Get the CEO Leadership Collection: Five curated conversations in a private podcast, each under ten minutes, on the decisions and pressures that define the role.

Visit listentophil.com

ABOUT THIS EPISODE

Nick Astwick is one of those leaders who feels deeply grounded in purpose and never disconnected from performance. He’s spent more than 25 years across financial services and healthcare — from National Bank to UBS Warburg, through to becoming COO at Kiwibank and then CEO of Southern Cross Health Society in 2017.

And what makes his story so compelling is that it doesn’t read like a classic CEO narrative. In fact, Nick once thought he’d become a detective. Instead, a temporary banking role turned into a career that has taken him right to the centre of some of New Zealand’s most important institutions.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

1. How to use partnership as a core lever for scalable growth
2. Why “good decisions” beat perfect ones in uncertain environments
3. How culture alignment determines whether your strategy actually works

If you want to scale faster, make better decisions, and build a business that stays relevant—this conversation will change how you lead.

The Partnership Playbook is the podcast for leaders who want to grow with clarity, create leverage through partnerships, and lead their teams with meaning. Each episode gives you practical insights drawn from two decades of building and backing companies, coaching CEOs, and closing high-value partnerships across industries. You’ll learn how to scale yourself as a leader, choose partners that help you grow faster, and turn trust, alignment, and first wins into momentum that lasts.

PS - Have a CEO guest recommendation for the show? Share this link with them.

Get the Partnership Kickstart: In less that 30 minutes learn how to identify your best partnership opportunity, start the right conversations, and close deals.

Visit philhsc.com/gtm

ABOUT THIS EPISODE

Why does a full pipeline still fail to convert?

Most GTM teams misdiagnose pipeline problems — and apply pressure in the wrong place.

• The one question that reveals why deals really stall
• How to separate ICP, champion, and positioning issues fast
• A 90-minute diagnostic to uncover the real pattern in your top deals

Before your next pipeline review, shift the question — and diagnose what the buyer actually believes.

The Partnership Playbook is the podcast for leaders who want to grow with clarity, create leverage through partnerships, and lead their teams with meaning. Each episode gives you practical insights drawn from two decades of building and backing companies, coaching CEOs, and closing high-value partnerships across industries. You’ll learn how to scale yourself as a leader, choose partners that help you grow faster, and turn trust, alignment, and first wins into momentum that lasts.

PS - Have a CEO guest recommendation for the show? Share this link with them.

Get the CEO Leadership Collection: Five curated conversations in a private podcast, each under ten minutes, on the decisions and pressures that define the role.

Visit listentophil.com

ABOUT THIS EPISODE

Are you hiring the best person — or the one you feel safest leading?

The moment a candidate makes you slightly uncomfortable might be the most important signal in your hiring process.

• Why discomfort in senior hiring is often a sign of capability, not risk
• How unclear leadership design turns strong hires into “control problems”
• A simple 3-question framework to separate real risk from ego-driven hesitation

Review your last three senior hires and decide — did you hire for comfort, or for elevation?

The Partnership Playbook is the podcast for leaders who want to grow with clarity, create leverage through partnerships, and lead their teams with meaning. Each episode gives you practical insights drawn from two decades of building and backing companies, coaching CEOs, and closing high-value partnerships across industries. You’ll learn how to scale yourself as a leader, choose partners that help you grow faster, and turn trust, alignment, and first wins into momentum that lasts.

PS - Have a CEO guest recommendation for the show? Share this link with them.