Mind + Set

He Lived his early days in Alotau, a beautiful part of PNG. Fishing, gardening, fun and relaxed lifestyle in the village bring back plenty of great memories. Parents owned a successful fish and chips shop. The arcade games in the shop made the upbringing much better.

Tom is currently the General Manager at BallyCara retirement village, Redcliffe. We chat about what it’s like working amongst seniors, the experiences and lessons he learns on a daily basis. Respect, Trust and Listening are key to living a fulfilled life.

He played rugby league for over 10 years in the Queensland Cup competition. The great things rugby league has taught him that he uses in his work and home life. How he was able to juggle working fulltime and playing in the Qld Cup.

We speak about some of the difficult things that players who work fulltime and play rugby league face.

 Enjoy :)

Connect with Tommy on Instagram: @tommymanixbutterfield 

About David Mead

David Mead has played professional rugby league for 13 years. Spending time with other athletes, coaches and football staff has given him great insight into how the sport is played at a high level. He wants to use insights and stories from these people as well as from his experience to inspire and to empower the youth. He believes in "leaving the place better than you found it." This podcast will help him and others do just that. 

Connect with David and follow him on:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/david.mead.94

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidmead411/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/davidmead411

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-mead-7604b986/

Website: www.davidmead.com.au 

Producer: Jason Strozkiy (@strozkiymedia) www.strozkiymedia.com 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is one of the most important conversations I have had since I started the podcast. It goes straight to my heart. To the place that life started for me and where I want to help improve the most.

Lucy was born and lived in a village with no running water or electricity - Hula, Central Province Papua New Guinea.

During her early days in Port Moresby her family lived amongst rascals and having to fight them off was a regular occurrence.

She decided to move from Port Moresby to Melbourne for better opportunities. 

After several different careers she wasn’t fulfilled. Shedecided to pursue her passion which was to establish a Foundation, inspired by her late brother Peter Nathan Loko. 

She is currently in the process of building classrooms in her village Lese Oalai, Gulf Province PNG. 

I wanted to learn more about the process, the challenges to expect and the joys of completing this type of project. Getting people in the village to come together is key. Putting their children’s future needs to be their first goal. She wants the people to use this as their motivation to volunteer and to do good work.

Changing the mindset of the people in the village will be one of the challenges. 

Long-term thinking will help the community grow in a positive way. 

Education will take a long time but it is necessary for positive change.

She is a member of the Rotary Club. She speaks about the good work that is being done. 

It is an organisation that instills peace and goodwill. They unite people, organisations and communities to do projects together and more.

We chat about the importance of volunteers in the community. You must get involved and help out. Do not expect anything in return. The return will be seen in years to come when the impact on our children’s lives are positive. It has a ripple effect. 

About David Mead

David Mead has played professional rugby league for 13 years. Spending time with other athletes, coaches and football staff has given him great insight into how the sport is played at a high level. He wants to use insights and stories from these people as well as from his experience to inspire and to empower the youth. He believes in "leaving the place better than you found it." This podcast will help him and others do just that. 

Connect with David and follow him on:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/david.mead.94

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidmead411/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/davidmead411

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-mead-7604b986/

Website: www.davidmead.com.au 

Producer: Jason Strozkiy (@strozkiymedia) www.strozkiymedia.com 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

David Lakisa “Pacific Contribution Matters.” 

Born in New Zealand,

Former PE teacher.

PHD in Pacific Sport and Diversity Management.

Masters in International Sports Management.

Bachelor of Education.

First ever Pacific Islander Wellbeing Officer at NSWRL in 2007. The game noticed a huge level of participation from junior level right through to NRL. 

How to connect to this demographic. What to do about it? Dave puts some light on this.

The Four Key Elements to help organisations understand Pacific Islanders better.

“Everyone wants to be validated.” If organisations can do this then they will find that productivity increases, preparedness and trust is built.

"Island Time" - when it's good to be in this mode and when it's not.

If you’re an organisation with Pacific Islander employees and want to understand them better, Dave can help you with this process. 

How to get in contact.

https://talanoaconsultancy.com.au

[email protected]

About David Mead

David Mead has played professional rugby league for 13 years. Spending time with other athletes, coaches and football staff has given him great insight into how the sport is played at a high level. He wants to use insights and stories from these people as well as from his experience to inspire and to empower the youth. He believes in "leaving the place better than you found it." This podcast will help him and others do just that. 

Connect with David and follow him on:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/david.mead.94

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidmead411/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/davidmead411

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-mead-7604b986/

Website: www.davidmead.com.au 

Producer: Jason Strozkiy (@strozkiymedia) www.strozkiymedia.com 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Played over 300 professional rugby league games. Two Super League premiership titles. Athlete Wellbeing Manager at Marsden State High School. Some of the challenges the youths are facing in school. Growing up in Western Sydney. It’s hard being away from family - the importance of their support. Being disciplined - especially with food.Never the best player. Just did his job the best he could.Having a clear mind about “making it”. Still realising there is a long way ahead. Serving your apprenticeship at a young age will set you up. Preparation is key. You must have tough conversations. If you want to be a leader you must have tough conversations with your teammates. Be willing to work just as hard.

Instagram: @zebbyt

About David Mead

David Mead has played professional rugby league for 13 years. Spending time with other athletes, coaches and football staff has given him great insight into how the sport is played at a high level. He wants to use insights and stories from these people as well as from his experience to inspire and to empower the youth. He believes in "leaving the place better than you found it." This podcast will help him and others do just that. 

Connect with David and follow him on:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/david.mead.94

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidmead411/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/davidmead411

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-mead-7604b986/

Website: www.davidmead.com.au 

Producer: Jason Strozkiy (@strozkiymedia) www.strozkiymedia.com 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Born in Christchurch, New Zealand.

She was born with moebius syndrome which affects one in three million people. 

Endured years of bullying in school because of how she looked.

Six attempts to take her own life.

Lied to parents about the bullying so they wouldn’t get upset.

Her advice to bully victims: “Talk to someone you trust and over communicate your feelings. You can’t deal with negativity all on your own.”

Age 15: Diagnosed with Extreme Clinical Depression, PTSD, experienced 89- seizures/day.

The meaning you give your experiences can break you or empower you. She chooses the latter. That’s how she has come out of being a depressed teenager into a powerful individual. Like everyone she still has the hard days but has found tools and ways to help her deal with her day to day problems. 

Tayla’s passion is sharing her story to inspire people. She loves to help people feel happy. 

After the interview I was truly inspired by her story and attitude. 

Connect with Tayla and connect with her on:

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

About David Mead

David Mead has played professional rugby league for 13 years. Spending time with other athletes, coaches and football staff has given him great insight into how the sport is played at a high level. He wants to use insights and stories from these people as well as from his experience to inspire and to empower the youth. He believes in "leaving the place better than you found it." This podcast will help him and others do just that. 

Connect with David and follow him on:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/david.mead.94

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidmead411/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/davidmead411

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-mead-7604b986/

Website: www.davidmead.com.au 

Producer: Jason Strozkiy (@strozkiymedia) www.strozkiymedia.com 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Early Days at the Gold Coast Titans.

The hardest part of professional rugby league.

Taking the footy mentality and applying it to other parts of life. 

Rollerblading in Miami and Burleigh. 

Enlightening the world by being your weird self.

A transition from professional rugby league to interest in acting.

Being told by a nurse “There goes your acting career” was an inspiration to take on the acting. After performing his first monologue and earning a scholarship to go to America he felt a new world open up. “It was one of the scariest things I've ever done - auditioning.”

“When something scares you it has power over you. Once you do it it feels like you are free and can do more with your life. That’s the lesson I got from it.” Kevin Gordon

On producing music - doing a live show is the big goal.

The road to the art world isn’t as straightforward as playing professional rugby league. In  league there is a plan and if you follow it you have a chance of making it. It’s different in the artworld - you doing your own thing.

Kev’s new album is out on all platforms now.

The Deepening. “It’s about expressing yourself more in a deep way.”

I purchased the album through Itunes after this conversation. I tried to pay close attention to the lyrics. A lot of it was freaking hilarious! There are a few songs you hear and think “these are pretty full on”. That is his goal - to make people think more about what’s happening around the world, especially with the mainstream media’s delivery of “news.”

It is $12 on Itunes and although I thought at first I would purchase it just to support a friend but after listening I actually enjoyed the music and highly recommend it.

Connect with Kev and follow him on instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/deepgordon/

About David Mead

David Mead has played professional rugby league for 13 years. Spending time with other athletes, coaches and football staff has given him great insight into how the sport is played at a high level. He wants to use insights and stories from these people as well as from his experience to inspire and to empower the youth. He believes in "leaving the place better than you found it." This podcast will help him and others do just that. 

Connect with David and follow him on:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/david.mead.94

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidmead411/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/davidmead411

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-mead-7604b986/

Website: www.davidmead.com.au 

Producer: Jason Strozkiy (@strozkiymedia) www.strozkiymedia.com 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hanan Laban is the current CEO of the Wynnum Manly Seagulls in the Queensland Cup rugby league competition. 

We speak about the upbringing he had with his Samoan family, the hard work his grandparents did that laid a good platform to help him and his family to be able to get their education, the skills that were transferable from the banking industry to CEO as Wynnum Manly Seagulls, having structure in the morning is important to a good start, especially with kids, how a local village in the Pacific can build a good and strong rugby league club, what young athletes need to do to make sure their finances are in order as well as the leadership style that helps guide his decisions.

Hope you enjoy it.

Hanan is a supporter of the Men Of League Foundation: https://menofleague.com

Teamwork and mateship have been the cornerstones of rugby league since its inception. Whether you are an ex-player, an administrator, referee, or club volunteer; whether you are a man, woman or child, Men of League Foundation protects and enhances lives while respecting each individual’s dignity. The vision was to build a foundation that provided practical assistance and social support, and this vision has been realised.

Connect with Hanan on:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hanan-laban-82584955/

About David Mead

David Mead has played professional rugby league for 13 years. Spending time with other athletes, coaches and football staff has given him great insight into how the sport is played at a high level. He wants to use insights and stories from these people as well as from his experience to inspire and to empower the youth. He believes in "leaving the place better than you found it." This podcast will help him and others do just that. 

Connect with David and follow him on:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/david.mead.94

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidmead411/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/davidmead411

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-mead-7604b986/

Website: www.davidmead.com.au 

Producer: Jason Strozkiy (@strozkiymedia) www.strozkiymedia.com 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dave Donaghy - CEO of Brisbane Broncos 
It’s been a challenging year in the role as the CEO for the Brisbane Broncos and also a terrific year in terms of business. There is a golden decade for Brisbane with the Olympics to be hosted here so there is plenty of excitement and big goals are set in place. There is an agenda in place and it’s up to the club to execute the plan. 

I asked Dave what type of questions are normally in place when setting a vision for the club. Why did I do this? I want my village in Tubusereia and other local league clubs in Papua New Guinea to see how one of the biggest sporting organisations in Australia set their visions. A vision is one of the most important things for an individual or group.

 Here were some of his key questions. “What do we need to start doing? What do we need to stop doing? What do we need to keep doing?” “The staff have been here longer than I have so I need to listen to their input.”  “What’s worked? What hasn’t worked? Have things not worked because the timing wasn’t right?”.  It may be so simple but very few people execute what they say. 

We chat about procrastination, productivity, focus and some of Dave’s experiences from his early days at Melbourne Storm to the Brisbane Broncos. 

The charity that Dave supports is the Carl Webb Foundation: https://www.carlwebbfoundation.org Carl Webb Foundation

Former Australian rugby league international Carl Webb was noted as a straight shooter during his celebrated career. Webb announced earlier this year he has been diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease, a rare condition attacking the nerve cells which control breathing, moving, swallowing and speaking.

Carl Webb played professional rugby league from 2000 - 2011. He was one of my favourite players to watch and someone I didn’t want to run at. At the young age of 39 Carl is fighting against a disease which has no known cure. I have also seen the effects on my former teammate Tu’u Maori who I played with in the 2008 world cup for PNG. Rob Burrow from England is also a well known advocate for the research into helping find a cure for this disease. 

If you or your friends and family can help to donate and help this cause in any way it would be greatly appreciated by many.

Connect with Dave and follow him on:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dave-donaghy-03795736/ 

About David Mead

David Mead has played professional rugby league for 13 years. Spending time with other athletes, coaches and football staff has given him great insight into how the sport is played at a high level. He wants to use insights and stories from these people as well as from his experience to inspire and to empower the youth. He believes in "leaving the place better than you found it." This podcast will help him and others do just that. 

Connect with David and follow him on:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/david.mead.94

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidmead411/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/davidmead411

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-mead-7604b986/

Website: www.davidmead.com.au 

Producer: Jason Strozkiy (@strozkiymedia) www.strozkiymedia.com 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jordan Riki - born in Raglan, New Zealand and moved away from home at the young age of 17 to pursue his NRL dreams. Raised in a Māori culture with plenty of leadership around him meant that he had good guidance when he was back home. 

When he moved to Australia to chase a career in the NRL that guidance was missing from his life. It nearly cost him a chance to continue to work hard for his dream. 

Luckily for Jordan the club's mentoring program and the people there were able to help him to stay on track and they helped him achieve one of his goals - to play in the top grade. 

We chat about his upbringing in New Zealand, some of the challenges he faced when he first moved to Australia away from his family, what he does well when he is feeling at his best and much more. It was a fun, casual conversation with some valuable insights. I had a great time chatting with Jordy.

I hope you enjoy it too.

Connect with Jordan and follow him on:

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

About David Mead

David Mead has played professional rugby league for 13 years. Spending time with other athletes, coaches and football staff has given him great insight into how the sport is played at a high level. He wants to use insights and stories from these people as well as from his experience to inspire and to empower the youth. He believes in "leaving the place better than you found it." This podcast will help him and others do just that. 

Connect with David and follow him on:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/david.mead.94

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidmead411/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/davidmead411

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-mead-7604b986/

Website: www.davidmead.com.au 

Producer: Jason Strozkiy (@strozkiymedia) www.strozkiymedia.com 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ben Ikin is the Head of Football at the Brisbane Broncos, which is one of the largest sporting organisations in Australia.

He was a Gold Coast local who enjoyed his upbringing with his family. Growing up in a family with different professions consisting of rugby league, music and dance always provided good conversations at the dinner table amongst the family.

He tells a funny story about his selection into the origin arena for the first time. Having played only a few first grade games before his selection in the qld side, the coach (Paul Vautin) didn’t know what he looked like when he first met him so their first encounter was an interesting one.

Ben had success during his rugby league career and is still the youngest ever player to play state of origin. Having achieved the highest level in sports and then what seems to me to be a successful transition into the workforce, I wanted to find out how that transition was for him. 

He gives plenty of practical advice and tips on how to make that transition a good one. A key point I took away from the podcast was to sit down and to write your thoughts and feelings on a particular topic. This was a daily process for him during his 10 year career with the NRL 360 show and gives credit to that skill for the company wanting to keep him around. He emphasises that writing is a good way to form and to articulate your message across an audience.

One of the best quotes I got out of the podcast was:

“I have not so much fallen in love with what I do, but I have fallen in love with doing the job well. So then people will want to keep me around”.

Ben is a supporter of two great charities. For those who can help out the descriptions and links are below:

https://menofleague.com

Teamwork and mateship have been the cornerstones of rugby league since its inception. Whether you are an ex-player, an administrator, referee, or club volunteer; whether you are a man, woman or child, Men of League Foundation protects and enhances lives while respecting each individual’s dignity. The vision was to build a foundation that provided practical assistance and social support, and this vision has been realised.

https://www.pcsrf.org.au

Finding a Cure for ParalysisEvery day in Australia at least one person has their life changed forever through the tragedy of paralysis. It’s devastating, heart-breaking and the simplest of daily tasks suddenly becomes an overwhelming challenge – for life. The Perry Cross Spinal Research Foundation was born to challenge that life-long sentence and challenge the science and medical industries to find a cure for paralysis. In recent years, it has embarked on unveiling one of the world’s most promising hopes of a cure – and it’s being progressed in Australia.

A cure of this magnitude doesn’t lay in the hands of one person, it requires a united and multi-faceted model that collectively brings world-class leaders from an array of professions together – to get the ‘job done’. Founded by Perry Cross, the PCSRF aims to facilitate, collaborate and initiate the connections and research required to find a cure for paralysis.

About David Mead

David Mead has played professional rugby league for 13 years. Spending time with other athletes, coaches and football staff has given him great insight into how the sport is played at a high level. He wants to use insights and stories from these people as well as from his experience to inspire and to empower the youth. He believes in "leaving the place better than you found it." This podcast will help him and others do just that. 

Connect with David and follow him on:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/david.mead.94

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidmead411/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/davidmead411

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-mead-7604b986/

Website: www.davidmead.com.au 

Producer: Jason Strozkiy (@strozkiymedia) www.strozkiymedia.com 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.