Beneath The Surface

“You have bowel cancer” - four simple words that no one ever wants to hear.  In episode 24 of Beneath the Surface, my good friend Zach Bray joins me to discuss how his whole life was turned upside down just a few months ago. At 25 years of age and with no family history of bowel cancer, Zach’s story is absolutely one that we can all learn from.  Earlier this year, a Facebook post from a mutual friend was the catalyst for Zach to pay more attention to what his body was telling him.  Thankfully, he listened. In this episode, Zach recounts his bowel cancer journey through identifying symptoms, diagnosis, surgery, recovery and life beyond cancer.  On top of this, he shares the significant risk factor that caused him to pass out in the doctor’s office, and discusses how a delicious late night snack led to his first ride in an ambulance. I can’t thank Zach enough for jumping on the line to share his experiences, and for being such a positive and proactive ambassador for bowel cancer awareness in general.  I wish hi

Did you know that 90% of the stress endured by FIFO workers is not caused by their job, but rather the interaction between their work and home lives?  Episode 23 of Beneath the Surface is an in-depth mental health journey through the FIFO industry with the amazing Sandra Lam. A registered psychologist, organisational development professional and founder of FIFO Focus, Sandra’s on a mission to create happier, healthier FIFO individuals, families and workplaces. In this episode, we focus primarily on the 6 major mental health issues that affect FIFO workers, and dive deep into what they are, how to spot them in ourselves and others, and how to deal with (or at least mitigate) the impact. On top of the ‘Big 6’, we also talk about the importance of constructive conflict in our personal relationships and what companies (and individuals) can focus on to nurture a healthy FIFO workplace. So much knowledge shared in this one, with plenty of tips and tricks to help us all through our mining journeys.  I hope you have

One of the friendliest people on the planet joins me on episode 22 of Beneath the Surface.  Julia Hasche is an author, blogger, podcaster, mentor and all round awesome human.  On top of all that, she’s a mining engineer and founder of Single Mother Survival Guide - in which she proactively helps single mums live their best life. When her daughter was just 2 months old, Julia walked away from her relationship, moved across the country and ventured down the path of solo-parenting.  She set out to be the best mother and role-model she could be, and along the way discovered an evolving community of amazing women who are treading a similar path. In this episode, we discuss her journey through the mining industry, the challenges of single parenting and even tackle societal biases - highlighted in a crazy story of when she tried to buy a fridge.  On top of this, she's a huge advocate for the mining industry and is proactively spreading the message of the vast opportunities that the resources sector has to offer. I’m

Here we are at episode 21 and wow - what a journey it has been thus far!  This one’s a bit different as I’ve only switched on one microphone this week, recording my first ever solo episode of Beneath the Surface.  Now that we’ve surpassed the 20 episode mark, I thought it’s worth spending some time reflecting on the great conversations and acknowledging the amazing guests that have joined me on the show thus far.  Primarily focusing on the key take-aways from each episode, I also talk through how these conversations came to be and elaborate on the stories that surround them. After reflecting on the journey to date, I then discuss the future of the show and share a tweak that I’m making to the format of Beneath the Surface.   Thanks for tuning in, and a huge thank you to: Leanne Hughes Matt Linney Nikki McMurray Peter Finn Mick Hoyt Andrew O’Brien Tracey Marwood Benny McKenna Warren James Sam Parker Linda Fragomeni Liam Byrne Regan Jones Ryan and Jack Kain Barratt Therese Lardner Daniielle Alexis James Cow

Such a pleasure to welcome the wonderful Dani Tamati to episode 20 of Beneath the Surface.  Soon after her 21st birthday, Dani jumped at an opportunity to leave a 5 star hotel in Perth for a FIFO role in the Pilbara, and never looked back. Today, Dani is a FIFO wife, mother of four young adults and Founder/Managing Director of THE resources HUB, a specialised talent attraction, acquisition, HR and outplacement consultancy, giving complete and comprehensive employment life-cycle solutions.   Dani also heads up Resourceful Women, aiming to engage, encourage, empower and evolve women to be the very best versions of themselves. On top of this, she has recently taken on the voluntary role of Media and Marketing Management Lead for CoRE (Centre of Resources Excellence) Learning Foundation – a not-for-profit organisation is responsible for overseeing the implementation of the CoRE Expansion Project, firstly throughout WA, with the intent to go national. In this episode, Dani recounts the epic adventures that have se

They say there are two sides to every story, so who better to elaborate on mine than my partner in crime, Angela Lavin.  We’ve been in each others’ lives longer than not, so it’s an absolute pleasure to (finally) welcome Ange to the podcast. This episode is very relaxed, so grab a cup of tea and join us as we reflect on our decision to enter the mining industry, starting a family with a DIDO dad and the challenges we faced through geographic and communicative isolation. On top of this, we share plenty of laughs through the crazy stories that have made us who we are today, and we wouldn’t have it any other way...

A lot of laughs in episode 18 with my awesome guest, James Cowin.  In a Beneath the Surface first, James and I ditched the air conditioning for some fresh air and sunshine on a cracking winter day in Brisbane.   James’s eyes were opened to the world of mining at just 7 years old, finding himself in the pit of an open cut mine, accompanied by his geologist relatives.  Now a mining engineer, James shares some powerful stories from the perspective of a gay man in the mining industry of Australia. On top of this, James is a State Partnerships Coordinator with Out for Australia, a not for profit organisation that seeks to support and mentor aspiring LGBTIQ professionals. In this episode we talk about the influence of our internal monologues, how curiosity and acceptance are the key to progression and James shares some of the hilarious and ‘detailed’ questions that he’s received from site colleagues over the years. I’ve got all the time in the world for James and it was great to fire up the mics and welcome him to

The one and only Daniielle Alexis is my superstar guest on episode 17 of Beneath the Surface (www.seanlavin.co/podcast).  Daniielle’s personal journey is so powerful and I’m grateful for both how eager she was to share it, and how open and honest she allowed herself to be.   Daniielle is a trailblazing transgender actor, best known for lighting up our screens in 2017 on season 5 of Australian prison drama, Wentworth.  To supplement her acting career, Daniielle lives the FIFO life, spending weeks at a time in the mining industry of Western Australia.   In this episode, Daniielle tells her inspirational story. We dive deep into the challenges and triumphs of life before and after her transition, FIFO life as a transgender woman and her aspirations of hitting the bigtime in Hollywood.   This one has it all - from laughter to tears and tragedy to triumph.  Daniielle is proactively breaking down barriers spreading nothing but positivity in all that she does.   Reach out to Daniielle here :) 

Episode 16 lights up with the amazing Therese Lardner.  Therese is a registered psychologist, leadership coach and founder of Mindset Coaching and Consulting, who works with businesses to create happy, healthy and productive workforces.   Therese was a FIFO partner for around 10 years and I thought it’d be great to get her perspective from the other side of the coin - what’s life’s like at home, whilst you’re working away.  We also talk about the power of planning prior to entering the mining or related industries, and Therese shares some great advice that I certainly didn’t apply before stepping foot on site for the first time.   On top of that, and as the title suggests, we talk all things burn out.  I was fascinated when Therese explained that she’d experienced burn out not only once, but twice.  She’s very open and honest about what she went through, and her experiences have really ignited her passion to pay it forward and help others.   My perspective was definitely challenged in this episode and Therese

Without a doubt, the most vital aspect of the global mining industry is safety.  My first real induction to the broader scope of safety culture started many years ago when I met today’s guest, Kain Barratt. Now, safety shares are an every day event on sites across the globe.  For those unfamiliar with the term, safety shares open the door for real, organic conversations around safety on site and typically start with a crew member sharing a story, insight or observation related to safety.   This episode is like one deep, intense and perspective shifting safety share, with Kain sharing so much gold in relation to safety culture in high-risk industries. Three powerful takeaways include normalised attitudes to high-risk environments, the false perception of production over safety and how one simple question can empower anyone to ensure their work area is always safe. I’m so grateful that people like Kain exist in the industry, as he’s not only proactive and will always have your back, he’s got a knack for making

In a Beneath the Surface first, we’ve switched on three mics and it’s awesome to welcome Jack Aubort and Ryan Loomans from The Pretengineers podcast to the show.  The Pretengineers was created to share experiences and lessons to help budding engineers fill the gap between University and industry. In this episode, Jack and Ryan talk through their interesting and eclectic experiences, from 100% commission door-to-door sales through to sniper training in the Swiss army.  We also dive deep into safety and gain insight from their (fairly) short-lived experiences in heavy industry, with Jack sharing several very confronting stories. On top of all this, we get the inside scoop of all things the Pretengineers, from the men behind the voices. A lot of love, laughs and lessons in this one and there’s absolutely value here for all.  Enjoy...

“Surely there’s an app for that!” - a phrase that I say nearly every week.  But after months of trial, error and frustration, Regan Jones found himself with no other option but to create his own.   An electrician with an Executive MBA, Regan’s a very interesting and inspirational character in resources industry, and it’s a pleasure to welcome him to episode 13 of Beneath the Surface.  Regan’s worked onshore, offshore, locally, internationally, and I dare say has worked nearly every roster out there. In this episode we focus primarily on two topics - how Regan saved the life of close colleague on a job in the Indian Ocean and One Minute Closer - his lifestyle and roster app that’s completely changed the game for shift workers, FIFO and beyond. I encourage you to do two things after tuning into this episode: download One Minute Closer and sign up for that First-Aid refresher.  There’s so much value here - I could’ve easily talked to Regan all day, enjoy… Reach out to Regan here and check out all things One Minu

Have you ever wanted to lose weight, but felt that ‘site life’ made it too difficult to do so?  Liam Byrne of Live Beyond Fitness joins me on episode 12 and it was great to chat with someone who completely turned their life around while working away on a drilling operation. A budding professional rugby league player who’s passionate about podcasts and MMA,  Liam has travelled around Australia through his work in the seismic and exploration drilling industries.  After a significant knee injury saw him tip the scales at over 140 kgs, Liam tells his story of how he lost nearly a third of this body weight whilst working away. We talk about how his competitive mindset has been both a blessing and a curse, dive down a MMA rabbit hole and Liam talks very openly about his significant weight gain and how a random photo from a glam-rock party caused him to completely overhaul his life. Now a personal trainer and founder of Live Beyond Fitness, Liam dedicates his time to helping those both on and off site get on top of

A wonderful human being in Linda Fragomeni rocks the mic for episode 11 of Beneath the Surface.  Late in 2018 and as this podcast was being conceptualised, I had the pleasure of meeting Linda after her mic-drop speech at a prestigious awards night.   With this podcast idea in mind, her speech cemented why I wanted to capture and share the stories of the amazing people who make up the global mining and related industries.   This is such an eclectic conversation where we discuss life as an apprentice, the perception of gender inequality, impostor syndrome, balancing your work and home life, social isolation and the struggle of maintaining your work standards while your world off site is completely falling apart.   On top of all this, Linda (aka Dylan) talks through her recent journey on reality TV - joining the cast of 2018’s Bride and Prejudice.   Linda is an absolute gem in the industry, and I can’t thank her enough for being so enthusiastic to join me on the show.  Thanks for tuning in, I know you’ll enjoy t

Such a pleasure to bring you episode 10 of Beneath the Surface with an amazing human in Sam Parker.  Sam’s a super friendly guy whose 'Grab Life by the Balls’ movement is positively tackling men’s mental health.  A chiropractor by trade and a sportsman at heart, Sam’s passionate about tackling the scary and un-Australian statistics around suicide in this country. Excitingly, 'Grab Life by the Balls' is making its way to the mining game, spreading the word and bringing a refreshing sense of realness and relatability to the stigma that surrounds men's mental health. In this episode, we dive deep into Sam’s background, discuss how powerful and life-changing social connection can be and of course, talk all things ‘Grab Life by the Balls’. Sam’s a legend, and the world is absolutely a better place with people like him doing what he’s doing, enjoy… Find everything ‘Grab Life by the Balls’ on the website and get involved through Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.

Warren James of Rapid Mentoring joins me on episode 9 of Beneath the Surface.  Warren is an engineer by trade, who’s worked on projects in energy, high voltage electrical and has spent a number of years in the oil and gas industry.     Warren is also the founder of Rapid Mentoring, created to help graduates and those within the early years of their careers go further, faster.  But as we discuss in this podcast, the content is absolutely applicable to anyone at nearly any stage of their career.   In this episode, we navigate the struggles of working on FIFO projects, the harsh reality of burn-out, how a close colleague changed Warren's perspective of wanting to retire at 40, and how stumbling on a seemingly random article on LinkedIn proved to be the catalyst for Warren to pivot into a career that he was truly passionate about.  On top of all this, Warren talks through a very simple, yet powerful technique to switch off, sleep better and get happy.   Finally, in a Beneath the Surface first, Warren shares a g

Benny McKenna lights up episode 8 of Beneath the Surface, sharing his strategic approach to mining operations through the lens of a professional athlete. Once a professional junior rugby league halfback, Benny now applies grand final winning strategies to the circuits he coordinates, all with an eye to get the best out of his team and deliver confetti-worthy results. We discuss the similarities between a football game and mining operations, the motivation that comes from a looming relegation and what really matters when the final whistle blows. Benny’s a very special character in the mining game and I’m so glad he made the time to join me on the show.  Enjoy...

Episode 7 sees Tracey Marwood grabbing the mic to join me on Beneath the Surface. Trace is a miner, small business owner, cycling enthusiast and mother, who has jumped in and out of the mining industry as her business and family have expanded. In this episode, Trace talks through her time being pregnant on site, the challenges she faced as well as the difficulties of helping to run a business from her camp room. On top of all this, Trace offers some amazing advice for those working in the industry who are looking to start (or grow) a family - advice that can be applied far beyond the scope of a mining operation. It’s always great to catch up with Trace and I hope you enjoy the episode.  Reach out to her here: Instagram (@tracemarwood) Mackay Cycles (https://mackaycycles.com.au)

Andrew O’Brien joins me for episode 6 of Beneath the Surface.  Andrew is a very unique character in the mining game - he’s a geologist, holds a site senior executive (SSE) ticket and is a certified financial advisor.  In this episode, Andrew and I talk all things finance in the mining industry. We discuss general financial education, tackle stereotypes and even dive head-first into the recent Royal Commission into misconduct in the banking, superannuation and financial services industry.   On top of all this, Andrew shares the biggest financial mistake that he sees miners make, and provides some fantastic advice to avoid the trap. I really enjoyed speaking to Andrew and am grateful for the knowledge and insights he shares.  Reach out to Andrew here. Thanks for tuning in and enjoy the show...

Such a pleasure to welcome the hilarious Mick Hoyt to the podcast.  This is a silly one as we share stories, memories and a lot of laughs from our mining journeys.  Mick brings an element of fun and cheekiness to his role and there’s rarely a dull day with Mick on the crew. He’s an amazing story teller and a brilliant wordsmith who showcases a skill that very few people in the modern world possess.  That skill is poetry, and Mick shares one of his finest ditties towards the end of the episode.   On top of this, we reflect on our journeys entering the industry, the anxiety and fear of the unknown that rolls through the mind of a 'greenie’ and the all encompassing regulations that govern the ‘carton rules’. I’m so glad that Mick threw his hand in the air to join me on Beneath the Surface, and I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did...