Entrepreneurship Podcasts

Episode 36 – Building Businesses: Roadmaps, risks and rates of change with Andy Shafer

Episode 36 – Building Businesses: Roadmaps, risks and rates of change with Andy Shafer

Jun 27, 2024 | , , ,

n this episode, I had the opportunity to catch up with Andy Shafer, who’s been a leader in building businesses in the 21st century biobased economy. A Dow Chemical alumnus, he started his ‘bio-journey’ with NatureWorks, a Joint Venture between Dow Chemical and Cargill, where he had a leadership role in bringing PLA to market. He then moved to Elevance Renewable Sciences for 9 years, establishing their market facing partnerships including sales and marketing, corporate brand and communications. He then spent 7 years in private consulting, including the authoring of a book on strategy and ROADMAP development, before joining Gevo in late 2023 as their Chief Marketing, Customer and Brand Officer.

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Episode 35 – Science Meets Parliament 2024

Episode 35 – Science Meets Parliament 2024

May 30, 2024 | , ,

In this episode, we reflect on Science Meets Parliament 2024 – a bespoke training event run annually by Science and Technology Australia. This event brings together emerging scientists and Australian federal parliamentarians to strengthen connections between STEM professionals and decision-makers.

I chat with Sharath Sriram, President of Science Technology Australia, RMIT Professor and start up founder. We also hear from attendees Preeti Castle, Mark Hutchinson, Alfonso Chinnici, Warwick Bowen, and Parwinder Kaur, to get their impressions of #SMP2024.

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Episode 34 – Innovation and the board: Reflections on ambition, culture, and the opportunity for Australia with David Thodey

Episode 34 – Innovation and the board: Reflections on ambition, culture, and the opportunity for Australia with David Thodey

May 16, 2024 | , , ,

In this special episode, I had the privilege of talking with David Thodey AO, whose experiences and roles have included board and chair roles in organisations such as Xero, CSIRO, Ramsay Health Care, Telstra, and Chancellor Elect at the University of Sydney. David is also a figurehead and thought leader within AICD, particularly around innovation and the role that it can play in Australian business and society.

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Episode 33 – It takes a village to raise a start up: The importance of advice and governance with Anne-Marie Perret

Episode 33 – It takes a village to raise a start up: The importance of advice and governance with Anne-Marie Perret

Apr 25, 2024 | , , ,

In this episode, we get the chance to catch up with Anne-Marie Perret, an independent advisor and significant contributor to the Canberra innovation ecosystem through her roles as mentor and board member with several ventures. Anne-Marie is also an active member of the Griffin Accelerator (which works alongside the Canberra Innovation Network) as advisor, board member and angel investor.

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Episode 30 – The Other Triple Helix: Entrepreneurship, science and theology with John Bloomer

Episode 30 – The Other Triple Helix: Entrepreneurship, science and theology with John Bloomer

Jan 25, 2024 | , ,

In this episode, we discuss a different lens through which to look at entrepreneurship with John Bloomer. John has taken a journey from chemistry to agricultural seed technologies through advisory and board roles to his newly found vocation within the Church of England. John started his career at ICI and through a period of active mergers and acquisitions through the 1980s and 1990s, arrived at Syngenta, establishing the wheat and barley breeding business and migrating into an intrapreneur role with that organisation, before heading into independent consulting.

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