Liam CampbellRunning Point Season 2 dropped on Netflix on 23 April 2026, and Australians are already binge-watching. The show follows Isla Gordon — played by Kate Hudson — a woman who unexpectedly inherits the responsibility of running her family's professional basketball team despite having zero industry experience. In its first season, the series reached the Top 10 in 83 countries within a week. Season 2 picks up with Isla more confident but facing more complex challenges: salary cap disputes, sponsorship negotiations, and a locker room that still is not entirely convinced she belongs.
It is very funny. It is also, surprisingly, a useful case study in what happens when people step into leadership roles they were never trained for — and how long they can survive before the cracks start to show.
The Fantasy vs the Reality of "Figuring It Out"
There is a reassuring myth embedded in every underdog leadership story: that passion, instinct and a willingness to learn are enough. Isla Gordon embodies it brilliantly. She wings meetings, relies on charm, and makes a string of costly errors that are played for laughs.
In real life, the costs are less funny. According to the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD), poor governance decisions by under-qualified leaders cost Australian businesses hundreds of millions of dollars each year. Small and medium businesses — which account for 97% of all businesses in Australia, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics — are disproportionately affected, because they rarely have the governance structures that protect larger organisations from the consequences of inexperience.
When someone inherits a family business, steps into a founder's role, or is promoted well beyond their experience, the consequences of not knowing what you do not know can range from contract disputes and tax liabilities to staff turnover and regulatory breaches.
What Isla Gordon Would Actually Need
Running Point is fiction, so Isla's team of one loyal advisor is enough. In reality, someone leading a multi-million dollar organisation without domain expertise would need several kinds of outside support.
A business lawyer to review every significant contract before signing — especially sponsorship, employment and licensing agreements. The penalty for signing a poorly worded deal can far exceed any upfront legal fee.
An accountant or financial advisor to ensure the business is structured correctly for tax purposes and that the books are being kept accurately. Many businesses fail not because the core idea is wrong, but because the financial plumbing is leaking.
An HR or employment law expert to navigate disputes, performance management, and compliance with the Fair Work Act. Locker room politics translate directly to workplace relations in the real world — and the consequences of mishandling them are codified in Australian law.
A sector-specific mentor or consultant who understands the industry's unwritten rules — the equivalent of Isla's veteran team manager in the show. Knowing who to call when something goes wrong is often more valuable than any formal qualification.
Why Australians Hesitate to Ask for Expert Help
There is a distinctly Australian cultural reluctance to seek expert advice. The "she'll be right" approach — the sense that asking for help signals weakness or inadequacy — is well documented in research on Australian small business culture. A 2024 survey by MYOB found that more than 40% of Australian small business owners said they tried to handle legal and financial issues themselves before seeking professional help, even when the stakes were high.
The result is predictable: by the time many business owners do seek advice, the problem has compounded. A contract dispute that could have been avoided with a $500 legal review becomes a $50,000 litigation. A tax misclassification that an accountant would have caught on day one becomes a multi-year ATO audit.
Running Point dramatises this beautifully — Isla's worst moments come precisely when she trusts her gut over qualified advice. Her best moments come when she swallows her pride and asks.
The Expert as Navigator, Not Replacement
One thing the show gets exactly right is that bringing in experts does not mean surrendering decision-making authority. Isla stays in charge. What she gains from the people around her is not someone to think for her, but someone to prevent her from making catastrophically uninformed decisions.
This is the practical value proposition of expert consultation in any domain: you retain control of your vision and your business, but you stop paying tuition fees in the form of avoidable mistakes.
For Australians who are navigating unfamiliar territory — whether that is a new business, an inherited role, a legal dispute, or a major financial decision — the moment to seek expert advice is before things get complicated, not after.
Running Point is a wildly entertaining portrait of what happens when someone leads by improvisation. The show is on Netflix. The lesson is free. The expert who helps you avoid your own Isla Gordon moment is a call away.
Disclaimer: This article contains general information only and does not constitute legal, financial, or business advice. For guidance specific to your situation, consult a qualified professional.
