UNSCRIPTED with Lisa Burling

The Bold Pivot: Michelle Kvello

In this episode of Unscripted: The Pivot Season, I sit down with Michelle Kvello - founder of CFO advisory firm Lantern Partners - to talk about what happens when you stop waiting for permission and choose to back yourself instead. Michelle’s pivot is a powerful example of courage and clarity. After a successful corporate career as a CFO, she stepped away from the safety of a traditional path and into entrepreneurship, launching Lantern Partners to support founders of start-ups and scale-ups. Her mission? To demystify finance and empower non-finance leaders to make bold, informed decisions with confidence. This conversation goes far beyond numbers. We speak candidly about what it really takes to leave behind certainty in favour of alignment, how Michelle built a flexible, female-led business, and why she’s passionate about ensuring others don’t stay stuck just because the information feels out of reach. We explore the value of backing yourself when others don’t see the full picture yet, how finance can be used as a decision-making superpower (not a blocker), and what authentic leadership looks like in fast-paced, high-growth environments. Michelle’s story is proof that the bravest pivot doesn’t always come with a dramatic exit—it often begins with a quiet decision to believe in your own capability. Key themes explored include: * The courage to pivot from corporate leadership to entrepreneurship * Building a female-led business rooted in flexibility and impact * Demystifying finance for founders and non-financial leaders * Creating clarity in complex decision-making environments * Authentic leadership, visibility, and self-trust

The Inner Pivot: Miranda Packer

In this transformative episode of Unscripted – The Pivot Season, I’m joined by Miranda Packer, an emotional fitness coach and behavioural profiler, who opens up about what it truly means to pivot from the inside out. Far beyond surface-level changes, Miranda’s journey is one of deep personal evolution - where self-doubt is replaced with self-concept, burnout gives way to boundaries, and stuckness transforms into space for growth. We explore Miranda’s path from successful copywriter to sought-after coach, and how her natural ability to hold space for others led her to a career that aligns more with who she is than what she does. Her pivot was not a sharp turn but a course correction - one that required courage, clarity, and a willingness to let go of old stories and identities. Miranda shares the mindset shifts that allowed her to redefine success, embrace rest as a productive act, and move through fear by taking imperfect action. We talk about why our brains are hardwired for pattern recognition, the surprising power of behavioural profiling, and how rest and resistance are often signs we’re on the edge of growth. If you’ve ever felt trapped by your own potential, stuck in a version of yourself that no longer fits, or unsure how to make a meaningful pivot, this episode offers practical insight and deeply relatable truths. Key Themes: * Emotional fitness and self-concept * Behavioural profiling in leadership and team dynamics * Redefining identity to align with purpose * From copywriting to coaching: recognising transferable skills * The cost of not pivoting * Overcoming the belief that rest equals laziness * Navigating self-doubt and growth syndrome

The Energy Pivot: Lorraine Murphy

In this energising and deeply honest episode of Unscripted: The Pivot Season, Lisa Burling sits down with one of her most trusted mentors and long-time friend, Lorraine Murphy. A celebrated entrepreneur, bestselling author, and trailblazer in personal development for women in business, Lorraine opens up about the most transformative pivot of her life – walking away from her first multi-million dollar business and creating a new one that honours her values, energy, and life as a mother. This conversation is rich with insight into what it really takes to reinvent yourself when success no longer feels aligned. Lorraine shares the exact moment she knew she had to change course, the identity shifts that came with that decision, and how she created a business that marries intuition with strategy. Key themes include redefining success, navigating burnout, tuning into feminine energy, building businesses from the inside out, and the surprising power of doing less. We explore the tension between external validation and inner truth, and how Lorraine found clarity by tuning into what felt expansive, even when it felt terrifying. Whether you're facing a pivot in your career, your identity, or the way you work, Lorraine’s story will inspire you to honour your own evolution, trust your intuition, and move through change with fierce self-honesty and grace. This is not just a business conversation – it’s a masterclass in how to come home to yourself.

The Purpose Pivot: Lauren Beaufils

In this colourful and inspiring episode of Unscripted, I sit down with Lauren Beaufils - founder of Colour Capsule — to unpack her journey from corporate marketing to empowering women through personal style and colour analysis. Lauren’s story is one of deep self-reflection, brave pivoting, and building a business rooted in authenticity. She speaks candidly about what it took to leave the safety of her marketing career, the internal shift that came from discovering colour analysis, and the quiet revolution of saying no to black and yes to a life filled with purpose, energy and creativity. We explore the connection between entrepreneurship and personal branding, how colour influences confidence, and why imperfect action is often the secret to success. Lauren also shares the unexpected power of rest, the pressure to “have enough experience,” and how the energy of a business is often a mirror of the founder’s own state. If you’re navigating self-doubt, standing on the edge of a professional pivot, or simply ready to step more boldly into your personal style - this conversation will meet you exactly where you are. Key Themes: * The transition from corporate marketing to entrepreneurship * Using colour analysis as a tool for self-discovery and confidence * Pivoting careers with intention and purpose * Personal branding as an extension of identity * Overcoming imposter syndrome and perfectionism * Balancing rest with productivity * Creating a business that feels aligned and energising * The importance of staying in your own lane and ignoring comparison * How to take action even when you’re not 100% “ready” Guest Info: Lauren Beaufils is a colour consultant, wardrobe curator and founder of Colour Capsule, a personal styling business helping women reconnect with their identity through the transformative power of colour. After a decade in corporate marketing, Lauren turned a lockdown lightbulb moment into a growing brand that empowers women to dream big, show up authentically, and love what they wear.

The Internal Pivot: Margaret Lindemann

This week on Unscripted, I’m joined by Margaret Lindemann, business manager of A1 Fire & Safety in Toowoomba, Queensland. But Margaret’s story isn’t about starting a new business or switching industries - it’s about the quiet, internal pivot of letting go. Margaret opens up about what it really looks like to evolve from doing everything to delegating with trust, from holding control tightly to releasing it, and from being burnt out to intentionally prioritising self-care. In a family-run business that has grown rapidly over the years, Margaret’s role had become all-consuming - until she realised something had to shift. In this grounded and relatable conversation, Margaret shares how she made the decision to step back, redefine success, and recalibrate her life and leadership. Her pivot wasn’t loud or public - it was internal. But it changed everything. Key Themes: * Redefining what it means to be ‘in control’ * Delegating with intention and trust * Running a family business while maintaining your own identity * From burnout to boundaries * The mental shift that happens when you step back * Why letting go can be the most courageous act of all * The difference between being needed and being essential Margaret’s story is a powerful reminder that not all pivots require external change - some of the most transformative ones happen within. Guest Details: Margaret Lindemann is the business manager at A1 Fire & Safety, a Queensland-based, family-run company that provides fire safety services to commercial, industrial and gas facilities. She is also a boy mum, a proud community builder, and someone who knows the value of pausing before burning out.