The Greatest Comeback

Luke Francis
  • 5.0 (12)
  • SELF-IMPROVEMENT
  • UPDATED FORTNIGHTLY

“What if the worst thing that ever happened… turned out to be the best thing?” The Greatest Comeback is a podcast that shares raw, unfiltered Comeback Stories. Stories of resilience, healing, and personal transformation. Stories that remind us our failures can give birth to new beginnings. And that when life falls apart, the real work isn’t rebuilding what was lost - it’s rediscovering who we are.

  1. 5 DAYS AGO

    EP.19 - Beyond Belief with Clare Heath-McIvor

    Ever wondered why people join cults? What it's like to grow up in a cult? What it's like to enter the real-world - sometimes for the first time - having been shunned by everyone you've ever known? Clare Heath-McIvor, a survivor of a high-control sect and advocate for reform, reveals how cults operate far beyond belief—delving into the systems of control that keep people trapped across multiple domains of their lives.In this eye-opening episode, Clare exposes the devastating ways control manifests—from emotional manipulation and financial exploitation to forced relationships and shunning practices. You’ll discover why the word "cult" remains sensitive but essential to understanding victims’ trauma, and how language shapes justice and policy.We break down the creeping influence of Christian nationalism, sovereign citizen ideologies, and fringe groups like neo-Nazis, revealing their cultic dynamics hidden beneath ideological facades. Claire shares her insights on how these movements recruit, radicalize, and exert totalitarian influence in a society hungry for belonging and certainty.Join Clare as she navigates her journey from survivor to advocate, emphasising the importance of ethical storytelling, survivor agency, and the power of collective action to dismantle coercive systems. Her courage and clarity make this episode essential listening for anyone committed to justice, mental health, and social change.🎧✨Luka ❤️ ☎️ Lifeline Crisis Support - 13 11 14 #TheGreatestComeback #Storytelling #Resilience #Inspiration #Growth #Cults #CoerciveControl #SurvivorStories #ChristianNationalism #SocialJustice #MentalHealthAwareness #Advocacy #LawReform#EthicalStorytelling

    1h 39m

  2. 27 JAN

    EP.18 - 'Burnt Out' with Gavin Smithen

    Most of us are unknowingly carrying the weight of burnout and limiting beliefs that sabotage our success — until a shift in perspective reveals a new path. Gavin Smithen's journey from high-achieving tech sales guy to a resilience and NLP coach offers a blueprint for anyone feeling drained, disconnected, or ready for their greatest comeback. In this episode of 'The Greatest Comeback', Gavin breaks down how a career built on relentless ambition and external validation led him to realize that true success starts from within. He shares personal stories of burnout, the transformative power of self-awareness, and how models like NLP and PR6 resilience can empower you to rewrite your story. Discover how catching autopilot responses and understanding your own narratives can free you from the cycle of depletion and self-doubt. You'll learn: The real signs of burnout beyond fatigue—brain fog, cynicism, disengagement—and how they manifest uniquely across individuals. The surprising science behind resilience as a skill set, and practical tools to develop mental toughness. How NLP’s "choice in response" can revolutionize your communication, leadership, and mental health. Why organizational culture matters and how modern companies are shifting toward prioritizing mental wellness. The importance of emotional intelligence in leadership, and how coaching can accelerate your growth. Whether you're a leader feeling the pressure to perform, a professional navigating burnout, or someone ready to unlock your full potential, this episode offers actionable insights and a call to prioritize your well-being as the foundation for real achievement. Gavin's expertise and lived experience shed light on the critical shift needed in workplaces and lives to thrive again—not just survive. This is essential listening for anyone eager to break free from burnout, embrace authentic performance, and start their own great comeback story. Listen to this episode —your future self will thank you 🎧✨ Luka ❤️ #Leadership #Burnout #WorkplaceWellbeing #FutureOfWork #TheGreatestComeback

    1h 1m

  3. 13 JAN

    EP-17. Choosing the Hard Route with Michael Milton

    In this episode of The Greatest Comeback I sit down with Michael Milton - the world’s fastest one-legged skier, who is making an extraordinary return to competitive skiing after a 20-year break — with his sights set firmly on the 2026 Winter Paralympics.When I asked him why he’s doing this, his answer was simple yet profound: “Choosing the hard route is just who I am.”This conversation explores identity, resilience, and what it means to stay true to yourself when an easier life beckons. We talk about mindset, his relationship with struggle, and why some people aren’t motivated by comfort — but by challenge.This isn’t just a story about sport.It’s a story about choosing difficulty as a form of self-expression.About coming back not to prove something to the world — but to honour who you’ve always been.If you’ve ever felt the pull to do something hard simply because it feels true, this episode is for you 🎧✨Luka ❤️#thegreatestcomeback #choosingthehardroute #comebackstory #resilience #adaptiveathlete #paralympics #problemsolving #mentaltoughness #dohardthings #identity

    1h 18m

  4. 09/12/2025

    EP-16. What 50 Years of Rejection Has Taught Me with Bob Brody

    Bob Brody is an essayist, journalist, and author. For over 50 years his essays and op-eds have appeared in publications like The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The Guardian, The Atlantic, Esquire, and GQ. He is the author of two books, one of which – a memoir called ‘Playing Catch with Strangers’ – was featured on NPR and excerpted in Reader’s Digest. As a writer, it could be argued, Bob has had more success than most. Yet he has had to make a friend of rejection. In this episode of the podcast Bob talks about what 50 Years of Rejection has taught him; the lessons learned, and the importance of self-belief and acceptance. He shares insights on humility, perseverance, and the value of treating rejection as a stepping stone to success. If you’ve had a run of failure or rejection – and are feeling diminished by it, this conversation will help 🎧✨ https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2025/oct/08/stay-true-to-yourself-fly-closer-sun-what-ive-learned-from-50-years-of-rejection #thegreatestcomeback #ComebackStories #resilience #perseverance #humility #failure #selfbelief #acceptance #OvercomingAdversity #SelfDiscovery #GrowthMindset

    1h 13m

  5. 17/11/2025

    EP. - 15 'A Bit of a Knack' with Jacob McKinnon

    A lot of kids start small businesses. Mowing lawns, washing cars, sweeping driveways. Jacob McKinnon's range of services were not unlike those of any other enterprising kid, save for one thing: he knew how to scale. Before long he'd recruited most of his friends and they covered all of the suburbs in the area. Mowing lawns and washing cars that Jacob could never get to. At an early age he discovered that he had 'a bit of a knack' for selling. This knack for selling has served Jacob well over the years. It gave birth to a direct marketing business that at it's peak was generating over $20 Million in revenue and employed 120 people. It was also the skillset that he turned to when COVID destroyed that very same business; a business that he and his wife Ania had worked so hard to build. In this episode of 'The Greatest Comeback', Jacob McKinnon and I talk about his journey through the world of Sales, his experience of building and losing a business, and finding the courage to start again. We also talk about: The Importance of Inoculating yourself from 'No'The 3 traits he looks for in a sales personWhy Selling is such a transferrable skill set If you're going through your own re-invention I think you'll take a lot from this conversation. I know I did ✨ Please enjoy. Luka ❤️ #thegreatestcomeback #podcast #storytelling #resilience #growth #courage #adversity #comebackstory #mindset #transformation

    59 min

  6. 22/10/2025

    EP.14 - In Pursuit of Skinny with Jemma Cappa

    Our universal desire to be loved and accepted can often lead us down paths that at first glance seem harmless - perhaps for a while even positive, but are ultimately not good for us. For Jemma Cappa, like many young women, love and acceptance was measured by what the mirror reflected back to her. By how people responded to the way her body looked. But that desire for acceptance became an obsession; one that at 15 years old gave birth to calorie counting, extreme exercise, and a fear of food. It also lead to her being admitted to hospital weighing 38 kilograms and a 3 month stay. In this episode of the podcast Jemma talks about the slippery slope to anorexia, the impact it has had on her life, and the long road back. I hope you enjoy our conversation. #thegreatestcomeback #storytelling #comebacksStories #resiliencepodcast #personaltransformation #healingjourney #emotionalhealing #overcomingadversity #selfdiscovery #growthmindset #podcast #foryou #anorexianervosarecovery

    59 min

  7. 01/10/2025

    EP.13 - The Evolution of Leadership with Antoine LeTard

    In the world of Technology Sales, Antoine is a unicorn…someone whose ‘hard skills’ have consistently delivered for his customers and the organisations he has worked for – but whose ‘soft skills’, particularly as a senior leader, really make him unique. Those soft skills? Empathy. Compassion. Leading with Intentionality ✨ In this week’s episode Antoine and I explore ‘Conscious Leadership’. What is it? Why is it important? How can it be applied in highly kinetic Sales environments? We also explore.. • The Importance of Self-Leadership • The Impact of Conscious Leadership on Performance & Results • How to Change your Leadership Style • Deal Reviews gone Wrong 😆 ‘You can’t lead people through confusion. You have to lead through clarity, and the way to clarity is through understanding yourself’ - Antoine If you’re leading people or simply trying to lead yourself, this conversation is for you – ‘The Evolution of Leadership’ with Antoine LeTard 🚨🎧✌️ Luka ❤️ “What if the worst thing that ever happened… turned out to be the best thing?” The Greatest Comeback is a podcast that shares raw, unfiltered comeback stories. Stories of resilience, healing, and personal transformation. Stories that remind us of our failures can give birth to new beginnings. And that when life falls apart, the real work isn’t rebuilding what was lost - it’s rediscovering who we are. #thegreatestcomeback #podcast #storytelling #resilience #inspiration #growth #comebackstories #leadership #consciousleadership #courage #personalgrowth #mindset #SelfDiscovery

    1h 18m

  8. 16/09/2025

    EP.12 - Running for Love with Aimee Pedersen

    From running for Australia to acting in a major Television series, Aimee Pedersen was always chasing. Be it as an athlete, actress, or teacher; love, validation, and acceptance have been her drugs of choice. Driven by a desire to excel at everything she did, Aimee noticed that each notable ‘success’ was quickly followed by the same empty question... ‘Is this it?’ In this revealing episode of ‘The Greatest Comeback’, Aimee talks about all the ways in which she has run after love and the bumps along the way; from performing in Night Clubs to her struggle with addiction, to being ostracised by the community she loves during COVID – Aimee, as always, leaves it all out on the field. In this episode Aimee also talks about:• Why we are often bound to the things that mean nothing• Why it is often necessary to ‘burn our old lives down’• How Yoga came along at the right timeAimee is open, forthright, charming, and honest, and most definitely her father’s daughter.I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.Luka ❤️ #TheGreatestComeback #Podcast #StoryTelling #Courage #Resilience #Inspiration #Growth #Transformation #Motivation #Comebackstory #Empowerment #Wisdom

    1h 45m
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5
out of 5
12 Ratings

About

“What if the worst thing that ever happened… turned out to be the best thing?” The Greatest Comeback is a podcast that shares raw, unfiltered Comeback Stories. Stories of resilience, healing, and personal transformation. Stories that remind us our failures can give birth to new beginnings. And that when life falls apart, the real work isn’t rebuilding what was lost - it’s rediscovering who we are.

Information

  • Creator
    Luke Francis
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    20
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Luke Francis
  • Show Website
    The Greatest Comeback