Nikki Tugano, MAPPCP

💸Are you relocating to New Zealand? As soon as you know you're moving start monitoring exchange rates. ➡️It’s never too early to begin, and we recommend that you start making a plan well in advance. 😄This way, you have a better chance of achieving a great exchange rate. 😱Don’t leave it to the last minute as you will have to accept the exchange rate available at the time, which may not be in your favour! #relocation #resettlement #exaptsupportservicesnz

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In this snippet from FinEx 2024, I share my own career evolution—how the realisation that success without fulfillment led me to reinvent my path. If you’re seeking a deeper alignment between your career and your passions, this might resonate with you. Through this journey, I discovered some valuable insights that shaped not only my career but my approach to leadership and life. Here are a few reflections from that experience: ⁕ The Power of Reflection: Coaching allowed me to transition from chasing external measures of success to seeking true fulfillment. It’s about aligning what you do with who you are at your core. ⁕ Leadership Insights: My own experiences with ineffective leaders reinforced the importance of developing strong, compassionate leadership. How have the leaders in your life shaped the way you lead today? ⁕ Career Reinvention: Even at the executive level, there is always room to realign your career with your deeper purpose. What would it take for you to embrace a new direction that truly reflects your strengths and passions? Watch here: https://lnkd.in/gmhXmNVT I hope my journey offers inspiration—it may very well be the catalyst for your own career transformation. #executivecoaching #leadershipdevelopment #executivepresence #careerreinvention #cfo #womeninleadership #finex

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No co-host? No problem. This week, I’m taking the mic solo to unpack the stories shaping the Australian startup world - and trust me, there’s a lot to cover in under 10 minutes. 🛑 Social Media Ban: A Quick Fix or a Missed Opportunity? The ban on social media for under-16s has passed, and while the intent might be good, the execution feels like a classic band-aid on a bullet wound. Here’s what I can’t stop thinking about: 📱 Fake Age Profiles: Kids will find a workaround faster than we can say “compliance.” 🧠 The Real Problem? Social media platforms still dodge responsibility for bullying, body image issues and harmful content. 💡 The Missed Opportunity: What if we tackled these issues at the source instead of punishing the user? While well-meaning, this move feels rushed and reactionary. Social media can be a lifeline for connection and community - especially for teens who need support. Cutting off access without solving the why might do more harm than good. Check out my quick take in the reel 🎥👇 and tell me: Do you think this law fixes the problem, or is it another example of missing the mark?

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How do you land a job at a unicorn? 🦄 I enjoyed chatting with Tess at The Australian Financial Review about this. And in the process, also reading about great tips from Mary and Lorraine from Canva, and Adam and Hatch. Five takeaways: ❤️‍🔥 Show your passion: Know the company's product well. It stands out if you've used and know the product. Know the mission. Act like an owner. 💬 Connect: Get close to your recruiter, or someone you know at the company. Learn more about they're actually looking for, to make sure you're a match. 🔀 Comfort with ambiguity: Give examples of how you can navigate ambiguity. Show how you can proactively make sense from chaos. 🤔 Ask insightful questions: Research the company in the news. Ask about something that impacts both the role and the company. 5️⃣ A blank one for you! What is your tip? Full story here: https://lnkd.in/gwZvN-t9

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This month's Aussie Founders Club meet up on Community Building is one you don't want to miss!! Date of Event: Thursday the 15th of August! Building a community can be a huge driver in differentiating your startup from the others in the mix. It can be the joy of your founder life to pull together passionate advocates, connected by the purpose of your business, and the reason it becomes clear to investors that your business could achieve 10x / $100 million dollar status. SO, I've pulled together some of the best community builders in the Ecosystem to share their wisdom with us. Let me introduce the panel: Alan Crabbe co-founder of Birchal & pozible. These are some of the original platforms that saw Australian Founders bypass traditional investors to allow their communities to directly support AU Startups and Businesses in their raise. And now he's back to work building Frontcover - a platform we personally use to centralise our community and recently secured funding from Antler!! 🎉🎉🎉 Paz Pisarski co-founder of The Community Collective, a community for community builders in the startup space. The CC runs THE community cohort that has been behind leveling up some of Australia's best community builders. They have just opened applications for Cohort 5 and if you haven't already seen, Paz has managed to secure Seth Godin as a speaker!! Frances Goh, Head of Community of One Roof, go-to business community for women entrepreneurs. If you're a female entrepreneur in Victoria, you'd be hardpressed to not have heard of One Roof. With Frances at the helm of the community front, One Roof has built a space for Women to connect, learn, and grow together - something we are looking to emulate with the wider Founder Community in Melbourne. I'm looking forward to hearing our panels insights on the role Community can play in the growth of Startups and Businesses alike. If you are too, secure your seat via our event on Luma or Meetup! Also, if you think I pulled this panel together so I could learn from them myself, no I didn't... 😂 Rick Giner EverestEngineering Tom Webster Craig Brown

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How I measure design success for my clients? (I serve a diverse clientele) Every client needs a different version of me. For an Aussie founder: - More free time for family and kids For a solopreneur consultant: - More focus on the business vs in the business For a B2B SaaS Copywriter: - Leveraging my 5+ years of design experience For an agency owner: - My creative direction for their full-time hires I give my best. They love it. For every client I make sure to: * Overdeliver * Create an easy process * Be clear on what they need Good design creates a smile in the mind. To me, every smile matters. Every design matters.

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Here's my 2024 LinkedIn RE:wind, by Coauthor: 2024 Waz quite the reset! Key transformations during ther year that shaped our collective extraordinary: → Developed "Missions Co-Lab" approach for tackling major industry problems like Net Zero and Mental Health → Landed role on Australia's largest IT transformation project (650+ sites!) → Added Project Management to my toolkit while studying Responsible AI → Achieved 1 year alcohol-free milestone (turns out nature is the best medicine) → Taught Startup Governance and Ethics in Tech at La Trobe University Three posts that resonated most with our community: "2024 Year-End Reflection" On transforming crisis into opportunity and reaching peak well-being https://lnkd.in/gCxrPkke "Job Search & Capabilities Announcement" Why adaptive leadership means speaking Gen-Alpha through Boomer https://lnkd.in/gppjvx8i "Meeting Mariana Mazzucato" Three steps to economic transformation in Australia https://lnkd.in/g_95S78c Looking ahead to 2025: Ready to launch a new tech venture combining responsible AI with community impact. Plus more Missions Co-Lab sessions tackling the big problems - Net Zero, Mental Health, Social Procurement. To every innovator navigating transformation: your resilience matters more than your resume. The future needs our collective extraordinary, and sometimes the biggest resets lead to the most powerful impact. Oh the serenity #ResponsibleAI #Innovation #Ethics

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As We Step Into 2025 – Let’s Talk About Change and Support At LME Coaching (www.lmecoaching.com), we’re proud to head into the new year with an incredible team of dedicated coaches across Australia and New Zealand. Our mission is simple: to empower companies and their employees as they navigate restructure, redundancy, and redeployment in 2025. We believe that change, while challenging, brings new opportunities for growth—when the right support is in place. That’s why we partner with forward-thinking organisations committed to stepping up and offering personalised coaching platforms to their teams. Why coaching? Our experienced coaches work with your teams, managers, and employees to: ✅ Build resilience and confidence during change. ✅ Navigate new roles and responsibilities with clarity. ✅ Foster a positive, growth-focused company culture. We offer flexible support options: • Weekly or monthly coaching programs tailored to your needs. • Ad-hoc support for teams and individuals. • Proven strategies to uplift and empower your people. If your organisation is ready to lead the way in supporting employees during change while cultivating a workplace culture of care and opportunity, we’d love to chat! Discover how we can help transform your culture with real results: Reach out to us today at www.lmecoaching.com Together, we can make 2025 a year of growth and success for your people and your business. #Leadership #Coaching #ChangeManagement #Resilience #CareerGrowth #2025Vision #Australia #NewZealand #LMECoaching

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🎙️EP2: Career, Purpose & Wellbeing with Holly Rees In the second episode of the Wellbeing Provocateur Podcast I’m sharing the recent webinar interview with Career Space NZ Founder and Coach Holly Rees. Our thought-provoking conversation is guaranteed to get you thinking about how you can design a “sustainable career” as we dive into the art of crafting a career that aligns with one's values, purpose, and overall wellbeing. Here’s what we cover: 📌 Purpose, Vision & Values 🔍 Zone of Genuis 📈 Progress over perfection 😎 Confidence over Comparison 🌱 Career Impact on Wellbeing 📚 Getting the basics right to enable change 🍂 Seasons of Life, Transitions & Change 👨‍🏫 Coaching & The Power of Action   You can find my key takeouts in the show notes 🗝️ We’d love to hear what’s the one thing you’re going to do differently after listening to this episode? You can answer via the Q&A on the Spotify app or reach out to Holly or myself via the links below. Also please share this episode with your workmates, friends and family that would benefit - you never know how this very episode could change someone’s life! And finally I’d be so grateful if you could please rate the show on Spotify and hit the follow button so we can introduce more people to be part of this epic community! ▶️ LISTEN NOW ON SPOTIFY https://lnkd.in/gR9iacqa #career #purpose #values #careercoach #careerwellbeing #podcast #wellbeingprovocateur #wellbeingfirst #wellbeingtick

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The more I connect with like-minded leaders, the more I see the power of impact-driven business. It’s why I love what I do and the incredible clients we work with daily. One standout story is our recent work with RUNN SOFTWARE a New Zealand-based #BCorp. They found us through the BCorp directory, seeking a partner who shares their ethical values. Their thoughtful selection and interview process ensured their values were upheld throughout. We placed our first candidate with them, and they were so thrilled that they’ve already entrusted us with another role. We also collaborate with clients like Ranger Power (renewable energy), and Regenified™ (regenerative agriculture), and Ritual Zero Proof (non alcoholic spirits). These companies are dedicated to making a positive impact, and it's been a privilege to support their missions by finding the right talent. We’re proud to partner with companies that see the bigger picture and strive to make a meaningful impact. Thoughtful recruitment and a focus on values create a more engaged and effective workforce. P.S. Do you know a company that prioritizes values and impact? Give them a shoutout in the comments! #PurposeDriven #BusinessImpact #CreativeAlignments #Recruitment #Leadership

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Here’s the Workshop Wrap up from the last month or so with some EPIC businesses: I loved being back with Ideagen, Plant Assessor team, for their Culture Reset. This team is high-energy, super smart and does incredible work. First trip to Townsville to kick off a 6 month emerging leaders program with Ravenswood Gold. The leadership team are so engaged, driven and keen to grow. Then to Adelaide to launch a 6 month leader program with Mossop Constructions Executive and Management team. I loved seeing this leadership team take action between sessions. It’s the best part of the job. We wrapped up our 6 month talent development program with Brisbane Airport. Hearing the group talk about how they’ve grown and implemented what they’ve learnt was so magic. Plus every session was SO fun. We ran a custom Culture Project with MESHKI to help them create their Culture Non-negotiables. They are unstoppable, as always. Then Melbourne with Hud Skin for a Culture workshop with their dreamy team who are the BEST in the business. Love how they invest so much in their people. And we spent the day with The Digital Picnic team for their Culture Reset and wowwwww. They are so curious, authentic and obsessed with learning and growing. Love getting to work with so many amazing businesses, and see people turn their aha moments into action. #leadership #HR

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"The first person on the Post Growth Australia Podcast who is working towards change from within the business sector." That's me. What an honor :-) In the episode, we talk about: · Mine and Oscar's journey from agency to Post Growth Guide · Our handbook "Setting Limits to Growth"; why we wrote it, what you can learn in the handbook, and what we have learned from publishing it · Business cases: Why no one is perfect, some come close, and a few specific examples of businesses we can learn from · My Top 4 for worst excuses for sustainability non-action: And how to counter one of them · Why I believe it makes sense to work from within the business sector (Post Growth Guide's theory of change) Listen here (and if you have any questions after listening, let me know): https://lnkd.in/gfqwMdzs

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👏 MENTOR FEATURE: Kate Tongue 👏 Join our HR mentoring program today to be matched with an amazing mentor like Kate. 👇   🔥 Kate Tongue Melbourne, Australia 20+ years of HR experience “I started in HR about 20 years ago, and since then, have really enjoyed working across various industries - both the public and private sector, and more recently, starting my own consulting business. I can’t wait to give back and help others through this mentorship program.” Industries: 🚀 Allied Health 🚀 Government  🚀 Construction/Landscaping  🚀 Professional services 🚀 Retail/wholesale Areas of expertise: 🤓End to end HR 🤓HR Strategy and Framework 🤓Policies/award application 🤓Performance management 🤓Managing unwell /burnout staff Key advice for HR:  "Successful small businesses don’t leave their HR to chance—they set the tone with clear expectations, strong systems, and proactive planning. By investing in setting up the right tools and processes now, you avoid the chaos of reactive decisions later - because thriving businesses don’t make it up as they go." ✅ Join the waitlist for Brancher's HR mentoring program in collaboration with humaneer today (link in comments below). #hrmentoringprogram #hrmentoring #mentoringprogram #mentoringplatform #branchermentoring

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Why Mantel Group Is a Best Place to Work: Trust, Integrity, and Employee-Centric Culture Since its inception in 2017, Mantel Group has rapidly grown, doubling its headcount from 2022 to 2024. But their focus remains steadfast: cultivating a superior workplace culture in Australian and New Zealand consulting services. CEO Con Mouzouris shared that the company's vision was set even before its founding—to build a technology consultancy where people are central to every aspect. This commitment to a people-first approach is evident in their five-year partnership with Great Place To Work® Australia New Zealand Pty Ltd®. Caroline Henshaw, Chief People Officer, emphasized that the Trust Index™ survey from Great Place To Work® has been crucial in shaping Mantel’s employee experience. The survey’s detailed feedback helps Mantel refine its strategies, ensuring they meet high standards of collaboration, trust, and ethical leadership. Mantel’s culture is defined by its unique flat hierarchy and self-management principles. Employees, or "Mantelorians," thrive in an environment where feedback drives continuous improvement. This democratic approach, coupled with personalised career development through "My Deal," exemplifies how Mantel listens to and acts on employee needs. With 89% of Mantel’s 850 employees rating it as a great workplace, it’s clear that a strong commitment to trust, integrity, and employee-centred culture leads to exceptional results. #culture #greatplacetowork #gptw4all #leadership https://lnkd.in/gPFmmpRA

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As a business leader in Aotearoa New Zealand, here's a short video providing a simple yet powerful message on how to build and sustain a successful team. A nice reminder, that I hope helps in some way. The best leaders and teams create: 1) Psychological Safety - they do this by; - creating a safe environment: meaning they ensure team members feel safe to take risks, voice opinions, and share ideas without fear of judgment. - encouraging vulnerability: meaning they foster openness by allowing team members to share challenges, building trust and support. 2) Equality in Conversational Turn-Taking - they foster this by; - balancing participation: meaning they ensure all team members have equal opportunities to speak, avoiding dominance by any one person. 3) Value contributions: meaning they recognise the value in every member’s input, regardless of role or expertise. 4) Ostentatious Listening - they do this by; - actively listening: meaning they show you’re listening by summarizing others’ points, maintaining eye contact, and minimising distractions. - engaging fully: meaning they give undivided attention when others speak, reinforcing their value within the team. 5) Foster a Collaborative Culture - they do this by; - encouraging teamwork: meaning they prioritise collaboration over competition, measuring success by collective achievements. - supporting and respecting: meaning they cultivate mutual support and respect for each other’s ideas and goals. 6) Embrace Diversity in Team Dynamics - they do this by; - embracing diverse perspectives: meaning success depends on how team members interact, not specific personality types. They embrace diverse backgrounds and thinking styles. - creating an inclusive environment: meaning they create a culture where everyone feels they belong and can contribute meaningfully. 7) Continuous Improvement - they do this by; - reflecting and adapting: meaning they regularly assess and adjust team dynamics and processes to enhance psychological safety and effectiveness. - encouraging feedback: meaning they welcome constructive feedback to improve team collaboration continually. 8) Leadership as Facilitation - they do this by; - leading by example: meaning they model equality in conversation and ostentatious listening, setting the tone for the team. - empowering others: meaning they facilitate success by empowering team members to take ownership of their roles, rather than directing or controlling. I hope this is a helpful and timely reminder. Ngā manaakitanga ^KT

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Graeme doesnt that beg the question? Upskill to what end? Restructure for what reason? Management literature tells us that restructures happen with very predictable frequency. Usually for very little financial benefit. If leadership is frequently pointing the company (and its people) in the wrong direction, what does it matter if they get 10% better at doing the new (wrong) thing overnight?

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The 4 Attributes I Look for in a Candidate During the Hiring Process Here is my latest feature in an expert opinion piece in "The Big Smoke Australia." The article, "Onboarding Beyond Qualifications," explores the nuances of effective onboarding strategies that prioritise cultural fit and potential over just qualifications. While qualifications may be a baseline for many hiring decisions and cultural alignment is a non-negotiable, it is the inherent intangibles that truly determine the potential of a candidate to achieve long-term success and cohesion within your team. There are four attributes I look for in a candidate that are indelibly cast, regardless of the environment, training, management or circumstances: attitude, character, emotional intelligence, and personality. I place more or less emphasis on each of these depending on the position, but they are all core interpersonal attributes, or soft skills. For example, you might not need a programmer who works remotely to have a sparkling personality or exceptional emotional intelligence, but a good attitude, strong work ethic, and a team mentality help enormously when pooling their skills with the rest of your team. Conversely, a salesperson would likely benefit from great EI and a sparkling personality. These form the foundation of how a person interacts with others, handles challenges, and navigates the work environment. These attributes go beyond technical qualifications and reflect a person’s inner attributes, making them a critical factor when building cohesive, resilient, and high-performing teams. These behavioural traits or foundational qualities invariably predict long-term success and cultural fit within your organisation. Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/g8qeEnQR #HumanResources #Onboarding #WorkplaceCulture

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At the Launch Vic Awards Nights, there was a lot of talk about the VC’s in our ecosystem, and quite a bit of mention of Angel Syndicates, but no mention of Venture Studios. In fact when people ask me what I do, I often have to explain what a Venture Studio is. So let me make the Venture Studio pitch. Firstly, what is a Venture Studio? Venture Studios give life to startups in two main ways. 1. Ideas are incubated and validated within the Venture Studio, once validated, the team finds the external resources/ people needed to bring the idea to life. 2. External founders brings ideas to Venture Studios, in which the Venture Studio provides services and resources to the founder in exchange for equity. So who is a Venture Studio good for? High Quality Founders, with scalable ideas: The success of a Venture Studio relies on the success of the startups they work with so naturally Venture Studios are looking for the highest quality founders / startups. Early stage founders who are missing a technical partner: During the early days of your startup, if you don’t have a technical partner, you generally require investment or you need to take significant financial risk to fund your MVP build. While most investors won’t want to invest until you have a functional MVP, this is the exact stage many Venture Studio’s like to play in. Why choose a Venture Studio over a development agency? Your developers will have skin in the game The app development process often goes wrong, because building apps is hard. If things go wrong, it’s easy for relationships to sour, and shortcuts to be made. Since Venture Studio’s success is so heavily tied into the success of their startups, by choosing a Venture Studio you have the peace of mind that your developers are so heavily incentivised to deliver an awesome product. Support beyond development Again because the success of the Venture Studios are so heavily tied to the success of the startup, it’s in the our best interest to ensure you are supported beyond your product build. So when it comes to GTM, capital raising and beyond, we aim to provide support and introductions where we. De-risk your financial position So this is the obvious benefit, get to launch without paying or paying a lot less. All of this is not to say, VC’s, Angel’s, Dev Shops all don’t play an important role in this ecosystem, I just feel the Venture Studio voice needs to be heard a bit louder.

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"I think when people feel seen and understood they feel more engaged, there is more trust, and when there is more trust it is better and easier to have good productive conversations, even when things might get tough" Thanks Chloe for sharing the VendorPanel story today. I love this sentiment and hearing how TALY is making it easy for leaders to feel #confident in connecting with their people - from recruitment and into the teams. The best! 🙌 #personality #hrtech #ai TALY Australia

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