Rooster Radio - Business & Personal Growth Insights & Stories From Entrepreneurs And Leaders In Business, Health, Tech & More

Taryn Williams has never known normal. The entrepreneurial journey for the founder of WINK Models and The Right.Fit began with an unconventional childhood. Born in South Australia's Barossa Valley, Taryn moved and travelled frequently with parents who were progressive, highly supportive but provided few boundaries. It meant that Taryn developed into a highly responsible teenager, which put her in good stead as a 15 year old model trying to make her way in the fashion industry. Taryn says it is an industry that is far from glamourous. The demands can be brutal, and seeing how poorly that talent and clients were treated led her to start her own agency, WINK, at just 18. WINK has helped redefine the culture of the industry, prioritising health and wellness for models and providing a top quality experience for clients. Not content with just one fashion business, Taryn started TheRight.Fit, a talent marketplace for the fashion industry that opens up easy access to models, photographers, influencers, makeup a

As a teenager, Kevin Scarce lacked discipline, motivation and passion. A far cry from the man who would become a top Navy official, the 34th Governor of South Australia, business leader and University Chancellor. Kevin was pushed into the Royal Australian Navy College by his father. He intended to cruise through his studies but the threat of being thrown out of the college was a much needed wake up call. He truly came of age during the Vietnam War, where the Navy exposed him to the best and worst of leadership. Kevin shares what he learned about teams and people at sea. While he didn't actively pursue high ranking positions promotion naturally followed. Kevin's passion for the job, and commitment to ongoing learning, led to a strong understanding of Defence commercialisation. This would open up his world beyond the military, where he would earn the respect of both business and government. After retiring as South Australia's Governor, Kevin recently headed up South Australia's Nuclear Fuel Cycle Royal Com

Reece Formosa was suffering from a debilitating injury, debt collectors were on his door and he was sliding into a deep depression. A serious car accident had put the brakes on his income, a promising business and relationships. While only in his twenties, Reece has seen more highs and lows than most entrepreneurs twice his age. He's started a number of companies, and learned many hard lessons, including the traps of going into business with mates. It was his determination and drive, plus a few motivational videos, that got him off the couch and looking forward again. Back on his feet, Reece paid off his debts, and sowed the seed of a new business, Delivery Boyz, which would later become #DLVRD. The company was launched before "on demand" became a mainstream industry, offering absolutely ANYTHING delivered instantly. The business has gained traction and also partnerships with major companies, setting a launchpad for serious growth. Find out more about Reece's story, his motivation and values, and lessons

If anyone knows about overcoming enormous adversity and finding purpose, it is London bombings survivor Dr Gill Hicks. Gill survived the the 2005 terrorist attack, even though she was standing within a couple of metres of the suicide bomber. While Gill was lucky to survive, she lost both legs below the knees. Since then, Gill has had incredible influence as a motivational speaker, Not-For-Profit founder and author. She joined social innovators Dave Curtis, Atlas Consulting, and Carolyn Curtis, the Australian Centre for Social Innovation (TACSI), at Adelaide's first Social Capital Conference for a panel discussion about overcoming challenges, choosing to not give up, resilience and purpose. The discussion was facilitated by Rooster Radio's Andrew Montesi. The panellists, Social Capital Conference (socialcapitalcity.com): Dr Jill Hicks: Jill is considered to be one of the most thought provoking, powerful and life affirming speakers, globally known as a survivor of the London terrorist Bombings on July 7,

As one of Australia's top innovators, Shane Yeend has been to every extreme of entrepreneurship. After dropping out of school, Shane started shooting wedding videos and before the teenager knew it he was working with the biggest names in Australian media. Awarded Australian Entrepreneur of the Year in 2007, Shane founded global entertainment empire Imagination in Adelaide, working with global brands such as Disney and Hasbro, and generating multi-millions in revenue. He even built Pepsi's first website. He has reached great heights, but also deep lows. The GFC in 2008 led to missing out on a $180 million pay day, staff lay-offs and a bitter battle with the banks. In this broad discussion, we also cover: - Personal development and lessons learned - Lessons about entrepreneurship and business for kids - The rise of Drones, and Shane's company Helistar - Much more! It was our longest Rooster Radio interview, and yet we only just scraped the surface of Shane's unbelievable story. Rooster Radio is hosted by

He's an Olympian, Tour de France stalwart and Tour Down Under winner, but Patrick Jonker says the life of a professional cyclist is far from glamorous. Riding up to 300km a day for three weeks in the Tour de France, the pain is unimaginable and relentless. It is not uncommon for parts of the body to shut down (Pat recalls losing vision in one eye during a hill climb), and the mind also enters a "dark place". The only thing keeping the cyclists going is optimism, and the hope of a big pay day. Making money on the Pro Tour isn't easy, despite the global popularity of the sport. Pat talks about the business of cycling, where riders wait for the cameras and sprint to give their sponsors air time, and the unofficial deals brokered on the road by rival teams. Lance Armstrong changed cycling, for better and then worse. Pat was on Lance's now infamous US Postal Service team, but missed out on Tour De France selection in 2000. While devastated at the time, it kept him out of the team's drug program and the enormous

When was the last time you considered your purpose? The reasons why you do what you do. How do you want to be described by others, and how different is that to how you would be described by your peers today? As a leadership consultant, James Begley advises elite teams, corporate leadership groups, managers and workers about all things high performance, professional development and culture. And for Rooster Radio, he takes co-host Andrew Montesi, and you, the listener, through half an hour of self-development, where you will finish the episode with the fundamentals to build your own high performance framework. Grab a pen and paper, because you'll be unpacking the following: - What is your purpose? - What are your values? - What behaviours are non-negotiable to enable you to live these values? - What behaviours would inhibit you from living these values? At the end of the episode you're given homework .. submit via roosterradio.biz! Connect with James Begley at james@tractgroup.com.au and tractgroup.com.

"Adversity is your greatest competitive advantage," reads a quote on Vinh's website. While he's now earning up to $15,000 an hour on the global speakers circuit, it could've been very different. Vinh's family escaped the Viet Cong on treacherous waters and arrived in Australia as Vietnamese refugees. The family struggled to make ends meet in the Northern suburbs of Adelaide, selling whatever they could to survive. After hearing his mum pleading for money to put him through school, Vinh began looking for ways to make fast money. He bought and sold goods to school mates, and paid bullies to keep debtors in check. Against the odds, he got within six months of completing an accounting degree before a "life saving" conversation with a firm partner led to Vinh dropping out to pursue magic. That conversation set Vinh on a path to greatness, as a magician, online business owner and keynote speaker sought after worldwide. This is a fascinating and inspirational story with important insights for personal devel

It can be lonely being a high profile leader and AFL captain, Matthew Pavlich says. As an AFL superstar given the responsibility of leading his team, Pavlich struggled to live up to his own perception that AFL captains had to be perfect. But over time he learned that it was more important to be vulnerable, and show his teammates who he really was, and he talks about a defining moment where he did just that at a powerful bonfire chat with his team at a pre-season camp. In his 17th year at AFL level, Pavlich has fallen just short of a Premiership. If he doesn't win one this season, in what is likely to be his last year, he's ok with that. He now has a holistic view of what success really is, and it includes his roles as a husband, father and businessman. And Pavlich is ready to make an impact in the corporate world. The AFL Players Association President, MBA student, brand ambassador and startup co-founder has been preparing for life after football since the day he was drafted. He has built one of the be

"The more you belted a guy in the face, the better you felt .. the more you destroyed someone's career .. the better you felt. It was macabre and sick in many ways." Kevin Foley was one of the most intimidating, colourful and entertaining characters that South Australian politics has ever seen. He thrived on the sport, and the theatre, in his career as SA's longest serving Deputy Premier, and third longest serving treasurer. But he tells Rooster Radio that the bold, "bulldog" approach to politics overcompensated for feelings of self-doubt and inadequacy. Which was why, despite having the opportunity to challenge then Premier Mike Rann for the top job, he couldn't bring himself to do it. Despite the vulnerabilities Foley has many top level deals and achievements to his name. He shares the inside stories with Rooster Radio, including the espionage and secret negotiations that led to the masterful Adelaide Oval deal. He also reveals his tips for getting business deals over the line. In a wide-ranging

Kathryn Hocking crawled out of her government job, quite literally, and didn't look back. It had come to the attention of Kathryn's manager that she was running an online business on the side, without approval from the department, and they didn't like it. That's when Kathryn decided she was done. On hands and knees to avoid detection, she escaped her cubicle office and committed full time to her e-course business. It was the best decision she'd every make. Revenue has exploded since launch four years ago, and is expected to pass $750,000 and head towards a million dollars this year. Equally enviable is Kathryn's lifestyle where she works from her Adelaide home for about 25 to 30 hours a week with plenty of time for her young children. Kathryn wasn't a "born" entrepreneur, but demonstrated the ability to execute her ideas with an unwavering mindset. She shares her story with Rooster Radio, including her tips for success. About Kathryn: Kathryn Hocking helps passionate service-based entrepreneurs cre

It was 3am when Rob Chapman received a phone call that no leader could prepare for. Phil Walsh, the coach of the Adelaide Football Club, had been murdered. As chairman of the club, one of the most high profile sporting teams in Australia, Rob had to lead players, staff, fans and a wider community through an unprecedented time of trauma and emotion. Rob shares the key moments, including that phone call and through the steps of the leadership and communication response that impacted so many. While Rob could never be ready to handle such a crisis, his years in business leadership, including roles as CEO of St George Bank and managing director of Bank SA, had taught him a lot about people, both on a personal and public level. For Rob, it is a case of nice guys finish first - being likeable, a "good bloke", has been a big part in his success. He says he learned many of these traits as the son of a farmer, and in the school boarding house. Rob's rise to the top in business hasn't been without challenges.

In 2002, the Bali bombings changed Nick Deegan's world forever. Nick's older brother, Josh, lost his life in the Sari nightclub explosions. Nick talks about how his family responded to tragedy, how music has helped with the healing process, and what good can come from the worst of times. A well known Adelaide musician, Nick found success with bands Foreshore and Galleon, but also shared the business and personal challenges of trying to make it in music. He comes from a talented and well known family - a creative mother, Angie, and prominent lawyer, Brian. As a result Nick is a rare breed, able to combine music with a physiotherapy practice and also law studies. With such a diverse range of life experiences to draw on, enjoy insights from Nick Deegan on Rooster Radio. (Language warning: There are a few f-bombs on this one) Hosted by Apiro Consulting's Andrew Montesi and Tract Leadership's James Begley. Connect with Rooster Radio: roosterradio.biz facebook.com/roosterradioHQ For media, content and

A history lesson from Keith Richards, a dust up with Meatloaf. The life of a music journalist in the 80s and 90s. Doug Adamson left Adelaide and arrived in London hoping to talk his way into a job that would get him free tickets to gigs. He ended up interviewing all of the biggest names in music, including The Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney and Pink Floyd. Doug learned about egos, interviewing techniques and business, sometimes from painful lessons, including a butchered interview with Stones legend Mick Jagger. During this period Doug went from looking for a party to building a global radio production business, which he sold before starting a software company in the midst of the dot com boom. Doug has always had an eye for opportunity. Now as a business advisor, startup investor and mentor, Doug takes a "no bullshit" approach to an Australian ecosystem where company founders are still trying to find their place in the market. Connect with Doug Adamson on LinkedIn: https://au.linkedin.com/in/doadamson

"I was making more money than I knew what to do with, but I wasn't happy". So James Williams, AKA "The Kid" or "TK", quit real estate to pursue a career in ... rap music. At Rooster Radio, we often talk about the entrepreneur's "jump" - quitting your job to take a risk and pursue a dream - but few have leaped like James! He wasn't just a real estate agent, at 23 he was a founding partner in Harris Real Estate, one of South Australia's most recognised real estate brands. He was pulling in as much as six figures a month. But one day he stunned his business partner, family and friends by saying "he's done", selling out of the business to pursue his dream to create hip hop music. James shares insights into what he calls a "mid life crisis at 25". Using the determination and systems he'd learned as a real estate agent, "The kid" burst onto the scene winning rap battles and taking on the world. The notoriety and millions of listens brought more than just jealousy and criticism - he faced death threats, abu

Nyoman Puja Astawa walked away from a high paying engineering job in Jakarta to become one of the few Balinese people to develop his own villa and cafe business in Bali. When he quit, his mother also had a stroke and Puja went home to care for her. He lost his income and for a little while, his way. Puja shares how he used his engineering skills, and his network, to help develop his site. Without a background in hospitality, he is also learning as he goes. Puja talks about the challenging relationship between business and culture in Bali. A traditional way of thinking means that being entrepreneurial, or investing in the future, is not considered by many locals. The many customary obligations also make entry into business difficult. But four months into building his business, Puja's philosophy of "don't look back" and an emphasis of fostering relationships with guests has brought early success. Other issues covered in the chat: Leaving the high paying job, Bali business culture, the process of setting up

Jana Matthews is one of the world's leading experts in business growth. And we have her in South Australia. We can't begin to summarise her achievements, so read her bio below! Jana is at the intersection of entrepreneurship and education. In a world of "disrupt everything", she shares learnings from her position at the centre of a university evolution where far more than tertiary qualifications are on offer. Jana has advised thousands of CEOs all over the world, from start up to billion dollar companies. She shares the factors that foster and inhibit business growth, and the attributes of people that drive companies to new levels. Jana also shares about personal growth, "managing me", and learning from fear, adversity and change in the midst of grief. About Jana Matthews: Professor Jana Matthews is the ANZ Chair in Business Growth and Director of the Centre for Business Growth (CBG) at the University of South Australia's Business School. Professor Matthews helps CEOs, executives and directors unlock

While floored with chronic fatigue syndrome, Kris Massie had a shift in thinking. Playing AFL at the time, Massie turned to alternative medicine and meditation to overcome the physical and psychological challenges he was facing. Those philosophies remain today for Massie, personally and in business. He founded Chi PT just over a year ago, and is much more than a personal trainer. He is a coach to CEOs, city workers and people of all backgrounds and walks of life, providing holistic advice that includes physical training, nutrition and mindfulness. With the mantra "move, refuel, love", Massie talks about the challenge of finding balance, and how many attempt to reach peak performance from a base of physical and mental exhaustion. He has taken an uncommon path compared to most AFL footballers, but Massie says he was always different in a system that could be "boring". Connect with Kris Massie and Chi PT: facebook.com/ChiPersonalTraining Hosted by Apiro Consulting's Andrew Montesi and Tract Leadership'

Wine is a beautiful thing. But gee, it can be pretentious. South Australian winemaker David Bowley, founder of Vinteloper, has made it his mission to create "grown up fun". To cut out the bullshit and cliches of the wine industry, and create wines that people simply love. Even if they can't adequately describe the characteristics ("Mmmm, the tannins ..."). David has built of a community of wine lovers from all over the world, where he demystifies wine terminology and shares insights via his blog and social media. For David, Vinteloper is deeply personal. Every wine tells a story, and has been produced, quite literally, hands on. Wine is as much about the experience as it is the taste. This led to formation of the Urban Winery Project, an event that brings the wine regions to the city, and enables people to do it Lucille Ball style and get up to their ankles in grapes while being fed by Australia's top chefs. David has produced wine especially for the Urban Winery Project and, in a Rooster Radio exclusi

When it comes to social media for business, it can be hard to know where to start. From finding the right social network for your company, to sharing the right content and message, and responding to feedback both good and bad, it is an art that many business leaders find difficult to master. It is in this world where experts like Kate Potter, social media consultant at Hughes PR, are called in to provide strategy and guidance. Kate tells Rooster Radio that many businesses don't always realise that social media is a "long game" and requires ongoing commitment to get results. Measuring the value of social media can be difficult but is crucial, she says. Kate blends her social media skills with her background in PR and media monitoring, and talks about why monitoring both mainstream and social media is important for businesses. Public relations, social media and media monitoring are all often called upon in times of crisis, and Kate shares her tips for managing the big PR issues. A warning - it can hap