Veteran Business Community Podcast

Peter Liston, Co-Founder - VBC

There are many lessons business can learn from the military and your host Pete Liston is going to share exactly what he learnt in the Australian Army that has allowed him to create and build multiple 7 figure businesses. Pete will be joined by guests who have also transitioned from military to entrepreneurship and are keen to share their stories.

  1. S03E10 | Aaron Drew - Imperium engineering  - How to harness Absolute Power.  From firing Harpoon missiles on Australian frigates to leading a world class electrical engineering company fusing design, construction and software.

    FEB 11

    S03E10 | Aaron Drew - Imperium engineering - How to harness Absolute Power. From firing Harpoon missiles on Australian frigates to leading a world class electrical engineering company fusing design, construction and software.

    New Episode drop! S03E10 | Aaron Drew - Imperium engineering  - How to harness Absolute Power.  From firing Harpoon missiles on Australian frigates to leading a world class electrical engineering company fusing design, construction and software.  Aaron Drew joined the Royal Australian Navy in 1991 as a 17-year-old apprentice, serving 16 years across WA-based ships as a Missile and Gun Fire Control operator and maintainer. Spending more than 11 years at sea, including deployments to Iraq, Aaron built his career in high-risk, high-reliability environments where precision and accountability mattered. After transitioning out of the Navy, Aaron studied Electrical Engineering before moving into the mining, oil & gas, and power sectors. He has since founded and operated multiple engineering businesses, culminating in Imperium Engineering and the development of Total-Ex, a world-leading software platform improving safety, compliance, and operational performance in hazardous industries. Proud father of two, husband, and dog-dad to two American Staffies, Aaron brings a veteran’s discipline into modern engineering and technology leadership. 🌐 Learn more: https://imperiumeng.com.au 🌐 Join the VBC Community: veteranbc.com/join-our-community #VBC #VBCPodcast #VeteranBusinessCommunity #VeteranOwnedBusiness #VeteranBusiness #VeteranFounder #EngineeringLeadership #DefenceToIndustry #Mining #OilAndGas #SafetySystems

    1h 9m
  2. S03E09 | Marcus Nyholm from Live Financial planning - Your finances are an ecosystem. Why your financial advisor needs to be one of your inner circle.

    FEB 8

    S03E09 | Marcus Nyholm from Live Financial planning - Your finances are an ecosystem. Why your financial advisor needs to be one of your inner circle.

    Fresh Pod Drop! S03E09 | Marcus Nyholm from Live Financial planning - Your finances are an ecosystem. Why your financial advisor needs to be one of your inner circle. Marcus Nyholm is a financial adviser and founder of Live Financial Planning, a practice built around clear, practical advice without unnecessary complexity. He began his career in financial services in his early 20s, completing his Certified Financial Planner (CFP) qualification before joining Victoria Police in 2006. Alongside his policing career, Marcus served in the Australian Army Reserve and later spent 14 years with the 1st Commando Regiment, including operational deployments to Timor-Leste and Afghanistan. In this episode, Marcus shares why his philosophy is that “freedom is the new rich” and how smart financial planning creates options, not restrictions. He unpacks the unique financial complexity veterans and emergency services members face — from DVA and military super to business ownership — and explains how simplifying decisions, aligning assets, and planning with intent can create long-term security and genuine freedom. 🌐 Learn more: https://livefinancialplanning.com.au 🌐 Join the VBC Community: veteranbc.com/join-our-community #VBC #VBCPodcast #VeteranBusinessCommunity #VeteranOwnedBusiness #VeteranBusiness #FinancialFreedom #VeteranFinance #EmergencyServices #BusinessOwners #FreedomIsTheNewRich

    54 min
  3. S03E08 | Clint Rahe - peak performances doesn't just apply to elite athletes and teams - it's there for all of us. Tune in to get some basic hacks from an expert on how to deliver at your best

    FEB 4

    S03E08 | Clint Rahe - peak performances doesn't just apply to elite athletes and teams - it's there for all of us. Tune in to get some basic hacks from an expert on how to deliver at your best

    🎙 New Episode Drop! S03E08 | Clint Rahe - peak performances doesn't just apply to elite athletes and teams - it's there for all of us. Tune in to get some basic hacks from an expert on how to deliver at your best Clint Rahe is a former Royal Air Force Physical Training Instructor with 12 years’ service, working with fast-jet pilots, frontline squadrons, and special operations teams. After military service, he supported elite professional sports teams, including Premier League football clubs, Super League rugby teams, and national-level athletes. Today, as founder of The Performance Edge and author of The Cognitive Athlete, Clint translates military and elite performance, resilience, and recovery principles into practical tools for sustainable success without burnout. Clint highlights a key insight for veterans: many underestimate how transferable their skills really are. Decision-making under pressure, leadership without authority, adaptability, resilience, and recovery are learned through experience, not classrooms. Sharing our stories and translating these skills into civilian language doesn’t just help others—it builds businesses, creates impact, and shortens learning curves for the next generation. 🌐 Learn more: theperformanceedge.com.au 🌐 Join the VBC Community: veteranbc.com/join-our-community #VBC #VBCPodcast #VeteranBusinessCommunity #VeteranOwnedBusiness #VeteranBusiness  #Resilience #Leadership #Performance #EliteAthlete #TransitionSkills #TheCognitiveAthlete #VeteranEntrepreneur

    1h 2m
  4. S03E07 | Dan Fussell - From firing live artillery in Afghanistan to teach corporate leadership through Adventure training. Come and see why Dan believes people don't rise to the moment, they fall to their highest level of training.

    FEB 1

    S03E07 | Dan Fussell - From firing live artillery in Afghanistan to teach corporate leadership through Adventure training. Come and see why Dan believes people don't rise to the moment, they fall to their highest level of training.

    S03E07 | Dan Fussell - From firing live artillery in Afghanistan to teach corporate leadership through Adventure training. Come and see why Dan believes people don't rise to the moment, they fall to their highest level of training. Dan Fussell is a former Australian Army officer with 14 years’ service, including operational deployments to Afghanistan as a Gun Line Troop Commander and Joint Fires Team Commander. After witnessing firsthand the pressures soldiers face on operations, Dan became deeply involved in adventurous training, using controlled exposure to fear, stress, and uncertainty to build resilience and leadership. Today, as Managing Director of Keltus, he delivers experiential learning programs that help individuals and organisations perform under pressure through deliberate, practical resilience training. In this episode, Dan shares why resilience doesn’t end when the uniform comes off — it just becomes easier to neglect. From leaving the Army to building Keltus while living on the road with a young family, Dan unpacks how performance under pressure still demands intentional practice. Whether leading soldiers, staff, or yourself as a founder, his message is clear: you don’t rise to the occasion — you fall back on your training, and resilience must be continually earned. 🎧 Listen to the full episode: 🌐 Learn more: https://www.keltus.au 🌐 Join the VBC Community: veteranbc.com/join-our-community  #VBC #VBCPodcast #VeteranBusinessCommunity #VeteranOwnedBusiness #VeteranBusiness #ResilienceTraining #ExperientialLearning #HighPerformance #VeteranOwned #LeadershipUnderPressure

    1h 8m
  5. S03E06 | James Middleton - From managing the air warfare battle space in the Middle East to ethical leadership.

    JAN 29

    S03E06 | James Middleton - From managing the air warfare battle space in the Middle East to ethical leadership.

    New pod release! S03E06 | James Middleton - From managing the air warfare battle space in the Middle East to ethical leadership.  James Middleton is a former Royal Australian Air Force Air Battle Manager and Mission Commander on the E-7A Wedgetail, with nearly two decades of leadership experience across military operations and the defence industry. Serving at No. 2 Squadron, James led and mentored mission-ready teams across multiple deployments before transitioning into industry, where he has delivered complex capability development and leadership programs for organisations of all sizes. His work centres on building resilient, high-performing teams grounded in values and purpose. In this episode, James explores purpose-driven leadership and why veterans often excel in business — but can struggle to scale purpose beyond the founder. He shares how behaviours, systems, and daily practices create genuine connection to purpose, enabling better decision-making, innovation, and resilience when it matters most. Drawing on lived experience, James challenges leaders — particularly in defence industry — to reconnect with the true purpose of their work and build organisations that perform sustainably without constant top-down motivation. 🌐 Learn more: ethiclead.com.au 🌐 Join the VBC Community: veteranbc.com/join-our-community #VBC #VBCPodcast #VeteranBusinessCommunity #VeteranOwnedBusiness #VeteranBusiness #VeteranLeadership #PurposeDriven #DefenceIndustry #LeadershipDevelopment #HighPerformanceTeams #VeteranBusiness

    1h 1m
  6. S03E05 | Veteran Industry Portal - It's live and ready for opportunities. Come listen to Tim Walmsley and Pete chat about how the BenchOn powered Portal is going to revolutionise veteran procurement.

    JAN 25

    S03E05 | Veteran Industry Portal - It's live and ready for opportunities. Come listen to Tim Walmsley and Pete chat about how the BenchOn powered Portal is going to revolutionise veteran procurement.

    New Episode Alert! S03E05 | Veteran Industry Portal - It's live and ready for opportunities. Come listen to Tim Walmsley and Pete chat about how the BenchOn-powered Portal is going to revolutionise veteran procurement. Tim Walmsley is a former Australian Defence Force leader with 12 years’ service, including deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, where he managed complex operations in challenging environments. After transitioning to business, Tim founded BenchOn, a platform that transforms procurement, supply chain management, and resource allocation by digitally connecting projects, people, and suppliers. His work helps Tier 1 contractors and major projects build resilient local supply chains while closing capability gaps in Australian enterprise. In this episode, Tim shares his insights on sovereign capability, local supply chains, and leveraging technology to create smarter, more connected industries. Beyond BenchOn, he is committed to supporting communities—delivering training for industry professionals, directing Defence Industry Networking events, and serving on the board of This Story Australia to amplify veteran voices. Tim’s vision is clear: by working together, businesses and communities can seize the opportunities of 2025 and build enduring impact. 🌐 Learn more: benchon.com 🌐 Join the VBC Community: veteranbc.com/join-our-community #VBC #VBCPodcast #VeteranBusinessCommunity #VeteranOwnedBusiness #VeteranBusiness #SupplyChain #Procurement #DefenceIndustry #SovereignCapability #Leadership #VeteranEntrepreneur #AustralianBusiness

    41 min

About

There are many lessons business can learn from the military and your host Pete Liston is going to share exactly what he learnt in the Australian Army that has allowed him to create and build multiple 7 figure businesses. Pete will be joined by guests who have also transitioned from military to entrepreneurship and are keen to share their stories.