richard on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardtriggs/

Greenbox website: https://www.greenbox.com.au/ Connect with Shane on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shanemulholland/ Connect with Richard on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardtriggs/

It’s very hard to sum up the career and life of Terry Aronson… what hasn’t this man done? Starting out in Sydney with his own highly successful construction company, Terry made the decision to go to the US to broaden his horizons. Despite his success in business, the US authorities would only issue him with a green card if he had a skill that was more unique than running a business. Luckily for Terry, he proved himself as an Olympic-standard shooter and beat the two best Olympians in the US! Having established himself in the US, Terry embarked upon an esteemed career in business, the military and not-for-profit sector, and while he was at it, he won 17 national shooting titles. It was truly inspiring to hear of his work coordinating response operations for major disasters across America, and how one of his charities revived a failing school. Terry’s sterling work led to him being assigned a tour of duty in the Pentagon for an almost-unprecedented five years. Now Terry is back home in Australia, keeping himself busy as treasurer of Coorparoo RSL and as a technological innovator with multiple patents. We had a very interesting conversation about Terry’s ambitions to broaden the scope of the RSL to become an even more inclusive organisation, and we also discuss the highlights of his incredible journey in the US. In this episode you will learn: -How Terry started a construction company at 19 and made a success of it -Terry’s grand entrance to the US, where he managed to obtain a green card by becoming an Olympic-standard shooter -How Terry’s military background helped him in business -Why Terry needed to leave Sydney to pursue his dreams -Why Terry thinks that leadership is interchangeable across specialisms and countries -How Terry balanced military service with business -How Terry coped with co-ordinating the first-response operations for hurricanes in San Francisco and Florida -How Terry’s Australian accent helped get him noticed and build rapport -The level of influence of Paul Hogan/Crocodile Dundee in the US -How the death of his uncle inspired him to volunteer in the not-for-profit sector -What made Terry come back to Australia -How Coorparoo RSL serves the wider community beyond ex-servicepeople -What Terry is doing to improve female participation in the RSL -The ethical and moral framework of the military, and how this helps get things done in a civilian context Useful Links: https://www.areteexecutive.com.au/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardtriggs/

We’ve got a real all-rounder on the latest Arete podcast. Mark Edmonds is currently a business mentor with MRE Consulting and the part-owner of the Ocean Grove Chalet motel, with the most incredible range of senior-management experience outside of his current ventures. He’s chaired numerous boards across different sectors, he’s worked as a national sales manager, and he even landed a senior-management job because a client was so impressed with what he recommended them as a consultant. Mark keeps going back to the importance of listening. He has an interesting take on the difference between mentorship and coaching in business, and by the way, he also helped rewrite the Marine & Coastal Act for Victoria! See what we mean about him being an all-rounder? This guy is well worth listening to - you’re bound to learn something from Mark. Episode Highlights: -The different definitions of “business coach”, “mentor” and “business consultant” -Mark’s battle to uphold family values after a corporate takeover -Management by “chaos theory” -The difference between making big calls as a manager and making them as a consultant -How Mark had an incredible senior management career but only ever applied for one job -Mark’s take on not-for-profit governance -The importance of networking -How Mark fell into opening a motel -Why it’s important to get to know your best customers Find Mark on Linkedin: https://au.linkedin.com/in/markedmondsconsulting Richard Triggs on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardtriggs/ Arete website: https://www.areteexecutive.com.au/

John Perry has gone through everything you could imagine on his executive journey. He’s been a CEO in a high-pressured corporate environment and he’s built up his own SME from scratch. It was interesting to hear why he decided to start up on his own having been so successful in larger organisations. Nowadays he is Managing Director/Founder of Conquest Capital and is very keen to keep the business small and tight-knit, but he still vividly remembers the days when he had to take the reins as CEO of Macquarie Bank Retirement Villages Group Fund. With 30 years of investment-banking experience, he is an expert in raising capital for businesses looking to grow and he is also expert in advising businesses who are looking to exit. He certainly knows his way around M&A and understanding financials, but he is also refreshingly insightful about the human meaning behind the numbers. This is one not to be missed! In this episode you will learn: -How the Domesday Book influenced John -Why naming a business after yourself might be a bad idea -How John was inspired by his father’s sacrifices -How John fell into M&A -The pros and cons of social profiling in recruitment -An insight into investment banking -How John got through the financial crisis and refinanced at short notice -Why different CEOs are needed for different phases of growth -What made John turn his back on big corporates and go out on his own -How John wants to grow his business without disrupting the tight company culture -How John “got his thinking straight” thanks to The Champions’ Forum Useful Links: John on Linkedin: https://au.linkedin.com/in/john-perry-58313621 John’s website: conquestcapitalgroup.com.au Richard on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardtriggs/

What an enthusiastic and innovative guy we have on the show this week. Mick Carter is the CEO of Beyond Clarity: a company that provides ambitious and unique technology solutions across Australia. In Mick’s words “we help the world become a bit greener and a bit safer”. Mick shared a load of interesting stories about the products he has brought to market down the years, including a concept to turn air into water! Just as interesting is Mick’s own psychological journey. He has some great tips on how to develop the right mindset to consistently push boundaries and succeed. In this episode you will learn: -The good and bad of throwing away a safe corporate job and going it alone -What motivated Mick to become a CEO -The healthy mindset for business -Some of the incredible technology Mick has worked with -Fatigue technology for driving -Emerging markets -Sustainability in Australia -How to understand how carbon emissions are affecting your business -How Mick juggles his time and headspace between so many different innovations -The importance of data integration platforms Extra Resources: -Mick Carter on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-carter1

Stijn Koppers on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stijn-koppers/# Richard Triggs on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardtriggs/

Tony Eyres on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tonyeyres/ Rounding Up Website: https://rounding-up.com/ Richard Triggs on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardtriggs/

Jeanette Jifkins on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeanettejifkins/ Richard Triggs on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardtriggs/

In this episode I talk to Glenn Shepherd: a highly successful exec who tells the story of how he managed to become the top dog of a company who weren’t even advertising the role, in an industry he had no knowledge of whatsoever. Glenn is currently CEO of National 360, a fast-growing allied health services provider (formerly known as National Occupational Therapy). When Glenn started they had 60 therapists, mainly in Victoria, but now they’ve expanded across most of the country to 180+ therapists. Previously Glenn held CFO roles at Camp Australia (where he helped build up the business to be sold for $400m), Sushi Sushi and Melbourne Storm. We get a great insight into how the CFO journey prepared him to be a CEO, and how he expertly played the hidden job market to advance his career. In this episode you will learn: -How to balance operational delivery with strategic foresight -The challenges of induction programs in COVID times -How Glenn built good working relationships with people who were after his job -CEO recruitment being done remotely -The relationship between CEO, CFO and ownership -Building up a business for sale -How to upskill from CFO to CEO -How to get a handle on an industry you are not expert in -The importance of the hidden job market -How Glenn adjusted the business to survive during COVID -How to bring disparate teams together -Rockefeller habits -Glenn's life changing experience in the Champions' Forum Extra Resources: Find Glenn on Linkedin: https://au.linkedin.com/public-profile/in/glenn-shepherd-b200322a For a free copy of Richard Triggs’ best-selling book, Uncover the Hidden Job Market, go to: http://www.uncoverthehiddenjobmarket.com

This week’s Arete podcast really demonstrates the value of a CEO with an open mind. The CEO in question is Leanne Williams from West Gippsland Libraries in Victoria. She tells us how she delivered growth in a sector that faces more and more competition by the day, and how COVID has proven the worth of the change in company culture she pushed to deliver. Leanne credits her resilience to her upbringing on the family farm. Despite her parents’ disapproval, Leanne was so determined to have a horse that she got one from a neighbour and arrived home with it one day… at the age of eight! Even at such a young age, Leanne took responsibility and looked after it dutifully. This ability to roll her sleeves up helped her journey through a professional life of auditing and accountancy, before eventually ending up where she is today. It was nice to talk to someone who combines great tenacity with such lateral thinking. In this episode you will learn: -How libraries have grown during COVID -The very first 24/7 library -How Leanne charted her course to become a CEO -How libraries can grow despite the competition -Leanne’s “Kodak moment” where she realised libraries are in the business of people rather than the business of books -How Leanne grew as a professional thanks to her board of directors -How having a big turnover of board members can still avail success -How Leanne oversaw a change in culture, moving from local government vehicle towards not-for-profit -Why CEOs should sit on other boards -The importance of value alignment -How Leanne partners with other organisations to deliver services -Gender diversity in the boardroom Extra Resources: Leanne on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leanne-williams-06720765/ Richard Triggs on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardtriggs/

Simone Dowding on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/simone-dowding/ Richard Triggs on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardtriggs/ For a free copy of Richard Triggs’ best-selling book, Uncover the Hidden Job Market, go to: http://www.uncoverthehiddenjobmarket.com

Dennis Cronje on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/denniscronje/ InMode website: https://www.inmode.com.au/ Richard Triggs on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardtriggs/ For a free copy of Richard Triggs’ best-selling book, Uncover the Hidden Job Market, go to: http://www.uncoverthehiddenjobmarket.com

Useful Links: Sean Simmons on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sean-simmons-profile/ Richard Triggs on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardtriggs/