Luke Rogers Podcast

David McKinnon is one of Australia's top dressage riders — competing at the elite level in one of the most demanding and misunderstood sports in the world. But this isn't just a conversation about horses.We get into what it actually takes to perform at the highest level, how David turned a passion into a career, the brutal economics of running an equestrian business, and what separates the good from the truly elite.We also talk about my own transition out of the army, performing under pressure when the stakes are real, and somehow end up discussing who the first human to ever ride a horse was — and why the other animals were definitely not okay with it.One of the more unexpected and genuinely entertaining conversations I've had on the show.

In this episode, I sit down with The Hon John Sharp AM, former Federal Minister for the seat of Hume and Deputy Leader of the National Party. John served in federal parliament for over two decades, playing a central role in some of Australia's most significant political battles — including the landmark 1998 waterfront reforms that reshaped the nation's industrial landscape.We talk about what it actually costs to lead under pressure — death threats, public scrutiny, and the weight of decisions that affect millions of people. John shares how a lifelong commitment to fitness has been his anchor through it all, and what he's observed about the long-term price of leadership on the men and women who serve.This is a conversation about resilience, pressure, and what it means to stay the course when the stakes are as high as they get.Chapters00:00 Waterfront Reforms05:39 The personal cost of fighting the unions10:42 The effect of the waterfront on the Australian economy12:25 Re-opening the East-West Runway18:35 How to deal with immense pressure21:55 The importance of maintaining physical fitness24:41 Maintaining fitness through life29:26 The transition from politics to corporate life38:11 The move to EADS43:59 Regional Express43:32 The move from regional airline to domestic airline58:49 The downfall of REX domestic01:05:23 The immense pressure of a public case01:09:07 Sage advice for young people

In this episode, I talk about why I've pivoted to podcasting, the economics of the medium and my 100 social media challenge.Chapters:00:40 Why the Pivot to Podcasting?01:50 The Numbers and Economics of Podcasting.07:50 The Parasocial Bonds of Podcasts.11:00 The 100 Day Social Media Challenge.16:30 Stockholm Syndrome habits.20:15 Niching down.

In this episode, I sit down with Jacob McKinnon — the #1ranked real estate agent in the Southern Highlands who's since started his own #1 ranked agency. Before real estate, Jacob built and scaled direct sales organizations from the ground up. We get into what actually separates someonewho wins consistently from someone who gets lucky once — sales psychology, building teams, and what it takes to be #1 in more than one industry. If you've ever wondered whether "good at sales" is a personality trait or a skill you can build, this one's for you.  Chapters 0:00 Intro 0:30 Sales/business background 2:35 Moving to Real Estate and becoming No.1 Agent 5:19 Covid killed his business, starting again. 8:27 Pushing through the hard times. 12:53 How to deal with the pressure of sales 19:27 How to deal with online negativity 28:00 Quotes to help in sales 35:12 Jacobs fitness journey 38:34 Starting in a new industry as the new kid on the block45:36 Scaling in business 46:39 How important relatinships are in business 52:29 Hustle and grin in your 20s or live it up? 56:31 Real estate market wrap up

In this episode, I sit down with Shayne Fowler — a veteran who copped a serious hand injury from a flashbang in Iraq, and who's since built a life and a business after service. We talk through his time in, the moment everything changed, and what it took to come out the other side. Shayne now runs Canine Scent Training, and we get into how he made that transition from special ops soldier to business owner.If you've ever wondered what rebuilding actually looks like after the structure of the military disappears, this one's worth your time.Instagram: @Canine_specialist_trainingChapters:00:00 Intro00:23 The flashbang that changed it all10:50 The nightmare trip back to Australia15:39 The lasting effects of the injury20:30 Shayne's full military story27:00 Reintegration and PTSD45:16 Shayne's life after Army as a small business owner50:18 Frustrations with business ownership1:04:08 What's next for Shayne?1:05:44 Shayne's Hot-Take1:11:37 Wrap up

In this episode, I sit down with Chris Mount — a former military instructor whose work identifying training gaps had a real impact on how the School of Military Engineering approached instructor development, drawing direct comparisons with how the UK does it.We get into what the military actually gets right about building capability under pressure, where the system falls short, and how those same lessons apply directly to corporate learning and development. Chris also made the transition from the ADF into a corporate executive role, so we talk through what that shift looks like in practice — plus a few good laughs along the way, including one particularly memorable (and thankfully harmless) story from the training track.If you're in L&D, training, instruction, or just interested in what elite performance environments can teach the corporate world, this one's worth your full attention.Chapters:00:00 From ADF to corporate executive00:50 Military background05:30 How important is the subject?10:00 From working class, poor student to Masters Degree14:00 The good and bad of military training34:50 The day the trainee's heart stopped40:00 The importance of failure47:45 Should young people join the military today?56:30 How to maintain military links post-service?1:00:00 Highlights of military service1:02:00 Why instructional ability is the number one thing in learning and development

Gabrielle Rogers is a former Electronic Warfare Operator with the Australian Army. She now runs a lawn care business with her partner Luke Whitaker called Whitaker's Turf Management. In this episode, we discuss life in the Army and transitioning from the Army into self-employed entrepreneurship, what makes soldiers good entrepreneurs, how the Army sets you up for success, and why the Navy shouldn't handle firearms.