The Way Forward

What does it actually take to go from 25 people to 4,000 without losing the plot? We sit down with Mahesh to unpack the gritty, unvarnished truths behind hypergrowth at Canva, the real timelines for B2B vs B2C, and why customer obsession—not headcount, perks, or flashy decks—decides whether a company wins. Mahesh walks us through his unconventional path: international recruitment hustle, Tokyo dea...

We trace Chantelle Hilleard's path from HR coordination to international leadership, then drill into what actually drives engagement, retention, and performance in startups, scaleups, and post-acquisition environments. The focus stays on learning cultures, purpose alignment, and commercial fluency that lift both people and results. • early HR lessons that scale across industries • hiring at p...

We trace Amie's journey and unpack how HR becomes a growth engine when it focuses on customer value, capability, and outcomes over process. Pace, alignment, and brave decisions guide hiring, hybrid work, and scaling across markets. • startup vs corporate pace and purpose • hiring for mindset and lifecycle ownership • capability planning vs headcount budgeting • BAU resourcing vs future strate...

HR expert Lisa shares her journey from corporate leadership to founding her own HR consultancy, now supporting other HR professionals through coaching and her HRHQ platform. • Moving from leadership to HR requires a mindset shift from control to influence • HR professionals often can't control decisions but can shape thinking behind them • Using the CHOP framework (Context, History, Obligatio...

Stephanie shares her journey through the HR profession and reveals why most companies take a flawed approach to employee engagement by relying too heavily on surveys and generic initiatives rather than recognising that engagement happens one person at a time. • HR isn't solely responsible for employee engagement—managers play a crucial role in creating environments where employees can thrive...

Discover the remarkable transformation of an office environment as Priya shares the journey from a "club" to a space of inclusion and gratitude. We also dive into  how companies can adapt to remote work, foster flexibility and well-being even through challenging times.  Learn how to outperform traditional recruitment agencies at PICWA.io 

Navigating remote work can be challenging, but Lauren from Matomo offers practical advice on maintaining productivity and effective communication across different time zones.  Discover strategies to keep your remote team dynamic, including clear documentation, proactive communication, and setting healthy boundaries to prevent burnout.  We also explore the essentials of decision-making and collabor...

The candidate experience can make or break your recruitment process. This episode highlights the value of informal, off-site meetings and comprehensive follow-ups to truly understand a candidate's personality and cultural fit. Chris shares his insights on headhunting techniques, emphasising personalised outreach and the essential collaboration with hiring managers to refine the search process...

Our guest today is Siân Govind, Director of Global Talent at Auror and Founder of BeHeard.  We shine a spotlight on the critical importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in the tech sector, especially within New Zealand.  Siân delves into the nuances of creating genuinely inclusive workplaces and explains Auror's robust DEI framework, which prioritizes listening, learning, unlearn...

Our guest today is Lynne Miller, GM of Strategic Delivery at Fonterra.  We dive into the pressing need to align educational pathways with industry demands in New Zealand. Our guest shares valuable perspectives on how strategic workforce planning and proactive career advising can bridge critical gaps in sectors like IT, engineering, and healthcare, offering a roadmap to a more balanced and sustaina...

We're in conversation with Loren Thomas, the Head Of People at TradeMe. In this episode we dive deep into employee engagement, mental health, and the art of bias-free hiring practices.  We also discuss actionable strategies for utilising tools like Officevibe for real-time feedback and long-term cultural shifts, making sure your team feels genuinely engaged and valued. From coaching leaders t...

What if you could transform your HR strategies to attract top talent, even in the toughest market conditions? Our guest Anna shares her personal journey into the world of human resources. She provides profound insights on the importance of a strong Employee Value Proposition (EVP) and emphasises the necessity of continuous feedback and iteration to build an exceptional organisation and team. In th...

Join Sarah Ritchie, Head of People & Culture at Journey Digital, as we dive into the impact of restructures on company culture and the process of rebuilding trust. Sarah offers insights on balancing business integrity with the tough decisions of restructuring. We explore the emotional toll, growth opportunities for affected employees, and the human side of HR and talent management. Finally, we...

Today we’re in conversation with Liam Forde who is the founder and CEO of The Zone, which makes organisations more human through coaching and leadership development. Liam’s passion for people shines through in this episode as we talk about the importance of your values and how to embrace them in the workplace. We also hear Liam’s stories on optimising his time, keeping remote teams engaged and hir...

Today we’re in conversation with Tane van der Boon who co-founded mattress startup Winkl; MAUI63, a not-for-profit protecting marine life; and Inviol, an AI-driven workplace safety solution. Tane treats us to practical and realistic advice around bringing in a successful business model overseas, disrupting traditional industries, and the operations behind next-day delivery. We also hear Tane’s pas...

Today we’re in conversation with Toby Cox who is the CTO of Dovetail. Toby shares his advice for best practices for your MVP, how to identify a good fit when recruiting and building a strong engineering culture. We also hear his unique experiences in tech solutions and startups - from developing an app for Dreamworks, to being an Entrepreneur in Residence in the UK and to conducting due diligence...

Today we’re in conversation with Greg San Miguel who is the co-founder and CEO of RegTech scaleup Law of the Jungle.  Greg takes us back to 1999 as he talks through his journey diving into startups as a litigator with no background in tech, starting a tech company during the .com crash and building a high-performing team. Greg also shares how he navigated product-market fit, outsourced teams and s...

Today we’re in conversation with Trent Gunthorpe, the Chief Product Officer of payments company ASL. Trent tells us about his 20 years of experience in financial services as a part of GE Capital and then leading strategy and payments at American Express. We walk through his learnings from the GFC, high-pressure scenarios, thriving in foreign environments and negotiation. We also hear his thoughts...

Today we’re in conversation with Rob Vickery, the founder and Managing Partner of Hillfarance Venture Capital. In this episode, we get an insider’s look into how Rob evaluates startups and what he cares about as a VC. We also uncover the person behind the title, touching on Rob’s life outside of work, his experience with burnout, and how he sets boundaries to respect his time and mana. Struggling...

Today we're in conversation with Ben Hutt, the CEO of Evergen.  Ben tells us his roller-coaster journey growing an early-stage startup to a global marketplace, going public, then venturing into the renewable energy space with Evergen. This episode is packed with Ben's raw and honest look at the mistakes he's made leading an early-stage startup and also as a first-time publicly liste...

Today we’re in conversation with Lauren Peate, the founder and CEO of Mutlitudes, which helps managers and CTOs use data to improve their team's culture and performance. Having worked around the world, Lauren’s experiences abroad fueled her passion for using technology and data for equity and inclusion as we chat about Multitudes. We explore the unique attributes she looks for when building a...

Today we’re in conversation with Michael Batko, the CEO of Startmate. After years in finance and consulting in his early days, Michael moved to Australia to work in a bar - and ended up at early-stage startup Mad Paws. We have the pleasure to hear Michael’s career journey in the startup space and the things he’s learnt along the way. If you’re interested in hearing his advice to founders and VCs a...

Today we’re in conversation with Seb Poole, the co-founder of med-tech startup Frankie Health, a Giant in residence for Blackbird and the former CPO/CTO for Hulii.  Seb brings a wealth of experience on the operations and tech side of growing tech startups. Lucky for us, he’s sharing them through practical tips and tools and some straightforward advice. If you’re a CTO, engineer or someone interest...

Today we’re in conversation with Sachee who was recently appointed the COO of CorePlan, helped with the growth of startups like UberEats and was the founder of Bugle. Sachee tells all, revealing his lessons from building a marketplace, quadrupling CorePlan’s revenue, and on a more personal note, burnout. Timestamps: 00:00 - Welcome to The Way Forward 00:20 - Sponsor shoutout  00:47 - Intro to Sach...

Our first guest of Season 2 is Alexey Mitko, the former Finance Manager of Canva.com and Koala.com . He is now the current CFO for Eucalyptus and is powering the next generation of digital healthcare companies. Today we learn about building financial models for simple and complex startups, how to make your numbers align with your mission and why CFOs should put on a long-term lens rather than focu...