Naked at the Top

You can’t fix everything at once. The hard part is picking what to fix first, and asking for help while you do it. You’ll learn: What to fix first when your job, your relationship and your plans all go in the same year How to ask for help in public, even when someone tells you it looks desperate Why saying yes to the next big purchase or hire is how a small business grows How stepping away from th...

You already know what you think. The hard part is saying it out loud, and staying yourself once you have. You'll learn: How to take harsh feedback without swallowing the cruelty that came with it Two questions to ask before you say yes to a stage, a client or a room How to think straight for someone whose brain has gone offline Why AI sounds so human, and why that should make you trust it les...

You built the business so you'd have more time. So where did it go? In this episode of Naked at the Top, the founder of an outsourced bookkeeping and CFO firm, 19 years in with a team of 30, explains why he never wanted to be the person who runs it. Damian Scodella of SquarePenny has lived by one rule in every job since his early twenties: make yourself redundant. He has handed the running of...

Being the person everyone leans on is lovely until the day you need to lean back. In this episode of Naked at the Top, a marketing consultant who has built a community of 18,000 marketers across Australia and New Zealand talks about the LinkedIn post she almost did not send: the one where she told everyone she was broke. Chanel, founder of The Marketing Club and of a new co-working space in Brisba...

That voice asking when will everyone figure out you don't belong? It doesn't retire when you make CEO. In this episode of Naked at the Top, the CEO of Insync, an experience measurement consultancy, opens up about leaving school at 16, hiding outside networking events for 20 years, and the interview where someone assumed a degree he didn't have. Jeremy Summers has spent a career walk...

If you stopped achieving tomorrow, would you still know who you are? In this episode of Naked at the Top, an executive coach who spent his corporate career climbing to CIO of a large investment bank strips back what happens when the title comes off. He shares the question he asks clients but had been avoiding himself, the moment he realised the treadmill was rewarding him with more treadmill, and...

It takes years to build a high trust team and one hallway conversation to break it. In this episode of Naked at the Top, a leadership coach and L&D Manager at a University in New Zealand shares the moment he believed hearsay from someone senior over his own team member, and what it cost them both. We also go back to a 2am arrival at Christchurch Airport, where two and a half hours in an immigr...

You can be the most capable person in the room and still have no idea how to say no without guilt. In this episode of Naked at the Top, an AI ethicist and founder who advises global businesses on equity gets honest about the one thing she still can’t do cleanly: hold a boundary in her personal life. Aubrey Blanche walks through how she rebuilt her relationship with saying no, why community beats w...

Have you ever had a season where everything in your life fell apart at once and you couldn't catch your breath? Then this episode is for you. Today I'm sitting down with Nicholas Howe. He's the founder of Howe United Games and Software, a single dad to a nine-year-old, and the creator of a free app called Cups and Spoons that helps couples build healthier relationships. Before we re...

You can be brilliant at what you do and still feel like the kid no one picked — and starting a business doesn't always fix that. In this episode of Naked at the Top, Gabriele Sanguigno, founder of Tooth Fairy AI, shares what it takes to compete with the biggest names in tech as a self-described introvert who'd rather be coding than selling. He opens up about the cost of the dream — runni...

Everyone tells you to "just be yourself" at the top — but nobody warns you how exposed that can leave you, or how lonely it gets being the one who's supposed to have the answers. In this episode of Naked at the Top, Leadernomics author, keynote speaker and 25-year Air Force veteran Seung Paik strips back the polished version of leadership and shares what it looks like behind closed...

Belonging, identity, power, and the courage to build something new. In this episode of Naked at the Top , Aleyx sits down with Christopher Asahara for a deeply honest conversation about growing up between cultures, being told you are not quite one of “us”, and learning how to turn difference into advantage rather than disadvantage. Christopher shares what it feels like to be an outsider in certain...

sterclass in human-first leadership, honest business building, and why caring is not a soft skill — it’s a strategic advantage. Aleyx Ward sits down with Damien Gooden, CEO of HR Central, to unpack what it really takes to build a business where people stay, trust grows, and leadership doesn’t hide behind titles. From accidentally becoming a CEO to navigating COVID, firing customers, and building d...

What does it look like when an entrepreneur applies business discipline to comedy – and comedy thinking to business? In this episode of Naked at the Top , Morry Morgan shares the unconventional path that took him from an only-child upbringing and global travel, through China’s fast-moving business culture, and into building one of the most unexpected ventures in Australia: a comedy school and conf...

Some careers begin with a plan. Others begin with a quiet decision made far earlier than anyone expects. In this episode of Naked at the Top , Aleyx sits down with Colleen Callander — a leader who started working in retail at just 16 and went on to become CEO of two of Australia’s most iconic fashion brands. But this conversation isn’t about polished confidence or highlight-reel success. Colleen s...

Alan Gill brings a rare mix of sharp business instinct and playful curiosity to this conversation. As co-founder of Choice Energy, one of the fastest-growing energy businesses in AsiaPac, he has lived through the chaos, pressure and exhilaration of scaling at speed. Yet beneath the targets and milestones sits a leader who still draws sharks in meetings, turns corporate stresses into comedy, and us...

Authentic leadership grows from the unseen parts of a life. In this episode, Seung Paik reveals the moments that shaped his identity long before he ever stepped into a leadership role. He shares the immigrant values that built his work ethic, the twenty-five years of military service that taught him discipline and humility, and the internal questions that guided him through purpose, crisis and tra...

When tragedy strikes, some people crumble. Others rebuild the system that failed them.  Naomi from Care Advisory is one of those people. After witnessing first-hand how broken the aged care industry can be, she set out to create change – building a business grounded in ethics, transparency, and trust. In this episode of Naked at the Top , Naomi shares how she turned heartbreak into purpose, defied...

In this episode of Naked at the Top, host Aleyx Ward sits down with Stephen Luxmore , founder of Your HR Team , to explore how growth mindset, self-awareness and authenticity are redefining modern leadership. From starting out as a gardener to becoming a respected HR consultant, Stephen shares how moments of doubt and stereotype shaped his purpose. He talks openly about creating psychological safe...

Advisory boards might sound like something reserved for big corporates – but for founders and entrepreneurs, they’re one of the most powerful growth levers you’ve never used. In this episode of Naked at the Top , we uncover how founders, leaders, and business owners can use advisory boards to sharpen decisions, strengthen strategy, and accelerate personal growth. Our guest dives into the hidden ps...

From a second-hand mower to a nationwide empire of 5,500 franchises – Jim Penman’s story is proof that purpose and persistence can outlast any plan. In this episode of Naked at the Top , Jim shares how a small lawn mowing business turned into one of the world’s most successful franchise systems, and why his mission was never about money – it was about funding research that might just change the wo...

Mindset is the single biggest factor in whether your business thrives or collapses - yet it is also the part most entrepreneurs get wrong. In this Naked at the Top episode, Alex Sy joins us to unpack why mindset is the root of business success. He shares his journey from hitting rock bottom to mentoring others, and why many owners sabotage themselves with fake goals, poor retention strategies, and...

What does it really take to build a business you love without losing yourself along the way? In this Naked at the Top episode, Kellie Simpson shares her journey from corporate burnout to building a thriving, values-led business as a Legal VA. She opens up about the breaking points that forced change, the importance of choosing clients wisely, and the mindset shifts that helped her go from survivin...

What does it really take to build wealth without losing yourself along the way? Tal Evans shares his powerful story of growing up in a poor migrant family, and how those early struggles shaped his resilience, mindset, and approach to business. From starting with nothing to creating lasting success, Tal opens up about the lessons he learned through failure, leadership challenges, and building teams...

What does it take to lead with joy, grit, and zero ego—even when life tries to crush you? Chris Christofi has built an empire from the ground up. But it’s not the hustle that defines him—it’s the heart. In this episode of Naked at the Top , Chris shares how being fired, losing it all, and even getting banned from motorcycles taught him everything he needed to know about leadership, humility, and h...