Giant Thinkers Podcast

Giants, this is episode #73! Today we have the CEO of BridgeClimb Sydney, which is the #1 ranked experience in Australia. To date, over 4 million people from more than 140 countries have climbed the Sydney Harbour Bridge since 1998, including Oprah Winfrey, Hugh Jackman and Jamie Oliver. Previously, our guest was the CEO of Scenic World Blue Mountains where he served a 10-year tenure.

His formal studies include a Bachelor's degree in Business, Management and Marketing – plus a Master’s in Information and Communication Sciences – both at Ball State University, Indiana.

He is a man of many layers, including being a servant leader that specialises in creating world-class cultures and building exceptional iconic experiences. He believes the heart of all business is people and that his role is to create a space where people can be the best version of themselves.

One of the things that really got me was when he said that “in order to truly know and lead a person you have to know their pain”. Personally, the conversation we had reminded me that – excelling in our careers and reaching ambitious goals, takes a tonne of inner-work – and requires showing up with an open heart and open mind when working with others.

• The most unexpected thing that’s happened on the bridge during a climb

So if you’d like to improve your leadership skills, or hear answers to some of the bigger questions, then this is for you – as we uncover what makes an empathic, courageous leader.

I present to you … the high-climbing, multi-layered, truth-seeker … Chris Zumwalt!

More on Chris can be found via the links below:

LinkedIn: Chris Zumwalt

BridgeClimb Sydney

Scenic World

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Welcome to episode #72! Today’s guest is a household name. She’s a 3 time Olympic Gold Medalist and 5 time World Record Holder. She’s even been inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame. When she was a full-time competitor, her rigorous training involved over 5 hours a day, 6 days a week, swimming 3,000 km a year – so we have front row seats to hearing from an elite athlete about physical fitness and mental toughness.

• Her top 5 vegan ingredient staples

So if you’re interested in having the mindset of a pro athlete and keen to implement that into your career — or your own brand or business, then this is for you, as we uncover what it takes to succeed like an Olympic Champion.

I present to you … the super friendly, humble and determined … Stephanie Rice!

More on Stephanie can be found via the links below:

StephanieRice.com.au

Stephanie’s Swim Squad Programs

LinkedIn: Stephanie Rice

Stephanie’s Facebook Page

Twitter: @ItsStephRice

Instagram: @itsstephrice

Stephanie’s LinkedIn Article

The Art of Wellness

Magical Mentoring

Subscribe to The Giant Thinkers Podcast on iTunes.

Get 20% off my image search library of choice: Stocksy

Stocksy provide royalty-free stock photography and cinematic video footage.

A big reason why I love them is because their library is highly curated and isn’t full of cheesy, overused assets.

Plus, the entire website is insanely easy to use. The searching, the filtering, the navigating – It’s all clear, intuitive and simple. They even have a drag and drop search feature if you have an image you like and want to see similar images on Stocky, just drag and drop it straight onto their website. And, they have a search by colour feature too. Perfect for finding images to match your colour palette.

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Today, we have someone super special. He’s been a top 4 contestant on MasterChef Australia’s Season 7 (in 2015 – where at the time he was only 20 years old) and he’s the Co-Founder of multiple family-run restaurants – including KOI Dessert Bar & Dining and Monkey’s Corner. He’s often been referred to as Sydney’s "dessert king" but his abilities span well beyond sweets and into the savoury. He’s been featured multiple times in the Daily Telegraph, The Guardian, Good Food, News.com.au and Vogue Australia. If you’ve ever tried his creations you’ll feel his passion for taking people on a journey through taste, texture and visual theatre.

A part of his story I’m excited for you all to hear is his humble beginnings which isn’t widely known or told. He emigrated from Indonesia to Sydney with his family when he was just 4 years old. The food and restaurant empire actually started in their family garage where his mother started operations with only $300 to support them. Through his story you’ll see why he’s a firm believer in keeping a firm grip of your dreams.

Some of the topics we spoke about include:

• His top 3 dishes under $30

So if you’re thinking about running a creative business, or just love cooking and quality food, then this is for you.

I present to you … the always moving, hardworking, creative visionary … Reynold Poernomo!

More on Reynold can be found via the links below:

KOIDessertBar.com.au

MonkeysCorner.com.au

Reynold’s Facebook Page

Reynold’s LinkedIn

Instagram: @reynoldpoer

Links to some of Reynold’s favourite places to eat in Sydney:

Mr Crackles

Ichibandori

Gumshara

Subscribe to The Giant Thinkers Podcast on iTunes.

Get 20% off my image search library of choice: Stocksy

Stocksy provide royalty-free stock photography and cinematic video footage.

A big reason why I love them is because their library is highly curated and isn’t full of cheesy, overused assets.

Plus, the entire website is insanely easy to use. The searching, the filtering, the navigating – It’s all clear, intuitive and simple. They even have a drag and drop search feature if you have an image you like and want to see similar images on Stocky, just drag and drop it straight onto their website. And, they have a search by colour feature too. Perfect for finding images to match your colour palette.

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Giants, this is episode #70! Today I’m joined by one of the world’s top Graphic Designers; specialising in branding and logo design. Our guest has had over 15 years design experience, has spoken at TEDx, been featured in Forbes, Entrepreneur and has been awarded LinkedIn’s exclusive “Best of 2017” for graphic design. With over 50 million views across his popular design blog, JUST Creative – which doubles as his award-winning graphic design and branding firm. Our guest has also worked across the globe – in New York, Sweden, Sydney and has travelled to 86 countries.

His portfolio includes clients such as Disney, Nintendo, Coca-Cola, Jerry Seinfeld and hundreds more. Graduating from The University of Newcastle, Australia, with a Bachelor of Visual Communication; for him design is a lifelong journey of continuously honing his craft, as well as educating other fellow designers to build on theirs.

Some of the topics we spoke about include:

• Introvert-proof ways to network

So if you’re thinking about becoming a graphic designer, or looking at how to best position yourself in the marketplace, then this is for you – as we uncover what it takes to put yourself out there.

I present to you … the curious, humble and dedicated … Jacob Cass!

More on Jacob can be found via the links below:

JustCreative.com

JustGlobetrotting.com

LinkedIn: Jacob Cass

Jacob’s Facebook Page

Twitter: @justcreative

Instagram: @justcreative

Jacob’s Dribble

Jacob’s YouTube

Subscribe to The Giant Thinkers Podcast on iTunes.

Get 20% off my image search library of choice: Stocksy

Stocksy provide royalty-free stock photography and cinematic video footage.

A big reason why I love them is because their library is highly curated and isn’t full of cheesy, overused assets.

Plus, the entire website is insanely easy to use. The searching, the filtering, the navigating – It’s all clear, intuitive and simple. They even have a drag and drop search feature if you have an image you like and want to see similar images on Stocky, just drag and drop it straight onto their website. And, they have a search by colour feature too. Perfect for finding images to match your colour palette.

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Giants, this is episode #69! Our guest is the Founder of Boost Juice & Retail Zoo – the parent company of Boost Juice, as well as Salsa’s Fresh Mex, CIBO Espresso and Betty’s Burgers. She’s also an Australian Shark Tank Investor, Author and mother of four children.

It all started with her vision of getting more fruit and veggies in people’s diet and – loving life along the way – which is now a reality, with over 2 million smoothies and juices sold every month. Boost Juice has more outlets in more countries than any other juice bar in the world.

She also has a long list of awards to her name including BRW naming her one of fifteen people that changed the way Australia does business in the last 35 years.

In total, her businesses span across over 650 stores worldwide, so it’s no surprise that as a Shark Tank investor, she can quickly pinpoint the difference between a good business – versus a great one. Part of her unique philosophy is that it’s not necessarily about “being better” – rather, it’s about “being different”.

• Her epic “go-to” concoction that she makes each morning

So if you’re looking to learn from a powerhouse businesswoman, who’s worn all the hats, has weathered many storms and has more proof in the pudding than most entrepreneurs I’ve ever met, then this is for you.

I present to you … the opportunistic, out-of-the-box thinking, power mum and business giant … Janine Allis!

More on Janine can be found via the links below:

JanineAllis.com.au

BoostJuice.com.au

RetailZoo.com.au

LinkedIn: JanineAllis

Twitter: @Janineboost

Instagram: @Janine_Allis

The Accidental Entrepreneur

Subscribe to The Giant Thinkers Podcast on iTunes.

Get 20% off my image search library of choice: Stocksy

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Giants, Ram Castillo here. This is episode #68! Today’s guest is a Canadian businessman, author and TV personality from Shark Tank USA. He co-founded the technology firm SoftKey – which was later acquired for more than $4 billion dollars. He has since launched O’Leary Funds (an investment fund company), O’Leary Fine Wines – and a best-selling book series on financial literacy which covers everything you need to know about making, saving, and growing money. He’s even stepped his foot into the world of politics (which we briefly talk about).

He has a current investment portfolio of 29 companies (possibly more from when I interviewed him 2 months ago to now). He first learnt about entrepreneurship at a young age after his step-father advised him to not become a full-time photographer – a story I won’t spoil as our guest delivers it so well. And now he is on a mission to educate the next generation of entrepreneurs to truly succeed.

• The common mistakes he sees people aged 20 - 35 make with their money

So if you’re thinking about making a success out of your creative craft – or are looking for ways to grow your financial freedom through running a business, then this is for you – as we uncover what truly makes an entrepreneur successful.

I present to you … the brutally honest, relentless and generous … Kevin O’Leary!

More on Kevin can be found via the links below:

KevinOleary.com

LinkedIn: Kevin O’Leary 

Kevin’s Facebook Page 

Twitter: @KevinOlearyTV 

Instagram: @KevinOlearyTV 

Cold Hard Truth on Family, Kids, and Money 

The Cold Hard Truth on Men, Women, and Money 

Subscribe to The Giant Thinkers Podcast on iTunes.

Get 20% off my image search library of choice: Stocksy

Stocksy provide royalty-free stock photography and cinematic video footage.

A big reason why I love them is because their library is highly curated and isn’t full of cheesy, overused assets.

Plus, the entire website is insanely easy to use. The searching, the filtering, the navigating – It’s all clear, intuitive and simple. They even have a drag and drop search feature if you have an image you like and want to see similar images on Stocky, just drag and drop it straight onto their website. And, they have a search by colour feature too. Perfect for finding images to match your colour palette.

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The discount is automatically applied.

Giants, this is episode #67! Today’s guest is a contemporary Cuban-American artist and portrait painter, best known for his ‘Syncretism’, a term he coined in 2011 to describe paintings where he presents two or more art tendencies in aesthetic balance. His work harmonises both classical and modern interpretations juxtaposed within each painting.

When he moved to America with his family aged 12, he got the real taste for the American Dream: “The worst thing that could happen in America was always a luxury in comparison to the Cuban lifestyle” (where he’s originally from).

He studied at the Miami Dade College, then attended the New World School of the Arts for a period of time and even relocated to Florence for further painting education. The artist has received numerous accolades around the world, including the Grand Prize and People's Choice Award at the Academy of Realist Art Boston, First Prize at the Grand Central Academy Portrait Competition, The Hall of Fame Award at Miami Dade College and First Place at The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Some of the topics we spoke about include:

• Advice for people wanting to make a living as an artist

So if you’re thinking about becoming a full-time artist, or looking for ways to channel your creativity, then this is for you – as we uncover what makes an artist thrive.

I present to you … the always curious, open-minded, grounded … Cesar Santos!

More on Cesar can be found via the links below:

SantoCesar.com

Subscribe to The Giant Thinkers Podcast on iTunes.

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G’day Giants, welcome to episode #66! Our guest today is a 10-time World Muay Thai Champion. He’s also a former Australian middleweight boxing champion, professional Kickboxer and Owner of Boonchu gym located in the Gold Coast, Queensland. He was the runner up on The Contender Asia, and the first Australian to fight at the Thai King’s birthday.

For extra context, he started Taekwondo at the age of 11 before moving onto Muay Thai at the age of 13. He’s grown a career from this passion, travels the world competing in professional matches, and all while running his Gym. . Now aged 42, “the passion has never worn off” – and he still fights professionally today.

His mindset is to “concentrate on your own strength, not your opponent’s strength” . Having fought in front of 100,000 spectators, received 335 stitches to his face to date and fought in 145 career fights – this man’s drive is intoxicating . We learn how much of his outer strength comes from inner strength.

Some of the topics we spoke about include:

• What he believes is the Winner’s Mindset

So if you’re chasing your dreams, need a reminder of what’s at stake, and want to grow your self belief, your discipline and your winners mindset – then this is for you.

Alrighty, let’s dive straight in.

I present to you … the always smiling, dedicated and humble … John Wayne Parr.

More on John can be found via the links below:

JPW’s Facebook Page

Twitter: @johnwayneparr

Instagram: @johnwayneparr

Boonchu Gym

Subscribe to The Giant Thinkers Podcast on iTunes.

Want to know the most productive tool that has helped me accelerate my progress?

It’s the Five-Minute Journal; the simplest, most effective thing you can do everyday to be happier.

It’s a physical journal that gives you a positive quote, followed by three questions you answer in the morning and two questions to answer in the evening before bed.

It basically anchors your mind in a positively focused, intentional and grateful mindset, in less than 5 minutes a day. Grab yours here: GiantThinkers.com/fiveminutejournal

Giants welcome to episode #65 — a special, first ever solo Q&A episode with yours truly to end 2018. Questions submitted by you the listeners. I’ve curated the top 8 based on the most similar questions asked, and also the ones I felt would be the most widely useful or applicable.

To help you skip to the answer most relevant to you, as I know many of you are time poor, I’ll list all the questions out below.

The eight questions I’ve answered in order are:

Q1. Any recommendations for working out what is truly important to each of us?

Q2. Would you stay in a smaller job market to keep your relationship, or venture out on your own?

Q3. Any advice for starting one's own podcast?

Q4. What is your go-to breakfast?

Q5. I often get anxious when speaking in public. Do you have any advice for overcoming this?

Q6. The money conversation with clients always scares me. I’m scared if I charge what I really want, they’ll say no and I won’t get their business at all, but if I charge too low that becomes the expected fee moving forward. What can I do to break this cycle?

Q7. With the vast number of interviews you’ve been able to do, have you seen a common thread in responses from interviewees?

Q8. How do you manage pursuing creative or entrepreneurial goals while keeping up with personal commitments?

So they are the 8 questions I’ve attempted to answer. By all means take it with a grain of salt. It’s my two cents and subjective at the end of the day. But I do hope it’s helpful and if you’d like me to do more of these, let me know on Instagram via a DM to my handle: TheGiantThinker

Resources mentioned can be found via the links below:

Ep 59 – Blair Enns: Founder of Win Without Pitching on pricing creativity and how to best position our value.

Ep 7 – Andrew Hoyne: The definition of value, having the ‘money’ conversation and the importance of being future-focused.

Win Without Pitching

Pricing Creativity Book

Subscribe to The Giant Thinkers Podcast on iTunes.

Want to know the most productive tool that has helped me accelerate my progress?

It’s the Five-Minute Journal; the simplest, most effective thing you can do everyday to be happier.

It’s a physical journal that gives you a positive quote, followed by three questions you answer in the morning and two questions to answer in the evening before bed.

It basically anchors your mind in a positively focused, intentional and grateful mindset, in less than 5 minutes a day. Grab yours here: GiantThinkers.com/fiveminutejournal

Giants, this is episode #64! Our guest today is one of Shark Tank Australia’s well-known investors on the hit TV show Shark Tank. She’s also the Founder of the online experience gift retailer; RedBalloon, plus Co-Founder of the parent company Big Red Group.

With only $25K in 2001 she started RedBalloon with a second-hand computer in her front room. Prior to that, she worked for massive brands including IBM, Apple and KPMG.

If you follow her you may have even read her top-selling books; ‘Live What You Love’ is one, ‘Ready To Soar’ is another – or have read her blog posts … on LinkedIn alone – where she writes a ton of high value articles, she has over 2.7 million followers.

As she continues to pioneer the gifting experiences of Australia and NZ, she stands true to her motto “if it’s meant to be, it’s up to me”. Awards to her name include 2011 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award and the 2013 Lifetime Achievement Silver Stevie Award.

Some of the topics we spoke about include:

• What makes a standout pitch

So if you’re thinking about setting up a business, or at a crossroads on your entrepreneurial journey, then this is for you as we uncover what makes a business owner truly thrive.

I present to you … the highly driven, powerful and passionate … Naomi Simson!

More on Naomi can be found via the links below:

NaomiSimson.com

Subscribe to The Giant Thinkers Podcast on iTunes.

Want to know the most productive tool that has helped me accelerate my progress?

It’s the Five-Minute Journal; the simplest, most effective thing you can do everyday to be happier.

It’s a physical journal that gives you a positive quote, followed by three questions you answer in the morning and two questions to answer in the evening before bed.

It basically anchors your mind in a positively focused, intentional and grateful mindset, in less than 5 minutes a day. Grab yours here: GiantThinkers.com/fiveminutejournal