The Evolution Partners

Evolution Partners
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A place for the world’s leading thinkers, planners and doers. The Evolution Partners is a weekly podcast hosted by Brad Giles. Join Brad as he engages in conversations with some of the world’s sharpest minds, learning a bit more about them and delving into what makes them tick.

  1. E85 | Pricing is a Function (Summer Series)

    20H AGO

    E85 | Pricing is a Function (Summer Series)

    Many leaders avoid pricing decisions due to fear of losing volume, yet pricing has the greatest impact on profitability. Andres Zylberberg, Richard Peake and I continue our summer series on why pricing must be treated as a core business function rather than an ad hoc reaction when profits decline.  A critical factor is pricing elasticity: different products and services respond differently to price changes, and profit often sits in low-elasticity areas where prices can increase with minimal volume loss. Structured pricing systems, clear guardrails, regular review cadences, and defined ownership help remove guesswork and fear. Shifting the mindset from cost-plus or fear-based pricing to value-based pricing enables smarter decisions, better conversations, and sustained profit growth.  Takeaways  Pricing decisions drive profit more than volume, costs, or overhead reductions. Fear of losing volume often causes leaders to delay necessary pricing changes.  Different products have different price elasticities, and most leaders misjudge them.  Profit often sits in low-elasticity areas where price increases barely affect demand.  Clear pricing guardrails remove emotion and improve decision-making across teams.  Value-based pricing shifts conversations from discounts to impact and outcomes delivered.  Regular pricing reviews create discipline, predictability, and sustained profitability.  In this episode, we mention Hermann Simon who is the world’s leading expert on pricing. More information: https://hermannsimon.com/  Watch the episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheEvolutionPartners  Newsletter – each week I share interesting insights, articles and ideas you can use. Join other leaders and subscribe to The Evolution Partners newsletter https://evolutionpartners.com.au/subscribe/  Books – Learn more about our books https://evolutionpartners.com.au/books/ Made to Thrive: The practical, prescriptive guide on how to be a great CEO Onboarded: How to bring new hires to the points where they are more effective faster. A business case for leaders on why you should commit to an effective onboarded process. Onboarded for Managers: Helping managers bring new hires to the point where they are more effective faster. Bigger isn’t Better, Better is Better: Avoiding the pressure of endless growth to build a better business (and better life)  Follow me: on https://au.linkedin.com/in/bradleygiles on https://twitter.com/Evolution_Perth  Enjoying the show? Leave a review  Support the show: https://www.facebook.com/evolutionpartnersperth See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    30 min
  2. E84 | Why Don’t I See A Profit? (Summer Series)

    JAN 11

    E84 | Why Don’t I See A Profit? (Summer Series)

    Business owners often feel frustrated when their P&L shows strong profits but there’s little cash in the bank. This disconnect isn’t incompetence or unfairness – it’s a misunderstanding of how cash really flows through a growing business. In this fifth summer series episode, Andres Zylberberg, Richard Peake and I discuss how profit and cash are not the same.  Growth itself consumes cash through working capital tied up in inventory, labour, receivables, and timing differences. Relying only on the P&L creates a false sense of security, a “mirage” of sustainability. The real insight comes from understanding cashflow statements, balance sheets, and the cash conversion cycle. With clear management reporting and a customer-funded business model, owners can see where cash is absorbed, regain control, and make smarter decisions that turn paper profits into real, usable cash.  Takeaways  Profit on paper does not guarantee cash sitting safely in your bank.  Revenue growth often consumes cash faster than most business owners realise.  Relying only on the P&L creates a dangerous illusion of financial success.  Cashflow statements reveal where profitable businesses actually lose usable cash.  Working capital quietly bridges the gap between profit figures and cash.  Fast growth without cash discipline can turn businesses into cash vacuums.  Shortening the cash conversion cycle releases trapped cash for growth.  Clear management reporting gives leaders control, confidence, and better decisions.  Watch the episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheEvolutionPartners  Newsletter – each week I share interesting insights, articles and ideas you can use. Join other leaders and subscribe to The Evolution Partners newsletter  https://evolutionpartners.com.au/subscribe/  Books – Learn more about our books https://evolutionpartners.com.au/books/  Made to Thrive: The practical, prescriptive guide on how to be a great CEO Onboarded: How to bring new hires to the points where they are more effective faster. A business case for leaders on why you should commit to an effective onboarded process. Onboarded for Managers: Helping managers bring new hires to the point where they are more effective faster. Bigger isn’t Better, Better is Better: Avoiding the pressure of endless growth to build a better business (and better life)  Follow me: on https://au.linkedin.com/in/bradleygiles on https://twitter.com/Evolution_Perth  Enjoying the show? Leave a review  Support the show: https://www.facebook.com/evolutionpartnersperth See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    37 min
  3. E83 | The weekly meeting (Summer Series)

    JAN 4

    E83 | The weekly meeting (Summer Series)

    Weekly meetings are the cornerstone of effective execution, yet they often fail by becoming unfocused status updates that drain energy and momentum. When designed well, the weekly meeting creates rhythm, clarity, and accountability, helping teams move faster and avoid surprises at month or quarter end.  I’m joined again this episode for our summer series by Andres Zylberberg & Richard Peake. We discuss how effective weekly meetings, over time, build peer accountability and trust, enabling leaders to challenge, support, and align with one another. Rather than adding more meetings, improving the quality of this single meeting can transform execution, focus, and overall business performance.  Takeaways   Weekly meetings drive execution by aligning priorities, metrics, and decisions every week.  Bad meetings drain energy through updates; great meetings create momentum and clarity.  Preparation and a clear agenda prevent rabbit holes and unfocused discussion.  Weekly meetings should focus on important work, not just urgent activity.  Collective decision-making accelerates progress and reduces end-of-quarter surprises.  Peer accountability strengthens performance when commitments are visible and tracked.  Consistent meeting rhythm builds trust, alignment, and leadership discipline.  Better meetings matter more than adding more meetings to the calendar.  Watch the episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheEvolutionPartners  Newsletter – each week I share interesting insights, articles and ideas you can use. Join other leaders and subscribe to The Evolution Partners newsletter  https://evolutionpartners.com.au/subscribe/  Books – Learn more about our books https://evolutionpartners.com.au/books/  Made to Thrive: The practical, prescriptive guide on how to be a great CEO Onboarded: How to bring new hires to the points where they are more effective faster. A business case for leaders on why you should commit to an effective onboarded process. Onboarded for Managers: Helping managers bring new hires to the point where they are more effective faster. Bigger isn’t Better, Better is Better: Avoiding the pressure of endless growth to build a better business (and better life)  Follow me: on https://au.linkedin.com/in/bradleygiles on https://twitter.com/Evolution_Perth  Enjoying the show? Leave a review  Support the show: https://www.facebook.com/evolutionpartnersperth See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    30 min
  4. E82 | Fall In Love With Your Business Again (Summer Series)

    12/28/2025

    E82 | Fall In Love With Your Business Again (Summer Series)

    Many business owners slowly drift from loving their business to feeling trapped by it. The spark fades, Mondays are dreaded, and frustration replaces purpose. This happens when growth is chased for its own sake, signals of drift are ignored, and the owner tries to shoulder everything alone.  Richard Peake, Andres Zylberberg and I return for this third part of this summer series to discuss how to get your passion back on track. The path back begins with honest reflection: Why did you start? What would make you love it again? Re-design your role, delegate what drains you, involve your team in planning, and adopt a steady rhythm of goals and accountability. With patient, disciplined action, the business can once again give energy rather than take it.  Takeaways   Business owners can slowly drift from loving their work to feeling stuck.  Chasing growth for growth’s sake often backfires and slowly wears people down.  Warning signs build up when owners push problems aside and keep going.  Trying to handle everything alone eventually leaves owners exhausted and pretty frustrated.  Reconnecting with why the business started can quickly spark motivation again inside.  Redesigning your role helps you focus on work that actually energises you.  Simple planning rhythms bring clarity, steady progress, and less stress every week.  Letting your team contribute reveals hidden issues and builds real shared ownership.  Watch the episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheEvolutionPartners  Newsletter – each week I share interesting insights, articles and ideas you can use. Join other leaders and subscribe to The Evolution Partners newsletter  https://evolutionpartners.com.au/subscribe/  Books – Learn more about our books https://evolutionpartners.com.au/books/   Made to Thrive: The practical, prescriptive guide on how to be a great CEO Onboarded: How to bring new hires to the points where they are more effective faster. A business case for leaders on why you should commit to an effective onboarded process. Onboarded for Managers: Helping managers bring new hires to the point where they are more effective faster. Bigger isn’t Better, Better is Better: Avoiding the pressure of endless growth to build a better business (and better life)  Follow me: on https://au.linkedin.com/in/bradleygiles on https://twitter.com/Evolution_Perth  Enjoying the show? Leave a review  Support the show: https://www.facebook.com/evolutionpartnersperth See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    36 min
  5. E81 | Why Growth Stalls Around $50 Million (Summer Series)

    12/21/2025

    E81 | Why Growth Stalls Around $50 Million (Summer Series)

    Developing strong second-level leaders is essential for any organisation aiming to break through its next growth ceiling. Richard Peake, Andres Zylberberg and I examine the predictable points where companies stall, and the leadership evolution required to move beyond them. Common warning signs – including swamped executives, constant decision bottlenecks, and missed market signals – show why the old way of operating stops working as a business grows.  We discuss how to empower emerging leaders with true functional ownership, how mindset shifts drive organisational maturity, and why proactive development must begin long before the pain appears.  Takeaways   Strong second-level leaders are key to breaking through growth ceilings.  Sharing real responsibility keeps the executive team from becoming a bottleneck.  Leaders need to shift from doing everything to growing the people around them.  When managers are overloaded, it’s a sign the structure isn’t keeping up.  Clear ownership helps everyone make better decisions and move faster.  Growing leaders early makes growth smoother when things start ramping up.  Teams perform best when leaders coach instead of constantly putting out fires.  Evolving your mindset is essential to scale beyond what got you here.  Watch the episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheEvolutionPartners  Newsletter – each week I share interesting insights, articles and ideas you can use. Join other leaders and subscribe to The Evolution Partners newsletter  https://evolutionpartners.com.au/subscribe/  Books – Learn more about our books https://evolutionpartners.com.au/books/  Made to Thrive: The practical, prescriptive guide on how to be a great CEO Onboarded: How to bring new hires to the points where they are more effective faster. A business case for leaders on why you should commit to an effective onboarded process. Onboarded for Managers: Helping managers bring new hires to the point where they are more effective faster. Bigger isn’t Better, Better is Better: Avoiding the pressure of endless growth to build a better business (and better life)  Follow me: on https://au.linkedin.com/in/bradleygiles on https://twitter.com/Evolution_Perth Enjoying the show? Leave a review  Support the show: https://www.facebook.com/evolutionpartnersperth See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    45 min
  6. E80 | Quarterly Performance Reviews (Summer Series)

    12/14/2025

    E80 | Quarterly Performance Reviews (Summer Series)

    Quarterly performance reviews are often dreaded by employees and managers alike, largely because they’re treated as bureaucratic, last-minute tasks rather than meaningful coaching conversations. However, done properly, performance conversations can be one of the most powerful tools to consistently grow your people and your business.  This is the first episode of a summer series, where I am joined by Andres Zylberberg and Richard Peake. We explore how performance reviews should be intentional, generous and part of a broader people system – from hiring to onboarding to regular check-ins – that frees individuals to focus on doing their best work.  Takeaways  Quarterly reviews work best as supportive coaching conversations, not bureaucratic tasks.  Clear role scorecards provide expectations, reducing surprises and aligning staff effectively.  Scheduling reviews early encourages preparation, fostering trust and constructive performance discussions.  Independent red-amber-green ratings create structure, enabling objective conversations about progress ongoing.  Regular quarterly rhythms surface issues sooner, supporting continuous improvement across teams.  Structured discussions help clarify misunderstandings, distinguishing capability problems from misaligned expectations.  Generous, intentional feedback strengthens relationships and accelerates long-term momentum within organisations.  Watch the episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheEvolutionPartners  Newsletter – each week I share interesting insights, articles and ideas you can use. Join other leaders and subscribe to The Evolution Partners newsletter  https://evolutionpartners.com.au/subscribe/  Books – Learn more about our books https://evolutionpartners.com.au/books/  Made to Thrive: The practical, prescriptive guide on how to be a great CEO Onboarded: How to bring new hires to the points where they are more effective faster. A business case for leaders on why you should commit to an effective onboarded process. Onboarded for Managers: Helping managers bring new hires to the point where they are more effective faster. Bigger isn’t Better, Better is Better: Avoiding the pressure of endless growth to build a better business (and better life)  Follow me: on https://au.linkedin.com/in/bradleygiles on https://twitter.com/Evolution_Perth  Enjoying the show? Leave a review  Support the show: https://www.facebook.com/evolutionpartnersperth See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    42 min
  7. E79 | The Healthy Hundred with Dr Peter Larkins

    12/07/2025

    E79 | The Healthy Hundred with Dr Peter Larkins

    If you want to stay sharp, energetic and high-performing well into your later decades, you need to deliberately invest in your healthspan, not just your lifespan. Sport and exercise physician Dr Peter Larkins is a former Olympic middle-distance runner and one of the pioneers of sports medicine in Australia. Across his career, Peter has worked with elite athletes, AFL clubs, national teams and major media networks.  Peter breaks down the five pillars of healthy longevity, the real-world benefits of movement and strength training, how to eat well on the road, the role of sleep and mindset, and what the most successful leaders who age well all have in common.  Takeaways  Healthy longevity comes from deliberately investing in your healthspan, not just your lifespan.  Movement is medicine, and even small amounts of consistent activity dramatically improve long-term health.  Strength training delivers powerful metabolic benefits far beyond simply building bigger, stronger muscles.  Sleep is critical recovery, directly influencing energy, cognition, mood and daily performance capacity.  Nutrition works best when your plate is colourful, simple and mostly plant-focused each day.  High-performing leaders who age well share drive, mindset discipline and consistent personal health habits.  Incidental activity – stairs, walking, standing – adds meaningful benefits for time-poor entrepreneurs and executives.  A balanced approach, not extreme protocols, creates sustainable wellbeing and long-term high performance.  Follow Dr Peter Larkins https://www.drpeterlarkins.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/drpeterlarkins/  Books on this episode The Healthy Hundred by Dr Peter Larkins https://www.linkedin.com/in/drpeterlarkins/ Good to Great by Jim Collins https://amzn.to/3XaAr2m Ikigai: The Japanese secret to a long and happy life by Hector Garcia and Francesc Miralles https://amzn.to/4riJADO  Watch the episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheEvolutionPartners  Newsletter – each week I share interesting insights, articles and ideas you can use. Join other leaders and subscribe to The Evolution Partners newsletter https://evolutionpartners.com.au/subscribe/  Books – Learn more about our books https://evolutionpartners.com.au/books/  Made to Thrive: The practical, prescriptive guide on how to be a great CEO Onboarded: How to bring new hires to the points where they are more effective faster. A business case for leaders on why you should commit to an effective onboarded process. Onboarded for Managers: Helping managers bring new hires to the point where they are more effective faster. Bigger isn’t Better, Better is Better: Avoiding the pressure of endless growth to build a better business (and better life)  Follow me: on https://au.linkedin.com/in/bradleygiles on https://twitter.com/Evolution_Perth  Enjoying the show? Leave a review  Support the show: https://www.facebook.com/evolutionpartnersperth See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    45 min
  8. E78 | How Entrepreneurs Avoid Destructive Divorce with Catherine Leach

    11/30/2025

    E78 | How Entrepreneurs Avoid Destructive Divorce with Catherine Leach

    Strong marriages don’t succeed by luck -- they succeed by design. Leading family lawyer and Leach Legal founder Catherine Leach shares the patterns she’s seen over 35 years that determine whether a relationship thrives or falls apart. Recognised nationally for her strategic approach to family law, she has guided thousands of couples through complex transitions and brings a rare blend of empathy, clarity and realism to the topic.  Beyond her legal practice, Catherine has held senior governance roles with the Entrepreneurs’ Organisation in Asia-Pacific, co-founded the Family Law Association of Victoria, and mentors entrepreneurs navigating both business and family pressures. She reveals the real reasons marriages fail, why some endure, and what entrepreneurs must understand to protect both their relationships and their wealth.  Takeaways  Strong marriages thrive on steady communication, mutual respect and choosing the right battles.  Small unresolved grievances compound over years and quietly erode even stable relationships.  Entrepreneurs often struggle because obsessive work patterns push family connection aside.  Financial imbalance fuels mistrust when one partner avoids or fears understanding the numbers.  Strategic divorces start with transparency, calm process and resisting emotional escalation traps.  Long-term relationship success requires deliberate planning, shared vision and consistent everyday effort.  Follow Catherine Leach https://leachlegal.com.au/ Books on this episode The Fourth Turning by William Strauss and Neil Howe https://amzn.asia/d/4NJFZ8C  Watch the episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheEvolutionPartners  Newsletter – each week I share interesting insights, articles and ideas you can use. Join other leaders and subscribe to The Evolution Partners newsletter https://evolutionpartners.com.au/subscribe/  Books – Learn more about our books https://evolutionpartners.com.au/books/  Made to Thrive: The practical, prescriptive guide on how to be a great CEO Onboarded: How to bring new hires to the points where they are more effective faster. A business case for leaders on why you should commit to an effective onboarded process. Onboarded for Managers: Helping managers bring new hires to the point where they are more effective faster. Bigger isn’t Better, Better is Better: Avoiding the pressure of endless growth to build a better business (and better life)  Follow me: on https://au.linkedin.com/in/bradleygiles on https://twitter.com/Evolution_Perth Enjoying the show? Leave a review.  Support the show: https://www.facebook.com/evolutionpartnersperth See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    36 min
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A place for the world’s leading thinkers, planners and doers. The Evolution Partners is a weekly podcast hosted by Brad Giles. Join Brad as he engages in conversations with some of the world’s sharpest minds, learning a bit more about them and delving into what makes them tick.

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