The Owners Outlook Podcast

In this powerful episode of Owners Outlook, join host Shaun Lord as he sits down with Simon, CEO of Fruit2Work, to explore an extraordinary journey from addiction, imprisonment, and personal tragedy to becoming a successful business leader transforming hundreds of lives.Once a successful athlete and family man, Simon's life changed dramatically after a workplace accident left him living with chronic pain. What followed was a devastating battle with addiction, the loss of loved ones, and a prison sentence that ultimately became a turning point in his life.Today, Simon leads Fruit2Work, a social enterprise generating approximately $14 million in annual revenue, providing employment opportunities and second chances to people with experience in the justice system. His journey is a powerful reminder that our past does not have to define our future.From Success to Rock BottomHow a workplace accident changed Simon's life and led to addiction.The devastating impact of personal loss, substance abuse, and imprisonment.Finding the determination to rebuild his life when everything seemed lost.The Power of Second ChancesThe challenges of finding employment after leaving prison.How a simple delivery driver position at Fruit2Work became a life-changing opportunity.Simon's remarkable journey from packing fruit to becoming CEO of a multimillion-dollar organisation.How Fruit2Work has helped more than 300 people rebuild their lives and reconnect with their families.Leadership Through Empathy and ExperienceWhy authenticity, kindness, and empathy are at the heart of Simon's leadership philosophy.Building a workplace culture where people feel valued, trusted, and free from judgment.The importance of mentorship, continuous learning, and surrounding yourself with the right people.How lived experience can become a powerful advantage in business and leadership.Mindset, Resilience, and Personal GrowthHow Simon transformed his past struggles into a source of strength and purpose.The breathing techniques and mindfulness practices that help him navigate the pressures of leadership.Why embracing change and challenging old habits are essential for personal growth.The importance of taking ownership of your failures and learning from them.Creating Change Beyond BusinessWhy employment plays a critical role in breaking the cycle of reoffending.Simon's vision for expanding the Fruit2Work model and creating more opportunities for returning citizens.How supporting parents and rebuilding families can positively impact future generations.Redefining success through community impact, redemption, and the lives we help transform.Tune in to discover how one man's journey from prison to CEO became a mission to change lives, and why true success isn't defined by where you started, but by the impact you make and the person you choose to become.00:00 – Introduction: Simon's Journey from Success to Rock Bottom02:06 – The Beginning of Addiction and Losing Everything04:27 – Personal Tragedy, Prison, and the Turning Point06:06 – The Challenges of Starting Over After Prison11:03 – Finding Hope Through Fruit2Work13:26 – From Delivery Driver to Business Leader15:21 – Becoming CEO and Transforming Hundreds of Lives19:02 – The Motivation Behind Simon's Transformation21:16 – Mentorship, Leadership, and Continuous Learning23:01 – Building a Culture of Empathy and Second Chances27:10 – Expanding the Mission and Breaking the Cycle of Reoffending30:19 – Developing Resilience and a Growth Mindset32:45 – Mindfulness and Breathing Techniques for Mental Clarity37:03 – How to Stop Your Past from Defining Your Identity38:39 – What Does Owning Success Mean to Simon?40:02 – Final Reflections on Redemption, Purpose, and ImpactHere's what you can expect from this episode:Chapters:

The Art of Resilience: Kirsten Jackson on Creativity, Gratitude & Owning SuccessIn this episode of Owners Outlook, host Shaun Lord sits down with Kirsten Jackson, a contemporary Australian artist, entrepreneur, and passionate runner who has spent more than 25 years building a successful art business through creativity, perseverance, and a love for colour.From experiencing the loss of both parents at a young age to overcoming financial hardship, countless rejections, and a life-changing neurological condition, Kirsten shares how art and running became sources of strength throughout her journey. What began as a way to support her family has grown into a thriving creative business, with thousands of original artworks sold and more than 10,000 limited-edition prints reaching homes across Australia and beyond.Kirsten offers a refreshing perspective on entrepreneurship, reminding us that success isn't always about chasing bigger goals, but about creating a life filled with purpose, freedom, good health, and gratitude.Here's what you can expect from this episode:How childhood grief led Kirsten to discover her love for art and running.Rebuilding her family's finances through painting after significant financial setbacks.Why it took two years to sell her first painting and how she persevered through rejection.Building a recognisable artistic style without completing a fine arts degree.Growing from selling original paintings to building a successful e-commerce business.How Kirsten sold over 10,000 limited-edition prints while maintaining the value of her original artworks.The challenges of outsourcing marketing and why knowing your own business matters.Using social media, storytelling, and digital advertising to connect with customers.Taking the leap from painting at home to purchasing her own art studio.Learning to back yourself while managing financial risks.Overcoming a neurological condition that prevented her from running for four years.Returning to running just three weeks after brain surgery.Why Kirsten chooses not to put unnecessary pressure on herself through ambitious business goals.Creating a lifestyle that allows time for family, running, and creativity.The importance of gratitude, meaningful relationships, and physical health.Why success is about enjoying what you've built rather than constantly chasing what's next.Whether you're an aspiring artist, a business owner facing setbacks, or someone looking to redefine what success means, this conversation offers valuable lessons on resilience, self-belief, and building a fulfilling life on your own terms.Tune in to discover how Kirsten Jackson transformed personal hardship into a lifelong creative journey, built a thriving art business, and learned that owning success starts with appreciating what matters most.

In this episode of Owners Outlook, Shaun Lord sits down with Chezzi Denyer for a deeply personal conversation about success, fulfilment, grief, courage and what happens when the life you worked so hard to build no longer feels completely aligned with who you are.Chezzi spent years building a successful career in television, working across major newsrooms and networks and achieving many of the goals she had dreamed about since childhood. But despite the success, there was still something missing.Following the devastating loss of a close friend, Chezzi began asking much bigger questions about life, purpose and what really matters. That period ultimately led her down an unexpected path into mediumship, reconnecting with experiences from her childhood, and eventually finding the courage to share a part of herself she had kept hidden for years.Her journey became the foundation of her book, The Weird Little Girl Who Talked to Ghosts — a book she feared could completely change how people saw her, but which went on to sell out its first print run within weeks.Here’s what you can expect from this episode:Success, Achievement & FulfilmentChezzi reflects on achieving the career she had always wanted while still feeling that something was missing.Why traditional ideas of success don’t necessarily lead to happiness.How her definition of success has changed from achievement and financial security to freedom and authenticity.Grief, Purpose & A New DirectionHow losing one of her closest friends forced Chezzi to question the meaning and purpose of life.The experiences that led her to begin studying mediumship.Why some of the most difficult moments in our lives can completely change the direction we take.Choosing the Harder PathWhy Chezzi believes there are moments when we have to choose between the comfortable path and the unknown one.The fear she felt stepping away from what was familiar and publicly sharing a side of herself people had never seen.Why courage doesn’t necessarily mean removing fear — sometimes it means moving forward despite it.Reconnecting With YourselfChezzi shares how slowing down, meditation and checking in with herself helped her become more present.Why listening to your inner voice can become difficult when life is constantly moving.Practical ways she uses mindfulness, journaling and meditation to quiet a busy mind.Perspective, Forgiveness & GrowthChezzi opens up about confronting difficult memories from childhood and learning to look at those experiences from different perspectives.How empathy helped her move from anger toward understanding and forgiveness.Why reconnecting with parts of herself she had pushed away became one of the most freeing parts of her journey.Redefining SuccessChezzi reveals the biggest lie she believes she was sold about success: that achieving it would automatically make her happy.Why happiness now comes from watching the people she loves enjoy their lives.And why, when asked what owning her own success means today, her answer is simple: freedom.This conversation is about much more than career or achievement. It’s about having the courage to question the path you’re on, listening to what feels true to you, and recognising that success can mean something completely different at different stages of life.Maybe owning your own success isn’t about constantly achieving more. Maybe it’s about having the freedom to become more of who you actually are.

In this episode of Owners Outlook, Shaun Lord sits down with interior designer and former The Block contestant Carlene Duffy to explore a journey shaped by creativity, opportunity, pressure and learning what success really means on your own terms.Carlene’s path has been anything but conventional. From meeting her husband Michael while performing at Universal Studios in Japan, to raising a young family, renovating homes and eventually landing a place on The Block, each chapter has opened the door to something new.But behind the opportunities came pressure.Carlene reflects on what it was really like navigating the intensity of The Block, suddenly becoming public-facing, working in media and learning that not every opportunity needs to be accepted. She also shares how those experiences shaped the way she now thinks about balance, creativity, business and protecting her time.Here’s what you can expect from this episode:Taking the LeapHow a last-minute audition for The Block became a major turning point in Carlene and Michael’s lives, and why sometimes taking the opportunity before you feel completely ready can change everything.Pressure, Resilience & PerspectiveCarlene opens up about the intense pressure of renovating on television, being away from her children and making constant decisions under scrutiny — and why that experience left her with the mindset of, “If we could do that, we can do anything.”Learning When to Say NoAfter The Block, Carlene and Michael were quickly thrown into television appearances, campaigns and brand opportunities. Carlene shares what she learned about being more intentional with opportunities and understanding that publicity isn’t always worth saying yes to.Turning Creativity Into a CareerCarlene discusses the transition from being obsessed with interiors to building Carlene Duffy Studio, managing a growing team and balancing the creative side of the business with marketing, accounting, operations and everything that comes with running your own company.Protecting Your Time & Finding BalanceFrom creating her own “Friday Flex Day” to becoming more protective of weekends, Carlene shares how she is still learning to create structure around her work without losing the freedom and creativity she values.Backing Your Own PerspectiveCarlene shares one of the biggest mindset lessons from her creative career — learning to block out the noise, trust your own perspective and stop comparing your journey to everyone else’s.What Does It Mean to Own Your Own Success?For Carlene, success isn’t simply financial. It’s loving what she does, having flexibility for her family, being able to take holidays, maintaining independence and building a lifestyle that works for her.This is a conversation about creativity, resilience, ambition and perspective — and a reminder that sometimes success isn’t about doing more, but becoming clearer on what actually matters to you.Tune in to hear Carlene’s story and her perspective on building a career, business and life that feels genuinely her own.

In this episode of Owners Outlook, Shaun Lord sits down with professional cricketer Jason Behrendorff for an honest conversation about resilience, perspective, family, discipline and what it really takes to keep moving forward when your plans don’t go the way you expected.From growing up in Canberra with a love of sport to earning a professional cricket contract in Western Australia and eventually representing Australia on the world stage, Jason’s journey has been filled with incredible highs — but also years of injuries, setbacks and moments where his career could have gone in a completely different direction.Jason opens up about the stress fractures that repeatedly interrupted his career, the decision to undergo back surgery in 2019, and the mindset that helped him continually rebuild and return to the game he loves.But this conversation goes well beyond cricket.Jason reflects on how becoming a husband and father changed his definition of success, why understanding your “why” matters, and how creating an identity outside your career can help you navigate both success and failure with greater perspective.Here’s what you can expect from this episode:The Journey to Professional CricketJason shares what it was like growing up playing almost every sport he could, before cricket eventually became the clear path forward.He reflects on moving from Canberra to Western Australia at just 19 years old, leaving his family behind and suddenly training alongside players who had competed at the highest level.Resilience Through InjuryA major theme throughout Jason’s career has been resilience.He discusses dealing with repeated stress fractures throughout his foot, legs and back, and how years of rehabilitation forced him to develop a strong mental approach to adversity.Jason also shares why sometimes you need to allow yourself to have difficult days before refocusing on the next step forward.Understanding Your WhyJason explains how his motivation has evolved throughout his life.Early in his career, success meant playing cricket for Australia and achieving the goals he had dreamed about as a kid.Today, his motivation is increasingly centred around his family, creating opportunities for his children and building freedom and flexibility into his life.Balance, Identity & PerspectiveOne of Jason’s biggest lessons has been learning that cricket doesn’t need to define everything.Through university study, business courses, outside interests and eventually becoming a father, Jason developed an identity away from professional sport.That perspective has helped him handle difficult performances, injuries and setbacks without allowing them to consume every part of his life.Consistency, Habits & High PerformanceJason shares the habits that helped him pursue professional sport, including consistency, routines, goal setting, visualisation and understanding what success actually looks like for you personally.Rather than copying somebody else’s routine, Jason believes in building a framework that allows you to consistently become the best version of yourself.What Does It Mean to Own Your Success?For Jason, owning success starts with understanding yourself and knowing why you’re pursuing something.And as life changes, so can your definition of success.Today, success is increasingly about having the freedom to choose where he spends his time, being present for his family and continuing to challenge himself to grow.It’s a conversation about much more than cricket.It’s about understanding what drives you, finding perspective when things don’t go your way, and continuing to show up through the difficult chapters.Chapters:Tune in for an honest conversation about resilience, perspective, family and the mindset required to keep moving forward — even when the journey looks completely different to the one you originally imagined.