Why this smartphone boss called time on saying yes to everything

Stuart Gregor has always been a keen storyteller. From his first job working in journalism as a copy boy to co-founding craft gin brand Four Pillars, this entrepreneur has used his skills to build brands and their narratives. Now the chief executive of ASX-listed Lark Distillery, the whisky boss is having to tell a new type of story to analysts and fund managers. In this week's episode, Gregor tells BOSS editor Sally Patten about the various challenges of speaking to consumers, the industry and now the market. Further reading: Whisky maker Lark hires Four Pillars Gin co-founder as CEO The Tasmanian company’s product will be in 700-millilitre bottles for the first time in 33 years as it tackles global brands such as Johnnie Walker. Four Pillars Gin sold to XXXX’s Japanese owner The brewing giant behind names such as Furphy and Little Creatures has snapped up the other half of the distiller for an estimated $50 million. He may not be a ‘whisky guy’, but Larry Emdur’s single malt is good as gold It began as a bit of birthday fun for the TV personality, but in just two years, The Ben Buckler has become a multi-award-winning brand with an impressive new CEO.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“We’ve had a number of years when there was a huge emphasis on people’s work-life balance. Now it’s about performance,” says Chris Karagounis. The managing director at executive search firm Alex Kaar says working in the office allows budding leaders to contribute to the culture and community, and to keep learning. And if they're not there, then they risk falling behind. On this week's episode, BOSS editor Sally Patten finds out from the corporate headhunter what it takes to be a senior leader today, and how aspiring executives should approach issues such as working from home and artificial intelligence. Further reading: Four steps to land your first board position The step into the boardroom is an important milestone, and something many ambitious professionals dream about. But how do you make it happen? How I convinced Kerry Packer he should hire me Mary Wooldridge, outgoing CEO of the Workplace Gender Equality Agency, worked for the media tycoon in the late 1990s. She’s used some of the skills she learnt ever since. Why job seekers looking for $200k-plus roles should be worried  After taking a break from her exec role, Diedre Hosking returned to a market offering $100,000 less, as firms swap veterans for cheaper, AI-literate juniors.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When Sharon Pickering’s husband died, she realised she needed to choose where she directed her energy and focus on what mattered to her. After years of being a dedicated scholar, the academic made a decision that would set her on a path to becoming the vice chancellor of Monash University. On this week’s episode, BOSS editor Sally Patten sits down with the university boss to find out how a new role shifted Pickering’s career to one of leadership. Further reading: ‘I’d lost my identity.’ How this exec recovered from redundancy A new coach, hypnotist and Hollywood movie helped Allison Rossiter tackle one of her biggest fears. Now, the Novartis president shares how they can help you too. Meet the researchers tackling big problems Combining knowledge and expertise across disciplines is the new face of successful research in the university sector. The move this MD calls ‘extremely hard, but I’ve never looked back’ T2 Tea managing director Christelle Young finds that by cutting out reading, writing and talking first thing in the morning, it sets up her day in the right way.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Procter & Gamble’s Australian chief executive, Neal Reed, has been with the global manufacturer for 30 years. The company behind household brands such as Pampers nappies, Gillette razors and Pantene and Head & Shoulders shampoos has long been committed to finding and developing top talent. But as the CEO has discovered, the strategy presents a temptation to push high performers too hard.  On this week’s episode, BOSS editor Sally Patten finds out how this P&G boss learnt he was overburdening senior leaders. Further reading: Why this CEO gets his advice from the 20-somethings in the office As Gen Z swells to a third of the workforce, P&G’s Australia-New Zealand CEO Neal Reed says reverse mentorship keeps him connected, skilled up and relevant. ‘I didn’t realise how far gone I was’: How this CEO survived burnout Jess Saxby, chief executive of Banjo’s Bakery Cafes, couldn’t stop. She was always chasing the next thing. Until she couldn’t any more. ‘Do you have five?’: This CEO’s trick for managing staff requests Stefan Leitl, vice president for Australia and New Zealand at Cisco, has to juggle family with fitting into the working hours of the US. Here’s how he does it.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

He’s one of Australia’s most influential chefs and restaurateurs. But when Neil Perry was faced with the closure of his restaurant, Song Bird, he realised he’d broken his most important rule. “You've always got to be prepared to walk away," Perry says. On this week’s episode, BOSS editor Sally Patten finds out what went wrong with the Double Bay restaurant, and what he’s learnt as the culinary giant prepares to open Pizzeria Spotto.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Praveena Raman, the head of Motorola in Australia and New Zealand, is a self-described yes person.  At the start of her career as an engineer, the “say yes to everything” mindset opened doors to pivotal opportunities that would set her on the path to becoming an executive. But a crucial piece of advice also made the smartphone boss realise the importance of saying no. On this week’s episode, BOSS editor Sally Patten sits down with the country head of the eighth-largest smartphone manufacturer globally to find out why she decided to shift her mindset.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One of Anubha Sahasrabuddhe’s proudest moments was getting Chinese consumers to drink Coca-Cola – and lots of it. Earlier in her career, Sahasrabuddhe, now the chief executive of brewing giant Lion, was asked to go to China in the run-up to the Beijing Olympics and take on the competition, Pepsi. Sahasrabuddhe’s stint was a success, but there were also failures. The experience led the chief executive to adopt a strategy she says the tech industry has mastered. On this week’s episode, BOSS editor Sally Patten sits down with the boss of Australia’s second biggest brewing company to find out how past mistakes have shaped future wins.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mary Wooldridge, the outgoing chief executive of the Workplace Gender Equality Agency, worked for the media tycoon in the late 1990s.  While her time at Kerry Packer's company, Consolidated Press Holdings, taught her some invaluable skills, Wooldridge found it unmotivating. On this week’s episode, BOSS editor Sally Patten finds out why the former politician traded a Packer deal-making role for public policy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When Allison Rossiter was offered a dream job, she had just one hesitation: she was terrified of public speaking. But not wanting to walk away from the opportunity, the budding executive asked for a public speaking coach. On this week’s episode, the president for Novartis in Australia and New Zealand tells BOSS editor Sally Patten how a new coach, a hypnotist and a Hollywood movie helped her tackle one of her biggest fears.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For any arts production, reviews are a crucial metric of success. But for Brett Sheehy, what the critics have to say means very little. For him, it’s all about the audience. On this week’s episode, Vivid Sydney's festival director tells BOSS editor Sally Patten how he's determined his own way of measuring success.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.