Curious AF

What happens when the parenting strategies we grew up with stop working?

In this episode of Curious AF Podcast, Luke sits down with parenting coach Sue Donnellan to unpack why yelling, punishment, and control often backfire — and what actually works instead. Sue shares her journey from “reformed yeller” to intentional leader in the home, drawing on psychology, behavioural science, and real-world parenting experience.

Together, they explore how proactive, leadership-based parenting builds confident, resilient kids, why relationship matters more than obedience, and how parents can raise independent children in a world full of distraction.

This conversation is for parents who feel stuck in power struggles, overwhelmed by modern parenting, or ready to lead their families with clarity, calm, and intention.

Key Takeaways: 

• Why yelling is not just ineffective but damaging to a child’s nervous system
• How leadership principles from business apply directly to parenting
• The power of parenting proactively instead of reacting in the moment
• How to build trust so your kids tell you everything, without fear
• Why resilience doesn’t come from neglect, but from responsibility and purpose
• Teaching balance and independence in a world of screens and distractions
• Navigating blended families by focusing on culture, not control

Guest Bio: 

Sue Donnellan is a parent coach, author, entrepreneur, wife, and mum of four, including triplets. Through her work at Ask Mom Parenting, Sue helps parents break free from yelling, power struggles, and burnout, and replace chaos with calm, clarity, and connection. Her leadership-based approach is rooted in Montessori principles, focusing on responsibility, contribution, and independence from toddlers through teens. Blending psychology, behavioural science, and real-world parenting experience, Sue equips families with practical tools to prevent problems rather than react to them. For over 20 years, her proven system has helped parents rebuild trust, reset family dynamics, and create homes where every member feels respected and valued.

Connect with Sue:

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/askmomparenting/
Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/@askmomparenting571

ABOUT CURIOUS AF PODCAST

Curious AF is a podcast for people who want more out of life than just ticking boxes. Hosted by Luke Biermann, entrepreneur, father of three, and relentless explorer of human potential, the show dives deep into the conversations that matter.

From endurance sports and entrepreneurship to psychedelics, parenting, spirituality, and self-discovery, Curious AF explores how we can live with greater purpose, connection, and fulfilment.

Expect raw, unfiltered stories and thoughtful insights from people who are redefining success, breaking cycles, and choosing to live with intention.

For further information, contact:
General Inquiries: [email protected]
Instagram: @curiousaf.podcast

In this candid episode of Curious AF Podcast, Luke sits down with Adam Darrow to explore the tension between experience and external validation. They unpack the difference between experience hunting and trophy bagging, and why so many people chase approval instead of genuine fulfilment.

Adam shares insights from extreme adventure sports and a decade-long non-monogamous marriage that forced him to confront fear, jealousy, masculinity, ego, and identity. Together, they examine how discomfort, when faced intentionally, can become a powerful teacher.

This conversation isn’t about lifestyle choices. It’s about masculinity beyond performance, seeking risk over reward, and discovering who you are when validation falls away.

Key Takeaways: 

• The difference between experience hunting and chasing trophies or validation
• Why fear and discomfort can deepen experience rather than block it
• How masculinity often becomes externally defined, and how to reclaim it
• What jealousy can teach us about identity, insecurity, and self-belief
• Why growth often lives just beyond comfort, not in chaos

Guest Bio: Adam Darrow grew up in a turbulent New York City, where a love of exploration and pushing boundaries shaped his path early on. After spending his twenties competing in extreme sports, he shifted into a business-focused career, applying his “experience hunting” philosophy across an unconventional life that has included Wall Street, high school teaching, sports photography, and even periods of scraping by through sheer resourcefulness. His latest book, Seek the Risk, chronicles his deeply personal journey into non-monogamy at age 40, a profound test of his commitment to living beyond comfort and validation, exploring love, sex, masculinity, and identity with brutal honesty, and inviting readers to question norms, face discomfort, and seek deeper meaning through lived experience.

ABOUT CURIOUS AF PODCAST

Curious AF is a podcast for people who want more out of life than just ticking boxes. Hosted by Luke Biermann, entrepreneur, father of three, and relentless explorer of human potential, the show dives deep into the conversations that matter.

From endurance sports and entrepreneurship to psychedelics, parenting, spirituality, and self-discovery, Curious AF explores how we can live with greater purpose, connection, and fulfilment.

Expect raw, unfiltered stories and thoughtful insights from people who are redefining success, breaking cycles, and choosing to live with intention.

For further information, contact:
General Inquiries: [email protected]
Instagram: @curiousaf.podcast

In this deeply honest and emotionally powerful conversation, Luke sits down with business coach and TEDx speaker Andrew Miller to unpack why so many entrepreneurs feel anxious, burnt out, and unfulfilled, even when they’re “successful.”

Starting with Andrew’s TEDx talk More Than Just Money, the discussion explores how society measures success almost exclusively through money, and how that mindset quietly damages mental health, identity, and self-worth.

The episode takes an unexpected and vulnerable turn as Luke openly shares his own childhood experiences, anxiety, and the internal drivers behind his obsession with success. What follows is a raw, live inner-work exercise that demonstrates how unresolved childhood patterns continue to shape adult ambition, stress, and burnout.

This is not a conversation about hustling harder. It’s about healing the internal drivers behind success, redefining what a good life actually looks like, and finding meaning beyond money.

Key Takeaways: 

• Why money is a poor measure of personal success, even in business
• How childhood experiences silently drive ambition, burnout, and comparison
• The three hidden fears behind high performance: not enough, not worthy, not accepted
• Why success never creates happiness if the internal work hasn’t been done
• How entrepreneurs can reconnect their business to meaning and purpose
• Why healing your younger self can change how you show up as a leader and parent
• How to build a version of success that doesn’t cost your mental health

Guest Bio: 

Andrew Miller is a business coach, multiple author, and TEDx speaker who helps business owners understand the deeper emotional drivers behind success and burnout. With firsthand experience running businesses, Andrew works with people to challenge the belief that success must come at the expense of wellbeing, guiding them to build businesses that actually align with who they are. His philosophy is simple but powerful: success is not just about the numbers, it is about enjoying the journey and creating a business that feels genuinely fulfilling, one that, in his words, makes your bits tingle.

Learn more about Andrew Miller:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/andrew.miller.359
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpXIUc8iRjfJ_z4UlIEfpQA
Watch his Ted Talk and grab his book here: https://www.businessenjoyment.org/tedx-mtjm

ABOUT CURIOUS AF PODCAST

Curious AF is a podcast for people who want more out of life than just ticking boxes. Hosted by Luke Biermann, entrepreneur, father of three, and relentless explorer of human potential, the show dives deep into the conversations that matter.

From endurance sports and entrepreneurship to psychedelics, parenting, spirituality, and self-discovery, Curious AF explores how we can live with greater purpose, connection, and fulfilment.

Expect raw, unfiltered stories and thoughtful insights from people who are redefining success, breaking cycles, and choosing to live with intention.

For further information, contact:
General Inquiries: [email protected]
Instagram: @curiousaf.podcast

In this episode Luke sits down with Helen Glanville to explore a powerful story of ambition, collapse, and redemption.

Helen shares the true story behind her book A Second Chance: A Disgraced Lawyer’s Journey, chronicling the rise and fall of her late husband, a high-flying Sydney lawyer whose desperate decisions led to prison, public shame, and the loss of everything.

Together, Luke and Helen unpack the quiet pressures that drive people to the edge, how identity becomes tangled with success, and why losing everything can sometimes be the beginning of a more meaningful life.

This is a raw conversation about failure, responsibility, second chances, and redefining what a “good life” actually looks like.

Key Takeaways: 

• When success becomes your identity, failure can feel devastating but often becomes the catalyst for real personal growth.
• Financial pressure and ambition can cloud judgment, even for disciplined and high-achieving people.
• Public failure does not define you, but accountability is essential for redemption and rebuilding trust.
• True purpose often comes after loss, when meaning replaces status and external validation.
• Breaking cycles of incarceration starts with supporting children and families affected by imprisonment.

Guest Bio: 

Helen Glanville is the author of A Second Chance, a powerful story of love, loss, and redemption inspired by her life with Richard “Geoff” Glanville, a former white-collar criminal extradited from Brazil in the 1970s. A former nurse turned advocate and speaker, Helen shares a deeply personal journey shaped by courage, faith, and a belief in the possibility of change, challenging assumptions about justice, forgiveness, and what it truly means to rebuild a life after failure.


Learn more about Helen:

Website: https://www.helenglanville.com  

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/helenglanville  

Facebook (personal): https://www.facebook.com/helen.glanville  

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/helenglanville001  

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=02MWTWD_Kyo

ABOUT CURIOUS AF PODCAST

Curious AF is a podcast for people who want more out of life than just ticking boxes. Hosted by Luke Biermann, entrepreneur, father of three, and relentless explorer of human potential, the show dives deep into the conversations that matter.

From endurance sports and entrepreneurship to psychedelics, parenting, spirituality, and self-discovery, Curious AF explores how we can live with greater purpose, connection, and fulfilment.

Expect raw, unfiltered stories and thoughtful insights from people who are redefining success, breaking cycles, and choosing to live with intention.

For further information, contact:
General Inquiries: [email protected]
Instagram: @curiousaf.podcast

In this raw and deeply human conversation, Luke sits down with Arkadi Krasnopevtzev, co-founder of Soulffee, a mindful coffee alternative born after a life-changing brain bleed and surgery. Arkadi shares how nearly losing everything forced him to rebuild not just his physical abilities, but his emotional, mental, and spiritual foundation from the ground up.

Together, Luke and Arkadi unpack the cycles of burnout, the anxiety loop entrepreneurs find themselves in, dopamine addiction, phone dependency, emotional regulation, and why rock bottom is often the beginning, not the end. They explore mindfulness as survival, spirituality as awareness, and the terrifying but transformative process of rebuilding your life with intention.

This is one of those conversations that hits every layer: the mind, the body, the business, the ego, and the soul.

Key Takeaways: 

• Why hitting rock bottom might be the exact wake-up call your life needs.
• How entrepreneurs trap themselves in panic, burnout, and constant future-chasing.
• The surprising link between dopamine, scrolling, caffeine, and your anxiety levels.
• Why emotional awareness is the difference between spiralling and stabilising.
• How Arkadi turned a life-threatening brain bleed into purpose, mindfulness, and meaning.

Guest Bio: 

Arkadi Krasnopevtzev is the co-founder of Soulffee, a mindful coffee alternative created after surviving a brain bleed and major brain surgery. His recovery pushed him into deep self-awareness, emotional regulation, and a new relationship with purpose, mental health, and entrepreneurship. He now speaks openly about turning pain into purpose, building resilience, and designing a life anchored in presence and intention, one cup at a time.

ABOUT CURIOUS AF PODCAST

Curious AF is a podcast for people who want more out of life than just ticking boxes. Hosted by Luke Biermann, entrepreneur, father of three, and relentless explorer of human potential, the show dives deep into the conversations that matter.

From endurance sports and entrepreneurship to psychedelics, parenting, spirituality, and self-discovery, Curious AF explores how we can live with greater purpose, connection, and fulfilment.

Expect raw, unfiltered stories and thoughtful insights from people who are redefining success, breaking cycles, and choosing to live with intention.

For further information, contact:
General Inquiries: [email protected]
Instagram: @curiousaf.podcast

In this raw and honest solo episode, Luke opens up about what’s really been happening behind the scenes, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. After experiencing a panic attack and a period of intense self-reflection, Luke dives deep into what he now calls the Productivity Happiness Paradox: the trap of endlessly trying to achieve more in hopes of finally feeling “good enough.”

Luke shares how comparing himself to others, chasing metrics, and pushing productivity to the extreme pulled him away from the life he actually wants… and how he’s finally redefining “a good life” on his own terms.

He breaks down the four buckets he believes truly matter:

Health. Wealth. Relationships. Spirituality.

Not as hustle checkboxes, but as foundations for inner peace, connection, and genuine wellbeing.

Key Takeaways: 

• Why more success never fixes the internal “I’m not enough” narrative
• How comparison destroys mental clarity and happiness
• Why relationships and community matter more than achievement
• The systems and habits he’s removing to create more peace
• How he’s rebuilding a life based on meaning, presence, and connection
• Why productivity culture is keeping people miserable
  
  

ABOUT CURIOUS AF PODCAST

Curious AF is a podcast for people who want more out of life than just ticking boxes. Hosted by Luke Biermann, entrepreneur, father of three, and relentless explorer of human potential, the show dives deep into the conversations that matter.

From endurance sports and entrepreneurship to psychedelics, parenting, spirituality, and self-discovery, Curious AF explores how we can live with greater purpose, connection, and fulfilment.

Expect raw, unfiltered stories and thoughtful insights from people who are redefining success, breaking cycles, and choosing to live with intention.

For further information, contact:
General Inquiries: [email protected]
Instagram: @curiousaf.podcast

Most people already know what they should do to get healthy, eat better, move more, sleep more, but few actually do it. Why?

In this powerful episode of Curious AF, Luke sits down with fitness coach Josh Wood, founder of Strong for Life, to uncover why lasting change is not about motivation or willpower. It is about identity, habits, and environment.

Josh shares his journey from mixed martial arts to holistic coaching, and how his philosophy of “strong for life” helps everyday people build strength that goes far beyond the gym. He and Luke break down why so many people start strong but fizzle out, the power of understanding your “why,” and how small daily wins, what Josh calls TNT: Tiny Noticeable Things, can completely change your body, mindset, and life.

If you have ever struggled to stay consistent with your health, this episode will change how you think about fitness forever.

Key Takeaways: 

• Why most people know what to do for their health but still can’t stick with it
• How small, consistent actions (TNT: Tiny Noticeable Things) create real change
• The truth about motivation and why your “why” matters more
• How to fix your relationship with food using the Apple Test
• Simple ways to design your environment for long-term fitness success

Guest Bio: 

Coach Josh Wood is a Tasmanian-based TEDx speaker, educator, and fitness expert who offers a fresh perspective on health and physical fitness focused on becoming strong for life. With over 15 years of experience as a competitive powerlifter, combat sport athlete, wilderness guide, and father, Josh brings a holistic and practical approach to building strength, resilience, and confidence. He has helped thousands of people worldwide through his coaching, live events, and online programs to move better, feel stronger, and live healthier, more capable lives.

Links & Resources:

Strong for Life Online Coaching →  https://strongforlife.online/

Macro Masala cookbook 

ABOUT CURIOUS AF PODCAST

Curious AF is a podcast for people who want more out of life than just ticking boxes. Hosted by Luke Biermann, entrepreneur, father of three, and relentless explorer of human potential, the show dives deep into the conversations that matter.

From endurance sports and entrepreneurship to psychedelics, parenting, spirituality, and self-discovery, Curious AF explores how we can live with greater purpose, connection, and fulfilment.

Expect raw, unfiltered stories and thoughtful insights from people who are redefining success, breaking cycles, and choosing to live with intention.

For further information, contact:
General Inquiries: [email protected]
Instagram: @curiousaf.podcast

What if the real problem has nothing to do with food at all?

In this eye opening episode, accredited practising dietitian Mattea Palombo reveals why most people do not need another diet. They need to understand the mindset, emotions and beliefs that drive their eating habits in the first place. Mattea breaks down the truth about fad diets, intuitive eating, emotional eating, gut health, calorie counting, and the difference between weight and health.

She and Luke dive deep into the patterns that keep people stuck, from stress eating and restrictive food rules to obsessing over the scale and feeling guilty after meals. Mattea explains why sustainable health comes from balanced eating, proper fuelling and a compassionate relationship with food. Her insights will help you rethink everything you have been taught about dieting and show you a more grounded way to build long term health.

If you have ever felt confused by nutrition advice, frustrated by dieting or overwhelmed by mixed messages online, this conversation will give you clarity, relief and a completely new perspective on what healthy really looks like.

Key Takeaways: 

• Why most eating issues have nothing to do with food and everything to do with stress, emotions and mindset.
• The truth about fad diets and why they fail, even when they produce quick results at the start.
• How intuitive eating actually works and why it does not mean eating whatever you feel like.
• The difference between weight and health and why the scale often tells you nothing useful.
• How to build a balanced relationship with food that reduces cravings, stops guilt and supports long term wellbeing.

Guest Bio: 

Mattea Palombo is an Accredited Practising Dietitian with more than 10 years of experience, a Master of Public Health, and ongoing studies in counselling. As the Director of Mind and Body Adelaide, she blends nutrition science with a counselling-informed approach to help people break free from diet culture and build a healthy, balanced relationship with food. Her work is shaped by her personal experience with coeliac disease, sport, and recovery from an eating disorder, giving her a deep understanding of the emotional and mental layers behind eating habits. Mattea is passionate about guiding clients away from restriction and confusion and toward nourishment, confidence, and long-term wellbeing.

Connect with Mattea:

Instagram: @mindandbodyadelaide

Website: www.mindandbodyadelaide.com.au 

Facebook: Mind and Body Adelaide

ABOUT CURIOUS AF PODCAST

Curious AF is a podcast for people who want more out of life than just ticking boxes. Hosted by Luke Biermann, entrepreneur, father of three, and relentless explorer of human potential, the show dives deep into the conversations that matter.

From endurance sports and entrepreneurship to psychedelics, parenting, spirituality, and self-discovery, Curious AF explores how we can live with greater purpose, connection, and fulfilment.

Expect raw, unfiltered stories and thoughtful insights from people who are redefining success, breaking cycles, and choosing to live with intention.

For further information, contact:
General Inquiries: [email protected]
Instagram: @curiousaf.podcast

In this raw and honest solo episode, host Luke Biermann opens up about hitting a wall, a full-blown panic attack after years of pushing through burnout.

Luke shares what led to it, the warning signs he ignored, and what it’s teaching him about success, self-worth, and slowing down. This isn’t another “grind harder” story, it’s a vulnerable look at what happens when drive, ambition, and external validation take over your wellbeing.

He also explores the emotional and physical signs of burnout, the dangerous mindset of “just push through it,” and why self-care is not selfish, it’s for the people around you.

If you’re a high-performer, entrepreneur, or parent trying to do it all, this episode is a powerful reminder to stop before your body forces you to.

Key Takeaways: 

• The real cost of ignoring burnout and overcommitment
• What a panic attack feels like, physically and emotionally
• The link between drive, self-worth, and the need for validation
• How to redefine success beyond constant achievement
• Luke’s plan to rebuild balance, peace, and presence

ABOUT CURIOUS AF PODCAST

Curious AF is a podcast for people who want more out of life than just ticking boxes. Hosted by Luke Biermann, entrepreneur, father of three, and relentless explorer of human potential, the show dives deep into the conversations that matter.

From endurance sports and entrepreneurship to psychedelics, parenting, spirituality, and self-discovery, Curious AF explores how we can live with greater purpose, connection, and fulfilment.

Expect raw, unfiltered stories and thoughtful insights from people who are redefining success, breaking cycles, and choosing to live with intention.

For further information, contact:
General Inquiries: [email protected]
Instagram: @curiousaf.podcast

What if your thoughts aren’t really yours?

In this powerful episode, Luke sits down with transformational coach and author Cindy Koehler to explore the hidden patterns that shape who we are, and how to break free from them. Cindy shares how most of us are unconsciously replaying the same 90% of thoughts every day, and why true transformation requires more than discipline, it demands an identity shift.

Drawing on 40 years of meditation, neuroscience, and coaching, Cindy explains how to rewire your mind, redefine success, and create lasting change in how you think, feel, and live.

This is the kind of conversation that will make you stop, reflect, and rethink what “growth” really means.

Key Takeaways: 

• Most of your daily thoughts are just yesterday’s beliefs on loop, and you can change the script.
• Real transformation starts when you’re willing to look at the parts of yourself you’d rather avoid.
• It’s not about doing more, it’s about being more aligned with what actually matters.
• Meditation isn’t about escaping the noise; it’s where your new identity starts to form.
• Change feels hard because your nervous system is learning a new way to be, and that’s where freedom lives.

Guest Bio: 

Cindy Koehler is a transformational coach, author, and founder of Mind Garage. She helps people rewire their identity to create lasting change in their health, wealth, and mindset. With over 40 years of experience in meditation, neuroscience-backed practice, and coaching, Cindy blends science with soul to make transformation practical and real. Her upcoming book, Manifest YOU, explores how shifting identity at a cellular level can change every part of your life.

ABOUT CURIOUS AF PODCAST

Curious AF is a podcast for people who want more out of life than just ticking boxes. Hosted by Luke Biermann, entrepreneur, father of three, and relentless explorer of human potential, the show dives deep into the conversations that matter.

From endurance sports and entrepreneurship to psychedelics, parenting, spirituality, and self-discovery, Curious AF explores how we can live with greater purpose, connection, and fulfilment.

Expect raw, unfiltered stories and thoughtful insights from people who are redefining success, breaking cycles, and choosing to live with intention.

For further information, contact:
General Inquiries: [email protected]
Instagram: @curiousaf.podcast