Leanne on Demand Daily with Leanne Hughes

Hey, thanks for tuning into the Weekend Rewind – although technically we’re only rewinding one day to my latest Talk the Walk episode with the Rock Star of Consulting himself, Alan Weiss. This one’s a bit spicy. Alan threw me a challenge live, and truthfully? I missed the shot. No hiding from it. I was coming off a 5:00 AM webinar and should’ve been firing on all cylinders... but I froze. You’ll h...

This episode’s straight from the frustration files — and one I think we all need to hear. I just published a new piece on my Substack called “The Dark Arts of Interrupting Someone” and honestly, I had way too much fun writing it. So in true 'Work Fame' spirit, I wanted to read it out loud to you. Here’s the backstory: I was on a group coaching call recently, and someone hijacked 20 minutes of airt...

In today's episode, I'm sharing one of my most frustrating habits: overcommitting. I tell a recent story involving a great opportunity, a good friend, and the hard realisation that sometimes saying no is actually the smart, strategic thing to do — even when everything looks perfectly aligned. You'll hear: Why I keep falling into this trap (spoiler: it's not poor planning) What makes some "yeses" h...

I'm recording this one on the move — literally walking through a park in Dandenong, Victoria. You might even hear a few native birds in the background. This morning, I woke up super early (like, 3:50 AM early), and even though it was freezing cold (13 degrees, which is basically Antarctic conditions for a Queenslander like me), I dragged myself out for a 30-minute walk. Not because I felt like it....

Today’s episode is a short one, recorded live from Dandenong, Victoria. I share a chat I had with my Uber driver, Logan, on the way to the airport — and it spiralled into a massive truth bomb: All problems are communication problems. We talked about why confronting others (and even confronting ourselves) is so hard, and why most issues we face aren’t external... they're internal. I also share a br...

I sat down with former national TaeKwonDo athlete and amateur boxer Jessica Borg . We recorded this one at my house. Jess shared the wild story of going from being on track for the Tokyo Olympics, to being medically retired by 26. She opens up about what it really feels like to walk away from the thing that shaped your identity for two decades—and what it’s like to start over when the cheering sto...

Today, I’m replaying a conversation that kicked off an amazing friendship. This was the first time I ever spoke with Andy Storch — now, he’s one of my best mates in the industry. We voice note each other across time zones, I spoke at his Talent Development Think Tank conference in Sonoma, and he now lives with his family in Barcelona. The man does it all — and does it with intention. In this 30-mi...

Today I’m joined by one of the most thoughtful teachers I’ve ever met: Sean D’Souza from Psychotactics in New Zealand. I first saw Sean speak at the We Are Podcast conference — and let me tell you, I was hooked. Not just because he was engaging and entertaining (he was), but because his philosophy on learning, time, and facilitation absolutely cut through. I knew I had to bring him on the show. In...

Today’s episode is brought to you… from the front seat of my car. Yep, I just did one of those chaotic pre-public holiday grocery shops (you know the ones where the trolley has a mind of its own), only to be ambushed by a torrential downpour on my way out. I waited it out. Got a coffee. Looked up. More rain. No blue sky in sight. Eventually, I made the dash through the rain. And guess what? It was...

Today’s episode isn’t polished. It’s a reflection on someone who made a big impact on my life: Lindsay Gasman. He was the kind of guy who gave you a nickname the first time he met you. Who said yes to wearing a Santa suit in 38-degree heat. Who would stop what he was doing—no matter how busy—to talk to you like you were the most important person in the room. I drove to Maryborough today to attend...

Last night I stumbled across an article in the Wall Street Journal called “ Go Delete Yourself from the Internet. Seriously. Here’s How. ” Naturally, I clicked. And wow. It introduced me to a tool from Google I’d never heard of before: 👉 myactivity.google.com Here’s what I learned (and what happened when I used it): You plug in your details (yep, including your home address — bit ironic, I know)...

This episode is a real-time example of how I’m using AI tools like Manus to solve actual problems — not hypothetical ones. You’ll hear how I used it to: Plan a last-minute status run to retain my Qantas Gold (yes, I’m that person) Find obscure tyres for a 1979 TransAm without spending hours trawling the internet I’m not here to geek out on tech for the sake of it. I’m here to find what actually sa...

While prepping for my Everest Base Camp and Lobuche Peak adventure, I went on a long, hilly walk by the river, audiobook in ears — Jim Rohn’s entire audio library. It's so good! And it reminded me of a simple but powerful project I did over the long weekend: repainting my office. Not exactly life-changing, right? But it was a masterclass in turning a tiny idea into something tangible — with the he...

This episode is for anyone who's ever thought: “Am I repeating myself too much?” “Should I change my message to keep things interesting?” “Does anyone even care?” Well… yes, no, and absolutely. In this replay, I’m chatting with Jeffrey Shaw —author of The Self-Employed Life , host of a brilliant podcast by the same name, and someone who’s never worked for anyone else in his life (seriously—he star...

This episode is a plot twist in real time. A few weeks ago, I mentioned I’d be trekking to Everest Base Camp and climbing Lobuche East Peak in November. It’s a terrifying and exciting move—and it all came about thanks to the guest on today’s show: Matthew Stewart . Matt is a long-time friend, adventurer, and the CEO behind The Custodian Way , a collection of businesses with one mission: creating 3...

A few episodes ago I riffed on Inbox Zero —and joked that I bet my friend Sarah Stoddart follows it. Turns out, she definitely does . She voice-noted me her strategy after hearing the episode, and honestly, her approach is so clear, simple, and totally doable that I had to share it with you. In this episode: Sarah walks us through how she keeps her inbox at bay (without going full robot). I riff o...

This episode is a total curveball. A complete pivot from anything I had on my 2025 vision board. I’m not climbing to the top of Mount Everest, but I am heading to Everest Base Camp... and beyond. I’ve just said yes (terrified, excited, slightly in denial) to climbing Lobuche Peak — a 6,119m Himalayan beast that sits above base camp in Nepal. This was not on my radar. At all. It came via a text fro...

Today’s riff is inspired by a lesson I learned back when I was a one-woman marketing department at a remote TAFE in northwest Australia. We had this boring-sounding course on email management that no one signed up for—until we renamed it: Email Hell to Email Heaven . Boom. It sold out three times. So yep, naming matters. But what really stuck with me from that course was a deceptively simple idea:...

In today’s episode, I’m sharing my thoughts on Million Dollar Weekend by Noah Kagan. I'm about three-quarters through it, but I couldn’t wait to talk about it. It’s that good. You’ll hear why I’ve highlighted more passages than I’ve left untouched in this book (a rare feat), and why it’s become an instant favourite. What I love about this book is how grounded and actionable it is. Noah doesn’t jus...

This episode isn’t just about running — it’s about mindset . I laced up, hit play on a 60-minute guided run from the Nike Run Club app, and suddenly found myself running (well, metaphorically) alongside Eliud Kipchoge — two-time Olympic marathon champion, former world record holder, and one of the greatest distance runners of all time. Kipchoge is calm. Measured. Soft-spoken. But every word he say...

Today we're joined by Anamaria Dorgo , a powerhouse community builder, facilitator, and L&D mentor who brings fresh energy and honesty to the space. We chat about the awkward but freeing shift from corporate trainer to facilitator (aka: from control freak to co-creator), how to stop obsessing over “engagement” and start thinking about value , and what it really takes to build momentum in a com...

Today’s Weekend Rewind takes you straight into the latest Talk the Walk livestream I hosted with consulting legend, Alan Weiss. We riffed on pricing psychology, why people stay stuck undercharging, and how overdelivering isn’t noble—it’s often self-sabotage. Here’s what we covered: Why your pricing probably reflects your self-esteem more than market demand The difference between a budget and money...

Hey, it’s Day 101 — we’ve officially stepped into the triple digits of the year, and I wanted to share a productivity principle that keeps smacking me in the face when I forget it: Parkinson’s Law. It says that work expands to fill the time available for its completion. Simple. Obvious. Yet so easy to ignore. Whether it’s a report, a meeting, or writing a book — if you give it all week, it’ll take...

Well, we made it. 100 days, 100 episodes. 265 to go! In today's special 100th episode, I flipped the mic on myself. I used an AI voice to ask me a bunch of reflective questions — and I answered them, off the cuff, just like I always do. We cover: Why I started this podcast in the first place (spoiler: because it was hard) What’s surprised me most about doing this daily When and where the best idea...

In this quick ep, Ihares a sticky little metaphor sparked from a local café run and a slightly annoying car park moment. The lesson? Reverse parking isn’t just a driving tip – it’s a mindset. I explore how doing something mildly annoying now (like reversing into a tight car space) is actually a simple but powerful gift to your future self. It’s modern-day delayed gratification in action (no marshm...