Futurist Frances Valintine (founder of Academy X and Tech Futures Lab) joins the show to map what New Zealand actually looks like in twenty years, and it's a sobering picture.We're one of the fastest-changing populations on earth: ageing fast, with a birth rate well below replacement and a workforce shrinking from four people per retiree toward just two. Her warning is that we're already late to plan for it.From there the conversation turns to AI and the future of work, where Frances is blunt - every job ahead will have an AI component, and the longer you wait to understand it, the harder it gets.She unpacks how the technology is already changing the way we search, shop and make decisions, why New Zealand's greatest advantage in a chaotic world is trust, and how a small country might carve out a future by being the "slow but really good" partner the rest of the world relies on.Between Two Beers is proudly brought to you by One New Zealand. We believe that One NZ connects New Zealand, while Between Two Beers connects New Zealanders. And together, we are NZ's most trusted connection platform.Steve and Seamus are proud to be dressed by Barkers Clothing. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The boys are back behind the scenes, and the World Cup is almost here.Seamus and Steve break down the wild Tim Payne phenomenon - how an All Whites right-back with 4,000 followers became bigger than the All Blacks in 48 hours after an Argentinian content creator made him the face of the tournament.Seamus has known Tim since he was 16, and with Between Two Goals heading into the exact camp that's now the most talked-about in world football, the dream scenario of exclusive access starts to take shape.Then it's all systems go for the trip: the daily Between Two Goals TV show following the All Whites across America and Canada, the mobile studio, walk-and-talk intros, and the small matter of Steve not knowing which city he's flying to.Plus reflections on two cracking recent episodes - former All Blacks manager Darren Shand on 20 years inside the machine, and futurist Frances Valentine - and a well-earned shout-out to the newly honoured Dame Susan Hassall. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matthew Ridge is one of New Zealand's most recognisable sporting figures - All Blacks captain, NRL star, television personality. But behind the swagger and the highlights reel is a story most people have never heard.Originally released in 2024 and one of our most popular episodes, we're bringing this one back because it deserves to be heard again.Ridgey sits down with Steve and Seamus to tell it all. At 16, he was wrongfully convicted of aggravated robbery - three High Court trials, a 14-year sentence hanging over his head, and a sports career that nearly never happened.He talks about growing up without his father, finding mental toughness through tennis, and the moment he got a voicemail from Graham Lowe asking if he wanted to play rugby league for Manly.He opens up about the NRL years, the TV relationship with Marc Ellis - and he talks honestly about his meth use, functioning as an addict while the cameras rolled, and the moment he looked at a photo of himself and saw no light in his eyes.This is Matthew Ridge like you've never heard him before.Between Two Beers is proudly brought to you by One New Zealand. We believe that One NZ connects New Zealand, while Between Two Beers connects New Zealanders. And together, we are NZ's most trusted connection platform.Steve and Seamus are proud to be dressed by Barkers Clothing. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s been our biggest six months ever - landing on TVNZ+, heading to the World Cup, and sitting down with Steven Adams.Steve and Seamus sit down with business and mindset coach Di Foster to pull back the curtain on how it all actually came together, the chaos behind the scenes, and what it really takes to turn a podcast into a mainstream media brand.They break down the TVNZ deal, how they landed four World Cup sponsors at 100% conversion rate (and why that's actually a red flag), and the Steven Adams episode that had Seamus too nervous to speak for the first five minutes.Plus - the mindset that keeps it all in check. Because the most dangerous thing you can do when things are going this well is start believing your own BS. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For 20 years, Darren Shand was the most powerful person in All Blacks rugby that nobody knew about.As Team Manager across four Rugby World Cups - including the back-to-back title wins of 2011 and 2015 - Shand sat above the coaches, managed the operation, and helped build the cultural architecture of the most successful international rugby team in history.He worked alongside Sir Graham Henry, Sir Steve Hansen, Sir Wayne Smith, Richie McCaw, Dan Carter, and some of the greatest players to ever pull on the black jersey.He talks about the 2004 wake-up call that forced the entire culture to change. The private battles with depression. The end of his marriage. The moment a former Crusaders teammate came to his house to tell him he was fired.He shares stories that have never been made public - including a stunning incident before the 2015 Rugby World Cup final that nearly ended his campaign entirely. And he gives his most honest assessment yet of what happened to the All Blacks after he left - and why Ian Foster never really had a chance.Between Two Beers is proudly brought to you by One New Zealand. We believe that One NZ connects New Zealand, while Between Two Beers connects New Zealanders. And together, we are NZ's most trusted connection platform.Steve and Seamus are proud to be dressed by Barkers Clothing. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on Hambassadors, Steve and Seamus reveal their biggest project yet: a dedicated All Whites fan show heading to Vancouver for the FIFA World Cup.They're going in camp with the team, bringing the families, and building something that hasn't been done before in New Zealand sports media.Also this week: a behind-the-scenes look at the Joseph Parker x Barkers event (with some Chatham House rules intel that stays in the room), gut health is officially on the agenda, and the guys reflect on the overwhelming response to the Nate Alley episode. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stacey Morrison has been a fixture of New Zealand television and radio for thirty years - but this is the story behind the story.In this episode she opens up about growing up embarrassed by her Māori identity, a gruelling fifteen year journey to te reo fluency, the heartbreaking loss of her mum Sue, and finding the love she never thought she'd have with Scotty Morrison.Between Two Beers is proudly brought to you by One New Zealand. We believe that One NZ connects New Zealand, while Between Two Beers connects New Zealanders. And together, we are NZ's most trusted connection platform.Steve and Seamus are proud to be dressed by Barkers Clothing. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Steve sits down with our business and mindset coach Di Foster for a candid 1:1 coaching session.They get into what it really means to be a 'good bugger' in business, whether values alone are enough to build something lasting, and the identity shift that happens when your business starts moving faster than you expected.They also tackle the team question - why having the right people around you isn't just a nice to have, and what it actually takes to stop being the bottleneck in your own business.Plus Di and Steve dig into the difference between identity and habits - and why getting clear on who you are might matter more than any morning routine.This episode is proudly supported by Odoo, the all-in-one business management platform. Thanks to Odoo for supporting the show.Got a listener question? DM us on social media and it could be answered on the next episode. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nate Alley grew up in Tokoroa without a father, got kicked out of school at 16, and spent the better part of a decade angry, lost, and making decisions he's not proud of.Today he runs his own Sentinel Homes franchise in the Waikato, with nearly 200 million dollars in construction work completed over the last decade.In this episode Nate speaks publicly for the first time about his upbringing, a failed first business, burnout, and divorce - and the moment holding his newborn daughter that forced him to confront who he was really becoming.Between Two Beers is proudly brought to you by One New Zealand. We believe that One NZ connects New Zealand, while Between Two Beers connects New Zealanders. And together, we are NZ's most trusted connection platform.Steve and Seamus are proud to be dressed by Barkers Clothing. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Steven Adams episode has gone global. NBA Twitter picked it up, US news sites started writing stories, and the clip of Steven's journaling practice has racked up millions of views. Steve and Che take you behind the scenes of watching it snowball in real time, from the 3am Instagram collab to waking up to floods of comments and mentions.Plus, we make it official: Between Two Beers is going to the FIFA Football World Cup. Flights are being booked, the gear is coming, and it's happening in six weeks.And before all of that, Seamus had the biggest case of head loss in his 43 years, his wedding ring went missing, sexy cameraman Sam got dragged into it, and somehow the storage cupboard is to blame.Also on this week's show: a preview of our next Lowkey Legend episode with Nate Alley, the Reflections business turns one, a Joseph Parker x Barkers live event, and the TAB pays out $500 to five lucky listeners. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.