Max's Island

In the first chapter of this story, Deany Jaghdour met a man, Nabil … moved to Jakarta … married him and started a family. It was a whirlwind decision … and meant a new life, away from Australia. They then moved to Bali to open their dream restaurant … unfortunately it was just as Covid hit. These challenges were being faced by many other businesses in Bali … but since Deany still had her job in J...

Deany Jaghdour’s visit to Max’s Island was a long one … she stayed longer than most guests … But there is a good reason why… she has a story that has many parts. So, it is split into 3 chapters … each will be released separately. They are individual experiences in their own right … but all form part of a bigger story from a time in her life that has certainly opened her to exciting opportunities,...

As a returning visitor to Max’s Island, Justin Davies was keen to share the latest story of how he has embraced the creative passion of creating, playing and recording music for all the world to hear. As an acoustic singer-songwriter, he’s known for his lyrical honesty, dry wit, and ability to connect through the strings of his guitar and the stories in his songs. They’re all rooted in real life —...

Elena Brand chose to embrace the Japanese concept of Ikigai to inspire a career ‘shift’ … This was not going to be a full blown change … but more of a re-framing of her existing passions to guide her life’s vision. However, it was not until she began to have vagal faints that her actions became more deliberate. Especially after she fainted into someone’s lap, on a train journey home from work. So,...

Now living in Osaka, Japan with his partner, Dylan is teaching English to young Japanese students and helping them to develop the language skills to enhance their career opportunities. …and, doing this without any formal teaching qualifications. But that’s not all … he spends his leisure time organising, hosting and performing English spoken, “stand up comedy”. This is not necessarily unique in Os...

Eve Lameks now lives in a small town in south-west France with her husband Rickie. On the surface that may not seem dramatically special, however, to go there not only satisfied a long-term dream but it also was important for their England based business. Their transition story began following the passing of their dear, 100 year old Aunt Tatiana, who they had been her primary carers for eight year...

This episode features a classic example of a person who totally adopted the Max’s Island way … and made a deliberate decision to change everything. As we say on Max’s Island, that moment in life where you made a decision … for yourself. However, in this case … for a range of reasons, it didn’t end there. In fact, it eventually ended back to where it all began. Darren Green made a decision in 2018,...

Danny Allen and his mates used getting together, over a few beers, as a way of keeping close and yakking over things that mattered to them. A chance meeting with a podcast producer and content creator … at a pub in the Perth northern suburbs … just as they were thinking about starting a podcast for themselves, was the moment of truth for them. They mused over a Podcast name … loosely formulated a...

Previously, we learnt how Brad’s passion and commitment was pivotal in starting a successful community radio station.   In this episode we continue to peel back the layers of person who has achieved so much…as an elite sportsman, talented media personality and a genuinely good bloke. Brad shares his involvement in the Nollamara Primary school basketball phenomena, the passion for surfing and the d...

The many faces of Brad Cecins…Sports star, media personality, school teacher and community radio entrepreneur. This is part 1 … of a two part series … of Brad’s visit to The Island. Whilst sharing his primary journey of starting a community radio station, Brad unearths a story that has a multi-faceted message of commitment, perseverance and self belief. Without this focused drive, the ability to c...

Simon Carabetta openly describes himself as a typical arrogant, egotistical 20 year old, back in the early 2000’s. He joined me on Max’s Island to speak about these times and his early introduction into the local ‘pro-wrestling” scene in WA. After a chance meeting with a group of guys of a similar age, he was drawn into being involved in an emerging organisation at the heart of this ‘pro-wrestling...

We all aim to set ourselves “Everest Events” … those personal quests that when completed, provide internal fulfilment and a sense of achievement. The impact we create for ourselves can be huge … or, it just may be the start of a series of smaller achievements that build momentum and meaning in our lives. But, they don’t need to be as grand as scaling the world’s largest mountain or crossing the la...

Paul Skewes admits that over his life he has regularly chosen the road less travelled and this has shaped him. From this, there have been experiences … some intuitively driven, some pragmatically driven and sometimes even driven by nothing other than a feeling for what is the right thing to do. Paul now realises the significance of taking this journey and how important this approach is toward lead...

Tara is passionate about bringing the beauty and power of Australian Sign Language (Auslan) into early childhood education. This passion is obvious in her emotionally powerful description of the venture she has created with her partner. Called Tiny Hands Signs, it has a purpose to introduce sign language as an additional method to aid the communication development of all children. Tiny Hands Signs...

Raff Di Bartolomeo has spent a career helping others and guiding them to find what’s important for them. Particularly, those with an interest in looking at how collaboration, connection and intentional action can address social need and elevate the voices of those most impacted. Ultimately, he has focused on others and embraced social innovation to make their lives better. When the effects of a se...

On Max’s Island, we’ve spent the holiday period reviewing our purpose and taking the time to really connect with our creative reason for being. It’s been exciting to re-discover that each story shared by guests to Max’s Island, can be aligned to one of the 5 values that guide our purpose. In the new series for 2025, we will be highlighting this connection and the meaningfulness of each story … the...

John Meacock has had an extensive business life in consulting and professional services. This has taken him to the boardrooms of many companies and organisations around the world and allowed him to interact with senior C-Suite executives and influential world leaders. Whilst John is well skilled, has extensive technical knowledge and is focused on achieving outcomes, his use of sound human princip...

Jamie Larson has always been one to travel afar from his native New Zealand, challenge himself and find new ways to connect with people. At one significant moment, with only a ‘basic’ high school level of Spanish, he made a decision to relocate from England and go to Argentina. With little expectation and not much of a plan, on arrival he set about using his instincts for meeting people as a way o...

Shannon Ziegelaar has had some grass roots experiences in the various levels of local and federal politics. This included supporting a close friend in the City of Perth Lord Mayoral elections and then being a volunteer for Kate Chaney as she entered federal parliament at the last federal election as a successful independent community candidate. The collective views and values of a group of like mi...

Davy Rowe was back at square one … his business was gone! So what next … especially when the advice from his brother was … "You know, realistically mate ... you've got to forgive the guys that cheated you" Was he really ready for that? The first step toward accepting any change, occurred when he went with his brother to a “men’s retreat” for a weekend in the USA. The realisation of who he was, and...

"Drive the van off the road Davy … and the pain will stop" These words came from a voice in the mind of Davy Rowe one morning, as he was travelling down the freeway in Perth. It took him many years to share this experience with anyone … but it formed a catalytic moment for drive and purpose in his life from the moment he ‘heard’ them. He had arrived in Perth from the UK in 1990 with a wife, two yo...

The inspired decision at a young age to study French in school, has lead Rachael West on a path of living and working in France on multiple occasions. These visits were experiences that have shaped her thinking, allowed her to take study opportunities that have fuelled her passions and ultimately allowed her to be immersed in the French culture. But, these are not the only interesting experiences...

Frank Scatchard has led an interesting and varied life. During his visit to The Island, Frank shared with us some really interesting details from his original career as an industrial “kiln operator”. Yep, it’s not every day you meet someone that has operated an industrial kiln at dangerous temp’s of over 1000 degrees…and has lived to talk about it. But whilst that was a significant part of his ear...

As a developing child, Larissa Muir’s son was being excluded from aspects of the community and faced challenges in his initial years of education. Through clinical support and a medical process of discovery, he was initially diagnosed with ADHD, and eventually this led to a recognition of autism. But, what do you do when you realise that the way he thinks … is the way you think and view the world....

When faced with the emotional pressure of a long term relationship break-up it would seem natural to find the security of a safe space, in the company of loved ones and looking for stability in your life. But for Alexis Naylor, when this happened she chose something quite different. She decided to embark on an adventurous life of living on the road and travelling around the country. With her re-fa...