PODCAST

Nicky Miklos-Woodley and Vanessa Medling joined forces to create ‘Business Together’, supporting businesses to move from chaos to clarity. They are also the authors of ‘Healthy Hustle’.

Rosalind Cardinal is the creator of the Women’s Leadership Archetype’s model, and is the author of The Resilient Employee.

Lauren Murphy deeply values human connection and adores capturing emotive moments through photography.

Audra Agen is the Founder, Host and Chief Inspiration Officer of the ‘Women in the Arena’ Podcast, celebrating women who contribute significant value.

Guilt has the worst energy, and even though we know that, we still fall victim to the narrative around letting people down.

Tiffanee Cook is a dynamic force in the worlds of boxing, coaching, podcasting, and speaking, driven by a passion to understand why some people thrive after life’s challenges.

There’s a misconception that we have to be perfect, and that if we behave in an undesirable way then we’re not leaders. The truth is, we all fall below the line. What matters is how long we stay there.

Are we living our lives compromising or contributing to our wellbeing? And how is it that we could find happiness in a box?

Most of us walk around all day with a mask on, pretending to be something we’re not. What would we do that and who is under the mask?

What if we could identify what’s beneath the surface in relation to emotions that make us feel crappy? But are we prepared to do the hard work that really hurts in order to get to that place of peace?

What if we could overcome the fear of failure? What if we did push through the self doubt and negative narrative and we did that thing, and we succeeded?

What happens when we step outside of our comfort zone? Usually magic! But why is it we are so reluctant to actually take a chance? Zen found outside the walls of safety has a definite sweet spot.

We all want peace in our lives and we all want that one challenging person to behave. But in order to have that, we need to change first.

Justin Jones, otherwise affectionately known as Jonesy, is one of Australia’s pre-eminent explorers, key­note speakers, adventure thinkers and storytellers

Kellie Eddy is a Civil Celebrant who knows how to bring meaning and purpose to the role, and is especially keen to make funerals a very special occasion.

Self love requires many things, but acceptance and setting boundaries are a great place to start.

Mitch Nivalis is a filmmaker and photographer with a commitment to social change, particularly around inclusion and visibility for diverse communities. Mitch is also the creator of the film ‘Equal The Contest’.

Karina Murray is the Founder & CEO Aunua Global/ Enterprise. After 9 years away from work and raising children, she decided to back herself and follow her passion.

Lisa Ireland is the author of multiple modern historical and contemporary fiction books, and mentor of many upcoming authors.

Andres Ruiz is the author of 10 books, and speaks and coaches on self-belief and how to be more confident in taking action. He believes self-doubt is causing procrastination, and helps people move toward success.

Alarna Bell is a make up artist who has worked all over the world with some of the most prestigious people and events, and has also created her own line of high quality products.

Nir Eyal writes, consults, and teaches about the intersection of psychology, technology, and business. He is the author of ‘Hooked’ and ‘Indistractable’ selling more than 1 million copies worldwide and translated into 30 languages.

Simon Rinne suffered mental health conditions in silence for more than 20 years. Brought up with the story that men don’t cry, he struggled to deals with his emotions. Simon has since founded Mindful Men to help other men open up.

Sam Horn has a remarkable talent for taking the complex and making it crystal clear. As a speaker, author, coach and pitch mentor, Sam’s 60 second formula for success builds intrigue and eliminates confusion.

Leigh McDonald spent 20 years playing footy, and over that time received more than 40 concussions. He now lives with CTE and is on a mission to prevent the same happening to others.

To cruise or not to cruise, that is the question. For anybody unsure about donning the pirate hat and cruising the seven seas, this episode is likely to help you make that decision.

Tommy Burke spent decades in Hollywood as an assistant director, and for a number of those years also spent many nights filling his body with chemo fighting Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. Now fighting the demons of Parkinson’s, Tommy sees only joy.

Real men cry and they share their emotions because they realise that all humans and feelings and that we all feel pain, grief, and fear. They also know we all need love.

Tracie Lund is the manager of Morwell Neighbourhood House, and with her team, they have created an initiative called The People’s Kitchen that utilises volunteers to relieve food insecurity.

Tiff Cook is not your average boxer, nor is she your average human. She is dynamite, and ensures that every waking moment is fuelled with passion.

Rosemary Gattuso is a mediator for the family court and loves resolving conflict in favour of the children. Her book “It’s not you, it’s me” sheds light on why some people overcome personal crisis and why some don’t.

Emotional Intelligence can be quite an elusive thing. We all think we have it, many don’t, and some excel at it. But what dose it really mean?

Brock Williams was a typical teenager. A little aimless and a little self-focused, until he realised he had the power to change lives. He ran through hell to raise $45,000 for a charity, and is now planning the next challenge.

Amy Loughren was a nurse, very content with her new found friend, until one random Tuesday in 2003, when she discovered he had been killing patients for 16 years. It was up to her to catch him.

Before you hustle and grind your way into overload, think about how you can create space in your calendar for little adventures and time out.

Terry Tucker is the founder of Motivational Check, helping people to see the positives. After a melanoma changed Terry’s life, he realised you have two choices - beat it, or let it beat you.

The humble rat has been labelled as undesirable vermin for as long as we can remember. However, there’s another side to rats that needs a whole lot more appreciation.

A recent trip to Cambodia confirmed the deeply positive impact of extending love to others, especially in the workplace.

Jaimi Magyari has always wanted to help people, and especially through music. Her new project has her writing personalised songs to help people express themselves and start the healing journey.

The world is moving fast and we can either hang on for dear life, or we can go with the flow and let 2024 take us gently to where we need to be.

Christmas was never meant to be about consumerism and stress. It should be a time for family and love, and for those who don’t celebrate, they too should be able to enjoy the love that’s extended at this time.

Values are more important than we often realise. If we express and demonstrate our values effectively, decision making becomes a breeze.

In this episode, I talk about the power of gratitude and joy, and how both of them can transform your life.

Is there something you want to do? All it takes is a decision to move forward with it and actually make it happen.

Do you have an idea that your keeping in a drawer? Maybe you can save lives but haven’t realised that potential yet. Take a listen and be inspired.

Megan Munckhof is the co-founder of Lead n Hand, a simple product that keeps leads, ropes and hoses tidy and wrapped up with the perfect loop.

Kindness really does matter, and we should not express it solely in the hope of reciprocity. Kindness to self, others, animals and the planet.

Will we still exist 200 years into the future? Will the planet be healed? Will the planet still exist? What if we could ask a question of somebody from 200 years into the future. What would you ask?

Jan Clarke is the founder of Door 2, an online community supporting people with eating disorders and their families.

Overnight success just doesn’t happen, and almost always, true success only comes after playing the long game of persistence, determination and guts.

Emilia Leese teaches how to think like a vegan by considering the ethics and interconnections between humans, animals and the planet. She also shares how to re-wild a forest.

We are all connected, and it is our responsibility to recognise what this moment is asking of us, and to respond to that so that those who come in the future will thrive.

Harry is only 12, yet he already has a collection of 17 reptiles, and has plans to be the youngest person in Australia to build and own a reptile zoo.

It’s easy to want to impress people, but the focus should be more about did I leave an impression that will help the other person.

Building confidence isn’t that hard if we’re willing to take courageous action and put in the effort to improve with practice.

If we want to build stronger relationships with those around us, we have to understand others. We can’t assume they are just like us, but they’re not. Let’s look at the four DISC styles to understand a bit more.

In a world that seems to have lost its way, we have the choice to perpetuate harm and meanness, or we can choose to be kind.

The Wheely Serious Project was created by a team of 5 to raise awareness for accessibility issues for people reliant on wheels for mobility, and to create accessibility to public spaces where possible.

Andrea Lane is the co-founder of FLOAT, a floating art space in East Gippsland. She is also an economist who believes in the irrefutably brilliant impact of artists in regional places.

Ageism sucks and this episode is proof that we’re never too old to do something we love or to change our life. Hope it inspires you.

Brock Williams is a 22 year old, 3rd year chiropractic student, who is now running marathons to raise money and awareness for charities, but who also hopes to inspire others to live their best life.

Carolyn Apostolou is a health and wellbeing coach for corporate staff and executives, that are transformative, fun and engaging, and full of quick easy wins.

Ian Handasyde is a series author, writing novels that are filled with adventure and a thrill at every corner. Writing under the pseudonym of James Hand, he has 8 books under his belt and still more to come.

Nathan Cassar is an award winning MC and entertainer, living the happy life of an extrovert, but as a child, Nathan was a bullied introvert. Everything changed when Nathan went on a cruise ship and discovered his true love.

Mridula Minasvi is a dedicated and passionate grassroots activist and community organiser, striving to advance gender equality, social justice, and civic space through digital innovation.

Brett Ashby is a multidisciplinary, award winning artist who uses a skateboard and surfboard to paint auras as well as capturing the vibrations and energy within the time and space he is creating in.

In this episode, I explain my Influence Scale model, and take a look at how we can lead people through empowerment, rather than by coercion.

Bessie kay is no stranger to the public world of TV and theatre, but for most of her life she was a stranger to herself. After realising a major change needed to happen, Bessie put in the hard work to transform herself.

This episode challenges how we store emotions, and how differing realities can cause us to carry these perceptions long into adult life without ever realising they exist.

Evie Wilson is a mindset coach, focused on empowering women and girls to step into their dreams and authenticity. Her Hype Club, Clubhouse and Dance Dance Dopamine events create a space for fun, exploration and authenticity.

Simon Alexander Ong is a personal development entrepreneur, coach and public speaker. He is also the author of the bestselling book ‘Energise - Making the Most of Every Moment’, and passionately advocates  the power of stepping into your future self.

Tim Bye is the proud creator of The Gay Farmer Candles. After being bullied and harassed in the workplace, Tim made a formal complaint but it wasn’t upheld. Broken, he developed severe mental health issues and making candles was his salvation.

Laura Robinson had been trying to lose weight and feel good about her body image for 25 years, but to no avail. What changed everything, was a promise she made to walk every day for one whole year.

For 27 years Graeme Simpfendorfer dedicated his life to the police force, solving murders, leading armed robbery investigation teams, and becoming a decorated officer. Now as a TV celebrity, he’s chasing his true identity.

At 10 years old, Prasiddhi Singh has already planted more than 100,000 trees and establish around 100 micro forests, facilitated more than 600 workshops, presented 2 TEDx talks, and isn’t stopping any time soon.

Sue Centra loves bringing people together and creating a stronger community. She also loves caravanning. When she got the opportunity to host a traveller’s extravaganza in her home town of Sale, she did not expect it to be so successful on so many levels.

Lewis Swire is a 16 year old entrepreneur from Scotland whose focus is to bring young people together to find success. He leads the Global Young Entrepreneur Society, founded award-winning online magazine ‘The Curios Times’, and is now moving into snack bars.

Are you ready to quit? Before you do, take a listen to this episode and keep in mind that it is perfectly OK to call it a day.

Laurent Notin is a coach to entrepreneurs helping them become un-stuck and to stop being the bottleneck in their business.

Mick Harrington is passionate about music, politics, family and community. After making his way to the grand final on The Voice, Mick launched his political career where he expects to make great change within his community.

Michael Bartura is the founder of Happy Habits Coaching, and is committed to helping people find new ways to look at things, as well as lean in to brain neuroplasticity to make impactful and long-lasting change.

Dr. Jen Pratt is a pediatric physician who cares for children in the very same hospital where she was treated for cancer at the age of 11. During her treatment she was offered a wish by Make A Wish Foundation and decided to dedicate her life to giving back to kids in a similar situation.

Mike Fox is a Multi award-winning Filmmaker, Director, Producer, Writer, Designer, Creative Professional, Actor, Voiceover, CEO & Entrepreneur. He is determined to make the world a better place through his projects and is well on the way.

Danni Brooke lived the double life for over a decade as she unravelled some of the most dangerous people in the UK. She now runs a cybersecurity company and speaks all over the globe.

Mat Bowtell founded Free 3D Hands after being his job in the car manufacturing industry came to a close. He now sends bionic hands and other assistive devices to people around the world completely free of charge.

Ben Tunks is the Student Wellbeing officer in a regional Primary School. After feeling overwhelmed and frustrated by the system’s failure to address inequity, Ben founded The Little Village Project to help families experiencing trauma and disadvantage so that the kids could engage in education and life.

Kristi Maggio is the founder of Maggio Multicultural Academy and Maggio Multicultural Foundation, based in the Dominican Republic. She is also the author of “Follows and Likes Is This All That I’m Worth”, and her latest release “Young Changemakers”.

Jordan Wylie is an award winning extreme adventurer, Sunday Times and New York Times bestselling author, TV personality, Guinness world record holder, charity fundraiser, TEDx speaker and former soldier. He is also the United Kingdom national ambassador for Army Cadets.

Jamie Brock is the owner of Coffee Rescue, a business started out of a renovated ambulance to help a family member. After attending a Get Off The Bench workshop in 2019, Jamie realised she could combine her 2 loves of coffee and animals and create something really special.

Doug Moczynski is the founder of Gippsland Adventure Therapy, which supports youth with outdoor adventures that are inclusive, safe, fun and useful, to increase wellbeing and have a positive impact on their mental health.

Mark S A Smith is the co-founder of NimbilityWorks, and the author of ‘The Nimble C-Suite’, and ‘The Nimble Company’, as well as multiple other books. Mark works intensively with company leaders to transform their business from a market challenger into the market leader in 3 years or less.

Tracie Lund is the manager of Morwell Neighbourhood House, and is now standing as an independent candidate for the Seat of Morwell. She was thrust into the leadership limelight at the time of the Hazelwood mine fires, as she spoke out about the injustices and challenged authorities about the health hazards.

George Siegal is a film maker and podcast host. His most recent film ‘Last House Standing’ uncovers the potentially catastrophic impact of building houses that won’t stand up in hurricane affected areas, and in this episode we chat about the devastation of Hurricane Ian.

To honour his own journey with depression, as well as honouring the memory of a mate lost to suicide, Daniel Fitzgerald over 3,000 kilometres across Australia to raise awareness and funds for the Black Dog Institute.

Heather Baird entered the foster care system at two and a half years of age and for many years was plagues with self-worth and self-esteem issues. Understanding how this feels for others in the system, and driven by the need to provide supplies that were not readily available to these kids, Heather founded the charity A Better Life For Foster Kids.

This week I’ve been thinking a lot about the fine line between showing up and self care. I think there’s too much noise about hustle and grind, and it’s way too easy to drive ourselves into the ground and not take care of ourselves.

Julie Philip loves to follow her passions and loves to bring joy. A few years ago, Julie decided to pursue her dream of becoming a barber, and is now volunteering at a neighbourhood house one day per month bringing joy and self-worth.

Tammy van Wisse is a World Record breaking endurance swimmer who has conquered some of the coldest, deepest and longest waterways in the world. Her swim distances add up to over an astonishing 65,000km, which is one and a half times around the planet.

Ben Price is one of the seven crew who make up the Royal Australian Air Force aerobatics team, the Roulettes. His childhood dream of becoming a pilot happened several years after leaving school, and bored with his then job, Ben decided to chase that dream.

Lisa Schermerhorn has a mission to inspire the world to understand that what we think is true, just may not be. She is a best selling author, and her latest book ‘In Every Belief There Is A Lie’ shares the truth about our beliefs.

Liv White is a digital content creator, entrepreneur, mother and speaker who focuses her content around the theme of ‘be unapologetically you’. Liv is the creator of House of White, and shares her authenticity through her blogs and her extraordinary Instagram community.

Herb Lang started life in a small town in Arkansas, but after the Harlem Globetrotters invited him to their basketball camp, Herb then joined and spent the next 18 years touring the globe, inspiring hope and happiness into the hearts of many.

Jessie Ballantyne is the founder of ‘The Grants Hub’ and social enterprise ‘Hey Good Thing’. Jess started her entrepreneurial career at 14, babysitting and selling chocolate covered snakes from her school locker.

Simon Harvey is not your average superhero. After beating stage 4 cancer, Simon decided to don his Captain Australia outfit, walk a few thousand miles alone, and raise awareness and money for kids battling cancer.

After planning suicide at 18, Kerrie Atherton walked through the doors of a 12 step program and since that day 40 years ago, has remained clean and sober. She founded “Stories of HOPE Australia” a platform that brings HOPE that it’s possible to triumph after a traumatic past.

Jessica Evans has become a passionate disability advocate since her son Karter was diagnosed with cerebral palsy as a baby. Jessica was unexpectedly thrown into the world of disability with the birth of her twins boys, and is desperate to raise awareness.

David C. Lee spent many years in military and police service, leading to severe PTSD. After rebuilding his own life, he now supports others to do the same.

Tanya Heaney-Voogt is a mentally healthy workplaces expert, workplace change facilitator and certified leadership coach, helping leaders, teams and organisations to thrive in this rapidly changing and high demand world of work.

Donna McGeorge is an author, speaker, facilitator and consultant who is passionate about time. In particular helping people to refund a full day per week to spend on the tings that matter most to them.

In 2017, Zac Jones crashed his car while under the influence of drugs and alcohol, seriously injuring himself and his four passengers. As a result, he wound up in jail where he managed to turn his life around.

Elaina Domagala is 15 years old and is already making her mark in Australian rules women’s football, and rocketing toward the the premier league. She is a fierce advocate for young girls wanting to play football and is devoted to mentoring them to follow their dream.

After Riley Jarvis’ health went downhill, and after being diagnosed with Crohn’s disease, he went on a journey of exploration to find better health. What he discovered about sleep was mind blowing, and he now helps others to find the same level of sleep nirvana.

Susan Dean loves bringing stories to life. So much so that she founded Dean Publishing, and has produced and published hundreds of stories of inspiration, ranging from business success, to personal triumph and charity development.

Dan Frkic is a dad who knows how much clutter and disregard comes with a house full of unwanted toys and other gifts, and now he’s helping other families with the same concerns. Dan created Prezent Box which is an online gifting platform that helps families pay for developmental activities such as sport.

Jocelyn Chong is a business and life coach, author, podcast host, and the founder of Seed to Sequoia. Moving from Malaysia to Australia at 17, Jocelyn quickly realised that the key to success was to empower her vision to be greater than her fear.

Liz Fleming is The Efficiency Coach and business mentor, who has a passion for rural and regional businesses. Her promise is more profit, more time and more fulfilment.

Mark Macmanus is the epitome of turning adversity into a journey that provides hope to others. After spiralling to the depths of despair through drug addiction, Mark finally found strength and strategies and with this founded The Restoration Project to help others.

Gina Balarin loves communicating, and in particular bringing stories and brands to life. She helps marketers do marketing they’re proud of and is the author of the book 'The Secret Army: Leadership, Marketing and the Power of People’.

Raheen Fatima is a 14yr old peace activist who has been recognised by many organisations as an inspirational global change maker. After her young brother was diagnosed with cancer, Raheen decided you are never too young to make a difference.

Matt Runnalls is a speaker, author and the founder of Mindfull Aus. After hitting rock bottom with his own mental health, Matt found strategies to help him make choices that gave hope to the new chance he got each and every day. He now helps others to believe in themselves.

After moving across the country, Michael Whitehouse knew nobody but needed a network to help him find work. Before long he was very well connected and started connecting others. Michael is now known as the Guy Who Knows A Guy.

Dr Demartini is considered one of the world’s leading authorities on human behavior and personal development. He travels 360 days a year, lives on a ship, and is the author of 40 books and has created 72 courses to help people thrive.

Dr Sue Pillans is a marine scientist and graphic artist who is wildly passionate about ensuring a brighter future for our sea creatures. She loves nothing more that sharing the stories from her 3 children’s books about the ocean as he alter ego Suzie Starfish.

Daniel Tolson works across the globe as a business coach, helping people to accelerate their results. Prior to founding his company, The Tolson Institute, Daniel was a leader of 17,000 cabin crew for Emirates Airlines.

After 35 plus years as an entrepreneur, Terry Paule is focus on impact. After founding MyCo, a company focused on producing plant based foods, Terry stumbled upon the opportunity to create clean drinking water purely from fruit and vegetables.

Adopting three older children seemed like a dream come true to Kevin Martin and his wife. That was until the oldest became too aggressive to manage. Their son’s life completely changed after only three sessions of neuro-linguistic programming, and in that moment Kevin knew what his life work was.

Born in Russia, and having family and friends on both sides of the border, Dr Elena Kelareva is calling on the world to reject the feeling of helplessness, and to take simple action to support Ukraine and ultimately maintain Western democracy.

At 29, Tiffanee Cook saw a poster on a wall inviting people to get in the boxing ring. Something within moved her to do just that and the ripple effect of that decision has flowed through every corner of her life. She says “Everyone has a plan, until they get punched in the face”, and she has been unpacking those plans ever since.

Kerryn Vaughan chats about the podcast, life, emotions, resilience, not being good enough, and answers several questions that have come up repeatedly over time. A reflection and celebration of 100 episodes.

Despite Lizbeth Meredith’s promise to herself that she would not repeat the dysfunction of her childhood family, fate had other ideas, eventually leading Lizbeth to travel to Greece to rescue her two young daughters that had been kidnapped by their father.

Adam Stanecki is a men’s coach, helping men to live their best life through vulnerability and wholeheartedness. He loves nothing more than to support men to connect with their true selves and build wonderful relationships around them.

Rachel Tapscott left her secure job in the TV industry to try something new on her own terms. She started ‘That Camera Girl’ to help people feel more confident in front of the camera, and now has a thriving business.

After losing his 9 month old baby daughter, Hans Kullberg was determined to keep her spirit alive, and to help other bereaved parents to do the same. He is the author of the book ‘Baby Aviva Orangutan Diva’ and has many more books and impactful projects on the horizon.

Rael Bricker knows how valuable life is. After a season of triathlons, and persevering with neck pain, he was diagnosed with 2 blocked arteries. This rude awakening helped him find his purpose, and now he helps entrepreneurs find excellence.

Karen Humphries is a clinical kinesiology practitioner, wellness coach, podcaster, author and meditation facilitator, on a mission to support people to rewrite their trauma tale and renew their life by choosing to change, so they can bloom from within.

Fiona Demark is an inspirational speaker and life coach who, despite being vision impaired, never says ‘no’ to a challenge or opportunity. She has a CAN DO attitude, and is fierce about supporting her clients to believe the same.

Shayne Hood’s younger life was filled with domestic violence, addiction, criminal activity, and trying to make sense of the deep pain he was experiencing. After doing intense healing work on himself, he now works with youth and support organisations to minimise pain and accelerate healing in those experiencing disadvantage.

Wendy Kier, author of Be More Wolf (#bemorewolf), spent most of her younger years institutionalised in the UK care system. Abandonment, multiple foster placements, and multiple forms of abuse, left her traumatised and with crippling anxiety and depression, but gave her the passion to create the Trauma Recovery method to help others.

Brandon Burns is a seasoned professional Actor, Performer, TV Host & startup investor, and is the co-founder of TorchT Productions, a company passionate about helping challenger brands and startups stand out and be noticed for their unique X-factor.

Maree McPherson loves nothing more than to lift women leaders and particularly in rural areas. Her books, ‘Cutting Through The Grass Ceiling’ and ‘Worthy’ were born from real life experiences and from stories shared in her coaching program.

Alannah McGregor’s journey of grief began 21 years ago when two of her children took their own lives within a month of each other, prompted by workplace bullying. She has since formed SPAN (Suicide Prevention Awareness Network) in Bendigo and works to prevent other families experiencing what she did.

George Siegal began his career in front of the camera as a newscaster, sportscaster, and weathercaster. He then moved behind the camera and started his own film company, Move The World Films where he explores social issues and the impact they have on us.

Scott Harris is a speaker, skydiver, pilot, photographer and many more things, and is well known as the infamous videographer that parachuted (uninvited) into Elizabeth Taylor’s wedding at Michael Jackson’s ranch. He is also the author of ‘Leap Forward’, a book that shows how to overcome any obstacle.

Shabnam Ighani is the author of ‘Fighting for a Future’ which tells the story of Shab and her young boys escaping Iran when she was 29. Prior to escaping her life was turned upside down by the Islamic Revolution, and an arranged marriage left her completely controlled.

Bronwyn Manley loves nothing more than to sprinkle the world with joy. Starting with a bare farm, Bon and partner Dave have built a flourishing dried flower sprinkle business ‘Bon in the Garden’, that is creating colour and happiness to endless meals.

At age 14, Lily Bergqvist auditioned for The Voice, Australia, and overnight became a household name. Her passion for performing is enveloped in unapologetic authenticity, and with wisdom beyond her years, she is certainly a voice to be reckoned with.

Jason Sotiris was living and loving the tradie life, until his 1yr old daughter developed a rare form of cancer. In caring for her, he realised he could create a superhero medical garment to sick kids in hospital to feel strong and good about themselves.

Kate Gale had 3 goals - become a hairdresser, marry the man of her dreams, have kids. Cancer was not on that list, but she was gifted with it nonetheless. Five years later her husband also received the same unwanted gift.

Glenn Dawson and his wife moved to Lombok, Indonesia and converted a run down bar into a successful resort. But, so troubled by the plastic straw issue, Glenn set out to create the only straw that truly addresses sustainability and eco-friendliness.

Eimear McNelis is a writer and marketing specialist turned lifestyle blogger. Her initiative, Red Dirt Road Creative shares a plethora of great ideas about self-sustainability, wellbeing, travel and self care.

Sarah Dowell is the founder of ‘Asanti’ a social enterprise supporting companies that give back. After building a day care centre in Malawi, Sarah realised how much impact she could have on the world.

Kasha Sequoia Slavner was only 14 years old when she decided there had to be some good news in the world. On her 16th birthday, she set off on a global tour to find and document stories of positivity, love and hope.

Kylie Miller decided on a tree change and eventually found her way to East Gippsland. While it wasn’t her plan to be in the midst of the devastating bushfires in the summer of 2019/2020, Kylie decide the best way for her to assist the community in healing was to write a children’s book about the heroes who stepped up.

Charlotte Le Hardy is a university lecturer and leader in the field of sustainability in fashion, but life wasn’t always this grand. Her childhood left her bewildered and wondering ‘is this all there is?’ as her misery found her with just noodles and 20 Pound.

Steve Noble had many ideas over the years, but finally turned his passion to designing the perfect flanny. Made from wool, the Hugh Charles clothing range contributes to the slow fashion industry as well as being an inspiration for regional business to find great success in the online market.

Toni Lonits is now a confident woman who shares stories of healing over the airwaves as she streams throughout the USA and other countries around the world. But she started life very differently, believing her congenital facial defect determined her worth.

Dr Dan Eddy is one of Australia’s most prolific non-fiction authors. With 12 books published in the last 6 years, and no sign of slowing down, Dan tells the stories of sporting legends. Dan is also a mental health advocate and role models how to live a successful life despite these challenges.

Ian Speirs is the co-founder of ONE Better World Collective which is a non-profit organization and multi-platform initiative with a 10- year strategy to equip people everywhere to act upon the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals and Agenda 2030, through a transformational message of love.

For 40 years Madeleine McKenzie has been entertaining audiences, and has now launched her startup, Cabaret On Call to take virtual shows into aged care facilities, bringing back vibrant and cherished memories.

Henry Darby is a High School Principal from South Carolina, and was shocked to learn that some of his students were homeless. He immediately sprung into action, landing himself a part time job so he could donate his pay check to students in need.

Nicky Williams always dreamed of being a writer, but self-doubt and imposter syndrome paralysed her taking any action. In 2019 she started writing blogs and challenged the negative narrative that held her back for years.

Katie Dawson is the co-founder of Cottage Garden Threads, a boutique business nestled in the quiet hills of country Victoria, Australia. The journey began many years ago when Katie’s Mum dyed fabric in the family home, and Katie was hooked.

Carmel Murphy is also known as ‘The Communication Queen’. After finally realising her own gap in marketing knowledge, she soon saw she wasn’t the only one. Carmel now runs a successful business helping others bridge that gap.

Thomas Sartor is an international speaker, partner/event director for the Hero Round Table series of conferences, and the Vice President of the Heroic Imagination Project. He is passionate about the idea that anybody is capable of acting heroically.

20 years ago, Lisa Schermerhorn was at the lowest point in her life, unable to find the answers she was seeking. She eventually found a hypnotherapist who was the catalyst to Lisa deciding to become her our counsel, gaining relevant qualifications along the way. Lisa now combines these holistic therapies with helping people find their WHY, and ultimately changing their lives.

Sarah Davidson began her career in law, but soon lost her passion for the corporate world. After travelling to Africa and returning with a serious gut bug, Sarah found the magic in Matcha powder. She took a risk and built an online company, started a podcast and wrote a book - recognising that life is all about Seizing the Yay.

Mandy Horvath lost both her legs in a tragic accident in 2014, but not allowing this to defeat her, she became the first female bi-lateral amputee to ascend the Manitou Incline, and crawled all 13 miles of Barr Trail to the summit of Pikes Peak. Despite the great achievements, her addiction with alcohol led to her very public demise.

At the age of 5, Belle Chapman lost her father to cancer when, leaving her with very few happy, healthy photos. This pain has driven Belle’s passion to cement the love and adoration families feel for each other in memories that can be kept for life to hand down through generations.

Katie Underwood is a multi-instrumentalist, Vocalist, ARIA-nominated and APRA Award winning Recording Artist who traded the life of pop stardom to immerse herself in the wellness space. She now produces sound healing music, and is creating a ripple effect to bring more peace into the world.

Sophie Wilksch landed by accident in the coastal town of Mullumbimby after her car and the universe collaborated to ensure this was where she made her new home. She founded ‘Shedding’ and now supports the community to build things while shedding fears and building curiosity.

Driving back from a meeting, Cody stopped at a red light. In a split second a truck ran the red light and rear-ended Cody’s SUV, which became a fireball and Cody was considered a fatality by rescuers - until they saw his hand move.

Born and raised in Leongatha, South Gippsland, Dani Holloway moved to Melbourne for University and work. Seeking a city appropriate gumboot and unable to find any she loved - Dani decided to have a go at creating her own.

Diagnosed as an alcoholic in 2019, Yolunda Elam (aka Yo) is on a mission to help as many people as possible free themselves from the bondage of addiction, and to love themselves for who they truly are.

Danielle McAlpine Johnson is a Writer, Director, Producer, devoted to using film & TV as a catalyst for change in the social justice landscape.

As a 10yr old, Victoria Lioznyansky was made to learn a 2 page poem and 4hrs later, recite it to 1,000 people. She failed. Over the years she has overcome her own fear of public speaking and now teaches others.

Patti Dobrowolski is a nationally acclaimed comic performer, high performance business consultant, 4-time TEDx speaker and author of 2 books. She helps people and teams up their creative genius.

Monika Krimendahl & Rick Hayhurst, are the co-founders of BlitzBe, a Digital Media Company, and The Gold Rush Summit, both helping Entrepreneurs create a better world.

From a tiny beginning with one tiny gadget, Jane Sahhar and her husband Phil built a massively successful business from their lounge room.

Tommy Walker is better known as ‘The Mind Engineer’, who combined the best practices in the world, to develop Rapid Transformational Reprogramming™.

Aisha Alim turned a very dark past of domestic violence into a very bright future of empowering herself and then other women. During lockdown she wrote her first book titled ‘It’s All Within You’.

Victoria Reeves is a Writer, Storyteller, Producer and the Host of SOUL STORIES LIVE and creator of the CREATIVITY LAB. She loves to channel her parents and other wild characters into her stories, and helps others celebrate their unlimited possibilities.

Hacia Atherton was well on her way to becoming one of the world’s finest equestrian athletes, but in 2017 her life changed dramatically when she was crushed by her 600kg warmblood horse.

Against many odds, Lee Hicks has accomplished extraordinary mile stones including delivering a sailboat from Australia to Florida, becoming the captain of many super yachts. During a retreat in Bali he had a breakthrough and created The Define Your Vision Discovery Movement.

Brodie Pyle didn’t let his age get in the way of creating something big. The young comedian is on a mission to showcase his beloved Gippsland, after witnessing the suffering of many local businesses.

Jenn Donovan believes that the currency of ‘community’ is deeply underestimated in business, and while building an online community of over 300,000, Jenn is helping small regional business build their social media and marketing.

After seeing the devastation of the 2019 Australian bushfires, and seeing the immense suffering of the koalas and their friends, Mikaela Van Haren took things into her own hands to do her bit to save them.

When the chips are down, Leanne Elich is one woman you would want in your corner! After years of working in paediatric oncology, and feeling the frustration of not having the best equipment, she was driven to do something about it.

Tyson Sharpe is on a mission to help spiritual coaches, healers, and light-workers create more reach, impact, and income in their business, by stepping into the role of the ‘Heart-Centered CEO’.

For years Paul Goddard was heckled by friends and strangers, because he looked strikingly similar to Santa. Paul decided to embrace this pseudo identity and has finally landed himself the perfect job bringing an abundance of joy to the world.

20 years ago Ken Baade set up some Christmas lights and bought a $5 Santa suit and started handing out lollies in his driveway, prompting Leonie Orgill to join him some 12 years later. The duo has become a local hit, and they have no plans to stop in the near future.

Caz Rowland, a Melbourne born designer, founded Cazinc The Label, after struggling for 15 years as a fashion designer, to find timeless and affordable clothing for her clients.

Sue Smethurst is an award-winning journalist, who has written for Australia’s biggest and most respected titles, as well as working on TV and radio. Sue is also a best-selling author with book sales in excess of 100,000 copies, specialising in non-fiction.

Trav Bell is The Bucket List Guy...The Worldʼs #1 Bucket List Expert. Trav helps people live their Bucket List before it’s too late, and his unique life-engagement message really wakes you up, stops ground-hog days and helps you to experience more fulfilment.

Jan Cavelle was sent to a very posh boarding school to be groomed for marriage. With contrary ideas, she took off around Europe before settling into a marriage that would eventually break. While trying to manage as a single mum, Jan started a furniture empire under the stairs of her cottage. But in her heart she dreamed of being a writer, and so a new journey has begun.

Wendy and her husband took a trip to Thailand in 2011 and ended with a detour to Cambodia. Little did they know this trip would change their lives forever. Coming face to face with the poverty in the market place, they vowed in that moment to come back and do something to help.

After losing her brother, mother, and then her father, Jaimee Newberry asked her friend Stephan what she should do next. He said “It’s not about what’s next, it’s about what’s important”. So began a much deeper search for meaning.

Todd Stolp was an MD for twenty years, before lending his infectious diseases expertise to global pandemic management. He has written/illustrated 4 children’s books in an attempt to promote health literacy, and has now turned his passion to animation.

Michelle Pietrafitta is a drummer from Denver, Colorado on a mission to show female musicians that they have the power within them to very effectively blend music and business. Michelle was once told she would never make it, so after hitting rock bottom, she set out, step by step, to prove that wrong.

Nina G put her dream career on hold for 25 years until one day she decided she needed to speak up. She stormed the comedy stage and hasn’t looked back, despite the stuttering that once held her back.

Nigel Beck (AKA DJ Nige), has been bringing music to country towns since the 70’s. But recently all the live music venues have shut down, so Nige decided to take the music scene into his own hands, and has created the Joyful Tour of Gippsland.

Rachel Dayoub went to the supermarket like any other day - but this time something was very different. Rachel knew she had to do whatever it took to survive or her kids would not have a mother.

Erin Lord is no stranger to saving lives through emergency flights. In 2019 she co-founded Aeromedical Solutions, which helps Australians return home from overseas when things go terribly wrong.

Rachel Barcellona is a radio host, model, spokesperson, and a fierce advocate for people with disabilities - particularly those with autism. When Rachel was 3, her parents were told she never speak due to her autism.

Jean Kittson is an author, and also highly revered for her work as a comedian, performer, scriptwriter for stage, television and radio, and has been a regular columnist with a variety of magazines and newspapers.

Bob Harris is on a mission to do good. His career spans screenwriter, speaker, author, quiz show superstar, radio commentator, TV host, and comedian - and has greeted failure at every turn.

Sandra Pankhurst is truly label-defying. A transgender woman, Sandra has lived many lives, rising above adversity. Her remarkable life is the subject of the internationally acclaimed, multi-award- winning book ‘The Trauma Cleaner’.

Roy Juarez Jr. is a speaker, author and activist, and travels to inspire youth. At the age of 14 years old, Roy found himself homeless due to domestic violence, moving from house to house to survive, with only a duffle bag to call home.

Janet Hogan spent 30 years as a serial entrepreneur, determined to leave her mark on the world through financial riches. But the universe had other ideas, and after a simulated near-death experience Janet was delivered the ultimate brickbat - “You’ve let everybody down”

Penny Cula-Reid always played football with the boys as a child, but at the age of 14 she was told she couldn’t continue because she was a girl. Penny and two friends took the matter to court and their win created a pathway for girls and women in Australian Rules Football.

Dr. Ash Pachauri is the president and founder of the Center for Human Progress in India, and co-founder of the Protect Our Planet Movement, and the World Sustainable Development Forum.

Amy Hay is a woodworking enthusiast who has very successfully turned this very skilled hobby into a thriving business, and at the same time, empowering women.

Michelle is the founder of Advancing Women, an enterprise providing research and advisory services on equality, inclusion and gender diversity. She is determined to contribute to achieving global gender equality in her life time.

Jessyca Mathews is a speaker, author, and language arts teacher at a high school in Michigan. She is also an award winning Racial, Environmental Justice, and Institutional Racism activist. Jessyca is well known for her activism work on the Flint water crisis.

Katrina-Jane is a down to earth, ‘out of the box’ clairvoyant medium, multiple times award winning author, inspirational speaker, teacher and thought leader - who is dedicated to guiding people on your soul journey, with a focus on empowering women and helping kids deal with losing a loved one.

Chris Hollyfield started out as a Pro Wrestler but his big break came when he was invited to join the WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment), bursting into the arena as Little Boogeyman. Chris is also an author and motivational speaker.

Rachel is a bold woman who constantly pushes the limits of her own boundaries. As a solo world traveller over the last 10 years, Rachel has learnt through direct experience to communicate vulnerably, lean into the discomfort of fear, follow the innate guidance within and step into her leadership.

Growing up dyslexic and dysgraphic, Hugo is a self-taught entrepreneur, but with a particular focus on finding solutions for challenges that come with dyslexia, dysgraphia and dyspraxia.

Jemimah Ashleigh is a global authority on positioning, an international keynote speaker, MC, podcaster, and an Australian set on world domination. After a decade long career in law enforcement, Jemimah now works exclusively as a positioning consultant and coach.

Nicholas Domingo is certainly not your average superhero. He is a 29 year old entrepreneur, speaker, children's book writer and change maker obsessed with making strides towards creating a better tomorrow.

Kate Austin is the founder of the Australian Not-for-Profit, Pinchapoo. After living through many years of domestic violence, and eventually ending in a situation that almost cost her life, Kate decided that nobody should ever have to go through what she experienced.

Leah Mether helps people get out of their own way with the development of soft skills (which are really hard). She is a speaker, trainer, coach, facilitator and author of the book Soft is the New Hard: How to Communicate Effectively Under Pressure.

Escaping the rat-race, Christy Nichols found herself in Nicaragua, deep in the jungle (but still close to the beach), and through this found inner-peace that kickstarted a whole new adventure.

Kate Parker always had a passion for the beach and marine life, but at a young age she had no idea her passion would lead her to board a Sea Shepherd ship and fly the flag high to defend the oceans.

Matt Langdon has travelled the world teaching people how to be heroes. He is also the creator of Hero Round Table that hosts conferences all over the world, and sets the stage for everyday heroes.

A colony of bees teaches us that we aren’t in this life alone, we have (if we want to!) an entire community around us that want to support and encourage us. Maybe this is why Caroline Hammond became a beekeeper.

Want to meet a passionate man who never sleeps due to his enthusiasm for life and constant breaking down of barriers to make the world a better place? Then it’s hard to go past Footys4all’s Volunteer Founding Director Michael Gallus.

Caitlin Grigsby shares her journey into taking the big leap and starting her own HR business - Full Circle HR, as well founding the Gippsland Pride Initiative. Caitlin and her wife Meleah donated their house to Big Sky Sanctuary for animals and she shares how this was one of the best things they’ve ever done.

Welcome to the Get Off The Bench podcast! This first episode is an introduction to the podcast giving you some background information. It exists to showcase people who have backed themselves and having a go, in the hope that others will be inspired to ‘get off the bench’. Enjoy!