The Ridiculously Human Podcast

Family Lawyer. Ex-Investment Banking Director. Dancer. World Traveller. Networking Professional. Snowboarder. Smiler. Nature Lover. Wife. Mum. Entrepreneur. Often in life, to find inspiration and motivation, you only need to look as far as those people who are in your immediate network. By simply having a deeper level conversation with them, you’ll be able to feed off their challenging and heroic stories. Our Podcast guest this week, Damara Ryder, is exactly one of those sorts of ladies and friends. Damara and Gareth, met each other through a mutual friend, many many years ago in London. Since then they have always kept in touch and enjoyed dance-offs and fun times in Ibiza and Hong Kong. You’re not a true Australian unless you have a nickname. With Damara’s maiden name being Cox, she is now more affectionately known as ‘Coxy’! A nickname in Australia is with you for the rest of your life, even if you get married and change your surname! Coxy was born in a very small town of 1,000 people called Lockhart, Australia. Her family were very much community orientated and sporty people, who loved the outdoors and Aussie Rules football. Her Dad was an amazingly charismatic, fun and mischievous guy. Sadly, he was diagnosed with Huntington’s disease when she was a teenager. It was a time of much sadness and created a fair bit of anger and frustration for her and her family too. Her Dad, asking her to research how he could die, was very tough for her to deal with. Damara qualified as a family lawyer, but spent 15 years as an Investment Banking Director, working in Australia, Hong Kong and Canada. Being someone who is short, blonde and looks extremely young for her age, posed many challenges, especially when dealing with Asian cultural traditions and hierarchy. 2018 was a year which provided the biggest challenges of her life. Her Dad died after his battle with Huntington's. He spent his last 15 years in care, was unable to speak for his last couple of years and weighed 30kgs when he passed away. Coxy also experienced severe inflammation and autoimmune complications that year. Both of these incidents as well as the loss of a close friend, made her re-assess her own life and encouraged her to make big changes to it. As a result of her own health issues, she needed to move closer to the beach, to reconnect with nature and be in warm weather. She put her career as a family lawyer on hold and moved to Queensland, with her two young kids and husband. Now, through her business, Thrive Leadership, she shares an alternate way to the grind of the 9 to 5. Life is meant for more living and less stressing! We hope you enjoy this conversation as much as we did. Let’s find out what it means for Damara Ryder, to be Ridiculously Human. Your fellow beings, Craig and Gareth SHOW NOTES Background, Context & Reference Connect with Damara Ryder: Website | Instagram | FaceBook | LinkedIn | Other relevant points discussed and mentioned:   Aussie Rules Huntington’s Disease Macquarie Bank Kinesthetic Arbonne, Network marketing Autoimmune Fight or flight response Affiliate marketing Places Mentioned Lockhart, Australia Canberra, Australia Hong Kong Music By The Bambuseae Rhythm Section - Check them out here The Simon Van Gend Band - Check them out here   Right Hook Request HOW CAN YOU SUPPORT THE PODCAST? We know this is always a big one to ask and you hear it a million times but anything you can do to help us get our podcast out there into the ether will be massively appreciated! Please tell Your Friends & Share Online Subscribe, Rate & Review:  Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | Soundcloud | Google Play | TuneIn | iHeartRADIO | Follow us on: Website | YouTube | Medium | Instagram | FaceBook | Twitter | LinkedIn | Related Podcasts You Might Enjoy RHP #021: Joe Cross, Joe the Juicer. Filmmaker of Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead RHP #067: Jody Calitz, Women’s Health Expert, Ex-Pro Bikini Bodybuilder, Nutritionist, Vegan Athlete, Elite Personal Trainer RHP #068: Lilia Tarawa, ex-Gloriavale Daughter, Cult Convalescent, Author, Speaker, Smiler, Business Coach RHP #072: Margo Aaron, Accidental Marketer, Entrepreneur, Daywalker, Writer, Mom, Founder of That Seems Important

Gavin Aung Than - Cartoonist, Storyteller, Drawer, Comic Lover, Illustrator, Graphic Designer, Founder of Zen Pencils Gavin is a New York Times bestselling cartoonist and creator of Zen Pencils, a cartoon blog which adapts inspirational quotes into thought-provoking and fun comic stories. This is a short and sweet, supplementary version of our weekly Podcast. It’s a taster to give you a flavour of what to expect from the full Podcast episode. Connect with Gavin Aung Than - http://bit.ly/Zenpencils Listen to Full Podcast - http://bit.ly/RHPGavinAungThan

Cartoonist. Storyteller. Drawer. Comic Lover. Illustrator. Graphic Designer. Speaker. Writer. Founder of Zen Pencils. 90% of people are living a life which they think society requires them to live, or they come from certain cultural backgrounds with pressures to align themselves in reputable careers and industries. Fortunately though, for anybody living in this current era, it is easier now than it ever has been, to try something new if you feel stuck. For our guest this week, Gavin Aung Than, cultural expectations and family pressures were real factors that impacted his decision with what he really wanted to study and also the career he had to settle on choosing. Gavin was born in Perth, Australia, and is of Burmese heritage. Growing up, he was always distracted by doodling in class. Gavin and his brother used to collect comics which was a way for them to become better readers, or so they say ;) Comics like, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Transformers, helped nurture and shape his learnings and creativity. He always wanted to be a cartoonist and his parents sadly never believed he could make a career out of drawing. Eventually, he settled on studying graphic design. His first job was working at a local newspaper as a graphic designer. After working there for eight years, he was worn out. During that time he had also posted over 350 cartoons in the newspapers cartoon strip section, but he still didn't have the traction he had hoped for. After going down the self-help route, it triggered him to go 100% into the cartooning industry. Gavin and his wife sold their house to have a financial safety net and he gave himself a six-month window to see if his new venture called, Zen Pencils, would work… These days, Gavin is a New York Times bestselling cartoonist and creator of Zen Pencils, a cartoon blog which adapts inspirational quotes into comic stories. His work has been featured by The Washington Post, The Huffington Post, Slate, Buzzfeed, Gawker, Brain Pickings, Upworthy, Mashable and has been published into four book collections. His work has encouraged some of his readers to also quit their jobs and pursue their dreams, he has readers who get tattoos of the quotes in his cartoons, other readers use his cartoons to learn English. The cool thing is, he is just getting started. He continues to inspire others through his art and is soon launching a new kids book series. This man is an inspiring human and we encourage you to check out his thought-provoking, quirky, funny and beautifully crafted cartoons. We hope you enjoy this conversation as much as we did. Let’s find out what it means for Gavin Aung Than, to be Ridiculously Human. Your fellow beings, Craig and Gareth SHOW NOTES Background, Context & Reference Connect with Gavin Aung Than: Website | Instagram | FaceBook | Tumblr | Twitter | Gavin’s books Inspirational Kids Quotes Cartoon Quotes From Inspirational Folks Dream The Impossible Dream Creative Struggle Other relevant points discussed and mentioned:   Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Transformers 4-Hour Work Week - Tim Ferriss The Art of Non-Conformity by Chris Guillebeau The Side Hustle School Podcast Calvin and Hobbes Forest app People Discussed Anna Sward Chris Guillebeau Phil Plait Carl Sagan Brian Cox Bill Watterson Nikola Tesla Mary Shelley Richard Feynman Places Mentioned Perth, Australia Melbourne, Australia Music By The Bambuseae Rhythm Section - Check them out here The Simon Van Gend Band - Check them out here   Right Hook Request HOW CAN YOU SUPPORT THE PODCAST? We know this is always a big one to ask and you hear it a million times but anything you can do to help us get our podcast out there into the ether will be massively appreciated! Please tell Your Friends & Share Online Subscribe, Rate & Review:  Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | Soundcloud | Google Play | TuneIn | iHeartRADIO | Follow us on: Website | YouTube | Medium | Instagram | FaceBook | Twitter | LinkedIn | Related Podcasts You Might Enjoy RHP #001: Anna Sward, Founder of Protein Pow, Cook Book Author and Protein Expert RHP #007: Eva Claire Marseille, Boeing 747 Pilot and First Officer. Fly with Eva RHP #031: Alvin Irby, Founder of Barbershop Books. Comedian & Entrepreneur RHP #040: Pamela Gay, PhD Astronomer and Astronomy Cast Host

Margo Aaron - Third-Generation Holocaust Survivor. Accidental Marketer. Recovering Psychological Researcher. Entrepreneur. Daywalker. Writer. Mom. Wannabe Astronaut. Founder of, That Seems Important. This is a short and sweet, supplementary version of our weekly Podcast. It’s a taster to give you a flavour of what to expect from the full Podcast episode. Connect with Margo Aaron - http://bit.ly/TSImportant Listen to Full Podcast - http://bit.ly/RHPMargoAaron

Accidental Marketer. Recovering Psychological Researcher. Entrepreneur. Daywalker. Writer. Mom. Wannabe Astronaut. Founder of, That Seems Important. What does a name truly represent and how important is it? Across various cultures and traditions, they are revered in many different ways. For our guest this week, Margo Aaron, her name had a huge influence on her and greatly impacted the subsequent decisions she has made throughout her life. Margo was born and raised in Houston, Texas. She is what is known as a third-generation Holocaust survivor. She is named after her grandfather’s sister “Margot” who died in Auschwitz when she was sixteen years old. Her grandfather was one of three, who escaped before ever being in a camp. Growing up in a family where the patriarch lost everything, made them very close and really grateful every single day for what they had. As a child, Margo’s family travelled a lot on vacation. Her escapades to third world countries were ones she never quite enjoyed but looking back, she’s incredibly grateful for those experiences. Travelling prepared her for the unpredictable and the skills she learned are still relevant to her today in life and business. She worked as a psychological and mental health research assistant at the Emory University School of Medicine. She says that learning how to be empathetic was one of the biggest parts of her training. Margo spent some time in the corporate world, but realised it wasn’t for her. She found corporate culture rather toxic, antiquated and inefficient. So she set up her own business to enjoy the flexibility and challenge it offered. Being a Mom and solopreneur taught her many a thing about being as efficient with her time as possible, and that when there is poop to clean up, then that takes precedence over everything! Margo shoots from the hip and speaks wisely beyond her years. She runs a business called, ‘That Seems Important’, which teaches people to build a business they are proud of. She is a writer by heart, and has been rewarded for her great writing skills by being published in many well known and renowned online publications. We hope you enjoy this conversation as much as we did. Let’s find out what it means for Margo Aaron, to be Ridiculously Human. Your fellow beings, Craig and Gareth SHOW NOTES Background, Context & Reference Connect with Margo Aaron: Website | Instagram | FaceBook | Twitter | LinkedIn | Medium |   Margo’s articles Margo’s book recommendations Other relevant points discussed and mentioned:   Podcast Movement Holocaust Third-generation Holocaust survivor NASA The Mood and Anxiety Disorders Program of Emory University's School of Medicine Copywriting altMBA On Writing by Stephen King Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl Start Up Pregnant People Discussed Fei Wu Seth Godin Brian Cox Places Mentioned Czechoslovakia Houston, Texas Auschwitz Alaska Music By The Bambuseae Rhythm Section - Check them out here The Simon Van Gend Band - Check them out here Right Hook Request HOW CAN YOU SUPPORT THE PODCAST? We know this is always a big one to ask and you hear it a million times but anything you can do to help us get our podcast out there into the ether will be massively appreciated! Please tell Your Friends & Share Online Subscribe, Rate & Review:  Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | Soundcloud | Google Play | TuneIn | iHeartRADIO | Follow us on: Website | YouTube | Medium | Instagram | FaceBook | Twitter | LinkedIn | Related Podcasts You Might Enjoy RHP #058: Seth Godin, Blogger, Speaker, Marketing Guru, Bestselling Author of Linchpin, Tribes, Purple Cow and This Is Marketing RHP #059: Dr Heather McKee, Behaviour Change Specialist, Habit Coach, Bit Sized Habits Podcast Host, Research Geek, PhD in Weightloss Psychology RHP #060: Helena Escalante, Translation and Communication Expert, Entrepreneur, Bibliophile, Chief Bookworm Officer of Entregurus RHP #062: Emily Penn, Earth Changer, Ocean Conservationist, Artist, Plastic researcher and Assailant, Founder of Running eXXpedition RHP #068: Lilia Tarawa, ex-Gloriavale Daughter, Cult Convalescent, Author, Speaker, Smiler, Business Coach

Arno Carstens - South African Rock Icon, and lead Singer of the Springbok Nude Girls. Arno is a platinum selling, award-winning singer-songwriter from Cape Town. His talent in the creative arts extends far beyond his vocal prowess and songwriting abilities. He is also a very accomplished and expressive fine artist. This is a short and sweet, supplementary version of our weekly Podcast. It’s a taster to give you a flavour of what to expect from the full Podcast episode. Connect with Arno Carstens - http://bit.ly/ArnoCarstensWeb Listen to Full Podcast - http://bit.ly/RHPArnoCarstens

Platinum Singer-Songwriter. Lead Singer of Springbok Nude Girls. Hero. Fine Artist. Smiler. Sci-Fi Fan. Rock Star. South African Legend.  It’s fascinating that in every single country of the world, there are musicians and bands who are absolute superstars within their own country.   Our guest this week, Arno Carstens, is a South African rock idol. Arno and his band shaped the lives of a generation in South Africa. They gave hope and a voice to the youth of an era which went through a major transition and change in the country. Arno grew up in Worcester, South Africa, as the youngest of four boys. The quality of the radio stations and the radio signal were so bad where he lived, that they used to import music from the UK to listen to. Growing up during Apartheid in South Africa, meant that there was almost no exposure to the outside international music scene. In 1994, his initial breakthrough came when his newly formed band played at an open-mic night, in a University town called Stellenbosch. The owner of the bar was impressed and said they had two weeks to get a bunch of songs together and to come back and play again. That is when the Springbok Nude Girls, were born. They represented so much about South Africa at the time and became an iconic band of their generation. Their genre was hard to pin down. It was an eclectic mix of many styles which represented their individual tastes in music, but also exemplified a very expressive time in South African culture, after being oppressed for so many years during apartheid. Like many great rock bands, they eventually split after jamming for seven years to crowds around the world, and went their own ways. For Arno, it was an opportunity to begin a solo career. During his career as the lead singer of The Springbok Nude Girls and as a solo artist, he released 12 studio albums, 5 as the lead singer of Springbok Nude Girls, 1 as half of the Electronica project, Bhelltower and 6 as a solo artist. He has enjoyed over 20 top ten singles and won multiple SAMA Awards. In this Podcast, we discussed everything you’d want to know about a rockstar lifestyle. However, the most refreshing thing was to speak with a childhood hero and find out what a genuine and authentic person he is. With a smile brimming from ear to ear, it was like having a chat with your long lost buddy. We hope you enjoy this conversation as much as we did. Let’s find out what it means for Arno Carstens, to be Ridiculously Human. Your fellow beings, Craig and Gareth SHOW NOTES Background, Context & Reference Connect with Arno Carstens: Website | Instagram | FaceBook | YouTube | Twitter | Apple Music | Springbok Nude Girls Arno Carstens Fine Art Arno’s Gig Guide Other relevant points discussed and mentioned:   Apartheid Youth preparedness Star Trek Afrikaans Bands Discussed Battery Nege Sugardrive Lana del Rey Idles The Smiths Pixies Cocteau Twins Pearl Jam Duran Duran Re Flex Pink Floyd Black Sabbath Led Zeppelin Bob Marley The Doors Depeche Mode Tears for Fears Places Mentioned Worcester, South Africa Music By The Bambuseae Rhythm Section - Check them out here The Simon Van Gend Band - Check them out here Right Hook Request HOW CAN YOU SUPPORT THE PODCAST? We know this is always a big one to ask and you hear it a million times but anything you can do to help us get our podcast out there into the ether will be massively appreciated! Please tell Your Friends & Share Online Subscribe, Rate & Review:  Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | Soundcloud | Google Play | TuneIn | iHeartRADIO | Follow us on: Website | YouTube | Medium | Instagram | FaceBook | Twitter | LinkedIn | Related Podcasts You Might Enjoy RHP #015: Shaun Fuchs, ex- School Principal. Educationalist and Entrepreneur RHP #024: Dr Thandi Ndlovu, CEO of Motheo Construction Group and Freedom Fighter RHP #052: Wanjira Mathai, Youth Leadership Developer, Conservationist, Kenyan Smiler, Storyteller and Chairwoman of Wangari Maathai Foundation RHP #069: Richard Mulholland, Punk Rocker, ex-Roadie, Speaker, Author, Serial Entrepreneur and Founder of Missing Link, Talk drawer and HumanWrit.es

Maritime Adventurer. Sales Extraordinaire. Team Builder. Dance Floor King. Energiser Bunny. Positivity Powerhouse. Spiritual Warrior. Smiler. Best Bud. Joburg China. This is a short and sweet, supplementary version of our weekly Podcast. It’s a taster to give you a flavour of what to expect from the full Podcast episode. Connect with Ryan Hawell - http://bit.ly/RyanHawellFB Listen to Full Podcast - http://bit.ly/RHPRyanHawell  

Maritime Adventurer. Sales Extraordinaire. Team Builder. Dance Floor King. Energiser Bunny. Positivity Powerhouse. Spiritual Warrior. Smiler. Best Bud. Joburg China.   Most of us take for granted that we know the childhood and backstory details of our close friends and family. However, when you dig a little deeper under the surface you may be surprised with what you find out! Our guest this week, Ryan Hawell, is a long time friend of mine (Gareth). We met almost 21 years ago to the day, on our first day of high school. Ryan was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, and his folks got divorced before he was one year old. He moved to Mauritius for a couple of years, after his Mom met a local man who was a Farrier. He reminisces of the beach life, his local friends and learning to speak French and Creole! University was a rather defining time in his life and also when got first introduced to the traditional Afrikaans culture and way of living. His leadership traits and skills came to the fore and started to flourish. Ryan spent 9 months in London, applying his trade as a personal trainer, hitting every dance floor he possibly could and even fell in love for the first time! It was the love of his love, who encouraged him to realise his dreams and go set sail for the cruise ship job he had landed himself, in the Caribbean. Eventually, after 4 years, he headed back to his motherland, South Africa, for an exciting opportunity to start a business with a good friend. They built the business from the ground up and he loved his time back home. However, after 4.5 years, he was operating in survival mode. Struck with anxiety and having a nervous breakdown, made him pull the plug on his whole life. He quit work, ended his relationship and changed countries! It was the only way for him. These days, Ryan lives in Miami and works as the Director of Operations for one of the largest cruise shipping companies in the world. A few years of self-reflection and re-discovery have catapulted him to the top of his game. Ryan’s zest, passion and energy for life are uncompromising. Every day is a blessing and something we need to cherish and make the most of! He has this aura about him and brings out the absolute best in people. His positivity is incredibly infectious!! We hope you enjoy this conversation as much as we did. Let’s find out what it means for Ryan Hawell, to be Ridiculously Human. Your fellow beings, Craig and Gareth SHOW NOTES Background, Context & Reference Connect with Ryan Hawell: Instagram | FaceBook | LinkedIn | Other relevant points discussed and mentioned:   Farrier Ecole du Nord Creole Fourways High School Steiner Law of attraction The miracle morning Monaco Grand Prix People Discussed Devin Lester Hel Elrod Gareth Pickering Jim Rohn Places Mentioned Mauritius Johannesburg, South Africa Panamá Alaska Inside Passage Miami, Florida Music By The Bambuseae Rhythm Section - Check them out here The Simon Van Gend Band - Check them out here   Right Hook Request HOW CAN YOU SUPPORT THE PODCAST? We know this is always a big one to ask and you hear it a million times but anything you can do to help us get our podcast out there into the ether will be massively appreciated! Please tell Your Friends & Share Online Subscribe, Rate & Review:  Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | Soundcloud | Google Play | TuneIn | iHeartRADIO | Follow us on: Website | YouTube | Medium | Instagram | FaceBook | Twitter | LinkedIn | Related Podcasts You Might Enjoy RHP #005: Gareth Pickering, Digital Nomad and Founder of The Freedom Fighter RHP #067: Jody Calitz, Women’s Health Expert, Ex-Pro Bikini Bodybuilder, Nutritionist, Vegan Athlete, Elite Personal Trainer RHP #068: Lilia Tarawa, ex-Gloriavale Daughter, Cult Convalescent, Author, Speaker, Smiler, Business Coach RHP #069: Richard Mulholland, Punk Rocker, ex-Roadie, Speaker, Author, Serial Entrepreneur and Founder of Missing Link, Talk drawer and HumanWrit.es

Rich is a highly regarded speaker, author, entrepreneur and business strategist who operates with a punk rock ethic and style. This man loves board games, is a deliberate misfit and specialises in helping other people suck less in public!   This is a short and sweet, supplementary version of our weekly Podcast. It’s a taster to give you a flavour of what to expect from the full Podcast episode.   Connect with Richard Mulholland - http://bit.ly/richmulholland Listen to Full Podcast - http://bit.ly/RHPRichardMulholland