A Cuppa with The Con Versationalist

On This episode, I am joined by literary royalty,  My guest  is Australia’s bestselling author and regenerative agriculturalist, Rachael Treasure

Rachael has been dubbed an agricultural activist, farm feminist and literary pioneer and has worked as a rural journalist, radio broadcaster, jillaroo, professional wool classer, veterinary nurse, stock camp cook, high country cattle drover, truffle sniffer dog handler and family farm manager.

Rachael sparked a publishing boom in 2002 when her first novel Jillaroo woke the world up to contemporary women’s stories beyond the city lights   ‘Jillaroo’  has become an iconic work of contemporary fiction, changing the face of Australian publishing, and kick-starting a boom of rural women’s fiction.

Her 8th novel “Milking Time” is due for release in May 2024

She is also co-founder of Ripple Farm Landscape Healing Hub, a 100-acre regenerative farm in Southern Tasmania that showcases Natural Sequence Farming, soil health principles, ecological restoration, and holistic farming. 

Rachael shared: 

• Her fascinating upbringing and how she arrived at now.

• ‘an agricultural activist, farm feminist and literary pioneer’, is that how you would describe yourself?

• You have certainly had some interesting jobs.  including, jillaroo, professional wool classer, veterinary nurse, stock camp cook, high country cattle drover, truffle sniffer dog handler and family farm manager.  How did these all come about?

• Where did the passion for writing come?   And at what age?

• As a rural journalist she saw an absence of contemporary rural women from Australia’s narrative and resolved to write a best seller about the women in her rural world.  Whilst its fiction,  Who were you inspiration?

• Her 8th novel “Milking Time” is due for release in May 2024

• In addition to be being a best selling author, you have written a screen play and have self published but you have also entered the world of adult entertainment………an adult colouring in book ’50 Bales of hay’   I love the play on words, what was the inspiration behind this?

• Manifesto for new path in agriculture ‘Down the Dirt Road’

• She also saw a growing disconnection emerging between nature and people, and a decline in human and landscape health due to modern industrial agricultural practices. Rachael uses storytelling in popular fiction form to awaken mass consciousness towards caring for our planet, particularly within agriculture. 

• Rachael sells meat, eggs and other produce directly to conscious consumers via Open Food Networks – an online system offering an alternative to major supermarkets.

To learn more about Rachael, her views on agriculture and to buy her products, head to her website https://www.rachaeltreasure.com/

We are constantly being reminded of inflation and the cost of living crisis. 

My guest on this episode is Personal Budgeting Queen, Author and Radio Host,
Samantha Boardman. 

Samantha founded ‘Spending Made Easy’ in July 2016, after being made redundant from her corporate job 12 months before.  

At Spending Made Easy they are experts at budgeting, and they take all of the stress, worry, panic, uncertainty, and often sleepless nights out of your mundane and tedious day-to-day finances and budgeting.  

Sam absolutely LOVES what she does and has even written a book called “Budgeting Is Crap” (because it is, right?).  

Sam is on a mission to get as many people as possible with a Spending Plan! Spending Plans change lives! 

Sam is also a regular contributor on a new internet radio station; “Podcast City Radio” 

Sam shared the following: 

·         How it all started.

·         Budgeting is crap.  Samantha explains why.

·         The  ‘a cost-of-living crisis’

·         What are some of the biggest challenges people have when they come to you.

·         Buy now, pay later, Afterpay etc.  instant gratification.   Parent s did not buy until they had saved the money.

·         The danger of payday loans

·         The importance of couple’s communication and working toward a common goal.  Also, transparency 

And Sam shared her  top 3 tips. 

1.      Always start with your outgoings NOT your income.

2.      Don’t be embarrassed, ask for help!

3.      Have a plan. (Fail to plan, plan to fail)

To reach out to Samantha, here are her details.

Website; https://www.spendingmadeeasy.com.au/

 Email; [email protected]

Click below to follow her on her social media.

 Facebook

Instagram

 Podcast

Theo Venter is the only person known to have survived 22,000 volts and 1,200 amps through the heart and lived to see another day.

When Theo removed his insulated gloves while working on a damaged transmission pole, he made a decision that would impact himself and his family in ways he couldn’t have imagined.

 But why did Theo, an experienced linesman, make what the safety industry would tell us was a poor decision?

As a result of his experience, Theo’s purpose was clear……….to save others from having to experience something so horrific.

Theo has formed the six bedrock foundation pillars, extricated from his story, that will transform a workplace culture on a deeper cellular level.

“Just Another Day” takes an in-depth look at the way in which workplace culture dictates safety, breaking through the many myths and misunderstandings associated with our safety industry.

Theo is also the co-author of Get Real and Convenience Kills. 

 Here is what we chatted about.:

• Tell us a bit about your background and how you became a Linesman?
•  Its February 13th, 2006.Tell us about ‘that day’
•  The obvious question is ‘why’?
• Were there any circumstances which impacted or influenced your decision?
• Talk us through what followed.   
• 
  
• The impact on his relationship.
• What work did you do to defeat the black dog?  He chose to believe there was hope.
• What are your 6 bedrock foundation pillars?
• You subsequently did significant research speaking to thousands of employees, senior leaders including executive leaders and hundreds of incident investigation,  what did you find?
•  How much pressure is there for people to make ‘expedient’ choices?

Theo also shared his '6 Pillars'

1. Agreement - Personal Accountability
2. Gut Feel
3. Dream about the perfect day, we spend too much time dwelling on crap!
4. Take 5 brave seconds
5. Stop, Pause, Feel
6. Have a symbol of your 'why'

For more information about Theo and his unbelievable story, head to his website at https://theoventer.com/

A recent study by the mental Health Foundation in the UK found that in the past year, a staggering  74% of people have been so stressed that they have been overwhelmed or unable to cope.

My guest on this episode is Rebekah King, The Brain Changer.    Rebekah is a 

·         Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP)Master Practitioner

·         Hypnotherapist

·         Speaker and life coach.

 As a  former corporate professional who, for years, navigated  depression and anxiety.

Rebekah reached what seemed like an insurmountable low. A pivotal encounter with a renowned Australian Coach, led Rebekah to delve deep in to understanding her mind's mechanisms, where she embarked on a transformative journey to rewire her thinking. 

Her own remarkable journey inspired Rebekah to effect radical shifts in her life, becoming a source of strength and inspiration to others seeking liberation from anxiety and self-limiting beliefs. 

Drawing from her experiences and coupled with her impressive qualifications, she now guides  people in retraining their brains, facilitating  immediate and profound transformations, earning her the moniker, ‘The Brain Changer’. Her clients have seen incredible shifts that have completely transformed the trajectory of their lives for the better, moving from feeling stuck, anxious and unhappy to motivated, calm and confident.

Unlocking your beliefs: the key to personal and professional transformation

Manage stress amid anxiety and sort out your life.

The essential ABC to retrain your brain

The power of language:  eliminate anxiety and transform your life through words

Unlock the secrets of behaviour change with neuroscience. 

We discussed:

• Her story, dealing with depression and anxiety.  In her words, "I didn't want to live, but I knew I didn't want to die".
• What did the LOW look like for her.
• People with depression.    That’s sounds easy BUT, you don’t understand…… Job, kids, demands of family etc.
• Our constant stress, and how our body normalises it.
• First step to change.
• Hypnotherapy.   Peoples perception vs what it really is
• The power of language…I am, self deprecating humor
•  Instant gratification.   People looking for a pill rather than doing the work
• Great question “for what purpose”
• In order to move forward we have to be open to the idea that there is a solution

Rebekah's ABC ,

• A             Awareness         Stillness, meditation, journaling
• B             Brain ,      Understanding how it works
• C             Choice, we have a choice in everything we do.

To learn more about Rebekah's work or to reach out, here are her links
Email         [email protected]
Website  https://www.moonbeammonday.com.au/

THIS EPISODE MAY SAVE YOUR LIFE………BOWEL CANCER…..

Now that I have your attention, once considered an old persons disease, there is an alarming increase in both diagnosis and death in younger people.  Here are some frightening  statistics:

1.        Bowel Cancer is now the #1 death by cancer of 25-30 year olds

2.       This is up from #9, 40 years ago.

3.       Now the 4th most common cancer, there has been an 11% increase in under 50’s 

My guest on this episode of ‘A Cuppa with The Con Versationalist’ is Nick Lee, Chairman of The Jodi Lee foundation,  corporate health expert and co-director and partner of Healthy Minds.            

With a beautiful family and working as a director of multi-national consumer goods company, Nick Lee had good reason to be happy and optimistic about his future. That changed in an instant when his wife Jodi was diagnosed with stage IV bowel cancer at the age of 39. After battling with the disease for 2 years, Jodi passed away in 2010. 

We all face critical hurdles in our lives, but when we do it is how we react that determines our future health and happiness. After Jodi’s death Nick made the brave decision to leave his job and use his experience to do all he could to stop others suffering a similar experience. He established The Jodi Lee Foundation to inspire others to protect themselves against bowel cancer and make positive choices to improve their health. The work of the Foundation has saved many Australian lives. 

Nick was a 2015 SA Australian of the Year finalist, and was awarded the 2013 Social Entrepreneur of the Year (Central Region) by Ernst and Young. In 2022 Nick was awarded The Medal of the Order of Australia. Nick receives this recognition for his service to the community through the not-for-profit sector (Jodi Lee Foundation) and commitment to raising awareness for the early detection and prevention of bowel cancer. 

During this eye opening and captivating interview, 

·         Nick shared his story.

·         What were the symptoms and what you should be looking out for.

·         Was there a delay in diagnosis and is there an ‘age barrier’ to diagnosis?

·         The dramatic increase in cases and deaths in under 50’s  and even more alarmingly, under 30’s

·         The valuable work of the foundation through research, education and support.

·         There is a 99% survival rate if there is early detection.

·         The importance of screening and questioning your doctor.

For more information about the life saving work the Jodie Lee Foundation do, head to their website at https://jodileefoundation.org.au/

Innovation is the future.  Innovations in Green Technologies, Space and Artificial Intelligence are impacting our world.

Stone and Chalk at Lot 14 in Adelaide South Australia is at the forefront of innovation and it’s having impact on a global scale.

My guest on this episode of ‘A Cuppa with The Con Versationalist’ is Innovator, entrepreneur and impact -driven Director of Ecosystems at Stone and Chalk, Dr Tim Mahlberg Sie

With a curiosity for people and culture, a passion for community, and a dedication to creating impact, Tim has had a diverse career spanning corporate, non-profit, higher education, startups, and service industries. 

Qualified as an organisational psychologist, he’s been developing individuals and organisations for nearly 20 years. He has a doctorate from The University of Sydney which explored new ways of working with purpose to drive innovation in large institutions. At Stone & Chalk, Tim is the General Manager for South Australia, where he is working to grow our innovation ecosystem and inspire the next generation of innovators.

The Adelaide Hub of Stone and Chalk has a population of 200 residents, has supported over 100 startups who have created over 1000 jobs in emerging tech, and are now valued at over $250 million

We chatted about:

·         Tim’s work in such diverse sectors, and what lead him into those industries.

·         What makes Stone and Chalk so successful and unique.

·         The great work by April Hobbs to highlight innovations in South Australia through her book, ‘Innovate Adelaide’  You can view on line here https://bit.ly/3OLrh8q or to get your copy,  reach out to April at  Innovations of the World at [email protected]

·         Tall Poppy syndrome.

·         The amazing technologies in South Australia.  There are over 100 space companies here!

·         Key Innovation into the future.

To see some of Tim’s thesis, follow the links below.

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOeS-5U7d7E

https://ses.library.usyd.edu.au/bitstream/handle/2123/24269/mahlberg_tj_thesis%20%281%29.pdf

To see more about Stone Chalk follow the link below.

 https://www.stoneandchalk.com.au/

DR TOM NEHMY IS A CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST WITH MORE THAN 20 YEARS’EXPERIENCE. 

 His passion is preventing psychological problems in people of all ages while also enhancing resilience and wellbeing. 

 His doctoral research in developing the Healthy Minds Program produced the world’s first prevention program to prevent the onset of symptoms of depression, and anxiety while also reducing risk for eating disorders. 

He was subsequently awarded the 2015 Flinders University Vice-Chancellor’s Prize for Doctoral Thesis Excellence. 

Tom is a prolific public speaker and corporate Trainer across Australia and overseas and has coauthored ten scholarly articles in peer-reviewed scientific publications.

He is the author of the book 'Apples for the Mind: Creating emotional balance, peak performance and lifelong wellbeing', and his work has been featured on Triple J, ABC Radio, 7 News, Power FM, Radio Adelaide, in the Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, The Advertiser, and beyond. 

See below all the links to reach out to Tom and purchase his book. 

We discussed: 

·         Where his interest in psychology began.

·         There is an increasing higher level of community awareness of mental health.  Is it becoming a bigger problem or are we just talking about it more?

·         Are we more stressed or do we have more to be stressed about?

·         The impact Covid had on our mental health was well documented.  What good, if any , came out of Covid?

·         Developing the Healthy Minds Program which produced the world’s first prevention program to prevent the onset of symptoms of depression and anxiety while also reducing risk for eating disorders.

·         Self Esteem vs Self Compassion.

·         The bullying in schools as a result of social media and how parents and teachers can help the children and also themselves.

·         We have choice.

·         Steps we can all take to help with out mental well being. 

To learn more about his work or to reach out to Dr Tom Nehmy follow the links below:

www.healthymindsprogram.com

www.tomnehmy.com

Get a copy of his book, ‘Apples For The Mind, Creating emotional balance, peak performance and lifelong wellbeing.’ With this link: https://books2read.com/u/3Jye0J

ARE YOUR TRADEMARKS, PATENTS AND IP (Intellectual Property) PROTECTED?

HOW VULNERABLE ARE YOU AND YOUR BUSINESS FROM ILLEGAL USE OF YOUR IP?

WHAT WOULD THE COST BE IF YOUR IP WAS COMPROMISED?

On this episode I chatted with experienced commercial lawyer, trademark and  patent expert,  Maggie Yarak.

Maggie has over 20 years experience in both the private and corporate sectors including banking, outdoor media, franchising, consumer and aviation and having negotiated international contracts to the value of $400 million.

We discussed:

·         What lead her into law.

·         The challenges she faces running a business with 2 boys with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

·         What is the difference between copyright, trademark and patent?

·         When should a business consider protecting their IP.

·         We discussed a recent case of an Australian woman whose website, product and all images including those of her children was completely copied.

·         How can business best protect themselves.

·         The most common, ongoing issues she sees and how they can be avoided.

·         How you can check if your ideas are new and can be protected.

For more information, to follow her on social and to get in touch with Maggie, follow the links below.

https://yourlegalpartner.com.au/

https://yourlegalpartner.com.au/free-resources/

https://www.facebook.com/ylplegal

https://www.instagram.com/ylplegal/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/ylplegal/

HAVE YOU EVER HAD TROUBLE CONCENTRATING?  

Perhaps your focus isn't as good as you'd like it to be. Or do you have one of those inner voices that constantly berates you and holds you back? 

The good news is you're not alone. Everyone has these issues. It's how they deal with them that determines their level of success. 

My guest on this episode of ‘A Cuppa with The Con Versationalist’  is Darren Fleming. Darren is a speaker, author and trainer to some of the largest companies in Australia and around the world including CISCO, Caterpillar and Komatsu. 

His latest book Mindset Mastery was published earlier this year and is currently being translated into Japanese. In it he shows you how to deactivate distracting thoughts, quieten that inner voice so you can have the concentration and focus you need to get through the day. 

Darren has studied psychology at UniSA and philosophy at Oxford. And each year he puts himself through a 10-day silent meditation retreat which he says teaches him more than any university course ever could. 

In this jam-packed episode, Darren shared his insights on: 

·         The conflicting information is popular self-help books and the one common aspect of them all.

·         We spend 20 minutes convincing ourselves we want chocolate then when we finally give in, we spend the next 20 minutes berating ourselves.   Sound familiar?

·         Some people are open to sharing success such as new cars holidays on social media, yet some don’t.  Darren shared his thought process around eventually sharing his childhood dream which he recently achieved.

·         Imposter syndrome, fear of failure and procrastination. 

To learn more about Darren and his work, head to his website at https://www.darrenfleming.com.au/mindset-mastery.

HER HUSBAND PASSED AWAY 37 DAYS AFTER DIAGNOSIS.
On this episode, Jodie Atkinson shared her journey which rose from the ashes of devastation after losing her husband to Pancreatic Cancer only 37 days after diagnosis.

Being acutely aware of her own lack of preparedness to face her grief, she not only sought help for herself but a deep desire to help others.

From becoming a' Certified Advanced Grief Recovery Specialist' to her work with community organisations to writing her book, 'Have You Met My Grief' to amazingly having her book transformed into an Award Winning Cabaret Show which premiered at the 2023 Adelaide Cabaret Fringe  Festival, her journey has been nothing short of inspirational.

I last spoke to Jodie over 2 and half years ago and lots has happened!

We talked about:

• Her profound loss and how she became aware of her lack of preparedness.
• What does 'preparedness' look like.
• Grief manifests in many different ways.
• Loss takes many forms.   It is not just death, it can be the loss of a relationship, job or a loved pet.
• How her book is helping people and how it evolved into a cabaret show.

If you are looking for a speaker for your community, have been touched by loss or would like  to know more about Jodie's work, reach out to her at [email protected]