My guest today is Alex Ansaldo, a former mechanical engineer, transdermal drug delivery researcher, medical doctor, and now the lead graphic designer at Bamby Media, Australia’s largest independent podcast production company run by his wife, Brianna.

Alex has such an inspiring story of how he has been the leader in his own life, making big changes in his career to get off the conveyor belt and prioritise happiness and time with his young family. I know so many of you are going to resonate with our conversation today.

In this episode, Alex shares his journey into mechanical engineering through to becoming a medical doctor and the years of unfulfillment he experienced while working long hours and not being able to be present with his children.

Alex shares the definable moments that caused him to take a step back and think about what he really wanted in life. This process of evaluating eventually led Alex to leave medicine and take over domestic duties, enjoying the opportunity to make up for lost time with his kids and enabling Brianna to focus on growing her business. Alex shares how he then transitioned into working with Brianna, his parent’s response to this and why he’s never looked back.

We talk about the feedback Alex received from his peers and family when he decided to leave medicine and the journey he has been on to detach from the identity of being a doctor. Sharing his advice to others who aren’t happy in their career but fearful of taking the next step, Alex encourages a healthy dose of nihilism to look at the bigger picture and think about what you want your life to be about. We talk about the importance of understanding the legacy you leave behind, being present in what you are doing and why we shouldn’t hold ourselves back from pursuing the things in life that bring joy and happiness.

LINKS

Connect with Alex Ansaldo:

Website: www.bambymedia.com

Connect with Julie:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julie-hyde/

Instagram: @juliehydeleads

Website: https://juliehyde.com.au

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With me today is the incredible Liz Courtney, an award-winning environmental filmmaker, climate change communicator, global multimedia platform leader and social entrepreneur.

For more than a decade, Liz has built a global multimedia platform to educate and mobilise online communities for social and environmental change. A passionate storyteller, Liz uses her 20 plus years of experience in brand strategy and communication to lead the narrative on social change in the climate sector with innovation, digital, and experiential content to inform communities, government, and policy planning on long-term solutions in high risk regions.

Liz has been awarded 100 Women of Influence, inducted into the Australian Business Women's Hall of Fame, and in 2018, she delivered her first TEDx Talk on Lateral Thinking for Climate Solutions. She now sits on boards for Women for Change, the National Foundation for Australian Women and Youth4Planet. And that’s just the start of what Liz has accomplished so far.

In this conversation, we explore Liz’s career path which saw her trading in stilettos for snow boots to follow her passion for filmmaking. She also shares how her experience in brand strategy and communication has propelled her to the forefront of the climate sector, leading the charge in creating narratives that inspire social change.

We delve into the heart of behavioural changes for sustainable living, and Liz reveals her family's unique experiments with sustainable living. From a 'quiet week' sans music to 'eating the fridge,' she emphasises the lasting impact of small lifestyle changes, inspiring each of us to play our part.We also discuss the pressing issue of food waste on a global scale, exploring innovative ways to repurpose waste as a resource and create a closed-loop system that ultimately eliminates waste.

Finally, we take a hard look at the growing instability of our climate system and how it's affecting communities worldwide. Liz talks about the harsh reality of communities from the Arctic to Africa who are grappling with the repercussions of climate change, underlining the urgency of taking action now and reflecting on the role we play in our planet's health. We talk about the human brain's response to visible changes and how today's generation has the power to make a lasting impact and so much more.

This is an important conversation not to be missed and one I’m sure will inspire us all to be more mindful of our actions and their effects on our planet.

LINKS

Connect with Liz Courtney

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/liz-courtney-72742919/?originalSubdomain=au

Connect with Julie:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julie-hyde/

Instagram: @juliehydeleads

Website: https://juliehyde.com.au

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With me today is serial entrepreneur, experienced business owner and super connector, Jules Brooke. We’re talking today about the need for role models and support for young women in corporate environments and how lifting each other up will enable women to have greater levels of influence.

Jules is the founder of She's the Boss, a group that hosts events to connect women in business and the host of the She's the Boss podcast and YouTube channel. A PR guru, Jules is also the founder of Handle Your Own PR and is passionate about empowering women and making them more visible in the business world.

In a world where women over 50 appear in less than 4% of media globally, it is crucial to create visibility and role models for women in business. In this conversation, we talk about Jules’ mission to change this narrative, the importance of women supporting women, the challenges faced by women in corporate environments, and the need for women to make themselves more visible.

While progress has been made in gender equality, women still face very real challenges in corporate environments where competition and survival of the fittest is still the norm. We talk about the need to challenge the patriarchal model and promote collaboration and empathy and how this will reshape corporate cultures and create more inclusive and supportive work environments. This will of course lead to increased innovation, better decision making, and improved overall performance.

Jules talks about the need for women to support each other and how a lack of support from other women can stem from a fear of competition and a scarcity mindset. However, when women learn to lift each other up, they empower the next generation to pursue their dreams and overcome any self-doubt or imposter syndrome they may face.

By supporting each other, we’re going to see a much needed increase in the representation of women in leadership positions and a more inclusive and diverse business landscape. I know you’re going to love Jule’s contagious personality and passion that shines through in this conversation today.

LINKS

Connect with Jules Brooke

• Handle Your Own PR website: https://www.handleyourownpr.com.au/
• She’s The Boss website: https://shesthebossgroup.com/
• She's The Boss YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUCcrB5bSn6kEpOvaf2NyyQ
• She’s The Boss Podcast: https://www.shestheboss.com.au/chats
• She's The Boss Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/shesthebossgroup
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julesbrooke/

Connect with Julie:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julie-hyde/

Instagram: @juliehydeleads

Website: https://juliehyde.com.au

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today I’m joined by the wonderful and inspiring Jo Gaines, a seasoned professional who has worked in the technology and media sector for over two decades. Jo's career journey has seen her work for high-profile companies including CBS, Krux, Yahoo and more recently, as Area Vice President of Salesforce. Jo is also a dedicated mother-of-two and a fierce advocate for equality, lending her support as an ambassador for women's shelters. She shares with us her journey through hardship to finding resilience and how changing her mindset helped reshape her story.

Through facing a challenging turning point in her career due to redundancy, Jo embarked on a transformative journey of self-discovery that saw her turn to practices such as weight training, breathwork and meditation. She shares the new mindset she adopted through these practices, and how her determination to thrive in the face of uncertainty led to a completely new outlook on life.

In our conversation, Jo shares the grief she experienced when her role at Salesforce came to an end, and how lost she felt when it came to her future. However, she notes there are two choices we can make when it comes to facing adversity. Either we can see it as a downfall, or treat it as an opportunity to expand. Jo chose the latter, and decided to view this new path as one she was destined to be on.

Resilience can often be misunderstood as a suppression of emotions or ignoring our problems. However, we define what resilience really is and discuss its ability to help effectively manage our thoughts and feelings. Jo believes that releasing control and trusting everything will eventually work out can free us from fear and the temptation to give up.

We talk about how navigating through our own life challenges produces empathy, and when we view others through this lens, we become more effective leaders. Recognising that everyone experiences change, particularly in a post-pandemic world, we’re able to rally with our team and prioritise their wellbeing. How can we communicate in a way that resonates for each individual? How do we lead in a way that not only gets them through, but also builds resilience?

Jo also shares her shift in perspective that inspired her to live more fully in the present and pursue the passions that had been sitting on the backburner for too long. She talks about the bucket list she created and the importance of making time and space in life to achieve each goal.

Jo's story is a powerful testament to the transformation resilience can create, and the potential for growth when we embrace change with gratitude. I just know you’ll be as inspired as I was by Jo’s incredible wisdom, and hope you find confidence to implement strategies for a full and rewarding life in leadership and beyond.

LINKS

Connect with Jo Gaines

LinkedIn: https://au.linkedin.com/in/jogaines

Instagram: @gogaino

Connect with Julie:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julie-hyde/

Instagram: @juliehydeleads

Website: https://juliehyde.com.au

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Joining me on the podcast today is the incredible Lissy Abrahams, a relationship therapist with a treasure trove of experience. Lissy's work has touched numerous lives, and in our conversation, we delved into the core of relationship dynamics, how they change over time, and the resources available for couples seeking assistance.

The beginning of our conversation focused on how couples view each other. People often look at their partner as someone they're assessing for compatibility, pondering future life together, including potential children. The irony is, as Lissy points out, we often can't predict who our partners will become or who we will become in the relationship. The true essence of a relationship goes beyond the wedding day and the initial impressions.

For couples feeling lost in their relationship, Lissy offers a range of resources, from her book Relationship Reset to more detailed courses designed to dive deeper into understanding one's own mind. She emphasised the shortage of couples therapists available and the importance of resources like these to alleviate the increasing demand.

We also touch on what it is like to experience these stories from the perspective of the therapist. Lissy candidly shares how she manages the influx of dramatic stories, pain, and conflict she encounters. Her grounding techniques, like spending time in the park and abstaining from news that can "jangle" our nerves, play a crucial role in her self-preservation.

One of the highlights of the conversation was Lissy's emphasis on understanding our mammalian system. We often live lives disconnected from our natural selves, filled with distress and : detatchment. She urges people to do the work needed to enjoy and be in harmony with our inherent nature, creating a ripple effect that benefits everyone around us.

This episode serves as a testament to the profound impact of understanding relationship dynamics and ensuring we align with our true selves. If you've ever felt adrift in your relationship or need strategies to ground yourself amidst life's chaos, Lissy Abrahams is a voice worth listening to.

LINKS

Connect with Lissy Abrahams

Website: https://www.lissyabrahams.com/

Instagram: @lissy.abrahams

Her Book: https://www.panmacmillan.com.au/9781760989781/relationship-reset/

Connect with Julie:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julie-hyde/

Instagram: @juliehydeleads

Website: https://juliehyde.com.au

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Birthdays have taken on a whole new meaning for me in recent years. I used to dread the numbers creeping up, but then cancer came along and changed everything. Now, I'm all about gratitude and cherishing each birthday that comes my way. Facing life-threatening challenges has a way of reshaping your outlook, trust me. It's not just about surviving; it's about living with intention and appreciating every moment.

To celebrate life on my birthday this year, I’m sharing this solo episode as an update on how things have been going and a reminder that you can’t always choose what life throws at you but you can choose how you respond.

I share some good news on the health front and how I’ve been tracking throughout my melanoma journey. It has certainly been a time of learning and growth for me and I’m excited to share that I'm working on my second book! It’s been both a challenging and thrilling experience and one that I’m very grateful for.

Learning is a lifelong journey, and I'm soaking up knowledge from my work, my life challenges, and the incredible people I meet. I also share how this journey has brought me closer to my loved ones and taught me to truly appreciate each day.

I’m a huge believer in the fact that we have the power to choose how we respond to challenges. Life's obstacles don't define us; our response does. I'm on my 54th birthday now, and I can tell you, I've faced my fair share of challenges but each time, I've emerged stronger and wiser.

I hope this episode gives you a fresh dose of inspiration, perspective, and a reminder to cherish every moment. Life is fleeting, and changes can happen in an instant. So, let's celebrate life together and make the most of each day.

LINKS

Connect with Julie:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julie-hyde/

Instagram: @juliehydeleads

Website: https://juliehyde.com.au

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.