Over the Back Fence

This week Nicola and Di welcome a very special double act, Grant Denyer and his wife Chezzi. Grant has spent decades entertaining Australians on television with his quick wit, boundless energy, and refreshing honesty about life's highs and lows. Chezzi's journey into spirituality and intuitive work has inspired so many to think differently about life's deeper questions. Together, this couple have weathered incredible highs and real challenges, and we loved every minute of getting to know their story. In this episode, we chat to Grant and Chezzi about how they met as colleagues who, by their own admission, didn't even like each other at first, until the moment when everything changed. We also talk candidly about the aftermath of Grant's horrific accident and the painkiller addiction that followed, and how Chezzi found herself thrust into the role of carer within weeks of their relationship beginning. It's raw, honest, and a powerful reminder of what it means to show up for someone through the hardest of times. We also dive into Chezzi's incredible book, The Weird Little Girl Who Talked to Ghosts, and her lifelong connection to spirit. She opens up about the childhood experiences she didn't understand, to losing touch with her gift entirely, to the profound loss that brought it flooding back. Her stories about the messages she's able to deliver, and the healing it brings to grieving families, are truly beautiful to hear. Grant and Chezzi also open up about the work they've each done on themselves around understanding their childhood wounds, learning how those patterns show up in marriage, and how self-awareness (rather than blame) has helped them build a stronger relationship. We talk about Grant's Gold Logie win, his fear of failure, and Chezzi's beautifully instinctive approach to life. This is one of those conversations that has it all: laughter, honesty and real wisdom. We had the best time chatting with Grant and Chezzi  and we hope you love this episode as much as we did! This episode is proudly supported by Montgomery Investment Management, trusted experts helping you build and protect your financial future. For further information, please contact David Buckland, Chief Executive Officer or Rhodri Taylor, Account Manager on (02) 8046 5000 or investor@montinvest.com Follow Grant on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/grantdenyer/ Follow Chezzi on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/chezzidenyer/ Buy Chezzi’s book The Weird Little Girl Who Talked To Ghosts here - https://www.briobooks.store/products/the-weird-little-girl-who-talked-to-ghosts Follow Grant’s work here - https://www.grantdenyer.com.au/ Follow Chezzi’s work here - https://chezzidenyer.com.au/ Find out more about the India trip, access the itinerary and book your place here - https://wetu.com/ItineraryOutputs/Discovery/78191347-4d64-4c52-acfd-5422d92ec90f Follow Nicola and Di on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/overthebackfencepodcast/  Watch Over The Back Fence on YouTube here - https://www.youtube.com/@Overthebackfencepodcast/podcastsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week Nicola and Di chat about love, lust, dating disasters, red flags and the secrets to making romance actually work, with the one and only Dr. Lurve. She's a psychologist and relationship expert who has dedicated her career to helping people understand what makes us tick when it comes to love, and she brought so much wisdom (and so many laughs) to the studio. In this episode Dr. Lurve discusses how you don't need to be "fully healed" before you find love. In fact, she says relationships are more like yoga than a finish line, a practice you never fully master. She breaks down the difference between chemistry and intimacy, why love bombing feels so addictive, and how understanding your partner's love language is the map to actually speaking to their heart. We talk all about the world of dating apps, the good, the bad and the ugly, and Dr. Lurve shares a simple tip for getting things off the screen and into real life within 21 days. She also shares why baggage isn't a red flag but a window into character, how to spot the addictive push-pull "crumbing" cycle, and why staying with an avoidant partner can quietly wear you down over time. Dr. Lurve reminds us that if you’re starting over after a breakup or a divorce, you’re actually in a position of power rather than weakness. You've got the data, the wisdom and the freedom to write a new chapter. We talk about dating later in life, the importance of matching values over chemistry, how to have hard conversations without ambushing your partner, and why learning to do conflict well might be the real secret to a relationship's longevity. We had such a great time chatting with Dr. Lurve, it was like having another girlfriend with us in the studio. We hope you enjoy this episode as much as we did! This episode is proudly supported by Montgomery Investment Management, trusted experts helping you build and protect your financial future. For further information, please contact David Buckland, Chief Executive Officer or Rhodri Taylor, Account Manager on (02) 8046 5000 or investor@montinvest.com Follow Dr. Lurve on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/dr.lurve/ Find out more about Dr. Lurve’s work here - https://www.drlurve.com/workwithme Listen to Between The Sheets podcast here - https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/between-the-sheets-with-dr-lurve/id1480610277 Find out more about the India trip, access the itinerary and book your place here - https://wetu.com/ItineraryOutputs/Discovery/78191347-4d64-4c52-acfd-5422d92ec90f Follow Nicola and Di on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/overthebackfencepodcast/  Watch Over The Back Fence on YouTube here - https://www.youtube.com/@Overthebackfencepodcast/podcasts  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week Nicola and Di chat with the super talented Kathryn Eisman. Kathryn has already had a remarkable career and achieved so much at such a young age. She’s written 2 best-selling books, been nominated for multiple Emmy awards as a TV journalist, interviewed some of the biggest celebrities for E! News, created and hosted the TV series Undressed, as well as created and built a hugely successful fashion label, High Heel Jungle. Not only that, she’s also a mum of 2 beautiful daughters.  In this episode we chat to Kathryn about her incredible career and how at the age of 21, she moved to New York to promote a book she’d written, and ended up becoming the youngest on-air reporter in NBC history. After many successful years with NBC, Kathryn made the move to LA, where she was the head of fashion and lifestyle coverage for E! News and got to interview some of the world’s biggest celebrities. We get to hear the stories of her most memorable interviews, which you’ll want to tune in for!   We also talk to Kathryn about the psychology of style. Kathryn has written 2 bestselling books, How to Tell a Man By His Shoes and How to Tell a Woman By Her Handbag, as well as produced the TV series Undressed, to help us understand how the way a person dresses can tell you something about them. It’s so fascinating to think of style in this way and we loved hearing Kathryn’s stories of what your clothes reveal about you.  Kathryn chats to us about her hosiery label High Heel Jungle, what inspired her to create the business and how amazing it’s been to have her label worn by the Kardashians, Kylie Jenner, Ariana Grande, and Rihanna, to name just a few. She shares what it’s been like to balance her career with motherhood, and the importance of going after your dreams.  We absolutely loved chatting to Kathryn and had so many laughs in the studio with her. Her story is super inspiring and we love the way Kathryn is all about supporting other women and celebrating their successes. We hope you love this episode as much as we did.  This episode is proudly supported by Montgomery Investment Management, trusted experts helping you build and protect your financial future. For further information, please contact David Buckland, Chief Executive Officer or Rhodri Taylor, Account Manager on (02) 8046 5000 or investor@montinvest.com We’ve created a special offer for our Back Fence listeners to use at Positive Energy. Listeners can get a 10 class pack for $150 (save $90) or 25% off an unlimited membership for 3 months. Use code: BACKFENCEPE to activate your special offer.  Follow Nicola and Di on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/overthebackfencepodcast/  Follow Kathryn on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/kathryneisman/ Follow High Heel Jungle on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/highheeljungleofficial/ Buy High Heel Jungle tights and socks here - https://highheeljungleshop.com/ Buy Kathryn’s Books here  - https://www.kathryneisman.com/writing-books Find out more about the India trip, access the itinerary and book your place here - https://wetu.com/ItineraryOutputs/Discovery/78191347-4d64-4c52-acfd-5422d92ec90f Watch Over The Back Fence on YouTube here - https://www.youtube.com/@Overthebackfencepodcast/podcasts Follow Positive Energy on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/positiveenergy_health_fitness/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week Nicola and Di chat with the fabulous Diane Gilman. Diane is known as the ‘Jean Queen’ and has spent decades proving that age is just a number. From building a fashion empire and revolutionising denim for women, surviving breast cancer and becoming one of the leading voices in the pro-aging movement, Diane keeps reinventing herself at every chapter. Now in her 80s, Diane is showing us how to stay vibrant, visible and unapologetically ourselves.     In this episode we hear about Diane’s early life, the way she visualised the life she wanted at the age of 8, dreaming of being a fashion designer in New York, and then how she made it happen!  Diane tells us the incredible story of how she found herself designing jeans for some of the most legendary musicians including Janice Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Jim Morrison, Cher and Rod Stewart, to name a few. We also hear how she got her start on the Home Shopping Network and the way that skyrocketed her career. Always one to believe in herself and back herself, Diane’s story really shows the power of having a positive attitude and putting yourself forward for opportunities. Diane opens up about her cancer diagnosis and the way her treatment transformed her life. You’ll want to hear the amazing story of Sheila and how she changed Diane’s outlook on life forever! We also talk to Diane about her thoughts on aging, why she’s loving it, and how she’s living her best life in her 80s and has no plans of slowing down or going out quietly.  Diane is full of so much wisdom and great tips for getting the most out of life. Her energy and enthusiasm is infectious and we were so inspired speaking with her. We hope you have as much fun listening to this as we did! This episode is proudly supported by Montgomery Investment Management, trusted experts helping you build and protect your financial future. For further information, please contact David Buckland, Chief Executive Officer or Rhodri Taylor, Account Manager on (02) 8046 5000 or investor@montinvest.com We’ve created a special offer for our Back Fence listeners to use at Positive Energy. Listeners can get a 10 class pack for $150 (save $90) or 25% off an unlimited membership for 3 months. Use code: BACKFENCEPE to activate your special offer.  Follow Nicola and Di on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/overthebackfencepodcast/ Follow Diane on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/thedianegilman/ Listen to Diane’s podcast Too Young To Be Old here - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/too-young-to-be-old-with-diane-gilman-the-queen-of-jeans/id1691401600 Watch Diane’s YouTube channel here - https://www.youtube.com/@thedianegilman Watch Over The Back Fence on YouTube here - https://www.youtube.com/@Overthebackfencepodcast/podcasts Follow Positive Energy on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/positiveenergy_health_fitness/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week Nicola and Di chat with the incredible Marisa Peer. Marisa is a world-renowned therapist, best-selling author, award-winning speaker and the creator of Rapid Transformational Therapy. After working with Hollywood celebrities, CEOs, royalty and sports stars for decades, Rapid Transformational Therapy was Marisa’s way of having a global impact and making her techniques available to everyone. Marisa’s message is simple, she teaches us how to retrain the mind and rewrite our stories to truly change our lives.   In this episode Marisa gives us so many incredible tools to help us shift our mindset and fully live into our potential. She tells us the 3 key things that you need to be able to do really well if you want to thrive in any area of your life, and goes through different examples of how you can apply these things every day.  We talk about the power of language and the importance of the words you use and Marisa goes through specific examples of words that you need to stop saying because they are confusing your brain and keeping you stuck.  We discuss Marisa’s new book, Your Mind, Your Rules and she goes through so many great examples of the rules that your brain is following and how you can work with these rules to make your brain your greatest friend and ally, working with you to create the life you want.  This is such a motivating and inspiring episode with so many practical tools that can really help you make positive changes in your life. We were absolutely thrilled to be able to spend some time with Marisa and hear her simple, yet powerful reminders for living a phenomenal life. We hope you love it as much as we did!  This episode is proudly supported by Montgomery Investment Management, trusted experts helping you build and protect your financial future. For further information, please contact David Buckland, Chief Executive Officer or Rhodri Taylor, Account Manager on (02) 8046 5000 or investor@montinvest.com We’ve created a special offer for our Back Fence listeners to use at Positive Energy. Listeners can get a 10 class pack for $150 (save $90) or 25% off an unlimited membership for 3 months. Use code: BACKFENCEPE to activate your special offer.  Follow Nicola and Di on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/overthebackfencepodcast/ Follow Marisa on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/marisapeertherapy/  Buy Marisa’s new book here - https://marisapeer.com/ Get Marisa’s free audio downloads here - https://marisapeer.com/free-gifts/ Find out more about Marisa’s courses here - https://shop.marisapeer.com/ Listen to Marisa’s podcast here - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/master-your-mind-with-marisa/id1548923376 Watch Over The Back Fence on YouTube here - https://www.youtube.com/@Overthebackfencepodcast/podcasts Follow Positive Energy on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/positiveenergy_health_fitness/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week Nicola and Di chat with the fun and uplifting duo Lise and Sarah. Nicola and Di met Lise & Sarah last December in the line waiting to meet Oprah, and they knew they had to get them on the podcast. Lise & Sarah, often known as ‘Those 2 Girls’ from their radio days, have now become successful podcasters, authors, speakers, and the creators of Disco Club. They’ve backed themselves, made big shifts and built something really special together. They’re also mums, juggling family life, careers, and navigating their forties with all of the change, chaos and reinvention that comes with it. We couldn’t wait to chat to them about it all.  In this episode we hear the story of how Lise and Sarah first met, found themselves talking for 5hrs and haven’t stopped chatting since! We talk about their incredible friendship and chemistry, which led to them getting tapped on the shoulder to host a national breakfast radio show, and how they juggled that career with raising their children. They also share about the leap they made to leave radio and start their own podcast, the difficult times that followed, as well as the hard work, belief, manifesting, intention-setting and perseverance that brought them to where they are today. It’s such an inspiring story! We chat to the girls about life over the decades - we get to hear what being in their forties means to them and Di and Nicola share what life has been like in their sixties - newsflash, it keeps getting better!  This episode is a really great chat amongst girlfriends. It’s full of laughs, stories and sharing life truths with each other. We absolutely loved this conversation with Lise and Sarah and we hope you enjoy it as much as we did.  This episode is proudly supported by Montgomery Investment Management, trusted experts helping you build and protect your financial future. For further information, please contact David Buckland, Chief Executive Officer or Rhodri Taylor, Account Manager on (02) 8046 5000 or investor@montinvest.com We’ve created a special offer for our Back Fence listeners to use at Positive Energy. Listeners can get a 10 class pack for $150 (save $90) or 25% off an unlimited membership for 3 months. Use code: BACKFENCEPE to activate your special offer.    We'd love you to join us for our Backfence Disco on Friday, May 29th at Positive Energy in Sydney. It's going to be such a fun night and we can't wait to dance the night away with you in person! Buy your tickets here: https://events.humanitix.com/over-the-back-fence-disco   Follow Nicola and Di on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/overthebackfencepodcast/ Follow Lise and Sarah on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/liseandsarah/ Listen to Lise and Sarah’s podcast here - https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/lise-and-sarah/id1533920893 Find out more about Lise and Sarah’s Disco Club here - https://www.discoclub.com.au/ Watch Over The Back Fence on YouTube here - https://www.youtube.com/@Overthebackfencepodcast/podcasts Follow Positive Energy on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/positiveenergy_health_fitness/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week Nicola and Di are back with Over The Money Fence with Roger Montgomery.   This series aims to help you take control of your finances with clarity and confidence. Roger is the Founder and Chairman of Montgomery Investment Management, has over 30 years’ investing experience and is a highly respected financial commentator featuring on various ABC programs, as well as his popular column in The Australian newspaper. He is also the author of best-selling investment guidebook Value.able.   In this episode, Roger reassures us that despite everything that’s going on globally, it’s not all doom and gloom when it comes to the economy and markets.  Are we in a recession? We discuss why the cost-of-living crisis and how this is changing our spending habits, plus the latest pricing tricks used by supermarkets and airlines.  We also talk about property and why Roger believes that people who are predicting that property prices in Australia will fall by 40% are wrong.   He goes through all of the reasons why this isn’t likely to happen and explains the 2 major drivers of property prices.   He also shares his thoughts on negative gearing and capital gains tax, and what they mean for investors – very timely given this week’s Budget announcement.  Is now a good time to spend or save? Roger gives us an excellent and practical tool for how we can build up our savings when the cost of living is high.   Roger also shares his insights about where we should be investing now and goes through the difference between various private credit funds and the importance of investing in quality.   As always, we loved having this conversation with Roger in the studio. He always makes us feel more calm and confident about our financial decisions. We hope you enjoy this episode as much as we did.   This episode is proudly supported by Montgomery Investment Management, trusted experts helping you build and protect your financial future. For further information, please contact David Buckland, Chief Executive Officer or Rhodri Taylor, Account Manager on (02) 8046 5000 or investor@montinvest.com  Find out more about Montgomery Investment Management here - https://montinvest.com  Find out more about Montgomery private credit funds here - https://www.montinvest.com/privatecredit  Read Roger’s Whitepaper on private credit funds here -    https://rogermontgomery.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Whitepaper-_-cutting-through-the-noise-why-australian-private-credit-stands-apart.pdf Learn more about Roger and read his articles here - https://rogermontgomery.com  Buy Roger's book Value.able here - https://rogermontgomery.com/valueable-book/  Follow Roger on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/rogerjmontgomery/  Follow Roger’s YouTube channel here - https://www.youtube.com/user/rogerjmontgomery Follow Roger on X here - https://x.com/rjmontgomery  Follow Roger on Facebook here - https://www.facebook.com/montgomeryroger/ Follow Roger on LinkedIn here - https://www.linkedin.com/in/rogermontgomery/  Follow Nicola and Di on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/overthebackfencepodcast/  Follow Nicola and Di on YouTube here - https://www.youtube.com/@Overthebackfencepodcast/podcastsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week Nicola and Di chat with wanderlust traveler Barry Hoffner. Barry is the author of Amazon’s number 1 adventure travel book, Belonging To The World. In 2017, Barry’s whole world changed when his wife Jackie was in a tragic accident involving an elephant while volunteering in Africa with WildAid. After she passed away, Barry had to remain strong for his 2 sons, yet through his own healing journey, he discovered so much about life, kindness, and connection and it opened his eyes to a new world. Rather than bury his grief, which Barry says can mute the possibility of feeling joy again, his healing journey inspired him to travel to 193 countries - that’s every country on earth!   In this episode we hear how Barry’s love of travel was first ignited with a chance back-packing trip to Europe after high school. From that moment, Barry knew he wanted to see the world. He tells us about his career in investment banking, which allowed him to live and work in cities such as Buenos Aires, Paris, Tokyo, Singapore, London, Zurich, Mexico City and Moscow.  We also hear the beautiful story of how Barry met his late wife Jackie, and the moment they declared their love for each other outside the Taj Mahal. They went on to have 2 sons and raise a beautiful family, and were just about to enjoy their first trip as empty nesters when tragedy struck and Jackie was killed on a volunteering trip in Africa. Barry describes the moment that he found out, and how his life would never be the same again. Barry’s journey from grief to connection over the last 8 years has been remarkable and he shares so many incredible stories of the amazing moments he’s had in countries so many of us will only dream of visiting. He shares the moment that made his heart beat the most, and we also ask for some of his best travel tips, including where he had the best coffee - you’ll never guess where it was!  We also talk to Barry about the empowering charity he set up in 2010 called Caravan to Class. What started as a personal project to help build a school for his 50th birthday in Timbuktu, led to Barry creating a charity that continues to build schools and offer scholarships, in Jackie’s honour, to educate women in West Africa. What’s even more incredible is that 100% of the proceeds from the sales of Barry’s book go to Caravan to Class to continue this important work.  We are lucky enough to call Barry a good friend and we were so thrilled to be able to have this conversation with him. He’s such a good storyteller and has so much wisdom to share about what he’s learnt on his travels. We hope you enjoy this episode as much as we did.  This episode is proudly supported by Montgomery Investment Management, trusted experts helping you build and protect your financial future. For further information, please contact David Buckland, Chief Executive Officer or Rhodri Taylor, Account Manager on (02) 8046 5000 or investor@montinvest.com We’ve created a special offer for our Back Fence listeners to use at Positive Energy. Listeners can get a 10 class pack for $150 (save $90) or 25% off an unlimited membership for 3 months. Use code: BACKFENCEPE to activate your special offer.  We'd love you to join us for our Backfence Disco on Friday, May 29th at Positive Energy in Sydney. It's going to be such a fun night and we can't wait to dance the night away with you in person! Buy your tickets here: https://events.humanitix.com/over-the-back-fence-disco Follow Nicola and Di on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/overthebackfencepodcast/ Follow Barry on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/barryh99/ Find out more about Barry and his book Belonging To The World here - https://belongingtotheworld.com/  Buy Barry’s book Belonging To The World here - https://www.amazon.com/dp/1964721415 Learn more about Barry’s charity Caravan to Class here - https://caravantoclass.org/ Watch Over The Back Fence on YouTube here - https://www.youtube.com/@Overthebackfencepodcast/podcasts Follow Positive Energy on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/positiveenergy_health_fitness/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week Nicola and Di chat with inspiring storyteller John Fuje. John is a First Nations man with a deep connection to storytelling culture and country. He works in environmental services as a senior coordinator, and is an AI and drone technology specialist, using these tools in practical ways to help track sharks, turtles and other marine life along the coastline. The amazing thing about John is the way he blends thousands of years of indigenous wisdom about country and Mother Nature, with the most modern AI tools to find new ways of looking after our planet. John is also a devoted husband, father and grandfather with so much love for his family.  Nicola and Di were introduced to John when he was brought in to spot sharks on Sydney’s Northern Beaches. After inviting him for what they thought would be a 20 minute coffee, which turned into 2 hours, they decided that everyone needed to hear John’s stories.  In this episode we hear the incredible story of how John was able to combine his deep knowledge of country with drone technology that would help him track the movements of sharks and other marine life. We ask him about the recent increase in shark attacks along Sydney’s coastline, and whether there are more sharks in the water - John’s answer may surprise you! We talk about the power of Mother Nature in grounding us and reminding us how connected we all are. The way John talks about his connection with nature is mesmerising and we were captivated by his stories.  We loved having John in the studio with us and it was so wonderful to hear the beautiful and refreshing perspective that he shares. We hope you enjoy this episode as much as we did.  This episode is proudly supported by Montgomery Investment Management, trusted experts helping you build and protect your financial future. For further information, please contact David Buckland, Chief Executive Officer or Rhodri Taylor, Account Manager on (02) 8046 5000 or investor@montinvest.com We’ve created a special offer for our Back Fence listeners to use at Positive Energy. Listeners can get a 10 class pack for $150 (save $90) or 25% off an unlimited membership for 3 months. Use code: BACKFENCEPE to activate your special offer. We'd love you to join us for our Backfence Disco on Friday, May 29th at Positive Energy in Sydney. It's going to be such a fun night and we can't wait to dance the night away with you in person! Buy your tickets here: https://events.humanitix.com/over-the-back-fence-disco Follow Nicola and Di on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/overthebackfencepodcast/ Follow John on LinkedIn here - https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-fejo-690434255/ Watch Over The Back Fence on YouTube here - https://www.youtube.com/@Overthebackfencepodcast/podcasts Follow Positive Energy on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/positiveenergy_health_fitness/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week Nicola and Di chat with the delightful Middle Age Goddess, Jane McCann. Jane is a woman who’s turned midlife into a statement. She’s confident, stylish and completely unapologetic. Jane, known as the Middle Age Goddess, has built a loyal Instagram following by rejecting the idea that life slows down after a certain age and proving instead that it only gets better. From fashion, beauty, travel and reinvention, she represents a new kind of woman - one who isn’t interested in playing small, fading quietly or asking for permission. Whether she’s fronting curated experiences abroad or sharing her take on modern femininity, Jane embodies a life that is bold, visible and entirely self-defined. Midlife isn’t the end of the story for Jane, it’s the main event.  In this episode we chat to Jane about what life was like before she became the Middle Age Goddess, and what inspired her to share this chapter of her life online and create such a wonderful community. We talk about why people resonate so much with her message, which is really because of Jane’s honesty and authenticity.  Jane opens up about what it was like to be brought up by a mother who was suffering from bipolar and the way that affected her confidence and self-belief. Jane also shares about the painful loss of her sister a few years ago, and gives us some beautiful suggestions of the things that have helped her process her grief. We talk about the power of being in nature, going for a walk, calling a girlfriend and leaning into the simple things that make you feel good.  We also have fun talking about some of the topics Jane covers on her Instagram - from her middle age rage to her outfits du jour, it’s so entertaining following her story.  We absolutely loved chatting with Jane. It was so refreshing to talk about how life keeps getting better as we age and the ways we can keep reinventing ourselves and experiencing new things. We hope you enjoy this episode as much as we did.  This episode is proudly supported by Montgomery Investment Management, trusted experts helping you build and protect your financial future. For further information, please contact David Buckland, Chief Executive Officer or Rhodri Taylor, Account Manager on (02) 8046 5000 or investor@montinvest.com Follow Nicola and Di on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/overthebackfencepodcast/ Follow Jane aka The Middle Age Goddess on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/themiddleagedgoddess/ Watch Over The Back Fence on YouTube here - https://www.youtube.com/@Overthebackfencepodcast/podcastsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week Nicola and Di chat with the fascinating and authentic Amanda Goff. From journalist  to living a secret double life behind closed doors, Amanda was once Australia’s Highest-Paid Escort, Samantha X. In this explosive episode, she steps into the spotlight and owns every headline, every whisper, every scandal. This is a story of courage, controversy, vulnerability and the search for authenticity. Since revealing her identity, Amanda has become an author, speaker and an advocate sharing honest conversations about women, stigma, relationships and reinvention.  In this episode, we get to know the woman behind Samantha X and what led to one of the most extraordinary career changes - from being an award-winning journalist to entering the sex work industry as a high-end escort at the age of 38. Amanda talks openly and honestly about what her time as an escort was like - how she got the gig, what her first client encounter was like, what she’s learnt about men and why she doesn’t regret any of it.   She tells us about the agency that she then opened, hiring escorts over 40 and she busts some myths about the sex work industry and the type of people who do this work.  Amanda also opens up about her struggles with mental health, how she was living with undiagnosed bipolar, and how much better she is now that she’s medicated and has more clarity.  This was an absolutely fascinating conversation and we’re so grateful to Amanda for her honesty and giving us a peek inside an industry that so many of us are curious to know more about. We hope you enjoy this chat as much as we did.  This episode is proudly supported by Montgomery Investment Management, trusted experts helping you build and protect your financial future. For further information, please contact David Buckland, Chief Executive Officer or Rhodri Taylor, Account Manager on (02) 8046 5000 or investor@montinvest.com Follow Nicola and Di on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/overthebackfencepodcast/ Follow Amanda on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/amandagoffofficial/?hl=en Buy Amanda’s book Misfit here - https://www.booktopia.com.au/misfit-amanda-goff/book/9781760688608.html? Watch Over The Back Fence on YouTube here - https://www.youtube.com/@Overthebackfencepodcast/podcastsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week Nicola and Di chat with an Australian icon, Joh Bailey. Joh is the hairdresser to the stars, a business visionary and the man who turned the blowdry into an empire. From styling global legends like the late Princess Diana and Kylie Minogue, to creating a brand that’s reshaped Australian hair care, Joh has influenced style, culture and confidence for decades. In this episode we chat to Joh about what it’s been like to work with some of the most incredible celebrities, from Princess Diana to Kim Kardashian. Joh tells us the story of when he received a call from Buckingham Palace asking him if he would be Princess Di’s official hairdresser on her trip to Sydney in 1996. He gives us the inside scoop on all the royal protocols and what it was like to hang out with Princess Di.  We talk about the fashion and hairstyle trends of the past, the various celebrities that defined each decade, and what it’s like these days where anything really goes.  We also chat about how Joh got started in business and the incredible relationship he has with his business partner Marilyn. He gives us his thoughts on what he believes to be the secrets to his success.  It’s not only his business partnership that Joh shares about, he also opens up about his relationship with his husband Michael and the simple life they share in Bowral with their beloved horses.  This was a really fun conversation and we were thrilled to have Joh style our hair for the episode - tune in to our YouTube channel to see the looks he created for us!  This episode is proudly supported by Montgomery Investment Management, trusted experts helping you build and protect your financial future. For further information, please contact David Buckland, Chief Executive Officer or Rhodri Taylor, Account Manager on (02) 8046 5000 or investor@montinvest.com Follow Nicola and Di on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/overthebackfencepodcast/ Follow Joh on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/johbaileyofficial/ Buy Joh’s hair products or book a salon appointment here - https://johbailey.com.au Watch Over The Back Fence on YouTube here - https://www.youtube.com/@Overthebackfencepodcast/podcastsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week Nicola and Di chat with the remarkable and entertaining Claire Parkinson. Claire began her career as a Prison Officer in the UK, working at the frontlines of human dynamics at their most intense. At 30 years of age she became the Head Of Operations for all prisons and probation in London, overseeing 9000 staff and 33,000 inmates! From there Claire had an opportunity to move to Australia and work in the prison system in Adelaide before stepping into the mining sector where she helped lead a $9.6billion dollar merger between 2 major global corporations. Claire has written a hilarious memoir, Shitty Grit, which captures the remarkable journey that has shaped her.  In this episode we hear about Claire’s early life, growing up in social housing in the UK and what it was like to find out at 16 that she was 18 weeks pregnant. Claire shares about the tough time she went through trying to raise a child, when she was just a child herself, and the wild years that followed when she moved back in with her parents and started playing catch-up on the partying she'd missed out on as a teenager.  After a sliding doors moment where she had to choose between being a flight attendant or a prison officer, Claire chose the latter. She tells us about the fascinating world of prisons and how she was assigned one of Britain’s most notorious child killers as her inmate when she first began her career. The stories she tells us of those prison days are pretty incredible, and we hope you love getting an insight into a world that most of us know nothing about. We also talk about Claire’s move to Australia and how she was able to transition into the world of mining and lead a huge global merger. When you hear about the way Claire’s determination and initiative have led to incredible opportunities in her life, you can’t help but be inspired. Talk about a woman who’s been through a lot of shit and has a lot of grit!  We laughed so much throughout this chat and we hope you’ll find it as entertaining as we did. This episode is proudly supported by Montgomery Investment Management, trusted experts helping you build and protect your financial future. For further information, please contact David Buckland, Chief Executive Officer or Rhodri Taylor, Account Manager on (02) 8046 5000 or investor@montinvest.com Follow Nicola and Di on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/overthebackfencepodcast/ Follow Clarie on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/shittygrit/ Buy Claire’s Book Shitty Grit here - https://www.amazon.com.au/SHiTTY-GRiT-Resilience-Teenager-Non-linear-ebook/dp/B0DZJ5MM16 Watch Over The Back Fence on YouTube here - https://www.youtube.com/@Overthebackfencepodcast/podcastsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.