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Bosses Unfiltered

Bosses Unfiltered

By: Newstalk ZB
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About this listen

Kiwi businesses have been navigating the biggest economic turmoil in decades. Wherever you look, business leaders are making tough calls: staff cuts, putting payroll on the credit card, or worst case… closing the business altogether.

They thought they had it all: a great idea, solid marketing, and a healthy amount of capital. So where did it all go wrong? And can they ever turn things around?

In Bosses Unfiltered, Kerre Woodham, interviews prominent Kiwi businesspeople who’ve experienced failure and adversity and lets them tell their story.

When did they realise their dreams weren’t coming true? How big was their fall from grace? How did they pick themselves up and where are they now?

Bosses Unfiltered tells the real story behind the headlines. About what it’s really like being in business, in a raw and vulnerable way, while showing that there is light at the end of the tunnel, and that success can quite often come from failure.

Listen to Bosses Unfiltered every Thursday morning from 11:30am during Kerre Woodham Mornings, and follow the podcast on iHeartRadio or wherever you get your podcasts.

2025 Newstalk ZB Economics Leadership Management Management & Leadership
Episodes
  • Episode 5: Aidan Bartlett

    Episode 5: Aidan Bartlett
    Nov 5 2025

    What do you do, when you have invested all your money into an idea you thought was going off, and then the whole world shuts down?

    Do you try to fight on? Or do you completely change your business to survive?

    That’s the decision Aidan Bartlett faced.

    He’s the co-founder and chief Executive of online marketplace Designer Wardrobe. It was, once upon a time, a designer rental shop.

    Covid-19 wrecked the business but also gave it a new life.

    Aidan Bartlett joined Kerre Woodham in studio in the latest episode of Bosses Unfiltered.

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    38 mins
  • Episode 4: Roger Gray

    Episode 4: Roger Gray
    Oct 29 2025

    Five years ago, Port of Auckland was struggling with a shocking health and safety record.

    Three people had died and many more had been injured at work.

    Financially, the company was dealing with a costly but flawed automation project, and COVID added plenty of headaches for the global shipping industry too.

    The company needed a complete turnaround, and Roger Gray was picked as the new chief executive to get on with the job.

    With a background of 20 years in the Australian Army and roles at Goodman Fielder and Air New Zealand, Roger came with experience in leadership, but this was a big job with big problems.

    Roger Gray joined Kerre Woodham in studio for the latest episode of Bosses Unfiltered.

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    41 mins
  • Episode 3: Lisa King

    Episode 3: Lisa King
    Oct 22 2025

    They say when one door closes, another one opens.

    That’s certainly been the case for Lisa King. In the same breath she closed her first business Eat My Lunch and started a drinks brand AF Drinks.

    AF stands for alcohol free - and it's a range of booze free cocktails.

    The brand has picked up on a huge rise in people who want to drink less or not at all.

    It’s a change not just seen in New Zealand, but across the world. Within two years in the US market, AF Drinks are now available in 4000 stores in America.

    Lisa King joined Kerre Woodham in studio for the latest episode of Bosses Unfiltered.

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    43 mins
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