This is Shaun Winstanley's first podcast and its an honour to have him on mine, because as you will learn within a few short minutes- Shaun is not a man who is comfortable talking about himself. He is a guest who represents what it means to come back from the unthinkable.

On July 20 2023, detective and tactical operator Shaun Winstanley ran into a busy high rise building in Central Auckland’s commercial bay area after an active shooter opened fire.

Minutes later, in a dark lift shaft, Shaun was shot in the face at point-blank range. He survived. Barely. And somehow, he found a way not just to recover, but to rebuild.

In this episode, Shaun takes us inside that day with remarkable clarity:

From racing into the CBD at high speed with sirens blasting, to passing terrified victims on the stairwell, to the exact moment the gunman fired and Shaun realized his teeth were shattered. This conversation is gripping, it’s confronting… and unbelievably human.

Shaun talks about::

The THREE rules that helped him stay mentally strong.

The long slow recovery.

His feelings about the gunman

Why he created a game-changing beverage as part of his healing process. And why he still feels the pull to return to the police.

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Massive thanks to my long-term podcast sponsors, Generate.

Generate has a strong track record of long-term performance: You can check out their latest returns on their website.

They also have advisers who can come to you and help you figure out the right KiwiSaver setup for your goals. No pressure, just good advice.

Head to generatekiwisaver.co.nz/dom to book a chat

The issuer of the scheme is Generate Investment Management Limited. To see their Product disclosure statement see generatekiwisaver.co.nz/pds Past performance does not guarantee future returns.

And just a reminder, everyone’s situation is different, so I recommend getting expert advice before making any financial decisions.The emotional moment he reunited with his sons after waking from a coma.

And why he still feels the pull to return to the police. And the game-changing protein-coffee beverage "Firebird" he has poured all his energy into as part of his healing process

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Brando Pericic (AKA The Balkin Bear) is a UFC fighter.

He made his debut in Perth in September.

He won it in under 2 minutes in an explosive, violent and very fast fight.

This conversation is an intriguing look into the mindset of a very exciting UFC fighter with a huge future ahead of him.

He has a goal and a dream to be the best in the world…and after connecting with him I have no doubt that he will succeed.

In this conversation, we talk about his viral post-fight speech that included a smattering of words that earned him a telling off from his family in Adelaide.

His backstory which helped build the man he is today- things like the grief of losing close friends, going to visit his father in jail, being stabbed, finding himself homeless and some brutal mental health battles that almost cost him his life.

We talk sacrifice, purpose and the dream he’s chasing now to become one of the greatest heavyweights on Earth.

This conversation has so many layers to it: it’s emotional, inspiring, confronting, funny, and unbelievably honest. I promise you, after listening to this episode you will be fan and follower of "The Balkin Bear" for his entire career.

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Martin Snedden is a man who’s been at the centre of some of the biggest moments in New Zealand sport.

He played cricket for NZ in through the 1980s and was part of the infamous 1981 underarm match against Australia. He was one of the original members of the Beige Brigade and he’s got stories about playing with legends like Hadlee, Cairns and Crowe that are absolutely priceless.

But that’s only chapter one of his life.

After he retired as a player, Martin became CEO of New Zealand Cricket. He dealt with player strikes, bomb blasts outside team hotels, billion-dollar broadcast deals, and the politics behind international sport.

Then he took on the job of running the 2011 Rugby World Cup, the tournament that turned New Zealand into a “stadium of four million” and became one of this country’s great success stories.

Now in his 60s he’s as sharp, driven and purpose-filled as ever.

This conversation is full of nostalgia, leadership lessons, wild behind-the-scenes stories, and some really vulnerable reflections near the end about family, fear, purpose and what matters most.

I loved this chat: Snedds is generous, thoughtful, funny, and genuinely one of the good guys.

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Massive thanks to my long-term podcast sponsors, Generate.

Generate is an award-winning KiwiSaver provider with a track record of delivering strong long-term returns for their clients- you can see their latest returns for yourself on their website.

I became a client when they came on board as the show sponsor and it’s been a gamechanger for me personally- I wish I’d done it ’m kicking myself for not doing it years earlier.

You can book a no obligation chat with one of their awesome KiwiSaver advisers at generatekiwisaver.co.nz/dom

The issuer of the scheme is Generate Investment Management Limited. To see their Product disclosure statement see generatekiwisaver.co.nz/pds

Past performance does not guarantee future returns.

And just a reminder — I’m a podcast host, not a financial adviser, so this is just general advice. I recommend getting expert advice before making any financial decisions.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.