June 4th 2025

The most incredible experience meeting their CEO!

I was given the opportunity of spending an hour with Jamie Mead, the CEO of Talaria. Here are my first impressions of the company so far (I’m still buzzing from it).

As a student entering the world of finance from a non-traditional background, I was curious (and a lil nervous) about how I’d fit into a space like this. But after an hour of speaking with Jamie, I walked away not only inspired but with a whole new lens on risk, leadership, and what it means to stand out.

1. Risk is not the enemy, it’s the path.

   One of my biggest takeaways was how Jamie reframed the concept of risk. Coming from a cybersecurity background, I’ve been trained to think of risk as something to eliminate. But Jamie flipped that idea on its head.

   “Risk is a good thing,” he said. “Without it, there’s no reward.”

He shared an example about Talaria’s geographic expansion, a decision full of unknowns, but ultimately for growth. The message was clear: the goal isn’t to avoid risk, but to manage it well. And most importantly, to trust people while doing it.

1. Ask Why? And don’t stop there!

   Jamie emphasised the importance of asking why.

   Why?

   Not just to challenge ideas, but to understand the assumptions behind them. It’s about curiousity, clarity, and building good judgement.

   He encouraged me to push deeper:

   “If someone says X and Y…ask why they believe that. Why do they assume that risk behaves this way?”

   Why?

   This approach struck me. It’s how engineers, leaders, and great inventors think. The concept of not just taking things at face value, but digging into the mechanics underneath.

   1. Let’s flip the Intern Mindset.

      At one point, I asked how someone like me (an intern) could stand out in a place like Talaria without overstepping. His response surprised me:

      “Flip the question. Don’t just ask how to stand out, ask how much you can get out of it.”

      That shift hit me. It’s not just about proving myself. It’s about wringing the opportunity dry; learning, asking questions, growing my network, and then asking for more. He reminded me that internships are mutual relationships. The best interns don’t wait for permission to learn. They take initiative, track their progress, and keep asking better questions.

   2. Say-Do Ratio: Leadership in Practice

      One concept Jamie shared that really resonated with me was the “Say-Do ratio.” It’s simple; do what you say you’re going to do. But in high performance environments like Talaria, that consistency builds trust. It reminded me of my time at Monash DeepNeuron, in which following through is just as important as starting strong.

      And honestly? I think that’s what made Jamie stand out most to me. He leads by example. He made the space safe, open, and judgement-free (especially when I was expecting an interrogation style meeting ). But I never felt like I had to prove anything, just to be present, curious and willing to learn.

      In summary, the meeting left me full of energy and questions. How do I define persistence? How do I track personal growth? What does good judgement actually look like in practice?

      There’s so much I still don’t know, but this one hour meeting reminded me that curiousity is an asset, and that leadership, at its best, is about lifting others, not just leading them.

      Would I ever get a chance to talk to Jamie again? I hope so. But even if not, I’m walking away with lessons I’ll carry into every step of my career.

      And for that, I’m beyond grateful.

      yours truly,

      Regina