Better Bloke

This week’s solo episode is a recap of a massive weekend on the road and a reminder of why being boots on the ground matters.

The Older But Not Wiser annual charity ride brought together more than 70 bikes, with incredible support from local businesses and everyone who attended. After the ride, Rob caught up with Ash and Thommo, who were stoked with how the day unfolded, particularly the conversations that happened along the way.

The Thunder Run also took place, with Rob and Brock joining the crew at the Anglers Inn. The atmosphere was unreal, and the afternoon included one of the biggest meat tray raffles you will ever see, with 30 meat packs up for grabs.

Across both rides, blokes opened up to Rob and Brock about what was happening in their lives. Many of them are not the type to normally talk about what they are carrying, but sometimes speaking with someone outside your usual circle makes it easier to take that first step. Those conversations can become a bridge to opening up with loved ones or seeking professional support.

Seeing that happen firsthand reinforced why Better Bloke Project is needed and why showing up in person remains such an important part of the work.

Rob also addresses the elephant in the room and clears up some confusion surrounding the charity & podcast. Better Bloke Project and Blokes Advice are separate and have no affiliation. Their shared history can make that unclear at times, but Rob and Brock are moving Better Bloke Project forward while Matty continues with Blokes Advice.

The episode also looks ahead to the Burnouts for Better Blokes raffle, launching October 21. It gives supporters the chance to win incredible money cannot buy memorabilia while helping the charity continue its work.

BURNOUTS FOR BETTER BLOKES RAFFLE:

https://www.betterblokeproject.org/pages/burnouts-for-better-blokes

Help us help the blokes who need it:

https://www.betterblokeproject.org/pages/donate-now

Find us on socials:

https://www.instagram.com/betterblokeproject/

https://www.facebook.com/thebetterblokeproject/

https://www.tiktok.com/@betterblokeproject

Episode 131 is a solo catch up on everything that has been happening around the Better Bloke Project.

Rob reflects on the recent Ride for Tim and Podcast Royale events, the conversations that came from both, and the impact of bringing good people together around a shared purpose. It is often the chats before, during and after these events that remind us why the project exists in the first place.

With October being Mental Health Month, Rob also talks about pressure. Pressure can make diamonds, but it can also burst pipes. Sometimes staying busy only delays what is building underneath. This episode is a reminder to find your pressure release valve, whatever that looks like for you, and to reach out before things become too much.

He also looks ahead to a massive weekend on the road, with the Thunder Run and the Older But Not Wiser Podcast annual charity ride both coming up.

A short and honest update on recent events, meaningful conversations, mental health, community and what is next for Better Bloke.

Upcoming events:

Older But Not Wiser Podcast annual charity ride:

https://www.facebook.com/share/19sEFbv3es/

Thunder Run event page:

https://www.facebook.com/share/1cZbvj29Hq/

Help us help the blokes who need it:

https://www.betterblokeproject.org/pages/donate-now

Find us on socials:

https://www.instagram.com/betterblokeproject/

https://www.facebook.com/thebetterblokeproject/

https://www.tiktok.com/@betterblokeproject

Michael Forrest, better known as Mic Power, is the voice behind Podcast Royale and quite possibly the greatest ring announcer in Australia by a country mile.

But announcing is not his full time job. When he is not behind the microphone, Michael works away as an offshore rigger while putting everything he can into turning his passion into a profession.

He has announced some of the biggest names in combat sports, including Jon Jones, Alexander Volkanovski and Daniel Cormier. Not inside the UFC cage just yet, but through chance encounters on the street, press conferences and other events where he has never been afraid to take an opportunity and show people what he can do.

From the outside looking in, it seems obvious that someone with his voice, presence and ability should already be doing this for a living. But this conversation explores the part people do not always see. Chasing your dream does not necessarily pay the bills, and being good enough does not mean the opportunities automatically arrive.

We talk about working away, managing an offshore roster and trying to fit his passion and purpose around the job that supports him. Michael often pays his own way to events for nothing more than the chance to showcase his ability, meet the right people and open another door towards becoming the best.

It is a conversation about backing yourself, creating your own opportunities and continuing to grind when the life people see from the outside is only a small part of the real story.

Coming in just shy of two hours, this is the longest episode Better Bloke has ever released, and somehow it still feels like we barely scratched the surface of Michael Forrest and the incredible story behind Mic Power.

Help us help the blokes who need it: https://www.betterblokeproject.org/pages/donate-now

Follow Mic Power:

https://www.instagram.com/mic_powerr/

Find us on socials:

https://www.instagram.com/betterblokeproject/

https://www.facebook.com/thebetterblokeproject/

https://www.tiktok.com/@betterblokeproject

This week’s episode is a little different.

I sit down with my 11 year old son, Hemi, to recap the entire Podcast Royale 3.0 weekend through the eyes of a young boxer watching his dad step into the ring.

I was lucky enough to have Hemi beside me for the whole experience, from the walkthrough on Friday and the press conference, to walking me out and standing in my corner alongside a world class team consisting of the Moloney twins, Ben Savva, Viviana Ruiz and Shane Morrissey.

It is a heartfelt chat between a father and son about what the weekend looked and felt like from his perspective. We talk about the atmosphere, the fight and what it was like watching his dad box after agreeing to face two very capable blokes who had actually been training. Unlike me. Kyle thankfully carried a big load of the fight thanks to his training.

There are a few lessons buried among the chat, including a healthy dose of "do what I say, not what I do". But the biggest lesson is simple. If you say you are going to do something, you follow through. Even when you feel underprepared, doubt yourself or realise you may have bitten off more than you can chew.

Sometimes standing on business means showing up, backing your word and doing the thing before you feel completely ready.

This is a short, honest and special conversation with my son about boxing, commitment and an unforgettable weekend we were lucky enough to share.

Help us help the blokes who need it:

https://www.betterblokeproject.org/pages/donate-now

Find us on socials:

https://www.instagram.com/betterblokeproject/

https://www.facebook.com/thebetterblokeproject/

https://www.tiktok.com/@betterblokeproject

James Blackmore is one of the Better Bloke Project’s biggest supporters, not only financially, but through the time, energy and effort he puts into bringing people together.

Through The Angler’s Inn in Wallaroo, where he is the manager, James has helped host multiple events in support of the project, including the annual Thunder Run.

Despite meeting James in Adelaide a few months ago and having countless conversations online, I realised I did not actually know much about the bloke behind the fundraisers.

While James and his family were travelling through multiple states, it felt like the perfect opportunity to sit down, get to know him properly and hear his story.

We talk about the role a pub can play beyond serving drinks. Being part of The Angler’s Inn gives James the opportunity to create space for conversations that many blokes might not have anywhere else. Sometimes it is easier to open up while sitting at the bar, attending an event or simply having a yarn with someone who is willing to listen.

Blokes do not often put this much work into supporting their community without having their own experiences, motivations and reasons for wanting to help others.

This episode goes beyond the events, fundraising and support to meet the bloke behind it all, and to understand why creating space for other blokes matters so much to him.

Help us help the blokes who need it:

https://www.betterblokeproject.org/pages/donate-now

Keep up with Thunder Run updates:

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61589271012280

Find us on socials:

https://www.instagram.com/betterblokeproject/

https://www.facebook.com/thebetterblokeproject/

https://www.tiktok.com/@betterblokeproject

Cris Cross is back for his second appearance on the Better Bloke Project Podcast.

Cris is more than a friend of the project. He is a personal mate, and this episode was as much about catching up as it was recording a podcast.

We chat about what Cris has been up to since his last appearance, including his art exhibition, the latest happenings in his creative world and a quick reminder for new listeners about who he is and what he does.

There is plenty of shit talk and banter between mates, but there is also a reason I wanted Cris back in the chair. The conversations we have had off camera are the kind you need when you are stuck in a rut and things are not quite adding up. It is important to have blokes around you who you can lean on, talk things through with and trust to tell you what you need to hear.

One idea that stayed with me from the conversation was that the mundane keeps you sane. When we compare our lives to what we see on social media, we are usually looking at someone else’s one percent. We do not see the ordinary days, the boring jobs or the everyday routines that keep everything moving. But often, that boring stuff is what puts fuel in the tank and gives us the drive to keep going.

This is a conversation between mates about art, AI, renovations, self doubt, life and a whole heap of other shit in between. It is honest, loose and exactly the kind of chat I needed.

Help us help the blokes who need it:

https://www.betterblokeproject.org/pages/donate-now

Follow Cris Cross:

https://www.instagram.com/cris.cross.art/

Find us on socials:

https://www.instagram.com/betterblokeproject/

https://www.facebook.com/thebetterblokeproject/

https://www.tiktok.com/@betterblokeproject

This week, we step outside the usual studio and into Sacred Rose Tattoo for a raw and honest conversation with Migelly Shaw.

Migelly is a tattooist, business owner, media man, father, gamer and all round good bloke. He is someone who keeps a lot of plates spinning, and as we unpack throughout the episode, staying busy is often his way of keeping the head noise from creeping in.

We talk openly about the intrusive thoughts that can find their way into anyone’s head, and how we use reason and logic to challenge them rather than allowing them to take control.

At the centre of everything is fatherhood. Migelly speaks about finding his purpose in being a dad, why his family is his everything and how becoming a father gave him something bigger than himself to live for. In many ways, it is what saved him.

We also talk about the pressure to provide for your family, building a business and the many layers behind the bloke people see online. Migelly describes himself as an onion, or maybe a cake, because there is always another layer underneath.

Despite regularly putting himself out there on social media, sitting down as a podcast guest is not something that comes naturally to him. Even in the comfort of his own studio, the nerves are real. But as the conversation begins to flow, he settles in and realises the experience was far worse in his head than it was in reality. As one of the greats said, we suffer more in imagination than reality.

We explore tattoo culture, how it has changed and the unique relationship between an artist and the person sitting in their chair. Tattooists can become therapists in their own way. There is a trust that develops between the artist and their client, and when someone is sitting still for hours with their guard down, the conversation often goes far beyond the tattoo itself.

This is a conversation about fatherhood, finding purpose, managing the noise in your head and becoming comfortable enough to show the bloke behind the work.

Help us help the blokes who need it:

https://www.betterblokeproject.org/pages/donate-now

Follow Migelly:

https://www.instagram.com/migelly/

Find us on socials:

https://www.instagram.com/betterblokeproject/

https://www.facebook.com/thebetterblokeproject/

https://www.tiktok.com/@betterblokeproject

This wasn't supposed to be a solo episode.

After camera issues killed our planned recording with Ryan McCarthy, it was 7pm the night before the episode dropped with one working camera.

So we adapted.

We also reflect on recent conversations with heavyweight fighters Haze Hepi and Brando Peričić, what they revealed about strength, vulnerability and the men behind the fighters... go read the latest update on the website with the lessons learned.

Sometimes the plan goes to shit. You work with what you've got. Thats life!

Help us help the blokes who need it:

https://www.betterblokeproject.org/pages/donate-now

Find us on socials:

https://www.instagram.com/betterblokeproject/

https://www.facebook.com/thebetterblokeproject/

https://www.tiktok.com/@betterblokeproject

This one is a little different. It’s my first solo episode, and while it comes in at just over 18 minutes, it might be the rawest I have ever been on Better Bloke.

I talk about losing my best mate, Brutus, and what it's like having to walk through the door without my dog there to greet me. Speaking about him brought out plenty of emotion, but that is what this podcast is meant to be about. Honest conversations, even when they are hard.

I also reflect on returning from Bogged Brakes. I do not go into too much detail because it is a bit like Fight Club. You need to go to understand it.

I unpack the speech I gave at Mitch Farlow’s charity dinner, the conversations that followed and why delivering a proper speech in front of a full room still makes me uncomfortable. Maybe it was the setting. Maybe it was the suit and tie. Either way, it pushed me outside my comfort zone.

Now a month into this solo chapter of Better Bloke, I reflect on those early thoughts of “Can I actually do this?” and the positive feedback I have received since putting myself out there. I also share a few life updates, including finishing the retaining wall and fence and making way for the shed that will eventually become a proper Better Bloke studio.

Finally, I try some fudge from OG Fudging Delicious, some friends who are going hard at building their business and deserve every bit of recognition.

No guest and no polished answers. Just an honest check in on grief, discomfort, self doubt, progress and backing the people around you.

Help us help the blokes who need it:

https://www.betterblokeproject.org/pages/donate-now

Find us on socials:

https://www.instagram.com/betterblokeproject/

https://www.facebook.com/thebetterblokeproject/

https://www.tiktok.com/@betterblokeproject

Kynan Hunt isn’t your typical real estate agent. A local character known for outrageous selling tactics, hilarious property videos and a healthy dose of Aussie larrikinism, he’s built a reputation for doing things differently.

But before Kynan was selling homes and starting his own agency, he spent 12 years in the Australian Army, fulfilling an ambition he’d held since childhood. When his body could no longer meet the physical demands of military life, Kynan was forced to consider what came next. That transition involved plenty of personal work before an unexpected path led him into real estate.

In this episode, we talk about his journey from the Army to becoming an agent, the realities of launching his own agency and why breaking the traditional real estate mould has become such an important part of his success.

We also get into parenthood, navigating life as a girl dad, having children later in life and making sure there aren’t any more, with a very honest conversation about vasectomies.

Finally, we discuss the lost art of the handshake, what it says about a person, why it still matters and whether younger generations are losing an important form of connection.

It’s a funny, honest and raw conversation with a genuinely good bloke who has an unreal story.

Help us help the blokes who need it:

https://www.betterblokeproject.org/pages/donate-now

Follow Kynan Hunt: https://www.instagram.com/kynanhunt/

Find us on socials:

https://www.instagram.com/betterblokeproject/

https://www.facebook.com/thebetterblokeproject/

https://www.tiktok.com/@betterblokeproject