Unmapped with Mike Kelly

This week on Unmapped, I speak with Nikki Tugano, the Founder of SeenCulture. Nikki is on a mission is ensure every human being in every organisation is seen and valued irrespective of who they are, what they look like or which role they perform in the organisation. Nikki is also positive psychologist with a passion for helping employees within organisations find optimal performance and wellbeing. We go deep into:

• The challenges of startup life and whether anyone can be a founder
• The science of wellbeing and performance & the importance of purpose in work
• What keeps Nikki going when everything is !@#$ed
• The bottleneck in getting funding to Founders of under-represented communities
• SeenCulture’s global mission to ensure everyone feels… well, seen!

I really enjoyed this conversation. I found Nikki to be articulate and considered. It’s always a joy to speak to someone with real expertise in their field and I learnt a lot from the jam we have on positive psychology & finding meaning in our work. Ask a positive psychologist and founder what they do when they have one of those really horrible months only a founder can understand - the ones where everything goes wrong and the world constantly feels like it’s ending - was illuminating. I bet you can imagine what the answer was!

Enjoy the episode folks!

PLEASE NOTE: THE FIRST 90 SECONDS OF THE INTERVIEW HAS AN ECHO - IT IS GONE BY 4:33.

For the first time ever on Unmapped, we’ve got more than one guest: a conversation in the truest sense. This dialogue began under twilight at the Salon stage of _SOUTHSTART and ends in The Twilight Zone; it is a true exploration of possibility. In the liminal and beautiful chaos of the future, you are welcome to open your mind and see what the world could look like. Today, that’s where we’re playing.

From Austin, Texas, Jared is a futurist, international speaker plus the Partner and Chief Creative Technologist at argodesign. Jared has spent his life colliding the creative potential of the future against present day realities in order to create better experiences for humans. The way he thinks about the world is unique: just wait until we give him a run-up to The Solarian Myth. A true joy to go deep with, everything Jared says and does comes from the left of field and yet always makes perfect sense.

From Perth, Western Australia, Kat is an impact-first, future-focused global systems designer operating at the C-suite & Board level. She focuses on projects and organisations re-thinking the possibilities of how we do things as humans. From CEO of Grameen Australia to Board roles with Food Frontier and Women for Election, Kat’s CV is distinguished and for good reason: she is a brilliant operator. She’s also my favourite person to have conversations like this with and acts as co-host on this episode.

From Adelaide, South Australia (although extremely Canadian), Craig is a technologist, artist and the Co-Founder of _SOUTHSTART, Australia’s premiere ideas and innovations festival. Craig is endlessly curious, naturally creative and is always willing to flip the script, ask why and explore any topic from every angle. A collector and connector of dots, Craig has a fascinating mind and despite his interest in technology, has a gift for curating environments offering authentic human connection.

I’m incredibly honoured to have been able to facilitate this conversation. Some of the most beautiful minds I know in a raw, unfiltered, campfire-style chat exploring the future of humanity at a critical point in our history.

Before you listen, ask yourself this question: What would it look like if humanity created technology and directed its exponential power toward the sole purpose of scaling authentic human connection, love and wisdom?

This one was special. Enjoy.

Well, I promised a doozie and here it is. Cris is a rockstar in my books: an ethicist who dedicates her life to helping individuals and organisations think about how they make decisions for better ethical outcomes - a task that is by no means simple given the incentives at the root of our society. She manages it with a smile, having never given in to the negative slant that we are forever mired in a world ran by bad actors. In fact, Cris holds a nuanced and hopeful outlook on the future, focusing on the opportunities whilst being mindful of the monumental challenges humanity faces.

As a Director of The Ethics Centre, Cris leads The Ethics Alliance and the Banking and Finance Oath, two initiatives aimed at improving ethical frameworks and decision making in the corporate sphere.

This conversation came for me at the perfect time: I had been grappling with feeling jaded about the world and about the inherent biases toward inequality written into our systems. Cris' is a level head in the room, able to see the good, acknowledge improvement and hope for the future provided an excellent counterbalance and valuable insight for me on an ever-deepening journey into understand the systems which govern humanity.

Of course, we go deep on AI. We discuss what ethics really means, and how really, ethics boil down to the choices we make. We explore the propensity for humanity to be really good at correcting course just in the nick of time, what an ethics first society would look like and the importance of love and intelligence as fundamental pillars of human good.

Cris is an incredible human with a brilliant mind. It was such an honour to have this conversation. I hope you enjoy it.

Tom is a legend of Australia's social enterprise & impact space: he's been creating social enterprises before the term even existed. He is currently the Co-Founder & CEO of StartSomeGood, the Co-Founder of LendForGood, a Non-Executive Director of the Centre for Social Impact, a Mentor at Energy Lab and speaks at conferences in Australia and often around the world.

Over two decades in the space, he has never been far from the beating heart of Australia's social good scene - except when he moved to the USA for an American soujourn. Throw in the very serious title of Social Enterprise World Forum 2022 Debate Champion and you are looking at a man not to be trifled with. Unless you want to build a social enterprise. Then, it is highly advised you trifle with him.

This conversation with Tom was just a pleasure. He has had such a vibrant life, and has proven you can do it whilst putting ethics and morals first. He's funny, witty, doesn't take himself seriously whilst being extremely knowledgable and skilled at what he does. Honestly, Tom inspires me a lot. Every time I've listened to him talk, I learn something new or am offered a different perspective on a topic I thought I had covered.

Oli Nold is the quintessential digital nomad and a serial entrepreneur. He ran one of the world's largest digital nomad communities & is currently the Co-Founder of North Resolutions, a digital marketing agency he runs with his fiancé, Lisa.

I've been chasing Oli for nearly three years for this interview, and you're about to find out why. Oli is a multi-faceted force of nature: he thrives at the frontier, spots opportunity with the eyes of a hawk & lives unapologetically in his lane.

We explore his journey thus far from Switzerland around the world, doing nomad life and business with your soulmate, making 7 figures, losing 7 figures, the challenges of mental health and addiction and much more.

I loved everything about this conversation: Oli is a true maverick; an inspiration to anyone who dares to dream & someone who you can count on for unrelenting honesty and a commitment to be their authentic self, no matter the time, place or context.

--

TIMINGS

00:00 - 2:12 - Intro

2:12 - 8:45 - The Way we Met, Respecting & Fearing Human Beings & Good at Community, Bad at Customer Service

8:45 - 17:50 - Oli's Origin Story, Heavy Burnout, The Third Way

17:50 - 25:10 - Being Sustainable as a Digital Nomad, Meeting your Soulmate

25:10 - 38:35 - Life & Work with your Soulmate, The Reality of the Hustle

38:35 - 53:00 - NomadX & COVID, Being Ready to Lose it All, Losing it All,

53:00 - 1:02:40 - Making it Back with Projectors, A Second Exit

1:02:40 - 1:16:50 - North Resolutions, The Customer Journey, Marketing to the Young

1:16:50 - 1:35:00 - Depression & Addiction & The Culture of Alcohol

1:35:00 - 1:41:40 - The Move to Ibiza, Full Circle, Changing Your Mind

1:41:40 - xx - Oli's Future, Too Old to Die Young, The Journey, Life is Rock'n'Roll

Now, I'm not going to tell at which point it is, but there is a part of this conversation which literally caused my mind to implode. Just as I was about to ask Dickie what his north star is, and explain mine as example, Dickie recited my north star verbatim to answer a question because it's also his north star.

Wild.

Anyway, back to ye olde standard guest introduction. Dickie Currer is the Head of Partnerships at Startup Victoria & the irrepressible hype man of the Australian startup ecosystem (well, one of!).

He's one of those guys you get the sense has lived a few lives already, and he seriously has. Born into challenging circumstances with his beautiful Mum and Grandmother as parent figures, Dickie made it to Australia's startup ecosystem via the military, travel & entertainment industry and 62 countries.

The breadth of Dickie's life lends to his depth. We discuss men's allyship & explore the seeming paradox of being raised in challenging circumstances only to see the incredible privilege held simply for being born in developed country. These experiences have imbued Dickie with a strong sense of integrity, spades of resilience and a never-say-die attitude.

Aside from the mindblowing groupthink on our north stars, I just really enjoyed this chat with Dickie. He is a man on a mission to squeeze every last drop out of a life he colours in high definition as he goes. He's one of those human beings who brightens every room he steps into, puts smiles on faces & takes you on the wild journey of life with him. Couple these life-of-the-party tendencies with a reputation for getting shit done, and Dickie becomes a force of nature; a true powerhouse making a difference wherever he goes.

--

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 - 02:04 - Intro

02:04 - 11:57 - Allyship, Dickie's Origin Story, The Military & The Shift toward Feminine Leadership

11:57 - 15:55 - Overcoming Fear, Finding Purpose & Dickie's Mum

15:55 - 25:00 - Global Citizen, The Post-Code Lottery, Privilege

25:00 - 33:47 - Impact, The Humans of Southstart & The Magic of Creating Space

33:47 - 38:28 - Sliding Doors Moments & Travel as a Way of Reclaiming Yourself

38:28 - 51:30 - Discipline, Resilience & Self Motivation, The Journey & Powerful Life Moments

51:30 - 1:03:17 - Bringing Everything, When I'm 90 and Dying, Present & Dreaming, Long Term Perspectives

1:03:17 - 1:13:28 - Mission Driven

I've tried to come up with a catch-call label for Caitlin, and I honestly couldn't. One of the most fascinating people I've met in a long time, Caitlin is deeply human, defiantly feminine & unapologetically embodied.

Trained as a Doula, Caitlin's life took a turn when she was called to stripping. Having taken this career around the world, she now teaches women how to strip as a portal to return them to their embodied, feminine essence - to regain a confidence in their womanhood many have lost in a patriarchal world.

This is a must-listen for all - man, woman or anyone in between. The way Caitlin speaks of the female body helps us grasp the near incomprehensible magic of giving birth, something I feel we all need to stop and drop into at times. Caitlin's work begins at feminine empowerment and ends as a celebration of life and the beautiful bodies which nurture it into existence.

Her perspective on birth & the ramifications of our societies denial of the female body & feminity is a perspective I have never heard before. It rocked me. Her life & reflections left an impression on me. As is often the case, I left this conversation with a new close friend - a maverick who constantly inspires me - and a deep appreciation for the sacred feminine.

FIND CAITLIN

www.caitlinerica.com

IG - @caitlinerica

https://www.caitlinerica.com/strip-her (An 8 week embodiment and sensual dance course - use UNMAPPED code for $100 off)

https://www.caitlinerica.com/strip-her-the-pop-up (Pop up event in Sydney - UNMAPPED10 for 10% off)

TIMINGS

00:00 - 2:16 - Intro

2:16 - 4:40 - The Mystery if the Feminine

4:40 - 10:49 - A Doula Explained, The Lessons of Stripping & Voices from the Otherside (8 mins some breathing I could cut out)

10:49 - 18:40 - Permission (clip 14:15) (clip 15:05) 16:00 clip)

18:40 - 23:23 - Spirit's Guidance & Courage in the Face of Fear (21:00ish and 22:00ish - could cut a part out)

23:23 - 35:00 - s3x work, Body Sovereignty, The Soul's Journey (clip here somewhere approx 25-30 mark)

35:00 - 37:00 - Seeking, Learning & Growing

37:00 - 42:57 - the Magic of Birth, the Malignation of the Female Body, Sensual Dance as a Way Back (40:45 clip around here, 38:52 that's an issue clip, 41:20 clip)

42:57 - 51:47 - Celebrate Her & Caitlin's Work

51:47 - 58:00 - Cracked Open

58:00 - 1:07:30 - The Journey is the Way I Tell it, Taking a Leap of Faith, Interconnectedness

1:07:30 - 1:10:03 - Outro

As the CEO of Startup Victoria, Vicki Stirling is renowned for delivering a unique & fun breath of fresh air into the Australian startup ecosystem. Her considered and deeply personal perspectives on leadership and culture are eminent in the way she operates professionally & it's clear she brings her whole, people-first, empathic self to everything she does.

Having started her career in design at Nike in Europe, we weave through her fascinating career at the macro, but the powerful insights of Vicki's journey dawn on me once we go deep. Understanding the mindset and spiritual rhythms she approaches her life and work with brings a fresh perspective to topics like feminine leadership, creating culture, spiritual growth & what makes for an incredible founder.

Vicki brings her honest, candid and vulnerable self to this episode of Unmapped. She is open about some of the challenges in her life and what she learnt from them. I was privileged to be the person on the other side of this conversation.

Vicki is a rare, deeply inspiring empath, a tenacious leader and a dear friend. The world is richer for having her in it. Enjoy the episode: this one meant a lot.

TIME STAMPS

00:00 - 02:45 - Intro

02:45 - 9:30 - Chit chat, Southstart & The Magic of Spaces

9:30 - 15:30 - Legendary Founders, Co-Founder Relationships, Going All In

15:30 - 18:40 - Saying I Don't Know

18:40 - 23:25 - Enacting Change, Needing Control in Power

23:25 - 30:46 - The Masculine & Feminine, Finding Yourself, Awareness, Mindfulness & Awakening

30:46 - 33:49- Spiritual Principles as a Leader, Energetic Frequencies

33:49 - 39:45 - Servant Leadership & Culture

39:45 - 48:00 - Letting Go, Embracing Change & Strategy from the Bottom Up

48:00 - 54:04 - Customer Centric CEO, Startup Metrics

54:04 - 58:32 - Exploring our Feelings & Results Oriented Reputation & Being "Nervouscited"

58:32 - 1:04:59 - The Journey & Outro

Hailing from Hawaii, Jonathan de Potter is the Founder of Behold Retreats (www.behold-retreats.com). In a past life as a strategy consultant, Jonathan's considerable talent, drive & intelligence took him around the world. From New Zealand to Hong Kong, Jonathan had everything a young, ambitious consultant could want. A big team. Big deals. Respect. Influence. Money. Travel.

And yet, something felt as though it was missing. On a travelling sabbatical, he found himself sitting in ceremony with Ayahuasca in Peru; an experience difficult and transformational in equal measure.

A deep journey with plant medicines, meditation & yoga into the nature of consciousness ensured and over a number of years, Jonathan's eyes slowly opened. Residing in Ko Phan Gan in Thailand, Jonathan got to work on Behold, which has become the culmination of the total re-integration of his soul into existence.

Passionate about making this rebirth available to all, Jonathan focuses on making plant medicine available to Western - and specifically corporate - audiences with tailored coaching both before and after to help with preparation and integration.

TIME STAMPS

00:00 - 02:25 - Intro

2:25 - 4:25 - Psychedelic Education

4:25 - 10:18 - Perception, The Subjective Nature of Reality & Sovereignty

10:18 - 24:35 - Jonathan's Origin Story, Management Consulting & The Power & Money System

24:35 - 31:09 - Plant Medicine Intro & Jonathan's First Experience

31.09 - 39.21 - Integration, Experience & Unlimited Human Potential

39.21 - 43.43 - Retreats & Revival

43.43 - 47.30 - What Caused Jonathan to do Ayahuasca

47.30 - 1.00.10 - Behold Retreats, The Why., Interdimensional Challenges

1.00.09 -1.09.36 - Personal Spiritual Blocks

1.09.36 - End - The Paths of Life & Paradise on Earth

A born and bred South Australian, Moira Were AM is the City of Onkaparinga's Mayor. From her formative years, Moira has led a community-first life focused on social impact and giving voices to those typically without them.

After beginning her career at the community coal-face as a social worker, Moira has contributed to organisations of almost all descriptions and at all levels through a distinguished working life. Most notably, she has served as the Chief of Staff to the Hon. Trish White, former Minister of the SA government, the CEO of Volunteering SA&NT, Deputy Commissioner at the South Australian Fire & Emergency Services Commission, Director at Ethical Fields, Executive Director for Social Impact Network of SA, Co-Founder of Collab for Good and Founder of The Hen House.

What has struck me deeply in my personal interactions with Moira is how she is able to hold an empathetic understanding of individuals and their needs in her heart as she uses her head at scale in a systems design capacity. It is a rare and necessary quality of a humanitarian leader to hold these perspectives in a delicate balance.

A lover of poetry and writing, Moira considers her role in society deeply through her weekly writings and carries a book of poetry with her everywhere. David Whyte - her proclaimed favourite living poet - is a personal favourite of mine too.

Please enjoy this conversation with Moira. She is a magnetic personality with years of wisdom threaded through each word she speaks. We discuss her life and philosophies at breadth and depth, tapping into the brilliance of one of Australia's dearest held community leaders.

--

00:00 - 2:40 - Intro

2:40 - 5:08 Welcome to Country & Intros

5:08 - 11:48 Importance of early career to late career, the personal being political & everything being connected

11:48 - 15:55 - Mindset of a Community Worker, Experiences that Shaped Moira

15:55 - 24:20 The Value of Books & Poetry

24:20 - 29:05 - Biomimicry & Policy

29:05 - The Journey to Mayorship

41:00 - Being at the Frontier & Staying Progressive

44:12 - 48:00 - Business, Social Work & Co-ops

48:00 - 53:15 - The Vision of Ongkaparinga

53:15 - Southstart (5 co-ceos) - The Lessons from 5 Co-CEOs

57:30 - Transcendent Life Moments

1:01:30ish - The Journey