John Kavanagh is an Irish MMA coach and trainer. One of his most famous students being UFC Champion Conor McGregor.

John is the founder and owner of SBG, or Straight Blast Gym, where John trains Conor and his other students in Ireland. He’s also the co-founder of MMA training program Wimp2Warrior, which takes complete beginners, and trains them to be able to step into the ring, building physical and mental fitness, strength, and resilience.

A huge fan of boxing and fighting, Mark Bouris sat down virtually with John ahead of Conor McGregor’s clash with American fighter Dustin Poirier. Together they discuss the attitude behind training and success, whether champions are born or bred, the joy of fulfilling a purpose in business, and of course, how Conor is shaping up before he steps in the ring. 

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Trent Robinson is the coach of the Sydney Roosters NRL Club.

‘Robbo’, as he’s known, has taken the club to win three Premierships and is the longest-serving coach in the Roosters’ history. His achievements and ability to bring together and build strong teams put him in competition as one of the game’s greatest contemporary coaches.

Ahead of the 2021 NRL Season, Trent sits down with Mark on the coach for a Straight Talk that dives into ‘Robbo's background and upbringing, how Trent brings in thoughtfulness to the dressing room, and how he balances it with action and winning games. It’s a rare insight into one of Australia’s best coaching minds.'

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With a career spanning over 30 years in the Australian food industry, Matt Moran has done it all: TV shows, best-selling cookbooks and ownership of some of Australia’s most celebrated dining establishments; it’s safe to say that Matt Moran is an Australian food icon.

Mark described this episode as a “bit of a guilty pleasure” to get the inside scoop on all things food leading into the holiday season. As one of Australia’s leading chef’s and restaurateurs, Matt knows everything about fresh produce.

Matt is a true fourth-generation farmer. With a rural upbringing on a classic Aussie dairy farm, his family still runs the property in the Central Tablelands of New South Wales, which supplies beef and lamb to his restaurants. He was the pioneer of the ‘paddock to plate’ philosophy in Australia and believes in the importance of everyone understanding the origins of the food being served on their plate. 

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You may not know Tim Doyle by name or face, but there’s a good chance you’ve seen one of his ads. From putting his hand up to handle the Australian Labor Party’s digital advertising strategy in 2016 to becoming head of marketing and digital strategy at Koala Mattress, Tim’s now running his own agency: Eucalyptus.vc

His new venture is the “brand engine” behind three new e-commerce companies: Pilot (men’s health), Kin Fertility (contraceptive pills) and Software (prescription skincare). In his time with Koala, the business’ grew from $500,000 a month to more than $100 million a year to give you a sense of Doyle's expertise. 

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Former Australian Treasurer, and Australian Ambassador to the United States, Joe Hockey joins Mark Bouris on the latest episode of Straight Talk.

Mark and Joe catch up to get stuck into what Joe is up to now that his role as Australian Ambassador is over, the differences in business and culture between Australia and the US, and try to answer the question of just who will be America’s next President? Donald Trump or Joe Biden. 

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Layne Beachley AO is regarded as one of the most successful surfers in history.

She is the only professional surfer to win SIX consecutive world titles between 1998 and 2003. Layne went on to win a 7th world title in 2006 before retiring from the ASP World Tour in 2008. Now retired, Layne travels nationally and internationally as a motivational Keynote speaker for some of the world’s top commercial firms, sharing her stories about sustaining success, overcoming challenge and maintaining a winning mindset.

Layne is also the Founder and Director of her own foundation, Aim For The Stars, Chairperson of Surfing Australia, an Officer of the Order of Australia and has recently launched her online course: Awake Academy. Layne shares over 40 years of lived and learned personal experiences to empower you to awaken, evolve and transform. The platform brings together much of the work Beachley has been offering for years through face-to-face workshops and keynote presentations.

Layne and Mark discuss the meaning of success, Layne’s personal struggles, how to develop and maintain a champion mindset, how to overcome fear and a whole lot more in a cracking Straight Talk episode. 

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A self-described, ‘average’ former Rugby League player, Denan’s business -Bloke in a Bar has seen explosive growth in the past 12 months. His beer has sold out of nearly every independent liquor store in Australia, his podcast has continued to grow, and he’s accumulated a committed fanbase on social media, where he creates sport-related content with a focus on the positive.

When you attract an engaged audience as Denan does, then there’s definitely something to unpack. I first met Denan three years ago on my Mentor Podcast, so now we sit down for a more relaxed convo.

We crack open a beer and explain the marketing, logistics and growth of the beer and his business, his approach to creating content and community, and to discuss what it is to be a ‘Bloke.’

It’s a deep conversation that you probably wouldn’t expect, but I firmly believe it’s these kinds of conversations that need to happen. 

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Tom Waterhouse is an Australian entrepreneur who most people recognise.

A fourth-generation member of the Waterhouse racing family, his career has been intertwined with racing and betting. In his mid-20s, Tom became Australia’s biggest-on-track bookmaker, following in the footsteps of his grandfather.

At 38, Tom has seen it all from startup to the boardroom, and he joins Mark Bouris on the latest Straight Talk to get into why he loves being an entrepreneur, how he’s dealt with some negative press and criticism, and the balance he’s found between family and business. 

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John Brogden has had a largely successful career in business and politics, with early success, a very public failure and redemption. John was the youngest ever leader of a major political party in Australia (at just 33 years of age). An insatiable drive for career success leads to a very public fall and a later suicide attempt at the end of his political career. John has worked hard to return and now leads a successful career as a Chairman and CEO – most notably for Lifeline and Landcom.

Mark asks John about his personal career, the scary numbers around suicide in Australia, and how the government’s in Australia should implement a national mental health initiative for the small business community to help business owners and employees through mental illnesses.  

If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health call 13 11 14

Lifeline telephone call service is available 24/7. 

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