Key'd Up Max Key

On July 5, 2014, Brad Smeele was a 27-year-old pro athlete and part-time model, living his wakeboarding dream in Florida, America.



One day later, his whole life changed.



Brad attempted a “trick of the year” wakeboarding stunt where he fell 90° short of a safe landing, and instead, tumbled into a crash that left him quadriplegic.



Since that day, Brad has gone on an immense journey of self-discovery, and found the positives in the incident, both for himself and for society. He is now a speaker, author, and general force for good.



In this podcast, Brad unpacks his story in depth, revealing the raw physical and mental realities of his life.



Physically, he opens up on the nature of his day-to-day, whether or not he can have sex, and what it feels like to be quadriplegic.



Mentally, he shares hard-earned wisdom on avoiding a victim mindset, turning negatives into positives, and what it means to work on yourself.



Brad’s combination of humor and vulnerability make this conversation as enjoyable as it is powerful.



Where to find Brad:


Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bradsmeele/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brad-smeele-5297ba14a/?originalSubdomain=nz
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@bradsmeele
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bradsmovement



Referenced:


Brad’s book: https://www.amazon.com/Owning-Ride-that-Changed-Life/dp/198854727X
Brad landing the “trick of the year”: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=2347707388794488⁠
The 7 Principles of the Huna Philosophy: ⁠https://www.amazon.com/Owning-Ride-that-Changed-Life/dp/198854727X⁠

Episode 11: Joshua Heares is a friend of mine who is making a name for himself in fashion, marketing, and entrepreneurship.

He is the Founder & Creative Director of Porter James Sports, and was previously the General Manager of Studio7 - an award-winning brand & advertising agency.

But it wasn’t always that way. Joshua started off struggling through elements of highschool, and undertook a journey of grit and self-discovery to get to where he is today. In this conversation, we learn the tactics and philosophies which powered that journey.

He shares advice on defining your “dream day”, starting a company, building a fashion brand, dressing well, the value of celibacy, the hidden mental side of bodybuilding, and much, much more.

I’ve learned a lot from Joshua, and I hope you will too.


Where to find Joshua:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joshuaheares/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshheares/


Referenced:

Porter James Sports Website: https://porterjamessports.com/
Porter James Sports Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/porterjamessports/
The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28257707-the-subtle-art-of-not-giving-a-f-ck
Virgil Abloh (Ex-Artistic Director at Louis Vuitton): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virgil_Abloh

Episode 10: Joseph Parker is a professional Kiwi boxer. Despite being New Zealand's first-ever WBO Heavyweight Champion, Joseph is adamant that being a father is his greatest achievement. When he's not spending time with his four daughters, he's either fishing or playing guitar.



In this episode, Joseph opens up about how he rose to the top. Even though he had his first fight at 12, he was a broke teenager flipping burgers at McDonald's trying to earn a shot at going pro. He goes into detail about his training regime, why he thinks boxing teaches mental toughness, and what it's like stepping into the ring and getting knocked out — even when you thought the gameplan was watertight.



If you've ever wanted to get to know New Zealand's greatest boxer, or more about the sport itself, you definitely want to tune in.



Where to find Joseph:




Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joeboxerparker/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joeboxerparker/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joseph-parker-118aa838/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/joeboxerparker
Website: https://josephparker.com/




Referenced:



Joseph Parker loses by Knockout to Joe Joyce: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QIhiJjMR1EQ

Episode 9: Art was the leading man in season one of The Bachelor NZ where he met his wife Matilda Rice. Since then, he's remained in the realm of reality TV hosting both The Bachelor and The Bachelorette. He also has his own podcast, Well & Good, where he consults leading health and fitness experts in his pursuit of wellbeing for himself and his followers.In this episode, he pulls back the curtain and reveals what goes on behind the scenes in reality TV shows like The Bachelor, Treasure Island and MAFS. Art covers how he went from building a health food startup to being on The Bachelor, what it's like to have married and had kids with someone he met on a dating show, and how he sees himself as a role model for young men. Plus, he provides some essential tips for a successful relationship.If you've ever wanted to learn more about reality TV, relationships, and general wellbeing — you don't want to miss this chat.Where to find Art:


Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/art_green/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/art-green-7b000360/



Referenced:


Attached: https://www.amazon.com/Attached-Science-Adult-Attachment-YouFind/dp/1585429139
Well & Good with Art Green: https://open.spotify.com/show/0MTWqCO7hTtHTLEufmsDXO?si=dc10dcf133074b34
Plate Up: https://plateup.co.nz

Episode 8: Liam Malone is a two-time gold medal sprinter — but he has no legs.



Despite having both his lower limbs amputated before he was two years old and struggling with disability, his life reached a low-point following his mum's death to cancer and learning his brother was a meth addict. Rather than sink, Liam stood tall and competed and broke records at the 2016 Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro. After retiring from athletics, Liam now works for Amazon Web Services and is crazy about technology.



Liam thinks it's difficult to take Paralympics seriously. He comments on gene editing children with disabilities, competing against a 'hilarious' lack of competition, and wanting to fight Oscar Pistorius. Plus, he sheds light on working at Amazon, AI technologies and the future of Bitcoin.The chat is raw, insightful, and ultimately helpful for anyone that struggles to find a sense of belonging.



Where to find Liam:




Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/liammmalone
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/liam-malone-68812784/

Episode 7: Leigh Hart is the founder of Wakachangi and the mind behind comedy shows like The Late Night Big Breakfast, Moon TV and Mysterious Planet.



Leigh sheds some light on touring Europe as a musician, how his satirical newspaper was turned into a TV show, and how he trusts his instincts more than anything else when it comes to business. Plus, we hear about the time Leigh attacked a French policeman with a mop, how he ended up in a World War II prison, and what it was like spending a large chunk of his childhood in Indonesia, Hong Kong and Peru.



You may know Leigh as one of the most iconic voices in New Zealand entertainment — from Hellers Sausages to Radio Hauraki — but after this chat, you'll see he's much more than a comedian.



Where to find Leigh:




Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leighhartnz
Find his shows on Moonflix: https://www.moonflix.co.nz/



Referenced:


Alternative Commentary Collective: https://www.instagram.com/theaccnz/
The Late Night Big Breakfast: https://www.tvnz.co.nz/shows/the-late-night-big-breakfast
Wakachangi: https://wakachangishop.co.nz/
Wakachangi on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wakachangi_lager