From hacking Commodore Amigas in communist-era Poland to advising businesses as the Sunshine Coast's leading AI thought leader — Arek Rejman's path is anything but ordinary. With a masters in computer image analysis and a machine learning PhD behind him, Arek and his wife left Poland for Melbourne in 2005, spent "temporary" 15 years there, and landed on the Sunshine Coast after COVID — right as ChatGPT's launch convinced him to go all-in and found AI Compass.

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Get in touch with Arek Rejman - https://aicompass.com.au

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Arek's Quick Fire Answers

What does success mean to you?

"To do whatever I want, wherever I want, whenever I want, at any time. That's the freedom. And the end goal is just to enjoy the journey — it's the journey, not the end point."

What does happiness mean to you?

"Small things. Collect all small things. If you are not able to be happy with small things, the big ones don't give you the fulfilment either. Go out with my wife for a coffee, sit down — palms, water, yachts, wind, sun. And be close with family."

What's your normal morning routine these days?

"Do I have any? Managing my team in Europe throws out the standard routine. The one thing I keep coherent is onboarding myself with what's going on in AI — I have automated systems that brief me and create audio summaries I can listen to in the car, because the stuff changes daily, even by the hour."

What piece of advice would you put on a billboard for the world to see?

"Enjoy the time, have fun, and play with the AI toys you have around — that's the best possible way to learn. Only 2.3% of US households and 1.2% of Australian households pay for AI subscriptions. If you think you're late — you're not."

Who would you suggest as a future guest on the show?

"Rob Steffler from Silicon Coast. He has a very aligned view on how our education systems are outdated today — if education doesn't adjust to AI, we are cooked on a global scale."

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Listen To The Podcast https://pod.link/1683066164?view=apps&sort=popularity

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Find Us On Social Media https://www.instagram.com/sxhpod

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Chapters

(00:00:00) - Introduction

(00:00:38) – Chapter 1 | From Hacking Amigas in Poland to Founding AI Compass on the Sunshine Coast

(00:12:06) – Chapter 2 | AI as Your Strategic Advantage: Cognitive Extension, Not Just a Tool

(00:26:18) – Chapter 3 | Best Case vs Worst Case: Post-Labour Utopia or Second Species on the Planet

(00:45:24) – Chapter 4 | AI Consciousness, China vs the US, and the Taiwan Chip Bottleneck

(00:54:28) - Quick Fire Questions

(00:59:57) - Outro

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#podcast #artificialintelligence #sunshinecoast

What happens when a high performance coach admits he can't crush every day either? Returning guest Rich Burrows - breathwork, mindset and movement thought leader opens up about the year that tested everything he teaches. After the unexpected loss of his mum, Rich used his own toolkit of hard things to rebuild momentum from a standstill, and his honesty about it is the heart of this conversation.

Quick Fire Answers:

Success? "Learning."

Get in touch with Rich Burrows - https://www.performancebreathing.online/about

Watch the full episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/wEWurnVTAbE

Find us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sxhpod

Justin Pascoe was drafted into the AFL at 18 and now owns Super Netball's Sunshine Coast Lightning, after leading professional clubs across the AFL, NRL and world sport.

He shares why self-interest kills teams, how to build a sporting club that doesn't live or die on weekend results, why netball is Australia's most under-commercialised sport, and the "be the duck" approach to pressure: calm on the surface, paddling underneath.

Plus: parenting athletic kids without becoming a tiger parent, and why 80% of what you worry about never happens.

Chapters

(00:00:00) Introduction

(00:00:48) AFL Draft, Two Chances at Life, and Raising Athletic Kids 

(00:09:23) What Sport Teaches Business: Buying the Sunshine Coast Lightning

(00:31:16) Be the Duck: Staying Calm When Everything Is on Fire 

(00:41:09) Quick Fire Questions

(00:43:07) Outro

Sunshine Coast Lightning: https://sunshinecoastlightning.com.au/ Follow us: https://www.instagram.com/sxhpod

Travis Schultz has built, sold, rebuilt, and grown one of Queensland’s most respected compensation law firms. From starting as an articled clerk on $165 a week to leading teams through growth, sale, failure, reinvention, and purpose-driven success, Travis shares the lessons that shaped him as a lawyer, leader, father, and community advocate. In this episode, you’ll learn how resilience, fairness, culture, and accountability can change the way you lead and live.

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Get in touch with Travis Schultz - https://www.schultzlaw.com.au/

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Listen To The Podcast

https://pod.link/1683066164?view=apps&sort=popularity

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Find Us On Social Media

https://www.instagram.com/sxhpod

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Chapters

(00:00:00) - Introduction

(00:00:48) – Chapter 1 | Selling a $19M Law Firm and Starting Again

(00:08:35) – Chapter 2 | Childhood, Articles and Building Resilience

(00:23:36) – Chapter 3 | Leadership, Culture and Fairness in Business

(00:47:25) - Quick Fire Questions

(00:49:12) - Outro

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#podcast #leadership #Law

The quality of your life may be shaped by the quality of the questions you ask yourself. In this solo episode, we unpack seven powerful questions that sit at the intersection of success and happiness.

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Listen To The Podcast

https://pod.link/1683066164?view=apps&sort=popularity

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Find Us On Social Media

https://www.instagram.com/sxhpod

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Chapters

(00:00:00) - Introduction

(00:02:09) – Chapter 1 | Am I Curious Enough?

(00:04:59) – Chapter 2 | Do I Trust The Process?

(00:08:21) – Chapter 3 | Future Self & Younger Self

(00:11:31) – Chapter 4 | What Am I Avoiding?

(00:14:46) – Chapter 5 | Life Is Happening Now

(00:17:56) – Chapter 6 | When In Doubt, Improve Yourself

(00:20:45) – Chapter 7 | Who Am I Becoming?

(00:23:38) - Outro

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#podcast #selfimprovement #mindset

The coach behind one of the greatest sporting dynasties of all time reveals what it really takes to build a culture of sustained success. John Buchanan went from being a schoolteacher and Queensland coach to leading the Australian cricket team through an era of unprecedented dominance, redefining leadership, innovation, and high performance along the way.

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Get in touch with John Buchanan - https://www.buchanancoaching.com/

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John’s Quick Fire Answers

What does success mean to you?

“A thriving family.”

What does happiness mean to you?

“Strong relationships, family, and seeing others thrive.”

What’s your normal morning routine these days?

“Starting the day with exercise, reflection, and preparation.”

What piece of advice would you put on a billboard for the world to see?

“Be curious. Keep learning.”

Who would you suggest as a future guest on the show?

“Someone with an inspiring story who may never have had the opportunity to share it.”

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Listen To The Podcast

https://pod.link/1683066164?view=apps&sort=popularity

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Find Us On Social Media

https://www.instagram.com/sxhpod

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Chapters

(00:00:00) - Introduction

(00:00:34) – Chapter 1 | Building Queensland’s Winning Foundations

(00:25:01) – Chapter 2 | Leadership, Culture & Sustaining Success

(00:53:26) – Quick Fire Questions

(00:56:24) – Outro

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#podcast #leadership #cricket

Property investing isn’t about buying houses, it’s about creating choices. Mia Shilkin’s journey from drug and alcohol counselling to becoming one of Australia’s most values-driven property investment strategists reveals how wealth creation starts long before you purchase your first asset. You’ll learn why mindset matters more than market timing, how to approach investing with clarity, and why financial freedom is really about having more choices.

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Get in touch with Mia Shilkin - https://www.miacasastrategy.com.au

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Mia Shilkin’s Quick Fire Answers

What does success mean to you?

“Success means choice. It’s not an emotion, it’s a structure. It allows me to make decisions based on my hard work without having to second guess them.”

What does happiness mean to you?

“Happiness is the enjoyment I get out of those choices. It’s being able to make a cup of tea and watch the mountain outside my house without having to check emails.”

What’s your normal morning routine these days?

“Exercise, grounding, drinking water first thing, and keeping my phone off. I focus on getting 1% better every day.”

What piece of advice would you put on a billboard for the world to see?

“Stop worrying about what other people think of you.”

Who would you suggest as a future guest on the show?

“James Yates or Mark Pridmore from Free Song Records.”

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Listen To The Podcast

https://pod.link/1683066164?view=apps&sort=popularity

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Find Us On Social Media

https://www.instagram.com/sxhpod

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Chapters

(00:00:00) - Introduction

(00:00:43) – Chapter 1 | From Counselling to Property Strategy

(00:11:35) – Chapter 2 | Building Wealth Through Purposeful Investing

(00:30:14) – Chapter 3 | Financial Freedom, Choice & The Future of Property

(00:42:52) - Quick Fire Questions

(00:46:20) - Outro

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#podcast #propertyinvesting #financialfreedom

From standing on a Sydney wharf watching her husband sail away on a tuna boat to building one of Australia’s most recognised seafood brands, Heidi Walker’s journey is a masterclass in resilience, risk-taking, and backing a vision when nobody else can see it. Heidi shares the story behind Walker Seafoods and Walker’s Tuna, and the lessons learned growing a business through uncertainty, setbacks, and relentless persistence.

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Get in touch with Heidi Walker - https://walkerstuna.com

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Heidi’s Quick Fire Answers

What does success mean to you?

“Success means different things in different areas of life. In business it’s achievement and growth, but at home it’s being with my family and enjoying our time together.”

What does happiness mean to you?

“Happiness is my family. But I also get happiness from my work. It’s finding the balance.”

What’s your normal morning routine these days?

“Up at 6am, getting the girls ready for school, checking emails and handling calls from the US before grabbing breakfast and getting into the day.”

What piece of advice would you put on a billboard for the world to see?

“At the end of the day, it comes down to you. You have to be responsible for yourself and your own happiness.”

Who would you suggest as a future guest on the show?

“Tony Kelly.”

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Listen To The Podcast

https://pod.link/1683066164?view=apps&sort=popularity

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Find Us On Social Media

https://www.instagram.com/sxhpod

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Chapters

(00:00:00) - Introduction

(00:00:44) – Chapter 1 | From Sydney Corporate Life To Commercial Fishing

(00:21:00) – Chapter 2 | Betting Everything On Walker Seafoods

(00:47:03) – Chapter 3 | COVID, Walker’s Tuna & Going Global

(01:06:48) - Quick Fire Questions

(01:09:13) - Outro

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#podcast #entrepreneurship #familybusiness

Andrea Levinson spent 25 years helping businesses and leaders perform at the highest level, before realising the version of success she had chased no longer aligned with who she truly was. From climbing the corporate ladder as an organisational psychologist to redefining her relationship with ambition, burnout, identity, and fulfillment, Andrea’s story is a powerful reminder that achievement without alignment eventually catches up with us.

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Get in touch with Andrea Levinson

https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrealevinson/

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Andrea’s Quick Fire Answers

What does success mean to you?

“Joyful bigness. Getting to experience lots of joy and positive emotion while doing things I feel called to do.”

What does happiness mean to you?

“Beautiful coffee, sitting outside staring at the sky, snuggling my daughter, and listening to the ocean.”

What’s your normal morning routine these days?

“Walking along the beach, coffee, school drop-off, then mindfulness and breathing exercises before work.”

What piece of advice would you put on a billboard for the world to see?

“If you don’t love your work, find a way to enjoy something about it and move toward a better version of work for you.”

Who would you suggest as a future guest on the show?

“Julie Fedeli and Sandra.”

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Listen To The Podcast

https://pod.link/1683066164?view=apps&sort=popularity

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Find Us On Social Media

https://www.instagram.com/sxhpod

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Chapters

(00:00:00) - Intro

(00:00:41) – Chapter 1 | Redefining Success & Identity

(00:20:26) – Chapter 2 | Burnout, Hustle Culture & The Cost of Achievement

(00:45:22) - Quick Fire Questions

(00:49:12) - Outro

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#podcast #leadership #burnout

Ben Norris built one of the fastest-rising gym equipment brands in the world after spending 18 months barely selling a single machine. In this conversation, the founder of Citadel Strength opens up about autism, getting bullied through school, learning human interaction from scratch, and turning blind self-belief into a global manufacturing company now operating in 21+ countries. Ben shares how he went from modifying gym machines in local gyms to building what many now call the best bodybuilding equipment in the world, all from a tiny Sunshine Coast workshop with his brother and almost no money. He also explains the mindset behind entrepreneurship, why most people quit too early, and how persistence, obsession, and purpose changed his life completely.

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Get in touch with Ben Norris - https://www.instagram.com/bnorris1992/

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Ben’s Quick Fire Answers

What does success mean to you?

“The ability to manage my time where I can do what I want to do.”

What does happiness mean to you?

“Having purpose, discipline and something meaningful to work towards.”

What’s your normal morning routine these days?

“Wake up, answer international customer emails and messages, train, then work until late at night.”

What piece of advice would you put on a billboard for the world to see?

“If you want to do something amazing, get amazing people around you.”

Who would you suggest as a future guest on the show?

“Daniel from McNaught Trucking, Hamish from Sydney gyms, or Christie from World Gym.”

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Listen To The Podcast

https://pod.link/1683066164?view=apps&sort=popularity

-

Find Us On Social Media

https://www.instagram.com/sxhpod

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Chapters

(00:00:00) - Introduction

(00:01:31) – Chapter 1 | Growing Up Feeling Different

(00:07:24) – Chapter 2 | Learning Human Connection

(00:13:17) – Chapter 3 | Discovering The Fitness Industry

(00:18:26) – Chapter 4 | Starting Citadel Strength

(00:22:12) – Chapter 5 | Betting Everything On One Opportunity

(00:29:35) – Chapter 6 | The Video That Changed Everything

(00:36:52) – Chapter 7 | From No Sales To Global Demand

(00:45:34) – Chapter 8 | Learning Business On The Fly

(00:51:29) – Chapter 9 | Scaling A Global Manufacturing Company

(00:56:13) - Quick Fire Questions

(01:04:01) - Outro

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#podcast #fitnessindustry #businessmindset