Tag: Exercise

active CEO Podcast #51 Chris Robb Money Can’t Buy Experiences

Posted on by Craig Johns in Leadership, Podcasts, Wellness

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Chris Robb Mass Participation World Money Cant Buy Experiences
Chris Robb – Founder Mass Participation World

On this episode of the active CEO Podcast, Craig Johns speaks with Chris Robb about mass participation sport events, growing the Standard Chartered Marathon to over 60,00 participants, being the course manager for the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games marathon, and changing people’s lives through money can’t buy experiences. We also delve into the immense power of pause, coping with it being lonely at the top as a CEO, collaborative leadership, inspiring others to make a powerful impact on the world and serving a tennis ball into the back of Sir Richard Branson’s head.

Chris Robb – Money Can’t Buy Experiences.

Chris is an international authority on iconic large-scale mass participation events; a humble, loyal and curious leader; and a passionate family man now living in Bali, Indonesia. He is an enabler of people to have an active and healthy lifestyle, author of Mass Participation Sports Events and Better business Better Life Better World, is a high impact consultant and a champion of Buy 1 Give 1.

Growing up in Zimbabwe, he studied a Bachelor Commerce and Bachelor of Agricultural Management at the University of KwaZulu-Nattal. Getting his first taste of event management while at high school, our guest has over 30 years experience organising and leading events. During his career he has been at the helm of events for more than one million participants in the likes of Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, Zimbabwe, South Africa and India.

He established Spectrum Worldwide in Australia in 1992, where he worked on the 2000 Sydney Olympics, before establishing himself in Singapore at the commencement of the Asian health and fitness boom in the 2000’s. In 2015 he established Mass Participation Asia, an annual conference for event stakeholders, before selling Spectrum Worldwide to IRONMAN, in 2016.

Chris talks about:

  • Life growing up on a farm in Zimbabwe, during the independence war.
  • Having a rich upbringing from life experiences, even though they were financially poor.
  • The importance of embracing circumstances you find yourself in.
  • Being an 800m and 1500m runner training on farm tracks and dirt roads.
  • Planning to go back and run the family business on the farm.
  • Being involved in organising the Comrades Marathon while studying at University.
  • Changing people’s lives through money can’t buy experiences.
  • Getting parents out and getting active with their kids.
  • Getting more governments globally to recognise the value of sport especially the social and health impact.
  • Organising the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon with over 60,000 participants.
  • Expanding the JP Morgan corporate challenge running events into Asia.
  • Partnering with Dave Hansen from Supersprint Events and Robbie McEwan.
  • Going from zero to sixty thousand customers within 6 months.
  • Ramping up from a team of 30 to more than 5,000 people over a 3 month period.
  • A mindset expecting that there is going to be a curveball will be thrown at you.
  • Collaborative leadership where you are always looking for a solution.
  • Surround yourself with a great group of mentors much like an athlete has.
  • Having ritual’s and keeping yourself mentally and physically in shape.
  • Helping make it easier for our future leaders to grow in the industry.

Active CEO Wellness Tip

Life Is Not A Dress Rehearsal – It is important that you turn up, show up and be present right now. It’s not about what you did yesterday or what you plan in the future. It is all about this one second, one minute, one hour or even one day and you are ready to go.

Tweets

“Connecting with a community and a tribe and doing training and things together and taking you into the outdoors. It’s crucial for the health and wellbeing of the world.” Chris Robb talking about the power of sport and events on bringing people together, on the active CEO Podcast.

“I love putting that jigsaw together and making sure that everyone knows what they are doing, but also empowering them to make decisions.” Chris Robb on leading people, on the active CEO Podcast.

Resources Mentioned in this show:

Chris Robb LinkedIn
Chris Robb Facebook
Chris Robb Website www.chrisrobb.asia
Chris Robb Email chris@chrisrobb.asia
Mass Participation World www.massparticipationworld.com
Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon www.singaporemarathon.com
NRG2Perform www.nrg2perform.com
Craig Johns craig@nrg2perform.com
Craig Johns LinkedIn

Recommended Reading:

Mass Participation Sports Events Chris Robb
Better Business Better Life Better World Chris Robb

active CEO Podcast Sasa Sestic (The Coffee Man ONA Coffee) – A World Beyond Coffee

active CEO Podcast #47 Sasa Sestic A World Beyond Coffee

Posted on by Craig Johns in Leadership, Podcasts, Wellness

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A World Beyond Coffee Sasa Sestic ONA Coffee World Barista Champion Project Origin 2000 Sydney Olympics
Sasa Sestic – Founder & Director ONA Coffee

On this episode of the active CEO Podcast, Craig Johns speaks with Sasa Sestic about escaping three wars, transitioning from 2000 Sydney Olympic Games Handball player to entrepreneur, creating ONA Coffee, the powerful impact of Project Origin, winning the 2015 Barista World Championships and a world beyond coffee. We take a deep dive into building a team of innovators, creating a competitive environment, chasing excellence, collaborating with winemaker Tim Kirk from Clonakilla, The Coffee Man movie and book, and the realization that coffee was much more than a social drink.

Sasa Sestic – Podcast Interview Brief

Sasa Sestic is a World Barista Champion, Olympian, philanthropist and remarkable entrepreneur, who immigrated to Australia in 1997, from humble beginnings in war-torn Bosnia. He is considered inspiring, authentically raw and a fun entrepreneur to work with, who authored the award-winning book The Coffee Man. His outstanding sporting ability allowed him to represent Australia in European Handball at the Sydney 2000 Olympics.

While working in a Canberra bakery he found his true passion and an obsession for not only perfecting the ultimate cup of coffee, but also finding and roasting the world’s best coffee beans. He has a heart of gold and his devotion to donate thousands of dollars to the farmers who produce the coffee beans in places like India, Honduras and Nicaragua. His love of coffee has led to two Australian and the 2015 World Barista Championships, as well as owning a range of café’s including The Cupping room, ONA Coffee House, ONA Manuka and High Road.

Sasa talks about:

  • His dad surviving -15 degree nights to put food on the table.
  • Playing European Handball for Australian at the Sydney Olympics
  • Transitioning from athlete in 2013 to Barista entrepreneur.
  • Working in 3rd world countries to help them develop great coffee, grow there amazing coffees and see that we are doing something good for these communities.
  • The DNA of ONA Coffee which is community driven and family owned
  • A lot of failures; every time we failed it help bring us closer together.
  • People who love coffee, obsess with coffee and want to innovate.
  • Developing innovative coffee processes that are used globally.
  • Collaborating with winemakers Tim Kirk from Clonakilla.
  • O.C.D – ONA Coffee Distribution Tool
  • His first trip to India in 2011 changed the way he approached coffee.
  • Going deep into the Amazon Forest to search for the coffee bean DNA.
  • The story behind The Coffee Man movie.
  • Introducing consuming countries with the farming countries.
  • The future expansion of ONA Coffee.
  • Flying to Switzerland to understand the science of coffee.
  • Wanting to change the way coffees are sold.

Active CEO Wellness Tip

Talent Is Not Enough – Discipline, hard work and really putting that time into achieving your goals. Talent will only take you so far. What is the plan you are putting into place and implementing to ensure you achieve that performance that you desire?

Tweets

“Very competitive environment, very high paced, all high achievers, we all love competition and the competition gets the best out of us.” Sasa Sestic explains the ONA Coffee environment, on the active CEO Podcast.

“One of the issues we have is that when we reach these high goals, we don’t spend enough time celebrating. We just set another higher goal. Trying to be the best we can be. We want to compete with ourselves.” Wanting to spend more time celebrating with Sasa Sestic, on the active CEO Podcast.

“2007 is when I realised that coffee can be so much more than a social drink. So much more than something that tastes reasonably nice. A lot deeper purpose to being able to serve a great cup of coffee. We can make the world a little bit better.” Sasa Sestic’s approach to a world beyond coffee, on the active CEO Podcast.

Resources Mentioned in this show:

Sasa Sestic www.sasasestic.com.au
Sasa Sestic Instagram
ONA Coffee www.onacoffee.com.au
ONA Coffee Instagram
Project Origin www.projectorigin.com.au
NRG2Perform www.nrg2perform.com
Craig Johns craig@nrg2perform.com
Craig Johns LinkedIn

Recommended Reading:

The Coffee Man Book
The Coffee Man Film

active CEO Podcast Brad Gunn (Vault Accounting) – Four Day Work Week

active CEO Podcast #43 Brad Gunn Four Day Work Week

Posted on by Craig Johns in Leadership, Podcasts, Wellness

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Brad Gunn – Managing Partner Vault Accountants and Financial Services

On this episode of the active CEO Podcast, Craig Johns speaks with Brad Gunn, from Vault Accountants and Financial Services, about the four day work week, creating a customer centric financial business, the role of technology in client relationships, and high levels of staff retention. We also delve into sports leave, incentivizing staff to be active and healthy, taking Triathlon Queensland from insolvency, and his love of a fine wine.

Brad Gunn – Podcast Interview Brief

Brad Gunn is a humble, thoughtful, determined and creative leader, who has the quote “When you know your WHY, you’re going to attract people that bring the HOW” on his LinkedIn page.

He has more than thirty years experience in the financial services with senior roles in investment advisory, funds management, practice management and accounting. His education includes a Bachelor Economics, Accounting and Commerce at the University of Queensland; and post-graduate studies in financial management at the University of Adelaide and Columbia University in the City of New York.

In 2008 he co-founded Vault Accounting and Financial Advisors in Brisbane, Australia, a progressive advisory group that offers expertise across the entire financial planning landscape.

Brad talks about:

  • His father always saying he was a leader and people would follow.
  • Client engagement and communication is the key to successful retention in any business.
  • Developing customer centric approach so that companies could come to one place.
  • Training, education and ongoing up-skilling being important to Vault.
  • Moving people across and up in the business has lead to high levels of staff retention.
  • The only way they are going to learn is get their hands dirty on the tools.
  • The role of technology integration with accountants in the client relationship.
  • Wanting to dial back from the business, where they can exit the business within ten years.
  • Trialling the four day work week in February 2019.
  • They were putting a 40-hour week in 4 days and productivity was up through the roof.
  • During the debrief staff identified an improvement in mental health and a reduction in stress
  • Incentivising Vault Accountant’s staff in leading an active and healthy lifestyle.
  • The inspiration behind starting the Croc Triathlon Club with Brad Bevan and Rod Cedaro.
  • Being a Board member for Triathlon Queensland for 11 years including President for 8.
  • Managing change with a struggling organisation, which was technically insolvent.
  • Changing the way that Triathlon Australia and the State triathlon organisations operated.
  • His wife Sally seeing the need for him to get his work-life balance sorted out.
  • BBQ favourite wine is the Wirra Wirra Church Block Shiraz
  • Wanting to solve the question of how to fix the Australian Tax problem

Active CEO Wellness Tip

Energy Meeting – Why don’t we challenge the way we have always provided sugary muffins, coffee, lollies and soft drinks as our meeting snacks? How do we expect to perform optimally and get the most out of people when we are not focusing on strategies to ensure sustainable energy levels. If we want optimal performance, optimal learning and optimal outcomes then we need to implement effective energy strategies and that starts with what food and drinks we put on the table.

Tweets

“The university degree doesn’t automatically give you the right to know everything. It really is only a start.” Brad Gunn discusses on the job experience, on the active CEO Podcast.

“The first week was the most difficult as people were going through a transition and adjusting. The second week everyone was getting used to it, the third week they were loving it and by the fourth week can we keep this going.” Brad Gunn speaks about the four day work week trial, on the active CEO Podcast.

Resources Mentioned in this show:

Brad Gunn LinkedIn
Vault Accountants and Financial Advisors www.vaultgroup.com.au
Triathlon Queensland website
NRG2Perform www.nrg2perform.com
Craig Johns craig@nrg2perform.com
Craig Johns LinkedIn
Ben Gathercole LinkedIn
Ben Gathercole Performance Coaching www.bengathercole.com.au

Recommended Reading:

Better Than Winning – Ben Gathercole

active CEO Podcast PJ Ashley (The Pillar Practice) – Consciously Connected Leadership

active CEO Podcast #41 PJ Ashley Consciously Connected Leadership

Posted on by Craig Johns in Leadership, Podcasts, Wellness

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PJ Ashley – Founder The Pillar Practice

On this episode of the active CEO Podcast, Craig Johns speaks with PJ Ashley about The Pillar Practice, being born to change the world, supporting Defence Force families, and consciously connected leadership. We also discuss the ‘why’ behind starting her own business, having ‘busy’ as a badge of owner, people becoming truth-seekers, the World Health Organization recognizing “Burn-out”, and the walking dead state.

PJ Ashley – Podcast Interview Brief

PJ has chosen the health and wellness of people and businesses around the world over a corporate life. She spent eight years as a director at Lifeline Canberra, which exists to support people in crisis and save the lives of those experiencing thoughts of suicide

The early part of her life included living in NSW and then Queensland, Australia, where she attended St Aidans Anglican Girls College. She completed a Certificate Business Studies at Lorraine Martin Business College and later on in her career, a Diploma Holistic Therapies at Swindon College in the UK.

Our guest has spent over 25 years working in and around Defence, including being an executive in the corporate world dealing with large multi-million dollar Government and Defence contracts. This has included working in various managerial roles at Toll, CIPS Australia, Supply Chain and Logistics Association of Australia, Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicles Australia and LMB Consulting.

In 2013, she founded The Pillar Practice, where they decrypt the mysteries of life through a journey of healing. Her trademark The Pillar Code is now formally recognized as a new modality in 26 countries.

PJ talks about:

  • Growing up in a sporting family, as a dancer.
  • Going to the university of life, but not being able to name the campus she went to.
  • Finding her leadership talent through voluntary work with Defence families.
  • Seeing something in someone that they cant see in themselves.
  • Her leadership style and what values are most important to her.
  • Surrounding herself with people who can do things that she cant.
  • The ‘WHY” behind leaving the corporate world and starting her own business.
  • Why a massage became her defining moment for The Pillar Practice.
  • Delivering the world a brand new modality, the gift to assist them to the waking up.
  • The coding system of the universe with the nine Pillars.
  • The World Health Organization recognising “BURNOUT” as a occupational phenomenon.
  • People pushing themselves to the absolute limit.
  • Recognizing consciously connected leadership.
  • Sealing, a very quick form of consciously meditating without going into a full meditation.
  • Not going to get to the end of this life and I didn’t give it my best shot.
  • Wanting to solve the walking dead state.

Active CEO Wellness Tip

Bigger Than Themselves – You have to dig deep and find out what truly motivates each employee on your team. What gets them up each day and what will allow them to draw more energy to perform with distinction in your company? What is the greater purpose? Because people want to do something much bigger than what your company stands for and something that is bigger than themselves.

Tweets

“Some people are just born to be academics and other people are born to change the world. You are not the academic, you are the one to change the world.” The advice PJ Ashley’s head mistress gave to her at school on the active CEO Podcast.

“Every day was the same except I was adding another zero.” PJ Ashley describing how every day became the same, on the active CEO Podcast.

Resources Mentioned in this show:

PJ Ashley Facebook
PJ Ashley LinkedIn
The Pillar Practice www.thepillarpractice.com.au
The Pillar Practice Facebook
The Pillar Practice YouTube
NRG2Perform www.nrg2perform.com
Craig Johns craig@nrg2perform.com
Craig Johns LinkedIn
Ben Gathercole LinkedIn
Ben Gathercole Performance Coaching www.bengathercole.com.au

Recommended Reading:

It’s About Time by George – PJ Ashley
Better Than Winning – Ben Gathercole