The Mistakes That Shaped Me
Episodes
Dr. Carmen Gould (live recording from the Marketing Tech Retreat)
20 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
What do you do when your greatest strength becomes your biggest weakness?In this exclusive live recording from the Marketing Tech Retreat in the beaut...
Simon Kriss: The blind spot that changed my leadership
15 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What happens when you’re running at 150 miles per hour but the people around you can’t keep up?In this candid conversation, AI advisor and CX lead...
Rajan Kumar: The cost of doing nothing – why inaction is still a choice
01 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
If inaction is a decision, how do you explain it? In this thoughtful and candid conversation, Rajan Kumar, CEO & Co - founder of The Lumery, share...
Anna Jackson
28 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Our host Thomas Haffenden sits down with Anna Jackson, Head of Creative Excellence at Telstra, for a raw and refreshingly honest conversation about tr...
Stephanie Walters
21 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Leadership Is a Muscle – And Tough Conversations Are the Workout with Stephanie Walters, Customer Experience Head for Contact Centres at EmiratesIn ...
Samantha Ezra
14 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Work, Worth & the Grown-Up Gap Year with Samantha Ezra, Principal of CX Strategy at TelstraIn this honest and deeply reflective episode, I’m joi...
Toby Ellis: Don’t order the lobster – leading with clarity and culture
03 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Tomas Haffenden sits down with Toby Ellis, Head of Customer Service at AMP, to explore a pivotal leadership lesson from early in his ...
Jacquie Alley
25 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The cost of staying silent versus the power of speaking up with Jacquie Alley, Chief Operating Officer at The Media Store, and hosted by Tomas Haffend...
Amy Murrell
19 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Navigating leadership, motherhood and defining your worth with Amy Murrell, Chief People Officer at Rest Super, and hosted by Tomas Haffenden.&nb...
Nyssa Packard
12 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Burnout, Business and Bravery with Nyssa Packard, Senior Director of CX at Skyscanner, and hosted by Tomas Haffenden.Nyssa Packard has always bel...
Michael Petersen
04 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Playing It Safe vs Taking the Leap with Michael Petersen, Founder & CEO of PivotusIn this episode, we are joined by Michael Petersen, Founder ...
Gail Russell
21 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Culture Shock, Courage & the Closed Door with Gail Russell, Global Head of Customer Experiences & Channels, HSBCIn this powerful episode, I’...
Georgia Thomas
14 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Featuring Georgia Thomas, Director of Brand, Media & Communications at THE ICONICGeorgia Thomas shares a career-defining mistake from her early da...
Alice Almeida
07 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Alice Almeida shares her powerful fertility journey and the impact it had on her career. Her story is a reminder of the importance of empathy in the w...
Melo Calarco: Finding inner peace in outer chaos
30 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we speak with mindfulness and high-performance expert Melo Calarco, who shares a life-changing story from his global cycling jou...
Daniel "Pancho" Gutstein
23 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week on The Mistakes That Shaped Me, we sit down with Pancho, CEO of Forty Winks and former PUMA exec, to talk leadership, burnout, and why ...
Chris Savage: Hope for the Best, Plan for the Worst – Leadership Lessons
17 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The hilarious Chris Savage, Business growth specialist, The Savage Company, an Ashton Media supporter since day one whom we greatly appreciate, shares...
Candice Liew
11 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we welcome Candice Liew GAICD, Head of Customer Strategy and Experience at Flybuys, who shares her valuable insights on the delicate ...
Chris Murphy
07 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Chris shares his powerful journey of living with dyslexia and how, for years, he saw it as an obstacle to overcome. He opens up about...
Janett Egber
26 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we sit down with Janett Egber, Lead of CX Capability at Medibank. Originally from outside Australia, Janeet now calls Australia home ...
Deepti Sachdeva
21 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we chat with Deepti Sachdeva, Head of Enterprise Capability & Transformation at Westpac, about the lessons she’s learned throug...
Ben Fettes
12 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we sit down with Ben Fettes, Vice President of Marketing and Direct Customer Experience at P&O Cruises. Ben shares a profound sto...
Adam Furness
05 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this candid and insightful episode, Adam Furness, Managing Director of impact.com for Asia Pacific Japan, opens up about pivotal mistakes...
Michael Kim
26 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this revealing conversation, Michael Kim, Head of HR at Spotify, shares a pivotal professional mistake that ultimately shaped his career trajectory...
Violet Lazarevic
19 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we sit down with the accomplished Dr. Violet Lazarevic to explore the critical role of driving culture within an organization. Dr. La...
Carolyn Bollaci
12 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we sit down with the incredible Carolyn Bollaci, Director of Agency at Meta, to talk about leadership, learning from past missteps, a...
Jason Tonelli
05 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Leadership isn’t just about looking after others - it starts with looking after yourself. In this episode, Jason Tonelli, CEO of Zenith Australia, s...
Anthony Russell
11 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we chat with the very humble and down to earth Anthony Russell, an accomplished brand strategist and performance marketer with experi...
Adam Novak
24 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we chat with the very funny and very accomplished Adam Novak, Head of Experience and Transformation at CBHS. He has over two decades ...
Claire Raeburn
07 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Since we recorded this episode with Claire, her role has evolved as she now leads the Product and Experience Functions at Contact Energy. Her cla...
Karen Shepard
29 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Karen Sheppard, Head of Customer Insights at the amazing Endeavour Group. Karen got her first taste (pun intended) of market research as a student run...
Kate Young
23 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Kate Young, Executive Manager, Marketing Strategy & Capability at ANZ has deep background in CX spanning financial services, retail, property mana...
Emily Paladino
25 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Emily Paladino is the Head of Customer Insights at Country Road Group and has the daunting task of feeding her team’s insights directly into the bus...
Nektarea Cameron-Smith
25 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Nektarea Cameron-Smith is currently Head of Customer Experience at Up and obsessed with building authentic customer relationships that deliver deliber...
Damian Madden
25 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Damian Madden is a creative strategist who works on experience and creative transformation for luxury and fashion brands globally. Currently the ...
Why Innovating Matters In Programmatic Advertising | Audio Story | Part 1
09 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Why does innovation matter in programmatic advertising? Put simply, without innovation all things wither and fade into obscurity…or die. But how do ...
Programmatic Bytes | Jonathan Wan | Japan Airlines | Part 1
11 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of AshtonCast we provide an exclusive listen to the keynote presentation from Jonathan Wan, Director of Global Marketing, Media & ...
Video Fast Forward | Peter Barry | Pubmatic | Part 4
18 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In part four of the Video Fast Forward series we chat with Regional Director, ANZ & Head of Audience, APAC at PubMatic. Peter has been at PubMatic...
Video Fast Forward | Nicola Lewis | GroupM | Part 3
29 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In part three of the Video Fast Forward series we chat with Nicola Lewis, Chief Investment Officer, GroupM. Nicola is a media executive with extensive...
Video Fast Forward | Nick Young | Nine | Part 2
22 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In part two of the Video Fast Forward series we chat with Nick Young, Director of Sales - Digital & Publishing at Nine. Nick has over 15 years’ ...
Video Fast Forward | Audio Story | Part 1
13 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Connected TV is one of the most talked about topics in town, and we’re all in agreement….. a huge opportunity for the industry. It promises to be ...
Re-Imagine Marketing | Rachel McDermott | Optus | Part 4
01 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Customer experience is a discipline that has gained incredible momentum over the past few years, shaped by the advancements in technology and the evol...
Re-Imagine Marketing | Justin Theng | SAS | Part 3
15 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of our Reimagine Marketing series, brought to you by our friends at SAS, we explore how three key technologies – attribution, automa...
Re-Imagine Marketing | Sam Stark | Foxtel | Part 2
01 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In the second episode of this Reimagine Marketing series, brought to you by our friends at SAS, we speak with Sam Stark, Head of Data and Analytics, M...
How Does Empathy Impact CX? | Jess Rix | Sunsuper | Part 4
27 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In this final episode of the Empathy in CX series, brought to you by our friends at Genesys, we speak to Jessica Rix, Head of Customer Interactions at...
Re-Imagine Marketing and CX | Part 1
25 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Putting the customer first has always been pivotal, but it has never been more important. The past few months have shone a light not only on the impor...
How Does Empathy Impact CX? | Keith Pearce | Genesys | Part 3
18 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In the third episode of the empathy in CX series, brought to you by our friends at Genesys, we chat with Keith Pearce, Senior VP, Brand Marketing and ...
How Does Empathy Impact CX? | Elyssia Clark | SEEK | | Part 2
11 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In the second episode of the empathy in CX series, brought to you by our friends at Genesys, we chat with Elyssia Clark, Head of Customer Insights and...
Digital Marketing Maturity | Michael Schniering | Boston Consulting Group | Part 5
05 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In part 5 of the digital marketing maturity series, brought to you by Google Marketing Platform, we chat with Michael Schniering, a 10-year veteran of...
How Does Empathy Impact CX? | Part 1
27 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
While there’s no doubt that the first half of this year has been a challenging one, it is during times of crisis that we have a unique opportunity t...
Digital Marketing Maturity | Des Odell | Resolution Media Australia | Part 4
21 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In part of the Digital Marketing Maturity series, proudly brought to you in partnership with Google Marketing Platform, we chat with Des Odell, a...
Digital Marketing Maturity | Janet Ranola | Koala.com | Part 3
08 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Janet Ranola runs paid media for Australian E-commerce success story Koala.com. She has over 15 years experience in marketing across a variety of coun...
Digital Marketing Maturity | Barney Pierce | Part 2
28 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In his 15+ years with Google, Barney Pierce has seen a lot. A Sydney native, Barney was based in New York during both the GFC and 9/11, arming him wit...
Digital Marketing Maturity | Part 1
15 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Learn from a range of marketing experts about digital marketing maturity and how crucial it has become in light of COVID-19. Which companies have thri...
Staying Mentally Healthy | CEO & Founder Heart On My Sleeve Mitch Wallis | Part 3
03 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This is the third part of a three-part series dedicated to helping you stay mentally healthy during COVID-19 and other times of great stress. Brought ...
Staying Mentally Healthy | EX & Happiness Expert Clinton Parr | Part 2
26 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This is the second part of a three-part series dedicated to staying mentally healthy during COVID-19 and other times of great stress. Brought to you i...
Staying Mentally Healthy | Psychotherapist Katie Feder | Part 1
19 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This is the first part of a three-part series dedicated to staying mentally healthy during COVID-19 and other times of great stress. Brought to you in...
AshtonCast | CX in a Crisis | Khaled Akl
05 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This is the first of the AshtonCast episodes dedicated to CX.This episode is focused on CX in a crisis, and right now with COVID-19 massively disrupti...
Programmatic In Your Pocket | Travis Clinger | Part 5
03 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Programmatic In Your Pocket - Life in a Cookie-less World brought to you by our friends at LiveRamp. Visit LiveRamp to find out how they ca...
Programmatic In Your Pocket | Peter Barry | Part 4
26 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Programmatic In Your Pocket - Life in a Cookie-less World brought to you by our friends at LiveRamp. Visit LiveRamp to find out how they ca...
Programmatic In Your Pocket | Jennifer Snell | Part 3
20 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Programmatic In Your Pocket - Life in a Cookie-less World brought to you by our friends at LiveRamp. Visit LiveRamp to find out how t...
Programmatic In Your Pocket | Dr. Willem Paling | Part 2
07 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Programmatic In Your Pocket - Life in a Cookie-less World brought to you by our friends at LiveRamp. Visit LiveRamp to find out how they ca...
Programmatic In Your Pocket | Life In a Cookie-Less World | Part 1
25 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Programmatic In Your Pocket - Life in a Cookie-less World brought to you by our friends at LiveRamp. Visit LiveRamp to find out how they can help...
Agency Leaders | A Tale of David vs Goliath : Agencies vs Consultancies
13 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
In our first episode, we discuss the tale the plight of agencies in the wake of the growing presence of consultancies, is it a simple case of David vs...