Success x Happiness

Doctors gave him three days to three weeks to live, and some of them begged him not to try the chemo. Joe Surace was a Melbourne-born photographer and fruit-and-veg lifer working 70-hour weeks on the Sunshine Coast when, at 39, a back pain his doctors kept calling sciatica turned out to be an extremely rare testicular cancer that had spread to his lymph nodes and taken over 70% of his liver. Given a 30% chance with aggressive chemo in ICU or palliative care, he chose to die trying. What followed was 133 days in hospital, a body down to 40 kilos, emergency lung surgery...

He spent 20 years behind the drum kit of Powderfinger, and says it all felt "moderately normal".

Jon Coghill grew up on the Sunshine Coast wanting to be Luke Skywalker, then Michael Jackson, before a drum kit at 12 and a drunk night pogo-dancing into a UQ rehearsal room put him in front of a three-piece band who'd remember him 18 months later at his audition.

The same week he auditioned for Custard. What followed was Double Allergic, Internationalist, Odyssey Number Five, Vulture Street, and a band that chose to stay friends over writing an...

He grew up with an outside dunny on a dirt road south of Brisbane, and ended up sitting in John Howard's cabinet. Mal Brough's dad had polio from age four, ran the family corner store opposite a three-teacher primary school, and lost every election he ever ran in.

Mal joined the army on a whim at 18, walked away in 1987 to become a milkman, built a hairdressing wholesale business on the Sunshine Coast, and only joined the Liberal Party after ringing talkback radio to tear strips off the government over a wage subsidy.

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Rob Steffler gave every Year 10 student 30 days to build a business. After a decade running the DeLorean Project at Glasshouse Christian College and helping lead Silicon Coast and Forward Fest, he's seen what school misses.

You'll learn whether entrepreneurship can be taught, when to go all in on an idea, and why you should hold the problem tightly and the solution loosely.

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Get in touch with Rob Steffler

https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-steffler-50779196/

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Robr's Quick...

She built her career by showing up to everything, but at her most successful she was also at her lowest. Georgie Kollis went from commission-only charity sales to Billabong, Ray White and finance, then rebuilt herself through discipline, the 75 Hard challenge and the Like-Minded networking community she founded. In this episode, you'll learn how to network with intent, remove barriers and find mentors who will change your path.

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Get in touch with Georgie Kollis

https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgie-kollis-769226207/

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Fi...

He grew up in a biker-gang family where being seen meant being hard, and it took a bloody nose in an under-9s scrum to earn his father's first "proud of you". LJ Silulu, founder of Your Legacy Project, was expelled from three high schools, lost his rugby league identity to a snapped ankle at 19, and spent his twenties drinking and fighting in mining camps before a black-vomit morning in a donga made him look in the mirror and ask if he could do better…

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Get in touch with LJ Silu...

She's the registered psychologist who went from working with offenders in drug and alcohol clinics to coaching leaders in boardrooms. Shirall Silulu, founder of Honouring Minds, shares how a curious kid who made her mum label every item in the kitchen ended up specialising in trauma and attachment, and why she now believes most leadership is performance.

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Get in touch with Shirall Silulu

https://www.instagram.com/honouringminds/

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Shirall's Quick Fire Answers

What does success mean to you...

He flies between mine sites in Brazil, Chile, Alaska, Canada and West Africa teaching leaders one uncomfortable truth: your brain is not on your side.

In this episode you'll learn why the same leadership problems show up in every country, culture and boardroom, and how to stop letting a prehistoric supercomputer make your decisions for you.

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Get in touch with Dave Watson

https://neurolead.net.au

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Dave's Quick Fire Answers

What does success mean...

In this episode, we replay the keynote I delivered at RMX 2026 on the art of enduring: what Ultraman actually is, why the athlete out front is only 20% of the result, and the 82 minutes I chased and never got. You'll learn why your biggest competitor is yourself, why exhaustion isn't evidence of commitment, why hard is the price of becoming capable rather than proof you're going wrong, and how to stay stubborn on the destination while staying curious about the route.

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Listen To The Podcast

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He spent 36 years fighting other people's battles before realising the only fight that mattered was the one with himself. Kyle Kimball started his own firm at 27 in Mooloolaba, and built it into one of the Sunshine Coast's most respected litigation practices before selling to his younger partners and walking away. In this episode you'll learn why it's not your dog in the fight, how to write the Abraham Lincoln letter you never send, why most fights aren't worth having, why every dispute is really about identity rather than money, and why the only thing you control is yourself and...

She went from a shy, gangly kid who hated taking up space to pulling on the Australian Diamonds dress at just 22. Ash Ervin is the Sunshine Coast Lightning goalkeeper and Australian Diamond number 197. A self-described type B in a world of type A athletes, who rose from Firebirds training partner to a full SSN contract to the national squad in a handful of years, then copped the phone call every athlete dreads when she was dropped from the squad this year.

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Get in touch with Ash Ervin

https://ww...

Three years after leaving pro sport, we break down the athlete mentality that we believe high-performing business leaders are missing. In this episode you’ll learn the four foundations that carried from world championship racing into building businesses, and the one question leaders avoid asking: how do I personally get better?

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 <...

He was picking pine cones off the backyard lawn as a kid. Now he's the CFO behind a private equity buyout of one of Australia's fastest-growing IT platforms. Damien Hicks dropped out of law, qualified as a chartered accountant, and became CFO and Board Director of Entag — headquartered right here on the Sunshine Coast. In this episode you'll learn how a modern CFO actually uses AI, what a private equity buyout looks like from the inside, and how he protects two non-negotiable hours a day for his kids.

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Get in touc...

He walked away from a six-figure corporate career to build his own buyer’s agency from the ground up. In this episode, Murray McCarthy shares his path from accounting and law to major property projects in London and Maroochydore, and what drove him to back himself. You'll gain insight into how buyer’s agents source, assess and negotiate properties, and why data must outweigh emotion when the numbers do not stack up. Murray also delves into residential versus commercial investing, and why he sees no signs of the Sunshine Coast market slowing ahead of the Olympics.

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From hacking Commodore Amigas in communist-era Poland to advising businesses as the Sunshine Coast's leading AI thought leader — Arek Rejman's path is anything but ordinary. With a masters in computer image analysis and a machine learning PhD behind him, Arek and his wife left Poland for Melbourne in 2005, spent "temporary" 15 years there, and landed on the Sunshine Coast after COVID — right as ChatGPT's launch convinced him to go all-in and found AI Compass.

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Get in touch with Arek Rejman - https://aicompass.com.au

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What happens when a high performance coach admits he can't crush every day either? Returning guest Rich Burrows - breathwork, mindset and movement thought leader opens up about the year that tested everything he teaches. After the unexpected loss of his mum, Rich used his own toolkit of hard things to rebuild momentum from a standstill, and his honesty about it is the heart of this conversation.

Quick Fire Answers:

Success? "Learning."
Happiness? "Enjoying the moment with my nearest and dearest."
Morning routine? "A cold shower, then into a workout.”
Billboard advice? "Ha...

Justin Pascoe was drafted into the AFL at 18 and now owns Super Netball's Sunshine Coast Lightning, after leading professional clubs across the AFL, NRL and world sport.

He shares why self-interest kills teams, how to build a sporting club that doesn't live or die on weekend results, why netball is Australia's most under-commercialised sport, and the "be the duck" approach to pressure: calm on the surface, paddling underneath.

Plus: parenting athletic kids without becoming a tiger parent, and why 80% of what you worry about never happens.

Chapters

(00:00:00) Introduction

Travis Schultz has built, sold, rebuilt, and grown one of Queensland’s most respected compensation law firms. From starting as an articled clerk on $165 a week to leading teams through growth, sale, failure, reinvention, and purpose-driven success, Travis shares the lessons that shaped him as a lawyer, leader, father, and community advocate. In this episode, you’ll learn how resilience, fairness, culture, and accountability can change the way you lead and live.

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Get in touch with Travis Schultz - https://www.schultzlaw.com.au/

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The quality of your life may be shaped by the quality of the questions you ask yourself. In this solo episode, we unpack seven powerful questions that sit at the intersection of success and happiness.

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Listen To The Podcast

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Chapters

(00:00:00) - Introduction

(00:02:09) – Chapter 1 | Am I Curio...

The coach behind one of the greatest sporting dynasties of all time reveals what it really takes to build a culture of sustained success. John Buchanan went from being a schoolteacher and Queensland coach to leading the Australian cricket team through an era of unprecedented dominance, redefining leadership, innovation, and high performance along the way.

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Get in touch with John Buchanan - https://www.buchanancoaching.com/

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John’s Quick Fire Answers

What does success mean to you?

“...

Property investing isn’t about buying houses, it’s about creating choices. Mia Shilkin’s journey from drug and alcohol counselling to becoming one of Australia’s most values-driven property investment strategists reveals how wealth creation starts long before you purchase your first asset. You’ll learn why mindset matters more than market timing, how to approach investing with clarity, and why financial freedom is really about having more choices.

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Get in touch with Mia Shilkin - https://www.miacasastrategy.com.au

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Mia Shilkin’...

From standing on a Sydney wharf watching her husband sail away on a tuna boat to building one of Australia’s most recognised seafood brands, Heidi Walker’s journey is a masterclass in resilience, risk-taking, and backing a vision when nobody else can see it. Heidi shares the story behind Walker Seafoods and Walker’s Tuna, and the lessons learned growing a business through uncertainty, setbacks, and relentless persistence.

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Get in touch with Heidi Walker - https://walkerstuna.com

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Heidi’s Quick Fire A...

Andrea Levinson spent 25 years helping businesses and leaders perform at the highest level, before realising the version of success she had chased no longer aligned with who she truly was. From climbing the corporate ladder as an organisational psychologist to redefining her relationship with ambition, burnout, identity, and fulfillment, Andrea’s story is a powerful reminder that achievement without alignment eventually catches up with us.

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Get in touch with Andrea Levinson

https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrealevinson/

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Andrea’s Quick Fi...

Ben Norris built one of the fastest-rising gym equipment brands in the world after spending 18 months barely selling a single machine. In this conversation, the founder of Citadel Strength opens up about autism, getting bullied through school, learning human interaction from scratch, and turning blind self-belief into a global manufacturing company now operating in 21+ countries. Ben shares how he went from modifying gym machines in local gyms to building what many now call the best bodybuilding equipment in the world, all from a tiny Sunshine Coast workshop with his brother and almost no money. He also explains the mindset...

Chris Harris is back to break down the 2026 federal budget and what it actually means for everyday Australians.

From property investing and negative gearing to CGT, inflation, interest rates and discretionary trusts, Chris unpacks the real-world impact behind the headlines.

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Get in touch with Chris Harris

https://www.ords.com.au/adviser/chris-harris

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Chris’ Quick Fire Answers

What does success mean to you?

“To be able to make decisions and do things th...

Jarrod Lee turned adversity into fuel, building a 35+ person business empire from a small-town upbringing, relentless work ethic, and an obsession with growth. From buying a business during COVID after losing his job, to navigating leadership, fatherhood, and the pressure of scaling companies, Jarrod shares the mindset that keeps him moving forward no matter how hard things get.

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Get in touch with Jarrod Lee - https://baileyanddalton.com.au

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Jarrod’s Quick Fire Answers

What does success mean to you?<...

Sam Coward’s life was shaped by chasing attention—until a single moment with his daughter completely changed his purpose. From theatre stages to becoming one of the Sunshine Coast’s most recognisable radio voices, Sam’s journey is filled with raw lessons on identity, authenticity, and redefining success.

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Get in touch with Sam Coward

https://www.instagram.com/samcowardxs/

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Sam’s Quick Fire Answers

What does success mean to you?

“Finding your niche and excelling in it...

Ferre De Deyne’s journey from Belgium to the Sunshine Coast is a story of adventure, entrepreneurship, and a relentless pursuit of happiness. From adrenaline-fuelled business ventures to building one of the most significant Indigenous art collections, Ferre shares how following passion can shape an extraordinary life.

In this episode, Ferre dives into his migration story, building iconic tourism experiences, balancing risk in business, and why creativity is essential to happiness.

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Get in touch with Ferre De Deyne - N/A

https://www.bigkart.com.a...

From building a dessert empire to losing it all, Adriano Zumbo’s story is a masterclass in resilience. Adriano shares the highs of rapid success and the brutal lessons of losing everything. In this episode, we revisit one of our most powerful early conversations with Adriano Zumbo, exploring his journey from humble beginnings to national fame, the collapse of his business empire, and how he’s rebuilding his life and craft today.

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Get in touch with Adriano Zumbo

https://adrianozumbo.com

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Ad...

He turned unimaginable loss into a movement that’s saving thousands of young lives. Dr Leon Stensholm shares his journey from self-doubt, career-ending injuries, and the devastating loss of his brother to suicide, into building a life of purpose through mental health advocacy. This episode reveals how pain, when faced head-on, can become a force for impact.

Get in touch with Dr Leon Stensholm at Lookout 07 - https://lookout07.org.au

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Dr Leon’s Quick Fire Answers

What does success mean to you?

“Joy...

She went from growing up in a blended family of 19 to leading a family law division - Alicia Lucas brings both lived experience and legal expertise to some of life’s hardest conversations. Her journey into law and family law reveals a deep understanding of relationships, conflict, and what truly helps people move forward. This episode is a masterclass in communication, separation, and building stronger relationships.

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Get in touch with Alicia Lucas - www.thompsonlegal.com.au

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Alicia Lucas’s Quick Fire Ans...

In this solo episode, we break down the 9 standards Rich is trying to live by every day.

From doing hard things and managing your emotions, to building strong relationships, staying grateful, and actually enjoying the process — these are the principles shaping how I show up in life and business.

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Listen To The Podcast

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Rich Burrows is redefining how we understand performance under pressure. From coaching elite athletes to building Resistance Lab, Rich’s journey is all about mastering your internal state to perform when it matters most.

You’ll learn how to regulate your nervous system, build resilience through daily practice, and develop the ability to perform on command.

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Get in touch with Rich Burrows - https://resistancelab.com

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Listen To The Podcast

https://pod.link/1683066164?view=apps&sort=popu...

Mark Sowerby lost his billion-dollar company, his public reputation, and most of his wealth — and rebuilt himself by swimming some of the most dangerous oceans on earth. From founding the ASX-listed investment firm Blue Sky to becoming one of the few people pursuing the brutal Ocean Seven marathon swims, Mark’s story is about resilience, identity, and what happens when life pulls the rug out from under you.

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Mark’s Quick Fire Answers

What does success mean to you?

“Success means survival. Being able to get thro...

Ava Black is one of the most exciting young athletes in Australian netball, but her journey to the Suncorp Super Netball league came with years of sacrifice, relentless grind, and a devastating ACL injury just as momentum was building. From growing up on a farm near Toowoomba to chasing a professional dream, Ava’s story is a powerful lesson in resilience, identity beyond sport, and the unseen work behind elite performance.

In this episode, Ava shares the reality of chasing professional sport at a young age. The sacrifices, the pressure, the grind of being a tra...

Leadership philosophy is built on radical self-belief, resilience, and redefining success on your own terms. From surviving a traumatic school bus accident at 12 to becoming a global high-performance strategist, keynote speaker, and author of Radical Self-Belief, Nikki Fodgen-Moore’s story is one of grit, gratitude, and conscious leadership.

In this episode we unpack what real leadership looks like in today’s world. Explore radical self-awareness, the power of pausing, why happiness is a business metric, and how to create cultures at home, and at work - where authenticity thrives. Nikki shares practical tools for resetting your...

The future of work is neurodiverse, and most leaders aren’t ready for it.

Vicky Little’s story is one of lived experience, late diagnosis, and a career dedicated to transforming workplaces from the inside out. As a nationally recognised neuroinclusion specialist who has partnered with over 500 organisations, Vicky combines personal insight with two decades of frontline expertise to challenge outdated systems and build psychologically safe, inclusive environments.

In this episode, we unpack neurodivergence, late ADHD diagnosis, masking, burnout, workplace barriers, and how leaders can shift from assumption to empathy. We explor...

Adrian Nisbet nearly lost the family business before he learned what the “end game” really meant. From working in his parents’ factory at age ten to putting wages on a personal credit card, Adrian has lived the pressure most founders quietly carry. In this episode, he shares how defining your end game isn’t about selling — it’s about building a business that serves your life.

In this episode, Adrian breaks down succession planning, creeping normality, pricing blind spots, founder identity shifts, and why most family businesses lack the right support. He explains how to write your “e...

From surviving the GFC to rebuilding from the brink, Michael Kain’s journey is a masterclass in resilience, leadership, and long-term thinking.

Growing up on the Sunshine Coast in an Italian family that valued hard work and community, Michael went on to build Devcon into one of the region’s most respected development and construction businesses.

In this episode, Michael shares the realities of navigating economic collapse, buying out business partners at rock bottom, and rebuilding culture-first leadership through compounding effort.

You’ll learn how resilience can be both a streng...

She’s shaped generations of young people by putting character before credentials. Michelle Carroll’s story spans decades of educational leadership, from leading elite girls’ schools in Melbourne to becoming Principal of Matthew Flinders Anglican College here on the Sunshine Coast. Her work is centred on one powerful belief: great education builds great humans.

In this episode, Michelle shares what real leadership in education looks like today, how schools can better support young people in a fast-changing world, and why character, belonging, and purpose matter more than ever.

You’ll learn what moder...