What happens when you get expelled from school, end up $70K in debt, and find yourself living out of a Volkswagen Polo — and then decide that's not the end of the story?

This week on What Are We Drinking, Rachel sits down with Adam McCaughey — chef turned Forbes-recognised "King of Sales" — for one of the most energetic and honest conversations we've had on the pod.

Adam's journey is anything but linear. From scrubbing pans at Rockpool at 16, to cooking for billionaires on superyachts in Fiji, to rock bottom, to scaling sales teams closing $600K a month — he's lived a lot of lives. And he connects the dots between all of them in a way that'll make you rethink everything you thought you knew about sales, success, and self-belief.

In this episode, they get into:

• Why conviction is the one thing you can't teach a sales rep
• The "cookie and the lion" framework for understanding your drive
• How elite kitchen culture shaped Adam's approach to business and leadership
• The difference between a smokescreen objection and a real one
• Building sales teams that don't churn — military discipline meets family culture
• Why being present (and bored) might be your biggest competitive edge
• Adam's challenge to stop looking for external validation — and become your own biggest fan

There's also a live objection-handling roleplay that is genuinely impressive, a story involving heroin and hypnosis, and the long-awaited baby announcement (kind of).

Raw, real, and packed with gold. Don't miss it.

In this episode of What Are We Drinking?, Rachel Carey sits down with Penioni “Penny” Tohi, founder of Able Minds, for a raw and honest conversation about disability employment, culture, business pressure, and building meaningful impact in the NDIS sector.From growing up in a traditional Tongan household in Western Sydney and chasing an NRL dream, through to working in autism support and launching Able Minds, Penny shares the experiences that shaped his mission to create fairer employment opportunities for people with disabilities.The episode dives deep into supported employment wages, why some participants are still being paid only a few dollars an hour, and the challenges providers face trying to create genuine innovation inside an increasingly difficult NDIS system.Rachel and Penny also unpack entrepreneurship, burnout, work-life balance, provider sustainability, masculinity, family expectations, and the reality of trying to build purpose-driven businesses in today’s climate.This is one of the most honest conversations yet about the future of disability employment in Australia.Key Topics - Penioni Tohi’s journey from rugby league to the disability sector - Founding Able Minds and creating supported employment pathways - The reality of subsidised disability wages in Australia - Why some supported employees earn under minimum wage - Tongan culture, family values, and serving community - Growing up in Western Sydney in a household full of women - Entrepreneurship, burnout, and relationship sacrifices - Challenges facing NDIS providers in 2026 - Innovation, sustainability, and fixing disability employment - Why meaningful work creates dignity and independence - Building gardening crews and employment opportunities through Able Minds - The future of disability employment in Australia

In this episode of What Are We Drinking?, Rachel sits down with Paul Simmons, CEO of Ability SDA, for a deep dive into the realities of Specialist Disability Accommodation, the future of disability housing in Australia, and the challenges providers are facing within the NDIS landscape.Paul shares his journey from economics and healthcare banking into retirement villages, before making the pivot into SDA alongside his wife Angie. Together, they built Ability SDA with a focus on creating beautiful, functional housing that genuinely improves quality of life for people with disabilities.The conversation explores everything from construction costs, NDIA funding challenges, choice and control, and the saturation of poor-quality SDA stock, through to the importance of aesthetics, accessibility, and future-proofing disability housing.Paul also opens up about working alongside his wife, raising three daughters while building a business together, and why creating meaningful spaces for people matters so deeply to him.There’s also an incredible story behind his drink choice — Ink Gin — involving sugar cane, entrepreneurship, Margot Robbie, and a reminder that sometimes the opportunity you never expected becomes the thing that changes everything.This episode is honest, insightful, passionate, and packed with real conversations about where the disability sector is headed.Key Topics Discussed - Paul Simmons’ journey from banking into SDA housing - Building Ability SDA alongside his wife Angie - The origin story behind Ink Gin and entrepreneurship - The evolution of Specialist Disability Accommodation in Australia - Why apartments became a major SDA solution in Sydney - NDIA funding challenges and policy instability - The impact of rising construction costs on disability housing - Why poor SDA design is becoming a major issue - Future-proofing SDA builds through quality and aesthetics - Choice and control for people with disabilities - Separation of housing and support providers - Fraud and accountability within the NDIS sector - The shortage of accessible housing outside SDA funding - Why beautiful, mainstream-style housing matters - Working with your spouse and balancing business with family life - Raising children while running a purpose-driven business - AI, innovation, and the future of business

In this episode of What Are We Drinking?, Rachel sits down with Indi Cleary for a real, refreshing conversation about carving your own path and refusing to live an “average” life.From growing up between the Northern Beaches, New Zealand, and Western Sydney, Indi shares how her environment, family, and sense of identity shaped who she is today. She opens up about the influence of her dad, Ivan Cleary, and her brother, Nathan Cleary, and how those relationships impacted her perspective on life and direction.Indi walks through her career journey, from starting a university degree in teaching, to leaving it behind and exploring different industries including beauty, hospitality, and real estate. She reflects on what she learnt in each phase, what felt aligned, and what didn’t.This episode dives into the pressure of choosing the “safe” path, the reality of figuring things out as you go, and the importance of backing yourself even when it doesn’t make sense to others.Honest, relatable, and full of self-awareness, this is a conversation about identity, growth, and building a life that actually feels like yours.

In this episode of What Are We Drinking?, Rachel sits down with Kieran Watts, a Powerchair athlete and advocate, for a real and eye-opening conversation as the Powerchair Hockey Team aims to fundraise their trip to the World Championships in Finland.

They unpack what it actually takes to compete in Powerchair sport, from the discipline and preparation to the often overlooked reality of constant fundraising just to get to competitions. Kieran shares the financial challenges athletes face and why community support is so critical.

The conversation also dives into the NDIS, breaking down misconceptions, media narratives, and the frustration of navigating a system that often requires people to repeatedly prove permanent disabilities.

This is a raw discussion about autonomy, accessibility, and changing the way we view disability in Australia.

Donate Today! ANY amount helps 🩷https://asf.org.au/campaigns/australian-powerchair-hockey-association-nsw-inc/help-the-australian-sliders-go-to-finland

Topics Discussed:

- Kieran’s background and journey into Powerchair sport

- The mindset and discipline required to compete at a high level

- Behind-the-scenes reality of training, competing, and preparation

- Financial challenges in disability sport and lack of funding

- The role of sponsorships and community support - Misconceptions about people with disabilities and capability

- The “protection vs autonomy” debate in disability

- Barriers to mainstream participation and accessibility improvements

- NDIS funding controversies and media narratives

- The emotional and administrative burden of NDIS processes

- Advocacy for participant choice, control, and dignity

- Why lived experience voices need a bigger platform

In this episode of What Are We Drinking?, Rachel sits down with Kieran Watts, a Powerchair athlete and advocate, for a real and eye-opening conversation as the Powerchair Hockey Team aims to fundraise their trip to the World Championships in Finland.They unpack what it actually takes to compete in Powerchair sport, from the discipline and preparation to the often overlooked reality of constant fundraising just to get to competitions. Kieran shares the financial challenges athletes face and why community support is so critical.The conversation also dives into the NDIS, breaking down misconceptions, media narratives, and the frustration of navigating a system that often requires people to repeatedly prove permanent disabilities.This is a raw discussion about autonomy, accessibility, and changing the way we view disability in Australia.Donate Today! ANY amount helps 🩷Topics Discussed: - Kieran’s background and journey into Powerchair sport - The mindset and discipline required to compete at a high level - Behind-the-scenes reality of training, competing, and preparation - Financial challenges in disability sport and lack of funding - The role of sponsorships and community support - Misconceptions about people with disabilities and capability - The “protection vs autonomy” debate in disability - Barriers to mainstream participation and accessibility improvements - NDIS funding controversies and media narratives - The emotional and administrative burden of NDIS processes - Advocacy for participant choice, control, and dignity - Why lived experience voices need a bigger platform

In this episode of What Are We Drinking? Rachel sits down with fitness mogul and modern-day monk Matt Gamble — founder of G3 Fitness, self-development addict, father, partner, and the man who literally went into the Colombian jungle to have an ego death and rebuild his life.Matt opens up about growing up in housing commission, dropping out of school, building a fitness empire from Penrith to 75 locations, surviving the chaos of franchising, losing his identity during COVID, discovering spirituality, and drinking ayahuasca in the jungle — where everything he thought he was got stripped away.This episode hits everything: childhood trauma, building a business from nothing, hustle culture, identity, self-worth, plant medicine, spiritual awakenings, rituals, fatherhood, partnership, purpose, manifestation, ego death, and finding peace after a lifetime of grind.If you're into NDIS leadership, entrepreneurship, mindset, fitness business, spiritual growth, ayahuasca, breaking generational cycles or just want an insanely raw life story — this is your episode.Topics Discussed: - Growing up in housing commission - Dropping out of school & finding fitness - Becoming a PT at 17 - Building G3 Fitness from scratch - Turning a PT model into a multi-site franchise - Life + business during COVID - Identity loss & ego attachment - Spiritual awakening - Ayahuasca explained (what it is, what it does, what actually happens) - Full ego death experience - Jungle ceremonies & Mother Ayahuasca - Becoming present, slowing down, morning rituals - Fatherhood, gratitude & emotional maturity - Detaching from old identities - How self-development changed his entire life

In Episode 10 of What Are We Drinking?, Rachel Carey sits down with Western Sydney’s hospitality powerhouse Jessica Jenkins — the woman behind some of Penrith’s most iconic venues, including Mr Watkins, Elton Chong, and Harry Hartog.

From coffee to cocktails, Jess has built more than venues — she’s built a community. In this unfiltered chat, she opens up about the hustle behind hospitality, the realities of small business ownership, and her mission to put Penrith on the map as a vibrant, connected hub for locals and travellers alike.

They talk about life, leadership, and what it means to grow something meaningful in a world that’s always changing — from burnout to boldness, motherhood to management, and why Western Sydney’s story is only just beginning.

☕ In this episode, we discuss:

How Mr Watkins became a beloved Penrith café and cocktail bar — and what it really takes to make hospitality work.

The creation of Elton Chong, a left-of-centre live music venue bringing alternative culture and inclusion to Western Sydney.

The urgent need for Penrith’s CBD revitalisation ahead of the new Western Sydney Airport — and what local councils are missing.

How Jess learned to step back from the grind, find balance, and lead through feminine energy.T

he truth about innovation in hospitality, TikTok trends, and staying authentic in an Insta-driven world.

In this episode of What Are We Drinking?, Rachel Carey sits down with the ever-charismatic Jack Traynor, Business Development Manager at Care Done Differently and founder of Caffeine Connections.Over a glass of red, they unpack what it really means to build a personal brand in the disability sector, the power of genuine human connection, and how authenticity always wins over a sales pitch.Jack shares his journey from aged care to disability, the story behind Caffeine Connections, and why being yourself is your greatest business strategy.Watch if you’re in the NDIS, a BDM, or anyone craving real connection in a noisy industry.

In this episode of What Are We Drinking? w/ Rachel Carey, we sit down with Dr. Yasser Zaki — Global CEO of TLC, entrepreneur, innovator, and fearless leader in the Australian NDIS and disability services sector.Yasser’s story is nothing short of extraordinary. From being homeless after migrating from Egypt to Australia, to founding and scaling Tender Loving Care (TLC Global) into an organisation with over 1,200 staff across 9 years, his journey is a masterclass in resilience, mindset, leadership, and purpose-driven business.Together, Rachel Carey and Dr. Yasser Zaki explore what it really takes to build an empire with heart, and how true success means giving back, leading with fairness, and finding peace in the hustle, shared over a slight twist on a tropical delight! 🍍🍹Topics Covered:- Yasser’s journey from Egypt to Australia and finding purpose after struggle- What it means to hit rock bottom and rebuild from scratch- How ego can be your greatest teacher if you learn to control it- Building TLC Global from a $500 start-up to a 1,200-employee enterprise- Turning corporate success into social impact through disability services- The story of meeting Margaret — the moment that changed his life- Finding your leadership style: from fiery hustler to Zen CEO- Lessons in fairness, purpose, and authentic leadership-Why profits without goodness don’t matter- How giving back through TLC Global transforms communities- Creating employment for people with disabilities through MAY Foods- The power of curiosity, friction, and mindset in business growth- Redefining what success means in the NDIS business world