Episodes

Quick one: You're invited to join my free community, Work Fame. Today’s episode is basically what happens when you mix cinnamon rolls, idea overload, and a Brisbane brunch catch-up with my brilliant friend, Jade Miller. (Fun fact, Jade illustrated my book cover, and also the drawings in The 2-Hour Workshop Blueprint!) We sat down for a coffee and ended up doing what we always do — bouncing ideas, talking about what’s next, and figuring out what to do with all the good stuff swirling in our head...

Look, I wasn’t meant to touch my computer on Sunday. But then I got access to Manus AI—a hands-free AI tool that genuinely does the work for you. Like, no more prompting, copy-pasting, or jumping between tools. This thing opens its own browser and just goes to work. In today’s episode, I share: Why I dropped everything (nearly even my football team, Brisbane Roar FC) to play with this How Manus built a DocuSign-style product... during a podcast interview My completely ridiculous but totally ...

We’re talking anti-BATCHERS — yep, I made that up at a long lunch in Brisbane and couldn’t stop thinking about it. If you’ve ever felt allergic to rigid routines and pre-scheduled creativity, you’re in good company. In this episode, I share why I don’t batch my daily podcast episodes (and don’t recommend my approach either 😅), the accidental rituals that do help me show up daily, and why creating in the moment brings me the most joy. What you'll hear: Why batching content feels like sandpaper...

Leanne Hughes and Alan Weiss unpack exactly how to score international gigs—without needing to be “famous,” have a publisher, or move countries. From leaving your book at the front desk of a Thai hotel, to speaking at global conferences (even for free), this conversation covers everything you actually need to build a global practice. Whether you’re a consultant, coach, speaker or someone who just wants more stamps in their passport and paid work, this episode gives you the playbook. What we c...

Today’s throwback is an absolute gem with Juraj Holub who was employee number eight at Slido. When I interviewed him, he was still on the exec team there—now he’s running his own business, Remote People, helping others become speaking heroes. Juraj's not just a meeting nerd (his title was Chief Meeting Designer after all—how good is that?!), he’s also an MC, facilitator, and marketing brain . In this episode, we chat about: How to get people contributing—whether you’re running a small team h...

Today's episode is brought to you by none other than the international man of questions himself, Michael Bungay Stanier (MBS). MBS left me two voice notes—both sharp, generous, and classic MBS—and I decided not to choose one. I tackled both. 🟡 Q1: What did I need to unlearn from 2024 to become the person I want to be in 2025? I riff on the shift I’m making—from seeking wisdom from the usual suspects, to diving head-first into what Gen Z creators and online writers are doing. What’s possible whe...

Today I’m buzzing from one of those brilliant, unexpected moments where everything just clicks. A couple of weeks ago, I launched an offer called Roasted by Leanne, where I’d roast your product or offer page, giving kind but constructive feedback. One roast in and I was already loving it. The person said it was “a full-bellied roast full of generosity” which I’ll take as a compliment! But here’s the kicker… Off the back of that offer, I found myself reflecting: “If someone could roast my work...

I had the pleasure of chatting with Dr Paul Browning, an educator-turned-founder who’s spent decades in school leadership and is now taking on a much bigger challenge: redesigning education to actually prepare students for the real world. Paul is the founder of Vivedus, a company focused on helping schools teach, assess, and report on creative thinking — the one skill students (and employees) desperately need but are rarely taught. We talk about why creativity gets conditioned out of us, how co...

Today I’m sharing a bit of a rant (slash reflection) on all the media noise surrounding the Brisbane 2032 Olympics. Specifically, I wanted to unpack two things: The drama around not sticking to the original venue plan This idea that Brisbane is going to be an “international embarrassment” Here’s the thing: we need to be okay with plans evolving. The world is changing, and smart people pivot when new information lands. That’s not embarrassing — that’s smart leadership. And on the embarrassme...

Hey, it’s Leanne, and today’s episode is a little different—I just wrapped up a personal styling session with the incredible Cate Massi, and I had to bring you along for the debrief. This is actually the second time I’ve worked with Cate, and once again, she absolutely nailed it. In this episode, I chat with Cate about: ✅ How she got into styling and the life-changing conversations she’s had in fitting rooms ✅ The biggest mistakes we make when shopping for ourselves (guilty!) ✅ Why identify...

In this weekend rewind, I bring you a first-time wizard on the show—Dr. Jason Fox—a wizard-philosopher disguised as a motivational speaker and leadership advisor. His expertise lies in guiding clever teams through the complexities of their quests. Join Dr Jason Fox's pop-up museletter. With an impressive list of clients that includes Fortune 500 companies such as Microsoft, HP, Novartis, Red Bull, Cisco, Johnson & Johnson, Toyota, and Honda, Dr. Fox has established himself as a trusted advisor...

Today, we explore the intricate emotions that facilitators experience right before a workshop – a whirlwind of excitement, nerves, and anticipation. My guest today is the award-winning TV journalist from the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Sophie Scott OAM. Sophie's multi-faceted career has transitioned her from a household face on TV to a well-renowned speaker and educator, with a prime focus on mental health. What You Will Learn: Sophie's transition from a journalist to an advocate for ...

In today’s episode, we’re flipping the script on the idea of “finding” your uniqueness. Too many of us spend years searching for that special something that sets us apart, thinking it’s hidden somewhere out of reach. But what if I told you it’s already right in front of you—hiding in the small, everyday moments of your life? Here’s what I’m diving into in this episode: The Truth About Uniqueness: Why you’re probably looking in the wrong places and how to start uncovering what makes you truly ...

This morning, I was faced with a choice: participate in a 7AM webinar or attend a local Chamber of Commerce coffee event. Here’s what you’ll hear in this episode: The 7AM Dilemma: Why I opted to ditch the webinar for a local coffee event and how it turned into a surprisingly valuable decision. Local Connections Matter: Meeting a diverse group of professionals—from a physio scaling their practice to a website designer helping restaurants get online orders—and what I learned from each conversat...

Video—you need to start using it now. This is Part 2 of my conversation with Joeri Schilders (a.k.a. The Magic Sauce), and in this episode, we’re talking about how video isn’t about perfect content—it’s about connection. Connect with Joeri on LInkedIn. Joeri helps solopreneurs and self-employed professionals grow their reach using video, and he’s got a rock-solid case for why you should be pressing record. I’ve used video for job interviews (hello, Wicked Campers!), client proposals, and qui...

I'm pumped to bring you this episode with my good friend, Joeri Schilders—also known as The Magic Sauce. Joeri and I go way back. We first connected virtually in 2020 through my Facebook group, The Flipchart (I still don’t know how he found it!). Over the years, we've built a great friendship through voice notes, videos, and WhatsApp chats, eventually launching Virtually Possible—a program designed to help facilitators and corporate teams create engaging online experiences. Joeri has spent 20 ...

🚗 The Porsche 911 is my favourite car of all time. It’s an icon. A masterpiece. The perfect blend of engineering and emotion. But here’s the wild part: it almost didn’t exist. In 1980, Porsche was struggling. For the first time in their history, they didn’t turn a profit. Sales were down, the new models weren’t taking off, and the board decided that the 911—yes, the 911—was outdated and needed to go. Then, a man named Peter Schutz walked in, took one look at the plan to kill the 911, grabbed ...

In this special Weekend Rewind episode, Leanne Hughes flips the script! Instead of replaying an interview where she's the host, she shares an episode from Flourishing Unfiltered, where Dr. Maike Neuhaus and Kerrin Smith interview her. This conversation dives deep into bold decision-making, overcoming self-doubt, and the power of taking action—fast. Leanne also shares never-before-told stories, including the moment that kick-started her First Time Facilitator podcast and how she reframes setbac...

It was a real treat to chat with today’s guest, Scott Armstrong. Scott is a Canadian who has made some bold career moves. He started out as a corporate banker, frustrated with the routine of pushing paper, before taking on a role at Canada’s largest rehabilitation centre for abandoned exotic animals. Imagine swimming with jaguars, running with wolves, playing in the snow with tigers, and even helping an owl take flight again! For the past 20 years, Scott has been helping over 2000 businesses an...

In today’s episode, I’m taking you back to 2020—the year I signed up for a running challenge to clock 2020 kilometers. At first, it seemed simple: 5.5 km a day. No big deal. But within days, I realised the real challenge wasn’t the running itself—it was keeping up. If I missed a day, I had to double it the next. And then, of course, 2020 happened… I share how my routine runs turned into a mental grind—same routes, same scenery, same boredom. But then, a simple insight from Andy Puddicombe (foun...

Great to have you here! I’ve just come back from the physio, and yep, I’m talking about my Achilles again. It’s one of those injuries that’s frustrating but also teaching me a lot about life, patience, and the balancing act of recovery. My physio gave me some straight talk today. I told him I could run through the pain, but I was worried—if I push too hard, will I tear it? His response? “No, but you’ll keep aggravating it.” So now, I’m navigating this fine line between staying fit, getting str...

In this episode, I dive into a concept that’s been rattling around in my head—FOBO, the Fear of Becoming Obsolete. I was chatting with Ronsley Vars in an earlier episode about how ChatGPT told me my greatest fear was irrelevance. That got me thinking… FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) is a thing, but FOBO? That feels even more real. I’ll share why I’m constantly trying to reinvent myself, why I love working in public, and why I believe that speed of execution is the ultimate differentiator in today’s ...

You know those books where every second page has you reaching for a highlighter? That’s exactly how I felt reading Not Everything Counts, But Everything Matters by Ivan Cleary. In today’s episode, I’m sharing some of the biggest takeaways from his book—insights on leadership, high performance, and why the small things truly matter. Ivan Cleary, head coach of the Penrith Panthers, isn’t just talking about footy—his lessons apply to business, life, and leadership. From the importance of connectio...

Get Roasted by Leanne (only available til 12 March) A few months ago, I posted in a private consultant’s forum, looking for small tweaks or ideas to improve something I was working on. It was just an innocent post. I went to bed, woke up feeling great—coffee in hand, post-run high—until I checked my email. My heart sank. The feedback I received overnight? Brutal. Unexpectedly harsh. And, honestly, I took it personally. If you’ve been listening to this podcast, you know I’m a happy-go-lucky pers...