So, I Quit My Day Job

Simone Mathews quit her day job in marketing to follow what brought her joy! And she hasn't regretted it for a second. Interior Designer, Holiday Property Owner, Online Educator, married to the most amazing builder (he does sound like a keeper), mum to four noisy loveable boys, serial renovator, and a self-confessed over-sharer. A woman after my own heart! Check out everything that Simone has...

Around the Grounds with Journalist & TV presenter Leila McKinnon - ‘Beyoncé, bulls sperm, bongos, bourbon but mainly Beyoncé’ Leila McKinnon is a journalist, tv presenter, writer, reviewer, and narrator. She got her start as a cattle reporter in Rockhampton, and in the nearly 30 years since she has reported on news, politics, sport and entertainment. From Guantanamo Bay to the Academy Awards a...

I had the pleasure of chatting to Sarah-Jane Clarke original co-founder of the iconic and internationally acclaimed fashion house Sass & Bide. Sarah-Jane is still creating beautifully crafted pieces for her label SARAH-JANE CLARKE. The result is a series of luxurious capsule collections, imbued with an elegance undefined by time. A label that treasures authenticity– with its considered footpri...

I have had this chat up my sleeve for a few weeks, but I thought nothing says festive and fun like Bianca Dye. Radio presenter and light-worker Bianca has a heart of gold, that she often wears on her sleeve especially when over-sharing on her breakfast radio show. She will make you laugh and there are a few ‘blow job’ and ‘pubic hair' references (so maybe listen on your headphones and not on...

What a delicious way to end 2020’s ran of magnificent guests. I could have talked to Annabelle Hickson for a month - obviously, we would need some loo breaks and plenty of tea and cake.  Annabelle or Annie as she is known left her job as a news writer at The Australian Newspaper to follow her heart and farmer partner Ed. They bought a pecan farm and Annie started to teach herself photography...

What a delicious way to end 2020’s ran of magnificent guests. I could have talked to Annabelle Hickson for a month - obviously, we would need some loo breaks and plenty of tea and cake.  Annabelle or Annie as she is known left her job as a news writer at The Australian Newspaper to follow her heart and farmer partner Ed. They bought a pecan farm and Annie started to teach herself photography...

Today's guest is Tara Medina who has a fantastic career flip from the world of Law to co-founding the successful Strawberry Fields Festival. In it's 12th year COVID saw the festival having to take a break. Tara had a second business in the wings and 2020 has seen Discovered Foods flourish. So fascinating chatting about her early days working in law, hearing how she set up a festival (with no festi...

You will love this episode! I cannot wait for Ben to write his memoir and for it to become a best seller followed by a box office hit… An award-winning author who has penned some incredible books including ‘Tell Me Why. The Life and Songs of Archie Roach’, ‘Songs of a War Boy’, ‘The Commando. The Life and Death of Cameron Baird VG, MG’, ‘Born to Fight’ and his latest ‘Mosul: Australia’s war i...

Today’s guest is the rather magnificent David Rogers. David or Davey (he is happy with and suits both variations) has a wonderful tale to tell. Davey spent his career working in Sydney in the fast-paced world pf publishing, advertising and lifestyle media. And was extremely fortunate to work with some of the world’s leading brands at Australia’s top publishing houses. But as his newfound love of p...

Today’s guest is the rather magnificent David Rogers. David or Davey (he is happy with and suits both variations) has a wonderful tale to tell. Davey spent his career working in Sydney in the fast-paced world pf publishing, advertising and lifestyle media. And was extremely fortunate to work with some of the world’s leading brands at Australia’s top publishing houses. But as his newfound love of p...

Claire Devine (just quietly isn’t that the best name ever) is today’s delicious guest. The Granddaughter of celebrated French artists and potters, Claire was born in Toulouse, France and grew up in an art gallery space in Brisbane, Australia. A classical musician and high school teacher, she started painting as a way to pass the evening hours while her handsome Irish husband, Seamus was away for w...

I was so excited to catch up with my old mate with the fantastic voice and the cool dance moves - Phil Burton. He was just about to fly off to Perth for quarantine #2  (he and family had arrived back from the US a month prior and had already completed 14 days in a Sydney hotel) so I was thrilled to get a cheeky hour to chew the fat together on the pod.    I had the pleasure of...

As the pod has grown, so have the guest suggestions I receive weekly (which is bloody lovely and keep them coming). It took me less than a microsecond to read Claire's story and scream YES at the email on screen! Claire’s incredible story full of highs and lows and more lows and then the stuff of fairy tales really should be made into a movie… Netflix if you’re listening… Claire Summers created th...

As the pod has grown, so have the guest suggestions I receive weekly (which is bloody lovely and keep them coming). It took me less than a microsecond to read Claire's story and scream YES at the email on screen! Claire’s incredible story full of highs and lows and more lows and then the stuff of fairy tales really should be made into a movie… Netflix if you’re listening… Claire Summers created th...

I like most of us have seen Movember grow and grow (pun intended) over the years, and unless you have been living under a rock you would no doubt associate the movement with various fury top lips and men’s health. What I didn’t know though was how it actually started. Cue today’s ‘Around the Grounds’ guest Travis Garone.   I loved chatting to Travis because as it turns out he is a complete le...

When a friend read a post by todays guest, she emailed it over to me and said, ‘Philippa could be great for the pod!’. And she was right! I did some undercover detective work (i.e. stalked LinkedIn) and read the about me section: “I spent 11 years in the corporate landscape before I walked away to launch a side hustle. Intimo Lingerie – a leading Australian owned lingerie brand – provided me with...

I am joined by the marvellous Seymour Platt, a name might not be familiar with, but you may well know his mother’s name, Christine Keeler, and the Profumo Affair that she was involved in back in the early 60’s. Although the ‘scandal’ took place 70 years ago it is still as topical now, the affair featured in 'The Crown' and more recently this year with the BBC dramatization ‘The Trial of Christine...

I am joined by the marvellous Seymour Platt, a name might not be familiar with, but you may well know his mother’s name, Christine Keeler, and the Profumo Affair that she was involved in back in the early 60’s. Although the ‘scandal’ took place 70 years ago it is still as topical now, the affair featured in 'The Crown' and more recently this year with the BBC dramatization ‘The Trial of Christine...

A cracking ‘Around the Grounds’ guest for you and your earlobes today, the magnificent Mark ‘Fergo’ Ferguson.  An exceptional journalist, foreign correspondent and newsreader with 36 years’ experience (I asked to see his driver’s license as he doesn’t look old enough), Mark began his career in his hometown of Tamworth in north-west New South Wales, where he scored a job as a cadet journa...

I absolutely love when my nearest and dearest have a career story that was made for the pod, as it means I selfishly get to hang out with them and call it ‘work’. Today’s beautiful guest is my old mate Lucy and her career is right up the ‘So I Quit...’ alley.  Lucy was a TV publicist for many years at Channel 9 and then later at Foxtel, working on many top rating shows and with an array...

I absolutely love when my nearest and dearest have a career story that was made for the pod, as it means I selfishly get to hang out with them and call it ‘work’. Today’s beautiful guest is my old mate Lucy and her career is right up the ‘So I Quit...’ alley.  Lucy was a TV publicist for many years at Channel 9 and then later at Foxtel, working on many top rating shows and with an array...

‘ATG’s’ with Ben Ikin who actually went from playing on, to commentating ‘Around the Grounds’ – perfect guest for this segment! One of Ben Ikin many accolades is that he was (and still is) the youngest ever player to play ‘State of Origin’. In fact, if my research is to be believed he played 150 games of rugby league at NRL level, 17 for QLD and 2 for Australia and won one Premiership. Not bad ind...

Tikki Merrillees - from Entertainment Lawyer to Energy Healer and Kinesiologist If I suddenly won, the lottery (which would be nothing short miracle as I never buy a ticket) and could afford a team of people on my payroll, as well as in house chef, masseuse, PT, hair & make-up person, dog walker (I could afford a dog then) I would also include this lady, my dear friend Tikki. Tikki originally...

Tikki Merrillees - from Entertainment Lawyer to Energy Healer and Kinesiologist If I suddenly won, the lottery (which would be nothing short miracle as I never buy a ticket) and could afford a team of people on my payroll, as well as in house chef, masseuse, PT, hair & make-up person, dog walker (I could afford a dog then) I would also include this lady, my dear friend Tikki. Tikki originally...

If you live in Australia there is a fair chance this week’s guest has been in your ears before as Rosie graced our radio airwaves from the early 2000’s. Her broadcasting career saw her work as a presenter on air at Triple J, Unearthed, Double J, ABC Sydney and up in the air as part of Qantas’ inflight entertainment offering.  As so many people are experiencing right now (due to COVID-19) back...