Seize the Yay

One of life’s greatest story arcs is when you grow up fangirling someone famous then actually get to tell them later in life when you become mates - bonus points if they're as lovely as you'd hoped and Dan MacPherson is exactly that. If you’re part of the demographic of people who listen to this show, chances are you’ve also seen, heard and watched Dan's evolution through television, film, theatre presenting and everything in between.  Transitioning seamlessly from the end of high school into a coveted role on Neighbours, you could say Dan has been an Australian icon for nearly three decades now. You may not now, however, that it all came about by accident when he was scouted literally on the side of the road at a triathlon but his enthusiasm for seizing such unexpected opportunities has helped him build a career that's not only remarkably successful, but incredibly varied continually reinventing himself while staying true to the craft. I am so grateful he gave us some of his very precious time back in Melbourne especially on the day his latest project premieres on Stan, so you can all see (if you haven’t already) the culmination of everything he’s done so far into a role you’ve never seen him in before.  As someone who had never learnt to fight, you might think it unlikely Dan would take the lead in the new Stan Original film, Beast, as former MMA champion Patton James alongside Russell Crowe and fighting an opponent who is LEGITIMATELY an actual MMA champion... But you don’t know Dan - he made it his goal to be so convincing that people would think he was a fighter taught to act and not an actor taught to fight and he did exactly that. I loved every minute of this episode - he is SO easy to chat to but also shares such deep, valuable reflections along the way and I’ll let you hear the rest directly from him. Ladies and Gentleman, this is Dan MacPherson for Seize The Yay. Watch BEAST on Stan. Follow Dan here.

My guest today is someone who completely changed the way we think about fine jewellery Noura Sakkijha is the incredible co-founder and CEO of Mejuri - the cult global brand that turned fine jewellery from something saved for special occasions into something for women to buy for themselves, every single day.  A third-generation jeweller with a background in engineering, Noura built Mejuri from a disruptive idea into one of the most recognisable modern luxury brands in the world, all while challenging outdated industry norms around who jewellery is really for. In this conversation, we talk about redefining luxury, building a values-led business, motherhood and leadership, and what it takes to create a brand people genuinely wear on repeat.  Shop Mejuri here. LINKS+ Announcements on Insta at @spoonful_of_sarah+ Join our Facebook community here+ Subscribe to not miss out on the next instalment of YAY! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We are back after an episode off, thank you so much for your patience while we worked some magic in the back end. Somehow, we are already seizing the MAY and are just days away from Mother’s Day, so I lined up the perfect guest for a yap about one of the most defining facets of being a mum.  I could genuinely talk for an entire series (nay an entire podcast) about the mental load of parenting and how invisible it can sometimes be. While I adore being a Mum more than anything else, there is nothing quite so validating and reassuring than to hear someone else articulate the overwhelm it can create (and bonus points if they have any tips that might help alleviate some of the workload). Enter, the incredible Chantel Mila whose practical, time-saving, home-organising tips have led MILLIONS of people around the world to follow her every move. From a mindblowing trick to remove oil stains from clothing to the easiest way to keep your bathroom spotless, Chantel has changed my life in many ways and also happens to be a fellow member of the Day Management family - shout out to our incredible management team.  After the success of her first best selling book, The Dream Clean, she has just published her second, The Fair Share, designed to help households equitably distribute the ubiquitous mental load through a practical, transformative four-week program. I won’t give away too much as Chantel explains it so eloquently herself, but this was SUCH a validating, enlightening, and enjoyable chat about how she went from 14 to nearly 3 million followers, her most viral home hacks to date and how we can all take on our fair share. I hope you enjoy this one as much as I did! Follow Chantel here.Buy your copy of The Fair Share here. LINKS+ Announcements on Insta at @spoonful_of_sarah+ Join our Facebook community here+ Subscribe to not miss out on the next instalment of YAY! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Especially as a former ballerina myself, I am thrilled to share with you the delightful Benedicte Bemet who also started ballet at 3 years old but then went on to become not just a professional ballerina but a celebrated Principal Artist with The Australian Ballet. You may not know what that rank means if you live outside the world of ballet, but you’ll surely recognise the term prima ballerina being the highest rank in a company and Benedicte is one of only 11. Recognised from early on in her career for bringing both technical brilliance and emotional depth to roles, you will quickly hear how deeply passionate she is about what she does and she is asuch a pleasure to watch on stage. She graduated only a few years after those in my own cohort who lasted the full distance, so I have followed her career since her very first year in the company and it was a pinch me moment for little Sarah to actually get to sit down with her and hear about it.  From busting myths about Black Swan to how she wraps her feet for performances, moving back from Hong Kong without her family to follow her dreams and the psychology of resilience, discipline and optimism through injury, Benny is so well adjusted, warm and it’s impossible not to love her. Whether you’ve danced or not, there’s so much about identity, reinvention, and what it really takes to pursue something at the highest level. I hope you enjoy as much as I did. Follow Benedicte here.Get tickets to Romeo & Juliet and more here. LINKS+ Announcements on Insta at @spoonful_of_sarah+ Join our Facebook community here+ Subscribe to not miss out on the next instalment of YAY!   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you follow me on socials, you’ll know I wear SO much Nakedvice - I love it when style is effortless, comfortable and versatile and I wear my Nakedvice pieces over and over. For a brand still dominating after over ten years dropping an immaculate collection every month with two physical stores and possibly more to come, you’d be forgiven for expecting the founders behind it all to have started with extensive fashion and business experience, extensive resources and an extensive team around them.  What I LOVE about Sarah Miller and Jessie Gargan is that they are so unexpected in such a refreshing and inspiring way. Jessie was in her very first role in the workforce when she hired Sarah, who still hadn’t finished her uni degree, as a Christmas casual and they hit it off before quickly realising they had a shared vision for their own brand. We spend so much of our episodes on self doubt, decision paralysis and fear of failure but these two young girls in their 20s were uninhibited in their belief they could make it work. And they certainly did launching in Jessie’s brother’s bedroom growing Nakedvice into the booming business it is today which is still fully owned and funded by them.  I’ll let them tell you the rest but they’re such an amazing example that youth, inexperience and naivety aren’t the barriers you sometimes expect them to be and that motherhood and business isn’t incompatible. I LOVED hearing more about the women behind a brand I love and hope you all do too. SHOP NAKEDVICE HERE. LINKS+ Announcements on Insta at @spoonful_of_sarah+ Join our Facebook community here+ Subscribe to not miss out on the next instalment of YAY! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.