The Ultimate Leader’s Edge is a leadership and performance podcast for founders and leaders navigating growth and scale. Hosted by Paulette Kolarz and powered by the Performance Collective Academy, each episode blends lived experience, expert interviews, and practical leadership lessons across performance, culture, accountability, communication, and systems that support sustainable growth. This is not theory or hype. It is grounded leadership for real businesses navigating scale. If you are building a business that values people, performance, and freedom, you are in the right place.
Special Episode- The Leadership Shift That Makes Scale Possible | Paulette Kolarz of BespokeHR & PCA
Episode 18 is live.
This time, the tables have turned.
Nicole Selth, Principal Consultant, interviews Paulette Kolarz about what really changes when a founder moves from building the business through their own effort to building a team capable of performing without them.
For female founders and leaders carrying both the operational responsibility and the weight of keeping everything moving, this is a conversation about what growth actually asks you to release.
Inside this episode:
• Why letting go is one of the hardest parts of scaling
• How your role changes from doing the work to enabling performance
• Why clarity and direct feedback are part of setting people up for success
• What founders need to understand about the messy middle of growth
One of Paulette's strongest reflections:
"The real success is when you go away and the business does better when you're not in it."
Episode 18 of Ultimate Leader's Edge powered by the Performance Collective Academy is live now.
#UltimateLeadersEdge #FemaleFounders #LeadershipGrowth #FounderMindset #BusinessLeadership
1 Sept 2026
Episode 17 - Believe in the Process. Let Go of the Outcome | Christian Capurso of Whola
Episode 17 is live.
Christian Capurso, Board Member and Executive Advisor, joins Paulette Kolarz on The Ultimate Leader’s Edge powered by the Performance Collective for a conversation about what high performance really demands from founders and leaders.
Not more noise.
Not a permanently full calendar.
Not trying to control every result.
This episode explores:
• why attitude and effort matter more than controlling external variables
• what founders need to confront in the messy middle of growth
• how elite sport develops decisive leaders who can recover from mistakes
• why busy does not automatically mean productive
• how creating space to think changes the quality of your decisions
• why understanding your people can create stronger accountability
Christian’s billboard advice captures the conversation:
“Believe in the process and let go of the outcome.”
Do the preparation.
Make the decision.
Own what belongs to you.
Then stop trying to control everything that follows.
Episode 17 is live now.
18 Aug 2026
Episode 16 - The Founder Cannot Be the Operating System Forever | Rose Cocchiaro
of Resolve Divorce
Episode 16 is live.
Rose Cocchiaro built Resolve Divorce by challenging traditional family law.
But the business could not scale on bold ideas alone.
As Resolve grew, Rose had to confront one of the most difficult shifts for any capable founder: moving from personally driving the business to building the strategy, structure and people that could drive it with her.
In this episode of the Ultimate Leader’s Edge, powered by the Performance Collective, Paulette and Rose explore:
• why founders need to get out of their own way as the business grows
• how strategy, structure and people connect
• why values need to show up in everyday operating rhythms
• what disruption really costs before it gains acceptance
Rose puts the founder lesson simply:
“Drop the ego. Get out of your own way.”
Episode 16 with Rose Cocchiaro, Founder and Executive Director of Resolve Divorce, is live now.
4 Aug 2026
Episode 15 - Lessons from Elite Sports | Bruce Djite of Property Council of Australia
Episode 15 is live - and this one is a special edition.
Filmed live at our latest Performance Collective Academy two-day Intensive, our members were joined by Bruce Djite, Executive Director for the Property Council of Australia and former professional footballer, for a fireside chat with Paulette Kolarz.
Founders and senior leaders are often carrying responsibility for keeping the team steady while still making difficult decisions themselves.
That responsibility is not sustained through occasional speeches or bursts of motivation.
It is sustained through consistent behaviour.
In this special edition of The Ultimate Leader’s Edge, powered by the Performance Collective, Paulette and Bruce explore:
• what elite sport teaches us about building team culture
• why leaders must be consistent and approachable
• how shared responsibility strengthens performance
• why resilience can only be built through experience
One line from Bruce captures the mindset behind the conversation:
“There’s learning and there’s winning. There’s no losing.”
This is a practical conversation about standards, setbacks and the everyday actions that help people perform together - captured in the room with our Performance Collective Academy members.
21 Jul 2026
Episode 14 - Leading Isn't About Having the Answers | Vikki Friscic of Seven Network
Episode 14 is live: Vikki Friscic, Managing Director at Seven Network
Leadership is not about having all the answers.
It is about staying open, honest, available, and steady when everything around you is shifting.
In this episode of The Ultimate Leader’s Edge, powered by Performance Collective, Paulette Kolarz sits down with Vikki Friscic to unpack the realities of leading large teams through pressure, uncertainty, rapid change, and growth.
Vikki shares:
• Why people development became her greatest measure of success
• The hidden pressure women navigate in senior leadership
• How curiosity creates better leaders than ego ever will
• Why work life balance is the wrong conversation
• and the mindset shift that helped her stop waiting for opportunities and start creating them
One of the most important takeaways from this episode:
“Don’t wait to be tapped on the shoulder.”
If you are leading a growing business, carrying responsibility for people, or navigating change at scale, this conversation will resonate.
7 Jul 2026
Episode 13 - Why Founders Must Stop Solving Everything | Toby Bensimon of Grahams & Shiels Jewellers
Episode 13 is live: Toby Bensimon of Grahams and Shiels Jewellers.
Founders often become the place every decision returns to.
Not because the team is incapable.
Because the business grew around their judgement, standards, and ability to solve problems quickly.
In this episode of The Ultimate Leader’s Edge, powered by the Performance Collective, Paulette Kolarz sits down with Toby Bensimon for a practical conversation about optimism, speed, curiosity, hierarchy, and building companies that keep correcting themselves.
Toby shares:
• why optimism is not a mood, but a frame of mind
• how founders can become bottlenecks without meaning to
• why launching imperfectly creates faster learning
• and how flat structures keep problems visible
One of the strongest moments in the episode:
“Problems are inevitable and problems are soluble.”
Listen to Episode 13. Available in Spotify, Apple Podcast and Youtube
23 Jun 2026
Episode 12 - Growth Gets Harder When Everything Depends on You | Matthew Michalewicz of Complexica
Episode 12 is live: Matthew Michalewicz, Author, Entrepreneur and CEO of Complexica.
Growth eventually creates a new challenge for every founder.
The business needs them everywhere.
Every decision.
Every customer.
Every problem.
And what once felt like commitment starts feeling like a ceiling.
In this episode of The Ultimate Leader's Edge, Paulette Kolarz sits down with Matthew Michalewicz for a practical conversation about building businesses that scale.
Matthew shares:
• why standardisation is the foundation of growth
• how to build a business that's ready to sell at any time
• why sales is the leading indicator of future success
• how founders can stop becoming the bottleneck
One standout quote:
"Run a company in a way that it's ready to be sold tomorrow."
If you're building a business and wondering how to grow without becoming the centre of everything, this episode is worth your time.
Listen now via Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube.
#UltimateLeadersEdge #FounderLeadership #BusinessGrowth #LeadershipDevelopment #FounderMindset #BusinessLeadership
9 Jun 2026
Episode 11 - Why Founders Need To Protect More Than Profit | Justine Teggelove of Rodine Australia
Episode 11 is live: Justine Teggelove, co-founder of Rodine Australia.
Most founders start a business to create freedom.
Then slowly, without realising it, they build something they cannot step away from.
Episode 11 of The Ultimate Leaders Edge, powered by Performance Collective, features Justine Teggelove, co-founder of Rodine Australia.
Hosted by Paulette Kolarz, this conversation explores the leadership decisions that shaped the business as it scaled.
Justine shares:
• Why founders need to protect what feeds them
• The crossroads that define sustainable growth
• How culture is built through genuine connection
• What happens when success costs too much personally
This episode is practical, honest, and deeply relevant for founders building businesses that need to perform without consuming everything around them.
Listen to Episode 11 to learn more.
#FounderLeadership #BusinessGrowth #LeadershipCulture #WomenInLeadership
26 May 2026
Episode 10 - Why Waiting to Feel Ready Is Holding You Back | Kelly Baker-Jamieson of Edible Blooms
Episode 10 is live: Kelly Baker-Jamieson, Founder and Managing Director of Edible Blooms
Many founders believe growth comes from doing more.
More people.
More effort.
More time.
But what actually scales a business looks different.
In this episode of The Ultimate Leader’s Edge, powered by Performance Collective, Paulette Kolarz, founder of BespokeHR and Performance Collective Academy, sits down with Kelly Baker-Jamieson.
From building a national brand to navigating rapid growth, this conversation focuses on what really moves a business forward.
• Why courage matters more than readiness
• How systems unlock scale
• The role of founder visibility in building trust
• Why staying close to the customer changes everything
• The mindset shift female founders need earlier
If you are looking for some practical tips, real life lessons and an open conversation about the true challenges businesses are facing, this podcast is for you.
#Leadership #FemaleFounders #BusinessGrowth #CustomerExperience #Scaling
12 May 2026
Episode 9 - Why Letting Go Is the Real Leadership Shift | Brett Schatto of Pride Advice
Episode 9 is live: Brett Schatto, Founder of Pride Advice
You cannot scale a business if you are still doing the job that built it.
In this episode of Ultimate Leader’s Edge, powered by Performance Collective Academy, Paulette Kolarz speaks with Brett Schatto, who has built one of Australia’s leading financial advice firms.
This is a conversation about real leadership decisions:
Letting go of client work to lead the business
Hiring leaders, not just employees
Holding standards even when it’s uncomfortable
Understanding that growth without profit is not growth
If you are building a business that needs to perform without everything relying on you, this episode will resonate.
Listen now.
#Leadership #ScalingBusiness #FounderMindset #PerformanceCollectiveAcademy #BusinessGrowth
28 Apr 2026
Episode 8 - Human Leadership Before More Policies | Lisa Bondarenko of 360 Women
Lisa Bondarenko, Counsellor, Psychotherapist and Founder of 360 Woman.
This conversation gets to the heart of something many leaders feel but rarely say out loud.
What do you do when someone brings real distress into the workplace?
Lisa’s answer is grounded and clear.
Leaders do not need to become therapists.
But they do need to become more human in the way they respond.
In this episode with Paulette Kolarz, Lisa shares what she sees inside organisations every day.
Why many workplaces talk about wellbeing but do not live it.
Why people often need to be heard before they are referred.
Why healthy workplaces are built through pace, breaks, follow up and genuine care.
And why leaders set the tone when they model how to work and recover well.
If you lead people, this conversation will stay with you.
Listen to Episode 8 now!
#LisaBondarenko #360Woman #PauletteKolarz #PerformanceCollectiveAcademy #BespokeHR #UltimateLeadersEdge
15 Apr 2026
Episode 7 - The Moment a Founder Becomes the Bottleneck | Todd Roberts of Credit Union SA
Episode 7 of The Ultimate Leader’s Edge is live: Todd Roberts, CEO of Credit Union SA
This conversation explores what actually limits growth inside a business.
The biggest constraint is not strategy.
It is the founder.
Todd Roberts shares what he’s seen repeatedly inside businesses under pressure.
Leaders holding on too long.
Decisions delayed.
Everything funneling through one person.
“If you think it only stops in your office, the business is in big trouble.”
In this episode:
• Why founders become the bottleneck without realising
• How delayed decisions show up in performance
• What empowerment actually looks like in practice
• Why financial pressure often follows leadership behaviour
• The habits that allow businesses to scale beyond the founder
If your business still depends heavily on you, this will land.
Listen via the link below.
Follow The Ultimate Leader’s Edge for more grounded leadership conversations.
#Leadership #BusinessGrowth #FemaleFounders #Culture #Scaling
31 Mar 2026
Episode 6 - Why Scaling Too Early Breaks Businesses | Binh An Nguyen of Market Ease Digital
Many founders assume growth will fix the problems inside their business.
But growth doesn’t fix problems.
It multiplies them.
In this conversation with Paulette Kolarz, Binh shares lessons from more than two decades building a digital growth agency.
Starting alone in his living room.
Evolving from web development into a full growth agency.
Scaling a team of more than 30 people.
The episode explores what founders often learn the hard way.
Why service businesses are really in the people business.
Why leadership roles must evolve as companies grow.
And why scaling too early creates chaos inside organisations.
If you're building a business that needs to grow without everything resting on you, this conversation will land.
Listen to Episode 6 with our special guest, Binh An Nguyen, Founder and CEO of Market Ease Digital. Available in streaming platforms.
Follow The Ultimate Leader’s Edge so you don’t miss future episodes.
#Leadership #FounderJourney #BusinessGrowth #UltimateLeadersEdge #Entrepreneurship
17 Mar 2026
Episode 5 - Team Cohesion Wins When Talent Alone Does Not | Nathan Kosmina of Adelaide United
You do not build a strong team by collecting strong individuals.
You build it by creating trust, cohesion and clarity around how people work together.
In this episode of The Ultimate Leader’s Edge, Paulette Kolarz sits down with Nathan Kosmina to unpack what leadership looks like when performance pressure is constant and every result is visible.
Nathan shares why the best team on paper often does not win, why issues need to be addressed early, and why leaders still need to get their hands dirty if they want culture to mean something.
There is a lot in this conversation for founders and senior leaders.
Especially if you are trying to build a business where standards stay high, people stay connected, and performance does not depend on one person carrying everything.
#UltimateLeadersEdge #Leadership #TeamCulture #PerformanceCollectiveAcademy #HighPerformanceTeams
24 Feb 2026
Episode 4 - What You Tolerate Becomes the Standard | Bronwyn Klei of Netball SA and Thunderbirds
A leader’s credibility is not built by what you say.
It is built by what you tolerate and what you address.
Today’s episode of The Ultimate Leader’s Edge, powered by Performance Collective Academy, is live.
In this episode, Paulette Kolarz sits down with Bronwyn Klei, CEO, Netball South Australia and Adelaide Thunderbirds, to unpack how to build a culture that holds under pressure, not just when things are easy.
In this conversation, Bronwyn shares what the CEO seat really demands:
The moment you realise “the buck stops with you”
Why you have to detach from the operational pull or you get dragged into everything
How values become your filter when stakeholders are loud and opinions are everywhere
The hard truth about toxic behaviour and why avoiding it costs culture
If you are leading a growing organisation and feel the constant pull between performance, people, and pressure, this episode will land.
Listen to Episode 4 now and follow The Ultimate Leader’s Edge, so you do not miss what comes next.
#TheUltimateLeadersEdge #Leadership #Culture #CEO #TeamPerformance #PerformanceCollectiveAcademy #PauletteKolarz #BespokeHR #WomenInLeadership #WomenFounders
10 Feb 2026
Episode 3 - When Your Craft Becomes a Team, Leadership Changes | Paul Vasileff of Paolo Sebastian
Leadership is not about being the most talented person in the room.
It is about protecting the standard when you are no longer the one doing the work.
Today’s episode of The Ultimate Leader’s Edge, powered by Performance Collective Academy, is live.
Paulette Kolarz sits down with Paul Vasileff, Founder and Designer of Paolo Sebastian, to unpack what leadership looks like when craftsmanship, culture, and growth collide.
Paul shares how storytelling shapes culture, why standards must be shared not enforced, and what changed when he stopped being only the creator and started leading a team.
If you are building something where quality cannot slip, this conversation will resonate.
Listen now.
27 Jan 2026
Episode 2 - Why Managing People Stops Working as You Scale | Tammy Barton - Founder of MyBudget
In Episode 2 of The Ultimate Leader’s Edge, I sit down with Tammy Barton, founder of MyBudget, to explore what leadership really requires when a business grows beyond its founder.
Tammy’s journey began at 22 with a simple desire to help people improve their financial wellbeing. Today, she leads a team of 300 across multiple countries. What makes this conversation powerful is not just the scale, but how intentionally Tammy has evolved her leadership style along the way.
Early on, Tammy did what many founders do. She managed people through systems, processes, and KPIs. Over time, she realised that management alone does not scale. Leadership does.
The turning point came when she shifted from controlling outcomes to creating clarity around purpose, values, and expectations.
13 Jan 2026
Episode 1 - Culture Over Control: What Businesses Can Learn from Netflix’s First CEO
In this powerful episode of The Ultimate Leader’s Edge, Paulette Kolarz sits down with Marc Randolph, the co-founder and first CEO of Netflix, to explore what it really takes to lead during times of fast growth and change.
💡 You’ll hear Marc open up about:
- Why letting go was the smartest decision he ever made at Netflix
- The truth about company culture (hint: it’s not something you “design”)
- The Keeper Test and why Netflix was never a family — it was a pro sports team
- How to lead without controlling
- Why being a great individual contributor doesn’t make you a great leader
- And the importance of balance, priorities, and staying grounded
Whether you’re a founder, leader, or just scaling your team, this episode is packed with practical wisdom, honest stories, and the kind of insight you can’t get from a textbook.
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