Best The Heart Of A Matriarch Podcasts (2025)

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Mass murder, cannibalism and insanity — inside Mao's cultural revolution 47:36

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2h ago47:36

47:36

China's cultural revolution was murderously violent and culturally devastating; millions of people, artefacts and ideas went up in smoke. So what's fuelling today's Neo-Maoist movement and nostalgia for that period? In 1966, the Chinese revolutionary leader Mao Zedong went to war against his own government. What followed was ten years of murderous …

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Tim Coulson on how predators shape ecosystems and evolution 28:36

14m ago28:36

28:36

As a young man, traveling in Africa, Tim Coulson - now Professor of Zoology at the University of Oxford - became seriously ill with malaria and was told a second bout would probably kill him. Aged only 20, this brush with his own mortality led him to promise himself he would write a complete guide to science: life, the universe and everything. His …

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How I became a brainwashed cult bride 53:31

19h ago53:31

53:31

Liz Cameron was 18 years old when a stranger approached her in a book shop. It was the beginning of her induction into a cult, and it was an experience Liz barely survived. The process of brainwashing happened gradually, first came the love-bombing and the allure of finding a new purpose in life. Then came the isolation from friends and family, alo…

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Scaling with Heart: My Billion-Dollar Story (As Told on On Purpose) 50:44

2d ago50:44

50:44

What does it really take to scale a billion-dollar business—and still have time for what matters most? In this summer school replay of her interview on On Purpose with Jay Shetty, CEO School founder Suneera Madhani shares her powerful journey from corporate employee to unicorn founder. In this wide-ranging conversation, she opens up about redefinin…

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Encore: the charming Italian narcissist 54:00

5d ago54:00

54:00

When Kerstin Pilz found out that her charming husband Gianni had been cheating on her while he was dying, she had to decide what to do next (R) She had fallen madly in love with this Italian man when she was in her 40s. The two married and began travelling the world together. Then Gianni suddenly fell ill. As he was in the hospital undergoing surge…

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Mr. Finch — deathworker in the tapestry of life 52:25

7d ago52:25

52:25

Author Katia Ariel tells the story of Ephraim Finch, a man synonymous with death in the Melbourne Jewish community. He started life as Geoffrey William, the son of a butcher, who would go on to become a master builder before his life became unrecognisable to him. Several years ago, Melbourne author and book editor, Katia was invited to write Ephrai…

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The mind f**k of pain — retraining your system to tackle chronic pain 52:42

8d ago52:42

52:42

Professor Lorimer Moseley is neuroscientist, who specialises in the complexities and mind-boggling nature of pain - what it is, why it exists, how it works and when it can go wrong. For most of us, pain is a fundamental part of being alive, and staying alive and yet none of us will ever experience the exact same pain as someone else, which makes it…

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Claudia de Rham on playing with gravity 28:21

7d ago28:21

28:21

Claudia de Rham has rather an unusual relationship with gravity. While she has spent her career exploring its fundamental nature, much of her free time has involved trying to defy it - from scuba diving in the Indian Ocean to piloting small aircraft over the Canadian waterfalls. Her ultimate ambition was to escape gravity’s clutches altogether and …

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When Peter Greste became the story 53:09

8d ago53:09

53:09

It’s been a decade since Australian journalist Peter Greste became a global news story, spending 400 days imprisoned in Egypt. But he still misses the life he had as a foreign correspondent. Peter and two colleagues were arrested while working for Al Jazeera in Cairo, they were charged with spreading false news and aiding terrorism. Peter then was …

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359. There’s No Finish Line: Lessons from 5 Years of CEO School 21:51

9d ago21:51

21:51

What if the secret to success wasn’t more hustle—but better alignment? In this heartfelt solo finale, CEO School host Suneera Madhani reflects on five years of podcasting and the powerful lessons from this season. With themes of energy, alignment, and evolution, she walks listeners through the mindset shifts that helped her grow a billion-dollar bu…

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Encore: When success, a big house and a loving family aren't enough 51:02

12d ago51:02

51:02

What happens when a man can't stop his drive and desire for more? Author Andrew O'Hagan dissects the pitfalls of more money, more success and more applause (R) Andrew O’Hagan is the author of several highly acclaimed novels. His most recent book is a sweeping portrait of modern-day London, a city ‘levitating on a sea of dirty Russian money’. The ma…

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Ione Skye on surrendering her past and forgiving herself 46:30

14d ago46:30

46:30

The Gen X actor on making peace with her absent father, the ghosts of her Hollywood past and nursing Anthony Kiedis through his drug addiction while she was still a teenager — a relationship she shudders at today. The 1990s It girl was named for the Scottish island where she was conceived, before her enigmatic folk singer father, Donovan abandoned …

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Our post-American future — what will the new world order look like? 52:00

15d ago52:00

52:00

Defence analyst Hugh White says Australian leaders are in denial about how dramatically the world has changed, and need to get a grip on the deep, troubling forces propelling us into a new order of world power. The balance of global power has changed dramatically over the last 25 years. Even in the last five years, so much has happened - the pandem…

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Neil Lawrence on taking down the 'digital oligarchy' and why we shouldn't fear AI 28:35

15d ago28:35

28:35

When you think of Artificial Intelligence, does it inspire confidence, or concern? Although it's now generally accepted that this technology will play a major role in our future, a lot of conversations around AI and machine learning come back to the argument over us losing control and robots taking over. Happily, Neil Lawrence has a more optimistic…

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The pyromaniac kid who made barbecue his life 48:06

16d ago48:06

48:06

As a child, chef Graeme Stockdale was embarrassed by the smell of sauerkraut and pickles that would trail him from his Polish and German grandparents' home. A transformative encounter with a barbecued duck in Singapore changed his life, though nothing would prepare him for two monumental floods in his adopted region of Lismore, NSW. Graeme was only…

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358. What 100 Seven-Figure Female Founders Taught Me About Scaling, Leadership, and Sisterhood with Brielle Cotterman 44:13

16d ago44:13

44:13

Ever wonder what it’s really like inside a room full of powerhouse women running seven and eight-figure businesses? In this special episode of CEO School, host Suneera Madhani is joined by President of CEO School and MFC community leader Brielle Cotterman, fresh off of the Millionaire Founders Club Spring Retreat. They’re giving you a true behind-t…

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Encore: Hormones and mental health with Dr Jayashri Kulkarni 52:16

20d ago52:16

52:16

Dr Jayashri Kulkarni on her Indian-Australian upbringing and her groundbreaking research into women's hormones and mental health (R) Jayashri Kulkarni’s family moved from India to Australia in 1961. They found there were no Indian grocery stores, few spices of any kind, and plain yoghurt wasn’t available. But the Kulkarnis adapted to their new home…

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Part TWO: Locked up in China — Cheng Lei on cell mates, singing and survival 48:06

21d ago48:06

48:06

Cheng Lei's years in detention in China, on trumped-up espionage charges, go from cruel and isolating, to absurd and romantic when she gets moved into a cell with three other women. The Chinese-Australian journalist was held in detention in China for more than three years, accused of selling state secrets to foreign people and powers. In episode on…

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Part ONE: Locked up in China — Cheng Lei on state paranoia and staying sane in isolation 49:00

22d ago49:00

49:00

When journalist Cheng Lei was detained by Chinese state security agents, she thought would be freed within the week. Instead, she was held on absurd espionage charges for more than three years, much of that time spent in isolation. When Cheng Lei moved back to the country of her birth after the dramatic opening up of China to the world, she was a p…

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Liz Morris on Antarctic adventures and the melting polar ice sheets 28:28

22d ago28:28

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A frozen, white world at the far-reaches of the globe, where you're surrounded by snow and silence, might sound rather appealing. Factor in temperatures that drop to -57°C and a few of us might be put off - but for glaciologist Liz Morris, that's very much her happy place. Liz is an Emeritus Associate at the University of Cambridge’s Scott Polar Re…

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Depersonalisation — when Nathan lost his sense of self and nothing felt real 51:54

23d ago51:54

51:54

In 2008 Nathan Dunne was night swimming in Hampstead Heath in the middle of winter when a psychological catastrophe struck him. He felt his sense of self split in two, and an unbearable pain overtook him. He couldn’t work out what had happened to him, and neither could the doctors. CW: This discussion contains sensitive mental health details and me…

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357. Hiring, Firing, and Everything In Between: An HR Deep Dive with Zak Human Solutions 55:59

23d ago55:59

55:59

HR isn’t just policies and paperwork—it’s the secret to building an aligned, unstoppable team. In this episode, host Suneera Madhani sits down with HR experts and MFC members Kacie Scott and Nadian Zak of Zak Human Solutions for a crash course in all things people, culture, and compliance. Whether you’re hiring your first contractor or managing a f…

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Your First Marathon: Training Tips, Mindset Shifts, and Real Talk! 38:19

26d ago38:19

38:19

Send us a text Thinking about running your first marathon this fall? Whether you're a beginner or coming back after a break, this episode is packed with everything you need to know to get started. I'm sharing expert tips as a certified RRCA running coach, personal insights from training for over 20 marathons, and a FREE 18-week training plan to hel…

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Encore: A home filled with music — raising the Kanneh-Masons 48:48

27d ago48:48

48:48

Kadiatu Kanneh-Mason on what it takes to keep up with her seven children — all of them gifted classical musicians (R). Kadiatu is a former English academic and the mother of seven extraordinary children. All of them are gifted classical musicians. Her eldest daughter, Isata wrote and performed her first piano concerto at the age of eleven. Her son …

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Why Colm Toibin ran away with the circus — to Barcelona, Brooklyn and beyond 53:18

28d ago53:18

53:18

The Irish novelist has always been open to where life can unexpectedly take him, and the excitement that comes with that kind of freedom. Colm Toibin's first big move was from rural Ireland to Dublin after his father died when he was young. Then, it was off to experience the wild hedonism and sexual liberation of post-Franco Spain, a pleasant shock…

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Hilde Hinton's home for the temporarily defeated 51:12

29d ago51:12

51:12

When Hilde Hinton was on the cusp of adolescence, her mother died. For years she protected her younger siblings from the truth about their mum. Despite the great grief of her mother's shocking death when Hilde was just 12 years old, there was also a sense of relief for Hilde. She shielded her younger siblings, Samuel and Connie Johnson, from the tr…

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Anthony Fauci on a medical career navigating pandemics and presidents 45:05

29d ago45:05

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Welcome to a world where medicine meets politics: a space that brings together scientific research, government wrangling, public push-back and healthcare conspiracies… Dr Anthony Fauci was the Director of America’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases for nearly four decades, during which time he not only helped study, treat and pr…

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The secret life of Scarlett, the octopus 52:08

30d ago52:08

52:08

When Alex Schnell was around 5 years old, playing in rock pools around Clovelly beach in Sydney, she had an alien encounter. The creature in the shallow water in front of her was a little octopus and unlike anything Alex had seen before, and instead of darting off in fear like a fish might, to Alex it felt like the octopus was genuinely curious in …

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356. The Power of Small Habits and Big Vision: How to Scale Without Burning Out with Dawn McGruer 35:41

1M ago35:41

35:41

What if the key to scaling your business isn’t working harder—but rewiring how you think? In this episode of CEO School, Suneera sits down with UK-based business strategist, Forbes mentor, and founder of Dawn of a New Era, Dawn McGruer. Live from the Millionaire Founders Club Retreat, this powerhouse conversation dives deep into mindset, neuroscien…

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Encore: How Sean Sweeney found his deaf heart 51:20

1M ago51:20

51:20

Sean Sweeney on the complications and joys of growing up as a a hearing child in a deaf family, using Auslan, a distinctively Australian sign language. In his twenties, Sean rebelled against the deaf world, and began to look for a new life in the hearing one. But after eighteen years, he returned. He found work as an interpreter at TAFE, and he met…

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The miserable lives and golden guns of tyrants, dictators and despots 51:30

1M ago51:30

51:30

Marcel Dirsus is fascinated by the treadmill of tyranny: how dictators gain power, how they stay there and how they fall. This is his blueprint for bringing an end to authoritarianism. With democracies seemingly faltering worldwide, political scientist and writer Marcel Dirsus is putting tyrants under the microscope to better understand how they ri…

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Claire Keegan on bravery, writing and the single life 53:10

1M ago53:10

53:10

The bestselling Irish author grew up on a farm set on “50 acres on the side of a hill”. Growing up, she witnessed a harsh, misogynistic country that convinced her she would never marry. Claire shares what she has learned about writing from a litter of newborn piglets. Her works Small Things Like These and Foster have both been made into movies. Cla…

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Peter Godwin's complicated loves, great losses and occasional wars 53:30

1M ago53:30

53:30

The writer had a complex relationship with his mother, whose professional reputation built a wall between them, but also saved his life more than once while working as a war correspondent. Peter Godwin was born in Zimbabwe when the country was still under colonial rule. His English mother was the only doctor for thousands of kilometres and early on…

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355. The Secret Sauce of Thought Leadership (and How to Find Yours) with Cris Gordon 29:40

1M ago29:40

29:40

What if your next level of growth isn’t about doing more, but showing up more powerfully for the work you’re already doing? In this episode of CEO School, host Suneera Madhani sits down with powerhouse publicist and founder of CBee Communications, Cris Gordon, for a masterclass on visibility, storytelling, and stepping into the spotlight—even when …

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Treating anorexia by nourishing the heart 52:00

1M ago52:00

52:00

Psychiatrist Warren Ward treats patients who are severely ill with eating disorders. Understanding the mystery of human nature has driven him since he was a young doctor. Warren Ward's patients are often critically ill with diseases like anorexia. Warren says asking someone with anorexia to eat is like asking an arachnophobe to put their hand in a …

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Can Yoga Really Make You a Better Runner? 25:36

1M ago25:36

25:36

Send us a text They say opposites attract--and in the world of fitness, nothing proves that more than running and yoga! In this episode of Mile Marker Matriarch, we explore how yoga and running--seemingly opposite practices--can actually create the perfect partnership for performance, recovery, and longevity. Whether you're short on time, unsure ho…

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Ghost stories and executions in Iceland — when Hannah Kent and Agnes Magnusdottir became entwined 51:12

1M ago51:12

51:12

When writer Hannah Kent first visited Iceland in 2003, she came across a gothic true story about Agnes Magnusdottir, the last woman hanged in Iceland. That story would change her life. Hannah's arrival to the Nordic island as an exchange student in 2003 was a difficult one. On her first night in the country, she found herself stranded late at night…

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Heroin addiction, Ivan Milat's dentist, and beginning again 51:36

1M ago51:36

51:36

Claude Robinson developed a heroin habit as a young man, and spent years in jail. In 2006 he began to turn his life around for good. (CW: descriptions of drug use, addiction, and crime) (R) Claude Robinson is the manager of Rainbow Lodge, a home in inner Sydney for men just out of prison. Claude knows the place well because nearly 20 years ago he w…

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Situationships, risks and growing pains — Jemma Sbeg on surviving your 20s 52:00

1M ago52:00

52:00

From relationships and loneliness, to indecision and burnout, Jemma Sbeg is your guide to navigating your 20s, and looking back on that decade with a new perspective. When Jemma Sbeg started recording a podcast in the back of her Subaru about her quarter life crisis, she had no idea just how many people she would reach. But other people her age wer…

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354. Mother. Immigrant. Matriarch: An Emotional Mother’s Day Special with Shama Rehmetullah 35:31

1M ago35:31

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This week on CEO School, we’re celebrating Mother’s Day with one of the most heartfelt, vulnerable, and inspiring episodes yet. Host Suneera Madhani is joined by the most important guest she’s ever had on the show—her mom, Shama Rehmetullah. In this candid conversation, Suneera and her mom talk about everything from growing up during wartime in Ban…

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Encore: Mt Druitt to Tonga, how Winnie embraced her cultural heritage 51:00

2M ago51:00

51:00

Winnie Dunn was a teenager when the Chris Lilley character 'Jonah from Tonga' became a national joke and as a Tongan Australian the stereotype made her feel uncomfortable. Despite being born into a big Tongan family in Western Sydney, Winnie felt conflicted about her heritage growing up. But over time her understanding of what it means to be Tongan…

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Jamila Rizvi’s one in a million brain tumour 53:14

2M ago53:14

53:14

Jamila’s craniopharyngioma had been growing for years, unbeknownst to her. In hindsight, it was her son who gave the first clue, when he stopped breastfeeding overnight at 11 months old. Today Jamila is an author, a broadcaster and the deputy managing director of Future Women, dedicated to achieving gender equity in Australian workplaces. A few yea…

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Slapped by a whale's tail, and other animal adventures 51:12

2M ago51:12

51:12

Whale and dolphin researcher, Barry McGovern’s love of sea creatures started in Clare, Ireland, when as a child he met the county’s solitary, friendly dolphin, named for the singer Dusty Springfield. Barry grew up in a tiny surfing village where he knew all the bird calls off by heart. His interest in animal science led him to Edinburgh Zoo, where …

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Top 10 Running Myths Debunked! 30:34

2M ago30:34

30:34

Send us a text Is running actually bad for your knees? Do you really need to stretch before every run? Can you eat whatever you want as long as you're logging miles? In this myth-busting episode, I'm getting to the bottom of the running fables we've all heard before. Whether you're a seasoned marathon runner or a new runner questioning what's true,…

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Adam Kay — the magic and misery of doctoring, comedy and fatherhood 46:36

2M ago46:36

46:36

After a caesarean section on his labour ward went catastrophically wrong, Adam Kay took a radical inventory of his entire life. CW: traumatic childbirth, eating disorders. Adam was not far off qualifying as an obstetric consultant in the United Kingdom, when he decided he couldn't be a doctor any longer. He couldn't face ever again experiencing the…

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353. Stop Launching, Start Licensing: A Smarter Way to Scale Your Business with April Beach 28:55

2M ago28:55

28:55

What if your most valuable asset isn’t what you’re selling, but what you’ve already built? In this episode of CEO School, host Suneera Madhani sits down with licensing strategist and lifelong entrepreneur April Beach to unpack the untapped goldmine that lives inside your intellectual property. Live from the Millionaire Founders Club Retreat, April …

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Briana, Max and Freddy: love, trains and mouth music 52:42

2M ago52:42

52:42

Briana Blackett was a journalist in Qatar when she realised her baby son Max wasn't responding to his name. When Max and his little brother Freddy were both diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder, Briana left Doha to begin an entirely different life (R)By Australian Broadcasting Corporation

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Encore: breaking the silence around men's mental health 53:00

2M ago53:00

53:00

Jonno Seidler with the story of his Dad Ray, a much-loved and successful doctor, who hid his private struggles from the world. Behind closed doors, Ray Seidler was locked in a herculean fight with his own mental health. His frequent bouts of depression caused him to regularly 'run away' from his own home and family, and eventually led to his suicid…

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Learning from the mighty matriarchs of the animal kingdom 52:03

2M ago52:03

52:03

Erna Walraven was one of the first female zookeepers to work at Sydney's Taronga Zoo in the 1980s. Despite practical jokes from her male colleagues, like animal dung in her gumboots, Erna kept her nerve. She was born in The Netherlands, to parents who were involved in the Dutch resistance during World War II. Erna's love of languages took her to Sp…

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Mawunyo's life in love, journalism and hip hop 52:18

2M ago52:18

52:18

Mawunyo Gbogbo was raised as a church-going African Australian girl in the sleepy mining town of Muswellbrook, before she grew up to become a hip-hop journalist and a writer (R) Mawunyo's parents had met in Ghana, migrating to Australia when she was a baby. At high school, Mawunyo fell hard for a charismatic boy, and for the first time, she was int…