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For episode 217, we sat down with Tim Bateman. From a highly respected professional rugby player who commanded the midfield to the founder of a rapidly-scaling wellness brand, Tim’s journey is a powerful study in discipline, peak performance, and translating the hard-won lessons of elite sport into groundbreaking business success. In this episode we talk about the mental fortitude required to transition from the pressure of the playing field to the relentless startup environment, how the intense focus on physical recovery during his professional rugby career became the blueprint for his successful seven-site studio, the key entrepreneurial lessons he learned while competing at the highest level, and his mission to democratize the elite recovery practices once reserved only for athletes. Plus a few laughs about his most brutal on-field encounters, the strange diets of professional rugby teams, and how he manages the natural "dissatisfaction" that drives all high performers.

For Episode 216, we sat down with Ellie Compton, a successful artist who merged her architectural background with her creative passion to build a highly structured, profitable enterprise. Ellie's professional journey demonstrates the power of converting a side project into a full-time career through calculated strategy and business acumen. In this episode, we talk about the development of her unique architectural, medieval, and steampunk-inspired line illustrations and the strategic financial metrics that allowed her to transition away from a traditional career. We conduct a deep dive into her business ecosystem—from leveraging premium-priced commissions and commercial murals to launching a popular mentorship program for other artists. We discuss the critical role of presentation and high-quality packaging in elevating brand value, the strategic approach to cultivating long-term client relationships, and the necessary financial and marketing discipline required to thrive as an artist in the modern market.

For episode 215 we sat down with Troy and Nick from Lead Head. What started as a few mates with an idea has grown into one of New Zealand’s most recognisable lifestyle brands, built on creativity, community and a good dose of chaos. In this episode we talk about the story behind LeadHead’s rise — from custom golf hats to international orders — and how a casual podcast appearance turned into a full business partnership. We also dive into their approach to building culture through authenticity, how they’ve stayed true to their roots as the brand grows, and why every decision, no matter how big, still comes down to a game of paper, scissors, rock.