Curveball

Astrid Jorgensen was on the verge of becoming an air traffic controller when a school called with an offer: run their choir on measly pay, for 500 teenagers who didn’t care. Not exactly a dream job, but she said yes anyway.   Staring down that sea of bored teenagers, Astrid realised she knew exactly how to win a room — how to move, when to crack a joke, how to get even the most apathetic kids to sing.   And if she could get kids to sing, could she do the same with adults? She turned up at a pub - lyric sheets in one hand, a pint in the other - and taught complete strangers to sing in three-part harmony.   Pub Choir was born. And it exploded.  But then COVID hit and live music collapsed overnight. From Kate Bush sing-alongs to America’s Got Talent, Astrid is now one of Australia’s most successful live performers.   +++  Astrid Jorgensen is the creator of Pub Choir and her book is Average at Best.  Curveball features compelling conversations with leaders about life’s messy moments! It’s a production of Deadset Studios.  Keep up to date with Curveball by following @_deadsetstudios on Twitter and @deadsetstudios on instagram.  Sign up to Curveball’s LinkedIn newsletter or suggest a Curveball guest by visiting www.curveballshow.com    This episode was produced by Unity Jackson-Muir, editing by Luci McAfee. Kellie Riordan is host and Executive Producer.  We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the Country on which this podcast is made, the Turrbal and Jagera people, and recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as Australia’s first storytellers. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When Kate Reid was a child, her car enthusiast father used to take her to watch Formula One. By the time she was in her 20s, Reid was working as an F1 aerospace engineer for Team Williams in London.  It was her dream gig, even if she was the only female engineer working there. “There was no female toilet in the building... so Sir Frank (Williams) and I would share the disabled toilet.”  But the intensely long days in such a high-pressure environment soon led Kate down a dark path, where the only control she could find was to limit her food intake.   Her salve came in the unlikely form of a pastry! Despite being dumped from cooking show Masterchef, Kate Reid shifts gears from cars to croissants. And her knead for speed revs up as she launches the now world famous Lune croissanterie.   Kate Reid’s book is Destination Moon. If you need help with an eating disorder, please reach out to the Butterfly Foundation or Lifeline Australia.  +++  Curveball features compelling conversations with leaders about life’s messy moments! It’s a production of Deadset Studios.  Keep up to date with Curveball by following @_deadsetstudios on Twitter and @deadsetstudios on instagram. Sign up to Curveball’s LinkedIn newsletter or suggest a Curveball guest by visiting www.curveballshow.com    This episode was produced by Sarah Dabro and edited by Liam Riordan and Unity Jackson-Muir. Kellie Riordan is host and Executive Producer.  We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the Country on which this podcast is made, the Turrbal and Jagera people, and recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as Australia’s first storytellers. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On Australia Day 2012, Cate McGregor stood at Adelaide Oval, publicly recognised with the prestigious Order of Australia. It should have been the proudest day of her life. But behind that honour, Cate was planning to end her own life.  Across a distinguished career spanning the military, sport, and media, Cate McGregor has commanded respect and influence. But behind the uniform she’s fought private battles with alcoholism and gender dysphoria that have nearly cost her everything. Now, as Cate embarks on what she calls the “afternoon of her life”, she enters a time not of conquest, but acceptance, clarity, and grace.   NOTE: This episode contains discussions of addiction, alcoholism, gender dysphoria and suicidal thoughts. If these issues bring up difficult feelings for you, please reach out for support. In Australia, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14. International listeners, please seek support services available in your local area.  +++  Curveball is a production of Deadset Studios.   Keep up to date with Curveball by following @_deadsetstudios on Twitter and @deadsetstudios on instagram.   Want to know more about how people thrive in challenging times? Sign up to Curveball’s LinkedIn newsletter or suggest a Curveball guest by visiting www.curveballshow.com    This episode was produced by Sarah Dabro, with editing by Amelia Navascues and Liam Riordan.  We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the land on which this show was made. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s the early 2000s and a young Aussie engineer named Saul Griffith has made his way to the prestigious MIT in the United States. He launches several startups, including one that develops the technology that eventually powers the Kindle, he even consults to NASA and the US Department of Defence.  But at the same time, the climate crisis is looming larger. Saul tells his wife that perhaps he should ditch start-up life and instead become “an eco-terrorist”. It’s said partly in jest, but next thing Saul and his wife move their young family home to regional New South Wales.   Over a few beers with friends at the local pub, Saul pitches an audacious idea: What if their post code, 2515, becomes Australia’s first fully electrified community?   So, can Saul turn this bold pub pitch into a model for the nation – and do it fast enough to save Australia’s future?   +++  Curveball is a production of Deadset Studios.   Saul Griffith’s books include Plug In! The Electrification Handbook,  Electrify: An Optimist’s Playbook for a Clean Energy Future, and The Big Switch. You can find Saul on Instagram and find out more from Rewiring Australia.  Rebecca Levingston and Sarah Dabro produced this episode with editing from Amelia Navascues.  We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the land on which this show was made.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Benjamin Law grew up by the beach in 1990s Queensland. He was queer, Chinese-Australian, and didn’t seeing himself reflected in the world around him. So he picked up a pen and changed that.  From memoirist to screenwriter, commentator to Survivor contestant, Benjamin has built a career by leaning into identity, humour, and personal truth. But a recent diagnosis he didn’t see coming cast a new light on everything: his childhood, his work habits, and even his so-called flaws.  “Most people don’t need a calendar blocked out from 6:30am to 10pm just to function. I do. That’s how I’ve navigated this brain in a neurotypical world.”   Benjamin Law shares how this diagnosis has helped him embrace the chaos of his creative brain and soften self-judgement. He also reflects on navigating public backlash, writing his family into the cultural mainstream, and how he finally came to love the beach he once avoided. “I realised it wasn’t the water that I hated, it wasn’t the ocean I hated. It was probably my relationship to my childhood home [town]”.  Benjamin Law’s books include The Family Law and Gaysia. He also co-wrote and co-created Wellmania for Netflix. @mrbenjaminlaw +++  On Curveball, guests reveal how they’ve overcome a challenging moment they couldn’t see coming. It’s a production of Deadset Studios.  Keep up to date with Curveball by following @_deadsetstudios on Twitter and @deadsetstudios on Instagram. Sign up to Curveball’s LinkedIn newsletter or suggest a guest by visiting www.curveballshow.com  This episode was produced by Sarah Dabro with editing by Gia Moylan. Executive producer is Kellie Riordan.    We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the land on which this show was made. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For 20 years, Alexandra Smart poured her heart into fashion label Ginger & Smart. She and her sister Genevieve built a beloved brand, a loyal community, and a legacy she was proud of.  And then, almost overnight, it all changed. But Alexandra didn’t crumble, she pivoted.  “You don’t always get time to reflect or recover,” she says. “You just have to keep moving forward. And that’s what I did.”  Sometimes, failure isn’t the end. It’s the chance to create something different. Something new to love.  Alexandra shares how you adapt when the thing you built slips through your fingers, and how you begin again with purpose, power, and a whole new vision. Now, she’s applying her expertise as an executive coach at ECI Partners, working with CEOs and C-Suite leaders to help them drive success.  https://eci.net.au/ +++  Curveball unpacks those challenges you can’t see coming! It’s a production of Deadset Studios.   Keep up to date with Curveball by following @_deadsetstudios on Twitter and @deadsetstudios on instagram.   Want to know more about how people thrive in challenging times? Sign up to Curveball’s LinkedIn newsletter! And suggest a Curveball guest by visiting www.curveballshow.com    This episode was produced by Liam Riordan and edited by Luci McAfee. Executive producer is Kellie Riordan.    We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the land on which this show was made. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Across a jet-setting, decades-long career setting iron ore pricing for Rio Tinto, Mark Berridge faced lots of challenges. But it was a weekend bike ride with mates much closer to home that changed his life forever.    “I never, ever expected to hear the word spinal cord injury.”  Mark had to adapt to the unexpected, learning to walk again one step at a time. So he applied his business nous to his recovery, transforming each rehab problem into a chance to do learn something new.  “I remember thinking, ‘how blessed am I to be out here riding underneath the trees’. I remember feeling how lovely it was. Then I remember we started coasting downhill. Not long after that, things changed dramatically.”  Mark Berridge’s book is A Fraction Stronger.  +++  Curveball is the show that leans into life’s tricky times! It’s a production of Deadset Studios.   Keep up to date with Curveball by following @_deadsetstudios on Twitter and @deadsetstudios on instagram.   Want to know more about how people thrive in challenging times? Sign up to Curveball’s LinkedIn newsletter or suggest a Curveball guest by visiting www.curveballshow.com    This episode was produced by Nicola Brayan, with editing by Gia Moylan and Liam Riordan.   We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the land on which this show was made. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jim Rogers is a go getter. He married early, started a family quickly, moved up the career ladder rapidly. He was quick to leave his small British town, bound for adventure.  But then things took a devastating turn for his young family. “It was just somebody smashing the entire world up,” Jim recalls of his wife’s unexpected death. “I had three young children who were heartbroken, trying to come to terms with believing this was even true.”  Left to pick up the pieces raising his kids, Jim carried on. But one question lingered: how to move on with life? A chance encounter on a holiday led Jim to a new, but very unexpected, kind of love. “I thought: ‘I’ve just lost my wife, I can’t begin a relationship with him’.”  Then, at the peak of his career, Jim’s mind began to betray him. Familiar faces blurred, filing systems faltered, and conversations slipped away. These seemingly innocuous symptoms would lead to shocking diagnosis.   Jim’s now raising awareness of younger onset Alzheimer’s as the co-host of Dementia Australia’s Hold the Moment podcast. Hear how he’s confronted grief, embraced love, and redefined his outlook on life.  +++  Curveball is a production of Deadset Studios. Sign up to Curveball’s LinkedIn newsletter for more tips on thriving in tricky times. And please do suggest a guest by visiting www.curveballshow.com    This episode was produced by Luci McAfee. Executive producer is Kellie Riordan.    We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the land on which this show was made. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Plans. We make them for the life we want, the partner we hope to have, the career we’re keen to chase. But what happens when your plan doesn’t, well, go to plan?  In Season 5 of Curveball, host Kellie Riordan explores what happens when everything changes, and the path forward is anything but clear. You’ll meet:  👗 A fashion powerhouse on the brink of global success, until a high-stakes growth deal threatens to tear apart everything she’s worked for.   🧠 A 55-year-old father of three, hit with a life-altering dementia diagnosis that turns his world, and theirs, upside down.  🚴‍♂️ A high-speed cycling crash that dramatically upends a life… and sparks the beginning of something entirely unexpected.  These are stories of resilience, and reinvention. Because real growth often starts right where the plan ends.  +++  Curveball is a production of Deadset Studios. Make sure you’re signed up to Curveball’s LinkedIn newsletter for more tips on thriving in challenging times. And find all our episodes by visiting www.curveballshow.com     We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the land on which this show was made. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“Giving anaesthetic in a muddy cave kilometres underground and under water? I never thought that was a good idea.” Experienced cave diver and doctor Dr Richard ‘Harry’ Harris is no stranger to extreme dives in pitch-black, cramped conditions. But when a call came for him to assist retrieving 12 teens and their coach from treacherous conditions inside a cave in Thailand during monsoonal rains? Well, he thought the boys had no hope of being pulled out alive. This incredible recovery mission taught him about pushing boundaries and propelled Harry into conversations with other risk takers. Why don’t we take more risks? Why aren’t we letting our kids explore their boundaries, and to deal with the consequences that might eventuate? Australian of the Year 2019, Richard Harris, takes you inside this remarkable rescue, but also a heart-breaking one to recover the body of a close diving buddy. In the process he illuminates the ways we can all face fear head-on. Check out Harry's podcast Real Risk and his new book The Art of Risk. +++ Curveball features revealing conversations with leaders about their challenges and their successes. It’s a production of Deadset Studios. Keep up to date with Curveball by following @_deadsetstudios on Twitter and @deadsetstudios on instagram. Want to know more about how people thrive in challenging times? Sign up to Curveball’s LinkedIn newsletter! This episode was produced by Liam Riordan and Harry Hughes. Executive producers are Rachel Fountain and Kellie Riordan. We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the Country on which this podcast is made, the Turrbal and Jagera people, and recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as Australia’s first storytellers. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jack Manning Bancroft was 17 when he walked into Australia’s most prestigious college at Sydney University. Think sandstone buildings, young men wearing suits and gowns to the dining hall each evening. Jack, a talented athlete and student and a Bundjalung man, had been awarded a scholarship to St Paul’s College. The level of privilege he was surrounded by made him angry, but it wasn’t long before he channeled that into establishing the Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience (AIME), an award-winning mentoring program. Jack became one of Australia’s youngest ever CEOs at 19, his program helped thousands of Indigenous teens finish high school, and the unique AIME approach was written up by Harvard Business School and McKinsey. Jack Manning Bancroft thinks differently. He leads differently. He draws on his Bundjalung roots (his mother is renowned Aboriginal Australian artist Dr Bronwyn Bancroft) to tell big stories and to develop relationships that are far from purely transactional. And now his big ideas are going beyond mentoring. He wants leaders and businesses to adopt Indigenous systems-thinking to revolutionise how we approach markets, capitalism, climate action, and relationships. Could his new book Hoodie Economics and his radical new virtual world Imagi-Nation unlock powerful new ways to lead your organisation, team, or family? MORE INFO: Some of the resources Jack mentioned or ones you might like to consume about Indigenous issues in Australia include: Dark Emu by Bruce Pascoe Sand Talk: How indigenous thinking can save the world by Tyson Yunkaporta Interview with Brooke Blurton on The Imperfects podcast The Voice: Information from the Australian Government here, information from Reconciliation Australia here, and the Yes23 campaign here The Uluru Statement from the Heart Video explainer by KPMG partner and Arrilla Indigenous Consulting’s CEO Shelley Reys AO ABC News coverage of The Indigenous Voice to Parliament referendum. +++ Curveball is the show that leans into life’s messy moments! It’s a production of Deadset Studios. Want to know more about how leaders thrive in challenging times? Sign up to Curveball’s LinkedIn newsletter. And feel free to suggest a guest by visiting www.curveballshow.com. This episode was produced by Liam Riordan. Executive producers are Rachel Fountain and Kellie Riordan. We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia, and recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the land’s first storytellers. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“We bought computers that had never been connected to the internet. Phones were taken out of the room and I unplugged everything, including televisions and fridges. At one point the cabinet secretary pointed out through my window to a block of flats across the water and said, ‘You realise the Chinese will be in there and they’ll have a laser on that tumbler of water, and they’ll have turned it into a microphone. They can listen to what we’re saying now’. So the curtains came down immediately. At home, I did the same. I unplugged everything. And if I wanted to talk to my wife, we went out into the woods. We did all the things that spies are supposed to do.” Alan Rusbridger was the editor of The Guardian newspaper when a whistle blower called Edward Snowden reached out with documents suggesting the National Security Agency (NSA) in the US was spying on its own civilians. The extraordinary claims landed them in hot water with governments in both the US and the UK, and ultimately forced Snowden into exile in Russia where he remains today, more than a decade on. So what’s it like when you’re the one responsible for hitting publish on the most explosive story of the decade? One that involves spies and spooks, encrypted messages, and an international hunt for both the source of the story and the journalists who broke it? Alan Rusbridger is now the editor of Prospect Magazine, the chair of the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism, and a member of Facebook’s Oversight Board. He’s been at the forefront of journalism’s transition to the digital and social world – all while juggling this century’s most complex stories in news. Rusbridger also describes the time he played Chopin in a deserted hotel in Libya while waiting for officials to negotiate the release of a missing Guardian journalist, why he believes Wikileaks founder Julian Assange should be released from prison, and the legacy of media mogul Rupert Murdoch. +++ Curveball features revealing conversations with leaders about their challenges and their successes. It’s a production of Deadset Studios. Keep up to date with Curveball by following @_deadsetstudios on Twitter and @deadsetstudios on instagram. And friends, don’t forget you can also sign up to Curveball’s LinkedIn newsletter! And we’d love you to suggest a Curveball guest by visiting www.curveballshow.com This episode was produced by Liam Riordan. Executive producers are Rachel Fountain and Kellie Riordan. We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the Country on which this podcast is made, the Turrbal and Jagera people, and recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as Australia's first storytellers. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“I love that moment on the blocks. It’s the most high pressure moment. You can feel your heart beating. Your palms are all sweaty. Often when I’m going down onto the block and they say ‘take your marks’ my hands and legs are shaking. It’s a place of great failure and great success. They’re both possible in that very same moment”. Bronte Campbell could be the second best 100-metre sprint swimmer on the entire planet, and still not be the fastest in her family. That’s the reality of growing up alongside another Olympic champion in her older sister, Cate. and it’s a reality much of Australia won’t let her forget. But beyond the constant comparisons and the itch for a cinematic sibling rivalry, Bronte’s faced much bigger, much more demanding challenges throughout her career. Her first appearance at the London Olympics was also her first real taste of how vicious the media and general public could be. The closing ceremony coincided with a phone call urging her to rush home for a life or death health concern in her family. For almost her entire career, she’s battled serious injuries and chronic pain, and her third Olympic games almost didn’t happen at all... But if anybody was built to handle such intense pressure, it’s Bronte. Reflecting on her early childhood years in Malawi, her lifelong obsession with swimming, and the importance of her relationship with Cate, Bronte unpacks the mindset that motivates her to reach her personal best. And she shares the highs and lows of her business journey with PB with Bronte. “I needed to prove to myself there was something beyond the black line for me.” +++ Curveball is the show that leans into life’s messy moments! It’s a production from Deadset Studios, a global podcast consultancy. Want to know more about how people thrive in challenging times? Sign up to Curveball’s LinkedIn newsletter! We’d love you to suggest a Curveball guest by visiting www.curveballshow.com Keep up to date with Curveball by following @_deadsetstudios on Twitter and @deadsetstudios on instagram. This episode was produced by Liam Riordan. Executive producers are Rachel Fountain and Kellie Riordan. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the land on which this show was made. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Graeme Wood knew his planet was in danger even as a little kid. No one had to tell him: he could tell by how rapidly his fishing hauls on Moreton Bay were diminishing each year. But what was a bored kid in Brisbane going to do about it? Come 2014, entrepreneur Graeme Wood sells Wotif, his internet travel booking platform, and for the first time he has the potential to enact enormous change. So why does this devoted conservationist then go out and buy one of the world’s largest wood chipping mills? Whether it’s disrupting the Queensland egg industry in the 1980s, building his own website for Wotif (fueled by fear and a few vodkas), or fending off literal pirates on his sailing adventures, Graeme Wood does things his own way. Now, he’s transferring his business experience into the conservation space – but will his cowboy philosophy work in his new career? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“It's nothing short of an Australian small business fairy tale that's about to unfurl.” Poppy King was barely out of high school when she launched her first company in 1991, quickly gaining a cult-like following for her dreamy 1940s Hollywood-inspired matte lipsticks. By 1995 she was Young Australian of the Year, but not long later the company fell apart amid investor disputes. The young entrepreneur moved to New York to work for the famed Lauder cosmetics brand. “My office was on the 39th floor of the GM building opposite the Plaza Hotel. I walked past Tiffany's every morning,” King enthuses. Now, some 30 years since the launch of her lipstick empire, King has revealed exclusively to Curveball she's returning to the Australian market with a brand new line. Find out what King learnt from her first business collapse, how she views the current influencer-inspired cosmetic industry, and why she’s going all-in on a new lipstick line made in the very same factory as her first product. +++ Curveball is the show that leans into life’s messy moments! It’s a production of Deadset Studios. Keep up to date with Curveball by following @_deadsetstudios on Twitter and @deadsetstudios on instagram. Want to know more about how people thrive in challenging times? Sign up to Curveball’s LinkedIn newsletter! And suggest a Curveball guest by visiting www.curveballshow.com This episode was produced by Grace Pashley and edited by Liam Riordan. Executive producers are Rachel Fountain and Kellie Riordan. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the land on which this show was made. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“When my friends were all going out and still doing Contiki tours, I was navigating a divorce.” Growing up in a traditional Fijian-Indian family, Shivani Gopal was given the message that women should be nice, they should serve others, that a woman’s value came from kindness and doing the right thing by others. So when Shivani fell in love as a teenager and her family arranged for her to be married, she tried to be the perfect wife who gave up her hopes and desires for others. “I really did try to be the good girl, the good wife, the good daughter-in-law, to be accepted and loved,” she says. “But then my personality would just burst out. Voicing my ambitions certainly went against the fold.” So, Shivani did the unthinkable. In her early 20s, despite the opinions of her traditional family and in-laws, she divorced her husband and super-charged her career in financial planning. Her climb to the top wasn’t without a few other obstacles, including one potential mentor who told Shivani she was “too young and pretty” to be worthy of his time. Find out how Shivani Gopal channeled her determination into a fundraise of $1 million to start the Elladex app, empowering women to reach their leadership potential. +++ Curveball teaches you how to thrive when the chips are down! It’s a production of Deadset Studios. Keep up to date with Curveball by following @_deadsetstudios on Twitter and @deadsetstudios on instagram. Want more leadership lessons from the brightest minds out there? Sign up to Curveball’s LinkedIn newsletter! And suggest a Curveball guest by visiting www.curveballshow.com This episode was produced by Grace Pashley. Executive producers are Rachel Fountain and Kellie Riordan. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the land on which this show was made. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Best-selling author and journalist Trent Dalton appreciates things most people wouldn’t give a second glance. Growing up, Trent had no choice but to see the best in people, because if there wasn’t some light in those he loved, the world would be too dark a place to bear. When he sat down to transform that story into his best-selling debut novel Boy Swallows Universe, little did he know his experience would be adapted for the stage and then for Netflix. But it was the unexpected death of a treasured friend who left him an old typewriter that sparked his next book. And the stories he tapped out would also ultimately save his marriage. Hear how the road to Trent’s success is paved with hard work, looking hard for beauty in the mundane as he taps out love stories on his typewriter with a tonne of enthusiasm. +++ Curveball is the show that leans into life’s messy moments! It’s a production of Deadset Studios. Keep up to date with Curveball by following @_deadsetstudios on Twitter and @deadsetstudios on instagram. Want to know more about how people thrive in challenging times? Sign up to Curveball’s LinkedIn newsletter! And suggest a Curveball guest by visiting www.curveballshow.com This episode was produced by Grace Pashley. Executive producers are Rachel Fountain and Kellie Riordan. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the land on which this show was made. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The thin timber floorboards and sticky carpet were a thin shield from the noise at the pub downstairs. But a 17-year-old Dee Madigan was trying to drown it all out as she studied for her final high school exams. The room above a bar hardly qualified as optimum living quarters but moving back to the city on her own to get a good education was Dee’s best shot at getting into university. After years of ups and downs in her parents’ businesses, things had taken a turn for the worse, and Dee was determined not to let that get in her way. Little did she know how much worse things could get before they got better. Dee would live the equivalent of several lives before she became a regular on national TV, offering her opinions on her twin loves – advertising and politics. Now a political campaigner, author, advertising guru and Creative Director at Campaign Edge, in this episode of Curveball hear the moments in Dee Madigan’s life that really shaped this expert persuader. +++ Curveball is the show that leans into life’s messy moments! It’s a production of Deadset Studios. Keep up to date with Curveball by following @_deadsetstudios on Twitter and @deadsetstudios on instagram. Want to know more about how people thrive in challenging times? Sign up to Curveball’s LinkedIn newsletter! And suggest a Curveball guest by visiting www.curveballshow.com This episode was produced by Grace Pashley. Executive producers are Rachel Fountain and Kellie Riordan. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the land on which this show was made. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One day you can be striding into work in a suit worth thousands of dollars, and the next you can be at home in your pyjamas struggling to connect your laptop to the wifi in time for a job interview well below your pay grade. Tragedy, failure, loss – they’re all part of life’s ups and downs. Life happens to all of us, no matter how much success you’ve achieved, how fancy your job title is, or how much money you earn. But when the dust settles, it's these moments that make you. What you do when it’s all falling apart is how you show what you’re really made of. It’s the lessons Dee Madigan learned from a turbulent childhood, completing her studies living above a pub that propelled her into the engine room of federal politics. Or how Trent Dalton turned the most difficult moments of his dark childhood into a best-selling novel and Netflix series. Season 4 of Curveball is full of leaders who’ve learned valuable lessons at unexpected moments. +++ Curveball is the show that leans into life’s messy moments! It’s a production of Deadset Studios. Keep up to date with Curveball by following @_deadsetstudios on Twitter and @deadsetstudios on instagram. Want to know more about how people thrive in challenging times? Sign up to Curveball’s LinkedIn newsletter! And suggest a Curveball guest by visiting www.curveballshow.com This episode was produced by Grace Pashley. Executive producers are Rachel Fountain and Kellie Riordan. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the land on which this show was made. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ever wondered how much you could grow your business, if only you could amplify your message? Now that 40% of Australians regularly listen to podcasts, it’s a great way to communicate to your clients and customers. Let Deadset Studios help you make a show! We’re a full-service production company and our team’s made many of the country’s most popular podcasts like: Australia’s most downloaded podcast Conversations Winner of New York Festivals bronze award Journo Webby award-winning Ladies we need to talk Silver winner at the Australian Podcast Awards Hooked, Hitched & Hung Up Silver winner at the Australian Podcast Awards Restitution And many more! Get in touch so we can help you with your podcast: Deadset Studios. +++ We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the land on which this show was made. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“She helped me completely dismantle a media personality I constructed and wasn’t happy with. It was a media personality I constructed to be a television presenter. To be sort of charming, maybe trying to be funny, trying to be a smartass here and there. But it was a struggle because it wasn’t who I really am.” Richard Fidler’s had more careers than most. He’s best-known as a host of the ABC’s most popular radio show and podcast Conversations. But he came to radio via a career as a TV presenter, a stint in the irreverent comedy trio The Doug Anthony Allstars, and now he’s an author of several best-selling history books. One day back in 2005 he was sitting in the ABC office when his producer came to him with an idea to turn his popular radio show into a podcast. There was a catch: No one had heard of a podcast. And the iPhone hadn’t been invented yet. But his producer insisted the podcast would one day be a juggernaut. That producer was Curveball host Kellie Riordan. Richard joins Kellie for a rare and wide-ranging discussion on why he once thought a nuclear holocaust would end his life, the moment he literally caught on fire, and how fatherhood changed his once snarky outlook on life. Richard’s new book is The Book of Roads and Kingdoms. +++ Curveball is the show where extraordinary people share the twists and turns of their rise, those curveball moments that have made them. It’s a production of Deadset Studios. Keep up to date with Curveball by following @_deadsetstudios on Twitter and @deadsetstudios on instagram. Want to know more about how people thrive in challenging times? Sign up to Curveball’s LinkedIn newsletter! And suggest a Curveball guest by visiting www.curveballshow.com This episode was produced by Liam Riordan. Executive producers are Rachel Fountain and Kellie Riordan. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the land on which this show was made. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Legacy can be a bit of a loaded term when it comes to family businesses. If you’re taking over at the helm, how do you honour the legacy of those who came before you? Do you keep things as they were, or should you shake things up? Buckaroo Belts owner Tanya Van Der Water asked herself exactly these questions when her father fell ill in 2013. Unexpectedly, she was thrust into the CEO role in his place. Once upon a time, she wasn’t even interested in joining his leather-working company, let alone running it. She was a forthright woman of colour. How could she operate at construction sites and convince tradies she knew about toolbelts? Would a radical transformation of the business work? Could she really save the business while she had three kids under three, and the burden of alcoholism in the family? +++ Curveball is the show that leans into life’s messy moments! It’s a production of Deadset Studios. Keep up to date with every episode by following @_deadsetstudios on Twitter and @deadsetstudios on instagram. Want to know more about how people thrive in challenging times? Sign up to Curveball’s LinkedIn newsletter! And suggest a Curveball guest by visiting www.curveballshow.com This episode was produced by Liam Riordan. Executive producers are Rachel Fountain and Kellie Riordan. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the land on which this show was made. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There’s sweat flying everywhere at the Alice Springs YMCA as a young instructor cheers the class through their workout. Michelle Bridges is learning how to bring the heat, honing her craft as the motivator-in-chief for people looking to turn their lives around. Michelle had been teaching fitness classes and entering bodybuilding competitions while she was living in the desert with her then boyfriend. She was building a small yet loyal following - but she was a big fish in a small pond, the city was calling. By the time Michelle drove over the Sydney Harbour Bridge at the age of 26, she was on the path to becoming a trainer on TV’s The Biggest Loser, a best-selling author, and a pioneer of online fitness programs. But with the rise, also came the fall. Michelle opens up about her horror 2020, how it made her embrace her softer side and changed her life for the better. +++ Curveball is the show that leans into life’s messy moments! It’s a production of Deadset Studios. Keep up to date with Curveball by following @_deadsetstudios on Twitter and @deadsetstudios on instagram. Want to know more about how people thrive in challenging times? Sign up to Curveball’s LinkedIn newsletter! And suggest a Curveball guest by visiting www.curveballshow.com This episode was produced by Grace Pashley and edited by Travis Vetier. Executive producers are Rachel Fountain and Kellie Riordan. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the land on which this show was made. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The sun’s setting in the Sydney suburbs, but a young Brandon Jack’s still running his science experiment. Or rather, he’s still pretending to run his science experiment. In reality, he’s just kicking an Aussie Rules football around. But when you’re the son of an NRL legend, you have to come up with a good cover story to even go near other football codes. Brandon’s talent for side-stepping the truth about football continued into adulthood. Rather than speaking openly about his fears and doubts as a professional athlete, he told his superiors he intended to run a law firm before retiring from the game, hoping they’d decide on his behalf that he wasn’t committed to the team. Now, Brandon’s writing his own story, and in doing so, he’s casting light on the darker side of professional sport and the deeply masculine culture that surrounds it in Australia. He also opens up about his fractured relationship with his parents and why he’s just started to mend some bridges with them after years of estrangement. +++ Curveball is a production of Deadset Studios. Sometimes, life throws up moments that are unexpected. Things you could never plan for. Challenges you couldn’t have seen coming. The human experience is all about adapting. On Curveball you get the lowdown on how people grow in extraordinary times. Keep up to date with Curveball by following @_deadsetstudios on Twitter and @deadsetstudios on Instagram. And get more wisdom and life lessons delivered to you directly with Curveball’s LinkedIn newsletter! Find out more about the show by visiting www.curveballshow.comThis was episode was produced by Liam Riordan with editing by Travis Vetier. The executive producers are Rachel Fountain and Kellie Riordan. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the land on which this show was made. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We get it! It’s scary being your real self out there. Being vulnerable. Laying it all on the line when you’re feeling uncertain, not quite sure if you’ve got it right. We’ve noticed so many Curveball guests have had a moment where they could choose to be the all-knowing tough guy/gal, but instead decide to let their guard down. It might be emotionally risky, but how can you make vulnerability work for you in relationships, on a project, or even in the workplace? Oh, and Kellie and Curveball producer Grace Pashley get a little bit raw and share a few stories about the times they’ve worn a heart on their sleeve. +++ Curveball is the show that leans into life’s messy moments! It’s a production of Deadset Studios. Know someone who’d make a stellar guest on Curveball? Please tell us more! Visit www.curveballshow.com and suggest a guest. You can stay up to date with Curveball by following @_deadsetstudios on Twitter and @deadsetstudios on instagram. And make sure you’re subscribed to Curveball’s LinkedIn newsletter! Packed full of those little life lessons that help you keep going when things get tricky! This episode was produced by Grace Pashley and Liam Riordan. Executive producers are Rachel Fountain and Kellie Riordan. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the land on which this show was made. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Once upon a time, a young Kirstin Ferguson wanted to be Australia’s first female Prime Minister. And she figured the free university education and rigorous leadership training of the military would make a good first step. But – surprise! - the Royal Australian Air Force Academy of the 1990s wasn’t the most welcoming environment for an ambitious young woman. Kirstin had to adjust her behaviour in ways that would affect everything she did for the next few decades. After a stint in a law firm, and multiple roles on prestigious boards, Kirstin’s now focused on developing the next crop of leaders. Her new book is called Head & Heart: The Art of Modern Leadership. +++ Curveball is a production of Deadset Studios. It's the show that leans into life’s messy moments! Host Kellie Riordan takes you inside the someone’s curveball moment. They’ve been thrown a challenge, dealt a tough hand, the stakes are high. A decision could change the course of their life. Keep up to date with Curveball by following @_deadsetstudios on Twitter and @deadsetstudios on instagram. Do also sign up to Curveball’s LinkedIn newsletter! And do you know someone extraordinary who’s faced a challenging time? Suggest a Curveball guest by visiting www.curveballshow.com This was episode was produced and edited by Liam Riordan. Executive producers are Rachel Fountain and Kellie Riordan. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the land on which this show was made. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Think back to the toughest challenges you've ever faced - the longest grind, the lowest low... What would you do if, almost as soon as it ended, you were told you had to do it all again? For Kath Koschel, former New South Wales cricketer, this question isn’t hypothetical. She’d already faced loss of her fiancé and was overwhelmed with grief. And after months of rehab following a debilitating back injury, she wanted to get back on the pitch, but couldn’t. She still wasn’t able to lift her toes, which means she wasn’t able to bat. So her doctor suggested she give triathlons a go. So as if she hadn’t faced enough punishment yet, she fell headlong into training, eventually deciding that a normal triathlon wasn’t good enough. No, she was going to train for the ultrawoman event. WTF! But as she crossed the Sydney Harbour Bridge on a morning training session, she was struck down by a passing car, and sent to surgery, yet again. How do you face down the most brutal of curveballs, when you barely survived the first time? Kath Koschel is the impressive force behind the not-for-profit organisation The Kindness Factory which has expanded to The Kindness Curriculum, available in many schools in Australia and beyond.+++ Curveball is a production of Deadset Studios. On Curveball you get the lowdown on how people grow in extraordinary times. Host Kellie Riordan takes you inside the someone’s curveball moment. They’ve been thrown a challenge, dealt a tough hand, the stakes are high. A decision could change the course of their life. Keep up to date with Curveball by following @_deadsetstudios on Twitter and @deadsetstudios on Instagram. Want more from your leadership journey? To get more wisdom and life lessons from top leaders delivered to you directly, sign up to Curveball’s LinkedIn newsletter! Find out more about the show or suggest a guest by visiting www.curveballshow.com This was episode was produced by Rachel Fountain and edited by Liam Riordan. The executive producers are Rachel Fountain and Kellie Riordan. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the land on which this show was made. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As Kath Koschel steps behind the crease, she grips her bat just a little tighter than usual: she’s pushing through an annoying but minor back injury. The next thing she sees is the sky. She’s laying flat on her back. She can’t feel her legs. Turns out that back injury wasn’t so innocuous, and Kath’s on her way to the hospital. She doesn’t know it yet, but it’s not going to be her last operation, and it’s certainly not going to be the last curveball she faces. How does Kath, an athlete and cricket fanatic, put on her game face when she’s got months of rehab ahead for her? And when another unspeakable tragedy unfolds, how can she harness the kindness around her to carry her through? Kath Koschel is the unstoppable force behind The Kindness Factory which has expanded to The Kindness Curriculum, available in many schools in Australia and beyond. +++ Curveball is a production of Deadset Studios. Sometimes, life throws up moments that are unexpected. Things you could never plan for. Challenges you couldn’t have seen coming. The human experience is all about adapting. On Curveball you get the lowdown on how people grow in extraordinary times. Keep up to date with Curveball by following @_deadsetstudios on Twitter and @deadsetstudios on Instagram. And get more wisdom and life lessons delivered to you directly with Curveball’s LinkedIn newsletter! Find out more about the show or suggest a guest by visiting www.curveballshow.com This was episode was produced by Rachel Fountain and Liam Riordan. The executive producers are Rachel Fountain and Kellie Riordan. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the land on which this show was made. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“We’re building it for the people comfortable doing mobile banking, who are living on the edge of the future,” says fin-tech entrepreneur Dom Pym.“All the things we do with Up are different than other banks. Because when you’re carrying your phone in your pocket, doing everything with your finger on your phone, or with your face or your voice, that user experience becomes so much more important than a web browser with a mouse and a keyboard. It just changed the whole game.” Some people spend their lives tinkering away, trying to invent new things. Bill Gates famously spent time pulling apart computers in his youth. Dom Pym did the same. With computers, but also with billycarts and cars. He and his mates even invented some James Bond-esque spy glasses! That sense of play and innovation saw him become one of Australia’s leading software developers by age 19, working across the globe for Fortune 500 companies. And after dabbling in multiple start-ups, from building a music management tool to launching an online grain market, he eventually also built Australia’s first mobile-only bank. But first there were legal disputes and near-death plane crashes to contend with. Oh, and the joys of banking regulation. +++ Curveball is about life’s messy moments! You get the lowdown on how people grow in extraordinary times. It’s a production of Deadset Studios. Keep up to date with Curveball by following @_deadsetstudios on Twitter and @deadsetstudios on instagram. But wait, there’s more! Sign up to Curveball’s LinkedIn newsletter because it’s chock full of wisdom from very, very smart people! And please do suggest a Curveball guest by visiting www.curveballshow.com This episode was produced by Grace Pashley and edited by Travis Vetier. Executive producers are Rachel Fountain and Kellie Riordan. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the land on which this show was made. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Athlete Jana Pittman has spent her life clearing obstacles that arise out of nowhere. Chasing down Olympics gold on the 400-metre hurdles track since she was a teenager, she’s overcome injury after injury, hounded by the media along the way. All for that spot on the top podium to evade her. That kind of determination isn’t uncommon among professional athletes in the heat of competition. But where does that energy go when the race is over? For Jana, it went into pursuing her childhood dream of becoming a doctor and a mother (to six!). And now even a star on TV’s SAS Australia and an army reservist. There’s no taking the easy road when you’re Jana Pittman. +++ Curveball is the show that leans into life’s messy moments! It’s a production of Deadset Studios. Keep up to date with Curveball by following @_deadsetstudios on Twitter and @deadsetstudios on instagram. Want to know more about how people thrive in challenging times? Sign up to Curveball’s LinkedIn newsletter! And suggest a Curveball guest by visiting www.curveballshow.com This episode was produced by Grace Pashley and edited by Carl Hitchmough. Executive producers are Rachel Fountain and Kellie Riordan. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the land on which this show was made. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Were we tempting fate hosting a show called Curveball? Because it feels a little like the universe wants us to have more first-hand experience of adversity. As 2022 began, host Kellie Riordan was champing at the bit to bring you some amazing new guests with stories of resilience. Then the Australian floods in February ruined the Curveball studio (and most of Kellie’s house!). So Kellie and her family had to pack up their lives and move out. We’d just got a temporary “studio” set up at Kellie’s new place when she was thrown a few more curveballs. Including one that landed her in hospital.... Curveball’s the show that leans into life’s messiest moments and so we’re leaning hard! Make sure you’re following Curveball in your podcast app, so you don’t miss those outstanding stories, and heaps more to come! +++ Curveball is a production of Deadset Studios. Curveball is the show that leans into life’s messiest moments. Keep up to date with Curveball by following @_deadsetstudios on Twitter and @deadsetstudios on instagram. Want more from your leadership journey? To get more wisdom and life lessons from top leaders delivered to you directly, sign up to Curveball’s LinkedIn newsletter! Find out more about the show or suggest a guest by visiting www.curveballshow.com This was episode was produced and edited by Liam Riordan with sound design by Krissy Miltiadou. The executive producers are Rachel Fountain and Kellie Riordan. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the land on which this show was made. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gaven Morris has put his doubts aside and stepped into a leadership role at the ABC, but his trials are far from over. While he’s trying to un-learn everything he was taught as a journalist in order to become a more open-minded, proactive leader, life starts to unravel around him. Family illnesses and a workplace tragedy that kills several of his colleagues shatter the foundations of Gaven’s work life. And looming large at all times is the rapidly changing media landscape. How do you define the ABC when the B isn’t in the name anymore? What does news look like in a post-broadcast world? And how do you lead for that type of radical disruption? In part 2, Gaven Morris has to find his centre again, all while trying to convince bastions of traditional media that the future isn’t as dark as it may seem. +++ Curveball is a production of Deadset Studios. Leaders reveal their trickiest challenges and give you the tips they’ve learned the hard way. Keep up to date with Curveball by following @_deadsetstudios on Twitter and @deadsetstudios on instagram. Want to discover more about leadership, productivity, and overcoming challenging times? Sign up to Curveball’s LinkedIn newsletter. You can also suggest a guest by visiting www.curveballshow.com This episode was produced by Liam Riordan with sound design by Justin Rouillon. The executive producers are Rachel Fountain and Kellie Riordan. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the land on which this show was made. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gaven Morris is the man behind most of the news you consume on a daily basis. As the Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s Director of News, Gaven’s led many of the country’s top reporters and best-loved programs. But now he’s stepping away from this leadership role, and reflecting on his time in one of the most rapidly changing industries. Journalism isn’t the most logical path to leadership. When he was deciding whether or not to take a leadership role at the ABC, Gaven realised he was in a pretty tough spot: he’d become an expert in everything but how a great leader should operate. In part 1 of this candid interview, Gaven gives you a rare glimpse into the defining moments in his career: traumatic experiences, reporting from far-flung places, and the delayed effects of this on his mental health. +++ Curveball is a production of Deadset Studios. Leaders reveal their darkest moments and share tips on how the deal with those things you just can’t see coming. Keep up to date with Curveball by following @_deadsetstudios on Twitter and @deadsetstudios on instagram. Want more from your leadership journey? To get more wisdom and life lessons from top leaders delivered to you directly, sign up to Curveball’s LinkedIn newsletter! Find out more about the show or suggest a guest by visiting www.curveballshow.com This episode was produced by Liam Riordan with sound design by Justin Rouillon. The executive producers are Rachel Fountain and Kellie Riordan. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the land on which this show was made. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The crowd is spilling out of a Bob Geldof event, but one wily ex-reporter has tapped into her performing arts know-how to get backstage. Armed with nothing but a business card and a tiny handwritten message, she’s trying to get her name to rockstar Bono and his new venture, PRODUCT (RED). It might sound ludicrous. And it kind of was. Greta Thomas was a marketing professional in Sydney, Australia. She had no connection to U2’s frontman Bono and she didn’t know anyone working on his PRODUCT (RED) campaign. But when Greta’s determined to make something happen, she doesn’t take the first no. “You don’t even take the tenth no. If you’re really passionate about something, there’s more than one way to get from A to B.” And the winding path is her speciality. A trained ballet dancer, Greta Thomas didn’t finish high school or take on under-graduate studies at university. And yet her career has taken her from dance, to journalism and PR, to marketing roles at eBay and the Sydney Opera House, and now to a role advising and mentoring innovation companies with her company Full Potential Labs. Greta and her business partner Claire Hatton host the podcast Don’t Stop Us Now. +++ Curveball is a production of Deadset Studios. Leaders unpack their darkest moments and share tips on how to deal with challenging times. Keep up to date with Curveball by following @_deadsetstudios on Twitter and @deadsetstudios on instagram. Want more from your leadership journey? To get more wisdom and life lessons from top leaders delivered to you directly, sign up to Curveball’s LinkedIn newsletter! And please do suggest a guest by visiting www.curveballshow.com This was episode was produced and edited by Liam Riordan with sound design by Justin Rouillon. The executive producers are Rachel Fountain and Kellie Riordan. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the land on which this show was made. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When the ‘why’ is missing, often so is our motivation. Something I’ve noticed about people who bounce back from adversity, is they tend to have a strong sense of purpose – and if they don’t have one when that curveball hits, it sure prompts them to find it! Take Who Give a Crap founder Simon Griffiths – when his body gave out and exhaustion hit, his passion to make others’ lives better literally helped him get out of bed. Or Meggie Palmer – she lived through an unfair situation in her own work life, and it’s given her the motivation to help others fight for equal pay. And it’s driven her towards success in her own life. And Liz Broderick, whose purpose for justice was seeded when she was very young, developed her why by listening to thousands of women. That strong sense of fairness has sustained her throughout her whole career. When things are challenging, it’s useful to go right back to exactly why you’re doing a project or trying a new approach. +++ Curveball is a production of Deadset Studios. Leaders reveal their darkest moments and share tips on how the deal with those things you just can’t see coming. Keep up to date with Curveball by following @_deadsetstudios on Twitter and @deadsetstudios on instagram. Want more from your leadership journey? To get more wisdom and life lessons from top leaders delivered to you directly, sign up to Curveball’s LinkedIn newsletter! Find out more about the show or suggest a guest by visiting www.curveballshow.com This was episode was produced and edited by Liam Riordan. The executive producers are Rachel Fountain and Kellie Riordan. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the land on which this show was made. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“Education can change your life in a generation.” When RMIT University announced its newest Chancellor would be Richmond Football Club President Peggy O’Neal, those words from her mother might just have been on Peggy’s mind. From the tiny coal-mining town she grew up in, Peggy became the first member of her family to graduate university. Then the first woman hired by an establishment law firm. And then the first female president of the Richmond Tigers AFL club. Now Peggy will take her formidable leadership skills into higher education. (If you’ve never heard Peggy’s full interview on Curveball – what are you waiting for? Just scroll back in your feed and press play.) +++ Curveball is a production of Deadset Studios. Leaders reveal their darkest moments and share tips on how the deal with those things you just can’t see coming. Keep up to date with Curveball by following @_deadsetstudios on Twitter and @deadsetstudios on instagram. You can also sign up to Curveball’s LinkedIn newsletter which packs a leadership punch each week! Know a great leader who should be on Curveball? Drop us a line www.curveballshow.com This was episode was edited by Liam Riordan. The executive producers are Rachel Fountain and Kellie Riordan. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the land on which this show was made. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“The more you fail, the easier it gets. People get scared of failing. I know this is something that anyone entrepreneurial will say, but every time you lose all your money, it becomes easier. Because you know you can pick yourself up.” Declan Lee never chooses the easy path. These days he’s one of four owners of the famous Messina gelato chain, but he's had to pick himself up a few times already. As a music promoter, Declan once felt the full thrust of losing all his money when he booked what seemed to be a no brainer – electronic act Underworld – only to find a near-empty room when he arrived for the show. He lost money on a TV show that was ahead of its time – a pre-cursor to Ninja Warrior that saw athletes compete in gruelling physical challenges. And he’s also dabbled in physiotherapy, DJing, and restaurants. So what did it take to build an ice-cream empire and what lessons has he taken with him after so many flops? +++ Curveball is a production of Deadset Studios. Leaders reveal their darkest moments and share tips on how the deal with those things you just can’t see coming. Keep up to date with Curveball by following @_deadsetstudios on Twitter and @deadsetstudios on instagram. Want more from your leadership journey? To get more wisdom and life lessons from top leaders delivered to you directly, sign up to Curveball’s LinkedIn newsletter! Find out more about the show or suggest a guest by visiting www.curveballshow.com This was episode was produced by Liam Riordan and Rachel Fountain, with sound design by Justin Roullion. The executive producers are Rachel Fountain and Kellie Riordan. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the land on which this show was made. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When Kate Vale was appointed Google Australia’s first employee, she didn’t have an office or a mobile phone. She found herself answering her home landline to do business! From humble beginnings she used her HR background to quickly build a team, and grew Google Australia to record revenues and eventually to IPO. Ever the digital pioneer since her days managing a dot com company before the crash, Kate Vale then headed up Spotify in Australia. Eventually she moved to California, the epicentre of start-up and digital culture. She’s now running a venture capital fund called Aliavia that’s focussed on supporting female founders who are often overlooked for investment. She takes you inside the famous Google hiring process and gives her take on what it takes to thrive while leading digital companies. +++ Curveball is a production of Deadset Studios. Leaders reveal their darkest moments and share tips on how the deal with those things you just can’t see coming. Keep up to date with Curveball by following @_deadsetstudios on Twitter and @deadsetstudios on instagram. Want more from your leadership journey? To get more wisdom and life lessons from top leaders delivered to you directly, sign up to Curveball’s LinkedIn newsletter! Find out more about the show or suggest a guest by visiting www.curveballshow.com This was episode was produced and edited by Liam Riordan with sound design by Krissy Miltiadou. The executive producers are Rachel Fountain and Kellie Riordan. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the land on which this show was made. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Remember when Michael Fox first joined us on Curveball? He’d clawed his way back from a bruising collapse of his first start-up Shoes of Prey to build a new company. Fable Foods creates a meat-alternative from shiitake mushrooms and Michael and his co-founders had convinced celebrity chef Heston Blumenthal to be part of their journey. But Covid had hit and Michael wasn’t sure his newly-established food manufacturing plant would survive the pandemic. Michael Fox is the ultimate optimist and since he last joined us on season 1 of Curveball, he’s secured more investment, scaled up his company, and now expanded into several fast food chains. +++ Curveball is a production of Deadset Studios. Leaders reveal their darkest moments and share tips on how the deal with those things you just can’t see coming. Keep up to date with Curveball by following @_deadsetstudios on Twitter and @deadsetstudios on instagram. Want more from your leadership journey? To get more wisdom and life lessons from top leaders delivered to you directly, sign up to Curveball’s LinkedIn newsletter! Find out more about the show or suggest a guest by visiting www.curveballshow.com This was episode was produced Liam Riordan. Curveball’s executive producers are Rachel Fountain and Kellie Riordan. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the land on which this show was made. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Olivia Humphrey has taken her company Kanopy from her spare bedroom in Perth to San Francisco... and turned down some pretty enticing investment offers along the way. She stuck to her guns, keeping her values front of mind at all times, and it paid off. I mean – it really paid off! Kanopy has sold for an eye-watering price. In part two of this revealing interview, Olivia Humphrey walks us through the sale of Kanopy to a private equity firm. It’s the little-told part of many business stories. It also lands Olivia back in Australia where she’s already working on a range of exciting investments and philanthropic projects. And if you haven’t heard part one, go and download it right now! Olivia Humphrey tells Curveball how she came up with the idea to streamline the way universities could secure rights for films and documentaries for students. Her journey building Kanopy from scratch is incredible and it’s one of Australia’s greatest start-up success stories. +++ Curveball is a production of Deadset Studios. Leaders tell us how they thrive in challenging times. Keep up to date with Curveball by following @_deadsetstudios on Twitter and @deadsetstudios on instagram. To get more wisdom and life lessons from top leaders delivered directly, sign up to Curveball’s LinkedIn newsletter. And hey, do suggest a guest by visiting www.curveballshow.com This was episode was produced and edited by Grace Pashley and Liam Riordan, with sound design by Krissy Miltiadou. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the land on which this show was made. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Olivia Humphrey was having lunch in a Napa vineyard when a billionaire stepped in to help turn her genius start-up into a fully-fledged global streaming platform. A former Village Roadshow employee, Olivia came up with the idea to streamline the way universities could secure rights for films and documentaries for students. As streaming took off and Kanopy became a digital platform much like Netflix or Stan, Olivia took her Perth-based company to the US where she quickly stitched up libraries too. The billionaire backer gave her the confidence to scale Kanopy beyond her wildest dreams. But it’s what happened next that so few business owners discuss openly. Especially very successful founders. The sale. How exactly does that work? Who are the winners, what are the risks, and what should you look out for? Listen to both episodes to hear Olivia’s rise to start-up superstar. +++ Curveball is a production of Deadset Studios. Leaders reveal their darkest moments and share tips on how the deal with those things you just can’t see coming. Keep up to date with Curveball by following @_deadsetstudios on Twitter and @deadsetstudios on instagram. Want more from your leadership journey? To get hot tips from top leaders delivered to you directly, sign up to Curveball’s LinkedIn newsletter! Find out more about the show or suggest a guest by visiting www.curveballshow.com This was episode was produced and edited by Grace Pashley and Liam Riordan, with sound design by Krissy Miltiadou. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the land on which this show was made. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Meggie Palmer was one of Australia’s best TV journalists, when she learned she wasn’t being paid the same as her male colleagues.She had a choice. Put up with it or speak up and risk it all. This enormous career gamble almost crushed her. Until she realised it could also be the making of her. Disillusioned with the power of traditional media, and galvanised by this first-hand experience with gender discrimination, Meggie turned to tech to send her message.The founder of PepTalkHer reveals how she turned her personal fight for equality into a community, and then into a successful business. She also teaches you how to negotiate for yourself, and explains why a good negotiation should be treated like a marriage. +++Curveball is a production of Deadset Studios. Leaders reveal their darkest moments and share tips on how the deal with those things you just can’t see coming. Keep up to date with Curveball by following @_deadsetstudios on Twitter and @deadsetstudios on instagram.Want more from your leadership journey? To get more wisdom and life lessons from top leaders delivered to you directly, sign up to Curveball’s LinkedIn newsletter!Find out more about the show or suggest a guest by visiting www.curveballshow.com This was episode was produced and edited by Liam Riordan with sound design by Justin Rouillon.The executive producers are Rachel Fountain and Kellie Riordan.We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the land on which this show was made. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Imagine a life where the simple act of sitting sends your body into spasms of pain. Entrepreneur Simon Griffiths likes to optimise for success. But pushing far beyond his limits has come at a cost. And it’s a warning for so many leaders. The Who Gives a Crap CEO opens up for the first time about the lengths he went to cope with chronic pain and full physical collapse, including checking into a yoga hospital in India. His life would change with the realisation that gaining control of his mind was the first step to a fully functioning body. And somewhere in the middle of that mettle-testing crisis, Simon’s purpose was forged. He took a sharp left turn from what seemed like a predestined corporate career, into building profit-for-purpose companies. But he would still face plenty of trials of body, mind and endurance on the road to making toilet paper company Who Gives a Crap an outrageous success. +++ Curveball is a production of Deadset Studios. Leaders reveal their darkest moments and share tips on how the deal with those things you just can’t see coming. Keep up to date with Curveball by following @_deadsetstudios on Twitter and @deadsetstudios on instagram. Want more from your leadership journey? To get more wisdom and life lessons from top leaders delivered to you directly, sign up to Curveball’s LinkedIn newsletter! Find out more about the show or suggest a guest by visiting www.curveballshow.com This was episode was produced by Rachel Fountain and Grace Pashley, with sound design by Justin Rouillon. The executive producers are Rachel Fountain and Kellie Riordan. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the land on which this show was made. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A funny thing happened during a Curveball production meeting recently. Our junior producer Liam mentioned that his Mum thinks he needs a mentor. Liam explained that he had some in Rachel and Kellie, who work together to oversee the team that brings you Curveball. But Kellie wasn’t sure she was a mentor to Liam. Sure, he’s given feedback. Sometimes even a pep talk. But is that the same as mentoring? Mentors, coaches, champions. They are all people you might cultivate in your career. But what’s the difference between them, when do you need them, and how can you get one if you do!? We decided to let you eavesdrop on our chat about mentors and champions and which leaders on Curveball swear by them. +++ Curveball is a production of Deadset Studios. Keep up to date with Curveball by following @_deadsetstudios on Twitter and @deadsetstudios on instagram. Want more from your leadership journey? Sign up to Curveball’s LinkedIn newsletter - it’s like having your own personal executive coach but you don’t have to pay for it! Find out more about the show by visiting www.curveballshow.com This episode was produced by Liam Riordan. The executive producers are Rachel Fountain and Kellie Riordan. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the land on which this show was made. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Giving in is not the same as giving up. Sometimes, despite your best intentions, things don’t just work out and it’s better to give in to the signs. So many leaders on Curveball have, at some point, found themselves in a tricky situation. And yes, sometimes they’ve pulled through. But what about those times you just can’t pull a rabbit out of a hat? How do you know when it’s time to call time on your business or your dream? Running any company involves the fine art of juggling when to push beyond the limits, and when to call it quits. Top leaders share their stories of knowing when to fold them... just like As Kenny Rogers sang! +++ Curveball is a production of Deadset Studios. Keep up to date with Curveball by following @_deadsetstudios on Twitter and @deadsetstudios on instagram. Want more from your leadership journey? Sign up to Curveball’s LinkedIn newsletter - it contains more wisdom than the old dude from the Karate Kid! Find out more about the show by visiting www.curveballshow.com This episode was produced by Liam Riordan. The executive producers are Rachel Fountain and Kellie Riordan. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the land on which this show was made. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Elizabeth Broderick has been fighting for equality since she was in utero. Growing up with a twin sister helped instil a burning sense of fairness in young Liz. She’d go on to become a trailblazing lawyer, Special Rapporteur to the United Nations, and Australia’s longest-serving Sex Discrimination Commissioner. Elizabeth Broderick is a leader who’s spent her whole career negotiating in hostile environments. She’s been across the table from the Trump administration on reproductive rights, battled for paid parental leave, fought against sexual harassment and discrimination, and been instrumental in changing attitudes to family violence. And through all that time negotiating in halls of power with important people, Liz Broderick has never lost her passion for justice, nor the unique understanding of the people for whom she fights. Curveball is a production of Deadset Studios. Leaders reveal their darkest moments and how they keep going in the face of adversity. Keep up with Curveball by following @_deadsetstudios on Twitter and @deadsetstudios on instagram. Want more from your leadership journey? For more life lessons from top leaders, sign up to Curveball’s LinkedIn newsletter! Find out more about the show or suggest a guest by visiting www.curveballshow.com This was episode was produced and edited by Grace Pashley with sound design by Kristina Miltiadou. The executive producers are Rachel Fountain and Kellie Riordan. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the land on which this show was made. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“Sometimes there’s a monstrous demonic fire front that’s bearing down on your little town, and your little team... and the only thing that you can do to stay alive, is to quietly and quickly make an orderly exit via stage left.” Wow. Let us set the scene for you here. Marine Hautemont and Rob Malicki sent Curveball that message as they clinked champagne glasses in a trailer park in remote northern Australia and toasted their decision to close the doors on their business. The business, AIM International, had gone from a $6 million turnover, to zero, virtually overnight. It might seem an odd thing to raise a glass to, but the pair are genuine. As they tell Curveball, winding up the business they loved gave them, and their two kids, the road-tripping freedom they would never otherwise have known. But once you’ve shut up shop, packed the kids in an RV and hit the road... what next for a couple of entrepreneurs? +++ Curveball is a production of Deadset Studios. Leaders reveal their darkest moments and share tips on how the deal with those things you just can’t see coming. Keep up to date with Curveball by following @_deadsetstudios on Twitter and @deadsetstudios on instagram. Want more from your leadership journey? To get more wisdom and life lessons from top leaders delivered to you directly, sign up to Curveball’s LinkedIn newsletter! Find out more about the show or suggest a guest by visiting www.curveballshow.com This was episode was produced and edited by Liam Riordan, with sound design by Kristina Miltiadou. The executive producers are Rachel Fountain and Kellie Riordan. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the land on which this show was made. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Justin Dry lost his house not once, but twice, before he learned to trust his gut. With each loss, the robust Vinomofo founder has picked himself up off the cellar floor and come at it again from a new angle. Dry has aged wisely. He’s grown from the classic idea-machine entrepreneur, through record funding rounds and tough decisions, to responding to crises with exactly the right kind of genius to pull his premium wine delivery business through. Now that VinoMofo’s matured through “the difficult teenage years”, Dry’s full of ideas for the future. His new role as Chief Entrepreneur is perfectly paired with his enterprising spirit. So what’s next for the irreverent wine boss? And what can he teach you about come-backs after setbacks? +++ Curveball is a production of Deadset Studios. Leaders reveal their darkest moments and how to deal with those things that come out of nowhere. Keep up to date with Curveball by following @_deadsetstudios on Twitter and @deadsetstudios on instagram. Want more from your leadership journey? To get more life lessons from delivered to you directly, sign up to Curveball’s LinkedIn newsletter! Find out more about the show or suggest a guest by visiting www.curveballshow.com This was episode was produced by Rachel Fountain and edited by Liam Riordan. The executive producers are Rachel Fountain and Kellie Riordan. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the land on which this show was made. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dwayne Good is no stranger to fighting for survival. Kicked out of home as a teen, and then struggling after the death of his mum, Dwayne drifted until he found himself on an idyllic holiday in Thailand. But it was 2004 and a killer tsunami was about to up-end his life in more ways than one. “The best way to summarize it is confusing. What the hell am I going to do? What have I just seen? What does it all mean? That goes through your head. I did suffer from post-traumatic stress,” he reveals. Dwayne Good is Executive Director and Founder of InTravel Group, a 100-percent Indigenous-owned business. He shares his story of working his way up the corporate ladder, to establishing his own company, and the journey of a joint venture with a corporate partner. +++ Curveball is a production of Deadset Studios. Leaders reveal their darkest moments and share tips on how they deal with those things you just can’t see coming. Keep up to date with Curveball by following @_deadsetstudios on Twitter and @deadsetstudios on instagram. Want more from your leadership journey? To get more wisdom and life lessons from top leaders delivered to you directly, sign up to Curveball’s LinkedIn newsletter! Find out more about the show or suggest a guest by visiting www.curveballshow.com This was episode was produced and edited by Grace Pashley, with sound design by Kristina Miltiadou. The executive producers are Rachel Fountain and Kellie Riordan. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the land on which this show was made. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

American lawyer Peggy O’Neal might lead a team of Tigers, but it’s rare to hear her roar. Although you might have heard an enthusiastic “whoop!” or three when her team won those Australian Football League grand finals! That unflappable pragmatism is something the president of Richmond Football Club learned growing up in the Appalachian Mountains of West Virginia, USA. Peggy has seen off leadership coups, helped break a 37-year-premiership drought for her beloved Richmond Tigers, and given her all to help pull her football team back from the brink of financial ruin to a fiscally healthy club. All the while, she’s been helping to build a community around her from the ground up. Peggy O’Neal is the quieter kind of leader whose process-driven results (ahem, three premiership flags in four years) leave a legacy as strong as those community foundations. You could put that down to her upbringing, or you could put it down to Peggy herself – a whip-smart, humble ‘doer’ - the opposite of the outspoken, opinionated football president archetype you usually see dominating the media. +++ Curveball is a production of Deadset Studios. It’s the show where leaders are honest about their darkest moments and share tips on how to thrive in challenging times. Keep up to date with Curveball by following @_deadsetstudios on Twitter and @deadsetstudios on instagram. And if you need more, more, MORE leadership inspiration in your life, don’t dilly-dally, sign up to Curveball’s LinkedIn newsletter! We cherry pick the choicest lessons for you and deliver them right into your inbox. Find out more about the show or suggest a guest by visiting www.curveballshow.com This was episode was produced by Rachel Fountain and Kellie Riordan. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the land on which this show was made. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.