The Company Road Podcast

Send us a text“I believe that everyone is a CEO of culture. Every interaction is either a deposit or withdrawal from culture. You can have the most amazing culture within the team, and you can put someone in there that doesn't do the right thing and doesn't treat people in the right way. And if they're in a leadership position, the shadow they leave is even bigger.” — Beth HallIn this episode, you'll hear about:Why culture isn't something you can “initiative” your way out ofThe impact of incivility versus workload on burnoutWhat emotional intelligence has to do with team performanceCultural “fit” versus cultural “add”How generational expectations are reshaping what is tolerated at workThe power of onboarding and moments that matterStartup culture: speed, messiness and who thrives in itThe role of trust in hybrid workWhy feedback cultures matter and how to make hard conversations easierWhat leaders should actually look for in their people dataKey linksBeth's consultancy: www.culturedge.comBeth Hall on LinkedInDaniel Goleman's book on Emotional IntelligenceMichael Leiter's research on burnout and incivilityJim Collins' concept of “freedom within a framework”Saville Wave psychometric testNetflix's public culture deckAbout our guest Beth Hall is a highly regarded leader in People and Culture, with over 15 years of experience in shaping high-performing cultures across diverse industries. Holding a Master's in Organisational Psychology from the University of London, Beth combines scientific evidence with lived experience, making her a trusted advisor to complex, dynamic organisations. Her career includes roles such as Global Head of Organisational Development at Cotton On Group, where she led transformational initiatives across a global workforce, and General Manager of Standards and Capability at AHRI, where she set the national benchmark for HR standards and Certification in Australia. Beth's deep understanding of the people experience at work enables her to design and implement strategies that enable high performing individuals, teams, and cultures. Beth's approach is grounded in the belief that sustainable, inclusive cultures are the foundation of business success.About our hostOur host, Chris Hudson, is an Intrapreneuship Coach, Teacher, Experience Designer and Founder of business transformation coaching and consultancy Company Road.Company Road was founded by Chris Hudson, who saw over-niching and specialisation within corporates as a significant barrier to change.Chris considers himself incredibly fortunate to have worked with some of the world's most ambitious and successful companies, including Google, Mercedes-Benz, Accenture (Fjord) and Dulux, to name a small few. He continues to teach with University of Melbourne in Innovation, and Academy Xi in CX, Product Management, Design Thinking and Service Design and mentors many business leadFor weekly updates and to hear about the latest episodes, please subscribe to The Company Road Podcast at https://companyroad.co/podcast/

Send us a text"People are using AI Tools whether they're being allowed to or not. More and more of large organisations' ways of working are starting to operate out of these things organically."Ben Le RalphListen to the full episode for an in-depth look at how AI is changing the way teams work and why strategy may soon become the next big challenge in the age of AI.In this episode, you'll hear about:What Ben means by the “strategy execution gap”Why AI adoption is messy, fragmented, and very realThe comparison between AI and Excel in organisational usageHow teams are using AI tools unofficially to move fasterThe personal vs organisational use of AI - what's working and what's notThe shift from AI hype to quiet productivityWhy grey user insight can still be usefulThe risks (and benefits) of AI hallucinationsWhy AI won't replace jobs - but will shift how we workHow delivery bottlenecks are giving way to deeper strategy workThe future of AI as a practical, democratic tool for decision-makingThe emerging value of strategy work in the wake of AI adoptionHow AI is revealing deeper patterns that drive decision-making, even if not perfectly accurateKey linksAI for Busy PeopleMeet & Gather B Corp CertificationBen Le Ralph's TikTokBen Le Ralph's LinkedIn About our guest Ben Le Ralph is the founder of AI For Busy People and runs a small co-working space in Richmond called Meet and Gather.Over the past 15 years, he has helped small teams, often within larger organisations, to achieve big things.He specialises in supporting business owners and team leaders to align their teams on the right strategy and implement practical systems that supercharge delivery. Ben is passionate about helping teams work smarter and build things that actually move the needle and make an impact.Before launching AI For Busy People, Ben co-founded and scaled a B-Corp certified consultancy, growing it to a team of 15+ and $6 million in revenue. His company partnered with some of Australia's most recognisable organisations and government departments to help them rethink how they tackle complex social challenges.About our hostOur host, Chris Hudson, is an Intrapreneuship Coach, Teacher, Experience Designer and Founder of business transformation coaching and consultancy Company Road.Company Road was founded by Chris Hudson, who saw over-niching and specialisation within corporates as a significant barrier to change.Chris considers himself incredibly fortunate to have worked with some of the world's most ambitious and successful companies, including Google, Mercedes-Benz, Accenture (Fjord) and Dulux, to name a small few. He continues to teach with University of Melbourne in Innovation, and Academy Xi in CX, Product Management, Design Thinking and Service Design and mentors many business leaders internationally.For weekly updates and to hear about the latest episodes, please subscribe to The Company Road Podcast at https://companyroad.co/podcast/

Send us a text“It's not that you are not creative, you just haven't worked a little more on developing your capacity. We can all be creative.”  Dr. Maria CamachoDr. Maria Camacho is a global leader in design thinking and innovation. With over 30 years of experience across academia, consulting, and industry, she has helped shape the way organisations think about creativity and collaboration.In this episode, Maria talks about how design thinking can help people and companies navigate uncertainty.In this episode, you'll hear about:Why Design Thinking matters now more than everHow creative resilience is built through practiceThe emotional highs and lows of the innovation processWhy organisations still struggle to value designTips to support introverts and quieter voices in ideationHow to run a “dark horse” prototype that uncovers unexpected solutionsThe role of play and experimentation at workHelping teams fall in love with the process, not just the ideaWhen to introduce creativity in education and leadershipWhat it means to make creativity part of everyone's roleKey linksDr. Maria Camacho LinkedInRecommended Book: The Design Thinking Toolbox: A Guide to Mastering the Most Popular and Valuable Innovation Methods (Design Thinking Series)Stanford UniversityFrogSwinburne University of TechnologyAbout our guest Dr. Maria Camacho is a globally recognised expert in design thinking and strategic innovation with over 30 years of experience across academia, industry, and consulting. With a PhD in Design Thinking and a decade-long partnership with Stanford University's flagship programs, Maria has helped shape innovation practices at global companies and institutions, including Frog, the Australian Department of Health and Aged Care, Westpac, Swinburne University, and global European group Sonae.Maria's career spans founding and directing award-winning academic programs, mentoring teams to embrace human-centred approaches, and delivering impactful workshops and keynote speeches around the world. Known for her evidence-based methods, she empowers leaders and teams to tackle complexity with creativity, empathy, and humanity.Today, Maria runs her independent practice as a speaker, corporate trainer, and advisor, inspiring organisations to foster cultures of innovation and collaborative problem-solving.About our hostOur host, Chris Hudson, is an Intrapreneuship Coach, Teacher, Experience Designer and Founder of business transformation coaching and consultancy Company Road.Company Road was founded by Chris Hudson, who saw over-niching and specialisation within corporates as a significant barrier to change.Chris considers himself incredibly fortunate to have worked with some of the world's most ambitious and successful companies, including Google, Mercedes-Benz, Accenture (Fjord) and Dulux, to name a small few. He continues to teach with University of Melbourne in Innovation, and Academy Xi in CX, Product Management, Design Thinking For weekly updates and to hear about the latest episodes, please subscribe to The Company Road Podcast at https://companyroad.co/podcast/

Send us a text"You cannot control how anyone's going to respond to what comes out of your mouth. I think you just have to do it with an open heart and with positive intent and then just let it land. " – Fiona WalshFiona Walsh specialises in guiding people through this kind of deep self-inquiry. She is a mindset coach, change adviser, and host of the Limitless: Unlocking Your True Potential Podcast. With over 20 years of experience, Fiona has helped business leaders and entrepreneurs shift their perspectives and align their careers with their true selves.In this episode, you'll hear about:How self-awareness impacts leadership and career growthThe role of inner critics and how to manage themStrategies to overcome fear of failure and judgementThe importance of mindfulness and breathwork in stress managementHow to navigate difficult workplace conversations with confidenceUnderstanding workplace dynamics and setting boundariesThe power of gratitude and reflection in personal developmentManaging uncertainty in career transitionsThe neuroscience behind stress responses and decision-makingHow leaders can support teams through organisational changeKey linksFiona Walsh's Limitless PodcastWork with FionaFiona Walsh's InstagramFiona Walsh's LinkedInEmail: fiona@fionawalshconsulting.comAbout our guest Fiona Walsh is a mindset coach, change adviser and Podcast Host, who helps entrepreneurs and senior leaders unlock their true potential to create a life of alignment, fulfilment, and expansion. She believes in the power of deep self-discovery to tackle self-doubt and uncover blind spots: when your inner world expands, your external world transforms exponentially.With over 20 years of experience leading and advising on transformational change programs, including digital and culture transformations, customer experience strategy, and coaching high performers worldwide. Fiona brings a unique blend of strategic insight, personal growth expertise, intuition, and a lifelong curiosity about how humans, teams, and organisations evolve and thrive.About our hostOur host, Chris Hudson, is an Intrapreneuship Coach, Teacher, Experience Designer and Founder of business transformation coaching and consultancy Company Road.Company Road was founded by Chris Hudson, who saw over-niching and specialisation within corporates as a significant barrier to change.Chris considers himself incredibly fortunate to have worked with some of the world's most ambitious and successful companies, including Google, Mercedes-Benz, Accenture (Fjord) and Dulux, to name a small few. He continues to teach with University of Melbourne in Innovation, and Academy Xi in CX, Product Management, Design Thinking and Service Design and mentors many business leaders internationally.For weekly updates and to hear about the latest episodes, please subscribe to The Company Road Podcast at https://companyroad.co/podcast/

Send us a text"The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is in that little extra. It's about focusing in on the right things and fixing them...it's more about solutioning in that space."– Dr. Munib KaravdicDr. Munib Karavdic, an award-winning innovation executive, intrapreneur, and CEO of Wave Design. In this episode, Munib shares his journey from pursuing a PhD in E-Commerce in Australia to leading corporate innovation and eventually founding Wave Design. He discusses key turning points in his career, including the moment he shifted focus from technical E-Commerce to innovation and customer experience. He explains how he navigated corporate resistance to change, drove design-led strategies, and influenced leadership to embrace innovation.If you're an intrapreneur looking to make an impact, this episode is packed with insights on how to push boundaries, challenge the status quo, and create meaningful change.In this episode, you'll hear about:The journey from academia to corporate leadership and entrepreneurshipThe challenges of introducing innovation in large organisationsHow small, incremental changes can have a big impactWhy human-centred design is crucial for business growthStrategies for influencing leadership and navigating corporate structuresThe importance of intrapreneurship and how to drive change from withinHow large organisations can work with start-ups effectivelyThe future of corporate innovation and leadership in AustraliaKey linksDr. Munib Karavdic LinkedInWave Design WebsiteMacquarie Bank Website St. George Bank WebsiteAMP Website About our guest Dr Munib Karavdic is an intrapreneur and award-winning innovation executive. He is an expert in design and innovation, helping leaders and organisations drive growth and confidently navigate change.As a senior executive and Conjoint Professor at UNSW, Munib has led award-winning teams, developed customer-centric strategies, and mentored the next generation of innovators. He combines commercial acumen with human-centred design to create transformative strategies, products, and services across industries.With a PhD in e-commerce and a career spanning corporate leadership and academia, Munib is passionate about turning ideas into impactful solutions.About our hostOur host, Chris Hudson, is an Intrapreneuship Coach, Teacher, Experience Designer and Founder of business transformation coaching and consultancy Company Road.Company Road was founded by Chris Hudson, who saw over-niching and specialisation within corporates as a significant barrier to change.Chris considers himself incredibly fortunate to have worked with some of the world's most ambitious and successful companies, including Google, Mercedes-Benz, Accenture (Fjord) and Dulux, to name a small few. He continues to teach with University of Melbourne in Innovation, and Academy Xi in CX, Product Management, Design Thinking and Service Design and mentors many business leaders internationally.For weekly updates and to hear about the latest episodes, please subscribe to The Company Road Podcast at https://companyroad.co/podcast/

Send us a text"I would go so far as to say it went past an adaption and into a reinvention almost. New York is that city that it's a little bit of a trope, but everyone goes there to reinvent themselves in a way... That's petrifying, but also incredibly freeing, because you can start to rebuild the person that you really want to be at that stage in your life."  – Alanna LynchIn this episode, you'll hear about:Alanna's journey from Sydney to New York and back to AustraliaThe challenges of adapting to a new culture and leadership styleWorkplace relationships and how to set boundaries as a leaderThe balance between confidence and humility in leadershipWhy trust is the foundation of effective leadershipThe risks and rewards of reinvention in your careerThe importance of curiosity and stepping outside your comfort zoneHow to test ideas and make career decisions with a "fail fast, fail often" mindsetLeadership lessons from creative agencies, media, and the art worldPractical strategies for managing workplace dynamics and career growthKey linksAlanna Lynch LinkedIn Melior Futuri Website Melior Futuri by Alanna Lynch Instagram Melior Musings Substack Alanna's article on Strategic Friendships at WorkArtnet Website The New York Times Website About our guest Alanna Lynch is an executive coach and business advisor with over 15 years of experience in unlocking human potential to influence change and drive sustainable growth in creatively driven businesses.Alanna began her career in advertising in Sydney before moving to New York City, where she held senior leadership roles at some of the world's most influential creative agencies, media companies, and art platforms.Before founding MELIOR FUTURI, Alanna was the COO of Artnet, a publicly traded fine art marketplace and newsroom, where she led the strategic transformation of the global operation and drove record growth in its media business. She has also served as CEO of The New York Times Experience Agency and interim CEO of their Social Storytelling Agency, overseeing a successful merger of the two. Previously, she was Managing Director of Chandelier, a renowned New York creative agency known for its work with luxury fashion and lifestyle brands.About our hostOur host, Chris Hudson, is an Intrapreneurship Coach and Founder of business transformation coaching and consultancy Company Road.Company Road was founded by Chris Hudson, who saw over-niching and specialisation within corporates as a significant barrier to change.Chris considers himself incredibly fortunate to have worked with some of the world's most ambitious and successful companies, including Google, Mercedes-Benz, Accenture (Fjord) and Dulux, to name a small few. For weekly updates and to hear about the latest episodes, please subscribe to The Company Road Podcast at https://companyroad.co/podcast/

Send us a textShow Notes"I think one of the main skills that an intrapreneur needs is diplomacy. You need to be able to manage upwards, downwards, sideways. You need to get people's buy-in, engage them in your ideas rather than ramming them down their throats." - Kate ToonKate Toon, an award-winning entrepreneur, author, and digital marketing expert, joins us for an insightful discussion. From her humble backyard shed, Kate has built a thriving business universe, empowering thousands through her educational platforms and marketing expertise.In this episode, Kate shares the valuable lessons learned during her transition from intrapreneur to entrepreneur. She discusses the importance of adaptability, creativity, and the relentless pursuit of a vision.In this episode, you'll hear about:The key differences between entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs.How adaptability and creativity drive success in both roles.The importance of persistence over passion in achieving goals.Why diplomacy and confidence are essential in corporate environments.Lessons from Kate's journey balancing business and parenting.Strategies for managing multiple roles and staying focused.Creating environments that foster creativity and autonomy.Recognising and harnessing the skills of intrapreneurs.Key linksKate Toon's WebsiteKate Toon's LinkedInBooks by Kate Toon: Six Figures in School Hours, Six Figures While You Sleep, The Confessions of a Misfit EntrepreneurThe Clever Copywriting School's WebsiteThe Digital Marketing Collective's WebsiteAbout our guest From her humble backyard shed, Kate Toon has masterminded an ambitious business universe, empowering thousands through her digital marketing and business expertise.She's the author of "Six Figures in School Hours," a testament to balancing a thriving business while being a dedicated parent. And she has recently released her latest book “Six Figures While you Sleep” - which I can highly recommend to anyone that has their own business and is looking to grow it.Her accolades include being voted Australia's Most Influential Small Businesswoman 2022 and winning Businesswoman of the Year 2020.About our hostOur host, Chris Hudson, is a Teacher, Experience Designer and Founder of business transformation coaching and consultancy Company Road.Company Road was founded by Chris Hudson, who saw over-niching and specialisation within corporates as a significant barrier to change.Chris considers himself incredibly fortunate to have worked with some of the world's most ambitious and successful companies, including Google, Mercedes-Benz, Accenture (Fjord) and Dulux, to name a small few. He continues to teach with University of Melbourne in Innovation, and Academy Xi in CX, Product Management, Design Thinking and Service Design and mentors many business leaders inFor weekly updates and to hear about the latest episodes, please subscribe to The Company Road Podcast at https://companyroad.co/podcast/

Send us a text“The Elements Kit is about 'Who am I?' and 'What next?'. What choices can I make for a really fulfilled and aligned life? Bringing all those components into balance.” - Lisa JohnsonLisa Johnson, an experienced designer with expertise spanning interior design to service design, joins us to share her journey and her innovative creation, The Elements Kit. With a foundation in systems thinking and human-centred design, Lisa has built a toolkit that aligns personal talents, values, and ambitions, offering a unique path to creative self-actualisation.Lisa discusses the origins of The Elements Kit, which started as a thesis project and evolved into a powerful tool for individuals and teams. She explains the concept of archetypes and how they reflect human behaviour in distinct ways. She explores topics such as psychological safety, the gap in traditional psychometric tests, and how teams can use The Elements Kit to uncover untapped potential.Hear about Lisa's offer to work with teams and organisations, providing a holistic approach to enhancing alignment, productivity, and individual fulfilment using The Elements Kit.In this episode, you'll hear about:The origins of the Elements Kit as a thesis project.Why traditional psychometric tools miss the mark on human complexity.The six key elements: expression, connection, leadership, knowledge, navigation, and belief.Archetypes and how they provide a holistic view of human behaviour.How psychological safety enables creativity and team collaboration.Balancing light and shadow sides of archetypes for personal growth.Insights into team dynamics and the importance of valuing individuality.The role of self-reflection in navigating life and career.Applications of the Elements Kit across different age groups, from children to seniors.How the kit enables organisations to align team values with company culture.Key linksThe Elements Kit WebsiteLisa Johnson on LinkedInAccenture SongAbout our guest As an experienced design consultant and mentor, Lisa has a deep understanding of the delivery of creative projects from research and discovery through to design, production and implementation, and decades of experience mentoring others in human-centred design.With broad agency and client-side experience across UX, CX, EX and Service Design, Lisa is skilled at collaborating, co-ordinating and leading diverse stakeholder and consultant teams. Lisa has a particular strength in strategic visual thinking and narrative.About our hostOur host, Chris Hudson, is a Teacher, Experience Designer and Founder of business transformation coaching and consultancy Company Road.Company Road was founded by Chris Hudson, who saw over-niching and specialisation within corporates as a significant barrier to change.Chris considers himself incredibly fortunate to have worked with some of the world's most ambitious and successful companies, including Google, Mercedes-Benz, Accenture (Fjord) and Dulux, to name a small few. He continues to teach with University of Melbourne in Innovation, and Academy Xi in CX, Product Management, Design Thinking and Service Design and mentors many business leaders internationally.For weekly updates and to hear about the latest episodes, please subscribe to The Company Road Podcast at https://companyroad.co/podcast/

Send us a text"We know that authentic content is what comes through. We know storytelling is so important. So I actually help businesses bring it back in-house if they felt like they were very over-reliant on external factors. No one knows us, our customer, and our business better than we do." – Kim JamesIn this episode, you'll hear about:How platforms like Facebook and TikTok have changed over the years and the strategies that work today.Why authenticity and understanding customer behaviour are central to impactful marketing.The shift towards businesses managing their own social media and the benefits of in-house teams.Kim's personal journey, including the risks she took and the lessons she learned about growth and purpose.The importance of building a personal brand for future-proofing your career and opening new opportunities.How to use AI tools to create content more efficiently without losing authenticity.Key linksKim James on LinkedInCareer Girl Diaries on TikTokCareer Girl Diaries on InstagramHootsuiteAbout our guest Kim's candid stories and down-to-earth advice will make you laugh, think, and maybe even dream bigger.With a decade of experience in content and digital marketing, Kim helps organisations launch and scale their marketing strategies, campaigns, and products.Her approach integrates insights and a passion for consumer behaviour with human psychology to create industry-leading content strategies and funnels that can be applied to all industries.About our hostOur host, Chris Hudson, is a Teacher, Experience Designer and Founder of business transformation coaching and consultancy Company Road.Chris considers himself incredibly fortunate to have worked with some of the world's most ambitious and successful companies, including Google, Mercedes-Benz, Accenture (Fjord) and Dulux, to name a small few. He continues to teach with University of Melbourne in Innovation, and Academy Xi in CX, Product Management, Design Thinking and Service Design and mentors many business leaders internationally.For weekly updates and to hear about the latest episodes, please subscribe to The Company Road Podcast at https://companyroad.co/podcast/

Send us a textAni Møller, founder of Ani Møller Coaching, discusses the growing awareness of neurodivergence in the workplace. Ani shares her deeply personal journey of being diagnosed with autism and ADHD at the age of 41, which reshaped her understanding of past challenges and led her to a new purpose: helping neurodivergent professionals own their identities, navigate their careers, and thrive both personally and professionally.In this episode, you'll hear about:Ani's personal journey and discovery of being autistic and ADHD in her 40s.Challenges neurodivergent professionals face, from burnout to workplace stigma.How coaching helps individuals leverage their strengths and navigate executive dysfunction.Practical strategies for leaders to support neurodivergent team members.The role of universal accommodations in fostering inclusive workplaces.Misconceptions about neurodivergence and how to combat them.The importance of neuro-affirming workplace cultures.Tips for creating safety and thriving environments for all team members.Disclosure of neurodivergence and the factors individuals should consider.Key linksAni Møller  WebsiteAni Møller LinkedinThe Digital Picnic WebsiteAbout our guest Ani Møller (they/she) is a Business Transformation Consultant and Neurodivergent Coach based in Melbourne, Australia. They have worked on transformational programs of work for Myer, Jetstar, Qantas, University of Canberra, ActewAGL, Tourism New Zealand, and Māori Television.Ani was an executive director running a digital agency and consulting to corporate Australia they found out they were Autistic and ADHD in their 40s. After their diagnosis they studied to be an ADHD Life Coach. Ani now provides a strengths-based coaching practice to neurodivergent people from all walks of life, to help build neuro-affirming lives and workplaces.They help people work through the change that comes with wanting a better life for themselves, both professionally and personally. Ani's led projects, departments and companies and now helps other neurodivergent people learn how to navigate corporate life and transform their lives.About our hostOur host, Chris Hudson, is a Teacher, Experience Designer and Founder of business transformation coaching and consultancy Company Road.Company Road was founded by Chris Hudson, who saw over-niching and specialisation within corporates as a significant barrier to change.Chris considers himself incredibly fortunate to have worked with some of the world's most ambitious and successful companies, including Google, Mercedes-Benz, Accenture (Fjord) and Dulux, to name a small few. He continues to teach with University of Melbourne in Innovation, and Academy Xi in CX, Product Management, Design Thinking and Service Design and mentors many business leaders internationally.For weekly updates and to hear about the latest episodes, please subscribe to The Company Road Podcast at https://companyroad.co/podcast/

Send us a text“Listening upfront is the most critical thing. You need to listen to the people that you're engaging with to be able to understand where they're coming from, what's the emotion behind the question or the challenge that they have in front of them and then ultimately thinking about it too and asking those questions around, what is the outcome that they're after? Because often when the challenge is in front of you, the outcome that they're trying to achieve, the two don't align.” - Heath GledhillSue Stewart and Heath Gledhill are leaders with over two decades of experience in organisational transformation. They bring a unique approach that integrates communication, design, and trust-building to drive impactful changes.In this episode, you'll hear about:The importance of building trust and open communication for changeUsing design thinking to address complex organisational challengesHow to foster a culture of listening and empathy in project settingsThe role of strategic questioning in achieving impactful outcomesHow to overcome constraints and adapt to evolving client needsKey linksHeath Gledhill LinkedInSue Stewart LinkedInAurecon Design Academy at RMIT UniversityMyers Briggs Personality Profiling E50 – Rachel Zhang and David BradfordAbout our guest Sue Stewart is a seasoned strategist and change management expert with extensive global experience in design, professional services and government sectors. Over her career, she has successfully led transformative projects across America, Europe, the Middle East and Asia Pacific, specialising in strategy development, business growth, cultural transformation and market expansion.Sue is known as an out-of-the-box thinker with the ability to see and leverage connections across an ecosystem. With advanced expertise in communication, design thinking and leadership, she has presented and lectured on a range of topics including strategy, design, strategic communications, change management and organisational culture. Sue holds a Master of Arts in Communications, Honours in research and is accredited in Prosci and MBTI, positioning her as a trusted coach and leader in guiding organisations through sustained continuous improvement and innovation.Heath Gledhill, is a passionate integrated strategist committed to unlocking hidden value, overcoming financial and operational challenges, and driving evocative yet practical solutions, Heath draws on his qualifications in both design, management and business, to drive successful teams, businesses and project solutions.With over 20 years of professional experience, his transformational leadership to complex urban infrastructure projects and programs makes him widely sort after globally. A Committed advocate to cross industry borders, he is an active voice, driving a greater awareness of the need for better planning and integration of disciplines from the outset. A Fellow, Board Director and past Chapter President + Executive member of the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects, he brings experience from both the public and privateFor weekly updates and to hear about the latest episodes, please subscribe to The Company Road Podcast at https://companyroad.co/podcast/

Send us a text"Imposter syndrome is not conquered by achievements. The more achievements that you have, sometimes it can disconnect you more from your sense of worth. That is why I believe in being so raw and open about my stuff now. Now that I have the privilege to do it." - DeAnna AvisThis week's themeDeAnna Avis' story is not your typical corporate success tale—it's raw, real, and powerfully inspirational. From the glittering stages of strip clubs to the boardrooms of global corporations, DeAnna's transformation is nothing short of jaw-dropping.In this episode, DeAnna takes us through her difficult upbringing, battling mental health struggles, addiction, and homelessness, all while navigating the highs and lows of working as a stripper. But that's only the beginning. Today, she's a global executive, therapist, and coach who helps others thrive through adversity. DeAnna candidly discusses overcoming imposter syndrome, embracing authenticity, and the challenges of staying true to yourself in a world that often judges from the outside. Her insights into personal growth, leadership, and breaking free from self-limiting beliefs are inspiring and deeply relevant for intrapreneurs aiming to create their own success stories.Don't miss this episode—DeAnna's story will shake up everything you think you know about success, resilience, and the power of transformation.In this episode, you'll hear about:The impact of authenticityImposter SyndromeThe significance of seeking supportConcept of schemas—mental patterns that influence behaviour and perceptionsManaging digital distractionPractice of writing "morning pages" for mental clarityNavigating triggers and traumaProactive career developmentThe power of positive foundationsComplexity of identity and diversityKey linksDeAnna Avis LinkedInJulia Cameron's "Morning Pages"Company Road Podcast E40 – Lael StoneAbout our guest DeAnna Avis is a speaker, consultant and coach on thriving through adversity. A former stripper, she climbed the ranks of corporate, taking on global leadership roles and winning multiple awards for her work in customer experience and culture change. She since went on to re-train as a therapist and coach, and uses her experience of adversity to uplift other leaders and entrepreneurs. Her mission is to conquer imposter syndrome through helping other ambitious misfits to embrace their unique brilliance.About our hostOur host, Chris Hudson, is a Teacher, Organisational, Service & Product Designer and Founder of business transformation coaching and consultancy Company Road. Chris helps organisations become more customer-centric, and sets up systems within businesses to motivate teams to deliver against higher value outcomes. Chris considers himself incredibly fortunate to have worked with some of the world's most ambitious and successful companies, including Google, Mercedes-Benz, Accenture (Fjord) and Dulux, to name a small few. He continues to teach with University of Melbourne in Innovation, and Academy Xi in CX, Product Management, Design Thinking and Service Design and mentors many business For weekly updates and to hear about the latest episodes, please subscribe to The Company Road Podcast at https://companyroad.co/podcast/

Send us a text"The consumer, quite honestly, especially the younger generation, is looking for something more than just love me because I'm spending my money, they want to be connected to a brand." - Chris Gillen  This week's themeAs the CEO and co-owner of A Closer Look, Chris brings nearly three decades of expertise from the frontlines of retail and customer service, guiding brands through the labyrinth of CX transformation.Curious about how to leverage these insights to transform your own approach to customer experience? Tune in to hear Chris Gillen share practical strategies and visionary ideas that can help you stay ahead in this dynamic landscape. Don't miss out—listen to the full episode now!In this episode, you'll hear about:Emotive loyalty vs. Transactional loyalty.Impact of COVID-19 and inflation on CXThe role of AI in customer experience.Generational shifts in consumer behaviour.Proactive vs. Reactive customer service.The value of human connection.Proactive leadership in customer experience.Consumer empowerment and expectations.Innovation amid economic challenges.Key linksChris Gillen LinkedInA Closer Look Website A Closer Look Facebook PageA Closer Look  X (Twitter ) PageToys R Us WebsiteTarget Website Burning Mountain Adventures LinkedIn About our guest As CEO and co-owner of A Closer Look, Chris leads the team towards achieving their vision of being the ultimate partner for brands fanatical about the customer experience. He is dedicated to building brand loyalty for clients of all industries by providing robust data about the first-hand experiences of all customers who interact with their brand.Chris's experience in helping businesses iterate and improve their customer experience spans nearly three decades, including various leadership positions in retail companies known for phenomenal brand loyalty. His extensive expertise in leading and managing customer service programs has been instrumental in helping businesses improve their service offerings through the use of technology.About our hostOur host, Chris Hudson, is a Teacher, Experience Designer and Founder of business transformation coaching and consultancy Company Road.Company Road was founded by Chris Hudson, who saw over-niching and specialisation within corporates as a significant barrier to change.Chris considers himself incredibly fortunate to have worked with some of the world's most ambitious and successful companies, including Google, Mercedes-Benz, Accenture (Fjord) and Dulux, to name a small few. He continues to teach with University of Melbourne in Innovation, and Academy Xi in CX, Product Management, Design Thinking and Service Design and mentors many business leaders internationally.For weekly updates and to hear about the latest episodes, please subscribe to The Company Road Podcast at https://companyroad.co/podcast/

Send us a text"Improvisers don't have time to hypothesise about the future of an idea. If you bring me an idea or a brick, I can't consider if it's viable for the rest of the show; I just have to trust that it is and know the process will land us somewhere interesting. In businesses, leaders often assess the future of an idea instantly and may deny it, rather than just saying, 'Yes, and let's build on this idea.' The improviser remembers the past, honours the present, and cares not for the future." - Broni Lisle  This week's themeBroni Lisle, a seasoned improv performer with decades of experience, shares how the art of improvisation can radically reshape the way teams communicate, collaborate, and innovate. Drawing from his work both on stage and in business settings, Broni Lisle reveals how improv helps individuals embrace spontaneity, listen deeply, and create a culture of trust and openness. Tune in to discover how you can apply these game-changing improvisational techniques to your business. Broni's insights are sure to spark creativity and open new doors for your team's success. Listen now!In this episode you'll hear aboutBuilding stronger communication in your teamFostering trust through vulnerability The importance of spontaneity and playfulnessOvercoming your inner critic and embracing innovationThe importance of listening to connect, not to respondRedefining the standard 'Yes, and' to a 'Hell Yeah'Key linksBroni Lisle LinkedInImprov Conspiracy podcastGrowth Factory websiteSpontoon TV on YouTubeAbout our guest Broni has been a professional performing artist and creative for 23 years. A theatre practitioner, writer, actor, songwriter, musician and all the et ceteras in between. Over a career of thousands of stage shows, international and national tours, radio play and countless hours in rehearsal rooms, Broni has distilled his values and passion in the performing arts down to a few things; authenticity, trust, and whimsy. These values dictate the projects and the people worth collaborating on and with.In addition, Broni holds degrees in Theatre and Education and is an expert teacher, director and facilitator of improvisation, theatre and music.Broni works with corporate individuals and teams on becoming better communicators, collaborators and improving their creativity, ultimately creating a happier workplace. About our hostOur host, Chris Hudson, is a Teacher, Experience Designer and Founder of business transformation coaching and consultancy Company Road.Company Road was founded by Chris Hudson, who saw over-niching and specialisation within corporates as a significant barrier to change.Chris considers himself incredibly fortunate to have worked with some of the world's most ambitious and successful companies, including Google, Mercedes-Benz, Accenture (Fjord) and Dulux, to name a small few. He continues to teach with University of Melbourne in Innovation, and Academy Xi in CX, Product Management, Design Thinking and Service Design and mentors many business leaders internationally.For weekly updates and to hear about the latest episodes, please subscribe to The Company Road Podcast at https://companyroad.co/podcast/

Send us a text“Your health is the only thing that's keeping you there, doing your job. ... Your body might not give you that choice. ... You keep running at such a pace and we keep expecting our body to just sustain us, which it does, to a point, but at some point it might decide that's enough and it forces you to stop." - Cailie Ford  This week's themeCailie Ford, a clinical nutritionist with a background in change management, has channelled her passion for food and health into a thriving practice.Don't let the demands of work jeopardise your health. Tune in to this episode and discover how to nourish your body and mind, so you can thrive both at work and in life.In this episode you'll hear aboutCailie's journey from change management to nutrition.Key areas Cailie targets in her wellness programmes.Bad habits in corporate environments and how to address them.Strategies for managing stress through nutrition and lifestyle changes.Easy adjustments for improving nutrition, including managing stress.Balanced breakfasts and intermittent fasting for women.Hydration Tips.Balancing weight loss goals with a busy work life.Physical activity in sedentary jobs.Mindful eating and simplifying nutrition.Key linksCailie Ford's Website Cailie Ford LinkedInCailie Ford Instagram About our guest Cailie is a motivational speaker, clinical nutritionist and accredited change manager.  Cailie works with businesses and across the globe, providing customised workshops and programs to support employees to feel better and achieve more. Workshops and programs focus on the relationship between physical and mental wellbeing and their impact on business performance, working towards a healthier, happier and more engaged workforce. Cailie also runs a busy private practice, specialising in gut health, hormones, sustainable fat loss and women's health across the lifespan.About our hostOur host, Chris Hudson, is a Teacher, Experience Designer and Founder of business transformation coaching and consultancy Company Road.Company Road was founded by Chris Hudson, who saw over-niching and specialisation within corporates as a significant barrier to change.Chris considers himself incredibly fortunate to have worked with some of the world's most ambitious and successful companies, including Google, Mercedes-Benz, Accenture (Fjord) and Dulux, to name a small few. He continues to teach with University of Melbourne in Innovation, and Academy Xi in CX, Product Management, Design Thinking and Service Design and mentors many business leaders internationallyFor weekly updates and to hear about the latest episodes, please subscribe to The Company Road Podcast at https://companyroad.co/podcast/

Send us a text“You just got to put the supports in place and show them why they're doing something and give them a reason for being, rather than just, you know, hey, here's a task. Get that done, and then I'll give your next one. We want stuff at work that feels rewarding and that shows that we are progressing in our work. And that, to be honest, is just being a good manager, being a professional business, showing people their pathways through your company. If you can do that, you'll improve mental health much better than yoga on a Thursday, meditation Monday morning, and some healthy fruit and snacks in the fridge.”  Andy WrightThis week's themeAndy Wright, the visionary CEO of Streamtime and founder of Never Not Creative, who is on a mission to revolutionise the way we think about mental well-being in our work environments.Andy Wright brings a wealth of experience and an innovative mindset to the table, revealing how he's tackled pressing issues like anxiety and depression within the creative sector.Tune in to this episode for actionable insights and inspiring strategies to transform mental health practices in your creative workspace.In this episode you'll hear about:Deciding focus and project attractionEnsuring action and impact in initiativesMental health experiences influencing methodViews on supporting graduates and internshipsDesign of work and its effects on mental healthStrategies for workplace mental health improvementEffective business approaches to mental healthManaging constant change and uncertaintyMethods for creating lasting changeKey linksAndy Wright LinkedIn Never Not Creative Website Creative Mornings where Andy gave a talk on mental healthEverymindAnxious Achiever PodcastStreamtimeInterbrand LandorR/GANever Not Finishing School Allies and Never Not CreativeHBR Article - the concept of the "ideal worker" and its impact on personal identity About our guest Andy is an experienced leader in the creative industry with a successful track record of business growth, and creating award winning innovative brands and products. Andy is the creator of Never Not Creative.Currently, CEO of Streamtime, project management software for the creative industry, Andy previously co-founded creative agency For The People, and worked in leadership positions at Interbrand, Landor and R/GA. Passionate about improving outcomes for emerging talent, mental health and recognising the value of creativity he founded Never Not Creative in 2018.For weekly updates and to hear about the latest episodes, please subscribe to The Company Road Podcast at https://companyroad.co/podcast/

Send us a text“So it's about being able to marry the two, so quant and qual, and to be able to use either one to more deeply explore whatever pattern of behaviour you're trying to unpack...so I think bringing the two together is super powerful.” - Angela BlissThis weekAngela Bliss, a seasoned behavioural scientist and designer, shares her unique insights into how decisions are often made subconsciously, long before we're aware of them. Angela has worked with top-tier companies and government bodies, seamlessly blending behavioural insights with creative execution.In this episode, Angela dives deep into the fascinating world where behavioural science meets data science, exploring how this powerful combination can transform the way organisations approach user experience (UX) research. She reveals how understanding subconscious decision-making can be the key to designing truly impactful products and services. Angela shares insights from her experience working with a major bank, where AI and behavioural science are reshaping internal and external campaigns. Angela discusses how organisations are shifting their risk appetite, driven by the need to innovate with AI.Tune in to this episode and discover how to harness the subconscious mind's power to drive better decisions.In this episode you'll hear aboutWhat is the importance of quantitative data in design?How can designers overcome biases and improve their work?How can one check their own biases?What are the implications of making decisions before being consciously aware of them?What is the best way to understand a person's point of view or decision-making?How can we design for cognitive ability, including cognitive decline?Key linksAngela Bliss LinkedInLondon School of Economics (LSE)National Australia BankTelstraNissanDepartment of Health (Victoria)Department of Transport (Victoria)"Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth, and Happiness" by Richard H. Thaler and Cass R. Sunstein"Predictably Irrational, Revised and Expanded Edition: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions" by Dan Ariely"Thinking, Fast and Slow" by Daniel KahnemanAbout our guest Angela Bliss is a behavioural scientist and designer with over 20 years of experience working with Australia's largest businesses and government departments including NAB, The Reece Group, Wesfarmers Health, Department of Health, Victoria, Department of Transport, Victoria, Telstra, MYOB, Bunnings, Coles and Nissan. Angela works in the field of applied behavioural science, combining behavioural insights with creative execution across service, product and communication design. Angela is a member of the Global Association of Applied Behavioural Scientists (GAABS) and holds degrees in economics and marketing, andFor weekly updates and to hear about the latest episodes, please subscribe to The Company Road Podcast at https://companyroad.co/podcast/

Send us a text“I would put tech language and technologies in simple terms. So I pull it apart, put it, and put it back into simple terms that other people would understand. Because with my many years experience of working with tech people, sometimes it's quite difficult for non tech people understand what they talk about. And to make any decisions to purchase, let's say, any software, anyone who's not technical has to understand what it is, what problem is solving. And this is where I come on board and explain people how it's supposed to be. Like, if you're not technical person, I would explain, as a, like your five year old put it in simple terms for you.”Olga BubnovaThis month's themeOlga Bubnova, a tech marketing and branding expert who's spent 13 years helping companies simplify and thrive. Olga's not just talking theory—she's actively transforming businesses by bridging the gap between complex tech and everyday understanding. From industrial automation to AI, Olga has a unique gift for translating dense technical language into clear, actionable insights.In this episode, Olga shares her journey from translating embedded systems lingo into plain English to coaching businesses on how to present technology in a way that resonates with non-technical audiences. Whether you're dealing with blockchain, cybersecurity, or just trying to make sense of software, Olga has tips that can help you break through the noise. Olga also unravels the common challenges faced by entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs alike, from the confusion of choosing the right tools to the paralysis that comes with tech overwhelm.If you're ready to transform how your business approaches technology and cut through the noise, tune in to this episode. Learn how to stay ahead without getting lost in the tech shuffle.In this episode you'll hear aboutWhat's different from normal marketing, and how does it help in the technology world?What were the words tech people were using that people didn't understand?How has Olga found, in her experience, the best ways to communicate technology to non-technical audiences? What are some major themes or strategies she focuses on?What are some steps that someone who isn't a technical person should take to understand a technology and translate it for the outside world?How would people within a software company, who aren't technical, go about learning things in the best way, do you think?How to help somebody reacting to tech overwhelm, how to facilitate a conversation to help them focus on the problem, challenge, or goal?Where should leaders look for insight and information about technological changes?How can leaders react more quickly to changes and adopt new technologies effectively?What advice would you give to entrepreneurs or leaders on setting up rituals that promote sharing knowledge about trends and technology within their teams?Key linksOlga Bubnova LinkedInTech Femme Fusion Website About our guest Olga is a tech marketing and branding expert, specialising in helping tech businesses stand out and attract new opportunities through strategic branding, marketing solutions, and powerful storytelling. Her expertise covers areas like industrial automation, tech start-ups, software development, blockchain, FinTech, cybersecurity, AI, and SaaS, and more.Olga is also the co-founder of a start-up named Tech Femme Fusion and hosts the "Marketing forFor weekly updates and to hear about the latest episodes, please subscribe to The Company Road Podcast at https://companyroad.co/podcast/

Send us a Text Message."A lot of the ideas are existing and being able to get permission and the space to be able to work on ideas that maybe might have been someone else's baby at some point, but being able to sort of take them on and nurture them." “Sometimes I like to refer to our team as the Lazarus team because they're sort of raising projects from the dead, but sometimes ideas are just not quite their time yet…being able to sort of resurrect that project, think about it slightly differently, and being able to communicate that internally is quite challenging when there's that rich history behind some of the sort of initiatives that are important but perhaps haven't been executed right in the past. ” - Shane BurfordDon't miss this episode where Shane Burford lays out the blueprint for embedding innovation practices that deliver long-term value. Tune in now to learn how you can bring these strategies into your own organisation and elevate your game to the next level!In this episode you'll hear aboutWhat is Shane Burford's background and expertise in corporate innovation and entrepreneurship?What are some of the hardest challenges faced in establishing new businesses within large organisations?What strategies are effective in resurrecting and repurposing old ideas within a company?How does the "build-measure-learn" approach influence innovation in a corporate setting?What are the challenges in working with core teams on innovation projects in established organisations?What role does data play in justifying the investment of time and resources in a new innovation initiative?How do you measure the success of a new product or service, especially when aiming for mass-market adoption?What happens when an innovation idea doesn't work out as expected, and what lessons can be learned from such failures?What is the attitude towards failure in innovation teams, and how can it be used as a learning experience?How to balance strategic thinking versus action-oriented approaches in your innovation processes?How does top-down support from leadership impact the ability to drive innovation?How to manage the risk of political sensitivities when developing new ideas?How to manage the process of killing ideas when they don't meet customer needs or organisational goals?Key linksShane Burford LinkedInCAR GroupNational Australia BankTelstraToyotaAbout our guest Shane is an entrepreneurial leader focussed on establishing new growth businesses within existing organisations. He is focussed on embedding innovation practices in organisations so that they can discover and incubate higher risk and longer term opportunities. Shane has worked in innovation at NAB, Telstra, Toyota and is currently building new businesses within CAR Group where he is Head of Design. With a background in product and design Shane is passionate about establishing new businesses that better solve customer needs whilst also delivering long term commercial and strategic value. For weekly updates and to hear about the latest episodes, please subscribe to The Company Road Podcast at https://companyroad.co/podcast/

Send us a Text Message."I call myself a playful experience, and I really lean into the experience because that is where the magic happens. And if you create the playful experience the right way, you can draw out unexpected responses and unexpected underlying culture issues, because the power is solving a problem with a problem." - Trudi BoatwrightTrudi Boatwright is a playful experience designer extraordinaire. Trudi challenges the notion that solving problems has to be a boring affair.  She argues that by embracing playfulness, we can unlock new levels of creativity, improve communication, and foster stronger leadership.Trudi shares her fascinating career path, including her early experiences working in seemingly unrelated fields. She describes how she began incorporating playful elements into her work, even when it meant pushing boundaries. Trudi also discusses the challenges of introducing playfulness into traditional business cultures.Ready to experience the transformative power of play for yourself? Listen and discover Trudi's playful challenge that will help you see your problems in a whole new light!In this episode you'll hear aboutThe surprising origins of taking a playful approach in your organisation How workplaces have evolved over timeHow playfulness can solve problems (especially in communication)The truth about multitasking (and how to focus better)Tips to become a better listenerHow to make presentations unforgettable The undeniable benefits of a playful workplaceWays leaders can foster playfulness within their teamsChallenges to overcome when bringing play to workHow to be more playful at work (without being disruptive)The future of AI in the workplace and the importance of human connectionKey linksTrudi Boatwright WebsiteTrudi Boatwright LinkedInE37 – Dara SimkinRoyal Children's HospitalDame Phyllis Frost CentreTarrengower PrisonThe Elements of Play Toward a Philosophy and a Definition of Play BY Scott G. EberleE46 – Chris MitchellAbout our guest Trudi is a Playful Experience Designer who specialises in solving problems with play! Working within the intersection of applied improvisation, design thinking and experiential learning, she leans on her Masters of Design Futures and 20 years of experience as an arts practitioner to use her playful learning theory to boost communication and connection.She is a professional speaker, coach, and writer, working within organisations and government departments to utilise play as a problem solver and leadership tool through workshops, activations, and keynotes. She creates immersive theatre through her theatre company, TBC Theatre, runs a menagerie household of kids, cats, dogs and fish and believes that playfulness has the capacity to solve some of our most wicked problems.About our hostOur host, For weekly updates and to hear about the latest episodes, please subscribe to The Company Road Podcast at https://companyroad.co/podcast/

Send us a Text Message."Always give 110% in even that smallest line you draw on paper." - Sharbani DharSharbani Dhar, 2023 winner of the ISG Digital Titan Award and Founder and CEO of DotInfinity, a product and design consultancy. Sharbani started her career in architecture but her passion for problem-solving led her to design and user experience. She then migrated to Australia, facing the challenge of resetting her career due to a lack of local experience. Through perseverance and a focus on lifelong learning, she overcame these hurdles and built a successful career in design leadership. Listen and learn how to become a champion intrapreneur, equipped with the tools and mindset to push boundaries and make a positive impact within your organisation!In this episode you'll hear aboutReinventing yourself: Sharbani's transition from architecture to UX design highlights the importance of embracing change and following your passions.Overcoming obstacles: Learn how Sharbani tackled the unique challenges faced by immigrants in the Australian job market.Authenticity in design: Discover why staying true to your values is crucial for creating impactful and user-centred solutions.The power of feedback: Sharbani shares practical advice for overcoming the fear of sharing work and seeking feedback, emphasising the importance of creating a safe space for teams to collaborate and innovate.Reframing failure: Explore the concept of "failure KPIs" and how embracing missteps can actually lead to greater success and innovation.Unravelling complexity: Sharbani reveals her strategies for breaking down complex problems and making informed decisions based on educated guesses about business impact and technical feasibility.Building alliances: Learn how to create strong relationships within your organisation by understanding the needs and motivations of your colleagues and stakeholders.The importance of diversity: Discover how diverse perspectives enrich problem-solving and lead to better outcomes.Navigating disagreements: Sharbani shares her approach to dealing with challenging personalities and fostering a collaborative environment.Key linksSharbani Dhar LinkedInDotInfinityAustralian Post (Auspost) Monash HealthDesign OutlookMiro Figma TelstraAbout our guest The 2023 winner of the ISG Digital Titan Award, Sharbani is the Founder and CEO of DotInfinity, a product and design consultancy.She champions design-led product strategies that harmonise customer-centric solutions with overarching business goals.Her expertise spans multiple sectors, including Government, Telecommunications, Finance, and Technology. An active community member, she volunteers as a Consumer Advisor for Monash Health and as an Advisory Board member for Design Outlook.Beyond her professional sphere, Sharbani explores her creative pursuits in film production, helping craft short films that illuminate socially relevant themes and mentoring young migrants trying to establish themselves professionally.For weekly updates and to hear about the latest episodes, please subscribe to The Company Road Podcast at https://companyroad.co/podcast/

Send us a Text Message."I think it's adventure that drives me. So it's adventure that is at the heart of all of this. I didn't really enjoy school. I wasn't particularly good at school. I was diagnosed, you know, either dyslexic or dyspraxic or, you know, suffered from a bang on the head. But that wasn't until university. So school was kind of a constant experience of being told that I was smart but lazy, and it just didn't make sense to me. I wasn't very good at it. But then I worked. My first kind of career was in advertising, and I was very lucky, I think, to find places that valued people that thought differently."​ - Ben MasonBen Mason shares his journey of living and working remotely on a sailboat, discussing his background in strategy work and entrepreneurship, including his appearance on Dragon's Den. He describes the challenges of maintaining a balance between freelance work and boat life, his struggles with dyslexia and dyspraxia during school, and his innovative ventures like starting a pizza delivery social enterprise during COVID-19. He also talks about his current location in the Bahamas and plans to sail further.Dive deeper into his adventures and learn how to embrace a lifestyle of remote work and adventure by listening to this episode, be inspired by his journey and embark on your own path to freedom and innovation today!In this episode you'll hear aboutBen Mason's background in strategy work, entrepreneurship, and appearance on Dragon's DenThe challenges of living and working remotely on a sailboatStruggles with school due to dyslexia and dyspraxiaBalancing freelance work with boat maintenanceThe feasibility and challenges of remote working, balancing client expectations with the realities of boat lifeFuture plans without limitsKey linksBen Mason LinkedInBen Mason TwitterFortnum & Mason Dragon's DenAbout our guestCurrently a freelance CSO providing marketing consultancy including brand strategy, product innovation, naming and creative ideas, Ben works remotely from his sailboat.Previously Co-Founder at Love Triangle, a pizza delivery social enterprise launched summer 2020 during Covid lockdown. In the midst of lockdown they raised many thousands for a foodbank, met the King and employed over 100 people from the hard-hi hospitality industry.Previously Ben founded a baked beans startup that Richard Branson described as 'a pioneering business idea' and The Daily Mail described it as, 'twice as good as Heinz and 10 times tastier than Waitrose'. Check out Ben's appearance on Dragons' Den!About our hostOur host, Chris Hudson, is a Teacher, Experience Designer and Founder of business transformation coaching and consultancy Company Road.Company Road was founded by Chris Hudson, who saw over-niching and specialisation within corporates as a significant barrier to change.Chris considers himself incredibly fortunate to have worked with some of the world's most ambitious and successful companies, including Google, Mercedes-Benz, Accenture (Fjord) and Dulux, to name a small few. He continues to teach with University of Melbourne in Innovation, and Academy Xi in CX, Product Management, Design Thinking andFor weekly updates and to hear about the latest episodes, please subscribe to The Company Road Podcast at https://companyroad.co/podcast/

Send us a Text Message.“When you were doing the intro, you know, you can just hear how diverse and broad the different types of roles or experiences and industries I've had were. I think you know some parts have been serendipitous right. Where you're just kind of following your instinct around what you enjoy like this constant search in your work for things where you feel good you know you're getting joy out of it you're learning you're collaborating with really clever people. That's like everything to me.” - Sam McCallumThis month's themeSam McCallum shares insights from her extensive industry experience and strategic design background. Key topics include the importance of team alignment, the application of hypothesis-led experiments to address strategic scepticism, and maintaining work-life balance. Sam also emphasises the value of diversity, iterative feedback, and practical strategies for preventing burnout and ensuring effective project delivery.Gain valuable insights from industry expert Sam McCallum on strategic design, team alignment, and maintaining work-life balance. Listen now to elevate your business strategies and achieve successful project outcomes.In this episode you'll hear aboutSam's background in strategic design and diverse industry experienceThe differences between consultancy and in-house rolesThe importance of strategic design in aligning with market trends and customer needsThe role of strategic designers in enabling executives and product teamsWhy it's important to bring people together for key project momentsHow hypothesis-led experiments can be used to address strategy skepticsThe benefits of diversity and inclusion in teamsThe value of iterative feedback in strategy development and the practical steps for implementing iterative processesThe importance of self-care and work-life balanceWays to avoid burnout and maintain energyKey linksOutfoxed.coSam McCallum LinkedInAbout our guest hostSam brings 19 years of diverse experience from consultancies, digital agencies and client-side leadership roles. Known for CX, strategic design, business design and innovation, Sam has a track record of successfully delivering new products and business models to market.Sam's industry experience includes Finance, Media, Telco, FMCG, Grocery, QSR, Retail, and Government, with roles including; Head of Experience Design at Latitude Financial, Head of Marketing at Fairfax Media, and Strategy Director at R/GA.About our hostOur host, Chris Hudson, is a Teacher, Experience Designer and Founder of business transformation coaching and consultancy Company Road.Company Road was founded by Chris Hudson, who saw over-niching and specialisation within corporates as a significant barrier to change.Chris considers himself incredibly fortunate to have worked with some of the world's most ambitious and successful companies, including Google, Mercedes-Benz, Accenture (Fjord) and Dulux, to name a small few. He continues to teach with University of Melbourne in Innovation, and Academy Xi in CX, Product Management, Design Thinking and Service Design and mentors many business leaders internationallyFor weekly updates and to hear about the latest episodes, please subscribe to The Company Road Podcast at https://companyroad.co/podcast/

Send us a Text Message."It felt like things were taking me into uncomfortable situations, and then learning from uncomfortable situations basically brought opportunity, and an opportunity then opened up other doors and things went from there. Really." - Chris HudsonThis month's themeFor the past year, the Company Road podcast has been a beacon of inspiration for leaders and aspiring intrapreneurs. But today, the host, Chris Hudson, steps out of his usual role and into the interview chair.In this special episode, Nathan Bell, Chris's long-time colleague, delves into Chris's fascinating journey.  From a childhood marked by distance and isolation to a successful career in advertising, Chris shares the pivotal moments that shaped his outlook and his passion for helping others bring positive change to their workplaces.This introspective conversation is packed with valuable insights for anyone who wants to find their voice, embrace their individuality, and become a changemaker within their organisation. In this episode you'll hear aboutHow Chris developed a view of the worldWhat made Chris feel like the world was against himWhen did Chris realise he needed to be more positiveWhat was Chris's moment of frustrationHow Chris found his tribe and rhythm within advertisingHow Chris learned to overcome adversityHow meeting his wife influenced his lifeThe challenges of balancing family life and a professional careerSome of Chris' tips for productivityHow Chris' experience as a father has made him a better leaderBalancing being a leader and being a role model for your childrenWhere Chris sees his company and podcast going in the futureKey linksThe Carrot CollectiveNathan Bell LinkedInAbout our guest hostNathan Bell, Founding Partner of the Carrot Collective has anchored his career at the intersection of research, strategy, design and cultural change. With over 25 years in advertising, brand strategy, large format immersive technology and the built environment, Nathan has led some of the world's most pioneering brands, cities, and institutions to solve complex design and societal problems.About our guest (your normal host!)Our host, Chris Hudson, is a Teacher, Experience Designer and Founder of business transformation coaching and consultancy Company Road.Company Road was founded by Chris Hudson, who saw over-niching and specialisation within corporates as a significant barrier to change.Chris considers himself incredibly fortunate to have worked with some of the world's most ambitious and successful companies, including Google, Mercedes-Benz, Accenture (Fjord) and Dulux, to name a small few. He continues to teach with University of Melbourne in Innovation, and Academy Xi in CX, Product Management, Design Thinking and Service Design and mentors many business leaders internationally.For weekly updates and to hear about the latest episodes, please subscribe to The Company Road Podcast at https://companyroad.co/podcast/

Send us a Text Message.“Any little action, no matter how small, can make a huge difference.” - Joel VermaasThis month's themeJoel Vermaas, a seasoned researcher and founder of Vibrant Insights, breaks down the dramatic shift from traditional methods like face-to-face interviews to the data-driven approaches of today.Joel also shares his passion for the vast and ever-changing landscape of market research, highlighting the opportunity to delve into everything from consumer goods to life's most delicate moments.  Listen and gain valuable insights from their target audience and make informed business decisions.In this episode you'll hear aboutHow research has transformed from traditional methods to a data-driven approach.Why critical skills are needed to thrive in the dynamic world of market research.What is the importance of "backwards market research" to focus on actionable outcomesHow to avoid common pitfalls that can derail your research efforts.The exciting world of choice modelling and its power to inform product development.How AI can be used to gather data and generate insightsKey linksVibrant InsightsLinkedIn Instagram Facebook The Research Society Australian Data Insights Association Mark Ritson's article Backwards Market Research Joel Vermaas LinkedIn About our guestJoel is the founder of Vibrant Insights – a market research, insights and strategy agency at the intersection of commercial work and community, helping brands thrive. Joel has been in research for nearly two decades, and worked at some of Australia's leading quantitative agencies.Joel started Vibrant Insights to demonstrate that businesses can balance mindful approaches, while remaining commercially viable.Joel, and Vibrant, does a great deal of work in the commercial space, with a range of publicly listed and private companies across property portals, digital, consumer packaged goods, quick-service restaurants, and even end-of-life (funerals, cremations, memorialisation). This includes brand/comms work, innovation, advanced techniques like segmentation and choice modelling, and harnesses a range of research tech.At the same time, it's about building up a ‘peace chest' from doing this commercial work, funding the ability to engage in pro-bono / low-bono work, helping not-for-profits, while also donating 10% of profits to charity.To Joel, it's about a small sacrifice to profit and salary, to ultimately make the world a better place.About our hostOur host, Chris Hudson, is a Teacher, Experience Designer and Founder of business transformation coaching and consultancy Company Road.Company Road was founded by Chris Hudson, who saw over-niching and specialisation within corporates as a significant barrier to changeFor weekly updates and to hear about the latest episodes, please subscribe to The Company Road Podcast at https://companyroad.co/podcast/

Send us a Text Message.“If you're going to take a role, there are three things that are important: a good problem to work on, good people to work on it with, and good leadership that you have faith in or you believe in."  - David BradfordThis month's themeThis month we discuss the significance of identifying crossroads within our careers or organisations. In each episode, we explore the pivotal moments where decisions shape our professional trajectories, and strategies for navigating challenges and change as an employee or a leader. From career transitions and industry shifts to leadership changes and organisational restructuring, we unpack practical strategies, share success stories, and empower listeners to embrace challenges and change as a catalyst for growth and innovation.Rachel Zhang and David Bradford share their experiences building a high-performing team at Telstra. They discuss the importance of authentic leadership, fostering trust, and creating a space where everyone feels valued. You'll hear how they approach interviews differently, focusing on finding the right fit rather than just skills.Learn how to create a thriving team environment that embraces diverse perspectives and fosters innovation.In this episode you'll hear aboutHow to maintain an open and authentic interview style, ensuring the right fit for both the role and the teamHow to create a space where introverts and other personalities can thrive in the workplaceHow to address the challenges of maintaining team connection and communication in a remote work environmentHow does bias in recruiting impact the hiring process, and what can be done to mitigate itHow does squad engagement and chapter engagement contribute to team morale and productivityHow to identify signs that an organisation may not be a good fit and how to navigate unexpected changes within an organisation.How to navigate unexpected challenges like market changes or innovation, manage conflicts effectively through communication and empathy, and promote authenticity as a superpower to build confidence and reduce stress in both personal and professional contextsKey linksTelstra Design Outlook RMIT University AKQA Accenture Parliament of Victoria Rachel Zhang on LinkedIn David Bradford on LinkedIn ANZ NABFor weekly updates and to hear about the latest episodes, please subscribe to The Company Road Podcast at https://companyroad.co/podcast/

Send us a Text Message.“Some people are really good at corralling people towards a decision and doing so in a way that makes everybody feel like they weren't bullied into making that decision.” - Lina PatelThis month's themeIn this episode, we delve into a crucial aspect often overlooked by organisations: the importance of cultivating strong relationships within teams. Amidst the hustle of daily tasks and navigating organisational change, it's easy for us as leaders to prioritise the 'doing' over fostering meaningful connections and having open conversations. Specifically, we are focussing on actionable strategies that leaders can take on to initiate a positive transformation within their organisations and communities. Join us as we uncover the power in collaborative and constructive relationships and its impact on success.In this episode you'll hear aboutMastering your first steps in facilitation: Tips to kickstart a career in the industryHow to identify different mentoring styles and the benefits of each approachWays to bring people together and inspire collaborationThe ways in which environmental factors can influence the success of a project of facilitation sessionThe importance of creating inclusive spaces that meet diverse needs Key linksLina'a Consulting Firm: https://www.revmaconsulting.com/Lina's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/linaxpatel/?originalSubdomain=au The Value Web: https://thevalueweb.org/ Polykala: https://www.linkedin.com/school/polykala/ Company Road https://companyroad.co/ Kind Enterprises: https://www.kindenterprises.co/Stage A Change: http://www.stageachange.org/The designer who created Lina's branded Mural templates is Zenaida Beatson https://www.zbeatson.design/ The training Lina mentioned : Working Creatively with Difference https://anzpop.org/training-programs/process-work-public-courses/working-creatively-with-difference/About our guestLina Patel is a Facilitator and Collaboration Designer. Her mission is to alleviate needless workplace suffering and bring more kindness into the world, one team at a time.With 25 years of experience in the public and private sector and in areas like finance, compliance, risk, and project management. She has been part of over 65 teams and facilitated more than 500 meetings onsite and online. She makes most sense in groups.As a facilitator, Lina takes care of the details whilst supporting groups to achieFor weekly updates and to hear about the latest episodes, please subscribe to The Company Road Podcast at https://companyroad.co/podcast/

Send us a Text Message.“Seniority doesn't win, experience does” - Kevin FinnThis month's themeThis month we discuss the significance of identifying crossroads within our careers or organisations. In each episode, we explore the pivotal moments where decisions shape our professional trajectories, and strategies for navigating challenges and change as an employee or a leader. From career transitions and industry shifts to leadership changes and organisational restructuring, we unpack practical strategies, share success stories, and empower listeners to embrace challenges and change as a catalyst for growth and innovation.In this episode you'll hear aboutWays to identify a crossroads in your career Reflecting on whether a company's culture aligns with your valuesHow business leaders can create the conditions for successful transformation and change within their organisationHow to foster buy-in and collaboration from the wider team to drive organisational change forwardWays for employees to have constructive conversations with their leadership team during periods  of changeKey linksCompany Road NO/BSNick Berman's Episode 31 Kevin's latest venture: Crossroads Jim Antonopolous Berlin Liew's Episode 44 About our guestKevin Finn is a brand expert, author, internationally recognised branding designer and TEDx speaker. His personal belief is: There is wisdom in learning.With 30 years experience, Kevin began his career in Dublin at the design studio that has created all of U2's album covers. Following this, for seven years he was Joint-Creative Director of Saatchi Design, Sydney, part of the Saatchi & Saatchi global network. Between 2003 and 2018 he explored the intersection of design with social, cultural, political and economic issues through his independent self published design journal, Open Manifesto. His book ‘Brand Principles: How to be a 21st Century Brand' was published in 2022. In 2007, he founded his independent design practice TheSumOf.https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-finn-3aa8a33/ About our hostOur host, Chris Hudson is a Teacher, Experience Designer and Founder of Company Road, helping businesses and leaders find meaning, impact and positivity.Chris considers himself incredibly fortunate to have worked with some of the world's most ambitious and successful companies, including Google, Mercedes-Benz, Accenture (Fjord) and Dulux, to name a small few. He continues to teach with University of Melbourne in Innovation, and Academy Xi in CX, Product Management, Design Thinking and Service Design and mentors many business leaders internationally. https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-hudson-7464254/ For weekly updates and to hear about the latest episodes, please subscribe to The Company Road Podcast at https://companyroad.co/podcast/

Send us a Text Message."AI is a little bit like fine wine in that everybody knows the name. Everybody thinks it looks great, but most people still really don't understand it."Simon KrissThis month's themeThis month we explore the latest trends reshaping various sectors in Australia, from technological innovations driving business growth to market disruptors demanding strategic adaptation for survival. Key topics include leveraging cutting-edge technologies to spur growth as well as formulating agile strategies to respond effectively to industry disruptions.In this episode you'll hear aboutHow to educate CEOs and leaders about AI and its potential impact.How CEOs and C-suite leaders need to communicate their position on AI to alleviate fears and build a safe environment for experimentation.How to use AI to explore new boundaries and create new products.How to identify pain points in the organisation and prioritise AI use cases Where to start your AI journey today.Key linksSimon's website: https://simonkriss.aiSimon's LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/simonkriss/ (Simon mentioned he will send a free PDF of his book to anyone who connects with him after listening to this podcast episode)Simon's book on Amazon: "The AI-Empowered Customer Experience" by Simon Kriss https://www.amazon.com.au/Empowered-Customer-Experience-practitioners-possibilities-ebook/dp/B0C9YCPT4JCSIRO's Data61: https://data61.csiro.au/Australian Government AI Ethics Principles: https://www.industry.gov.au/data-and-publications/building-australias-artificial-intelligence-capability/ai-ethics-framework/ai-ethics-principlesOpenAI: https://www.openai.com/Anthropic: https://www.anthropic.com/Hugging Face: https://huggingface.co/Canva: https://www.canva.com/Beautify: https://beautifycloud.com/Allmybraindecor: https://allmybrain.com/Katonic: https://katonic.ai/Brainfish: https://brainfish.ai/About our guestSimon Kriss, Chief AI Officer at simonkriss.ai is a sought-after keynote speaker and consultant. He is author of “The AI Empowered Customer Experience”, hosts podcasts on CX and AI, and was named in the 2024 CX Top 50 Global Influencers to follow. Based in Melbourne Australia, Simon is a CX and AI futurologist who presents to audiences around the world and works with company boards and C-suite executives to help them better understand where the AI opportunities lie for their businesses.About our hostOur host, Chris Hudson is a Teacher, Experience Designer and Founder of Company Road, helping businesses and leaders find meaning, impact and positivity.Chris considers himself incredibly fortunate to have worked with some of the world's most ambitious and successful companies, including Google, Mercedes-Benz, Accenture (Fjord) and Dulux, to name a small few. He continues to teach with University of Melbourne in Innovation, and Academy Xi in CX, Product Management, Design Thinking and Service Design and mentors many business leaders internationally. For weekly updates and to hear about the latest episodes, please subscribe to The Company Road Podcast at https://companyroad.co/podcast/

Send us a Text Message.“If it's a bigger organisation, you find out who's doing the financial you'll probably notice it will be coming around reports from someone, you can build a relationship with that person”Chris Mitchell This month…We're pushing into the theme of innovation and trends and drivers of growth, both for organisations and intrapreneurs as leaders on a more personal level. In this episode you'll hear about…How Canstar steered its transformation from a small B2B research business into a huge digital marketplace as one of Australia's biggest financial comparison sites, turning it into a brand that over 10 million Australians use every year.Revolutionising digital business: Driving scale and growth by empowering consumers to save time and moneyMatching Consumers desires into seamless Digital SolutionsMaximising finance potential amidst commercial leadership constraintsAligning personal passion with your business goals   The need to adapt to trends: navigating the process within your teamFostering innovation by facilitating collaboration within your organisation Key linksCanstar Chris Mitchell on Linkedin Canstar on LinkedinJD PowerAbout our guestChris Mitchell is the CFO of Canstar, Australia's biggest financial comparison site. Chris has been with Canstar since 2007 and has co-piloted its transformation from a small B2B research business into a B2B2C digital marketplace.Canstar is Australia's biggest financial comparison site, comparing over 300 brands in banking, insurance and superannuation. We've grown the business from a specialist research company into a mainstream Australian brand used by over 10m Australians each year. Canstar Blue was launched in 2010 to compare telco, energy and other consumer products. Deloitte Fast 50. AFR Fast 100. Great place to work 5th in Australia 2021.Prior to Canstar, Chris held senior financial and commercial roles in advertising in London and hospitality in Canada. With over 25 years' experience, Chris started his career in audit in NorthQueensland, having grown up in the bush and completed his Bachelor of Commerce degree at James Cook University in Townsville. Chris has been a CA since 2000 and has completed the AICD company directors course (2013).About our hostOur host, Chris Hudson is a Teacher, Experience Designer and Founder of Company Road, helping businesses and leaders find meaning, impact and positivity.Chris considers himself incredibly fortunate to have worked with some of the world's most ambitious and successful companies, including Google, Mercedes-Benz, Accenture (Fjord) and Dulux, to name a small few. He continues to teach with University of Melbourne in Innovation, and Academy Xi in CX, Product Management, Design Thinking and Service Design and mentors many business leaders internationally. For weekly updates and to hear about the latest episodes, please subscribe to The Company Road Podcast at https://companyroad.co/podcast/

Send us a Text Message.“Young people will do things or do behaviours that perhaps, you know, aren't in line with their core values and their belief systems. But it's because what they see other people doing that they think they need to do those things in order to fit in.”Joel Hines In this episode you'll hear aboutHow the world of work needs to change to enable more gender diversity, safety, and positive environmentsHow role models play a crucial role in shaping behaviour, particularly in the teenage yearsAuthenticity and self-discovery and their importance in the workplaceHow to create a safe and open environment for conversations about emotions and personal experiencesHow taking time for reflection and considering alternative perspectives can lead to more creative and effective solutionsHow personal criticism should be approached with curiosity and a willingness to understand one's own reactionsKey linksBeing Human: https://www.beinghuman.net.au/about  Joel's book ‘Holding Space': https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B0CM9LQBKL?ref_=pe_3052080_397514860 Joel's TEDx Talk: https://youtu.be/-QpGJNtuYZo?si=rHYdEqgxD3Izg5l5 Rites of Passage Institute:  https://ritesofpassageinstitute.org/Man Cave Global: https://themancave.life/KAOSPILOT: https://www.kaospilot.dk/  About our guestThroughout a career spanning over 25 years working in Mental Health, IT, Training, Educational Leadership and Group Facilitation, there has been a common theme of guiding others to explore the shared experience of being human.With his finely honed skills of empathy and compassion, Joel is at his absolute best when he is holding space for others. He naturally adapts to the situation at hand and exercises deep listening and presence with a calm and considered energy.Exemplifying integrity and authenticity, Joel motivates and enables leaders to cultivate engagement, foster collaboration and empower others.Joel's natural gift for storytelling, combined with his calm and approachable demeanour, fuels his passion for enriching workplace connections and fostering the growth offacilitation skills and confidence.Simultaneously, he diligently addresses the essential human needs of belonging and purpose. He firmly subscribes to the notion that collaboration, agency and empowerment stand as pivotal factors in allowing individuals to not only survive but truly thrive.https://www.linkedin.com/in/joel-hines-22a1121b/About our hostOur host, Chris Hudson is a Teacher, Experience Designer and Founder of Company Road, helping businesses and leaders find meaning, impact and positivity.Chris considers himself incredibly fortunate to have worked with some of the world's most ambitious and successful companies, including Google, Mercedes-Benz, Accenture (Fjord) and Dulux, to name a small few. He continues to teach with University of MelFor weekly updates and to hear about the latest episodes, please subscribe to The Company Road Podcast at https://companyroad.co/podcast/

Send us a Text Message."I love the advancements of technology, but when it comes to connection, I'm very conflicted about it."In this episode you'll hear about:Balancing radical candor and ruinous empathyConnections, networks and the role they play in your successFeedback and how to use it for professional growthObservation and listening to identify areas for improvementTiming of feedback to ensure it is well-receivedTaking a genuine interest in people's lives to form deeper connectionsKey linksDesign OutlookXeroWeb Directions SummitLadies that UX MelbourneNABBelongKim Scott's TED Talk on Radical Candour Shasta NelsonThe Year of Living DanishlyTim Duggan - Work BackwardsGallop Clifton Strengths testAbout our guestBerlin Liew is an aspiring design leader, who is deeply passionate and driven to activate ideas, create meaningful relationships, and question how we do things to see if there's a better way (spoiler alert: there always is).After graduating with a degree in linguistics and spending 6 years working in media, she career-changed into the world of design and dived headfirst into large product organisations, such as NAB, Belong, and Xero. She's currently a Senior Product Designer, and despite the job title, she believes you don't have to wait to be ‘at the top' in order to drive change and impact for your customers, the business, and for those who work with you.Outside of work, Berlin is an active contributor to her local design community, having emceed Design Outlook 2023, co-curated Web Directions Summit 2023, led Ladies that UX Melbourne, and spoken at various design meetups. About our hostOur host, Chris Hudson is a Teacher, Experience Designer and Founder of Company Road, For weekly updates and to hear about the latest episodes, please subscribe to The Company Road Podcast at https://companyroad.co/podcast/

Send us a Text Message.‘'Over the years I've built toolkits, ways of processing…sure I still get nervous like anybody else when something unexpected gets thrown at me,  but I've come to realise that it'll be okay. I've always managed to come out the other side with either success or just a small handful of bruises.'' - Amir AnsariIn this episode you'll hear about:The unpredictable moments in Amir's career, his path and the twists and turns along the way. ‘'life's full of ambiguity and I need to be comfortable with it''How to cope with decisions made out of your control and how to regain control of the situation.The positive impact of being able to manage change as leaders in organisation: Being a conduit, remaining unified and connected in the face of change.Asking questions to build mental models: assessing the situation and the circumstance to understand the outcome needing to be fulfilled.Building situations out by looking at as much core information as possible: assessing who you can go to for advice and mentoring for stories, questions and historical insights.Navigating strategic trends in business: going back to first principles, patience and prioritisation.  Letting go of your pride and reputation: accepting that in certain situations, you might not know all the answers and will need to search for guidance and mentorship.Key links Amir Ansari Academy XiEdward de Bono's Six Thinking HatsAbout our guestAmir is the Chief Experience Officer and Head of Applied AI at Academy Xi - an Australian-owned education company with a mission to transform the world through education. He has been in the field of product design and user experience for over 25 years as a practitioner and leader, building and scaling design capability and teams with companies and agencies, and delivering award-winning digital products. With a passion for human-centred design, he is well-versed in building functions, processes, and operations to fast-track and grow design maturity for companies of all sizes and operating models. He is passionate about inclusion and digital accessibility and democratising the craft of design - doing it with a smile and a hug.About our hostOur host, Chris Hudson is a Teacher, Experience Designer and Founder of Company Road, helping businesses and leaders find impact and positivity.Chris considers himself incredibly fortunate to have worked with some of the world's most ambitious and successful companies, including Google, Mercedes-Benz, Accenture (Fjord) and Dulux, to name a small few. He continues to teach with University of Melbourne in Innovation, and Academy Xi in CX, Product Management, Design Thinking and Service Design and mentors many business leaders internationally. For weekly updates and to hear about the latest episodes, please subscribe to The Company Road Podcast at https://companyroad.co/podcast/

Send us a Text Message.‘'What matters to me is helping businesses realise their full potential to be a force for good in the world. Because I truly believe that this is the untapped potential of business.''-    Carolyn Butler-MaddenIn this episode you'll hear about:-   Carolyn's career journey: Carolyn delves into the roots of her beliefs and lets us into the key experiences that inspired her to champion purpose driven approaches in business. -   The missing role of love in business: An opportunity for untapped potential, to connect things you love and enjoy into your world of work. -   Transitioning from marketing to purpose-driven strategy: Recognising the power that businesses and brands have to solve society's biggest challenges and in turn attract people that want to support them. -   How to start these bigger conversations: Turning passion and strategy into action by taking the first step.-   Connecting to the why: Identifying your unique identity, looking beyond short-term marketing strategies into building a long-term authentic purpose strategy.  Key links;   Carolyn's book, For Love and Money https://www.amazon.com.au/Love-Money-profit-purpose-business-ebook/dp/B09JK9JM52 South by Southwest https://www.sxsw.com/Danielle Owen Whitford https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielle-owen-whitford/?originalSubdomain=auPioneera https://pioneera.com/Melanie Greblo https://www.linkedin.com/in/melaniegreblo/?originalSubdomain=auScriibed https://scriibed.com/Dr. Kyle Turner https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyle-turner1111/?originalSubdomain=auPearlii https://www.pearlii.com/aboutBea Boccalandro on Job Purposing https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqzkhdmkod0Carolyn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolynbm/?originalSubdomain=au) believes in a world where business is a force for good and brands drive profit through purpose. An inspiring speaker, award-winning author, podcast host, and a contributor to media publications including Forbes Australia, CEO Magazine, CEO World Magazine, CMO, Marketing, B&T, Smart Company, Women's Agenda, Retail World and Inside FMCG; Carolyn's mission is to make meaningful purpose vital in business. Her second book “For Love & Money” was awarded best Social Responsibility book in the 2022 Australian Business Book of the Year Awards. Her first book, Amazon bestseller, Path-To-Purpose, was Australia's first on Cause Marketing.Carolyn walks the talk. Through her B Corp Certified Consultancy, “The Cause Effect”, she helps businesses of all types and sizes navigate their path to purpose and unlock the full potential of their people, organisation and brand.Our host, Chris Hudson (https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-hudson-7464254/), is a Teacher, Experience Designer and Founder of business transformation coaching & consultancy Company Road (For weekly updates and to hear about the latest episodes, please subscribe to The Company Road Podcast at https://companyroad.co/podcast/

Send us a Text Message."Follow the process, follow the methods, and then you're not going to fail in your project. You're going to fail throughout your project. Small constant failure is part of what it is.”Fabio OliveiraIn this episode you'll hear about:Defining innovation in 2024: Breaking down the definition of innovation and its associated expectations and misconceptions and understanding how innovation fits differently into the contexts of large and small organisationsManaging innovation and idea generation: Methods for accelerating employee engagement, investment and idea generation while maintaining order and process in receiving and processing innovation ideasConducting research in innovation: How to gather the necessary information for innovation, keep focus on relevant subject matter and shape project briefs effectively to ensure targeted research effortsPhysical and digital integration: Exploring innovative experimentation blending physical and digital elements and what we can expect from the future of in-store/retail technology Maintaining a wholesight organisation view: The importance of staying connected to your organisation's strategic direction and challenges through innovation and keeping perspective within your role to ensure effective and meaningful work that aligns to business goals and addresses relevant problemsKey linksKmart Australia https://www.kmart.com.au/Amazon Walkout Tech https://aws.amazon.com/just-walk-out/RFID https://electronics.howstuffworks.com/gadgets/high-tech-gadgets/rfid.htmDr Tim Baker framework https://www.mindtools.com/a7em9zg/the-five-conversations-frameworkBasecamp's Shape Up Methodology https://basecamp.com/shapeupDesignful Company by Marty Neumeier https://www.martyneumeier.com/the-designful-companyAbout our guestFabio Oliveira (https://au.linkedin.com/in/fabiosoliveira) is an innovation leader specialising in establishing innovation practices within large companies. Known for his ability to build multidisciplinary teams from the ground up, he has successfully cemented innovation strategies at prominent Australian brands – notably Kmart and WorkSafe Victoria – delivering significant outcomes.Currently the Head of Innovation and Service Design at Kmart, Fabio is leading several initiatives that are building the future of store operations and customer experience.About our hostOur host, Chris Hudson (https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-hudson-7464254/), is a Teacher, Experience Designer and Founder of business transformation coaching & consultancy Company Road (www.companyroad.co).Chris considers himself incredibly fortunate to have worked with some of the world's most ambitious and successful companies, including Google, Mercedes-Benz, Accenture (Fjord) and Dulux, to name a small few. He continues to teach with University of Melbourne in Innovation, and Academy Xi in CX, Product Management, Design Thinking and Service Design and mentors many business leaders internatioFor weekly updates and to hear about the latest episodes, please subscribe to The Company Road Podcast at https://companyroad.co/podcast/

Send us a Text Message.“We are all young wounded children in adult bodies, walking around, bumping into each other and then blaming each other when our wounds get touched on or when our traumas get activated.”Lael StoneIn this episode you'll hear about:Parenting and leader parallels: Drawing parallels between effective leadership and conscious parenting, highlighting the similarities in communication strategies and nurturing supportive environments in how we lead as parents and in businessUnderstanding human behaviour in the workplace: Exploring the deeper motivations behind people's actions and behaviours, emphasising the importance of curiosity and empathy in engaging with co-workersHow your childhood affects your working style: The way in which unresolved childhood traumas, emotional wounds and even just the parenting styles in our childhood homes can influence adult behaviours and interactions in the workplace.Fostering authenticity and vulnerability: Recognizing the value of being authentic and vulnerable in expressing needs and concerns and how to cultivate a work culture that enables such expressionThe role of conscious leadership: How to grow in conscious leadership and see transformation in fostering work environments where individuals feel valued, empowered, and able to thrive personally and professionallyKey linksLael's TedX Talk https://www.ted.com/talks/lael_stone_how_to_raise_emotionally_intelligent_childrenLael Stone https://laelstone.com.au/Woodline Primary School https://woodlineprimary.com.au/The Resilience Project https://theresilienceproject.com.au/Raising Resilient and Compassion Children https://www.amazon.com.au/Raising-Resilient-Compassionate-Children-Understanding/dp/0645551562/About our guestLael Stone (https://www.linkedin.com/in/laelstone) is an educator, TEDx speaker, author, mother, and parenting counsellor who has worked with families for over 20 years. Her work as a birth educator, postnatal trauma counsellor, and parenting educator has seen her work with thousands of families consulting about newborns all the way to the teen years. She spent over 5 yrs in secondary schools working with teens around sexuality, well-being, and relationships and her great aim is to empower parents to create connections and stronger relationships with their children.She is the co-creator of Woodline Primary School, an innovative new school based on emotional well-being and connection. Lael was the co-host of The Aware Parenting Podcast and a sought-after public speaker who talks candidly about her experiences and her great passion for creating wellness in adults through connection and communication.About our hostOur host, Chris Hudson (https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-hudson-7464254/), is a Teacher, Experience Designer and Founder of business transformation coaching & consultancy Company Road (www.companyroad.co).Chris considers himself incredibly fortunate to have worked with some of the world's most ambitious and successful companies, including GooglFor weekly updates and to hear about the latest episodes, please subscribe to The Company Road Podcast at https://companyroad.co/podcast/

Send us a Text Message.“Design's not in its infancy anymore but we can still find it hard to communicate our value.”Kris WashusenIn this episode you'll hear about:Adopting a Lean-UX approach: Why you should value rapid prototyping over extensive upfront discovery and what you can do to implement quick and experimental change cycles.The stickiness of design work: Addressing the challenges in implementing and achieving longevity in design work… and how to avoid design projects going nowhere.Impact of the ‘pandemic tools': The way tools and technologies developed during the pandemic have continued to accelerate and impact design processes, enabling faster synthesis of data and more efficient collaboration among design teams.Role of stakeholder engagement: How to ensure the successful implementation of design recommendations and strategies through ongoing stakeholder engagement and consultation.Balancing creativity and methodology: Exploring the tension between structured design methodologies like the double diamond approach and the need and value in creative spontaneity and quick decision-making in design processes.Key linksGareth Rydon interview https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XMp6qbgTtu4Dovetail AI https://dovetail.com/launch/magic/Otter AI https://otter.ai/NAB https://www.nab.com.au/FigJam https://www.figma.com/figjam/Swaggle https://swaggle.com.au/About our guestKris Washusen (https://www.linkedin.com/in/kris-washusen/) is a Strategic Designer and Design & Product Practitioner based in Melbourne, Australia. Along with his UX, CX, product and strategic design roles, Kris's career in advertising and as an entrepreneur building, running and exiting successful businesses has allowed him to develop a unique problem-solving skill set. From research, strategy and transformational change design for both the private and public sectors through to product strategy and design for tech and startups, Kris has helped some of Australia's most respected organisations navigate some choppy seas.Kris's passion lies in implementing human-centred and Lean-UX principles to navigate ambiguity, explore the behaviours and motivations of the users of products or services and create delightful, intuitive, and accessible experiences that solve complex organisational problems.About our hostOur host, Chris Hudson (https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-hudson-7464254/), is a Teacher, Experience Designer and Founder of business transformation coaching & consultancy Company Road (www.companyroad.co)Chris considers himself incredibly fortunate to have worked with some of the world's most ambitious and successful companies, including Google, Mercedes-Benz, Accenture (Fjord) and Dulux, to name a small few. He continues to teach with University of Melbourne in Innovation, and Academy Xi in CX, Product Management, Design Thinking and Service Design and mentors many business leaders internationally. For weekly updates and to hear about the latest episodes, please subscribe to The Company Road Podcast at https://companyroad.co/podcast/

Send us a Text Message.“We need to consciously become aware of our patterns and our behaviours before we change them  and understand how they're serving us in the first place.”Celine WatersIn this episode you'll hear about:The practice of somatic design: How to create deeper connections between our mind, body and spirit and experience the transformative benefits of somaticsHarnessing inner resilience: What it means to cultivate inner resilience through recognising your own capacity to adapt, bounce back from setbacks and find strength in adversity Understanding the impacts of trauma:  Unpacking the somatic experience of trauma, and how historic trauma can become stored in the body and have deep physical consequencesCreate safe spaces for emotional expression: How to set up safe spaces for vulnerability and expression within the workplace and more broadly to enable personal growth, healing and emotional wellbeingTransformative leadership: How to drive positive organisational change and foster a culture of resilience and collaboration through prioritising emotional wellbeing, growth and collective transformationKey linksImmunity to Change by Robert Kegan https://www.mindtools.com/a4l75hx/immunity-to-changeStrozzi Institute https://strozziinstitute.com/Eduardo Galeano https://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/apr/15/eduardo-galeanoSapiens book https://www.amazon.com.au/Sapiens-Humankind-Yuval-Noah-Harari/dp/0062316095Tall Poppy Syndrome https://harpersbazaar.com.au/tall-poppy-syndrome-wellbeing-mental-health/Amy Cuddy TED talk https://www.ted.com/talks/amy_cuddy_your_body_language_may_shape_who_you_are?language=enAbout our guestCeline Waters is a human-centred designer and somatic coach committed to individual and collective transformation. She started out in biochemistry and following a post-grad in computer science, moved into business consulting in Australia and Ireland, working across big organisations. Her current focus is in the research of the intersection of design and somatics, bringing body intelligence into her work. She studies body psychotherapy and somatic coaching for social justice.About our hostOur host, Chris Hudson (https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-hudson-7464254/), is a Teacher, Experience Designer and Founder of business transformation coaching & consultancy Company Road (www.companyroad.co).Chris considers himself incredibly fortunate to have worked with some of the world's most ambitious and successful companies, including Google, Mercedes-Benz, Accenture (Fjord) and Dulux, to name a small few. He continues to teach with University of Melbourne in Innovation, and Academy Xi in CX, Product Management, Design Thinking and Service Design and mentors many business leaders internationally. For weekly updates and to hear about the latest episodes, please subscribe to The Company Road Podcast at https://companyroad.co/podcast/

Send us a Text Message.“Innovation really lives on the edge of ridiculous, and in order for us to come up with innovative solutions to solve the world's biggest problems, we've got to take risks. Play is an incredible way to help us do that.”Dara SimkinIn this episode you'll hear about:The importance of mixing play and work: Why bringing play into the workplace can be a powerful tool for creativity, connectivity and innovation and radically shift organisational cultureHow to integrate play into the workplace: Key strategies for intentional design for implementing play intentionally and effectively to achieve valued outcomesThe evolution of work culture: Unpacking how priorities within work environments have and continue to shift and what is needed as the focus of work cultures now Questioning conventional business constructs: How to develop a healthy approach to scepticism of traditional business practices and be active in questioning and challenging established norms and assumptions that may be preventing growth Reactive vs. responsive businesses: Recognising how your business or specific team approaches organisational change and adjusting the culture to one of proactively addressing emerging challenges Key linksCulture Hero https://www.culturehero.co/Dr. Stuart Brown https://www.nifplay.org/about-us/about-dr-stuart-brown/Kaospilot https://www.kaospilot.dk/Microsoft Trends Index https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/worklab/work-trend-indexIDEO https://www.ideo.com/John Cleese on open and closed modes https://www.gurteen.com/gurteen/gurteen.nsf/id/L004957/Amy Edmonson https://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Pages/profile.aspx?facId=6451About our guestDara Simkin (https://www.linkedin.com/in/dara-simkin-culture-hero/) is an expert facilitator, learning designer and Australia's leading play at work specialist. As the founder of Culture Hero, a norm-busting consultancy driving cultural change and experiential events, Dara's mission is to bridge the gap between work and play. She's worked with organisations like The LEGO Foundation and McKinsey & Co., as well as world-renowned play researcher Dr Stuart Brown and Silicon Valley's IDEO Play Lab. She is certified in the Danish learning methodology, KAOSPILOT, known for its innovative and dynamic approach to education and training. She is currently involved in a research collaboration with RMIT University, uncovering the benefits of a playful mindset in business as it relates to adaptability, teamwork and belonging. About our hostOur host, Chris Hudson (https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-hudson-7464254/), is a Teacher, Experience Designer and Founder of business transformation coaching & consultancy Company Road (www.companyroad.co).Chris considers himself incredibly fortunate to have worked with some of the world's most ambitious and successful companies, including Google, Mercedes-Benz, Accenture (Fjord) and Dulux, toFor weekly updates and to hear about the latest episodes, please subscribe to The Company Road Podcast at https://companyroad.co/podcast/

Send us a Text Message."You really want it to get into people's heads what the change is. You want it to be their new reality or the new normal. Storytelling is effective because stories are shared from generation to generation, remembered for a reason… because they stick in your brain."Agnes SoIn this episode you'll hear about:Improving support levels & customer satisfaction: How to win customer loyalty through understanding frontline perspectives, fostering collaboration & aligning organisational goals with customer needsThe power of storytelling: Exploring storytelling as a powerful leadership tool for driving change and how the way you use stories can change how you inspire, communicate complex ideas, and drive cultural shifts within organisations.Adaptive leadership: Setting up and managing a team where members are enabled to implement effective solutions and drive positive outcomes and you can remain flexible and freeLean approaches in startups: The necessity of lean approaches in startup environments, and strategies to improve resourcefulness, efficiency and flexibility to navigate challenges and foster growthStrategic prioritisation: The key to understanding when and where to focus time, energy and resources and identify quickly initiatives that will deliver the most significant impactKey linksHotDoc https://www.hotdoc.com.au/Tino Sehgal https://www.mariangoodman.com/artists/62-tino-sehgal/This Progress at Guggenheim https://www.guggenheim.org/artwork/22502GROW Framework https://www.coachingcultureatwork.com/the-grow-model/Good Strategy, Bad Strategy by Richard Camel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4uWKEG0s9KcAbout our guestAgnes So (www.linkedin.com/in/agnes-so/) had gained over 10 years of customer service experience prior to joining HotDoc in 2017. Agnes' main expertise include developing Customer Experience (CX) strategies, aimed at reducing churn and maintaining high customer satisfaction levels. Her work also informs and leads Go To Market events, ensuring the successful implementation and adoption of products for customers and employees.By focusing on technology and self-service techniques, Agnes empowers customers to seamlessly utilise and learn new products. Her leadership experience extends to refining customer journeys based on insights, and fostering impactful brand interactions.About our hostOur host, Chris Hudson (https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-hudson-7464254/), is a Teacher, Experience Designer and Founder of business transformation coaching & consultancy Company Road (www.companyroad.co).Chris considers himself incredibly fortunate to have worked with some of the world's most ambitious and successful companies, including Google, Mercedes-Benz, Accenture (Fjord) and Dulux, to name a small few. He continues to teach with University of Melbourne in Innovation, and Academy Xi in CX, Product Management, Design Thinking and Service Design and mentors many business leaders internationally. For weekly updates and to hear about the latest episodes, please subscribe to The Company Road Podcast at https://companyroad.co/podcast/

Send us a Text Message."I think what events should be doing is playing that role of fostering community, fostering connection and really thinking about what they're looking to do, what's their mission." Grant ShowIn this episode you'll hear about:Crafting compelling presentations: Exploring the art of crafting presentations that captivate your audience and how to use storytelling techniques borrowed from film and TV to spark engagement in the workplaceHosting purpose-driven events: The power and role of events to bring people together, network, turbocharge learning and leverage influenceChallenging the status quo: How to embrace a mindset and active approach to stepping out of your comfort zone, pushing boundaries and challenging the status quo through innovationRadical optimism: The key to staying optimistic in the face of challenges and how leveraging extreme resilience and positivity can transform your workplace adversityCreating community and connection: How to foster genuine community in the digital age, maintaining authentic motivations and enabling value for all parties Key linksCliftonStrengths model https://www.gallup.com/cliftonstrengths/en/252137/home.aspxWest Wing Walk and Talk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wmv07XfeC1EDesign Outlook https://www.designoutlook.com.au/Do24 https://www.designoutlook.com.au/event/do24The Lateral Lens Blog https://charleslambdin.com/thelaterallens/South by South West https://www.sxsw.com/Flight with Denzel Washington https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1907668/Purpose Conference https://www.purposeconference.co/StoryBrand https://storybrand.com/About our guestGrant is a multi-disciplinary design leader, traversing visual communications design, experience and service design, strategy, and development. His style is visionary, inclusive, and brimming with positivity. His passion for action is contagious and he's famous for getting a lot done.Grant is Founder of Design Outlook, and was formerly Head of Design at Frog, and Director of Experience Design at Deloitte. He's also working towards a Masters in Design from RMIT.About our hostOur host, Chris Hudson (https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-hudson-7464254/), is a Teacher, Experience Designer and Founder of business transformation coaching & consultancy Company Road (www.companyroad.co)Chris considers himself incredibly fortunate to have worked with some of the world's most ambitious and successful companies, including Google, Mercedes-Benz, Accenture (Fjord) and Dulux, to name a small few. He continues to teach with University of Melbourne in Innovation, and Academy Xi in CX, Product Management, Design Thinking and Service Design and mentors many business leaders internationally. For weekly updates and to hear about the latest episodes, please subscribe to The Company Road Podcast at https://companyroad.co/podcast/

Send us a Text Message.“You've got to be quite deliberate. You have to overrule some of your automatic thinking to say, I need to deliberately step back here. I need to refresh this area.”Karl DeitzIn this episode you'll hear about:Parallels between cooking, music & business: How lessons in one domain of your life or interests can often be applied to another, fostering cross-disciplinary insights in areas of strategy, adaptation and continuous improvementThe importance of mastering the basics: Why investing in fundamental skills, whether in cooking, music, business or otherwise, is often the most important step in setting you up for accelerated growth and creativity Balancing consistency and experimentation: How to find a balance between committing to consistency and practise for continual improvement, and knowing when and where to push into experimentation to explore new possibilitiesEmbracing discomfort and growth: Shifting your mindset to one of growth and a willingness to step into discomfort intentionally and mindfully and reaping the personal development rewards that bringsThe role of humour and engagement in education: Strategies to enhance learning and facilitation experiences by incorporating humour and cultivating lively and interactive environmentsKey LinksNick Berman Company Road Podcast episode https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJpkJj0sGjwMiles Davis https://www.milesdavis.com/Tall Bob https://tallbob.com/About our guestKarl Deitz (https://www.linkedin.com/in/karldeitz/) is an entrepreneur, advisory Board member and classically trained musician on both piano and trumpet - where the left and right brain work well together.Having started his career as a professional musician with the Royal Australian Navy, Karl has gone on to raise millions for Charities, founded a cooking school for Crossfit athletes and now heads up Customer Success & Strategy for Australia's fastest growing mobile communications company, Tall Bob.About our hostOur host, Chris Hudson (https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-hudson-7464254/), is a Teacher, Experience Designer and Founder of business transformation coaching & consultancy Company Road (www.companyroad.co)Chris considers himself incredibly fortunate to have worked with some of the world's most ambitious and successful companies, including Google, Mercedes-Benz, Accenture (Fjord) and Dulux, to name a small few. He continues to teach with Academy Xi in CX, Product Management, Design Thinking and Service Design and mentors many business leaders internationally. For weekly updates and to hear about the latest episodes, please subscribe to The Company Road Podcast at https://companyroad.co/podcast/

Send us a Text Message."The more immovable that your solutions are, the greater the need to invest in that kind of thinking."Andrew KendallIn this episode you'll hear about:Designing for impact: Strategies to more accurately understand customers needs and motivations in order to design products and services that go beyond immediate user needs to create tangible, transformative impact on people's lives Long-term design considerations: Ensuring longevity and sustainability in design solutions by designing with future scalability and flexibility in mindEnabling creativity through safe spaces: How to tap into the full creative potential of your team and drive innovation forward by creating safe spaces in the workplace in which individuals feel comfortable and conventional thinking is challengedImpactful design through storytelling: The power of storytelling in influencing stakeholders and driving organisational change, particularly in fostering a human-centred approach to designAugmenting human creativity with AI: The secret to integrating AI as a complementary tool to harness its capabilities to enhance creativity while retaining the unique perspective and empathy inherent in human-centred designKey LinksStanford d.school https://dschool.stanford.edu/Lego Serious Play course https://www.pivotalplay.com.au/Victoria's Department of Transport and Planning https://www.vic.gov.au/department-transport-and-planningConcorde https://www.britannica.com/technology/ConcordeLego Fender Guitar https://www.lego.com/en-au/product/lego-ideas-fender-stratocaster-21329About our guestAndrew Kendall (https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-kendall-25a09714/) believes that solving problems creatively drives better outcomes.  At age 15, he'd impressed the people at the Lego toy company so much they hired him. Andrew is now an experienced Strategic Thinker,  Consultant and Facilitator specialising in the areas of Customer Experience and  Service Design using collaborative, imaginative and creative ways to drive Customer centred design outcomes. Andrew is currently a Customer Lead at Victoria's Department of Transport and Planning.As a graduate of Stanford University's d.school program, Andrew applies proven techniques and methods to build empathy, create customer insights and ideate these to create concepts and prototypes with stakeholders. Andrew's key strength is knowing how to engage the right strategic partnerships and stimulate conversation at the Senior Leadership level.About our hostOur host, Chris Hudson (https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-hudson-7464254/), is a Teacher, Experience Designer and Founder of business transformation coaching & consultancy Company Road (www.companyroad.co)Chris considers himself incredibly fortunate to have worked with some of the world's most ambitious and successful companies, including Google, Mercedes-Benz, Accenture (Fjord) and Dulux, to name a small few. He continues to teach with Academy Xi in CX, Product Management, Design Thinking and Service DeFor weekly updates and to hear about the latest episodes, please subscribe to The Company Road Podcast at https://companyroad.co/podcast/

Send us a Text Message.“When it comes to AI, we talk about augmenting not replacing. We want this to be about how do I augment the individual and give them superpowers so they can do amazing things and liberate their time? How do we make 5 people worth 10 people?”Gareth RydonIn this episode, you'll hear about:AI adoption in 2024: Exploring the scale and speed at which AI is being adopted, the different approaches companies are taking & the key implications for organisations in 2024Evolution of AI use cases: How AI applications have evolved from basic tasks to more advanced functions and how opportunities for use are expected to continue to evolve into this year Organisation challenges in AI: The key barriers that companies are facing in adopting AI and strategies to simplify the process for efficiency & augmentationAI vs humanity: Understanding where and how AI technology still falls short compared to human abilities and where the key value of humans still lies Engaging kids with AI: The ethics of introducing kids to AI and how to do so in a way that prepares them for the future and harnesses their creativity but protects the formation of their in-person skills & human connectionsKey linksEp. 29 with Sarah Kaur https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5GEMbbWssyoFriyay.AI https://www.friyay.ai/RambleFix https://ramblefix.com/Otter AI https://otter.ai/Ethan Mollick https://mgmt.wharton.upenn.edu/profile/emollick/Llama by Meta https://llama.meta.com/DALL·E 3 https://openai.com/dall-e-3Napster https://www.napster.com/Ep. 23 with Dr. Gus https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25jctgmeEVIAbout our guestGareth Rydon (https://www.linkedin.com/in/garethrydon) works as a service designer, applying this to building generative AI tools for clients. His happy place is when he is talking to and learning from people so that he can help them solve their problems in sustainable, creative ways.Having previously held roles at Stone & Chalk, Rightpoint and the ATO, he is now the co-founder of Friyay.ai, a generative AI studio which identifies the human experience to augment and then design generative AI solutions.About our hostOur host, Chris Hudson (https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-hudson-7464254/), is a Teacher, Experience Designer and Founder of business transformation coaching & consultancy Company Road (www.companyroad.co).Chris considers himself incredibly fortunate to have worked with some of the world's most ambitious and successful companies, including Google, Mercedes-Benz, Accenture (Fjord) and Dulux, to name a small few. He continues to teach with Academy Xi in Innovation, CX, Product Management, Design Thinking and Service Design and mentors many business leaders internationally. For weekly updates and to hear about the latest episodes, please subscribe to The Company Road Podcast at https://companyroad.co/podcast/

Send us a Text Message.“I'm 46 and I'm going to continue to do new stuff constantly my entire life. It's going to challenge me. I'm going to be uncomfortable with it. And the neurons in my mind will keep developing the ability to be adaptable if I keep challenging myself.”Nick BermanIn this episode, you'll hear about:Balancing personal & professional life: How to regularly assess emotion states, seek equilibrium and create space for introspection to live in balance and mindfulnessNick's primary philosophy on self-growth: Understanding the choices you have available in life & learning to take ‘left turns' to continuously push personal boundaries and growth through discomfortDetecting & dealing with overwhelm: How to recognise early states of overwhelm and take actional steps early to avoid breakdownBuilding trusting & authentic relationships: Steps to establishing trust with yourself, and those around you in a professional social contextChanging ahead of change: Acknowledging the changing state of the world and learning how to actively make changes to your life, routine and mindset to adapt in advanceKey linksVipassana Silent Retreat https://www.dhamma.org.au/Brené Brown https://brenebrown.com/Tony Robbins https://www.tonyrobbins.com/Qigong https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/qigong-what-you-need-to-knowHireGround https://www.hireground.co/Breathwork https://health.clevelandclinic.org/breathwork/About our guestA self-titled ‘specialist in being nice to people', Nick Berman (https://www.linkedin.com/in/batmanbeard/) is a purpose career coach and founder of HireGround. With over 15 years experience in recruiting for creative roles, from graphic designers to marketing managers, he started his current business to ensure that the work he does can offer “true career guidance, honest connections and long-term support.”About our hostOur host, Chris Hudson (https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-hudson-7464254/), is a Teacher, Experience Designer and Founder of business transformation coaching & consultancy Company Road (www.companyroad.co)Chris considers himself incredibly fortunate to have worked with some of the world's most ambitious and successful companies, including Google, Mercedes-Benz, Accenture (Fjord) and Dulux, to name a small few. He continues to teach with Academy Xi in Innovation, CX, Product Management, Design Thinking and Service Design and mentors many business leaders internationally.For weekly updates and to hear about the latest episodes, please subscribe to The Company Road Podcast at https://companyroad.co/podcast/

Send us a Text Message.“In fact, there's nothing normal. Everything is what we make of it to a certain extent.”Dr. Marco MottaIn this episode, you'll hear about:Data storytelling: How to present data in a means to create shared understanding across an organisation and use narrative techniques to make it personable, digestible and immersiveMitigating data literacy: Establishing an evidence-driven culture by bridging the data literacy gap in an organisation and increasing the capacity for informed decision-makingThe responsibility of data stewardship: Delegating roles for data management and ensuring privacy, confidentiality and integrity is maintained when utilising dataData visualisation: Why the visualisation of data can completely change how it's received & top dataviz strategies for ensuring it achieves the purpose you're afterThe power of philosophy and critical thinking: Why its valuable to deploy philosophical techniques into consulting and data analysis to ensure decisions are rooted and strategically consideredKey LinksHeidegger: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/heidegger/Phenomenology: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/phenomenology/Arnold Hauser: https://arthistorians.info/hausera/Sapiens book: https://www.amazon.com.au/Sapiens-Humankind-Yuval-Noah-Harari/Transport of Main Roads: https://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/Hamlet's Mill: https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/1439Translink: https://translink.com.au/About our guest Dr Marco Motta (https://www.linkedin.com/in/mottamarco01) is the Managing Director of Motta Consulting, a boutique organisation that specialises in data analysis and visualisation. He has a strong track-record transforming the performance reporting culture of large organisations, using data storytelling to craft business stories that break silos and support good decisions. He marries this with a doctorate in philosophy from the University of Queensland and uses his background in critical thinking to help organisations and clients identify, define, break-down and solve complex business challenges.About our hostOur host, Chris Hudson (https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-hudson-7464254/), is a Teacher, Experience Designer and Founder of business transformation coaching & consultancy Company Road (www.companyroad.co)Chris considers himself incredibly fortunate to have worked with some of the world's most ambitious and successful companies, including Google, Mercedes-Benz, Accenture (Fjord) and Dulux, to name a small few. He continues to teach with Academy Xi in Innovation, CX, Product Management, Design Thinking and Service Design and mentors many business leaders internationally. For weekly updates and to hear about the latest episodes, please subscribe to The Company Road Podcast at https://companyroad.co/podcast/

Send us a Text Message.“The level of power that consumer facing Gen AI offers with such intuitive accessibility for such essentially a low cost for that high powered tool… is unprecedented.”Sarah KaurIn this episode, you'll hear about:AI as an enabler: How AI can be used to enable and empower unique work processes and scenarios, including key examples of how it it can enable design thinking and transformation workDigital divide and inequity: Confronting the challenge of digital inequity and strategies for evening the playing field of technology across the workforceAI's efficiency vs human value: Balancing the use of AI technology with traditional human work and where and how both are most valuableChatGPT in design workflows: Analysing how chatGPT has changed the approach to design, how it will continue to do so and how human participation and perspective must be recentered for continued valueAI upskilling and ‘Shadow AI': How ‘Shadow AI' is allowing for expanded creativity and creating opportunities for upskilling the workforce and why you should be taking advantage of itKey LinksMax Kalis episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_fTrmruTPkShadow AI: https://www.forbes.com/sites/delltechnologies/2023/10/31/what-is-shadow-ai-and-what-can-it-do-about-it/?sh=1b4aa39b7127ChatGPT: https://chat.openai.com/Data61: https://research.csiro.au/data61/Copilot: https://copilot.microsoft.com/Lorraine Finlay, Australian Human Rights Commissioner: https://humanrights.gov.au/our-work/commission-general/human-rights-commissioner-ms-lorraine-finlayAbout our guest Sarah Kaur (https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-tamara-kaur/) is a Strategic Designer and Human-centred Design Researcher. Her passion is supporting the creative work of teams across disciplines to collaborate, and come up with smart ways to create impact through using participatory design. She now works as a Design Thinking Practitioner at CSIRO's Data61, where she focusses on research into Responsible AI, and embedding human insight in machine learning and AI research and product development.She holds a Master of Business Analytics and a Bachelor in Fine Arts, and 12 years of professional experience supporting NFP, Government and Private organisations realise their business objectives by placing humans and quality data, at the centre of their decisions and investments. About our hostOur host, Chris Hudson (https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-hudson-7464254/), is a Teacher, Experience Designer and Founder of business transformation coaching & consultancy Company Road (www.companyroad.co)Chris considers himself incredibly fortunate to have worked with some of the world's most ambitious and successful companies, including Google, Mercedes-Benz, Accenture (Fjord) and Dulux, to name a small few. He continues to teach with Academy Xi in Innovation, CX, Product Management, Design Thinking and Service Design and mentors many business leadFor weekly updates and to hear about the latest episodes, please subscribe to The Company Road Podcast at https://companyroad.co/podcast/

Send us a Text Message.“One thing led to another and some things came up and actually it just broke really quickly and was quite a shock. It was quite disruptive and it was one of these situations where you think, okay, what has just happened?”Sarah WilkinTransforming personal adversity to professional opportunity: Sarah shares her journey overcoming a major and very sudden struggle in her personal life… and how it led her to greater successAddressing gender bias: How to challenge the issue of gender bias within male-dominated industries with language and representationResilience in the face of change: Unlocking and developing resilience to stay firm and excel within the modern disruptive and ever-changing working landscapeConnectivity in remote work: Strategies for staying motivated, connected and taking advantage of remote workingThe power of radical honesty: How being honest, and radically so, can unlock powerful relationships and working opportunities Key LinksNissan LEAF: https://www.nissan.com.au/vehicles/browse-range/leaf.htmlFly Green Alliance: https://flygreenalliance.org/Booking Cares https://www.sustainability.booking.com/aboutAlan Partridge https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_PartridgeCircular Economy https://ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/topics/circular-economy-introduction/overviewKundalini https://www.healthline.com/health/kundalini-meditationLainey Molnar https://www.instagram.com/lainey.molnar/?hl=enAbout our guest Sarah Wilkin (https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahwilkin/) is Founder & CEO of Fly Green Alliance, and was a Booking.com grantee in 2018 when she gained a sustainable travel grant to work on the R&D of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) which was a milestone for SAF awareness, being the first time the tech had been given attention outside of the aviation industry. She went on to pioneer the tech and is globally recognised as an expert, thought leader and now speaks on panels such as at The Economist, S&P Global and is quoted in BBC and other publications. About our hostOur host, Chris Hudson (https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-hudson-7464254/), is a Teacher, Experience Designer and Founder of business transformation coaching & consultancy Company Road (www.companyroad.co)Chris considers himself incredibly fortunate to have worked with some of the world's most ambitious and successful companies, including Google, Mercedes-Benz, Accenture (Fjord) and Dulux, to name a small few. He continues to teach with Academy Xi in CX, Product Management, Design Thinking and Service Design and mentors many business leaders internationally. For weekly updates and to hear about the latest episodes, please subscribe to The Company Road Podcast at https://companyroad.co/podcast/

Send us a Text Message."I'm a big believer that innovation is not the result of some sort of inspired genius, right? It's not an innate talent but a process and a handful of repeatable activities that can be learned.”Jacob DuttonIn this episode, you'll hear about:The democratisation of innovation: How individuals can practically learn innovation as a skill & readjust limiting mindsets to do soFostering entrepreneurial mindsets: Why developing entrepreneurial mindsets within your people is crucial in encouraging innovation Open vs closed innovation: Balancing forms of innovation & the secret method to employing both for optimal successIdentifying the need for change: Signs to look out for in knowing when and why it's time for your organisation to enact change Staying motivated within failure: How you can remain energised and excited in the face of seemingly continual innovation failureKey LinksFuture Foundry https://www.future-foundry.io/Co-founder Katy https://www.linkedin.com/in/katy-sephton-81451315/Holy Grail https://www.britannica.com/topic/GrailMuseum of Failure: https://museumoffailure.com/About our guest Jacob Dutton (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacobdutton/) is the Co-Founder & CEO of Future Foundry and the creator of the Velocity™ innovation method. He's spent almost two decades helping companies like Hilton, NBC, Walgreens, HSBC, and Microsoft accelerate, de-risk, and systematise the discovery of over one hundred breakthrough businesses, products, and services. His deep-rooted belief is that innovation is a learned skill, not an innate talent and that with the right people, processes and platforms - every corporation on the planet can innovate with more speed, focus and impact. About our hostOur host, Chris Hudson (https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-hudson-7464254/), is a Teacher, Experience Designer and Founder of business transformation coaching & consultancy Company Road (www.companyroad.co)Chris considers himself incredibly fortunate to have worked with some of the world's most ambitious and successful companies, including Google, Mercedes-Benz, Accenture (Fjord) and Dulux, to name a small few. He continues to teach with Academy Xi in CX, Product Management, Design Thinking and Service Design and mentors many business leaders internationally. For weekly updates and to hear about the latest episodes, please subscribe to The Company Road Podcast at https://companyroad.co/podcast/

Send us a Text Message.“The company doesn't create the culture. If you hire great people, the culture will be created.”Christian SteinIn this episode, you'll hear about:Brand strategy misconceptions: What is brand strategy, what is it not and how should it be approached to be valuable and effective?The paradigm of fear in professional life: Why so many professionals are held back from pursuing their full potential and how to adopt a mindset that allows for change and dissuades fearThe value of strategic thinking and incremental progress: How to clearly define a brand or organisations long-term goals and then approach the goals by seeking progress rather than perfectionRedefining business success: The importance of reframing the idea of success in an organisation and how to identify meaningful non-quantifiable objectives to retract sole focus from number targetsVital role of customer engagement: How to engage with customers in a genuine and meaningful way to receive the data you need to make informed and powerful decisionsKey LinksStone Owl https://stoneowlconsulting.com/ 180 Amsterdam https://www.180amsterdam.com/Sapiens book https://www.amazon.com/Sapiens-Humankind-Yuval-Noah-Harari/dp/0062316095Jerry Springer https://jerryspringertv.com/About our guest With over 25 years of global marketing communication experience, Christian (https://www.linkedin.com/in/christian-stein-1430134/) specializes in developing transformative strategies for diverse brands and agencies across Western Europe, Russia, North America, China, Australia, and South Africa. His expertise spans B2C and B2B, encompassing luxury to mainstream sectors in areas such as cars, trucks, motorbikes, beer, spirits, luxury goods, technology, and financial services. Christian is known for building strong partnerships with C-suite stakeholders, using creative thinking to unlock opportunities and achieve business growth. His leadership has consistently led to impactful creative outcomes, driving business results and earning numerous awards.About our hostOur host, Chris Hudson (https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-hudson-7464254/), is a Teacher, Experience Designer and Founder of business transformation coaching & consultancy Company Road (www.companyroad.co).Chris considers himself incredibly fortunate to have worked with some of the world's most ambitious and successful companies, including Google, Mercedes-Benz, Accenture (Fjord) and Dulux, to name a small few. He continues to teach with Academy Xi in CX, Product Management, Design Thinking and Service Design and mentors many business leaders internationally. For weekly updates and to hear about the latest episodes, please subscribe to The Company Road Podcast at https://companyroad.co/podcast/

Send us a Text Message."Mistakes are as valuable as the finely crafted ideas. There's something tangible in them that could often be elevated and be the main idea."Alex NormantonIn this episode, you'll hear about:Establishing strategic foundations for creativity: Grounding creative ideas in strategy to ensure a solid basis for the creative process and alignment to objectives, prior insights and the broader brief.Overcoming creative blocks: Strategies for maintaining optimal mental spaces, getting through blocks of creativity & balancing left and right brain functionalities.Being a design-led organisation: Why being design-led is significant and what centering design can do to convey brand values, create meaningful customer experiences and remain flexible and cutting-edge.Design for connection & communication: How design goes beyond aesthetics and its powerful role in communicating and connecting with customers.Democratisation of design: Ways to involve every part of the company in the design process and why it's important to do so.Key LinksAlex's website https://www.alexnormanton.com/ Reckitt https://reckitt.com/DOPA https://www.thedopa.com/Saatchi & Saatchi https://www.saatchi.com.au/Clios https://clios.com/Cannes Lions https://www.canneslions.com/D&AD https://www.dandad.org/MassiveMusic https://www.massivemusic.com/About our guest Alex Normanton (https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexnormanton/) is Global Brand Experience Lead at Reckitt. In this role, Alex drives category growth by translating design into meaningful brand experiences and sustainable innovations.Prior to this, Alex worked for some of the world's leading agencies including Saatchi & Saatchi and Design Bridge. He's directed the likes of Sony Music, Johnnie Walker and Mercedes-Benz, and been recognised by a number of awards such as the Clios, Cannes Lions, D&AD and the One Show.A big advocate for the power of sonic branding, he believes that audio language should be considered by designers and marketers in the same way that visual and verbal language is. It's no surprise then that he chose a podcast as the medium for his passion project, DOPA, which fuels conversations around creative wellness.About our hostOur host, Chris Hudson (https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-hudson-7464254/), is a Teacher, Experience Designer and Founder of business transformation coaching & consultancy Company Road (www.companyroad.co)Chris considers himself incredibly fortunate to have worked with some of the world's most ambitious and successful companies, including Google, Mercedes-Benz, Accenture (Fjord) and Dulux, to name a small few. He continues to teach with Academy Xi in CX, Product Management, Design Thinking and Service Design and mentors many business leaders internationally. For weekly updates and to hear about the latest episodes, please subscribe to The Company Road Podcast at https://companyroad.co/podcast/