There aren't many certainties in life... but tax is one of them. And look, on the surface it doesn't come across as the sexiest of topics, but burying your head in the sand is a surefire way to create unnecessary stress in your life. The sooner you get your head around tax, the less you'll have to think about it.

In this episode of BIZ, Lisa and Em chat to the Managing Director of HNRY to unpack the misconceptions many people have about tax and how understanding it is essential, especially if you're a business owner, sole trader or make extra income outside of your regular employment. 

In this episode you'll learn:

• What you can actually claim as a work expense
• The pros and cons of different business structures when it comes to tax
• The tax incentives for superannuation contributions 
• Why a tax refund might not be a good thing
• How to manage your taxes when you're self-employed

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Support independent women's media.
Got a work life dilemma? Send us all the questions you definitely can't ask your boss for our Biz Inbox episodes - send us a voice note or email us at [email protected]. You can remain anon! 

HOSTS: Lisa Lie and Em Vernem

GUEST: Karan Anand - Managing Director & Chief Strategy Officer at HNRY (Check them out if you're a sole trader and want to automate your tax!)

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Courtney Ammenhauser

SENIOR PRODUCER: Thom Lion
VIDEO PRODUCER: Marlena Cacciotti

Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Everyone seems to have an opinion about the "right" way to work.

Get a secure job.
Start a business.
Build a side hustle.
Work remotely.
Be your own boss.

But once you strip away the Instagram reels and LinkedIn success stories... which path actually leads to more freedom, more money and less stress?

In this episode of Biz, Lisa Lie and Em Vernem unpack the biggest myths about modern work with with a peek behind the curtain to see how Australians on either side of the ledger feel about employment, freelancing and self-employment.

Together, they explore the trade-offs that rarely make it into the conversation, from flexibility and financial security to purpose, pressure and everything in between.

Whether you're climbing the corporate ladder, thinking about starting a side hustle or wondering if self-employment is really worth it, this episode will help you think more clearly about the career that's right for you.

In this episode you'll learn:

• Why social media has distorted the way we think about work.
• The biggest myths about being your own boss.
• What employees secretly envy about sole traders... and vice versa.
• Whether flexibility really leads to greater happiness.
• The hidden costs and hidden benefits of working for yourself.
• Practical questions to ask before making your next career move.

If you're standing at a career crossroads, this episode is the reality check you've been looking for.

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Support independent women's media.
Got a work life dilemma? Send us all the questions you definitely can't ask your boss for our Biz Inbox episodes - send us a voice note or email us at [email protected]. You can remain anon! 

HOSTS: Lisa Lie and Em Vernem

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Courtney Ammenhauser

SENIOR PRODUCER: Thom Lion
VIDEO PRODUCER: Marlena Cacciotti

Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Asking for more money at work isn't everyone's idea of fun. But in most cases if you don't ask you'll stay exactly where you are - so it's an imperative skill if you want to be the one rewarded. 

In this episode, hosts Lisa and Em discuss how to effectively negotiate a pay rise with your manager and share anecdotes on how they've successfully asked for more money at work. From starting your campaign months before your next review cycle to what actually to say to your boss in the meeting, and how to balance the push with undeniable evidence. This episode will help you build the script and the confidence to ask for what you want. 

What you'll learn:

- The four points you can use to structure your pay rise conversation with your manager

- How to prepare before the meeting (including what not to say)

- The non-cash items you can also negotiate

- How to create an ongoing dialogue to leverage at the right moment, regardless of if it's "performance review" time. 

RECCO'S: 

Salary comparison website Glassdoor

Learn The FBI's negotiation techniques in Never Split The Difference by Chris Voss

Check out 'Confidently negotiating your salary' in Here in Learna.

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Support independent women's media.
Got a work life dilemma? Send us all the questions you definitely can't ask your boss for our Biz Inbox episodes - send us a voice note or email us at [email protected]. You can remain anon! 

HOSTS: Lisa Lie and Em Vernem

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Courtney Ammenhauser

SENIOR PRODUCER: Thom Lion
VIDEO PRODUCER: Marlena Cacciotti

Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Making your job your whole personality is risky business. Because what happens to your sense of self if you lose your job... or eventually decide to move on from it?

In this episode of BIZ, hosts Em and Lisa are joined by author, optimist and Junkee Media founder, Tim Duggan to help you figure out who you are without your job title. 

Our BIZ hosts are Lisa Lie - a former Head of People & Culture and Organisational Coach - and Mamamia’s Em Vernem.

If you want to build skills fast check out Learna

Sign up to the BIZ newsletter here

THE END BITS
Support independent women's media.
Got a work life dilemma? Send us all the questions you definitely can't ask your boss for our Biz Inbox episodes - send us a voice note or email us at [email protected]. You can remain anon! 

HOSTS: Lisa Lie and Em Vernem

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Courtney Ammenhauser

SENIOR PRODUCER: Thom Lion
VIDEO PRODUCER: Marlena Cacciotti

Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pivoting careers can seem like a daunting prospect. But changing course doesn't have to happen all at once. Sometimes professional pivots happen slowly over time. In this episode, Em and Lisa unpack their own career pivots, sharing the different approaches they took to change direction.

From applying for jobs you might not feel 100% qualified for, to identifying a market gap and building your own business, Em and Lisa share the challenges, fears and steps they took to pivot professionally.

Career coaches:
- Kate Richardson
- Claire Seeber

Our BIZ hosts are Lisa Lie - a former Head of People & Culture and Organisational Coach - and Mamamia’s Em Vernem.

If you want to build skills fast check out Learna

Sign up to the BIZ newsletter here

THE END BITS
Support independent women's media.
Got a work life dilemma? Send us all the questions you definitely can't ask your boss for our Biz Inbox episodes - send us a voice note or email us at [email protected]. You can remain anon! 

HOSTS: Lisa Lie and Em Vernem

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Courtney Ammenhauser

SENIOR PRODUCER: Thom Lion
VIDEO PRODUCER: Marlena Cacciotti

Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What if changing careers didn't have to feel like jumping off a cliff while risking that sweet comfort you already enjoy? In this episode, career coach Kate Richardson shares a practical roadmap for making a career change with less fear and more confidence.

From working out whether your new passion could actually become a viable career, to navigating a change when you're already running on empty, Kate shares the questions, frameworks and small experiments that can help you move forward without risking everything.

Career Coach recommendation: Kate Richardson

More on this topic from one of our eps in last season...
5 Steps To Make A Career Pivot That Actually Works 

Our BIZ hosts are Lisa Lie - a former Head of People & Culture and Organisational Coach - and Mamamia’s Em Vernem.

If you want to build skills fast check out Learna

Sign up to the BIZ newsletter here

THE END BITS
Support independent women's media.
Got a work life dilemma? Send us all the questions you definitely can't ask your boss for our Biz Inbox episodes - send us a voice note or email us at [email protected]. You can remain anon! 

HOSTS: Lisa Lie and Em Vernem

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Courtney Ammenhauser

SENIOR PRODUCER: Thom Lion
VIDEO PRODUCER: Marlena Cacciotti

Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Are you, or someone you work with, a perfectionist?

If you have perfectionist tendencies, it can be frustrating to work alongside people who don't because you feel like they don't care enough about the work. And if you don't identify as a perfectionist but have to work with someone who is? Well, it can be equally challenging because things can be overworked, delayed, or shared way too late for fear of things not being 'good enough'.

In this episode, Em and Lisa unpack how to work with perfectionists, how to manage your own perfectionist traits, and how to give feedback to people who might not be the best at receiving it. 

Plus, Lisa shares another one of her go-to frameworks that can help you let go of 'perfect' and move forward faster. 

Our BIZ hosts are Lisa Lie - a former Head of People & Culture and Organisational Coach - and Mamamia’s Em Vernem.

Book recommendation: The Trusted Advisor by Charles Green

And if you want some fast skills from Learna:
Check out 'Build trust fast' in Learna.
Click the link below on mobile to get into it:
https://www.learna-app.com?id=l-aSenXj6878

Or check out 'Naming your value at work' in Learna.
Click the link below on mobile to get into it:
https://www.learna-app.com?id=l-lSlExM4482 

Sign up to the BIZ newsletter here

THE END BITS
Support independent women's media.
Got a work life dilemma? Send us all the questions you definitely can't ask your boss for our Biz Inbox episodes - send us a voice note or email us at [email protected]. You can remain anon! 

HOSTS: Lisa Lie and Em Vernem

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Courtney Ammenhauser

SENIOR PRODUCER: Thom Lion
VIDEO PRODUCER: Marlena Cacciotti

Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You know that feeling when someone joins a project and you instantly relax?

And then there are the people who somehow create more meetings, more emails, more confusion and more work for everyone around them.

In this episode, Em and Lisa unpack the small workplace habits that make people easy to work with, and the ones that quietly make things harder.

They share practical ways to reduce friction, improve collaboration and become the colleague everyone wants on their team.

Plus, Lisa shares a simple meeting framework that could save you hours every week. If you've ever wondered why some people seem to make work feel effortless, this episode is for you.

Our BIZ hosts are Lisa Lie - a former Head of People & Culture and Organisational Coach - and Mamamia’s Em Vernem.

Book recommendation: The Trusted Advisor by Charles Green

And if you want some fast skills from Learna:
Check out 'Build trust fast' in Learna.
Click the link below on mobile to get into it:
https://www.learna-app.com?id=l-aSenXj6878

Or check out 'Naming your value at work' in Learna.
Click the link below on mobile to get into it:
https://www.learna-app.com?id=l-lSlExM4482 

Sign up to the BIZ newsletter here

THE END BITS
Support independent women's media.
Got a work life dilemma? Send us all the questions you definitely can't ask your boss for our Biz Inbox episodes - send us a voice note or email us at [email protected]. You can remain anon! 

HOSTS: Lisa Lie and Em Vernem

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Courtney Ammenhauser

SENIOR PRODUCER: Thom Lion
VIDEO PRODUCER: Marlena Cacciotti

Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's no denying AI is changing the way we work. So how can we stay up to date with the evolving workplace while retaining our critical thinking skills?

In this episode, Lisa and Em chat to Inventium's Amantha Imber about how we can use AI as tool without relying on it. From how to write good prompts to having voice-to-voice conversations with AI,  this episode explores the ways AI can help with busy work and the impact AI is having on what is valued in the workplace.

What you'll learn:

• AI prompting 101

• How to get your AI to get to know you

• Why volume has lost value in the workplace 

• How to have a voice-to-voice conversation with AI

Our BIZ hosts are Lisa Lie - a former Head of People & Culture and Organisational Coach - and Mamamia’s Em Vernem.

Learna is Lisa’s microlearning app for practical people skills at work. Expert-led lessons to build confidence, solve challenges, and work smarter - in under 7 minutes. Get it on Apple or Google Play.

Sign up to the BIZ newsletter here

Lisa's favourite AI shortcut: Prompt Cowboy - #1 prompt generator

Amantha's AI training programs: Inventium AI | World-Class AI Training Programs

THE END BITS
Support independent women's media.
Got a work life dilemma? Send us all the questions you definitely can't ask your boss for our Biz Inbox episodes - send us a voice note or email us at [email protected]. You can remain anon! 

HOSTS: Lisa Lie and Em Vernem

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Courtney Ammenhauser

SENIOR PRODUCER: Thom Lion
VIDEO PRODUCER: Marlena Cacciotti

Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The World Economic Forum says the most valuable workplace skills over the next few years won't be technical expertise. They'll be human skills.

In this episode, Em and Lisa unpack three of the most important ones that AI CANNOT replace: curiosity, creative thinking and leadership.

But what do those buzzwords actually mean in practice?

From asking better questions in meetings to breaking out of autopilot and influencing outcomes without formal authority, they explain how these skills show up in everyday work and how you can start building them today.

If you've ever wondered what makes someone truly indispensable at work, this episode is for you.Our BIZ hosts are Lisa Lie - a former Head of People & Culture and Organisational Coach - and Mamamia’s Em Vernem.

Learna is Lisa’s microlearning app for practical people skills at work. Expert-led lessons to build confidence, solve challenges, and work smarter - in under 7 minutes. Get it on Apple or Google Play.

Sign up to the BIZ newsletter here

THE END BITS
Support independent women's media.
Got a work life dilemma? Send us all the questions you definitely can't ask your boss for our Biz Inbox episodes - send us a voice note or email us at [email protected]. You can remain anon! 

HOSTS: Lisa Lie and Em Vernem

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Courtney Ammenhauser

SENIOR PRODUCER: Thom Lion
VIDEO PRODUCER: Marlena Cacciotti

Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Being busy feels productive. It feels safe. It feels like proof that you're working hard.

But what if all that busyness is actually stopping you from creating real value at work?

In this episode, Lisa and Em unpack why so many of us default to being busy when work feels uncertain, overwhelming or unclear. From colour-coding documents and endlessly refining presentations to filling our days with low-stakes tasks, they explore the psychology behind why being busy feels so good... And some of the things you're doing you didn't know fall into this category. 

Lisa explains why the workplace has shifted, what leaders are actually rewarding now, and the practical ways you can become more valuable without simply doing more. 

What you'll learn:

• Why being busy and being valuable are no longer the same thing

• The three psychological traps that keep high performers stuck in "busy work"

• Why busyness can become a safety net that stops you taking meaningful risks

• The behaviours that are increasingly rewarded in modern workplaces

• How to communicate your thinking, not just your output

Our BIZ hosts are Lisa Lie - a former Head of People & Culture and Organisational Coach - and Mamamia’s Em Vernem.

Learna is Lisa’s microlearning app for practical people skills at work. Expert-led lessons to build confidence, solve challenges, and work smarter - in under 7 minutes. Get it on Apple or Google Play.

Sign up to the BIZ newsletter here

THE END BITS
Support independent women's media.
Got a work life dilemma? Send us all the questions you definitely can't ask your boss for our Biz Inbox episodes - send us a voice note or email us at [email protected]. You can remain anon! 

HOSTS: Lisa Lie and Em Vernem

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Courtney Ammenhauser

SENIOR PRODUCER: Thom Lion
VIDEO PRODUCER: Marlena Cacciotti

Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.