The High Flyers Podcast with Vidit Agarwal

Episode #244 features Sukhinder Singh Cassidy, CEO of Xero — the publicly listed small business platform serving ~4.6 million subscribers across 180+ countries.
In conversation with Vidit Agarwal, Sukhinder reflects on her journey from growing up in a deeply values-driven Sikh household in Canada to leading global teams at Amazon and Google, founding three companies, and now steering Xero through its focused 3×3 strategy, US expansion, and AI transformation.
She speaks with rare candour about intensity as both her superpower and her kryptonite, taking time off before every job and how lessons from banking, Google and her founder missteps now shape her leadership at Xero. Sukhinder also unpacks Xero’s focused 3×3 strategy, the secret to unlocking further growth in the US, Building product in the AI era, filtering customer insights and more.
Please enjoy exploring your curiosity!
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To support this podcast, check out our some of our sponsors & get discounts:
→ $1,000 off Vanta: Your compliance superpower — vanta.com/high
→ Find out more about the Law Firm Allens and how they can help your company today at www.allens.com.au
If you're keen to discuss sponsorship and partnering with us or recommend future guests, email us at [email protected] today!
Join our stable of commercial partners including the Australian Government, Google, KPMG, Vanta, Allens, Notion and more.
________
Show notes and more episodes here
Follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn or Twitter
Get in touch with our Founder and Host, Vidit Agarwal directly here
Contact us via our website
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The High Flyers Podcast features in-depth interviews with the world’s most influential figures in business, tech, finance, government and sport. Launched in 2020, it has ranked in the global top ten for past three years, with listeners in 27 countries and over 200+ episodes released, and featured in Forbes, Daily Telegraph, and at SXSW.
Our guests include -- Malcolm Turnbull (Prime Minister of Australia), Anil Sabharwal (Global VP, Product at Google), Jason Collins (Head of BlackRock, Asia Pacific), Stevie Case (Chief Revenue Officer, Vanta), Brad Banducci (CEO, Woolworths), Jean-Michel Lemieux (CTO, Shopify + Atlassian), Sweta Mehra (EGM, NAB; ex CMO, ANZ), Bowen Pan (Creator, Facebook Marketplace), Sam Sicilia (Chief Investment Officer, Hostplus), Craig Tiley (CEO, Tennis Australia), John Haddock (CBO, Harvey), Niki Scevak (Co-Founder, Blackbird Ventures), Mike Schneider (CEO, Bunnings), Trent Cotchin (3x Premiership Winning Captain, Richmond FC), Peter Varghese (Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Australian Government), Jack Zhang (CEO, Airwallex), Matteo Franceschetti (CEO, Eight Sleep) and more.

Tushar Apte is a multi-platinum, award-winning Australian songwriter, producer and composer based in Los Angeles, with credits spanning artists including Benson Boone, Demi Lovato, BLACKPINK, BTS, ZAYN, Nicki Minaj and more.
In conversation with Vidit Agarwal, Tushar reflects on growing up in suburban Sydney with Indian heritage, years of obscurity grinding in LA, and the late-breaking moments that finally changed his trajectory. He unpacks how global pop hits are actually written, why taste matters more than technical skill, and how AI is reshaping music creation, plus candid reflections on identity, resilience and building a career measured in decades, not hits.
Please enjoy exploring your curiosity!
________
To support this podcast, check out our some of our sponsors & get discounts:
→ $1,000 off Vanta: Your compliance superpower — vanta.com/high
If you're keen to discuss sponsorship and partnering with us or recommend future guests, email us at [email protected] today!
Join our stable of commercial partners including the Australian Government, Google, KPMG, University of Melbourne and more.
________
Show notes and more episodes here
Follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn or Twitter
Get in touch with our Founder and Host, Vidit Agarwal directly here
Contact us via our website
The High Flyers Podcast is one of the five products at the Curiosity Centre
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This is the eighth episode in our special series with the Australian Government and their Centre for Australia–India Relations, spotlighting the growing Australia–India relationship across technology, business, media, culture and sport. Previous guests include Philip Green, Peter Varghese, Sweta Mehra, Brendan Dowling, Bharat Sundaresan, Lisa Stahlalekar and Sanjeev Gandhi, reflecting the breadth of Indian-Australian leadership at the most senior levels.
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The High Flyers Podcast features in-depth interviews with the world’s most influential figures in business, tech, finance, government and sport. Launched in 2020, it has ranked in the global top ten for past three years, with listeners in 27 countries and over 200+ episodes released, and featured in Forbes, Daily Telegraph, and at SXSW.
Our guests include -- Malcolm Turnbull (Prime Minister of Australia), Anil Sabharwal (Global VP, Product at Google), Jason Collins (Head of BlackRock, Asia Pacific), Stevie Case (Chief Revenue Officer, Vanta), Brad Banducci (CEO, Woolworths), Jean-Michel Lemieux (CTO, Shopify + Atlassian), Sweta Mehra (EGM, NAB; ex CMO, ANZ), Bowen Pan (Creator, Facebook Marketplace), Sam Sicilia (Chief Investment Officer, Hostplus), Craig Tiley (CEO, Tennis Australia), John Haddock (CBO, Harvey), Niki Scevak (Co-Founder, Blackbird Ventures), Mike Schneider (CEO, Bunnings), Trent Cotchin (3x Premiership Winning Captain, Richmond FC), Peter Varghese (Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Australian Government), Jack Zhang (CEO, Airwallex), Matteo Franceschetti (CEO, Eight Sleep) and more.

Welcome to this classic episode. Classics are our favorite episodes from the past 5 years, published as frequently as possible. These are N of 1 conversations with N of 1 people. This is a replay of Episode 153, originally released in 2024— one of our most loved classics.
Mark Suster is General Partner at Upfront Ventures, one of LA’s leading early-stage venture firms. Prior to leading Upfront, Mark was a serial entrepreneur having founded two software companies, selling both with the last selling to Salesforce. Mark is also a prolific writer and one of his favourite pieces, Lines Not Dots is a renowned article.
In conversation with Vidit Agarwal — Mark Suster shares his path from a restless, ADHD-driven childhood to founding companies through the dot-com era, selling to Salesforce, and ultimately shaping Upfront Ventures over nearly two decades. Mark breaks down how elite founders decide when to sell, how venture capital really works at seed versus growth, and why discipline, timing, and trust outperform hype, especially in volatile markets.
It’s time to explore your curiosity — please enjoy.
________
To support this podcast, check out our some of our sponsors & get discounts:
→ $1,000 off Vanta: Your compliance superpower — vanta.com/high
If you're keen to discuss sponsorship and partnering with us or recommend future guests, email us at [email protected] today!
Join our stable of commercial partners including the Australian Government, Google, KPMG, Vanta, Allens, Notion and more.
________
Show notes and more episodes here
Follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn or Twitter
Get in touch with our Founder and Host, Vidit Agarwal directly here
Contact us via our website
________
The High Flyers Podcast features in-depth interviews with the world’s most influential figures in business, tech, finance, government and sport. Launched in 2020, it has ranked in the global top ten for past three years, with listeners in 27 countries and over 200+ episodes released, and featured in Forbes, Daily Telegraph, and at SXSW.
Our guests include -- Malcolm Turnbull (Prime Minister of Australia), Anil Sabharwal (Global VP, Product at Google), Jason Collins (Head of BlackRock, Asia Pacific), Stevie Case (Chief Revenue Officer, Vanta), Brad Banducci (CEO, Woolworths), Jean-Michel Lemieux (CTO, Shopify + Atlassian), Sweta Mehra (EGM, NAB; ex CMO, ANZ), Bowen Pan (Creator, Facebook Marketplace), Sam Sicilia (Chief Investment Officer, Hostplus), Craig Tiley (CEO, Tennis Australia), John Haddock (CBO, Harvey), Niki Scevak (Co-Founder, Blackbird Ventures), Mike Schneider (CEO, Bunnings), Trent Cotchin (3x Premiership Winning Captain, Richmond FC), Peter Varghese (Secretary/Chief, Foreign Affairs, Australian Government), Jack Zhang (CEO, Airwallex), Matteo Franceschetti (CEO, Eight Sleep) and more.

Episode #241 features Nicholas Rudder, Founder & CEO of Sphere — which recently raised a US$21M Series A led by Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), to help some of the world’s fastest-growing companies, including Lovable, Linktree and Deel, navigate complex cross-border tax compliance using AI.
Nick shares the defining crucible of his journey: Growing up in Europe and Australia, then moving to the US chasing a dream, losing a co-founder, rebuilding as a solo founder, navigating a high-risk twin pregnancy that forced his family out of the US, and holding conviction when belief and momentum collapsed.
He breaks down how deep CFO discovery led to Sphere’s model of using AI as a junior analyst to interpret global tax rules, the magic behind zero-churn customer retention, motivating engineers and more— offering rare insight into building a durable company in a high-stakes, regulated industry.
It’s time to explore your curiosity — please enjoy.
________
To support this podcast, check out our some of our sponsors & get discounts:
→ $1,000 off Vanta: Your compliance superpower — vanta.com/high
→ Find out more about the Law Firm Allens and how they can help your company today at www.allens.com.au
If you're keen to discuss sponsorship and partnering with us or recommend future guests, email us at [email protected] today!
Join our stable of commercial partners including the Australian Government, Google, KPMG, Vanta, Allens, Notion and more.
________
Show notes and more episodes here
Follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn or Twitter
Get in touch with our Founder and Host, Vidit Agarwal directly here
Contact us via our website
________
The High Flyers Podcast features in-depth interviews with the world’s most influential figures in business, tech, finance, government and sport. Launched in 2020, it has ranked in the global top ten for past three years, with listeners in 27 countries and over 200+ episodes released, and featured in Forbes, Daily Telegraph, and at SXSW.
Our guests include -- Malcolm Turnbull (Prime Minister of Australia), Anil Sabharwal (Global VP, Product at Google), Jason Collins (Head of BlackRock, Asia Pacific), Stevie Case (Chief Revenue Officer, Vanta), Brad Banducci (CEO, Woolworths), Jean-Michel Lemieux (CTO, Shopify + Atlassian), Sweta Mehra (EGM, NAB; ex CMO, ANZ), Bowen Pan (Creator, Facebook Marketplace), Sam Sicilia (Chief Investment Officer, Hostplus), Craig Tiley (CEO, Tennis Australia), John Haddock (CBO, Harvey), Niki Scevak (Co-Founder, Blackbird Ventures), Mike Schneider (CEO, Bunnings), Trent Cotchin (3x Premiership Winning Captain, Richmond FC), Peter Varghese (Secretary/Chief, Foreign Affairs, Australian Government), Jack Zhang (CEO, Airwallex), Matteo Franceschetti (CEO, Eight Sleep) and more.

Episode #240 features a rare public interview with Philip Green, Australia’s most senior diplomatic representative to India (High Commissioner). Previously, Philip has served as Australia’s High Commissioner to Singapore and Germany, and at the centre of the Australian government as adviser to Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and Chief of Staff when Rudd was Foreign Minister.
In conversation with Vidit Agarwal, Philip reflects on growing up in suburban Sydney as the first in his family to attend university, before a career spanning senior postings across Africa, Europe and Asia, culminating in his current role in India — which he describes as “the culmination of my thirty-five year diplomatic career.” He unpacks the evolution of Australia–India relations through key drivers, and where the assumptions behind each are most fragile.
Philip also reflects on lessons learned from his wife, why learning Hindi matters as an act of respect, and more.
Please enjoy exploring your curiosity!
________
To support this podcast, check out our some of our sponsors & get discounts:
→ $1,000 off Vanta: Your compliance superpower — vanta.com/high
If you're keen to discuss sponsorship and partnering with us or recommend future guests, email us at [email protected] today!
Join our stable of commercial partners including the Australian Government, Google, KPMG, University of Melbourne and more.
________
Show notes and more episodes here
Follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn or Twitter
Get in touch with our Founder and Host, Vidit Agarwal directly here
Contact us via our website to discuss sponsorship opportunities, recommend future guests or share feedback, we love hearing how to improve! 
Thank you for rating / reviewing this podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, it helps others find us and convince guests to come on the show! 
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This is the seventh episode in our special series with the Australian Government and their Centre for Australia–India Relations, spotlighting the growing Australia–India relationship across technology, business, media, culture and sport. Previous guests include Peter Varghese, Sweta Mehra, Brendan Dowling, Bharat Sundaresan, Lisa Stahlalekar and Sanjeev Gandhi, reflecting the breadth of Indian-Australian leadership at the most senior levels.
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The High Flyers Podcast is described as a "meticulously researched biography" that uncovers the untold stories of remarkable people and companies -- redefining the "high flyer". Launched in 2020, we have ranked in the global top ten podcasts for past two years, with listeners in 27 countries and over 200 episodes released. Excerpts of the podcast have been featured in Forbes, AFR, Daily Telegraph, and showcased at SXSW.
200+ guests have joined host, Vidit Agarwal on the show from 15+ countries. Prominent guests include Malcolm Turnbull (Prime Minister of Australia), Anil Sabharwal (VP, Product for Google Chrome, Photos and Drive), Andy Penn (CEO, Telstra), Stevie Case (Chief Revenue Officer, Vanta), Brad Banducci (CEO, Woolworths), Jillian Broadbent (Board Member, Macquarie Capital), Sweta Mehra (EGM, NAB; ex CMO, ANZ), Bowen Pan (Creator, Facebook Marketplace), Sam Sicilia (Chief Investment Officer, Hostplus), Niki Scevak (Co-Founder, Blackbird Ventures), Mike Schneider (CEO, Bunnings), Trent Cotchin (3x Premiership Winning Captain, Richmond Football Club), Jason Collins (Head of Australasia, BlackRock) and many more. 
Our parent company, Curiosity Centre is your on-demand intelligence hub for knowledge, connections and growth to achieve your potential, everyday. Join 200,000+ Investors, Founders, Functional Leaders, CEOs and Emerging Leaders. Learn with the world's best and be 1% better everyday at https://curiositycentre.com