Leanne on Demand Daily with Leanne Hughes

Today, I’m handing the mic back to Jason Knight. You might remember him from last month’s episode where we jammed on branding and how to think of your positioning like a newspaper headline.This time, Jason’s diving into one of my absolute favourite topics: frameworks. Whether it’s a Venn diagram, a 2x2, or a hand-drawn sketch, frameworks have this magical way of taking complex ideas and making them unforgettable.In this conversation, Jason shares his Pain-to-Results model—a signature system he uses to codify IP, guide attention, and make ideas “dangerously distinctive.” He also talks about why hand-drawn, messy visuals often outperform polished graphics when it comes to creating sticky learning and buy-in.If you’ve ever wondered how to turn your thinking into something visual, simple, and powerful enough to sell your ideas for you—this episode is for you.✨ What you’ll learn in this episode:Why visual frameworks cut through more noise than polished marketing.The Pain-to-Results model and how it helps you guide prospects from problem to solution.How to codify your expertise into a repeatable, signature system.Why drawing your ideas live creates more buy-in than a slick slide deck.Sign up for free for my best articles every week: Work Fame.Show notes for every episode at https://podcast.leannehughes.comP.S. Ready to take things up a level? Here are some ways I can help:Watch My Speaker Reel: Let's energise your next event.Get My Book: Design your workshops fast using The 2-Hour Workshop Blueprint. Let's connect on all the channels:Leanne Hughes on LinkedInLeanne Hughes on InstagramVisit my website: leannehughes.comEmail me: hello@leannehughes.comWould you like to deliver your own private podcast feed to your audience? Sign up for a free trial today at Hello Audio.

Today I’m taking you behind the mic into what’s actually on my mind right now: the AFL Grand Final. My Brisbane Lions are chasing back-to-back wins, Snoop Dogg is headlining the pre-game entertainment, and I’m scheming about whether I can somehow score a last-minute ticket.This episode is less “self-development” and more about the fun of throwing out a wild idea and seeing what’s possible. From reminiscing about Meatloaf’s infamous performance to predicting Snoop’s opener (I’m calling What’s My Name?), it’s a reminder to leave the door cracked open for serendipity and play with possibility.Even if I don’t make it down to Melbourne, just dreaming about it has been energising. I’d love to know: what song do you reckon Snoop will kick off with?Sign up for free for my best articles every week: Work Fame.Show notes for every episode at https://podcast.leannehughes.comP.S. Ready to take things up a level? Here are some ways I can help:Watch My Speaker Reel: Let's energise your next event.Get My Book: Design your workshops fast using The 2-Hour Workshop Blueprint. Let's connect on all the channels:Leanne Hughes on LinkedInLeanne Hughes on InstagramVisit my website: leannehughes.comEmail me: hello@leannehughes.comWould you like to deliver your own private podcast feed to your audience? Sign up for a free trial today at Hello Audio.

This weekend rewind is with my friend Sally Porteous.Sally is the Managing Director of Red Lanyard, an event production company where she produces festivals, conferences and meetings. She also runs the Event Planners Workshop and the Event Managers Network, bridging the gap between theory and the real world.In this conversation, you’ll hear parallels between workshops and events—how both are about creating environments that feel safe, memorable and impactful. Sally shares practical strategies you can steal, from shopping centre observations that inform event design, to the closing questions that make embedding learning easier for everyone.It’s packed with stories, mindset shifts and useful tips.About today’s guestSally Porteous is Managing Director of event production company Red Lanyard, where she produces festivals, conferences, events and meetings. She is the creator of the Event Planners Workshop, a series of training, coaching and mentoring products to bridge the gap between accredited education and learn-by-doing. She also coordinates and facilitates The Event Managers Network, a membership that connects, supports and networks suppliers and event managers.Links and Resources:Connect with Sally Porteous on LinkedInCredit to Michael Doneman, Founding Director of Edgeware Creative EntrepreneurshipLink to Sally’s simple Pre-Event Checklist Sign up for free for my best articles every week: Work Fame.Show notes for every episode at https://podcast.leannehughes.comP.S. Ready to take things up a level? Here are some ways I can help:Watch My Speaker Reel: Let's energise your next event.Get My Book: Design your workshops fast using The 2-Hour Workshop Blueprint. Let's connect on all the channels:Leanne Hughes on LinkedInLeanne Hughes on InstagramVisit my website: leannehughes.comEmail me: hello@leannehughes.comWould you like to deliver your own private podcast feed to your audience? Sign up for a free trial today at Hello Audio.

In this NEW episode of First Time Facilitator, I chat with Dr Liz O'Riordan about her leap from the operating theatre to the workshop room. After being diagnosed with cancer and leaving surgery, Liz turned to speaking, writing, and now — facilitation. With only days to prepare, she discovered my book The 2-Hour Workshop Blueprint, raided her kitchen cupboards for props, and built a session that participants called “brilliant — don’t change a thing.”We unpack how she:Transformed complex cancer science into playful, prop-based learning (think Jenga and cupcakes 🍰).Used a simple structure to design a two-hour workshop in 72 hours.Sent pre-session videos that warmed up the room before she arrived.Managed nerves, energy, and the “silent moments” during activities.Built her social media presence to reach thousands with her message.🎯 If you’re new to facilitation, or you’ve ever thought, “Where do I even start?”, Liz’s story will inspire you to pick a date, lower the bar, and just run the workshop.🔗 Connect with Dr Liz O'Riordan on Instagram and LinkedIn Sign up for free for my best articles every week: Work Fame.Show notes for every episode at https://podcast.leannehughes.comP.S. Ready to take things up a level? Here are some ways I can help:Watch My Speaker Reel: Let's energise your next event.Get My Book: Design your workshops fast using The 2-Hour Workshop Blueprint. Let's connect on all the channels:Leanne Hughes on LinkedInLeanne Hughes on InstagramVisit my website: leannehughes.comEmail me: hello@leannehughes.comWould you like to deliver your own private podcast feed to your audience? Sign up for a free trial today at Hello Audio.

So here’s the question I’m now wrestling with: Am I about to break up with Kindle?On today’s walk (weighted vest and all), I stumbled into an audio summit via Hello Audio and ended up learning something completely unexpected from Vanessa Poin. She shared how she uses Substack for discoverability (hello, generative engine optimization) and then dropped a perspective that stopped me in my tracks: PDFs are way more valuable than Kindle books when it comes to embedding knowledge into your business.Why? Because with a PDF you can upload it straight into ChatGPT (or Claude, or Perplexity), and suddenly that book isn’t just something you read once and forget—it becomes an AI-powered tool you can apply directly to your context.In this episode, I unpack what that means for how we learn, why I’m re-thinking how I buy non-fiction, and whether Kindle has just been out-hacked.Sign up for free for my best articles every week: Work Fame.Show notes for every episode at https://podcast.leannehughes.comP.S. Ready to take things up a level? Here are some ways I can help:Watch My Speaker Reel: Let's energise your next event.Get My Book: Design your workshops fast using The 2-Hour Workshop Blueprint. Let's connect on all the channels:Leanne Hughes on LinkedInLeanne Hughes on InstagramVisit my website: leannehughes.comEmail me: hello@leannehughes.comWould you like to deliver your own private podcast feed to your audience? Sign up for a free trial today at Hello Audio.

This one is less about “what I learned” and more about the process of an experience I just had in Melbourne — a Wizardly Walk designed by Dr. Jason Fox and Michael Bungay Stanier.Across pubs, cafés, buses, bushland, trains, and communal dinners, the whole thing unfolded like a story. What stood out to me wasn’t just the 20km walk (that got cut short thanks to wild winds and falling branches!) but the way the experience was curated to spark reflection.Jason and Michael opened with five powerful questions, including:What crossroads are you at?What advice would a close friend give you right now?What lesson do you need to keep learning?What are you holding onto?And my favourite… what would it take to earn your name?That last one has really stayed with me. It’s about defining your own metrics instead of chasing external ones.In this episode, I share the flow of the experience, why it mattered that no one introduced themselves by their job title, and why sometimes the best gatherings are the ones where curiosity, conversation, and nature lead the way.And, as you’ll hear at the end, I share the poem Lost by David Wagner, which was read to us in the forest and hit completely differently in that setting.Sign up for free for my best articles every week: Work Fame.Show notes for every episode at https://podcast.leannehughes.comP.S. Ready to take things up a level? Here are some ways I can help:Watch My Speaker Reel: Let's energise your next event.Get My Book: Design your workshops fast using The 2-Hour Workshop Blueprint. Let's connect on all the channels:Leanne Hughes on LinkedInLeanne Hughes on InstagramVisit my website: leannehughes.comEmail me: hello@leannehughes.comWould you like to deliver your own private podcast feed to your audience? Sign up for a free trial today at Hello Audio.

Picture this: I’m in Melbourne, it’s been a day of hiking, gathering, and birthday celebrating, and I somehow manage to rope Michael Bungay Stanier (MBS) into a conversation about… netball.Now, Michael’s got the height but zero experience, so naturally I recruit him into my imaginary corporate games team as goal shooter. What follows is a hilarious and surprisingly profound chat about netball, positioning, resilience, and how it all maps beautifully onto life, branding, and leadership.We cover everything from standing tall and making yourself a target (in the best way possible), to what to do when you miss your shot, to how to reset for the next play. It’s practical, it’s playful, and it’s packed with metaphors that might just change how you show up this week.Thanks MBS for playing along — and for anyone listening who thought they didn’t care about netball, this episode might just convert you.Sign up for free for my best articles every week: Work Fame.Show notes for every episode at https://podcast.leannehughes.comP.S. Ready to take things up a level? Here are some ways I can help:Watch My Speaker Reel: Let's energise your next event.Get My Book: Design your workshops fast using The 2-Hour Workshop Blueprint. Let's connect on all the channels:Leanne Hughes on LinkedInLeanne Hughes on InstagramVisit my website: leannehughes.comEmail me: hello@leannehughes.comWould you like to deliver your own private podcast feed to your audience? Sign up for a free trial today at Hello Audio.

Today’s episode comes to you from my hotel room in Melbourne — in my hiking gear, ready to head out on a 20km walk with friends. But before the walk, I had dinner last night with a small group (13 or 14 of us) and Michael Bungay Stanier kicked things off with a killer icebreaker: Share two essential things about yourself.What I shared surprised even me. The first thing? I’m left-handed. After 250+ podcast episodes I’ve never mentioned it, but honestly, it shapes how I see and navigate the world. From flipcharts and coffee cups to netball courts and even a silly handshake with Justin Langer — being a leftie has taught me adaptability, resilience, and even connection.In this episode, I riff on:Why left-handed people instantly bond with each otherThe little daily frictions of living in a right-handed worldSome surprising research on the advantages of being left-handedWhy I once bought the domain Left Hand LeadersThe second “essential thing” I shared at dinner (hint: it’s very Queensland of me)If you’re left-handed, I think you’ll get this one instantly. If you’re right-handed, well, now you know our secret.Sign up for free for my best articles every week: Work Fame.Show notes for every episode at https://podcast.leannehughes.comP.S. Ready to take things up a level? Here are some ways I can help:Watch My Speaker Reel: Let's energise your next event.Get My Book: Design your workshops fast using The 2-Hour Workshop Blueprint. Let's connect on all the channels:Leanne Hughes on LinkedInLeanne Hughes on InstagramVisit my website: leannehughes.comEmail me: hello@leannehughes.comWould you like to deliver your own private podcast feed to your audience? Sign up for a free trial today at Hello Audio.

I turned 42 today—and yes, I was that person who posted about it from an airport lounge. Usually, birthdays spark me into dreaming up wild projects, but this year, my big reflection is simple: nothing dramatic has changed in my world, and I’m incredibly grateful for that.In this episode, I share a birthday riff on aging, incremental growth, why stability feels like such a win, and how reunions often show us that people don’t radically change—they just become more themselves. I talk about Prosecco before noon, air fryers, my dad still beating me at parkrun, and why we’re all just one phone call away from life flipping upside down.I’d love to know—what’s shifted for you in the past year?Sign up for free for my best articles every week: Work Fame.Show notes for every episode at https://podcast.leannehughes.comP.S. Ready to take things up a level? Here are some ways I can help:Watch My Speaker Reel: Let's energise your next event.Get My Book: Design your workshops fast using The 2-Hour Workshop Blueprint. Let's connect on all the channels:Leanne Hughes on LinkedInLeanne Hughes on InstagramVisit my website: leannehughes.comEmail me: hello@leannehughes.comWould you like to deliver your own private podcast feed to your audience? Sign up for a free trial today at Hello Audio.

It’s my birthday! 🥳 To celebrate, I’m replaying the episode I recorded on my 40th—my 12 rules for life. These aren’t the glossy “melody” lines; they’re the bassline I keep returning to when life gets loud: from memento mori (yep, we’re all going to die—and that can be fuel), to finding a new pond when you feel like a fish out of water, meeting your heroes (sweaty palms and all), and remembering that true wealth is discretionary time. I share how I think, work, and decide—plus the one rule I won’t negotiate on.I also riff on pattern interrupts, permission slips, and why your clicks reveal your calling. Expect tuba talk, Tom Cruise stunts (metaphorically), a little constructive delusion, and practical ways to capture “double-click” moments so you can make better moves, faster. Listen, borrow what serves you, and—most importantly—write your own rules.Highlights you’ll hear:Memento mori as motivation (and how I plan decades vs. days)“Fish out of water? Find a new pond” (environment > willpower)Horizontal relationships: talk to everyone like a peerThere is no glass ceiling (and reframing impostor syndrome)Your clicks reveal your calling (follow your curiosity trail)Pattern interrupters that change your state in minutesPermission: how I get it (and give it) to move fasterFree time as the ultimate wealth—and how I design for itIf one rule lands, tell me which one—and what you’re going to do with it today.Sign up for free for my best articles every week: Work Fame.Show notes for every episode at https://podcast.leannehughes.comP.S. Ready to take things up a level? Here are some ways I can help:Watch My Speaker Reel: Let's energise your next event.Get My Book: Design your workshops fast using The 2-Hour Workshop Blueprint. Let's connect on all the channels:Leanne Hughes on LinkedInLeanne Hughes on InstagramVisit my website: leannehughes.comEmail me: hello@leannehughes.comWould you like to deliver your own private podcast feed to your audience? Sign up for a free trial today at Hello Audio.