Convos on the Couch

PeopleIN

No fluff. No corporate jargon. Just real talk. Convos on the Couch is a 30-minute podcast with Tom Reardon, diving into the bold calls, wins, and stuff-ups that come with running a business. Each month, Tom chats with people who’ve been in the thick of it, sharing hard-earned lessons and no-nonsense advice. If you’re building, scaling or just holding it together — this is for you. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/convos_on_the_couch/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/people-infrastructure/

  1. 3 DAYS AGO

    Brendan Christou – Running the Ekka, building for 2032 and the people who make or break it all

    From financial controller to Chief Executive, Brendan Christou has spent over two decades steering one of Queensland's most iconic institutions through change. Now he's navigating its biggest transformation yet. As CEO of the RNA, Brendan is delivering a $2.9 billion regeneration of the Brisbane Showgrounds ahead of 2032, an Athletes Village, a new Main Arena and restored heritage grandstands, all while keeping the Ekka running every year without fail. In this episode of Convos on the Couch, Brendan joins host Tom Reardon for an honest conversation about balancing heritage with evolution, managing stakeholders who all want different things and the leadership lesson that keeps coming back to him no matter the challenge. This is what it looks like to lead something iconic through the biggest period of change in its history. No fluff. Just straight talk from someone who has to get it right. Follow Convos on the Couch for more: Instagram LinkedIn YouTube

    24 min

  2. 30 MAR

    Damien Richards – Rising global tensions, Australian defence and leading with patience (or without it)

    From the flight deck to the boardroom, Damien Richards has spent his career at the intersection of aviation, aerospace and Australia's sovereign defence capability. As General Manager of Defence MRO at TAE Aerospace, Damien leads one of Australia's most critical maintenance, repair and overhaul operations, keeping military aircraft mission-ready in an increasingly uncertain world. With a career spanning adjacent industries before landing in defence, he brings a rare perspective on how cross-industry talent, agile thinking and genuine passion can solve problems that experience alone cannot. In this episode of Convos on the Couch, Damien joins host Tom Reardon for an honest conversation about a shifting global order, the challenge of building sovereign capability in Australia, attracting the right people to defence and why hiring for passion will always beat hiring for pedigree. This is leadership from the frontline of Australian aerospace. No jargon. No spin. Just straight talk from someone who understands what's at stake when defence capability isn't optional. Follow Convos on the Couch for more:⁠Instagram⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠

    34 min
  3. Julia Spicer – International Women's Day, leading with action, authenticity and intent

    5 MAR

    Julia Spicer – International Women's Day, leading with action, authenticity and intent

    In this International Women’s Day episode of Convos on the Couch, Tom Reardon sits down with regional leader, advocate and entrepreneur Julia Spicer.Julia has spent years championing regional Australia, backing local communities and building initiatives that turn ideas into action. Known for her practical leadership style, she believes the leaders who make the biggest impact are the ones who do what they say they will do.In this conversation, Julia shares her perspective on authentic leadership, building strong teams and why assuming positive intent can change how people work together.A grounded and honest discussion about leadership that focuses less on titles and more on action, community and getting things done.Head over to our pages to hear more when new episodes drop:InstagramLinkedInApple Podcasts

    33 min

  4. 23 FEB

    José Ramos-Horta, President of Timor-Leste – Negotiation, nation building and never surrendering

    From two decades in exile to the Presidency of an independent nation, José Ramos-Horta has spent a lifetime fighting for Timor-Leste’s sovereignty through diplomacy, persistence and belief in dialogue. A founding voice of the independence movement, Ramos-Horta carried his country’s cause to the United Nations and world leaders when Timor-Leste had no army, no economy and no seat at the table. After independence was restored in 2002, he returned home to serve as Foreign Minister, Prime Minister and now President once again, guiding the nation through change, growth and complex regional relationships. In this episode of Convos on the Couch, President José Ramos-Horta joins Founder and Executive Director Tom Reardon in Timor-Leste for a candid conversation about negotiation without surrender, leadership under pressure and what it takes to build a nation from the ground up. This is leadership forged in conflict, shaped by diplomacy and driven by long term vision. No slogans. No theatre. Just perspective from someone who has led when the stakes were existential. Follow Convos on the Couch for more: Instagram LinkedIn To support the José Ramos-Horta Climate Action & Resilience Fund in building a greener, fairer, and stronger Timor-Leste for generations to come, and in fostering hope and optimism for the future, you can make a donation here : www.jrh.world/

    35 min

  5. 02/12/2025

    Pa Enari - RWM, culture, care and the work behind the PALM Scheme

    From helping Pacific workers take their first steps in Australia to guiding them through culture shifts, new routines and the pressure of providing for families back home, Pa Enari has become one of the most trusted figures for Pacific workers in Regional Workforce Management. As a Cultural Welfare officer for RWM within the PALM scheme, Pa supports men and women through one of the biggest transitions of their lives. He walks with them through the challenges, the wins, the homesickness and the moments where confidence takes time to build. His approach is simple. Lead from the heart and serve your people. In this episode of Convos on the Couch, Pa joins Founder and Executive Director Tom Reardon to talk about the real work behind supporting Pacific workers, why trust is earned one conversation at a time and how small habits create stability when life changes fast. This is leadership in its most grounded form. No spin. No flash. Just honesty, service and the kind of care that builds stronger people and stronger communities. Head over to our pages to hear more when new episodes drop. Get more of our content over on our channels: ⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠ ⁠Website

    38 min

  6. 10/11/2025

    Les Kiss, Michael Valkanis & Kiri Wills – Inside the locker room of leadership

    Three elite coaches. One honest conversation about leadership, culture and performance under pressure. Incoming Wallabies Coach Les Kiss, Brisbane Roar’s Michael Valkanis and Queensland Firebirds’ Kiri Wills joined PeopleIN Founder Tom Reardon for a live Convo on the Couch exploring what it really takes to build belief, drive standards and lead through the noise. From rebuilding teams to uniting cultures and delivering under scrutiny, these are leaders who’ve lived it and they don’t sugar-coat the lessons. This is high performance without the hype. Straight talk on what it takes to win, lead and stay grounded when the pressure’s on. Get more of our content over on our channels: Instagram⁠⁠ ⁠⁠LinkedIn Website

    1hr 2min
  7. Sarah Kelly – Inside the mindset driving Brisbane’s biggest wins

    20/10/2025

    Sarah Kelly – Inside the mindset driving Brisbane’s biggest wins

    From the Brisbane Lions’ back-to-back AFLW premierships to shaping the roadmap for Brisbane 2032, Professor Sarah Kelly OAM has been at the centre of some of Australia’s biggest moments in sport and business. As Deputy Chair of the Brisbane Lions, Chair of the Australian Sports Foundation and Head of the Graduate School of Business at QUT, Sarah has led through pressure, politics and progress, proving that values-based leadership and long-term vision drive real results. In this episode of Convos on the Couch, Sarah joins Founder and Executive Director Tom Reardon to talk about the tough calls, the wins that matter and what real leadership looks like behind the scenes. This is leadership without the spin, just straight talk from someone who’s leading with purpose when the pressure’s on. Head over to our pages to hear more when new episodes drop: Instagram⁠ ⁠LinkedIn

    42 min
  8. Glen Richards – Burnout, bad buys and building Greencross

    01/10/2025

    Glen Richards – Burnout, bad buys and building Greencross

    From a single vet clinic in Townsville to hundreds of hospitals and pet stores across Australia and New Zealand, Glen Richards built Greencross into a household name. Along the way he spent three seasons on Shark Tank Australia, known for cutting through the hype and backing discipline, culture and scalability. Today he is also the Non-Executive Chairman of PeopleIN. In this episode of Convos on the Couch, Glen joins Founder and Executive Director Tom Reardon to talk about the mistakes that still sting, the calls that kept Greencross alive and why humility in leadership is harder than most reckon. This is business without the buzzwords, just straight talk from someone who has built, scaled and survived the grind. Head over to our pages to hear more when new episodes drop: Instagram LinkedIn

    28 min
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Trailer

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
8 Ratings

About

No fluff. No corporate jargon. Just real talk. Convos on the Couch is a 30-minute podcast with Tom Reardon, diving into the bold calls, wins, and stuff-ups that come with running a business. Each month, Tom chats with people who’ve been in the thick of it, sharing hard-earned lessons and no-nonsense advice. If you’re building, scaling or just holding it together — this is for you. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/convos_on_the_couch/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/people-infrastructure/

Information

  • Creator
    PeopleIN
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    15
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © PeopleIN
  • Show Website
    Convos on the Couch