Your Career Journey

Dive into this inspiring episode where we explore a unique career in marketing and customer insights with Emily Paladino!  Whether you're just starting out or looking to pivot your path, Emily's journey offers powerful lessons on how curiosity, data, and strategy fuel success. From aspiring clinical psychologist to CMO and Group Head of Customer Insights, Emily reveals how a love of rese...

Can you actually learn happiness like a skill? In this inspiring episode, Emma is joined by Declan Edwards, founder of BU Happiness College and host of the 'How to Be Happy' podcast. Who reveals the science behind happiness and how emotional intelligence and positive psychology can transform your workplace well-being and personal growth. Join Emma as she uncovers how happiness skills, em...

Are you chasing success but craving purpose? In this powerful conversation with Georgi Enthoven, author of Work That’s Worth It, we unpack exactly how to find fulfilling work, pursue purpose driven career paths, and balance ambition with impact. After living and working in a number of emerging markets and having her own struggle to balance contribution and compensation, Georgi shares her real life...

Today, I’m joined by Damian Lucas, a fractional CMO through Lucas Growth Advisory. Damian shares his journey from being a creative student passionate about graphic design to becoming a strategic marketer obsessed with consumer behaviour and working with some of Australia’s best-known Retail brands. In this episode, we dive into the evolution of the Australian retail landscape and why e-commerce wa...

In this episode, I chat with Scott Baker, Founder of Toast Financial. After spending 20 years building a successful career in retail and e-commerce at The Cotton On Group, Scott found himself at a crossroads. He knew he wanted more. More purpose, more alignment with his passions, and more impact from the work he was doing. But he wasn’t sure what direction that should take. So, what does it actual...

Are you wondering how to turn your global career experience into a powerful advantage after returning home? You're not alone — and this episode will show you exactly how to navigate this life and career transition with confidence. In this episode, I sit down with Margot Andersen, leadership strategist, founder of TalentInsight Australia, and InSync Network Group. Margot shares her extraordina...

In this episode of Your Career Journey, Emma Graham chats with Vanessa Lyons, CEO of ThinkNewsBrands. We talk about the bold, intentional steps that took her from marketing to the C-suite, and the mindset shifts and personal battles (like cancer) that helped her redefine success along the way. 🎯 Whether you're a marketer ready to grow, a creative feeling stuck, or a corporate leader explorin...

What happens when you take a chance on a short-term contract? For Amy Barry, that bold “yes” became a decade long journey through top retail brands like The Good Guys and Anaconda.  In this energising episode of Your Career Journey, Emma sits down with Amy to explore how strategic risks, leadership evolution, and the DISC behavioural model shaped her career success. 💡 This conversation is packed...

In this episode of Your Career Journey, Emma speaks with Andrea Andric, a Melbourne-based freelance strategist, as she shares her inspiring pivot from traditional media into the ever-evolving world of digital marketing. 🚀 What You’ll Learn in This Episode: ✨ How internships and “happy accidents” shape career direction ✨ The pros and cons of niching down vs. broad experience ✨ What “authenticit...

In this inspiring episode of Your Career Journey, Emma chats with Susan Toft, Founder & CEO of The Laundry Lady, the world’s first online marketplace for mobile laundry services. After being made redundant during the GFC, Susan took a bold leap. With no tech background and a young child at home, she built a business from scratch, turning a personal need into a multi-million-dollar enterprise,...

In this episode of Your Career Journey, I chat with Kym Kearney, a seasoned marketing executive who left the corporate world to launch her own marketing recruitment business. This conversation dives deep into the emotional and practical realities of pivoting careers, starting fresh, and building a brand with purpose and authenticity. 💬 “I spent years building other people’s brands… then realised...

In this value-packed episode of Your Career Journey, Emma speaks with Marketer Catherine Toms, Co-Founder of Marketing Growth Academy, about staying competitive in a marketing world being reshaped by AI. With 20+ years of experience helping global brands and marketing teams evolve through digital transformation, Catherine shares exactly how AI is impacting the marketing profession—and how to skill...

I wanted to start 2025 with this episode as Becca has so many examples of how she’s taken ownership and control of her career, from moving to Australia from the UK, from building relationships, being proactive in looking for opportunities for herself and building a personal brand.  It hasn’t all been plain sailing, though, from overcoming challenges like visa constraints, the lack of ‘local experi...

This week I speak with Wendy Chamberlain, a self-employed Buyers Agent and Sellers Advocate. Wendy’s love for property and her desire to help empower and educate others about Real Estate ultimately led her in this direction, but it wasn’t all plain sailing. Not knowing what she wanted to do after school led to Secretarial College, working in a bank, living in Tokyo, and exploring various roles at...

Join Emma as she chats with Katie O'Malley, a leadership and organisational development coach from Chicago.   We chat about Katie's career journey from political campaigns and nonprofit work, and eventually finding success with her own coaching practice.  Katie shares her insights on leadership development, organisational culture, and the importance of psychological safety at work. They...

In today's episode, I’m joined by Paola Piccinno who shares her experiences navigating an international marketing career, the unique challenges, and the lessons learned along the way.  Born in Naples, Italy, and raised in Puglia, Paola’s inherent curiosity and passion for travel led her to pursue a career that accommodated her love for exploration.  Initially studying journalism, a pivotal co...

In this episode, I'm joined by Rita Martinez, a seasoned marketer with a career spanning blue-chip companies like Coles, Energy Australia, and CareSuper.  Rita’s journey through diverse marketing roles has given her a wealth of insights to share. But, in the beginning, how did she know marketing was her calling? And how did having a mentor early on shape her path? In the early days, Rita focu...

In this episode, I’m joined by the amazing Lucy Owens, a personal stylist and image expert, and the founder of Style Rises. Lucy shares her inspiring journey, transitioning from a marketing career to launching Style Rises in 2019, with a mission to empower women through the power of style. Together, we chat about how style and personal brand are closely linked, and how what you wear can boost your...

Kellie is a Marketing & Comms consultant and writer, who joins me to talk about her journey from full-time agency and corporate roles to freelance. And her newly found passion for travel writing. Kellie built the first part of her career in Agency, primarily in Account Management. It was when she had a family that she found the lack of flexibility challenging, she was able to work part time bu...

In this episode, I’m joined by Kelly Gurr a strategic marketing generalist and project manager. Kelly has had a varied career working across B2C, B2B, B2B2C with both local and global brands. Her favourite place to be is at the intersection of strategy, customer experience and operations.  Recently Kelly has taken on a new challenge, embarking on life as a digital nomad. Travelling around Australi...

In this episode, I’m joined by Charlie Syme, a senior marketer and comms specialist, who has worked with member-owned, enterprise, not-for-profit and start-up businesses. Just over a year ago, he started his own business, Pigface Marketing, where he operates as a fractional CMO.  The discussion kicks off with Charlie celebrating the first anniversary of his business, which is a huge milestone. To...

In a slightly different episode this week, I’m joined by specialist Marketing Recruiter Lucy Bolan from New Chapter Talent to talk about what’s happening in the market at the moment. Lucy has been in Recruitment for almost twenty years, with all bar two of those in the Melbourne market. She also recently started her own business earlier this year, called New Chapter Talent. In news that will surpr...

In this episode, I’m joined by Rhiannon Di Martino, who has had a really unique career path covering Marketing, People and Culture, Diversity and Inclusion and is currently working as the chief of staff to the CEO of a mental health charity. The broader themes for Rhi are around taking control of her career and finding purpose in what she did, but how did she go about doing that? Rhi has sought ou...

In this episode I’m joined by Martin Kelly, as we talk about how he took his career from initially studying Engineering in Scotland to ultimately building his life and Marketing career here in Australia.  Martin talks about the lessons he’s learned along the way, the things which have made a difference for him and shares practical advice and insights.  From realising Marketing was a career option...

In this episode, I’m joined by Nigel Taylor, a highly experienced video and content producer whose career has spanned both full time corporate work and freelance work here in Australia and in London. Specific projected have included video and digital production including TV & film, shoot and talent direction, project management, editing and scriptwriting. We talk about how Nigel got into the i...