The Culture Standard

In this special episode of The Culture Standard, Chris and Beau sit down with the person who has been there by Chris’s side through it all—his wife, Jess.

Together for 16 years since they were 19 and 21, Jess has been a constant source of support through life’s highs and lows. From navigating seasons of depression, backing Chris through sport, business ventures and career changes, to raising three children together, their journey has been built on commitment, resilience and growth.

Jess shares her perspective on marriage, motherhood, overcoming challenges, and what it takes to build a strong family while facing life’s hardships together. Through every setback and success, their experiences have strengthened their relationship and shaped the values they live by today.

This conversation is an honest look at partnership, perseverance, and the power of having someone in your corner no matter what.

What if the biggest lever on the quality of your day, your mood and your relationships came down to one thing — the energy you choose to bring?

In this episode we break down The Energy Bus by Jon Gordon, the bestselling fable about a bloke at rock bottom who turns his life around after a chance encounter with a bus driver and her ten rules for living with positive energy. It's a simple story with a serious message: the energy you give out is the energy you get in return.

We get into what Gordon's ten rules actually look like in your own life — when you're trying to get out of a funk, build better habits, or just show up as a better version of yourself:

• ​You're the driver. Taking ownership of your direction and your focus instead of letting your circumstances steer.
• ​Fuel the ride. Gratitude, attitude and the daily habits that keep your tank full.
• ​Guard your energy. Spending less time with the people and thoughts that drain you, and more on the ones that lift you.
• ​Drive with purpose. Living with intent, looking after yourself, and actually enjoying the journey.

It ties straight back to the through-line of every book we've covered on the show — that fulfilment is built from the inside out. The energy you give out is the energy you get in return. Hop on.

Legends, This week we sit down with Steven Kretiuk — former Bulldogs player in the AFL and one of the more grounded blokes you'll come across.

On the field, Steven had the discipline, work rate, and toughness that AFL demands. But the reason we wanted him in the room wasn't the footy. It was the person behind it.

This conversation digs into the values that shaped him — the stuff that doesn't show up in a stat line. Integrity, humility, how he treats the people around him, and what he's carried with him long after the game. We talk about what it actually takes to stay true to yourself, the difference between being a good athlete and a good man, and the principles he leans on when things get hard.

Chris also Mentions and spends a bit time explaining how Steve has impacted him in a positive way in his life.

Whether you follow the game or not, this one's about character. Have a listen.

What does it take to have the courage to be yourself?

In this episode of The Culture Standard, we sit down with one of Australia’s most respected leaders, Peggy O’Neal AO.

Born and raised in the United States, Peggy shares the challenges of moving to Australia, building a life from scratch, and creating a strong sense of community despite having few connections when she arrived. Her story is a powerful reminder of the importance of backing yourself, embracing change, and doing what you can, when you can.

Peggy has broken barriers throughout her career. She became the first female lawyer at her century-old law firm and later the first female President in AFL history, helping lead the Richmond Football Club through one of the most successful eras in its history, including three premierships.

But what stood out most to us wasn’t the list of achievements.

It was Peggy’s authenticity.

Her willingness to be herself. Her curiosity about people. Her ability to treat everyone with the same respect, regardless of their title, status, or background.

Throughout this conversation, Peggy shares wisdom on courage, belief, perspective, empathy, community, kindness, volunteering, reading, writing, and living a life of purpose.

This episode is packed with practical lessons and timeless advice from someone who has achieved extraordinary things while never losing sight of what matters most.

If you’ve ever wondered how to stay true to yourself while leading others, this conversation is for you.

Key themes:

• The courage to be yourself

• Building community and meaningful relationships

• Leadership and breaking barriers

• Perspective, empathy and kindness

• Doing what you can, when you can

• Volunteering and giving back

• Lifelong learning through reading and writing

• Creating a life of purpose and impact

We hope you enjoy this conversation as much as we did.

The Culture Standard

In this episode, we break down the powerful ideas from Atomic Habits by James Clear and explore how small daily actions can create massive long-term change. We dive into the psychology of habits, identity-based growth, discipline, motivation, and why success is often less about big goals and more about consistent systems.

We discuss practical strategies from the book, including habit stacking, environment design, breaking bad habits, and the compounding effect of tiny improvements over time. Along the way, we also explore how modern distractions, dopamine, and routine shape our behavior more than we realize.

Whether you’re trying to improve your health, business, mindset, productivity, or relationships, this conversation breaks down how habits quietly determine the direction of your life — and how to take back control of them.

You know Beau’s story. Now meet the woman who lived it alongside him. Lucy Vernon — wife, mum of three, and clinical psychologist — joins the podcast for the first time to share her perspective on life after Beau’s injury. The adjustments, the heartbreak, the growth, and the moments nobody talks about. A conversation we’ve been waiting a long time to have.

This week we dive into The Resilience Project and unpack why a book built on such simple ideas has resonated with so many people around the world.

We explore the book’s core framework — Gratitude, Empathy and Mindfulness (GEM) — and discuss why modern life seems to be making people more connected digitally but more disconnected emotionally. From social media comparison and burnout to anxiety, success, purpose and emotional resilience, this episode gets into the habits and mindsets that actually shape wellbeing day to day.

We also talk about the difference between achievement and fulfillment, why vulnerability might be a real form of strength, and whether modern society has drifted too far from the things humans genuinely need to feel grounded and happy.

Whether you’ve read the book or not, this conversation is packed with practical insights, honest reflections and meaningful discussion about mental health, resilience and what it means to live well in a constantly distracted world.

In this episode, we dive into Viktor Frankl's experiences and insights from living through the holocaust, we break down what it really means to find meaning in suffering, why mindset matters more than circumstances, and how this applies to everyday life - whether your chasing goals, facing setbacks, or just trying to improve and figure things out.

We can choose our response when everything else is out of our control.

In this episode of The Culture Standard, we break down the messages from Rick Rigsbys famous speech. We discuss the life lessons he shares about character, gratitude, kindness and what it truly means to live with purpose. This is a great Speech and a must listen, so here it is below

https://youtu.be/lw-5f4QN1zs?si=3pHe1XK-a69n9FFp

In this episode of the Culture Standard we have our first guest, Ryley Batt. Ryley is the GOAT of wheelchair rugby and more importantly, he is an even better bloke. Ryley is a brute on the court, kind and caring off it, with a smile that lights up the room. Ryley shares his story with a heap of life lessons and a good laugh a long the way.