What I learned in business (that didn't kill me!)

What can almost 30 years with the elite SAS teach business about leadership, resilience and building teams that perform? In this episode James H Stewart sits down with Harry Moffitt—former SAS soldier, registered psychologist, author and founder and CEO of the Stotan Group. Across 11 operational deployments, Harry spent close to 1,000 days on Special Operations missions. He was seriously wounded i...

He never planned on a career in retail. Growing up in Sydney as one of seven children, Stephen was more interested in music than school and dreamed of becoming an audio engineer. When that didn't work out, he fell almost accidentally into the Myer Grace Bros trainee management program — beginning a remarkable 40-year career in retail. After 12 years at Myer, Stephen joined Nike, where he spent sev...

What happens when you spend 15 years building a business, take it public—and then find yourself leading it into voluntary administration as COVID hit? Eric Morris has experienced almost every stage of the business lifecycle. In this episode James H Stewart sits down with one of Australia's most experienced retail executives and advisers for a candid conversation about building businesses, acquisit...

From Country Rd & Witchery, to Topshop TopMan Australia, to Hudsons Bay, and now the Cotswold Outdoor Group, James H Stewart sits down with someone who is already a global retail veteran. Jamie Kristow , is the CEO of Cotswold Outdoor Group , one of the UK's leading specialist outdoor retailers and home to brands including Cotswold Outdoor, Snow+Rock and Runners Need . Jamie's career has spann...

Brown Brothers is one of Australia's famous wine brands. So, What does it take to steward a family business through generations while the industry around you is undergoing profound change? In this episode James H Stewart sits down with Angela Brown, fourth-generation shareholder and director of the Brown Family Wine Group and Sales and Marketing Director and co-owner of All Saints Estate in Ruther...

The “Mick Jagger of US bankruptcy”. That's Jamie Sprayregen's nickname, and after more than 35 years at the centre of some of the world’s biggest corporate crises, it’s not hard to see why. Jamie built the restructuring practice at Kirkland & Ellis into a global powerhouse, advised on landmark restructurings including United Airlines and the City of Detroit, spent two extraordinary years at Go...

Why do some iconic businesses survive disruption while others disappear forever? In this episode James H Stewart sits down with Ian Fredericks , CEO of Capital Solutions (Americas) at Hilco Global, Global Head of Data & Innovation, and one of the world's leading experts in corporate restructuring, distressed investing and retail turnarounds. Having advised on some of the largest retail restruc...

For more than 110 years, Haigh's Chocolates has delighted Australians while remaining proudly family-owned, manufacturing locally and resisting the lure of supermarket shelves. James H Stewart sits down with fourth-generation family leader Alister Haigh to explore the remarkable story behind one of Australia's most respected premium brands. After leading Haigh's Chocolates for almost three decades...

Retail is changing faster than ever. But are today's retailers really growing—or have they simply been riding a wave of inflation? James H Stewart sits down with Paul Martin , Global Retail Growth Leader and Partner at AlixPartners, one of the world's leading advisory firms specialising in retail transformation, performance improvement and turnaround. Having advised many of the world's largest ret...

Geoff Wilson AO is one of Australia's most outspoken advocates for retail shareholders. As the founder and Chairman of Wilson Asset Management, Geoff has spent almost five decades navigating financial markets, building one of Australia's leading investment firms and becoming a powerful voice on corporate governance, shareholder activism and public policy. James H Stewart sits down with Geoff to di...

LMND may be the hottest female fashion brand in Australia right now. James H Stewart sits down with Ana Escobar , founder of Australian fashion label LMND , to explore an extraordinary entrepreneurial journey spanning two continents, some of Australia's best-known retail brands, and the challenges of building a self funded premium fashion business. Born in Australia before moving to Colombia as a...

The Alexander Group is New Zealand's leading specialist dangerous goods logostics business. James H Stewart sits down with Hayley Alexander, CEO of this 55-year-old family logistics business, to discuss the business remarkable journey and her personal evolution from a career in public service to CEO. Hayley’s path to leadership was far from conventional. Before joining the family business, she spe...

What can a funeral business teach us about leadership, trust, innovation and family business governance? Quite a lot, it turns out. In this episode of What I Learned in Business (That Didn't Kill Me) , I sit down with James MacLeod OAM, Managing Director of Tobin Brothers Funerals, one of Australia's largest and most respected family-owned businesses. James's journey is remarkable. Starting as a c...

Born and raised on a dairy farm near Shepparton and the first person in her extended family to attend university, Wendy built a remarkable 32-year career with Accenture that took her from regional Victoria to leadership roles across Asia, New York and the global technology consulting sector. Following her executive career, Wendy became one of Australia's most respected Non-Executive Directors, ser...

If we are the "lucky country", why does life feel hard for so many of us? Saul Eslake is one of Australia's most respected independent economists and his conversation with James H Stewart cuts through the political noise and examines the true state of Australia's finances. Drawing on decades of experience advising governments, financial institutions and businesses, Saul provides a candid assessmen...

Online success is more than just a great platform, service or product. Brand development, storytelling and communication sit front and centre of why customers will engage with you. This means understanding the power of language. In this episode I sit down with Bernadette Schwerdt — entrepreneur, best selling author, founder of the Australian School of Copywriting, and host of the podcast So You Wa...

Coopers Brewery is one of Australia's oldest family businesses and most famous brewers. In this episode James H Stewart sits down with Andrew Cooper, Executive Director of Coopers Brewery. Founded in Adelaide in 1862, Coopers Brewery has survived wars, recessions, industry disruption, changing consumer preferences, and even a hostile takeover attempt. But this conversation is about far more than b...

What happens when business and government policy intersect? What happens when the institutions that underpin our democracy, economy and social cohesion come under pressure? What happens to leaders when moral clarity is lost? James Stewart sits down with Jennifer Westacott AC — one of the most influential leaders in Australian public and business life. From growing up in public housing, in a home m...

Have you ever wanted to be part of a Social Enterprise? What about building a business that does good for the community - at scale? Kim McDonnell — founder of Thankful, Thankful4Farmers, and Saveful, and winner of the 2025 Women in Digital Champion of Change Award, has done just that (and more)! Kim shares her remarkable journey from growing up in the remote mining town of Mount Isa, in outback QL...

How a Holocaust survival story shaped a family legacy and inspired a serial retail investor to keep striving for success. In this deeply personal discussion, James H Stewart sits down with retailer, investor, former lawyer and long-time friend, Tom Krulis for a conversation that goes far beyond business. Tom opens up about his family’s extraordinary journey, including the posthumous publication of...

The Banking Royal Commission was the reset needed for the Australian banking industry and demanded by the community. Sally Bruce's first hand experience at Macquarie Bank, National Australia Bank, AMP bank, gave her a unique insight into some of Australia's largest financial institutions, the important role than they play in the community and what can go wrong when the institution gets in its own...

A former F18 fighter pilot, a former leader of the Australian aerobatic flying team the Roulettes, a Senior Advisor to the Australian Defence industry and someone who literally jumps off tall building (or cliffs) in a single bound. That's what you get when you chat with Peter Robinson. In this high-impact episode, James Stewart sits down with Peter Robinson, CEO of NWE Strategic to discuss the cur...

Harvey Weinstein and Brittany Higgins have one thing in common. They were at the heart of a movement to reform workplace safety and workplace culture and right at the centre of that process, was Kate Jenkins AO, one of Australia’s most prominent voices on workplace safety, sexual discrimination and culture. Kate is the former Sex Discrimination Commissioner at the Australian Human Rights Commissio...

The Australian residential housing market is unaffordable for many. It is being impacted by a perfect storm of a supply demand imbalance, rising construction costs, a fuel crisis, and a planning system which many argue needs wholesale reform. To hear more, I sit down with Angus Raine , Executive Chairman of Raine & Horne — one of Australia’s oldest and most enduring family businesses to get hi...

Geopolitics now sits at the centre of business decision-making. My guest is Dr Merriden Varrall , one of Australia’s leading geopolitical analysts and China specialists, and the founder and CEO of Vantage Geopol. Merriden brings a rare combination of academic depth, policy experience, and commercial advisory insight. She has spent nearly a decade living and working in China, held senior roles with...