Meet Kaylah Truth, a powerhouse Meerooni woman of the Gurang Nation whose journey through hip-hop, activism and cultural reconnection will leave you inspired and reflective.

Growing up in Brisbane's south side, Kaylah's earliest memories revolve around her grandmother's bustling "black house" – a hub of community activism where young Kaylah absorbed the passionate discussions of politics and social justice happening around her. From nearly being whisked away to the Tent Embassy as a toddler to witnessing her first Salt-N-Pepa concert at age six, these formative experiences shaped her path in ways she couldn't yet understand. After facing significant losses in her late teens, Kaylah found herself at a crossroads. Choosing the Aboriginal Center for the Performing Arts became her lifeline – "hip-hop saved my life," she shares with raw honesty. What followed was a remarkable career balancing professional performance with profound community service, taking her from remote Australian communities to international stages alongside artists like TLC, Nelly and Lupe Fiasco.

The heart of this conversation reveals the beautiful intersection between hip-hop culture's "each one, teach one" philosophy and Indigenous knowledge-sharing traditions. Now returned to Brisbane after years in Victoria, Kaylah speaks movingly about her evolving priorities – stepping fully into her role as an aunty, deepening her connection to country and embracing the responsibility of language revival and cultural preservation following her grandmother's passing. This episode offers much more than a career retrospective – it's a meditation on healing through creative expression, finding purpose in community service, and recognising when life comes full circle. Kaylah's parting wisdom resonates deeply: "Try to be in the moment, acknowledge all the hard work that you did to get to that moment, but don't rush into the next one quicker than you have to."

Ready to be moved by a story of resilience, purpose, and coming home?

Discover the powerful story of how a simple website for a family cabinet making business sparked a digital entrepreneurship journey that's now transforming Indigenous businesses across Australia. Adam Wooding, a proud Wemba Wemba man, takes us through his evolution from reluctant website developer to founder of Empower Digital, a thriving Indigenous-owned digital agency.

https://bit.ly/Adams_Website

What began with helping his father establish an online presence in the early 2000s has blossomed into a mission to empower First Nations businesses in the digital realm. With refreshing honesty, Adam shares practical wisdom about the right timing for digital investment—advising businesses to build social media presence first before investing in e-commerce solutions when direct message orders become unmanageable. This strategic approach has helped numerous Indigenous businesses scale effectively without premature digital investments.

The conversation reveals how pivotal relationships with support organizations like Indigenous Business Australia have been to Adam's success. From reluctantly attending workshops to becoming a valued service provider delivering digital training, his story demonstrates how engaging with support ecosystems can create unexpected growth opportunities. Most striking is Adam's insight that despite working in technology, it's real-world human connections that drive business success.

With a new Shopify app called POS Cafe and specialized programs for service-based businesses on the horizon, Adam and his partner Carmel continue expanding their impact while balancing business growth with family life and cultural connection. Their journey offers a blueprint for aspiring Indigenous digital entrepreneurs: start with relationships, understand the practical needs of your community, and create solutions that truly empower others to thrive.

Join us for this candid conversation about Indigenous entrepreneurship, digital strategy, and the importance of maintaining well-being while building businesses that serve future generations. Be inspired to take your next step in the digital landscape.

Walking into Good Good coffee shop in Brisbane's West End feels like being welcomed into a community where everyone knows your name and how you take your coffee. Owner Josh Power has created more than just a café—he's built a space where genuine connection happens over exceptional coffee.

https://bit.ly/Joshuas_Website

Josh's journey to business ownership is as rich as the coffee he serves. Growing up in Bowen, North Queensland as an Aboriginal and South Sea Islander man, he describes himself as "a dreamer" who would imagine creative futures while his father cast fishing nets along the shoreline at dusk. After moving to Brisbane to study remedial therapy, Josh worked in Indigenous health before spotting an opportunity to start a coffee window alongside his sister's medical clinic.

What began as "Little Peaches," a tiny coffee operation, quickly grew into Good Good—a thriving café that's now expanding to include deli-style sandwiches and eventually a wine bar. But what truly sets Josh's business apart isn't just the quality products—it's the intentional culture he's created. Drawing from his experience in health and HR, Josh has challenged the notoriously toxic hospitality industry by implementing professional workplace practices and creating a safe environment where staff feel valued and supported.

"We love our staff and it shows," Josh explains, describing how this translates directly to the warm, personalized customer service that's become their hallmark. This commitment to people—both employees and customers—has built a loyal community following and positioned Good Good for continued growth.

Beyond his business success, Josh maintains his creative spirit, planning to use the financial stability from his café ventures to return to his passion for music production. His story embodies a powerful message for other Indigenous entrepreneurs: trust your instincts, take risks, and create paths that honor both practical needs and creative dreams.

Ready for coffee that comes with community? Visit Good Good at Shop 2, 24 Beasley Street in West End, and experience what happens when business meets heart.

Have you ever felt that persistent gut feeling telling you there's something more meant for you than just clocking in at a job you don't enjoy? That's exactly what led Jordan from Ocean View to establish NHQ Slashing, a business that's now thriving in its specialised niche between large commercial operations and residential lawn care.

https://bit.ly/JordansWebsite

Jordan's story isn't about an overnight success or a carefully mapped business school strategy. Instead, it's a refreshingly honest account of following intuition despite lacking formal business education or entrepreneurial family connections. "I was stuck in a job which I wasn't into for many, many years," Jordan shares, describing the gradual build-up of courage that eventually pushed him to make a change. His path to business ownership began with devouring podcasts and audiobooks, seeking wisdom from successful people while researching his industry thoroughly.

The turning point came when Jordan discovered Indigenous Business Australia (IBA), whose business courses and support made entrepreneurship feel accessible rather than intimidating. Their guidance through the business planning process and subsequent financial support proved crucial for someone without traditional business networks. As Jordan puts it, "I don't think there's a lot of banks that would be willing to invest their time into me as much as IBA has."

Perhaps the most valuable aspect of Jordan's candid conversation is his openness about the challenges—particularly burnout. His realization that "if you're just doing nothing but your business, even though you like it, you're going to get burnout" led to important lessons about maintaining connections and proper work-life balance. Now past the critical three-year mark where many businesses fail, Jordan is expanding his services and learning about contracts and tenders while never forgetting his core advice: "Life's short, give it a crack, follow your gut."

Ready to be inspired by a real entrepreneurial journey with all its ups, downs, and hard-won wisdom? Listen now and discover how Indigenous business ownership can transform not just livelihoods but lives.

*This episode was filmed prior to the World Premiere of James' Film - As mentioned in this episode

What does it take to build a business that stays true to cultural values while thriving in today's fast-paced digital landscape? James Saunders, founder of Baraji Maweng, shares his remarkable journey from childhood in Logan as part of a family of nine children to becoming an entrepreneur, filmmaker, and advocate for authentic Indigenous representation.

https://bit.ly/James_Website

Growing up in a three-bedroom rental with eight siblings after his father returned to Victoria, James credits his mother with instilling both educational values and cultural connection. Despite financial hardships, she ensured her children maintained ties to their Gunditjmara and Wiradjuri heritage while embracing local Murray and Torres Strait Islander communities in Queensland. This foundation of cultural strength would later become central to James' business philosophy.

James speaks candidly about his winding path through early adulthood – from unemployment in regional Victoria to working at fitness clubs, health organizations, and eventually landing a media role that exposed him to national Indigenous politics. These experiences revealed a troubling pattern: his cultural knowledge and connections were generating wealth for others rather than building something sustainable for himself or his community.

This realization led to the creation of Baraji Maweng, a digital marketing business whose name combines the Wiradjuri words for "fly" and "together" – embodying James' vision of mutual success while maintaining cultural integrity. His approach focuses on empowering small Indigenous businesses with the skills they need to thrive in the digital space, with support from Indigenous Business Australia helping to forge crucial connections in the sector.

Beyond business, James is pursuing creative projects that reflect his commitment to authentic storytelling – from producing the documentary "Yoloo Country" about environmental justice in Western Australia to writing a book about his great-uncle, the first Indigenous person commissioned in the Australian Army. These endeavors demonstrate how entrepreneurship can create platforms for stories that might otherwise go untold.

Looking to support Indigenous businesses and authentic storytelling? Follow James' journey and discover how slowing down might be the most revolutionary act in a world that values constant hustle above all else.

Bob Smith's journey from small-town chef to influential CEO and media personality unfolds as a powerful testament to identity, purpose and authentic leadership.

Growing up in Beaudesert on Mununjali country, Bob's early life experiences shaped his deep connection to community values that would later define his professional path. The conversation delves into pivotal moments of transformation, particularly when Bob became a father at a young age. "Big lessons in that because you have to sort yourself out as a person first to be able to be a good dad," he reflects, articulating how parenthood catalysed profound self-discovery. Following the separation from his children's mother, Bob embarked on a courageous exploration of his identity as a fair-skinned Aboriginal man, asking fundamental questions: "Who am I, where do I belong and what's going on?"

Bob's professional evolution from chef apprentice to CEO demonstrates his commitment to community service and representation. His Master's in Narrative Therapy fundamentally changed his perspective on storytelling, leading him to pursue media opportunities - most notably as a cast member on Gogglebox - to ensure diverse voices are heard. "Do I hear myself? Do I see myself? Is our humor out there?" he asks, highlighting the critical importance of authentic Indigenous representation in Australian media.

The podcast reveals Bob's thoughtful approach to leadership, grounded in humility and empowerment rather than authority. "My staff I quite often say to them, you mob are the experts in what each of you do. My job is to help lead and bring the best out of you," he shares, offering valuable insight for listeners in leadership positions. His emphasis on "controlling the controllables" serves as a practical philosophy for navigating life's challenges while maintaining personal accountability.

Connect with Bob through his social media channels to learn more about his work in community leadership and media representation. His story reminds us that authentic self-acceptance and purposeful storytelling can transform not only individual lives but entire communities.