Between Two Beers Podcast

Sam Spratt is one of New Zealand’s most successful and fearless jockeys. In this episode, Sam opens up about the brutal reality of life in the saddle — the crashes, the comebacks, and the constant risk that comes with chasing victory. She talks about her remarkable two-decade career at the top of NZ racing, the brain injury that nearly ended it all, and the mental fight to return to the sport she...

In this episode of Hambassadors, Che and Steven take you behind the scenes of Between Two Beers – but things don’t quite go to plan. We take you behind the scenes of a full-blown geography controversy when Che proudly welcomes a crowd in Ōtorohanga to “Waikato”. The silence that followed said it all. Along the way, the guys talk through: Bruce Holloway’s emotional recognition at the WaiBOP Footbal...

Brent Impey has shaped two of New Zealand’s most powerful industries - rugby and media. From negotiating a $777 million MediaWorks deal to steering NZ Rugby through the Silver Lake saga, Brent’s career has been defined by high-stakes leadership, big personalities, and even bigger decisions. In this wide-ranging conversation, he opens up about: How he saved NZ Rugby from financial collapse during C...

In this episode of Accidental Business Owners , Steve shares his experience from the Icehouse Owner Manager Programme — what he learned about leadership, the brutal honesty of 360 feedback, and how it’s changing the way he runs Between Two Beers . Di and Steve unpack courage, confidence, and what it means to grow a creative business sustainably — without burning out or losing the magic. This episo...

This week we’re re-sharing one of our favourite episodes ever, with Hayley Holt. Hayley has lived an incredible life – and there’s so much to learn at each chapter. One of NZ’s highest profile broadcasters is on the podcast this week! We find out what young Hayley was like, the path from dancer to snowboarder, her difficult relationship with booze, her TV career and her challenging road to motherh...

Go behind the scenes of the Stan Walker episode and inside the madness of a typical Hambassadors recording. This week, Steve and Che share: - What happened after Stan Walker’s interview (when he started singing in the studio!) - A night at the rugby packed with familiar faces (Taika, Foxy, Sharyn Casey, Brodie Kane & more) - Bree Tomasel’s wisdom on making decisions and starting messy - A few...

Stan Walker’s story is one of survival, transformation, and purpose. In this conversation, Stan opens up about the abuse and trauma of his childhood, the complicated relationship with his parents, and how those experiences shaped the man he is today. He reflects on the highs of fame after winning Australian Idol, the dark side of the music industry, and the battles he’s faced with public perceptio...

This week, we’re asking the BIG question: 👉 Is it time to rebrand Between Two Beers? What started as two mates in a garage drinking beers has grown into a full-time business — podcasts, speaking, storytelling, partnerships. But now we’re wondering: Is the beer in our name holding us back? Are sponsors avoiding us because of it? Would a new name unlock new opportunities — or kill everything we’ve...

Al Brown is one of New Zealand’s most beloved chefs — but behind the TV fame (Hunger for the Wild, Masterchef), award-winning restaurants (Logan Brown, Depot, Federal Deli, Best Ugly Bagels), and his role as a Kiwi food icon lies a story of adoption, perfectionism, reinvention and resilience. In this wide-ranging conversation, Al opens up about: Walking away from fine dining and Logan Brown Buildi...

In this episode of Hambassadors, we cover it all: parenting chaos, podcasting lessons, new beers, and one unforgettable message from Laura McGoldrick. Laura shares the powerful reminder that “one day you’ll put your child down for the very last time” - a truth about time, parenting guilt, and family that hit us both hard. But it’s not all serious… - Bon accidentally smashes Billy in the face durin...

Steve Gurney is one of the greatest multisport athletes New Zealand has ever produced - but this podcast is about so much more than racing. In this episode, Steve takes us far beyond the finish line. We explore: Why winning 9 Coast to Coast titles didn’t bring him peace The childhood trauma that lit his fire How a near-death illness nearly ended everything His struggles with depression and identit...

What’s really happening with Che & Di? In this Accidental Business Owners sit-down, we unpack “the incident,” the viral clip that hit over 250k views versus where we’re at 10 weeks down the track. Steve sets the scene, then Di breaks down why tough coaching landed, and Che explains the shift - speaking up, reducing cognitive load, and learning to say “no” without guilt. We get into perception...

Olympic BMX star Sarah Walker has lived through it all: the glory of an Olympic silver medal, the pain of breaking 18 bones, and the terrifying reality of a serious brain injury that changed her personality. In this episode of Between Two Beers , Sarah reveals: The mindset shift that turned fear into bravery. How she rebuilt her confidence after devastating injuries. What it really takes to compet...

After his first appearance on Between Two Beers , broadcaster Mark Stafford never expected what would happen next. Listeners reached out to share how his raw honesty about mental health struggles gave them strength - and in some cases, even helped save lives. In this special follow-up, Staffy joins us again to reflect on those messages, the impact his story has had, and what he’s learned about the...

Gilbert Enoka - the All Blacks’ long-time mental skills coach - shares the untold stories behind New Zealand rugby’s culture, resilience, and leadership. Across 23 years and 304 tests and 2 World Cup victories, Gilbert worked with coaches and players like Sir Graham Henry, Sir Steve Hansen, Ian Foster, and legends including Richie McCaw, Dan Carter, and Tana Umaga. In this episode, he opens up abo...

Steve has returned from Block 1 of the Icehouse Owner Manager Program with fresh clarity - and as promised, he’s letting us in on the secrets he’s discovered: growth, overwhelm, and the little decisions that change everything. In this episode: Why courageous conversations beat procrastination (eat the ugliest frog first) Culture > strategy (and how the Reflections team built culture remotely) S...

Award-winning investigative journalist Jared Savage has spent 15+ years on New Zealand’s crime frontlines - covering everything from the rise of meth and Mexican cartels, to patched gangs, political scandals, and the country’s biggest criminal trials. In this episode we go deep on Savage’s reporting - the brutal realities of the meth trade, how gangs built multi-million dollar drug empires, and th...

Simon Barnett’s episode is on track to be our biggest ever – but it almost didn’t come out. Simon was worried it was too self-indulgent. Since it aired though, the feedback has been incredible – for us, and for him. In this Hambassadors episode we talk about what’s happened since the release, the messages we’ve had, and how it’s landed. We also cover: Our five favourite songs of all time Seamus’ w...

Marc Ellis has lived a life worthy of a dozen chapters. From Scarfie hijinks at Otago University to becoming an All Black and Kiwi league international, he carved out a career across rugby and league with Otago, North Harbour, the Blues, Highlanders, Warriors and Kiwis. Off the field, Marc co-founded Charlie’s Juice, eventually selling it to Asahi for $129 million , and became one of New Zealand’s...

We’ve been putting this off for months… but in this episode of Accidental Business Owners, Di finally forces us to sit down and build the scoreboard we’ve been avoiding. What does that mean? It’s the unfiltered look at the numbers that really drive our business —-sales, downloads, social media, guest performance, coffees, proposals, even studio bookings. The levers that show if we’re actually grow...

In this deeply personal episode, Simon Barnett opens up about the love story he shared with his late wife Jodi, her courageous battle with brain cancer, and the life-changing lessons her loss has taught him. Simon talks about the early days of their relationship, the moment they received the devastating diagnosis, the realities of living with grief, and how his faith, family, and friends have help...

In this episode of Hambassadors from Between Two Beers, Seamus and Steve catch up on life, events, and a whole lot more – with a special guest appearance from Jay Reeve. From hanging out with All Blacks coach Ian Foster, to sharing our five favourite books, we cover it all. Jay opens up about a potential ADHD diagnosis, we dive into shocking men’s health statistics, and Seamus shares his own menta...

Viv Conway and Jo Cummins are the fearless founders of Girls Get Off. Join us for one of the most honest, hilarious, and insightful episodes of Between Two Beers yet. We unpack the challenges of building a sex-positive brand in New Zealand, why vibrators are still taboo, the orgasm gap, men’s egos in the bedroom, porn vs reality, and how a billboard prank led to 6,000 people visiting a fake dating...

In this episode of Accidental Business Owners, we reflect on the realities of running a growing business - the kind you don’t see on Instagram. From building a new podcast studio, navigating cashflow, and rethinking our business priorities… to a cancelled flight that derailed an entire strategy day – we unpack what happens when the pressure quietly builds up behind the scenes. Steve opens up about...

Jeremy Wells has one of the most fascinating careers in New Zealand media - and in this episode, we cover it all. From Eating Media Lunch to Seven Sharp , Havoc to the ACC , Jerry reflects on the wild ride that’s taken him from alternative TV icon to mainstream household name. We talk broadcasting pillars, radio antics, the price of opportunity, family, fame, and what the future holds. There’s lau...