200 Days on the Ice: Why Greg Carter Keeps Going Back to Antarctica
Tuesday, August 25, 2026 • Duration 49:39
What happens when your very first trip to Antarctica ends with the ship on the sea floor?
In this episode of Always Business Class, hosts Steve Hui and Steve Pirie-Nally sit down with Greg Carter, CEO and founder of Terra Nova Expeditions and one of Australia's genuine Antarctic authorities. His first voyage ended in a shipwreck and a rescue by the Chilean Navy and the Argentinian Air Force. He has spent the twenty years since going back.
Greg traces a career that runs from a secondhand laptop in London to the pointy end of polar travel: cofounding Chimu Adventures and selling it to Intrepid, a stint as Chief Commercial Officer at Albatros, and now a boutique company built on one idea, that in Antarctica the destination is the luxury, not the ship.
Along the way they get into whether Antarctica is really overtouristed, why a smaller ship changes everything from your time ashore to who you end up crying next to on night nine, and the world first day sailing aboard the yacht Icebird.
If Antarctica has been sitting on your bucket list, this episode is your reminder that the best time to start planning is now.
Presented with thanks to Accor Plus Explorer.
In This Episode
The shipwreck that started it all, and why you never say "Titanic" Whether Antarctica is really overrun with tourists Why guides with PhDs matter more than you think Building Chimu Adventures and the exit to Intrepid Travel How smaller ships create a deeper experience The world first day sailing aboard Icebird How Antarctica changes the people who go The remarkable past life of the RMS St Helena Taking teenagers to the ice with the Antarctic Classroom
Chapters
00:00 The Shipwreck, and Never Say "Titanic"
01:22 Rescued by the Chilean Navy and Argentinian Air Force 03:29 Building Chimu From a Laptop in London
05:48 Is Antarctica Really Overtouristed?
07:15 Guides With PhDs and Peter Hillary's 43rd Voyage
08:39 The Exit to Intrepid Travel
12:00 Getting There: Flights and Visa Free Rules
14:47 Flying Over Antarctica and Mawson's Huts
18:03 Why Terra Nova: Smaller Ships, More Time Ashore
21:10 What "Immersive" Really Means
23:24 Icebird: A World First in Antarctica
25:45 How Antarctica Changes People
29:22 Internet on the Ice: Help or Hindrance?
37:17 Where the Name Terra Nova Comes From
38:15 The Extraordinary Life of RMS St Helena
41:55 The Antarctic Classroom
44:42 Rapid Fire Round
Why Your Travel Dreams Matter More Than Business Class
Season 1 · Episode 10
Tuesday, August 11, 2026 • Duration 31:08
Is the goal really to fly business class… or is it to live a life filled with unforgettable travel experiences?
In this episode of Always Business Class, hosts Steve Hui and Steve Pirie-Nally reflect on the evolution of Flights Club, sharing why their mission has grown beyond premium cabins and into something much bigger: helping people redeem their travel dreams.
Drawing on hundreds of conversations with members, they reveal that the biggest obstacle to travel isn't earning points—it's waiting for "someday." Whether it's Europe, Antarctica, the NFL in Melbourne, or a weekend wellness escape, every meaningful journey starts with making the decision to go.
Steve and Steve also discuss how business owners can use travel to create a richer life, why frequent flyer points are simply a tool rather than the destination, and how their growing community is connecting people through shared experiences, business relationships, and a love of exploration.
If you've been putting off your bucket list, this episode is your reminder that the best time to start planning your next adventure is now.
In This Episode
Why Flights Club's mission has evolved beyond business class
The importance of defining your travel dreams
How frequent flyer points help unlock more travel
Why business owners should prioritise experiences over possessions
The idea of "80 great summers" and making every year count
The value of community through shared travel experiences
Booking smarter with points, cash fares, and flexible strategies
Why now is the time to plan future travel
How Flights Club helps members maximise every trip
From Kickstarter to a Global Brand with Rex Kuo
Season 1 · Episode 19
Tuesday, July 21, 2026 • Duration 49:42
What does it take to turn a simple everyday frustration into a globally recognised brand?
In this episode of Always Business Class, Steve Hui and Steve Pirie-Nally sit down with Rex Kuo, co-founder of Orbitkey, to unpack the journey from a side project built after work to one of Australia's most successful product design companies.
Rex shares how a simple idea to eliminate noisy, bulky keys became a record-breaking Kickstarter campaign that raised over $210,000 in just 30 days, launching a business that now sells millions of products worldwide. Along the way, he opens up about balancing entrepreneurship with a full-time career as a pharmacist, building a global team, expanding through retail, and creating products that genuinely improve everyday life.
The conversation also explores product innovation, crowdfunding, travel, family, business partnerships, and why building a purpose-driven company has been just as important as building a profitable one.
Whether you're launching your first business, creating a physical product, or simply love hearing the stories behind iconic Australian brands, this episode is packed with practical lessons and founder insights.
In This Episode
How Orbitkey started from a simple frustration with noisy keys
Raising over $210,000 through Kickstarter in just 30 days
Why you don't need to quit your job to start a business
Building a global product brand from Australia
The role of crowdfunding in validating new ideas
Lessons from launching 13 successful Kickstarter campaigns
Growing through retail, trade shows, and international expansion
The Neuroscience of Travel and Why It Makes You Think Better
Tuesday, July 7, 2026 • Duration 33:44
What if travel wasn't just a reward for working hard, but one of the most powerful tools for improving how you think, make decisions, and perform?
In this episode of Always Business Class, Steve Hui and Steve Pirie-Nally explore the neuroscience behind travel and why stepping away from your routine can sharpen creativity, improve judgment, and help you return with greater clarity.
Together, they unpack why new environments force your brain out of autopilot, how short, frequent trips can be more powerful than one long holiday, and why business owners should think of travel as a performance reset rather than simply time off.
From staycations and business class to Crystal Cruises and spontaneous walks through unfamiliar cities, this conversation challenges the way we think about travel and productivity.
In This Episode
Why travel activates different parts of your brain
The science behind breaking out of autopilot
How travel improves creativity and decision-making
The four stages of a performance reset
Why shorter, more frequent trips can outperform long holidays
Staycations as an accessible performance tool
Removing friction through smarter travel
How travel experiences inspire better businesses
Why exploration helps you feel like you've lived longer
The philosophy behind "Redeeming Your Travel Dreams"
Whether you're planning an overseas adventure or simply checking into a hotel across town, this episode offers a fresh perspective on using travel as an investment in your performance, wellbeing, and business.
Chapters
00:00 Travel as a Performance Reset
Wonder, AI & Better Travel Experiences | Sarah Pirie-Nally on Curiosity, Innovation and Designing a Better Life
Season 1 · Episode 16
Tuesday, June 23, 2026 • Duration 40:16
What if the biggest competitive advantage in business isn't AI, but curiosity?
In this episode of Always Business Class, Steve Hui and Steve Pirie-Nally sit down with innovation strategist, author, speaker, and Wonder & Wonder founder Sarah Pirie-Nally to explore the intersection of technology, human behaviour, travel, and the power of wonder.
Sarah shares lessons from her years leading innovation initiatives at Commonwealth Bank, her work helping organisations embrace emerging technologies, and why curiosity remains one of the most valuable skills in a rapidly changing world.
The conversation explores how AI can become a genuine business advantage, why human-centred design matters more than ever, and how travel creates the pattern interrupts that lead to better ideas, stronger relationships, and happier lives.
This is a conversation about innovation.
About designing experiences people genuinely want.
And about using technology to create more freedom, more creativity, and more meaningful travel experiences.
Sarah Pirie-Nally
Founder, Wonder & WonderAuthor, Speaker & AI Strategist
What if your groceries, fuel, Uber rides, takeaway coffees, and family expenses could fund your next holiday?
In this episode of Always Business Class, the team sits down with travel and points expert Deena, founder of Committed to Collect, to unpack how everyday Australians can turn normal spending into free or heavily discounted travel experiences.
After more than 30 years in the travel industry, including 25 years at Flight Centre, Deena shares the moment that completely changed how she viewed points, loyalty programs, and travel freedom.
From redeeming more than $100,000 worth of flights in a single year to helping teenagers fly to Bali on points alone, this episode breaks down the psychology, systems, and practical strategies behind modern points collecting.
If you've ever thought points were too complicated, only for big spenders, or just a “credit card game”, this conversation will completely shift your perspective. SponsorsFlights Club MembershipAccor Plus Explorer Membership
In this episode:
How Deena redeemed over $102,000 worth of flights using everyday family spending
Why most Australians massively underuse their loyalty programs
The “Get Appy” method for simplifying point collection
Why points are not just for business travellers or high earners
How households can “triple stack” rewards across multiple systems
The emotional power of travel and family holidays
Why travel points can improve workplace wellbeing and reduce burnout
The difference between earning points and strategically using them
How teenagers are now flying internationally on points from normal spending habits
Why Dina believes holidays become “more affordable and more frequent” with points
Garage to Global: How Jane Lu Built Showpo and Why She Always Flies Business Class
Season 1 · Episode 14
Tuesday, May 26, 2026 • Duration 53:27
What does it take to go from doing customs forms by hand at Australia Post to running a $100M+ global fashion brand?
In this episode of Always Business Class, Steve Hui and Steve Pirie-Nally sit down with Jane Lu, founder of Showpo, to unpack the real story behind building a global brand from her parents' garage, why naivety is a founder's greatest asset, and how backing yourself is the only strategy that matters.
They also get into delegation, content creation as a CEO, the aisle vs window seat debate, and why business class is the best investment a founder can make.
We cover:
Why entrepreneurs need naivety to take the leap
How a trademark crisis nearly wiped out everything she built
Building Like Minded Bitches Drinking Wine to 180,000+ women
Why delegation changes everything
The aisle vs window seat debate, settled
What is still on the bucket list
This is not just about travel. It is about building something you love and choosing to do it in style.
From Everest to the South Pole: Peter Hillary on the World's Last Wild Places
Season 1 · Episode 12
Tuesday, May 5, 2026 • Duration 01:04:11
What if the most powerful thing you could do for the planet…
…was simply go there and witness it yourself?
What if exploration was never really about the summit?
In this episode of Always Business Class, Peter Hillary, explorer, mountaineer, and son of Sir Edmund Hillary, joins Steve Hui and Steve Pirie-Nally for a live fireside chat with over 400 Accor Plus Explorer members — and shares what 43 trips to Antarctica, a crossing to the South Pole, and a lifetime on the world's highest peaks have taught him about the only thing that actually matters.
Peter unpacks why the hardest part of any expedition is never the cold, the food, or the terrain. It is the psychological and emotional battle between your ears. And why that lesson applies just as much in business and in life.
He makes the case for why going to Antarctica is not a luxury. It is an act of stewardship. Because when people witness a place — really witness it — they want to protect it. And places that go unseen get exploited.
This is a conversation about what exploration really means.
Not whether it has been done before. But whether you have done it.
Because once you stand on that ice, something shifts. And you come back asking a different question. Not what can I get. But what can I do.
Guest
Peter Hillary: Explorer, Mountaineer, Son of Sir Edmund Hillary
Sponsors
Flights Club
Accor Plus Explorer Membership
Travel Changes Perspective | Steve Grace on Startups, Status and Living Beyond the Bubble
Season 1 · Episode 11
Tuesday, April 14, 2026 • Duration 01:00:21
What if the real advantage in life isn’t just what you earn…
…but how you experience the world?
In this episode of Always Business Class, Steve Grace, Founder of Nudge Group, shares how travel, lifestyle design, and smart flying have shaped the way he lives, parents, and builds businesses.
We talk about flying long-haul as a family, why economy is not always the “cheapest” option, and how using smarter travel strategies can unlock premium experiences that most people think are out of reach.
Steve shares how he has used services like iFly Flat over the years to make business class travel more accessible, especially when travelling with a family of five.
But this conversation goes beyond seats and status.
We get into what travel actually does to you.
From five-star destinations to islands with no electricity, Steve explains why contrast is the most valuable part of travel, and how those experiences have shaped his kids’ worldview and his own decision making as a founder.
We also explore how travel creates perspective, why founders should spend more time outside their environment, and how exposure to different cultures can completely change how you think about business and life.
Along the way, we touch on building multiple businesses, the evolution of recruitment through content, and why community and in-person connection are becoming more valuable in a digital world.
This is a conversation about travel as leverage.
Because once you see more of the world, you start playing a different game.
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