In episode 61 of the Leaders Getting Coffee podcast, our guest is Former Blackcap and Broadcaster Mark Richardson.

There are many elements to the Mark Richarson story. The cricketer who bloomed late. The accidental broadcaster who seemed a natural behind the microphone. And now the Investment Advisor, charting a new path in yet another career.

Even as a boy, Mark Richardson dreamed of playing for the Black Caps. His early years saw him on the pitch as a bowler and over time he transformed himself into a batsman, and then again into an opening batsman. The dream didn’t come true until he was 29, but the story of how he got there is a testament to his determination and resilience.

He was honest enough to hang up the cricket bat when he was mentally burned out, despite the fact that he probably could have gone on. But he didn’t sit idle for long.

The opportunity to broadcast the game he loved opened a door to a twenty year broadcasting career that included “The Crowd Goes Wild”, “The Block NZ”, “The Project” and “The AM Show”. He continued to commentate the cricket, not because of the money, but because of his love for the game.

But the changes in the media industry meant the going was too tough and first Mediaworks and then Today FM closed down, leaving Richardson wondering what might come next.

But he’s nothing if not adaptable, and another casual conversation turned opportunity arose, one which sees him today operating as an Investment Advisor with well known financial services group Forsyth Barr, a topic deserving of some air time given the current challenges in the markets.

On the Leaders Getting Coffee Podcast, Mark Richardson speaks with Bruce Cotterill about his passion for cricket, the teammates he loved playing with, the disappointment of being out for 99 and the relief of that first century scoring 115 just a few weeks later. And he’s refreshingly open about the highs and lows of that broadcasting career. 

Behind the blokey persona is a man who takes every step as he did his batting, with careful preparation and just enough nervousness to keep him trying his very hardest to be his very best. It’s a seriousness of intent that he now channels to the task of guiding clients on their investment journey.

Leaders Getting Coffee - Episode 61 with Bruce Cotterill and Mark Richardson, former Blackcap, Broadcaster and Investment Advisor.

In episode 61 of the Leaders Getting Coffee podcast, our guest is Former Blackcap and Broadcaster Mark Richardson.
There are many elements to the Mark Richarson story. The cricketer who bloomed late. The accidental broadcaster who seemed a natural behind the microphone. And now the Investment Advisor, charting a new path in yet another career.
Even as a boy, Mark Richardson dreamed of playing for the Black Caps. His early years saw him on the pitch as a bowler and over time he transformed himself into a batsman, and then again into an opening batsman. The dream didn&rsquo;t come true until he was 29, but the story of how he got there is a testament to his determination and resilience.
He was honest enough to hang up the cricket bat when he was mentally burned out, despite the fact that he probably could have gone on. But he didn&rsquo;t sit idle for long.
The opportunity to broadcast the game he loved opened a door to a twenty year broadcasting career that included &ldquo;The Crowd Goes Wild&rdquo;, &ldquo;The Block NZ&rdquo;, &ldquo;The Project&rdquo; and &ldquo;The AM Show&rdquo;. He continued to commentate the cricket, not because of the money, but because of his love for the game.
But the changes in the media industry meant the going was too tough and first Mediaworks and then Today FM closed down, leaving Richardson wondering what might come next.
But he&rsquo;s nothing if not adaptable, and another casual conversation turned opportunity arose, one which sees him today operating as an Investment Advisor with well known financial services group Forsyth Barr, a topic deserving of some air time given the current challenges in the markets.
On the Leaders Getting Coffee Podcast, Mark Richardson speaks with Bruce Cotterill about his passion for cricket, the teammates he loved playing with, the disappointment of being out for 99 and the relief of that first century scoring 115 just a few weeks later. And he&rsquo;s refreshingly open about the highs and lows of that broadcasting career.&nbsp;
Behind the blokey persona is a man who takes every step as he did his batting, with careful preparation and just enough nervousness to keep him trying his very hardest to be his very best. It&rsquo;s a seriousness of intent that he now channels to the task of guiding clients on their investment journey.
Leaders Getting Coffee - Episode 61 with Bruce Cotterill and Mark Richardson, former Blackcap, Broadcaster and Investment Advisor.

Kiwis seem to be debating the big issues more than ever before. Whether it’s house prices, the state of the economy, or the performance of our political leaders, most of us aren’t lacking for an opinion.

One of the things we don’t talk about that much is the need for good leadership. And it’s not just the politicians that need to take note. Whether you are running a sports team, a small business, a big business, or even a school, good leadership will see goals achieved and better outcomes generated.

Join company director and business adviser Bruce Cotterill as he talks to leaders about leadership. 

Kiwis seem to be debating the big issues more than ever before. Whether it’s house prices, the state of the economy, or the performance of our political leaders, most of us aren’t lacking for an opinion.
One of the things we don’t talk about that much is the need for good leadership. And it’s not just the politicians that need to take note. Whether you are running a sports team, a small business, a big business, or even a school, good leadership will see goals achieved and better outcomes generated.
Join company director and business adviser Bruce Cotterill as he talks to leaders about leadership.

Leaders Getting Coffee with Bruce Cotterill

Episode 61: Former Blackcap and Broadcaster, Mark Richardson

In Leaders Getting Coffee episode 60, our guest is The Right Honourable David Seymour, Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand and Leader of the Act Party.

To many of us, it seems like David Seymour has been in the public eye for so long that we feel like we know him. And yet, as it turns out, we know very little.

He grew up in a Whangarei family, with working parents and a personal ambition shaped partly by a mother who suffered from a disability.

As a youngster he was exposed to business and voluntary work, all of which drove a unique work ethic and a passion for the freedoms his generation took for granted.

He left the family home for life as a boarder at Auckland Grammar and soon he was at Auckland University studying for degrees in Engineering and Philosophy. He had to work his way through university to make ends meet and talks of forty hour weeks bookended by lectures and assignments.

His early career focussed on engineering until the opportunity came to work for a Canadian think tank and a new career path was formed, one that would ultimately see him return to New Zealand, becoming an MP and Act party leader in 2014.

On the Leaders Getting Coffee Podcast, David Seymour speaks with Bruce Cotterill about the loneliness of his early years as parliament’s sole Act MP and his focus on working with other politicians, many of whom were not natural bedfellows, to get his End of Life Choice Act passed into law as a result of a referendum in 2020.

That led to him ushering in nine additional MP’s in 2020 and Act’s role in parliament has been secured as a result.

David Seymour speaks proudly about taking on some of parliament’s tougher challenges, including charter schools, regulatory reform, and the treaty principles bill, as well as the End of Life legislation.

This is a man who is passionate about personal freedoms and making New Zealand a better and more productive place for its people. And as one of parliament’s best communicators, he is very clear on some of the challenges ahead.

In Leaders Getting Coffee episode 60, our guest is The Right Honourable David Seymour, Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand and Leader of the Act Party.
To many of us, it seems like David Seymour has been in the public eye for so long that we feel like we know him. And yet, as it turns out, we know very little.
He grew up in a Whangarei family, with working parents and a personal ambition shaped partly by a mother who suffered from a disability.
As a youngster he was exposed to business and voluntary work, all of which drove a unique work ethic and a passion for the freedoms his generation took for granted.
He left the family home for life as a boarder at Auckland Grammar and soon he was at Auckland University studying for degrees in Engineering and Philosophy. He had to work his way through university to make ends meet and talks of forty hour weeks bookended by lectures and assignments.
His early career focussed on engineering until the opportunity came to work for a Canadian think tank and a new career path was formed, one that would ultimately see him return to New Zealand, becoming an MP and Act party leader in 2014.
On the Leaders Getting Coffee Podcast, David Seymour speaks with Bruce Cotterill about the loneliness of his early years as parliament&rsquo;s sole Act MP and his focus on working with other politicians, many of whom were not natural bedfellows, to get his End of Life Choice Act passed into law as a result of a referendum in 2020.
That led to him ushering in nine additional MP&rsquo;s in 2020 and Act&rsquo;s role in parliament has been secured as a result.
David Seymour speaks proudly about taking on some of parliament&rsquo;s tougher challenges, including charter schools, regulatory reform, and the treaty principles bill, as well as the End of Life legislation.
This is a man who is passionate about personal freedoms and making New Zealand a better and more productive place for its people. And as one of parliament&rsquo;s best communicators, he is very clear on some of the challenges ahead.

Episode 60: Deputy Prime Minister, David Seymour

In Leaders Getting Coffee episode 59, our guest is Lisa King, the inspirational founder of Eat My Lunch and more recently alcohol free cocktail brand, Free AF.

She was born in Hong Kong and moved to New Zealand at the age of two. Her hardworking parents instilled a passion for education and an enthusiasm for entrepreneurial flair.

Lisa King didn’t waste that business oriented zest for life. A couple of university degrees provided her ticket to her dream jobs, in big corporate organisations that could show her the world.

The New Zealand Daily Board sent her to the Philippines, Unilever took her to the UK and the arrival of her first child brought her home. Roles in the heart of FMCG business followed at Bluebird, Cadbury and eventually back to the newly named Fonterra.

But a need to do something with purpose was stirring and, inspired by an advertisement for shoes – buy one get one free – she set up a school lunch programme that followed that same model. If sponsors would pay for a school lunch, her team would deliver that and another to students in need. It was called “Eat My Lunch” and it arrived at a time when some schools had 50 kids going without a midday meal.

They prepared the lunches in her lounge at first, and at its peak her team were delivering 2,600 free lunches and the same number of paid ones, across 45 schools, every day. 

With the arrival of the Government’s school lunch programme, her work there was done and another purpose was waiting.

Lisa had decided to give up drinking alcohol, and was astounded by the social pressures and the awkward questions. She’d decided that the conversation around not drinking was broken.

And so, in 2020, despite Covid and lockdowns and plenty of reasons not to, she assembled a team and created a brand, developed recipes, and launched Free AF, an alcohol free cocktail brand with a goal to reduce the alcohol in people’s lives without sacrificing the experience.

On the Leaders Getting Coffee podcast Lisa King speaks to Bruce Cotterill about, not one, but two entrepreneurial journeys, the lessons she’s learned and the opportunities ahead. Free AF now features in more than 4,000 stores across the USA, including Whole Foods, Target and Walmart and she is very open about the hard work involved in getting established in a massive market, including the importance of keeping her team small and action orientated, jumping time zones and the funding challenges associated with order sizes you don’t expect.

This is a case study in purpose from someone who is in the process of building a global brand. It’s a must listen for every aspiring entrepreneur. Spoiler alert… it’s a lot of hard work!

In Leaders Getting Coffee episode 59, our guest is Lisa King, the inspirational founder of Eat My Lunch and more recently&nbsp;alcohol free cocktail brand, Free AF.
She was born in Hong Kong and moved to New Zealand at the age of two. Her hardworking parents instilled a passion for education and an enthusiasm for entrepreneurial flair.
Lisa King didn&rsquo;t waste that business oriented zest for life. A couple of university degrees provided her ticket to her dream jobs, in big corporate organisations that could show her the world.
The New Zealand Daily Board sent her to the Philippines, Unilever took her to the UK and the arrival of her first child brought her home. Roles in the heart of FMCG business followed at Bluebird, Cadbury and eventually back to the newly named Fonterra.
But a need to do something with purpose was stirring and, inspired by an advertisement for shoes &ndash; buy one get one free &ndash; she set up a school lunch programme that followed that same model. If sponsors would pay for a school lunch, her team would deliver that and another to students in need. It was called &ldquo;Eat My Lunch&rdquo; and it arrived at a time when some schools had 50 kids going without a midday meal.
They prepared the lunches in her lounge at first, and at its peak her team were delivering 2,600 free lunches and the same number of paid ones, across 45 schools, every day.&nbsp;
With the arrival of the Government&rsquo;s school lunch programme, her work there was done and another purpose was waiting.
Lisa had decided to give up drinking alcohol, and was astounded by the social pressures and the awkward questions. She&rsquo;d decided that the conversation around not drinking was broken.
And so, in 2020, despite Covid and lockdowns and plenty of reasons not to, she assembled a team and created a brand, developed recipes, and launched Free AF, an alcohol free cocktail brand with a goal to reduce the alcohol in people&rsquo;s lives without sacrificing the experience.
On the Leaders Getting Coffee podcast Lisa King speaks to Bruce Cotterill about, not one, but two entrepreneurial journeys, the lessons she&rsquo;s learned and the opportunities ahead. Free AF now features in more than 4,000 stores across the USA, including Whole Foods, Target and Walmart and she is very open about the hard work involved in getting established in a massive market, including the importance of keeping her team small and action orientated, jumping time zones and the funding challenges associated with order sizes you don&rsquo;t expect.
This is a case study in purpose from someone who is in the process of building a global brand. It&rsquo;s a must listen for every aspiring entrepreneur. Spoiler alert&hellip; it&rsquo;s a lot of hard work!

Episode 59: Founder of Eat My Lunch & Free AF, Lisa King

In Leaders Getting Coffee episode 58, our guest Sharon Zollner, Chief Economist at ANZ Bank.

At a time when the economic recovery in New Zealand is threatened, yet again, by a major international shock, we thought it was worthwhile to host one of the Country’s leading economists on Leaders Getting Coffee. And we weren’t disappointed. This week’s guest is one of the most entertaining economists we could wish to speak to.

A self-confessed geeky kid, and cricket tragic, Sharon Zollner grew up in rural Canterbury in a farming family near Methven. She excelled at school, particularly it seems in English and Mathematics, capabilities which influenced her decision to study English Literature and Economics.

She left Canterbury University with a Masters in Commerce and majors in Economics and English Literature, and headed to the New Zealand Reserve Bank to start what has become an amazingly successful career.

A stint with Norway’s central bank followed, where her work included developing a macro economic model for the Norwegian economy.

Returning to New Zealand, her climb up the ranks of Bank Economists has been rapid and she speaks openly about becoming the Chief Economist at ANZ in 2017, just ahead of a change in government and prior to the disruption created by Covid 19.

On the Leaders Getting Coffee podcast Sharon Zollner speaks to Bruce Cotterill about the current state of the New Zealand economy, which she suggests is more resilient that many of us might expect.

She is also refreshingly open about the impacts of war in the Middle East and the associated panic around oil prices and supplies, and the likely stages that economies will go through as the conflict continues.

As you might expect, Zollner reels off economic terms and statistics in an uncomplicated manner that is easy to understand and entertaining to listen to. Her lessons from Norway are interesting given the similarity of that economy to that of New Zealand, and the differing constraints that the two countries must operate within.

Most importantly, she is positive about the current state of New Zealand, despite the obvious headwinds, and one wishes that her enthusiasm for our future should be contagious.

In Leaders Getting Coffee episode 58, our guest Sharon Zollner, Chief Economist at ANZ Bank.
At a time when the economic recovery in New Zealand is threatened, yet again, by a major international shock, we thought it was worthwhile to host one of the Country&rsquo;s leading economists on Leaders Getting Coffee. And we weren&rsquo;t disappointed. This week&rsquo;s guest is one of the most entertaining economists we could wish to speak to.
A self-confessed geeky kid, and cricket tragic, Sharon Zollner grew up in rural Canterbury in a farming family near Methven. She excelled at school, particularly it seems in English and Mathematics, capabilities which influenced her decision to study English Literature and Economics.
She left Canterbury University with a Masters in Commerce and majors in Economics and English Literature, and headed to the New Zealand Reserve Bank to start what has become an amazingly successful career.
A stint with Norway&rsquo;s central bank followed, where her work included developing a macro economic model for the Norwegian economy.
Returning to New Zealand, her climb up the ranks of Bank Economists has been rapid and she speaks openly about becoming the Chief Economist at ANZ in 2017, just ahead of a change in government and prior to the disruption created by Covid 19.
On the Leaders Getting Coffee podcast Sharon Zollner speaks to Bruce Cotterill about the current state of the New Zealand economy, which she suggests is more resilient that many of us might expect.
She is also refreshingly open about the impacts of war in the Middle East and the associated panic around oil prices and supplies, and the likely stages that economies will go through as the conflict continues.
As you might expect, Zollner reels off economic terms and statistics in an uncomplicated manner that is easy to understand and entertaining to listen to. Her lessons from Norway are interesting given the similarity of that economy to that of New Zealand, and the differing constraints that the two countries must operate within.
Most importantly, she is positive about the current state of New Zealand, despite the obvious headwinds, and one wishes that her enthusiasm for our future should be contagious.

Episode 61: Former Blackcap and Broadcaster, Mark Richardson

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