CRANK THE 3RD: Exploring the entrepreneurial + creative side of life post 50 – Details, episodes & analysis

The path to fulfillment after 50 isn’t about playing small or fading away. According to this week's guest, it's about reclaiming your voice, living your values, and using your wisdom to uplift others and yourself.

In this episode, host Trevor Young sits down with Jet Swain - strategic advisor, speaker, and founder of the Affection Economy.

Jet’s story is anything but linear: from growing up on a sheep farm in rural Australia, studying fine arts, and braving the boisterous world of teaching, to carving out a dynamic career in advertising, innovation, and human-centered design.

Jet opens up about her eclectic journey, filled with zigzags, moments of reinvention, and lessons found in adversity, including her battle with breast cancer and navigating single motherhood. She shares how these experiences fueled her passion for the Affection Economy: a values-led movement that challenges traditional leadership and encourages bringing kindness, courage, and authenticity back to business and daily life.

Together, Trevor and Jet explore why now is the perfect time to dust off old dreams, get back in touch with your true self, and proudly claim your voice and vision - especially if you feel invisible in today’s workforce.

Whether you’re looking to transform your career, reconnect with your personal values, or simply hear an inspiring story of resilience and reinvention, this episode is packed with wisdom, practical insights, and the kind of warmth that only comes with lived experience.

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Key Takeaways from the Episode:

🟢 Embrace the Zigzags

Jet’s unconventional path is proof that paying attention to your instincts and interests can lead you somewhere remarkable, even - especially - if you don’t have a map.

🟢 Find (& Live) Your Values

Jet challenges us to identify our top three values - not buzzwords, but what truly matters and drives you. Kindness, courage, and curiosity are her guiding lights. What are yours?

🟢 Reclaim Your Voice

After years of being told she was “too much” or “too kind,” Jet discovered those were actually her strengths. Speaking up and standing out takes courage. Sometimes, as she puts it, “I am a lot, but I’m not too much.”

🟢 Building a One-Person Movement

From speaking and mentoring to creating practical tools (think: postcards, values cards, and a book), Jet is turning her philosophy into a platform and business - proof that you can design work to fit around your life and beliefs.

🟢 Why Connection (and Community) Matters

Kindness and connection aren’t soft business skills - they’re levers for real change. And sharing your story helps others find the courage to tell theirs.

Thanks for tuning in to CRANK THE 3RD —don’t forget to check out Jet Swain’s work, connect with her online, and keep an eye out for more inspiring stories and practical insights to help you find your voice, reconnect with your values, and keep cranking in your next chapter!

Welcome to the 300th episode of the podcast, and what a terrific way to celebrate the milestone!

In this episode, host Trevor Young sits down with Andrew "Billy" Baxter - an acclaimed leader whose career is a masterclass in professional reinvention, adaptability, and building a meaningful portfolio life after the corporate grind.

Once a heavy-hitter in Australia’s advertising industry, Billy has transitioned into a diverse and purpose-driven professional world: he chairs and sits on major boards including Australian Pork, and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, all while running his own thriving business consultancy, 24 Hour Business Plan.

Trevor and Billy dive deep into what it takes to successfully pivot after decades in a traditional career path, how to build a board portfolio, and why curiosity and ongoing relevance are crucial in today’s fast-changing business landscape.

Billy opens up about his personal journey -sharing the lessons learned from decades at the top of the marketing world, how he uses his network, why having a clear sense of purpose matters, and his practical tips for anyone looking to craft a more meaningful, flexible professional life.

Whether you’re contemplating your own ‘what’s next’ or simply curious about life beyond the C-suite, this episode is packed with honest insights and actionable advice.

This episode is for anyone who's closing in on 50 years of age, or maybe you're older but your professional purpose still eludes you.

Perhaps you've been running a business for ages but you want to extend your entrepreneurial boundaries and pivot into doing something different, something that is more interesting and meaningful than what you're doing currently?

If so, you're going to love this conversation with Mark Masters, founder of You Are The Media, as we discuss his journey of discovering purpose through continuous effort.

Mark's story is a testament to the power of persistence, as he shares how a side project evolved into a thriving community-driven business.

Mark takes us through his transformation from running a small but traditional marketing and advertising agency to building a fully sustainable marketing learning community called You Are The Media.

He emphasises the importance of finding your voice and choosing yourself, rather than waiting for opportunities to come knocking.

Evolution of a side project

We discuss how Mark's newsletter, which began in 2013, gradually grew into a multifaceted platform including:

• A paid membership space
• Live events across the UK
• Educational initiatives

Mark highlights the challenges and rewards of nurturing a side project into a full-fledged business, stressing the value of patience and persistence.

Building a community-centric business

A key theme of our conversation is the shift from a "me-centric" to a "we-centric" approach in business.

Mark shares insights on:

• Creating opportunities for community members to step up and lead
• Fostering a culture of mutual support and learning
• The importance of trust in delegating responsibilities

Finding purpose and staying relevant

For professionals in their third decade of business, Mark offers valuable advice on:

• Aligning your values with your work
• The power of continuous learning and adaptation
• Embracing new challenges to maintain relevance

We also touch on the loneliness of entrepreneurship and how joining communities can combat isolation and fuel personal growth.

Key takeaways for aspiring community builders

Mark provides practical tips for those looking to start their own communities:

1. Choose a medium you're passionate about and can consistently produce
2. Align your project with your core values
3. Focus on participation and engagement, not just content creation
4. Be patient and prepared for the long haul
5. Join other communities to learn and grow

This conversation is a must-listen for anyone looking to find their purpose, build a community-driven business, or stay relevant in an ever-changing professional landscape.

QUOTABLE QUOTES FROM MARK

"I realized that the strength is when you feel a part of a community with everybody, with everyone else on your side. Community is central to what I do."

"I am an example of how a community became the business and that's really empowering."

"Side projects can be risky, but they can also create the most joy and reward that we've ever stepped into."

"I'm with my heroes now and that's a liberating place to be."

CONNECT WITH MARK

• Website
• LinkedIn

Cutting through the online noise and resonating with your story and your message is one of the biggest challenges facing purpose-driven entrepreneurs and thought leaders today.

Building and communicating with a growing audience often requires a strategic, multi-channel approach: one that's creative, authentic and consistent.

Today's guest is Jane Tabachnick, a content strategist, publicity mentor, publishing expert and Alexa flash briefing consultant.

Jane helps brands and experts magnify their message through various means, including digital content marketing, media publicity, book publishing, and via Alexa flash briefings.

All this sounds like an eclectic mix, but the reality is to be successful in your communications today, you've got to become good at channel planning and integration. 

In this episode, Jane and show host, Trevor Young, delve into the myriad communications options available to entrepreneurs and leaders wanting to build personal brand visibility and influence.

THINK: Owned media, social media, earned media (i.e. media and influencer relations), book publishing, and Alexa flash briefings.

It's a far-reaching discussion as Jane and Trevor 'join the dots' of personal brand communications.

If you're keen to magnify your message in the marketplace, this episode will definitely resonate!

CONNECT WITH JANE:

• Website
• LinkedIn
• Twitter

🎉 Welcome to episode 200 of REPUTATION REVOLUTION, the podcast dedicated to helping entrepreneurs and leaders build genuine personal brand influence ... in a respectful way 🎉

The legendary actor Al Pacino once said: "You’re only as good as the chances you take."

It's a great quote, and one that characterises this week's guest - Steve Vallas, CEO of Blockchain Australia.

Steve originally came on the show back in October, 2018. That episode - titled 'Relentless slowburn: How Steve Vallas builds visibility, influence and trust one event at a time' - has been, by a fair stretch too, our most popular show in terms of download numbers.

To commemorate the 200th episode, we thought we'd get Steve back on to see how the investment in time and effort he made in building professional trust and reputation in the industry has paid off.

(SPOILER ALERT: It has paid off!)

Part one of this episode is a replay of that original interview with Steve. It runs for 29 minutes, and it's a ripper (see original show notes below).

This is followed by a newly recorded interview with Steve.

In this second interview (which kicks in at the 33-minute mark), Steve explains how the groundwork he put in building his bona fides in the Blockchain space has led to him to the position he holds today, helming Australia's peak Blockchain industry body.

Plus we hear how he is harnessing the power of connection and conversation to further the Blockchain cause in Australia.

It's a terrific yarn, incorporating heaps of great lessons and truth bombs, many of which are quite 'contrarian' in nature.

If you want to make a dent in your chosen industry and are willing to put in the hard yards required, you will definitely benefit from listening to Steve's professional journey.

SHOW NOTES: 128 Relentless slowburn: How Steve Vallas builds visibility, influence and trust one event at a time

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Steve Vallas is quietly but surely making his mark in the Blockchain technology space.

A qualified lawyer with a background in business strategy and digital marketing, Steve is fast developing a reputation as the Blockchain go-to guy in Australia.

He has done this through relentless self-education, as well as proactively building connections and facilitating conversations with like-minded people interested in the space.

In the wide-ranging interview, Steve discusses how he's gone from being unknown in the Blockchain sector in Australia, to someone with a growing profile and reputation.

Along the way, he has:

• staged Blockchain APAC 2018, the biggest event of its kind for enterprise in Australia (taking it from idea to fully-blown conference with 45 speakers, in just 10 weeks)
• been invited by Austrade to attend a major international Blockchain event in Shanghai
• appeared on Australia's new Your Money TV channel

One of the keys to Steve's ongoing success in this nascent sector is his willingness to attend Blockchain events, no matter how small they may be. From professionally run conferences and seminars right through to informal meetups, over the course of a year, Steve has attended well over 100 events, on average of 2-3 per week.

He says showing up to so many events and having genuine conversations with people builds familiarity and trust. 

Key takeaways:

• Take the slow but steady route - Steve eschewed 'making a splash', preferring to bide his time, build his knowledge and expertise over a one-and-a-half to two-year period.
• If the idea is a good one, back yourself in - organising a major conference from go-to-whoa in 10 weeks is a massive, if somewhat crazy, undertaking. But Steve could see the potential, and the risk paid off: running such an event has elevated Steve's standing within Blockchain circles.
• Build your community before you need it - Steve has been building his online/offline community for years, always adding value, helping people and rarely asking for much in return.

Connect with Steve on Twitter.

Building a high-profile reputation as a trusted expert and leader brings with it benefits such as commercial opportunities.

But how do you make the most of these opportunities? This is precisely what our guest today, Susanna Reay, helps business owners, leaders and entrepreneurs do.

Susanna is a UK-based online business strategist, introvert coach, colour expert and artist. She combines formal design and business qualifications with over 25 years of experience working with small startups and solo entrepreneurs to help multi-passionate introverts sell their group programs, extract value from their voice and build their credibility online.

This conversation will be of interest to anyone who knows their stuff but struggles with getting their message right and getting it out to those who could benefit from hearing it. Some of the topics host Trevor Young and Susanna cover are:

• The popular ways go-to experts and thought leaders are generating revenue and creating new income streams
• The importance of getting your message right, particularly in today's noisy world
• Dispelling some myths and getting clarity on what introversion is and isn't, and the ways in which these types can excel
• How introverts can extract the value from their voice
• The 'one thing' - clarifying exactly what you want to get known for
• Susanna's favourite ways to commercialise your expertise
• Making sure your message is crystal clear before, during and after the duration or lifecycle of an online course or product
• How and when a mastermind group can add value, if they are set up and nurtured well
• When to consider creating a community through membership programs.

CONNECT WITH SUSANNA:

• Website
• Facebook
• LinkedIn
• Instagram
• You Tube

Generating media exposure is a powerful way to boost your professional profile as well as enhance your credibility and authority in your profession or industry.

But it ain't easy! Something this week's expert guest, Darren Slade knows only too well!

It takes a lot of work and smarts to generate positive editorial exposure - just banging out a written press release is not going to cut it anymore, despite what you might see in the movies!

Darren is the group business editor are the Bournemouth Echo, the Southern Daily Echo and the Dorset Echo. He focuses on stories about the business community and entrepreneurs in Dorset and Hampshire in the UK. He's been a journalist since 1990, so he knows a fair bit about this caper.

In this interview with host Trevor Young, Darren has plenty of gold to share from his wealth of experience, including:

• The best ways to get editorial exposure, including how, and when, to best reach journalists
• Getting your pitch right, up front
• When a formal press release will work - and how to get it noticed
• Being 'vivid' - why small businesses and entrepreneurs can sometimes have the edge over their more corporate counterparts
• Preparing for a media interview
• Why the best story is not always the most obvious one
• Where you need to show up to get the attention of the media.

Plus Darren shares his thoughts regarding the future of media.

If you want to learn how to get your story ideas accepted by a journalist or an editor, or just get a better handle on how to deal with media people, you'll find this episode immensely helpful.

CONNECT WITH DARREN:

LinkedIn

Twitter

If you've ever thought about, or been inspired by, the idea of building a movement to create change around a cause or issue you're passionate about, we have quite the story for you on this episode.

Today's guest Jane Evans has had a stunning career in advertising. She gave Cate Blanchett her first job, created Australia's first craft beer and ran her own multi-million dollar agency with clients like Revlon and Maserati. Today, Jane is the founder of Uninvisibility, a global media initiative dedicated to "unleashing the power of midlife women".

The Uninvisibility mantra?

"Midlife women still have half a life to live with zero f**ks left to give. We are no longer prepared to operate in a world where only female youth and beauty is celebrated.  We’re here to show you what we’re made of."

In this energetic and motivating conversation, Jane and host Trevor Young cover a lot of ground, including:

• Jane's personal story of discovering a need for a platform that helps midlife women step into the spotlight.
• The journey to a project launch that resulted in two million hashtag views in the first two weeks
•  How the movement provided the foundation for a new communications agency for female creators as well as a training course for midlife women in media and advertising
• How providing a solution can be far more powerful than engaging in 'cancel culture'
• Finding your early adopters and giving them a great story to tell
• A movement-building social media strategy
• The deep-diving and storytelling required to change the narrative about a cause or issue
• Jane's new book - Invisible to Invaluable: Unleashing the Power of Midlife Women

If there is an issue or cause you care about and you want to create a movement for change, this episode will inspire you into action!

CONNECT WITH JANE:

Website

Twitter

Facebook

Instagram

Sarah Mitchell is a copywriter, a content marketing strategist - and on a mission to make the world better for readers everywhere! So who better to talk about building your reputation and authority through writing content for an online audience.

Whether you are blogging on your own website or a platform such as Medium or LinkedIn, writing articles and opinion pieces for third-party news outlets., or writing ebooks, reports and whitepapers - these all fall under the category of “written content”.

As a founder at Typeset Content Sarah loves helping her clients convert their content initiatives into long-term business assets.

In this episode, she and host Trevor Young talk about:

• The true value of being able to get your point across concisely and with clarity
• Key findings from Typeset's recently-released State of Writing 2021 research report
• How individuals and businesses can get a better return on the investment that they're making in writing
• How to know when you need help clarifying your message, and how much time, energy and money that help will save you
• The most effective forms of written content to focus on right now
• Demonstrating your thought leadership through your written content, and how a great quality piece will keep paying for itself over time

This episode will remind you that despite the perceived 'sexiness' of live streaming, video and podcasting, there's still plenty of room for the written word!

Get the State of Writing 2021 report

CONNECT WITH SARAH:

Website

Twitter

LinkedIn

'Social savvy' leaders are still pretty rare. The ones who are doing social media are doing it well. If you want to join them, Damian Corbet can help!

Damian founded the The Social C-Suite, to help leaders use this essential leadership tool to adapt, thrive and build trust as a leader and in their organisation.

He is also the author of book The Social CEO, which includes contributions from more than 30 writers including industry-recognised experts in social business and practicing ‘social CEOs’.

Damian joins Trevor Young for this episode of Reputation Revolution to talk all about how leaders and senior executives can - and should - embrace the social age,

They discuss some great examples of social leadership from Damian's book.

Other key points covered include:

• What social leadership is and why it's important
• How Damian's social media journey started, as the in house social expert for a multinational organisation with 30,000 employees
• The differences between social media marketing and social leadership
• How a leader's social media presence can demonstrate to potential customers or talent what the organisation stands for
• How making just a little time in your schedule to become a social CEO pays for itself in highly impactful and valuable ways for your organisation.

Whether you're an aspiring social leader or an employee hoping to inspire leaders in your organisation to 'go social', this episode will deliver!

CONNECT WITH DAMIAN:

Website

Twitter

Facebook

LinkedIn