Max's Island

Kate takes us through a deeply impactful childhood … painted in three distinct panels. The first is architectural—a childhood spent inside a literal panopticon, a hexagonal state-housing block in 1980s Perth, surrounded by the inward-pressing, incomplete loops of a Radburn-designed suburb. The second is socially influenced—navigating the heavy stigma of a shifting welfare state as the child of a fiercely protective single mother, finding solace not in school, but in brutalist university libraries and piles of classic books. And the third is a rare beacon of agency—the Karawara 'Fun Factory,' a Danish-inspired adventure play-space where kids were handed raw, recycled materials and told to shape their own worlds.

We live in an increasingly complex world. In our post-pandemic reality, many of us have quietly slipped into survival mode—feeling exhausted, insular, and struggling to imagine alternative futures. So how do we break out of this cognitive fatigue? How do we reclaim our agency when our very attention is being systematically shaped by algorithms, devices, and those tiny red notification icons? Kate Rodgers believes the path forward lies in a force we often take for granted: curiosity.

Today we are revisiting the episode with Simon White and his involvement with the main character from the Fine Cotton racing affair. … not only because it’s a really good yarn … but also because next week is the 42nd anniversary of this famous part of Australian sporting folklore. Simon is a veteran journalist who, on the twenty-fifth anniversary of the ring-in when he was a racing journo in South Australia, was tasked with tracking down the elusive trainer of Fine Cotton, Hayden Haitana—or "H," as his friends called him.

As a second-year apprentice electrician, Keoni found himself trapped by a 240-volt electric shock. In that terrifying moment … where the world went silent … he realised that tomorrow is never guaranteed, and he had not yet taken the risk to truly bet on himself… even at that early age in life. After surviving the incident and seeing that his employer treated him as just another "number in the system," Keoni made a life-altering choice. He abandoned the security of his trade and his guaranteed $800-a-week paycheck, overcame the fear of disappointing his parents, and went all-in on his passion. Today, he runs The Growth Concept Media, a business dedicated to story-led content and redefining marketing by selling the emotions behind a brand. Keoni’s journey proves that sometimes, the biggest risks are the only way to truly live.

Jeremy Cookson, proves age is no barrier. After a long, successful career delivering major projects for ad agencies and leaving a senior corporate role at LotteryWest, Jeremy finally found the time and financial freedom to pursue a passion project of his own. He is the founder of AskPro, an innovative platform that connects Australian nonprofits with high-level corporate expertise. In this episode, Jeremy opens up about the raw realities of starting a business later in your career. He shares everything from the initial 'blind terror' of someone stealing his idea, to getting bogged down in unfamiliar new technologies, and how he pushes through those tough weeks where he just wants to put the project down and step away.

Lynsey McDonnell proves that it is never too late to chase a spark of inspiration, even if you spend your days immersed in spreadsheets and financial reports. Lynsey, is a successful Chief Financial Officer, a dedicated mother, and now, a published debut author. Her journey to publication is nothing short of magical, or as she likes to call it, an instance of the story choosing the writer rather than the other way around. It all began with a random glance at the West Australian newspaper in January 2018, where an article about the 150th anniversary of the Hougoumont, the last convict ship to arrive in Western Australia, caught her eye. This sparked a deep dive into the incredible history of the Fenian Irish soldiers on board, specifically the captivating story of John Boyle O'Reilly. John was tried for treason and sent to Western Australia, where he oversaw road construction and eventually found himself entangled in a forbidden romance with a warder's daughter. Lynsey masterfully weaves this fascinating historical narrative with a compelling contemporary dual-timeline involving a heritage-listed Fremantle cottage and an Irish radio producer named Rebecca. In this episode, Lynsey opens up about the gruelling but rewarding path to traditional publication with Hawkeye Publishing. She shares how the skills she honed as an accountant surprisingly aided her writing, how she handled the harsh realities of literary rejections, and the terrifying vulnerability of finally holding her physical book in her hands.

On this episode of Max's Island, 19-year-old Levi explores with us the profoundly life-altering journey that began with a shocking leukemia diagnosis at just 11 years old. Levi opens up about the physical toll of his chemotherapy, particularly how the drug Vincristine damaged his muscles and stripped him of his ability to play the active sports he loved. However, as Levi notes, closing that door … opened a new one: a deep passion for motor bikes and mechanics that make them work. He shares how fixing broken motorbikes became a vital coping mechanism during treatment, eventually leading to getting a Make-A-Wish workshop in his mum’s backyard … a place he still uses every weekend.

Digby Scott shares his transformative journey from living on "autopilot" to fully embracing a life of conscious choice. Digby takes us back to a massive epiphany he experienced at age 22 while sitting outside the Colosseum in Rome. It was there he realised he wasn't bound to the linear, traditional path of becoming a chartered accountant that had been laid out for him. Instead, empowered by a profound sense of freedom, he chose a life of adventure—traveling from Rome to Greece and then to the US, and even working the hardest job of his life as a commercial salmon fisherman in Canada. Digby also discusses how traveling solo to Ireland and writing in his journal helped him map out the core requirements for his professional life (working with people in a fast-paced environment where he could help others). This simple act of sense-making propelled him into a successful career in recruitment in London and New Zealand.

Alan Ferris’s career journey is a masterclass in the art of reinvention and the relentless pursuit of purposeful leadership. Alan started his career in the state public service at just 17 years old, ultimately climbing the ranks to act as a Director General. But it is what he did next—and how he chose to rebuild his professional identity across the private, public, and not-for-profit sectors—that truly defines his story. Alan shares with us 3 key things:- 1. The Courage to Walk Away:‍ ‍ 2. The True Essence of Leadership: 3. Navigating Growth vs. Identity:

Mike House, a former survival instructor turned leadership consultant, shares his dramatic experience during the onset of the COVID-19 lockdowns, where an 18-month pipeline of “live” consulting work vanished in just three days. Instead of giving in to panic, Mike leaned heavily on his background in survival training to adapt and stack the deck in his favor. Recognizing that he couldn't control the immediate business environment, Mike pivoted to offering pro-bono support conversations for leaders struggling under the immense duress of the pandemic. This selfless act not only provided immediate value to his community but eventually blossomed into deep, long-term commercial relationships years later.

Nadia Lopez completely shatters the idea of a picture-perfect personal growth journey. At 31, recovering from a tough breakup and admitting to being a highly anxious "people pleaser," she threw herself into a daunting 14-day solo trip to Japan. Her biggest mental breakthrough didn't happen during a serene, cinematic moment; it happened when she got lost near a bamboo forest, sat down in the heat, and cried her eyes out. Why? Because she realized, for the very first time, that no one was there to tell her off or make her feel guilty for her day not going as planned. She was entirely in charge of her own life. Nadia's story reminds us of a fundamental truth: We don't grow in comfort; we grow by pushing through discomfort.

Claire McGlew’s story is a profound journey of adaptation and defying the odds. She initially studied to be an opera singer in Western Australia before transitioning into music education with a strong desire to help kids who, like her, didn't fit the traditional educational mould. However, despite excelling in her university practicums, Claire faced severe discrimination; schools bluntly refused to hire her simply because she is blind and uses a guide dog. Instead of letting this defeat her, Claire adapted. After noticing the profound psychological benefits her private music students were experiencing, she packed up her life and moved from Perth to Melbourne to pursue a master's degree in music therapy—a move she made even while recovering from a traumatic health battle and severe PTSD. Claire quickly realized that the very sensitivities the classical music world viewed as a disadvantage were actually her greatest strengths in a therapeutic space.

Ali Horriyat describes Compassiviste through the lens of an octopus. While the "main brain" has a vision, each "tentacle" (program/initiative) has its own "mini-brain" that acts independently yet in perfect cohesion with the whole. This decentralized approach allows for specialized impact—be it in art, film, or direct aid—without losing sight of the central mission of compassion.

In 2016, businessman-turned-charity founder Ali Horriyat gave away his entire personal fortune of almost $100m. This was not just a meaningless distribution of cash to satisfy an ego charged desire for personal fulfilment, but it came from a real belief in a better way to shift the social impact dial. He is one of the great moral and social thinkers of our time. In this episode we re-visit his story from 2 years ago and use it as an example of the antithesis what’s happening in the world today. I hope to take the time to reflect on what Ali did and relate this to the current actions of others.

Feels is a duo featuring Rosie Taylor and Elise Reitze-Swensen. Together, they have over 10 years of experience writing, producing, and recording music, and then playing this music all over the world as professional musos. Recently, Rosie visited the island to share their story of where they saw a gap in the local electronic music space for female artists. The opportunities were not always there, and that was to perform or to make their mark in the local scene playing live and even aspiring to go international. So to correct this gap, they created Womp. (Women of Music Production).

Flash Poetry visited the Island in late 2025 and shared the journey from having a career in copywriting, to being fully immersed in making music, sharing messages and having real impact from a creative form. Flash Poetry blends spoken word, freestyle rap & alt-rock instrumentation to concoct lyrical epics that explore our modern myths & middle-class demons. The recent release of a debut album … “Reality. Now” is now a platform for live performance and collaborations with a community wanting to be inspired to make change.

I’m talking directly to you and not at you. So, I’m going to be far more less rehearsed and just go off the cuff. This may mean I might ramble a bit, might even sound like I’m sort of looking for words, but the approach is hopefully going to make your listening experience so much more enjoyable. This episode to start the year is going to be a snapshot of three episodes that were in 2025.

Alex Green grew up with a nurturing, working class environment that positively influenced his approach to helping others. Guided by his grandmother and a significant example of caring for those less ‘well – off” saw him become connected to the charity … for purpose … sector, where he has spent his professional career. After a confronting experience, on the charitable front line in Manchester, he released he was best suited behind a desk doing things in the fundraising and organisational management space. From here, he realised that his personal values we the driving reasons for him to engage passion and forge a career making an impact. Following a career working for these organisations, and most recently as a CEO, Alex has now set up his own consultancy, designed to assist for purpose organisations prepare for mergers and collaborations with like-minded organisations to become more sustainable and to be able to continue to make a difference. Being prepared and taking ‘ego’ out of the conversation is his focus.

Gaj was into hip hop and rap when growing up in Sri Lanka. At 16 years of age, and heavily influenced by the New York hip hop and rap scene, Gaj and his brother set up their “Urban Sounds” outfit to entertain crowds at clubs and live events… and then through studio recorded releases. As typical teenagers, they were actually really anxious about performing live and were more comfortable in the studio. This changed once they began to get a following. After coming to Australia and with the birth initially of his daughter and then his son, the desire to keep creating music in this genre was still strong but he realised a need to create “kid friendly’ content. From this thought, The Cuddly Koalas was born and the creation of hip hop/rap music with clean lyrics that have important social and personal messages …specifically for children. Using lyrics created by his acclaimed song writing wife, Anjana, and supporting vocals from their children, The Cuddly Koalas sound is catchy and highly relatable to their audience. They have had great impact since releasing their initial album “Happy Families”. With world-wide involvement of children to make this music … this translated to international appeal once it was released. Consequently, they were discovered by an international network and this opened more doors to the world wide scene and a new growing audience.

Michael Ward faced a definitive moment during a dark time in his life. He admitted that he couldn’t see a way out. He was just ‘stuck’ ... he couldn’t find happiness or any purpose to his life. But a revelation that he should ‘try a little harder’ and make real change was the catalyst to ‘writing a list’ of what was needed to recover. He became diligent in adopting new disciplines of looking after himself … sleep, food, water, exercise and being with the right people were the primary drivers to achieving a different life…PLUS there was a desire to be creative. He had to believe in himself … a version of the classic Max’s Island value of ‘Believe in Everyone’. Music had always been a creative part of his life and now learning to sing became a dedicated focus … it was an obsession … a way for him to fully express himself. This creative expression became part of every aspect of his life … not just his music.