{"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":"Simon Toohey: Masterchef to Market Maker","slug":"simon-toohey-masterchef-to-market-maker","published_at":"2026-02-16T18:00:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/what-i-learned-in-business-that-didn-t-kill-me-7504944/simon-toohey-masterchef-to-market-maker","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/simon-toohey","audio_url":"https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/68c8d9069445f7a95104183c/e/6983ba2d1976ad1237f2545b/media.mp3","summary":"MasterChef finalist, television host and food entrepreneur Simon Toohey, is this week's guest. Many Australians know Simon from MasterChef Australia (Season 11 and “Back to Win”) or from his SBS series Freshly Picked. But behind the television profile is a far more layered story — one that spans cocktail bars in London, a Masters in Gastronomy in Edinburgh, plant-forward food innovation, pop-up smokehouses, consulting internationally, and now launching the fast-growing Geelong City Market, attracting thousands of visitors every Saturday. We discuss: Growing up in a food-loving family and learning to cook when independence forced it Working in London hospitality, including at globally recognised bar Callooh Callay Why he chose plant-forward cooking as his point of difference The reality of competing on MasterChef — the pressure, structure and exposure Building a media brand through Freshly Picked on SBS Launching the Geelong City Market — vision, business case, government support, and startup challenges What he has learned about entrepreneurship in the food industry The hard days, the pivots, and the principles he anchors to This is a conversation about food — but also about reinvention, resilience, public profile, sustainability, and backing yourself when you see a gap in the market. If you are interested in food systems, food startups, media, or building a purpose-driven career, this episode is for you. About the Show What I Learned in Business (That Didn’t Kill Me!) explores the real stories behind business leaders, founders and professionals — the successes, the setbacks, and the lessons learned along the way. Disclaimer The views expressed by guests are their own and are shared for general informational purposes only. This podcast does not constitute financial, leg…","meta_description":"MasterChef finalist, television host and food entrepreneur Simon Toohey, is this week's guest. Many Australians know Simon from MasterChef Australia (Seas…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":2247,"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/simon-toohey-masterchef-to-market-maker/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/simon-toohey-masterchef-to-market-maker.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}