Fifty-one episodes down, one vision achieved

Boxers & Briefs Podcast #51: Reflecting on fifty-one episodes of the Boxers and Briefs podcast

When Boxers and Briefs launched, the goal was simple: run the podcast for one year, produce fifty-two episodes, and help make business in New Zealand better.

Now, as we approach the final episode, Lisa Garrud, the Gilligan-Sheppard marketing manager and Kelly, the marketing assistant, sat down to reflect on what they’ve learned, which conversations hit hardest, and what comes next.

How it all started

As the marketing arm for Gilligan Sheppard, MasterJack was given a clear mission: make business in New Zealand better. But how do you actually do that?

After brainstorming strategies, a podcast emerged as one answer. But not just any podcast. Lisa and the team did the research: How long should episodes be? How often should they drop? What topics would matter to business owners?

They set a target of fifty-two episodes, one per week for one year. They bought equipment, did voice training, and figured out the logistics.

Then came the question: who’s going to host this thing?

“In the end, there was nobody else,” Lisa said. “If you’ve got the vision, you just have to do it.”

So she did. Big girl pants on, wobbles and all.

The episodes that stood out

Picking favourites is like asking a parent to choose their favourite child (it’s Kelly, by the way). But some episodes hit differently.

The coaches

Lisa found huge value in the coaching episodes. Sophie K talked about moving towards pleasure and away from pain, a simple concept that makes decision-making easier. Nicole Coyne from Tikumu Consulting dropped this truth bomb: there’s no such thing as time management. You can’t manage time. It just goes.

Miranda Knapton, President of BNI New Zealand, reframed networking entirely. It’s not about swapping business cards. It’s about relationships that can change your life.

Monique Bradley appeared twice because her episodes were so popular. She tackled imposter syndrome and tall poppy syndrome, helping listeners be authentic and confident without the doubts creeping in.

Jon Randles talked about bottlenecks and how business owners often need to get out of their own way to grow. Which means releasing control. Which is hard.

The business basics

If you’re starting a business, these episodes are gold. Debbie Gregory explained how self-awareness makes you a better leader. Richard Conway from Pure SEO shared his business story and flipped Lisa’s thinking on awards. She’d always thought they were about ego, but Richard framed them as milestones. A way to reflect on where you’ve been and build confidence for what’s next.

Iyia Liu talked about influencer marketing and dropped this stat: she spent $300,000 on one post from Kylie Jenner. And made millions. Tim Dove broke down the power of business names. Bill Bain shared how to convert customers into raving fans, because when they recommend you, people listen.

The employee and boss dynamic

Jacqui Bensemann from Argus Fire said something deceptively simple: if you look after your people, they’ll look after you. And it’s not about pay or time off. It’s about relationship.

Carley Nicholson talked about happy and high-performing employees. Not high-performing and stressed. High-performing and happy. They exist.

Simon Milne from Job Cave, the recruiter MasterJack used, changed Lisa’s view on diversity. She’d thought it was just a buzzword, but he explained why a diverse workforce matters. If you just clone yourself, you get more of the same.

The stories

The stories were Lisa’s favourites. Real, raw, from the heart.

Katey Mandy built a skincare business Rei from what was around her, combining lessons from retail and New Zealand botanicals into a classy brand. Skincare is tough to crack, but she nailed it.

Georgia Patten, founder of Bored George sunglasses, inspired everyone at twenty-three. Her resilience and passion hit hard, especially for Kelly, who’s the same age. “It was a bit like, oh Christ, I need to get it together,” Kelly admitted.

Two electrical businesses shared wildly different stories. Shamus and Matt from No Shock talked about laying people off to relaunch the business. Sam from First Point Electrical shared a shocking story (pun intended): an office manager stole just under $200,000 from his business.

Liz Williams, a private investigator, reminded everyone that bigger isn’t always better. There’s a sweet spot for every business where you find happiness.

The biggest lessons

Business is different for everybody. That’s obvious, but here’s what stood out: you need to know your weaknesses to be successful.

Don’t like networking? There’s an episode for that. Struggle with numbers? Covered. Hate speaking in front of crowds? There’s help for that too.

“You’ll do the easy stuff easy,” Lisa said. “Focus on your weaknesses.”

The second big lesson appeared in nearly every episode: look after yourself.

“I know it’s so obvious, and yet so many of us struggle with it,” Lisa said. “It’s not a priority until it has to be. Until you’re on the verge of burnout or losing your health.”

Self-care isn’t a once-a-week thing. It’s daily. Exercise came up most often. So did mindfulness. But the key is finding what works for you.

One last thing

Thank you for joining the journey. If this is your first episode, go back and listen or read the others. There are lessons in there.

You can find Boxers and Briefs on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube.

The episodes were designed to be twenty minutes long. They started long and got shorter by the end. But they were always meant to provide value and help make business in New Zealand better. Hopefully, they have.

This article and podcast is proudly brought to you by Gilligan Sheppard, the problem solvers in business who believe in thinking differently.