Emma Twigg is one of New Zealand’s greatest rowers and won Olympic gold in Tokyo and Olympic silver in Paris.

This is Emma’s second appearance on Between Two Beers and life has changed a lot since we recorded with her at her Cambridge home back in 2020.

In this episode we talk about her emotional Olympic triumphs, her health scare leading into Paris, motherhood, athlete well-being, elite sport and what her future holds.

This was a really fun chat – with one of New Zealand’s greatest Olympians. Seamus and I have felt both personally invested and proud of Emma’s career since we connected four years ago – and it was so cool to sit with her, celebrate with her, chat through all the highs and lows and share a bunch of laughs.

In short, Emma is such a legend.

We're also proud to have Emma on the books of B2B Speakers, so if you’d like her to share her story  at your function or event, flick us a message by going to B2Bspeakers.co.nz

This episode is brought to you by TAB, download the new app today and get your bet on!

Listen on iHeart Radio or wherever you get your podcasts from or watch the video on YouTube.

Enjoy.

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Steve plays golf with Eric Murray and gets the worst hangover of his life, Seamus sings acapella at Paddy Gower's live show, reflections on episodes with Shaun Quincey and Sam Whitelock, Seamus commentates Auckland FC game and talks about the wildest week of his year.

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Samuel Whitelock is one of the greatest rugby players New Zealand has produced.

He's the most capped All Black in history with 153 caps. He went to four Rugby World Cups and won two. He also played in 181 Super Rugby Games and won seven titles with the Crusaders.

In this episode we talk about retiring from rugby and what life looks like now, searching for Harry Potter wands on All Blacks tours, his mum's incredible interview with the NZ Herald, the most difficult moments of his career, Crusaders leadership secrets, his bromance with Kieran Read and much more.

This was a really cool chat with Samuel - and the nuggets of wisdom around how he approached leadership with both the All Blacks and Crusaders was world class.

We're also stoked to tell you about the business we've built. If you'd like to get one of our epic guests in to MC or Speak at your function or event, flick us a message by going to B2Bspeakers.co.nz.

This episode is brought to you by TAB, download the new app today and get your bet on!

Listen on iHeart Radio or wherever you get your podcasts from or watch the video on YouTube.

Enjoy.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hey team - we've got a special midweek delivery here for you...

This is the 10th episode in the Accidental Business Owners series, but they all stand alone – so you don’t have to go back to the start to follow.

In this one, our business coach Di Foster takes us through some couple's therapy!

We talk about end of year goal setting, how to not take business personally and Seamus and Steve explore each other’s strengths and weaknesses.

Enjoy.

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Shaun Quincey is a top business executive and angel investor helping fund Kiwi business dreams.

But before that he became the only person to have successfully rowed solo from Australia to New Zealand and became a top selling author after writing a book about it.

We spent the first half talking about his epic solo Tasman voyage, which took two years of planning and 54 days of rowing in the world's most treacherous stretches of water.

This story is insane, and includes yarns about rowing into whales, flipping his boat and being trapped under it for 30 minutes, self-doubt, elite mindset and how his dad is the only other person to have rowed the Tasman solo – in the other direction in 1977.

Then in the second half we talk about his incredible business success.

Shaun is the founder of Genoapay, which quickly became one of the fastest growing payment companies in New Zealand. Within 6 months, the company was valued at close to 10 million dollars. Genoapay was acquired by Latitude where Shaun became General Manager, before taking up roles as a Director at IceHouse Ventures and Payleadr.

He is now CEO and Co-founder of Simfuni – which was named the Insurtech start-up of the year in 2024.

All that is to say – what he has achieved since rowing the Tasman is equally impressive as his epic sea expedition.

This is a ripper of an ep, Shaun is authentic, self-deprecating and funny – with so much wisdom to share.

And we’re so stoked to be able to announce him as the latest addition to B2B Speakers. So if you love what you hear, and would like Shaun to share his story  at your function or event, flick us a message by going to B2Bspeakers.co.nz.

This episode is brought to you by TAB, download the new app today and get your bet on!

Listen on iHeart Radio or wherever you get your podcasts from or watch the video on YouTube.

Enjoy.

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Steve and Seamus unpack all the highs and lows from the 'biggest day of their career', and getting named Apples #1 podcast in New Zealand, they discuss their upcoming live show with Paddy Gower, reflect on their recent episodes with Georgie and why Seamus needs to bring more energy to his gigs.

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Zion Armstrong is one of our favourite episodes of the year and when Apple Podcasts released their list of the best performing episodes in New Zealand in 2024 it was on it too!

We've picked up a lot of new listeners since we originally released it in February and we wanted to highlight his incredible story again.
 
The Zion Armstrong story starts in West Auckland and involves running away from the police so fast that he started an athletics career that took him to the Commonwealth Games.

At the same time, he was selling sports shoes – and at the age of 24 was head of footwear at adidas New Zealand.

From that foothold he climbed the corporate ladder before becoming President of adidas North America where he oversaw 12,500 staff, inked deals with some of the world's biggest sports and music stars and took annual profit to a record $US6 billion after a couple of years.

And then in 2022, Zion walked away from this rock-and-roll lifestyle and returned to New Zealand in pursuit of being a better dad in the wake of his divorce, not wanting his children to experience the same disconnect he had often endured as a kid. 

We cover all the detail in this one – and it’s one heck of a ride. Zion’s inspirational story shows what’s possible with the right mindset and work ethic – and his decision to walk away shows what's really important in life. You’ll love this one.

We're also super stoked to have Zion exclusively on the books of B2B Speakers, so if you’d like him to share his story  at your function or event, flick us a message by going to www.B2Bspeakers.co.nz.

Listen on iHeart Radio or wherever you get your podcasts from or watch the video on YouTube.

Enjoy.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Paula George – or Georgie as she’s commonly known – has a story that will blow you away.

She has lived the most remarkable life – with the most inspiring mindset – and she’s our favourite type of guest, a humble legend. Georgie is a very private person – and her story, till now, has largely gone untold.

Her life started on the back foot in Wales. Georgie wasn’t just the only person of colour in her village, but also her family. She was abandoned by her mother, forced into foster care and experienced a childhood filled of prejudice and hurt.

But she found safety in sport, where she became a star.

She played netball and rugby for Wales, then switched to England and became the first black captain of the England Red Roses.

She was one of the first professional women’s rugby players and eventually went to six World Cups in two sports.

She then became the digital content creator for the All Blacks, married a Kiwi and became a Kiwi, had twins, and a cancer diagnosis.

Five years ago she was given four to six months, with survival chances at 25% - but Georgie’s still here.

And now, she’s doing incredible work with the Tania Dalton Foundation where she helps Kiwi kids build their own resilience and happiness.

And most recently she’s become a part owner of The Northern Kahu: the first all-women owned franchise in New Zealand.

Georgie doesn’t seek the limelight, she had a taste of fame during her rugby days and hated it. It took a lot for her to share her full story with us and we’re so grateful she did – it’s a story that will help, inspire and entertain.

This episode is brought to you by TAB, download the new app today and get your bet on!

We're also stoked to tell you about the business we've built. If you'd like to get one of our epic guests in to MC or Speak at your function or event, flick us a message by going to B2Bspeakers.co.nz.

Listen on iHeart Radio or wherever you get your podcasts from or watch the video on YouTube.

Enjoy.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Steve and Seamus discuss all the best feedback from their blockbuster interview with Matthew Ridge, they reveal who the special friends will be at their live gig in Auckland, the best bits from their live Q and A with Emma Twigg and how they reconnected with Zion Armstrong.

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As some of you will know – this year we created a second podcast channel called Business in Between.

It’s a channel that documents our journey as business owners – and where we also host long-form interviews with NZ’s most interesting business leaders. And we’re sharing one of our favourite interviews on the Business in Between channel – with you here on Between Two Beers.

It’s the story of how a Kiwi entrepreneur turned an idea for a fitness goal setting app into a global business with customers in over 150 countries and revenue exceeding $80 million a year.

His name is Adam Al-Agez and his app is called The Conqueror.

Adam started his fitness goal setting app in 2012 after 10 years of being an entrepreneur with limited success.

The idea was relatively simple…instead of ‘just’ going for a run, walk, a ride or swim, you’re working towards a virtual fitness goal, immersed in community and with a tangible race medal delivered on completion.

But after six years and hundreds of thousands of dollars, the app was floundering.

All the signs were pointing to giving up all together and he even started getting his CV together and applying for jobs.

Then in a bizarre series of events, in 2019 he ended up hiring a marketing wiz who lived in Romania, to run the digital marketing.

Raul the Romanian immediately started growing sales and from an annual revenue of under $100k they grew to $2m in the first year.

The next year they did $40m and $75m in the following two, having secured licensing agreements with the Lord of the Rings, Game of Thrones, Star Wars and Harry Potter

The business has now expanded globally with around 70 staff in 6 countries with customers in over 150 countries.

Adam’s story – and the growth of his company – is insane and the story will blow your mind - and it’s the first time it’s been told.

Come for the storytelling and stay for Adam’s brilliant business lessons at the end.

This is an ep not to be missed.

If you enjoy this pod – please go and follow and subscribe to our Business in Between channel, where there are plenty more like this.

This episode is brought to you by TAB, download the new app today and get your bet on!

Listen on iHeart Radio or wherever you get your podcasts from or watch the video on YouTube.

Enjoy.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.