The Pay Off with Sylvia Jeffreys

Ready to make next year your most impactful yet? We've raided the vault for our most inspiring, business-shifting, and life-changing conversations of the year and distilled them into one powerhouse episode! Hear the best advice from Meggie Palmer, Molly Benjamin and Dr Rebecca Ray around talking about money, whether it's with your boss, your best mate or on a first date.  This episode isn't just a look back—it's your clear-cut strategy for leaping forward into 2026.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cashing in is great, but we think banking on yourself is even better.  That terrifying plunge into entrepreneurship is real, but you shouldn’t let the fear of the unknown sideline your ambition. Today’s guest can attest to exactly that. Doone Roisin, founder of The Female Startup Club, is on The Pay Off this week giving a masterclass on being bold, building community, and beating the odds.  In this episode, Doone opens up about her liberating decision to become a full-time entrepreneur, her slightly mischievous tactics for getting a CEO's attention and why she’s spending plenty of her time “talking to smart women”. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We hear it constantly on this podcast: ETFs are the most powerful tool for building wealth today. But what separates a good ETF from a bad one, and how do you even start? Sebastian Mullins is the Head of Multi-Asset and Fixed Income at Schroders Australia and joins The Pay Off to provide the ultimate guide on becoming an investing powerhouse. Sebastian breaks down what an ETF is, how to harness the power of compounding for beginners, and the real cost of "sitting on the sidelines" in today's market. From Active vs. Passive ETFs, why the traditional 60/40 portfolio is broken, and what a truly modern, diversified portfolio looks like now, Sebastian offers practical advice on how to start investing and what excites him most about the near financial future.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How do you build a billion-dollar beauty empire based on high-end imitation? For our guest today on The Pay Off, Shelley Sullivan, founder of ModelCo and the explosive mass-market brand MCoBeauty, imitation wasn't just flattery—it was a calculated, brilliant, and controversial marketing strategy. Shelley's journey began with an entrepreneurial spark, launching a modelling agency at 21 before spotting a gap and revolutionising the industry with "tan-in-a-can" and the first heated lash curler.  But it was MCoBeauty, launched in 2016 with a "luxe for less" mandate, that became a massive disruptor, recently valued at over $1 billion. In this conversation, Shelley opens up about the strategic genius and the intense pressure of her business model, her decision to sell her remaining stake in the company and the power of intuition. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Russel Howcroft, an advertising executive and media personality, shares his insights on the challenges facing today's 30-year-olds in Australia. He discusses the financial obstacles young people encounter, from soaring HECS debts to stagnant wages. Russel reflects on Melbourne's cultural decline, the importance of optimism, and how past decades fueled innovation. He encourages parents to nurture creativity in their children and advocates for bold advertising as a means to reshape stories about Australia. His journey through media and insights on entrepreneurship provide listeners with valuable perspectives.

Sometimes life can feel picture perfect – until it doesn’t.  In this episode of The Pay Off, Sylvia sits down with financial advisor, professional wealth coach, and author, Gemma Mitchell, to talk about financially rebuilding from the ground up when inevitable curveballs—like divorce or sudden job loss—get thrown our way. Gemma, who built what looked like the 'perfect life'—the job, the house, the investments—only to have it crumble with a sudden divorce at 28, shares her raw, personal journey and how she’s rewriting her money story. Gemma dives into the simple, non-negotiable steps we should all take right now to kick off our own Money Reset, as detailed in her new book, The Money Reset.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With a successful business history like his, you pretty much afford yourself bragging rights for life.  And yet, Adam Schwab is unbelievably humble when it comes to discussing his entrepreneurial journey, crediting compounding luck, an incredible team and a loyal customer base of 8-million people to his ongoing success.  On this episode of The Pay Off, the Luxury Escapes Co-Founder and co-host of the podcast, ‘The Contrarians’, speaks candidly about his journey through business so far. From a sneaky side hustle in Law School, to subleasing backpacker apartments and eventually, scaling to a luxury travel company, it’s clear Adam’s main passion lies in creating value and delivering on happiness, with a side of impressive profit to go with it.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On a podcast about money, it’s not uncommon to hear about ‘bonds’. We’re taking a slightly different approach… We’re talking about sisterly bonds.  This week’s guests on The Pay Off are sisters and co-founders, Ali & Gaby Rosenberg, whose strong sisterly bond has allowed them to create the successful Fintech company Blossom.  In this episode, Ali & Gaby share the ups and downs of their journey creating a company, the heartfelt reason behind calling the app ‘Blossom’, how they’re helping both people and the planet as well as their advice to future entrepreneurs. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

James Wrigley, a financial advisor and author of *Retire Life Ready*, discusses how to conquer financial anxiety with actionable strategies. He shares insights on the upcoming wealth transfer from baby boomers, the complications of inheritance, and why owning your home is crucial for retirement. Wrigley also highlights the importance of balancing present enjoyment with future savings and gives practical retirement planning advice. His approach shifts the narrative from financial fear to empowerment, making a stress-free future seem attainable.

He’s a man who unashamedly loves dragons, wizards and fairies… But it would be the inner demons which would spark the greatest change in his life.  Luke Bateman is the man making SERIOUS noise on social media, sparking an absolute frenzy across BookTok for his authentic and honest passion for fantasy books.  He’s now running his own company, signed a two book deal and has launched his own podcast, In The Good Books.  It didn’t always look like this though - Luke’s battled depression, addiction and a complete loss of identity. His story is an important one to tell, and he’s joining The Pay Off this week to do exactly that. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.