Coffee Pods with Holly Ransom Holly Ransom

Marta Dusseldorp finds it impossible to live in a small world. From an early age she was able to look around corners and see beneath stories. This gutsy and wonderful #coffeepod conversation ranges from self-discipline and dedication to the bravery of sitting in one’s true, authentic self. Underpinning Marta’s learnings is an incredible sense of the responsibility she feels for her work. Marta builds the awareness that we are given a voice to advocate for ourselves and for each other. She notes that the way to bring people along with you is to show why we are driven in our work, rather than filling up conversations with the what.

As a UNHCR ambassador, Marta lends her stories and her voice to people suffering from global causes in a similar way to the challenging characters she loves to play. Currently, Marta is rehearsing the ground-breaking work exploring domestic violence by Melbourne playwright Angus Cerini. Under her new production label Archipelago Productions, Marta talks about her passion for producing, and the need to amplify conversations and characters that are hidden. ‘The Bleeding Tree’ will be not only a stage show, but with an ABC live screening, a panel discussion, helplines throughout the stream and a safe space for further discussion after the show.

In giving oneself wholly to one’s work, Marta discusses the need to seperate technology from the rehearsal space. In an interesting parallel for workplaces today, she notes that the absence of technology, increases people’s ability to concentrate, to tap into creativity and imagination. Download, subscribe, hit play and get into a world where change is not only possible, but joyous, daring and rewarding.

Marta both articulates and embodies the idea that within the coexistence of vulnerability and confidentiality, sits the power of relatability.

Checkout Marta's latest work here: https://www.theatreroyal.com.au/shows/bleeding-tree

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Landing as a refugee in the upperclass Victorian suburb of Brighton from war-torn Somalia, Mariam Issa shares her thoughts on life, love, community and resilience. Take a moment over coffee to see your world through the eyes of an outsider. You may well be surprised at how the trivial becomes pivotal and conversely, how what we see as critical, can be rendered somewhat absurd.

Mariam interrogates the narratives we tell ourselves and questions who authors our story? She emphasises the tools we need to take back the mastery of our own identity. In looking at the plot lines of the developed world’s women, versus the narrative of the developing world’s women, Mariam wonders about the destruction of Western culture, veiled behind accumulation of material possessions. She suggests the less apparent truth - the loss of communal culture. At a time where harnessing the collective holds great value for workplaces, political movements and community wellbeing, Mariam’s lessons of individual contribution are a rare find.

While Western culture can be quick to dismiss traditions and rituals from abroad, Mariam argues that each of us must improve our listening skills and retain a childlike curiosity. She argues this place of wonder is what activates our ability to tell stories, and therefore to connect humanity. Mariam says, “If you can host someone in your heart, you can host them in your home.” She believes it is the act of listening that gives the power to the story teller. So activate your ear(pod)s, open up your willingness to learn and enjoy a raw CoffeePod from a phenomenal story-teller.

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Life is about choices. Michael Crossland was born fighting for his life and is living proof that adversity is not about what happens to us, but how we deal with it. Still striving for quality of life everyday, Michael is pursued globally to speak to the highest level of leaders, amongst sport, business and education, to empower people to start creating the world they want to live in, today.

A businessman and elite sportsman, Michael asks, are you a passenger or a pilot? He points out, ‘because there are people in this world that would do anything to have your bad day’. After releasing his first autobiography in 2016, he is now a number 1 bestselling author across 6 different countries. We ask Michael, how do you go about building your resilience, like a muscle, day in and day out?

Hit play to be inspired. In this utterly compelling coffee conversation, Michael opens up his wealth of knowledge to listeners with the aim helping leaders push through their own barriers to the next level of positive impact. Despite growing up being told only what he could not do, Michael continually shows the world everything that can be achieved if you can just believe that everything’s going to be okay.

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Growing up, Genevieve Clay-Smith had a feeling of ‘otherness’ that has fuelled a sense of destiny and driven her to align her creative talent with social justice. Leveraging her experience in acting and directing, Gen pursued the film industry as a force for good, making a decision that instead of striving for recognition as an actress herself, she would work to give people living with disability the opportunity to achieve their (socially invisible) dreams. Winning Australia’s iconic short-film festival, Tropfest, with “Be My Brother”, Gen made headlines, challenging the status quo and smashing stigmas by giving people with disability an alternative to the tragic narrative lens they are too often see through.

A true game-changer, Gen’s work has been showcased at the United Nations as well as over 200 film festivals and events world-wide. Genevieve is the 2019 National Telstra Business Women's Award, Emerging Leader winner, the 2015 NSW Young Australian of the year and winner of the 2014 100 Women of Influence, Young Leader award. She also took out B&T's 2015 Women in Media award for creative, and won the 2015 Women's Weekly Women of the Future Awards. Needless to say, she is a mover and a shaker and as a part of the team at Taste has developed a new model of ‘creative inclusion’. We hope you enjoy this rare and delightful opportunity to have a coffee date with someone truly transforming lives, industries and audiences. 

This #coffeepod proves that working inclusively doesn’t slow us down or compromise on quality. In fact, the transformation journey requires diverse inputs to change the narrative and therefore change the system. The operating model of so many creative journeys is founded on uncertainty. Uncertainty in terms of finance, acceptance, sustainability… we explore what it takes to suspend belief in transformation… and emerge successful. Come on the creative journey as we ask Gen how she overcame the loneliness of fighting for a more inclusive culture in the film industry. How long was she able to run her startup ‘Bus Stop Films on passion? And how did she successfully build alliances both in terms of social impact community and corporate supporters to bring her vision of inclusion to life?

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Mond Qu is designing a better future through insatiable curiosity. How? It’s not just his ability to blend art and science, or to combine functionality with beauty, Mond Qu is a creative crusader, challenging the processes we live by and revealing the architecture of our choices. The interplay between the digital, the physical and the human.

Founder of United Make, Mond Qu wears many hats as a designer, narrative animator, and digital craftsman. What happens when a trained architect starts challenges digital architecture? When a designer refuses to use virgin materials and instead makes objects that reduce waste, decrease pollution and repurpose what would otherwise thrown out?

How can we all embrace our creativity - one of the most sought after skills in the current age? Mond Qu says being creative is not about painting or drawing. It’s about problem-solving in a different way and collaborating with diversity to achieve a new outcome.

This #coffeepod is infused with tips on being a better collaborator, design-thinker, communicator, and intentional creativity. Come explore the interplay between the digital, the physical and the human. And of course, expect a fair hit of being the change you want to see in the world.

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It’s a double shot this week as founders of Project Rockit (www.projectrockit.com.au), sisters Lucy and Rosie Thomas, talk mobilising change, challenging self doubt and creating open-minded global citizens. Rockit is a project and a platform designed to fuel a world for young people where kindness and respect thrive over bullying, hate and prejudice. Lucy and Rosie created the business soon after leaving high school, the idea grew from a strong desire to impact the way we treat each other - online and off - and instigate the formative conversations that seem to be missing from the education system.

Having both received Order of Australia medals, been named by UNICEF among 12 Digital Champions for Children’s Rights in the Digital Age and sitting on a range of boards including Facebook’s Global Safety Board, the synergy between Lucy and Rosie is matched by the synergy between strategy and creation inherent in Project Rockit. Crystal clear on purpose and focused on the For-Profit Social Enterprise model as key to self-evaluation, market research and relevance, the sisters take the view that young people are experts and have worked with hundreds of thousands of Aussie kids through their school workshops – with no preaching lecturing or judging, just real talk.

So how are two young entrepreneurs navigating the journey of taking a grass roots social movement to a sustainable, scalable, accountable social enterprise? Over the last 12 years, Project Rockit has become a global business and with it, the ambition to break open the echo chamber and have better conversations around conflicting views only increases. In between growing a team, gathering capability and taking care of each other, staying in close contact with school kids remains paramount. The sisters draw strength from these students “who are sick and tired of bullying and prejudice and want to make their voices heard against it”.

In this #coffeepod special we cover so much ground with humility, courage and humanity. I’m left feeling utterly elated at the world our young people are striving to create for us all. Listen and learn.

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