Notes From The Executive with Mina Amso

Justin Flitter is an AI expert. As the founder of AI New Zealand, he’s helped thousands of entrepreneurs, marketers, and corporate teams adopt AI tools that automate workflows, increase productivity, and scale operations.Episode Sponsor:www.podcastguest.co.nz00:00 – Intro01:41 – How Justin Flitter became a leading AI advocate in NZ02:32 – Do I need to learn AI if I’m not in tech?03:40 – What is an AI agent and how does it work in business?05:38 – Real-life examples of AI automating tasks for NZ companies07:36 – What data does AI need to be effective in small business?09:53 – AI adoption in New Zealand compared to global trends10:20 – Best AI tools for small business productivity in NZ12:29 – Is AI worth it for startups and young entrepreneurs?14:00 – Why using AI is essential to remain competitive in 202515:07 – How complete beginners can start using ChatGPT today17:12 – Top AI tools: ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, Claude, NotebookLM21:25 – Ethical AI: Why Anthropic Claude is considered safest23:45 – How Google Gemini outperforms others with larger context windows26:01 – AI voice search vs Google SEO: How discovery is changing28:09 – How to get your NZ business found in AI search results30:11 – Does podcasting help you rank in ChatGPT or Perplexity?31:51 – Key SEO tips for ranking your website in AI-powered search33:14 – Why Reddit threads boost AI discoverability33:56 – Podcast guesting strategy for building AI search visibility36:41 – Can AI access YouTube videos and podcast audio?38:03 – Live demo: ChatGPT voice mode in real-world use40:44 – How to make money online using ChatGPT in 202542:48 – Best AI tools for content creation in a digital agency45:10 – Automating workflows with AI agents and custom GPTs47:15 – How AI saves 90% of time with smart business automation47:55 – The future of AI in New Zealand jobs and the workplace52:26 – What jobs will AI replace or reduce in next 2–5 years?54:42 – Why AI will improve teachers’ and nurses’ daily workflows55:44 – Final thoughts and where to connect with Justin FlitterFollow Justin:https://nz.linkedin.com/in/justinflitterFollow me: linkin.bio/minaamsoListen on: Spotify:  https://shorturl.at/hlbGMApple podcast: https://shorturl.at/UkJ8v#aitools #entrepreneurmindset #scaleyourbusiness #chatgptforbusiness #aiworkflow #businessautomation #solopreneurtools #digitalmarketingai #makepassiveincome #lowcodeai #futureofwork #voiceai #chatgptmarketing #aiagents #buildwithai #startupgrowth #aiadoption #aiinnewzealand #ai2025 #aiforentrepreneursWithout HashAI tools for business, how to use AI at work, ChatGPT for beginners, AI for entrepreneurs, AI business productivity, AI voice search strategy, New Zealand AI trends, AI integration in small business, AI agents explained, AI workflow automation, using AI for meetings, AI for content creation, AI digital workforce, AI training tools, future of AI jobs, make money with ChatGPT, AI for startups, AI marketing automation, generative AI for business, how to be found on ChatGPT, SEO for AI search, how to use AI assistants, AI podcast guest tips, Spotify:  https://shorturl.at/YW7bXTAGS (SEO METADATA)

Lisa O’Neill is a best-selling author and award-winning keynote speaker and author whose high-energy presentations have lit up conferences from New Zealand to Los Angeles. Known for turning ‘energy’ into a practical business resource, she’s a fixture on the Australian–NZ circuit and increasingly booked for international events.00:31  Inro02:11  Raised on Self-Belief: Childhood Lessons That Last03:20 High Standards and Self-Mastery: Lisa’s Life Blueprint04:59  Neurodivergence, School Hacks, and Playing the System06:03 Why Wanting Is Power: Rediscover What You Really Want08:23 How to Protect and Replenish Your Energy Every Day09:30 Lisa’s Energy Code: Get It, Guard It, Give It13:00 Burnout Recovery: Where to Start If You Feel Drained15:30 What Season Are You In? How Life Phases Impact Focus17:07  Time Management with ADHD: Hour-by-Hour Focus18:31 The True Cost of Attention: Why Audience Presence Matters19:25  How to tailor presentations to your audience’s real problems22:35  Lisa as a Mother: Learning Through Parenting Adults26:38  Finding Joy in Pets, Vintage Markets, and Creativity28:51  Why Dressing Up Increases Confidence and Joy30:54 Styling with Stripes: Body Acceptance and Bold Choices33:30  From Fashion to Speaking: How Styling Fuels Confidence35:50  Why Emotional Energy Drains Us (and How to Clear It)39:46  Humor and Irreverence: Lisa’s Secret On and Off Stage41:35 When Ego Gets in the Way: Lessons from the Stage43:43  Blunt Mentoring: The Power of Honest Disruption45:48 Disruption Is the Shortcut to Growth48:15  Energy: The Book That Will Rewire Your Daily Life50:22 Final Advice: Do One Thing Today That Boosts Your EnergyFollow Lisa:https://www.lisaoneill.co.nz/Follow me: linkin.bio/minaamsoListen on: Apple podcast:https://shorturl.at/OxCT1Spotify:  https://shorturl.at/YW7bXEpisode Sponsor:www.podcastguest.co.nz#betheceoofyourlife #energymanagementforentrepreneurs  #resetafterburnout #burnoutrecoveryforbusinessowners #businesswithenergy  #mindsetshiftsforhighperformer #stoppeoplepleasing  #maincharacterenergy  #scaleyourbusinesswithoutburnout #structureyourweekforenergy #balancebusinessandlife  #entrepreneurburnouttips #emotionalenergymastery  #intentionallivingforwomen #energyhacksforentrepreneurs #leadershipstrategies2025

Samantha Nichols is the Sales Director of a specialist medical equipment company called Sheffmed NZ, an exclusive first-time interview with this family-run business, going behind the scenes to find out their quiet success.Sheffmed NZ is a medical and surgical equipment company that just celebrated 25 years, a quarter of a century! Their business story has never been told on screen and it's pretty inspiring!00:00 - Intro02:04 - How Samantha Started in Accounting and Sales05:15 - Challenges of Running a Close Family Business08:30 - Why Versatility Matters in Small Business Success11:12 - How to Deliver Outstanding Customer Service in a Niche Market14:50 - Importance of Quality Products in Building Brand Trust18:27 - The Role of Marketing Strategy in Business Growth21:33 - How Education Shapes Entrepreneurial Thinking24:46 - Managing Sales and Operations as a Female Business Leader28:05 - How to Negotiate Better in Family-Owned Businesses31:20 - Dealing with Tariffs and Trade Barriers in Local Markets35:02 - Samantha’s Advice for Women Entering Family Business38:40 - Lessons Learned from Generational Business Ownership42:18 - Future Business Goals and Expanding Market Reach45:55 - How to Build Strong Business Relationships in New Zealand49:34 - Final Thoughts on Business Resilience and Vision52:20 - Thank You and Outro from Samantha NichollsEpisode Sponsor:www.podcastguest.co.nzFollow Samanthahttps://sheffmed.co.nz/Follow me: linkin.bio/minaamsoWatch:YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8ieDujoPF0

Debra Chantry-Taylor is one of only three certified EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System) implementers in New Zealand and part of a global network serving over 220,000 businesses in 80 countries. With more than 20 years of experience, Debra has guided leadership teams to:• Increase annual revenue by an average of 25% within 12 months• Reduce unproductive meeting time by 20% in the first 90 days• Resolve complex stakeholder conflicts—such as an 11-shareholder meeting—in under two hours.In this podcast episode, Debra breaks down the six core EOS components that create clarity, accountability, and sustainable growth.Episode Sponsorwww.podcastguest.co.nzTimestamps00:00 – Intro02:03 – Why the perfect meeting TikTok video went viral03:01 – Achieving a perfect 10-out-of-10 meeting score every time04:50 – Addressing the elephant in the room in multi-shareholder meetings06:26 – Why entrepreneurs feel stuck even with a clear vision07:11 – How to articulate and share your business vision with the team07:55 – Turning business overwhelm into genuine time freedom10:24 – How clarity becomes the turning point for near-collapse companies11:39 – Global EOS adoption statistics and New Zealand implementer overview14:30 – Essential EOS framework: six components to scale sustainably15:56 – Defining your vision using the Vision Traction Organiser tool17:21 – Getting the right people in the right seats with GWC criteria19:18 – Building a weekly scorecard for data-driven performance tracking28:14 – Using the Issues Solving Track to uncover and solve root causes34:01 – Simplifying core processes for scalable and trainable operations37:49 – Balancing visionary leadership with effective process management40:23 – Avoiding family-time regrets: Deborah Chantry Taylor’s personal why43:02 – Lessons from entrepreneurial failures: mergers and event space pivots47:23 – How EOS implementation boosted client revenue by 23 % and profit by 53 %49:49 – Why bringing in the right person early accelerates business growth52:15 – Where to find Deborah Chantry Taylor’s coaching and EOS resourcesFollow Debrahttps://debrachanrytaylor.comhttps://bbbl.pub/OrgCheckUpFollow Mina https://linkin.bio/minaamsoWatch YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@NotesFromTheExecutivePodcast

Episode Sponsor:www.podcastguest.co.nzSam Stubbs is a former investment banker, now rebel architect of one of New Zealand's boldest financial revolutions. Co-founded Simplicity, a nonprofit KiwiSaver fund managing $8.25 billion NZD, aiming to fund $12 billion to build thousands of homes in the next decade.Follow Sam Stubbs:https://simplicity.kiwiFollow Me:linkin.bio/minaamso Watch more episodes on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@NotesFromTheExecutivePodcastListen on: Apple podcast – https://shorturl.at/UkJ8vSpotify – https://shorturl.at/YW7bX

Mistakes are lessons in business, so what did some of the brightest minds in business learn from their mistakes?I've sat down with so many business leaders, entrepreneurs and founders, and never have I heard the impact these mistakes have made on me before.This episode is a collection of our most impactful moments on Notes From The Executives' recent episodes which I thought deserved a second look.I picked moments from my interview with the examples of Josh Comrie and Dominic Sutton that I personally felt you should watch, revealing the most brutal mistakes they made in their businesses and careers. So you don't make them yourself.You might have watched the full episodes before, but it's different and insightful when you only pick one part of the story and bring those founders and CEOs together.This is a different episode but I know you will love it.Episode Sponsor - Podcast Guest: www.podcast.co.nzIf you're thinking of becoming a guest on the show or fine tune your guesting skills, download this Ebook Guide on how to Become a Memorable Podcast Guest. www.podcast.co.nzFollow me:https://www.instagram.com/notesfromtheexecutivepodcast/Timestamp00:00 Intro00:28 Dominic Sutton SaaS Founder – Bouncing back lessons from mistakes 07:38 Wyndi Tagi We Mana CEO (Business advice and Accounting) – Lessons learned in past years  15:56 Bayleys Auckland CEO Lloyd Budd – On leadership lessons  and managing teams 19:25 Josh Comrie – Lessons from driving his team too hardWatch on YouTube:https://youtu.be/Td4gcK1h7LcEpisode Sponsor - Podcast Guest: www.podcast.co.nzIf you're thinking of becoming a guest on the show or fine tune your guesting skills, download this Ebook Guide on how to Become a Memorable Podcast Guest. www.podcast.co.nz

Steve Merchant is a veterinarian-turned entrepreneur, co-founder of Pet Doctors (a roll-up of 30+ clinics generating NZD $30–40 million in revenue), founder of a nationwide vet nurse academy and the IndieVets, and now CEO of ClinicWise, an AI-powered “digital vet nurse” platform live in nine countries.Episode Sponsor ▶️ www.podcastguest.co.nzWatch On YouTubehttps://www.youtube.com/@NotesFromTheExecutivePodcastTime Stamps00:00 Intro02:15 Why you need to listen to the episode till the end 3:30 The start of Steve Merchants Journey 05:00 Decision making in business - buying my first practice09:15 How Steve Merchant launched Pet Doctors11:35 The best decision Steve Merchant has made in Pet Doctors12:55 The worst decision Steve Merchant has made in Pet Doctors17:15 The trend Steve Merchant spotted that made him millions26:40 How Steve Merchant marketed Pet Doctors to scale37:55 A real bad mistake and what it taught Steve Merchant43:35 How many pet doctor clinics were there in total?45:30 How do you spend time on your business to grow it?47:55 The value of NZ Pet Doctors before it was sold?48:30 How to spot an opportunity that makes an extra $5000 a year in 5min54:00 How to stay competitive as a brand to buy into through brand awareness56:12 AI agent startup - AI vet nurse agent nz01:09:57 What does the future hold with AI agents Follow Steve: @stevemerchantFollow me: linkin.bio/minaamsoEpisode Sponsor ▶️ www.podcastguest.co.nzvet practice management software, best veterinary chatbot, ai appointment scheduling software, automate vet clinic bookings, digital vet customer service, veterinary software solutions, how to automate pet clinic, online vet triage tool, ai pet care platform, vet clinic automation tools

This episode is a collection of our most impactful moments on Notes From The Executive. I picked moments that I personally felt you should watch, revealing the most brutal mistakes some of my guests have made in their businesses. So you don't make them yourself. Episode Sponsor - Podcast Guest:If you're thinking of becoming a guest on the show or fine tune your guesting skills, download this Ebook Guide on how to Become a Memorable Podcast Guest.Follow Me:https://www.instagram.com/notesfromtheexecutivepodcast/Time Stamps● Dominic Sutton – Mistakes 00:30 What are the biggest mistakes you made?02:00 What I learnt from a $1.2m dollars business mistake03:30 How different would Dominic do to avoid this mistake04:30 How he got out of this mess05:56 Biggest business owners make07:00 Could any 28 year old start a business and not fail?10:00 What do you need to grow your business and scale? (how to scale)● Wyndi Tagi – Mistakes13:00 How to scale a business15:00 The mistake she made hiring the wrong person ● Josh Comrie – Worst decisions25:00 The worst decisions Josh Comrie made29:00 Behind the mistake, the anatomy of what Josh did that made that mistake32:55 The lessons learned from this mistake● Lloyd Budd – Mistakes35:07 Early business mistakes and ambition overloadExplore the most brutal business mistakes on Notes From The Executive, featuring Dominic Sutton’s $1.2 million loss, Wyndi Tagi’s hiring misstep, and Josh Comrie and Lloyd Budd’s worst decisions—and discover how they recovered. Packed with actionable entrepreneurial lessons, scaling strategies and tips to avoid common business pitfalls, this episode is essential for startup founders, small business owners and anyone seeking real-world insights on how to scale your business, dodge costly errors and achieve sustainable growth.

Andy Prentice is Chief Operating Officer at The Crate, a North Shore coworking hub, and co-founder of The Gathering, the weekly networking community turning 25 connections into more than 3,000 warm leads. Drawing on two decades of operational leadership, he shows how 97 per cent of New Zealand’s micro-businesses can escape post-pandemic isolation and achieve small-business growth through disciplined business networking, referral marketing and 90-day action plans.Ps.Even though the production quality of this episode is not perfect, I still believe the conversation needs to be shared, which is why decided to publish it. Have it in the background while you work (just don't look at my blurry face).Time Stamps0:00 quick intro & the deal: hit subscribe for better episodes0:28 why network? people-first business growth explained (networking benefits)1:29 what is the crate? flexible office space + origin of “doing business with the neighbours”3:42 purpose of networking = growth, money freedom & time freedom for nz founders5:17 97 % of nz businesses are micro-sized — why that makes networking essential7:02 multiplying reach: how 25 members unlock 3 000+ potential customers9:21 weekly vs monthly meet-ups — staying top-of-mind in crowded markets11:09 networking for employees: turning a personal vision into a side-hustle13:56 andy’s passion: helping others, spotting blind spots & sharing expertise15:49 making money through referrals: word-of-mouth that converts18:43 give before you get — building trust & reciprocity in any group23:07 psychology of networking: belonging, social proof, storytelling, confidence loop32:05 scarcity & category limits: why the gathering caps two members per industry35:11 90-day action plan + accountability triangles (real success stories)39:42 brain science of writing goals & reading them aloud daily42:32 shutting a “successful” event to launch the gathering — the pivot story46:46 scaling purely by word-of-mouth (no ads) and why it works47:12 how to join: thursday 4 :30 pm sessions at the crate, constellation drive49:11 final advice: book a day away from the grind to re-imagine your businessEpisode SponsorDownload Your Free E-Book www.podcastguest.co.nzFollow Andy  / andyprenticenz  Follow MeInstagram –   / notesfromtheexecutivepodcast  Listen:Spotify: https://shorturl.at/I4N8gApple: https://shorturl.at/D0YwSEpisode SponsorDownload Your Free E-Book www.podcastguest.co.nz#networking #smallbusiness #aucklandbusiness #kiwientrepreneurs #businessgrowth #northshore #coworkingspace #entrepreneurship #thecrate #notesfromtheexecutive

Thank you to our episode sponsor podcastguest.co.nzDownload Your Free E-Book at www.podcastguest.co.nzWhat do you do when no one knows who you are… but you still need to make sales? In this episode, top NZ business minds drop hard-earned lessons and fresh strategies on marketing, growth, and selling — even if you hate selling.Featuring:Stu Lees - (Marketing Expert) on why in-person coffee meetings bring better leads than adsLloyd Budd - (CEO Bayleys Auckland, NZ) on trust, client expectations, and a painful mistakeDominic Sutton - (SaaS founder) on surviving the black hole days and knowing when to hireWyndi Tagi - on selling as a non-salesperson and the $250k hiring mistake she’ll never make againTimestamps00:00 Please subscribe00:28 why in-person coffee meetings bring better leads than ads - Stu Lees, marketing expert03:07 Stu Lees reveals his own winning marketing strategy06:33 The secrets of building trust to make business - Lloyd Budd, Bayleys NZ11:14 What clients really want from a service provider - Lloyd Budd, Bayleys NZ14:00 A real life story of losing a client - Lloyd Budd16:45 A mistake Lloyd Budd made in the early days19:15 – Begin a business with the end in mind - Dominic Sutton, SaaS Founder20:35 – How and when to hire people when you’re growing - Dominic Sutton, SaaS Founder23:55 – Black hole days: surviving the early stages of business - Dominic Sutton, SaaS Founder25:15 – how to keep going when you want to quit - Dominic Sutton, SaaS Founder29:03 - how to sell to someone- Wyndi Tagi – Business advisor and owner31:32 - how Wyndi Tagi scales her business and hiring people33:56 – hiring mistakes that cost $250k and what to do differently - Wyndi Tagi – Business advisor and ownerFollow me:Instagram –  https://www.instagram.com/notesfromtheexecutivepodcast/