SHFT POD

Dan and Erin sit down with Stephen Woods — founder of Employee Wellness Australia and former professional footballer — to talk about what it really takes to perform at your best without running yourself into the ground. Stephen shares how a colleague's stroke became the wake-up call that shifted his whole career path, and the practical frameworks he now uses to help teams and leaders build genuine...

Burnout is one of those words everyone throws around, but do we actually know what it means? In this episode, Dan and Erin dig into the official definition and break down why it's getting worse, not better, despite all the awareness around it. Spoiler: a ping pong table in the lunch room isn't going to cut it. From stats that'll make you stop and think (73% of full-time workers say wor...

Dan and Erin sit down with Lisa Jones, founder of SHE-com and a powerhouse in the Australian e-commerce and female founder space. Lisa has built and sold multi-million dollar businesses, and now channels everything she's learned into mentoring and empowering women to do the same. Lisa gets refreshingly honest about the messy, unglamorous reality of building product-based businesses — from her...

Dan and Erin sit down with Jade Howcroft, founder of Synergy Boards Australia , to unpack how a chance coffee shop conversation set her on a decade-long career in advisory boards. Jade shares her full journey: from selling real estate at 17, to being told as a young woman she'd never fill a boardroom, to building a national team of 35 and scaling 130 boards across Australia before striking out...

Dan and Erin sit down with Ben Nowlan, co-founder and CEO of Sherpa - one of Australia's leading last-mile delivery and retail fulfilment platforms. Ben shares Sherpa's fascinating origin story, from a Sydney lounge room startup in 2014 to a national logistics technology business serving major retailers across Australia. He unpacks the world of same-day delivery, how Sherpa operates behind...

Erin sits down with Mark Curry, founder of Savvy Beverage - a functional drinks brand built around brain health, focus, and sustainable energy. Mark takes us back to his roots as a commercial lawyer at one of Australia's largest firms, where long hours, toxic culture, and the gap between legal theory and reality slowly pushed him to question everything. His curiosity led him down a rabbit hole...

In this special duo episode, Dan and Erin step back from their guest interviews to reflect on the first 12 episodes of the SHFT POD. They share standout moments and key takeaways from guests, highlighting themes of family, health, authenticity, and the courage to leave corporate comfort zones.  Dan and Erin then deep-dive into leadership - specifically, what makes a truly great leader. They unpack...

Dan and Erin sit down with Cass Champion, founder of My First Job ,  a platform connecting teenagers with real employment opportunities while they're still in school. This conversation covers the gaps young people face when entering the workforce, ranging from lacking basic workplace confidence and communication skills to having no understanding of superannuation or financial literacy.  Cass,...

Dan and Erin sit down with Chloe Ragg, founder of Social Studio Middle East , for an honest conversation about building a business from scratch, navigating major life challenges, and redefining success. From growing up on a Queensland farm to launching a social media agency in Dubai, Chloe shares her journey through risk-taking, resilience, motherhood, and overcoming cancer. Chloe also opens up ab...

Dan sits down with Chrae Tawhai, founder of Envision Energy , to unpack his journey from growing up in Alice Springs to building a 100% First Nations–owned energy business. Chrae shares how he transitioned from the tools into entrepreneurship, the lessons learned from scaling a team, and how a near-fatal accident became the turning point that pushed him to pursue something bigger. Chrae also dives...

Dan and Erin sit down with Jeremy Cabral, co-founder of Finder, to unpack the journey of building a global business from the ground up. Jeremy shares how he helped scale Finder, the leadership philosophy behind hiring for potential over experience, and what it really takes to sustain hyper-growth. The conversation covers self-awareness, identity beyond business, and why knowing when your chapter i...

Dan and Erin sit down with entrepreneur Scott Chapman to unpack a journey that goes far beyond business. From early failures and chasing ego in the corporate world to building purpose-driven ventures that genuinely change lives, Scott shares the raw realities of entrepreneurship. At the heart of this conversation is a deeply personal story that led to the creation of Able Digital Wellness, a platf...

Dan and Erin sit down with Scott Imlach, a Gold Coast hospitality operator behind some of the city’s most loved venues. From starting as a teenage wedding planner to building a multi-venue hospitality group, Scott shares the realities of the industry, the impact of Covid, and why community, adaptability, and looking after locals is the key to long-term success.

Dan and Erin sit down with James, founder of Agent Hype, who shares his journey from international DJ to building a fast-growing marketing agency. They unpack reinvention, the power of personal branding, and how AI and automation are changing the game for business. This episode dives into adapting in uncertain seasons, staying ahead of the curve, and why the future belongs to those willing to evol...

Dan and Erin sit down with Wade Tiller, Co-Founder and CEO of Hard Fizz, one of Australia’s fastest-growing beverage brands. Wade shares the reality behind building a high-growth business, unpacking ambition, pressure, identity, and what it takes to keep pushing forward without losing yourself. It’s an honest conversation about success, drive, and redefining what “enough” really looks like. 00:00...

Dan and Erin sit down with Brett Viertel, former Coca-Cola GM with 30 years of leadership experience, now founder of Baylife Realty. Brett shares his journey from starting on the ground floor at Coca-Cola to leading at the highest level, the lessons learned from high-performance leadership, and the reality of leaving corporate after decades. They unpack accountability, culture, resilience, and why...

Dan and Erin dive into leadership, team culture, and the shift away from old-school leadership styles. They discuss accountability, building strong teams, the difference between A-players and B-players, and why communication is one of the most important leadership traits. They also explore how AI and technology may reshape the way leaders guide and support their teams in the future. 00:00 Intro to...

Welcome to the very first episode of SHFT POD. Before we dive into conversations with some of the most influential leaders, we wanted to pull back the curtain on who we are. In this episode, your hosts Dan and Erin share their personal career journeys, the "lightbulb moment" that sparked this podcast, and why we believe the world needs a new perspective on leadership. We aren't just looking at tit...

In this episode, we sit down with Jason Wyatt, the Co-Founder and Executive Chair of Marketplacer. Jason is the visionary behind some of the world’s most successful online marketplaces, including BikeExchange, but his approach to leadership is rooted in something much deeper than technology. We explore how his background in competitive sport shaped his "lean" business mentality and why h...

Get ready to shift.