Ducks Don't Get Cold Feet

JP sits down with Zaynn Bird, founder and CEO of Stax Burger Co., to unpack his journey from a young food enthusiast to the creator of one of Adelaide’s fastest-growing burger brands. Zaynn shares the lessons he learned from his first failed business, how he built a powerful social media presence, and the strategy behind creating some of the city’s most talked-about burgers. This episode is packed...

Former Port Adelaide Power key forward and creator of the Drivin’ with Dixon YouTube channel, Charlie Dixon, joins JP as the podcast’s first recurring guest. The conversation delves into life after professional football, exploring Charlie’s transition away from the AFL and the journey of forging a new path through his YouTube channel, where he shares his passion for cars and motor vehicles.

From the highs of professional basketball to the challenges of leaving a club and city he thought would be home forever, Dejan "DJ" Vasiljevic shares an honest look into one of the biggest transitions of his career. Now preparing for a new chapter with the New Zealand Breakers, he opens up about identity, business, growth and why life has to be bigger than basketball alone.

Chef Manu Feildel’s career is anything but a slow simmer - it’s a fiery boil of passion, tenacity, unmistakable French flair and plenty of sauce. One of Australia’s most recognisable culinary and television personalities, Manu has built a career spanning Michelin-starred restaurants, business, publishing, international television and running away with the circus. Join me as we peek behind the pass...

Three-time Olympian, Olympic bronze medallist and Adelaide Lightning captain Steph Talbot shares the story behind her remarkable basketball journey. The conversation explores the realities of elite sport, the challenges of building a professional career and the leadership required to help drive the growth of women’s basketball.

Raised in the cornfield, trained for the battlefield: Serena Sundell proves that with guts and grit you can rise to glory. In today's episode, we unpack Sundell’s triumphant journey from Seattle Storm, to Adelaide Lightning and what lies ahead on her road to recovery.

From starting her basketball journey at age 4, to now making her mark in the WNBL with Adelaide Lightning at age 22, Sania Feagin talks about what it really takes to turn a childhood dream into a professional career. We unpack her journey from the WNBA to the WNBL, and why representation in women’s sport is so powerful for the next generation.

In this powerful episode, I sit down with Sam Bamford - former Army Paratrooper, frontline veteran and host of one of my favourite podcasts   @2WorldsCollidePodcast  . Sam opens up about the brutal realities of military life, the even MORE brutal transition back into civilian life and what it really means to rebuild your identity after service. Learn more about - Life on the frontline in Afghanist...

From the hills of Adelaide to the world stage, Jake Jones—aka Drift Squid—has carved out a name as one of Australia’s most passionate and fearless drift car drivers. Known for his wild style behind the wheel and his signature high-horsepower builds (including the notorious RB-powered BMW E92), Jake brings grassroots grit, pro-level performance, and a love for all things sideways. In this episode,...

If you want to know what it takes to build an iconic Australian business from the ground up, this episode is for you. For our 50th episode, and to celebrate Drakes' 50th anniversary in business, I sat down with someone who's been there since the very beginning: my Dad, Roger Drake. From his first job in a butcher shop, to quickly rising through the ranks of Coles - only to be told he "would never...

Widely known for his viral "parmi reviews" and being a contestant on the 2023 season of My Kitchen Rules alongside his mum Sonia, Marcus Costanzo sits down with JP to discuss all things food, content creation, and life philosophies.

Tyson's trading card designs have got him into some pretty cool situations, with his first graphic design gig for the LA Lakers at just 16 years old. Now, nearly 20 years later, Tyson has thousands of designs under his belt and has rubbed shoulders with some of the world's top athletes, from Stephen Curry to Floyd Mayweather. Join me as I sit down with Tyson to explore what sets his trading card d...

Imagine the Olympics on drugs... Literally. This is what the Enhanced Games wants to bring to the world. All your favourite sports from the Olympics, but with the doping rules removed. The only twist? The competitors are required to tell the organisers what drugs they are taking for scientific research. It sound pretty wild, but definitely exciting. I know I'll be tuning in - will you?

Paris spent $AUD15 billion hosting the 2024 Olympics, with $2.6 billion going just to clean the Seine River - which was still filthy. What would you have spent the money on? Food and shelter for the homeless? Universal health care? Job creation? Do the pros outweigh the cons of the staggering cost of the Olympics?

Another week, another deep life discussion sparked by F1... Max Verstappen copped a lot of backlash after staying up until 3am racing on his sim. What these critics seem to forget is that Max has 3 world championships under his belt and is still well ahead in the current F1 rankings. With all this success, surely he deserves to have a bit of time to himself without being criticised? If the average...

While Formula 1 may seem like an individual sport, it's actually very much about teamwork. Last week in the Hungarian GP, McLaren's strategy had everyone, including the drivers, questioning their decisions. With the team pleading with Lando Norris to toe the team line and give Oscar Piastri his maiden win, Norris eventually fell into line with the team decision, albeit rather begrudgingly....

A mate sent me some shocking footage of one of my stores - mouldy fruit and empty ends during one of our busiest trading periods. Being a Sunday and a regional store isn't an excuse and this isn't something that any of our customers should ever see in a Drakes store. As frustrating as it is, it gave me an opportunity to address the issue so that the next time my mate goes into store, he ca...

When I was a store manager, I would work 70 hour weeks. Do I miss doing this? Not at all. Do I think the kids of today should do them? NOT AT ALL. I encourage my team to find their passions outside of work - work is meant to improve your life, not take it over. I DO believe, however, that the team coming through today miss out on a lot of opportunities for personal development because they simply...

Amazon, Google and Meta are given free reign to exploit tax loopholes in Australia – saving themselves billions of dollars in the process, that us honest, hardworking Australian public are missing out on. You and I pay a minimum of 30 cents tax in the dollar – these guys AT MOST 4.8 cents in the dollar of their billion dollar revenues. I’m with Punter Konrad - something needs to be done. Enjoy my...

My stance on any form of abuse is clear - I will not tolerate my team copping verbal or physical abuse of any kind. It's been getting more and more prevalent, and it's gotta stop. Hear my thoughts on this weeks' Ponderings Podcast.

In today's episode of JP's Ponderings, JP chats with Konrad from Punters Politics, a popular social media voice on all things political. They dive into how mining companies dodge paying taxes and the shady tricks they use to get away with it. Konrad, with his big online following and knack for breaking down complex topics, explains the issues clearly, showing why these practices are harmfu...

Earlier this month, the Fair Work Commission increased both the minimum and award wages by 3.75 per cent, taking effect from July 1. Businesses will have to absorb this increase - with less than a month to prepare - while continuing to battle rising costs in utilities, fuel, production costs and more in a tough economic environment. On the flip side, Australian Federal politicians were also awarde...

As a parent and someone who works full time, I know how busy life can get. The last couple of weeks has seen me parent solo, and while it's made me so grateful for everything my wife does to keep our family life functional, it's also opened up my eyes to just how valuable it is to spend that little bit of extra time each day with my girls. Listen on to hear what I've learned about pare...

You may have seen my Customer Magic videos – short, funny clips of people “allegedly” shoplifting from my stores has been rather contentious. Why am I calling out people who are just trying to “feed their families”? Am I just trying to seek fame? It’s a much bigger issue than you think. Tune into my latest Ponderings Podcast to hear how these videos started.

With nine and ten year-old daughters in my life, I am faced with the dilemma of whether I should allow my kids to join the world of social media. As someone with a somewhat substantial social media following, most people think I'd be all for it - but you'd be surprised what my stance is on it. What do you think?