Stand Out Life

Dr Karl is best known here in Australia for his ability to make science not only accessible, but engaging and fascinating, He’s been a staple in our media landscape from his early days on Triple J, to his multiple podcasts, books, and extensive media presence - a true science story-teller. With the launch of his memoir ‘A Periodic Tale’ we explore in this conversation his early years as the only child of Holocaust survives who fled to Australia in 1950. He then described undertaking a convoluted cacophony of a career. From working as a physicist in a steelworks, to racing modified rally cars, his drug-crazed hippie years in Papau New Guinea, to training as a medical Dr off the back of an off-handed comment that Dr Fred Hollows said to him once. After he applied to be a NASA astronaut in the 1980s and 'failed', he ended up live broadcasting the first space shuttle launch on Triple J instead. Unexpectedly, that blasted off his media career, and from there it was a stratospheric rise from radio to TV, books, newspapers, speaking, podcasts and the internet. You will hear from this conversation a little about how Dr Karl’s brain works - he has an insatiable curiosity that continues to drive pure wonder and awe. Actually he teaches us all that you don’t have to know the answers, as long as you continue to ask questions. This conversation is one worth holding onto, and allowing it to ignite your own curiosity. And I can thoroughly recommend Dr Karl’s memoir ‘A Periodic Tale’ to absorb more of his wisdom and experiences.

The decision to step away from a 20 year career and embark on a new endeavour is one that requires courage. Talitha Cummins is one of Australia’s most famous TV journalists having worked for Channel 7 across the span of 20 years. She has also led conversations about sobriety which saw her featured on The Australian Story, the cover of Stellar and Australian Women’s Weekly. Talitha recently decided to step away from news reading and return to where she started, which was in the jewellery business. Her Uncle Craig has been a jeweller for over 50 years. Talitha worked in the space over 20 years ago before she went into reporting. The Cut Jewellery is a new Australian jewellery brand that offers a taste of ethical luxury with its bespoke range of lab-grown diamonds. Despite launching only a month ago, their designs have already been worn on red carpets by the likes of Sylvia Jeffries and Edwina Bartholomew. We chat about the decision behind the career change, what Talitha is learning and loving in this new role, and unpack what exactly are lab-grown diamonds. This is a down-to-earth conversation with the real and courageous Talitha Cummins.

Mindfulness, enlightenment, inner-peace. If you are anything like me you might hear these words and glaze over a little bit. Seriously who’s got time for that - and does it even make any difference? Today’s guest is going to help me (and maybe you) sit with these terms a little longer and explore why they might be useful. Luke McLeod has become one of Australia’s most popular thought leaders and practitioners in mindfulness and meditation, having trained in these practices for over two decades. But he didn’t arrive on these through wanting to chase calm - he started to explore these as high performance tools. You may also remember Luke from the 2017 season of The Bachlorette here in Australia. His day-job though is teaching meditation practices to support those navigating overwhelm, anxiety, and wanting to drive higher performance. Luke is the founder of The Mindful Life App, Soul Alive, with thousands of members worldwide and the author of his book released this year, Everyday Enlightenment. Bring your curiosity to the forefront as we explore meditation and mindfulness with Luke McLeod.

It turns out you don’t have to be good at art or creativity, for creativity to be good for you. Caitlin Marshall and Lizzie Rose are the founders of MakeShift, an award-winning agency that provides trauma-informed creativity and mental health programs for communities, workplaces and groups. Since 2013 they have worked with thousands of people including corporate clients navigating an uncertain and ever-changing world. Caitlin and Lizzy talk about what lead them down a path of creativity together, the surprises they h ave found for their own mental health as well as the way they support others, and share a few super practical prescriptions any of us can do. This conversation was so delight-filled and practical that it’s ignited in me a greater desire to dance with creativity. Many of what Caitlin and Lizzy share in this chat is also covered in their book ‘Creative First Aid’ - which in itself is a colourful engaging guide and handbook that you’ll want to return to. Get ready to shed some of those creativity-is-not-for-me stories you might carry around and play in this conversation with Caitlin and Lizzy.

Bonnie Hancock has been competing in the Surf IronWoman series since she was 17 years old. Her drive to push her limits and extend herself into adventures is exemplified in her most recent and remarkable journey. Starting in 2021, for 254 days, across 12,700kms, seasickness, sharks, crocodiles and 6 foot waves Bonnie became the fastest person to paddle around Australia. But it was never really about the world record. In this conversation we dive into what sparked the idea for this adventure, what she encountered along the way….and the lessons that have stuck with her since - including the importance of sharing your fears with others and gathering your tribe. Bonnie now shares her story as a dynamic speaker, her book ‘The Girl who touched the stars’ and her documentary ‘Diamond of the Sea’ are ways you can explore more of her story. Bonnie has a heart for highlighting the importance of mental health and in our conversation she shares ways all of us to share our vulnerability and step into challenges whilst also letting go of the need to be perfect. Soak up this conversation and be inspired by the heart and warmth that is Bonnie Hancock.

What is it about rest that makes it feel so hard? It’s like we’ve got to earn it, prove that we deserve it. And what if we had a different relationship with rest? Emmie Rae is on a mission to change our relationship with REST. But this is a relationship that she herself has wrestled with over a number of years. Emma shares her drive and hustle approach to work and life, and how she resisted the urge to explore the value of deep rest…..even as a yoga teacher she didn’t want to be known for the so-called soft ‘yin’ yoga. And yet she has found solace, recovery, and creativity in the value of rest that she is sharing this insight with others. Emmie is a writer, yoga teacher, and founder of The Daily Rest, a digital membership site for prioritising rest and receptivity in the lives of vibrant, busy women. Based in Tokyo, her work is rooted in experiential learning, community, connection and finding beauty in the everyday. I found this conversation equally challenging and opening, as a pathway to explore creativity and connection. I invite you to think about REST differently through the wisdom that comes from Emmie Rae.

Chocolate that loves you back - sounds like the ultimate luxury. From Model to Naturopath & Nutritionist to founder of an AFR Fast 100 company, Emica Penklis’s story is a fascinating one. Emica is a visionary entrepreneur and the founder and CEO of Loco Love Pty Ltd, a trailblazing Australian chocolate company renowned for its innovative "high vibe" products. And if you haven’t come across these chocolates I’m here to tell you, you are missing out. They are an experience. Within this conversation Emica shares the challenges she faced in her modelling career, the importance of having to explore the power of healing and how creating products that are good for people is the thread behind her work. We also chat about the role of leadership and key lessons she’s learnt along the way. Clarity on our intentions, gathering people around us to support us and continuing to learn and grow are the things I’ll take from this conversation. Enjoy this insightful conversation with Emica Penklis.

Habits - all of us have them. Some we’re happy to keep, others we’d love to kick. This time of year is the perfect time to get forensic about the habits in your life and how they are serving you. As a trained dietitian, Dr Gina Cleo has helped people improve their health and well-being - however noticed that her clients struggled to maintain their progress over time, much like those elusive goals you might be grappling with at this start of this year. Driven by the desire to find lasting solutions, she pressed pause on her clinic and completed a Ph.D. at Bond University. It was there that she uncover the transformative power of habit change and its potential to impact every facet of life. In this conversation we talk about some of Gina’s personal experience, including an experience that left her questioning everything and required her to rebuild every habit in her life - starting with brushing her teeth. We talk about the importance of self-belief, of realising that steps backwards are part of the process (not proof it’s not working) and how important it is to chase rituals over results. Dr Gina Cleo’s new book ‘The Habit Revolution’ is a game-changer when it comes to practical tools to explore and understand habits. This conversation will leave you feeling empowered not embarrassed about habits, soak up the wisdom and warmth that is Dr Gina Cleo. ______________________________________ The Habit Revolution - https://www.booktopia.com.au/the-habit-revolution-gina-cleo/book/9781922616654.html Dr Gina Cleo - https://www.drginacleo.com Ali Hill - https://www.alisonhill.com.au

What would it take for you to be able to work with (almost) anyone? Michael Bungay Stanier helps people know they’re awesome and they’re doing great. He’s best known for his book The Coaching Habit which is the best selling book on coaching this century and is considered a classic His most recent book is How to Work with (Almost) Anyone and it shows how to build the Best Possible Relationship with the key people at work. He founded Box of Crayons, a learning and development company that has trained hundreds of thousands of managers to be more coach-like in organizations from Microsoft to Gucci. He left Australia about 30 years ago to be a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford University ... where his only significant achievement was falling in love with a Canadian ... and which is why he now lives in Toronto, having spent time in London and Boston. Balancing out these moments of success, he was banned from his high school graduation for “the balloon incident” (you’ll hear about that) ... was sued by one of his Law School professors for defamation ... and his first published piece of writing was a Harlequin Romance-esque story involving a misdelivered letter ... and called The Male Delivery. Enjoy this conversation with the thoughtful Michael Bungay Stainer. _____________________________________________ Host / Producer: Ali Hill https://www.alisonhill.com.au/ Guest: Michael Bungay Stainer https://www.mbs.works/ Sound Editor: Jason Strozkiy https://www.strozkiymedia.com/ Talent Producer: Maddy Westbrook https://thenoblegroup.com.au/

Much of what we do is living life by default even when life has dished up hard-ships, maybe even trauma. We’re going through the motions….but what if we were to shake things up and become curious rebels. Yemi Penn is a global thought-leader on igniting our rebellious curiosity at an individual, team and organisational level. British born, Nigerian, living in Australia Yemi is an Engineer by profession, Entrepreneur by passion. Yemi fuses analytical thinking with creativity to produce superior outcomes. Transformation is the theme across Yemi’s focus, whether this is opening a F45 gym in London, a café in Sydney’s South-West Suburbs, authoring a book, managing complex projects such as Crossrail and Sydney Metro or producing an impactful documentary. Within this conversation we dive into how we can tap more into curiousity, the invitation to put ourselves in the way of discomfort, and to unlock a rebellious heart. This conversation is a deep one….it’s a beautiful one. Soak up the wisdom and invitation shared by Yemi Penn. _________________________________ Host: https://www.instagram.com/alihill/ or https://www.alisonhill.com.au/ Guest: https://yemipenn.com/ Sound Producer: Jason Strozkiy - https://www.strozkiymedia.com/ Talent Producer: Maddy Westbrook - https://thenoblegroup.com.au/

All of us can fall into trying to make sense of the unknown, drawn towards an insight, a theory or a story that seems just far-fetched enough to be true. But what makes rational people believe irrational things? As someone who studies behavioural scientists today’s guest is akin to chatting with an intellectual hero. It’s highly possible you haven’t come across Dan Ariely’s work, but his research drives much of what we know about irrational behaviour. Dan Ariely is Professor of Psychology & Behavioral Economics at Duke University, his research is dedicated to answering questions about irrational behaviour, and help people live more sensible – if not rational – lives. He is a founding member of the Center for Advanced Hindsight, co-creator of the film documentary '(Dis)Honesty: The Truth About Lies', and a three-time New York Times bestselling author. This conversation focuses on Dan’s latest book 'Misbelief', which is a personal deep dive into an experience Dan faced through COVID with untruths being shared about him and his research. Believing he could just convince people they weren’t true lead him down the path of identifying what he calls the ‘funnel of misbelief’. This conversation is insightful, fascinating and practical for us all as we navigate the unknown. Take a trip into understanding the funnel of Misbelief with Dan Ariely.

When we look in the mirror there are times we might pause long enough to ask the question - Who am I? Identity, invisibility, magic and love are the themes not only of Trent Dalton’s work, but of his life. This conversation that left me with goosebumps, tears, laughter, joy and a desire to cartwheel into the magic moments life has in store, if we’re prepared to see them. Trent Dalton nearly needs no introduction but here a few things you ought to know about him. Trent grew up in housing commission in Brakenridge, Brisbane. He is a Walkley Award winning journalist, and in 2018 published his debut novel 'Boy Swallows Universe', which broke all the records and is currently being filmed for a Netflix series. With this book, and his other books 'All Our Shimmering Skies' and 'Love Stories' Trent has sold over 1.2 million copies in Australia alone. In this conversation we talk about Trent’s latest book ‘Lola in the mirror’. This book is filled with dark, light, magic, grit and a dash of the meaning of life. We explore who we are, we chat about love, enthusiasm, darkness, light, pulling your head out of your own arse, and so much more. Trent’s latest book is extraordinary, Trent is extraordinary, and this conversation is one you’ll want to revisit. Soak up the magic that is Trent Dalton ______________________________________________________ Host - Ali Hill - https://www.instagram.com/alihill/ Guest - Trent Dalton - https://www.instagram.com/trentdaltonauthor/?hl=en Grab a copy of Trent's book 'Lola In The Mirror' - https://www.booktopia.com.au/lola-in-the-mirror-trent-dalton/book/9781460759837.html Photo Image - David Kelly Editor - Jason Strozkiy - https://www.strozkiymedia.com/ Talent Producer - Maddy Westbrook - https://thenoblegroup.com.au/

This episode comes with a content warning. This conversation with Chanel Contos contains descriptions of sexual violence, assault and we talk about sexual acts. Parts of this conversation may be distressing for some listeners. The statistics Chanel shares are confronting which is why she has made it her mission to drive a conversation and impact policy change in this country about consent education. We can’t talk about consent without talking about what consent is not. I’m really proud of this conversation and believe it’s important to sit in the uncomfortable and the hard. But please be aware that discretion is advised before you choose to listen. And if this episode brings up anything for you please reach out to organisations like LifeLife on 13 11 14 Chanel Contos founded Teach Us Consent, a campaign that mandated consent education in Australia. In order to achieve this, she worked closely with politicians from across the political spectrum, including prime ministers. Chanel was the recipient of the Australian Human Rights Commission Young People’s Medal in 2021, and in 2023 she was named NSW Young Woman of the Year for her persistent efforts towards eradicating rape culture. Chanel has also been presented with the prestigious Diana Award for her humanitarian work, and in 2022 she was listed as one of the BBC’s 100 inspiring and influential women worldwide. Chanel has a Masters in Education, Gender and International Development from University College London and was recently appointed by Julia Gillard to chair the Global Institute for Women’s Leadership’s. She shares her message in her latest book ‘Consent Laid Bare’ - riding the gap between policy makers and the experiences of young people. Calling for greater awareness, education and at its core - empathy - in sharing what is healthy intimacy. Consent is complex - particularly in a society where messages are mixed at best, toxic at worst. Chanel’s book is a battle cry from a generation no longer prepared to stay silent. She is a powerhouse on a mission. This is an important conversation for those who care about youth and the generations to come. Youth Advisory Committee. www.teachusconsent.com Host: Ali Hill www.alison.hill.com.au Guest: Chanel Contos www.instagram.com/chanelc/ Editor: Jason Strozkiy https://www.strozkiymedia.com/ Talent Producer: Maddy Westrbrook https://thenoblegroup.com.au/

Falling into advertising photography was a happy accident according to today’s guest - a career that has incredible high’s but hasn’t always been easy. John Tsiavis has always had creativity in his world and found his flair at the intersection of advertising, photography, and directing. His break came at the age of 20 after producer Jane Scott contacted RMIT looking for someone to shoot stills for the Australian feature film Head On. He went on to work in the entertainment industry creating images for film such as Chopper (for anyone that can recall that image of Eric Bana that is John’s work), Ned Kelly and he also worked on television series including The Secret Life of Us and Summer Heights High. His work is fine art meeting commerciality - and it’s by holding onto a philosophy of shooting for ‘him’ that his style was created. Along the way John has learnt the value of treating people well; connection is a key theme. Within this conversation John talks about some of the images that have stretched him - including a striking portrait of actor Jackie Weaver. You’ll see these over on instagram @alihill or by following the links in the show notes to John’s work. John also shares his latest endeavour directing a series called 'A QUIET ROAR' - showcasing the stories and campaigns of young activists advocating for social, political, and economic change. A project that’s impacting him deeply. This is a personal, real and insight conversation about creativity, art, and the importance of deep connection with John Tsiavis.

What were you doing the first few months of 2020? Today’s guests were launching their business together in outdoor apparel. A business that, by starting in uncertain times has forged its way into new territory. Olympic freestyle aerial skier Kiley McKinnon, alongside Ariana Ferwerda initially set out to create a skiwear brand designed by women, for women. After competing at the 2018 Olympics in men's ski wear, Kiley knew the male-dominated outdoor industry needed to change. She shares the frustrations she found in trying to talk to sponsors about the subtle differences for women’s ski wear. Without any traction. This was a lightning bolt moment for her, Ariana, an avid recreational skier frustrated by the lacklustre outdoor apparel industry, had also struggled to find technical women’s apparel that fit correctly, functioned accurately, and looked good. With that, Halfdays was born. In this conversation we talk about the power of connecting with nature, navigating a fast growth business together, and the cross-over between Olympic level skiing and being in business. From a seed of an idea, to navigating the important things in relationship and work, enjoy this conversation with Kiley McKinnon & Arianna Ferwerda.

From a young age, journalism was always on the radar for Tracey Spicer. Exploring the stories of our time and uncovering truths. This drive continues in her latest book - Man Made. Tracey is a multiple Walkley Award winning author, journalist and broadcaster who has anchored national programs for ABC TV and radio, Network Ten and Sky News. Tracey is one of the most sought-after on stage and online keynote speakers and emcees in the region. In 2019 she was named the NSW Premier’s Woman of the Year, accepted the Sydney Peace Prize alongside Tarana Burke for the Me Too movement. Struck by 7 words said to her by her son, Tracey has spent the last few years researching AI, in particular exploring how the bias of the past is being built into the future. In this conversation we chat about Tracey’s journalism career and her experience with long covid. When it comes to AI we chat about where bias in AI comes from, how you can’t just 'program bias out of AI’, and practical ways that we can all seek to be mindful of AI, both the benefits and the inherent downsides. This is a thought-provoking, engaging, and fascinating conversation with someone who is an explorer of truth. Soak up the wisdom and insight that is Tracey Spicer. Host & Producer: Ali Hill - https://www.instagram.com/alihill/ Guest: Tracey Spicer - https://traceyspicer.com.au/ Book: Man-Made https://www.booktopia.com.au/man-made-tracey-spicer/book/9781761106378.html Editor: Jason Strozkiy - https://www.strozkiymedia.com/ Talent Producer: Maddy Westbrook - https://thenoblegroup.com.au/

Linda Marigliano is an Australian television and radio presenter, podcaster, musician and DJ, best known for her work on FBi Radio and Triple J. Linda has built a career out of performing for other people. In her day-job as an on-air presenter or in her family home, she contorted herself into 'the cool girl' or 'the good girl'. Exploring how to wrestle with long-distance love and learning more about herself in her key relationships (including with her Mum) has become the pursuit of Linda’s expressions - her podcast Tough Love is a podcast production masterpiece, and her book Love Language explore these theme’s. We chat about vocabulary of love in all forms - intimate partners, families, and friendships. The importance of holding expectations loosely - learning how to express what we want and the ways we like to be loved - and the importance of weaving the threads of creativity and true presence with others to continue to grow. I couldn’t have loved this conversation any more. Personal, practical, insightful and relevant for all who dance with love, soak up this conversation with Linda Marigliano. As she repeatedly over-committed and sought approval in all its guises, she started to ask herself: Why am I like this? Combing through her complex relationship with her mother, the sense of duty within her extended Italian and Chinese-Malaysian families, and the twisting turns of both her career path and her love life, she noticed a pattern emerging. Her love language had warped into acts of service that pleased everyone but herself, without boundaries or exceptions. And she'd lost the ability to translate the vocabulary of love being spoken all around her. Love Language is Linda's determined reclamation of her identity; a fiercely relatable and viscerally honest account of what it means to love and be loved.

We all have memories intertwined with food. From our earliest of days, to the food we reach for in heartbreak, celebration or connection. Charlotte Ree explores how food can be a way back to ourselves. Sharing her open and real stories of love, loss, and finding herself again in her book Heartbake, this is a bittersweet story with some tough tough moments. In this real and raw conversation Charlotte shares what is was like growing up with parents navigating mental illness, the experience of ending a marriage and being single in an apartment as Sydney went into lock-down, and the tough road back to herself. Food and recipes are a core part of her story, and I'm here to tell you that need to buy a copy of Heartbake for the brownie recipe alone (okay also for the Burnt Basque Cheesecake recipe, and the focaccia recipe!). Weaving together sweet moments with tough moments, loss and love, a single boiled egg to cooking four course dinner parties via her Supper Club; soak up the wisdom and words from the beautiful Charlotte Ree. Host & Producer: Ali Hill - https://alisonhill.com.au/ Guest: Charlotte Ree - https://www.charlotteree.com/ Editor: Jason Strozkiy - https://www.strozkiymedia.com/ Talent Producer: Maddy Westbrook - https://thenoblegroup.com.au/

Kathryn Eisman is a multi-Emmy Award Nominated television journalist, bestselling author and Internationally celebrated fashion "de-coder" and entrepreneur. A pioneer in the 'language of fashion', Kathryn has toured the globe as a speaker and columnist on the topic, noted by the media for her "uncanny ability to read a person based on the clothes they wear." Her unique combination of razor-sharp wit, deep analysis, warmth and insight into contemporary issues and trends coupled with her Live TV experience both in front and behind the camera has contributed to her becoming one of Australia's most successful media exports. Kathryn has also founded the global hosiery label High Heel Jungle, created to elevate the daily act of getting dressed into an empowering and joyful form of self-expression After more than a decade at the pinnacle of USA Media, Kathryn has returned to Australia to co-create, co-EP and star in "Undressed with Kathryn Eisman”. We chat about the power of clothing, expressing who we really are, and the importance of feeling comfortable in the skin we’re in. Before you get self-conscious about what you might be wearing as you listen to this episode - just know I was donning Ugg Boots the entire interview! Engaging, enticing and uplifting is this conversation with Kathryn Eisman.

Dr Rebecca Ray is a clinical psychologist, author and speaker who helps big-picture-thinking people master their psychology. Beck’s expertise as a professional zig-zagger sets her apart as one of Australia’s most in-demand and authoritative voices in the personal development space. Her science-backed, hard and heart truth approach is uniquely informed by her pivots from pilot to psychologist, from dating men to marrying a woman, and from being burnt out to bestselling author. Beck is the author of six books, including The Art of Self-Kindness, Setting Boundaries, Small Habits for a Big Life, and her latest book Difficult People. We explore boundaries, those hard conversations (that actually can be game-changers) and tools to reflect on the role we play in challenging circumstances. Personal, delightful and filled with practical tools you’ll take plenty away from this conversation with Dr Rebecca Ray. Host - Ali Hill https://www.alisonhill.com.au/ Guest - Dr Rebecca Ray https://rebeccaray.com.au/ Editor - Jason Strozkiy https://www.strozkiymedia.com/ Talent Producer - Maddy Westbrook https://thenoblegroup.com.au/