Tea with the Queen

Emma McQueen chats with a range of women in leadership and in business to explore the practicalities of how they feel energised by their work and their personal definitions of success.

Join Emma for a tea as she and her guests chat success, failure and optimism, sharing the actionable, results-focused tips and strategies that got them to where they are today.

Casey Mackinlay’s journey from bricklayer to CEO of an events company with 100+ staff is a tale of grit, determination and love for her son, Kingston. As a teenager, Casey was on the path to becoming a bricklayer when she fell pregnant. With no maternity leave available, and a partner who didn’t step up to the plate, she was soon a single mum on the way to building and selling and building again successful businesses. Casey’s story is one of inspiration for anyone looking to pursue their own dreams.

Casey Mackinlay – https://www.caseymackinlay.com.au/

For a copy of Emma’s book, ‘Go-getter: Raise your mojo, shift your mindset and thrive’. Click here

Born in Turkey, and raised in Melbourne, Ebru Sak’s early life was a struggle as she was dragged out of school by her father and forced into an arranged marriage at 16 years old. With courage she divorced and paved her own way into the hair and beauty industry. With almost three decades’ experience as a business woman, she reflects on her business success and innovation, including research and development of a world-first cosmetic product, Duo by Ebru. Ebru is an amazing entrepreneur and innovator with energy, compassion and enthusiasm for business and life.

Saks Salon – https://www.sakssalons.com.au/

For a copy of Emma’s book, ‘Go-getter: Raise your mojo, shift your mindset and thrive’. Click here

Turia Pitt has been through the most extraordinary life-changing experience. In 2011, she was in the rugged Kimberley ranges of north-west WA competing in a 100km ultramarathon, when suddenly she was confronted with a bushfire. She had nowhere to go as the flames caught up with her. She suffered burns to 65 percent of her body. Turia spent six months in hospital, had 200 operations and two years in recovery.

Her extraordinary resilience has been an inspiration to everyone around the world. She’s written several books – her latest is called Happy, where she seeks answers on the question: Is it possible to be happier? She chats with Emma McQueen about her life since the fire, and how she continues to test her limits. She’s a firm believer in the adage that we learn a lot about ourselves when we challenge ourselves.

Turia Pitt – https://www.turiapitt.com/

Jo Stanley has packed so much into her career, and she ain’t done yet! For 10 years, Jo was one half of the most-listened-to breakfast radio show in Melbourne, The Matt & Jo Show on Fox FM. She’s host of The House of Wellness, she’s authored children’s books, and recently she founded Broad Radio, a radio station for women, by women.

Broad Radio – https://broadradio.com.au/

Debra Kaswoski says fear is very powerful and inhibits much of what we want to achieve. The antidote, she says, is action. Even the smallest actions can lead to big results.  Based in Canada, Debra’s a life coach, executive coach, TED-X Speaker, best-selling author, and host of the Millionaire Woman Podcast.

Debra Kasowski — https://debrakasowski.com/

If you find you don’t have enough hours in the day, perhaps your systems are letting you down. As a business operations consultant, Charlotte Isaac helps busy people with their systems. She’s a living example of making sure she has the time to do the things she wants to do, like travelling to exotic places such as Zimbabwe.

Charlotte Isaac — https://charlotteisaac.com/

Have you thought much about your brand and how others perceive you? Do people get a good sense of who you are and what you’re about? Brand creator Bec Hughes wants you to raise your brand bar. If you’re in business, she says it’s important to align your personal brand with your business brand. She explains to host Emma McQueen how to do exactly that.

Bec Hughes – https://bechughes.com/

Hypnotherapy can help you achieve better health, be more motivated and successful, overcome struggle, and generally be a happier you. That’s according to Victoria Gallagher, a worldwide leader in hypnotherapy, international speaker, and life coach.

She’s also author of the best-selling ‘Practical Law of Attraction’, the #1 best-selling hypnosis book on Amazon for two years. Emma McQueen and Victoria chat not only about the benefits of hypnotherapy, but also meditation and mindfulness, both of which Emma admits have worked wonders in her own life.

Victoria Gallagher – https://victoriamgallagher.com/

Sara Borowiak had spent years working in sales, marketing and event management for some big names in Australia and the UK. Her roles have included Marketing Communications Manager at the Park Hyatt in Melbourne and Marketing & Events Manager at the National Geographic store in Regent Street, London. In 2014,

Sara launched her own company, Inka Creative, to support other businesses with their own marketing endeavours and offer a positive and lasting impact at the same time. Sara’s also a committee member for Hobson’s Bay City Council and a board member of the Williamstown Football Club. Not only is she a passionate supporter of local communities, her participation’s also good for business.

Inka Creative – https://www.inkacreative.com.au/

Michelle Markham has had an incredible and rewarding career in STEM. She’s been with Microsoft for the past 16 years and today she has the lofty title of Asia Director, Cloud Acquisition Digital Sales. She’s a champion for girls (and boys) everywhere – including her own four kids – that it’s possible to achieve whatever you want to achieve if you put the effort in and do your best.

When Jordyn Evans was looking for ingredients at the supermarket for her recipes, she was more than annoyed that they all contained sugars, preservatives, and other nasties. So, she thought she’d fill the gap by making her own seasonings in her parents’ kitchen. That was the birth of Mingle Seasonings in 2015. Today it’s a multi-million-dollar company, found in 2000 stockists across Australia, including Coles and Woolworths. Host Emma McQueen chats with Jordyn about the journey and what motivates her to succeed.

Mingle Seasoning – https://www.mingleseasoning.com/

Getting out and into nature always seems to clear our head and just make us feel a whole lot better, doesn’t it? Problem is we can’t always get out into the bush whenever we’d like. COVID’s made sure of that! So, it’s important that the space close to you – whether it’s the backyard or kids’ playground – is designed in a way that’s enjoyable.

Emma McQueen’s guest is Debbie Laporte, owner and director of Orterra, a landscape architecture practice in Brisbane. She knows how good design – combining water, trees and land – entices people to use a particular space. And she has tips for your own backyard.

Orterra – https://www.orterra.com.au/

Branka Injac Misic is an expert in UX, or user experience. She’s a cofounder of GigSuper, tailored for those who have their own business or don’t have a regular employment, so super contributions tend to be forgotten. Her role is to make only customer experience easier. On top of that, she has another business One Tiny Tribe. She discusses with host Emma McQueen how she’s embraced the philosophy of 1% continuous improvement.

GigSuper
https://www.gigsuper.com.au/

One Tiny Tribe
https://www.onetinytribe.com/

Sarah Sabell is CEO of The College for Adult Learning, which was formed in 2009 to counter the cookie-cutter, one-size-fits-all courses offered by traditional tertiary institutions.  Emma McQueen asks her how she handles the pressures and expectations of CEO, how COVID has affected the industry, and what advice she has for anyone who’s looking to improve themselves and their careers.

The College for Adult Learning – https://collegeforadultlearning.edu.au/

Erika Cramer is known as The Queen of Confidence, and she’s created her own Queendom to help empower other women transform their lives by being more confident. It’s not easy to do, in fact, as the title of Erika’s new book states: ‘Confidence Feels Like Shit!: The truth about confidence and what it really takes to create it’. Erika discusses with Emma McQueen the trauma she’s faced and the lessons she’s learnt from near-death experience. This interview is one wild ride!

The Queen of Confidence – https://thequeenofconfidence.com/

For a copy of Emma’s book, ‘Go-getter: Raise your mojo, shift your mindset and thrive’. Click here

Lawyer Tracey Mylecharane was disenchanted with traditional law firms. After rising to partner at a commercial law office, she left and started her own practice, TM Solicitor, to help small business and entrepreneurs get a handle on their legal issues. She gives Emma McQueen a basic legal checklist for those thinking of starting a business or who might already have one. 

TM Solicitor – https://tmsolicitor.com.au/

For a copy of Emma’s book, ‘Go-getter: Raise your mojo, shift your mindset and thrive’. Click here

Pamela Jabbour is founder and CEO of Total Image Group, a company which supplies uniforms for some of Australia’s largest brands, including Woolworths, Dan Murphy’s, and the 2018 Australian Winter Olympic Team. Pamela was in her early 20s when she founded Total Image Group about 15 years ago. As she explains to Emma McQueen, its success today came from a lot of hard work and a lot of cold-calling in those early days.

Total Image Group – https://totalimagegroup.com.au/

Capsule Collection Wardrobe – https://capsulecollectionwardrobe.com.au/

Hard work, passion and business nous were the qualities which had propelled Colleen Callander to the dizzying heights of CEO of two iconic Australian fashion brands, Sportsgirl and Sussan. But, she very nearly didn’t get there.

Colleen was saying yes to everyone and everything – trying to please everyone – and that resulted in her hitting the proverbial brick wall. Yep, she was completely exhausted! And needed time away to look after herself.

Colleen’s written a book about her experience. It’s called Leader by Design, with inspiring lessons from her 30 years in retail.

Colleen Callander – https://www.colleencallander.com.au/

Mel Wooding is on a mission to inspire the sisterhood to come together through courage and generosity. Her online store, Sister & Soul, offers jewellery and giftware products attached with inspiring words to honour the women who are special to us. She launched the brand just 4 years ago;  in recent months it has faced incredible growth.

Sister & Soul – https://www.sisterandsoul.com.au/

This episode the inquisitor becomes the inquisitee: Emma McQueen reflects on her own life and career and how she’s helping women in leadership and business develop their own unique strengths. Emma explains why she loves coaching and offers some lessons for anyone changing career or starting their own business.

Claire Gorman’s mission is to help women get real results. Claire is owner of Holistic Image on the Mornington Peninsula near Melbourne, and she’s serious about offering a holistic approach to her clients by bringing their inner beauty to the surface. Claire incorporates Theta Healing, an energy healing technique which blew her mind when she first came across it. Claire is full of positivity and has an infectious personality – a big part of the reason her clients come back time and again.

Holistic Image — https://holisticimage.com.au/

Since the very first episode of Tea with the Queen, today’s guest has been the guru behind the podcast. Chris Ashmore has spent more than a decade producing spoken-word audio programs and today is one of Australia’s leading podcast producers. His work includes podcasts for Officeworks, the Australian Government, the Melbourne Food & Wine Festival, the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons, Bristol Myers Squibb, and Chartered Accountants Australia and NZ. That’s to name just a few! He’s also a judge at the Australian Podcast Awards and international Webby Awards. He explains to Emma McQueen what makes a good podcast and has lots of tips on how to do it right.

Chris Ashmore — https://chrisashmore.me/

Dr Lucy Burns had struggled with her weight for most of her life. She has muscular dystrophy which impairs her mobility. She became overweight and insulin resistant, until she adopted a low-carb lifestyle. The results have been life-changing. She has teamed up with a fellow GP, to share their wisdom and provide programs for other women who have always battled their own weight. It’s called Real Life Medicine, and she discusses with Emma McQueen the journey she took to build her venture.

Real Life Medicine – https://www.rlmedicine.com

Kylie Broadfoot is a mindset coach and a mentor. Someone who empowers women business owners to live a life they love. Before Kylie founded her consultancy, KMB Coaching, she worked for many years as an occupational therapist, helping people with disability to return to the workforce or to study. Kylie’s got many lessons to share for those in business looking to get the most out of what they do.

KMB Coaching – https://www.kmbcoaching.com.au/

Originally from the UK, Laura Harris completed a Bachelors degree in Germany, then moved to New Zealand, where she founded a fashion label, and later was a key member of a tech start-up. These days she’s in Melbourne, where she’s started a new venture, Go Above & Beyond, a business which offers a unique and tailored corporate gifting service. She’s the quintessential entrepreneur and go-getter – someone herself who goes above and beyond!

Go Above & Beyond – https://www.goaboveandbeyond.com.au/

Debbie Wood has been a graphic designer and illustrator for 20 years. She’s worked at some major firms, including Arup and Axa. These days she runs her own outfit, Debbie Wood Creative. Debbie “performs” graphic recording – a way of capturing what’s said in a conference or presentation through illustrations in real time. Host of Tea with the Queen, Emma McQueen, often uses Debbie’s incredible talents to bring her own presentations to life.

Debbie Wood – https://debbiewood.com.au/

Renee Giarrusso personifies the go-getter spirit. For more than 22 years, Renee’s helped lift the collective mindset of some of Australia’s leading brands. She’s run 3000 programs and conducted more than 2,500 coaching sessions. Plus, she’s published three books, including her latest, ‘Gift Mindset: Unwrap the 12 gifts to lead and live a life of purpose, connection and contribution’. She talks to Emma McQueen about why the gift mindset is so important and what are some of the barriers which hold women back from achieving a gift mindset.

For a copy of Renee Giarrusso’s book, Gift Mindset, and free download goodies – https://www.giftmindset.com

Renee Giarrusso – https://reneegiarrusso.com

Div Pillay is the ultimate go-getter; she’s someone who’s had a remarkable journey personally and professionally. Migrating from South Africa almost more than 15 years ago, Div has built an incredible career in her new homeland. She’s a board member of STREAT, national chair of the Diversity & Inclusion Committee of AmCham, a judge at the Telstra Business Women’s Awards…and CEO of Mind Tribes, an organisation which helps build high-performing teams by embracing the diversity in their people. Such an inspiration!

MindTribes – https://mindtribes.com.au/

For a copy of Emma’s book, ‘Go-getter: Raise your mojo, shift your mindset and thrive’. Click here

When COVID-19 hit last year, Kelli Brown had already established her flower and bouquet business, Petal Provedore. The fact she had no physical store was just as well, as other retailers had to shut shop for a significant time when Melbourne went through a hard lockdown. Kelli tells host Emma McQueen how she left the corporate world and – with a leap of faith – launched her online business.

Petal Provedore – https://www.petalprovedore.com.au/

Sue Dafnias is not only a scientist, she’s also a strategic marketing and business development leader. Sue’s VP of Market Development & Strategy at Planet Innovation, a health-tech innovation and commercialisation company. She tells host Emma McQueen about her current role and gives insights for those looking to map out their own careers.

For a copy of Emma’s book, ‘Go-getter: Raise your mojo, shift your mindset and thrive’. Click here

Farah Mak is an Australian actress with roles in Neighbours, the ABC’s Utopia and the recent film, The Very Excellent Mr Dundee. She tells host Emma McQueen that her passion is self-worth. She’s founded the The Self-Worth Movement to empower women to discover their true worth and find their authentic voices.

The Self-Worth Movement – https://www.theselfworthmovement.com/

Until recently, Melissa Bugge was a leader in organisational change and strategic planning at World Vision Australia. Over the years Melissa’s held various leadership roles at the well-known not-for-profit. She explains to Emma McQueen how she handles responsibility, and who she looks up to as a leader.

Alison Jackson has been an audiologist ever since she completed her Masters of Audiological Studies from the University of Queensland in 2008. Always striving to develop herself professionally, Alison’s been committed to bettering herself as a leader and nurturing high-performance teams. Alison shares her career journey with Emma McQueen.

We all know by now how important social media is for business. But what exactly are the best online tools? What should you be posting? Does email marketing work? To answer those questions and more is social media expert and founder of Sam Says, Sam McFarlane. She explains to Emma McQueen all the ins and outs of online content management, and discusses her own journey as a business owner.

Check out Sam Says – https://www.samsays.com.au

Niamh O’Malley used to run an elite event-cleaning business. Among several lucrative international contracts, she was awarded the Vancouver Winter Olympics in 2010. Today, Niamh’s Director of Shared Services at Brotherhood of St Laurence. She shares her journey and lessons in leadership with Emma McQueen.

In her earlier years, Alison Drew-Forster was an industrial relations lawyer. That experience helped her gain valuable insights into the often-contentious goings-on inside the workplace. And, so began her fascination with corporate culture. Alison founded Workology Co in 2017 to advise businesses on how to build a great culture. As she tells host Emma McQueen, if employees love the place they work, then the benefits naturally flow on to the business’s bottom line.

Check out Workology Co. – https://workologyco.com.au

Bec Glover was Chief Financial Officer for four years at World Vision Australia. Today she’s moved on to an equally demanding role: she’s now a senior director at World Vision International. Bec discusses with Emma McQueen the current challenges for not-for-profit sector: it’s becoming more fragmented and raising money is getting harder.

Fifteen years ago, Fi Mims left the corporate world to follow her passion: photography. Each day she helps others in business look great on their websites, in social media and their marketing collateral. Fi calls herself a ‘Visual Content Strategist’. In other words, she helps business owners, thought leaders and career professionals look their absolute best in front of the camera.

Check out Fi Mims Photography – https://www.fimimsphotography.com.au/

Every day Sophie Kost helps homeowners with their interior design. As director and lead designer of My Beautiful Abode, Sophie gets a real kick out of educating people about modern trends and how to use the space in their homes to reflect their personalities. In this episode, she explains to Emma McQueen how she’s as busy as ever making homes beautiful and inviting spaces.

Check out My Beautiful Abode – https://www.mybeautifulabode.com.au/

In this episode: Julie Doyle has spent 20+ years building a successful business. She runs Cocoon Business Solutions – a recent rebrand, from what used to be called JEDs Bookkeeping. Julie’s faced her own challenges along the way, but the defining factor in her business’s longevity has been the value she places in the relationships with her staff and her clients.

Check out Cocoon Business Solutions – https://www.cocoonbusinesssolutions.com.au/

In this episode: Strengths enthusiast Melitta Hardenberg reckons focusing on the positive helps drive better performance and fosters a better team culture. And, she would know: she’s had a career in leadership, culture and organisational development at some of Australia’s leading companies. In this episode, she explains to Emma McQueen about her passion in developing better workplace cultures.

In this episode:  Who doesn’t want better self-esteem, a better mind-set and be able to perform better at work? It’s scientifically proven that dressing well can set you up – psychologically – to perform well. Nicole Vine is a personality stylist – she helps curate wardrobes that work…for women who work. She discusses with Emma McQueen some of the biggest challenges women face when it comes to creating their own style; and, she offers some tips on how to find your best look.

Check out Nicole Vine Personal Stylist – https://nicolevine.com.au/

In this episode: In March, COVID-19 sent huge shockwaves through the personal health and fitness industries. Karen Andrea felt the full brunt of the lockdown as she was forced to temporarily close her Viva Life Fitness studios in Melbourne’s outer eastern suburbs. Karen’s decision to quickly set up lessons online allowed the business to get through the other side.

Check out Viva Life Fitness – https://www.vivalifefitness.com.au/

In this episode: Buying a property is often the biggest purchase you’ll ever make. So how can you make sure you get the right deal and manage the stress levels at the same time? Lisa Stafford has the experience and insights to help buyers and sellers navigate the clandestine world of property. Lisa is a 25-year veteran in real estate and owner of her own successful business, AJ Stafford. She shares some of her buying and selling tips with Emma McQueen.

Check out AJ Stafford – https://www.ajstafford.com.au/

In this episode: To be a Chief Operating Officer of an organisation, you need to know a lot about a wide range of things. Also, you need the experience and the confidence to lead others who are experts in those areas. Jill Roche has built that knowledge from her career both in the corporate world and at not-for-profits. After 10 years with World Vision – a huge organisation – Jill took a sabbatical to be Chief Operating Officer at the much smaller Brave Foundation. Emma McQueen asks, why the change and how that fits with her career goals.

Check out Brave Foundation – https://bravefoundation.org.au/

In this episode: Clinical social worker and psychotherapist, Caroline Burrows has had to learn pretty quickly how to run a business and all those things that come with it, like cashflow, time management and leading a team of other professionals. Caroline is Director of Mindful Living, a counselling and psychology practice in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs. It’s remarkable how level-headed she continues to be while running her own business and at the same time being committed to her own patients. Caroline is also an accredited EMDR trainer and consultant. If you haven’t heard of EMDR before, it’ll blow your socks off. She shares with Emma McQueen what motivates her and how she handles her own stress.
Check out Mindful Living – https://www.mindfulliving.com.au/

In this episode: Do you know how to communicate well? Often neglected, written communication is crucial for credibility and success in business. Holly Cardamone is a communication expert who helps business owners and leaders write effective and impactful copy. She has her own business, Blue51, a job she absolutely loves and the flexibility that comes with it. She chats with Emma about the fulfillment she gets from helping her clients, and the lessons she learnt from running a business for decades.

Check out Holly Cardamone’s Blue 51: https://www.blue51.com.au/

In this episode: Sonia Bilejic has had an incredible career in leadership positions at some of the most iconic brands, including head of marketing at Walt Disney Studios and head of marketing at Cricket Australia. Today, she’s Director of Marketing and Engagement at the Brotherhood of Saint Laurence. She’s also a lecturer at Swinburne University. In this episode, Emma McQueen chats with Sonia about what it means to be a leader and whether anyone can be one.

In this episode: What’s it like to run a business with your partner? How do you switch off when you get home? Can it strain the relationship? Bel Temby admits it can be challenging, but she and her husband, Mike, have discovered they each have certain skills which complement the work they do. Bel discusses with Emma the motivation behind Digital Services Lab, a digital agency servicing charities and the non-profit sector that she founded with Mike three years ago. Check out Digital Services Lab – https://digitalserviceslab.com.au/