WA Leaders

Oliver Wood: Hard Truth About Entrepreneurship, Partnerships & Scaling a Business

Oliver Wood: Hard Truth About Entrepreneurship, Partnerships & Scaling a Business by WA Leaders

Dr. Paula Smith, Global Institute of Training and Presenting

In this episode of the WA Leaders podcast, host Charlie Gunningham interviews the "speaking lady" of Perth, Dr. Paula Smith, to discuss her 40-year career in business and the nuances of influential communication in the booming 2026 Western Australian economy. Dr. Smith, founder of the Global Institute of Training and Presenting, shares why many senior executives struggle with public speaking and offers strategic tips such as the rule of primacy and recency and the importance of using frameworks over "death by PowerPoint". The conversation explores her journey from starting a personal development school at age 19 to completing a PhD in leadership, while also touching on her personal philosophy of "quiet leadership" and her recent 1,000-kilometer trek across the Camino Francis in Spain. This episode, recorded at Podwave Studios in Leederville, serves as a masterclass for leaders looking to enhance their visibility and reliability through the power of speaking. Guest: Dr. Paula Smith Website: paulasmith.com.au, gitp.com.au, paulasmith.com.au Interviewer: Charlie Gunningham Recorded at: Podwave Studios For more information on WA Leaders, please visit waleaders.com.au #WALeaders #PerthBusiness #BusinessLeadership #WestAustralia #PublicSpeakingTips #InfluentialCommunication

Michael Malone, the iiNet story

To many in Western Australia, Michael Malone needs no introduction. He is one of a handful of Australians who have set up a tech company and grown it to more than $1 billion in both revenue and valuation. Over 20 years as founder and CEO, he grew Western Australia’s first internet service provider iiNet to be #1 in WA and #3 in the country. Born in Ireland, his family moved to North Queensland, and then WA, settling in Padbury in 1978. He worked in his parents’ fencing business, did a Pure Maths degree and teaching qualification, working as a relief teacher to fund the early months of iiNet in the mid 1990s. Taking the company public in 1999, he had to steer the company through rough waters with aggressive competition from the bigger players, and an attack by the Hollywood film industry. He stepped down from the company in 2014, and it was sold a year later to TPG. He has been investing in startups, and sitting on various boards - including WA Leaders - as a professional director ever since. To get away from it all, he climbs mountains. "A lot of businesses here are often under the radar. They are businesses that – typically - have a sound product, good management team, but may not have the corporate nous to deal with lawyers, accountants, to grow the business another 5x or 10x. So they become part of WA Leaders to try and fill in that gap.” Michael Malone. ~~ Guest: Michael Malone Web site: https://perth.net.au Interviewer: Charlie Gunningham Recorded at: The Hub, Technology Park, Bentley WA 6102 For more information on WA Leaders, please visit https://waleaders.com.au

Sophia Rossow, Spring Safety

Born in New Zealand, Sophia (or Sophie) Rossow's parents were dairy farmers. She moved to Perth when she was 3. Graduating from university with an equivalent of an occupational health and safety degree, she worked in OH&S for several years before setting up Spring Safety (although as you will hear, that was not its original name) in 2007. With the increase in importance of psycho-social safety at workplaces, especially due to recent legislation changes, she works with a range of businesses consulting on their OHS and ISO certification needs. "Every team and every site has different psycho-social hazards. You might have a great experience at one site, and then go to another one and not have that same support.” ~ Sophia Rossow ~~ Guest: Sophia (Sophie) Rossow, Spring Safety Web site: https://springsafety.com.au/ Interviewer: Charlie Gunningham Recorded at: The Hub, Technology Park, Bentley WA 6102 For more information on WA Leaders, please visit www.waleaders.com.au

John Blake, John Blake Sales Breakthrough Solutions

John Blake has been in sales his whole working life. Aged 17, he was spotted negotiating a new battery for his car, by surfie legend Barry Young. He was offered a job, and never looked back, eventually setting up his own sales consultancy, which he admits is now a ‘lifestyle business’. His sales system shows companies 8 ways in which they can best convert sales enquiries into actual sales. In this podcast, John explains one of them. It’s surprisingly simple, yet usually overlooked. Among other things, he still surfs, and sings and plays guitar in a local pub. You are going to enjoy this talk with John… ~~ Guest: John Blake, John Blake Sales Breakthrough Solutions Web site: https://john-blake.com.au/ John’s podcast: ‘Master Dealmaker Secrets’ https://john-blake.com.au/podcasts John’s book: Hugh Stakes Selling https://john-blake.com.au/high-stakes-selling-book Interviewer: Charlie Gunningham Recorded at: The Hub, Technology Park, Bentley WA 6102 For more information on WA Leaders, please visit www.waleaders.com.au