Always Business Class

What if the secret to greater success isn't working harder, but stepping away more often?

In this episode of Always Business Class, Steve Hui and Steve Pirie-Nally sit down with executive coach, mindset mentor, speaker, and Boss in Heels podcast host Lara Nercessian to explore the psychology behind high performance, wealth, and why travel is one of the most powerful tools for a well designed life.

Lara shares her journey from a windowless filing room to leading people and culture for 10,000 people across 14 brands at a two billion dollar company, and how a side blog she started in 2016 grew into a podcast, a coaching practice, and eventually her full time business.

The conversation explores the three habits she sees in the world's top performers, why "what got you here won't get you there," how subconscious money beliefs keep people stuck, and why spaciousness, intuition, and time away from the desk are where the best ideas come from. Lara also opens up about her annual solo planning week, her Live List, and why some of her best trips have had zero agenda.

This is a conversation about mindset.

About designing your year with intention instead of reacting to it.

And about building the health, wealth, and freedom to keep travelling for a lifetime.

Guest
Lara Nercessian
Executive Coach & Mindset Mentor
Speaker & Host of The Boss in Heels Podcast

Sponsors
Flights Club Membership
Accor Plus Explorer Membership

What do a no fee credit card, a no contract gym and a Gen Z reinvention of Contiki have in common? One playbook for breaking big, tired industries.

In this episode of Always Business Class, hosts Steve Hui and Steve Pirie-Nally sit down with Katrina Barry, one of the sharpest brand builders in the country. Her career runs from McKinsey to seven years inside Richard Branson's Virgin Group, cofounding Virgin Active, then Managing Director of Contiki and Trafalgar, Global CEO of me&u, and most recently Group CEO and Managing Director of Webjet. Today she sits on boards including PetSure.

Katrina shares the Virgin innovation framework she calls "design to the opposite," what Branson is really like away from the cameras, and the piece of gym market research so good it became a company mission: it is harder to get out of a gym contract than a marriage. She also unpacks her mission to turn Queenstown into the Silicon Valley of down under, why she believes travel creates better humans, and how the shift from SEO to AEO is about to reshape who wins in travel.

If you have been telling yourself you will travel "when things settle down," this one is your nudge to go now, while your knees still work.

Presented with thanks to Accor Plus Explorer.

In This Episode
Building a career across McKinsey, Virgin, Contiki and Webjet
The "design to the opposite" framework she learned at Virgi
What it was really like working with Richard Branson.
Why "divorce is easier than cancelling your gym" launched Virgin Active
Turning Queenstown into a tech and innovation hub
Why travel creates better humans
Travel wealth, travel longevity and going while you can
The shift from SEO to AEO and getting found by AI agents
Why trust, not technology, decides the winners in travel
Raising kids in the age of ChatGPT
Time blocking, thinking time and working on the business not in it
The tired Australian brand she would love to transform

What happens when your very first trip to Antarctica ends with the ship on the sea floor?

In this episode of Always Business Class, hosts Steve Hui and Steve Pirie-Nally sit down with Greg Carter, CEO and founder of Terra Nova Expeditions and one of Australia's genuine Antarctic authorities. His first voyage ended in a shipwreck and a rescue by the Chilean Navy and the Argentinian Air Force. He has spent the twenty years since going back.

Greg traces a career that runs from a secondhand laptop in London to the pointy end of polar travel: cofounding Chimu Adventures and selling it to Intrepid, a stint as Chief Commercial Officer at Albatros, and now a boutique company built on one idea, that in Antarctica the destination is the luxury, not the ship.

Along the way they get into whether Antarctica is really overtouristed, why a smaller ship changes everything from your time ashore to who you end up crying next to on night nine, and the world first day sailing aboard the yacht Icebird.

If Antarctica has been sitting on your bucket list, this episode is your reminder that the best time to start planning is now.

Presented with thanks to Accor Plus Explorer.

In This Episode
The shipwreck that started it all, and why you never say "Titanic" Whether Antarctica is really overrun with tourists Why guides with PhDs matter more than you think Building Chimu Adventures and the exit to Intrepid Travel How smaller ships create a deeper experience The world first day sailing aboard Icebird How Antarctica changes the people who go The remarkable past life of the RMS St Helena Taking teenagers to the ice with the Antarctic Classroom

Chapters
00:00 The Shipwreck, and Never Say "Titanic"
01:22 Rescued by the Chilean Navy and Argentinian Air Force 03:29 Building Chimu From a Laptop in London
05:48 Is Antarctica Really Overtouristed?
07:15 Guides With PhDs and Peter Hillary's 43rd Voyage
08:39 The Exit to Intrepid Travel
12:00 Getting There: Flights and Visa Free Rules
14:47 Flying Over Antarctica and Mawson's Huts
18:03 Why Terra Nova: Smaller Ships, More Time Ashore
21:10 What "Immersive" Really Means
23:24 Icebird: A World First in Antarctica
25:45 How Antarctica Changes People
29:22 Internet on the Ice: Help or Hindrance?
37:17 Where the Name Terra Nova Comes From
38:15 The Extraordinary Life of RMS St Helena
41:55 The Antarctic Classroom
44:42 Rapid Fire Round

Is the goal really to fly business class… or is it to live a life filled with unforgettable travel experiences?

In this episode of Always Business Class, hosts Steve Hui and Steve Pirie-Nally reflect on the evolution of Flights Club, sharing why their mission has grown beyond premium cabins and into something much bigger: helping people redeem their travel dreams.

Drawing on hundreds of conversations with members, they reveal that the biggest obstacle to travel isn't earning points—it's waiting for "someday." Whether it's Europe, Antarctica, the NFL in Melbourne, or a weekend wellness escape, every meaningful journey starts with making the decision to go.

Steve and Steve also discuss how business owners can use travel to create a richer life, why frequent flyer points are simply a tool rather than the destination, and how their growing community is connecting people through shared experiences, business relationships, and a love of exploration.

If you've been putting off your bucket list, this episode is your reminder that the best time to start planning your next adventure is now.

In This Episode
Why Flights Club's mission has evolved beyond business class

The importance of defining your travel dreams

How frequent flyer points help unlock more travel

Why business owners should prioritise experiences over possessions

The idea of "80 great summers" and making every year count

The value of community through shared travel experiences

Booking smarter with points, cash fares, and flexible strategies

Why now is the time to plan future travel

How Flights Club helps members maximise every trip

The future of travel, events, and member experiences

Chapters
00:00 Redeeming Your Travel Dreams
01:42 Why Flights Club Has Evolved
04:03 Defining Your Bucket List
07:31 Travel Is More Than One Big Trip
09:17 Creating Life-Changing Experiences
12:00 Lessons From Flights Club Members
16:39 Turning Points Into Real Travel
18:06 Why Demand for Travel Is Surging
20:58 Smarter Ways to Book Flights
24:32 Planning Your Next 12 Months of Travel
25:56 New Experiences and Member Events
29:16 House of Points and Everyday Rewards
30:31 The Future of Flights Club

What does it take to turn a simple everyday frustration into a globally recognised brand?

In this episode of Always Business Class, Steve Hui and Steve Pirie-Nally sit down with Rex Kuo, co-founder of Orbitkey, to unpack the journey from a side project built after work to one of Australia's most successful product design companies.

Rex shares how a simple idea to eliminate noisy, bulky keys became a record-breaking Kickstarter campaign that raised over $210,000 in just 30 days, launching a business that now sells millions of products worldwide. Along the way, he opens up about balancing entrepreneurship with a full-time career as a pharmacist, building a global team, expanding through retail, and creating products that genuinely improve everyday life.

The conversation also explores product innovation, crowdfunding, travel, family, business partnerships, and why building a purpose-driven company has been just as important as building a profitable one.

Whether you're launching your first business, creating a physical product, or simply love hearing the stories behind iconic Australian brands, this episode is packed with practical lessons and founder insights.

In This Episode
How Orbitkey started from a simple frustration with noisy keys

Raising over $210,000 through Kickstarter in just 30 days

Why you don't need to quit your job to start a business

Building a global product brand from Australia

The role of crowdfunding in validating new ideas

Lessons from launching 13 successful Kickstarter campaigns

Growing through retail, trade shows, and international expansion

Collaborating with Disney and Marie Kondo

Building a strong company culture across global teams

Using travel to inspire creativity, productivity, and better business

Why purpose, sustainability, and B Corp certification matter

Supporting neurodiversity in the workplace

Chapters
00:00 Meet Rex Kuo, Co-founder of Orbitkey
01:59 The Idea That Started Orbitkey
03:43 Launching Australia's First Kickstarter Success
06:02 Turning a Side Hustle into a Business
09:05 Growing Beyond One Product
10:45 Taking Orbitkey Global Through Trade Shows
15:10 Building a Loyal Community Through Kickstarter
18:39 The Power of Great Co-founders
20:42 Family, Travel and Frequent Flyer Points
25:36 Building a Global Team and Company Culture
30:33 Purpose, Sustainability and Becoming a B Corp
33:18 Product Philosophy and Long-Term Thinking
36:37 The Secrets Behind Successful Kickstarter Launches
40:18 Collaborating with Disney and Marie Kondo
42:24 Supporting Neurodiversity at Work
45:31 Rapid Fire Travel Questions