Thirty moves as a kid. A father who couldn’t safely say he was Aboriginal. And a career that accidentally began with “buying pens and pencils” before turning into a blueprint for Indigenous procurement and self-determination. We yarn with Glenn Johnston, Barramatta of the Dharug Nation, about what identity costs when survival demands silence and what it takes to rebuild connection when records and stories are missing.

From there, Glenn gets practical about power. He breaks down why procurement matters, how a purchase order can scale an Aboriginal business and what policies like the Indigenous Procurement Policy and New South Wales Aboriginal Procurement Policy have unlocked for the blak economy. He also challenges the comfortable headlines: big dollar figures can still mean less than 1% of the Australian economy, while mob deserve representation that matches population and contribution.

We go deep on “walking in two worlds” and the tension between culture strength and Western systems, especially hiring. Glenn shares real examples of changing interview processes into a yarn, reducing barriers like legacy criminal records and creating employment pathways that ripple through community. We also talk boardrooms, why Indigenous board representation is so low across corporate Australia and how leadership comes down to one test: are you creating value.

If you care about First Nations leadership, Indigenous economic development, Aboriginal business growth and closing the gap through practical systems change, this one will stick with you.

Chronic disease keeps stealing years from our mob and it’s happening earlier than ever. We sit with Mengui - Torres Strait Islander entrepreneur from Badu Island - to unpack a practical, culture-first path back to health: fast smarter, eat real food, honor spirit and take ownership. He started by living the change six years ago, then found the science matched what Elders already knew: food is medicine, recovery requires space and gratitude tunes the mind like a radio to better choices.

We walk through the nuts and bolts: how chronic inflammation hides behind busy routines, why constant snacking blocks deep repair and how simple rituals - intermittent fasting, whole-food smoothies and a soothing, natural-leaning tea - make healing convenient without the hype. There’s a live taste test, a full ingredient rundown and a look at why magnesium and ashwagandha play supporting roles. Mengui shares the story-driven way he speaks with Elders about change, keeping jargon out and culture in, so the message lands with respect. This yarn goes deeper than diet. We talk about ownership over victim mentality, the real weight of trauma and the uncomfortable but freeing work of accountability.

Mengui opens up about dark, numb seasons and the turning point that brought him back, turning pain into a mission: if I can, you can. From there, we map his bigger vision - shopfronts in Cairns and Brisbane, a manufacturing and ideas hub for Indigenous creators, research-backed transparency with QR-linked data and frozen products that can travel to remote communities and humanitarian efforts. If you’ve felt stuck - tired, stressed, inflamed - this conversation offers a clear first step. Swap one processed habit for a whole-food choice, set a five-minute gratitude practice, or try a gentle fasting window and notice the difference.

What if the first step isn’t glamorous, just necessary?

Nathan joins us to share how he went from a factory floor in modular construction to leading Avendo Design, a residential architecture and design studio known for plans that actually build. He walks through the early years of scraping by and how support from IBA helped sharpen his brand, strengthen his messaging and give his business the structure it needed to grow. That shift opened the door to better clients and a more consistent pipeline.

With guidance from mentors and the right people around him, one bold move turned into a six-figure development deal. This isn’t theory; it’s timelines, feasibility and the kind of opportunities that come from backing yourself and asking better questions. We also go deeper than profit and projects. Nathan opens up about divorce, co-parenting and building a blended family while growing a business. He talks about investing in therapy and NLP, writing goals he forgot about and later achieved and the discipline of being honest on good and bad days. There’s a through-line of men’s mental health here: the courage to make the call, admit you’re not okay and let support do its job. That shift changes how you lead, how you price, and who you say yes to. If you’re a builder, designer, or creator trying to bridge the gap between drawings and ground truth, you’ll take away practical steps on approvals, marketing and client experience.

If you’re a founder stuck at the first leap, you’ll find a map made of small dots: test, fail, learn, adjust, repeat. And if you’re carrying more than you’re saying, you’ll hear why vulnerability isn’t weakness - it’s leverage..