The Anti-Work Podcast

Recess
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Honest conversations with Aussie founders about setting boundaries and navigating burnout while building a business. Brought to you by Recess, a sustainable Australian office furniture brand that's all about making "work feel more like play" and hosted by Alessandra Femenias.

Episodes

  1. 12/03/2025

    The 'Anti-Work' Founder: What We Learnt This Season with Lauren Meisner

    In the series finale of the Anti-Work Podcast, we're joined by Lauren Meisner – the founder of Centennial World, the podcast network that helped produce The Anti-Work Podcast. Join us as we take a look at the biggest takeaways from this season, what they reveal about modern work and just how founders can build sustainably without subscribing to the hustle-bro mindset. Work with Centennial World: https://centennialworld.com/ Follow Lauren on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurenmeisner/ Follow Alessandra on LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alessandra-femenias/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow Recess on TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@recess.au⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow Recess on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/recess.au⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow Recess on LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/recessfurniture/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe to Recess on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@recessau⁠

    37 min

  2. 11/26/2025

    How to Build a Startup That Merges Creativity and Connection with Bella Cipolla

    What does it take to build genuine professional connections... and why does it feel so difficult? Today, Bella Cipolla takes us behind the scenes of PONND, the platform seeking to change how we connect professionally. From leaving high school to pursue ballet, to later pivoting into entrepreneurship, Bella shares what the early stages of a startup are really like, how she navigates blurred personal–professional boundaries, and why PONND feels so right for the professional world of the 2020s. Join the PONND waitlist: ⁠https://ponnd.world/ Follow Bella on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bella-cipolla-b3a614329/ Follow Alessandra on LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alessandra-femenias/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow Recess on TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@recess.au⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow Recess on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/recess.au⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow Recess on LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/recessfurniture/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe to Recess on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@recessau⁠

    20 min

  3. 11/19/2025

    How to Escape the Corporate Hamster Wheel and Build Your Own Business with Arani Satgunaseelan

    What does it take to scale when your entire business is about building others? Today, Arani Satgunaseelan shares the story behind Vollardian, the management consultant firm she co-founded. From working in investment banking at Macquarie to e-commerce at eBay, Arani opens up about escaping the corporate hamster wheel, starting her own business and figuring out growth without burning out. Work with Vollardian: https://www.vollardian.com/ Follow Arani on LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/aranisatgunaseelan/ Follow Alessandra on LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alessandra-femenias/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow Recess on TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@recess.au⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow Recess on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/recess.au⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow Recess on LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/recessfurniture/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe to Recess on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@recessau⁠⁠

    39 min

  4. 11/12/2025

    How To Stay Focused on Your Vision as a Solo Founder with Iantha Yu

    What happens when you leave behind your dream job for a chance to make it on your own? Today, Iantha Yu takes us behind the decision to launch her marketing agency, PicStudio. From working as a beauty editor in Australian digital media to building her own company that services many of the same brands she used to write about, Iantha shares how she navigates big career pivots, the perils of being a solo founder, and how she stays focused on her vision. Work with PicStudio: https://www.picstudio.com.au/ Follow Iantha on LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/ianthayu/ Follow Alessandra on LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alessandra-femenias/⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow Recess on TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@recess.au⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow Recess on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/recess.au⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow Recess on LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/recessfurniture/⁠⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe to Recess on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@recessau⁠

    39 min

  5. 11/05/2025

    How to Lead a Media Movement for Young Women with Phoebe Saintilan-Stocks

    What happens when you give young women a platform to shape the global conversation? Today, Phoebe Saintilan-Stocks shares how she built Missing Perspectives, a media brand and tech platform amplifying underrepresented voices around the world. How has she managed to build a media brand amid the industry’s toughest times? How does her tech platform serve the brand’s vision? And how does she survive managing multiple endeavours, including a new book she has coming out, while building a unique media ecosystem? Follow Missing Perspectives: https://missingperspectives.com/ Follow Phoebe on LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/phoebesaintilan/ Follow Alessandra on LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alessandra-femenias/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow Recess on TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@recess.au⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow Recess on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/recess.au⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow Recess on LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/recessfurniture/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe to Recess on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@recessau⁠

    35 min

  6. 10/29/2025

    How To Grow A Media Brand Rooted in Identity Without Losing Yourself with Michelle Yañez-Olivares

    What happens when community advocacy becomes a business? Today, Michelle Yañez-Olivares takes us inside her journey of building Amiga Mia, Australia’s first Latin and Hispanic media outlet. What began as a passion project has grown into a platform with a clear community-driven vision. Michelle shares how she’s learned to scale a brand rooted in identity and advocacy… and the strategies she’s implemented to protect her energy and avoid burnout along the way. Follow Amiga Mia: https://www.instagram.com/soy_amigamia/ Follow Michelle on LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-yanez-olivares/ Follow Alessandra on LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alessandra-femenias/⁠⁠⁠ Follow Recess on TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@recess.au⁠⁠⁠ Follow Recess on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/recess.au⁠⁠⁠ Follow Recess on LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/recessfurniture/⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe to Recess on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@recessau⁠

    37 min

  7. 10/22/2025

    How to Disrupt a Market but Keep Your Sanity with Annabel Hay

    What happens when you go all-in on reinventing the way people get dressed? Today, Annabel Hay shares how she built Clutch Glue, the fashion tape alternative going viral all across the internet. After what’s been called the best pitch in Shark Tank history, Annabel turned four years of product development into a fast-growing brand backed by major VC funding and expanding into international markets. Annabel opens up about disrupting a market, raising capital, and the mental health implications associated with building in public. Shop Clutch Glue: https://clutchglue.com/ Follow Annabel on LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/annabel-hay-a057ba125/⁠ Follow Alessandra on LinkedIn: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alessandra-femenias/⁠⁠ Follow Recess on TikTok: ⁠⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@recess.au⁠⁠ Follow Recess on Instagram: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/recess.au⁠⁠ Follow Recess on LinkedIn: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/recessfurniture/⁠⁠ Subscribe to Recess on YouTube: ⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@recessau⁠

    47 min

  8. 10/15/2025

    How to Build a Business Without Burning Out with Wilson Hou

    What happens when you build a start-up around the idea that the internet shouldn’t be boring? Today, Wilson Hou shares how he co-founded lowercase.club, the engineering-first design studio behind viral sites and $150M+ raised for clients. How does Wilson separate his identity from his start-up? What boundaries does he have in place for when the company feels like it needs all his time and energy? And how DO you build things that people actually want to share? Follow Wilson on LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/wilsonhou/ Visit lowercase.club: https://lowercase.club Follow Alessandra on LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alessandra-femenias/⁠ Follow Recess on TikTok: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@recess.au⁠ Follow Recess on Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/recess.au⁠ Follow Recess on LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/recessfurniture/⁠ Subscribe to Recess on YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@recessau⁠

    33 min

  9. 10/08/2025

    How to Stay Sane While Building a Social Media Agency with Lexie Murray

    What happens when an influencer ditches personal content for brand-building? Lexie Murray takes us inside Be Seen Socials, her booming social media agency. How did she spot gaps in the industry and then build a team around them? How is she scaling into international markets while maintaining her sanity? And how does she set boundaries when her work is also her play? Follow Lexie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexandra-murray-3970071b8/ Follow Be Seen Social on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beseensocials Follow Alessandra on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alessandra-femenias/ Follow Recess on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@recess.au Follow Recess on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/recess.au Follow Recess on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/recessfurniture/ Subscribe to Recess on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@recessau

    30 min

  10. 10/01/2025

    How to Survive Scaling a Product-Based E-Commerce Business with Will Chambers

    What happens when you turn a gap in the market into a full-fledged furniture business? Today, Will Chambers takes us behind the scenes at Recess – the Sydney-based sustainable office furniture brand. How is he building a product-based e-commerce business in 2025? How does he handle the highs and lows of being a founder? And where do boundaries come in to keep him sane? Follow Will on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/will-tungusov-5aa62317b/  Follow Alessandra on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alessandra-femenias/  Follow Recess on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@recess.au  Follow Recess on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/recess.au  Follow Recess on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/recessfurniture/  Subscribe to Recess on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@recessau

    27 min

  11. SEASON 1 TRAILER

    Welcome to The Anti-Work Podcast

    Most business podcasts glorify the grind. We’re here to talk about what that grind actually feels like. We speak with founders about the emotional toll of building a company - from burnout to boundary-setting - and share tangible advice for anyone building (or dreaming of building) a business.  Presented by Recess and produced by Centennial World Podcast Network.

    15 sec

Trailer

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Honest conversations with Aussie founders about setting boundaries and navigating burnout while building a business. Brought to you by Recess, a sustainable Australian office furniture brand that's all about making "work feel more like play" and hosted by Alessandra Femenias.

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