At 26 years of age, Paulette Kolarz was handed the keys to a $400M division and asked to help steer a 150-store icon through receivership - while leading 3,500 staff. Today, the BespokeHR founder and Performance Collective Academy creator distils those hard-won lessons into a people-first playbook any leader can use. Paulette makes a simple, powerful case: you don’t build a business, you build people, and people build the business. She shows how to anchor teams to a clear North Star, install a rhythm for feedback and performance and create cultures built on trust (not osmosis). We dig into her “no BMW” rule (no bitching, moaning, whinging), why exits shouldn’t be a dirty word and how to spot when someone (or you) has fallen out of love with the role - then act humanely and fast. You’ll hear Paulette’s morning reset (top-three priorities +ten minutes for gratitude), the mindset that dissolved imposter syndrome in that giant boardroom, and the growth shortcut she swears by: run toward the biggest problems and solve them. We also explore kind authority (“kindness is a strength, not a weakness”), building mastermind circles so you’re not the smartest in the room, and her next bold chapter - scaling her leadership academy, international stages, and a book. Candid, practical and generous, Paulette reminds us leadership works best when it’s firm on standards, soft on people and utterly authentic - even on the days you’re calling your Brat Pack from the couch. Key takeaway highlights Leadership philosophy Build people first. Results follow when you invest incapability, clarity and care.Kindness. Be warm and human and hold high standards - “the standard you walk past is the standard you accept.”Don’t be the smartest in the room. Curate masterminds and mentors who stretch you.Solve the biggest problems. If you want outsizedgrowth, run toward the hardest issues and fix them.Culture + operating system North Star alignment. Everyone should know thepurpose, the plan and how their role moves the needle.Install rhythm, not osmosis. Cadences for 1:1s, feedback, goals and reviews beat ad-hoc “people stuff.”Trust as infrastructure. Open, vulnerable leaderscreate safety for honest conversations - including exits.Right seats, right people. Act quickly (and kindly)when the fit or the love for the role fades.Personal performance Night-before priming. Go to bed knowing the top three moves that will shift tomorrow.10-minute morning reset. Gratitude → focus → blockers; set the day’s energy intentionally.Fuel from service. Energy comes from helping others progress—use that as a flywheel.Entrepreneurial moves Scale through leaders. The Performance CollectiveAcademy shifts from “done for you” to “built within you.”Next bold bet. Go bigger and louder: internationalstages, a book, and expanding leader capability at scale.Our favourite quotes from Paulette Kolarz: “You don’t build a business - you build people, and people build the business.” “Kindness is a strength.” “Stand for something or you’ll fall for everything.” “If you’re the smartest person in the room - leave the room.” Partner shout-out Even the best ideas need backing. Westpac has doubled its Female Entrepreneurs Fund to $1B and offers the Startup Business Loan - apply with your business plan and budget projections for up to $50K unsecured. Learn more: search “Westpac supporting female founders.”Eligibility, credit criteria, fees & charges, and T&Cs apply.General advice only. Links : https://bespokehr.com.au https://performancecollectiveacademy.com If this episode lifted you, hit Follow, drop a quickreview, and share it with someone who’s building better systems for people.
