Liam Forde ran a big business in London. His confession? "I turned into an asshole."

So he spent the next 26 years teaching people not to be like him—creating transformation experiences for leaders across 40 countries.

Now he's relocated to Australia for his grandkids—and he's starting completely fresh. No networks. No contacts. No idea where to begin in the Australian market.

His questions are brutally honest: Where do I even start? What networks matter? How do I build trust when nobody knows who I am?

And then the big one: What's keeping Australian leaders up at night right now?

Naomi doesn't hold back. She shares the phone call that changed everything for RedBalloon ("How do I know you're real?"), why she wears red every single day, and the networking mistake most people make when building a business.

Plus: the truth about burnout that went viral on LinkedIn, why leaders are struggling with a completely new set of pressures (AI, cybersecurity, remote teams), and the "tiger team" approach that's replacing traditional org structures.

And when Liam asks how to get partners to work harder for you than anyone else? Naomi reveals what she has seen work successfully.

This episode is for anyone who's ever felt like they're starting over—whether you're new to a market, rebuilding after a setback, or just trying to figure out where your people are.

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January 2020. New CEO. Six-month-old baby. Seven weeks later? COVID hits.

That's how Cara McLeod stepped into the CEO role at Mahlab—and somehow that chaos became the launchpad for international growth.

But here's the problem: Mahlab does bespoke strategy work. Everything is custom. Every project needs people. More growth = more headcount. The classic service business trap.

So how do you scale what on paper looks hard to scale?

Cara asks the questions keeping service business CEOs up at night: How do you stand out in a global marketplace when you're suddenly competing worldwide? Can you turn custom expertise into scalable products without losing your magic? And how do you test international markets—especially for their niche in member-based organisations—without taking your eye off the Australian ball?

Naomi doesn't hold back. She reveals the partnership model that took a Shark Tank investment global fast. Plus: the warm referral strategies that crack international markets (spoiler: ditch the cold calling) and why tapping into global associations through your existing clients is pure gold.

If you're wrestling with taking custom work global, this episode is your playbook.

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What do you do when you've built a successful business in a niche that most people don't even know exists? Oliver Lonergan went from selling lollies in primary school to running Professional Picture Hanging—a 12-person operation spanning Australia's east coast and London, with major contracts including Crown Sydney and luxury hotels. At just years out of school, he's facing the classic scale-up challenge: how do you grow from 1 million to 5 million without losing what makes you special?

In this episode, Naomi tackles Oliver's tough questions: building a memorable brand in an "invisible" industry, navigating the leadership shifts required for multi-location growth, and whether to plan for acquisition now or later. From AI-powered scheduling to strategic partnerships and the power of a well-branded van, this conversation is packed with actionable advice for any service-based business looking to scale. Plus, discover why being someone's first customer sometimes comes back to you in the best way possible.

NaomiSimson.com
www.professionalpicturehanging.com.au

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