{"podcast":{"title":"What I learned in business (that didn't kill me!)","slug":"what-i-learned-in-business-that-didn-t-kill-me-7504944","podcast_index_feed_id":7504944,"rss_url":"https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/68c8d9069445f7a95104183c","website_url":"https://shows.acast.com/what-i-learned-in-business-that-didnt-kill-me","image_url":"https://assets.pippa.io/shows/cover/1757989586689-5ec7fadd-958d-4f32-b41a-87024b76e51a.jpeg","author":"James Stewart","episode_count":31,"summary":"Have you ever wondered why some businesses go broke and others are successful? Have you ever wondered why some leaders rise to the top in difficult situations? For 40 years I was a corporate undertaker. I buried businesses that failed and helped save those where there was still a pulse. I was parachuted into some of corporate Australia’s biggest financial crisis, insolvencies and turnaround environments. I have been in Board rooms, Court rooms and on shop floors when all seems lost (and sometimes it was). Over decades at the coal face of business (often in the most difficult circumstances), I have seen & heard stories that delighted and inspired me, as well as those which serve as a guide of the path not to take. I also spent years in leadership roles at Ferrier Hodgson and KPMG Australia where I sat on the Board and was the National Consumer and Retail leader. The purpose of What I learned about Business (that didn’t kill me!) is to share the stories behind some of the world's most interesting business situations, how they unfolded, how my guests dealt with them, and how those experiences changed them and the way they do business. I hope that my podcast entertains and engages lis…","last_synced_at":null,"page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/what-i-learned-in-business-that-didn-t-kill-me-7504944"},"episode":{"title":"Iain Nairn: Laura Ashley, Witchery, Country Rd, David Jones & Hudsons Bay","slug":"iain-nairn-laura-ashley-witchery-country-rd-david-jones-hudsons-bay","published_at":"2025-11-24T18:00:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/what-i-learned-in-business-that-didn-t-kill-me-7504944/iain-nairn-laura-ashley-witchery-country-rd-david-jones-hudsons-bay","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/what-i-learned-in-business-that-didn-t-kill-me-7504944","url":"https://shows.acast.com/what-i-learned-in-business-that-didnt-kill-me/episodes/ian-nairn","audio_url":"https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/68c8d9069445f7a95104183c/e/691433c2543edcb560e34aac/media.mp3","summary":"When Iain Nairn walks into a room, he brings over 40 years of global retail experience — and a lifetime of lessons in leadership, resilience, and reinvention. From his early days with Laura Ashley in the UK to record-breaking years at Country Road Group , a short but powerful stint at David Jones , and a complete digital reinvention of Hudson’s Bay in Canada, Iain has led through every challenge retail can throw at you — turnarounds, acquisitions, cultural clashes, and even a global pandemic. But its not all beer and skittles. In this conversation, we unpack: The challenges of managing the multi platform, multi geographic model of Laura Ashley The success of Witchery and Country Rd when they were powerhouses of Australian retail The challenges of business model transformation under pressure The transformation of David Jones under new ownership — and why he chose to leave at the height of its success The reinvention of Hudson’s Bay , one of the world’s oldest retailers, into a modern digital marketplace. What leadership really looks like when pressure is relentless, the future is uncertain, and you still have to inspire people to perform. It’s a powerful look inside the mind of a CEO who’s led billion-dollar brands, faced boardroom politics head-on, and still believes retail is a human story — not just a balance sheet. 🔗 Connect with James Stewart For more insights, episode notes, and behind-the-scenes content, visit jameshstewart.com or connect on LinkedIn . ⚠️ Disclaimer The views and opinions expressed in this episode are those of the guest and host and do not represent the views of any organisation, employer, or affiliate. All information is provided for general discussion and educational purposes only and should not be relied upon as professional advice. Listeners…","meta_description":"When Iain Nairn walks into a room, he brings over 40 years of global retail experience — and a lifetime of lessons in leadership, resilience, and reinvent…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":3730,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/what-i-learned-in-business-that-didn-t-kill-me-7504944/episodes/iain-nairn-laura-ashley-witchery-country-rd-david-jones-hudsons-bay/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/what-i-learned-in-business-that-didn-t-kill-me-7504944/iain-nairn-laura-ashley-witchery-country-rd-david-jones-hudsons-bay.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}