94: Goran Utjesinovic - 74 Tonnes, 24 Hours, One Shovel

"He lost his father at 11, fled a civil war, and changed schools 18 times before he ever picked up a shovel for a living. Now Goran spends 24 hours every year digging trenches to save lives in construction." Goran arrived in Australia in 1998 with no flying experience, a history of being refused entry over a lung condition, and a childhood shaped by war and displacement. He spent a decade as a carpenter before moving into construction and mining, eventually building Benang, his own in-ground services business with two partners. Along the way, a throwaway challenge from a mate turned into the Big Dig, a charity event that's raised over half a million dollars and become one of the construction industry's biggest fundraising days. In this episode, we talk about: 🏚️ Losing his father at 11, surviving a civil war, and changing schools 18 times before immigrating to Australia ✈️ Bribing a doctor to pass a medical exam, and taking his first ever flight via Moscow, Mumbai and Singapore to reach Perth 🔨 Ten years as a chippy, the people who backed him early, and building Benang from the ground up 🏆 How a 24 hour shovel challenge became the Big Dig, now with 36 contractors and hundreds of participants 💪 The records set along the way, including a team of 10 Irish diggers moving 100 tonnes in under three hours 🥊 Stepping into the ring for charity boxing one week after digging for 24 hours straight 🎯 Why the Big Dig now raises money for Mates In Construction, tackling mental health and suicide in the industry This is a conversation about survival, resilience, and turning hard beginnings into something that gives back. Whether you're in construction, into endurance challenges, or just want to hear how a shovel and a dare turned into half a million dollars for charity, this episode delivers. 🎧 Now live on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.