The Wisdom Of... with Simon Bowen

Simon Bowen
  • 5.0 (3)
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Updated Weekly

The Wisdom Of... with Simon Bowen delves into the intricate issues of our time. Join Simon as he converses with the world's leading thinkers, entrepreneurs, and visionaries to uncover how they tackle complex problems, ignite innovation, and navigate significant projects. This podcast brings a Renaissance of Wisdom to your week, offering insights into leadership, ethics, global challenges, and cutting-edge ideas. Tune in to gain a deeper understanding of the decisions shaping our world and learn from the minds driving change. Get in touch and learn more at: https://thesimonbowen.com/show/

  1. 2d ago

    Jennifer Hill: the CEO of your own life, conscious leadership, and the algorithm for human alignment

    In this episode of The Wisdom Of … Show, Simon Bowen speaks with Jennifer Hill, CEO and co-founder of OptiMatch, co-founder of MetaBizics LLC, founder of The Jen Hill Tribe, and one of the most interesting thinkers on the question of self-leadership as the foundation for business leadership. Jennifer sold her first company in 2018, has spoken to over 100,000 people from a single stage, hosts the podcast Regarding Consciousness with guests including Bruce Lipton and Gregg Braden, and is building an alignment algorithm at OptiMatch that makes the traditionally unmeasurable work of human connection systematic. Jennifer and Simon build a live visual model in the episode - the CEO of Your Own Life Framework, a three-pillar architecture of Clarity, Courage, and Connection built on the foundation of a regulated nervous system. Episode breakdown00:00 Welcome to The Wisdom Of … Show and introduction of Jennifer Hill 03:00 The 2018 exit: what the success moment actually felt like, and what it taught her about building 07:30 The lesson about key relationships during acquisition: what she'd do differently 12:00 "Who you are as a leader shapes everything you build": the premise behind all of Jennifer's work 16:00 Clarity, Courage, Connection: the three pillars of the CEO of Your Own Life philosophy 21:30 Creating from a regulated nervous system: what it actually means to build from groundedness 27:00 Speaking to 100,000 people from a single stage: what scale teaches you about human transformation 31:30 LIVE MODEL BUILD: The CEO of Your Own Life Framework 42:00 OptiMatch: building a proprietary alignment algorithm and why human connection can be made systematic 47:30 The mismatch of coherence: how misaligned relationships drain energy that could go toward the work 51:00 Motivation matching: what OptiMatch measures and why it changes how teams are built 54:00 Closing wisdom: "You already have a miraculous life. You've just forgotten how to look for it." 56:00 The busyness etymology: what the Old English root reveals about how most leaders are actually operating 58:30 The miracle practice: writing down moments of awe, synchronicity, wonder, and miracles every day About Jennifer HillJennifer Hill is a keynote speaker, executive coach, community builder, and technology founder whose work centres on a single premise - who you are as a leader shapes everything you build. In 2018, she sold her first company to a subsidiary of Marcum LLP. Over the past decade she has spoken on hundreds of stages worldwide, including to audiences of over 100,000 people in India. She hosts Regarding Consciousness, a podcast featuring thinkers including Bruce Lipton and Gregg Braden, and founded The Jen Hill Tribe, a global community of entrepreneurs, leaders, creatives, and philanthropists. She is currently co-founding OptiMatch, a platform powered by a proprietary algorithm designed to systematically improve alignment in businesses and communities, supporting stronger relationships, healthier teams, and greater psychological safety. She is a member of Evolutionary Leaders and has helped build two schools. Connect with Jennifer Hill:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferkhill/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jenhillspeaker/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GetYourselftheJob Website: https://jenniferkhill.com/ About Simon BowenSimon has spent over two decades working with influential leaders across complex industries. His focus is on elevating thinking in organisations, recognising that success is directly proportional to the quality of thinking and ideas within a business. Simon leads the renaissance of thinking through his work with global leaders and organisations. Connect with Simon:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/simonbowen-mm/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/officialsimonbowen/ Website: https://thesimonbowen.com/ Get Simon Bowen's personal newsletter for leaders, thinkers, and entrepreneurs: Sign up now: https://thesimonbowen.com/newsletter Join Simon's Masterclass: Apply The Models Method in your own organisation. Make your thinking visible, make your value undeniable. Watch it now: https://thesimonbowen.com/masterclass

    1 hr

  2. May 31

    Tracey Spicer AM: AI integrity, bias by design, and the leadership responsibility we can't afford to ignore

    In this episode of The Wisdom Of … Show, host Simon Bowen speaks with Tracey Spicer AM - journalist, broadcaster, author, and one of Australia's clearest voices on the intersection of technology, equity, and the future of responsible business. A multiple Walkley Award winner, Order of Australia recipient, Sydney Peace Prize recipient alongside Tarana Burke, and author of Man Made (winner, Australian Business Book Awards Social Responsibility category), Tracey has spent three decades in Australia's public life, and the last several years investigating the most significant design flaw in our emerging technological future … the bias being quietly written into the systems that will shape it. Simon builds a live visual model in the episode, the AI Integrity Model, mapping the three-part framework for moving AI systems from bias to equity across data sets, algorithms, and machine learning. Episode breakdown00:00 Welcome to The Wisdom Of … Show and introduction of Tracey Spicer AM 03:00 Growing up on the outskirts of Brisbane: what social justice looks like as a lived value 08:30 "Give it a go. What's the worst that could happen?" The philosophy behind a 30-year career 11:45 The Lady Stripped Bare: the TEDx talk, 7 million views, the trolling, and what it actually meant 17:00 MeToo in Australia: listening as leadership, and how to open a conversation in a room that doesn't want to have it 22:00 The price of bias: widening inequality, the talent excluded from pipelines, and the cost of machine bias 26:00 Man Made: how an 11-year-old asking for a robot slave launched a forensic investigation into bias by design 32:00 The difference between performative and effective: what organisations doing AI governance well actually do differently 34:00 LIVE MODEL BUILD: The AI Integrity Model 44:00 Data sets, from bias to equity: clean, intentional, curated 47:00 Algorithms, from bias to equity: designer diversity, bias consciousness, continuous testing 50:00 Machine learning: human in the loop, agentic AI, and why the Amazon hiring tool story matters 55:00 What does the world look like in 14 years if we do this right? A toast to future generations 58:00 Personal philosophy: the leadership power of pause About Tracey Spicer AMTracey Spicer AM is a multiple Walkley Award-winning journalist, broadcaster, author, and advocate with 30 years across Australia's major media networks, including the ABC, Network 10, and Sky News. She is the inaugural national convenor of Women in Media Australia, a Sydney Peace Prize recipient alongside Tarana Burke for her leadership of the MeToo movement in Australia, and an Order of Australia recipient. Her book Man Made, a rigorously researched investigation into how historical bias is being embedded into AI and technology systems, won the Social Responsibility category at the Australian Business Book Awards. Her TEDx talk, "The Lady Stripped Bare," has 7 million views globally. Connect with Tracey Spicer AM:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/traceyspicer/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/TraceySpicer/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/traceyspicerjournalist/ Website: https://traceyspicer.com.au/ About Simon BowenSimon has spent over two decades working with influential leaders across complex industries. His focus is on elevating thinking in organisations, recognising that success is directly proportional to the quality of thinking and ideas within a business. Simon leads the renaissance of thinking through his work with global leaders and organisations. Connect with SimonLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/simonbowen-mm/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/officialsimonbowen/ Website: https://thesimonbowen.com/ Get Simon Bowen's Personal Newsletter for Leaders, Thinkers, and Entrepreneurs! Sign Up Now: https://thesimonbowen.com/newsletter. Join Simon's Masterclass: Unlock your leadership potential with The Models Method. Learn to articulate your unique value and create scalable impact. Watch it Now: https://thesimonbowen.com/masterclass.

    1h 2m

  3. Apr 5

    Jim Kwik: The Limitless Mind. Brain Performance, Elite Learning, and the Owner's Manual Every Leader Needs

    In this episode of The Wisdom Of … Show, host Simon Bowen speaks with Jim Kwik, the world's #1 brain coach, New York Times bestselling author of Limitless, and Founder of Kwik Learning. Jim's reach spans 60 million podcast downloads across 195 countries, 200,000+ annual live attendees, and three decades of elite coaching with clients including Will Smith, Oprah, Hugh Jackman, Elon Musk's SpaceX team, the X-Men cast, and executives from Google, Virgin, Nike, and the United Nations. After a childhood brain injury at age five left him labelled "the boy with the broken brain," Jim spent the next 30 years developing the methodology that would become the Limitless framework: a complete system for upgrading the mind through Mindset, Motivation, and Methods. His mission: no brain left behind. Simon builds a live visual model in the episode, 'The Limitless Learning System,' mapping the precise framework behind how Jim coaches elite performers from every domain to unlock cognitive performance they didn't know was available to them. Episode Breakdown00:00 Welcome to The Wisdom Of … Show and introduction of Jim Kwik 03:30 The childhood brain injury and what it's like growing up labelled "the boy with the broken brain" 11:00 How X-Men comics saved Jim's life and taught him to read when conventional education couldn't 18:30 The 18-year-old moment - a mentor's two questions that changed everything 33:45 The Limitless Framework - Mindset, Motivation, and Methods 42:10 Mindset deep dive - the difference between positive thinking and genuinely transforming a limiting belief 50:30 Motivation -where passion, purpose, and energy intersect, and how to access it when it's not there 58:15 Methods - the FASTER system, B.E.F.A.S.T. memory architecture, and speed reading protocols 01:06:00 LIVE MODEL BUILD - The Limitless Learning System 01:14:30 What Will Smith, Oprah, and the SpaceX team have in common in how they use their minds 01:22:00 The X-Men full-circle story - coached by comics, then coaching the cast 01:29:45 AI, human intelligence, and why learning becomes more important, not less, in an age of machines 01:36:00 No brain left behind - the mission, Alzheimer's research, and building schools globally 01:42:30 Closing wisdom - the one capability every leader should prioritise right now About Jim KwikJim Kwik is the world's #1 brain coach, founder of Kwik Learning and the Kwik Brain Universe, and New York Times #1 bestselling author of Limitless (expanded edition 2024). After a childhood head injury at age five left him struggling in school for years, he developed the learning methodologies that now reach students in 195 countries, achieving 60+ million podcast downloads and serving 200,000+ people annually in live settings. Jim has coached Hollywood's most celebrated performers, Fortune 500 executives, elite athletes, and tech innovators. His clients include Will Smith, Oprah Winfrey, Hugh Jackman, Elon Musk's SpaceX team, and the X-Men cast. He has taught his learning techniques at Harvard, CalTech, Singularity University, NYU, and Stanford, and in organisations including Google, Virgin, Nike, GE, and the United Nations. His mission … no brain left behind. Connect with Jim Kwik: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jimkwikofficial LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimkwik/ Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/jimkwik Instagram: @jimkwik YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/JimKwik Website: www.JimKwik.com About Simon BowenSimon has spent over two decades working with influential leaders across complex industries. His focus is on elevating thinking in organisations, recognising that success is directly proportional to the quality of thinking and ideas within a business. Simon leads the renaissance of thinking through his work with global leaders and organisations. Connect with SimonLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/simonbowen-mm/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/officialsimonbowen/ Website: https://thesimonbowen.com/ Get Simon Bowen's Personal Newsletter for Leaders, Thinkers, and Entrepreneurs! Sign Up Now: https://thesimonbowen.com/newsletter. Join Simon's Masterclass: Unlock your leadership potential with The Models Method. Learn to articulate your unique value and create scalable impact. Watch it Now: https://thesimonbowen.com/masterclass.

    1h 21m

  4. Mar 22

    Michael Clark: The Accounting Problem, Collaborative Intelligence, and the Meta Decision-Making Model

    In this episode of The Wisdom Of … Show, host Simon Bowen speaks with Michael Clark, author of Our Moment, Next Economy Strategist, and the former Mastercard leader who built the company's first open banking product. Operating from Dubai at the crossroads of emerging markets and global innovation, Michael has spent his career building the systems of tomorrow. He has advised C-suite executives worldwide on data, AI and the future of money, and is known as the voice decision-makers trust when it's time to lead, not follow. This is a conversation about structural gaps - in accounting, in education, in how leaders make decisions - and why this specific moment in history is the window that matters. Michael reframes the entire AI conversation - the customer is no longer human, data is not undervalued but mispriced, AI is not artificial intelligence but collaborative intelligence and the biggest debate of 2026, fresh from Davos, is the role of humanity alongside the machine. Simon builds a live visual model with Michael, the Meta Decision Making Model, structured around three Cs - Context, Concept, and Consequence. A framework built for leaders who want to stop making narrow decisions and start thinking at the level of second and third order consequence. Ready to elevate your strategic thinking? Join Simon's exclusive Masterclass on The Models Method and learn how to think systemically about complex business challenges and turn insight into leverage: https://thesimonbowen.com/masterclass Episode Breakdown00:00 Introduction: Our Moment and the urgency behind the title 05:15 Why the digital economy was never actually a new economy 11:40 The accounting problem - why data and people can't appear on the balance sheet 17:30 Data as an asset - "it's not that it's not valued, it's just mispriced" 22:00 Data ownership - what you actually own, and the question of who owns your prompts 28:10 Your customer is no longer human - what this demands of every business leader 33:50 Collaborative intelligence - why Michael refuses to use the term "artificial intelligence" 38:00 AI is exposing educational gaps that should have been addressed decades ago 42:15 Abilities-based learning - the three buckets every person and organisation needs 44:30 The 100-day CEO plan and why most leaders never make decisions that outlive their tenure 49:00 Live model build: the Meta Decision Making Model - Context, Concept, Consequence 58:00 "Clarity before consequences" and why most AI failures happen in execution, not strategy 01:02:00 There is only one strategy in any business 01:05:30 The unexpected consequence - what Michael still asks himself every day 01:08:00 The biggest debate of 2026 - the role of humanity alongside AI About Michael ClarkMichael Clark is pioneering the next economy, where data becomes an asset, intelligence is shared, and new models of value and education emerge. A former Mastercard leader who built the company's first open banking product and advised C-suite executives worldwide on data, AI and the future of money, Michael is a builder shaping the systems of tomorrow, not just talking about them. He is the author of Our Moment, a groundbreaking modern fable redefining how data, AI and human potential can reshape how we learn, work and lead. He helped write data regulation in Dubai, developed a school's AI curriculum, and works globally with leaders and organisations at the frontier of next economy transformation. Known for his ability to join the dots across industries, he is the voice decision-makers trust when it's time to lead, not follow. Connect with Michael ClarkLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/futureofmichael/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michael.clarkjr/ Twitter: @futureofmichael About Simon BowenSimon has spent over two decades working with influential leaders across complex industries. His focus is on elevating thinking in organisations, recognising that success is directly proportional to the quality of thinking and ideas within a business. Simon leads the renaissance of thinking through his work with global leaders and organisations. Connect with SimonLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/simonbowen-mm/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/officialsimonbowen/ Website: https://thesimonbowen.com/ Get Simon Bowen's Personal Newsletter for Leaders, Thinkers, and Entrepreneurs! Sign Up Now: https://thesimonbowen.com/newsletter. Join Simon's Masterclass: Unlock your leadership potential with The Models Method. Learn to articulate your unique value and create scalable impact. Watch it Now: https://thesimonbowen.com/masterclass.

    1h 7m

  5. Mar 9

    Dr Naba Alfayadh: The Architecture of Change — Love, Cultural Safety, and the Science of Behaviour Transformation

    In this episode of The Wisdom Of ... Show, host Simon Bowen speaks with Dr Naba Alfayadh, emergency medicine doctor, social entrepreneur, Stanford-trained innovator, and Founder and CEO of Rahma Health. Naba's organisation has reached over 3 million Arabic-speaking families globally, achieved 95% parent behaviour change in under 10 minutes, and in 2025 won three simultaneous national Telstra awards, including Business of the Year. A former Iraqi refugee who fled war at age 10, Naba has built a life and an organisation at the intersection of medicine, technology, and the most foundational force she's identified in human development … love. Simon builds a live visual model, ‘The Rahma Health Behaviour Change Pathway’, capturing the precise framework behind how cultural safety becomes the gateway to real, measurable transformation. Ready to apply systematic frameworks like this in your own business? Join Simon's Masterclass on The Models Method: https://thesimonbowen.com/masterclass. Episode Breakdown00:00 Welcome to The Wisdom Of ... Show and introduction of Dr Naba Alfayadh 04:15 From Iraq to Australia, the refugee journey that shaped everything 10:30 Founding Happy Brain Education at 22: what a student sees that institutions miss 17:45 The genesis of Rahma Health and why COVID turned out to be the moment 24:10 What "culturally safe" actually means and why it's a performance variable, not a value statement 31:55 The behaviour change data: how 5–10 minutes produces 95% change and doubled health literacy 38:20 LIVE MODEL BUILD: The Rahma Health Behaviour Change Pathway 47:00 Intergenerational trauma, the precise mechanism by which conditional love becomes a survival programme 55:30 Unconditional love as leadership: what the research shows and why it's not soft 01:03:15 The three principles for leading across cultures: listening, respect, and love 01:10:40 Kookaburra Kindness, writing a children's book with her daughter in response to the Bondi tragedy 01:17:00 What it means to build something. Not to become a billionaire, but because there are things to be done. 01:17:53 Closing reflections and the green line About Dr Naba AlfayadhDr Naba Alfayadh is a General Practice Registrar, emergency medicine doctor, public health leader, and serial social entrepreneur whose work has supported more than three million people globally. She is the Founder and CEO of Rahma Health, an award-winning Australian charity creating culturally and psychologically safe health and parenting resources for Arabic-speaking families worldwide. Born in Iraq, Dr Alfayadh fled to Australia in 2003 at age 10 during the Iraq War, after her school was bombed. She graduated from Monash University with MBBS/BMedSci degrees on a Merit and Equity Scholarship, and later studied Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Stanford University. She co-founded Happy Brain Education at age 22, growing it to serve 2,000+ students with 50 staff across two states, before founding Rahma Health in 2021. Under her leadership, Rahma Health has reached over 3 million users globally, partnered with 50 international organisations, and published research with the Murdoch Children's Research Institute demonstrating that health literacy more than doubled after just 5–10 minutes of platform use, with 95% of parents reporting behaviour change. She currently serves on the Governance Committee, updating Maternity and Neonatal Handbooks for Safer Care Victoria. In 2025, Dr Alfayadh was named Telstra Business of the Year, Telstra Championing Health, and Telstra Accelerating Women - three simultaneous national awards. She also received the Women's Health Medal of Distinction Australasia 2025 and the Monash Emerging Leaders Alumni Award. She is a Westpac Social Change Fellow and a Women's Agenda Leadership Awards Finalist. Connect with Dr Naba Alfayadh: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nmalfayadh/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/myrahmahealth/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/myrahmahealth/ Website: https://rahma.health/about-rahma-health/ About Simon BowenSimon has spent over two decades working with influential leaders across complex industries. His focus is on elevating thinking in organisations, recognising that success is directly proportional to the quality of thinking and ideas within a business. Simon leads the renaissance of thinking through his work with global leaders and organisations. Connect with SimonLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/simonbowen-mm/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/officialsimonbowen/ Website: https://thesimonbowen.com/ Get Simon Bowen's Personal Newsletter for Leaders, Thinkers, and Entrepreneurs! Sign Up Now: https://thesimonbowen.com/newsletter. Join Simon's Masterclass: Unlock your leadership potential with The Models Method. Learn to articulate your unique value and create scalable impact. Watch it Now: https://thesimonbowen.com/masterclass.

    1h 18m

  6. Feb 23

    Lindsay Davis: Building Asia's FemTech Ecosystem and the Art of Mission-Driven Movement Creation

    In this episode of The Wisdom Of ... Show, host Simon Bowen speaks with Lindsay Davis, Founder & CEO of FemTech Association Asia, the region's first and largest femtech network representing 80+ companies across 10 countries. From her global expansion leadership at Quintessentially to building an ecosystem that didn't exist, Lindsay shares profound insights on courage, ecosystem orchestration, and what it takes to drive systemic change in women's health across vastly different cultures and markets. Ready to systematically capture your leadership wisdom and turn it into scalable frameworks? Join Simon's exclusive Masterclass on The Models Method: https://thesimonbowen.com/masterclass Episode Breakdown00:00 Introduction and the mission to advance women's health in Asia 04:32 The career pivot from luxury brand expansion to femtech ecosystem building 12:18 Why women's health receives only 4% of global R&D funding 19:45 Building something that doesn't exist: October 2021 to 80+ companies across 10 countries 28:36 The courage question - where resilience comes from 35:52 Having a high threshold for shame and being happy failing 42:28 The leadership lesson from someone who put aside their book 49:15 Orchestrating founders, investors, corporates, governments around a single mission 56:47 The UN ESCAP commission and defining transformational change 01:03:22 FemTech Connect Asia: Creating the region's first femtech conference 01:11:08 The suffragette movement insight and being part of the continuum About Lindsay DavisLindsay Davis started her career in multicultural advertising in the USA, then was recruited by the world’s leading luxury lifestyle management brand, Quintessentially in the UK, to lead global expansion into 25 countries and oversee 60 offices worldwide, with secondments in NYC, China and Qatar. Davis was honoured on the Luxury Daily list of “Luxury Women in Watch” because of her global impact in the luxury sector. As the Founder & CEO of Singapore-based One Bee Consulting, Davis works with brands to develop and elevate loyalty solutions, customer experience and brand affinity through product development, content and programming, PR, community engagement and strategic partnerships. With a vision of available, accessible and affordable healthcare for all women in Asia, Davis founded FemTech Association Asia in October 2021 as the region’s first and largest industry network for founders, professionals, and investors with the core focus on improving women’s health through technology solutions. The organisation represents 80+ companies across 10 countries in Asia. FemTech Asia was a Finalist in the GIOF – 2022 Business Inclusivity Awards and is a member of the UNFPA Equity 2030 Alliance and a Founding Member of the Milken Institute Women’s Health Network. In 2023-24, Davis was commissioned by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN ESCAP) as a thought leader and researcher to define what is required to drive transformational and catalytic change in femtech in Southeast Asia. Davis is a contributor for the Milken Institute and sits on the Advisory Board for Women in Global Health – Singapore and Ovy Health in Indonesia. Connect with Lindsay DavisLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindsay-davis-2584812/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/femtechasia/ Website: www.femtechassociation.com About Simon BowenSimon has spent over two decades working with influential leaders across complex industries. His focus is on elevating thinking in organisations, recognising that success is directly proportional to the quality of thinking and ideas within a business. Simon leads the renaissance of thinking through his work with global leaders and organisations. Connect with SimonLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/simonbowen-mm/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/officialsimonbowen/ Website: https://thesimonbowen.com/ Get Simon Bowen's Personal Newsletter for Leaders, Thinkers, and Entrepreneurs! Sign Up Now: https://thesimonbowen.com/newsletter. Join Simon's Masterclass: Unlock your leadership potential with The Models Method. Learn to articulate your unique value and create scalable impact. Watch it Now: https://thesimonbowen.com/masterclass.

    1h 5m

  7. Feb 2

    Diana Williams: The Unplanned Empire and the Power of Relentless Improvement

    In this episode of The Wisdom Of... Show, host Simon Bowen speaks with Diana Williams, Founder and Chair of the Board at Fernwood Fitness, Australia's pioneering women-only health and fitness franchise. Diana shares profound insights on building businesses without business plans, franchising with purpose, and why 98% of what we worry about never happens. Discover how a stay-at-home mum with no industry experience created an entirely new category and became the first woman inducted into the Franchise Council of Australia Hall of Fame. Ready to systematically capture and codify your own business wisdom? Join Simon's exclusive masterclass on The Models Method: https://thesimonbowen.com/masterclass Episode Breakdown00:00 Introduction and how an abandoned classroom became a national franchise 05:18 The conviction that drove category creation in women's fitness 12:42 Why having no business plan sometimes works better than having one 18:52 From critical mess to critical mass - the early franchising chaos 25:36 The ownership solution - why franchisees brought what employees couldn't 33:44 Getting legal exemptions after creating the category, not before 40:08 Choosing succession from within - why Belinda was the right choice 41:00 The 98% rule - why most worries never materialise 52:57 Baby steps philosophy - putting brush strokes on the canvas About Diana WilliamsDiana Williams is the Founder and Chair of the Board of Fernwood Fitness, Australia's leading women-only health and fitness franchise. Over 36 years, she transformed a single makeshift gym in an abandoned school classroom in Bendigo into a national powerhouse with 73 clubs, 90,000 members, 2,200 employees, and $75M+ annual turnover. Recognised as a category creator who changed the landscape of health and fitness for Australian women forever, Williams is the first woman inducted into the Franchise Council of Australia Hall of Fame. She has received numerous honors including the 2005 Telstra Australian Businesswoman of the Year and multiple Hall of Fame inductions. In 2025, Diana transitioned from CEO to Chair, remaining actively involved in guiding the company's strategic direction. Connect with Diana WilliamsLinkedIn: https://au.linkedin.com/in/diana-williams-b39b456 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dianawilliamsofficial/?hl=en Fernwood Fitness: https://www.fernwoodfitness.com.au/ About Simon BowenSimon has spent over two decades working with influential leaders across complex industries. His focus is on elevating thinking in organisations, recognising that success is directly proportional to the quality of thinking and ideas within a business. Simon leads the renaissance of thinking through his work with global leaders and organisations. Connect with SimonLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/simonbowen-mm/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/officialsimonbowen/ Website: https://thesimonbowen.com/ Get Simon Bowen's Personal Newsletter for Leaders, Thinkers, and Entrepreneurs! Sign Up Now: https://thesimonbowen.com/newsletter. Join Simon's Masterclass: Unlock your leadership potential with The Models Method. Learn to articulate your unique value and create scalable impact. Watch it Now: https://thesimonbowen.com/masterclass.

    54 min

  8. 12/15/2025

    The Wisdom Of... 2025: Insights From Extraordinary Leaders

    Over the past 12 months, Simon Bowen has spoken with dozens of the world's most consequential leaders on The Wisdom Of... Show. This special compilation episode brings together ten profound moments of wisdom and leadership that continue to resonate as we close 2025 and step into 2026. From manipulation with good intent to AI as a new species, from emotional intelligence gaps that determine senior leadership success to fear as a preparation tool, these insights reveal what leadership looks like at the highest levels. Ready to master the systematic approach to capturing and applying wisdom like this? Join Simon's exclusive masterclass on The Models Method: https://thesimonbowen.com/masterclass Episode Breakdown00:00 Introduction: Celebrating a year of extraordinary leadership conversations 03:45 Jeff Dudan: Leadership as manipulation with good intent and the power of positive influence 09:22 Cameron Herold: Why scale is not an extension of vision and the context versus concept delegation trap 16:18 Akshay Nanavati: Fear as a preparation tool and acceptance of isness as freedom from suffering 23:54 Tamara Jackson: Being a light for others and the true meaning of authentic leadership 31:07 Catriona Wallace: AI as a new species and the existential opportunities ahead 38:45 Nick Halaris: Business as a constant force for good and the intention behind every transaction 45:19 Mike Desjardins: The emotional intelligence gap that separates senior leaders who succeed from those who plateau 52:38 Jim Garrison: Wisdom begins as rebellion and living in questions rather than answers 59:43 Isaac Balbin: Humans plus machines and the future of competitive advantage 67:15 Radek Sali: Insights on scaling businesses with wisdom and intention About Simon BowenSimon has spent over two decades working with influential leaders across complex industries. His focus is on elevating thinking in organisations, recognising that success is directly proportional to the quality of thinking and ideas within a business. Simon leads the renaissance of thinking through his work with global leaders and organisations. Connect with SimonLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/simonbowen-mm/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/officialsimonbowen/ Website: https://thesimonbowen.com/ Get Simon Bowen's Personal Newsletter for Leaders, Thinkers, and Entrepreneurs! Sign Up Now: https://thesimonbowen.com/newsletter. Join Simon's Masterclass: Unlock your leadership potential with The Models Method. Learn to articulate your unique value and create scalable impact. Watch it Now: https://thesimonbowen.com/masterclass.

    1h 4m
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

The Wisdom Of... with Simon Bowen delves into the intricate issues of our time. Join Simon as he converses with the world's leading thinkers, entrepreneurs, and visionaries to uncover how they tackle complex problems, ignite innovation, and navigate significant projects. This podcast brings a Renaissance of Wisdom to your week, offering insights into leadership, ethics, global challenges, and cutting-edge ideas. Tune in to gain a deeper understanding of the decisions shaping our world and learn from the minds driving change. Get in touch and learn more at: https://thesimonbowen.com/show/

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