Success x Happiness

Ava Black is one of the most exciting young athletes in Australian netball, but her journey to the Suncorp Super Netball league came with years of sacrifice, relentless grind, and a devastating ACL injury just as momentum was building. From growing up on a farm near Toowoomba to chasing a professional dream, Ava’s story is a powerful lesson in resilience, identity beyond sport, and the unseen work behind elite performance.
 
In this episode, Ava shares the reality of chasing professional sport at a young age. The sacrifices, the pressure, the grind of being a training partner, and the emotional rollercoaster of suffering a season-ending ACL injury. She opens up about rebuilding her mindset, finding purpose beyond the court, and how adversity helped her grow both as an athlete and a person.
 
You’ll learn how to build resilience through setbacks, why identity outside your career matters, and what it really takes to succeed in elite sport.
 
-
 
Ava’s Quick Fire Answers
What does success mean to you?
“Success is reflection on the balance in my life. It’s not just netball or achievements — it’s who I am outside of sport and having multiple passions.”
 
What does happiness mean to you?
“Having a really strong group of people around you who support you and celebrate your success as if it’s their own.”
 
What’s your normal morning routine these days?
“Usually a 6am wake up, coffee first, then something active — training, gym, or coaching before heading into the day.”
 
What piece of advice would you put on a billboard for the world to see?
“Think about where you want to be in five years and hold yourself accountable to that vision.”
 
Who would you suggest as a future guest on the show?
“Ash Ervin — she has an incredible story and passion outside of netball as well.”
 
-
 
Listen To The Podcast
https://pod.link/1683066164?view=apps&sort=popularity
 
-
 
Find Us On Social Media
https://www.instagram.com/sxhpod
 
-
 
Chapters
(00:00:00) - Introduction
(00:00:48) – Chapter 1 | Growing Up on a Farm & Chasing the Netball Dream
(00:18:52) – Chapter 2 | Breaking Into Professional Netball
(00:39:20) – Chapter 3 | ACL Injury, Identity & Building Resilience
(00:50:26) - Quick Fire Questions
(00:54:29) - Outro
 
-
 
#podcast #netball #womenssport

Leadership philosophy is built on radical self-belief, resilience, and redefining success on your own terms. From surviving a traumatic school bus accident at 12 to becoming a global high-performance strategist, keynote speaker, and author of Radical Self-Belief, Nikki Fodgen-Moore’s story is one of grit, gratitude, and conscious leadership.
 
In this episode we unpack what real leadership looks like in today’s world. Explore radical self-awareness, the power of pausing, why happiness is a business metric, and how to create cultures at home, and at work - where authenticity thrives. Nikki shares practical tools for resetting your nervous system, building resilience, and leading with intention rather than convenience.
 
You’ll learn how to lead yourself first, embrace hard things, reframe ambition without sacrificing happiness, and create sustainable high performance in your life and business.
 
-
 
Get in touch with Nikki Fogden-Moore - https://www.nikkifogdenmoore.com
 
-
 
Nikki’s Quick Fire Answers
What does success mean to you?
“Healthy, wealthy and happy — and being number one at any given moment, really satisfied exactly where you’re at.”
 
What does happiness mean to you?
“It’s a richness, a vibration, a playfulness. It’s loving hard, hugging my dog, doing challenging work I care about. It’s part of my oxygen.”
 
What’s your normal morning routine these days?
“I’m up before sunrise. I walk or run, grab coffee, work early while my brain is sharp, and protect my 5–7am time. No one gets access to me before then.”
 
What piece of advice would you put on a billboard for the world to see?
“Gratitude. Whatever you’re going through, come back to what’s amazing and available to you right now.”
 
Who would you suggest as a future guest on the show?
“Mark Mathews.”
 
-
 
Listen To The Podcast
https://pod.link/1683066164?view=apps&sort=popularity
 
-
 
Find Us On Social Media
https://www.instagram.com/sxhpod
 
Chapters
(00:00:00) - Introduction
(00:00:38) – Chapter 1 | We Do Hard Things: Redefining Success & Self-Leadership
(00:22:28) – Chapter 2 | Radical Self-Belief, Trauma & Conscious Leadership
(00:45:46) - Quick Fire Questions
(00:55:31) - Outro
 
#podcast #leadership #selfbelief

The future of work is neurodiverse, and most leaders aren’t ready for it.
 
Vicky Little’s story is one of lived experience, late diagnosis, and a career dedicated to transforming workplaces from the inside out. As a nationally recognised neuroinclusion specialist who has partnered with over 500 organisations, Vicky combines personal insight with two decades of frontline expertise to challenge outdated systems and build psychologically safe, inclusive environments.
 
In this episode, we unpack neurodivergence, late ADHD diagnosis, masking, burnout, workplace barriers, and how leaders can shift from assumption to empathy. We explore the rise in diagnosis, the Gen Z conversation, the realities of autism and ADHD in professional environments, and why universal design is the future of work.
 
You’ll learn how to create psychologically safe teams, support neurodivergent employees without labels or assumptions, rethink recruitment and performance processes, and lead in a way that benefits everyone — not just a few.
 
Get in touch with Vicky Little – https://www.linkedin.com/in/vicky-little-1856278/?originalSubdomain=au
 
Vicky’s Quick Fire Answers
What does success mean to you?
“Being authentic, doing meaningful work, and creating positive change — while celebrating the micro moments and small wins along the way.”
 
What does happiness mean to you?
“Finding joy in the micro moments — family, connection, sunshine, the ocean, music, and gratitude for the everyday.”
 
What’s your normal morning routine these days?
“It varies. With young kids it can be chaotic. Coffee is essential. I don’t follow the stereotypical ‘perfect morning’ routine — I’ve learned to work with my natural rhythm.”
 
What piece of advice would you put on a billboard for the world to see?
“Be a good human. Be kind, authentic, empathetic — and don’t make assumptions.”
 
Who would you suggest as a future guest on the show?
“Suzanne Colbert — founder of the Australian Disability Network and a pioneer in driving disability inclusion within organisations.
 
Listen To The Podcast
https://pod.link/1683066164?view=apps&sort=popularity
 
Find Us On Social Media
https://www.instagram.com/sxhpod
 
Chapters
(00:00:00) – Introduction
(00:00:44) – Chapter 1 | What Is Neurodivergence & Why Diagnosis Is Rising
(00:16:58) – Chapter 2 | Workplace Barriers, Masking & The Social Load of Work
(00:39:24) – Chapter 3 | Gen Z, Labels & The Rise of Neurodiversity
(00:51:16) – Chapter 4 | Medication, Toolkits & Shared Responsibility
(00:57:51) – Chapter 5 | The Future of Work & Universal Design
(01:04:02) – Quick Fire Questions
(01:11:27) – Outro
 
#podcast #neurodiversity #leadership

Adrian Nisbet nearly lost the family business before he learned what the “end game” really meant. From working in his parents’ factory at age ten to putting wages on a personal credit card, Adrian has lived the pressure most founders quietly carry. In this episode, he shares how defining your end game isn’t about selling — it’s about building a business that serves your life.
 
In this episode, Adrian breaks down succession planning, creeping normality, pricing blind spots, founder identity shifts, and why most family businesses lack the right support. He explains how to write your “end game” on the back of a beer coaster and why simplicity beats 200-page strategy decks.
 
You’ll learn how to define success on your terms, avoid financial drift, build governance the right way, and design a business that outlasts you.
 
-
 
Get in touch with Adrian Nisbet – https://www.theendgame.com.au/
 
-
 
Adrian’s Quick Fire Answers
What does success mean to you?
“Helping founders in a way they haven’t been helped before — seeing the difference it makes in their lives.”
 
What does happiness mean to you?
“Removing the things that make you unhappy and not chasing the next big thing.”
 
What’s your normal morning routine these days?
“Up around 5:30am, some form of exercise before the kids wake up — it’s hard to make time later.”
 
What piece of advice would you put on a billboard for the world to see?
“Don’t worry so much. It will be okay.”
 
-
 
Listen To The Podcast
https://pod.link/1683066164?view=apps&sort=popularity
 
-
 
Find Us On Social Media
https://www.instagram.com/sxhpod
 
-
 
Chapters
(00:00:00) - Introduction
 
(00:00:43) – Chapter 1 | Defining The End Game & Founder Identity
 
(00:19:54) – Chapter 2 | Succession, Governance & Growing Beyond The Founder
 
(00:25:53) – Chapter 3 | Practical Strategy: Pricing, Mindset & Avoiding “Creeping Normality”
 
(00:35:59) - Quick Fire Questions
 
(00:40:30) - Outro
 
-
 
#podcast #entrepreneurship #exitstrategy

From surviving the GFC to rebuilding from the brink, Michael Kain’s journey is a masterclass in resilience, leadership, and long-term thinking.
Growing up on the Sunshine Coast in an Italian family that valued hard work and community, Michael went on to build Devcon into one of the region’s most respected development and construction businesses.
 
In this episode, Michael shares the realities of navigating economic collapse, buying out business partners at rock bottom, and rebuilding culture-first leadership through compounding effort.
 
You’ll learn how resilience can be both a strength and a curse, why culture is the ultimate competitive advantage, and how long-term thinking shapes businesses that actually last.
 
Get in touch with Michael Kain - https://devconpropertygroup.com.au
 
-
 
Michael’s Quick Fire Answers
 
What does success mean to you?
“Fun.”
 
What does happiness mean to you?
“Family.”
 
What’s your normal morning routine these days?
“Gym at 5:30 or 6:30, breakfast, then into meetings.”
 
What piece of advice would you put on a billboard for the world to see?
“Make a decision, commit to it 100%, and don’t second guess yourself.”
 
Who would you suggest as a future guest on the show?
“Graham Hobbs or Kathleen Hope.”
 
-
 
Listen To The Podcast
https://pod.link/1683066164?view=apps&sort=popularity
 
-
 
Find Us On Social Media
https://www.instagram.com/sxhpod
 
-
 
Chapters
 
(00:00:00) – Intro
 
(00:00:48) – Chapter 1 | Growing Up on the Coast
 
(00:16:12) – Chapter 2 | Compounding Effort & Resilience
 
(00:22:56) – Chapter 3 | Entering Property & Early Failure
 
(00:33:17) – Chapter 4 | Surviving the GFC & Mining Collapse
 
(00:36:55) – Chapter 5 | Buying Out Partners & Rebuilding
 
(00:48:53) – Chapter 6 | Culture as the Competitive Advantage
 
(01:05:45) – Quick Fire Questions
 
(01:10:42) – Outro
 
#podcast #development #culture

She’s shaped generations of young people by putting character before credentials. Michelle Carroll’s story spans decades of educational leadership, from leading elite girls’ schools in Melbourne to becoming Principal of Matthew Flinders Anglican College here on the Sunshine Coast. Her work is centred on one powerful belief: great education builds great humans.
 
In this episode, Michelle shares what real leadership in education looks like today, how schools can better support young people in a fast-changing world, and why character, belonging, and purpose matter more than ever.
 
You’ll learn what modern leadership looks like, how to develop resilience and emotional intelligence in young people, and why participation, service, and strong role models shape lifelong success.
 
-
 
Michelle's Quick Fire Answers
What does success mean to you?
“Having people participate fully in what’s in front of them.”
 
What does happiness mean to you?
“The freedom to walk from point to point and see nature unfold — a lizard, a sea eagle, a whale passing by.”
 
What’s your normal morning routine these days?
“Early mornings, some exercise outdoors, and a coffee before heading into school.”
 
What piece of advice would you put on a billboard for the world to see?
“Listen to understand, not to respond.”
 
Who would you suggest as a future guest on the show?
“A graduate — hearing the voice of an 18-year-old would be powerful.”
 
-
 
Listen To The Podcast
https://pod.link/1683066164?view=apps&sort=popularity
 
-
 
Find Us On Social Media
https://www.instagram.com/sxhpod
 
-
 
Chapters
 
(00:00:00) – Intro
(00:00:45) – Chapter 1 | The Responsibility of School Leadership
(00:04:56) – Chapter 2 | Michelle’s Journey into Education
(00:12:23) – Chapter 3 | Defining Leadership in Young People
(00:25:49) – Chapter 4 | Building Character, Belonging & Purpose
(00:45:31) – Quick Fire | Success, Happiness & Advice
(00:48:07) – Outro
 
-
 
#podcast #education #leadership

From the outside, mastery looks effortless, but the real story is written in sacrifice.
 
Sam Lucas is a world-class cellist whose life has been shaped by obsession, discipline, and an unrelenting pursuit of excellence. From growing up in a deeply musical household to performing and studying across Europe, Sam’s journey reveals what it truly costs to chase greatness, and why fulfilment isn’t found at the finish line.
 
In this episode, Sam shares his path from prodigious talent to international performer, the mental and physical toll of elite musicianship, and how endurance sport transformed his performance on stage. Together, we explore high performance, identity, sacrifice, and the delicate balance between success and happiness.
 
You’ll learn what elite mastery really demands, why marginal gains matter, how physical fitness supports creative excellence, and how to sustain a long career without losing yourself along the way.
 
-
 
Sam’s Quick Fire Answers
What does success mean to you?
“The pursuit of happiness in what you do, and being able to live from it while having a positive effect on the world.”
 
What does happiness mean to you?
“Appreciation for the world you live in, doing well for your family, being ethical, and keeping a sound mind.”
 
What’s your normal morning routine these days?
“In winter, I sleep in as late as possible, have cereal or a bagel, shower, and head to rehearsals. In summer, I usually start the day with a run or mobility work.”
 
What piece of advice would you put on a billboard for the world to see?
“Start physical sport early. Take care of your body — it takes care of your mind.”
 
Who would you suggest as a future guest on the show?
“My professor — one of the most philosophical and switched-on people I know.”
 
-
 
Listen To The Podcast
https://pod.link/1683066164?view=apps&sort=popularity
 
-
 
Find Us On Social Media
https://www.instagram.com/sxhpod
 
⸻
 
Chapters
(00:00:00) – Intro
(00:00:47) – Chapter 1 | Growing Up Inside Music
(00:06:01) – Chapter 2 | The Path to Elite Performance
(00:16:52) – Chapter 3 | The Cost of Mastery
(00:29:24) – Chapter 4 | Running, Recovery & Resilience
(00:54:06) – Quick Fire Questions
(00:58:41) – Outro
 
-
 
#podcast #classicalmusic #highperformance

From turning grief into colour, Kirsten Jackson’s art proves that pain can become purpose. After losing her Mum at just 14, Kirsten found refuge in painting. A practice that would evolve into a globally recognised abstract art career built on flow, endurance and creative truth. Her story is one of resilience, patience, and trusting the long game.
 
In this episode, Kirsten shares her journey from childhood loss to building a thriving international art business, navigating rejection, self-doubt, motherhood, health challenges, and the discipline required to keep creating over decades.
 
You’ll learn how to find flow in your work, why endurance matters more than talent, how to turn passion into a sustainable business, and what it really means to keep going when there’s no finish line.
 
Get in touch with Kirsten Jackson – www.kirstenjackson.com.au
 
-
 
Kirsten’s Quick Fire Answers
 
What does success mean to you?
“Continuing to do what I love, staying true to my values, and never stopping the creative journey.”
 
What does happiness mean to you?
“Presence, freedom, and being deeply connected to what I’m doing.”
 
What’s your normal morning routine these days?
“Early starts, movement, time in the studio, and creating before the day takes over.”
 
What piece of advice would you put on a billboard for the world to see?
“Keep going — even when it feels slow, it’s all adding up.”
 
Who would you suggest as a future guest on the show?
“Dr Wesley.”
 
-
 
Listen To The Podcast
https://pod.link/1683066164?view=apps&sort=popularity
 
-
 
Find Us On Social Media
https://www.instagram.com/sxhpod
 
-
 
Chapters
 
(00:00:00) – Intro
(00:00:43) – Chapter 1 | Finding art through grief and flow
(00:06:47) – Chapter 2 | From passion to profession
(00:20:44) – Chapter 3 | Health, resilience and endurance
(00:24:47) – Chapter 4 | Scaling creativity without losing balance
(00:40:36) – Quick Fire Questions
(00:42:55) – Outro
 
#podcast #art #resilience