Leanne on Demand Daily with Leanne Hughes

Leanne Hughes
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Updated Daily

Leanne on Demand is your unfiltered backstage pass to bold ideas, fresh perspectives, and the messy magic of life beyond the boardroom. Think of it as your daily dose of scrappy creativity, served up while I’m walking, working in public, or just living out loud.Every day, I’ll bring you real-time reflections on business, leadership, and the random sparks of inspiration that pop up along the way. From behind-the-scenes peeks into my work to off-the-cuff chats with brilliant minds (or solo rants while I’m on a run), these bite-sized episodes are all about keeping it raw, relatable, and ridiculously actionable.This isn’t your typical polished business podcast – no overthinking, and no-fluff.Perfect for big thinkers, go-getters, and anyone itching for a fresh perspective on how to show up, take action, and make moves.New episodes drop daily. Grab your headphones and let’s take this outside.

  1. 6d ago

    🌴 How to become an object of interest feat. Alan Weiss (live from Con Con 2026)

    Recorded live at ConCon on the Gold Coast, Alan and I covered everything from consulting, confidence and pricing through to AI, universities, ghosting, self-belief and even why he thinks consultants should stop calling themselves consultants. As always, Alan challenged conventional thinking with ideas that make you stop, question your assumptions and rethink how you're showing up in business. Some of the biggest ideas we explored include: Why calling yourself a consultant immediately puts you in a crowded market.How to become an "object of interest" so clients actually want to keep talking to you.The real reason prospects ghost you and what you can do differently.Why you should stop trying to solve problems and instead reframe them.How creating demand starts with fresh thinking, not better marketing.The importance of talking to economic buyers instead of getting stuck in the wrong conversations.Why "best practice" is becoming outdated and what to focus on instead.Alan's thoughts on universities, trades and the changing workforce.What confidence really means and why self-trust matters more than experience.Why maintaining client relationships is about consistently providing value, not checking in for the sake of it.The role of improv, curiosity and fearless thinking in consulting.Alan's views on HR, innovation, disruption and why there is no such thing as "normal" anymore.His advice for new consultants looking to stand out in an increasingly noisy market. One of my favourite quotes from the conversation was: "Confidence is the belief you can meet other people's expectations even though you haven't before."This conversation is packed with practical ideas, controversial opinions and plenty of laughs. I'd love to hear what landed most for you. Connect with me on LinkedIn or send me a message and let me know your biggest takeaway. Sign up for free for my best articles every week: Work Fame. Show notes for every episode at https://podcast.leannehughes.com P.S. Ready to take things up a level? Here are some ways I can help: Watch My Speaker Reel: Let's energise your next event.Get My Book: Design your workshops fast using The 2-Hour Workshop Blueprint.  Let's connect on all the channels: Leanne Hughes on LinkedIn Leanne Hughes on Instagram Visit my website: leannehughes.com Email me: hello@leannehughes.com Would you like to deliver your own private podcast feed to your audience? Sign up for a free trial today at Hello Audio.

  2. Jun 9

    🌴 Why I set a goal of 1,001 book pre-orders

    In this episode, I'm sharing an unexpected update on my next book, Work Fame: Get the Projects, Promotions, and Perks You Deserve. Check out the book pre-order site! What started as a routine conversation with my publisher quickly turned into a full-blown pre-order campaign. I discovered the book was already available online for pre-order, sooner than expected, which meant it was time to shift gears and start thinking seriously about marketing. Rather than following the same approach I used for The 2-Hour Workshop Blueprint, I wanted this campaign to reflect the themes of the book itself. Fame, recognition, visibility and earning opportunities are all central ideas in Work Fame, so I built a campaign around those concepts, including something I'm calling the Wall of Work Fame. I'm also sharing the ambitious goal I've set for the launch. A goal that many people would consider unrealistic in the Australian business book market. In this episode, I talk about:Why securing a publishing deal with Wiley changed the way I think about book launchesThe journey of developing the core framework behind Work FameHow I approached marketing differently from my first bookThe inspiration behind the Wall of Work FameWhy I immediately set a target of 1,001 pre-ordersThe surprising momentum generated before any public launch announcementThe generous support from early champions and bulk purchasersWhat I'm learning about visibility, recognition and audience engagement in real time Key takeawaysMarketing works best when it reflects the product you're promoting.Ambitious goals can create energy and focus when they feel meaningful.Early momentum often comes from trusted relationships, not broad audiences.Recognition can be a powerful motivator when thoughtfully incorporated into a campaign.Sometimes the most exciting opportunities arrive before you feel fully prepared. Resources mentionedWork Fame: Get the Projects, Promotions, and Perks You DeserveThe 2-Hour Workshop BlueprintManus AIJia Jiang and his book Rejection ProofJia Jiang's TED Talk on 100 Days of RejectionMatt Stewart and The Custodian Way A final thoughtThis project has been quietly unfolding behind the scenes for months. To see so much support before a public announcement has been both surprising and encouraging. The road to 1,001 pre-orders is still a long one, but it's a challenge I'm excited to pursue. Thanks for listening. Sign up for free for my best articles every week: Work Fame. Show notes for every episode at https://podcast.leannehughes.com P.S. Ready to take things up a level? Here are some ways I can help: Watch My Speaker Reel: Let's energise your next event.Get My Book: Design your workshops fast using The 2-Hour Workshop Blueprint.  Let's connect on all the channels: Leanne Hughes on LinkedIn Leanne Hughes on Instagram Visit my website: leannehughes.com Email me: hello@leannehughes.com Would you like to deliver your own private podcast feed to your audience? Sign up for a free trial today at Hello Audio.

  3. Jun 5

    🌴 Using Language to Increase Value, Demand, and Influence (with Alan Weiss)

    Using Language to Increase Value, Demand, and Influence (with Alan Weiss) I chat with Alan Weiss about his recent Europe trip (Portugal, London, Paris), including Portugal’s popularity, walking Lisbon’s steep hills, high tea at The Ritz, a Paris boutique hotel with a private garden, and the relaxed café culture compared to timed American restaurants. We then dive into how to use language to increase your value, demand, and influence: creating vivid verbal pictures with metaphor, analogy, and strong phrasing, and never “dumbing down” your words. Alan shares sales conversation lines that reframe objections, plus guidance from The Martial Arts of Language—don’t interrogate, use follow-up questions, and always probe beyond the first answer (often with “Why?”). We also discuss naming offers (like KATIN and “Innovation never grows old”), the risks of outsourcing creativity to AI, and how to improve by studying great writing and collecting standout quotes. 00:00 Warm Welcome Banter 03:12 Today’s Topic Words Matter 04:28 Building Vocabulary Branding 05:50 Verbal Pictures In Business 07:14 Better Questions Follow Ups 09:51 Turning Sales Conversations 13:03 Martial Arts Lines Examples 13:58 KATIN Offer Origins 14:30 Bold Language Filters 15:01 Roasts and Blunt Feedback 15:47 How to Name Offers 16:47 AI Naming and Contrast 17:55 Reversal and Analogy 19:09 AI Writing Risks 21:19 Good Enough Drafting 21:55 Steal Great Language 24:24 Why Reading Endures 26:11 Analogies and LinkedIn Sign up for free for my best articles every week: Work Fame. Show notes for every episode at https://podcast.leannehughes.com P.S. Ready to take things up a level? Here are some ways I can help: Watch My Speaker Reel: Let's energise your next event.Get My Book: Design your workshops fast using The 2-Hour Workshop Blueprint.  Let's connect on all the channels: Leanne Hughes on LinkedIn Leanne Hughes on Instagram Visit my website: leannehughes.com Email me: hello@leannehughes.com Would you like to deliver your own private podcast feed to your audience? Sign up for a free trial today at Hello Audio.

  4. Apr 24

    🌴 How to Design High-End Client Experiences feat. Alan Weiss (Talk the Walk replay)

    eanne Hughes and Alan Weiss explore what it really takes to design premium client experiences — from large-scale thought leadership conferences to intimate high-touch group gatherings in penthouse suites around the world. Alan shares the frameworks, courage, and lifestyle philosophy behind his most successful events, and Leanne reflects on her own recent red carpet camp-out experience. Topics Covered Defining high-end experiences — Alan's two models: large group conferences (125–150 people) vs. intimate groups (7–10 people in premium locations)The large format event — Outside speakers (Dan Pink, Jonah Berger), a $30–35K AV crew, volunteer wranglers, concurrent sessions, and how to turn a cost-neutral event into $150K in spinoff businessThe intimate group format — Penthouses in London, Paris, and LA; Michelin-starred dinners; provoking IP over socialisingThe role of location — Why venue matters more for small groups, and how Alan used his Kauai suite to transform a stuffy sessionProgram design — Overwhelming with value, reframing problems rather than solving them, and the story of Mike Robert's legendary Pebble Beach strategy programCourage and filling seats — Becoming an "object of interest," the chain reaction of attraction, and why you should never lead with priceAccessibility as a brand strategy — Being the most accessible expert in a niche, and where to draw the lineCurating the right room — Why sophistication and maturity matter more than income, and the one time someone didn't belongLifestyle as the real brand — Why people follow Alan for the life he lives, not just his consulting expertiseWhat people get wrong — The experience should showcase you, not the venue; using Broadway plays, tours, and dinners as vehicles for IPVirtual high-end experiences — Why Alan believes in-person is essential for high-touch, community-building workPlanning and promotion — Shameless promotion, letting your wife veto the destination, and the 24-hour sign-up experiment Key Quotes "You don't solve problems. You recast and reframe them, so people say, 'I never looked at it like this before.'" — Alan Weiss"The higher high-tech goes with AI, the higher touch is required." — Alan Weiss"I prove that you can do it — and more importantly, that you can do it unashamedly." — Alan Weiss Resources & People Mentioned Dan Pink — Author and speakerJonah Berger — Wharton School professor, author of ContagiousMichael Bungay Stanier — Author of The Coaching HabitRandy Gage — Author, prosperity mindset expertThe Innovation Formula — Alan Weiss & Mike Robert (1985)Connect Alan Weiss: alanweiss.comTalk the Walk — next episode: first week of June Sign up for free for my best articles every week: Work Fame. Show notes for every episode at https://podcast.leannehughes.com P.S. Ready to take things up a level? Here are some ways I can help: Watch My Speaker Reel: Let's energise your next event.Get My Book: Design your workshops fast using The 2-Hour Workshop Blueprint.  Let's connect on all the channels: Leanne Hughes on LinkedIn Leanne Hughes on Instagram Visit my website: leannehughes.com Email me: hello@leannehughes.com Would you like to deliver your own private podcast feed to your audience? Sign up for a free trial today at Hello Audio.

  5. Apr 6

    🌴 From One Bad Workshop to a Global Facilitation Business (guest on The Solo Sauce Podcast)

    I jumped in for a spontaneous popup episode to share a conversation I had on The Solo Sauce podcast. We recorded it just before I flew to Nepal, I was in that messy in-between state where I was trying to wrap things up, thinking about what’s next, and not overthinking my answers. Which means what you’ll hear is probably closer to how I actually think. Joeri and I got into: the workshop disaster in Canada that accidentally kicked off my careerhow a podcast turned into a brand, a book, and real opportunitieswhy community is still the most valuable asset I’ve builtwhat people get wrong about content and personal brandand the parts of running your own business that don’t get talked about enough We also went deep on things I don’t usually say out loud: I’m still figuring things outcontent is how I think, not just how I marketand the whole “busy” narrative is mostly perception 📺 Watch the full conversation with Leanne on YouTube: https://youtu.be/4444T_ujaic 🎧 Prefer audio? Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2XZYtEOAfbPJComLn90g1I?si=38befac491294bc9 Or on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/nl/podcast/the-solo-sauce-podcast/id1876214009?l=en-GB&i=1000755727432 Sign up for free for my best articles every week: Work Fame. Show notes for every episode at https://podcast.leannehughes.com P.S. Ready to take things up a level? Here are some ways I can help: Watch My Speaker Reel: Let's energise your next event.Get My Book: Design your workshops fast using The 2-Hour Workshop Blueprint.  Let's connect on all the channels: Leanne Hughes on LinkedIn Leanne Hughes on Instagram Visit my website: leannehughes.com Email me: hello@leannehughes.com Would you like to deliver your own private podcast feed to your audience? Sign up for a free trial today at Hello Audio.

  6. Mar 12

    🌴 Beyond business feat. Alan Weiss

    What makes someone more interesting, more insightful, and better at what they do? In this episode of Talk the Walk, Leanne and Alan go well beyond business. They explore why a full life outside work, including hobbies, culture, travel, current events, films, ideas, and even the everyday chaos of tradies and repairs, can sharpen your thinking rather than distract from it. Alan shares why the most valuable consultants are often polymaths, not specialists trapped in a narrow lane. From Oscar film reviews to global politics, first world problems, confidence, self-worth, and the danger of living life through a screen, this conversation moves across the map and lands on one central point: your work gets better when your world gets bigger. They also dig into what it means to live in the moment, why curiosity matters, how confidence fuels great thinking, and why you’re responsible for making something of your life instead of sitting back and waiting. In this conversation: Why having a “whole life” gives your work more depthHow wide interests can make you a stronger marketer and thinkerThe difference between ego and esteemWhy people are desperate for spaces that go beyond pure business talkAlan’s thoughts on confidence, critical thinking, and personal powerWhy capturing everything can stop you from actually living itThe line that sums it all up: you’re not here to go in the water, you’re here to make waves Sign up for free for my best articles every week: Work Fame. Show notes for every episode at https://podcast.leannehughes.com P.S. Ready to take things up a level? Here are some ways I can help: Watch My Speaker Reel: Let's energise your next event.Get My Book: Design your workshops fast using The 2-Hour Workshop Blueprint.  Let's connect on all the channels: Leanne Hughes on LinkedIn Leanne Hughes on Instagram Visit my website: leannehughes.com Email me: hello@leannehughes.com Would you like to deliver your own private podcast feed to your audience? Sign up for a free trial today at Hello Audio.

  7. Feb 12

    🌴 No guilt, no fear, no peer feat. Alan Weiss and Leanne Hughes

    In this episode of Talk the Walk, Leanne and Alan Weiss kick off with ducks, snow and martinis… and end up in a sharp conversation about ego, esteem and why most professionals are letting the wrong thing drive their behaviour. If you’ve ever: Second-guessed yourself after one critical commentObsessively checked feedback scoresFelt like an imposter despite evidence you’re good at what you doAvoided posting, pitching or pushing backThis one’s for you. From ducks to dignityAlan shares stories from his snow-covered property, feeding ducks who respond to his “Berlitz-level quack.” It’s light, it’s funny… and then we pivot. The real conversation begins with a distinction most people get wrong. Ego and esteem are not the same thing.Ego vs esteem: the difference that changes everythingAccording to Alan: Ego is external. It protects your image. It’s how you want to be seen.Esteem is internal. It’s your belief that you are worthy, regardless of success or failure.Ego can be smashed by criticism, comparison or public embarrassment. Esteem doesn’t collapse from attack. It deteriorates from neglect. That’s the kicker. Most people aren’t losing esteem because someone attacked them. They’re losing it because they’ve stopped tending to it. The default problemAlan argues that the default human setting is guilt and fear. We say: “I was wrong.”“I shouldn’t have said that.”“They’re going to find me out.”Leanne references the research on imposter phenomenon. Over 80% of high achievers feel like frauds at some point. That’s not lack of talent. That’s neglected esteem. Practical ways to build esteem (intentionally)Alan suggests building devices into your life: Write 10 great things you did this monthIn the morning, note 3 positive things you’ll doAt night, record 3 positive things you didScreenshot praise and keep it somewhere accessibleEsteem needs reinforcement. If you don’t reinforce it, social media, comparison and criticism will erode it for you. Consultants and low self-esteemThis is where it gets uncomfortable. Low-esteem consultants: Don’t push backLet clients dictate termsSlash feesObsess over smile sheetsAvoid controversyAlan is blunt: If you don’t believe you have value, why should anyone else?He also dismantles audience feedback culture. Smile sheets mean nothing. Ask the buyer if you met their needs. Respect matters more than affection. The LinkedIn trapOne negative comment. One stranger saying “This makes no sense.” And suddenly you spiral. Alan’s advice: Consider the sourceDon’t defend yourself against unsolicited criticsIf you want feedback, ask someone you respectOtherwise, you become a ping-pong ball. No guilt. No fear. No peer.This phrase came from a spontaneous response Alan gave when someone asked why he’s so confident. He walks into rooms with a silent challenge: prove me wrong. That doesn’t mean arrogance. It means he isn’t waiting for permission. The “no peer” piece is important. Stop measuring yourself against everyone else. Focus on your own metrics. Handling fearMost fear is fear of criticism. Alan puts content out globally, daily. Many professionals are terrified to post once a month. You don’t have to defend yourself against every critic. You don’t need universal approval. And as Alan says: There are statues of heroes in parks. There are no statues of critics.On ego (the healthy version)Ego isn’t the villain. It’s a regulatory device. But if it’s fragile, it becomes reactive. Leanne shares her frustration seeing outdated thinking still being rewarded on big stages. Alan reframes it: Don’t go into life rage. Self-effacing humour beats superiority every time. Guilt spirals and perspectiveOne consultant spent 24 hours worrying about a project that the client loved. Alan’s point: Separate worth from efficacy. You are worthy. Full stop. Then evaluate performance based on your own metrics. Did you test for understanding? Did people engage? Were there questions? Questions and objections show interest. Apathy is the real danger. Final takeawayAlan closes with this: You control more than you think. You control your ego. You control your esteem.If you let other people influence those without filters, you’re not leading your own life. Join us next timeWe’re back on 13 March for another Talk the Walk session. In the meantime: Where are you neglecting your own esteem?Are you chasing approval instead of respect?What metric are you using that’s quietly sabotaging your confidence? Sign up for free for my best articles every week: Work Fame. Show notes for every episode at https://podcast.leannehughes.com P.S. Ready to take things up a level? Here are some ways I can help: Watch My Speaker Reel: Let's energise your next event.Get My Book: Design your workshops fast using The 2-Hour Workshop Blueprint.  Let's connect on all the channels: Leanne Hughes on LinkedIn Leanne Hughes on Instagram Visit my website: leannehughes.com Email me: hello@leannehughes.com Would you like to deliver your own private podcast feed to your audience? Sign up for a free trial today at Hello Audio.

  8. Feb 5

    I Lied on Stage and It Changed My Life

    My latest article is all about extracting your ROI - listen in! Sign up for free for my best articles every week: Work Fame. Show notes for every episode at https://podcast.leannehughes.com P.S. Ready to take things up a level? Here are some ways I can help: Watch My Speaker Reel: Let's energise your next event.Get My Book: Design your workshops fast using The 2-Hour Workshop Blueprint.  Let's connect on all the channels: Leanne Hughes on LinkedIn Leanne Hughes on Instagram Visit my website: leannehughes.com Email me: hello@leannehughes.com Would you like to deliver your own private podcast feed to your audience? Sign up for a free trial today at Hello Audio.

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About

Leanne on Demand is your unfiltered backstage pass to bold ideas, fresh perspectives, and the messy magic of life beyond the boardroom. Think of it as your daily dose of scrappy creativity, served up while I’m walking, working in public, or just living out loud.Every day, I’ll bring you real-time reflections on business, leadership, and the random sparks of inspiration that pop up along the way. From behind-the-scenes peeks into my work to off-the-cuff chats with brilliant minds (or solo rants while I’m on a run), these bite-sized episodes are all about keeping it raw, relatable, and ridiculously actionable.This isn’t your typical polished business podcast – no overthinking, and no-fluff.Perfect for big thinkers, go-getters, and anyone itching for a fresh perspective on how to show up, take action, and make moves.New episodes drop daily. Grab your headphones and let’s take this outside.

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