For Love & Money

Ep 78 Hunter Leonard: Creating Change Through Business

Episode Summary:

Welcome to the For Love and Money podcast, where Carolyn Butler-Madden explores the intersection of business and social purpose. In this episode, Carolyn sits down with Hunter Leonard—business owner, author, speaker, and advocate for ending ageism. As the CEO of Blue Frog Marketing, Hunter has helped over 500 businesses drive strategic growth. He also pioneered solutions for mature professionals transitioning into business ownership. Through his extensive research, bestselling books, and thought leadership, Hunter challenges outdated business norms and offers evidence-based strategies for purpose-driven success.

Carolyn and Hunter explore what it truly means to create change through business, from leveraging experience and wisdom to redefining leadership and workplace inclusivity.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• Why experience is an untapped asset in business and how mature professionals can drive innovation.
• How purpose can be integrated into business strategy for long-term impact.
• The importance of evidence-based solutions in leadership and decision-making.
• The role of storytelling in shaping business success and challenging societal norms.
• How businesses can give back to communities while driving profitability. 

Key Themes Discussed:

• Challenging Ageism in Business: Hunter shares how his work empowers mature professionals to thrive in business ownership and leadership.
• The Power of Experience: Why knowledge and wisdom should be valued assets in driving business growth and innovation.
• Purpose Beyond Profit: How Hunter integrates purpose into his business strategies while achieving measurable results.
• Evidence-Based Business Strategy: The importance of research and data in making informed business decisions.
• Storytelling & Legacy: Hunter’s journey as an author and ghostwriter, helping business leaders shape their narratives and impact.

Featured Guest:

Hunter Leonard – CEO of Blue Frog Marketing, author of 10 books, business strategist, and advocate for ending ageism in the workplace.

Hunter Leonard is a business owner, author and speaker who has developed a significant reputation for outstanding marketing and strategic growth as the CEO of Blue Frog Marketing.

Hunter has also been active as an advocate for ending ageism and is achieving this through positive and practical solutions helping mature individuals with business ownership training and work transition programs. His aim is to change the world one mature age individual at a time.

Hunter has authored ten books including the Amazon best sellers - The Experience Equation and Generation Experience. Both these books were named as finalists in the Australian Career Book Awards. Red Giraffe was a hot new release on AMAZON in several categories. His organisations have won six major awards for marketing excellence as well as being listed in both the Smart 100 and Cool 100 Awards in 2018.

Hunter believes in evidence-based solutions and has surveyed more than 12,000 business owners to develop the services offered by his organisations. He has delivered over 800 seminars and presentations and contributed to over $2 billion in sales growth for his 500+ clients since 2001. Blue Frog Marketing is also active in giving back to the community via pro-bono work for various groups including Landcare, and through donations when new clients are onboarded.

He is highly regarded for his warmth, generosity, innovative thinking and his ability to get measurable results for his clients.

Hunter is working on book #11 - The 8 Rooms of Business, introducing a new way to become a better business owner.

As a ghostwriter, Hunter shares the stories and advice of business and community leaders and a recent project is also a best seller in 8 categories in the USA market.

When not running his business, Hunter is a keen bushwalker, musician, photographer and cook.

Resources & Links:

• Blue Frog Marketing – Company Website
• Hunter Leonard’s Books – on Amazon 
• Connect with Hunter Leonard on Linkedin 
• Ghost Hunter - Hunter's Ghost-writing website

 How can businesses create lasting change while staying profitable? What role does experience play in driving business success? Share your thoughts and join the conversation!

Thank you for tuning in to this episode of For Love & Money! Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast to support more conversations at the intersection of profit and purpose.

Ep 77 Chris Hudson: Catalysing change: Personal purpose at work

Episode Summary: 

In this episode of For Love & Money, Carolyn Butler-Madden is joined by Chris Hudson, Founder & CEO of Company Road, to explore how his own personal purpose has driven his work in catalysing organisational change.

Chris shares his journey from childhood to the Ad Agency world, through corporate marketing to entrepreneurship—driven by curiosity and a deep desire to challenge the status quo. They discuss how leaders can embed purpose into their work, create meaningful cultural transformation, and reimagine traditional business models through curiosity, storytelling, and innovation.

This conversation unpacks the emotional and strategic aspects of change-making, exploring how work can become more than a means to an end and instead a space for experimentation, personal fulfilment, and systemic impact.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• Discover how Chris Hudson's personal purpose inspires him to drive business transformation, challenge leadership norms, and create innovative workplaces.
• How personal purpose can lead your work choices and inspire new business ventures.
• Why curiosity and questioning assumptions are essential for both innovation and leadership.
• The concept of 'intrapreneurship' and how employees can drive change within organisations.
• How designing customer experiences can be an experience itself.
• The parallels between performance in music, art, and leadership at work.
• How work environments can be stretched beyond conventional structures to foster engagement, creativity, and impact.
• The need to challenge traditional leadership archetypes and embrace humility in leadership.
• Why leaders must deeply understand their teams to create productive and fulfilling workplaces.

Key Themes Discussed:

• Curiosity as a Leadership Skill: Chris reflects on how his innate curiosity has inspired his career path and his belief that curiosity is a critical tool for fostering change.
• Intrapreneurs as Rebels: Chris highlights how intrapreneurs are the 'rebels' of an organisation, pushing against the norm to drive meaningful change from within.
• Work as an Expansive Concept: The conversation explores how traditional work structures can be stretched and reimagined to create environments that promote innovation, fulfillment, and purpose.
• The Experience of Designing an Experience: Chris discusses how designing a customer experience can be an enriching experience for the people creating it, not just the end users.
• The Art of Leadership as Performance: Using music and art as an analogy, Chris draws parallels between great performances and the leadership required to create an engaging work culture.
• Challenging the Alpha Leadership Model: Chris calls for a shift away from the traditional dominant leadership style, advocating instead for consultative and humble leadership that fosters collaboration.
• Understanding People to Drive Productivity: Leaders need to invest time in truly understanding their teams to create a work environment that is both high-performing and human-centered.

Featured Guest:

Chris Hudson – Founder & CEO of Company Road, host of the Company Road Podcast, and an advocate for purpose-driven organizational change.

Chris is an Intrapreneurship Coach and Founder of Company Road, a business transformation coaching and consultancy. He formed his business in response to seeing over-niching and specialisation as a significant barrier to change within corporates.
During his career, he’s worked with some of the world’s most ambitious and successful companies, including Google, Mercedes-Benz, Accenture (Fjord) and Dulux. He continues to teach with University of Melbourne in Innovation, and Academy Xi in CX, Product Management, Design Thinking and Service Design and mentors many business leaders internationally.

Chris is also a fellow podcast host. The Company Road Podcast explores what it takes for intrapreneurs to change companies and organisations and inspire personal growth for themselves. I’ve listened to several episodes, as well as being one of his guests. What I love is the breadth of guests and experiences that he shares. There’s some real gold in there, sometimes from unexpected places.

Our interview explores Chris’ personal purpose and how it has inspired his work and the way he approaches his work in Intrapreneurship Coaching, business design, product design and experience design. It’s a fascinating insight into how to blend what you care about personally into your work.

Resources & Links:

• Company Road website
• Listen to the Company Road Podcast 
• Connect with Chris Hudson on Linkedin

How is personal purpose shaping your leadership style? Leave a comment or tag us on social media with #PurposeDrivenLeadership!

Ep 76: What Is Love?

In this special episode of For Love & Money, we celebrate the launch of What Is Love, an anthology of unconventional love stories from a global community of storytellers. Host Carolyn Butler-Madden is joined by Rumi Tsuchihashi, the book’s editor, along with contributors Leanne Fournier and Sabah Mirza, to explore the profound role of love in storytelling and life. Through heartfelt conversations and personal readings, this episode delves into the power of love as a force for connection, healing, and transformation.

 

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• How What Is Love came to life through the Story Republic community.
• Rumi Tsuchihashi’s journey to becoming the book’s editor and her reflections on the power of personal storytelling.
• The role of love in business and the broader world, as explored by the guests.
• Deeply personal readings from contributors, sharing their unique perspectives on love.
• Insights into how storytelling can shift perspectives and open hearts.

Featured Guests:

• Rumi Tsuchihashi – Editor of What Is Love, author of three essay collections, and a contributor to The New York Times’ Tiny Love Stories column.
• Leanne Fournier – Canadian copywriter, journalist, and storyteller, who shares a deeply personal story of love, resilience, and family.
• Sabah Mirza – Writer and former corporate professional who rediscovered her love for storytelling and shares an emotionally resonant piece about love, loss, and advocacy.

Key Themes Discussed:

• The underestimated power of love as a motivator in life and business.
• How stories shape our identities and understanding of love.
• The importance of listening deeply and telling honest stories.
• The impact of community and creative expression in fostering human connection.

Guest Bios

Rumi Tsuchihashi - Editor

Rumi Tsuchihashi is an essayist who spreads the word about the life changing joys of all things tiny. Her first book I Want To Remember This: Recognising the Tiny Moments That Make Up a Life, led to her 100-word essay, 'Where Our Palms Touch', getting published the "Tiny Love Stories" column in the New York Times. As an editor and coach, Rumi helps emerging authors put potent stories and pocket-sized books out into the world. Her upcoming book, I Want This for Us: The Tiny Moments That Give Marriage A Chance, connects the dots from heartbreak to second marriage in a series of vignettes.

Learn more about Rumi here or visit her nudge newsletter on substack.

 

Leanne Fournier - contributing author

Leanne Fournier writes fiction, nonfiction, and poetry in the stunning wilderness of Northwestern Ontario, Canada. Her creative work is infused with vivid imagery and a profound sense of place, evident in her beautifully illustrated poetry collection. The collection explores the contradictions and parallels she sees around human connection and belonging—and is set to be released in 2025. Leanne founded MightyWrite—Write for Business, where she helps clients tell stories with clarity and impact and find their unique voice. A passionate writer and social justice advocate, Leanne publishes stories about the people most often unseen and unheard at mightywrite.substack.com. You can also read more about her work at mightywrite.ca.

 

Sabah Mirza - contributing author

Sabah Mirza is a business advisor, facilitator, and writer whose work is grounded in the ethics of human worth and dignity. 

She creates workshops bringing leaders and teams together to build bridges of empathy, connection, and belonging through interactive games, reflections, and personal story sharing.

With a BSME from MIT, an MBA from Stanford University, and decades of personal, professional, and spiritual journeying, Sabah brings a unique, heart-centered approach to professional development and team building.

Find Sabah's stories about heart-centered living, learning, and leading at sabahwrites.substack.com.

Learn more about Sabah’s workshops at sabahmirza.com.

 

LINKS

What Is Love Book Learn more here

Buy the book on Amazon (Australia)

Buy the book on Amazon

Learn about Story Republic and the Story Skills Course here

 

 

 

Ep 75 Lalita Lowe: Every piece of clothing has a story

In this episode of For Love & Money, Carolyn Butler-Madden dives into the transformative world of ethical fashion with Lalita Lowe—TEDx speaker, author, fashion designer and advocate for sustainable practices in the fashion industry.

Lalita shares her journey from working with leading designers in Paris and New York to becoming a champion of slow fashion and ethical production in Australia. Drawing from her must-watch TEDx Talk, Every Piece of Clothing Has a Story, Lalita unpacks the hidden costs of fast fashion, the ripple effects of our purchasing decisions, and the power of storytelling in fostering behavior change.

Discover how Lalita is inspiring a shift in the fashion industry and learn how even small, thoughtful choices can create a big impact for the planet and its people.

What You'll Learn:

• The economic and environmental consequences of fast fashion.
• How every piece of clothing tells a story—from the fibres to the people behind its creation.
• The role of love and care in building purpose-driven businesses.
• Practical tips for making more conscious fashion choices.
• How Lalita is redefining sustainability through collaboration and transparency.
• How Australians are one of the world's biggest fashion consumers (actually the world's BIGGEST, as of May 2024)

 

About Lalita Lowe:

Lalita Lowe, author of "It’s Time to Rethink Your Fashion - Creating a Better Future," emphasises examining our values and understanding the impact of our clothing choices on the planet. She believes education is crucial for advancing a more considered and responsible fashion future. As a trained fashion designer and sustainability educator, Lalita has worked globally, from Australia to New York and Paris, and has served on the Fashion Advisory Board of RMIT. With a global perspective and a deep understanding of the fashion industry, Lalita is attuned to its current state and future direction. Her fascination with fabrics and textures, along with her appreciation for traditional techniques used by artisans worldwide, underscores her commitment to sustainable fashion

Lalita runs her own eponymous fashion brand, known for the "From Farm to Fibre to Fashion" campaign, featuring ethical, sustainable wool from Tasmania. This campaign has garnered significant media and industry attention. . Lalita’s TEDx talk 'Every Piece of Clothing Has a Story’ focuses around this campaign. Lalita weaves her talk around a picture of a good story and a bad story asking us to consider the part we all play in the story of the clothes we wear. 

Links & Resources:

• Lalita Lowe’s Website
• Lalita’s TEDx Talk: Every Piece of Clothing Has a Story 
• Book: It’s Time to Rethink Your Fashion
• Lalita's Linkedin Profile
• Learn more about the Tasmanian Fashion Festival

Connect with Us:

• Host: Carolyn Butler-Madden | Website | LinkedIn
• The Cause Effect Consultancy website
• Enjoying the Podcast? Buy the For Love & Money book

 

Ep 74 Ash Rosshandler: Giving Time, Talent and Treasure

Today’s guest is Ash Rosshandler - a thought leader in corporate social responsibility and the founder of GoodCompany, Australia and New Zealand’s largest unified platform for Workplace Giving, Volunteering, Fundraising, and Rewards.

Under his leadership, GoodCompany has driven over $100 million in impact through donations, volunteering, and corporate engagement, helping thousands of charities connect with much-needed support.

Ash has been at the forefront of social innovation, creating Australia’s first Charity Gift Card and the GoodCompany Volunteer Mystery Bus and loves giving solutions that empower companies like Optus, ANZ, CSL, NBN, and Medibank to align their business strategies with social good. 

He’s a champion for scalable social impact, and is dedicated to helping companies become forces for good.

 In this interview, Ash shares his background and what led him to doing what he does today as CEO of Good Company. We get into how important it is to employees to find meaning in their jobs; and the role of volunteering, including some of the personal expectations that come with it. He explains the benefits that Good Company can bring to businesses, charities and individuals. And he shares some of the initiatives that Good Company has created. My personal faves… the Volunteer Mystery Bus and Chooseday.

 

Connect with Ash

Ash on Linkedin

Good Company website

Learn about the Volunteer Mystery Bus

Choosedays

Volunteer at Garma

 

 

Ep 73 Jenni Harding: Helping You Do Your GREATEST GOOD

Welcome to another insightful episode of the For Love and Money podcast. Join host Carolyn Butler-Madden as she delves into the world of purpose-driven business with Jenni Harding, founder and managing director of Greatest Good.

Jenni is driven to create opportunities for positive behavioural, social and systemic change in business and society. From working/consulting in the investment industry, to founding a social enterprise, she contributes to a world where everyone can flourish and thrive.

She combines 35+ years working in the investment industry, performing due diligence; governance, risk and compliance; and positive strategy, people and change management, with 30+ years providing pro-bono/low-bono and volunteering in the for-purpose sector. She is the founder/Managing Director of both Greatest Good and Harbridge Optimal Performance.

Greatest Good is a one-stop hub helping individuals and organisations to their greatest good, by finding and supporting social enterprises, charities/other not-for-profits and B Corps aligned with their values, then supporting them in a meaningful way for each person. Greatest Good is B Corp and People & Planet certified.

This enlightening discussion explores Jenni’s journey from the corporate sector to creating a vibrant ecosystem that connects conscious consumers with for-purpose organisations.

Greatest Good serves as a directory, community, and marketplace, making it easier for individuals to support organisations that align with their values. Discover how Jenni's innovative platform bridges the gap between social enterprises, charities, and conscious consumers, ultimately building a stronger for-purpose sector committed to tackling social and environmental challenges.

Tune in to learn about Jenni’s belief in the power of love within business, her insights into the significance of ikigai, and her ambitious vision for a future where every organisation can thrive on shared values. This episode will inspire you to reconsider the possibilities of aligning positivity with profitability. Enjoy!

 

Connect with Jenni and Greatest Good

• Website: Greatest Good - Helping you do good, find and support Australian social enterprises, B Corps, charities and not for profits, ethical directory, ethical shopping
• Greatest Good Australian Christmas Gift Guide: Australian Christmas Gift Guide
• Shop the entire Greatest Good range: Social Impact Marketplace | Greatest Good Australia
• Make a donation to a registered charity: Impactful Donations | Greatest Good

Ep 72 Louisa McKay: When Lemons Give You Life

Welcome to the For Love and Money podcast where business and social purpose meet. In this episode, host Carolyn Butler-Madden dives into the inspiring journey of Louisa Mackay, founder and chief lemon peeler of Byroncello, a locally crafted Limoncello from Byron Bay.

Through Byroncello, Louisa has combined her passion for entrepreneurship and her love of learning new things to cultivate a brand that celebrates the rich flavours of locally sourced ingredients through handcrafted liqueurs. With a background in marketing and an appreciation for sustainable practices, Louisa has positioned Byroncello as a growing name in the local Byron Bay craft beverage industry. Her approach highlights the beauty of the region and the common traits it shares with Italy–the home of Limoncello–while supporting local farmers and producers.

Carolyn explores Louisa's multifaceted career, her experiences in the marketing world, and the passion that led her to start Byroncello during the pandemic.

Join us as Louisa shares her personal and organic approach to building the Byroncello brand, despite having no previous experience in the alcohol industry. Discover the uplifting mantra of Byroncello, "When lemons give you life," and gain insight into the unexpected support Louisa received from her community. This episode is a celebration of finding joy in what you do and letting love drive your entrepreneurial spirit. Tune in and be inspired by Louisa's story of growth, authenticity, and the joyful art of creating something you love.

Connect with Louisa

Louisa's Linkedin Profile

Byroncello website

Byroncello on Instagram

 

 

Ep 71 Carolyn Butler-Madden: Start with WHO

In this episode of the For Love and Money podcast, Carolyn Butler-Madden explores the concept of being a purpose-led business or leader by challenging the traditional notion of starting with "why". She introduces the idea of starting with "who" as a fundamental approach to understanding and defining a business's purpose. By understanding who you are as an organisation and whom you’re aiming to serve, leaders can build a more authentic, connected brand purpose that deeply resonates with both their people and customers.

Carolyn delves into the success story of Liquid Death, a beverage brand that has disrupted the bottled water market with its rebellious and sustainable branding. She illustrates how Liquid Death's unique identity and understanding of its audience have propelled it to success.

Carolyn revisits Simon Sinek's "Start With Why" framework, using Apple's evolution as an example to highlight the importance of aligning a brand's identity with its purpose. She argues that businesses need to understand their unique characteristics and values—'who' they are—to truly connect with their 'why' and drive meaningful change.

Carolyn also addresses the limitations of generic purpose statements, using Australia's major banks as examples, and highlights the vital role that meaningful purpose can play in connecting with employees, customers, and communities.

Throughout the episode, Carolyn emphasises the significance of a meaningful purpose in today's business landscape, exploring its impact on financial performance and societal contributions. She encourages organisations to embark on the journey of discovering "who" they are to build deeper connections with stakeholders and foster a movement for positive change.

 

Key Takeaways:

• Rethinking Purpose: Start with WHO: Uncover why understanding your organisation’s unique identity and values can transform your purpose from a "nice-to-have" statement into a powerful rallying call.
• Liquid Death Example: Learn how this unconventional bottled water brand redefined its category by embracing a bold identity that aligns with environmentally conscious consumers and builds a community around "people like us."
• Purpose Beyond Profit: Carolyn shares her definition of purpose—“the change your organisation contributes to society in a financially sustainable way, through and beyond your products”—and explains why it’s essential for today’s world.
• Crafting a Meaningful Purpose Statement: Insightful questions to start your journey with WHO.

 

Links:

Related episode: Episode 25 “People Like Us”

https://www.thecauseeffect.com.au/the-podcast/episode/1f223990/ep-25-carolyn-butler-madden-chief-purpose-activist-at-the-cause-effect-on-people-like-us

 

Referenced episode: Episode 16 Nicky Sparshott, CEO Unilever Australia & New Zealand (now Global Chief Transformation Officer, Unilever) on Purposeful Leadership

https://www.thecauseeffect.com.au/the-podcast/episode/1c69381f/ep-16-nicky-sparshott-ceo-of-unilever-australia-and-new-zealand-on-purposeful-leadership

 

Learn more about my work and how you can Start with WHO here

Connect with me on Linkedin here

Ep 70 Phil Preston: Gently shoving elephants

"Gently shoving elephants" (in case you're scratching your head), is a metaphor for the work Phil and I are doing in supporting purpose-driven business transformation. But before we get into that, I'm excited to introduce you to my collaborator-in-purpose, Phil Preston.

Phil helps leaders and teams navigate change with purpose so they can respond to the powerful forces impacting their organisations.

After leading high-performance teams in corporate roles, he went out on his own and spent time in Boston with Harvard leaders in the business purpose field.

Since then he’s worked with more than a hundred clients across all sectors as a speaker, strategist and facilitator.

Phil’s the author of Connecting Profit with Purpose and was recently featured in The CEO Magazine, CPA’s InTheBlack and the AFR report on purpose in business.

In this episode, Phil shares his journey from corporate roles to becoming a strategist and speaker, working with over 100 clients across sectors to connect profit with purpose. He emphasises the importance of genuine care in business, reflecting on his own transition from a corporate career to pursuing purposeful work.

Phil discusses the concept of Shared Value, illustrating how businesses can address societal challenges while benefiting commercially. He shares insights from his experience, including his time with Harvard leaders in the business purpose field, and highlights how organisations can leverage purpose to navigate today's fast-paced, change-driven environment.

We touch on the UN Global Goals and the research the UN Global Compact has done on the market opportunity represented by these goals - valued at, at least US$12 trillion.

Later in the episode, we share our collaboration, aiming to support purpose-driven leaders in transforming their organisations. We discuss the challenges these leaders face and share our vision to create a community where like-minded individuals can share experiences and strategies to accelerate their purpose journey.

The episode concludes with Phil's vision for the future, focusing on expanding our impact and fostering the next generation of purpose-driven leaders.

 

Connect with Phil

Phil Preston on Linkedin

Phil's website 

Learn about Phil and Carolyn's solutions for purpose-led leaders

 

Ep 69 An Intrepid Special: Cultural Immersion in Australia’s Red Centre PART 2

Welcome to part two of the For Love and Money podcast's special Intrepid episode, "Cultural Immersion in Australia's Red Centre". In this episode, Carolyn Butler-Madden continues her journey through Central Australia, sharing the second part of her transformative experience with Intrepid Travel.

Join us as we delve deeper into the stories and insights of Benji Kenny, owner of 100% Finke Cultural Adventure Tours, as he introduces us to Rodna Homelands and the profound connection his people have with the land. Hear from my fellow travellers about their personal highlights and reflections, and discover the beauty and significance of one of the world's oldest rivers, the Finke River.

This episode offers an enriching perspective on the importance of connecting with Australia's First Nations culture and the land itself. Whether you're an avid traveller or someone seeking a deeper understanding of cultural heritage, this episode is sure to inspire and enlighten.

If you missed Part 1 of this episode, tune in here.

 

Learn more about Intrepid 

Learn about Intrepid's Cultural Immersion Tour here