More Than a Score

What happens when you're told university probably isn’t realistic for you? Maybe it comes from a teacher, a report card, careers counsellor, or from someone who thinks they’re being helpful. In this episode of More Than a Score, we sit down with Cade Witnish — co-founder of digital marketing agency Loud & Clear and sports technology platform PlayHQ — who heard exactly that just months before his final exams. Growing up in regional New South Wales, Cade was labelled as someone with “potential” who didn’t quite apply himself. He was advised to consider alternative plans because he was not seen as likely to achieve the score required for university. Then his ATAR surprised everyone. But this conversation is not about proving people wrong. It is about something deeper. It is about how low expectations can shape who we think we are, the influence of a determined mum who believed finishing Year 12 and “getting a ticket” to opportunity mattered, and the teacher who saw something in Cade before he saw it in himself. And it is about discovering that you are far more capable than any label placed on you. Today, as a successful entrepreneur and business leader, Cade reflects on growing up first-generation tertiary educated, navigating comparison and self-doubt, and why growth is often uncomfortable but necessary. What You’ll Hear in This Episode • What to do if you or your child has ever been told university may not be realistic • How to navigate the label “has potential but doesn’t apply themselves” without letting it define identity • Why finishing Year 12 and “getting a ticket” can mean more than just a score • What first-generation tertiary education looks like in real life • How one teacher’s belief can shift a student’s entire trajectory • Why exam pressure can sometimes reveal strengths you didn’t know you had • The difference between surviving school and truly understanding how you grow • How to help young people build resilience without comparison • Why confidence rarely arrives all at once and often develops years later • How choosing growth and challenge over comfort builds long-term success This episode is a powerful reminder that potential is often misread in the moment, and that the trajectory of a life is rarely defined at 18. One score does not define you, but one sentence of belief can change your whole trajectory.

What if the thing you’ve always loved, that quiet, consistent thread running through your life is actually pointing you somewhere meaningful? In this episode of More Than a Score, we sit down with Sophie Perez — fine artist, Royal College of Art graduate, former elite cyclist, studio founder, and mother of three, to explore what it really means to follow passion over prestige, and to keep redefine success - even if it different to what others may think. Sophie’s pathway is anything but linear. From studying painting in London and couriering by bike, to racing at the Tour de France level, stepping away from art for a decade while raising her family, and then rebuilding her creative practice on the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria, her story is layered with courage, reinvention, and backing yourself. This conversation offers reassurance for parents and young people alike: success doesn’t arrive all at once, and it rarely follows a straight line. Instead, it evolves and gets shaped by curiosity, community, discipline, and the willingness to begin again. If you’re supporting a creative young person, navigating identity beyond school results, or questioning whether passion can truly become a pathway, this episode offers perspective and permission...because sometimes the bravest thing you can do is keep following the thread. What You’ll Hear in This Episode In this conversation, Sophie shares: • Why art was never a backup plan — it was always the throughline • What studying at the Royal College of Art taught her about identity and discipline • The unexpected lessons from professional cycling and elite competition • Why stepping away from your passion doesn’t mean it’s gone • The power of community in building creative confidence • How success shifts through motherhood and different life stages • Why “don’t shut the door on yourself” matters more than chasing certainty • Supporting young people who don’t fit into neat academic categories Discover More About Sophie Perez and her art here 👇: https://www.sophieperezartist.com/

What happens when the result staring back at you doesn’t reflect who you know you are? In this episode of More Than a Score, we speak with Emily Rovere, an osteopath, business owner, mentor, and lifelong learner, about opening her results, feeling deeply confused and deflated...and slowly realising that the number in front of her wasn’t the full story. Emily shares honestly about being a high-achiever who worked hard but didn’t yet know how she learned best, the pressure she carried as the “one who had to succeed,” and how missing the score she hoped for forced her to problem-solve, adapt, and ultimately discover a path that truly suited her. This is a powerful conversation about: • Identity vs results • Learning how you learn • Asking for help (and why that’s hard) • Resilience built through discomfort • Why progress matters more than perfection For parents, this episode offers reassurance that: • Struggle doesn’t mean failure • Detours can lead to clarity • Confidence is built through experience, not comparison For young people, and those supporting them, it’s a reminder that feeling lost doesn’t mean you’re off track, it often means you’re learning something important. Because one moment, one exam, or one score never defines the whole story.

You’ve heard the conversations. Now it’s time to meet the people behind them. In this special episode of More Than a Score, we flip the script and turn the mic toward Laura Pitt — co-host of the podcast — to explore her own journey through school, uncertainty, decision-making, and the moments that shaped how she now supports young people and families. Laura shares openly about her experience of school, the expectations she carried, the choices she made along the way, and how her understanding of success has evolved over time. It’s an honest reflection how life rarely follows a straight line — and why that’s not only okay, but often where growth begins. This episode is especially for listeners who: • Are supporting a child through school transitions • Are worried about results or “getting it right” • Want reassurance that there are many ways to live a fulfilling life • Young people who need to hear that uncertainty is normal What You’ll Hear in This Episode • Laura’s experience of school and early decision-making • How pressure and expectations can shape confidence • Why success looks different at different stages of life • The power of reflection, self-trust, and support • What Laura wishes parents and students knew during school years • Why More Than a Score exists — and who it’s really for Because behind every pathway is a human story. And no one score ever tells the whole one.

What do you do when the score you worked so hard for doesn’t turn out the way you hoped...and you feel completely devastated? In this powerful and deeply honest episode of More Than a Score, we sit down with Stacey Lapira—former teacher, prison officer, and now fitness coach and gym owner—to explore what happens after disappointment, and how one moment doesn’t get to define the rest of your life. Stacey openly shares her experience of missing the ATAR she expected, feeling embarrassed, withdrawing from friends, and questioning her own intelligence. But what follows is a remarkable story of courage, course-correction, and learning how to back yourself, even when the path ahead feels unclear. Stacey’s journey, from criminal justice to working in maximum-security prisons, teaching, and eventually building a thriving fitness business, reminds us that growth often comes from trying, reflecting, and choosing the courage to begin again. In this episode, we explore: • What it’s really like to feel devastated by results and how to move forward anyway • Why changing direction isn’t failure, but often the beginning of finding your fit • The power of having one person who believes in you when you can’t yet believe in yourself • Why success is built through lived experience, not linear pathways • How parents can support young people by offering perspective, patience, and belief - not pressure This episode is a must-listen for: • Parents supporting a child after disappointing results • Young people feeling unsure, stuck, or “behind” • Anyone questioning whether they’ve taken the right path Because one score, one decision, or one setback was never meant to define you.

What happens when your ATAR comes in lower than you hoped — and your friends all seem miles ahead? In this powerful and refreshingly honest conversation, careers coach and Arrive & Thrive co-founder Tyson Day joins us to unpack the truth behind “non-linear” pathways and why your teenager’s score does not define their future. Tyson opens up about receiving 66.6, living with undiagnosed dyslexia, feeling crushed, and spending years unsure of who he was or what he wanted. But within the messy middle sits a remarkable story of hard work, curiosity, and backing yourself even when you’re not sure you’re ready. In this episode, you'll discover: • Why scores only capture one type of intelligence • Why some teens freeze in “analysis paralysis” • How parents can support their young person without taking over • Why “be a fan, not a captain” changes everything • How to help teens build courage, career confidence, and clarity • The surprising value of “non-examples” and jobs you don’t like • How to spot opportunities—even when you’re feeling lost • The mindset that helped Tyson start a business and thrive If your child is stressed, confused, or worried about results— or if you’re a parent wanting a clearer way to support them — this episode delivers real-world strategies you can use today. Because no one score defines your child. What matters is what happens next. Find out more about Arrive & Thrive: • https://arrivethrive.com.au/ • Insta @arrive_thrive • Career Conversation Dinner Menu - Little icebreaker they share with parents and students: https://arrivethrive.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Career-Conversation-Menu_v4_website.pdf

What if success wasn’t about choosing one path but learning to grow through change and uncertainty? In this episode of More Than a Score, Josh Kinder joins us to share how change, uncertainty, curiosity and courage have shaped his life - from moving schools and chasing surf breaks, to building a career that’s evolved from carpentry to leadership in construction and tech. Josh opens up about the lessons that came from detours and setbacks, and how a simple mindset — “act as if” — helped him step into confidence, possibility, and growth at every stage. His story reminds us that education doesn’t stop at graduation, and that every chapter, even the uncertain ones, helps us discover who we are becoming. This conversation is perfect for parents supporting young people through transitions, students figuring out what’s next, or anyone rethinking what success means. It’s grounded, honest, and full of reminders that success or real growth rarely happens in straight lines. In This Episode You'll Learn: • How to embrace uncertainty and change with confidence. • Why it’s okay (and often right) to shift direction. • The power of “acting as if” when stepping into something new. • What real growth looks like beyond results or roles. • How parents can model calm, curiosity, and courage during transitions. Listen now and share it with someone who’s learning to hold things loosely.

What happens when you leave a school you loved, only to realise the real learning starts after it’s over? In this episode of More Than a Score, James Pattison — writer, broadcaster, creative, and founder of Miniature — shares his story of curiosity, confidence, and rediscovery. From the classroom to Radio National and beyond, James reveals how the experiences that shape us in school often teach us lessons we only understand years later. He reflects on the sibling rivalries, the teachers who saw his potential, and the moments of courage that came from saying yes. From backpacking through Europe with barely enough money to leaving secure jobs to build his own creative business. Through it all, James shows that success isn’t a score or a title, it’s found in backing yourself, being curious, and daring to take the next step, even when you’re unsure where it leads. For parents or anyone going through change, this conversation is a reminder that growth doesn’t happen in straight lines. It’s built through trying, wandering, and daring to listen to that small voice that says: “You’re good at this. Give it a try.” In this episode, you’ll discover: * Why curiosity is a powerful compass for learning and life. * The teachers, mentors, and moments that ignite lifelong passions. * Why letting go of “the perfect plan” helps young people grow. * How parents can build connection and confidence through simple daily conversations. This episode is for parents, students, and lifelong learners who want to remember that the best lessons often come long after the exams are over. 🎧 Listen now — or share it with someone who’s still figuring out what’s next. #MoreThanAScore #ParentingPodcast #EducationPodcast #Creativity #Confidence