Inspiration to drive action
Our bootcamp provides motivation and inspiration to drive action within your business. It includes exclusive videos, podcasts and articles, plus hands-on activities to help you make change and lead business growth.
Topics include the neuroscience of leadership, business innovation, rostering for profit and more.
Actionable insights to help you sustain your business through the current challenges and emerge stronger than ever.
Day 1: Optimism
Guests: Megan Larnach-Jones (WHSmith) | Dominique Lamb (National Retail Association) | Ivan Brewer (Restaurantology)
In unpredictable times, maintaining a sense of optimism can be the only thing that gets us through. In our first bootcamp session we hear good news stories from the retail and hospitality industries all over the world and discover practical ways to stay positive even when the odds seem stacked against us.
Day 2: People and talent
Guest: Megan Larnach-Jones (WHSmith)
Caring for our people and nurturing talent is more important than ever during times of change. This session explores why empathy is the most important tool in any leader’s kit, and provides practical and hands-on guides to help you make the transition back to “normality”.
Day 3: Pivoting your business
Guest: Alison Berry (PS Cafe)
They say necessity is the mother of invention, and during these turbulent times it has become more important than ever to reinvent ourselves and our businesses. In this session we look at ways to pivot successfully and stay relevant by taking an open-minded and fail-fast approach to change.
Day 4: Rostering for profit
Guest: Ivan Brewer (Restaurantology)
Creating a roster may seem like a straightforward task, but did you know inefficient rostering could mean you are losing thousands of dollars a week in unnecessary staffing costs? In this bootcamp session we look at how to create a roster that balances the need for excellent customer service with the need to maximise profits.
Day 5: Business model innovation
Guest: Tanya Titman (BDO)
In this session we are joined by BDO’s Head of Strategic Innovation, Tanya Titman, who examines what the world will look like post COVID-19 and how customer behaviour is likely to change as a result of this crisis. Tanya provides strategic and financial perspectives on innovation to enable success.
Day 6: Adopting an agile mindset
Guest: Alan McCabe, Kathryn Charge, Daniel Rae (Roubler)
An agile mindset is an attitude. It encompasses respect, collaboration, improvement, learning, ownership, delivering value, and the ability to adapt. In this session you will discover how to apply agile thinking within your business to make fluid decisions and affect change.
Day 7: Leading through a crisis
Guests: Alexander de Wit (entrepreneur and investor, vitaminwater, Oatly!), Wendy Alberts (Restaurant Association of South Africa), Ivan Brewer (Restaurantology)
We’ve saved the very best of our bootcamp for last. Our compelling closing conversation examines the neuroscience of effective leadership as our panellists provide unique perspectives from across the retail, hospitality and education industries.
Bonus: Financial literacy 101
Guest: Andrew MacDonell (BDO)
How well do you know your numbers? Understanding P&L and balance sheets are essential for business survival, yet many leaders are in the dark when it comes to their finances. This bonus bootcamp session will equip you with the tools you need to make sound decisions based on financial facts.
Guest speakers and contributors
Our program features panel discussions, webinars and conversations with a global cast of guests specialising in everything from neuroscience, to growth and profitability, to talent management.
Dominique Lamb
CEO, National Retail Association, Australia
As the CEO of the National Retail Association, Dominique plays an integral role by liaising and advocating on behalf of retailers at a Federal and State Government level on all areas of policy which affect retail businesses, including technical standards, product safety, industrial relations, loss prevention, city planning and infrastructure.
Megan Larnach-Jones
People and Projects Director, WHSmith
Megan Larnach-Jones is a highly regarded and experienced human resources leader with more than 15 years’ experience in generalist HR management, compliance management and business transformation. She has global experience, both in Australia and overseas, for a diverse range of international and privately owned companies including Delaware North Inc, Discount Super Stores Group and WHSmith.
Alexander de Wit
Entrepreneur, investor and advisor
Belgium-based entrepreneur and investor Alexander de Wit works with Boards, CEOs and their teams on growth strategy and change management and has orchestrated several strategic and organisational transformations. He was formerly a Managing Director at Verlinvest, backing brands including vitaminwater and oatly! Alexander is also the co-founder of Planet First Partners, an impact investment platform.
Wendy Alberts
CEO, Restaurant Association of South Africa
As the CEO of the Restaurant Association of South Africa, Wendy works with businesses, suppliers, industry associations and government departments, to advocate for and create opportunities in the restaurant industry. She is passionate about people, training and upskilling, and her in-depth knowledge of all aspects of the industry enables her to drive positive change.
Andrew MacDonell
Associate Director, BDO Australia
Andrew works with business owners and leaders to drive success via financial education, strategy development and execution. He is passionate about doing meaningful work to evolve the businesses he works with, and helps leaders understand what they want and how to get there. Andrew takes a consultative approach to address individual client needs with a highly tailored solution.
Manish Singh
Founder, Sensational Intelligence
Manish is the founder of Sensational Intelligence, a boutique consultancy integrating mindfulness and neuroscience to help optimise your mind for greater happiness, wellbeing and performance. Manish focuses on helping people develop the mindsets to thrive, in our stressed out, always-on culture.
Ivan Brewer
Profitability Consultant, Restaurantology
Ivan Brewer is a profitability expert and thought leader with a passion for the hospitality industry. He brings unique strategies and insights that magnify the key drivers of businesses performance. Ivan has worked with more than 1000 business owners to help them improve their business practices, choose technology that will positively impact the bottom line, and ultimately become more profitable.
Emily Haydon
Founder, The Talent Connective
Emily Haydon is the Founder of The Talent Connective, a career recruiter, networking enthusiast and tea drinker. Em is an advocate for aligning careers with purpose, conscious living, and the role of business as a vehicle for social change.
Alison Berry
Operations Manager, PS Cafe
Alison Berry’s long career in the hospitality industry began in the UK, having worked with numerous restaurants including Jamie Oliver’s Barbecoa. After moving to Singapore to tap into its diverse dining scene, Alison has fast become a pivotal part of the PS Cafe brand and its 15 locations across Singapore, Seoul and Shanghai.
Tanya Titman
Head of Strategic Innovation, BDO Australia
Tanya is responsible for driving BDO’s innovation agenda by creating business opportunities that deliver continual improvement, diversification and new value propositions. She has established multiple businesses with global reach and received a number of industry awards along the way. Tanya is also the founder of Acceler8, a financial education and business growth program for women in business.