Kiwi Yarns

This week, meet the Two Raw Sisters - Margot Flanagan and Rosa Power.

One of the remarkable things about these two and their hugely successful brand - is that really, it was born out of both of them having to deal with their own health struggles head on.

The Christchurch sisters are NZ’s biggest selling plant-based cookbook authors and have just released their sixth cookbook - How We Cook. Funnily enough though, they want you to stop following recipe rules!

We rip into why wellness culture is getting too overwhelming.

And we discuss how they run business so well together whilst maintaining that sisterhood.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sir John Kirwan returns to Kiwi Yarns for an in-person catch-up with Brodie. JK opens up about his recent chat with a Buddhist monk, uncovering informal meditation, and how phone fasting transformed his energy levels by keeping "Bob the Monkey" in check.

We dive deep into the pressure facing our rangatahi today, the importance of learning resilience through failure, and why we need to focus on managing our imbalance rather than striving for perfect life balance.

JK also shares progress on the Mighty Drive for 5 campaign, aiming to raise $5 million to bring mental health education to 250 schools on the waiting list.

Plus, we talk AI, guitar playing, the Dairy Flat surf park, and JK gives a blunt breakdown of what New Zealand rugby must do to reconnect with fans.

This episode of Kiwi Yarns is brought to you by Odoo, the all-in-one business management software. Head to https://www.odoo.com/r/Nyd to find out more.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kathryn Wilson wants every woman to feel empowered in a pair of shoes. That simple concept, combined with Kathryn's infectious passion and humility, has made her one of the most respected and loved designers here in New Zealand.

We talk about all the challenges thrown the industry's way, and how a brand like hers continues to evolve whilst staying true to its values.

The mother-of-two uses her knowledge and influence to inspire others. If we combine all the above, it's no wonder she's just celebrated 23 years in business!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

JessB is in for a yarn on how one transforms from professional netballer to becoming a central figure in Aotearoa's hip-hop scene.

We talk about how hard it is in the music industry to measure "success", but why SHE no longer measures it by streaming numbers.

Off the back of a very loud week in the music industry globally - with the fallout over Macklemore being dropped from Ed Sheeran's tour because of his support for the people of Palestine - we talk about why politics and music are intrinsically linked.

And we debrief about the abrupt end of her professional netball career.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Much loved comedian Chris Parker is just back from performing at Edinburgh Fringe, with a fresh batch of bed bugs to accompany a hugely successful UK Tour.

We've spoken a couple of times before (because he's Chris Parker), so expect a chaotic ride through his new anti-tech movement, the good and bad of being a millennial, his irrational rages and the joy of unplugging from social media.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week we catch up with news anchor, marathon runner, and the recent business owner, Wendy Petrie.

The mother of three talks about how she is constantly reinventing herself to take on challenges - six years after her very public redundancy from TVNZ.

Wendy talks about the importance of motherhood, why she loves doing hard things, and provides an inspirational insight into how it's never too late to give something new a crack!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jake Bailey is a name and face many will remember from 11 years ago - where - as head boy at Christchurch Boys High School he gave a speech at graduation.

That speech was brilliant in its own right. But the delivery, from a young man, sitting in a wheelchair, who just a week prior had been told he had an extremely aggressive form of cancer and potentially weeks to live if untreated—was what reverberated around the world.

Now Jake is 29 and life has been full, inspirational and packed with adventure. He's recently been on a remarkable mission to Antarctica and made a real career pivot by heading the Inspire Foundation.

From best-selling books and speaking all around the world to running ultra-marathons, Jake proves how powerful resilience can be. We talk about how he studied resilience, and has spent a good chunk of his career passing on these valuable lessons.

Amidst all his remarkable achievements, he is now focused on educating people about why we must stop shielding our kids from everyday challenges.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sam Gibson, better known as Sam the Trap Man, drops by for a proper yarn about life in the bush. He opens up about how nature saved him from a wild patch in his youth, the harsh reality of professional trapping in Fiordland, and using native plants like koromiko as bush medicine. Plus, he breaks down why getting people back outdoors is the secret to fixing our environment.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week we're bringing back a favourite episode from 2025. In light of legendary fisherman Matt Watson's huge impact on protecting our oceans over the past year, this yarn is more relevant than ever.

Matt shares his journey from childhood dinghies to wild TV stunts, and his crucial message about marine conservation. He opens up about the brutal reality of bottom trawling, the hidden truth behind commercial fishing, and the painful roofing accident that sparked his entire career shift.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Journalist, podcaster and Pop Sock Media co-founder Melody Thomas joins me for a big, honest conversation about sex, relationships, burnout, business and what it means to be human.

From launching an independent media company during COVID to creating the award-winning The Good Sex Project, Melody shares how burnout reshaped her life, why radical rest matters, and what she's learnt after years of talking to New Zealanders about intimacy, shame and communication.

We dive into the realities of growing up in the '90s, the gaps in sex education, the rise of the manosphere, loneliness, feminism, ageing, marriage, motherhood, friendship and why talking openly about sex can genuinely change our lives.

A funny, thoughtful and deeply human yarn about connection, curiosity and creating a kinder world.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices