CEO: Behind the Scenes – Details, episodes & analysis

What does it mean for leaders to truly invest in their people? In this episode of CEO: Behind the Scenes, Finseca CEO Marc Cadin shares how responsibility, mentorship and meaningful relationships shape effective leadership.

Cadin breaks down the lessons that guided his leadership journey, the importance of listening and how he unified eight nonprofits into one mission-driven organization. He also explains why employee financial security is essential for performance and resilience.

The conversation highlights how responsibility, trust and financial security contribute to stronger, more confident teams. It’s a must-listen for leaders who want to support their people and create lasting impact.

Access our free digital content: https://digitalmag.theceomagazine.com

Follow us: 

LinkedIn: @the-ceo-magazine-global  

Facebook: @theceomagazineglobal  

X: @ceomagazinegl

Instagram: @theceomagazineglobal 

Follow Marc Cadin and Finseca:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marc-cadin-059014a

Website: https://www.finseca.org

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Most leaders think company culture is about values on walls and team-building events, but what if they're missing the most important element? In this episode, Amaysim Vice President Virinder Nath reveals the single transformation that turns struggling teams into self-managing powerhouses and why execution beats perfect strategy every time.

From his journey leading 20,000-plus team members in India to building startup energy at one of Australia's largest mobile virtual network operators, Nath shares the belief-action-results formula that drives consistent high performance.

Packed with practical insights on leadership philosophy, team dynamics and sustainable growth strategies, this conversation will challenge everything you thought you knew about building a successful culture.

Listen now to discover how to transform ordinary teams into extraordinary ones.

Access our free digital content: https://digitalmag.theceomagazine.com

Follow us: 

LinkedIn: @the-ceo-magazine-global  

Facebook: @theceomagazineglobal  

X: @ceomagazinegl

Instagram: @theceomagazineglobal 

Follow Virinder Nath and Amaysim:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/virinder-nath-422752

Website: https://www.amaysim.com.au

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Most leaders spend their energy defining goals and aligning teams, but Martin U Ripple, Group CEO of ANCA, reveals why the real work begins after that. In this episode, Ripple introduces the DAAD framework and explains why defending your strategy against distractions is where 80 percent of leadership energy should go.

Ripple discusses why the best engineers often make poor managers, how to build a team of respectful contrarians and the Mercedes smart car lesson that shows why real innovation needs its own ecosystem. Packed with insights about pivoting and disruptive thinking, this conversation challenges conventional leadership wisdom.

Listen now to discover why learning to say no might be the most important skill you develop as a leader.

Access our free digital content: https://digitalmag.theceomagazine.com

Follow us:  

LinkedIn: @the-ceo-magazine-global  

Facebook: @theceomagazineglobal  

X: @ceomagazinegl 

Instagram: @theceomagazineglobal  

Follow Martin U Ripple and ANCA:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/martinurippleceo

Website: https://machines.anca.com/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What if the key to scaling isn’t doing more, but doing less, and doing it better?

In this episode, Matthew Wilkins, Founder and CEO of Venergy Solar Australia, reveals how discipline, focus and long-term thinking turned a small solar startup into a national leader in renewable energy.

Wilkins shares how battery storage and smart software are reshaping the grid, the hard lessons behind saying no to distractions, and why treating contractors as true partners has become his biggest competitive advantage.

We also explore leadership habits that last – building trust, creating white space to think and remembering that you’re never wrong for doing what’s right.

Listen now to learn how to scale with purpose and avoid the burnout.

Access our free digital content: https://digitalmag.theceomagazine.com

Follow us:  

LinkedIn: @the-ceo-magazine-global  

Facebook: @theceomagazineglobal  

X: @ceomagazinegl 

Instagram: @theceomagazineglobal  

Follow Matthew Wilkins and Venergy Australia:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-wilkins-4a6984a5/ 

Website: https://venergysolar.com.au/ 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What does it really take to build a business that lasts? In this episode, Verne Harnish, Founder and CEO of Scaling Up, breaks down the truths most founders miss about growth.

From pricing power and compensation models to curiosity-led leadership and culture, Harnish shares how great CEOs build companies that scale without losing their soul. He reveals how to identify your company’s true constraints and why naming your strategy matters more than any mission statement.

If you’re ready to move beyond hustle and learn how to grow smarter – not just bigger – this conversation is for you.

Access our free digital content: https://digitalmag.theceomagazine.com

Follow us:  

LinkedIn: @the-ceo-magazine-global  

Facebook: @theceomagazineglobal  

X: @ceomagazinegl 

Instagram: @theceomagazineglobal  

Follow Verne Harnish and Scaling Up:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/verneharnish/ 

Website: https://coaches.scalingup.com/ 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What if one of your most effective brand levers isn’t a campaign – it’s what your people wear every day? In this episode, Pamela Jabbour, Founder and CEO of Total Image Group (TIG), breaks down how intentional uniform design boosts confidence, signals values and delivers real ROI. 

Jabbour shares the hard lessons behind her ‘no client over five percent’ rule, how B Corp certification reshaped operations without blowing the budget and why details – collars, pockets and trims – separate forgettable from iconic. 

We also get into leadership habits: the power of the pause, ‘kill it with kindness’, reframing imposter syndrome into preparation and building sustainable growth as TIG expands into New Zealand.

Listen now to learn how to turn uniforms into strategy – and culture – one thoughtful detail at a time.

Access our free digital content: https://digitalmag.theceomagazine.com

Follow us:  

LinkedIn: @the-ceo-magazine-global  

Facebook: @theceomagazineglobal  

X: @ceomagazinegl 

Instagram: @theceomagazineglobal  

Follow Pamela Jabbour and Total Image Group:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pamela-jabbour-875a2325/ 

Website: https://totalimagegroup.com.au/ 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The journey from founder to true CEO is statistically nearly impossible – 97 percent of businesses fail within 10 years. In this episode, Brandon Dawson, Co-Founder, CEO and Chairman of Cardone Ventures and 10X Health System, reveals what separates the rare few who break through to build nine-figure companies.

Dawson discusses the critical distinction between founders and CEOs, the three questions that expose fake experts and why execution always matters. Having built two multimillion-dollar companies from the ground up in just 60 months, he shares the belief-action-results framework and leadership evolution that determines whether businesses stagnate or scale beyond US$25 million.

Packed with insights on entrepreneurial intuition versus executive awareness, confidence versus ego and the depression trap catching 80 percent founders post-exit, this conversation delivers brutal honesty about what it takes to become a real CEO.

Listen now to discover where you sit on the founder-to-CEO spectrum and what you must do differently to break through.

Access our free digital content: https://digitalmag.theceomagazine.com

Follow us:  

LinkedIn: @the-ceo-magazine-global  

Facebook: @theceomagazineglobal  

X: @ceomagazinegl 

Instagram: @theceomagazineglobal  

Follow Brandon Dawson and Cardone Ventures:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandonmdawson

Website: https://cardoneventures.com/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Family business succession rarely goes according to plan, but few stories are as dramatic as that of AME Systems. In this episode, Nick Carthew, AME Systems Managing Director, opens up about taking over a company torn apart by family conflict, being given just six months to prove himself and then facing unimaginable challenges that tested everything he'd built.

Carthew discusses the falling out that nearly destroyed the business, the difficulties involved in such a rapid transformation and why the board initially had little faith in him. He shares candid insights on leading through loss, the power of company culture during crisis and why his employees took pay cuts and renegotiated mortgages to save the business.

Packed with raw lessons on succession planning and loyalty that survives anything, this conversation reveals what it really takes to carry a legacy forward.

Listen now to hear one of the most honest CEO stories you'll ever encounter.

Access our free digital content: https://digitalmag.theceomagazine.com

Follow us:  

LinkedIn: @the-ceo-magazine-global  

Facebook: @theceomagazineglobal  

X: @ceomagazinegl 

Instagram: @theceomagazineglobal  

Follow Nick Carthew and AME Systems:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-carthew-4314ba32

Website: https://amesystems.com.au

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What if the key to exceptional leadership isn’t about having all the answers, but about how you view the people around you? In this episode, Stefan Vermeulen, Managing Director of Nespresso Oceania, reveals his transformative leadership philosophy and the five-part framework that has guided his 15-year journey with one of the world’s most iconic brands.

Vermeulen discusses his “5Cs” leadership model, why vulnerability is actually a sign of strength and how building your own personal board of advisors can accelerate your growth. He also shares insights on leading through legacy, balancing global brand consistency with local innovation and how assuming good intentions changed how he approaches every leadership challenge.

Packed with practical frameworks and real-world examples from sustainability initiatives to team dynamics, this conversation offers a masterclass in authentic leadership for today’s complex business environment.

Listen now to discover the mindset shifts that separate good leaders from truly great ones.

Access our free digital content: https://digitalmag.theceomagazine.com

Follow us:  

LinkedIn: @the-ceo-magazine-global  

Facebook: @theceomagazineglobal  

X: @ceomagazinegl 

Instagram: @theceomagazineglobal  

Follow Stefan Vermeulen and Nespresso:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stefan-vermeulen-a1b2736

Website: https://www.nespresso.com/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When Craig Kearney became CEO of Vitaco in 2018, he faced a counterintuitive challenge: the company had too many brands. While conventional wisdom says more products equal more revenue, Kearney discovered the opposite was true.

In this episode, Kearney reveals how he cut Vitaco’s brand portfolio and watched revenue double. He shares the ruthless decision-making process behind discarding profitable products to focus resources on fewer, stronger brands.

This is the portfolio management masterclass that shows how less really can be more in business.

Access our free digital content: https://digitalmag.theceomagazine.com

Follow us:  

LinkedIn: @the-ceo-magazine-global  

Facebook: @theceomagazineglobal  

X: @ceomagazinegl 

Instagram: @theceomagazineglobal  

Follow Craig Kearney and Vitaco:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/craig-kearney-8508a23

Website: https://vitacohealth.com/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.