GV Talks

In this episode, we speak with Josh Driscoll, Harley’s business partner whom he has worked with since opening their first gym. 

Listen in as Josh discusses those early days of building the brand and the business, alongside growing his own podcast, his passion for film, his love of being a husband and father, and his message to young people who are nervous about going all-in on their dreams. 

Key Highlights 

● [01:00] An introduction to Josh Driscoll 

● [03:30] How Josh and Harley met 

● [07:00] Building their first gym 

● [12:35] Early challenges in business 

● [17:53] Josh’s impression of Shepparton as an outsider 

● [21:33] Josh and Harley’s current bucket list items 

● [26:12] Benefits to having a business partner that lives away from the business 

● [27:34] How Josh feels about he and Harley running different clubs in different areas 

● [29:41] Episodes of the podcast that Josh has listened to 

● [31:23] Josh’s goals moving forward and things that light him on fire 

● [33:18] Has Josh spoken to his wife, Taylah, about having another kid? 

● [36:24] What Josh thinks Harley’s future in Shepparton will be like 

● [37:32] Who inspires Josh in Ballarat? 

● [42:12] Josh encourages young people to take a chance on what they love to do 

● [45:15] Why Josh knew from the start that he would accomplish his dreams 

Powerful Quotes by Josh 

● I think people are quick to judge on what someone’s path might be like and not understand what they’ve had to change to try to better their lives. 

● Anyone who has seen their wife go through childbirth knows that it’s horrendous. It’s beautiful afterwards, but after the fun part, it’s not really in my hands anymore. 

● If anyone in their 20s and 30s is out there, you can stuff up a lot and you can still come back to it even until your 40s. Do your due diligence, obviously, but I encourage you to do what you love, early.

In this episode, we speak with Amy Dann, nurse, teacher, and mum to a three-year-old boy. 

Listen in as Amy discusses her family’s journey moving from place to place and how life circumstances led them to where they are now. She also talks about her experience raising her son, Louis, who has CDG and how she is navigating the many challenges it brings. 

Key Highlights 

● [01:49] An introduction to Amy Dann 

● [06:35] What Amy specializes in as a nurse 

● [08:03] What Amy thinks of Shepparton 

● [11:00] Amy’s aspirations growing up 

● [12:12] Does Amy prefer to learn something new or to teach someone something? 

● [12:51] How Amy met her husband Michael and her keys to a great relationship 

● [14:45] Negotiating the move to Canberra then to Shepparton 

● [15:34] How Amy’s husband asked to marry her 

● [16:26] About Amy’s son Louie and how he lives with congenital disorders of glycosylation (CDG) 

● [25:34] How Amy manages her son’s seizures 

● [27:49] What else goes into raising a kid with special needs such as Amy’s son? 

● [31:31] How Amy deals with people’s assumptions when she is out and about with her son 

● [35:43] Has Amy been able to handle her son’s situation better because she is a nurse? 

● [38:32] Other events Amy has done to raise awareness for CDG 

● [41:52] Will medical advances lead to a cure for CDG anytime soon? 

● [43:18] What Amy is looking forward to in the near future 

● [46:44] Who locally inspires Amy? 

Powerful Quotes by Amy 

● Shep is what you make it. There are opportunities here; there are things to do; but, it’s just whether or not you want to take them. 

● Louis is not fazed by any of this adversity that he is faced. He’s still happy and finds the joy in so many little things. I think it’s so easy to get caught up in the challenges that life can bring you wherever you come from and whatever your story is. Louie has had a really challenging start to life but it doesn’t faze him. That inspires me to keep pushing through whenever the hard times hit.

In this episode, we speak with entrepreneur Adem Barolli.  

Listen in as Adem discusses his passion for entrepreneurship and personal development, as well as how he found success as a network marketer and, most recently, the owner of the healthy café Nutrition 3630.  

Key Highlights  

● [02:32] An introduction to Adem Barolli  

● [05:00] Appreciating the only life you have  

● [06:00] Why Adem loves reading  

● [08:31] The importance of taking action  

● [12:41] Dealing with negative emotions or a bad day  

● [14:10] Adem’s past as a “cheeky” high school student  

● [16:53] How Adem’s concept of success evolved since his high school days  

● [18:15] Becoming a sports journalist  

● [20:57] Finding success in network marketing 

● [23:15] The financial potential of network marketing and the reason for negative perceptions of the industry  

● [25:29] Why the current generation is more entrepreneurial  

● [27:27] Where the idea for Nutrition 3630 came from  

● [31:12] Why Adem didn’t fear failure when he decided to start a café  

● [33:51] Hosting eating competitions  ● [36:06] Creating healthy drinks that taste “unhealthy”  

● [38:43] How Nutrition 3630 has been received by the Shepparton community  

● [41:26] Where Adem sees himself and his businesses in the future  

● [43:15] Adem’s drink recommendations from the café and his most popular items  

● [46:04] Who locally inspires Adem?  

Powerful Quotes by Adem  

● Just do it. We can manifest and talk about these things as much as we want; but nothing’s going to happen if we just keep thinking about it.  

● What’s the point of winning if you’re just doing it on your own? There’s so much satisfaction in helping others succeed, too.  

● At the end of the day, you’ve got to differentiate or die. You don’t want to be the same as everyone else and do the same thing and have the same mundane routine. I love people who are going out there having a crack, whether they win or learn. It is what it is. They’re not afraid to lose or fail.  

Connect with Adem: 

● Adem Barolli on Instagram  

● Nutrition 3630 on Instagram

In this episode, we speak with Nicole, a certified integrative nutrition health coach, a certified breathwork facilitator, and Reiki instructor.  

Listen in as Nicole shares her passion for helping others discover the benefits of alternative medicine for both physical and mental health. She also reflects on her husband’s health scare and how they utilized these alternative remedies to help him navigate his challenges. Finally, Nicole does a deep dive into the power of breathwork journeys for helping to alleviate stress.  

Key Highlights  

● [01:09] Why Nicole reached out to come on the podcast  

● [03:22] An introduction to Nicole  

● [07:38] Nicole on her husband’s debilitating health challenges and how he overcame them  

● [15:30] Nicole’s husband’s lifestyle before his health scare  

● [19:31] What Nicole’s detox programs are about  

● [24:26] How Nicole’s husband felt about alternative remedies for his health challenges  

● [28:20] The bare minimum for Nicole’s happiness  

● [32:26] How breathwork can help alleviate stress  

● [41:57] How you will feel after a breathwork session  

● [45:35] What type of person would most benefit from a breathwork journey  

● [48:00] Nicole’s recommendations for local holistic medicine practitioners  

● [51:26] Is your soul located in your heart or in your head?  

● [52:44] Characteristics of a Reiki practitioner  

● [53:48] How Nicole would like to see alternative medicine integrated with mainstream Western medicine  

Powerful Quotes by Nicole  

● Nutrition is not always about the food you put in your mouth. Nutrition is everything. Nutrition is the thoughts that you think, your emotions, your feelings, your relationships, your environment at large. Nutrition is everything you take in as a human being.  

● If you’re stressed, you need to be able to switch it off as quickly as you’re able to switch it on.  

● To come out of a breathwork journey and to bring your brainwave back from that theta brain state can probably be one of the most relaxing feeling that you’ll ever have.  

● The soul is our spiritual intelligence and our body is just the avenue that we have to walk through life. I’m a very firm believer that communication and access to the soul is from the heart.  

● Everybody has the right to their own healthcare. Not everybody is buying what I’m selling; but I’m not always buying what the medical profession is selling, either. So, it’s just finding what is right for us as individuals.

In this episode, we speak with Jobelle Erika, an oral health therapist at Goulburn Valley Orthodontics and Mother to two girls. 

Listen in as Jobelle shares her amazing, multifaceted journey, from transitioning from the Philippines to Australia as a teenager, to encouraging her mother to start a popular food truck, to living her childhood dream of becoming a contestant on The Amazing Race. 

Key Highlights 

● [01:40] An introduction to Jobelle Erika 

● [02:29] Transitioning from the Philippines to Australia at age 16 

● [04:38] Jobelle’s love for Taekwondo 

● [07:36] Why Jobelle’s family decided to move to Australia 

● [10:45] Studying oral health therapy at university and why Jobelle want to become a dental hygienist 

● [13:49] Jobelle’s words of encouragement to those with dentophobia 

● [14:36] Jobelle’s life as a mother and experience with postnatal depression 

● [19:56] How Jobelle’s family’s famous food truck, Nanna Marce, came to be 

● [25:03] Jobelle and her father’s experience on The Amazing Race Australia 5 

● [34:14] Jobelle summarizes her time on The Amazing Race and her remaining dreams 

● [37:00] Jobelle’s goals moving forward 

● [37:56] The three things that Jobelle was thankful for before going to bed last night 

● [39:35] Jobelle’s future goals 

● [40:29] Who locally inspires Jobelle? 

Powerful Quotes by Jobelle 

● The most important [characteristic of a great dental hygienist] would be empathy. A lot of people come to the dentist with dentophobia; so, you’ve got to love people. You have to be in tune with how they’re feeling. The clinical skills you can learn. Theory you can learn. But, caring for people has got to be within you from the beginning. 

● We would never want to harm any patient. We are here to look after you and your teeth—and you as a whole person as well. 

● I would like for my children to see that just because you become a family person doesn’t mean you stop striving and working for your dreams. 

● If there was something that I took away from the Race, it was that every day I was on that Race, I felt alive because I was fulfilling a dream. But, I realized that it doesn’t always have to be big dreams. It can be waking up every morning and feeling thankful or going for a walk and appreciating the life that I have and the people around me as well. Contentment is something that I hope for now—to appreciate everything I have and never take anything for granted.

In this episode, we speak with Megan Mckenna, a Criminal Lawyer who has only recently started her own practice.  

Listen in as Megan shares her journey so far in the field of law and the realities of her career path, as well as common misconceptions that the general public has about the justice system.  

Key Highlights  

● [02:11] An introduction to Megan McKenna  

● [04:58] Moving out of Shepparton to study  

● [10:42] Working as a legal assistant while studying full-time  

● [12:28] Megan’s responsibilities once she was admitted to practice and a typical day in the courtroom  

● [14:47] Staying emotionally detached from the job while staying empathetic as a lawyer  

● [17:47] Working on a case where the client has been wrongly convicted and negotiating better terms for somebody  

● [26:25] Opportunities available to law graduates  

● [28:24] Why Megan is starting her own practice  

● [31:50] A primer on legal aid  

● [35:35] Why it often takes so long for someone to show up to court  

● [37:04] What Megan thinks of the new law court  

● [38:14] Megan’s goals going forward  

● [40:06] Is the amount of work a lawyer puts into their career generally worth it?  

● [41:07] Who locally inspires Megan?  

Powerful Quotes by Megan  

● Shep’s got such a good community spirit and when you’ve got your friends and family around, it makes life a lot easier.  

● The overriding rule as a lawyer is that your first duty is to the court. You can’t mislead the court irrespective of what your client is asking you to do. So, you have a duty to your client but that’s always overridden by your duty to the court.  

● There’s so much misinformation out there. People just don’t understand the justice system at all.  

● I’ve always said to myself that I wouldn’t be an employee for my whole life. I like my independence and I like being able to march to the beat of my own drum.

In this episode, we speak with Rocky Gagliardi, Director of Gagliardi Scott Real Estate. 

Listen in as Rocky discusses how he came to own his own business despite growing up not seeing much of a future for himself, his tips for success as a salesperson and business owner, and his renewed appreciation for his life and family amid the challenges brought on by the pandemic. 

Key Highlights 

● [01:59] An introduction to Rocky Gagliardi 

● [06:33] How Rocky compares his upbringing to his kids’ 

● [10:18] What Rocky wanted to do out of school and his early jobs 

● [12:53] How Rocky got into real estate 

● [17:40] Does Rocky give his team the “hunger test”? 

● [19:25] Characteristics of a good salesperson 

● [20:59] Does having a real estate business outside Shepparton help bring in more opportunities? 

● [21:57] What makes real estate stressful? 

● [24:20] Dealing with backlash after having to say “no” during negotiations 

● [26:30] Staying transparent from the start of the negotiation to avoid conflict later on 

● [28:53] Changes in the market over the past few months 

● [31:20] The availability of grants till the end of March 

● [32:43] How Rocky came to start his own real estate agency 

● [34:53] Taking a step back from the business due to COVID-19 

● [36:27] What Rocky’s kids have planned for the future 

● [40:03] Rocky’s most memorable clients 

● [42:00] Why Rocky put his own house on the market 

● [45:14] How Rocky feels about life at this point in time 

● [46:17] Who locally inspires Rocky? 

Powerful Quotes by Rocky 

● As a businessperson, you’ve got to be very transparent and delicate during negotiations because it’s hard to keep everyone happy and let them know that someone’s going to miss out, and that it’s not your fault if somebody misses out. It’s a balancing act. 

● When I was growing up, I didn’t think I was going to be much more than a factory worker. I wasn’t smart at school. I got two beautiful kids, a beautiful wife, a great staff that works for me. Nothing to be sad about.

In this episode, we speak with Nicole Morse, creator of Regional Rummage, a Tatura-based preloved clothing market taking place this February 21.  

Listen in as Nicole discusses how studying fashion in university inspired her to start Regional Rummage, how she navigated the challenges of COVID-19 such as having to postpone the market last year, the state of clothing waste in Australia today and how the preloved market can help to reduce it, and her plans for her business going forward.  

Key Highlights  

● [01:52] An introduction to Nicole Morse and her interest in the business of fashion design  

● [05:15] Finding work after graduation  

● [09:26] Growing up in Tatura and how it differs from Shepparton  

● [11:47] Tatura’s hobbies and passions outside of work  

● [13:02] How Regional Rummage came to be  

● [16:12] What to look forward to at the market this February 21  

● [18:24] How Nicole felt having to postpone Regional Rummage in 2020  

● [21:20] Planning for Regional Rummage  

● [22:32] Finding a location for the market  

● [25:48] How Nicole feels leading up to February 21  

● [27:21] Nicole’s plans on the financial end  

● [28:45] Why Nicole is more passionate about being a small business owner rather than an employee for a big company  

● [29:20] How Nicole plans on doing her part to reduce clothing waste in Australia  

● [34:23] The disappearing stigma around shopping at Goodwill and the preloved market in general  

● [36:14] Promoting Regional Rummage on social media  

● [38:15] Nicole’s goals going forward  

● [39:49] A summary of Regional Rummage  

● [40:34] Who locally inspires Nicole?  

Powerful Quotes by Nicole  

● I think anyone that owns a small business deserves to make profit if it’s something that you’re passionate about and want to do full-time.  

● We’re buying pretty much double what we were 20 years ago and throwing out twice as much.  

● The stigma around preloved is going away, and I’m hoping I can do my part to get rid of it faster.

In this episode, we speak with Kyle Murphy, a Shepparton native and track-and-field student-athlete currently studying and competing for Harvard University in Boston.  

Listen in as Kyle discusses his career as a track-and-field student-athlete and how it gave him the opportunity to study at Harvard courtesy of the university’s need-based financial aid, his takeaways from his first two years as a Harvard student, and his plans for the future both in and outside of athletics.  

Key Highlights  

● [02:33] An introduction to Kyle Murphy and his track-and-field career  

● [08:37] Kyle’s goal in sport  

● [12:06] How Kyle feels about COVID-19 taking away a season  

● [14:15] Sacrifices that Kyle had to make over the years as a student-athlete  

● [16:15] Where Kyle developed his competitive side  

● [19:43] The difference between first and second place in track-and-field  

● [20:53] Kyle’s worst injuries  

● [22:28] Doubts about getting into Harvard as a Shepparton native  

● [27:33] Competitive coaching in Shepparton schools versus Harvard  

● [30:08] Nutritional requirements for a student-athlete and managing time  

● [32:56] The typical goal of a Harvard athlete  

● [33:50] Kyle’s love for his sport  

● [38:14] Getting into a flow state when making jumps  

● [38:50] Was Harvard how Kyle expected it to be?  

● [40:03] Lessons learned from studying fellow students at Harvard  

● [41:20] What Kyle is studying at Harvard and his career prospects  

● [43:18] Kyle’s passion for photography  

● [46:40] Who locally inspires Kyle?  

Powerful Quotes by Kyle  

● The higher you go in a sport, the more it requires your time to remain competitive.  

● The fact that Harvard has need-based financial aid, people can leave their sport if they want and they’re still a regular student. That means that anyone who is in a sport is there for the love of it for the most part, which I think is an amazing thing.  

● To perform at your best, you need to be able to stop thinking about a lot of things and just let your body do what the training has taught it to do, and things will just happen.

In this episode, we speak with business owner Scott Keating, who currently runs a windshield saver company in Shepparton. 

Listen in as Scott discusses why he decided to go into business for himself and how one can discover their calling. He then reflects on his incredibly harrowing period of darkness that almost drove him to commit suicide, and how he built himself back up to become a pillar of the Shepparton community. 

Key Highlights 

● [03:49] An introduction to Scott Keating 

● [04:34] Being a pillar of the Shepparton community 

● [06:32] Scott’s windscreen saver business and his win-win philosophy 

● [11:03] The challenges of replacing or repairing windscreens 

● [13:58] What Scott would say to someone who doesn’t know what they want to do for work 

● [17:47] Fundamentals of a good life 

● [19:20] The dark period of Scott’s life 

● [26:48] The lasting impact of Scott’s traumatic experience 

● [28:31] Getting stuck in the cycle of chasing only short-term goals 

● [31:17] How Scott finally got back on the road to good, long-term health 

● [33:50] Finding purpose in family 

● [35:22] Accepting traumatic experiences 

● [40:34] Scott’s view on masculinity and the importance of open, nonjudgmental conversations 

● [52:17] Who locally inspires Scott?

Powerful Quotes by Scott 

● I suppose you get back what you give to. If you’re giving and helping, it’ll come back to you. 

● I’ve always said, when I go into business, I wanted it to be a win-win. I don’t just want someone working for me who turns up, does their hours, and goes home. We’ve all pretty much got to work, but you might as well enjoy what you do. 

● Even if you have a job that isn’t your passion, how can you make it your passion? How can it fit into your values? 

● Don’t worry so much about the money. Worry about the skill set you can get and the network you can build up. 

● Once you start being you and get comfortable in your own skin, you start attracting the right people around you. 

● Nothing has meaning until we put meaning on it. 

● There are no positive or negative emotions. There are just emotions. It’s how we use them.