the me.vibes podcast

Maria Abercrombie
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The me.vibes podcast is an honest space for people who feel capable but overwhelmed, especially in a world that moves faster than we do. Hosted by Maria Abercrombie, the podcast explores work, technology, identity, and modern life without the hustle narrative. It’s about confidence without noise, progress without burnout, and redefining success on your own terms. Through reflective episodes and real conversations, me.vibes looks at comparison culture, career pivots, tech overwhelm, decision-making, and the quiet work of building a meaningful life. It’s about tuning in.

  1. 1d ago

    Behind the LinkedIn Profile: Career, Comparison and Finding Your Own Pace with David Hogg

    What happens when the life behind the LinkedIn profile is far messier than the job title suggests? In this episode, I sit down with my friend David, whose career has taken him from Auckland to Hong Kong, London and back again—into global leadership roles supporting teams around the world. But this isn’t the polished version of his story. David shares what happened when he moved overseas for a relationship that ended shortly afterwards, lost his job, cried himself to sleep and had to rebuild his life one conversation, one plan and one baby step at a time. We talk about career comparison, resilience, leadership, salary conversations, AI in the workplace and why bringing someone else’s pay into a conversation with your manager may not be the power move you think it is. David also explains why leaders need to make time to think, and why thinking is real work, even when it produces nothing shiny or immediately measurable. And because this is me.vibes, we also cover parenting across time zones, a phone booth in the lounge, my husband being in a cast, an upcoming jaw surgery, and the week my washing machine and oven both joined the rebellion. If you’ve ever looked at someone else’s career, business or life and wondered, “Why am I not there yet?”, this episode is your reminder: LinkedIn is never the whole story. Connect with David: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-hogg-cmhrinz-b630696/

  2. Sep 10

    You Are the Niche: Creativity, Motherhood and Being Seen with Veronika

    In this episode of the me.vibes podcast, Maria talks with Veronika, a photographer, artist, creative, surfer and mother whose work is grounded in people, movement, colour, energy and connection. Maria and Veronika first met during a ten-day Vipassana meditation retreat, although their memories of how their friendship began are not entirely aligned. Apparently, ten days of silence still leaves plenty of room for confusion. Together, they explore what it means to build a creative life without having everything perfectly planned, or forcing yourself into one specific niche. In this episode, we talk about: • Veronika’s experience of a ten-day Vipassana meditation retreat• Leaving her first job and beginning again without a clear plan• Becoming a model to learn what photographers did behind the camera• Building a career through curiosity, relationships and practical experience• The vulnerability of sharing creative work publicly• Perfectionism, self-doubt and imposter syndrome• Why pressing “post” can feel genuinely terrifying• Becoming a mother while still trying to build a creative identity• Comparison, social media and protecting your mental health• Finding small pockets of time for creativity• Why 15 minutes can be enough to begin• Creating personal work while earning a living through commercial work• What photographing people has taught Veronika about confidence and beauty• Learning to see yourself through somebody else’s eyes• Why you may not need to find a niche—because you are the niche• What success looks like to Veronika now Books mentioned: • The Creative Act: A Way of Being by Rick RubinA reflection on creativity, the creative process and approaching life as an artist. • The Artist’s Way by Julia CameronA practical and reflective guide to reconnecting with your creativity, working through creative blocks and developing a regular creative practice. Follow Veronika: • Personal/photography Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/veronika.sola/• Mini Me children’s portraits: https://www.instagram.com/minime_portraits/• Website or portfolio: https://www.veronikasola.com/ Content note: This episode contains explicit language. You may also hear a humming noise in the background. That is Maria’s heater; it was freezing, and warmth won the battle against flawless audio. Also, the new kitten is purring. So enjoy the chaos.

  3. Aug 28

    Money, Debt and Being ‘Too Much’ & 'Too Weird' with Sasha Lockley

    Money is awkward. Debt can feel shameful. And being told you’re “too much” or “too weird”? Apparently, that’s a personality review nobody asked for. In this episode of the me.vibes podcast, I sit down with Sasha Lockley, co-founder of Money Sweetspot, for an honest, funny and occasionally sweary conversation about money, the stories we inherit, and building something that actually gives a shit about people. I had questions. I had a plan. Then we started talking… and the plan politely left the building. We get into: 💸 Money, debt and why struggling financially doesn’t tell you everything about a person.🧠 The beliefs about money we pick up from our families and carry into adulthood.🍊 Abundance, community and why sometimes wealth looks like a neighbour arriving with a bucket of oranges.💥 Being a woman in fintech and building a business without abandoning what matters to you.🦄 Being passionate, opinionated, “too much” or “too weird”, and finding the courage to show up anyway. This was my first interview after major surgery, and I didn’t realise until the end how much I needed this conversation. Come for the money chat. Stay for the reminder that you don’t have to become less yourself to do something meaningful. 🔗 CONNECT WITH SASHA & MONEY SWEETSPOT • Sasha Lockley on LinkedIn• Money Sweetspot website• Money Sweetspot on LinkedIn• Money Sweetspot’s Blog Spot 🎧 MORE FROM SASHA Listen to Sasha on Making Cents with Frances Cook: “Angry at credit card debt? Here’s how to fight back”. ⚠️ A COUPLE OF DISCLAIMERS Financial: This episode shares personal experiences and general information for discussion and entertainment. It is not financial advice, and neither Maria nor Sasha is acting as your financial adviser. The conversation does not take your individual circumstances into account and is not a recommendation to use any particular financial product or service. Please seek advice from a qualified financial adviser, or support from a financial mentor where appropriate, before making decisions about your money. Language: There is swearing. If that’s not your thing, please protect your ears and go and get yourself a f*****g sandwich. You’ve been lovingly warned. If this conversation resonates, share it with someone who’s ever been told they’re too much. Follow me.vibes and leave five stars, because good karma is free and I’m absolutely not above asking. 💛

  4. Aug 14

    Building Wealth, Chasing Waves & Redefining the Dream with Maddie White

    What does it really take to build a life that feels rich, not just one that looks successful from the outside? In this episode, I sit down with one of my very best friends, Maddie, for a very honest and very funny conversation about money, motherhood, property and creating a life on your own terms. Maddie and her husband, Nick, have built homes, renovated properties, raised three children and made some bold decisions to create greater financial freedom for their family. But behind the property portfolio and midday surfing are years of hard work, careful planning, uncertainty, sacrifice, and, at one point, renovating while pregnant with three children and no bathroom. Glamorous. We talk about making money work for the life you actually want, choosing where to put your energy and recognising when the dream you were chasing is no longer your dream. We also discuss community, relationships, baked beans on toast, questionable gym pants and why success might simply mean waking up happy, having a calm morning and finding enough freedom to surf in the middle of the day. This isn’t a conversation about having everything figured out. It’s about building, learning, changing your mind and defining wealth for yourself. Important responsible-adult disclaimer: this episode reflects Maddie’s personal experiences and the choices she and Nick made for their family. Neither of us is a financial adviser, and nothing in this episode should be considered financial, property or investment advice. Please speak with a suitably qualified professional before making decisions about your own finances. Also, this episode contains explicit language. If you can’t handle a little swearing, go and get yourself a f*****g sandwich. 🎧 Building Wealth, Chasing Waves & Redefining the Dream, with Maddie

  5. Aug 4

    Colour in the Line-Up: Gemma Lee on Courage, Community & Coming Back

    What happens when you build the business you dreamed about as a child, and then life forces you to stop? In this episode, I sit down with Gemma Lee, founder and designer of Gemma Lee Wetsuits, a women’s oceanwear brand bringing colour, femininity and joy to a line-up that has looked like a rather dramatic colony of seals for far too long. Gemma shares how she turned her university collection into an award-winning brand, navigated New Zealand Fashion Week chaos at just 22, learnt to stand up for her work and built a beautiful community of women who feel confident and seen in the water. But this conversation goes much deeper than wetsuits. Gemma opens up about the surfing accident that left her with post-concussion syndrome, the invisible reality of recovery and what it felt like to lose her independence, confidence and connection to the things that made her feel like herself. We talk honestly about slowing down, accepting help and rebuilding your life when everything has been stripped back. We also get into women in surfing, finding your crew, sharks, surf-chat emergencies, moving a business from New Zealand to Australia, and my very official request for a five-millimetre Gemma Lee wetsuit for those of us freezing in Gisborne. This episode is colourful, funny, tender and full of heart. It’s a beautiful reminder that healing cannot always be rushed, community matters, and sometimes finding your way back begins with being a little kinder to yourself. Follow Gemma Lee Wetsuits and explore the collection at gemmaleewetsuits.com. Follow Gemma Lee's on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gemmaleewetsuits/ If this episode makes you laugh, feel seen or want to get back in the water, please share it with someone who might need it too, and leave the me.vibes podcast a five-star rating for good karma. FYI, small correction: the outro transcript says, “Brisbane is cold”, but I meant, “Gisborne is cold”. I blame the accent. Also, did anyone catch the tiny detail that I competed at Nationals in the over-30s and came second? SECOND. Nationally. I demonstrated extraordinary journalistic restraint by barely mentioning it, so I’m correcting that oversight here.

  6. Jul 12

    Frogs, Fame and Fire Spells: A Conversation with Luca Abercrombie, Age 7

    My guest today told me, mid-interview, that he needed to go get his book. Then showed me a Lego hammer. Then revealed he is not actually a kid, he's a dragon kid, and apparently I should have noticed the glowing light when he was born. After my episode with Urzila Carlson, my seven-year-old son Luca informed me that he is also famous (Nature Baby model, age three, thank you very much) and that I should interview him too. So I did. This is easily the most unpredictable, least structured, most precious conversation I've had on this show. In this episode, Luca covers: Life as a famous model who can "model his voice, his face, anything"His strongest Lego invention yet (it's a hammer, and it's very bendy)Why he'd choose Hogwarts over Ninjago, and which spells he'd actually useThe time he kissed a frog (it stayed a frog)Why grown-ups "lose the memory of being creative" and kids just know thingsWhat adults worry about too much, and what we forget: how to have fun and play Here's what stayed with me: Kids don't overthink creativity. They don't wait for permission to be interesting. They just are. And maybe that's the real takeaway, that confidence doesn't always need evidence, and the best conversations happen when you let go of control. I hope this one makes you smile, reminds you of your own childhood imagination, and gives you permission to be a little sillier this week. If it made you laugh, share it with a friend and leave a five-star review. It's just good karma. Big love.

  7. Jun 30

    The Square Wheel Problem with Theresa Wells

    The Square Wheel Problem There's a guy riding a bike with square wheels. Someone offers him round ones. He waves them off, "Too busy, can't stop." That's basically every workplace's relationship with AI right now, and it's the moment that stuck with me most from this conversation. I sat down with Theresa Wells, digital transformation and AI leader at GHD, for a conversation about AI in leadership that actually has nothing to do with productivity hacks. We get into: Why "AI is coming for your job" is the wrong message for leaders to send their teamsThe hidden cost of AI efficiency gains: organisations quietly skipping a whole generation of workersWhat managers should actually be doing right now to build AI confidence in their peopleCold water swimming, daily discipline, and why Theresa treats fitness as leadership fuelRedefining success in leadership as purpose and contribution, not job titlesIf you lead a team, work in AI or digital transformation, or you've ever been the one waving off the round wheels because you're "too busy," this one's for you. Find Theresa on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/theresawells11 Follow me.vibes and leave a review if this got you thinking, it helps more people find the show.

  8. Jun 24

    "I See You": Shanti on Anxiety, Identity, and Starting Over in Gisborne

    Earlier this year, I was knitting in the dark. Literally. Chronic migraines meant no screens, no music, no reading, just me, two needles, and trying to finish something small enough to feel like a win. So when Shanti looked me in the eyes at a local event and said, "I see you", I knew I had to have her on. Because she's been in her own version of that darkness, too. Severe anxiety so bad she couldn't grocery shop in daylight. A body that stopped working with no explanation. A life that looked completely fine from the outside, and felt anything but. Two women, two different rock bottoms, one really honest conversation. In this episode, we talk about: What severe anxiety actually feels like from the insideHow Shanti went from housebound in Auckland to co-creating Tatapouri, one of NZ's most loved coastal spacesThe tiny wins that actually pull you throughHow community and place can become part of your healingWhy your world sometimes has to get very small before it opens back upIf you're in a hard season right now, this one is for you. 🤍 Follow Shanti on Instagram and go visit her at Tatapouri - trust me, it feels like walking into a friend's beach house. https://www.instagram.com/shanti.bayleys.gisborne/ https://www.instagram.com/tatapouri/ https://tatapouri.co.nz/ 🎧 If this episode resonated, share it with someone who needs it and leave a five star review, it means everything.

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About

The me.vibes podcast is an honest space for people who feel capable but overwhelmed, especially in a world that moves faster than we do. Hosted by Maria Abercrombie, the podcast explores work, technology, identity, and modern life without the hustle narrative. It’s about confidence without noise, progress without burnout, and redefining success on your own terms. Through reflective episodes and real conversations, me.vibes looks at comparison culture, career pivots, tech overwhelm, decision-making, and the quiet work of building a meaningful life. It’s about tuning in.

Information

  • Creator
    Maria Abercrombie
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    21
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Maria Abercrombie
  • Show Website
    the me.vibes podcast