Dave Wood is a high-performance coach.

He hosts workshops at West Auckland’s Piha Beach called Calm Under Pressure which combine mental and physical challenges- clients (including UFC stars, Team NZ champions and Olympic athletes) often describe these workshops as life changing.

Dave Wood has done a lot, seen a lot and learned a lot. 

I genuinely believe if you are listening to this episode in the right frame of mind- ready to learn and open to some new ways of thinking, this podcast conversation could be transformational.

It’s a podcast of two halves. The first half is stuff we can all draw from around mental skill development and personal growth.

The second half is all about Dave and who he is: a kid who struggled with learning who became the youngest surf lifesaving captain in New Zealand before going on some INSANE travel adventures before becoming an emergency paramedic. 

After listening to this, if you are keen to attend one of Dave’s Calm Under Pressure workshops, you will get 20% OFF if you book BEFORE June 7 2025

https://wmw.co.nz/book-now/calm-under-pressure/

https://www.instagram.com/integrated__training/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this very non-political conversation, Christopher Luxon shares insights into his personal life, family values, and career journey. 

Some of the ground we cover includes:  

+ How his upbringing shaped him. And how his parents cope with the criticism he cops

+ His friendship with Sir John Key

+ Why he has never touched alcohol.

+ The backstory of his relationship with Amanda and how they make it work.

+ His best and worst habits according to his family and much much more!

The goal with these podcasts is always the same- to try and get a better understanding of a person through long form conversations.

Maybe it will change your opinion on the Prime Minister. Or maybe it won’t. And either of those outcomes are fine.

I enjoyed the conversation, and I hope you do too. 

****

This episode is sponsored by Generate Kiwisaver.

Choosing a KiwiSaver provider with strong long-term performance matters- and Generate is an award-winning KiwiSaver provider with a track record of delivering strong long-term returns.

Start planning now—Book a chat with an adviser at:https://www.generatewealth.co.nz/dom/

Because the choices you make today will shape the retirement you’ll have tomorrow.

The issuer of the scheme is Generate Management Limited. To see their Product disclosure statement go to their website. Past performance does not guarantee future returns.

**The views, thoughts and opinions expressed in this podcast belong solely to the host and guests and may not reflect the views of the show sponsors**

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mitch Lowe is one of the key players in New Zealand's live music industry. 

His company Audiology has organized over 500 events across New Zealand and Australia with artists including Bryan Adams, Cardi B, T Pain, Fisher, Snoop Dogg and even The Wiggles. He is also the brains behind major festivals like Bay Dreams, Mardi Gras, Sound splash, and more.

But that’s just the tip of the iceberg- Audiology is one of his THIRTY different businesses too!

Beyond his entrepreneurial endeavors, he is a father and a husband who describes himself as a "Full time Dad. Part time Promoter" and this is a small part of the Mitch Lowe story!

+The BTS of bringing massive musical acts to NZ and building Bay Dreams into an iconic festival.

+The most incredible story about partying with T Pain in Christchurch.

+How he operates with integrity in a business that is not always known for it.

+His biggest adversities, including losing millions of dollars on numerous occasions and going through an acrimonious split with a business partner.

+Why he will NEVER go back to Bali (this story is WILD)

+How marriage and parenthood have reset his priorities and so much more!.

Mitch Lowe is a big thinker and a do-er. He’s a guy who takes big swings and makes things happen. 

I really enjoyed connecting with him for this podcast and I hope you do too.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Pax Assasdi is one of the most recognizable voice's in New Zealand comedy.

If you are not familiar with Pax. Get ready- you’re about to meet an awesome human.

He’s a very brief bio: he’s a stand-up comedian, writer, actor and TV host. 

He created and starred in a TV show loosely based on his life called “Raised by Refugees.” (which you can stream on Neon)

He’s been on pretty much every TV show a comedian can go on: 7 Days, The Project, and Have You Been Paying Attention? 

He’s doing two crowd work shows as part of the 2025 NZ comedy festival. On Thursday 22 and Friday 23rd of May at the Q Theatre in Auckland:

https://nz.patronbase.com/_QTheatre4/Productions/C523/Performances

This conversation is a small part of the Pax Asadi story.

+ His experiences as a child of refugee immigrant parents in New Zealand. 

+ How one viral stand-up moment changed his career.

+ The piece of advice from Ursula Carlson has shaped his career.

+ Why has he never had a drop of alcohol.

+ His reflections on being fired from his breakfast radio show after 6 months and much much more.

***********

What do you see yourself doing in retirement?

Moving to the beach? Exploring the world? Spending more time with friends and family?

Whatever your dream, there’s one big question —how much will it cost?

That’s why choosing a KiwiSaver provider with strong long-term performance matters.

Generate is an award-winning KiwiSaver provider with a track record of delivering strong long-term returns- you can see their latest returns for yourself on their website. Because the choices you make today will shape the retirement you’ll have tomorrow.

Start planning now—Book a chat with an adviser at

https://www.generatewealth.co.nz/dom/

The issuer of the scheme is Generate Management Limited. To see their Product disclosure statement go to their website. Past performance does not guarantee future returns.

**The views, thoughts and opinions expressed in this podcast belong solely to the host and guests and may not reflect the views of the show sponsors**

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stefan Ozich is now part of a very small group of guests to make a return appearance on the podcast.

ICYMI, Stefan first appeared on the podcast towards the end of 2024. 

At the time he was about to embark on a jaw-dropping run- the length of New Zealand on the Te Araroa trail. Twice. Cape Reinga to Bluff and all the way back again. That’s 6000km. A handful of people have run the T.A trail. Stefan is the only person to do it twice.

And he did it with the goal of raising as much money as possible for a men’s mental health charity.

In this episode, we explore the incredible journey of his 114 days.

From the motivations behind his journey, including personal losses and mental health advocacy, to the physical and mental challenges he faced.

Stefan shares insights into endurance running, recovery, and the importance of gratitude.

The conversation also touches on the dynamics of crew support, the daily routines that kept him going, the profound interactions with others along the way, reflections on personal growth and much much more.

Stefan is a unique individual. He can put him mind to daunting physical and mental challenges then accomplish them with a smile on his face.

I loved connecting with him Again for the podcast and I hope you guys do too.

[email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Theo Shakes is an insanely talented 23-year-old New Zealand-based actor, writer, director, and content creator who is living proof of what happens when some natural talent meets a lot of hard work.

Theo has 2 million Tik-Tok followers and over 200 million likes. But I feel like it would be unfair to just call him a Tik-Tokker because there is so much more to this guy, and this is a small part of the Theo Shakes story:

+ His recollections of moving from the UK to NZ at 4

+His creative process with writing, filming and releasing a new Tik-Tok every 2 days

+Making a movie with Elijah Wood

+Getting love from Will Smith on Tik-Tok,

+How he makes money on Tik-Tok and much more.

At the time of releasing this, Theo is about to do his debut comedy show in Auckland called "Judging by the Look of Things."

Here is the link with all the info for tickets and times:

https://nz.patronbase.com/_QTheatre4/Productions/C545/Performances

***

Massive thanks to my friends at the Generate Kiwisaver scheme for sponsoring this episode.

We know you’ve heard of FOMO but have you heard of FORO? Fear of running out, when it comes to your retirement savings.

No one wants to be caught short, so do your future self a favour and get some KiwiSaver advice from Generate.

Generate have a track record of delivering strong long-term performance for their members – which will really pay off by the time you reach retirement.

And, they have advisers across the country to help make sure your investment is set up best for you.

Don’t have FORO – plan for tomorrow!

Head to generatekiwisaver.co.nz/dom

The issuer of the scheme is Generate Management Limited. To see their product disclosure statement go to their website. Past performance does not guarantee future returns.

**The views, thoughts and opinions expressed in this podcast belong solely to the host and guests and may not reflect the views of the show sponsors**

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jessie Rose is a psychic medium.

Full disclosure- I am a skeptic! I don’t believe in this stuff at all. 

But I also have an open mind and am keen to talk to all sorts of different people on this podcast as a way that I can learn more and potentially change beliefs I have.

So, when Jessie Rose messaged me about coming on the podcast, I said yes. And what you are about to listen to is that conversation.

This chat will either reinforce what you already think, or it will change your mind. And both those outcomes are fine!

This is part of the Jessie Rose story.

+Who is she and how she discovered she could communicate with the dead.

+Her journey from blocking her ability to embracing it.

+What it looks like in her mind when she receives messages from the dead

+ Her thoughts on the afterlife and reincarnation.

+Some of the most mind-blowing stories from her readings and much more.

After listening to this, if you are interested in getting hold of Jessie Rose, this is her link for IG:

https://www.instagram.com/jessierosepsychicmedium/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today’s guest is someone whose name or voice you’ll definitely recognize- David Lomas.

Reality TV always gets a bad rap, but for well over a decade this is the genre of TV David Lomas has been involved with, and he has been changing lives for the better.

With shows like “David Lomas Investigates” he has helped hundreds of people track down long-lost family members.

He has built a career out of finding answers, all while staying calm, kind, and genuinely caring through it all.

This is a small part of the David Lomas story!

+ His early years as a newspaper journalist including breaking the story about the Erebus plane crash.

+Working with Sir Paul Holmes and surviving a helicopter crash into the ocean.

+ His thoughts and perspectives on becoming famous later in life.

+All the behind-the-scenes workings of his TV shows and much, much more.

This was David's first ever long form podcast and it was a genuine honor that it was on mine. I hope you guys enjoy it as much as I did.

***

Massive thanks to my friends at the Generate Kiwisaver scheme for sponsoring this episode.

We know you’ve heard of FOMO but have you heard of FORO? Fear of running out, when it comes to your retirement savings.

No one wants to be caught short, so do your future self a favour and get some KiwiSaver advice from Generate.

Generate have a track record of delivering strong long-term performance for their members – which will really pay off by the time you reach retirement.

And, they have advisers across the country to help make sure your investment is set up best for you.

Don’t have FORO – plan for tomorrow!

Head to: https://www.generatewealth.co.nz/dom

The issuer of the scheme is Generate Management Limited. To see their product disclosure statement go to their website. Past performance does not guarantee future returns.

**The views, thoughts and opinions expressed in this podcast belong solely to the host and guests and may not reflect the views of the show sponsors**

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When it comes to horse racing, Opie Bosson is one of the best to ever do it. He is an absolute legend.

Here are a few bullet point highlights:

+ Over 2,000 career wins.

+ The New Zealand record for the most Group 1 victories by a jockey. He won his first Group 1 race as an apprentice at just 16 years old.

+ He’s won the prestigious New Zealand Derby several times.

+ He’s in the NZ racing Hall of Fame. And he was appointed Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2023.

In this conversation, which is Opie’s first ever podcast, we reflect on his incredible career, including his recent retirement decision.

He shares insights into the emotional challenges of leaving the sport, the significance of his 99 Group One wins, the relationship between jockeys and horses, the challenges of weight management, how he would like to be remembered in the racing community and much more.

I was left with the impression that Opie is much more comfortable on a horse than what he is in front of a microphone talking about himself so I appreciate him agreeing to do this and I hope you guys like learning a little bit more about this humble, low-key, unassuming kiwi legend.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lee Warn broke his back in 1989 when he was 16 years old. For 5 years after that he became, understandably, a depressed and angry young man. Then after a failed attempt at taking his own life at 21, he changed his outlook and perspective on life. And what he has done in the three decades since then is pretty cool:

+ Last year he took part in the London and New York marathons…dressed in a squirrel suit, complete with the big squirrel head (because doing 42km in a wheelchair in activewear is not difficult enough!)

+ He has done the Sky Tower stair climb challenge 5 times. That’s 52 flights of stairs each time.

+ He has also done a wheelchair bungy and rode his chair the 160km round Lake Taupo

These physical challenges are an example of the sort of person Lee Warn is, but he is so much more than wacky endurance events. 

I’ve been inspired by Lee for years and I know you guys will be too. This is a small part of his story.

****

What do you see yourself doing in retirement? Whatever your dream, there’s one big question —how much will it cost?

That’s why choosing a KiwiSaver provider with strong long-term performance matters. Generate is an award-winning KiwiSaver provider with a track record of delivering strong long-term returns.

Start planning for tomorrow NOW—Book a chat with an adviser at

https://www.generatewealth.co.nz/dom

The issuer of the scheme is Generate Management Limited. To see their Product disclosure statement go to their website. Past performance does not guarantee future returns.

**The views, thoughts and opinions expressed in this podcast belong solely to the host and guests and may not reflect the views of the show sponsors**

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.