We believe in the power of stories to drive real change.
Saxton Live kicked off in Melbourne on Tuesday, 10 October in Melbourne. This showcase was an exclusive event limited to 50 attendees and featured 4 incredible Speakers including:
- Nevo Zisin Storyteller & Esteemed Educator on Transgender Topics
- Julie Hirsch - Award-Winning Entrepreneur, Innovator & Social Impact Leader
- Lisa Ronson - Visionary Leader & Australia's Most Prolific Marketer
- Nasir Sobhani - The Streets Barber.
Each Speaker had the audience captivated as we learnt about the power of authenticity, the do's and don't's of leadership, the importance of human connection and some incredible storytelling was shared.
Nasir Sobhani
Nasir shared the remarkable tale of his personal journey to discover his purpose and the extraordinary venture known as The Streets Barber. His story was filled with emotion and served as both motivational and inspirational. Just as he connects with his Streets Barber clients, Nasir opened up to us, delivering a compelling speech that captivated and resonated with the audience. It was truly a great moment enjoyed by all.
Nasir Sobhani, also known as ‘The Streets’ Barber,’ has earned his affectionate title by spending his time taking to Melbourne’s streets offering free haircuts and shaves to the homeless and less fortunate.
His inspirational story of compassion and generosity has received significant attention globally. Nasir was also one of the five people to be profiled as part of the Kenneth Cole Courageous Class Campaign in New York, celebrating individuals who have overcome obstacles in life to become inspiring role models.
He is an inspirational speaker certain to motivate and encourage all those who encounter him to find their purpose.
Nasir has an exceptional manner of connecting marginalised people with the greater community. Providing a ‘voice to the voiceless,’ he shares the unique stories of the homeless he encounters on social media platforms, reaching far and wide.
Julie Hirsch
Julie passionately shared her incredible path as a serial entrepreneur, navigating the convergence of disruption, innovation, and social change. She articulated how her career has revolved around harnessing innovation as a catalyst for social change. Julie emphasized the importance of creating innovations that are not only groundbreaking but also repeatable, scalable, and impactful.
Julie Hirsch is an award-winning social entrepreneur and innovator, recognised as Telstra’s Victorian Business Woman of the Year and named on the Forbes 30 under 30 list. Highly regarded as a leader in impact-led innovation, her passion lies in marrying global problem spaces with customer problem spaces.
A dynamic and uplifting speaker, Julie is passionate about sharing her experience-led knowledge of how innovation, social impact, and entrepreneurial bravery can easily be embedded into commercial, educational, and political environments.
As the Co-Founder of Eloments Vitamin Teas, the world’s first all-natural vitamin tea that invented a patent-pending blending method, Julie created an overnight success (years in the making) by securing shelf space in 1,500 stores within a year of launch. She then became part of the only 2.7% of venture capital funding that went to female founders in 2019.
Learn more about Julie >
Nevo Zisin
Nevo initiated a dialogue on transgender education, delving into topics such as gender diversity, advocacy, and moving beyond mere pronoun usage. They shared their journey through a transition that may have confused many, urging increased awareness of unconscious gendering. Nevo emphasized the need to tread carefully with the term "phase," cautioning against its potential weaponization. They demystified the concept of phases, highlighting that as humans, we have the liberty to make mistakes, choose our identity daily, and evolve—no one is stagnant. Nevo challenged misconceptions about societal expectations and encouraged questioning one's true self. Using the metaphor of being labelled as a can of coconut milk when, in reality, you're a can of lentils, Nevo illustrated the concept of misgendering. They clarified that being transgender isn't about transforming into something entirely different but rather changing the external label.
Nevo Zisin (they/them) is a storyteller, esteemed educator on transgender topics, TEDx speaker, poet, workshop facilitator in schools and workplaces, and award-winning author of Finding Nevo, a memoir on gender transition and The Pronoun Lowdown a useful guidebook on all things related to pronouns.
They have been in conversation with Queer Eye’s brilliant Jonathan Van Ness, Transparent producer Zackary Drucker & world-famous spoken-word poet & activist Alok Vaid-Menon.
Their work has appeared in The Saturday Paper, NGV Magazine, Archer Magazine, Buzzfeed, Junkee, SBS, Hack Live, ABC’s The Drum, The Morning Show, amongst others. They were a 2022 Varuna Scribe Fellow and are an ambassador for both Wear It Purple and the Victorian Pride Centre.
Lisa Ronson
Lisa shared intriguing perspectives on steering large brands and guiding expert teams. We delved into the dos and don'ts of leadership, highlighting the significance of forging genuine connections with your team and entrusting them to fulfil their responsibilities. According to Lisa, empathy, self-awareness, and understanding others play pivotal roles in effective leadership, emphasizing our shared humanity. She underscored the importance of having a genuine and authentic purpose, fostering a vision that encourages others to follow during challenging times. Lisa's insights opened our eyes to becoming improved leaders and team members, leaving us both motivated and inspired.
Lisa Ronson is a respected, award-winning marketing executive with over 25 years of experience across multiple Australian and international brands. She has a track record of building strong consumer brands, leading high-performing teams and growing retail sales and market share.
Lisa most recently worked at Coles Group as Chief Marketing Officer for four years. In this role, Lisa led the organisation’s marketing brand, digital and media strategies, sponsorships and events, customer insights and analytics, Coles 360 retail media, collectibles and continuity, loyalty, and in-store promotion.
Before joining Coles, Lisa worked across several iconic brands and roles including CMO of Tourism Australia, GM roles at Westpac, Telstra, Visa International, David Jones and Carlton and United Breweries.
