Always Be Connecting

We talk with Shahrazz, who shares his journey from growing up in retail, getting senior positions very early on, and working for large chains like British Home Stores and later worked in optics, leading to a head-hunted role to open Vision Express franchise stores in the Middle East. This experience, which included working in foreign exchange finance and spending two years in New York, gave Shahrazz a solid knowledge of different cultures, environments, and markets. Working for Collins, a 206-year-old brand, Shahrazz helped create the new Jumble & Co. brand to appeal to the younger generation. The Jumble & Co. journals focus on mental health, are made from 100% recycled paper, and are kept at an accessible price point, addressing the three key things Generation Z is looking for: mental health focus, sustainability, and accessibility. To keep designs current and relevant, the company uses external agencies that employ young graduates to design the products, and runs design competitions with institutions like the Glasgow School of Art and Billy Blue, a design university in Australia. Shahrazz maintains a big-picture view by being present in the market, seeking feedback from the entire global team, and empowering them with ownership over the process. Ultimately, the goal is to see the Jumble & Co. brand grow and for the younger generation to continue using a diary as a useful tool for mental health and personal reflection.Subscribe to Always Be Connecting:https://storytellersaustralia.au/always-be-connecting/Connect with Storytellers Australia:🌐 Website: https://storytellersaustralia.au/📞 Phone: 02 8096 5767📧 Email: hello@storytellersaustralia.au👔 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/storytellersau/📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/storytellers.au/Connect with Linsey Houston: 🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/linseyhouston/Connect with Shahrazz Hayat:🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shahrazz-h-4a54b4159/

We talk with courage expert Martin Stark about turning fear into real strength. Martin shares the intense story of almost dying from a health emergency, which required a tracheotomy, his biggest fear, to save his life. He openly discusses managing a rare disease called Addison's disease for life and how facing these challenges shaped his view of courage: owning your fear and moving forward with confidence.Martin explains that to handle the stress and bad memories (PTSD) from his comas, he started boxing. He shares his simple plan, P.A.C.E. (Purpose, Action, Confidence, Excellence), and his idea of a "Courage Bank," which means using past successful moments to help you face new scary ones. Finally, Martin challenges the common idea of "psychological safety" at work, arguing that leaders should build a culture of "psychological bravery" so teams feel strong enough to fix problems and deal with difficulties. Listen in to learn how to spot the four negative beliefs that hold you back and switch your fear into focused effort.Subscribe to Always Be Connecting:https://storytellersaustralia.au/always-be-connecting/Connect with Storytellers Australia:🌐 Website: https://storytellersaustralia.au/📞 Phone: 02 8096 5767📧 Email: hello@storytellersaustralia.au👔 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/storytellersau/📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/storytellers.au/Connect with Linsey Houston: 🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/linseyhouston/Connect with Martin Stark:🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/martin-stark-au/🔗 Website: https://martinstark.co/🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/martin_stark_au/

Former professional rugby player Nic Stirzaker of Gain Line Analytics tackles a fundamental question: why do some teams truly succeed while others fail? The conversation challenges our obsession with constant change, arguing that the real driver of performance is the often-overlooked power of team cohesion - the deep, shared understanding between members built over time. Nic illustrates this through compelling analogies, from the difficulty of riding a "backwards bike" to the inefficiency of navigating an unfamiliar supermarket, to show how disruption and "unlearning" old habits carry a heavy price. He also unpacks the "swing the pendulum" effect, where decisions made by leadership create amplified negative consequences for those on the front line. The discussion reveals how our instinct to react to failure with immediate changes, a tendency called "action bias," is often counterproductive and can make a bad situation worse. Ultimately, this episode makes a powerful case for the underestimated value of patience and stability in building winning teams in both sports and business.Subscribe to Always Be Connecting:https://storytellersaustralia.au/always-be-connecting/Connect with Storytellers Australia:🌐 Website: https://storytellersaustralia.au/📞 Phone: 02 8096 5767📧 Email: hello@storytellersaustralia.au👔 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/storytellersau/📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/storytellers.au/Connect with Linsey Houston: 🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/linseyhouston/Connect with Nic Stirzaker:🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nic-stirzaker-77b42113a/🔗 Website: https://www.gainline.biz/🔗 GainLine LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/gain-line

You're burnt out because someone lied to you: Hustle Culture is a total trap. The world's biggest GOATS aren't grinding 24/7. They're chilling out and mastering a few simple habits.James Laughlin, a high-performance coach, and #1 best-selling author of Habits of High Performers, is here to show you how to win big. James debunks the idea that success means running yourself into the ground. His simple truth: GOAT-level performance comes from relaxed, sustainable habits.Here's what we talk about:How figures like Nelson Mandela became legends by being "creatures of habit" not workaholics.The simple Radical Clarity framework James used to nail big personal changes (like quitting drinking).Why trying to change too many habits at once is your #1 mistake (the 66-day rule).Subscribe to Always Be Connecting:https://storytellersaustralia.au/always-be-connecting/Connect with Storytellers Australia:🌐 Website: https://storytellersaustralia.au/📞 Phone: 02 8096 5767📧 Email: hello@storytellersaustralia.au👔 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/storytellersau/📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/storytellers.au/Connect with Linsey Houston: 🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/linseyhouston/Connect with James Laughlin:🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jameslaughlincoaching/?originalSubdomain=nz🔗 Website: https://www.jjlaughlin.com/🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jameslaughlinofficial/?hl=en

In this episode of Always Be Connecting, host Linsey Houston sits down with Cathy Burke, an esteemed leadership coach, author of Lead In, and the former CEO of The Hunger Project Australia. Cathy unpacks her philosophy that true leadership is an "inside job," beginning with the stories we tell ourselves. She introduces her transformative "three-legged stool" framework, combining Mindset, Heartset, and Soulset, as a powerful tool for lasting change. The conversation dives into dismantling the core belief of "I'm not enough" and overcoming a scarcity mindset by recognizing your unseen resources. Linsey also shares a personal epiphany he had while reading Cathy's book, connecting her lessons on "unlikely leaders" to underdog stories like Happy Gilmore. This episode is an essential guide for anyone who has ever felt like an outsider but is ready to lead from within.Subscribe to Always Be Connecting:https://storytellersaustralia.au/always-be-connecting/Connect with Storytellers Australia:🌐 Website: https://storytellersaustralia.au/📞 Phone: 02 8096 5767📧 Email: hello@storytellersaustralia.au👔 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/storytellersau/📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/storytellers.au/Connect with Linsey Houston: 🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/linseyhouston/Connect with Cathy Burke: 🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cathy-burke-1658985/🔗 Website: https://www.cathyburke.com

Public speaking is one of the most common fears, but it doesn’t have to hold you back. In this episode of Always Be Connecting, TEDx speaker and personal development coach Trang Nova shares her journey from being a shy, bullied child of Vietnamese immigrants to becoming a confident speaker on global stages. She reveals the “secret” behind her confidence: hundreds of hours of practice, mindset shifts, and embracing authenticity.We dive into why our brains trigger fear when we step on stage, and how to reframe those nerves into fuel for impact. Trang also explains practical tools like power poses, body language, and storytelling as “pattern interrupters” that help you stand out. You’ll hear honest stories of failures, lessons learned, and the breakthrough moments that changed everything.This is a powerful conversation about finding your voice, overcoming fear, and using your story to inspire others. Whether you’re a business leader, entrepreneur, or someone who dreads presentations, you’ll walk away with practical steps to speak with confidence and authenticity.Subscribe to Always Be Connecting:https://storytellersaustralia.au/always-be-connecting/Connect with Storytellers Australia:🌐 Website: https://storytellersaustralia.au/📞 Phone: 02 8096 5767📧 Email: hello@storytellersaustralia.au👔 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/storytellersau/📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/storytellers.au/Connect with Linsey Houston: 🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/linseyhouston/Connect with Trang Nova:🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trang-nova/🔗 Website: https://trangnova.com/🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trang_nova/

The world of work is changing faster than ever and leadership has to keep up!In this episode of Always Be Connecting, host Linsey Houston talks with leadership strategist Trudy MacDonald about the shifts transforming how we lead teams, grow businesses, and shape culture. From the rise of AI to the demand for flexibility and the challenge of burnout, Trudy shares why the old models of HR and leadership no longer work.She unpacks the skills every leader needs right now including emotional intelligence, resilience, and agility, and how to use them to build high-performing, future-ready teams. You’ll hear why psychological safety is no longer optional, how generational change is redefining the workplace, and what business owners can do today to prepare for tomorrow.Packed with practical insights and forward-looking strategies, this conversation is a must-listen for anyone who wants to thrive as a leader in 2025 and beyond.Subscribe to Always Be Connecting:https://storytellersaustralia.au/always-be-connecting/Connect with Storytellers Australia:🌐 Website: https://storytellersaustralia.au/📞 Phone: 02 8096 5767📧 Email: hello@storytellersaustralia.au👔 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/storytellersau/📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/storytellers.au/Connect with Linsey Houston: 🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/linseyhouston/Connect with Trudy MacDonald:🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trudy-macdonald-tchr/🔗 Website: https://www.talentcodehr.com.au/

Do your beliefs about your team help them grow or hold them back?In this episode, we explore the powerful concept of the Pygmalion Effect with Sophie Firmager from the Realised Potential Group. This psychological phenomenon reveals how a leader's expectations can directly shape team performance, influence morale, and impact workplace culture. Sophie unpacks how belief, whether positive or negative, can become a self-fulfilling prophecy in the workplace, and what leaders can do to create an environment where people truly thrive.We cover:✅ The psychology behind the Pygmalion Effect✅ Common leadership traps and how to avoid them✅ How belief shapes behaviour in teams✅ Practical ways to build a belief-driven cultureSubscribe to Always Be Connecting:https://storytellersaustralia.au/always-be-connecting/Connect with Storytellers Australia:🌐 Website: https://storytellersaustralia.au/📞 Phone: 02 8096 5767📧 Email: hello@storytellersaustralia.au👔 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/storytellersau/📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/storytellers.au/Connect with Linsey Houston: 🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/linseyhouston/Connect with Guest Name:🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophie-firmager-0b95813/🔗 Website: https://www.realisedpotentialgroup.com/