WHAT I'VE LEARNT

Nigel Barker is an internationally renowned photographer and entrepreneur who opened his New York studio in 1996.  He served 17 seasons as photographer and judge on the hit TV show, America’s Next Top Model , which airs in over 140 countries, and hosted Oxygen Network’s modelling competition series, The Face , starring alongside Naomi Campbell. Barker also created the VH1 Reality show The Shot,  H...

On a dark night sailing across the Pacific Ocean, Sarah Andrews’ story took a dramatic turn. A harrowing storm caught up with her, sunk the boat she called home and left her stranded and alone in Mexico with no money, no passport, and only the wet clothes on her back. After losing everything she owned on that fateful night at sea, Sarah would spend several years trying to find ways to replace both...

Sam Gowing put food as medicine on the map in Australia by using her unique blend of nutrition, fine dining and business expertise.  Before it was the zeitgeist to heal through food Sam worked for nearly 20 years with people all over the world on improving their health and wellbeing as Australia’s leading spa chef and an award-winning clinical nutritionist.   She is renowned for her nutritional wi...

Gabriel Chenkov - Shaw Testing testosterone, a fierce focus on fitness and exploring the impact of partying too hard on your health are just some of the themes the successful nine to five fitness guru Gabriel and his team focus on. Social media savvy they podcast, train and inspire others to stay fit using science based fitness strategies and have fun while doing it ! Deborah's Instagram: htt...

Melissa LaBozzetta, an Italian-Australian artist based in Melbourne, a Global Ambassador for the Non-Violence Project Foundation (NVPF) supporting unique educational programs to prevent and reduce violence around the world she’s in very good company. Joining other fellow Non-Violence Ambassadors for Peace: Yoko Ono, Sir Paul McCartney, Sir Ringo Starr, Lionel Messi, Patrizia Gucci, Oona Chaplin an...

Dani Valent is one of Australia’s most respected food communicators. She is a long time freelance journalist and restaurant critic, award-winning cookbook author, host of the popular Dirty Linen hospitality podcast. Her business card says: writer, eater, traveller and cook, and if you could sum up Dani’s ethos in a phrase, it would be "connecting people through great food experiences”. In 202...

Ghanaian-Australian Lillian (aka Flex Mami) is a multidisciplinary millennial making waves in the Australian entertainment industry.  Entrepreneur, Author of the book “The Success Experiment” DJ, TV Presenter for MTV a Model and has also lent her hosting skills to the likes of Vodafone, VICE and MECCA, Samsung and Bumble. A Social Commentator, Media Influencer, and Podcaster Guesting on  “Overshar...

Jess king is a self described Curve Model and uses her platform to share body positivity. She’s funny, inspiring and proud of her curves wearing them with honour and humour and is thankfully part of a new generation of women and girls being real and authentic owning their natural beauty and showing it. Jess has been open about having suffered eating disorders in the past and having crippling anxie...

‘Lock up Layne’s surfboard, it’s a distraction from her studies. It’ll amount to nothing.’ Well that’s what Her school report card said. The 8-time surfing world champion reflects on advice she didn’t take. Widely regarded as one of the most successful surfers in history she’s the only surfer male or female to claim 6 consecutive world titles. Champion of surfing, giving back, growth, authenticity...

Janice Breen Burns is a highly respected fashion journalist, editor and features writer of more than 30 years experience in metro daily newspapers and more recently, digital media.  Voxfrock.com.au is her digital blogzine based on the variety of content and style of newspaper fashion pages. Renowned for her industry knowledge and witty, realistic insights into the role of fashion in everyday life....

Australia’s beloved musical treasure Marcia Hines career spans five decades, she’s has released 22 albums, sold 2.6 million copies, and garnered countless chart-topping singles and multi-platinum records globally. Marcia is an inspiration to women and Australians everywhere, constantly reinventing herself and setting industry benchmarks; moving from Boston Massachusetts to Sydney at just 16 to sta...

The core values at Angela Ceberano’s successful agency Flourish PR are based on honesty and integrity. Their mantra: Never, ever, ever give up. It seems to be an apt reflection of Angela herself. Angela has represented the biggest celebrities and brands touring within Australia such as Steven Tyler, Mariah Carey, The Backstreet Boys, Celine Dion, John Mayer, Guy Sebastian, The Foo Fighters, Olivia...

300 million streams and counting PNAUs Nick Littlemore’s Collab with global legends Elton John and Dua Lipa “cold Heart” is a brilliant remix of the quintessential rock anthems Rocket Man, Sacrifice and Kiss The Bride .... the exquisite mash up has catapulted PNAU and Nick, a Sydney born producer and his collaborators, to global stardom. The down to earth local Aussie is a creative chameleon morph...

Adam Schwab is a former corporate lawyer, company founder, angel investor and the co-founder of Luxury Escapes, a Melbourne-based travel company.  He has written for Crikey and SmartCompany since 2005 and is the author of Pigs at the Trough: Lessons from Australia’s Decade of Corporate Greed.  He is a board member of Private Media, the publisher of Crikey. Deborah's Instagram: https://www.ins...

Don Henry AM is Enterprise Professor of Environmentalism at the Melbourne Sustainable Society Melbourne university Well finally the prime minister has confirmed he’ll attend the Glasgow Climate Summit where 200 leaders from across the globe will meet on Climate change and there’s not a news site that is ignoring this pivotal meeting taking place in three weeks time. Everyone everywhere is talking...

Maurice Terzini is a true self-made man, starting at 16 years old packing shelves, today, three decades later, along with slew of high and low moments, he has become an institution in Bondi and an icon in the fashion industry. From his experience in hospitality – currently at the famous Icebergs, Da Orazio Pizza, The Dolphin and Bonnie’s Wine Bar – to entering the fashion-sphere with Ten Pieces an...

Artist Scotty So was recently been mistaken for the prominent politician and Chief Executive of Hong Kong Carrie Lam on an Italian news site his life changed. Scotty So cuts a jaw-droppingly beautiful figure as his alter-ego Scarlett So Hung Son. “Scarlett is the symbol of an Oriental silhouette,” he says. “She’s the drag persona that allows me to become the beauty that I always wanted to see. And...

Zali is a stunning powerhouse who has worked and modeled for creative campaigns for brands including Champion and Adidas. Not afraid to push boundaries, the model signed by Chadwick is inspiring for her unique take on modeling and creativity. At just 22 she has African American, Native American, Cuban, Italian & background, and her multicultural heritage shines through in her passion for fashi...

As Spring fashion looms large against the backdrop of this brave new world creative fashion designers like Lisa Barron are at the optimistic helm as always, championing her beautiful Australian designs with her original Australian Designer Collection worn by everyone from Linda Evangelista, Claudia Schiffer, and Helena Christensen in the 80s through to Australian fashionistas surfer Layne Beachley...

Julia Tink is co-founder of St Remio, the socially conscious global coffee brand.  Melbourne mother and businesswoman Julia Tink has learnt a lifetime of business lessons over the past six years since starting her company which she says was born in Rwanda, raised in Melbourne.  Six years ago, St Remio was founded by Julia and her husband, former Head of Lavazza Australia Trent Knox. They wanted to...

If you haven't heard of Pacha Light yet remember the name because the rising star in Aussie surfing is about to be everywhere. She is making her mark whole changing the world one wave at a time. The 20-year-old is currently ranked fourth in the World Surf League’s Pro Junior series and is gunning for the World Championship Tour. Aside from an incredible talent the Go Pro ambassador also has a...

Dr. Ginni Mansberg is a well-known celebrity doctor in Australia. She is a Sydney GP on TV with Embarrassing Bodies Down Under (Channel 9), Sunrise & Morning Show (Channel7), Things You Can't Talk About on TV. Her latest book The New Teen Age, How to support our teens to become happy and healthy adults is full of gems tips, and insights to help parents of teenagers to navigate the trials...

Christina Hobbs is a woman with purpose. She’s worked as a humanitarian and financial inclusion expert for the United Nations for over a decade, in conflict-affected regions such as Syria and Iraq. She’s also a former Deloitte Management Consultant and experienced board member in the superannuation industry. Verve Super is Australia’s first ethical superannuation fund specifically designed by wome...

Holly Ransom is a globally renowned content curator, powerful speaker with the belief that if you walk past it, you tell the world it’s okay.  Named one of Australia’s 100 Most Influential Women by the Australian Financial Review, she has delivered a Peace Charter to the Dalai Lama, was Sir Richard Branson’s nominee for Wired Magazine’s ‘Smart List’ of Future Game Changers to watch, and was awarde...

Evan Thornley is an entrepreneur in technology and the non-profit sector as well as a former parliamentarian for the Australian Labor Party.  He seems on a deep-seated search for improving his community with his fingers in many pies, many of which thrive some of which have stalled but all with a mission to change the world. A visionary? A futurist? A believer? A utopian? A progressive? What motiva...