Slicing through the noise podcast

Ep.32 John Elliott

John Elliott built a brokerage ranked among Australia’s Top 10, walked 12,500 kilometres with camels, then captained Australia at the Camel Handball World Cup, where he was named MVP and became the world’s number-one ranked player. Behind the stories is one question: what did five years away teach him about leading Elliott Insurance? John tells Jennifer how looking after camels changed his leadership, why the business had to become less John and more Elliott, and how that shapes strategy today.

Ep.31 cameron ryan

What happens when success convinces you that you already know best? Cameron Ryan built businesses across recruitment, training and care—but costly mistakes forced him to confront his ego, listen differently and lead with humility. In this candid conversation, he shares why systems matter, values must shape real decisions and developing people is the true measure of success. His proudest legacy? A young trainee who became the leader of the business that trained her. This is what business can make possible.

Ep.30 David kopycinski

Is your team busy with business—or just busy? Jennifer Elliott talks with David Kopycinski, CEO of Your Registered Training (YRT), about the uncomfortable truths leaders often avoid: training means little unless it changes behaviour, empathy does not mean agreement, and activity is not progress. David reveals what teaching teenagers taught him about leading adults—and why accountability, shared language and the courage to confront what is really going on are what move a business forward in tough times.

Ep.29 Daniel Smith

A child starting kindergarten today won’t finish school until 2040—yet much of education still operates on a model designed 150 years ago. In this episode, Jennifer Elliott speaks with Daniel Smith, founder of LEAF Architecture, about designing schools and workplaces for the world ahead. They explore how environments shape behaviour, why adaptability matters more than flexibility, and how bounded autonomy helps people think creatively within clear limits. A thought-provoking conversation about how we communicate, collaborate, think critically and adapt.

Ep.28 Dana dupere

What does it really take to grow a family business across generations? In this episode of Slicing Through the Noise, Jennifer Elliott sits down with Dana Dupere, CEO of Benedict Industries, to talk about leadership, succession, cash flow, systems and earning credibility in a tough, male-dominated industry. From childhood memories in the business to preparing the next generation to lead, Dana shares practical lessons built from decades of hard work, resilience and real-world experience.

Ep.27 John Melvin

CEO of North Construction, John joins Jennifer Elliott to unpack one of leadership’s hardest lessons — the difference between being respected and being liked. In this episode, they explore feedback, trust, shared intent, tough conversations, and what it takes to lead when relationships, accountability and performance all collide. From rugby fields to construction sites to the CEO seat, John shares a grounded, honest view of leadership under pressure — including his mantra: don’t get mad, get curious.

Ep.26 Es Chandra

Es Chandra, founder of Glide Agency, joins Jennifer Elliott to talk about the leadership behind building a results-driven digital agency. From launching during the Global Financial Crisis to helping Australian startups raise more than A$65 million, Es shares what it takes to hold the line under pressure. This conversation explores ROI, client trust, AI, cash flow, protecting your team, and why your business ultimately reflects the nervous system of the leader.

Ep.25: Mathew Pound

In this episode of Slicing Through the Noise, Jennifer Elliott sits with Mathew Pound— founder of Beagl Buyers Agency, ex-Varsity Group, WA Entrepreneur of the Year — on thirty years of building businesses where people feel something. The conversation moves through Mathew’s origins: washing dishes at an Italian restaurant whose owner went table to table not knowing names but knowing faces. The Varsity years — building a sports bar into a family restaurant by following who his customers were becoming. The philosophy that QR codes and AI shouldn’t replace people; they should free people up to care more.

Ep.24: Rodney Crestani

In this episode of Slicing Through the Noise, Rodney Crestani, Managing Director of Horizon Coatings, makes the case for the trade-off most leaders avoid: good people come and good people go — but a good system stays. Across 30 years running painting crews in Sydney, Brisbane, and the Gold Coast, with a back office across two continents, Rodney has built a business that runs on procedure, not personalities. You’ll learn the three-word rule that cuts through word-salad meetings, why job-site housekeeping predicts work quality, and the five pillars of customer care that start with how the team treats each other.

Ep.23: Charlie Crothers

In this episode of Slicing Through the Noise, Jennifer Elliott sits down with Charlie Crothers to unpack the shift from being tied to the day-to-day to building a business that can actually run, grow, and breathe without constant rescue. They get into the leadership lessons most owners learn the hard way: why great people leaving can expose the cracks, how systems protect culture, what to delegate, what to keep, and why the right structure gives you freedom instead of more admin.