The Honest CEO Show

In this episode of the Honest CEO Show, Caroline Kennedy interviews Rebecca Williams, CEO of Seed & Sprout, discussing her journey from the automotive industry to leading a purpose-driven brand. Beck shares insights on navigating transformation, balancing founder vision with leadership, fostering a culture of trust, and the importance of radical candor in the workplace. The conversation also touch...

In this episode of "The Honest CEO Show," host Caroline Kennedy sits down with Alisa Fraser, one half of the dynamic duo behind the brand al.ive. From their early days captivating audiences on reality TV to building a multi-million dollar business in the competitive skincare industry, Alisa shares her journey of reinvention, resilience, and the power of intuition. Discover how the sisters turned c...

In this episode of the Honest CEO Show, Caroline Kennedy interviews Rachel Donath, a visionary designer and entrepreneur, who shares her journey of building a brand rooted in creativity and integrity. Rachel discusses her early influences, the importance of home design, and the challenges of balancing passion with commercial viability. She reflects on her leadership experiences, the lessons learne...

In this episode of the Honest CEO Show, Caroline Kennedy interviews Louisa Williams, founder of Kooshy Kids, a brand revolutionising family travel. Louisa shares her journey from working in HR to launching a successful business that addresses the challenges of traveling with children. The conversation explores the importance of resilience, the power of word-of-mouth marketing, and the realities of...

In this episode of the Honest CEO Show, Caroline Kennedy interviews Dean Leibbrandt, co-founder of Nakie, an Australian startup that transforms ocean plastic into adventure gear. Dean shares his journey from a corporate background to entrepreneurship, driven by a passion for sustainability and environmental impact. The conversation delves into the challenges of creating a sustainable product, bala...

We welcome Angela Shaw, a versatile executive whose journey from law to human resources leadership offers valuable perspectives for professionals across industries. With her impressive background in legal practice and commercial strategy, Angela has masterfully navigated corporate policy frameworks and leadership development throughout her career. After leading the HR function at ARB Corporation—a...

Join us for an exciting conversation with Steve Pastor, the innovative CEO and Founder of Kings of Neon, Australia's standout neon sign business that has illuminated its way to an impressive $10 million valuation. Steve's remarkable journey and business acumen recently earned him recognition in the prestigious Smart Company Smart 50 Awards. In this illuminating conversation, Steve shares the radia...

We're bringing you an inspiring conversation with Drew Mansur, the innovative co-founder of TileCloud, Australia's premier online tile destination that has grown into a remarkable $30+ million enterprise. Drew's passion for renovation, coupled with his frustration with the traditional tile-buying experience, sparked the creation of TileCloud. Drew reveals his creative foundations and early career...

Dive into an engaging conversation with Daniella Burns, the dynamic Product Director at Nintex, a global powerhouse valued at $750 million. Her strategic mindset and passion for innovation offer valuable lessons for professionals seeking to elevate their leadership impact. In this episode, Daniella shares her passion for impactful work and delves into the strategies for building strategic thinking...

We welcome Maria Mavrikos, the pioneering founder and managing director of Structural Challenge, who built a formidable $40+ million enterprise in the traditionally male-dominated steel industry. Her groundbreaking journey demonstrates how vision and determination can transform both businesses and industries. In this episode, Maria recounts her early experiences and the significant hurdles she ove...

Join us for a compelling conversation with Jane Grover, the former CEO of Southern Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust, a $94+ million organisation. Jane's extensive career and leadership at SMCT offer invaluable insights into business transformation and customer-centric strategies. In this episode, Jane shares her formative early career experiences and the vision that drove her transformation of SMCT....

We're bringing you an enriching conversation with Teri Hobbs, the accomplished COO of Bilue who previously served as General Manager at Deluxe APAC. Her journey in media & technology leadership showcases the power of strategic thinking and authentic leadership. Through our discussion, Teri unveils the key influences that shaped her early career and her transformative leadership at Deluxe. She offe...

Get ready for an inspiring session with Lauren French, the visionary CEO who revolutionised Motto Fashions from a traditional brick-and-mortar store into an e-commerce success story. Her innovative leadership drove an impressive 257% growth rate, building a $15 million revenue powerhouse in the fashion industry. Lauren shares her remarkable transition from a designer to leading her family's busine...

We welcome Justin Cantelo, the CEO of Housing Plus, a leading non-profit organisation transforming lives through innovative housing solutions. With a remarkable $70+ million operation under his leadership, Justin brings over 17 years of rich experience in management and executive roles to the conversation. Listen as we explore Justin's journey to the top and his candid insights about leadership. H...

Join us as we chat with Narinder Singh, the inspiring CEO of QE Food Stores. From humble beginnings in Punjab, India, to building a $50 million retail empire in Australia, Narinder's story embodies the true spirit of entrepreneurial perseverance. In this episode, we explore his remarkable journey from being a school dropout to becoming a successful business leader. Learn how his migration path thr...

Join us as we chat with Rachael Ferguson, the dynamic co-founder and CEO of SynxBody. Get inspired by her incredible journey from a skilled podiatrist to a successful entrepreneur, her passion for innovation, and the lessons she learned along the way. In this episode, we delve into the challenges and triumphs of transitioning from healthcare to the fast-paced world of business. Learn how Rachael d...

Andrew Tucker is the CEO of ITonCloud which helps businesses simplify and automate their IT systems by leveraging the cloud. Andrew has more than 20 years of experience as a successful business owner and passionate entrepreneur. His goal has always been to build and drive ventures to deliver unmatched service levels, customer value and trust. Listen in for some gold nuggets from Andrew on how to e...

The journey to the top for Joel Norton hasn’t been what you would usually expect of a CEO. Having worked his way up from the very bottom, Joel attributes his success not to formal education but rather to experience. Starting his career as a marketing consultant in 1988, Joel has been on the long road to the top progressing through different roles at varying companies from General Manager to CMO an...

We chat with Dominique Lyone, Managing Director of COS (Complete Office Supplies), about his journey from immigrant to head of Australia’s only privately-owned national office supplies business, COS, which has an annual turnover of $130 million. Dominique’s story is one of family, perseverance and passion. After fleeing Egypt following the 1967 Six Day War, Dominique and his family settled in West...

Elizabeth McIntyre, CEO of Think Brick, the Australian industry body for clay brick and paver manufacturers, on her interesting career journey and her advice for anyone considering about changing career direction. Elizabeth’s career journey has been far from a straight line. From Ford Motorsport and V8 Supercars to children’s TV with Walt Disney Television International, and now in construction as...

As CEO of Holocentric, an Australian technology company, Bruce is fiercely passionate in his belief that companies can achieve greater performance by better understanding how people, process and technology come together to meet strategic objectives as well as regulatory obligations. Holocentric has assisted some of Australia’s largest organisations to implement Holocentric’s innovative BMS platfor...

As a woman in a male dominated industry, Angela is creating pathways for other women to step up and achieve success. She is also focused on developing the next generation of workplace designers, helping them develop the skills and confidence to make it in a tough industry. Futurespace works with some of the world’s top companies, including American Express, Microsoft, Qantas, and Google. In the pa...

Arriving in Australia as a child refugee from Vietnam, with no belongings, no home, and no English, Diem Fuggersberger has risen from challenging beginnings to be a proud, passionate and values driven businesswoman. As co-founding CEO of Berger Ingredients, Diem and her husband Werner have built a multi-million dollar food-manufacturing business. Berger Ingredients is now the supplier behind many...

My guest today is Sonia McDonald, CEO & Founder of LeadershipHQ; is an Entrepreneur, Thought Leader, Dynamic Keynote Speaker, Leadership Coach and Author. Sonia McDonald was recently named in the Top 250 Influential Women across the Globe. She has over 25 years’ human resource management, leadership and organisational development experience. She has held senior leadership roles in organisational d...

This is a very personal interview for me as I grew up in an environment of addiction, and my guest Lorraine founded the Australia’s leading addiction and mental health centre. Lorraine Wood is the co-founder and owner of South Pacific Private, Australia’s leading addiction and mental health centre, and is also the author of Love & Addiction, a personal memoir of her inspirational life. From New Ze...