What does it look like when compassion becomes the driving force in an industry built on conflict? Chris sits down with Carolyn Devries, founder of New Way Lawyers, Australia’s first not-for-profit family law firm. Carolyn shares the very real story of walking away from the traditional legal pathway to build a practice that puts people at the centre of every decision.

Carolyn talks about the frustrations that pushed her out of private practice, the early days of building a values driven firm, and the emotional weight of supporting families through separation, divorce and domestic violence. She and Chris explore how she learned to balance heart and commercial clarity, how her team stays grounded while doing difficult work, and why culture matters more than any bonus structure.

This is an intimate and uplifting conversation about purpose, courage and choosing the harder road for the right reasons. If you want to create meaningful change in your own field or simply hear what it sounds like when someone builds a business that genuinely aligns with who they are, Carolyn’s story will stay with you.

Connect with New Way Lawyers

If you or someone you know needs support during separation, divorce or domestic violence, New Way Lawyers offers free and accessible help alongside their legal services.

Website: www.newwaylawyers.com
Learn more about their approach, book an initial consultation or explore their resources.

Lunch With A Lawyer (Free Service):
A private and anonymous Facebook community where you can ask family law questions at no cost and receive guidance from a qualified lawyer every weekday between 12 and 1pm.
Search Lunch With A Lawyer on Facebook to join.

Domestic Violence and Family Law Support:
New Way Lawyers provides free initial consultations through partner organisations and their private domestic violence fund. Visit their website for more details on accessing this service.

In the latest instalment of The Anti-Failure Podcast, Chris sits down with Rob Martin, Founder of MCommercial, for an honest conversation about entrepreneurship, resilience, and redefining success. With nearly two decades of experience in the building and commercial property sectors, Rob shares his journey from working in large corporate environments to launching his own people-first commercial property buyer’s agency.

Rob opens up about navigating the challenges of starting a business, the lessons learned from personal and professional failures, and how prioritising relationships and integrity helped him overcome setbacks. He discusses the pivotal moments that inspired him to break away from the traditional, sales-driven approach to real estate, and instead create a brand built on transparency, honesty, and genuine purpose.

Whether you're a small business owner, aspiring entrepreneur, or anyone striving to strike a balance between ambition and wellbeing, Rob’s story is a candid look at how to turn setbacks into opportunities for growth. Tune in to hear how failure, in the right context, can be the foundation for personal transformation and a more fulfilling kind of success.

Want to hear more from Rob or learn more about investing in commercial property?
Website -
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-martin-mcommercial/

Valentina Coin - aka the Digital Transformation Fairy Godmother - joins Chris on the Anti-Failure Podcast to unpack how small businesses can turn tech chaos into scalable, sustainable growth. From tackling failed software launches to aligning people, processes, and technology, Val shares why embracing failure is a gamechanger for business (and personal) transformation. If you want practical strategies to turn process and technology headaches into business wins, this conversation is your blueprint! Check it out now and start building without the chaos.

From a career that began in the social services of inner-city Manchester to now leading successful organisational mergers and launching Loom Consulting, Alex’s journey is one of intentional pivots, entrepreneurial thinking, and a relentless drive to “do good, better.” Chris and Alex explore how embracing commercial strategies, fostering innovative governance, and harnessing technology can unlock new ways for charities to deliver on their missions while avoiding the pitfalls of risk aversion and stagnation.

Alex’s story is a fresh reminder: meaningful change and even commercial success are possible in the purpose-driven sector, if you’re willing to challenge tradition! If you’re building impact in the “for purpose” world, be bold, merge missions, embrace technology, and never forget the human factor.

Want to get in touch with Alex or learn more about Loom Consulting? Head to loomconsulting.com.au for all the details.

What happens when the chef at the top of her game realises the recipe for success is destroying her health? Award-winning chef, author, and nutritionist Bridget Foliaki-Davis joins Chris to share how she went from running Sydney’s finest kitchens to overhauling her life, losing 35 kilos, healing from burnout and turning food into medicine.

Bridget shares the intense realities of professional kitchens, the battles of being a woman in a male-dominated industry and the surprising business lessons she learned along the way. Her story takes a pivotal turn when burnout and health issues force her to rethink her approach to food, business, and well-being.

If you’re ready for a raw, inspiring take on health, business and purpose, this episode serves it straight - no sugar-coating.

In this episode, Chris sits down with David Altamura, founder of Wild Soul Wellness, to unpack a journey from adversity to opportunity. From personal training and swim coaching in Melbourne to launching wellness spaces in Byron Bay, David eventually returned home to lead a fast-growing franchise network. Along the way, he nearly lost it all in a $60,000 construction disaster, a messy legal battle, and the gut punch of starting over with his young family.

Chris and David dig into the lessons that helped him bounce back, scale up, and now guide franchisees through the growing pains with real-world tools like hands-on lease support and a community-first business model. If you're building something, starting over, or just need a hit of entrepreneurial honesty, this episode will leave you inspired and ready to keep going.

To find out more about David and Wild Soul Wellness, visit www.wildsoulwellness.com.au

What if your biggest failures turned out to be the launchpad for the life you were truly meant to live? In this episode, Chris sits down with Luke McLeod, who went from artillery gunner in the Australian Defence Force to starring on Australia’s highest-rating reality dating show, before finding his real calling: helping people unlock everyday enlightenment.

Luke’s story is one of unexpected pivots. He opens up about the moment everything crashed - his business failed, his relationship ended, and his world shrank to a one-bedroom apartment and four blank walls. A chance Netflix documentary inspired a one-way ticket to India, where he learned that true growth doesn’t come from escaping discomfort, but leaning into it.

Today, through his app Soul Alive, his book Everyday Enlightenment, and corporate mindfulness sessions, Luke’s mission is to show that meditation isn’t just for monks or wellness gurus, it’s a practical tool to help us stay grounded when life doesn’t go to plan.

If you’ve ever found yourself wondering how to pick up the pieces after a setback, or how to find real calm in the middle of the chaos, Luke’s honest insights will remind you that the road to growth is rarely straight but always worth it.

Tune in as Chris and Luke explore what it means to embrace failure, stay present, and truly experience the rollercoaster of life, one step, one breath at a time.

What if the setbacks that nearly stopped you in your tracks were actually nudges pushing you toward something bigger? In this inspiring episode of the Anti-Failure Podcast, Chris reconnects with long-time friend Lish Feia, an ABC presenter, science communicator, and co-founder of FixIt Chicks, to peel back the curtain on a career built not despite failure, but because of it.

Lish’s journey from making science come alive for kids with the Questacon Science Circus, to helping everyday Australians cut their energy bills, to rebooting her career after a surprise contract non-renewal, shows how change, even when devastating, can become an unexpected launchpad. Chris and Lish explore the value of persistence, the vulnerability of reinvention, and the power of sharing struggles openly to discover that you are in fact, not alone.

Whether you’re starting over, facing uncertainty, or just looking for a pep talk from someone who’s been there (and bounced forward), Lish’s story is equal parts honest, relatable, and uplifting.

Tune in to hear why finding your way sometimes means getting lost first, and how the path to making a difference is rarely a straight line.