Building Real Culture in NDIS Events: A Candid Chat With Paul Bryan
I’m so glad I get to hang out with Paul Bryan today and steal a bit of his brain – things we can do to grow, but also how to stay sane.
Paul, are you feeling sane lately?
Oh, I like to stay a little kooky. It keeps the ball rolling and stops me from getting bored.
Behind the Scenes of Paul’s NDIS Events and Why They Work
Today, we’re looking at something I’ve been thinking about for a while. I’ve been to a lot of your events, Paul. I really like the work you do, and I learn a lot from it.
I’d love to get inside your head about what’s going on – what’s behind these events you run? Why do you do them? What do you want people to get out of them?
And just to be clear, Paul and I don’t work together. I just really love what he does.
From Perth to the Nation: Why Paul Takes NDIS Events Everywhere
So Paul, what is it with you and always putting on events? Perth’s just up the road from the rest of Australia, and yet you travel the whole country. What drives that?
I’ve been working with a number of providers over the last few years. Every quarter, we’d run a big planning day to map out the next three months. It worked well because we were all a bit spread out.
That led to our first summit in May last year. It was so much fun getting everyone together. But I thought – wouldn’t it be cool if we had more than just the 12 to 15 people who could travel?
So we opened it up and had about 40 providers in the room.
Can an Introvert Build NDIS Events That Feel Like Home?
And I’m an introvert. I get energy from time alone, but I love being around people and solving problems together. That’s how the ProviderX events came about. Once a quarter, in each state, inviting others in.
It’s been so helpful. People get to reset and plan their quarter. It makes a big difference.
How to Create NDIS Events That Feel Welcoming, Not Exclusive
That makes sense. When I went to your Gold Coast event, about two-thirds of the people seemed to already be in your programs, and a third weren’t. I didn’t feel like an outsider at all.
That’s rare. Was that deliberate?
Absolutely. I was an outsider in high school, so I never want anyone else to feel that way. We’ve built a culture that values collaboration and generosity. That’s something we’ve really worked hard on.
No Silly Questions: How Psychological Safety Transforms NDIS Events
I’ve even removed someone from our group before for complaining that another person asked a question they “should have known.” Everyone has to ask a “silly” question at some point.
If there’s no space to do that safely, we’ve failed. We created a space where people can ask anything and get answers like, “Here’s what I did, here’s what helped me.”
That generosity flows into our events. If someone asks a question, others jump in and help.
Peer Learning in Action: Why Humility Wins Over Hype
I noticed that. Some of the best parts of the Gold Coast event were those breakout moments where you’d say, “Talk to your group about this.”
I was like – how’s a SIL provider going to help a community access person? But it worked. The issues were more about business than NDIS specifics.
That kind of humility was everywhere. No one was trying to be the centre of attention. How did you build that culture?
Real Leadership Means Knowing When to Step Back
Insecurity, mainly! I don’t want everyone looking at me all the time. I’ve been to those events where the host wants to be the star. But I know I don’t have all the answers.
I tell people I’m a coach – I work across business areas to raise the standard. But I’m not a marketing expert or an HR professional. What I can do is connect you with the right person.
When it comes to compliance, I’ll get Tanya involved. She knows her stuff. Then she’ll say, “Chat with the person next to you about how you handle this,” and suddenly people are learning from each other.
That kind of peer-to-peer learning is so valuable.
How Learning Culture Filters Down Through Every Level
That makes sense. It spreads through the group. I’m trying to understand how you built that. Because people listening will be thinking, “I can do that in my team.”
Like when you had Chris Lapper there. In my opinion, he’s the best NDIS marketing person in Australia. Hands down. Yet he was still pointing people to others for answers.
That humility – how did you create that?
The Magic of White Space and Intentional Networking
We focused a lot on the “white space” between sessions. For example, we start the Summit with networking the night before. That has a huge impact.
People come into the first session already knowing someone from a different state. They’ve shared a meal, talked about their kids, and are comfortable.
Without that, people come in cold. They’re not going to share much. But with that trust, conversations start right away.
Even lunch – we deliberately made it awkward. No set tables. People had to group up and chat. And it worked. People came back from lunch saying, “I just made a great connection.” Those moments matter.
You learn in the sessions, sure. But in the gaps between, you debrief, share, expand – and it spreads across your whole business.
Shared Experience Builds Community That Lasts
Totally. And the people at your events live in this world. That shared experience helps.
So here’s a question. If someone’s trying to build a real, transparent, connected team culture – what do you think helps most, outside of running summits?
I’ve worked across many industries. And this sector feels incredibly segmented – even within single businesses. When I was younger, we had toolbox meetings…
Doing Life Together: How Shared Meals Build Buy-In
One of our clients had team issues, so she hosted a dinner at her house. Nothing fancy. Ordered takeaway. Laughed, shared some new processes, and talked through them.
The team suddenly got it. It wasn’t a poster in the office – it was real. They understood the vision. That’s a business strategy: doing life with your people.
How Amy’s Insights Shift the Way Teams Understand Participants
Quirky question: how did you get Amy to come to this next event? She’s got a life, kids, so much going on – how is she driving six hours to be there?
She’s amazing. We’ve chatted a few times. I reached out years ago and said, “Amy, I love this space, but I’m not a provider or a parent of a participant.”
She brings incredible insight – helping people understand the participant and their world. That changes how staff and businesses show up.
She cuts through the fluff, too. She doesn’t mess around. She’s like, “Let’s get this sorted.”
The Cost of Travel and the Value of Being Present
Final question: how does this all work for your family? I’ve travelled a lot in the past year.
It takes a toll. I get home, have half a week’s work waiting, and a family who barely remembers what I look like.
Why Family Calendars Come Before NDIS Event Calendars
I’m lucky. My kids are older now – you can probably tell by the grey in my beard. My wife is busy with her work, my kids have stuff going on.
So we sit down as a family and go through the calendar. What works?
And honestly, I’ve taken my kids to a few events this year. They chill out while I work, and then we hang out together. We make it work.
Who is Paul Behind the Business?
I’m a dad. I coach my son’s school basketball team. I go to all his state games…
I’ve been married 20 years. My wife is a pastor…
I’m a pretty simple guy. I’d swap your chicken wings for ribs. And I love a hazy IPA – just in case anyone’s buying.
A Chat Worth Sharing
Paul, thank you for hanging out. I hope everyone gets to one of your events. I know you price them to just cover costs.
Want More Candid NDIS Event Strategy and Planning?
If this chat with Paul Bryan sparked something in you – whether it’s rethinking team culture, running better events, or simply staying sane while growing your NDIS business.
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