the me.vibes podcast

Ever been told you’re “too generalist”? That your experience is too broad, your interests too varied, or your career needs to make a little more sense on paper?

This conversation might feel like a very welcome exhale.

Today I’m joined by Rach, a chief of staff whose career spans executive assistant roles, project management and business operations, including her time at Linktree. The breadth of experience that didn’t always fit neatly into a job description is central to the work she does today.

We talk about what a chief of staff actually does, working alongside founders, and using AI without handing over your judgement. There’s also a remote team with very few meetings. Yes, apparently that life exists.

But what stayed with me most was Rach’s openness about being diagnosed with OCD and anxiety in adulthood, and how understanding her brain changed the way she lives, works and supports other people.

We get into:
✨ Finding your place when you’re interested in lots of different things.
🧠 Understanding how you work best and making space for those conversations at work.
🤖 AI, human judgement and the value of experience.
💛 Creating a life with room for ambition, family, solitude and proper rest.
🌱 Enjoying where you are while still having dreams for what comes next.

This episode became deeply personal for me. In the outro, I share that since recording, I’ve been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, and why Rach’s honesty helped me feel more comfortable talking about my own experience.

An honest, thoughtful chat about careers, brains and what success feels like when you get to define it for yourself. With a little swearing and some very strong feelings about staying in bed.

Connect with Rachel on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rach-matters/

If this conversation makes you think of someone, send it their way. Follow the me.vibes podcast and leave a rating if you enjoyed listening. Five stars for good karma. 😉

Content note: Includes explicit language and personal experiences of mental health. Neither of us is a medical professional; this conversation is not medical advice. Please speak with a qualified professional for support or guidance.

“I was really scared, but I did it anyway.”

Seven-year-old Maddy says this about singing alongside children older than her, and I haven’t stopped thinking about it.

In this episode of me.vibes, my best friend’s daughter joins me to talk about moving from Wellington to Sydney: saying goodbye to friends, starting a new school, and bringing her precious toy, Cuddly, along for the adventure.

We grown-ups make the plans and pack the boxes. But what does starting again feel like when you’re seven? Maddie shares her worries, her excitement, and her wonderfully straightforward approach to making new friends. Say hello. Ask questions. And if it doesn’t work out? Try again.

There’s singing, mystery-solving, dreams of a YouTube channel, and some honest feedback on the things grown-ups don’t quite understand. Apparently, we have a bit of homework to do. 😂

Her mum and I have been friends for over 15 years, so getting to hear Maddie’s thoughts on life behind a podcast microphone feels especially precious.

For anyone navigating a new beginning, or helping a child through one, I hope this conversation makes you smile and encourages you to listen a little closer. Children have plenty to tell us when we give them the time.

If you enjoyed this episode, share it with someone who could use a little courage. Follow me.vibes and leave us a rating (five stars for good karma). ✨

We’re getting very good at asking AI questions. But how often do we question what we’re giving it?

In this episode of me.vibes, I sit down with Amber Taylor, founder of Native Sentient, whose work brings together Indigenous systems thinking, AI governance and the experience of building digital infrastructure.

We talk about what happens behind the screen: who controls our data, whose perspectives shape technology, and why being able to access someone’s knowledge doesn’t automatically give us permission to use it.

And then we get into the very human stuff.

I share a moment with my seven-year-old son, who wanted ChatGPT to answer a painful question after we lost our cat. It opens a conversation about children, instant answers, and how we help them use technology while staying connected to people and their own thinking.

There’s language, belonging, Brazilian music, some uncomfortable questions and, of course, pineapple on pizza. Because even an AI conversation needs to settle the important things.

In this conversation:

• Why AI governance needs to begin when systems are designed.
• Everyday AI use at work, accountability and data boundaries.
• Indigenous data sovereignty, permission and giving back to communities.
• Who is around the table when technology is built.
• Children, chatbots, critical thinking and human connection.
• Amber’s Keep Your Brain On classroom activity.
• Sharing people’s stories with their involvement and consent.
• What language carries beyond words: culture, memories and belonging.

A question to take with you:
“Do I know what’s happening with my data once I hit enter?”

CONNECT WITH AMBER
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ambertaylornz/
Website: https://www.nativesentient.com
Email: [email protected]

RESOURCES

Invisible Women by Caroline Criado Perez - https://amzn.asia/d/0g9GR21o
AI Governance Readiness Briefing - Amber’s post with the access link:
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/ambertaylornz_ai-governance-readiness-briefing-activity-7500035001451737088-Sog-

Keep Your Brain On - learn about the classroom activity:
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/ambertaylornz_aieducation-humanagency-futureoflearning-activity-7501457433098125314-VCc-

If this conversation made you think of someone, send it their way. Follow me.vibes and rate 5 stars for good karma.

Content note: Contains explicit language and a discussion of pet loss and grief. This episode shares personal perspectives and general information, rather than professional advice.

Atawhai Tipene became a mum at 14. Today, she’s raising three children, running businesses, mentoring other entrepreneurs and creating tools that work with the way her brain works.

We talk about her experience of ADHD, the ideas and hyperfocus that fuel her work, and the systems she’s built to make room for both business and family. We also get into being misunderstood at school, the stereotypes she faces as a Māori woman, and what it took to stop pretending to fit in.

Atawhai is funny, honest and full of ambition. But one of my favourite moments is her answer to what success looks like right now: buying groceries for her family without having to calculate every item before reaching the checkout.

Follow her on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theatawhaiadhdplanner/

Pre-Order Now: https://atawhaiadhd.com/

A note before listening: This episode contains swearing. We discuss ADHD, self-diagnosis and medication from personal experience; neither of us is a medical professional. Please speak with a qualified health professional for advice about your own situation or your whānau.

What happens when the life behind the LinkedIn profile is far messier than the job title suggests?

In this episode, I sit down with my friend David, whose career has taken him from Auckland to Hong Kong, London and back again—into global leadership roles supporting teams around the world.

But this isn’t the polished version of his story.

David shares what happened when he moved overseas for a relationship that ended shortly afterwards, lost his job, cried himself to sleep and had to rebuild his life one conversation, one plan and one baby step at a time.

We talk about career comparison, resilience, leadership, salary conversations, AI in the workplace and why bringing someone else’s pay into a conversation with your manager may not be the power move you think it is. David also explains why leaders need to make time to think, and why thinking is real work, even when it produces nothing shiny or immediately measurable.

And because this is me.vibes, we also cover parenting across time zones, a phone booth in the lounge, my husband being in a cast, an upcoming jaw surgery, and the week my washing machine and oven both joined the rebellion.

If you’ve ever looked at someone else’s career, business or life and wondered, “Why am I not there yet?”, this episode is your reminder: LinkedIn is never the whole story.

Connect with David: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-hogg-cmhrinz-b630696/

In this episode of the me.vibes podcast, Maria talks with Veronika, a photographer, artist, creative, surfer and mother whose work is grounded in people, movement, colour, energy and connection.

Maria and Veronika first met during a ten-day Vipassana meditation retreat, although their memories of how their friendship began are not entirely aligned. Apparently, ten days of silence still leaves plenty of room for confusion.

Together, they explore what it means to build a creative life without having everything perfectly planned, or forcing yourself into one specific niche.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Veronika’s experience of a ten-day Vipassana meditation retreat
• Leaving her first job and beginning again without a clear plan
• Becoming a model to learn what photographers did behind the camera
• Building a career through curiosity, relationships and practical experience
• The vulnerability of sharing creative work publicly
• Perfectionism, self-doubt and imposter syndrome
• Why pressing “post” can feel genuinely terrifying
• Becoming a mother while still trying to build a creative identity
• Comparison, social media and protecting your mental health
• Finding small pockets of time for creativity
• Why 15 minutes can be enough to begin
• Creating personal work while earning a living through commercial work
• What photographing people has taught Veronika about confidence and beauty
• Learning to see yourself through somebody else’s eyes
• Why you may not need to find a niche—because you are the niche
• What success looks like to Veronika now

Books mentioned:

• The Creative Act: A Way of Being by Rick Rubin
A reflection on creativity, the creative process and approaching life as an artist.

• The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron
A practical and reflective guide to reconnecting with your creativity, working through creative blocks and developing a regular creative practice.

Follow Veronika:

• Personal/photography Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/veronika.sola/
• Mini Me children’s portraits: https://www.instagram.com/minime_portraits/
• Website or portfolio: https://www.veronikasola.com/

Content note:

This episode contains explicit language. You may also hear a humming noise in the background. That is Maria’s heater; it was freezing, and warmth won the battle against flawless audio. Also, the new kitten is purring. So enjoy the chaos.

Money is awkward. Debt can feel shameful. And being told you’re “too much” or “too weird”? Apparently, that’s a personality review nobody asked for.

In this episode of the me.vibes podcast, I sit down with Sasha Lockley, co-founder of Money Sweetspot, for an honest, funny and occasionally sweary conversation about money, the stories we inherit, and building something that actually gives a shit about people.

I had questions. I had a plan. Then we started talking… and the plan politely left the building.

We get into:

💸 Money, debt and why struggling financially doesn’t tell you everything about a person.
🧠 The beliefs about money we pick up from our families and carry into adulthood.
🍊 Abundance, community and why sometimes wealth looks like a neighbour arriving with a bucket of oranges.
💥 Being a woman in fintech and building a business without abandoning what matters to you.
🦄 Being passionate, opinionated, “too much” or “too weird”, and finding the courage to show up anyway.

This was my first interview after major surgery, and I didn’t realise until the end how much I needed this conversation. Come for the money chat. Stay for the reminder that you don’t have to become less yourself to do something meaningful.

🔗 CONNECT WITH SASHA & MONEY SWEETSPOT

• Sasha Lockley on LinkedIn
• Money Sweetspot website
• Money Sweetspot on LinkedIn
• Money Sweetspot’s Blog Spot

🎧 MORE FROM SASHA

Listen to Sasha on Making Cents with Frances Cook: “Angry at credit card debt? Here’s how to fight back”.

⚠️ A COUPLE OF DISCLAIMERS

Financial: This episode shares personal experiences and general information for discussion and entertainment. It is not financial advice, and neither Maria nor Sasha is acting as your financial adviser. The conversation does not take your individual circumstances into account and is not a recommendation to use any particular financial product or service. Please seek advice from a qualified financial adviser, or support from a financial mentor where appropriate, before making decisions about your money.

Language: There is swearing. If that’s not your thing, please protect your ears and go and get yourself a fucking sandwich. You’ve been lovingly warned.

If this conversation resonates, share it with someone who’s ever been told they’re too much. Follow me.vibes and leave five stars, because good karma is free and I’m absolutely not above asking. 💛

What does it really take to build a life that feels rich, not just one that looks successful from the outside?

In this episode, I sit down with one of my very best friends, Maddie, for a very honest and very funny conversation about money, motherhood, property and creating a life on your own terms.

Maddie and her husband, Nick, have built homes, renovated properties, raised three children and made some bold decisions to create greater financial freedom for their family. But behind the property portfolio and midday surfing are years of hard work, careful planning, uncertainty, sacrifice, and, at one point, renovating while pregnant with three children and no bathroom. Glamorous.

We talk about making money work for the life you actually want, choosing where to put your energy and recognising when the dream you were chasing is no longer your dream.

We also discuss community, relationships, baked beans on toast, questionable gym pants and why success might simply mean waking up happy, having a calm morning and finding enough freedom to surf in the middle of the day.

This isn’t a conversation about having everything figured out. It’s about building, learning, changing your mind and defining wealth for yourself.

Important responsible-adult disclaimer: this episode reflects Maddie’s personal experiences and the choices she and Nick made for their family. Neither of us is a financial adviser, and nothing in this episode should be considered financial, property or investment advice. Please speak with a suitably qualified professional before making decisions about your own finances.

Also, this episode contains explicit language. If you can’t handle a little swearing, go and get yourself a fucking sandwich.

🎧 Building Wealth, Chasing Waves & Redefining the Dream, with Maddie

What happens when you build the business you dreamed about as a child, and then life forces you to stop?

In this episode, I sit down with Gemma Lee, founder and designer of Gemma Lee Wetsuits, a women’s oceanwear brand bringing colour, femininity and joy to a line-up that has looked like a rather dramatic colony of seals for far too long.

Gemma shares how she turned her university collection into an award-winning brand, navigated New Zealand Fashion Week chaos at just 22, learnt to stand up for her work and built a beautiful community of women who feel confident and seen in the water.

But this conversation goes much deeper than wetsuits.

Gemma opens up about the surfing accident that left her with post-concussion syndrome, the invisible reality of recovery and what it felt like to lose her independence, confidence and connection to the things that made her feel like herself. We talk honestly about slowing down, accepting help and rebuilding your life when everything has been stripped back.

We also get into women in surfing, finding your crew, sharks, surf-chat emergencies, moving a business from New Zealand to Australia, and my very official request for a five-millimetre Gemma Lee wetsuit for those of us freezing in Gisborne.

This episode is colourful, funny, tender and full of heart. It’s a beautiful reminder that healing cannot always be rushed, community matters, and sometimes finding your way back begins with being a little kinder to yourself.

Follow Gemma Lee Wetsuits and explore the collection at gemmaleewetsuits.com.

Follow Gemma Lee's on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gemmaleewetsuits/

If this episode makes you laugh, feel seen or want to get back in the water, please share it with someone who might need it too, and leave the me.vibes podcast a five-star rating for good karma.

FYI, small correction: the outro transcript says, “Brisbane is cold”, but I meant, “Gisborne is cold”. I blame the accent.

Also, did anyone catch the tiny detail that I competed at Nationals in the over-30s and came second? SECOND. Nationally. I demonstrated extraordinary journalistic restraint by barely mentioning it, so I’m correcting that oversight here.

My guest today told me, mid-interview, that he needed to go get his book. Then showed me a Lego hammer. Then revealed he is not actually a kid, he's a dragon kid, and apparently I should have noticed the glowing light when he was born.

After my episode with Urzila Carlson, my seven-year-old son Luca informed me that he is also famous (Nature Baby model, age three, thank you very much) and that I should interview him too. So I did. This is easily the most unpredictable, least structured, most precious conversation I've had on this show.

In this episode, Luca covers:

• Life as a famous model who can "model his voice, his face, anything"
• His strongest Lego invention yet (it's a hammer, and it's very bendy)
• Why he'd choose Hogwarts over Ninjago, and which spells he'd actually use
• The time he kissed a frog (it stayed a frog)
• Why grown-ups "lose the memory of being creative" and kids just know things
• What adults worry about too much, and what we forget: how to have fun and play

Here's what stayed with me:

Kids don't overthink creativity.

They don't wait for permission to be interesting. They just are. And maybe that's the real takeaway, that confidence doesn't always need evidence, and the best conversations happen when you let go of control.

I hope this one makes you smile, reminds you of your own childhood imagination, and gives you permission to be a little sillier this week.

If it made you laugh, share it with a friend and leave a five-star review. It's just good karma. Big love.