#76: Sami Roberston – Why I Swam the Cook Straight

Before becoming one of the Wellington Phoenix's most loved players, Corban lost his dad as a teenager, packed up his life, and headed to Ireland chasing a football dream with no guarantees it'd work out. There were days in Dublin where he'd barely speak to anyone. Meanwhile, his family back home were trying to navigate life without the man who'd always held things together. We get into all of that, plus some funny yarns along the way. The Auckland FC rivalry, what was really happening at the Phoenix during a difficult season, derby day tension, locker room stories, his obsession with eggs, and why he looks more like he'd be playing No. 8 for the Hurricanes than professional football. A bloody good episode, one of my favourites in a long time. Please remember to hit subscribe, click follow or rate 5 stars, it helps the pod grow! Moana Road (Use Discount Code BTS20 for 20% off!) – https://moanaroad.co.nz/ Kaboose Media – https://www.kaboosemedia.co.nz/ Beyond the Surface Insta – https://www.instagram.com/beyond_the_surfacenz/ Beyond the Surface YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@beyondthesurfacenz Corban Inta – https://www.instagram.com/corbannpiper/ Noa Woolloff Insta – https://www.instagram.com/noawoolloff/

600km in 11 days… yeah, nah bro. Emma Upton joins the pod after running from Auckland to Wellington for Movember, which is about as casual as it sounds. Before that, she also knocked out a half marathon every day for 30 days straight! An absolute weapon and I'm sure you'll enjoy this conversation.

James Fuller is the Co-Founder and CEO of Hnry, one of New Zealand's fastest growing fintech companies (nearly a billion dollar business), now processing income for hundreds of thousands of sole traders across Aotearoa and beyond. In this conversation, James shares the real story behind building Hnry, from spotting the opportunity early with his wife, to navigating the uncertainty, pressure and setbacks that come with scaling a company responsible for handling a growing share of New Zealand's tax system. We also unpack one of Hnry's boldest moves yet, securing the naming rights to Sky Stadium, now Hnry Stadium, why they did it, what the process looked like behind the scenes, and whether it was a calculated strategic play or a massive risk. Beyond the business headlines, we talk about the highs and lows of founding a company, the hardest decisions James has had to make as CEO, moments of self doubt, and what genuinely keeps him up at night while leading a company trusted by hundreds of thousands of people. Moana Road – https://moanaroad.co.nz/ Hnry – https://hnry.co.nz/ Beyond the Surface – https://www.instagram.com/beyond_the_surfacenz/ Noa Woolloff Insta – https://www.instagram.com/noawoolloff/ YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@beyondthesurfacenz

This episode features Xara Jetly, one of New Zealand's most exciting cricketers from the Blaze and an absolute weapon on and off the field (you'll see why when you watch this episode). We cover her latest championship win with the Blaze, being steered toward elite sport at a young age, and the pivotal family meeting at 13 after her netball coach told her she would never be a Silver Fern. Xara opens up about shutting down sexist haters and how she juggles university, professional cricket, and content creation for her 150k plus followers, while still thinking deeply about what comes next, you ever dreamed about starting your own IVF clinic?! She reflects on being told she would never represent the White Ferns because she "didn't work hard enough", and how that moment shaped her mindset more than any trophy ever could. Xara also shares what people do not see behind the highlights, and what it is really like working alongside Amelia Kerr. Xara's honesty, work rate, and self-belief make this one I know a lot of you will resonate with! If you enjoyed the episode, please hit subscribe, follow the show, or leave a five-star rating. It genuinely helps the pod grow! Chur. Moana Road (Use Discount Code BTS20 for 20% off!) – https://moanaroad.co.nz/ Kaboose Media – https://www.kaboosemedia.co.nz/ Noa Woolloff Insta – https://www.instagram.com/noawoolloff/?hl=en Xara Jetly Insta – https://www.instagram.com/xara.jetly/?hl=en Beyond the Surface Insta – https://www.instagram.com/beyond_the_surfacenz/?hl=en Beyond the Surface Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/show/4ZArq1WSsV1pMID1dkHbBL

In this episode, Pasilio Tosi opens up about the parts of his journey that rarely get talked about. Growing up in Levin, taking the harder road through Southland and Bay of Plenty, changing positions later than most after gaining a few kegs during lockdown, and learning to put ego aside to keep moving forward. Pasi shares what surprised him most about the All Blacks environment, the standards that go unspoken, and the mindset shifts. Enjoy whanau! Please remember to hit subscribe, click follow or rate 5 stars, it helps the pod grow! Moana Road (Use Discount Code BTS20 for 20% off!) – https://moanaroad.co.nz/ Kaboose Media – https://www.kaboosemedia.co.nz/ Noa Woolloff Insta – https://www.instagram.com/noawoolloff/?hl=en Pasi Insta – https://www.instagram.com/pasiliotosi18/?hl=en Beyond the Surface Insta – https://www.instagram.com/beyond_the_surfacenz/?hl=en