So You Want to Make a Difference?
We are two sisters who have always had the best intentions when it comes to making a difference but like so many others, have learnt that taking action can be a whole other story. So you want to make a difference? is a podcast for people who wish to be more proactive in making a difference but need a push in the right direction. On this journey, we chat to some of the most inspired people who are making a difference, covering topics as broad as leadership, climate change, starting a charity, mental health and everything in between. We explore the idea of making a difference and what it takes for others to make one too. Tune in to hear our guests share their experiences, tips and tricks and learn how to turn that idea into a reality. So you want to make a difference? Start here!
Listen on:
Episodes
Thursday Oct 20, 2022
Thursday Oct 20, 2022
In this episode we talk to Rugare Gomo. Rugare Gomo is a high performance coach, speaker and writer who empowers people from all walks of life to discover true freedom and unreservedly be the author of their lives.
At 14, Rugare asked a family friend to sponsor his relocation from Zimbabwe, so he could complete secondary school in Australia. Rugare was 16 when he arrived in Australia by himself. Rugare graduated from Monash University with a Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Arts (Honours). He practised in a top-tier law firm, joined a start-up and negotiated cross border, multi-million-dollar contracts. Rugare also ran his own corporate law firm and set up the Gomo Foundation to provide opportunities for others to receive an education.
Externally it looked like he had a perfect life. But he was filled with inner conflict, regret and fear. Due to childhood trauma, Rugare felt he had to suppress his identity as a gay man to survive, leading to excruciating pain from living a double life. He was terrified, nearly went bankrupt, was homeless, and had a string of bad relationships. His beliefs about himself and the world were destroying him.
Through years of intensive mentorship and leadership training, Rugare transformed his relationship with himself. He became a man who actively lives a wondrous life and helps others overcome their internal struggles to achieve more than they ever dreamed possible.
You can connect with Rugare here: www.rugaregomo.com
Tuesday Aug 23, 2022
Tuesday Aug 23, 2022
In this episode we talk to the amazing Kathryn Elliott.
Kathryn shares her story of how on an ordinary morning in August 2019, at age 46, her life was suddenly stripped bare of the superfluities when she discovered a large lump on her breast. She instinctually knew something wasn’t right and two days later was diagnosed with locally advanced breast cancer.
Kathryn is passionate about building awareness of the deeper human connection you can achieve through sharing your experience of illness and trauma and how choosing to remain alcohol free during this period was a catalyst to further healing and growth.
Kathryn is now living cancer free and started two new businesses during the Covid lockdowns in Melbourne in 2021: The Alcohol Mindset Coach and My Breast Friend. Both were inspired by her experience and learnings from breast cancer.
Be inspired by Kathryn and hear how she has turned adversity and trauma into making a difference to others struggling with alcohol addiction and breast cancer.
Resources:
Kathryn’s alcohol coaching - www.thealcoholmindsetcoach.com
@thealcoholmindsetcoach
Hello Sunday morning self assessment tool - Self-assessment | Hello Sunday Morning
Drink less for your breasts: Drink Less for Your Breasts
The My Breast Friend: www.mybreastfriend.net
@mybreastfriendaus
Wednesday Jul 13, 2022
Wednesday Jul 13, 2022
In this episode we are so excited to be talking to Amelia Akanni. Amelia works in the fashion industry and has cofounded Flourish in Diversity.
Flourish in Diversity's mission is to support underrepresented young people access and prosper within the fashion sector. To ultimately diversify decision-making roles and promote innovation, for a cleaner and fairer industry.
It has just launched a paid summer training programme in London for school leavers from diverse ethnic backgrounds and/or low-income households seeking a career in the fashion industry, focused on sustainable and ethical practice, to ultimately promote diversity and inclusion, and tackle the environmental challenges of the industry.
Amelia shares the challenges of making a difference in such an important way while working full time. She opened our eyes to the barriers facing many interested in working in the fashion industry. She also inspired us with the energy and enthusiasm she brings to taking action and making a difference.
For more information on Amelia and Flourish in Diversity:
Instagram @flourishindiversity
LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/company/flourish-in-diversity-cic/
Website www.flourishindiversity.com – Visit website to donate.
Melbourne Fashion Hub:
https://melbournefashionhub.com.au/
Monday Apr 18, 2022
Monday Apr 18, 2022
Warning: This episode talks about Human Trafficking and sexual exploitation. This episode is not for children.
In this episode, we had the pleasure of talking to Michelle Kerr, the Country Manager of Eden in Australia and the Eden Global Sales and Marketing Manager.
At the core of Eden is a heart to see all nations free from human trafficking and sexual exploitation. Michelle leads an amazing team of passionate advocates and together they raise awareness and finances in order to support and amplify the work of Eden on the ground in Asia. They do this by selling jewellery that has been hand made by the amazing survivors of trafficking and also by working with various corporate and funding partners.
Eden Australia Ltd is a registered not-for-profit organisation in Australia.
In this episode we learn about Michelle’s journey from a Sales and Marketing Manager in the travel industry to starting up the Australian arm of Eden. We hear some of the harrowing stories of Human Trafficking for sexual exploitation and the devastating statistics of how pervasive this problem is around the world.
We dive deep into what can stop us from making a difference and what we can do to make sure we keep taking action. We learn about how Michelle copes with the challenges of her role and keeps hope alive.
Resources:
For more information on Eden and links to jewellery designs, the Eden stories and their impact go to
This is Eden Jewellery
Other resources mentioned in the podcast include:
Stop the Traffik
STOP THE TRAFFIK | People shouldn't be bought and sold
International Justice Mission (IJM)
End Slavery in Our Lifetime | International Justice Mission (ijm.org)
Brene Brown
Brené Brown (brenebrown.com)
The Man in the Arena quote
TR Center - Man in the Arena (theodorerooseveltcenter.org)
Baptist World Aid Ethical Fashion Guide
baptistworldaid.org.au/resources/ethical-fashion-guide/
Wednesday Mar 09, 2022
Wednesday Mar 09, 2022
Kirrily Graham talks with us about her personal and professional journey that ultimately led her to build her own social enterprise that connects small businesses to charities.
Kirrily believes that cultivating self awareness though personal development is an important step to really understanding how you can make a difference in a way that is meaningful to you.
She also shares how the journey off the fence is not necessarily a simple jump but one that involves a lot of splinters!
About Kirrily Graham
Kirrily has over 20 years of experience in the charity & social impact sector.
Her combined experience of working in the not-for-profit industry, running her own small to medium-size enterprise in training and development, as well as working successfully in the corporate sector in B2B Business Development, naturally led her to create Dovetail Social Enterprises.
Kirrily and the Dovetail team help to address the key challenges for both grass-root charities, who are unable to grow their capacity without financial investment, and small to medium size businesses who really want to make a social impact, but don't quite know where to start.
For more information on Dovetail:
www.dovetailsocialenterprises.com.au
Resources:
Ted Talk by Dan Pallotta – The way we think about charity is dead wrong
https://www.ted.com/talks/dan_pallotta_the_way_we_think_about_charity_is_dead_wrong
Further Reading:
Carolyn Butler-Madden, Path to Purpose: How to use cause marketing to build a more meaningful and profitable brand, 2017
Carolyn Butler-Madden, For Love and Money: How to profit with purpose and grow a business with love, 2021
Peter Baines, Doing Good By Doing Good: Why Creating Shared Value is the Key to Powering Business Growth and Innovation, 2014
ASENA – Alliance of Social Enterprise Networks of Australia
The list of all Social Enterprise Networks across Australia
https://www.asena.org.au
Actions:
Greater self awareness through personal development
Choose something you love and follow that path
Start small
Friday Mar 04, 2022
Friday Mar 04, 2022
Do you feel overwhelmed by the enormity of the climate crisis? Do you feel so stressed and worried about what is happening to the climate that you are frozen in a place of worry and despair?
We feel like that too! Join us on our first episode of So You Want to Make a Difference? where we interview Kylie Lewis. Kylie shares with us her tips on what we can do to make a difference and how taking action is the antidote to fear and despondency!
Kylie Lewis takes us on her journey of how she takes conscious action in so many areas of her life. She is really passionate about the intersection between personal awareness, growth and development, leadership, and the climate movement.
Kylie believes one way to make a difference is to create socially conscious, brave leaders. She shares her insights into what small, but powerful, actions we can take to make a difference in climate change, how self-knowledge and self-care are important parts of the process, and how hope keeps her going.
About Kylie Lewis
Kylie is a leadership developer, climate reality leader and founder of Of Kin, a training organisation specialising in building brave leaders and courageous cultures, based in Melbourne, Australia. Having made the leap from a digital strategy career to start her own business eight years ago, she knows what it’s like to challenge your assumptions, pivot your career, make friends with your inner critic and to keep choosing courage when the going gets tough.
Kylie is the author of two books: Add All To Cart: 1003 questions to ask when building an ecommerce store and The Leap Stories: Intimate Interviews on Overcoming Fear, Choosing Courage Over Comfort, and Designing a Fulfilling Career.
Today, Kylie is a certified facilitator of Dr Brené Brown’s curriculum on courage, vulnerability, shame and resilience and currently delivers Dare To Lead™ workshops for organisational teams and individual professionals. Her vision is to build capacity for brave conversations in boardrooms, classrooms and loungerooms across Australia.
To learn more about Kylie visit ofkin.com
Resources:
Further listening:
Outrage + Optimism podcast
How to Save a Planet podcast
Further Reading:
Christiana Figueres and Tom Rivett-Carnac, The Future We Choose: Surviving the Climate Crisis, 2020
Ayana Elizabeth Johnson and Katherine K. Wilkinson (eds), All We Can Save: Truth Courage & Solutions for the Climate Crisis, 2020
Jonica Newby, Beyond Climate Grief, 2021
Actions:
Using Keep cups
Sourcing local food
Superannuation and banking that is climate friendly
Switching to green power
Recycling
Acknowledgement of climate in meetings
Sustainable business goals
Carbon offsets
Talking about it!
Friday Mar 04, 2022
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