Veteran Business Community Podcast

🎙 Military Mindset for Business – Season 2, Episode 10   Episode Title: How Covert Government Operations Shaped a Business Leadership Model   Guest: David Deane-Spread – Founder of Metattude  Episode Overview: David Deane-Spread began his journey as a military officer, moving into covert government operations before launching a high-flying corporate career — which came crashing down in 1990 with b...

🎙️ S02E09: From Combat Engineer to Global Coach: The Edward Zia Way Guest: Edward Zia – Veteran, LinkedIn Influencer, Master Coach   Episode Summary: In this energising episode, Pete Liston sits down with Edward Zia , a proud Army veteran turned international marketing mentor and LinkedIn powerhouse. Ed shares how his military service as a Combat Engineer laid the foundation for a career helping t...

🎙️ S02E08: SAS Patrols in Vietnam to Principal of Veterans in Motorsport Guest : Robert Kilsby Theme : "We have to earn our stories" – and Robert has more than earned his. 🎧 Episode Summary Robert Kilsby’s life is a masterclass in resilience, transformation, and service. Whether you're a veteran, leader, or someone looking for inspiration on how to keep moving forward when life knocks you down –...

🎧 Episode Summary In this episode of MM4B, we’re joined by Shannon Lemanski —a former Army mechanical engineer who’s turned his technical skills into powerful social impact. As the founder of Aqua Ubique , Shannon is leading a clean tech revolution, using cutting-edge technology to extract water from air . After more than a decade in uniform, Shannon now heads a social enterprise that helps small...

🎙️ S02E06: Boutique Rum, Crowdfunding & Life in Northern New South Wales   🎧 Listen Now:https://veteranbc.com/veteran-media 📣 Guest: Sally Carter, Co-Founder of Birds of Isle In this episode, we sit down with Sally Carter , co-founder of Birds of Isle , a boutique Australian rum label redefining the country’s relationship with the spirit. With over two decades of leadership across procuremen...

🎙️ S02E05 : Women in Combat – Sliding Door Moments that Changed Our Lives  🔥 In this inspiring episode, we chat with Rach Ranton—Australian Army veteran, corporate leader, and advocate for neurodiversity and veteran hiring programs. From frontlines in East Timor and Afghanistan to boardrooms at Westpac Bank, Rach shares her journey of resilience, leadership, and achieving financial independence (...

🎙️S02E04: Grant Mastery: Navigating the World of Grant Applications with Kate Whitehead We are joined by the brilliant Avant Group’s Managing Director, Kate Whitehead , a leading expert in grant applications and funding pathways. Kate shares her deep expertise in understanding the complexities of grant applications—from uncovering the best opportunities to mastering the application process. Whethe...

🎙️S02E03: Beyond the Battlefield: How Edward Plant Builds High-Impact Business Networks In this episode of the MM4B, we sit down with Edward Plant, Co-Founder and Director of The Business League (TBL), to explore his inspiring journey from army engineer to business growth strategist. Edward opens up about his time in the Australian Defence Force, the leadership principles he carried over into civi...

🎙️ S02E02: From Electronic Warfare to Executive Furniture: Kevin Kidd’s Next Mission After flying the EA-18G Growler, Kevin Kidd now commands a different kind of mission—fitting out offices across Australia. In this episode, we dive into his transition from high-speed decision-making to high-end workspaces, and the mindset it took to pivot after service. 🎧 Catch the latest episode of MM4B: 🔗 htt...

Peter Liston chats about the new partnership with Veteran Business Community and ICN to spotlight and create opportunities for Veteran owned businesses. Check out VBC at veteranbc.com and the Gateway by ICN platform at https://gateway.icn.org.au/ .   If you are a Veteran Owned Business, you need to check out this episode to understand the opportunities out there for you right now and how to spotli...

People are the heartbeat of your organisation. Unlocking success begins with harnessing the dynamic energy of your people. Establishing robust foundations entails bringing on board the finest talent and cultivating an environment that propels them toward excellence—a non-negotiable for any thriving business. Join special guest Tom Larter, CEO of WithYouWithMe, as he shares his mission to solve und...

Founder Journey: From Military to business revolutising the clean energy industry.  Founders of iO Energy, Luke Morton and Rob Morris, are on a mission to accelerate humanity’s transition to zero carbon by maximising the use of affordable clean electricity. In this episode, dive into their insights on building a business - from securing your first customer, to attracting investors, and implementin...

ESG, once a silent force, is now surging in awareness and proactive implementation. Don't be fooled, it's not just for big corporations; small businesses can also thrive by adopting Environmental, Social and Governance practices. In this episode, join special guest Oliver Barnes, Managing Partner at ESG+F. Oliver shares wisdom into the world of ESG including greenwashing, the importance of ESG das...

Success is a universal aspiration, but it's not a one-size-fits-all formula. In this episode, we learn from an ex-Military veteran who's excelled in the Military and in the business world. Chris Rhyss Edwards - HDR Research Candidate, Speaker, Author and Director of Empathic Labs - shares insights into: Embracing imperfection and avoiding procrastination. Navigating innovation and entrepreneurship...

In business, remember this: Community is mightier than going it alone. From mentors, networks, to the reputation game – relationships are gold for entrepreneurs. Join us in this episode of Military Mindset for Business with our special guest, Daniel Hakim, Founder of CUB Club of United Business and Boa App. Through CUB and Boa App, Daniel is uniting Australia’s top entrepreneurs.  Key Takeaways: ...

Unlocking the power of military teamwork for business success. Discover the secrets to building unstoppable teams in the world of business. Join us this week on the "Military Mindset for Business" podcast with our special guest, Bryce Turner, Managing Director of Klepper, a consultancy for the Military. Bryce will share invaluable lessons from both the battlefield and the boardroom, including: Mas...

Lessons on leadership and process from the frontline! This week we chatted with Andy Cullen, Military Veteran turned Co-founder of PTSD Resurrected. Through gripping war stories, our Andy underscores the critical importance of process and leadership in the most challenging of circumstances – the battlefield. And we explore the parallels between the military mindset and the business world. Andy als...

Marketing forms the bedrock of your business growth, but the rapidly shifting digital landscape presents a challenge for entrepreneurs looking to expand their presence and drive profits. In this week's special edition episode, our podcasts, The Rev Up and Military Mindset for Business, unite to bring you insights from industry experts Susan Werkner and Peter Applebaum, Founders of The Agency Accel...

It’s time to debunk the realities of outsourcing! Widely recognised as a game-changing strategy for businesses seeking cost efficiency and turbocharged competitiveness, many are still concerned that outsourcing will cause a rise in job displacement and has potential logistical challenges associated with managing remote operations.  In this episode of Military Mindset for Business, hear from two ex...

Unlocking success in the modern business landscape requires more than just transactions; it demands connections. This is where relationship marketing steps onto the stage. Beyond one-off sales, it's a strategic dance of loyalty-building, personalised engagement and mutual growth that turns customers into lifelong partners. In this episode of Military Mindset for Business, join Heather Porter - Hea...

Today's organisations face a myriad of challenges that demand agile strategies and decisive action - from natural disasters and cyber events to serious allegations and regulatory investigations. Approaching these risks with foresight and adaptability is key. In this episode of Military Mindset for Business we chat with Allan Briggs, CEO of Crisis Shield. Allan (known as ‘The Crisis Guy’) shares in...

The pursuit of profit, increased competition and relentless pressures creates a challenging business environment where ethical boundaries can get blurry.  In this episode of Military Mindset for Business podcast, we explore the ethical considerations of applying the military mindset to business.  Join our special guest, Vedran Maslic - Military Veteran, Host of The Voices of War Podcast and Resear...

Imagine yourself as a small business owner, working tirelessly to bring your dreams to life. Your hard work has led to the creation of valuable intellectual property, essential data and intricate systems. But what if all your efforts were suddenly snatched away or compromised by a preventable cyber attack? The repercussions could be catastrophic – data breaches exposing sensitive information, rans...

Outsourcing has become increasingly relevant for business owners aiming to streamline operations and boost productivity. However, many question whether it's the right solution for their business? Which roles should be outsourced, and how can you ensure the best return on investment? This week, Pete Liston, our Co-Founder at Trust the Process and Host of the Military Mindset for Business podcast, w...

Are you looking to stand out and sell with confidence?  Despite putting your heart and soul into developing products/services to improve customers' lives, many business owners struggle to differentiate themselves from competitors in the sales process. They commonly find they have limiting beliefs about the unique value they offer, carrying them into sales conversations and ultimately impacting the...