Seize the Yay
- Épisodes
- 347
- Parution
- toutes les deux semaines
- Dernier épisode
- 11 Nov 2026
À propos du podcast
A lawyer turned funtrepreneur's investigation into how some of the world's most inspiring people find their "yay", whether it's through work, rest or play and any other pearls of wisdom they have along the way.
Épisodes 347
FULL VIDEO // The head of most secret spy service is a woman!
A re-release of one of our most popular episodes this year to celebrate finally launching our YouTube channel and now sharing the FULL VIDEO of our conversation with Australian Secret Intelligence Service …
Notes de l’épisode
A re-release of one of our most popular episodes this year to celebrate finally launching our YouTube channel and now sharing the FULL VIDEO of our conversation with Australian Secret Intelligence Service Director-General, Kerri Hartland.
Re-listening to this one blew my mind all over again, I still can't believe this actually happened. What an extraordinary woman and incredible career path! I hope you enjoy watching as much as you did listening...
Ang and all her sausages in the caravan...
Yep, she came back once and we loved every minute so she's already back again... I can't say the episode is about anything at all, but you guys seem to love these as a breath of fresh air, so I hope you enjoy!
Does being adopted affect my reading with David the Medium?
As promised, part two of our incredible episode with David the Medium. I wasn't expecting a 1:1 reading and, in fact, have always been a little nervous given that I'm adopted and wasn't sure who would show up …
Notes de l’épisode
As promised, part two of our incredible episode with David the Medium. I wasn't expecting a 1:1 reading and, in fact, have always been a little nervous given that I'm adopted and wasn't sure who would show up in the room... but we leant in all the way and it was so special...
Everything I've ever wanted to ask David the Medium!
You all know I love welcoming guests to the show when I’ve been lucky enough to have been there for some of the chapters of their yay and today’s is someone I’ve had on the list for a very long time. When you …
Notes de l’épisode
You all know I love welcoming guests to the show when I’ve been lucky enough to have been there for some of the chapters of their yay and today’s is someone I’ve had on the list for a very long time. When you hear that we both actually started our professional lives in corporate law, there’s many things you could assume about what came next but the pivot he ended up taking is possibly the very last direction you’d ever imagine a criminal prosecutor and counter-terrorism analyst would take.
I’m talking of course about the incomparable David The Medium and his extraordinary gift for connecting with people who are no longer with us. What makes his story even more fascinating for me is that this wasn't something he grew up knowing he could do - it came much later in life in adulthood and changed the course of his life.
I've always been endlessly fascinated by the world of things we can’t see or grasp - including mediumship - and having known David for so long, I've been dying to get into the nitty gritty of his craft. How does it actually work? What does it feel like? And what does he say to the sceptics?
What I love about him so much is that he so patiently and eloquently answers these without actually being bothered about what sceptics think - his mission is not to convert the non-believer, but to channel his talent for those who need no convincing. Which is an incredible, broader life lesson on the futility of working to impress your doubters instead of focusing on your supporters.
And there are plenty of those with David embarking on his sell out The Way Back Home Tour with 8,500+ attendees across 8 cities in 2 countries - and it all sold out within 45 minutes! Which has kept him so busy he’s paused his 1:1 readings, but i was so lucky to score a bonus one during our recording which absolutely blew my mind.
I will share that as part two of this episode as we got carried away and went for quite a while which you can imagine given the ENDLESS questions I had to ask him.
What I also love about David is that even if you don’t believe in mediumship, there is so much in this conversation about life, purpose and connection that anybody can benefit from.It left me and will hopefully leave you with plenty to think about - what a privilege to have spent this time with him before he jetted off!! Ladies and gents, David the Medium.
How Kathryn Eisman Built Her High Heel Jungle...
Today’s guest has one of those careers that makes you wonder how on earth all of these chapters belong to the same person. Kathryn Eisman went from studying communications in Sydney to packing her bags for New …
Notes de l’épisode
Today’s guest has one of those careers that makes you wonder how on earth all of these chapters belong to the same person.
Kathryn Eisman went from studying communications in Sydney to packing her bags for New York, where she became the youngest on-air reporter in NBC history, working on the TODAY Show before going on to build an incredible career across US television, including E! News and an Emmy-nominated team.
But, as you know, we love a good pivot around here - and Kathryn’s next chapter took her from interviewing some of the biggest names in the world to building something of her own.
From her dining room table, she founded High Heel Jungle, which has grown from a bold idea into a global fashion label completely revolutionising a category worn by the likes of Doja Cat, Hailey Bieber, Kendall Jenner, Sabrina Carpenter and many more.
She’s also an author, producer, Mum and someone who has spent her career fascinated by the tiny choices that reveal who we really are.
We talk about backing yourself when your career makes absolutely no sense on paper, being underestimated, knowing when it’s time for a new chapter, building a cult brand and what nearly two decades across media and business have taught her about success.
Kathryn Eisman, welcome to Seize the Yay.
From a life in law to Hedley Thomas' partner in true crime....
You’ve heard me say many times that I personally found my yay in walking away from the law. I worked so hard to get there (and actually loved my time there), only to realise that my joy lay somewhere completely …
Notes de l’épisode
You’ve heard me say many times that I personally found my yay in walking away from the law. I worked so hard to get there (and actually loved my time there), only to realise that my joy lay somewhere completely different.
But I love that this week we get the other side of that story - someone who stayed in the law, loved it, and found enormous purpose in building an incredible career at the Australian Government Solicitor (although, spoiler alert, she too made a huge pivot but it came a little later than most...)
Chances are, you already know Karina Berger’s voice. If you listened to Hedley Thomas’ Bronwyn podcast, you’ll have heard Karina first volunteering to lend her legal expertise to that investigation. She was, at the time, still very much a lawyer - working in coronial law and bringing a completely different lens to the case.
Fast forward to The Poisoned Wife, which you heard all about from Hedley in our last episode, and somehow Karina is no longer referred to as a volunteer helper but has left law altogether to work full-time as a producer and co-host alongside Hedley investigating the extraordinary death of Rosslyn McQueen...
And it all started with a cold call.
I find that trajectory so fascinating - because we talk so much on this show about carefully planning our next chapter, when sometimes you couldn’t possibly plan for the places your skills, curiosity and one unexpected opportunity might take you.
So today, we’re going behind the voice you already know to find out who Karina is, why she loved the law enough to stay, what made her eventually leave it, and how on earth she ended up here.
Karina Berger, welcome to Seize the Yay.
Hedley Thomas returns with The Poisoned Wife...
Our guest today needs no introduction not only because he is returning to the yayborhood for the third time, but also because his voice is a fixture in households around the globe having amassed 170 million …
Notes de l’épisode
Our guest today needs no introduction not only because he is returning to the yayborhood for the third time, but also because his voice is a fixture in households around the globe having amassed 170 million downloads, 8 Walkley Awards and history-changing outcomes with his incredible work in criminal investigative journalism.
Having first joined us during his investigation into the unsolved murder case of Bronwyn Winfield then very kindly flying to Melbourne for our live show raising funds to combat domestic violence, Hedley Thomas is back just days after the release of his newest investigative podcast, The Poisoned Wife.
It’s no secret I am one Hedley’s millions of devout fangirls and a die hard true crime junkie, so every opportunity to speak with him is a pinch me moment. But the unsolved case of Rosslyn McQueen takes your breath away whether you're a Hedley fangirl or not, landing on his desk in a mysterious taped up suitcase revealing a chilling murder unsolved for 40 years…
Unlike The Teacher’s Pet, Rosslyn’s body was found and her death confirmed to be caused by strychnine poisoning. Her husband not only explained her sudden death as having been caused by cancer which she did not have, he quickly moved in with the underage babysitter - a scenario that sounds devastatingly familiar. While he has always denied wrongdoing, he was charged with the murder but just days before the trial was to commence, the prosecution called a halt and the case was never revisited. Until now…
Of course this content is a little heavier than usual so please take care whie listening. But I know many of you consume Hedley’s work as voraciously as I do, and are likely right up to date with episode 3 which has come out since our recording. So I'm sure you will be as fascinated as I am to hear about what it took to bring this investigation back to life, how the show is put together and what lies ahead. Without further ado, Hedley Thomas...
LISTEN TO THE POISONED WIFE HERE.
How to build a cult brand with Bree Johnson
One of the greatest privileges of hosting Seize the Yay for almost eight years is that so many of our guests aren't just someone I meet and interview once. I'm so lucky to have watched many of their stories …
Notes de l’épisode
One of the greatest privileges of hosting Seize the Yay for almost eight years is that so many of our guests aren't just someone I meet and interview once. I'm so lucky to have watched many of their stories unfold in real time and today's guest is one of those people - I'd go so far as to say she's been one of the most impactful people on my own pathyay.
I've known Bree Johnson for years had a front-row seat to so many of the chapters that have shaped her incredible life and career. From the early days of Willow & Blake, to the phenomenal rise of Frank Body into one of Australia's most iconic consumer brands, through the highs and inevitable challenges of entrepreneurship, and now motherhood, every conversation we've had has taught me something.
That's why I was so excited when she released her new book, From The Ground Up, alongside Co-Founder and another dear friend, Jess Hatzis . On the surface, it's a book about building brands, but after reading it I realised it's really a book about building a life. It's about making decisions with intention, backing yourself before anyone else does, and understanding that the choices you make every day quietly shape who you become.
Today, we'll absolutely trace Bree's journey, but I also wanted to use this conversation as a chance to tap into over 40 years of combined brand-building experience between Bree and her co-founder Jess. Think of this as a free strategy session for anyone building a business, a personal brand, or simply trying to create something people genuinely care about!!!
We talk about branding, ambition, success, motherhood, and why bigger isn't always better. I learnt so much from this conversation, and I know you will too.
Please enjoy this chat with the brilliant Bree Johnson.
Imagine earthquake-resilient schools built from 100% recycled plastic... Introducing, Classroom of Hope
Imagine taking plastic waste in a region with some of the highest plastic pollution, turning it into life changing schools, building them in just six weeks... and making them earthquake resilient at the same …
Notes de l’épisode
Imagine taking plastic waste in a region with some of the highest plastic pollution, turning it into life changing schools, building them in just six weeks... and making them earthquake resilient at the same time.
When I first heard about Classroom of Hope’s world first Block Schools, I was lost for words and desperate to work together in some way.
I am so thrilled to share this episode with CEO Tanya Armstrong to announce that I am joining the team as an ambassador and heading to Lombok in a few short weeks to start Block School #51.
We, of course, cover this extraordinary innovation but also Tanya's own origin story which is an awe-inspiring pathyay in itself.
After losing her husband, raising three children on her own and completely reassessing what mattered, she did something most of us only ever dream about - she blew up her life, moved to Bali with no plan, cold-called a charity she'd found on Google... and somehow ended up becoming its CEO.
It's such a beautiful reminder that purpose isn't always something you plan.
Many of you know that, as someone who was born into an orphanage and adopted, education and opportunity have always felt deeply personal to me. And becoming Teddy's mum has only strengthened that belief that every child deserves the chance to shape their own future.
I cannot wait for you to hear this conversation and I hope it sparks some yayborhood passion to rally around an incredible cause over the coming months together. Introducing Tanya Armstrong…
A girl, a tripod and a dream... Ladies and gents, Elle Ray
Many people hear the word influencer and make instant assumptions about overnight success, accidental fame and a consequently relaxed or even lazy work ethic (and very occasionally those might be justified) …
Notes de l’épisode
Many people hear the word influencer and make instant assumptions about overnight success, accidental fame and a consequently relaxed or even lazy work ethic (and very occasionally those might be justified). But while Elle Ray’s meteoric rise was indeed unplanned in the sense that she once thought herself destined to be a geneticist, it certainly wasn’t accidental with every bit of her success built on strategy, intention and hustle .
With an adoring community of more than 750,000 followers (i.e. the population of the Gold Coast), I’m sure many of you already know Elle very well... but, as always, I made it my mission to learn about the side of her we’ve heard less about. While her pathYAY so far is shorter than most given she is much younger than her success might indicate, Elle belongs to the generation whose final years of school were spent in lockdown so tracing through the chapters that led her from science to stream Queen were particularly fascinating.
From incredible opportunities with the AFL and Channel 9 to interviewing some of the world’s biggest names like Margot Robbie, Elle is clever, endlessly hard working, and endearingly warm. Smashing through a career path that didn’t exist not long ago, this chat busts some myths about the modern day creator, explains why so many hundreds of thousands of people adore her and marvels at the sorcery of Off Campus bridging generational gaps. I loved every minute and hope you do too
What do a beauty founder, conservationist and spy have in common? Vogue Codes Part II
Part 2 of our Vogue Codes wrap episode featuring the next three extraordinary guests: Maeva Heim - Founder of Bread Beauty Supply Ewan Macmillan - Deputy Director General of the Australian Secret Intelligence …
Notes de l’épisode
Part 2 of our Vogue Codes wrap episode featuring the next three extraordinary guests:
Maeva Heim - Founder of Bread Beauty Supply
Ewan Macmillan - Deputy Director General of the Australian Secret Intelligence Service
Nat Kyriacou OAM - Award-winning environmentalist, author, charity director
An absolutely JAM-PACKED two-parter that I hope stays with you for a long time to come...
An astronaut, doctor and CEO walk into a bar // Vogue Codes Part I
Part 1 of our Vogue Codes wrap episode featuring the first three of our six extraordinary guests: Katherine Bennell-Pegg - Australian of the Year 2026 and Astronaut at the Australian Space Agency Dr Amandeep …
Notes de l’épisode
Part 1 of our Vogue Codes wrap episode featuring the first three of our six extraordinary guests:
Katherine Bennell-Pegg - Australian of the Year 2026 and Astronaut at the Australian Space Agency
Dr Amandeep Hansra - Chief Clinical Adviser at the Australian Digital Health Agency and Founder of Australian Medical Angels
Laura Henshaw - Co-Founder of KIC, KIC Studio and KIC Pod
Get ready to lose your absolute mind...
Seize the Yay x Vogue Codes... coming soon!
Six INCREDIBLE mini episodes are coming your way following our awe-inspiring weekend with Vogue Codes!!! Due to our dear clandestine friends at ASIS returning to the show (I KNOW) and a few other factors, we …
Notes de l’épisode
Six INCREDIBLE mini episodes are coming your way following our awe-inspiring weekend with Vogue Codes!!! Due to our dear clandestine friends at ASIS returning to the show (I KNOW) and a few other factors, we are pushing back the release for a week but here is a taster to get you excited...
I haven't felt this motivated and excited for a long time, these speakers will change your life in such different ways! Stay tuned...
Dan MacPherson in Beast Mode...
One of life’s greatest story arcs is when you grow up fangirling someone famous then actually get to tell them later in life when you become mates - bonus points if they're as lovely as you'd hoped and Dan …
Notes de l’épisode
One of life’s greatest story arcs is when you grow up fangirling someone famous then actually get to tell them later in life when you become mates - bonus points if they're as lovely as you'd hoped and Dan MacPherson is exactly that. If you’re part of the demographic of people who listen to this show, chances are you’ve also seen, heard and watched Dan's evolution through television, film, theatre presenting and everything in between.
Transitioning seamlessly from the end of high school into a coveted role on Neighbours, you could say Dan has been an Australian icon for nearly three decades now. You may not now, however, that it all came about by accident when he was scouted literally on the side of the road at a triathlon but his enthusiasm for seizing such unexpected opportunities has helped him build a career that's not only remarkably successful, but incredibly varied continually reinventing himself while staying true to the craft.
I am so grateful he gave us some of his very precious time back in Melbourne especially on the day his latest project premieres on Stan, so you can all see (if you haven’t already) the culmination of everything he’s done so far into a role you’ve never seen him in before.
As someone who had never learnt to fight, you might think it unlikely Dan would take the lead in the new Stan Original film, Beast, as former MMA champion Patton James alongside Russell Crowe and fighting an opponent who is LEGITIMATELY an actual MMA champion... But you don’t know Dan - he made it his goal to be so convincing that people would think he was a fighter taught to act and not an actor taught to fight and he did exactly that.
I loved every minute of this episode - he is SO easy to chat to but also shares such deep, valuable reflections along the way and I’ll let you hear the rest directly from him.
Ladies and Gentleman, this is Dan MacPherson for Seize The Yay.
Mejuri Takes Melbourne...
My guest today is someone who completely changed the way we think about fine jewellery Noura Sakkijha is the incredible co-founder and CEO of Mejuri - the cult global brand that turned fine jewellery from …
Notes de l’épisode
My guest today is someone who completely changed the way we think about fine jewellery Noura Sakkijha is the incredible co-founder and CEO of Mejuri - the cult global brand that turned fine jewellery from something saved for special occasions into something for women to buy for themselves, every single day.
A third-generation jeweller with a background in engineering, Noura built Mejuri from a disruptive idea into one of the most recognisable modern luxury brands in the world, all while challenging outdated industry norms around who jewellery is really for. In this conversation, we talk about redefining luxury, building a values-led business, motherhood and leadership, and what it takes to create a brand people genuinely wear on repeat.
LINKS
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+ Subscribe to not miss out on the next instalment of YAY!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Mental Load Of Motherhood With Mama Mila
We are back after an episode off, thank you so much for your patience while we worked some magic in the back end. Somehow, we are already seizing the MAY and are just days away from Mother’s Day, so I lined up …
Notes de l’épisode
We are back after an episode off, thank you so much for your patience while we worked some magic in the back end. Somehow, we are already seizing the MAY and are just days away from Mother’s Day, so I lined up the perfect guest for a yap about one of the most defining facets of being a mum.
I could genuinely talk for an entire series (nay an entire podcast) about the mental load of parenting and how invisible it can sometimes be. While I adore being a Mum more than anything else, there is nothing quite so validating and reassuring than to hear someone else articulate the overwhelm it can create (and bonus points if they have any tips that might help alleviate some of the workload).
Enter, the incredible Chantel Mila whose practical, time-saving, home-organising tips have led MILLIONS of people around the world to follow her every move. From a mindblowing trick to remove oil stains from clothing to the easiest way to keep your bathroom spotless, Chantel has changed my life in many ways and also happens to be a fellow member of the Day Management family - shout out to our incredible management team.
After the success of her first best selling book, The Dream Clean, she has just published her second, The Fair Share, designed to help households equitably distribute the ubiquitous mental load through a practical, transformative four-week program. I won’t give away too much as Chantel explains it so eloquently herself, but this was SUCH a validating, enlightening, and enjoyable chat about how she went from 14 to nearly 3 million followers, her most viral home hacks to date and how we can all take on our fair share. I hope you enjoy this one as much as I did!
Follow Chantel here.
Buy your copy of The Fair Share here.LINKS
+ Announcements on Insta at @spoonful_of_sarah
+ Join our Facebook community here
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The Pointe Of It All With Prima Ballerina, Benedicte Bemet
Especially as a former ballerina myself, I am thrilled to share with you the delightful Benedicte Bemet who also started ballet at 3 years old but then went on to become not just a professional ballerina but a …
Notes de l’épisode
Especially as a former ballerina myself, I am thrilled to share with you the delightful Benedicte Bemet who also started ballet at 3 years old but then went on to become not just a professional ballerina but a celebrated Principal Artist with The Australian Ballet. You may not know what that rank means if you live outside the world of ballet, but you’ll surely recognise the term prima ballerina being the highest rank in a company and Benedicte is one of only 11.
Recognised from early on in her career for bringing both technical brilliance and emotional depth to roles, you will quickly hear how deeply passionate she is about what she does and she is asuch a pleasure to watch on stage. She graduated only a few years after those in my own cohort who lasted the full distance, so I have followed her career since her very first year in the company and it was a pinch me moment for little Sarah to actually get to sit down with her and hear about it.
From busting myths about Black Swan to how she wraps her feet for performances, moving back from Hong Kong without her family to follow her dreams and the psychology of resilience, discipline and optimism through injury, Benny is so well adjusted, warm and it’s impossible not to love her. Whether you’ve danced or not, there’s so much about identity, reinvention, and what it really takes to pursue something at the highest level. I hope you enjoy as much as I did.
Follow Benedicte here.
Get tickets to Romeo & Juliet and more here.LINKS
+ Announcements on Insta at @spoonful_of_sarah
+ Join our Facebook community here
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The Unstoppable Duo Behind Nakedvice
If you follow me on socials, you’ll know I wear SO much Nakedvice - I love it when style is effortless, comfortable and versatile and I wear my Nakedvice pieces over and over. For a brand still dominating after …
Notes de l’épisode
If you follow me on socials, you’ll know I wear SO much Nakedvice - I love it when style is effortless, comfortable and versatile and I wear my Nakedvice pieces over and over. For a brand still dominating after over ten years dropping an immaculate collection every month with two physical stores and possibly more to come, you’d be forgiven for expecting the founders behind it all to have started with extensive fashion and business experience, extensive resources and an extensive team around them.
What I LOVE about Sarah Miller and Jessie Gargan is that they are so unexpected in such a refreshing and inspiring way. Jessie was in her very first role in the workforce when she hired Sarah, who still hadn’t finished her uni degree, as a Christmas casual and they hit it off before quickly realising they had a shared vision for their own brand. We spend so much of our episodes on self doubt, decision paralysis and fear of failure but these two young girls in their 20s were uninhibited in their belief they could make it work. And they certainly did launching in Jessie’s brother’s bedroom growing Nakedvice into the booming business it is today which is still fully owned and funded by them.
I’ll let them tell you the rest but they’re such an amazing example that youth, inexperience and naivety aren’t the barriers you sometimes expect them to be and that motherhood and business isn’t incompatible. I LOVED hearing more about the women behind a brand I love and hope you all do too.
LINKS
+ Announcements on Insta at @spoonful_of_sarah
+ Join our Facebook community here
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Bindi Irwin On Purpose, Parenthood And The Power Of Perspective
There are a few people I’ve had on the dream guest list since we started back in 2018 and today’s is one of those extraordinary people who I can’t believe said yes. We’ve had a few reschedules around an …
Notes de l’épisode
There are a few people I’ve had on the dream guest list since we started back in 2018 and today’s is one of those extraordinary people who I can’t believe said yes. We’ve had a few reschedules around an understandably jam packed schedule, but the universe always works things out in perfect timing and I couldn’t have given you a more perfect guest for our International Women’s Day episode if I tried.
Having captivated audiences for most of her life, Bindi Irwin will need no introduction and writing one that does her justice is a challenge I’m not sure I have adequate words for. From navigating the devastating loss of her father at such a young age to growing up in the spotlight, facing a debilitating journey with endometriosis to nonetheless thriving as a passionate conservationist, presenter, author, CEO of Australia Zoo, loving wife, sister, daughter AND dedicated mother - she is truly an extraordinary young woman who has lived a million lifetimes and there is so much more to come.
I know I’m not alone in feeling like I grew up with the Irwins and I can’t imagine the pressure, scrutiny and overwhelm of growing up in front of all of us. And yet, Bindi is unfailingly kind, well adjusted and wise beyond her years - I’m also probably not alone in thinking surely she can’t be like that in real life (nor could any of the Irwins) and yet she is exactly as you see.
Her passion for her and her family’s work with wildlife and the environment is incredibly infectious in exactly the way I always hoped for this show to be. If each of us could find even half the sense of purpose and enthusiasm she has for her life, work and family the world would be a pretty incredible place. I’ll leave it there as no words will do her more justice than you just hearing from her yourself. I hope you enjoy this one as much as I did
Follow Bindi here.
Find out more about Australia Zoo and Wildlife Warriors here.LINKS
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How Catching Evil is Breaking Open Australia's Worst Unsolved Crime
Every now and then, we are lucky to record with a guest at a pivotal moment in their life where a chapter is unravelling in real time. Today, we are lucky to have TWO of those guests just weeks after the …
Notes de l’épisode
Every now and then, we are lucky to record with a guest at a pivotal moment in their life where a chapter is unravelling in real time. Today, we are lucky to have TWO of those guests just weeks after the explosive launch of their investigative podcast while the project is not only in full swing but unravelling new leads in a way that might actually change history.
Andy Byrne and Mark Llewellyn are the incredible journalists behind Catching Evil revisiting the chilling crimes of Christopher Wilder, the so-called beauty Queen Killer, across both Australia and the USA. In the first 30 days, they amassed over 100,000 listeners with an unheard of consumption rate of close to 100%... but more importantly they have uncovered new leads in one of Australia’s worst unsolved murders on Wanda beach as well as never before heard evidence that may break the Wilder case wide open.
You may already know their names from their formidable careers prior to the show - Andy as an award-winning investigative journalist and producer with extensive experience in true crime and Mark Llewellyn as a highly decorated television executive, leading landmark investigative and current-affairs programming across Australian television. And yet, like most of our guests, neither of them ever thought they’d end up with a podcast, that it would have already changed so many lives and that they may in fact, with an entire season ahead, solve one of the country’s worst unsolved crimes.
A quick content warning - given the nature of their investigation, this is a heavier than usual episode with serious themes but also demonstrates a different form of fulfilment or yay to be gained from a career pathyay as meaningful as this. I feel so lucky to have sat down with them after just 6 episodes to hear their reaction to launch and the HUGE developments already in motion. I hope you enjoy this one as much as I did!
LINKS
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Why Over A Million Foodies Love Sarah Pound...
Today we have a double dose of Sarah in your ears and another wonderful guest who I’ve been long time following, first time calling. With over a million followers, many of you are likely the same, having been …
Notes de l’épisode
Today we have a double dose of Sarah in your ears and another wonderful guest who I’ve been long time following, first time calling. With over a million followers, many of you are likely the same, having been touched in some way by her passion for great food and family friendly cooking.
I’m thrilled to welcome Sarah Pound (otherwise known as Wholesome by Sarah) - best selling author of two cookbooks, nutritionist, Good Food Columnist, founder of the former Two Pounds, co-founder of Simply Wholesome Pantry and mother of three - I know, she has a lot on her plate in more ways than one.
Hers is a story of the many different forms your passion can take over time and the incredible power of being adaptable with her lifelong passion for cooking taking her from studying food technology at high school to a hugely successful catering company to her career as Wholesome by Sarah now.
Her latest book, Family Food, has made cooking delicious wholesome meals SO much easier in our household and I’m sure for many, many others since its release just last year. She is such a breath of fresh air with her very down to earth approach to her success and I hope you enjoy this one as much as I did.
Follow Sarah here.
LINKS
+ Announcements on Insta at @spoonful_of_sarah
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Shiza Shahid on the Malala Fund, memorable mealtime and motherhood...
You know I believe all our guests are impressive and inspiring in their own special way, but some are truly extraordinary humans. As you’ll soon hear, Shiza Shahid fits that definition in every possible way …
Notes de l’épisode
You know I believe all our guests are impressive and inspiring in their own special way, but some are truly extraordinary humans. As you’ll soon hear, Shiza Shahid fits that definition in every possible way.
Born in Islamabad Pakistan, her passion for philanthropy and activism was evident even from her teens when at just 14 she started working in women’s prisons and volunteering at a relief camp following a deadly earthquake which struck Kashmir in 2005, killing nearly 85,000 people. At the age of 18 she won a scholarship to study at Stanford University, followed by pursuing a high flying career at McKinsey & Company in Dubai as a business analyst then founding her first business NOW Ventures focusing on funding startups. It seems crazy to skate over such huge achievement with a single line each, but that’s because there’s so much more to squeeze in and she’s only just getting started.
Shiza is also the Co-founder and CEO of the Malala Fund championing the right of every girl to education alongside Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai who was shot by the Taliban for campaigning for girls education. And if that weren’t enough, Shiza has also created Our Place with her husband - a direct-to-consumer brand of non toxic cookware rooted in her heritage and uniting people through shared meals.
On top of ALL THAT, I learned when she turned up for our recording that she is pregnant with her first child and about to conquer yet another frontier, what an extraordinary woman to have had the chance ot meet. You’ll be taken by her eloquence, humility, determination and warmth instantly.
Follow Shiza here.
SHOP OUR PLACE HERE.LINKS
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Lia Georgantis, our girl with gems...
Happy New year lovely yayborhood and welcome to our first episode for 2026. I hope you all had a wonderful festive season and holiday period. If you’ve been on the internet at all in the past few years, our …
Notes de l’épisode
Happy New year lovely yayborhood and welcome to our first episode for 2026. I hope you all had a wonderful festive season and holiday period.
If you’ve been on the internet at all in the past few years, our first guest will need no introduction but just in case I’m thrilled to have Lia Georgantis with us this week, the dynamic CEO and creative force behind Girls with Gems.
This cult-favourite Australian fashion boutique first began in the form of intimate jewelry parties hosted by Lia and her Mum but quickly evolved and exploded into a must-shop destination for women everywhere with the launch of their iconic Double Bay boutique. Lia soon left her promising law career to take the reins of the business and transformed it into a trend-setting haven for real-life wardrobes and real-life women and if that weren’t enough, also went on to launch her own in house label Sneaky Link that has equally exploded onto the scene.
As you’ll hear, after mutually long time following first time calling, we got along like a house on fire and Lia’s energy is absolutely infectious so I couldn’t think of a better guest to kick off the year. Her approach to taking risks, chasing dreams and learning on the fly is both refreshing and motivating so if you need a little kick into gear, she is your woman.
SHOP GIRLS WITH GEMS HERE.
LINKS
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At a top secret undisclosed location, two incredible spies spilled the tea...
We talk regularly on Seize the Yay about the unlikely but incredible places you can end up and how many of the best experiences in life are unplanned. You already know how blown away I was to be approached by …
Notes de l’épisode
We talk regularly on Seize the Yay about the unlikely but incredible places you can end up and how many of the best experiences in life are unplanned. You already know how blown away I was to be approached by one of our intelligence services a few months ago and given access to a real life spy for one of our most fascinating episodes to date, which was not only unplanned but never even considered being such an outlandish impossibility.
But if you told me that would snowball into a four part dedicated espionage and intelligence miniseries, which would include not only two further intelligence officers from an even more secret spy service but also its Director General who then invited me as the first external visitor in the history of that service to record at their top secret training facility in an undisclosed location? I would have absolutely laughed in your face at the sheer impossibility and ridiculousness that it could ever happen… and yet it did… so, here we are…
I could not be more honoured or thrilled to present as our guest this week the actual head of our most secret organisation, Kerri Hartland - the Director General of the Australian Secret Intelligence Service (or ASIS as we will refer to it). As the first female and first external deputy director general of ASIO and now the first female Director General of ASIS, Kerri is my absolute hero not least because she turned up in head to toe pink with a warmth and openness belying the power of her position and her awe-inspiring experience.
Within the understandable confines of operational secrecy, Kerri opens up about the challenges of a stellar career of “firsts”, her experiences as a powerful female leader in a sea of black and navy clad males, whether her life resembles anything like that of M in James Bond (dropping a few Seize the Yay exclusives), and also the humbling role of Mum that she comes home to also experiencing the ubiquitous “juggle”. I still can’t believe I actually got to pick such an extraordinary brain and share many invaluable lessons on seizing the yay.
We are also releasing a second episode at the same time as this one sharing part of ASIS’ story from a different lens through the eyes of two senior intelligence officers, Jess and Tara - not their real names. So, you have plenty to catch up on this week jam-packed with jaw dropping storytelling and reflections - I feel so lucky to be sharing this with the yayborhood and hope you all enjoy as much as I did!
Visit the new ASIS website here.
Follow the new ASIS Instagram here.
LINKS
+ Announcements on Insta at @spoonful_of_sarah
+ Join our Facebook community here
+ Subscribe to not miss out on the next instalment of YAY!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Meet the head of our most secret spy service... and yes, she's a woman!
We talk regularly on Seize the Yay about the unlikely but incredible places you can end up and how many of the best experiences in life are unplanned. You already know how blown away I was to be approached by …
Notes de l’épisode
We talk regularly on Seize the Yay about the unlikely but incredible places you can end up and how many of the best experiences in life are unplanned. You already know how blown away I was to be approached by one of our intelligence services a few months ago and given access to a real life spy for one of our most fascinating episodes to date, which was not only unplanned but never even considered being such an outlandish impossibility.
But if you told me that would snowball into a four part dedicated espionage and intelligence miniseries, which would include not only two further intelligence officers from an even more secret spy service but also its Director General who then invited me as the first external visitor in the history of that service to record at their top secret training facility in an undisclosed location? I would have absolutely laughed in your face at the sheer impossibility and ridiculousness that it could ever happen… and yet it did… so, here we are…
I could not be more honoured or thrilled to present as our guest this week the actual head of our most secret organisation, Kerri Hartland - the Director General of the Australian Secret Intelligence Service (or ASIS as we will refer to it). As the first female and first external deputy director general of ASIO and now the first female Director General of ASIS, Kerri is my absolute hero not least because she turned up in head to toe pink with a warmth and openness belying the power of her position and her awe-inspiring experience.
Within the understandable confines of operational secrecy, Kerri opens up about the challenges of a stellar career of “firsts”, her experiences as a powerful female leader in a sea of black and navy clad males, whether her life resembles anything like that of M in James Bond (dropping a few Seize the Yay exclusives), and also the humbling role of Mum that she comes home to also experiencing the ubiquitous “juggle”. I still can’t believe I actually got to pick such an extraordinary brain and share many invaluable lessons on seizing the yay.
We are also releasing a second episode at the same time as this one sharing part of ASIS’ story from a different lens through the eyes of two senior intelligence officers, Jess and Tara - not their real names. So, you have plenty to catch up on this week jam-packed with jaw dropping storytelling and reflections - I feel so lucky to be sharing this with the yayborhood and hope you all enjoy as much as I did!
Visit the new ASIS website here.
Follow the new ASIS Instagram here.
LINKS
+ Announcements on Insta at @spoonful_of_sarah
+ Join our Facebook community here
+ Subscribe to not miss out on the next instalment of YAY!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
From World-Champion To Doctor: All Of Life’s Hurdles With Jana Pittman
What happens when your entire identity is built on being the best in the world? For Jana Pittman, one of Australia's most famous athletes, the singular goal of Olympic gold was repeatedly torn away by …
Notes de l’épisode
What happens when your entire identity is built on being the best in the world? For Jana Pittman, one of Australia's most famous athletes, the singular goal of Olympic gold was repeatedly torn away by devastating injuries and gut-wrenching losses.
You might think her biggest pivot was swapping the running track for the bobsled, becoming one of the very few athletes in history to compete in both the Summer and Winter Olympics.
But that wasn't it. Her real pivot was walking away entirely from being an elite athlete to become a doctor - all while raising six children.
In this episode of Pivot Club, Sarah Davidson speaks with Jana about this massive career change. They unpack how you cope with failure when your mindset is "silver is the first loser", and how you go from being one of the best in the world to a complete beginner back at the bottom of the ladder, surrounded by people half your age.
Jana shares the unfiltered story about how this profound pivot emerged from a period of intense personal and professional struggle - through divorce, miscarriages, failed exams and the financial lows of moving back into her own garage to make ends meet.
Join us for a raw lesson in resilience, a look into the unseen "messy middle," and a powerful reminder that your lowest moments can be the fuel for your greatest chapter yet.
THE END BITS:
Want more from Sarah Davidson? Check out her podcast Seize The Yay.
Discover more Mamamia podcasts here.
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CREDITS:
Guest: Jana Pittman
Host: Sarah Davidson
Executive Producer: Courtney Ammenhauser
Senior Producer: Sally Best
Want more Pivot Club? Listen here:
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Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.
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Mitch Churi on getting sacked and the sweetness of solo success
Today’s guest is another voice you are likely to have had in your ears many times with an incredible career spanning over a decade conquering basically every media format there is. From his earliest days, Mitch …
Notes de l’épisode
Today’s guest is another voice you are likely to have had in your ears many times with an incredible career spanning over a decade conquering basically every media format there is. From his earliest days, Mitch Churi could be found on the stage, on the airwaves or on a screen near you mastering everything from theatre, dramatic acting and stand up comedy to presenting, podcasting and radio.
From childhood dreams of being on the radio, Mitch worked his way up to headlining his own late night show, co-hosting the Pick Up with Laura Byrne and Britt Hockley and taking KISS FM to some of their highest numbers ever and all before the age of 30. But then, in a surprise to the entire nation, it was torn away when he was unexpectedly axed in a wave of redundancies and taken off air.
We love a pathyay pivot on this show whether engineered on purpose or experienced involuntarily and have many times explored the idea that the universe has crazy ways of giving you a little push to where you’re meant to be. Having taken just TWO WEEKS to turn this tragic surprise into his very own The Mitch Churi Chat Show, Mitch is such an empowering example of this and in just a few weeks he’s already reached wild heights debuting with Tyra Banks as a guest, Rosie O’Donnell releasing the morning we recorded and him politely excusing himself after our chat because one KHALED was waiting on him…
What I love most about this wasn’t having a yap with someone I’ve long time followed, first time called or getting some tips from an industry heavyweight but Mitch’s surprising honesty about the challenge of redefining success and how actively he is still working on embracing this new chapter of his life. I loved this chat so much and will definitely be back with a part two in the future!
Watch the Mitch Churi Chat show here.
LINKS
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Sarah Grynberg // A life of greatness
I spoke in last week’s introduction about the parasocial relationships we often have with the people we follow and today’s guest is another amazing human I’d been Internet besties with for a while before we …
Notes de l’épisode
I spoke in last week’s introduction about the parasocial relationships we often have with the people we follow and today’s guest is another amazing human I’d been Internet besties with for a while before we met. When we did finally cross paths through a Business Chicks event - the foundation of so many great relationships - it was like the podcast universe of Sarahs folding in on itself and felt like we’d known each other for years.
Many of you will already recognise Sarah Grynberg’s unmistakably soothing voice and thought provoking questions from her own leading podcast, A Life of Greatness, sparking meaningful conversations around purpose, connection, and what truly makes a life well lived - you can see why we get along so well! But what you may not know is the rich tapestry of life experiences that led her here — from the world of commercial radio to spiritual seeking, personal transformation, and sitting down with some of the world’s most profound thinkers and leaders in their fields - from Deepak Chopra to Matthew McConaughey and beyond!
Sarah has made it her mission to decode greatness — not the flashy, performative kind, but the deep, soul-nourishing greatness that comes from alignment, vulnerability, and courage and has also channeled her wisdom into a fabulous book, Living a Life of Greatness that came out just this year. In today’s episode, we turn the mic back on her and peel back the layers of what lights her up, what challenges she’s faced on her path, and how she navigates the inner world while showing up so fully in the outer one. I hope you enjoy as much as I did.
LINKS
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+ Subscribe to not miss out on the next instalment of YAY!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Monica Ferreira // Ms Moni's first ever podcast!!!
In this day and age, we all enjoy a few parasocial relationships with people we follow but haven’t actually met and in fact most of our guests on the show feel that way before we record. But this week’s guest …
Notes de l’épisode
In this day and age, we all enjoy a few parasocial relationships with people we follow but haven’t actually met and in fact most of our guests on the show feel that way before we record. But this week’s guest goes even further beyond that and into the realm of an honorary family member who’s with us in our lounge room, kitchen and sometimes even bedroom every single day…
In the ultimate case of #IYKYK, anyone listening who’s at a similar stage of life to us won’t need any further context than her name to understand why it was so surreal to sit down with the incredible Ms Moni for our episode this week. But for those who don’t know, I am so excited to have educator, musician, mum of two and Australia’s answer to Ms Rachel jump right out of her booming YouTube channel to join the show.
Ms Moni - otherwise known as Monica Ferreira - brings years of teaching experience to her interactive toddler learning videos on YouTube using interactive songs, stories and adventures to help our little ones develop language and social skills wherever they are. I was introduced to her after some of my own followers realised Teddy had been picking up American sign language before I realised sign language wasn’t universal, and we’ve never looked back.
But even if you too know her face and voice as well as we do, you may not know the amazing story of how she ended up where she is today. I won’t give it away too much more but I had no idea about her medical sliding doors moment, other businesses she has started, and was dying to know more for behind the scenes of how she edits her videos, writes her lyrics and which instrument she actually plays.
Wildly, this was her first podcast EVER (even though you wouldn’t know it at all from her eloquence and poise). She’s as delightful as you think she’d be from her videos and I hope you enjoy as much as I did.
Get tickets to our live show here.
LINKS
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+ Join our Facebook community here
+ Subscribe to not miss out on the next instalment of YAY!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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