The Monica Kade Podcast: Health, Mindset, Career & Lifestyle

On the final episode of The Monica Kade Podcast for 2019, I sat down with Pro-surfer, Bethany Hamilton. She's become a source of inspiration to millions through her story of determination, faith, and hope. At the age of 13, Bethany lost her left arm to a 14-foot tiger shark, which seemed to end her career as a rising surf star.

One month after the attack, Bethany returned to the water and within two years had won her first national title. In 2007, she realized her dream of surfing professionally and since then, her story has been told in a New York Times best selling autobiography and in the 2011 film, Soul Surfer. Bethany is involved in numerous charitable efforts, including her own foundation, Friends of Bethany, which reaches out to amputees and youth.

Using her platform as a professional athlete to promote living a fit and healthy lifestyle, she authored the book Body and Soul in 2014. Bethany’s latest project, Unstoppable, a surf documentary which showcases her as one of the best women surfers in the world, released theatrically in the USA on July 12, 2019, accompanied by a photo book and a children’s book.

Passionate about helping young women be unstoppable in life and faith, Bethany has launched a new website and online course for sharing content and facilitating connection. Her greatest joy is being a wife and mother, and she continues to touch and inspire lives globally as a professional surfer and motivational speaker.

Bethany is an incredible human being. Her determination and sheer drive to not let anything step in the way of her surfing is truly inspiring. She reminds me that if you really want something, you can have it…just go after it!

LEARN ABOUT

When she realised her love for surfing 
How being in the water from a young age shaped her life
How she approaches big waves
Whether resilience is something she’s naturally grown up with or developed
What’s the greatest thing surfing taught you about yourself
What inspired her new documentary, The Unstoppable Film
What it was like to surf pregnant 
Why she created her 12-month online program ‘Live Unstoppable’

What career she’d like to attempt if not in this one?
What piece of wisdom Bethany lives by?

In Episode 117 of The Monica Kade Podcast I sat down with Emmylou MacCarthy. Many of you follow her on Instagram, have seen her on TV, have watched her host live events and shared the behind the scenes journey of chasing her dream to becoming a TV presenter.

In a world filled with fakes, Emmylou is the real deal. She swears. She cries. She shares inside tips about how to achieve a flawless red lip (hint: it involves a toothbrush). And she’s built a fun, fearless tribe who follow her every move.

She’s an accredited fashion stylist and make-up artist, but today she’s added TV producer and presenter to her resume.

Emmylou has built a fiercely loyal tribe on Instagram. From cooking demos to makeup artistry, building your confidence and chasing your dreams, she knows how to tell a story that resonates with her community.

In 2018, Emmylou took her Confidence is Contagious tour on the road and looks set to return for more in 2019. She has put together an explosive live show, sharing insider tips to help her tribe break out of their comfort zone and shine on the world’s stage.

What she dreamed of becoming as a kid
How she got into dance and how its influenced her as an adult
Did she always want to become a mother
How she feels about having opened up her family to social media
The philosophy she lives by
The hardest part, behind the scenes that you don’t get to see on social media
How she has navigated the dark days and how you can too
What inspired her clothing line
How she feels about having her own show on Australian national TV - 10Peach
The reason she’s releasing a cookbook in April 2020

What Emmylou believes is her greatest asset
The pieces of wisdom she lives her life by today

Welcome to episode 115 of The Monica Kade podcast. Today’s guest is Australian actress, writer and director, Matilda Brown. Matilda is best known for her TV series Let's Talk About, Lessons from the Grave which she both wrote and directed, and acted in. Both starring opposite her father Bryan Brown. And most recently feature film Palm Beach — also starring her dad, and directed by her mother, Rachel Ward alongside an impressive Australian cast.

And on the topic of family, Matilda and her partner Scott Gooding, (who has also been on the show earlier this year) have just become parents to little Zan.

Today we’re going to go behind the scenes of her upbringing, find out her journey into acting, talk creativity and what it’s like being a first time mum.

My conversation with Matilda was really inspiring. I loved her honesty coupled with her willingness to follow what fuels her fire-and what doesn't! While you won't find her hanging about on The Gram, you can simply embody the message of truth that she shares and look inward to see if you're living the life you want to be. Or if you're following society's "shoulds" and "have to's".

What was it like to grow up in well-knowing acting family
Did her parents encourage her to get into acting
What she loves about acting
What made her start writing and directing
What’s changed her mind about the acting industry
What it’s like being a new mum
How she sees the world since becoming a mother
Why she left social media
What she’s gained from not being on social media

If she wasn’t in her current career what she’d like to attempt?
What she believes is her best asset?
A piece of wisdom she lives by today?

On Episode of 114 of The Monica Kade podcast, I’m sitting down with a truly incredible human being: Chase Jarvis.

Aside from being a well-renowned photographer, Founder and CEO of CreativeLive—an online education platform that broadcasts live classes to an international audience on art, photography, design, marketing business and more—he also hosts The Chase Jarvis Live Show and has authored a handful of books. His most recent being Creative Calling. Oh, and he’s also survived a near death experience with an avalanche.

As soon as I heard Chase speak on creativity I knew I had to get him on the show. The way he spoke about creativity, and creative expression resonated very much with how I see it. I feel like his take on creativity challenges the status quo and goes against what many people will tell you about your Creative Calling.

His philosophy around being creative is: giving of ourselves freely, adding value and expecting nothing in return. Super powerful.

What I love most about Chase is his genuine love to connect with people; his friendly and warm nature make you feel like you've known each other for years. Talking with Chase is like having a conversation with a dear friend over coffee.

How he go into photography and exited a career in medicine
What it means to be Creative
Where society had led us astray on creativity
The never-linear path of pursuing our creative calling
Why you must become okay with letting those around you down to truly follow your Creative Calling
Intuition and your Creative Calling
How to harness your creativity and work it like a muscle
Why there’s no map for where you—or ANYONE— is going
The crucial step most people miss when executing on their dreams
The I.D.E.A acronym: what it means and how to use it
The role mindset play in your creative expression
The one piece of wisdom Chase lives by

Welcome to Episode 105 of The Monica Kade podcast. This week’s woman to watch is Linda Monique the CEO and Founder of Almo Milk, Australia’s most premium, 100% grown and made, long-life almond milk.

Before establishing Almo, Linda lived many lives. She studied Commerce and Arts at the University of Melbourne, she’s lived in Milan and London, lectured in food design, and dabbled in being a private chef for a number of A-List celebrities and high net worth individuals. She’s also been on Masterchef, a TED speaker and won the 2018 Telstra Young Business Awards.

In 2015, her autoimmune condition worsened and she was forced to focus on making drastic, yet positive lifestyle changes. To strengthen her immune system, Linda began consuming plant-based milks, and realised that every product was full of additives, and this is where we begin our Almo conversation.

Why she chose to study commerce and arts
Her travels to Milan and London, and how these came about
How she fell into becoming a private chef
How being hospitalised with an autoimmune condition was possibly a blessing 
Why she started Almo, and how the idea came to her
Her greatest challenge in launching Almo to market
The most rewarding aspect of creating and running Almo
The number one thing she wants you (consumers) to know about Almo Milk

If she wasn’t in her current career, what she’d attempt
What she believes is her greatest asset 
A piece of wisdom she’s self acquired or been given that she lives by today

In Episode 102 of The Monica Kade Podcast, I sat down with Pip Summerville; the Founder and Creative Director of Tonik, an all-natural health capsule company, with a no-fluff approach to feeling good. Tonik was founded in 2016 by pip from the desire to make natural health supplements easier and more convenient for the health conscious consumer—but first and foremost it was the solution to a personal problem. With the help of her pharmacist father, Glenn, they went on to create the much loved Tonik brand.

What it was like being a professional athlete growing up
How and why Pip developed an unhealthy relationship with food 
The impact that disordered eating had on her sports career and personal life
Hear about the special relationship she has with her dad and its role in her upbringing
How apple cider vinegar played a big role in her life
How the Tonik business idea came to life
Behind the scenes of Tonik’s creation phase, to where it is today
How Tonik received Goop’s (Gwenyth Paltrow’s lifestyle brand) seal of approval
The Base Agency, her second business and how it supported the development of Tonik
How she juggles two businesses and family

What career Pip would attempt if not in this one
What she believes is her greatest asset
A piece of wisdom she’s been given or acquired through life experience that she lives by

Welcome to Ep96. You Have to Have An Intention For Your Dream with Andronica Klaas, the second alumni graduate from my Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy Series (OWLAG).

There are some people you meet in life with that you instantly bond with. Andronica was one of these. Our conversation dived deep, fast. It was her open nature and willingness to share such intimate details of her upbringing that really moved me. I feel so grateful that I was able to be a witness of her story, and to now share this conversation with you.

While I won't share all the details with you hear, some background on Andronica begins with her growing up in South Africa, and since graduating from the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls, she has attained a BSc in Computer Science Information Systems from Johnson C. Smith University in May of 2017.  

Today she works at the Bank of America, N.A and is also a mentor for women in technology. As a member of the employee engagement committee and a volunteer for the Ignite with Tech program, she reviews resumes for potential student employees while providing them with mock interviews.

Andronica has also been invited by the bank to share her journey at the “Inspire – Women who Tech” enrichment event for female freshman and sophomore students interested in pursuing roles in Technology.

Engaging with the youth and inspiring proactiveness in solving civic engagement issues in their surrounding communities is close to her heart, and she does this through her workshops. She has worked with organisations such as EmpowerHERment, Camp LeadUp and InTech. 

LEARN ABOUT

Her childhood and life before OWLAG
What made her realise she wanted to apply to OWLAG
How it felt to be accepted out of over 100 girls
What doors OWLAG has opened for Andronica
What she enjoyed most from her time at OWLAG
How her role as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) White House Initiative Ambassador came about and what this experience involved
Her involvement in STEMites leadership and tech summer camp
What was the most significant thing she learned about herself from her time at OWLAG
Her life philosophy, ‘To whom much is given much is expected’, what this means and how she’s living this
What she’d like listeners to know about chasing their dreams
How she’d like to impact the world
 
 

Sunset or sunrise, and why?


What are you afraid of?


What’s the greatest piece of wisdom you’ve been given that you live by? 

Episode 92 of The Monica Kade Podcast was a riot to record. My guest was Liv Kaplan, nutritionist and passionate foodie with a keen eye for all things health and wellness. 

I’ve been following Liv for quite a while now—on Instagram that is. Not to yoga or the farmer’s market or anything—that’d be weird. So let me say this…not only do her clean, sugar, gluten, grain and dairy free recipes make your eyes pop, they pretty much inspire you to drop what you’re doing, grab your debit card and run to the grocery store—stat! You think I’m joking.

In Ep92. Use Your Inner Wisdom to Eat, we share a healthy dose of laughter, blend it with some golden nuggets of wisdom and drizzle in some simple ideas that you can adopt as part of your own conscious approach to health. Plus, we get all the goss on her latest eBook, CREATE.

Liv’s recipes focus on mood-boosting and blood sugar balancing goodness, and she believes eating well should be effortless, not stressful! If you live in Sydney, Australia, you can find this bronzed up foodie on the shore of Bondi Beach. She’s a living example of how proper nutrition is an integral part of our overall health—but you’re not going to die if you take a detour. 

If she’s not getting creative in the kitchen, you can find her getting salty in the ocean, getting zen on the yoga mat or picking up fresh produce from the local farmer’s market. 

GRAB your green juice, turmeric latte, bulletproof coffee—or beverage of choice; plug in those earphones and consume this episode in one sitting—or with a friend, if you think you can’t do it alone. We believe you can.

When Liv’s fascination with food began
Why she doesn’t attach herself to food labels
How her diet has evolved over recent years
Why she doesn’t try to know what’s right for you
We debunk the “Keto” vs “Vegan” conversation
Why health isn’t just about what food you eat
Why she advocates looking at ‘how’ you eat and your mindset on food
We talk food philosophy: Eating well and looking after your health should make you less stressed not more
Get the goss on her newly released (April 23rd 2019) eBook, CREATE
What inspired Liv to bring CREATE to life

Sunset or sunrise and why?
What's Liv afraid of?
If she could be remembered for one of her recipes which would she pick?

In Episode 88 of The Monica Kade Podcast: Why Real Empowerment Ain't Built On Abs & A Booty, I sit down with Amber Dodzweit Riposta; a women's circuit training expert, 13x fitness cover model, All-American Track and Field athlete and X-national champion professional tackle football player. She created BUILT FOR HER (an online women's athletic training club) in 2014 to teach women how to find freedom and a deeper sense of purpose through athletic training and empowerment. She lives in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and is married to Holistic Nutritionist Andrew Riposta. She also creates athletic training content for women from all over the world with the basis that a woman's appearance must always be secondary to her capabilities. 

She’s had her own trials and tribulations like the rest of us, but it’s her determined nature that’s enabled her to rise into who she is today. Oh, and if you’re still hung up on her physique, you HAVE to listen to this conversation. Because as she shares, her love for working out was never to attain a particular body shape. 

I’ve watched her social media presence evolve over the years, and while I feel she’s always shared uplifting and empowering messages, it’s now more than ever that I resonate and feel her message is much needed in our world. 

-  Her family, where she grew up and in what part they played in athletic interests
-  How she got into fitness modelling
-  How quickly her career took off and what she truly felt behind the success
-  Who she became once she started fitness modelling
-  What influence and impact the people around her had on her career and life
-  Why she chose to walk away from a high flying fitness modelling career
-  The most eye opening experience the modelling industry have given her
-  What inspired her to be more real with her social media audience
-  Does she think there’ll be a time in the future where body image won’t play such a huge part in our lives?
-  How Built For Her (her online training club) came to fruition

-  Sunset or Sunrise and why?
-  What career would Amber attempt if not in her current one?
-  A piece of wisdom she lives by?

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Ren McGann's and my path collided via Instagram. I very quickly fell in love with his big wave photographs and it wasn't long before gut instinct urged me to get him on the podcast show. I follow A LOT of wave photographers but over the years, nothing has moved me in the way his photography has. We got to chatting, and the more I found about him through his website and the other media articles that have featured him, the more I wanted to know.

His down-to-earth nature, coupled with a genuine love for making connections and bettering the lives of those who cross his path really stood out for me. And so, this week I’m stoked to welcome Ren to Episode 85 of The Monica Kade podcast.

He’s a Western Australian photographer specialising in big wave photography. He’s always had a fascination for big waves and extreme weather. His first trip to ‘The Right’—one of the biggest wave spots in the world—sparked his passion for photography and dramatically changed the direction of his life. He went from being a commercial mariner for 10 years, running all sorts of vessels out of Exmouth in eco-tourism, fishing, oil and gas, cray-fishing amongst others to immersing himself amongst mother nature's gnarliest yet magnificent waves and keenest surfers. If you haven’t seen his photography, you must. I’m a huge fan of big and burly waves, but Ren’s photos capture more than a wave. They’re imbued with something I just can’t put into words.

I honestly loved this conversation with Ren and I hope you do too. 

Learn About:

- What inspired him becoming a mariner?
- What he loved most about that part of his life
- The mental challenge of breaking out of a good life and staying where he was
- What the quote on his website, “We find ourselves through exploration” means to him
- When and how his interest in photography came into focus
- What it’s like to see the world through his eyes as a photographer
- How he knows when the perfect moment is to take the shot
- What he loves most about big waves
- What he’s learned about himself through photographing big waves
- The down low on what it’s really like for those of us who haven’t experienced being in the ocean around these waves?
- What his fascination with waves is

Plus much more!

Signature Questions:

Sunset or sunrise?
What career he’d like to attempt if not in this one?
What Being his Best looks like to him?

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Lots of love,

Monica

Episode 82. of The Monica Kade Podcast with Jordan Pie. Jordan is a qualified Nutritionist and GAPS Practitioner, a health and wellness blogger, food photographer and a recipe developer. Jordan believes that truly nourishing your body and using food as medicin