When people think of mining, they picture machinery, haul trucks and coal dust, not a leadership app. But for founders Adam Taylor and David Larkman, technology isn’t about replacing people; it’s about helping leaders connect with their teams, drive performance and look after wellbeing in the process.
The idea for Note It was born out of experience working in the mining technology space.
“Adam and I first worked together on large-scale system rollouts across major mining clients,” David said.
“It gave us a real understanding of how technology can support people and processes at every level of an organisation.”
That shared experience planted the seed for what would later become Note It.
“After working together, we always said that if the right idea came along, we’d build something of our own. When Adam started developing Note It, I knew straight away it had that potential.”
Adam said the inspiration came directly from the frontline.
“I was working with supervisors who were trying to keep track of conversations on scraps of paper or from memory,” he explained.
“Their intentions were good, but the process was broken. The best leaders were having great conversations, but there was no way to capture or build on them. That’s where Note It started – with the need to make leadership easier and more visible.”
All of this resulted in the creation of a mobile-first leadership app that helps leaders document and follow up on everyday interactions about performance, recognition and wellbeing. The goal is to make those moments meaningful, actionable and part of a stronger leadership culture.
Adam and David were adamant it had to be built for the frontline leader first. It needed to be frictionless, simple enough that even the least tech-savvy supervisor could pick it up and find their way through without training.
When David joined as co-founder in 2023, the focus broadened to include wellbeing and psychosocial awareness as key parts of leadership capability.
“Performance and wellbeing are linked,” he said.
“If someone’s struggling, it might show up as a safety lapse or a drop in performance. By helping leaders notice those signals early and have the right conversation, we can prevent small issues from becoming bigger ones.”
That approach aligns closely with recent psychosocial hazard management updates introduced under the Work Health and Safety Regulations in August 2025. The changes clarified employers’ duties to identify and manage psychosocial risks such as workload, role clarity and interpersonal conflict.
“Those updates basically confirmed what good leaders already know,” Adam said.
“Wellbeing isn’t just a compliance topic. It’s a leadership skill. Note It helps leaders ask the right questions and take action before problems escalate.”
While Note It’s first traction came from operational leaders, the platform has quickly evolved into a collaborative tool for HR and Safety teams too.
“Supervisors were the ones who picked it up first because they saw how it helped them day to day,” David said.
“But what’s been really encouraging is how HR and Safety have joined in since. They can now see the leadership data that was previously invisible – what’s working, where support is needed, and how wellbeing trends are shifting over time.”
That cross-functional view has become one of Note It’s biggest strengths.
“When HR, Safety and Operations work together, you start getting alignment,” Adam said.
“HR gets real-time leadership data, Safety gets visibility of wellbeing and connection interactions, and leaders on the ground get support that actually fits their context. That’s where the real change happens.”
One of Note It’s earliest pilots revealed just how much leadership tone can shift when the right tools are in place. Supervisors who once only captured problems are now recording positive moments too.
“Across that site, we saw roughly three positive recognitions for every coaching conversation,” David said.
“It changed the dynamic straight away. It proved that leadership in mining isn’t all about pointing out what’s wrong, it’s about reinforcing what’s going right.
“It proved that when you make leadership visible, the story changes. Leaders aren’t just correcting performance – they’re reinforcing what’s working and building capability in the process.”
Wellbeing interactions have also become a practical way for leaders to stay connected to their teams.
“By having genuine wellbeing conversations early, we’ve seen measurable reductions in unplanned absences,” Adam said.
“When people feel supported and know their leader actually notices what’s going on, they’re more likely to want to come to work – and that naturally drives better engagement and performance.”
Rather than waiting for problems to show up on a report, leaders using Note It can spot trends and take action before they escalate.
“It’s about building proactive leadership habits,” David said.
“Every interaction contributes to a clearer picture of how teams are really doing, which helps create workplaces people want to be part of.”
Voice-to-text and photo attachments make Note It fast and easy to use, even in the field.
“It’s built for the flow of work – simple, intuitive and mobile,” David said.
“Leaders can only see their own teams, and when someone changes crews, the right context goes with them so the next leader can continue meaningful interactions. It keeps privacy and security tight while still giving leaders access to what they need to support their people.”
Note It’s approach to leadership has also benefited from its involvement in the University of Newcastle’s I2N Accelerator Program.
“The mentors helped us sharpen how we position Note It,” David said.
“It’s not a HR system and it’s not a Safety app. It’s a standalone leadership platform that can integrate with both to close the leadership capability gap. That clarity has helped organisations see Note It as a bridge, not a replacement, for the systems they already trust.”
The company’s work hasn’t gone unnoticed. Note It recently took out the Excellence in Micro Business Award at the 2025 Business Hunter Awards, recognised for bringing visibility to the role of leadership in high-risk industries.
Adam said the recognition validated their belief that leadership deserves better tools.
“The award isn’t just about the app, it’s about showing that leadership is measurable, learnable and worth investing in.”
Looking ahead, the team is developing AI features that will take the analysis work off leaders’ plates, giving them clear insights into where to focus their time and attention.
“Leaders are already stretched,” Adam said.
“The AI will do the background analysis across interactions, spotting patterns that might not be obvious day to day. It could highlight where engagement is strong, where communication has dropped off, or where wellbeing needs more focus. That way, leaders can spend less time sifting through information and more time leading.”
The app is now used across mine sites in NSW and Queensland, including Glencore, Whitehaven and Bloomfield, among others. While mining is a core focus, Note It is also being used in local government, disability services and logistics.
“The challenges are the same – building trust, managing wellbeing and turning strategy into daily action,” David said.
“At the end of the day, good leadership isn’t industry specific. It’s about people.
“We’re not changing what good leaders do. We’re just giving them the visibility to do it more often, and with more impact.”
