“Sometimes it does mean getting a bit out of your comfort zone.”

In this episode of Real Ambition, Iolanthe is joined by Sarah Rey, Principal and Co-Founder of Justitia, for an enlightening discussion approaching legal practice through a business lens.

Sarah shares insights on the challenges of business development in the legal profession, the evolving mindset of lawyers and the importance of adapting to change in legal practice. 

Sarah also highlights the need for generosity in leadership, the significance of building authentic client relationships, and the challenges and opportunities faced by women in business development.

Learn more about ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Iolanthe⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and her agency ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Ruby Assembly⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Buy Iolanthe's book ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠100 Days of Brave⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Explore ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Good Axe⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ flexible workspace.

"We want this to be a human system."

In this episode of Real Ambition, Iolanthe is joined by Dr. Carly Schrever, lawyer, psychologist and Director of Human Ethos to discuss her pioneering work on judicial wellbeing, the unique stressors faced by judges and the importance of mental health support in the legal profession. Dr. Schrever highlights the need for empirical research to understand judicial stress and the impact of this stress on public trust in the legal system. The conversation delves into the cultural stigma surrounding mental health in the judiciary and offers practical takeaways for other high-demand professions.

Note: Earlier this year, the General Assembly of Nation States sitting in New York voted almost unanimously to declare 25 July as the International Day for Judicial Wellbeing – signalling a level of global recognition and acknowledgement about the importance of judicial wellbeing that several years ago was unthinkable.

Learn more about ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Iolanthe⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and her agency ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Ruby Assembly⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Buy Iolanthe's book ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠100 Days of Brave⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Explore ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Good Axe⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ flexible workspace.

“Every case is different, every victim is different.”

In this illuminating episode of Real Ambition, Iolanthe is joined by Mary Anne Ryan, highly respected barrister and current president of the Tasmanian Bar, to discuss the implications of the Friseal & Friseal [2025] appeal case on family law, particularly regarding coercive control and family violence. Mary Anne unpacks the role of evidence over demeanor in court, the key steps in determining allegations of coercion and control, and the impact of the case on how practitioners present cases involving family violence. The discussion highlights the complexities of legal proceedings in family law and the necessity for practitioners to adapt to new understandings of coercive control.

Learn more about ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Iolanthe⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and her agency ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Ruby Assembly⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Buy Iolanthe's book ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠100 Days of Brave⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Explore ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Good Axe⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ flexible workspace.

If you or someone you know is experiencing or at risk of domestic violence, support is available.

In Victoria:

The Orange Door

Safe Steps: 1800 015 188

In Tasmania:

Safe Choices: 1800 806 189

Nationally:

1800RESPECT: 1800 737 732

Family Violence Law Help

Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4636

Lifeline: 13 11 14

If you are in immediate danger, call 000

“If that’s a bad risk to take or a good risk to take, you’re going to find out.”

In this lively episode, host Iolanthe Gabrie is joined by James D'Apice, principal of Gravamen Law and creator of Coffee and a Casenote, for an engaging conversation exploring innovative approaches to legal practice, marketing, and client relationships. Together they discuss the concept of 'Fuck Around and Find Out' as a guiding principle for experimentation and risk-taking in business. The discussion also delves into the complexities of ROI, the value of branding in attracting the right clients and the merit in saying no to those who don't align with your values. James shares insights on building resilience, embracing uncertainty, and how charity can reflect corporate values. The conversation concludes with a unique mashup of horror movies and the legal profession.

Learn more about ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Iolanthe⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and her agency ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Ruby Assembly⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Buy Iolanthe's book ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠100 Days of Brave⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Explore ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Good Axe⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ flexible workspace.

"There must be a better way to do things."

In this episode of Real Ambition, Iolanthe interviews Leon Berger, co-founder of dignity.edr, a new law practice focused on mediation and family law. Leon shares his journey of establishing a practice that prioritises dignity in resolving disputes, the challenges faced in the beginning, and the importance of work-life balance. The conversation delves into the value of mediation in family law, the dynamics involved, and real-life success stories that highlight the benefits of this approach over traditional legal routes. Leon also reflects on the lessons learned from his experiences in family law and how they have shaped his personal growth.

Learn more about ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Iolanthe⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and her agency ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Ruby Assembly⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Buy Iolanthe's book ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠100 Days of Brave⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Explore ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Good Axe⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ flexible workspace.

"Money is one of the most important relationships we have."

In this episode of Real Ambition, Iolanthe speaks with Angela Meyer, co-founder of Hi Money, a platform designed to help women explore their emotional relationship with money. Angela shares her personal journey that led to the creation of Hi Money, emphasizing the importance of understanding the emotional and psychological aspects of financial wellbeing. The conversation delves into feminist financial principles, the impact of societal norms on women's financial decisions, and the significance of open discussions about money in relationships. Angela highlights the transformative power of financial independence for women and the need for a supportive community to foster confidence in managing money. The episode concludes with insights into upcoming projects and the vision for Hi Money.

Learn more about ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Iolanthe⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and her agency ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Ruby Assembly⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Buy Iolanthe's book ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠100 Days of Brave⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Explore ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Good Axe⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ flexible workspace.

"Women are an unrecognized force in the industry."
In this episode of Real Ambition, host Iolanthe Gabrie speaks with Verity Hare, founder of TradieWives, an Australian community supporting partners of tradies. They discuss the unique challenges faced by these partners, the evolution of TradieWives from a small support group to a thriving community, and the importance of recognizing the role of women in the trades industry. Verity shares insights on monetizing community support, the success of real-world events, and some funny experiences in the DIY world.

Learn more about ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Iolanthe⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and her agency ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Ruby Assembly⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.
Buy Iolanthe's book ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠100 Days of Brave⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.
Explore ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Good Axe⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ flexible workspace.

"You're never going to have everyone like you."

In this episode of Real Ambition, host Iolanthe Gabrie interviews Lauren Cassimatis, a prominent Australian criminal lawyer (amongst other things!) and Principal of Gallant Law. Lauren shares her journey from family law to criminal law, discussing the challenges she faced as a woman in the profession and her passion for helping vulnerable clients.

She emphasizes the importance of work-life balance for lawyer parents and the strategies she employs to maintain her wellbeing amidst the emotional demands of criminal law.

Lauren also discusses the founding of Connecting Lawyer Mums, a network aimed at supporting lawyer parents, and the innovative events she organizes to address personal and professional challenges faced by women in law. Iolanthe and Lauren unpack her recent sell-out event 'S*xy In the City', which addressed sexual health and overall wellness for individuals who work in the law and similarly high-demand professional categories.

Learn more about ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Iolanthe⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and her agency ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Ruby Assembly⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Buy Iolanthe's book ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠100 Days of Brave⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Explore ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Good Axe⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ flexible workspace.

In this episode, Iolanthe reflects on her experiences across throughout 2024, a year marked by personal and professional growth.

She discusses the challenges of navigating maternity leave while managing her business, Ruby Assembly, and highlights the importance of team collaboration and support. Iolanthe shares insights into what it is like to design a new offering, (such as Ruby Assembly Media's podcasting service) and emphasizes the significance of community engagement through sponsorships and support (Go the Preston Bullants!).

She also touches on personal milestones, such as her family's Disney cruise and her goals for 2025, which include becoming a more costly service, and expanding her professional workspace.

Learn more about ⁠⁠⁠⁠Iolanthe⁠⁠⁠⁠ and her agency ⁠⁠⁠⁠Ruby Assembly⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Buy Iolanthe's book ⁠⁠⁠⁠100 Days of Brave⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Explore ⁠⁠⁠⁠Good Axe⁠⁠⁠⁠ flexible workspace.

In this conversation, Iolanthe Gabrie interviews Caralee Fontanele about the challenges legal practices face in scaling their businesses.

They discuss the mindset shift required for lawyers to transition from technicians to business owners, the importance of effective marketing strategies, and the role of AI in enhancing legal practices.

Caralee shares insights from her experience and emphasizes the need for clear messaging and community support among legal professionals. The discussion also highlights the upcoming LawBizCon aimed at helping law firm owners grow their practices.