Some stories demand to be told—not just for the sake of the storyteller, but for the change they can spark. Today’s guest, Sonia Orchard, is an award-winning author whose latest book, Groomed, is a raw and powerful memoir about facing past trauma, navigating a justice system stacked against victims, and asking the bigger question: how do we fix this?

In this episode, host Michelle Cox shares insights from a transformative workshop led by Elizabeth Gilbert, author of 'Eat, Pray, Love' and 'Big Magic'. Michelle discusses the importance of creativity, confronting fear, and the concept of living a presence-driven life rather than being burdened by purpose anxiety.

Yemi Penn is a fearless thought leader on creating your own memo, meaning ‘she’ gets to write the script of her life and encourages others to do the same. 

An engineer by profession and entrepreneur by passion having run 3 successful businesses in the past. She is now researching the alchemy of transmuting pain to power through her PhD research with a strong desire to learn new ways of being whilst challenging the status quo.

Today I sit down with a great mate and creative powerhouse, Nik Robinson, whose career has spanned radio broadcasting, creative direction, donut making, and lecturing. But it’s his latest venture that truly stands out. In 2018, Nik, alongside his wife Jocelyne and their young sons Harry and Archie, co-founded Good Citizens—a purpose-driven company on a mission to “untrash the planet” by turning single-use plastic bottles into stylish, 100% recycled eyewear frames, all made in Sydney.

Today’s guest, Di Mantell, is a powerhouse of purpose-driven leadership and innovation in the Australian healthcare industry.

Starting as a nurse unit manager in critical care at just 23, Di now serves as CEO of Celsus, where she oversees the largest infrastructure project in South Australian history—the Royal Adelaide Hospital. Under her visionary leadership, Celsus secured the world’s largest sustainability loan of $2.2 billion, aligning healthcare with groundbreaking environmental and social practices.

What does it take to redefine the limits of human performance? Today’s guest, Dr. Jo Brown, is no stranger to that challenge. Renowned as a "human performance engineer," Dr. Jo (as she’s known globally) has transformed the careers of some of the world’s most elite athletes and executives. 

From working with Olympic gold medalists and NBA superstars to guiding Paralympic champions and trailblazing as the first female physiotherapist in men’s Grand Slam tennis, Dr. Jo’s career spans 19 sports and seven countries.

Imagine a filmmaker who doesn't just tell stories, but transforms them into powerful catalysts for change. Today on the show, we're diving deep into the world of Genna Chanelle Hayes—a storyteller who journeyed from a remote sheep farm in Victoria to become a globally recognised voice that connects cultures, challenges perspectives, and ignites social transformation.

From backpacking across six continents to crafting award-winning films that have swept the Australian awards circuit, Genna's path is anything but ordinary. After dabbling in journalism and acting, Genna found her true calling behind the camera, crafting films with heart, purpose, and an eye for justice. Her debut feature AKONI swept the 2022 Australian Awards circuit, and her upcoming films tackle critical issues like gender violence (OLIVIA) and exploitation in the Pacific (GIRL).

Today I’m joined by a financial superstar and all round fashion-icon, Melissa Browne. Mel was a guest in my very first season and I wanted to bring her back to talk about our topic of the moment - reinvention. 

Mel is an award-winning, ex-accountant and ex-financial advisor who had her own successful business for almost 20 years. She has written 4 books about business and money including the global bestseller, Unf*ck Your Finances.

Today’s guest, Dr. Ceri Cashell, is transforming the conversation around women’s hormonal health. With 20 years of experience as a practising GP and as the co-founder of Healthy Hormones, a groundbreaking menopause education platform, Dr Ceri is on a mission to empower women and clinicians alike with knowledge about how hormones impact every cell in the body.

In this episode, I reflect on the past year and share my personal experiences and insights. I discuss the importance of vulnerability in creativity, the value of setting intentions for the new year, and I want to really encourage listeners to embrace change and happiness in their lives. I’d like to emphasize the significance of a 'don't do list' this year in order to enhance personal fulfillment and hopefully reduce stress. Ultimately - I’d like to encourage you to take full control of your life in ‘25 and design a life that’s perfectly right for you!

My guest today is one of the most beautiful humans you could ever meet. The divine Tess Brouwer is a practitioner of positive psychology and wellbeing and the CEO of Awake Academy, a business she runs with another formidable human, Layne Beachley.  As a former corporate athlete and now a mum, stepmum and mental wellness mentor, Tess complements Layne’s expertise with her deep understanding of corporate dynamics and mental wellbeing. They are making such an impact on the groups of people they are working within their business, they decided to write a book in order to reach more and I wanted to dive in deeper with her.

Today’s guest is Simone Clow, a visionary at the forefront of creative technology and immersive storytelling. After a dynamic career in visual effects for advertising and film, Simone co-founded Zebrar, Australia’s award-winning creative tech company, in 2017. As CEO, she’s led her team to collaborate with global giants like IBM, Disney, Meta, and Salesforce, crafting transformative, interactive experiences that captivate audiences and elevate brands.

Mark Falzon is a visionary entrepreneur and serial investor with a track record of building and scaling businesses that deliver transformative impact. With over 25 years of experience in founding, managing, and advising high-growth ventures, Mark brings a unique blend of strategic acumen, operational expertise, and an unyielding commitment to making a difference.

As a co-founder of MAD Ventures, Mark channels his passion for innovation and sustainability into fostering businesses that address some of the world's most pressing challenges. From food security and renewable energy to clean technology and social impact, Mark’s work exemplifies the potential for purpose-driven enterprises to deliver both societal benefits and financial returns.

Today, I’m joined by Thomas Nhan Tri Nguyen who has a fascinating story that I wanted to learn more about. From music halls to the battlefield and now boardroom, Thomas (or Tom’s) journey is anything but conventional.

Tom is of Vietnamese heritage. He grew up in Adelaide, the only child of migrants who were fleeing war-torn Vietnam. While his early years were filled with music and academia, he started his working life as a public servant in the Queensland Government. A desire for a greater challenge led him down an unexpected path: the Australian Defence Force.

Today, I sit down with the wonderful Monique van Tulder who has been inspiring mid-life women to shake things up a bit and encouraging them to step into their ‘second-act’ where, after decades of looking after others, they now get to spend time and resources on themselves.

Monique is leading Conversations on Mid-Life Wellbeing. Teaching others on how to expand a mid-life in joy and creating space for themselves. Encouraging them to design their guidebook for A Grown Ups Gap Year.

If you missed last week’s episode, go back and have a listen first as this is Part two! We are back with the Queen of Reinvention herself - the gorgeously talented Valerie Khoo. Valerie is the first guest in a ‘series’ we’re currently running on the show - where all guests will be asked to talk about the same topic, and that topic is REINVENTION!

A recap on today’s guest; Valerie Khoo is an award-winning feature writer who is also CEO of the Australian Writers’ Centre - an organisation she founded over 18 years ago. Val does many things - some of which include podcaster, incredible artist and author of seven books. Val & I often have such incredible conversations in our studio and it was fitting that she kicks off this series about Reinvention as she’s had a fascinating journey that’s led her to where she is today.