Seize the Yay

We talk regularly on Seize the Yay about the unlikely but incredible places you can end up and how many of the best experiences in life are unplanned. You already know how blown away I was to be approached by one of our intelligence services a few months ago and given access to a real life spy for one of our most fascinating episodes to date, which was not only unplanned but never even considered being such an outlandish impossibility. But if you told me that would snowball into a four part dedicated espionage and intelligence miniseries, which would include not only two further intelligence officers from an even more secret spy service but also its Director General who then invited me as the first external visitor in the history of that service to record at their top secret training facility in an undisclosed location? I would have absolutely laughed in your face at the sheer impossibility and ridiculousness that it could ever happen… and yet it did… so, here we are… I could not be more honoured or thrilled to present as our guest this week the actual head of our most secret organisation, Kerri Hartland - the Director General of the Australian Secret Intelligence Service (or ASIS as we will refer to it). As the first female and first external deputy director general of ASIO and now the first female Director General of ASIS, Kerri is my absolute hero not least because she turned up in head to toe pink with a warmth and openness belying the power of her position and her awe-inspiring experience. Within the understandable confines of operational secrecy, Kerri opens up about the challenges of a stellar career of “firsts”, her experiences as a powerful female leader in a sea of black and navy clad males, whether her life resembles anything like that of M in James Bond (dropping a few Seize the Yay exclusives), and also the humbling role of Mum that she comes home to also experiencing the ubiquitous “juggle”. I still can’t believe I actually got to pick such an extraordinary brain and share many invaluable lessons on seizing the yay. We are also releasing a second episode at the same time as this one sharing part of ASIS’ story from a different lens through the eyes of two senior intelligence officers, Jess and Tara - not their real names. So, you have plenty to catch up on this week jam-packed with jaw dropping storytelling and reflections - I feel so lucky to be sharing this with the yayborhood and hope you all enjoy as much as I did!Visit the new ASIS website here.Follow the new ASIS Instagram here. LINKS+ Announcements on Insta at @spoonful_of_sarah+ Join our Facebook community here+ Subscribe to not miss out on the next instalment of YAY!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We talk regularly on Seize the Yay about the unlikely but incredible places you can end up and how many of the best experiences in life are unplanned. You already know how blown away I was to be approached by one of our intelligence services a few months ago and given access to a real life spy for one of our most fascinating episodes to date, which was not only unplanned but never even considered being such an outlandish impossibility. But if you told me that would snowball into a four part dedicated espionage and intelligence miniseries, which would include not only two further intelligence officers from an even more secret spy service but also its Director General who then invited me as the first external visitor in the history of that service to record at their top secret training facility in an undisclosed location? I would have absolutely laughed in your face at the sheer impossibility and ridiculousness that it could ever happen… and yet it did… so, here we are… I could not be more honoured or thrilled to present as our guest this week the actual head of our most secret organisation, Kerri Hartland - the Director General of the Australian Secret Intelligence Service (or ASIS as we will refer to it). As the first female and first external deputy director general of ASIO and now the first female Director General of ASIS, Kerri is my absolute hero not least because she turned up in head to toe pink with a warmth and openness belying the power of her position and her awe-inspiring experience. Within the understandable confines of operational secrecy, Kerri opens up about the challenges of a stellar career of “firsts”, her experiences as a powerful female leader in a sea of black and navy clad males, whether her life resembles anything like that of M in James Bond (dropping a few Seize the Yay exclusives), and also the humbling role of Mum that she comes home to also experiencing the ubiquitous “juggle”. I still can’t believe I actually got to pick such an extraordinary brain and share many invaluable lessons on seizing the yay. We are also releasing a second episode at the same time as this one sharing part of ASIS’ story from a different lens through the eyes of two senior intelligence officers, Jess and Tara - not their real names. So, you have plenty to catch up on this week jam-packed with jaw dropping storytelling and reflections - I feel so lucky to be sharing this with the yayborhood and hope you all enjoy as much as I did!Visit the new ASIS website here.Follow the new ASIS Instagram here. LINKS+ Announcements on Insta at @spoonful_of_sarah+ Join our Facebook community here+ Subscribe to not miss out on the next instalment of YAY!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What happens when your entire identity is built on being the best in the world? For Jana Pittman, one of Australia's most famous athletes, the singular goal of Olympic gold was repeatedly torn away by devastating injuries and gut-wrenching losses. You might think her biggest pivot was swapping the running track for the bobsled, becoming one of the very few athletes in history to compete in both the Summer and Winter Olympics. But that wasn't it. Her real pivot was walking away entirely from being an elite athlete to become a doctor - all while raising six children. In this episode of Pivot Club, Sarah Davidson speaks with Jana about this massive career change. They unpack how you cope with failure when your mindset is "silver is the first loser", and how you go from being one of the best in the world to a complete beginner back at the bottom of the ladder, surrounded by people half your age. Jana shares the unfiltered story about how this profound pivot emerged from a period of intense personal and professional struggle - through divorce, miscarriages, failed exams and the financial lows of moving back into her own garage to make ends meet. Join us for a raw lesson in resilience, a look into the unseen "messy middle," and a powerful reminder that your lowest moments can be the fuel for your greatest chapter yet.   THE END BITS: Want more from Sarah Davidson? Check out her podcast Seize The Yay. Discover more Mamamia podcasts here. Feedback: podcast@mamamia.com.au  Share your story, feedback, or dilemma! Send us a voice message, and one of our Podcast Producers will get back to you ASAP. Rate or review us on Apple by clicking on the three dots in the top right-hand corner, click Go To Show then scroll down to the bottom of the page, click on the stars at the bottom and write a review. CREDITS: Guest: Jana Pittman Host: Sarah Davidson Executive Producer: Courtney Ammenhauser Senior Producer: Sally Best Want more Pivot Club? Listen here: This show was brought to you in partnership with Charles Sturt University. Australia's largest and most experienced online uni. Take the next step. Search Charles Sturt University online.  Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I talk all the time about guests who I’ve long time followed, first time called and how lovely it is to finally have a proper chat with someone you’ve admired from afar for so long. But then there’s guests who I’ve admired from up much closer and been lucky to know for years, always meaning to have them on the show without us ever actually getting around to it. Today’s guest is one of those who I actually think might have been on the very FIRST dream guest list when I started back in 2018 and both of us still can’t believe it’s taken us this long to sit down properly. There are many preconceptions you might have about someone whose stunning looks landed them in a hugely successful modelling career kicking off with Australia’s Next Top Model then taking them around the world, but Brooke Pitt defies them all as one of the most humble, well adjusted people going around.We met her as Brooke Hogan, but many of you will have followed her ensuing journey from modelling into business with Le Mon Swimwear and now co-founding the incredible pilates studio and online platform, Our Pilates, as well as huge brand partnerships including her role as an ambassador for Bellamy’s Organic. Our industry can be a funny one seeing people out and about many times over the years without ever having the chance to properly chat, but I’ve always left Brooke wishing we had more time together and we have especially bonded becoming boy mums running businesses around the same time.Part of that bonding was over the challenges we both faced along the way, with Brooke so generously her long journey with IVF to finally having Billy. Nothing could be more special than sitting down for this episode just days before she recently announced she is pregnant with her second little one and wading through the beautiful mess of emotion that comes with it. I won’t share any more here, but I loved every minute of this chat - I am so grateful to this show for allowing me a whole hour to crawl into people’s brains and learn what motivates them, challenges them and excites them on their way to finding yay. And even having known her for years now, Brooke surprised and delighted me in so many ways - I think so much of who she is does shine through on socials but I learned so much more today. I hope you guys enjoy this one as much as I did! Follow Brooke here.Check out Our Pilates here.LINKS+ Announcements on Insta at @spoonful_of_sarah+ Join our Facebook community here+ Subscribe to not miss out on the next instalment of YAY!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today’s guest is another voice you are likely to have had in your ears many times with an incredible career spanning over a decade conquering basically every media format there is. From his earliest days, Mitch Churi could be found on the stage, on the airwaves or on a screen near you mastering everything from theatre, dramatic acting and stand up comedy to presenting, podcasting and radio. From childhood dreams of being on the radio, Mitch worked his way up to headlining his own late night show, co-hosting the Pick Up with Laura Byrne and Britt Hockley and taking KISS FM to some of their highest numbers ever and all before the age of 30. But then, in a surprise to the entire nation, it was torn away when he was unexpectedly axed in a wave of redundancies and taken off air. We love a pathyay pivot on this show whether engineered on purpose or experienced involuntarily and have many times explored the idea that the universe has crazy ways of giving you a little push to where you’re meant to be. Having taken just TWO WEEKS to turn this tragic surprise into his very own The Mitch Churi Chat Show, Mitch is such an empowering example of this and in just a few weeks he’s already reached wild heights debuting with Tyra Banks as a guest, Rosie O’Donnell releasing the morning we recorded and him politely excusing himself after our chat because one KHALED was waiting on him… What I love most about this wasn’t having a yap with someone I’ve long time followed, first time called or getting some tips from an industry heavyweight but Mitch’s surprising honesty about the challenge of redefining success and how actively he is still working on embracing this new chapter of his life. I loved this chat so much and will definitely be back with a part two in the future!Watch the Mitch Churi Chat show here.LINKS+ Announcements on Insta at @spoonful_of_sarah+ Join our Facebook community here+ Subscribe to not miss out on the next instalment of YAY!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I spoke in last week’s introduction about the parasocial relationships we often have with the people we follow and today’s guest is another amazing human I’d been Internet besties with for a while before we met. When we did finally cross paths through a Business Chicks event - the foundation of so many great relationships - it was like the podcast universe of Sarahs folding in on itself and felt like we’d known each other for years.  Many of you will already recognise Sarah Grynberg’s unmistakably soothing voice and thought provoking questions from her own leading podcast, A Life of Greatness, sparking meaningful conversations around purpose, connection, and what truly makes a life well lived - you can see why we get along so well! But what you may not know is the rich tapestry of life experiences that led her here — from the world of commercial radio to spiritual seeking, personal transformation, and sitting down with some of the world’s most profound thinkers and leaders in their fields - from Deepak Chopra to Matthew McConaughey and beyond! Sarah has made it her mission to decode greatness — not the flashy, performative kind, but the deep, soul-nourishing greatness that comes from alignment, vulnerability, and courage and has also channeled her wisdom into a fabulous book, Living a Life of Greatness that came out just this year. In today’s episode, we turn the mic back on her and peel back the layers of what lights her up, what challenges she’s faced on her path, and how she navigates the inner world while showing up so fully in the outer one. I hope you enjoy as much as I did.  Follow Sarah here LINKS + Announcements on Insta at @spoonful_of_sarah+ Join our Facebook community here+ Subscribe to not miss out on the next instalment of YAY!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this day and age, we all enjoy a few parasocial relationships with people we follow but haven’t actually met and in fact most of our guests on the show feel that way before we record. But this week’s guest goes even further beyond that and into the realm of an honorary family member who’s with us in our lounge room, kitchen and sometimes even bedroom every single day… In the ultimate case of #IYKYK, anyone listening who’s at a similar stage of life to us won’t need any further context than her name to understand why it was so surreal to sit down with the incredible Ms Moni for our episode this week. But for those who don’t know, I am so excited to have educator, musician, mum of two and Australia’s answer to Ms Rachel jump right out of her booming YouTube channel to join the show. Ms Moni - otherwise known as Monica Ferreira - brings years of teaching experience to her interactive toddler learning videos on YouTube using interactive songs, stories and adventures to help our little ones develop language and social skills wherever they are. I was introduced to her after some of my own followers realised Teddy had been picking up American sign language before I realised sign language wasn’t universal, and we’ve never looked back.  But even if you too know her face and voice as well as we do, you may not know the amazing story of how she ended up where she is today. I won’t give it away too much more but I had no idea about her medical sliding doors moment, other businesses she has started, and was dying to know more for behind the scenes of how she edits her videos, writes her lyrics and which instrument she actually plays.  Wildly, this was her first podcast EVER (even though you wouldn’t know it at all from her eloquence and poise). She’s as delightful as you think she’d be from her videos and I hope you enjoy as much as I did.  Follow Ms Moni here. Get tickets to our live show here. LINKS + Announcements on Insta at @spoonful_of_sarah+ Join our Facebook community here+ Subscribe to not miss out on the next instalment of YAY!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There would be very few Australians who haven’t encountered The Daily Aus at one point or another, consuming the latest headlines from around the world in unmistakably bright colours and a no-nonsense vernacular. Since 2017, TDA has been disrupting the media landscape by repackaging leading news stories in a digestible, engaging way for younger, traditionally news-avoidant audiences.  What you may not know, however, is that a) it all began between two complete strangers, b) was all designed and executed at that initial blind coffee catch up and c) with both of them working outside of journalism and the media at the time. After years of following both her work and her pathYAY behind the scenes, I’m thrilled to have one of those co-founders, Zara Seidler, with us today. You all know I love a pivot-filled pathYAY and Zara's is one for the ages going from early leanings towards education to climbing the ladder in government and politics before somewhat stumbling into this dream career. You’ll hear how she built a side hustle with a stranger into a media monster with a few fun side stories about managing risk, underestimation and failed rebrands and ALL still before the age of 30 years old.  We also touch on the loss of her father to suicide when she was just 16 years old, a defining moment both for Zara and her family including her brother Zac - a clinical psychologist, researcher and Global Director of Men's Health at Movember - who you have also heard on the show. She is extraordinary in many ways, eloquent beyond her years and a joy to chat with - I hope you enjoy this as much as I did. Follow Zara hereFollow The Daily Aus here LINKS + Announcements on Insta at @spoonful_of_sarah+ Join our Facebook community here+ Subscribe to not miss out on the next instalment of YAY!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sometimes our guests are incredibly talented experts in a specific field, while other times they are extreme polymaths with ventures spanning industries and themes. Sometimes our guests are renowned public figures with extensively covered careers and other times their achievements are quieter although never less impressive.  And then, you have Merrick Watts who is all of things at once with his insatiable sense of curiosity driving in a constantly evolving, multifaceted, stellar career. While most of Australia will know of him as a comedy giant across radio and TV (which he of course has been and still is since 1996), he is also a qualified wine judge with two professional qualifications, a weapon who won SAS Australia and recently ran the gruelling big 5 marathon in South Africa, AND founder of Posca Hydrate, an incredible hydration elixir inspired by Ancient romans.  It reveals something about Merrick’s thirst for learning (pun intended) that the idea was born during an Internet wormhole through COVID where his wine qualification research led him to ancient Roman methods to hydrate soldiers and emperors. While most would be satisfied there, Merrick went right on to experiment in his kitchen refining the ancient recipe into a sugar-free, sparkling, electrolyte-rich beverage with the added benefits of red wine vinegar for gut health and hydration. You can see why his is a brain that was SO MUCH fun to pick, but also a joy to learn from as someone in the media myself speaking to somewhat of an idol. He is at once infinitely knowledgeable and a loose cannon all at once - I hope you enjoy this one as much as I did.  Follow Merrick hereFind out more about Posca Hydrate here. LINKS + Announcements on Insta at @spoonful_of_sarah+ Join our Facebook community here+ Subscribe to not miss out on the next instalment of YAY!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I’ve had a string of special recordings lately with guests I’ve been lucky to know through multiple chapters of their pathYAYS and today’s is absolutely one of those. But this is even more momentous not only because Seize the Yay was our guest’s first ever podcast back in 2019, but because her return comes literally days after some HUGE announcements and this chat was the first time she could speak about it. Michelle Battersby is one of the smartest women I know and some of you may remember that when we last spoke she was aggressively growing Bumble in the Australian market. A year after that, she co-founded the trailblazing creator-led platform, Sunroom, allowing women and non-binary individuals to monetise their content. Just last week, after scaling that business to over 20,000 creators, she was finally able to announce that she has sold Sunroom to Fanfix, the category leader in creator monetisation. And just days ago, she shared that she will be stepping into the role of President of Peanut, the gamechanging social networking app for pregnancy and motherhood.  …which is so perfectly aligned because, yes, another development since our last episode was the birth of her first son Alfie… followed 8 months later with the somewhat surprising news that her second is also on the way! So, at the time of this recording Michelle had just exited her business, accepted her dream job and all while 30 weeks pregnant so what an INCREDIBLE time to catch up with her and get her real time thoughts.  She has always been one of my favourite people to bump heads with but ESPECIALLY since becoming parents - I hope you enjoy as much as I did.  LINKS + Announcements on Insta at @spoonful_of_sarah+ Join our Facebook community here+ Subscribe to not miss out on the next instalment of YAY!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I’m not sure I even have words to describe our episode this week and you’ll understand why within the first few minutes - even the journey to our first question is a wild ride. It’s iconic, chaotic, eye-opening, thought-provoking, totally unfiltered and above all, one of the most enjoyable yaps I’ve had in a long time. I am thrilled to have had the delightful duo, Bec Judd and Jessie Roberts, in the studio to celebrate the launch of their own trailblazing and already chart-topping podcast, Vain-ish. As two of the most flawless faces in the nation, it’s no surprise they’re both constantly bombarded with questions about their beauty secrets (mostly from me) and they are finally lifting the veil to get brutally honest about the tricks, treatments and tales behind the scenes. Of course, being one of the rare species who hasn’t yet broken the seal on cosmetic injectables and the like, I’ll remind you all that nobody needs any of the things discussed here or on Vain-ish and there is such beauty to naturally ageing. BUT at the same time, we are entering the “let them” era and if you’re going to get something done anyway (or are like me and are on the curious cusp of experimenting), it’s been fascinating and empowering to hear them chat with experts and leaders in each field on everything you might need to know. I personally also find it so refreshing and reassuring to hear others being completely upfront about how, as Bec and Jessie say, they didn’t wake up like this so that you’re never comparing yourself to anybody without the full, honest picture. I’ve binged every episode furiously taking notes and had so many follow up questions that you’ll all benefit from today. Of course, it wouldn’t be an episode of Seize the Yay if we didn’t also touch on their lesser known pathyays leading up to this point and the side of Bec and Jessie that you might not know so well. While I feel absolutely comfortable calling Bec a national treasure - I mean, the red dress has a cultural identity of its own in Australian history - I have always said and am excited to share what a truly down to earth, barefoot Perth girl she is in person and Jessie is exactly the same.  To me, both Vainish and this chat feel like being a fly on the wall during an unhinged chat between besties somehow going from K-drama to salmon sperm injections to having 12 million children between them. I loved every minute and hope you all do too! LINKS + Announcements on Insta at @spoonful_of_sarah+ Join our Facebook community here+ Subscribe to not miss out on the next instalment of YAY!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You have all definitely heard of the incredible Steph Claire Smith or Steph Miller and, if you’ve been listening to the show for a while, you’ll have heard her on this show not once... nor twice... but THREE times with this episode. I’ve always said having a podcast is such a beautiful way to capture who a person is at a point in time and then, if we do remain in each other’s lives, to look back on past chapters together and that’s definitely the case with us. We first recorded back in December 2018 when Steph had JUST got engaged then caught up four years later in October 2022 when she had just had Harvey. So, it feels like a very special and logical progression to have her on the show now that I’ve joined her in motherhood and she’s just made the big jump from 1 to 2 with Billie arriving just a few months ago. Even more special was the fact that we recorded during her stay at Homb Postpartum, a sanctuary for postpartum parents and bubs that was transformative for me almost a year ago now. Having been in each others DMs A LOT since Teddy was born sharing lots of highs, lows and mess of motherhood, this chat is one that could have gone for hours and that I’m so excited to share. You’ll already know Steph is the co-founder of KIC and the app has been such a godsend for me trying to move my body postpartum from wherever I am. She’s very kindly given us a code too which you'll see below. We didn’t really have a theme or agenda, it just felt like a lovely chat between mates in the trenches and I hope you guys enjoy as much as I did. Use the code SEIZETHEYAY for one month free when you sign up to Kic on a monthly subscription at www.kicapp.com! Available for new and returning users only. Expires November 30th, 2025. LINKS Announcements on Insta at @spoonful_of_sarah Join our Facebook community here Subscribe to not miss out on the next instalment of YAY! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It has been an absolute delight to see how many of you share in my passion for espionage or intelligence stories and to hear that you enjoyed our last episode with a real-life Australian spy. One of the most common follow up questions from you has been my top recommendations for spy books, TV shows or podcasts and, funnily enough, my own current favourite podcast was also the one our ASIO Intelligence Officer mentioned as hers.  Since its launch late last year, I have not only binged every episode of The Rest Is Classified but signed up to their paid Declassified Club to get early access to each full series covering everything from the Bin Laden operation, Edward Snowden, CIA mind control and even UFOs. Hosted by former CIA analyst turned best-selling espionage author, David McCloskey, and veteran British security correspondent, Gordon Corera, the show unravels the world of intelligence and covert operations enhanced by their intimate, expert perspectives along with incredible guests including the likes of the former head of the CIA and former head of MI5! You can, therefore, imagine my levels of excitement sending a casual DM to one David McCloskey asking if he’d consider joining our own humble show and getting an enthusiastic “yes”! Not only are we sharing today some of his insights on the intelligence world from INSIDE THE CIA including across field stations in the Middle East, but also on his life after The Agency - yes you can leave and live to tell the tale - and tell the tale in such a way that you become a Sunday Times best-selling author of three (soon-to-be four) incredible books. So, both in the realms of non-fiction and fiction, I have followed closely and thoroughly enjoyed David’s work and to have him on the show is such a treat. I hope you enjoy this one as much as I did! Follow David here.Learn more about him here.  Listen to The Rest is Classified.  LINKS + Announcements on Insta at @spoonful_of_sarah+ Join our Facebook community here+ Subscribe to not miss out on the next instalment of YAY!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Over our seven years so far of seizing the yay, I’ve found myself repeatedly blown away by some of the rooms it has led me into and some of the incredible people I’ve been lucky to meet. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine one of those rooms would be a SCIF at the headquarters of our national security service, ASIO, or that one of those people would be a real life spy. For the uninitiated, a SCIF is a Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility and if you’ve followed me for even the briefest of time it won’t surprise you that I’m already familiar with all the acronyms. ALL of the content I consume involves espionage or secret operations, so you will understand why I consider this week’s episode a career and life highlight and this week’s guest a very favourite.  I am able to share that our guest is a current Senior Intelligence Officer and she has been permitted to shed some light on the incredible work she does... but her exact title, name and real voice remain obfuscated for reasons, and I can’t believe I get to say this, of national security. In fact, the identity of every individual who works at ASIO is a secret except for the Director General and the three Deputy Directors-General.  As we discuss, the very definition of ASIO’s success is preventing anything for us to know about and revealing exactly how they do that to any of us would also reveal it to potential enemies (so if you get frustrated at what our guest can’t share, know it’s for extremely good reason). While you may have ideas about spycraft from Hollywood and agencies like the CIA or MI6, there still isn’t much out there about our homegrown spies, which makes it even more exciting to get this incredibly rare insight into what life is like on the inside. I’ll also add there are a few instances where our speech may seem chopped or edits may seem messy, but you’ll of course understand that you can never know why. I hope you enjoy this one as much as I did. Visit ASIO's website here LINKS + Announcements on Insta at @spoonful_of_sarah+ Join our Facebook community here+ Subscribe to not miss out on the next instalment of YAY!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome back lovely yayborhood, I hope the new financial year is treating you well. I’m so excited to share today’s episode not only because our guest is infinitely knowledgeable, but also because it ended up a little different to usual. Anaita Sarkar and I have been mutually fangirling for many years and one of the many things I love about her is her insatiable curiosity. Because of that, she not only preferred not to spend too much time on the parts of her origin story that have been exhaustively covered elsewhere but she also asked ME more questions than a guest has before, which made for a slightly chaotic, very tangential, surprisingly vulnerable but extremely enjoyable conversation that possibly reveals more about both of us than our normal structure ever could have.But her story is inspiring, interesting AND impressive so I’ll quickly give you a run down. Born in India as the daughter of a doctor, Anaita started off on a typical high-achieving pathway at KPMG before quickly realising her yay lay elsewhere. After multiple business experiments in make up, photography, and custom leather goods, she co-founded Hero Packaging from her dining table. Hero is now a global supplier of over 30 million compostable mailers, boxes, labels, and tissue paper and Seize the yay is one of her 73,000+ happy customers!!You may also know her as the brains behind Sell Anything Online - a bustling community, the banner for her two books and the ultimate playbook on the wild world of e-commerce. She has mastered the art of building brands, telling stories and continual reinvention and we are so lucky she shared so many practical tips in between our yapping today. Somehow, she is also a Mum of three AND building a brand new business at the moment, so if you’re after inspiration - she is it. I hope you enjoy this one as much as I did.See Anaita's website here.Get her book here. Find out about Hero Packaging here.LINKS+ Announcements on Insta at @spoonful_of_sarah+ Join our Facebook community here+ Subscribe to not miss out on the next instalment of YAY!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We all know I rarely find myself struggling with words, but certain guests and their stories simply defy adequate description. I was lucky enough to interview Grace Tame at an event back in 2022 where her bravery and eloquence moved a room full of excitable adults to still, silent awe. Getting to chat with her again and share that with you all this week feels like such a great privilege and again found me quite lost for words. Grace, on the other hand, speaks with such clarity and composure even on her unfathomable experiences of trauma and pain. As a survivor of child sexual abuse both at the age of six and 15, she has become a powerful advocate for legal reform, reduction of stigma and primary prevention of sexual violence against children.Add some complex layers including anorexia, domestic violence, late diagnoses of autism spectrum disorder and having it all laid bare before the whole nation becoming Australian of the Year at just 26 while still processing it all in real time... and there you have a journey unimaginable to most of us. And yet, Grace’s capacity not only to continue her advocacy with the Grace Tame Foundation, but to find pockets of joy, hope and love is perhaps what blows me away the most.I won’t attempt to say more as it continues to feel inadequate, but I am grateful not only to help continue raising awareness of complex issues like grooming and consent but also to share some parts of Grace you don’t hear as much about elsewhere. You know that’s what I love most about this show and being a survivor of child sexual abuse is simply not the totality of Grace Tame. She is funny, quirky, reflective and hopeful - an ultramarathon runner, artist, author, bookworm and dedicated friend. Despite a pathway in which she was given no choice and where finding her yay could not be the main focus - unlike many of our guests - she somehow finds it anyway. I hope you enjoy as much as I did. Follow Grace here.Visit the Grace Tame Foundation here.If this conversation raises any emotional distress for you, please reach out to someone, or call Lifeline for 24 hour crisis support and suicide prevention services on 13 11 14.LINKS+ Announcements on Insta at @spoonful_of_sarah+ Join our Facebook community here+ Subscribe to not miss out on the next instalment of YAY!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to BIZ — the podcast that's rewriting the rules of work for a new generation.Are you the queen of procrastination who'd rather deep clean your entire house than finish that urgent report? This week on BIZ Inbox, Em Vernem and Sarah Davidson tackle the art of actually getting work done with practical strategies – including the game-changing "eat the frog" method that might just save your productivity. Plus, we wade into the murky waters of workplace social media boundaries (spoiler: someone might get offended, and that's okay), and we share how to stand out as the new person at work. Welcome to BIZ Inbox, your go-to workplace advice podcast where awkward career questions get real-world solutions. If you want your work life issue solved, send us a voice note or email us at podcast@mamamia.com.au. You can remain completely anonymous!Here is Em's article about 'eat the frog’. Get more Sarah Davidson in her sensational podcast Seize The Yay!Sign up to the BIZ newsletter here to get all our tips and tricks.THE END BITSSupport independent women's mediaFollow the Biz Instagram and Sarah's very own podcast: Seize The Yay Podcast. HOSTS: Sarah Davidson and Em VernemSENIOR PRODUCER: Sophie CampbellAUDIO PRODUCER: Leah Porges Mamamia's studios are furnished with thanks to Fenton & Fenton. For more head to their website here. Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lovely yayborhood, it’s been a little while since our last Seize the Bebe episode but as always that in itself is such an apt representation of the juggle. SO many topics have come up recently that I’ve wanted to dedicate episodes to without anywhere near enough time to squeeze them in (including another episode on that juggle itself after a little video I shared on it went viral) but that will have to wait as we DID manage to catch an incredible guest during her whirlwind visit to Australia.I still can’t quite believe I had the incredible opportunity to sit down with the woman who has already revolutionised meal time in our household which is becoming quite the challenge as Teddy enters the world of toddlerhood. When it comes to feeding small humans, there is pretty much nobody better to speak to than Annabel Karmel who has published FIFTY ONE books on the subject since 1991, had several TV shows, a life-changing range of delicious ready made meals and now an amazing app featuring her easy, healthy recipes. Her decades of work since well before similar resources were accessible has earned her an MBE (our equivalent of an OAM) along with the praise and loyalty of millions of families around the world. I was not prepared for how difficult it could be to simply feed your child once they realise they have autonomy... plus the overwhelm of meal prep, balanced nutrition and finding TIME to do it all. But, Annabel’s frozen meals and recipes have been SO helpful and I couldn’t believe that just after filling our house with her goodies, I got actually meet her. Not only do we cover so many of the burning questions many of us have about picky eating, introducing new flavours, determining volume etc Annabel also shares the heartwrenching story that brought her to this point - another pathYAY she never could have predicted. A heads up, we do touch on the loss of a child so please take care while listening. In the meantime, I hope you gain as much from this one as I did!!Follow Annabel here.Find her links here.LINKS+ Announcements on Insta at @spoonful_of_sarah+ Join our Facebook community here+ Subscribe to not miss out on the next instalment of YAY!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lovely yayborhood, one of my favourite things about this show is the incidental opportunity it gives me to learn about things I don’t really understand from the people who find THEIR yay in making it their area of expertise. I often refer to my selfish motivations in approaching particular guests to pick their brains about things that fascinate me and an episode on AI has been brewing for some time.  I think many of you will resonate with AI seeping more into your life and, in my case at least, a little quicker than my understanding of it has been able to develop. I’m surrounded by content on how it can change your life and productivity but also how it’ll replace us all by tomorrow, so I wanted a guest who not only understands it well but is known for being able to make that information digestible to the everyday person. Enter Loren Dennett who I met through my partnership with HP who has helped me better grasp and therefore harness the power of HP’s AI technologies in a big way. Loren is the product expert for HP and you’ll hear within minutes of our chat how passionate they are about the power of AI and empowering us all to reap its benefits.  From busting common misconceptions to naming key AI powered tools that can change your day-to-day life, we are SO lucky to have Loren here demystifying it all. Weaved, of course, around Loren’s own pathYAY including, as you can hear from their pronouns, their nonbinary identity, experience of inclusion and advocacy in the workplace. I hope you enjoy (and learn as much from) this one as I did! Find out more about the HP Omnibook here.Follow Loren here.LINKS+ Announcements on Insta at @spoonful_of_sarah+ Join our Facebook community here+ Subscribe to not miss out on the next instalment of YAY!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you’ve been on the Internet at all over the past decade or so, you’ve likely been influenced by Rozalia Russian who I feel comfortable calling one of the OG influencers of our time. While many of us embraced the mirror selfie and Valencia filter from the beginning, not all of us transformed into one of the country’s most sought after opinion leaders, brand ambassadors and dare I say “icons” with over a quarter of a million followers hanging onto her every move.What I love most about Roza, though, isn’t her effortlessly immaculate style or perfect grooming (although I do screenshot her tips on pretty much everything), it’s the lesser known parts of her story that make her perhaps more down to earth than you might first expect... Arriving in Australia with two suitcases and $250, early life in ESL classes, her hilariously refreshing approach to motherhood and the most well adjusted approach to trolling that I’ve heard. Fun fact? I’ve actually been there for most of this ride, knowing Roza not only since before social media during our clubbing days that were so much fun to relive (and before her surname became Russian which, yes, was a total coincidence) but since our teeny tiny ballerina days at the Australian Ballet School. So, it’s with a weird sense of pride that I’ve watched her flourish but also use her influence for wonderful causes over the years. This year, Roza is one of the ambassadors for the Witchery White Shirt Campaign supporting ovarian cancer research. One woman dies every 8 hours and less than half of those diagnosed will live beyond 5 years so the work of the OCRF is crucial. Last week, we celebrated the tally for this 17th year of over half a million dollars bringing the total to over $17.6 million to date. We are both wearing the beautiful shirts designed by Viktoria and Woods in this episode and they’re still on sale while stocks last even though the campaign has ended, so get yours below.In the meantime I hope you enjoy this one as much as I did. FOLLOW ROZA HERE.GET YOUR WHITE SHIRT HERE.LINKS+ Announcements on Insta at @spoonful_of_sarah+ Join our Facebook community here+ Subscribe to not miss out on the next instalment of YAY!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.