Podcast: What I Learned in Business (that didn’t kill me!)

In this episode of What I Learned in Business (That Didn’t Kill Me!), James H Stewart sits down with Jim Sarantinos, CEO of the Parramatta Eels, one of the most passionately supported and closely scrutinised rugby league clubs in Australian sport.

From surviving a devastating car accident in Ukraine to becoming one of Australia’s most influential thinkers in customer loyalty and digital strategy — this is the extraordinary journey of Anna Samkova.

From escaping civil war in Sri Lanka at just six years old, to building one of the most successful automation start-ups in Australia and New Zealand, Nishan Wijemanne has lived a business journey defined by resilience, reinvention and relentless curiosity.

In this episode, James sits down with Bruce Carter AO, one of Australia’s most respected commercial advisors and arguably South Australia’s “Mr Fix-It”. Over more than three decades, Bruce has become the person governments, boards and business leaders call when the stakes are high and commercial pragmatism is in demand.

When Iain Nairn walks into a room, he brings over 40 years of global retail experience — and a lifetime of lessons in leadership, resilience, and reinvention.

From a kitchen table in Brisbane to a global online fashion movement — this is the story of Black Milk Clothing.

John King's global experience in retail and wholesale brands is unique. He led three major retailers—Matalan, House of Fraser, and Myer—through wildly different market cycles, against major headwinds and each with their own unique set of challenges.

In this episode, James H. Stewart sits down with Frank Cancelloni, Group CEO of Jim Thompson — Thailand’s most iconic names in silk design, craftsmanship, and culture.

Private-equity veteran Patrick Elliott (Founding Partner, Next Capital; ex-Macquarie PE; former Chair of JB Hi-Fi) joins James H Stewart to unpack career pivots, equity investing and what they teach us about risk, governance, and value creation.

In this episode, James H Stewart sits down with Di Gillett — a fashion-design student, turned retailer, turned headhunter, turned podcaster — whose life and career are a study in resilience and reinvention.

In this episode of What I Learned in Business, James H Stewart sits down with Evan Thornley — entrepreneur, investor, reformer, and one of Australia’s most original thinkers on business and social change.

In this episode of What I Learned in Business (That Didn’t Kill Me!), host James H Stewart sits down with Paul Howes — one of Australia’s most recognisable public figures and a leader whose career has spanned the union movement, politics, and corporate life.

Born out of the ashes of Enron and the collapse of global Big 5 firm Arthur Andersen, Korda Mentha has become a powerhouse advisory firm in Australia/Asia fuelled by winning some of the biggest and most high profile mandates in the country.

For 40 years I was a corporate undertaker. I buried businesses that failed and helped save those where there was still a pulse.