SHFT POD

Poly Studios

Conversations with founders, leaders and high performing individuals that have made a shift in their life that's put them on the path they're on today. We unpack their leadership style, values and belief systems to inspire you to make that shift.

  1. 2d ago

    Rebuilding Life After Leaving Everything You Know

    Content Note: This episode discusses sensitive topics including alcohol addiction and domestic violence. Listener discretion is advised. Most weeks we discuss shifts in business. This week, the shift is personal.  Dan and Erin sit down with wellness advocate and educator Bianca Criaco, who opens up about growing up in a high-control religion, surviving cancer in her teens, leaving a violent marriage, and losing her community and family overnight. She gets honest about how alcohol went from a social habit to a way of coping, and what severe dependence and withdrawal actually look like. Bianca shares what’s kept her going: the support services that saved her, the raw reel she posted that’s helped so many people feel less alone, and the electric skateboard that gives her somewhere to put the hard moments. Dan talks about his own decision to stop drinking, and the three talk about finding new circles, supporting someone you love through addiction, and why it’s okay to change. If this one hits close to home, it’s a reminder that you’re not alone and a setback doesn’t erase your progress. If you need support: Lifeline: 13 11 14 (24/7 crisis support)1800RESPECT: 1800 737 732 (24/7 support for domestic and family violence)National Alcohol and Other Drug Hotline: 1800 250 015 Connect with Bianca on Instagram: @biancacriaco SHFT POD is sponsored by Flockd and Smelly Balls. T&Cs: 20% off applies to new Flockd customers only for your first hot desk booking. Must be redeemed by 30 December 2026. Quote the code SHFT when booking. Not valid with any other offer. Connect With Us Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@SHFT.Pod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠shftpod.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Submit a Question ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Submit a Guest ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here

  2. Oct 25

    Forget Being the Biggest, Be the Best: From One Rundown Centre to Changing Lives

    Dan and Erin sit down with Jae Fraser, a teacher, business owner and philanthropist who went from running one of Australia’s biggest childcare companies to buying a rundown Gold Coast centre with no plan and no money. We hear how he woke up one morning, realised his work no longer matched his values, and said yes to a centre he knew nothing about. What followed included painting walls, building Ikea furniture and working seven days a week. This effort grew into 17 campuses, serving over 8,000 children and employing 650 staff, and is now known as Little Scholars. Along the way we discuss why childcare costs what it does, why looking after your team flows all the way down to the kids, and why he learned leadership by noticing what not to do. We also dig into the ideas that make Little Scholars different. There’s the 2036 time capsule project, the Grand Friends program that pairs kids with aged care residents, and the date night program that parents say saved their marriages. We finish with the foundation he started after a very pointed conversation in a minister’s office, which now funds scholarships for the next generation of early childhood teachers. It’s a big, heartfelt conversation about purpose and what you can build when belief comes before the business plan. Get in touch with Little Scholars here Learn more about The Fraser Foundation here Jae shares his insights here on his blog https://mylittlescholars.com.au/blog/jae-fraser-shft-pod/ SHFT POD is sponsored by Flockd and Smelly Balls. T&Cs: 20% off applies to new Flockd customers only for your first hot desk booking. Must be redeemed by 30 December 2026. Quote the code SHFT when booking. Not valid with any other offer. Connect With Us Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@SHFT.Pod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠shftpod.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Submit a Question ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Submit a Guest ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here

  3. Oct 18

    Working With Family: Why the Story Matters More Than the Spirit

    Dan and Erin sit down with David and Luke Ridden, the father and son duo behind Granddad Jack’s, one of Australia’s most awarded craft distilleries. They opened on the Gold Coast in 2018 with no distilling experience, inspired by the story of David’s grandfather, a New Zealand born farmer and barber who loved a daily whiskey. It’s an episode full of tears, laughter and some seriously wild stories. We also get into what it takes to build a brand people actually care about. Why they never put the bottles on the table, why they’ve said no to some seriously big contracts, and why they’ll never discount. Grab a drink and enjoy! Keep up to date with Granddad Jack's on Instagram: @granddadjacks SHFT POD is sponsored by Flockd and Smelly Balls. T&Cs: 20% off applies to new Flockd customers only for your first hot desk booking. Must be redeemed by 30 December 2026. Quote the code SHFT when booking. Not valid with any other offer. Connect With Us Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@SHFT.Pod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠shftpod.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Submit a Question ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Submit a Guest ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here

  4. Oct 11

    Test First, Scale Later: Launching a Product You Believe In

    Dan and Erin sit down with Nick Proctor, who went from freight runner to running a $15M-a-year international freight business. It started with a simple idea: ship cars from Australia to New Zealand for less. A $2k website and one viral post turned that side hustle into the main event. They discuss how COVID wiped out most of his revenue overnight, why he hired a head of AI, and some wild freight facts, like what "general average" means and why you should always insure your cargo. In the second half, Nick shares how he started his barbecue brand, FYR Republic, from scratch. He tested demand on Facebook Marketplace, sold out his first container in 30 days, and learned the hard way that a bad agency can eat your profit. They also get into the real numbers behind online sales and why knowing your numbers matters.  Connect with Nick on Instagram: @nick_proctor89 SHFT POD is sponsored by Flockd and Smelly Balls. T&Cs: 20% off applies to new Flockd customers only for your first hot desk booking. Must be redeemed by 30 December 2026. Quote the code SHFT when booking. Not valid with any other offer. Connect With Us Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@SHFT.Pod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠shftpod.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Submit a Question ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Submit a Guest ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here

  5. Oct 4

    The Hidden Cost of "I'm So Busy": What Chronic Stress Is Actually Doing to Your Body

    Dan and Erin sit down with natural health practitioner Holly Mayo to unpack why so many high performers walk around bloated, exhausted and foggy, accepting it as the cost of the job. Holly explains why the stomach is our "second brain," how chronic workplace stress quietly wrecks the gut microbiome, and why hustle culture self-talk ("I have to," "I'm so busy") keeps your nervous system stuck in fight or flight. They then get practical: addressing the caffeine dependency so many leaders rely on to push through the day, how to taper off without brutal withdrawals, and how to build a circadian-friendly routine around a demanding schedule. Holly touches on how much of our decision making runs on subconscious patterns formed young, and how small shifts, like changing one phrase in your self-talk, can start undoing the damage of a genuinely busy career. Connect with Holly: @hollymayo.naturopathy SHFT POD is sponsored by Flockd and Smelly Balls. T&Cs: 20% off applies to new Flockd customers only for your first hot desk booking. Must be redeemed by 30 December 2026. Quote the code SHFT when booking. Not valid with any other offer. Connect With Us Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@SHFT.Pod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠shftpod.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Submit a Question ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Submit a Guest ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here

  6. Sep 27

    A World Champion's Blueprint for Turning Passion Into Business

    Dan and Erin sit down with Daniel Watkins - a three-time world wakeboarding champion, Ski and Wake Hall of Famer, and the entrepreneur behind some of the Gold Coast's biggest waterparks. Daniel takes us right back to the beginning: from being a kid dragging a ski handle around Victoria, to chasing his dream all the way to SeaWorld California, and eventually clinching that first world title after nearly walking away from the sport entirely. The conversation shifts to business and how the same mindset that made him a champion athlete carried straight into entrepreneurship. We discuss the wake park that got wiped out by flooding three days before it even opened (and nine more times after that), and the deeper reason he keeps rebuilding: the community and the kids whose lives the parks have changed. Connect with Daniel on Instagram @_danielwatkins_ SHFT POD is sponsored by Flockd and Smelly Balls. T&Cs: 20% off applies to new Flockd customers only for your first hot desk booking. Must be redeemed by 30 December 2026. Quote the code SHFT when booking. Not valid with any other offer. Connect With Us Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@SHFT.Pod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠shftpod.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Submit a Question ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Submit a Guest ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here

  7. Sep 20

    Building Better Routines: The Habits Behind Our Best Weeks

    This week, it's just Dan and Erin for an episode all about routines: the ones that actually work, the ones they're still figuring out, and what happens when life throws them off track. They get into the nitty-gritty of their weekly meal prep systems, the boundaries they've set around travel and work (including why saying no might earn you more respect, not less), and the small daily habits that shape everything else. It's a candid, practical chat for anyone who feels like they're constantly playing catch-up or is looking to build routines that actually stick. If you've got a topic you'd love Dan and Erin to cover, send it through on socials or leave a comment below! SHFT POD is sponsored by Flockd and Smelly Balls. T&Cs: 20% off applies to new Flockd customers only for your first hot desk booking. Must be redeemed by 30 December 2026. Quote the code SHFT when booking. Not valid with any other offer. Connect With Us Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@SHFT.Pod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠shftpod.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Submit a Question ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Submit a Guest ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here

  8. Sep 13

    The Marketing Lie That's Costing Small Businesses Everything

    Dan and Erin sit down with Charmaine Schembri, one of Australia's most recognised beauty business coaches. Charmaine started hustling at 13 years old by talking her way into a street promo team gig before she was legally allowed to work, and has spent 22 years since then building brands across Australia, New Zealand and the US. We cover her wild origin story (Barbies, garage sales, marbles as currency), her corporate detour through fitness marketing, and why she believes hair and beauty professionals need to learn the business side of their craft, not just the treatments, so their brands can actually flourish. The conversation gets real practical, real fast, busting the myth that everything has to be digital, and unpacking why "everybody" can never be your target market. We also go deeper into leadership, self-development, and mentorship. If you're a business owner drowning in social media with nothing to show for it, this episode is for you. SHFT POD is sponsored by Flockd and Smelly Balls. T&Cs: 20% off applies to new Flockd customers only for your first hot desk booking. Must be redeemed by 30 December 2026. Quote the code SHFT when booking. Not valid with any other offer. Connect With Us Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@SHFT.Pod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠shftpod.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Submit a Question ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Submit a Guest ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here

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About

Conversations with founders, leaders and high performing individuals that have made a shift in their life that's put them on the path they're on today. We unpack their leadership style, values and belief systems to inspire you to make that shift.

Information

  • Creator
    Poly Studios
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    37
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Poly Studios
  • Show Website
    SHFT POD

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