The Wisepreneurs Podcast
For independent professionals building practice on their own terms.
Working lives have extended far beyond what anyone predicted.
Organisations need people who can navigate complexity and ambiguity—and increasingly, these professionals want to work independently.
Hosted by Nigel Rawlins, Wisepreneurs features conversations with experienced professionals about what it actually takes to build sustainable independent practice.
What we explore:
● Turning accumulated expertise into visible market presence
● Building business through partnerships and collaborative networks
● AI tools that amplify rather than replace experienced judgment
● Navigating the transition from employment to independence
● Sustaining cognitive capacity for the long term
80+ episodes of real conversations
Your accumulated expertise is your competitive advantage.
This podcast shows you how to systematically leverage it.
80+ episodes. Real conversations. No motivational fluff.
Find transcripts and more: https://www.wisepreneurs.au/
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nigelrawlins/
Subscribe to the newsletter: https://wisepreneurs.com.au/newsletter/
Episodes
81 episodes
Making Space for Deep thinkers with Meredith Fuller OAM
Psychologist Meredith Fuller returns for her fourth Wisepreneurs conversation to address a challenge facing many experienced professionals: feeling invisible at work despite making substantial contributions. Drawing from over 45 years counselin...
•
1:03:23
Mark Trinham: Building Sustainable Art Practice Through Environmental Values and Collaboration
Mark Trinham has spent 30 years building a thriving full-time art practice without formal business training—creating large-scale public artworks, running a successful collaboration company, and maintaining creative independence. In...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 80
•
54:50
Jon Younger Why Keep Working at 73? On Talent, Wisdom, and Interesting Questions
At 73, Jon Younger has spent his career understanding how talent evolves—from HR executive at Exxon to business builder to independent advisor on the future of work and AI. In this conversation, Jon addresses the positioning challe...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 79
•
1:08:00
Mayumi Kataoka: When Your Brain Needs Trees, Not More Productivity Hacks
In our hyperconnected world, we respond to time scarcity by optimising, accelerating, and implementing more productivity systems. But what if the solution isn't doing more—it's doing less?Mayumi Kataoka, a certified forest therapy guide ...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 78
•
37:38
Anna Burgess Yang on Business Resilience and Smart Automation
When Anna Burgess Yang was diagnosed with a brain tumor just weeks before surgery, her three years of systematic business building became the difference between collapse and continuity. In this conversation, Anna shares how strategic financial ...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 77
•
38:23
Michael Best on Career Reinvention, Cannabis Research, and Learning at 80
At 74, a routine phone call during COVID changed everything for Dr. Michael Best. After 50 years practicing medicine, he discovered the endocannabinoid system—a biological network in every human body that he'd never learned about in medical sch...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 76
•
45:04
Robert Vlach Why Your Good Name Beats Personal Branding
Most career advice tells experienced professionals to modernize, rebrand, and compete with younger workers on their terms. Robert Vlach, who leads Europe's largest freelance community, says that's backwards.In this three-hour deep dive—o...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 75
•
2:58:11
Amy Alkon Reclaiming Your Vitality in Menopause
For many accomplished women, the sudden arrival of brain fog, fatigue, or memory loss can feel like a professional crisis, sparking fears of losing one's edge. But what if these challenges aren't a sign of burnout, but a solvable physiological ...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 74
•
1:22:53
Sönke Ahrens From Highlight to Insight—Making Your Experience Count
If you’ve ever underlined a passage, bookmarked an idea, or highlighted something brilliant—only to forget it—this episode is for you.In this thought-provoking conversation, Sönke Ahrens joins host Nigel Rawlins to show how to turn a lifeti...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 73
•
58:03
A Realistic Guide to Starting a Business After 60 with Sue Ellson
This episode is a masterclass in career reinvention after 60. For professional women considering entrepreneurship, the path can seem filled with challenges, from overcoming age discrimination to navigating financial uncertainty. Nig...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 72
•
52:27
Laetitia Vitaud Networked Entrepreneurship
Episode OverviewWhat if your 60s could be the launchpad for a thriving solo venture? In episode #71, feminist and work-revolution thinker Laetitia Vitaud returns for her third appearance to share how women over 60 can rei...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 71
•
56:02
Laurie Smale on Reinvention, Mentorship, and Technology
In this quietly remarkable episode, Laurie Smale—former dropout, junkyard worker, communication mentor, and now digital storyteller at 79—joins host Nigel Rawlins for a conversation that redefines what it means to start over late in life.
•
Season 1
•
Episode 70
•
45:15
Curating for the Curious: How Tomáš Baránek Picks Books That Matter
In this Wisepreneurs Podcast episode, host Nigel Rawlins speaks with Czech publisher and technologist Tomáš Baránek about the enduring value of curated publishing in a world saturated by fast content and generative AI. Tomáš shares how his team...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 69
•
59:23
Redesigning Retirement: Kim Watty on Purpose and Community
What happens when a distinguished accounting professor decides there's more to life than academia? In this captivating conversation, 66-year-old Kim Watty reveals her remarkable journey from emeritus professor to entrepreneur, co-founding The M...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 68
•
43:59
Thriving in the Age of AI with Filip Drimalka
Episode SummaryIn this episode of Wisepreneurs, host Nigel Rawlins sits down with Filip Drimalka, an AI strategist, digital transformation expert, and author of The Future of No Work. Filip shares game-changing insights on AI-dri...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 67
•
56:30
The Power of Prevention: Michal Novotný on Movement and Longevity
In this episode, we sit down with Michal Novotný, a distinguished physiotherapist and fitness coach who has worked with elite athletes such as Rafael Nadal, Maria Sharapova, and Hollywood stars including Orlando Bloom and Chris Hemsworth. <...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 66
•
49:05
Mastering Tools and Processes with Anna Burgess Yang
In this episode of The Wisepreneurs Podcast, host Nigel Rawlins speaks with Anna Burgess Yang, a former FinTech executive turned freelance content writer and solopreneur. Anna shares her journey from corporate to self-employment, balan...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 65
•
50:04
Why Sitting Too Long Negates Good Health Habits with Krisna Hanks
In this episode of the Wisepreneurs Podcast, host Nigel Rawlins sits down with Krisna Hanks, a metabolic health expert, to discuss how prolonged sitting can undermine even the healthiest habits. With decades of experience and her role as Direct...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 64
•
47:54
Personal Kanban: Mapping Success for Independent Professionals with Tonianne DeMaria
In this episode of The Wisepreneurs Podcast, host Nigel Rawlins speaks with Tonianne DeMaria, co-author of Personal Kanban, about her inspiring journey from fashion to becoming a productivity expert. Tonianne highlights how visual systems like ...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 63
•
1:05:39
Peter Compo’s Approach to Navigating Business Complexity
In this episode of The Wisepreneurs Podcast, host Nigel Rawlins interviews Peter Compo, author of The Emergent Approach to Strategy. Drawing on 25 years of experience at DuPont, Peter illustrates how businesses can adapt and t...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 62
•
51:32
Solo, Skilled, and Essential: Gail Greatorex’s Influence on Product Safety
In this episode, my guest, Gail Greatorex, is a leading expert in product safety with over 25 years of experience. Gail shares her journey from working with the Australian government to becoming a self-employed consultant, where she helps busin...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 61
•
48:21
From Chaos to Clarity: Eliška Šestáková on Building Smarter Note Systems
In this episode, I talk with Eliška Šestáková, an academic and productivity expert from the Czech Republic, to explore the world of effective note-taking. Eliška shares her unique approach to organizing information and shows how note-taking can...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 60
•
54:47
Human Edge in AI: Leanne Shelton on Balancing Tech with Heart
In this episode of the Wisepreneurs Podcast, host Nigel Rawlins chats with Leanne Shelton, a ten-year veteran copywriter and content marketer who has transitioned into AI training. Based in Sydney, Australia, Leanne shares her shift from tradit...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 59
•
47:32
The Reality Check: Testing Business Ideas Against the Real World with Cedric Chin
In this episode of the Wisepreneurs Podcast, I spoke with Cedric Chin, the founder of Commoncog, to explore his unique approach to accelerating business expertise. Cedric shares his journey from leading a startup in Vietnam to esta...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 58
•
1:11:16
Connected and Confident: Karen Wickre’s Networking Guide for Independent Professionals
In this episode of The Wisepreneurs Podcast, Karen Wickre returns after 50 episodes. Karen is a skilled communicator, freelance editor, and networking expert. She shares her insights on building meaningful professional relationships, the benefi...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 57
•
55:52