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New Year special interview with our very own Co Founder Maxi.
6 Plays3 months ago
To celebrate a New Year we have a special episode where we turn the hot seat on Maxi. A career well documented Leigh wants to know some of the other things that matter to Maxi. Why Live Learn Survive is so important to him, what legacy he wants to leave for future generations and what are the most important life lessons he has learned. A great conversation so we hope you enjoy this chat about what matters with our very own Founder.
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Transcript
Introduction and Mission Overview
00:00:09
Speaker
G'day, I'm Trent Maxwell.
00:00:11
Speaker
And I'm Lee Mason.
00:00:12
Speaker
And we want to welcome you to our Live, Learn, Survive podcast.
00:00:14
Speaker
Since 2018, Lee and I travelled the globe and met face-to-face with over 35,000 children in six countries across three continents.
00:00:20
Speaker
We created a series of award-winning children's books, a global online education program, and are founders of the Live, Learn, Survive charity, all focused on teaching children and young adults life skills that will not only help themselves, but help others too.
00:00:31
Speaker
We're on a mission to spread awareness about fire, water and first aid education to inspire the next generation of first responders.
00:00:37
Speaker
So join us for the next half an hour with some fun, inspiration and kindness and we'll try and learn something too.
Podcast Scheduling and New Year Greetings
00:00:44
Speaker
How are you this week, Lee?
00:00:45
Speaker
Welcome aboard.
00:00:47
Speaker
Maxie, I am good and we have recorded this so I just scheduled all the dates this morning so I'm going to say Happy New Year.
00:00:58
Speaker
Happy New Year, Lee.
00:00:59
Speaker
Happy New Year.
00:01:00
Speaker
I hope your Christmas and New Year was great.
00:01:03
Speaker
Absolutely, because if we've got this right, today is the 3rd of January.
00:01:08
Speaker
So this is when this is going to go out.
00:01:12
Speaker
And last week, you interviewed me.
00:01:16
Speaker
So this week,
00:01:18
Speaker
this week burning the tables this is me it's my time to shine so hopefully i don't uh mumble a jumble because you know when we when we're very sophisticated and planned for this podcast with our notes so me not having much control or seeing i know i obviously see the questions but you know some of my answers so we'll see how we go exactly so they're here the questions are ready and um you know i can't i
00:01:44
Speaker
I'm going to give a very, because we're going to get straight into
Roles and Qualities of a First Responder
00:01:47
Speaker
it.
00:01:47
Speaker
So I'm going to give the briefest of intros.
00:01:51
Speaker
Let's do it.
00:01:52
Speaker
Trent Maxwell, lifeguard, firefighter, author.
00:01:58
Speaker
Charity founder, co-founder and director.
00:02:02
Speaker
Welcome.
00:02:03
Speaker
That's it.
00:02:04
Speaker
That's all you can say.
00:02:05
Speaker
That's good.
00:02:05
Speaker
That's good.
00:02:06
Speaker
I was starting to, you know, there has been a few things I've done, but yeah, no, it's a short but sweet intro.
00:02:15
Speaker
I've just gone the headline and I'm going to get straight into it.
00:02:19
Speaker
Question one, lifeguard and firefighter, both at the front end of action in the community,
00:02:28
Speaker
What makes a good first responder?
00:02:32
Speaker
Oh, that's a really good question.
Rescue Challenges and Emotional Reflections
00:02:33
Speaker
So people that are new to the podcast or new to who I am and what we do, you know, I've been a lifeguard for nearly 18 years on a beach, one of the busiest beaches in Australia, if not the world for its size.
00:02:46
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We get up to 40 to 50,000 people on any given summer's day.
00:02:50
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And we get all sorts of different things from rescues to first aides to major incidents.
00:02:55
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We work in a seven to 10 person team and we work from six to seven o'clock at night.
00:03:01
Speaker
And as a firefighter, I've been a firefighter for coming up nine years.
00:03:04
Speaker
Actually, this is on the 3rd of Jan.
00:03:07
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On the 16th of Jan, we would be nine years as a part of Fire and Rescue New South Wales.
00:03:11
Speaker
And yeah, so I've been doing that for nine years.
00:03:13
Speaker
I work at Bankstown Fire Station, which is one of the busiest rescue fire stations in the state of New South Wales and maybe for Australia as well.
00:03:23
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But going back to your question,
00:03:26
Speaker
What makes a good first responder?
00:03:27
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I think a good first responder is someone that is, they love what they do.
00:03:31
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They're keen.
00:03:33
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They're always pushing the bar to keep learning and to try new things and to try and be up to date with the training and knowledge and the
00:03:42
Speaker
the guidelines to the job, because we are in a forever changing world where technology is changing, you know, things we used to do 10, 20, 30, 40 years ago is changing.
00:03:53
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So always innovative, always open to learn new
Teamwork and Job Dynamics in Firefighting
00:03:56
Speaker
things.
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You know, in nine years, I've learned so many different things as a firefighter and a lifeguard.
00:04:00
Speaker
So I think it's very important to be open to change.
00:04:03
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A lot of people don't like change, but being a good first responder, open to change, new practices, and just evolving with the job and being a good mentor for the younger people or the people that have been in the job less than you.
00:04:17
Speaker
They can learn a lot off senior firefighters, especially junior firefighters and junior lifeguards.
00:04:25
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So to answer your question shortly, what makes a good first responder is someone that cares what they do and they continue to learn and not, you know, not to lose a passion.
00:04:36
Speaker
I think that's really good that you said, you know, about people that don't like change.
00:04:42
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Like you said,
00:04:43
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never ever go to work and know what your day's going to look like.
00:04:46
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And there's some people that go to work and know exactly what their day's going to look like.
00:04:51
Speaker
And I think, you know, if you're a person that is really...
00:04:56
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hesitant to change, there's nothing wrong with that, but then it may be something like a first responder would be your worst nightmare.
00:05:04
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When it comes to rescue as well, we're always taught, you know, plan A doesn't work, go to plan B, plan B doesn't work, plan C. So you always need to have maybe six or seven deep things ready to go if things don't go your way.
Stress Management Techniques
00:05:20
Speaker
And unfortunately in the jobs that I do as a lifeguard and firefighter, it could be the best day ever.
00:05:23
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You could be,
00:05:24
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you know, everything planned, everything to a T and then a job or a call or something will throw you out and you need to adapt to that change.
00:05:32
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Yeah, excellent.
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Good.
00:05:34
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Definitely a good answer there, Maxie.
00:05:37
Speaker
So everyone like you, you're often asked a lot of questions.
00:05:41
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So, you know, this is me talking to you now.
00:05:44
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And a lot of people, you know, you get asked the standard questions when you're asked on a podcast.
00:05:49
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So I've tried to
00:05:50
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put some different angles on some of the questions.
00:05:53
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So memorable experience and challenges.
00:05:56
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What are some of the most challenging circumstances that you've had as your time lifeguarding?
00:06:02
Speaker
So what are the circumstances that find most challenging in the job?
00:06:06
Speaker
To be honestly, it's...
00:06:11
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It's some of the rescues that you do and some of the situations you find yourself in.
00:06:15
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You know, it could be the most calmest of days and then all of a sudden you're responding to someone that's fallen off a cliff or you respond to someone that's, you know, drowned spearfishing or it is one of those days where it's a nice day and there is a big swelg up against the rocks.
00:06:30
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And when you say memorable experiences, you know,
00:06:34
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Unfortunately, I've been involved in a lot of major jobs and they kind of all blur into one sometimes, but then you have to write down.
00:06:41
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And I actually have been conscious enough
Advice for Aspiring First Responders
00:06:44
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in the last couple of months to try and remember some of the more
00:06:50
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bigger jobs and write them down.
00:06:52
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And it doesn't have to be a whole story or a novel about that job.
00:06:57
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It's just about just a brief paragraph about what it was and just to kind of keep the memory spark alive because being in this job for a long time, you forget about the impact and the things that you've actually done.
00:07:11
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A classic thing,
00:07:13
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example is more memorable ones I remember being a part of a resuscitation where a young a 28 year old spear fisherman from around the corner had drowned yeah and I was a key part of the decision on to get him on the back of the the jet ski and bring
Educational Initiatives and Public Education
00:07:30
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it back to Bondi for him to work on him even though we knew that he was in the water for a long time
00:07:34
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I think the initial plan was to leave him on the rocks, but then by the time police rescue got there, the lifeguards that were holding the person on the rocks, you know, it's just dangerous.
00:07:42
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So I made the call to get him on the back of the jet ski, bring him back to Bondi.
00:07:46
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We worked on him on the beach.
00:07:48
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Unfortunately,
00:07:50
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He did pass, however, we did get some sort of a heart rate or rhythm, irregular rhythm, and they were able to put him on life support and then be able to use some of his organs to be able to provide for other people that are injured and sick.
00:08:06
Speaker
And that's not the first time that's happened to me.
00:08:07
Speaker
Actually, my first...
00:08:11
Speaker
resuscitation, first day as a lifeguard at Bronte Beach.
00:08:14
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Unfortunately, we had someone fall off a cliff at Bronte and it was my first day at work in Bronte Beach.
00:08:20
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I was 16 years old.
00:08:21
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It was back in 2007.
00:08:23
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And this person had fallen into the water.
00:08:27
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We rescued him, brought him back to the beach, worked on him, same sort of thing.
Comprehensive Safety Education Approach
00:08:31
Speaker
He was clinically dead, but we had enough rhythm.
00:08:35
Speaker
We shocked him a few times and they kept him alive and they'd be able to donate some of his organs.
00:08:39
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So even though it's a very traumatic situation, knowing that if someone's lost a family member or a brother or a sister or an uncle or a father, knowing that they can keep giving and we're a part of that link of giving someone an opportunity to thrive and live in the community.
00:08:57
Speaker
Do you know what?
00:08:58
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That's something after all the conversations, I've never actually thought that when tragically someone even does pass, but that whatever you've all been able to do, be it fire is life got in or whatever, that's bought the time that, you know,
00:09:13
Speaker
then, you know, how incredible that organs can be donated that do then save other lives.
00:09:22
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Yeah, so it's kind of a bit of a closure thing for us.
00:09:26
Speaker
Yeah, and massively for families too.
00:09:30
Speaker
Yeah, and we've had families come down and say thank you for doing what you're doing.
00:09:35
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We decided to keep the person living through someone else and it's a beautiful thing knowing that, you know, a little bit of a personal story, I don't want to go into too much detail, but, you know, my mum had some liver troubles when I was really young, like five or six, and I was taught that she needed to have a liver transplant and I remember being a young child knowing how important being on that list and being an organ donor was.
Future Goals for Live, Learn, Survive
00:10:00
Speaker
Yeah.
00:10:00
Speaker
Thankfully, you know, the liver is one of the organs that can kind of heal itself.
00:10:04
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So her liver did heal itself to some capacity.
00:10:07
Speaker
However, I remember as a child, you know, her having a beeper and then waiting for that new liver to come.
00:10:13
Speaker
Yes.
00:10:14
Speaker
Something that's been instilled with me from the age of five and six.
00:10:17
Speaker
So, yeah, the fact that I can keep doing it in my jobs, it's a beautiful thing.
00:10:22
Speaker
Amazing.
00:10:23
Speaker
Amazing.
00:10:24
Speaker
So, yeah, wow, what an answer, Maxie.
00:10:26
Speaker
We're straight into this, aren't we?
00:10:28
Speaker
So, yeah.
00:10:30
Speaker
Firefighting, so many different parts to the career.
00:10:35
Speaker
What's your favorite part of being the firefighter?
00:10:39
Speaker
I think my favorite part of being a firefighter is working in a team.
00:10:43
Speaker
I know it's a very cliche answer that probably a lot of people do answer across the world that do podcasts about firefighting and lifeguarding.
00:10:49
Speaker
But I think working in a team is so important.
00:10:52
Speaker
I've been very thankful and fortunate that the crews that I've been a part of the last three stations that I've been at, I've kept in touch with every day.
00:11:01
Speaker
Yeah.
00:11:02
Speaker
Yeah.
00:11:02
Speaker
It's, it's, I think the team environments are only self-like minded people that are keen to, to do the same thing and grow.
00:11:10
Speaker
I'm very fortunate at working at Bankstown.
00:11:12
Speaker
I work with literally two, three or three of my best mates, which is very,
00:11:18
Speaker
You know, a lot of people work in jobs where
Legacy and Community Impact
00:11:20
Speaker
they work with friends and, you know, family members and so on.
00:11:23
Speaker
But within the firefighters, you know, it's pretty unique that we're all together, if that makes sense.
00:11:31
Speaker
And you know what?
00:11:32
Speaker
You do go out and, like, literally your lives do depend on each other.
00:11:36
Speaker
You know, you have to have that trust in that team because it's not like, you know, it is the kind of job that your lives do depend on each other.
00:11:49
Speaker
100%.
00:11:49
Speaker
And, yeah, I think that's one of the more positive things within the job.
00:11:53
Speaker
And I know that things will change.
00:11:56
Speaker
You know, one of the firefighters is going for a promotion.
00:11:59
Speaker
You know, other firefighters are looking at other things.
00:12:02
Speaker
Yeah.
00:12:03
Speaker
You know,
00:12:04
Speaker
Nothing lasts forever.
00:12:05
Speaker
I know it sounds, it's a scary thing to think and understand, but everything in life doesn't last forever.
00:12:10
Speaker
So just enjoy the moment, enjoy and reflect a lot on the things that you have done and what you continue to do.
00:12:16
Speaker
And yeah, like I,
00:12:19
Speaker
I think one of the best parts is obviously working the team and with your mates.
00:12:23
Speaker
But at the same time, I think just being a part of the community, knowing you're doing good stuff for the community, you have your good and bad days.
New Year's Resolutions and Aspirations
00:12:30
Speaker
And just the, the thought that the thing that gets me fired up is knowing that any given moment when you're on shift or in uniform or in the big red truck, that, um,
00:12:42
Speaker
you know, something could happen and you can be that link between that person surviving or that person's house being saved or, you know, that pet getting rescued in a tree again, cats and trees.
00:12:54
Speaker
You know, it's just a really good thing.
00:12:55
Speaker
You know, you're doing a good thing for the community.
00:12:57
Speaker
So that's definitely a big plus for the job as a firefighter.
00:13:01
Speaker
Excellent.
00:13:02
Speaker
Excellent, Maxie.
00:13:03
Speaker
So you just said, like, you know, a bit of stress with the work, lifeguarding and firefighting, different stresses.
00:13:10
Speaker
Yeah.
00:13:12
Speaker
How do you deal with the stress of those jobs?
00:13:15
Speaker
Good answer.
00:13:17
Speaker
So for a long time and ever since we've known each other, I've always kept busy with doing things, you know, working the three jobs.
00:13:23
Speaker
And I say the third job is being a director of the charity and what we do with Live, Learn, Survive.
00:13:29
Speaker
I'm always trying to keep my mind busy, not trying to escape things, but
00:13:36
Speaker
I'm always trying to keep it busy because sometimes if you don't, if you have A to D like I do, you need to, when you have downtime, you overthink.
00:13:45
Speaker
And I'm sure everyone has a lot of these issues where you overthink and you start to fall into bad habits and stuff like that.
00:13:51
Speaker
So I always constantly try to push myself in different ways.
00:13:55
Speaker
And more so this year, and you know, Liz, I've been training a lot more.
00:14:00
Speaker
I used to train a lot.
00:14:01
Speaker
Now I try and train most days.
00:14:03
Speaker
And if I train most days, it's a, for me, it's a bit of a reset.
00:14:07
Speaker
It's a way for me to exert energy and keep my mind, um, you know, free of all the fuzziness.
00:14:14
Speaker
And, um, you know, I'm very lucky.
00:14:16
Speaker
I train at a gym just down the road for where I live.
00:14:18
Speaker
And the, the schedule, um,
00:14:23
Speaker
works within my lifestyle as a firefighter and a lifeguard and doing the live and survive stuff.
00:14:26
Speaker
So I'm very grateful that I have that to kind of, it's taken me a number of years to be able to do that.
00:14:33
Speaker
But I think one of the things that helps me deal with stress is going to do the 45 minute to 50 minute.
Communication and Mentorship for Young Leaders
00:14:40
Speaker
100%.
00:14:40
Speaker
Like, you know, you and running is just like, you know, breathing, you know, it's just like,
00:14:46
Speaker
As long as I've ever known you, it's like a really, when we've been traveling and we've been over, you know, two or three days and you've not had a run, when we've been like, you know, and I'll go, and even up here, even coming up here to, you know, visit me in the office and I'll say to you, bring some old runners, leave some runners, you know, just, it is, it's,
00:15:06
Speaker
And for anybody that doesn't do it, you know, you don't have to be a runner, but just go for work.
00:15:11
Speaker
Get out in nature.
00:15:11
Speaker
Run out on the gym.
00:15:13
Speaker
Look out, look at a few trees.
00:15:15
Speaker
Literally just get in a bit of fresh air and things massively important.
00:15:21
Speaker
Just have good habits again, you know, even little things like making yourself a nice healthy smoothie in the morning for breakfast or, you know, doing 10 minutes of meditation.
00:15:31
Speaker
You know, these things that I try and do and practice each day and it works for me.
00:15:34
Speaker
Yep, exactly, exactly.
00:15:36
Speaker
So would you recommend your careers, would you recommend it to others that they pursue it as a career path?
00:15:46
Speaker
Yeah, definitely.
00:15:47
Speaker
But just remember the places where I work, you know, it is high-paced.
00:15:52
Speaker
It's, you know, you're going to be dealing with some stressful and some sad and interesting situations.
00:16:00
Speaker
So my advice to anyone that wants to follow these footsteps is it's something that doesn't happen overnight.
00:16:06
Speaker
You need to want it.
00:16:07
Speaker
You need to be willing to put the work in and you are willing to keep learning, to learn, to be keen, be persistent.
00:16:19
Speaker
I understand that there's some good and bad days within the job.
00:16:21
Speaker
And the beauty of lifeguarding and firefighting is no matter who you are, if you put in the skills and the knowledge and the effort, they'll repay tenfold and you'll be able to be a key part of the community as a lifeguard and firefighter.
00:16:34
Speaker
Yeah, absolutely.
00:16:36
Speaker
And is that like, because that skirts right nicely into
Motivation and Overcoming Challenges
00:16:40
Speaker
the next question.
00:16:40
Speaker
Is that the advice that you would give to like new people, like newbies, like literally starting out in those roles?
00:16:48
Speaker
Is that the advice that you would give to them?
00:16:50
Speaker
Yeah, that would be.
00:16:51
Speaker
And it doesn't matter if you're male or female, you know, everyone has their strengths and weaknesses.
00:16:57
Speaker
And I've worked with numerous different people over the years as a lifeguard and a firefighter from all different backgrounds, all different ages, male, female.
00:17:07
Speaker
And one thing in common that I noticed that we all have is that keenness to be able to do good for the community and to be able to, um,
00:17:14
Speaker
to learn.
00:17:15
Speaker
You need to continue learning.
00:17:17
Speaker
If the day you walk out of college or walk out of your lifeguard exam and go, yeah, I know everything.
00:17:23
Speaker
This is it.
00:17:25
Speaker
Feed up.
00:17:26
Speaker
It doesn't work like that.
00:17:27
Speaker
And you've got to get left behind, unfortunately.
00:17:29
Speaker
And then, you know, when you get left behind, sometimes it can be a situation where people get overwhelmed and get a bit bitter and they get a bit upset.
00:17:39
Speaker
But you need to constantly move with the times.
00:17:41
Speaker
You need to be...
00:17:43
Speaker
persistent and keen and continue learning.
00:17:46
Speaker
I know I keep pushing on the learning, but every day is a school day.
00:17:48
Speaker
We say live within Live, Learn, Survive every day.
00:17:52
Speaker
And it's the same in business.
00:17:53
Speaker
It's in the same in anything.
00:17:54
Speaker
The day that you think you know everything, it's literally game over.
00:17:58
Speaker
You know, it is literally, you literally don't.
00:18:02
Speaker
And I
Teaching Leadership in Emergencies
00:18:03
Speaker
guarantee as well, you think you've seen it all and there'll be something that tops it or something that will be very similar to what you've done before, but you've learned from your mistakes or you've learned from how you felt and you do the job either differently or you won't put yourself in a situation that you have in the past.
00:18:22
Speaker
So I'm a big
Conclusion and Hopes for the Future
00:18:23
Speaker
believer in making mistakes to an extent, obviously safely, of course.
00:18:27
Speaker
You don't want people to do too many risks and things.
00:18:30
Speaker
risks to themselves and others but you know if you make a mistake by using the wrong tool or using the wrong piece of equipment to rescue someone you still do the rescue it might be option c and d for the for the plan but you know you know for next time that c and d it doesn't really work so you might work on a and b
00:18:47
Speaker
Absolutely, absolutely.
00:18:49
Speaker
And you know what?
00:18:49
Speaker
Mistakes happen every time.
00:18:51
Speaker
I used to say to anybody, I'd say, you know, mistakes happen.
00:18:54
Speaker
Just, you know, if the mistakes are the little ones, brilliant.
00:18:58
Speaker
They're the best.
00:18:59
Speaker
When the mistakes are the big ones, they're a bit more of a problem.
00:19:02
Speaker
But that's just part of life.
00:19:06
Speaker
So excellent answer, Maxi.
00:19:08
Speaker
So your role in public safety, basically you're out there every day keeping the people safe.
00:19:16
Speaker
has evolved and now you've brought this into charity, into Live, Learn, Survive.
00:19:21
Speaker
So what has been the biggest lesson for you moving from doing your job as public safety but then having like that kind of role into a charity?
00:19:32
Speaker
What's been the biggest challenge of that?
00:19:35
Speaker
I think the biggest challenge is there is using the correct terminology.
00:19:39
Speaker
Not everyone understands...
00:19:41
Speaker
the same terms or phrases or way that we do things within the job.
00:19:45
Speaker
So actually trying to convert that into a way for people and kids and teachers and people part of the community can understand, you know, by making it either more easy to understand, always like to use the example of Neil deGrasse Tyson and, and Brian Cox, who are, you know, I love my astro astrology and all that sort of stuff when it comes to astrophysics and, you know,
00:20:10
Speaker
They're the sort of guys, I mean, I'm always trying to learn more about the universe and stuff like that.
00:20:14
Speaker
They're the sort of guys that I lean to because they explain things simpler.
00:20:19
Speaker
So I like to use that as an example where you need to, the whole thing from being a firefighter and a lifeguard to bring into public safety is to make sure that people leave those rooms or those classrooms knowing something that they thought that they knew or didn't know and they can use it in everyday life to be able to survive their worst day.
00:20:39
Speaker
That's so good.
00:20:40
Speaker
And it's so relevant as well.
00:20:41
Speaker
It's very interesting.
00:20:42
Speaker
I was talking to a lady yesterday who was talking about cybersecurity and it was a very similar thing.
00:20:49
Speaker
Very techie, very jargony, very... But every single... She keeps the public safe in that area as we do in Live, Learn, Survive in this area.
00:20:59
Speaker
And it's making it that it's relatable to the normal person that does not know
00:21:06
Speaker
everything that you've studied and learned over years and years and years, you know, how many times do I do you say to you, what, what does that mean, Maxie?
00:21:15
Speaker
And a lot of the stuff I do explain is real life stuff.
00:21:18
Speaker
You know, when I did a school talk a couple of weeks ago, I come off shift and I had a two house fires, a unit fire and a building fire.
00:21:26
Speaker
And I explained to the kids, you know, how fast fire can move and why not even work in smoke alarm.
00:21:31
Speaker
So using real life jobs in my talks makes my job a little bit easier because the reality is I go, this isn't something out of a textbook.
00:21:39
Speaker
This isn't something that I've thought of or scenario.
00:21:41
Speaker
This is real life.
00:21:43
Speaker
And take it with a grain of salt.
00:21:45
Speaker
But know that if you're ever in this situation, this is what you need to do to be able to survive your worst day.
00:21:49
Speaker
Yeah, exactly.
00:21:51
Speaker
Exactly.
00:21:51
Speaker
So that, geez, we're segueing very well today, Maxie.
00:21:56
Speaker
So something that might people, tell us something that people might be surprised to learn about how you prepare for going through.
00:22:04
Speaker
into a school and speaking about the educational stuff.
00:22:09
Speaker
Yeah, I think I always still get nervous, but as I get older and as I am in front, I could be in front of 10 people, I could be in front of a thousand people, a hundred thousand people.
00:22:22
Speaker
Your nerves are always there, but when you know or what you believe in, knowing is going to benefit the people in that room and you talk from experience, that confidence comes by knowing your stuff and being –
00:22:35
Speaker
been in those situations um and you can really people know when you're talking crap and people know if you're just trying to bumble in the way but I might not be the most perfect speaker but I guarantee when I start talking about a story or something where I know my stuff I might not explain it as well as probably I'm thinking or I'm speaking I keep
00:22:58
Speaker
maybe get my words mixed up.
00:23:00
Speaker
However, I do know that there'll be people in that room going way out at the edge of their seat, listening to the story and trying to learn from that.
00:23:08
Speaker
And I think that's something that people don't realise is I'm a big...
00:23:14
Speaker
big on energy within the room as well.
00:23:16
Speaker
So if there's a couple of kids being a bit destructive or there's a couple of kids up the back talking amongst themselves, I try and get them involved some way and somehow.
00:23:25
Speaker
And eye contact's a big thing as well.
00:23:27
Speaker
You know, when you're talking to kids or parents or teachers...
00:23:32
Speaker
by actually, you know, not pointing rudely, but you know, kind of your hand going in the direction of that person or your eyes are on that person when you're actually speaking to that person, they feel like they're a part of the conversation, they feel like they're part of the,
00:23:48
Speaker
Yeah.
00:23:48
Speaker
The talk.
00:23:49
Speaker
So that's another thing I kind of like to do as well.
00:23:51
Speaker
And I like to move around and walk around.
00:23:53
Speaker
I don't necessarily like to sit or be in the one spot.
00:23:56
Speaker
Yeah.
00:23:57
Speaker
So I hope that answers your question.
00:23:59
Speaker
No, no, no, 100%.
00:24:00
Speaker
And, like, yeah, I mean, like, you know, it's been, what, years now and, like, now it's like you could, like, do it.
00:24:07
Speaker
with your eyes closed, it's, you know, and you get on a roll of what you're saying and, you know, it's, you know, and I can sometimes tell when you're nervous or you're a bit, but as soon as you start speaking, you're like, you know.
00:24:23
Speaker
That's an example.
00:24:24
Speaker
I'm always nervous for things I haven't done before.
00:24:26
Speaker
Yeah.
00:24:26
Speaker
Yeah.
00:24:27
Speaker
But, you know, that MC thing I did for the Novotel a couple of weeks ago, I was a nurse for that because I knew there was a new set of people.
00:24:36
Speaker
There was people that probably didn't give stuff about lifeguarding or firefighting or who Maxie is or what Live, Learn, Survive is.
00:24:42
Speaker
I was in a completely different gig and I was just nervous on how they were perceived.
00:24:46
Speaker
But to be honest, within the first minute of speaking and just being confident with my notes that I created, I
00:24:53
Speaker
the ice was broken and people were really receptive and want to learn more about my journey and um it's it's a beautiful thing because once you start throwing some real life uh scenarios and real life stories people can either relate to them or they can kind of ask a bit more about it to be able to make sure that they're not a part of um you know the some of the jobs that i've been to brilliant so
00:25:19
Speaker
Next question then, Maxi.
00:25:20
Speaker
What advice do you have for young leaders who want to make a difference, especially in fields like, you know, safety, education, community service?
00:25:30
Speaker
So, you know, you and I met.
00:25:32
Speaker
You were still like, you know, like early, early 20s when we met.
00:25:37
Speaker
What advice would you give to people in that situation?
00:25:41
Speaker
I think the big thing is be a really good listener and, you know,
00:25:47
Speaker
there's people that have been in those shoes in front of you or before you.
00:25:51
Speaker
So if you have a chance to be able to be mentored by someone that's in those roles or in those rooms, listen to what they have to say, watch what they do.
00:26:00
Speaker
And I always like to use this technique is when you're with people that are more mature and more around time for a long, sorry, they've been around for a long time,
00:26:11
Speaker
There's a lot of pros and cons to that and you try and take a lot of the good traits and the positive traits and all that stuff and all the necessarily not negative or bad stuff, but you kind of drop that off and you create your own path as a leader.
00:26:25
Speaker
And then it's a win-win because you're using –
00:26:28
Speaker
past past knowledge and you're keeping that that flame alive and then you're adding your spice to it and then when someone um you know comes after you you know you might not everyone's perfect there might be something that you do that someone else can kind of pick up and notice so it's kind of like this um big wheel of of just observing learning watching and ask questions if things don't understand don't try to
00:26:55
Speaker
If something doesn't make sense to you, don't be scared to ask what it means because once you learn what it means or there's a different way to learn it, you'll never forget it.
00:27:05
Speaker
Yeah, brilliant.
00:27:06
Speaker
And, like, you know, get involved with good people around you that can maybe introduce you to other people or take you on a path of, you know, where you can kind of help because there's so, so many things
00:27:21
Speaker
incredible organizations out there doing amazing stuff um so um no really really great advice um there maxi so what one character trait is essential in friendship and in business
00:27:40
Speaker
I think, again, probably the same as relationships and stuff like that as well is communication.
00:27:45
Speaker
I think so many times, you know, when you face the face of someone, people can read your mannerisms, people can read your face.
00:27:53
Speaker
Sometimes, you know, if a text message or...
00:27:56
Speaker
a phone call, it might be perceived in a different way.
00:27:58
Speaker
So I think for friendships and for, you know, for partners and so on, I think communication is key.
00:28:04
Speaker
And if something doesn't really make sense, again, same, similar to the other question, is kind of get the clarification and knowing what the tone is and just try to, because, you know,
00:28:14
Speaker
You know, all too often, you know, we see it in my job where there'll be certain lifeguards of firefighters that have a communication breakdown and then it's something is innocent or something that's not really that bad but it turns into something when people start overthinking things, people think that they're getting pulled up for things and it's all got to do with the –
00:28:37
Speaker
The body language and stuff like that.
00:28:39
Speaker
What I'm saying is I think communication is the biggest trait I like to think within a partnership or a business or a relationship, just communication and trying to sort it out, not so much there and then, but just try to,
00:28:55
Speaker
You know, because in the fire, it's called straight talk.
00:28:57
Speaker
Like if there's something that's not quite right and nine times out of 10, if it's not right, you know, the gut, as we always say, Lee, you know, your gut feel, your mind or your head and your gut are kind of the same thing.
00:29:08
Speaker
Absolutely.
00:29:09
Speaker
Just ask those questions subtle and just try and get a bit more clarity and then you'd be able to sort it out there and then.
00:29:17
Speaker
I think it's when you let things fester and that can get dangerous and blow up.
00:29:23
Speaker
Yeah.
00:29:23
Speaker
Yeah, absolutely.
00:29:24
Speaker
Absolutely.
00:29:25
Speaker
And half of the times, it's like you say, it's the overthinking, it's the reading between the lines, it's the
00:29:32
Speaker
comma that wasn't there it was the spell check that picked something up wrong you know it could be even more things yes using using um you know some people that used ai for different things and stuff like that and you know something might come across a little bit more robotty or something that's not really your personality and you're kind of like is this you know what i'm saying is is a good trait is to have good communication
00:29:59
Speaker
Communication.
00:30:00
Speaker
Excellent, excellent.
00:30:03
Speaker
So let's talk a little bit about Live, Learn, Survive now.
00:30:05
Speaker
What do you think sets Live, Learn, Survive apart from other educational initiatives that are doing a similar kind of thing?
00:30:15
Speaker
Well, the answer to your question, Lee, I'm just going to rip the band-aid straight off.
00:30:19
Speaker
There's not really many other things out there that are doing what we do.
00:30:22
Speaker
When I talk about Live, Learn, Survive, I'm over an umbrella of fire safety, water safety, first aid and some resilience.
00:30:28
Speaker
And the way that we've worked over the last, over 10 years is different to everywhere I've seen thus far.
00:30:37
Speaker
Yeah.
00:30:38
Speaker
It doesn't say that someone can't come through and start doing the stuff, but I think I'm a big believer in, you know, when I say slow burn, you kind of got to find your way as it goes and it evolves into this amazing big thing and, you know, 35,000 plus people
00:30:53
Speaker
35,000 plus people we've spoken to since we started Live, Learn, Survive.
00:30:57
Speaker
We've traveled across the world.
00:30:59
Speaker
You know, five children's books.
00:31:01
Speaker
You know, we've got our programs that are constantly evolving.
00:31:03
Speaker
We've got the online stuff that we do.
00:31:05
Speaker
We've got the podcast that's over 200 plus episodes.
00:31:10
Speaker
I think it's something that doesn't happen overnight.
00:31:12
Speaker
And I believe that something that you are passionate about
00:31:18
Speaker
you know, you're in it for the long haul.
00:31:20
Speaker
And yeah, within Live, Learn, Survive, it's something that's, it's a part of us now.
00:31:26
Speaker
It's not something that's just a phase.
00:31:28
Speaker
It's something that's got to evolve as we get older.
00:31:31
Speaker
It's got to evolve as a legacy and something that we've given back to the community and could always reflect on.
00:31:36
Speaker
And we know hand on heart that what we have done for the community
00:31:40
Speaker
And people in the remote communities, people in the places where they haven't got a voice or they haven't got an opportunity to learn, we know that we get those letters, those emails, those messages on social media.
00:31:52
Speaker
We know that we're doing a good thing.
00:31:53
Speaker
Yeah.
00:31:56
Speaker
People that are doing other things within the community, hats off to them.
00:32:00
Speaker
But I think Live and Learn Survive is different to others because we try and cover all bases.
00:32:06
Speaker
And me being a lifeguard and firefighter is a little bit of an added spice to the mix of knowing the education side of things is what we talk about is real life.
00:32:17
Speaker
And, yeah, it's something that we're both very passionate about.
00:32:21
Speaker
Yeah, absolutely.
00:32:22
Speaker
And I think, you know, it's the – it's like –
00:32:27
Speaker
not just one thing, it's sort of like everything.
00:32:30
Speaker
And I'm a big believer in, you know, it's not just, it's how we communicate with people.
00:32:38
Speaker
Every time they come into contact with something that's around Live and Survive, we work really, really hard to make sure it's a positive experience.
00:32:47
Speaker
And that in itself is something to be proud of without the lessons that may have been, you know, learned and lives saved and all the rest of it.
00:32:58
Speaker
So is there a specific moment or story from the work with Live, Learn, Survive?
00:33:03
Speaker
Everyone always asks you about your funniest thing on Bondi Rescue or things like that.
00:33:07
Speaker
Is there a moment or story from the work at Live, Learn, Survive that reminds you why it is so important and why we do it?
00:33:16
Speaker
Oh, there's hundreds, probably thousands of different things we've been told over the last 10 years.
00:33:21
Speaker
But sorry, the cat's going a bit crazy in the background.
00:33:24
Speaker
Nala has obviously got a very red-hot answer to that question.
00:33:28
Speaker
Thank you, Nala.
00:33:29
Speaker
To be honest, Lee, it's a bit of a difficult question to answer, but I'll try my best to answer it.
00:33:33
Speaker
I think some of the best situations have been when...
00:33:39
Speaker
we've least expected we're going to meet someone or someone's got to come up to us and say a thank you or...
00:33:47
Speaker
do a really nice testimonial or something, whenever you least expect it.
00:33:51
Speaker
You know, it might be somewhere hard to travel to and we're like, what are we doing?
00:33:56
Speaker
You know, for example, Tilba, great example, Central Queensland.
00:33:59
Speaker
You know, we love being at Surratt.
00:34:01
Speaker
It was awesome.
00:34:01
Speaker
It's been, it was a year in the making.
00:34:03
Speaker
You know, we worked with the teams out there to make it happen.
00:34:08
Speaker
And, you know,
00:34:09
Speaker
going out there all worth the journey but then going okay we're going to this place called Tewa but it's an area out of Surat you know dirt road there's only 11 students you know not that is it is it where it's always worth it but I'm saying you know sometimes we kind of that's the difference with the level and survive because with a lot of people that look at the balance sheet and go it's not worth it
00:34:32
Speaker
11 kids, not worth it.
00:34:33
Speaker
Yeah, 11 kids, you know.
00:34:36
Speaker
And I think, you know, this is some more of a recent story and we've spoken about it on the podcast before, but,
00:34:41
Speaker
Going to that school was an awesome morning.
00:34:43
Speaker
You know, the kids loved it.
00:34:45
Speaker
I could have been in a school in eastern suburbs here in Sydney or a school up in Brisbane or a school in Melbourne in that CBD.
00:34:51
Speaker
You know, we're in this school and that was six, seven hours away from the coast, an hour away from the closest town.
00:35:01
Speaker
And even Surratt as a town, there was only probably maybe a couple hundred people in there.
00:35:05
Speaker
But the more of the story I'm getting to is when we got back home a couple of days later, we got a nice message from one of the people that knew one of the families out there.
00:35:17
Speaker
And out of the 11 kids, I think four of the kids or five of the kids are part of the four or five families went and got working smoke alums for their home.
00:35:28
Speaker
You know, just little things like that.
00:35:30
Speaker
I know it's not as probably as...
00:35:33
Speaker
as juicy as some of the stories or experiences people think but i think the the message is is working smoke alarms do save lives and those kids learn a thing and they've taken back and i'd love to know in 5 10 20 30 50 years time that they're always going to be safe with a working smoke alarm from our talk that we did for an hour yeah because you bet your life it's not just
00:35:57
Speaker
You know what makes me as well?
00:35:58
Speaker
It's not just the kid that went home and asked about checking the smoke alarms.
00:36:03
Speaker
That kid will become a homeowner, may become a teacher, may become a whatever, whatever in the community.
00:36:10
Speaker
Yeah.
00:36:11
Speaker
They will never live in a house without a smoke alarm.
00:36:14
Speaker
They will almost, because that lesson will stay with them their whole life.
00:36:18
Speaker
Imagine if they become a principal and then start telling their whole school that story.
00:36:23
Speaker
It'll have that ripple effect of people that will never ever meet us.
00:36:30
Speaker
Well, we hear a lot from people that, you know, get out of their comfort zone to reach out to us, you know, and tell their story.
00:36:37
Speaker
You know, imagine people that don't have the voice and people that don't are a bit nervous to reach out.
00:36:43
Speaker
You know, we still don't know our impact of what we've had with our program.
00:36:48
Speaker
It's probably 20-fold, 50-fold of good stuff that we've done.
00:36:53
Speaker
But, yeah, like obviously meeting kids and families and people along the way the last 10-plus years,
00:36:59
Speaker
you know, I think there's a lot of great experiences and stuff that we've done with Live and Survive and I look forward to continuing that journey to 2025.
00:37:09
Speaker
That'll have to be when we do the big book.
00:37:13
Speaker
I'll put all the stories in it, the stories of it.
00:37:17
Speaker
So we just said we're going to talk about this on the 3rd of January.
00:37:25
Speaker
Major milestone.
00:37:27
Speaker
If we could achieve one major milestone this year, 2025, what would you, Maxie, like it to be and why?
00:37:38
Speaker
So both of us have been very fortunate to be in some rooms this year that are kind of pushing Live and Survive in the right direction to be known across Australia and across the world.
00:37:50
Speaker
I'd like Live and Survive to be a charity that is a relatively new charity still, but it's become into its own and become a bit of a powerhouse where it's one of the major charities that Australia can be
00:38:06
Speaker
learn from and be educated from and obviously get more and more support through the government and through local communities where we can kind of take this to a whole nother level.
00:38:17
Speaker
I'd love for people to, you know, to know more about us and what we do.
00:38:23
Speaker
Yeah, I think for us this year is still getting that message out there.
00:38:28
Speaker
It's been a great journey so far, but, you know, we've still got a little bit to go, but we're just finally getting to our strides now where, you know, everything with the foundations laid, now we just start making the house, making the big building of all the potential that Live, Learn, Survive has got.
00:38:47
Speaker
And that's the thing, like you don't know what you don't know.
00:38:50
Speaker
So when you know it, you've got more, you know, then you can make different decisions and grow.
00:38:56
Speaker
So, you know, it is always going to be a slow burn if you're going to do it right and have something that's got, you know, is sustainable for the future.
00:39:07
Speaker
And if it's sustainable and more kids benefit and then more kids benefit, those kids will become grownups and,
00:39:14
Speaker
Then I have kids of their own and it all ripples along.
00:39:17
Speaker
Like we say, we're just the ones throwing the first stone in the pond.
00:39:22
Speaker
Everyone else is catching the ripples.
00:39:26
Speaker
So you kind of just answered this question, like the long-term vision and how we see it evolving over the next five to ten years.
00:39:36
Speaker
So we've kind of just covered that.
00:39:38
Speaker
So what I'm going to ask you is...
00:39:40
Speaker
On that journey, what keeps you motivated to keep doing it?
00:39:47
Speaker
I think what keeps me motivated is...
00:39:52
Speaker
You have your good and bad days.
00:39:53
Speaker
Let's just start there, Lee.
00:39:54
Speaker
We both know we have our good and bad days.
00:39:56
Speaker
Honestly, there's more good than bad, though.
00:40:01
Speaker
Always.
00:40:01
Speaker
There's more good than bad.
00:40:03
Speaker
Yeah, always.
00:40:04
Speaker
I think I shouldn't have answered the start of that, but it's important to know that it's a hard job.
00:40:11
Speaker
It's something that we've chipped away with for a long time.
00:40:15
Speaker
And what keeps me motivated is knowing the impact that we've had done
00:40:21
Speaker
and what we continue to do and the potential.
00:40:24
Speaker
I think knowing the legacy and the potential and something that, you know, there's a reason why not many people are doing what we're doing.
00:40:32
Speaker
It's because it's hard work and it's something that you need to stick with and you need to earn that respect from the communities and from people to know that, yeah, we might not get it right the first time, 10th time, 20th time, but I guarantee on the 50th time we will.
00:40:47
Speaker
And yeah,
00:40:48
Speaker
And we're not quitters.
00:40:50
Speaker
And I think that's a lesson in itself.
00:40:52
Speaker
It could be anything.
00:40:52
Speaker
You could be selling nuts and bolts for the last 10, 20 years.
00:40:57
Speaker
But I think, tell you what, by the 50th time, you'll be good at selling nuts and bolts.
00:41:01
Speaker
And when I say, you know, this is an analogy, but I mean, when you learn your craft and you learn your trade, you know what works and we know what our programs work.
00:41:10
Speaker
We know.
00:41:10
Speaker
Yeah.
00:41:13
Speaker
that the audience that we get for the podcast, we know that the books are well received.
00:41:18
Speaker
So everything we have done and we built on, we know that it's in the right direction.
00:41:23
Speaker
It's just kind of compounding that and making it more accessible to all different types of people, more people to know about it.
00:41:31
Speaker
And I think in a nutshell,
00:41:35
Speaker
I think it's a big legacy and some, you know, I'm a father now, I've got a daughter, like I want to make sure that she's in a world that, you know, is safe and she knows what to do.
00:41:44
Speaker
And I guarantee she, you know, she will know, you know, bits and pieces and learn along the way.
00:41:49
Speaker
And who knows, something that you can build something for her to be able to continue on and do great for the community.
00:41:55
Speaker
Absolutely.
00:41:56
Speaker
Yeah.
00:41:57
Speaker
Yeah.
00:41:58
Speaker
there's people around us that can continue that fire and continue that growth.
00:42:03
Speaker
And I think that's something that's exciting.
00:42:05
Speaker
And you don't know what's around the corner.
00:42:07
Speaker
And I think you hit the nail on the head, Maxie, is when you said potential because, you know, we can have been in a place of like, you know, 10 kids and 1,000 kids.
00:42:17
Speaker
And, yeah,
00:42:20
Speaker
There'll be numerous times over the 10 years we've been in the most random of places and we've got out of the car.
00:42:28
Speaker
We've not known who we're going to meet.
00:42:30
Speaker
We're not going to go if we're going to have a great day or a terrible day.
00:42:34
Speaker
But we know that we'll get back in the car and we'll have learned something or we'll have had a great day.
00:42:39
Speaker
That's it.
00:42:40
Speaker
There is no whatever.
00:42:42
Speaker
Usually, we've always had a great day.
00:42:45
Speaker
And there will be times that you and I have literally almost been moved to Teals and thought, gone, wow, you know, did not expect that.
00:42:54
Speaker
And then you think, imagine that's a non-event.
00:42:57
Speaker
Imagine if there was a hundred events.
00:42:59
Speaker
I was just getting emotional.
00:43:01
Speaker
I was getting emotional thinking about, you know, what's, you know, what the, it's all about the, you know, the giving back and the legacy and something.
00:43:07
Speaker
If you actually pulled all the videos and all the photos and put it on a big collage and all the things that we've done over the last 10, 12 years, there'll be a lot of people in this world that,
00:43:17
Speaker
that don't know what we've done will be in awe of the random acts of kindness, the giving back.
00:43:25
Speaker
A lot of people don't realise the sacrifices and the stuff that we've done.
00:43:29
Speaker
And we're not looking for the pats on the back.
00:43:31
Speaker
Right.
00:43:32
Speaker
We're just saying, you know, it's something that we've continued on.
00:43:36
Speaker
There's a reason why we've continued this long.
00:43:39
Speaker
There's a bigger meaning and there's a bigger thing at the end of this journey for us.
00:43:46
Speaker
And, yeah, it's something, it'll be a waste if it was short-lived.
00:43:49
Speaker
So I'm glad that it's been 10 plus years and we're in the next 10 years.
00:43:54
Speaker
And we're both as crazy as each other, which I think is, you know, so, yeah, potential.
00:44:00
Speaker
We keep going.
00:44:01
Speaker
We keep going.
00:44:03
Speaker
So one life-saving skill you could give to every child in the world in 2025.
00:44:12
Speaker
What's the one number one life-saving lesson or skill you want them to have?
00:44:20
Speaker
I think initially when things go bad is reassurance and knowing to stay calm.
00:44:26
Speaker
I think that is the biggest thing and knowing what to do in an emergency room.
00:44:30
Speaker
It's all well and good if you know CPR or if you know how to get down low and go, go, go and get out of a fire.
00:44:35
Speaker
But I always like to think, you know, when things hit the fan and things aren't going anyone's way, they're always looking to someone that can lead and be the person that's nice and calm and I don't want to say saviour, but someone there that people can rely on and do.
00:44:53
Speaker
be looked after by, I think that is a really good skill to learn is the reassurance and being able to think in stressful situations and be able to execute a rescue or a life-saving situation where you are already thinking five steps ahead within your mind and you know exactly how things are going to pan out.
00:45:15
Speaker
It's a constantly changing world.
00:45:18
Speaker
You need to be very dynamic, just knowing
00:45:21
Speaker
to remain calm, having reassurance, having situational awareness, and be able to have plan A, B, C, D, E, F, G, and just be ready to execute them at any given time.
00:45:33
Speaker
Yeah.
00:45:33
Speaker
And that's brilliant, Maxi, because interestingly, what you just said there, when things like, you know, don't go to plan and they hit the fan, if you can be stayed calm and reassuring, people do look for leadership.
00:45:48
Speaker
So, you know, we say with the little ones, creating little superheroes, you know, we've got many teenagers, young people that are going into careers of
00:45:58
Speaker
first responding or that's why they're attracted to live learn survive because of the work that you do but then it's equally about you know they are becoming the leaders in the community it is about leadership it is about you know be even be in business be it even like i'm not a first responder but i'd like to think i'm i can be a mentor for people you know so
00:46:19
Speaker
It is about leadership.
00:46:21
Speaker
So by having that simple skill, you will be the person that people look to and, you know, add value to your community.
00:46:31
Speaker
And what more can you want than that?
00:46:34
Speaker
That's amazing.
00:46:36
Speaker
Brilliant.
00:46:36
Speaker
Well, well answered that, Maxie.
00:46:38
Speaker
You started my brain going again.
00:46:40
Speaker
That's all going off.
00:46:41
Speaker
So, all right.
00:46:42
Speaker
Last question then, Maxie.
00:46:44
Speaker
What legacy do you want to leave?
00:46:47
Speaker
I once said to you, you have a platform and a responsibility.
00:46:50
Speaker
You have to use it for good and I'll help you.
00:46:53
Speaker
What legacy do you hope to leave Trent Maxwell for the next generation?
00:47:00
Speaker
I think just be a good person and willing to help anyone.
00:47:05
Speaker
It doesn't matter what their background is, who they are, what they look like.
00:47:09
Speaker
Yeah.
00:47:10
Speaker
Just a community or a world where you can help people and just be the best version of yourself.
00:47:17
Speaker
I think that, and I'm constantly working on that, trying to create good habits and be, you know, now a good father.
00:47:25
Speaker
And a good direct co-director and a good firefighter and a good lifeguard.
00:47:29
Speaker
Like everything that I try and do, I try and be the best version of myself and you're constantly learning.
00:47:33
Speaker
I think the legacy-wise is just continue being a good person and where you can give back and surround yourself with people that are on your team and can help you reach your full potential in life.
00:47:47
Speaker
Absolutely.
00:47:48
Speaker
That is absolutely a lot.
00:47:50
Speaker
I don't think that you're doing too bad considering what you've already given back and what you've already... I've seen thousands of kids.
00:48:01
Speaker
I've seen thousands of families.
00:48:03
Speaker
We've traveled thousands of miles and seen how you have inspired people.
00:48:09
Speaker
And I meant every minute of it when I said you've got a platform and a responsibility.
00:48:14
Speaker
you really do need to use it and you have and I'm incredibly proud of you and what we've ultimately created.
00:48:22
Speaker
So New Year, Maxie.
00:48:25
Speaker
And a big thanks to you, Leigh, for being a part of the journey as well.
00:48:31
Speaker
You know, you saw a lot of the stuff that I didn't see early days of when I started out.
00:48:35
Speaker
So you've been a big part of that too.
00:48:37
Speaker
So thank you for...
00:48:39
Speaker
for seeing a bit of that light and helping me reach my full potential.
00:48:42
Speaker
So thank you.
00:48:44
Speaker
No, no, no, Maxi, you know what?
00:48:45
Speaker
It's been a pleasure.
00:48:47
Speaker
And also people probably won't realise we didn't just like meet on day one and go, right, let's do this thing and do this business.
00:48:54
Speaker
We actually got to know each other as friends to work out we had the same values, we had the same vision, we actually had the same goal.
00:49:05
Speaker
Because imagine if we'd have jumped in
00:49:08
Speaker
And then six months later down the track would have been like, oh, I can't believe he did that.
00:49:14
Speaker
Now we make decisions and we pretty much know
00:49:17
Speaker
that like we're 99% agreed.
00:49:21
Speaker
We don't agree on everything.
00:49:25
Speaker
No two people ever do in whatever, you know, friendship.
00:49:28
Speaker
It still comes down to communication, as we were saying before, and having that and being able to reach out, you know, we speak most days anyway, but it's just knowing, you know, where we're at and it's a good thing knowing that you've got some people in your corner.
00:49:42
Speaker
Absolutely.
00:49:43
Speaker
I guess everyone listening can know.
00:49:44
Speaker
It's very self of people that got you in your corner and,
00:49:48
Speaker
try and help help you reach your potential 3am people that you know if you need them and you call you know that pick up not the people that are there just with you in the good times there are people that are there to just sit in the mud with you as well so um yeah great chat maxi that was absolutely brilliant i'm sure people will um you know have enjoyed hearing a little bit more of maxi's uh thoughts on the world um
00:50:13
Speaker
And, yeah, we hope everybody is having... Sorry, you go.
00:50:20
Speaker
Yeah, no, I was just going to say it's been a pleasure to have a chat.
00:50:24
Speaker
You know, usually we're at the other end of the microphone interviewing people or talking about the good, the bad and the ugly.
00:50:31
Speaker
But, you know, it's been a good chat and hopefully it gives people a little bit of an insight about, you know,
00:50:37
Speaker
what Live, Learn, Survive is, what lifeguarding firefighting is for me and what our future holds for Live, Learn, Survive and us as individuals.
00:50:46
Speaker
Absolutely.
00:50:47
Speaker
So we have a board meeting in seven minutes.
00:50:51
Speaker
We better go and do with the serious stuff.
00:50:54
Speaker
And, yeah, we hope everybody that's on holidays is having a great holiday.
00:51:00
Speaker
We hope everyone had a good Christmas and a happy New Year.
00:51:04
Speaker
And we've got another couple of weeks with great, great guests for you.
00:51:08
Speaker
So we hope you'll enjoy them.
00:51:10
Speaker
And we will see you all really, really soon.
00:51:14
Speaker
Really soon.
00:51:15
Speaker
And just adding on to that too, you probably noticed that this week now moving forward, this is out on the 3rd of Jan, you'll see that we've got new shirts and new videos coming out over this month.
00:51:24
Speaker
So yeah, let us know what you think of it all.
00:51:28
Speaker
And we continue to kind of push the bar with Live, Learn, Survive.
00:51:33
Speaker
So if you are one of the people online or on the podcast, you'll see in the social media, you'll see some differences in the way that we do things and we hope you enjoy the new formats.
00:51:43
Speaker
Brilliant.
00:51:44
Speaker
All right.
00:51:45
Speaker
All right, everybody.
00:51:46
Speaker
Have a wonderful week.
00:51:47
Speaker
And here's to a fantastic 2025 for all of us.
00:51:51
Speaker
All the best.
00:51:53
Speaker
See you all soon.
00:51:53
Speaker
Happy New Year.
00:51:54
Speaker
Happy New Year.
00:51:55
Speaker
Bye.