Humans of Purpose

416 Jon Yeo: The Science of Influence

My guest this week is Jon Yeo - a highly respected speaker coach, communication expert, and founder of Brightstar Consulting & Coaching, where he works at the intersection of strategic communication, influence, and leadership development. Jon’s work focuses on helping individuals, leaders, and organisations craft messages that resonate, build trust, and foster deeper engagement in both in-person and virtual settings.
Best known for his expertise in executive communication, public speaking, and influence, Jon combines practical coaching experience with a deep understanding of human connection and audience engagement. As the Licensee and Curator of TEDxMelbourne, one of the largest and longest-running TEDx events globally, he has coached hundreds of speakers and leaders to deliver talks with clarity, impact, and presence. He’s also a past National President of Professional Speakers Australia.
Jon is a strong advocate for human-centred influence - the idea that effective leadership and communication are about connecting head and heart, not just delivering information. He challenges the belief that communication excellence is innate, showing instead how strategic practice, empathy, and thoughtful design can elevate how people lead and influence at every level.
🔗 Explore more from Jon's work here: 
https://www.brightstar.net.au/
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CREDITS
Music intro and outro on this podcast was written and performed by Keyo Rhodes, with Harrison McGregor on drums and percussion. Sound engineering and mastering by Lachlan McGregor.

415: From the Archives (October 2021) - Stories, Power, and Who Gets to Speak

My guests this week are Damon Gameau, Hannah Diviney, Doug Cronin, and Hani Abdile - together, they explore storytelling as a force for cultural change, unpacking who gets to speak, whose voices are amplified, and how stories shape the futures we imagine.
Damon Gameau is an actor and filmmaker known for his work mobilising audiences around climate, regeneration, and systems change. He reflects on why data alone cannot shift culture - only stories can - and why the narratives we tell about humans, nature, and society determine the outcomes we experience.
Hannah Diviney is a writer and disability advocate who reframes storytelling through lived experience. She challenges the way representation is done, calling for people with disability to be protagonists of their own lives. Her insights highlight how ownership and authorship shape belonging long before policy or language catch up.
Doug Cronin, co-founder of Our Race, brings a lens of ethics and accountability. He examines how stories are designed, who controls them, and who benefits, drawing on First Nations perspectives and lived-experience frameworks. Doug champions collaboration over consultation, and community over content.
Hani Abdile, poet and spoken-word artist, brings the emotional and human centre to the conversation. Her reflections on displacement, survival, and creative expression remind us that storytelling is not just strategy - it is a lifeline.
In this archival episode from October 2021, this panel discussion explores regenerative and ethical storytelling. Five years on, their insights feel both prescient and essential, reminding us that storytelling is a form of cultural power, one that requires accountability, humility, and courage to wield well.
🔗 Explore more from our brilliant guests' work at the links below.
Hannah Diviney:https://hannahdiviney.com/https://www.instagram.com/hannahthewildflower/?hl=en
Doug Cronin: https://www.ourrace.com.au/our-storyhttps://www.instagram.com/our_race/?hl=enhttps://www.facebook.com/sharingourstories/https://www.linkedin.com/company/our-race/
Damon Gameau: https://www.instagram.com/damon.gameau/?hl=enhttps://www.instagram.com/regenerators/?hl=en
Hani Abdile: https://wordtravels.info/hani-abdilehttps://redroompoetry.org/poets/hani-abdile/
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Whether you're seeking a 1-month, 2-month or season sponsorship, follow the flow below to become a partner before we run out of our remaining promotional slots. 
Click Here to learn more about collaborating on a custom campaign package. Ready to partner? Just complete this short Partner Enquiry Form and we'll be in touch.
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CREDITS
Music intro and outro on this podcast was written and performed by Keyo Rhodes, with Harrison McGregor on drums and percussion. Sound engineering and mastering by Lachlan McGregor.

414 Dr Darren Morton: From individual health to collective wellbeing

My guest this week is Dr Darren Morton - a leading health and wellbeing expert, academic, and founder of The Lift Project, where he works at the intersection of evidence-based science, mental health, and human flourishing. Darren’s work focuses on helping individuals, leaders, and organisations build resilience, energy, and sustainable wellbeing in an increasingly demanding world.
Best known for his research and teaching in lifestyle medicine and positive psychology, Darren combines academic rigour with deeply practical insights. Through The Lift Project and his work in higher education, he’s helped thousands of people improve their mental health, performance, and quality of life using simple, science-backed habits.
Darren is also a strong advocate for preventative health, challenging the idea that burnout, chronic stress, and poor wellbeing are inevitable, and instead showing how intentional lifestyle design can shift outcomes at scale.
In this episode of Humans of Purpose, we explore how Darren brings science, compassion, and clarity to one of today’s most pressing challenges: sustainable health and wellbeing. We discuss what the research really says about mental health, the small behaviours that make the biggest difference, and how leaders and organisations can create environments where people genuinely thrive.
Tune in to hear Darren Morton’s insights, and how his work is reshaping the way we think about health, not as a crisis response, but as a proactive, everyday practice.
🔗 Explore more from Darren's work here: 
https://www.drdarrenmorton.com/
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Whether you're seeking a 1-month, 2-month or season sponsorship, follow the flow below to become a partner before we run out of our remaining promotional slots. 
Click Here to learn more about collaborating on a custom campaign package. Ready to partner? Just complete this short Partner Enquiry Form and we'll be in touch.
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To take up this great offer, just head to our Gold Member page today.
CREDITS
Music intro and outro on this podcast was written and performed by Keyo Rhodes, with Harrison McGregor on drums and percussion. Sound engineering and mastering by Lachlan McGregor.

413 Kurt Gruber: Rewired Futures - Empowering Youth, Saving Tech

My guest this week is Kurt Gruber - Co-founder and Managing Director of Worldview Foundation and WV Technologies, where he leads a social enterprise creating meaningful employment opportunities for Indigenous youth while tackling e-waste and environmental sustainability. Kurt’s work transforms discarded technology into valuable resources, providing pathways to skills, jobs, and empowerment for young Australians.
In this conversation, we explore how Kurt combines purpose, innovation, and social impact, why social enterprise can be a powerful force for both people and planet, and how leadership, strategy, and technology come together to create jobs, reduce waste, and build stronger communities.
Recorded live in the midst of the buzz of Convene 2025, please note there’s a little background noise, but the insights are well worth it!
This episode is the last in our Short Takes on Purpose series (in partnership with Social Traders), where we spotlight bold thinkers reshaping business for good. We hope you've enjoyed these short episodes sprinkled throughout our main podcast series. 
🔗 Explore more from Kurt's work here: 
https://www.worldview.org.au/
Growing Your Business and Impact
Talk to us today about how we can grow your capacity to level up your business and impact with our fully trained and managed outsourced marketing solutions - delivered by our digital heroes armed with good strategy, the latest tech and big smiles. 
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Promotional Partnerships
Like what we are serving up on Humans of Purpose? Our promotional campaigns have delivered great marketing and sales outcomes and ROI for our partners to date. 
Whether you're seeking a 1-month, 2-month or season sponsorship, follow the flow below to become a partner before we run out of our remaining promotional slots. 
Click Here to learn more about collaborating on a custom campaign package. Ready to partner? Just complete this short Partner Enquiry Form and we'll be in touch.
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Join current members Michael, Pravati, Noel, Kathy, Andrew 1, Andrew 2, Chris, Nikki, Margaret, Ben, Misha, Sarah and Geoff and enjoy our range of member benefits: 
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Full transcripts of all episodes
Brokered intros to all podcast guests
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To take up this great offer, just head to our Gold Member page today.
CREDITS
Music intro and outro on this podcast was written and performed by Keyo Rhodes, with Harrison McGregor on drums and percussion. Sound engineering and mastering by Lachlan McGregor.

412 Kylea Tink: Australia's Hunger Can Be Solved

My guest this week is Kylea Tink - CEO of Foodbank Australia, former Independent MP, social impact leader, and one of the country’s most determined advocates for ending food insecurity. Kylea’s work goes far beyond food relief, it shines a light on the structural inequities that push Australians into hunger in the first place.
She’s best known for her leadership across politics, nonprofits and community mobilisation, and now for steering Foodbank’s nationwide mission to ensure every Australian has reliable access to nutritious, culturally appropriate food.
Kylea has also been a powerful voice for systemic reform - championing fairer policies, stronger safety nets, and the partnerships required to shift outcomes at scale.
In this episode of Humans of Purpose, we explore how Kylea brings strategy, compassion and straight-talking leadership to one of Australia’s most urgent social challenges. We discuss the realities of food insecurity today, the bold shifts required to tackle it, and the role business, government and community must play in building a more equitable future.
Tune in to hear Kylea Tink’s story, and how her work is reshaping the way Australia responds to hunger - not as an inevitability, but as a solvable national priority.
🔗 Explore more from Kylea's work here: 
https://www.foodbank.org.au/foodbank-australia-announces-new-ceo-kylea-tink/
Growing Your Business and Impact
Talk to us today about how we can grow your capacity to level up your business and impact with our fully trained and managed outsourced marketing solutions - delivered by our digital heroes armed with good strategy, the latest tech and big smiles. 
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Like what we are serving up on Humans of Purpose? Our promotional campaigns have delivered great marketing and sales outcomes and ROI for our partners to date. 
Whether you're seeking a 1-month, 2-month or season sponsorship, follow the flow below to become a partner before we run out of our remaining promotional slots. 
Click Here to learn more about collaborating on a custom campaign package. Ready to partner? Just complete this short Partner Enquiry Form and we'll be in touch.
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Want a premium listening experience that directly supports us to keep making the podcast? 
Join current members Michael, Pravati, Noel, Kathy, Andrew 1, Andrew 2, Chris, Nikki, Margaret, Ben, Misha, Sarah and Geoff and enjoy our range of member benefits: 
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Removal of all three ads per episode
Early access to all episodes
Full transcripts of all episodes
Brokered intros to all podcast guests
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To take up this great offer, just head to our Gold Member page today.
CREDITS
Music intro and outro on this podcast was written and performed by Keyo Rhodes, with Harrison McGregor on drums and percussion. Sound engineering and mastering by Lachlan McGregor.

411 Michael Stuart: Why Impact Needs Evidence

My guest this week is Michael Stuart - Impact & Data Manager at Social Traders, and one of the leading voices pushing Australia’s social enterprise sector toward a more evidence-driven future.
Michael has spent more than a decade helping organisations make sense of their data, and today, he oversees how Social Traders captures, measures, and interprets impact across hundreds of enterprises. His work sits at the intersection of social purpose and hard numbers, ensuring decision-makers have the evidence they need to drive real, scalable change.
In this conversation, we unpack why the sector is “data starved,” how better insights can strengthen policy, funding, and procurement, and why accessible analysis is one of the most powerful tools for social impact.
Recorded live at Convene 2025, this episode comes with a little social enterprise sector chatter that refused to be silenced. We’ve mostly cleaned it up, but you might hear a few patches and some quirky voice distortion from noise cancellation - rustic audio, modern insights! Part of our Short Takes on Purpose series with Social Traders, spotlighting bold thinkers reshaping business for good.
🔗 Explore more from Michael's work here: 
https://www.socialtraders.com.au/
Growing Your Business and Impact
Talk to us today about how we can grow your capacity to level up your business and impact with our fully trained and managed outsourced marketing solutions - delivered by our digital heroes armed with good strategy, the latest tech and big smiles. 
Learn more at humansofpurpose.com
Promotional Partnerships
Like what we are serving up on Humans of Purpose? Our promotional campaigns have delivered great marketing and sales outcomes and ROI for our partners to date. 
Whether you're seeking a 1-month, 2-month or season sponsorship, follow the flow below to become a partner before we run out of our remaining promotional slots. 
Click Here to learn more about collaborating on a custom campaign package. Ready to partner? Just complete this short Partner Enquiry Form and we'll be in touch.
Gold Membership
Want a premium listening experience that directly supports us to keep making the podcast? 
Join current members Michael, Pravati, Noel, Kathy, Andrew 1, Andrew 2, Chris, Nikki, Margaret, Ben, Misha, Sarah and Geoff and enjoy our range of member benefits: 
Premium dedicated podcast feed
Removal of all three ads per episode
Early access to all episodes
Full transcripts of all episodes
Brokered intros to all podcast guests
Ask me anything page access
To take up this great offer, just head to our Gold Member page today.
CREDITS
Music intro and outro on this podcast was written and performed by Keyo Rhodes, with Harrison McGregor on drums and percussion. Sound engineering and mastering by Lachlan McGregor.

410 Kurt Avery: The Global Clean Water Solution!

My guest this week is Kurt Avery - Founder & President of Sawyer, a global impact organisation transforming access to clean water. Kurt’s work isn’t just about providing solutions; it’s about rethinking what’s possible in humanitarian aid and public health.
He’s best known for pioneering water filtration technology that can last up to 10 years, helping entire villages gain safe, reliable drinking water, and scaling solutions across countries to create measurable social and economic impact.
In this episode of Humans of Purpose, we explore how Kurt turned innovation into action, how his team is reshaping what’s achievable in global health, and the strategies behind scaling real-world solutions at unprecedented scale. We talk about ambition, problem-solving, and the courage to challenge what everyone thinks is possible.
Tune in to hear Kurt Avery’s story, and how his work is changing lives, one filter, one village, one country at a time.
🔗 Explore more from Kurt's work here: 
https://www.sawyer.com/
Growing Your Business and Impact
Talk to us today about how we can grow your capacity to level up your business and impact with our fully trained and managed outsourced marketing solutions - delivered by our digital heroes armed with good strategy, the latest tech and big smiles. 
Learn more at humansofpurpose.com
Promotional Partnerships
Like what we are serving up on Humans of Purpose? Our promotional campaigns have delivered great marketing and sales outcomes and ROI for our partners to date. 
Whether you're seeking a 1-month, 2-month or season sponsorship, follow the flow below to become a partner before we run out of our remaining promotional slots. 
Click Here to learn more about collaborating on a custom campaign package. Ready to partner? Just complete this short Partner Enquiry Form and we'll be in touch.
Gold Membership
Want a premium listening experience that directly supports us to keep making the podcast? 
Join current members Michael, Pravati, Noel, Kathy, Andrew 1, Andrew 2, Chris, Nikki, Margaret, Ben, Misha, Sarah and Geoff and enjoy our range of member benefits: 
Premium dedicated podcast feed
Removal of all three ads per episode
Early access to all episodes
Full transcripts of all episodes
Brokered intros to all podcast guests
Ask me anything page access
To take up this great offer, just head to our Gold Member page today.
CREDITS
Music intro and outro on this podcast was written and performed by Keyo Rhodes, with Harrison McGregor on drums and percussion. Sound engineering and mastering by Lachlan McGregor.

409 Sarah Clarke: Sustainable by design

My guest this week is Sarah Clarke - Group GM, Sustainability at Mirvac, where she leads the award-winning ESG strategy This Changes Everything. Sarah also serves as Deputy Chair of Cladding Safety Victoria and formerly chaired Homes Victoria’s $5b+ social housing investment -driving impact across climate, equity, and governance.
In this conversation, we explore how Sarah embeds purpose and sustainability at scale, why ESG isn’t just policy but a pathway to real-world impact, and how leadership, strategy, and innovation come together to shape better communities and a more sustainable future.
Recorded live amidst the energy and buzz of Convene 2025, please note there’s a little background noise, but the conversation is well worth it!
This episode is part of our Short Takes on Purpose series (in partnership with Social Traders), where we spotlight bold thinkers reshaping business for good.
🔗 Explore more from Sarah's work here: 
https://www.mirvac.com/sustainability
Growing Your Business and Impact
Talk to us today about how we can grow your capacity to level up your business and impact with our fully trained and managed outsourced marketing solutions - delivered by our digital heroes armed with good strategy, the latest tech and big smiles. 
Learn more at humansofpurpose.com
Promotional Partnerships
Like what we are serving up on Humans of Purpose? Our promotional campaigns have delivered great marketing and sales outcomes and ROI for our partners to date. 
Whether you're seeking a 1-month, 2-month or season sponsorship, follow the flow below to become a partner before we run out of our remaining promotional slots. 
Click Here to learn more about collaborating on a custom campaign package. Ready to partner? Just complete this short Partner Enquiry Form and we'll be in touch.
Gold Membership
Want a premium listening experience that directly supports us to keep making the podcast? 
Join current members Michael, Pravati, Noel, Kathy, Andrew 1, Andrew 2, Chris, Nikki, Margaret, Ben, Misha, Sarah and Geoff and enjoy our range of member benefits: 
Premium dedicated podcast feed
Removal of all three ads per episode
Early access to all episodes
Full transcripts of all episodes
Brokered intros to all podcast guests
Ask me anything page access
To take up this great offer, just head to our Gold Member page today.
CREDITS
Music intro and outro on this podcast was written and performed by Keyo Rhodes, with Harrison McGregor on drums and percussion. Sound engineering and mastering by Lachlan McGregor.

408 Cat Longshaw: The Carbon Accountability Era

My guest this week is Cat Longshaw - Co-founder and CEO at Trace, one of Australia’s fastest-growing climate tech companies helping businesses measure, reduce and report their carbon emissions.
Cat has built trace into a trusted partner for organisations navigating the rising expectations - and increasing requirements - around climate accountability. Her work sits at the intersection of technology, behaviour change and business leadership, making decarbonisation not only achievable, but accessible.
In this episode of Humans of Purpose, we dive into Cat’s journey from startup founder to climate leader, the evolving landscape of corporate sustainability, and why transparent reporting is becoming non-negotiable for companies of every size.
We explore what real climate action looks like inside businesses, how trace helps turn emissions data into practical progress, and why accountability across the private sector is one of the biggest levers we have for change.
Tune in to hear Cat Longshaw’s insights on climate leadership, and impact-driven entrepreneurship.
🔗 Explore more from Cat's work here: 
https://www.our-trace.com/
Growing Your Business and Impact
Talk to us today about how we can grow your capacity to level up your business and impact with our fully trained and managed outsourced marketing solutions - delivered by our digital heroes armed with good strategy, the latest tech and big smiles. 
Learn more at humansofpurpose.com
Promotional Partnerships
Like what we are serving up on Humans of Purpose? Our promotional campaigns have delivered great marketing and sales outcomes and ROI for our partners to date. 
Whether you're seeking a 1-month, 2-month or season sponsorship, follow the flow below to become a partner before we run out of our remaining promotional slots. 
Click Here to learn more about collaborating on a custom campaign package. Ready to partner? Just complete this short Partner Enquiry Form and we'll be in touch.
Gold Membership
Want a premium listening experience that directly supports us to keep making the podcast? 
Join current members Michael, Pravati, Noel, Kathy, Andrew 1, Andrew 2, Chris, Nikki, Margaret, Ben, Misha, Sarah and Geoff and enjoy our range of member benefits: 
Premium dedicated podcast feed
Removal of all three ads per episode
Early access to all episodes
Full transcripts of all episodes
Brokered intros to all podcast guests
Ask me anything page access
To take up this great offer, just head to our Gold Member page today.
CREDITS
Music intro and outro on this podcast was written and performed by Keyo Rhodes, with Harrison McGregor on drums and percussion. Sound engineering and mastering by Lachlan McGregor.

407 Sarah Sheridan: Powerful grassroots action by and for community

My guest this week is Sarah Sheridan - Co‑Founder and Deputy CEO of Clothing The Gaps, the powerful Aboriginal-led social enterprise using fashion to drive social change.
Sarah has helped build a business where every t-shirt tells a story, and carries a message. Through her work, she’s redefining how brands can be platforms for policy, justice, and community.
In this conversation, we explore how Sarah blends activism and entrepreneurship, why inclusion matters so deeply to her, and how she uses design and strategy to amplify First Nations voices.
Recorded live amidst the energy and buzz of Convene 2025, please note there’s a little background noise, but the conversation is well worth it!
This episode is part of our Short Takes on Purpose series (in partnership with Social Traders), where we spotlight bold thinkers reshaping business for good.
🔗 Explore more from Sarah's work here: 
https://www.clothingthegaps.com.au/
Growing Your Business and Impact
Talk to us today about how we can grow your capacity to level up your business and impact with our fully trained and managed outsourced marketing solutions - delivered by our digital heroes armed with good strategy, the latest tech and big smiles. 
Learn more at humansofpurpose.com
Promotional Partnerships
Like what we are serving up on Humans of Purpose? Our promotional campaigns have delivered great marketing and sales outcomes and ROI for our partners to date. 
Whether you're seeking a 1-month, 2-month or season sponsorship, follow the flow below to become a partner before we run out of our remaining promotional slots. 
Click Here to learn more about collaborating on a custom campaign package. Ready to partner? Just complete this short Partner Enquiry Form and we'll be in touch.
Gold Membership
Want a premium listening experience that directly supports us to keep making the podcast? 
Join current members Michael, Pravati, Noel, Kathy, Andrew 1, Andrew 2, Chris, Nikki, Margaret, Ben, Misha, Sarah and Geoff and enjoy our range of member benefits: 
Premium dedicated podcast feed
Removal of all three ads per episode
Early access to all episodes
Full transcripts of all episodes
Brokered intros to all podcast guests
Ask me anything page access
To take up this great offer, just head to our Gold Member page today.
CREDITS
Music intro and outro on this podcast was written and performed by Keyo Rhodes, with Harrison McGregor on drums and percussion. Sound engineering and mastering by Lachlan McGregor.