Seize the Yay

One of the greatest privileges of hosting Seize the Yay for almost eight years is that so many of our guests aren't just someone I meet and interview once. I'm so lucky to have watched many of their stories unfold in real time and today's guest is one of those people - I'd go so far as to say she's been one of the most impactful people on my own pathyay.

I've known Bree Johnson for years had a front-row seat to so many of the chapters that have shaped her incredible life and career. From the early days of Willow & Blake, to the phenomenal rise of Frank Body into one of Australia's most iconic consumer brands, through the highs and inevitable challenges of entrepreneurship, and now motherhood, every conversation we've had has taught me something.

That's why I was so excited when she released her new book, From The Ground Up, alongside Co-Founder and another dear friend, Jess Hatzis . On the surface, it's a book about building brands, but after reading it I realised it's really a book about building a life. It's about making decisions with intention, backing yourself before anyone else does, and understanding that the choices you make every day quietly shape who you become.

Today, we'll absolutely trace Bree's journey, but I also wanted to use this conversation as a chance to tap into over 40 years of combined brand-building experience between Bree and her co-founder Jess. Think of this as a free strategy session for anyone building a business, a personal brand, or simply trying to create something people genuinely care about!!!

We talk about branding, ambition, success, motherhood, and why bigger isn't always better. I learnt so much from this conversation, and I know you will too.

Please enjoy this chat with the brilliant Bree Johnson.

Get the book HERE.

Imagine taking plastic waste in a region with some of the highest plastic pollution, turning it into life changing schools, building them in just six weeks... and making them earthquake resilient at the same time.

When I first heard about Classroom of Hope’s world first Block Schools, I was lost for words and desperate to work together in some way.

I am so thrilled to share this episode with CEO Tanya Armstrong to announce that I am joining the team as an ambassador and heading to Lombok in a few short weeks to start Block School #51.

We, of course, cover this extraordinary innovation but also Tanya's own origin story which is an awe-inspiring pathyay in itself.

After losing her husband, raising three children on her own and completely reassessing what mattered, she did something most of us only ever dream about - she blew up her life, moved to Bali with no plan, cold-called a charity she'd found on Google... and somehow ended up becoming its CEO.

It's such a beautiful reminder that purpose isn't always something you plan.

Many of you know that, as someone who was born into an orphanage and adopted, education and opportunity have always felt deeply personal to me. And becoming Teddy's mum has only strengthened that belief that every child deserves the chance to shape their own future.

I cannot wait for you to hear this conversation and I hope it sparks some yayborhood passion to rally around an incredible cause over the coming months together. Introducing Tanya Armstrong…

BUILD A SCHOOL WITH US HERE

Many people hear the word influencer and make instant assumptions about overnight success, accidental fame and a consequently relaxed or even lazy work ethic (and very occasionally those might be justified). But while Elle Ray’s meteoric rise was indeed unplanned in the sense that she once thought herself destined to be a geneticist, it certainly wasn’t accidental with every bit of her success built on strategy, intention and hustle .

With an adoring community of more than 750,000 followers (i.e. the population of the Gold Coast), I’m sure many of you already know Elle very well... but, as always, I made it my mission to learn about the side of her we’ve heard less about. While her pathYAY so far is shorter than most given she is much younger than her success might indicate, Elle belongs to the generation whose final years of school were spent in lockdown so tracing through the chapters that led her from science to stream Queen were particularly fascinating.

From incredible opportunities with the AFL and Channel 9 to interviewing some of the world’s biggest names like Margot Robbie, Elle is clever, endlessly hard working, and endearingly warm. Smashing through a career path that didn’t exist not long ago, this chat busts some myths about the modern day creator, explains why so many hundreds of thousands of people adore her and marvels at the sorcery of Off Campus bridging generational gaps. I loved every minute and hope you do too

Part 2 of our Vogue Codes wrap episode featuring the next three extraordinary guests:

Maeva Heim - Founder of Bread Beauty Supply

Ewan Macmillan - Deputy Director General of the Australian Secret Intelligence Service

Nat Kyriacou OAM - Award-winning environmentalist, author, charity director

An absolutely JAM-PACKED two-parter that I hope stays with you for a long time to come...

Part 1 of our Vogue Codes wrap episode featuring the first three of our six extraordinary guests:

Katherine Bennell-Pegg - Australian of the Year 2026 and Astronaut at the Australian Space Agency

Dr Amandeep Hansra - Chief Clinical Adviser at the Australian Digital Health Agency and Founder of Australian Medical Angels

Laura Henshaw - Co-Founder of KIC, KIC Studio and KIC Pod

Get ready to lose your absolute mind...