Curveball
The Curveball podcast is all about thriving when the chips are down.
Right now, there’s no rulebook. We’re just watching each other adapt, fail, learn or thrive in real time.
Listen in as Deadset Studios founder Kellie Riordan tracks down our boldest and brightest leaders and asks them to reveal the tips, tricks and hacks that help them tackle life’s toughest moments — and come out on top.
Subscribe to Curveball now…
S4: Episode 9: Test your instincts - Richard Harris on embracing risk to rescue teens trapped in a Thai cave
S4: Episode 8: Hoodie economics - How Indigenous systems-thinking could unlock your business potential, with Jack Manning Bancroft
S4 Episode 7: Alan Rusbridger on spies, spooks, and the Assange saga
S4 Episode 6: Twists and tumble-turns - Bronte Campbell’s road to Olympic glory has been anything but a straight line
S4 Episode 5: Ratbag millionaire - Graeme Wood’s adventures with Wotif…
S4 Episode 4: Lips are sealed - Poppy King reveals she's back to conquer Australia
S4 Episode 3: Shivani Gopal’s ride from arranged marriage to mentoring mogul
S4 Episode 2: Trent Dalton sees the humanity where there’s none
S4 Episode 1: Dee Madigan makes the message matter
Season Three
S3 Episode 10: King of the airwaves Richard Fidler
S3 Episode 9: Tanya Van Der Water redefines success for her family business
S3 Episode 8: How Michelle Bridges built an empire based on grit
S3 Episode 7: Brandon Jack uncovers a darker side of Australian sport
S3 Episode 6: What would happen if you were a bit vulnerable?
S3 Episode 5: Kirstin Ferguson’s long march to equality in leadership
S3 Episode 4 (Part Two): Kath Koschel crosses Australia in search of kindness
S3 Episode 4 (Part One): How Kath Koschel built a kindness empire
S3 Episode 3: Dom Pym’s near-death experiences in life and business
S3 Episode 2: Jana Pittman on the biggest hurdles of her life
S3 Episode 1: We’re back after some Curveballs close to home
Season Two
S2 Episode 12 (Part Two): A personal crisis changes Gaven Morris’ outlook
S2 Episode 12 (Part One): Why ABC News boss Gaven Morris launched a news channel before it was ready
S2 Episode 11: Greta Thomas leaps gracefully from ballet to Bono
S2 BONUS: How to start cultivating your why
S2 Episode 10: How Declan Lee created the Messina ice-cream empire
S2 Episode 9: Kate Vale on running Google, Spotify — and now a VC fund
S2 BONUS: Fable takes mushroom ‘meat’ into fast food chains
S2 Episode 8 (Part Two): Olivia Humphrey talks scaling, and selling
S2 Episode 8 (Part One): The Queen of Stream, Kanopy’s Olivia Humphrey
S2 Episode 7: A salary dispute catapults Meggie Palmer in a new direction
S2 Episode 6: Simon Griffiths on pain, purpose, and profit
S2 BONUS: The life-changing magic of a mentor
S2 BONUS: How to call time on your dream
S2 Episode 5: Liz Broderick on stepping into your power
S2 Episode 4: When closing the door leads to the open road
S2 Episode 3: How Justin Dry lost the lot and came back full-bodied
S2 Episode 2: Dwayne Good’s voyage from tragedy to travel empire
S2 Episode 1: How Peggy O’Neal stares down the competition
Season 2 is here! More thrills and spills from top leaders
Season One
Episode 10: Adam Grant wants to change your mind about leadership
Bonus Episode: Andrew Stark drops in to talk about rescuing the world surf tour
Episode 9: Surf boss Andrew Stark on the ride of his life (and almost death)
Episode 8: Jeremy Fleming’s show-stopping pivot from sets to desks
Episode 7: Kate Morris on taking Adore Beauty from her garage to the stock market
Episode 6: Justin Langer on truth, tough love and making cricket great again
Episode 5: Michael Fox on winning, failing — and re-emerging in a totally new field
Episode 4: Dr Briony Scott on shutting down schools and firing up online learning
Episode 3: Kevin Whyte on going broke, bouncing back and shifting laughs from stages to Zooms
Episode 2: Carolyn Creswell on why leading is all about taking risks
Bonus Episode! Paul Scurrah on negotiating his exit after a huge 2020 curveball
Episode 1: Paul Scurrah on how you need to believe to achieve
S4 Episode 4: Lips are sealed - Poppy King reveals she's back to conquer Australia
S4 Episode 3: Shivani Gopal’s ride from arranged marriage to mentoring mogul
S4 Episode 2: Trent Dalton sees the humanity where there’s none
S4 Episode 1: Dee Madigan makes the message matter
Season Three
S3 Episode 10: King of the airwaves Richard Fidler
S3 Episode 9: Tanya Van Der Water redefines success for her family business
S3 Episode 8: How Michelle Bridges built an empire based on grit
S3 Episode 7: Brandon Jack uncovers a darker side of Australian sport
S3 Episode 6: What would happen if you were a bit vulnerable?
S3 Episode 5: Kirstin Ferguson’s long march to equality in leadership
S3 Episode 4 (Part Two): Kath Koschel crosses Australia in search of kindness
S3 Episode 4 (Part One): How Kath Koschel built a kindness empire
S3 Episode 3: Dom Pym’s near-death experiences in life and business
S3 Episode 2: Jana Pittman on the biggest hurdles of her life
S3 Episode 1: We’re back after some Curveballs close to home
Season Two
S2 Episode 12 (Part Two): A personal crisis changes Gaven Morris’ outlook
S2 Episode 12 (Part One): Why ABC News boss Gaven Morris launched a news channel before it was ready
S2 Episode 11: Greta Thomas leaps gracefully from ballet to Bono
S2 BONUS: How to start cultivating your why
S2 Episode 10: How Declan Lee created the Messina ice-cream empire
S2 Episode 9: Kate Vale on running Google, Spotify — and now a VC fund
S2 BONUS: Fable takes mushroom ‘meat’ into fast food chains
S2 Episode 8 (Part Two): Olivia Humphrey talks scaling, and selling
S2 Episode 8 (Part One): The Queen of Stream, Kanopy’s Olivia Humphrey
S2 Episode 7: A salary dispute catapults Meggie Palmer in a new direction
S2 Episode 6: Simon Griffiths on pain, purpose, and profit
S2 BONUS: The life-changing magic of a mentor
S2 BONUS: How to call time on your dream
S2 Episode 5: Liz Broderick on stepping into your power
S2 Episode 4: When closing the door leads to the open road
S2 Episode 3: How Justin Dry lost the lot and came back full-bodied
S2 Episode 2: Dwayne Good’s voyage from tragedy to travel empire
S2 Episode 1: How Peggy O’Neal stares down the competition
Season 2 is here! More thrills and spills from top leaders
Season One
Episode 10: Adam Grant wants to change your mind about leadership
Bonus Episode: Andrew Stark drops in to talk about rescuing the world surf tour
Episode 9: Surf boss Andrew Stark on the ride of his life (and almost death)
Episode 8: Jeremy Fleming’s show-stopping pivot from sets to desks
Episode 7: Kate Morris on taking Adore Beauty from her garage to the stock market
Episode 6: Justin Langer on truth, tough love and making cricket great again
Episode 5: Michael Fox on winning, failing — and re-emerging in a totally new field
Episode 4: Dr Briony Scott on shutting down schools and firing up online learning
Episode 3: Kevin Whyte on going broke, bouncing back and shifting laughs from stages to Zooms
Episode 2: Carolyn Creswell on why leading is all about taking risks
Bonus Episode! Paul Scurrah on negotiating his exit after a huge 2020 curveball
Episode 1: Paul Scurrah on how you need to believe to achieve
S4 Episode 4: Lips are sealed - Poppy King reveals she's back to conquer Australia
S4 Episode 3: Shivani Gopal’s ride from arranged marriage to mentoring mogul
S4 Episode 2: Trent Dalton sees the humanity where there’s none
S4 Episode 1: Dee Madigan makes the message matter
Season Three
S3 Episode 10: King of the airwaves Richard Fidler
S3 Episode 9: Tanya Van Der Water redefines success for her family business
S3 Episode 8: How Michelle Bridges built an empire based on grit
S3 Episode 7: Brandon Jack uncovers a darker side of Australian sport
S3 Episode 6: What would happen if you were a bit vulnerable?
S3 Episode 5: Kirstin Ferguson’s long march to equality in leadership
S3 Episode 4 (Part Two): Kath Koschel crosses Australia in search of kindness
S3 Episode 4 (Part One): How Kath Koschel built a kindness empire
S3 Episode 3: Dom Pym’s near-death experiences in life and business
S3 Episode 2: Jana Pittman on the biggest hurdles of her life
S3 Episode 1: We’re back after some Curveballs close to home
Season Two
S2 Episode 12 (Part Two): A personal crisis changes Gaven Morris’ outlook
S2 Episode 12 (Part One): Why ABC News boss Gaven Morris launched a news channel before it was ready
S2 Episode 11: Greta Thomas leaps gracefully from ballet to Bono
S2 BONUS: How to start cultivating your why
S2 Episode 10: How Declan Lee created the Messina ice-cream empire
S2 Episode 9: Kate Vale on running Google, Spotify — and now a VC fund
S2 BONUS: Fable takes mushroom ‘meat’ into fast food chains
S2 Episode 8 (Part Two): Olivia Humphrey talks scaling, and selling
S2 Episode 8 (Part One): The Queen of Stream, Kanopy’s Olivia Humphrey
S2 Episode 7: A salary dispute catapults Meggie Palmer in a new direction
S2 Episode 6: Simon Griffiths on pain, purpose, and profit
S2 BONUS: The life-changing magic of a mentor
S2 BONUS: How to call time on your dream
S2 Episode 5: Liz Broderick on stepping into your power
S2 Episode 4: When closing the door leads to the open road
S2 Episode 3: How Justin Dry lost the lot and came back full-bodied
S2 Episode 2: Dwayne Good’s voyage from tragedy to travel empire
S2 Episode 1: How Peggy O’Neal stares down the competition
Season 2 is here! More thrills and spills from top leaders
Season One
Episode 10: Adam Grant wants to change your mind about leadership
Bonus Episode: Andrew Stark drops in to talk about rescuing the world surf tour
Episode 9: Surf boss Andrew Stark on the ride of his life (and almost death)
Episode 8: Jeremy Fleming’s show-stopping pivot from sets to desks
Episode 7: Kate Morris on taking Adore Beauty from her garage to the stock market
Episode 6: Justin Langer on truth, tough love and making cricket great again
Episode 5: Michael Fox on winning, failing — and re-emerging in a totally new field
Episode 4: Dr Briony Scott on shutting down schools and firing up online learning
Episode 3: Kevin Whyte on going broke, bouncing back and shifting laughs from stages to Zooms
Episode 2: Carolyn Creswell on why leading is all about taking risks
Bonus Episode! Paul Scurrah on negotiating his exit after a huge 2020 curveball
Episode 1: Paul Scurrah on how you need to believe to achieve
Tell us all about your own Curveball!
At Curveball, we’re keen to hear from you about your own leadership journey.
What things have you struggled with this year? What tips or strategies would you like to learn more about?
Tell us your story; what’s been the hardest part about being a leader, what successes have you had, and how have you dealt with curveballs thrown your way?
Record a short voice memo on your phone and email it to us.
How to send us a voice memo:
Open the Voice Memos app, usually pre-installed on your phone.
There’s a big red button! When you’re ready, hit record!
Talk as if you’re leaving me a voice mail — that is, be conversational, informal, and tell me your story as you would tell a friend. Don’t script what you’ll say; just speak from the heart.
Try to keep your message to 2-3 minutes.
When you’ve finished telling me your story, hit the red button again to stop recording.
That will create a new recording at the top of the app. You can re-name the file by clicking on the generic file name and calling it what you like. (Your name is ideal!)
Then email the file to us. (If on an iPhone, press the three dots on the left, this brings up the menu where you can ‘share’, then select ‘email’.)
Don’t forget to tell us your name and where you’re from geographically (just your first name is fine).
If you’re struggling, ask the nearest 9-year-old how to do it! 😉
Suggest a guest for Curveball
Is there someone you’d really like to hear from on Curveball?
Do you know of a leader who’s had some tricky situations to navigate? And has amazing wisdom to share?
Please, just drop us a line.