What happens when you build one of Australia’s most recognisable media brands… and suddenly realise you don’t want to run it anymore?
In this raw and revealing episode of SHE-talks, Lisa Jones sits down with the iconic Lisa Messenger – founder of Collective Hub – to unpack what it really means to reinvent your business, your identity, and your life from the ground up.
From publishing empire to burnout, reinvention and rebirth, this episode is a masterclass in listening to your gut, letting go of what no longer serves you, and finding the courage to burn down what you’ve built – so you can create something even better.
From Publishing Darling to Breaking Point
Collective Hub was a runaway success. A print magazine launched into a dying category, it defied the odds and hit 37 countries in just 18 months. Lisa was on the covers, speaking on stages with global icons, and managing a team of 36 staff from a penthouse office in Surry Hills.
But behind the glossy exterior, things were breaking. Cash flow pressures, fast scaling, and a model that no longer lit her up pushed Lisa into survival mode.
“It just happened so fast. I went from three staff to 36 staff within 12 months. We went from a couple of million dollar turnover to tens of million dollars of turnover. We went from being an Australian based business to a very global business. So it was a lot of scale.”
Purpose Over Product
The turning point? Remembering that her purpose had never been about a magazine. It was about igniting human potential. That’s what allowed her to pivot without losing herself… and why she now encourages every entrepreneur to build a mission that can evolve as they do.
Adversity as a Catalyst
Lisa opens up about her early struggles with addiction, self-worth and the winding (and often painful) path that shaped her into the entrepreneur she is today. From being fired from her last job to writing her first book in search of happiness, her story is one of transformation through adversity.
And she doesn’t sugarcoat it. She’s lived through failed renovations, 18 rounds of IVF, and the ego death of having to lay off her team.
“I do believe that, not only believe, I know, that anything that I’ve done well in life or had any success at has been born out of some really difficult time and some adversity.”
What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
✨ Why you need a mission that outlasts your product
✨ How Lisa built – and then walked away from – a global publishing empire
✨ The messy truth about burnout, scaling too fast, and cashflow chaos
✨ How to recognise when you’re out of alignment (and what to do next)
✨ Why adversity can be your greatest teacher
✨ The difference between doing more… and doing what matters
If you’ve ever wondered whether walking away could be the key to moving forward, this episode proves that letting go can be the first step to building something even better.
