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Interview

What Happens When AI Agents Do Your Shopping –…

  • February 23, 2026February 23, 2026
  • by Claire

AI shopping agents aren’t just on the horizon, they’re here, already transacting, and already raising some important questions.

In this episode, we speak with Katja Forbes an award winning customer experience futurist, business strategist, and keynote speaker recognised for her insights into the intersection of AI, design, and human behaviour. She is also the author of Machine Customers: The Evolution Has Begun, a book about what happens when your best customer is no longer human.

In this fascinating conversation we cover everything from what’s already happening with agentic commerce right now, to an incredible story out of China that reveals just how fast consumer behaviour can be reshaped at massive scale.

In this episode you’ll hear:

  • Why the shopping agents built by the retailers you already use may not be working in your interest 
  • What it means that AI agents now have access to their own credit cards and the guardrails (or lack thereof) around them
  • How some of the world’s largest businesses are already using AI to handle a significant share of their procurement 
  • The practical steps marketers and business owners should be taking right now, before agentic commerce becomes the norm, and . . .
  • Why your website could become largely irrelevant  and what that means for how you show up to both humans and machines.

Katja also shares a candid look at the environmental and ethical questions we need to be asking as frictionless purchasing increasingly becomes a reality. 

This conversation is set to change how you think about your next online purchase and, if you’re in marketing or procurement or e-commerce, then this is one you simply cannot miss. 

Enjoy this episode with the passionate and ahead-of-the-curve, Katja Forbes.

 

 

Useful Links

Katja Forbes website

Katja Forbes on LinkedIn

Interview

It’s Not About Me – Joanna Flint

  • March 30, 2022March 30, 2022
  • by Claire

We’re back from Covid (hooray!) and so even more excited about this week’s inspiring guest! 

Joanna Flint is Chief Commercial Officer for the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group where she’s responsible for its global marketing, sales, revenue management, brand and distribution functions. She is also a member of the company’s Board. 

Joanna joined the luxury brand last year after more than twelve years with Google in Asia where, amongst other roles, she was Managing Director of Google Singapore. Based in Singapore with her family, after 20 years living in Asia, Joanna is also a member of YPO and a mentor to early stage start-ups. 

If you’re contemplating your career or thinking about changing roles then you have come to the right place because Joanna has some of the most thoughtful musings on this topic we’ve heard. 

In this episode you’ll learn:

  • The incredible story of why Joanna nearly didn’t apply for the top job at Google in Singapore and what happened to make her change her mind
  • The opportunities she feels she wasted because she wasn’t super clear about what she wanted next in her career
  • Exactly how Joanna got that clarity on what her next role needed to look like
  • And how she manages the challenges of leading a truly global team without working 24/7.

We know you’ll love the amazing insights and advice shared in this conversation, so enjoy this episode with the insightful and passionate Joanna Flint. 

A quick P.S. from us that we are giving our mini episodes a little break for a while, so we’ll be back in two weeks time with our next conversation with an amazing, pioneering female leader. Hint – she’s ‘uber’ cool. 

 

 

Links

Joanna on LinkedIn 

Mandarinoriental.com 

 

 

Jam

Planning your 2022? Claire and Greta Jam their Plans

  • January 24, 2022January 24, 2022
  • by Claire

Our first episode for 2022 explores different ways of thinking about your year ahead.  You’ll hear us have a candid and informal conversation about how we’re individually thinking about our own plans and aspirations, and how to make them happen. 

You may be surprised at just how different our approaches are!

You’ll learn why Greta thinks getting really granular with her time management is what she needs this year to reach her goals, while Claire is focusing on her key priorities and planning around those. 

We plan to make more conversational and ‘unplugged’ episodes like this one so please let us know what you think or if you disagree! We always love to hear from you. 

 

P.S. If you’re really hungry for more content on planning your year then also check out our episode from 2020 called How to Have a Great Year.  

 

 

Useful Links

Google researchers discuss the rise in searches related to changing priorities 

Brene Brown interview with James Clear 

Jonathan Fields podcast – Good Life Project

SparkeTypes Test 

If you’re planning your year in earnest you might like to listen to one of our previous episodes – How to have a great year

Interview

Stefanie Nissen – Style & Hope Shine Through

  • November 30, 2021November 30, 2021
  • by Claire

Happy December everyone! 

The end of the year can mean travel planning for a lot of people, and business trips and holidays are the bread and butter for the fashion entrepreneur and founder on the show this week, Stefanie Nissen.

California-based Stefanie founded her business ‘Trvl Porter’ with the idea that you would arrive at your destination to find a hand-picked travel wardrobe waiting for you at your hotel. When you’re heading home, you can buy the pieces you love, or return them all simply by leaving them with your hotel. 

The business was starting to take off when Covid effectively put Stefanie’s business into hibernation. All the more frustrating as not only had the business been really starting to get traction, it had also enjoyed some great coverage in the NY Times as well. 

In this episode you’ll hear where Stefanie is at today in figuring out the future for Trvl Porter as well as: 

  • How she started her career in fashion design 
  • The advice her designer employer gave her that made her really change direction 
  • How losing her luggage inspired the idea for a brand new business 
  • And, Stefanie shares how a significant trauma actually led her to have the courage to start her new venture 

This episode shares stories that are both moving and hopeful. So if you’re after some inspiration, hope and courage in your life, don’t miss this one with the resilient and courageous Stefanie Nissen…

 

Useful Links

Stefanie on LinkedIn (Stefanie’s new married name is Barkman)

Stefanie on Instagram

TrvlPorter website

 

Interview

Lena Andersson – Not a Quitter

  • October 19, 2021October 19, 2021
  • by Claire

It doesn’t take much imagination to work out how many challenges tourism businesses have been facing during the pandemic. 

Typically, those who’ve been challenged the most can offer us the most interesting and helpful stories and advice. So our latest episode features the first of several amazing female travel entrepreneurs we’ll be featuring in the coming weeks. 

Lena Andersson is the Founder and CEO of ‘Go Running Tours’, a global platform where you can book guided sightseeing runs in more than 70 cities and towns around the world. 

Pre Covid last February, Lena’s business was really hitting its strides (excuse the pun!) and receiving record bookings. . . and then Covid happened. 

Prior to founding her global running tours business, Lena had a successful career in marketing for large corporates in the UK and Denmark. She was traveling more than 200 days a year and that’s when she came upon the idea that literally inspired her to quit the very next day. A friend in a foreign city took her for a run that combined running with sightseeing and Lena thought how amazing it would be if she could do this in every destination she travelled to. 

Little could Lena have imagined 8 plus years ago that she’d have to deal with all the trials and tribulations a global pandemic would bring. 

We think you’ll be blown away by Lena’s resilience and positivity and you’ll also hear: 

  • How Lena decided her next steps when the world shut down last year
  • How she’s got through the devastating impact COVID has had on her business
  • Lena’s career advice if you’re an introvert; and
  • Why she’s optimistic about the future for her business despite everything she’s been through.

Enjoy this episode with the positive and purposeful Lena Andersson. 

 

 

Useful Links

Go Running Tours Website

Lena on LinkedIn

GoRunningTours on Insta

GoRunningTours on Facebook

GoRunning Tours on Strava

 

Interview

Naomi Simson – The Renowned Entrepreneur 1000s of Small…

  • April 7, 2020April 7, 2020
  • by Claire

We have a brilliant episode for you this week with the renown entrepreneur and Shark Tank investor Naomi Simson. Given these unprecedented times, this is just the tonic we needed and we think you will love her too. 

On the topic of COVID-19, wherever you’re listening to us from, we hope you’re safe and well and not doing it too tough. Please know that you are not alone, #weareinthistogether . As you’ll hear in this episode, Naomi has some great thoughts for what leaders and businesses need to be thinking about. 

Nearly 20 years ago, Naomi took her savings and founded her online business ‘RedBalloon’ when she was a Mum of two small children. The site she built is an aggregator of a vast variety of experiences that people can buy vouchers for from thousands of tourism and adventure operators around Australia and NZ, and they’re expanding internationally as well. 

Today the ‘Big Red Group’ has 5 separate businesses under its umbrella with revenue over $70 million and literally millions of experiences sold to date. Thousands of small businesses rely on her company to deliver them customers, a big deal normally and an even bigger one now with COVID-19. 

Naomi is also well known for sharing her positivity and business wisdom as a keynote speaker and author of two books. 

In this episode you’ll hear Naomi talk about:

  • How she’s feeling in these uncertain times and how she’s coping with COVID 19 consequences
  • Her experience of stepping out of her business after splitting from her husband, only to later secretly buy back the company
  • What Naomi looks for when startups are pitching to her for investment 
  • Why you’ll always see her wearing something red, and
  • Her advice to you in these times of uncertainty.

So stay safe, get comfy, and enjoy this episode with the super positive and impressive Naomi Simson. 

One final note from us, given our leadership development business has understandably lost revenue, we’ve decided it’s timely to trial one or two ads at the beginning or end of each episode whilst taking great care not to damage your listening experience. This is a way to help us with all the hours we spend on bringing each episode to you. Thank you for being part of our community. 

 

Links of interest

Naomi’s website

Redballoon

Big Red Group

Naomi’s books: Live What You Love & Ready to Soar

 

Interview

Michelle Garnaut AO – Fabulous Stories from One of…

  • December 17, 2019March 19, 2020
  • by Claire

Our guest this week has taken the road less travelled, and pioneered her industry in Hong Kong and China for more than 30 years. We’re talking about one of Asia’s most celebrated restaurateurs, and a philanthropist as well, Michelle Garnaut AO.

Michelle grew up in Australia but always knew she wanted to travel. The fact she founded and launched her business, the M Restaurant Group, in Hong Kong in the late 1980s makes her one of the first independent restaurateurs to set up shop anywhere in Hong Kong or China. 

Time Magazine has even described Michelle as an ‘industry celebrity’ and someone who ‘pioneered the fashionable-dining scene in China’. 

Michelle is well known for the upscale restaurants and bars she’s created and launched in Hong Kong, Shanghai and Beijing – including M on the Bund restaurant still delighting diners in Shanghai. 

She’s also committed to giving back, and founded the Shanghai International Literary Festival the M Literary Residency, the Village People Project and the women’s initiative, Mentor Walks, which she started in Beijing. 

Michelle has won numerous international entrepreneurial awards and accolades, and last year was awarded an Order of Australia for her numerous contributions to business and society. 

In this episode you’ll learn:

  • How Michelle became one of the most successful fine-dining restaurateurs in China 
  • Her hard fought lessons about starting and running a business
  • Why she started out with her cash locked in a fridge, and
  • How she had to fight to win back control of her business.

We think you’ll just love Michelle’s amazing stories and all-round fabulousness. 

Happy listening! 

 

Interesting Links

Michelle’s Restaurant in Shanghai – M on the Bund

M on the Bund on Facebook

M on the Bund on Weibo

Mentor Walks China

Mentor Walks Australia

Scan to Follow M on the Bund on WeChat

M on the Bund WeChat QR Code

 

 

 

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Recent Posts

  • AI Agent Landscape Decoded – Claire & Greta
  • AI on the Org Chart – Patrick Forth
  • What Happens When AI Agents Do Your Shopping – Katja Forbes
  • Where Luxury Travel Meets AI – Sean Seah
  • NAIL your 2026 Planning

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