Awesome Humans

In this episode of Awesome Humans , host Brett McCallum sits down with Australian basketball legend Sam Mackinnon for a wide-ranging, often hilarious, and deeply human conversation. From his early days growing up in Melbourne, juggling football and basketball dreams, to his rise through the NBL and international tournaments—including Olympic battles against LeBron James and Shaquille O’Neal—Sam sh...

Host Brett McCallum sits down with former AFL star Dane Swan to explore his journey from a footy-loving kid to one of the game’s greats.  He opens up about his early memories, the highs and lows of professional sport, and the unique energy of playing on Anzac Day. As well as life beyond the game (including personal passions, from the stories behind his tattoos to unforgettable moments with footbal...

In this episode of Awesome Humans , host Brett McCallum sits down with former NRL star Jarrod Wallace for an honest, no-holds-barred chat about life on and off the field. Jarrod takes us back to his early days, sharing memories of his childhood, the journey that led him to professional rugby league, and the pivotal role coach Wayne Bennett played in shaping his career. They dive into the highs and...

In this episode of Awesome Humans, Brett welcomes Hayley Melidonis, a former global business development professional turned entrepreneur. In this engaging conversation, Hayley shares her transformative journey through travel, career changes, and personal growth. From her experiences in Japan during the Olympics to her transition into the tech industry, she reflects on how these moments shaped her...

In this episode of Awesome Humans, Brett interviews Justine Jade, a multifaceted creative who shares her journey from a new-age upbringing to a profound spiritual awakening in Mexico. Justine discusses her experiences with somatic therapy, her transition from atheism to faith in Jesus, and the complexities of her identity and relationships. The conversation explores her early life, family backgrou...

In this episode of Awesome Humans, host Brett McCallum interviews Mack Lindon, a man who faced false accusations of rape, leading to a tumultuous journey through the legal system and prison. Mack shares his early life, experiences in school, and the dual paths of nursing and acting he pursued. He recounts the challenges of being incarcerated, the impact of his experiences on his personal growth, a...

Hello Awesome Humans and welcome back to another episode! In this episode Brett welcomes Ian Dixon into the studio. As an distinguished actor with credits in shows like "Underbelly" and "Heartbreak High", Ian also holds a Ph. D., provides fascinating insights into his transition from acting to academia and shares details about his current role as a professor at Nanyang Technology University in Sin...

Hello Awesome Humans and welcome back to another episode! In today's episode, your host Brett welcomes former professional rugby league player turn musician, Don Rogers, into the studio. In the 70's, Don was a professional rugby league player for the Cronulla Sharks and Western Reds and is now a crane operator by day and a country musician by night. After a chance encounter at his work in February...

Hello Awesome Humans and welcome back to another episode! In today's episode, your host Brett McCallum welcomes Justin Geange into the studio. After listening to one of Justin's poems at an open mic night Brett instantly knew he wanted to get him into the studio to record an episode. Justin's life has been full of many ups and downs, from getting into the semi-finals of Australia's Got Talent to v...

Hello Awesome Humans and welcome back to another episode! In today's episode, your host Brett McCallym welcomes aussie football legend Preston Campbell and long time friend of the show, Aunty Linda into the studio. Following a successful NRL career, Preston is now a popular indigenous ambassador and voice for mental health and those suffering depression after stepping forward to share his own pers...

Hello Awesome Humans and welcome back to another episode! In today's episode, your host Brett McCallum welcomes the one and only Moyra Major into the studio. Moyra has been a familiar voice on Gold Coast radio for over a decade and has had the pleasure of interviewing people from all over the globe throughout her career. She runs Major Confident, a public speaking company helping those who struggl...

Hello Awesome Humans! Joining us in the studio today is NBL1 North MVP Jason Cadee. Jason has been in and around basketball since he was a youngster, with both of his parents playing to a high level. Months after he signed his first professional contract, Jason was involved in a serious car accident on one of Sydney's busiest highways leaving him with a broken pelvis. Despite this, Jason has gone...

Hello Awesome Humans! Joining us in the podcast studio today we have author, speaker and entrepreur Gavin McGahey. Gavin is dedicated to helping others and making a positive impact on the world around him. His podcast '100 Breaths' is a journey of discovery and self-help and his book 'The Little Book of Noticing' is based on true anecdotal stories from his own life experiences and contains tools a...

Hello Awesome Humans! In the podcast studio today we are honoured to welcome Ambassador of Guatemala, Ronald Recinos. Prior to taking up his position as Ambassador, Ronald was the President of the Board of Directors of the Quetzal Port Company in Guatemala and the legal adviser to the President of the Republic of Guatemala. He has a Master's degree in Commercial and Competition Law and a Postgradu...

Hello Awesome Humans! In the podcast studio today we have speaker, domestic violence survivor and advocate for domestic violence prevention, Simone O'Brien. Simone's journey starts in 2012 where she suffered a horrific domestic violence attack which involved emotional and psychological abuse and ended with her being beaten with a baseball bat to within inches of her life. Through determination and...

Hello Awesome Humans! Joining us in the podcast studio today we have former Australian Rules footballer, Corey Bell. Corey was a rover for Southport when he was called up by Brisbane midway through the 1991 season with 16 disposals on debut against Richmond at Carrara. After his playing career ended, Corey continued to be involved in football as a development manager with AFL Queensland, as the Co...

Hello Awesome Humans! In the podcast studio today we have Janine Mahoney. Janine is currently the Chief Executive Officer of Difference By Design and has a long history of experience including Director of National Risk to Resilience, Program Director for Impact Architecture, Chair Board of Directors at Domestic Violence Victoria and CEO of the Safe Futures Foundation. Janine studied a Bachelor of...

Hello Awesome Humans! Joining us on today's podcast for the second time are two awesome humans, Adam Sheppard and Natasha Price. After dealing with ongoing infections, Adam has just recently made the decision to amputate both of his legs just above his knee and is now living a life with more fun, control and quality. Natasha Price is an elite wheelchair racer, Australian National bronze medallist,...

Hello Awesome Humans! In the podcast studio today we have sports lover, Rob Verhoeve. Rob chats about growing up in Melbourne in the 70's and how he went from an almost 30 year banking career to following his dreams and doing what he loves. Tune in today and listen to this episode's totally Awesome Human, Rob Verhoeve!

Hello Awesome Humans! In the podcast studio today we have Kelly Humphries. Kelly is a Survivor, Author, Transformational and Intuitive Speaker and Results and Trauma Coach. Born in Queensland, Australia, she is a survivor of child sexual abuse and speaks from lived experience. Kelly is passionate about breaking cycles of abuse and is a powerful voice for survivors across the world. She has an inte...

Hello Awesome Humans! In the podcast studio today we have Dan Cockerell. Dan is the former Vice-President of the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World in Florida. In this podcast Dan talks about his story and his journey from working as a parking attendant at Disney's Epcot Center to joining the Disneyland Paris Management Trainee Program, moving to France and then back to Florida where he eventually...

Hello Awesome Humans! In the podcast studio today we have Chris Feeney. It is a crazy story of how a young bloke who was brought up by Irish parents and into a family business changed his life and moved into the entertainment world. We chat about the ups and downs in his life, and his amazing ability to become The Missing Link. Tune in today and listen to this episode's totally Awesome Human, Chri...

Hello Awesome Humans! In the podcast studio today we have Chris Anstey, a former Australian professional basketball player who played in the NBL, NBA as well as competing at the 2000 Sydney and 2008 Beijing Olympics. Chris talks about growing up playing tennis in Footscray, and the excitement of beating his Dad for the first time. We also discuss the physical and mental issues that come with being...

Hello Awesome Humans! In the podcast studio today we have Dr Liz Isenring, an expert in nutrition and dietetics. Dr Liz has published over 150 scientific papers and books, received over $4m in research support and is a highly sought-after keynote speaker. Dr Liz talks about her childhood in Gladstone, backpacking through Europe, her university career in Brisbane, and the struggle to balance budget...

Hello Awesome Humans! In the podcast studio today we have Adam Houlahan, a renowned LinkedIn expert! Adam has achieved many great things in his life, like being an Amazon bestselling author, the CEO of Prominence Global and being a keynote speaker for the topic of LinkedIn and how others can become successful on this platform. Adam talks about what life was like from a young age, being born in the...