Sliding Doors and Second Chances: Dominic de Moura McCarthy’s Unlikely Path into International Education

Dominic de Moura McCarthy is one of those guests who makes you quietly sit up straighter.He’s 24, he’s done ballet for 15 years, he taught himself how to build a personal brand before most of us even knew what that meant, and he’s the kind of person who doesn’t wait for an “official invitation” to start something meaningful. When Dom joins me on Global Horizons, we go back to Mackay, regional North Queensland, where a teenage decision to study French (because ballet terminology is French, of course) became a hinge moment that eventually led him overseas, into the New Colombo Plan, and deep into youth leadership work across the Pacific and Latin America.There’s a sliding-doors moment early on too: Dom moves to Brisbane to study dance at QUT, hears a blunt “this course isn’t for you unless you want to dance every day”, ends up in hospital that first week, and makes the call to switch to business instead. That one decision quietly changes the trajectory of everything that follows.Along the way, we get tactical about visibility and influence. Not the braggy kind, but the “how do you show up and contribute when you don’t feel like the expert” kind. We talk imposter syndrome, tall poppy syndrome, why community service can be the best personal brand strategy going around, and how Dom’s faith and sense of service keep him moving when most people would hesitate.In this episode, we cover:Dom’s “French via ballet” origin story, and how Distance Education pre-COVID shaped his confidenceThe New Colombo Plan experience that turned curiosity into a global pathwayThe QUT-to-business switch, and how to make a call when you’re terrified of closing doorsPersonal branding without the show pony energy, plus practical ways to build the muscleWhy volunteering and youth development work can become your sharpest leadership trainingA rare honest chat about setbacks, and why most people don’t reflect on them enoughGlobal Horizons is a production of The Global Society, Australia’s Learning Abroad support company. Our editor is Len Zamora and our distribution specialist is Gelo Ablao. Rob Malicki is the executive editor and host. The podcast wouldn’t be possible without The Koala News, Australia’s international education news website. This episode is supported by Choosing Your Uni, Australia's unique, AI-powered platform that helps domestic and international students to find the right institution for them, and that helps Australian institutions to access new markets. For guest suggestions and feedback, email [email protected]