{"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":"Merriden Varrall: China, Trump & the New World Order.","slug":"merriden-varrall-china-trump-the-new-world-order","published_at":"2026-04-13T19:00:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/what-i-learned-in-business-that-didn-t-kill-me-7504944/merriden-varrall-china-trump-the-new-world-order","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/merriden-varrall","audio_url":"https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/68c8d9069445f7a95104183c/e/69d89a4800eb02bda1ec6254/media.mp3","summary":"Geopolitics now sits at the centre of business decision-making. My guest is Dr Merriden Varrall , one of Australia’s leading geopolitical analysts and China specialists, and the founder and CEO of Vantage Geopol. Merriden brings a rare combination of academic depth, policy experience, and commercial advisory insight. She has spent nearly a decade living and working in China, held senior roles with the United Nations Development Programme in Beijing, led the East Asia Program at the Lowy Institute, and now advises boards and executives on how global political shifts impact strategy, risk, and long-term investment decisions. In this conversation, we explore: How China actually sees the world — and why Western analysis often gets it wrong The evolution of geopolitics from a fringe issue to a top-three boardroom risk The impact of leadership and political disruption on global stability The fragmentation of the global economic order and the growing importance of energy, climate policy, and critical minerals Practical advice for business leaders navigating geopolitical uncertainty This is a deep and timely discussion on one of the most important forces shaping the global economy — and what it means for decision-makers today. 🔗 Connect with James LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-h-stewart-gaicd-83b46a9 Website: https://jameshstewart.com ⚠️ Disclaimer The information, views, and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the host and guest and are provided for general informational purposes only. They do not constitute financial, legal, investment, or other professional advice. This podcast is not intended to provide, and should not be relied upon for, decision-making in relation to any investment, business, or strategic matter. Listeners should seek appropriat…","meta_description":"Geopolitics now sits at the centre of business decision-making. My guest is Dr Merriden Varrall , one of Australia’s leading geopolitical analysts and Chi…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":2943,"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/merriden-varrall-china-trump-the-new-world-order/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/merriden-varrall-china-trump-the-new-world-order.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}