June 8, 2025 • 44 mins
Bob Smith's journey from small-town chef to influential CEO and media personality unfolds as a powerful testament to identity, purpose and authentic leadership.
Growing up in Beaudesert on Mununjali country, Bob's early life experiences shaped his deep connection to community values that would later define his professional path. The conversation delves into pivotal moments of transformation, particularly when Bob became a father at a young age. "Big lessons in that because you have to sort yourself out as a person first to be able to be a good dad," he reflects, articulating how parenthood catalysed profound self-discovery. Following the separation from his children's mother, Bob embarked on a courageous exploration of his identity as a fair-skinned Aboriginal man, asking fundamental questions: "Who am I, where do I belong and what's going on?"
Bob's professional evolution from chef apprentice to CEO demonstrates his commitment to community service and representation. His Master's in Narrative Therapy fundamentally changed his perspective on storytelling, leading him to pursue media opportunities - most notably as a cast member on Gogglebox - to ensure diverse voices are heard. "Do I hear myself? Do I see myself? Is our humor out there?" he asks, highlighting the critical importance of authentic Indigenous representation in Australian media.
The podcast reveals Bob's thoughtful approach to leadership, grounded in humility and empowerment rather than authority. "My staff I quite often say to them, you mob are the experts in what each of you do. My job is to help lead and bring the best out of you," he shares, offering valuable insight for listeners in leadership positions. His emphasis on "controlling the controllables" serves as a practical philosophy for navigating life's challenges while maintaining personal accountability.
Connect with Bob through his social media channels to learn more about his work in community leadership and media representation. His story reminds us that authentic self-acceptance and purposeful storytelling can transform not only individual lives but entire communities.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Bob, welcome to the podcast, Thank you.
Speaker 2 (00:01):
Bala, I'm very happy to be here.
Thank you?
Speaker 1 (00:04):
No, you're welcome, and let's get started.
Let's name mob a little bitabout yourself and what you do.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
Totally Bob Smith.
So Camilla Roman, with Ties OutWest, raised in Mullinjali
country in Bow Desert, so usedto be a much smaller town than
what it is now.
But yeah, very grateful to beraised out there.
Speaker 1 (00:22):
Now let's talk about those first 10, 15 years
childhood growing up, formingidentity, culture.
Let's explore that.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
So we had a few different movements growing up.
So I'm one of four kids I'm thesecond oldest, pretty much the
one in the family that helpskeep everyone together and
bosses everyone around and doesall that stuff.
My mum and dad had met when mymum was 17, um, and so for us,
(00:52):
um, we moved around a fewdifferent places lived in
tasmania, lived in at roma atthat ways, um, and then also in
eagleby.
So I grew up in eaglebybythroughout my primary school
years and then, when I was goinginto grade seven, my parents
decided to buy a house out atChimboomba.
It was a point in my life whereI was like why are we moving out
(01:14):
into the bush?
I was very much against it as ayoung fellow but as years went
on, very blessed to be able tobe raised out there now that I
look back when I was in highschool.
Very blessed to be able to beraised out there now that I look
back, when I was in high schoolI wanted to be a chef, and now
things have completely gone awhole nother way.
So that was my first trait.
Apprenticeship.
Chefing Killed my passion alittle bit while I was in it,
(01:35):
but that was my first qual inthat little country town.
Speaker 1 (01:40):
And then those years sort of coming into late teens,
early twenties.
You leave school, you discoverlife, the ups and downs you know
.
Give us a brief summary ofstuff that's in there.
Maybe some bigger lessons youlearned, good and bad.
Speaker 2 (01:56):
Probably the biggest lesson coming into early
adolescent years was becoming afather.
That was probably the biggestlessons that come through it and
how to be independent, movingout of mum and dad's doing your
own thing.
So realising that you have tostep up tenfold when kids come.
It's a bit of a shake up.
So I met my children's mother.
(02:16):
She was my hairdresser back inthe day and from there we spent
a number of years together andhad our two boys, which we're
very blessed to have now.
They're hairy and in highschool, so we're very fortunate
that we have good people in thisworld.
Big lessons in that because youhave to sort yourself out as a
person first to be able to be agood dad or parent in general,
(02:36):
practice what you preach, typeof thing.
And it's funny because you knowyou see, as they get older,
bits of yourself come outthrough them and that's where
you really understand the powerof having good parenting.
There were some big lessons Ihad in that part.
Big lessons as years went on andmy children got older around my
own identity.
What did that look and feellike?
Was I being true to myself?
And so there was a part in mylife where me and my kid's
(02:59):
mother separated.
No ill feelings, no ill,nothing in that space.
I decided to move out of town,out of bed as it, to try and
have a bit of a reset.
Who am I, where do I belong andwhat's going on?
And that was probably mybiggest next chapter of identity
for myself was as afair-skinned black fella.
(03:21):
What does that look like?
Where's my identity in that?
And then also moving out oftown where you know everyone and
everyone knows everything.
What does that look like?
Developing a new circle ofpeople in your life for that
safety net?
So yeah, went through a bit ofa rollercoaster in that space.
Speaker 1 (03:41):
Yeah, and that identity and being fair-skinned
as well, that's a tough one.
Yeah, well, that's a tough one.
Speaker 2 (03:47):
Yeah absolutely.
Speaker 1 (03:48):
That's a tough one.
I remember being young as welland people saying is that your
dad, he was white.
And then there's that identity,and then you're in
relationships, and then there'ssociety, and now you're working
in and with community.
How did you get started in that?
Speaker 2 (04:05):
My background was in Indigenous education, so I did
about 13 years in Indigenous,led across many different roles,
very blessed and privileged tohave been able to work with the
communities that I worked with.
I think for me I just needed abit of a break from being in the
public sector for the betterword and go back to the
not-for-profit sector.
(04:25):
What does that look and feellike now?
You know, before I went intoeducation I was working in
not-for-profit and it was one ofthe most rewarding jobs, and so
for me I just wanted that checkto go.
Hang on a second.
What fills my cup up?
Where are my passions lying?
Also, step out of the safetyspot of doing the same thing
every day.
And so they become anopportunity that come up um, and
(04:47):
I applied for in a nala um as aceo.
So there's an organizationthere that's been around for a
number of years now, um, calleda nala wongara, and that
organization really had similarvalues and morals to the
organization that helped raiseme being malajali housing.
Yeah and um, I applied for it.
Never in a million years wouldI have thought I would get it,
(05:08):
but then I got it.
So that was really powerfulthat moment and to be able to
see how I can roll outleadership, how can I bring the
best version of myself, but alsopeople, yeah, and that started
that chapter there.
So I was a part of bringing onanother community member from
Manala.
That's someone that's born andbred there and helped coach her
(05:29):
in different parts so she canlearn to take on the ropes.
My passion, within media purely,is a storytelling point, making
sure that our narrative isreally out there.
Quite often, you know, you turnon the TV or you put on the
radio and it's like do I hearmyself?
Um, do I see myself?
Is our humor out there?
Um, because quite often it'sthe same stories that you're
(05:51):
seeing and hearing unfortunately.
Speaker 1 (05:53):
Yeah, correct, and you mentioned story and
storytelling.
Was there anywhere before youstepped into that role where you
saw maybe we're writing,exploring with music or another
avenue of storytelling thatmaybe just got put somewhere
before it made its light again?
Speaker 2 (06:10):
Not necessarily.
I think what started methinking really well and truly
about storytelling was I starteddoing my Master's at uni and it
was a Master's of NarrativeTherapy and Community Work, and
narrative therapy is big onusing questioning to reauthor
your story and draw out yourstory to bring power to, and so
(06:32):
that, for myself, really shiftedmy thinking with how, you know,
media really can misconstruethings, yes, and really do we
have the right people asking theright questions?
So that was a powerful shiftfor me and I thought well, if I
can get into media, whether it'sthrough radio, whether it's
through TV, whatever it may be,how do we shift that and get the
(06:56):
right people asking the rightquestions, but also having a
humour on top of it, because itdoesn't have to be dark and deep
all the time.
Speaker 1 (07:03):
That's right.
I like the word reauthor thatyou said.
And this podcast is aboutempowering by telling our story,
our voice.
And yeah, you know I spoke withanother guest and we talked
about a lot of the shows, someof the commission, the films.
There's a lot of reliving oftrauma and you know that
(07:26):
intergenerational trauma hasbeen passed on through us,
compounded with society andsocial media.
You know you're involved with abit of a series as well, which
is fun and I love when blackcomedy first came out because it
was like what the fuck is thisPeople dancing, you know.
So tell us about your littleventure that people have
probably seen you on.
Speaker 2 (07:44):
Yeah.
So we were lucky enough to putin an application through
Endemol Shine, which is aproduction company out there,
and it was through a show thatwe'd never in a million years
would have thought we'd go on,and that's Gogglebox, and trying
to explain that to our oldpeople is a whole story in
itself.
So it's a show where you watchpeople watching people on TV.
That's Gogglebox, and trying toexplain that to our old people
(08:04):
is a whole story in itself.
You know, um, so it's a showwhere you watch people watching
people on TV.
Like it's a whole narrative initself.
Um, so we applied for the actualgig.
Um, because we thought there isno black follow representation
on that show.
Um, why, yeah?
And we think we're funny.
Yeah, um, so we thought we'refunny.
(08:25):
So we thought, well, give it acrack.
And so originally, me and mypartner, kevin, who's a walker,
walker, south Sea man, wethought let's put our
application in, give it a crack.
And so we did.
And we got through to the secondstages and they said to us well
, do you want to just have yous?
Do you want your kids, do youwant friends on there?
And gave us a few differentideas that we could come back to
(08:46):
them with in order to progressthrough.
And our kids at the time werejust starting to come into high
school and we thought, well, wedon't know what this is going to
be like for ourselves, comingon into the mainstream media
scene and we understand theviolence that can exist in
social media and everything elsein the world.
So we thought let's just do usfor the time being and protect
(09:10):
our kids as much as we can.
Yeah, yeah.
And we thought, well, bring ontwo good friends.
That was a whole conversationin itself.
We're like who can we run down?
Who can we have a good laughwith and not get offended?
Yeah, who can we trust All thattype of stuff?
And that's where two of ourgood friends, jared and Mia, we
put them in an application withus.
They're really deadly fellas.
(09:31):
Jared's like a clone of Kevinwith their sense of humour and
they cut each other with theirtongues.
So that's really cool.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
But yeah, we went through theaudition part and then what are
we now?
Five, six seasons into it.
So it seems like there's youknow you're aligning with, with
your purpose yeah, I think, look, my bigger mission and purpose
is to, a first and foremost,make sure that what I bring to
(09:54):
the table in community, um, inmy role paid or not, um, no
matter where I go that thosemorals and values that I carry
with myself is across everythingI do with integrity.
And that's something that Ifind constantly change as you
get older as well, because whenyou know better, you do better
type stuff, and I'm justconstantly learning, and so
(10:16):
things shift every now and thenabout what I now want to include
in my values or include in mymorals.
But, most importantly, makingsure I can see that filtered
down to my kids.
They're becoming adults.
Speaker 1 (10:30):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (10:31):
And you know you've got the small window, I think
with teenagers, where you've gotto get it right as best as you
can.
Speaker 1 (10:38):
If not, you've got to pick up the pieces.
I'm in that window too, yeah.
Speaker 2 (10:41):
Yeah, window too, yeah, yeah, um.
And I don't think we honestlytake the time sometimes to
reflect on how you know what wedo in our workplaces, what we do
in community and that how we'rereally installing that um with
our kids.
Speaker 1 (10:52):
You know um properly, yeah yeah, I find myself having
to just stop and go.
Okay, I'm focusing so much onthis creative work and output.
Okay, let's, let's check in,let's have some conversations.
Yeah, now you're creating a lotof content through, through
media, um, and the community.
Are there any pieces of contentthat you're watching any?
(11:16):
Any people you're listening to,whether it be podcast or
youtube, that are giving youvalue?
Feeding, feeding your soul,filling your cup, as you said?
Speaker 2 (11:25):
To see how mob are successfully navigating
so-called Australia, navigatingpolitical statements, political
realms, the discourses in media.
They're tools that you justcan't put a price on right when
you're listening to mob explainhow they navigate and work in
(11:47):
that space.
But also the sharing of bestpractices.
Yes, there's not one podcast,there's not one TV show or
anything that I'm hooked on to.
Yeah, but, like most of us, Ithink those round table
conversations or the lunchroomconversation or even just
listening know to radio, I thinkthere's so much power in just
(12:08):
those casual yards, like whatyou're doing here in this
podcast.
Yeah, you learn about people,you learn how they navigate a
path to get to where they are,um, and there's not a cookie
cutter approach.
That's right to success.
I didn't complete high schoolum dropped to halfway through
grade 10, 10.
So for me to be able to get towhere I am is a really good
example to show.
(12:28):
Well, I had to work with othermob and community to navigate
and build on those successes.
Speaker 1 (12:35):
Now let's just say we have some young mob out there,
or even early 20s.
Of course they're not quitesure what they want to do.
They feel they have a story ora purpose.
How would they get into mediaradio?
Just some steps for young mobout there, just kind of want to
step into their truth.
Speaker 2 (12:54):
I think one of the things that I go back to, what
started my journey in communitysector years ago before I went
into education was I had somereally good uncles that were in
community that offered me a shotto volunteer, and so I
volunteered in community in afew different spaces and that in
itself taught me the power ofnot everything comes with a
(13:17):
dollar and there's communityservice that you need to do and
so that there, because I wasn'tlocked into anything
employment-wise it gave me anopportunity to touch on a few
different platforms that Iwanted to experience or try, and
then from there I picked on theparts that I really liked and
honed in on.
So for people that are out there, these young fellows that are
(13:37):
out there wanting to get intostorytelling or getting a
message out there, I think thesame thing Touch on a few
different mediums and that's agood starting course, to be able
to touch on podcasting, touchon film, touch on socials, you
know, so you can go.
Where do I really fit in this?
I think sometimes people getcaught up on, but I want to be
(13:58):
on the camera, I want to be theone that's being watched.
Speaker 1 (14:01):
Yes.
Speaker 2 (14:02):
Sometimes we also need to think about who's behind
the scenes, because there'spower in production, yes,
there's power in editing, um,and that's sometimes where we
need to get into to be able toget the right story out, because
if there's one thing that wecan learn from a lot of media is
that, no matter how deadly thepeople are in front of the
camera, it's a production teamthat can often manipulate a
(14:25):
story.
Speaker 1 (14:25):
Right, agreed yeah, we talked about the edit, the
power of the edit the power ofthe edit.
Speaker 2 (14:30):
It's powerful, you know, and there's so much
violence that can happen as aresult of bad editing.
Speaker 1 (14:34):
Yeah, yeah, music choice, pacing, all of it shot
selection.
Yeah, I mean a lot of youngcreatives that, um, they're just
starting, but they want to getto your chapter 12 and they
haven't even opened the firstpage yet.
Yeah, they haven't made the 10hours of terrible content for
(14:56):
your youtube and your facebookand your attempted skits and
your little health vlogs.
They haven't put the work inthe content.
So I guess that can come aroundto something stopping them a
hurdle mental health youprobably witnessed a lot of this
and the impacts of mob and thethings that can hold us back.
(15:18):
Let's explore that.
Maybe some personal stuff thatyou're happy to share or what
you're noticing in the communitythat we can try and help.
Speaker 2 (15:25):
I think the biggest thing is making sure you have
that support network.
Um.
A lot of people go into doingmedia as a lone ranger, um, and
then we'll cop the hits yeah, um.
And if you don't have a goodsupport or circle around you,
those hits can be harder to dealwith, yeah, um.
(15:45):
So I think we underestimate thepower of media and the damage
it can have on people's social,emotional well-being.
But mental health, yeah, um.
And depending on what part ofmedia you're playing as well.
So I think you know the supportcircle around you is powerful,
um.
But then also the people thatyou're working with that space,
that you're working in the team,the production crew, all of
(16:06):
that they play a massive part inmaking sure that safety's there
and that your story's gettingput out properly too.
Again, this is about if you getto have a play with all the
different parts of a moving partof media, you get to appreciate
everyone's contributions andhow you can control the safety
realms within that.
Kevin will often say to me haveyou controlled the
(16:30):
controllables?
Like you know?
Yeah, and I think that'ssomething that we all can take a
bit of a pause and look intosometimes is if we don't want
something to happen in anegative light.
Have we controlled thecontrollables?
Speaker 1 (16:41):
yeah, I love that because you know, um, I've
stepped onto sets different sets, short films, student films,
bigger sets and not felt safe.
And I am a fully grown man andI can look after myself.
But if I don't feel safe, Ican't imagine what someone like
my daughter who you know, maybein a few years if she was a
(17:04):
16-year-old, stepping onto a setwhere she wasn't safe.
So I think having theconversations about if you don't
feel safe, reaching out, theygo well, who do I reach out to?
Because I'm not talking to mumand dad because they don't
understand me.
So maybe little things likereaching out to you, mob
inboxing people Are there peoplethat you feel young mob can
(17:25):
reach out to, even traineeshipthings like that but for someone
to talk to, yeah, I think wedon't really lean into our role
models enough, the people thathave been through the industry,
the hustle, starting fromearning nothing to earning the
(17:46):
bare minimum stool.
Speaker 2 (17:47):
There's this assumption out there that once
you get in the industry andyou're on TV or whatever, that
you've got all this money andthat you're doing really deadly
and you know.
Far from the truth for mostpeople, yeah, and so, I think,
for mob that are, you know,trying out this, whether it be
through podcasting or whetherthey're in production or
whatever, make sure you havepeople that you can bounce off
(18:09):
and yarn with and strategizewith.
Um, it can be a lonely worldout there, and so if you have
people that you can bounce off,that have hustled their way
through experience what youexperience, work with them to
share that best practice.
Um, work with them to get theirstrategies around.
How did you deal with yourmental health?
You, you know we don't knowwhat we don't know, yeah, and
(18:31):
it's hard to keep up with whatservices are out there, what you
can claim you know, all thattype of stuff.
So the first point I often sayis again, who's in that circle
around you as that safety net togo?
You've been through this.
How did you navigate it?
Or when you do get to thatboiling point, you know someone
(18:51):
that's been through it.
You can kind of have a yarn toand know they're going to give
you the best type of advice ormaybe suggestions on how to
navigate.
Speaker 1 (19:00):
Yeah, lean into your role models.
I like that, that part, anddon't be shamed to message them.
Speaker 2 (19:04):
No, that's the other part, like don't shame to
message them.
No, that's the other part.
Speaker 1 (19:07):
Don't be ashamed, reach out, yeah, I didn't want
to message.
Other people say to me I didn'twant to message you because I'm
like, why Don't put me on animaginary pedestal?
I'm a normal person and I toohave days where I need to lean
into some content and somepeople to just realign
Absolutely, humanize, exactly.
It's a shared struggle anddon't let social media fool you.
(19:29):
Sometimes it's nice to justturn your mobile data off Go for
a swim Absolutely.
Speaker 2 (19:34):
Go for a walk Absolutely.
We often do road trips, me andKev, to places where you get no
reception.
Speaker 1 (19:41):
Love it.
Speaker 2 (19:43):
Well, if we go on holidays overseas, we go to
places where you don't getreception Because you just want
to tap out and again just toexhale.
I don't think we often thinkabout outside of you know,
having those role models andpeople in your circle.
What are you doing just withyou, your self-care, and whether
that means tapping out anddoing a road trip with no phone
(20:04):
reception, whether it meansgetting a massage, whatever it
is is self-care stuff.
I don't think we prioritizethat enough.
Speaker 1 (20:11):
You basically already you sensed my next question.
I was going to say what doesbob do when he's not creating,
when he's not part of a tvseries, when he's not sharing
storytelling?
Yeah, bob like does bob do so.
Speaker 2 (20:27):
Bob, um can get people fatigue.
So because at work it'sconstant all the time, you got
people coming in and out all therest of it and you're a leader,
so you got to lead um.
Then when you got filming, youknow you're constantly on the
hustle there, and then whenyou're community, you're talking
to everyone.
So I get people for fatigue andso I quite often at night time
(20:47):
or on the weekends, just like tobe calm.
Yeah, um, and so often thatwould mean going down by the
water, um, with the kids andjust laying there all day.
Yeah, um, it could be getting amassage.
I store a lot of stress in mybody.
People underestimate how muchstress you can store in your
body.
Yeah, um, so like how peopledeal with stresses in other ways
(21:08):
and how to get it out of yoursystem sometimes unhealthy
habits, but for me I'm just likehave a massage, pump it out,
chiropractor yeah, all thosethings that self-care stuff.
You know, one of the mainthings that I do for filling my
cup up is making sure that I goat home to bed desert, whereert,
where I was raised just to bearound those who have helped
(21:30):
raise me friends, aunties,uncles because I don't have to
entertain anything.
We can sit in the backyard anddo what we've got to do or
whatever.
So that fills my cup up justwith simple times.
Not everything has to be upthere.
Speaker 1 (21:49):
Did you have to grow into that being aware to
self-love more?
Was that something that camenatural, or did you have to work
at that?
Speaker 2 (21:57):
Becoming more self-aware was through my
identity of exploring sexuality.
Where do I sit with that?
So, going through the divorcewith my wife ex-wife at the time
now.
So going through the divorcewith my wife ex-wife at the time
now and raising two kids waswhat's my identity.
(22:18):
And once I figured that partout, I was like, okay, this is
how I can take care of thisperson now, Because the person I
was is still there.
But now that I lean more into myidentity sexually, who I am as
a person in community, who I amas a father, a partner, that's
shifted.
How I do self-care now.
10 years ago, 15 years ago, Iwasn't getting massages and
chiropractor you know all thatstuff because I wasn't living in
(22:41):
the city.
I got to have that downtimeliving in Bedersville all the
time, you know.
So how I do self-care now looksvery different, you know.
So going through and exploringthose sexual identities, parts
of am I straight, am I bi, am Igay?
And then going through that umand now fully sitting in my full
self, um and give myselfpermission to be everything that
(23:05):
I am, there's power in thatSpirits align, beings align,
purposes align Absolutely.
Speaker 1 (23:12):
Now people out there struggling with that identity,
cultural identity, sexualidentity again feeling like
they're alone.
We've talked about some of theresources and leaning into your
role models, maybe just someself-care they can do at home to
help them guide through that,because that's a process that
takes time.
You can't rush that.
(23:32):
Let's give some advice to anymob out there that are
struggling.
They may not be young mob.
You know, any advice there?
Speaker 2 (23:42):
So one of the best things I ever did was make
friends with this one followerup here when I first moved to
Brisbane, by the name of Phil,and Phil is an openly gay man
and he really helped meestablish myself in the way of
the pathway I have defined toexplore my identity.
(24:04):
And so he was already connectedin the Brisbane queer community
and knew a lot of people andstuff, and so he was my first
the brisbane queer community andknew a lot of people and stuff,
and so he was my first, I guess, standing point as a new friend
in that circle.
I speak of um, which kind ofjust kept me in check and saying
it's okay to feel these things,um, and gave me some tips and
tricks.
So there was that part there,having that one go-to person,
(24:26):
couple go-to people that you cando some yarns with.
The other part was umjournaling.
I did a lot of journaling.
There's that storytelling,correct.
So if I could write a story tomyself, what would it say?
And so I was doing a lot ofthat at the time to process my
thoughts and then I'd go backand read it and see if things
have changed and then writeprogress notes, for the better
(24:48):
word.
So that was quite powerful inprocessing thoughts, because I
find when you write, especiallywith a pen or a pencil, it's
different.
Yes, you know, this is all thetime.
You know this is work and Ifind the older you get, the more
you use the computer andeverything, the messier you're
writing it.
I could be a doctor writingscripts, but I think that really
(25:12):
helped me process my thoughts.
If I was moving forward, if Iwas stuck and also being able to
, I would often go through andcircle keywords that I mentioned
in my journaling.
Speaker 1 (25:22):
There's a lot of self-awareness that you're
already sort of showing.
Speaker 2 (25:27):
Well, when you're alone in your thoughts, you have
no choice.
Yeah, you can either keepthinking in a depression state
and that can be really dangerousor if you don't feel like you
can talk to people about things,or you're scared to talk about
things to people.
Speaker 1 (25:44):
that journaling stuff is pretty cool and it's
rewarding to look back at itwhen you do get to that
comfortable spot and then somepeople can use substance, not
give themselves enough time tobe alone with their thoughts to
start the journey of healing.
Speaker 2 (26:04):
Use substance, yeah, look it's quite often the sad
story that you do see paintedout there when people go through
their journey of identity, ofwhether you're coming through
sexual identity or finding whoyour mob are.
Sometimes you don't know how toget in.
How do you get into finding youknow, moving forward into that
(26:26):
next chapter of identity?
How do you get into finding youknow, moving forward into that
next chapter of identity?
And I think one thing Iencourage mob, whether they're
exploring identity and sexual.
You know preferences oridentity, or whether it's
connecting with your mob if youdidn't grow up with mob.
I think it's important to dodouble listening and double
observation, rather than moretalking.
(26:48):
Quite often we talk too much,we can over talk things, um, and
so being able to listen to howmob have navigated you know,
finding who their mob are, orfinding out what's a safe way to
explore your sexual identity,you know all that stuff, I think
if we listen more and watchmore, yes, I think that can help
(27:09):
shift that part in I love thaton listening, that's something
I've had to learn to be betterat is listening and I think
that's just your 20s and thenevolution into 30s and
self-growth.
Speaker 1 (27:22):
Is there always been part of you that I touched on
this earlier, thisself-awareness part there?
If you go back to the first 10,15 years Bow Desert were you
aware of a lot of people I talkto?
They don't have this journaland then I can go back and then
(27:43):
I can circle things and beaccountable.
They don't have theaccountability.
That's what I'm trying to find.
Speaker 2 (27:48):
Yeah, I think I did to a small degree.
Living in a small town, youhave no choice.
You have to be accountable foryour actions a lot of the time
because everyone knowseverything.
So if you fuck something up,like you know, you've got to own
it, Otherwise you get draggedfor it.
So to a degree I had it.
Drag for it, so to a degree Ihad it.
(28:14):
I think as we get older, welearn more in that space around
accountability.
For myself, as I'veprofessionally hustled through
into leadership positions andwhatever accountability becomes
tenfold, You've got to betransparent, you've got to be
accountable.
And so I think, because I wascareer-driven as well, wanting
to do better no matter what jobI was in, how do I take the next
chapter to impact positivechange?
(28:38):
I had to do the inward stuffand have that personal
accountability, Because we canbe accountable in the community
and we can be accountableprofessionally and all the rest
of it if you're not accountableto yourself it's a big lesson
there.
Speaker 1 (28:52):
That's, that's hard.
Massive, massive.
What's that stuff?
Speaker 2 (28:55):
you know you've got to stop pointing fingers and
start pointing thumbs properproper, you know, and when you
ask yourself questions and youcan answer them um, that's,
that's power.
You, because that's growth.
Yeah, and I think we need toget to a point where you don't
have to know everything.
Quite often say to otherleaders out there is just
(29:18):
because you're the CEO or justbecause you're a manager doesn't
mean that your staff should beable to come to you and you have
all the answers.
My staff I quite often say tothem, like you, mob, are the
experts in what each of you do.
My job is to help lead andbring the best out of you.
Love it.
You know, I wouldn't have thefirst thing about how to do
(29:39):
another paddling for radio,would have the first idea about
how to do canva or any of thosethings.
Know, that's what the team arethere for.
Yeah, and I think with that Igot to that point of my approach
and leadership.
Because of that self-reflection, self-accountability, what can
I be accountable for?
I can't be accountable for youknow how to switch on something
(30:00):
on the panelling, yeah, but Ican be accountable for being a
good person, a good leader andand bringing those things out.
Speaker 1 (30:07):
Where's Bob in 10 years?
Oh God.
Speaker 2 (30:10):
Hopefully with a lot of them or something that would
be cool.
Look, 10 years, 10 years, justBob, just Bob.
Like, honestly, I wouldn't haveeven seen myself where I am now
as someone you know I quiteoften reflect on.
For someone that dropped out ofhigh school in a town with two
sets of traffic lights, doing anapprenticeship in cheffing, to
(30:32):
get to where I am is just likeyou know, and that's not a big
noting thing, that's just howyou know.
I think if I didn't have kids,things may look different, you
know, but when you have littlepeople in the world, it's kind
of like what's my role in thatspace?
(30:54):
I often reflect and go what ismy retirement job?
Am I happy with just having alittle coffee window somewhere
where all people care about is acup of coffee?
Or do I want to continue inthat hustling space?
And how do I impact change?
Because we're forever going toneed change, you know.
And one thing that I see outthere is that there's so many
(31:14):
opportunities.
We just got to jump on and flipon sometimes.
Where you know people aren'topening doors for us, how do we
kick them in?
And that's something that allpeople have been doing forever.
Otherwise we wouldn't havespaces like we do now.
That's right.
Speaker 1 (31:31):
Chefing didn't want to do that.
Who does the cooking at home?
Speaker 2 (31:37):
Me.
I know I didn't cook for yearsafter finishing my
apprenticeship and now, likeboth mine and Kevin's family
know me as doing the catering,kevin he stresses out in the
kitchen, so for me I'm just like, the more he stresses out in
the kitchen, the more I stressout, so it's just easier for me
(31:57):
to get it done.
Just get out of the kitchen.
You know he's good at what hedoes, um.
You know.
So for me I'm the cook, um.
But it's good to see that shiftin my older son now he loves
cooking, so he's in the kitchen,so I'm just like getting there
now we're breathing life andlessons and value into our kids.
Speaker 1 (32:15):
What lessons are they teaching you in 2025?
Speaker 2 (32:19):
Yeah, oh, there's so many lessons.
I think the number one lessonthey teach me every day is to
give love.
Just to pause and give love.
My kids will tell me 20 times aday Dad, you're all right, I
love you, and that's prettypowerful, and I don't think we
(32:42):
do that enough for our family.
Sometimes we get about doingour thing, we hustle, we go to
work, but it's pretty cool tosee how young fellas that are
normally doing what teenage boysdo share that love, that love
part.
So they teach me a lot in thatregard.
The other thing that they teachme is the forever changing
(33:03):
world that we live in, with, um,new things and new challenges
that young people are goingthrough.
Yeah, um, I think there's somuch power in having young
people at the table, so theyteach me to be accountable.
Speaker 1 (33:16):
In that space, every day I find you know my mom with
their phone.
Um, you gotta do this.
My 13 year old's doing that.
How do I do this?
She grabs the phone.
Speaker 2 (33:27):
She grabs the device every day, yeah, every day.
I I'm constantly learning abouttechnology.
It's changing, and it's funnybecause I sit down.
My god, I feel like my old mandoing this, like I never thought
I'd get here.
But here I am, you know, in my30s, and I'm doing that.
And it's funny because I sitthere and I'm like God, I feel
like my old man doing this.
Speaker 1 (33:39):
Like I never thought.
Speaker 2 (33:39):
I'd get here.
But here I am, you know, in my30s, and I'm doing that.
Wow, it's just constantlychanging, you know.
Speaker 1 (33:45):
I can see you as a natural host, a natural leader,
programming leadingdocumentaries.
Is that something?
I'm just throwing this outthere.
Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (34:00):
You can see for yourself.
Yeah, I'll be.
Look, I'm so open to newchallenges.
Um, I'm always open to learningsomething different and you
know, I've been able to provethat over the last, you know, 15
, 20 years and in everythingthat I've done, in going from
chefing to where I am now, andit's because I've forced myself
into those different chapters.
Do I see myself working more inmedia?
I would love to.
I think media is constantlychanging and if we want to
constantly shift narratives andwe want to challenge the
(34:22):
discourses in media, I think,yeah, I'd be definitely keen to
do that.
You know, I have a certainapproach to how I put things out
in the world, and so I thinkthere'd be power in bringing
that into it further.
So, yeah, my book is open.
Speaker 1 (34:35):
Now.
What scares you about thefuture?
Speaker 2 (34:38):
Oh God, what scares me about the future.
I wonder if we are investingenough time in our young people
to continue being good peopleout there and to be able to take
on the roles that we're all in,whether it be as leaders, all
(34:58):
in um, whether it be as leaders,ceos, whether it be on a board
um, whether it be doctors,nurses, whatever.
Are we investing some, you know, authentic, genuine time um to
getting our young people intothose spaces, so we don't sit in
these jobs forever, um, andthat we remain current with the
times?
You know, it scares me thatpart.
(35:20):
I think we do it well in someparts.
In some parts, we can do someworking.
We've got some amazing youngpeople out there and I just
think how do we get them, youngpeople, on a board?
How do we get them young peopleto think about how they can be
a leader, a CEO?
And leadership looks differentin many different ways.
(35:44):
You don't have to be a ceo or amanager to be a leader, um, but
how do we support them on thatjourney wholeheartedly, um,
because for me, it took a numberof people in different ways to
be able to get in my thinkingand my rhythm of how I do
leadership um, but I just wonderhow are we wholeheartedly doing
that?
Speaker 1 (36:00):
We talked about leadership, the natural talent
you have, the self-awarenessOutside of leadership.
Bob, just Bob.
What is Bob's greatest strength?
Speaker 2 (36:13):
I think being able to bring people together we quite
often will host family events oreven just getting mobbed
together to show love andappreciation we don't have to
have a reason or go and see ashow.
I think being able to havesomeone that can pull mob
together just show love, that'ssomething I think I'm good at,
(36:38):
good to know.
Yeah, I'm pretty cool with thatsociable person when I'm not,
you know, strained of all mypeople energy.
But yeah, I think I'm prettygood at doing that type of stuff
.
Um, and then also just being asupport person for people to
reach out and have a yarn, sopeople can sort of reach you
through your socials and stuffas well.
Speaker 1 (36:54):
and yeah, we'll chuck all that stuff.
Speaker 2 (36:56):
Yeah, yeah, absolutely.
Reach out.
I think there's something outthere.
We've got to start sharingresources.
Yes, we've got to start sharingsupport networks, best
practices, absolutely, sothere's power in reaching out on
socials, even if you don'tthink that person's going to
reply to you.
Speaker 1 (37:16):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (37:17):
If they want to, they will yeah and if they don't
reply, it just not.
Speaker 1 (37:20):
Might not be the right time or place for it, or
their loss or their loss ofphone right, or they're on a
holiday with no wi-fi receptionthat part, that part yeah, so if
I don't answer your messages.
Speaker 2 (37:31):
So yeah, absolutely.
I think we should be reachingout more, like I said earlier,
to these role models and staffand people that are working in
the spaces.
If you want to learn about howto get into certain spaces,
reach out to those people thatare in them.
Love it.
That's the only way you findout.
Speaker 1 (37:48):
Now we talked about strength.
Let's go the opposite way.
You sort of know the otherquestion, again, I talked about.
I wasn't always a greatlistener.
I'm still trying to listen, somaybe it doesn't have to be a
weakness.
I don't like that word weakness.
What's something that Bob canimprove or you're striving to?
Speaker 2 (38:11):
I think what I'm striving to improve as I get
older is to be more present.
Well, that's a big one.
Every day is a hustle, andwhether it's sitting at home
with my dad or going out to, youknow, see family, whether it's
just being at home with Kevwithout having the distractions
(38:34):
of TV and phones and computersand work, and just zoning in and
just being present, um, we'reso wrapped up in having to make
money and pay the bills and, youknow, got to pick kids up and
do this and this and this.
I think learning how to bepresent, um, and again, with
(38:54):
that double listening part, Ithink that's something I really
want to continue to improve onBecause, you know, while it
sounds so deadly having a CEOrole, and you know you're on TV
and you do this and this, it'sbusy, it's work.
You know it's work A lot of workand that being present part,
like even the other week we wentfor a cruise and just be able
(39:16):
to sit at the water and justclose your eyes and just be
present in sound.
It doesn't have to be withpeople, yeah, um, just being
present with sound or beingpresent on country and just
having that deep listening, youknow, I think that's something
that also helps with coping inthe world, I agree you know,
(39:38):
shoes off, absolutely grounding.
Speaker 1 (39:41):
Just that spirit just goes.
Speaker 2 (39:44):
Yeah, I'm home absolutely, you know, and in
this forever changing world thatwe live in, where a lot of us
um didn't grow up on country orwe don't live on country from
where we're from, you know,traditionally.
I think it's important to notethat you can do that anywhere.
Yeah, you know, your home iswhere you make it, um, and I
think, quite often whereverwe're living, in the city or by
(40:07):
the water or wherever just checkout, take your shoes off, close
your eyes and just listen love.
Love it.
So that's my number one goalthis year Be more present in
that.
And probably the other one isto do away with the people that
don't contribute positive thingsin your life.
(40:30):
Agreed, you get to this pointwhere you're just like, do you
deserve my time?
And really controlling whereyou put your energy and your
time too.
That's like the best feelingthat's a hand emoji, right now.
Oh, it's the best feeling tryingto go.
Actually, I don't need to havethis conversation with you.
I don't need to, um, do thatjob.
I can knock that back andthat's okay.
(40:53):
Um, because that's energy Idon't want to give you.
Speaker 1 (40:57):
I dig it, man.
I love that.
It's just amen straight to that.
Now I've sort of picked up somuch from you and these
questions are a bit you knowoutside of where I was going,
but this is a hard question toanswer because there's so many.
But I want to know two or threeof your favorite movies of all
(41:19):
time, and the reason I'm askingthis is because of all that
self-awareness that you couldpick up on in that early age and
things like that.
There's kind of iconic,memorable moments and films and
pieces of music that you arenostalgic about and that really
shapes who we are.
So I'm curious to know aboutthose films, just to help me
(41:40):
understand young Bob.
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (41:44):
So I guess they will play different things at
different parts of my life.
If I go back to one film as ayoung fella that really just
spoke to me in so many ways wasYongaboi.
And Yongaboi is a really solidfilm, in particular for young
(42:05):
men and really exploring how youcan have three young fellas
that grow up together and theycan all end up in very different
pathways.
But what is important is thatcircle, yes, to be able to check
you, you know, be able to holdyou accountable, to be able to
(42:26):
love you.
And I think too often in thisworld that we live in that
masculinity stuff kicks in.
It's dog shit, isn't it?
You know, and I've learnt thatas I've come into my sexuality,
as I've gotten older, and Inoticed it as a leader sitting
in a room full of males that arein leadership positions, a lot
of chest beating stuff.
(42:47):
So younger boy played a big partin my life and you can go
through men's business, live oncountry, have mental health
issues, whatever else may be outthere, but as long as you've
got that circle of friendsaround you that can love you and
be there, you'll be right.
They're grounding, yeah,grounding, yes.
(43:08):
Sad story within it with thestuff that takes place in that
movie.
But I think that story is onethat's too often taking place
out there and we don't drawenough light into it.
So I think they've done reallywell in that movie with painting
that.
Another one would be the ColourPurple.
A lot of reasons.
(43:30):
It's a deep one, yes, but mymother got me to watch that when
I was younger.
But my mother got me to watchthat when I was younger and just
to be able to see how thatpicture was painted Powerful,
very powerful and how she wasable to whoopee, reclaim her
(43:51):
story.
Speaker 1 (43:52):
Movies teach us a lot about life.
We don't know until we're older.
Speaker 2 (43:55):
There's power in it.
There's power in movies, powerin media, and this is why it's
important that we have blackproducers, black actors, black
screenwriters, because we've gotto start controlling that so
that we can kind of help shapeand guide people's lives and how
they can go into these chapters.
And that is possible.
Whether it's a factual movie ornot, it's neither here nor
there, that's right.
(44:16):
But if you can give hope maybeto people around how you can
navigate it, you're laughing.
Speaker 1 (44:22):
Brother, I want to thank you for giving up your
time on the beach, grounding,breathing, listening to music,
to be here with us.
Speaker 2 (44:32):
You're welcome.
Speaker 1 (44:33):
And let's keep yarning outside of this and look
forward to the future.
Absolutely, thank you.
Speaker 2 (44:39):
Thank you, brother.
Bob, welcome to the podcast, Thank you.
Speaker 2 (00:01):
Bala, I'm very happy to be here.
Thank you?
Speaker 1 (00:04):
No, you're welcome, and let's get started.
Let's name mob a little bitabout yourself and what you do.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
Totally Bob Smith.
So Camilla Roman, with Ties OutWest, raised in Mullinjali
country in Bow Desert, so usedto be a much smaller town than
what it is now.
But yeah, very grateful to beraised out there.
Speaker 1 (00:22):
Now let's talk about those first 10, 15 years
childhood growing up, formingidentity, culture.
Let's explore that.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
So we had a few different movements growing up.
So I'm one of four kids I'm thesecond oldest, pretty much the
one in the family that helpskeep everyone together and
bosses everyone around and doesall that stuff.
My mum and dad had met when mymum was 17, um, and so for us,
(00:52):
um, we moved around a fewdifferent places lived in
tasmania, lived in at roma atthat ways, um, and then also in
eagleby.
So I grew up in eaglebybythroughout my primary school
years and then, when I was goinginto grade seven, my parents
decided to buy a house out atChimboomba.
It was a point in my life whereI was like why are we moving out
(01:14):
into the bush?
I was very much against it as ayoung fellow but as years went
on, very blessed to be able tobe raised out there now that I
look back when I was in highschool.
Very blessed to be able to beraised out there now that I look
back, when I was in high schoolI wanted to be a chef, and now
things have completely gone awhole nother way.
So that was my first trait.
Apprenticeship.
Chefing Killed my passion alittle bit while I was in it,
(01:35):
but that was my first qual inthat little country town.
Speaker 1 (01:40):
And then those years sort of coming into late teens,
early twenties.
You leave school, you discoverlife, the ups and downs you know
.
Give us a brief summary ofstuff that's in there.
Maybe some bigger lessons youlearned, good and bad.
Speaker 2 (01:56):
Probably the biggest lesson coming into early
adolescent years was becoming afather.
That was probably the biggestlessons that come through it and
how to be independent, movingout of mum and dad's doing your
own thing.
So realising that you have tostep up tenfold when kids come.
It's a bit of a shake up.
So I met my children's mother.
(02:16):
She was my hairdresser back inthe day and from there we spent
a number of years together andhad our two boys, which we're
very blessed to have now.
They're hairy and in highschool, so we're very fortunate
that we have good people in thisworld.
Big lessons in that because youhave to sort yourself out as a
person first to be able to be agood dad or parent in general,
(02:36):
practice what you preach, typeof thing.
And it's funny because you knowyou see, as they get older,
bits of yourself come outthrough them and that's where
you really understand the powerof having good parenting.
There were some big lessons Ihad in that part.
Big lessons as years went on andmy children got older around my
own identity.
What did that look and feellike?
Was I being true to myself?
And so there was a part in mylife where me and my kid's
(02:59):
mother separated.
No ill feelings, no ill,nothing in that space.
I decided to move out of town,out of bed as it, to try and
have a bit of a reset.
Who am I, where do I belong andwhat's going on?
And that was probably mybiggest next chapter of identity
for myself was as afair-skinned black fella.
(03:21):
What does that look like?
Where's my identity in that?
And then also moving out oftown where you know everyone and
everyone knows everything.
What does that look like?
Developing a new circle ofpeople in your life for that
safety net?
So yeah, went through a bit ofa rollercoaster in that space.
Speaker 1 (03:41):
Yeah, and that identity and being fair-skinned
as well, that's a tough one.
Yeah, well, that's a tough one.
Speaker 2 (03:47):
Yeah absolutely.
Speaker 1 (03:48):
That's a tough one.
I remember being young as welland people saying is that your
dad, he was white.
And then there's that identity,and then you're in
relationships, and then there'ssociety, and now you're working
in and with community.
How did you get started in that?
Speaker 2 (04:05):
My background was in Indigenous education, so I did
about 13 years in Indigenous,led across many different roles,
very blessed and privileged tohave been able to work with the
communities that I worked with.
I think for me I just needed abit of a break from being in the
public sector for the betterword and go back to the
not-for-profit sector.
(04:25):
What does that look and feellike now?
You know, before I went intoeducation I was working in
not-for-profit and it was one ofthe most rewarding jobs, and so
for me I just wanted that checkto go.
Hang on a second.
What fills my cup up?
Where are my passions lying?
Also, step out of the safetyspot of doing the same thing
every day.
And so they become anopportunity that come up um, and
(04:47):
I applied for in a nala um as aceo.
So there's an organizationthere that's been around for a
number of years now, um, calleda nala wongara, and that
organization really had similarvalues and morals to the
organization that helped raiseme being malajali housing.
Yeah and um, I applied for it.
Never in a million years wouldI have thought I would get it,
(05:08):
but then I got it.
So that was really powerfulthat moment and to be able to
see how I can roll outleadership, how can I bring the
best version of myself, but alsopeople, yeah, and that started
that chapter there.
So I was a part of bringing onanother community member from
Manala.
That's someone that's born andbred there and helped coach her
(05:29):
in different parts so she canlearn to take on the ropes.
My passion, within media purely,is a storytelling point, making
sure that our narrative isreally out there.
Quite often, you know, you turnon the TV or you put on the
radio and it's like do I hearmyself?
Um, do I see myself?
Is our humor out there?
Um, because quite often it'sthe same stories that you're
(05:51):
seeing and hearing unfortunately.
Speaker 1 (05:53):
Yeah, correct, and you mentioned story and
storytelling.
Was there anywhere before youstepped into that role where you
saw maybe we're writing,exploring with music or another
avenue of storytelling thatmaybe just got put somewhere
before it made its light again?
Speaker 2 (06:10):
Not necessarily.
I think what started methinking really well and truly
about storytelling was I starteddoing my Master's at uni and it
was a Master's of NarrativeTherapy and Community Work, and
narrative therapy is big onusing questioning to reauthor
your story and draw out yourstory to bring power to, and so
(06:32):
that, for myself, really shiftedmy thinking with how, you know,
media really can misconstruethings, yes, and really do we
have the right people asking theright questions?
So that was a powerful shiftfor me and I thought well, if I
can get into media, whether it'sthrough radio, whether it's
through TV, whatever it may be,how do we shift that and get the
(06:56):
right people asking the rightquestions, but also having a
humour on top of it, because itdoesn't have to be dark and deep
all the time.
Speaker 1 (07:03):
That's right.
I like the word reauthor thatyou said.
And this podcast is aboutempowering by telling our story,
our voice.
And yeah, you know I spoke withanother guest and we talked
about a lot of the shows, someof the commission, the films.
There's a lot of reliving oftrauma and you know that
(07:26):
intergenerational trauma hasbeen passed on through us,
compounded with society andsocial media.
You know you're involved with abit of a series as well, which
is fun and I love when blackcomedy first came out because it
was like what the fuck is thisPeople dancing, you know.
So tell us about your littleventure that people have
probably seen you on.
Speaker 2 (07:44):
Yeah.
So we were lucky enough to putin an application through
Endemol Shine, which is aproduction company out there,
and it was through a show thatwe'd never in a million years
would have thought we'd go on,and that's Gogglebox, and trying
to explain that to our oldpeople is a whole story in
itself.
So it's a show where you watchpeople watching people on TV.
That's Gogglebox, and trying toexplain that to our old people
(08:04):
is a whole story in itself.
You know, um, so it's a showwhere you watch people watching
people on TV.
Like it's a whole narrative initself.
Um, so we applied for the actualgig.
Um, because we thought there isno black follow representation
on that show.
Um, why, yeah?
And we think we're funny.
Yeah, um, so we thought we'refunny.
(08:25):
So we thought, well, give it acrack.
And so originally, me and mypartner, kevin, who's a walker,
walker, south Sea man, wethought let's put our
application in, give it a crack.
And so we did.
And we got through to the secondstages and they said to us well
, do you want to just have yous?
Do you want your kids, do youwant friends on there?
And gave us a few differentideas that we could come back to
(08:46):
them with in order to progressthrough.
And our kids at the time werejust starting to come into high
school and we thought, well, wedon't know what this is going to
be like for ourselves, comingon into the mainstream media
scene and we understand theviolence that can exist in
social media and everything elsein the world.
So we thought let's just do usfor the time being and protect
(09:10):
our kids as much as we can.
Yeah, yeah.
And we thought, well, bring ontwo good friends.
That was a whole conversationin itself.
We're like who can we run down?
Who can we have a good laughwith and not get offended?
Yeah, who can we trust All thattype of stuff?
And that's where two of ourgood friends, jared and Mia, we
put them in an application withus.
They're really deadly fellas.
(09:31):
Jared's like a clone of Kevinwith their sense of humour and
they cut each other with theirtongues.
So that's really cool.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
But yeah, we went through theaudition part and then what are
we now?
Five, six seasons into it.
So it seems like there's youknow you're aligning with, with
your purpose yeah, I think, look, my bigger mission and purpose
is to, a first and foremost,make sure that what I bring to
(09:54):
the table in community, um, inmy role paid or not, um, no
matter where I go that thosemorals and values that I carry
with myself is across everythingI do with integrity.
And that's something that Ifind constantly change as you
get older as well, because whenyou know better, you do better
type stuff, and I'm justconstantly learning, and so
(10:16):
things shift every now and thenabout what I now want to include
in my values or include in mymorals.
But, most importantly, makingsure I can see that filtered
down to my kids.
They're becoming adults.
Speaker 1 (10:30):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (10:31):
And you know you've got the small window, I think
with teenagers, where you've gotto get it right as best as you
can.
Speaker 1 (10:38):
If not, you've got to pick up the pieces.
I'm in that window too, yeah.
Speaker 2 (10:41):
Yeah, window too, yeah, yeah, um.
And I don't think we honestlytake the time sometimes to
reflect on how you know what wedo in our workplaces, what we do
in community and that how we'rereally installing that um with
our kids.
Speaker 1 (10:52):
You know um properly, yeah yeah, I find myself having
to just stop and go.
Okay, I'm focusing so much onthis creative work and output.
Okay, let's, let's check in,let's have some conversations.
Yeah, now you're creating a lotof content through, through
media, um, and the community.
Are there any pieces of contentthat you're watching any?
(11:16):
Any people you're listening to,whether it be podcast or
youtube, that are giving youvalue?
Feeding, feeding your soul,filling your cup, as you said?
Speaker 2 (11:25):
To see how mob are successfully navigating
so-called Australia, navigatingpolitical statements, political
realms, the discourses in media.
They're tools that you justcan't put a price on right when
you're listening to mob explainhow they navigate and work in
(11:47):
that space.
But also the sharing of bestpractices.
Yes, there's not one podcast,there's not one TV show or
anything that I'm hooked on to.
Yeah, but, like most of us, Ithink those round table
conversations or the lunchroomconversation or even just
listening know to radio, I thinkthere's so much power in just
(12:08):
those casual yards, like whatyou're doing here in this
podcast.
Yeah, you learn about people,you learn how they navigate a
path to get to where they are,um, and there's not a cookie
cutter approach.
That's right to success.
I didn't complete high schoolum dropped to halfway through
grade 10, 10.
So for me to be able to get towhere I am is a really good
example to show.
(12:28):
Well, I had to work with othermob and community to navigate
and build on those successes.
Speaker 1 (12:35):
Now let's just say we have some young mob out there,
or even early 20s.
Of course they're not quitesure what they want to do.
They feel they have a story ora purpose.
How would they get into mediaradio?
Just some steps for young mobout there, just kind of want to
step into their truth.
Speaker 2 (12:54):
I think one of the things that I go back to, what
started my journey in communitysector years ago before I went
into education was I had somereally good uncles that were in
community that offered me a shotto volunteer, and so I
volunteered in community in afew different spaces and that in
itself taught me the power ofnot everything comes with a
(13:17):
dollar and there's communityservice that you need to do and
so that there, because I wasn'tlocked into anything
employment-wise it gave me anopportunity to touch on a few
different platforms that Iwanted to experience or try, and
then from there I picked on theparts that I really liked and
honed in on.
So for people that are out there, these young fellows that are
(13:37):
out there wanting to get intostorytelling or getting a
message out there, I think thesame thing Touch on a few
different mediums and that's agood starting course, to be able
to touch on podcasting, touchon film, touch on socials, you
know, so you can go.
Where do I really fit in this?
I think sometimes people getcaught up on, but I want to be
(13:58):
on the camera, I want to be theone that's being watched.
Speaker 1 (14:01):
Yes.
Speaker 2 (14:02):
Sometimes we also need to think about who's behind
the scenes, because there'spower in production, yes,
there's power in editing, um,and that's sometimes where we
need to get into to be able toget the right story out, because
if there's one thing that wecan learn from a lot of media is
that, no matter how deadly thepeople are in front of the
camera, it's a production teamthat can often manipulate a
(14:25):
story.
Speaker 1 (14:25):
Right, agreed yeah, we talked about the edit, the
power of the edit the power ofthe edit.
Speaker 2 (14:30):
It's powerful, you know, and there's so much
violence that can happen as aresult of bad editing.
Speaker 1 (14:34):
Yeah, yeah, music choice, pacing, all of it shot
selection.
Yeah, I mean a lot of youngcreatives that, um, they're just
starting, but they want to getto your chapter 12 and they
haven't even opened the firstpage yet.
Yeah, they haven't made the 10hours of terrible content for
(14:56):
your youtube and your facebookand your attempted skits and
your little health vlogs.
They haven't put the work inthe content.
So I guess that can come aroundto something stopping them a
hurdle mental health youprobably witnessed a lot of this
and the impacts of mob and thethings that can hold us back.
(15:18):
Let's explore that.
Maybe some personal stuff thatyou're happy to share or what
you're noticing in the communitythat we can try and help.
Speaker 2 (15:25):
I think the biggest thing is making sure you have
that support network.
Um.
A lot of people go into doingmedia as a lone ranger, um, and
then we'll cop the hits yeah, um.
And if you don't have a goodsupport or circle around you,
those hits can be harder to dealwith, yeah, um.
(15:45):
So I think we underestimate thepower of media and the damage
it can have on people's social,emotional well-being.
But mental health, yeah, um.
And depending on what part ofmedia you're playing as well.
So I think you know the supportcircle around you is powerful,
um.
But then also the people thatyou're working with that space,
that you're working in the team,the production crew, all of
(16:06):
that they play a massive part inmaking sure that safety's there
and that your story's gettingput out properly too.
Again, this is about if you getto have a play with all the
different parts of a moving partof media, you get to appreciate
everyone's contributions andhow you can control the safety
realms within that.
Kevin will often say to me haveyou controlled the
(16:30):
controllables?
Like you know?
Yeah, and I think that'ssomething that we all can take a
bit of a pause and look intosometimes is if we don't want
something to happen in anegative light.
Have we controlled thecontrollables?
Speaker 1 (16:41):
yeah, I love that because you know, um, I've
stepped onto sets different sets, short films, student films,
bigger sets and not felt safe.
And I am a fully grown man andI can look after myself.
But if I don't feel safe, Ican't imagine what someone like
my daughter who you know, maybein a few years if she was a
(17:04):
16-year-old, stepping onto a setwhere she wasn't safe.
So I think having theconversations about if you don't
feel safe, reaching out, theygo well, who do I reach out to?
Because I'm not talking to mumand dad because they don't
understand me.
So maybe little things likereaching out to you, mob
inboxing people Are there peoplethat you feel young mob can
(17:25):
reach out to, even traineeshipthings like that but for someone
to talk to, yeah, I think wedon't really lean into our role
models enough, the people thathave been through the industry,
the hustle, starting fromearning nothing to earning the
(17:46):
bare minimum stool.
Speaker 2 (17:47):
There's this assumption out there that once
you get in the industry andyou're on TV or whatever, that
you've got all this money andthat you're doing really deadly
and you know.
Far from the truth for mostpeople, yeah, and so, I think,
for mob that are, you know,trying out this, whether it be
through podcasting or whetherthey're in production or
whatever, make sure you havepeople that you can bounce off
(18:09):
and yarn with and strategizewith.
Um, it can be a lonely worldout there, and so if you have
people that you can bounce off,that have hustled their way
through experience what youexperience, work with them to
share that best practice.
Um, work with them to get theirstrategies around.
How did you deal with yourmental health?
You, you know we don't knowwhat we don't know, yeah, and
(18:31):
it's hard to keep up with whatservices are out there, what you
can claim you know, all thattype of stuff.
So the first point I often sayis again, who's in that circle
around you as that safety net togo?
You've been through this.
How did you navigate it?
Or when you do get to thatboiling point, you know someone
(18:51):
that's been through it.
You can kind of have a yarn toand know they're going to give
you the best type of advice ormaybe suggestions on how to
navigate.
Speaker 1 (19:00):
Yeah, lean into your role models.
I like that, that part, anddon't be shamed to message them.
Speaker 2 (19:04):
No, that's the other part, like don't shame to
message them.
No, that's the other part.
Speaker 1 (19:07):
Don't be ashamed, reach out, yeah, I didn't want
to message.
Other people say to me I didn'twant to message you because I'm
like, why Don't put me on animaginary pedestal?
I'm a normal person and I toohave days where I need to lean
into some content and somepeople to just realign
Absolutely, humanize, exactly.
It's a shared struggle anddon't let social media fool you.
(19:29):
Sometimes it's nice to justturn your mobile data off Go for
a swim Absolutely.
Speaker 2 (19:34):
Go for a walk Absolutely.
We often do road trips, me andKev, to places where you get no
reception.
Speaker 1 (19:41):
Love it.
Speaker 2 (19:43):
Well, if we go on holidays overseas, we go to
places where you don't getreception Because you just want
to tap out and again just toexhale.
I don't think we often thinkabout outside of you know,
having those role models andpeople in your circle.
What are you doing just withyou, your self-care, and whether
that means tapping out anddoing a road trip with no phone
(20:04):
reception, whether it meansgetting a massage, whatever it
is is self-care stuff.
I don't think we prioritizethat enough.
Speaker 1 (20:11):
You basically already you sensed my next question.
I was going to say what doesbob do when he's not creating,
when he's not part of a tvseries, when he's not sharing
storytelling?
Yeah, bob like does bob do so.
Speaker 2 (20:27):
Bob, um can get people fatigue.
So because at work it'sconstant all the time, you got
people coming in and out all therest of it and you're a leader,
so you got to lead um.
Then when you got filming, youknow you're constantly on the
hustle there, and then whenyou're community, you're talking
to everyone.
So I get people for fatigue andso I quite often at night time
(20:47):
or on the weekends, just like tobe calm.
Yeah, um, and so often thatwould mean going down by the
water, um, with the kids andjust laying there all day.
Yeah, um, it could be getting amassage.
I store a lot of stress in mybody.
People underestimate how muchstress you can store in your
body.
Yeah, um, so like how peopledeal with stresses in other ways
(21:08):
and how to get it out of yoursystem sometimes unhealthy
habits, but for me I'm just likehave a massage, pump it out,
chiropractor yeah, all thosethings that self-care stuff.
You know, one of the mainthings that I do for filling my
cup up is making sure that I goat home to bed desert, whereert,
where I was raised just to bearound those who have helped
(21:30):
raise me friends, aunties,uncles because I don't have to
entertain anything.
We can sit in the backyard anddo what we've got to do or
whatever.
So that fills my cup up justwith simple times.
Not everything has to be upthere.
Speaker 1 (21:49):
Did you have to grow into that being aware to
self-love more?
Was that something that camenatural, or did you have to work
at that?
Speaker 2 (21:57):
Becoming more self-aware was through my
identity of exploring sexuality.
Where do I sit with that?
So, going through the divorcewith my wife ex-wife at the time
now.
So going through the divorcewith my wife ex-wife at the time
now and raising two kids waswhat's my identity.
(22:18):
And once I figured that partout, I was like, okay, this is
how I can take care of thisperson now, Because the person I
was is still there.
But now that I lean more into myidentity sexually, who I am as
a person in community, who I amas a father, a partner, that's
shifted.
How I do self-care now.
10 years ago, 15 years ago, Iwasn't getting massages and
chiropractor you know all thatstuff because I wasn't living in
(22:41):
the city.
I got to have that downtimeliving in Bedersville all the
time, you know.
So how I do self-care now looksvery different, you know.
So going through and exploringthose sexual identities, parts
of am I straight, am I bi, am Igay?
And then going through that umand now fully sitting in my full
self, um and give myselfpermission to be everything that
(23:05):
I am, there's power in thatSpirits align, beings align,
purposes align Absolutely.
Speaker 1 (23:12):
Now people out there struggling with that identity,
cultural identity, sexualidentity again feeling like
they're alone.
We've talked about some of theresources and leaning into your
role models, maybe just someself-care they can do at home to
help them guide through that,because that's a process that
takes time.
You can't rush that.
(23:32):
Let's give some advice to anymob out there that are
struggling.
They may not be young mob.
You know, any advice there?
Speaker 2 (23:42):
So one of the best things I ever did was make
friends with this one followerup here when I first moved to
Brisbane, by the name of Phil,and Phil is an openly gay man
and he really helped meestablish myself in the way of
the pathway I have defined toexplore my identity.
(24:04):
And so he was already connectedin the Brisbane queer community
and knew a lot of people andstuff, and so he was my first
the brisbane queer community andknew a lot of people and stuff,
and so he was my first, I guess, standing point as a new friend
in that circle.
I speak of um, which kind ofjust kept me in check and saying
it's okay to feel these things,um, and gave me some tips and
tricks.
So there was that part there,having that one go-to person,
(24:26):
couple go-to people that you cando some yarns with.
The other part was umjournaling.
I did a lot of journaling.
There's that storytelling,correct.
So if I could write a story tomyself, what would it say?
And so I was doing a lot ofthat at the time to process my
thoughts and then I'd go backand read it and see if things
have changed and then writeprogress notes, for the better
(24:48):
word.
So that was quite powerful inprocessing thoughts, because I
find when you write, especiallywith a pen or a pencil, it's
different.
Yes, you know, this is all thetime.
You know this is work and Ifind the older you get, the more
you use the computer andeverything, the messier you're
writing it.
I could be a doctor writingscripts, but I think that really
(25:12):
helped me process my thoughts.
If I was moving forward, if Iwas stuck and also being able to
, I would often go through andcircle keywords that I mentioned
in my journaling.
Speaker 1 (25:22):
There's a lot of self-awareness that you're
already sort of showing.
Speaker 2 (25:27):
Well, when you're alone in your thoughts, you have
no choice.
Yeah, you can either keepthinking in a depression state
and that can be really dangerousor if you don't feel like you
can talk to people about things,or you're scared to talk about
things to people.
Speaker 1 (25:44):
that journaling stuff is pretty cool and it's
rewarding to look back at itwhen you do get to that
comfortable spot and then somepeople can use substance, not
give themselves enough time tobe alone with their thoughts to
start the journey of healing.
Speaker 2 (26:04):
Use substance, yeah, look it's quite often the sad
story that you do see paintedout there when people go through
their journey of identity, ofwhether you're coming through
sexual identity or finding whoyour mob are.
Sometimes you don't know how toget in.
How do you get into finding youknow, moving forward into that
(26:26):
next chapter of identity?
How do you get into finding youknow, moving forward into that
next chapter of identity?
And I think one thing Iencourage mob, whether they're
exploring identity and sexual.
You know preferences oridentity, or whether it's
connecting with your mob if youdidn't grow up with mob.
I think it's important to dodouble listening and double
observation, rather than moretalking.
(26:48):
Quite often we talk too much,we can over talk things, um, and
so being able to listen to howmob have navigated you know,
finding who their mob are, orfinding out what's a safe way to
explore your sexual identity,you know all that stuff, I think
if we listen more and watchmore, yes, I think that can help
(27:09):
shift that part in I love thaton listening, that's something
I've had to learn to be betterat is listening and I think
that's just your 20s and thenevolution into 30s and
self-growth.
Speaker 1 (27:22):
Is there always been part of you that I touched on
this earlier, thisself-awareness part there?
If you go back to the first 10,15 years Bow Desert were you
aware of a lot of people I talkto?
They don't have this journaland then I can go back and then
(27:43):
I can circle things and beaccountable.
They don't have theaccountability.
That's what I'm trying to find.
Speaker 2 (27:48):
Yeah, I think I did to a small degree.
Living in a small town, youhave no choice.
You have to be accountable foryour actions a lot of the time
because everyone knowseverything.
So if you fuck something up,like you know, you've got to own
it, Otherwise you get draggedfor it.
So to a degree I had it.
Drag for it, so to a degree Ihad it.
(28:14):
I think as we get older, welearn more in that space around
accountability.
For myself, as I'veprofessionally hustled through
into leadership positions andwhatever accountability becomes
tenfold, You've got to betransparent, you've got to be
accountable.
And so I think, because I wascareer-driven as well, wanting
to do better no matter what jobI was in, how do I take the next
chapter to impact positivechange?
(28:38):
I had to do the inward stuffand have that personal
accountability, Because we canbe accountable in the community
and we can be accountableprofessionally and all the rest
of it if you're not accountableto yourself it's a big lesson
there.
Speaker 1 (28:52):
That's, that's hard.
Massive, massive.
What's that stuff?
Speaker 2 (28:55):
you know you've got to stop pointing fingers and
start pointing thumbs properproper, you know, and when you
ask yourself questions and youcan answer them um, that's,
that's power.
You, because that's growth.
Yeah, and I think we need toget to a point where you don't
have to know everything.
Quite often say to otherleaders out there is just
(29:18):
because you're the CEO or justbecause you're a manager doesn't
mean that your staff should beable to come to you and you have
all the answers.
My staff I quite often say tothem, like you, mob, are the
experts in what each of you do.
My job is to help lead andbring the best out of you.
Love it.
You know, I wouldn't have thefirst thing about how to do
(29:39):
another paddling for radio,would have the first idea about
how to do canva or any of thosethings.
Know, that's what the team arethere for.
Yeah, and I think with that Igot to that point of my approach
and leadership.
Because of that self-reflection, self-accountability, what can
I be accountable for?
I can't be accountable for youknow how to switch on something
(30:00):
on the panelling, yeah, but Ican be accountable for being a
good person, a good leader andand bringing those things out.
Speaker 1 (30:07):
Where's Bob in 10 years?
Oh God.
Speaker 2 (30:10):
Hopefully with a lot of them or something that would
be cool.
Look, 10 years, 10 years, justBob, just Bob.
Like, honestly, I wouldn't haveeven seen myself where I am now
as someone you know I quiteoften reflect on.
For someone that dropped out ofhigh school in a town with two
sets of traffic lights, doing anapprenticeship in cheffing, to
(30:32):
get to where I am is just likeyou know, and that's not a big
noting thing, that's just howyou know.
I think if I didn't have kids,things may look different, you
know, but when you have littlepeople in the world, it's kind
of like what's my role in thatspace?
(30:54):
I often reflect and go what ismy retirement job?
Am I happy with just having alittle coffee window somewhere
where all people care about is acup of coffee?
Or do I want to continue inthat hustling space?
And how do I impact change?
Because we're forever going toneed change, you know.
And one thing that I see outthere is that there's so many
(31:14):
opportunities.
We just got to jump on and flipon sometimes.
Where you know people aren'topening doors for us, how do we
kick them in?
And that's something that allpeople have been doing forever.
Otherwise we wouldn't havespaces like we do now.
That's right.
Speaker 1 (31:31):
Chefing didn't want to do that.
Who does the cooking at home?
Speaker 2 (31:37):
Me.
I know I didn't cook for yearsafter finishing my
apprenticeship and now, likeboth mine and Kevin's family
know me as doing the catering,kevin he stresses out in the
kitchen, so for me I'm just like, the more he stresses out in
the kitchen, the more I stressout, so it's just easier for me
(31:57):
to get it done.
Just get out of the kitchen.
You know he's good at what hedoes, um.
You know.
So for me I'm the cook, um.
But it's good to see that shiftin my older son now he loves
cooking, so he's in the kitchen,so I'm just like getting there
now we're breathing life andlessons and value into our kids.
Speaker 1 (32:15):
What lessons are they teaching you in 2025?
Speaker 2 (32:19):
Yeah, oh, there's so many lessons.
I think the number one lessonthey teach me every day is to
give love.
Just to pause and give love.
My kids will tell me 20 times aday Dad, you're all right, I
love you, and that's prettypowerful, and I don't think we
(32:42):
do that enough for our family.
Sometimes we get about doingour thing, we hustle, we go to
work, but it's pretty cool tosee how young fellas that are
normally doing what teenage boysdo share that love, that love
part.
So they teach me a lot in thatregard.
The other thing that they teachme is the forever changing
(33:03):
world that we live in, with, um,new things and new challenges
that young people are goingthrough.
Yeah, um, I think there's somuch power in having young
people at the table, so theyteach me to be accountable.
Speaker 1 (33:16):
In that space, every day I find you know my mom with
their phone.
Um, you gotta do this.
My 13 year old's doing that.
How do I do this?
She grabs the phone.
Speaker 2 (33:27):
She grabs the device every day, yeah, every day.
I I'm constantly learning abouttechnology.
It's changing, and it's funnybecause I sit down.
My god, I feel like my old mandoing this, like I never thought
I'd get here.
But here I am, you know, in my30s, and I'm doing that.
And it's funny because I sitthere and I'm like God, I feel
like my old man doing this.
Speaker 1 (33:39):
Like I never thought.
Speaker 2 (33:39):
I'd get here.
But here I am, you know, in my30s, and I'm doing that.
Wow, it's just constantlychanging, you know.
Speaker 1 (33:45):
I can see you as a natural host, a natural leader,
programming leadingdocumentaries.
Is that something?
I'm just throwing this outthere.
Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (34:00):
You can see for yourself.
Yeah, I'll be.
Look, I'm so open to newchallenges.
Um, I'm always open to learningsomething different and you
know, I've been able to provethat over the last, you know, 15
, 20 years and in everythingthat I've done, in going from
chefing to where I am now, andit's because I've forced myself
into those different chapters.
Do I see myself working more inmedia?
I would love to.
I think media is constantlychanging and if we want to
constantly shift narratives andwe want to challenge the
(34:22):
discourses in media, I think,yeah, I'd be definitely keen to
do that.
You know, I have a certainapproach to how I put things out
in the world, and so I thinkthere'd be power in bringing
that into it further.
So, yeah, my book is open.
Speaker 1 (34:35):
Now.
What scares you about thefuture?
Speaker 2 (34:38):
Oh God, what scares me about the future.
I wonder if we are investingenough time in our young people
to continue being good peopleout there and to be able to take
on the roles that we're all in,whether it be as leaders, all
(34:58):
in um, whether it be as leaders,ceos, whether it be on a board
um, whether it be doctors,nurses, whatever.
Are we investing some, you know, authentic, genuine time um to
getting our young people intothose spaces, so we don't sit in
these jobs forever, um, andthat we remain current with the
times?
You know, it scares me thatpart.
(35:20):
I think we do it well in someparts.
In some parts, we can do someworking.
We've got some amazing youngpeople out there and I just
think how do we get them, youngpeople, on a board?
How do we get them young peopleto think about how they can be
a leader, a CEO?
And leadership looks differentin many different ways.
(35:44):
You don't have to be a ceo or amanager to be a leader, um, but
how do we support them on thatjourney wholeheartedly, um,
because for me, it took a numberof people in different ways to
be able to get in my thinkingand my rhythm of how I do
leadership um, but I just wonderhow are we wholeheartedly doing
that?
Speaker 1 (36:00):
We talked about leadership, the natural talent
you have, the self-awarenessOutside of leadership.
Bob, just Bob.
What is Bob's greatest strength?
Speaker 2 (36:13):
I think being able to bring people together we quite
often will host family events oreven just getting mobbed
together to show love andappreciation we don't have to
have a reason or go and see ashow.
I think being able to havesomeone that can pull mob
together just show love, that'ssomething I think I'm good at,
(36:38):
good to know.
Yeah, I'm pretty cool with thatsociable person when I'm not,
you know, strained of all mypeople energy.
But yeah, I think I'm prettygood at doing that type of stuff
.
Um, and then also just being asupport person for people to
reach out and have a yarn, sopeople can sort of reach you
through your socials and stuffas well.
Speaker 1 (36:54):
and yeah, we'll chuck all that stuff.
Speaker 2 (36:56):
Yeah, yeah, absolutely.
Reach out.
I think there's something outthere.
We've got to start sharingresources.
Yes, we've got to start sharingsupport networks, best
practices, absolutely, sothere's power in reaching out on
socials, even if you don'tthink that person's going to
reply to you.
Speaker 1 (37:16):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (37:17):
If they want to, they will yeah and if they don't
reply, it just not.
Speaker 1 (37:20):
Might not be the right time or place for it, or
their loss or their loss ofphone right, or they're on a
holiday with no wi-fi receptionthat part, that part yeah, so if
I don't answer your messages.
Speaker 2 (37:31):
So yeah, absolutely.
I think we should be reachingout more, like I said earlier,
to these role models and staffand people that are working in
the spaces.
If you want to learn about howto get into certain spaces,
reach out to those people thatare in them.
Love it.
That's the only way you findout.
Speaker 1 (37:48):
Now we talked about strength.
Let's go the opposite way.
You sort of know the otherquestion, again, I talked about.
I wasn't always a greatlistener.
I'm still trying to listen, somaybe it doesn't have to be a
weakness.
I don't like that word weakness.
What's something that Bob canimprove or you're striving to?
Speaker 2 (38:11):
I think what I'm striving to improve as I get
older is to be more present.
Well, that's a big one.
Every day is a hustle, andwhether it's sitting at home
with my dad or going out to, youknow, see family, whether it's
just being at home with Kevwithout having the distractions
(38:34):
of TV and phones and computersand work, and just zoning in and
just being present, um, we'reso wrapped up in having to make
money and pay the bills and, youknow, got to pick kids up and
do this and this and this.
I think learning how to bepresent, um, and again, with
(38:54):
that double listening part, Ithink that's something I really
want to continue to improve onBecause, you know, while it
sounds so deadly having a CEOrole, and you know you're on TV
and you do this and this, it'sbusy, it's work.
You know it's work A lot of workand that being present part,
like even the other week we wentfor a cruise and just be able
(39:16):
to sit at the water and justclose your eyes and just be
present in sound.
It doesn't have to be withpeople, yeah, um, just being
present with sound or beingpresent on country and just
having that deep listening, youknow, I think that's something
that also helps with coping inthe world, I agree you know,
(39:38):
shoes off, absolutely grounding.
Speaker 1 (39:41):
Just that spirit just goes.
Speaker 2 (39:44):
Yeah, I'm home absolutely, you know, and in
this forever changing world thatwe live in, where a lot of us
um didn't grow up on country orwe don't live on country from
where we're from, you know,traditionally.
I think it's important to notethat you can do that anywhere.
Yeah, you know, your home iswhere you make it, um, and I
think, quite often whereverwe're living, in the city or by
(40:07):
the water or wherever just checkout, take your shoes off, close
your eyes and just listen love.
Love it.
So that's my number one goalthis year Be more present in
that.
And probably the other one isto do away with the people that
don't contribute positive thingsin your life.
(40:30):
Agreed, you get to this pointwhere you're just like, do you
deserve my time?
And really controlling whereyou put your energy and your
time too.
That's like the best feelingthat's a hand emoji, right now.
Oh, it's the best feeling tryingto go.
Actually, I don't need to havethis conversation with you.
I don't need to, um, do thatjob.
I can knock that back andthat's okay.
(40:53):
Um, because that's energy Idon't want to give you.
Speaker 1 (40:57):
I dig it, man.
I love that.
It's just amen straight to that.
Now I've sort of picked up somuch from you and these
questions are a bit you knowoutside of where I was going,
but this is a hard question toanswer because there's so many.
But I want to know two or threeof your favorite movies of all
(41:19):
time, and the reason I'm askingthis is because of all that
self-awareness that you couldpick up on in that early age and
things like that.
There's kind of iconic,memorable moments and films and
pieces of music that you arenostalgic about and that really
shapes who we are.
So I'm curious to know aboutthose films, just to help me
(41:40):
understand young Bob.
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (41:44):
So I guess they will play different things at
different parts of my life.
If I go back to one film as ayoung fella that really just
spoke to me in so many ways wasYongaboi.
And Yongaboi is a really solidfilm, in particular for young
(42:05):
men and really exploring how youcan have three young fellas
that grow up together and theycan all end up in very different
pathways.
But what is important is thatcircle, yes, to be able to check
you, you know, be able to holdyou accountable, to be able to
(42:26):
love you.
And I think too often in thisworld that we live in that
masculinity stuff kicks in.
It's dog shit, isn't it?
You know, and I've learnt thatas I've come into my sexuality,
as I've gotten older, and Inoticed it as a leader sitting
in a room full of males that arein leadership positions, a lot
of chest beating stuff.
(42:47):
So younger boy played a big partin my life and you can go
through men's business, live oncountry, have mental health
issues, whatever else may be outthere, but as long as you've
got that circle of friendsaround you that can love you and
be there, you'll be right.
They're grounding, yeah,grounding, yes.
(43:08):
Sad story within it with thestuff that takes place in that
movie.
But I think that story is onethat's too often taking place
out there and we don't drawenough light into it.
So I think they've done reallywell in that movie with painting
that.
Another one would be the ColourPurple.
A lot of reasons.
(43:30):
It's a deep one, yes, but mymother got me to watch that when
I was younger.
But my mother got me to watchthat when I was younger and just
to be able to see how thatpicture was painted Powerful,
very powerful and how she wasable to whoopee, reclaim her
(43:51):
story.
Speaker 1 (43:52):
Movies teach us a lot about life.
We don't know until we're older.
Speaker 2 (43:55):
There's power in it.
There's power in movies, powerin media, and this is why it's
important that we have blackproducers, black actors, black
screenwriters, because we've gotto start controlling that so
that we can kind of help shapeand guide people's lives and how
they can go into these chapters.
And that is possible.
Whether it's a factual movie ornot, it's neither here nor
there, that's right.
(44:16):
But if you can give hope maybeto people around how you can
navigate it, you're laughing.
Speaker 1 (44:22):
Brother, I want to thank you for giving up your
time on the beach, grounding,breathing, listening to music,
to be here with us.
Speaker 2 (44:32):
You're welcome.
Speaker 1 (44:33):
And let's keep yarning outside of this and look
forward to the future.
Absolutely, thank you.
Speaker 2 (44:39):
Thank you, brother.
Popular Podcasts
Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang
Ding dong! Join your culture consultants, Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, on an unforgettable journey into the beating heart of CULTURE. Alongside sizzling special guests, they GET INTO the hottest pop-culture moments of the day and the formative cultural experiences that turned them into Culturistas. Produced by the Big Money Players Network and iHeartRadio.
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.