
Books To The Boardroom
Are you interested in how Australia’s best leaders grew into the professionals they are today? The journey from University (Books) to Leadership positions (Boardroom) can take many different forms. Listen in as we interview CEO’s, CFO’s, and Executives, on how they ascended to leadership positions, made critical career choices, and overcame adversity throughout their career. The Books To The Boardroom podcast is co-hosted by Sumith Dissanayake, a CFO turned Business Owner based in Brisbane, Australia, who is fascinated by all things leadership and career development.
Books To The Boardroom
In conversation with John O’Brien, CEO of Poolwerx
Franchising makes people rethink leadership. Mostly because as soon as you get that first franchisee, you are no longer in the business of business. You are now in the business of supporting people. Specifically, you have to shift your focus to your franchisees, clients, customers and the corporate team.
After more than two decades in the franchise industry, it is safe to say that John O’Brien, CEO of Poolwerx knows what it takes to cultivate growth-minded teams with an aligned mission and positive culture. He found that having a solid mission, taking courageous actions in support of that mission and inspiring and supporting others has enabled Poolwerx to thrive not only in Australia but around the globe.
An important takeaway from John’s podcast is that your job as a leader of a franchise system is not to have all the answers or do all the work. Your job is to create an environment and culture that nurtures those around you so you can all better accomplish your goals and carry out your aligned mission.
You’ll definitely be inspired after the stories and lessons John’s shares on this week's episode of Books to the Boardroom.
This episode was hosted by Sumith Dissanayake.
Thanks for tuning in to Books to the Boardroom! If you enjoyed today's episode, take your leadership journey further:
🎧 Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts
🔔 Never miss an episode—follow us on LinkedIn and your favourite podcast platform
📱 Share your takeaways with #CFOCatalyst
Are you a CFO with insights to share or know someone who is? We're always looking for financial leaders to join us on the show—reach out at hello@ctcnow.co to discuss featuring your expertise on a future episode.
Until next week, keep reading, keep listening!