🎙 New Episode Drop!

S02E48 | Joe Piasecki - Surfer, stockman, submariner, social procurement. One man's journey to find his personal legend.

In this episode, we sit down with Joe Piasecki, a Royal Australian Navy veteran who has become one of Victoria’s strongest operators in social procurement and community impact.

After nearly a decade serving in submarine engineering, Joe transitioned into major infrastructure and quickly built a reputation for delivering measurable social value. At North East Link Tunnels, he led a team that achieved $55M+ in social procurement outcomes, supporting more than 70 social benefit suppliers and Aboriginal-owned businesses.

Joe explains what meaningful social procurement really looks like, why disadvantaged jobseekers need more than good intentions, and how strong governance and cultural leadership can turn “requirements” into genuine community legacy.

He also shares a great personal contrast — going from a 1.2 million–acre cattle station to living inside a 77-metre submarine.

A grounded, practical conversation for anyone in infrastructure, procurement, ESG, workforce programs, or veteran leadership.

🌐 Learn more: http://edifyconnect.com.au
🌐 Join the VBC Community: veteranbc.com/join-our-community

#VBC #VBCPodcast #VeteranBusinessCommunity #VeteranOwnedBusiness #SocialProcurement #Infrastructure #ESG #CommunityImpact #VeteransInConstruction #MajorProjects #AustralianVeterans

🎙 New Episode Drop!

S02E47 | Andrew Warner - Veteran Workforce Solutions - how Andy's 25 year career in the military has led to an amazing business helping corporate Australia hold and grow their veteran workforce.

In this episode, we sit down with Andrew Warner, founder and CEO of Veteran Workforce Solutions (VWS) — a nationally recognised veteran-owned business delivering scalable, procurement-aligned programs that help Australian organisations attract, support and retain veteran talent.

After nearly 25 years in the Australian Army, with deployments to East Timor, Iraq and two tours in Afghanistan, Andy transitioned into senior logistics and supply chain roles across the defence industry. What he saw there shaped everything that came next: veteran value talked about publicly, but rarely built into real systems, capability or long-term outcomes.

That insight led him to create VWS — not as a gesture, but as a credible, structured framework that gives employers, government and procurement teams something real to work with. Andy breaks down the difference between genuine veteran support and what he calls “vet cladding”, and shares what corporate Australia must understand if they want to truly harness veteran potential.

🌐 Learn more: veteranworkforce.com.au
🌐 Join the VBC Community: veteranbc.com/join-our-community

#VBC #VBCPodcast #VeteranBusinessCommunity #VeteranOwnedBusiness #VeteranEmployment #WorkforceDevelopment #Leadership #DefenceIndustry #VeteranSupport #CorporateAustralia

🎙 New Episode Drop!

S02E46 | Angela Harper - Aviation medic to Press Club journalist to QLD Senate candidate to PR consultant. Everything you need to know about Public Affairs and Government Relations

In this episode, we speak with Angela Harper, whose career spans the Army, national media, politics and now public affairs. From aviation medic to Press Gallery journalist to Senate candidate, Angela has spent over 20 years working where politics, policy and media collide.

Today she leads HarPR, guiding organisations through government engagement, advocacy and reputation management. Angela breaks down how Canberra really works, what drives decision-makers, and the essentials every leader should know about Public Affairs and Government Relations.

👉 Website – veteranbc.com/veteran-media

🌐 Learn more: harpr.au
🌐 Join the VBC Community: veteranbc.com/join-our-community

#VBC #VBCPodcast #VeteranBusinessCommunity #VeteranOwnedBusiness #GovernmentRelations #PublicAffairs #Leadership #DefenceIndustry

🎙 New Episode Drop!

S02E45 | Rob Hall - how chewing home made jerky out bush turned into the Beef Chief phenomenon with over 70k customers.

In this episode of the VBC Podcast, we chat with Rob Hall, founder of The Original Beef Chief — one of Australia’s leading premium jerky brands. A former Australian Army soldier with 2RAR, Rob turned his grit, humour, and love for quality Aussie beef into a multi-award-winning business now serving over 70,000 customers nationwide.

What started as frustration over a bad bag of jerky during a field exercise in Townsville became a mission to make jerky the right way — tough, chewy, full of flavour, and unapologetically Australian. Rob shares how his military mindset helped him build a thriving brand from scratch and why he believes veterans have an unfair advantage in business: discipline, resilience, and the courage to back themselves.

👉 Website – veteranbc.com/veteran-media
🌐 Learn more: originalbeefchief.com
🌐 Join the VBC Community: veteranbc.com/join-our-community

#VBC #VBCPodcast #VeteranBusinessCommunity #VeteranOwnedBusiness #AustralianArmy #2RAR #BeefChief #AussieMade #VeteranEntrepreneur #Leadership #SmallBusiness #Resilience

🎙 New Episode Drop!

S02E44 | Morgan Hunter - 34MJ. Creating biodiesel from fish and chip oil and it's contribution to Australia's sovereign capability

In this episode of the VBC Podcast, we sit down with Morgan Hunter, founder of 34MJ, an engineer, soldier, and innovator who’s spent over 25 years building practical solutions for a cleaner, more sustainable future. With a career spanning defence research, advanced manufacturing, and renewable fuels, Morgan has proven that sustainability and profitability can go hand in hand.

From growing up tinkering with diesel engines in Adelaide to developing circular economy fuel systems that turn waste into opportunity, Morgan’s journey is all about persistence, curiosity, and smart problem-solving. He also shares the lessons learned from a side hustle that went up in smoke — literally — and how failure shaped his approach to building meaningful, scalable impact.

👉 Website – veteranbc.com/veteran-media

🌐 Learn more: 34mj.com.au
🌐 Join the VBC Community: veteranbc.com/join-our-community

#VBC #VBCPodcast #VeteranBusinessCommunity #VeteranOwnedBusiness #Sustainability #CircularEconomy #RenewableEnergy #Engineering #Innovation #VeteranEntrepreneur

🎙 New Episode Drop!
S02E43 | Matt Newlands - Frontline Mental Health - Living on purpose and the crossover between first responders and the military experience

In this episode of the VBC Podcast, we speak with Matt Newlands, Co-Founder of Frontline Mental Health and a passionate advocate for the wellbeing of First Responders, Military, and frontline communities.

After more than a decade serving with the South Australia Police and time connected to the Defence community, Matt faced his own service-related mental health challenges — experiences that now drive his purpose to create lasting cultural change. Today, he leads efforts to improve resilience, recovery, and mental health awareness across high-stress professions through lived experience, leadership, and evidence-based education.

🌐 Learn more: frontlinemh.com.au
🌐 Join the VBC Community: veteranbc.com/join-our-community

#VBC #VBCPodcast #VeteranBusinessCommunity #VeteranOwnedBusiness #FrontlineMentalHealth #Resilience #FirstResponders #MentalHealthAwareness #PostTraumaticGrowth

🎙 New Episode Drop!

S02E42 | Ben and Amy Barber from Beaufort Professionals - Here there and back again - From rural QLD, to a career in the AirForce and back to the land.

In this episode of VBC Podcast, we chat with Ben and Amy Barber, the husband-and-wife team behind Beaufort Professionals, a Queensland-based consulting firm delivering strategic, marketing, and community solutions across defence, logistics, emergency management, and agriculture.

Drawing on Ben’s military background and their shared commitment to service and purpose, Ben and Amy discuss how they’ve grown Beaufort Professionals into a values-led business that thrives on relationships, adaptability, and impact. They share what it’s really like to build and run a business together — the lessons, the challenges, and the mission that keeps them going.

🌐 Learn more: beaufortprofessionals.com.au
🌐 Join the VBC Community: veteranbc.com/join-our-community

#VBC #VBCPodcast #VeteranBusinessCommunity #VeteranOwnedBusiness #BeaufortProfessionals #VeteranEntrepreneur #AustralianArmy #Leadership #BusinessStrategy #VeteranCouple #PurposeDrivenBusiness

New Episode Drop!

S02E41 | Jason Neumann - Candid Property. The combat cook. A story of supporting the warfighter in heavy combat zones through to establishing a thriving real estate business.

After 16 years in the Australian Army and two tours of Afghanistan, Jason Neumann traded the battlefield for the property market — founding Candid Property, a boutique buyer’s agency based in Ipswich, Queensland.

Jason’s transition from soldier to strategist highlights how the skills developed in service — discipline, leadership, and precision — translate directly into business and investing success. Through Candid Property, he now helps ADF personnel, healthcare workers, and busy professionals across Australia make confident, well-informed property decisions that build long-term security.

In this episode, Jason shares how service doesn’t end when you leave the Defence Force — it just changes form. His story is a powerful reminder that the mindset of structure and service can be the foundation for success in any field.

🌐 Learn more: candidproperty.com.au
🌐 Join the VBC Community: veteranbc.com/join-our-community

#VBC #VBCPodcast #VeteranBusinessCommunity #VeteranOwnedBusiness #CandidProperty #PropertyInvestment #ADFCommunity #AustralianArmy