The JBH Show Episode 26: Michael "Dude 2" McRae, Two Dudes Skincare, Budgie Smugglers & Men's Health

The JBH Show Episode 26: Michael "Dude 2" McRae, Two Dudes Skincare, Budgie Smugglers & Men's Health

Check out Two Dudes at twodudesproject.com and use the code JBHSHOW10 at checkout for $10 off your order! Michael "Dude 2" McRae is the co-founder of Two Dudes, New Zealand's fastest growing natural skincare and deodorant brand that's now taking Australia by storm. From selling beer in Singapore to accidentally discovering the skincare gap for men, Michael and his business partner Tom have built a brand that combines world-class active ingredients with UV hardened New Zealand botanicals and delivers them at supermarket prices. Join us as we explore how two blokes in a sweaty Singapore apartment putting on night cream together turned into a million-dollar business, why Tom's girlfriend (now wife) is actually the real founder behind Two Dudes, and the moment a random Domino's Pizza employee unknowingly decided who would be Dude 1 and who would be Dude 2. We dive deep into the early days of product development, sending out skincare samples in urine jars to fifty mates in a Facebook group, the hilarious moment when their mate Eddie mixed charcoal cleanser with moisturizer without washing it off and created grey sludge on his face, and why that experience taught them that men's skincare had to be two steps, two minutes, twice per day or dudes would never use it. Michael shares the challenges of leaving stable careers at Heineken to start a moisturizer company when everyone thought they were insane, working with cosmetic chemists for two years to develop their own IP instead of white labeling, spending $8,000 just to test SPF compliance, and the manufacturer who told them that of ten brands that come to her, only one ever comes back for a second order. The conversation takes a fascinating turn as we explore Two Dudes' outrageous marketing strategy, why they don't compete with L'Oreal or Nivea but instead compete with the entire internet, getting New Zealand journalist Paddy Gower to pull up in a green Lamborghini and yell "this is the fucking cream" for their rebrand launch, making Tom skydive into a Chemist Warehouse car park with deodorant strapped to his arms for $410, and their recent Budgie Smuggler collaboration for Testicular Cancer Awareness Month that sold out in four days. Michael explains why Roger Federer on a bus doesn't appeal to regular dudes, how their Gen Z TikTok hire creates content that legacy brands could never pull off, the difference between brand awareness marketing and performance marketing rabbit holes, and why appearing on national TV in Budgie Smugglers is just another Tuesday. We tackle the business fundamentals behind the fun, why Michael thinks the worst advice is telling people to quit their jobs and fully commit when he and Tom actually sold skincare out of the beer company car park at night until they hit revenue targets, the saying that revenue is vanity, profit is sanity, and cash flow is king, being married to an insolvency lawyer and seeing how many businesses fail because founders don't know their numbers, and why surrounding yourself with people who believe in your mission is the most important lesson they've learned. Michael opens up about the relationship with his business partner Tom, why they've never had a full blown argument despite running a business together for six years, and the advantage of going into business with someone who's your mate. The episode explores the Two Dudes product range from the original moisturizer that took two years to develop to the natural deodorant that's become their hero product, why they launched skincare first as a high trust category to build loyalty before bringing in mainstream dudes with body wash, the three scents of deodorant including Zesty Forest and Coconut Rush that smells like surfboard wax, their meticulous vetting process for every ingredient, and why SPF moisturizer is non negotiable in Australia where the ozone hole gives you extra UV and some of the highest melanoma rates per capita in the world. Michael discusses their expansion from New Zealand to 400 Australian stores with a goal of 2000 by Christmas, the two customer types of dudes buying for themselves and gift givers like moms and girlfriends, why half the supermarket shelf is female brands targeting men which would never fly in beer, and their mission to become the biggest men's brand in Australia by going to war with big cream. Whether you're interested in building an e-commerce business, creating a brand with personality in a boring category, guerrilla marketing tactics that cost hundreds instead of thousands, the realities of founder life and business partnerships, men's health advocacy, or just want to hear how a Domino's Pizza employee accidentally named the hierarchy of a skincare empire, this episode delivers practical insights, brutal honesty, and a compelling vision for what's possible when you combine world class ingredients with raw nature and a sense of humor.

The JBH Show Episode 25: Jordan Davey - Breathwork, Biohacking & Building a Life Beyond the Rat Race

Jordan Davey is a health coach from Melbourne with almost eight years of experience in holistic health and functional medicine. From studying psychology and neuroscience to discovering his calling after his own health crisis involving debilitating anxiety, Jordan brings a comprehensive approach to health that integrates physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing. Join us as we explore his journey from suffering panic attacks to building a thriving health coaching practice while living by the beach in Torquay, working with clients globally, running his school community and Podcast called Organic Optimization, and pursuing his masters in neuroscience to become a psychopharmacologist working with psychedelic therapy. We dive deep into the foundations of holistic health, why the nervous system and circadian rhythm are the first dominoes that dictate everything else in the body, how chronic stress keeps you trapped in fight or flight mode and shuts down healing processes, the shocking reality that 99% of people are deficient in magnesium on conventional ranges, and why most health issues are complex requiring an understanding of how gut health, hormones, immune function, breathing patterns, light environment, and mindset all interact. Jordan explains his meticulous approach to gut protocols, why leaky gut and low stomach acid are usually the first dominoes that fall before SIBO and pathogen overgrowth, how antimicrobials differ from antibiotics by targeting bad microbes without nuking beneficial strains, why anyone who's had more than five rounds of antibiotics has devastated gut flora, and the three to six month elimination diet and supplement protocol that restored his health and now transforms his clients. The conversation takes a fascinating turn as we explore the circadian rhythm as the body's 24 hour clock mechanism that resets with morning light and dictates hormonal cascades throughout the day, why artificial blue light after sunset tricks your body into thinking it's noon and spikes cortisol when you need melatonin, the game changing impact of wearing red lens blue light blocking glasses at night, why Jordan's house looks like a brothel with all red bulbs but delivers incredible sleep quality, and his experience being the sickest he'd been in six years while working at Australia's best wellness club because he was inside under artificial light from 5am to 7pm. We discuss the lymphatic system that most people have never heard of, Perry Nicholson's Big Six technique that takes three minutes and clears lymphatic blockages from head to toe, why grounding your feet on earth in the morning releases the positive charge built up overnight, and Jordan's perfect morning routine that gets you outside for natural light, rehydrates with spring water and sea salt, optimizes lymphatic drainage, regulates the nervous system with breathwork, and front loads calories with high protein and fat breakfasts. The episode explores hustle culture and why decisions made from fear never work versus the abundance mindset and delusional self belief that successful people embody, why you have complete choice in everything even if you have four mortgages and could quit tomorrow, the power of finding mentors who've already done what you want to do, how Jordan's footy mates thought he was cooked when he stopped drinking and started posting health content but now see his transformation, Paul Chek and Shervin as role models who embody holistic health, Jack Kruse as the smartest man Jordan's ever listened to who's also a complete asshole, Nayib Bukele and Javier Milei as political leaders who actually live their values, and why there's no Australian politician anyone grows up wanting to be like. Whether you're dealing with gut issues, sleep problems, anxiety, relationship struggles, career dissatisfaction, or just want a roadmap for optimizing every aspect of your health and life from someone who's walked the path and now guides hundreds of others, this episode delivers practical protocols, unflinching honesty, and a compelling vision for what's possible when you take radical responsibility for your wellbeing.

The JBH Show Episode 24: Vince Craig - SAS Veteran Takes On Ukraine, Russia & Modern Warfare

Vince Craig is an ex-Special Air Service Regiment soldier, historian with a PhD, and author of Never Get Off The Train, a semi-fictional account of his time as a foreign military advisor in Ukraine. From joining the army the day Elvis died in 1977 to serving in K-Troop doing freefall parachuting and working with US Navy SEALs, Vince brings decades of military experience and a unique perspective on modern warfare. Join us as we explore his remarkable journey from SAS operator to university academic, his decision to leave everything behind and fly into an active war zone just three weeks after Russia invaded Ukraine, and the extraordinary experiences that followed across multiple deployments training Ukrainian forces alongside Americans, Brits, Kiwis, Norwegians, Danes, and fighters from across the world. We dive deep into Vince's first chaotic days in Poland, knocking on the Ukrainian Embassy door in Warsaw, sleeping in a copse of trees after missing train connections, being woken by police at 5:30am while eating beans from a can, and arriving at the Polish-Ukrainian border to find a scene nothing like the orderly refugee operation he expected—complete with a cardinal blessing people, a guy on a unicycle throwing balls, and French tents abandoned like a scene from Dunkirk. Vince shares stories of guarding refugee women and children from human traffickers and pedophiles, filling shopping trolleys with pasta and water to distribute across the border, and the moment he realized that even in humanitarian crises, organizations don't want to share their toys because they want all the glory. The conversation takes a compelling turn as we explore what Kiev was like in those early days when it resembled I Am Legend with Will Smith, completely empty streets with tank traps everywhere, and the reality of training Ukrainian forces who took two weeks to learn basic weapons safety procedures. Vince explains why he sees the Ukrainian military in 2022 as similar to Australia in 1914—a militia force, not ready, with only a small core of professional soldiers—and how units varied wildly from elite groups like Azov to units commanded by podcast hosts and guys who could do lots of chin-ups. We discuss the shocking reality that a Ukrainian Major who served in Iraq couldn't run a basic range practice, why officers were chosen because they owned petrol stations or had cousins in government, and how Vince and his team worked to implement NATO-standard training across diverse units. We tackle the brutal realities of the conflict, from Vince nearly dying of pneumonia on his first trip and having a US Navy corpsman check his vitals at 3am, to experiencing air raids in Mykolaiv where rockets landed close enough to make him put his helmet on, to the philosophy that two things get you killed—bad luck and fuck ups—and sometimes there's nothing you can do about bad luck. Vince opens up about the soldiers he trained who later invaded Russia and sent him photos holding the Ukrainian flag in Russian territory, the heartbreaking reality that many of those guys are now dead, and why Ukraine is so short of men that nuclear physicists get sent to assault brigades instead of using their skills where they're actually needed. The episode explores Ukrainian culture and resilience, from experiencing Banya saunas so hot that men just sit there grunting to force out the pain, to meeting Vitali Klitschko the heavyweight champion and mayor of Kiev standing next to knocked-out Russian tanks displayed in front of St. Michael's Church, to playing guitar and singing under railway stations for morale until police moved them along. We discuss why Ukrainians are the toughest people Vince has encountered, how they've already rebuilt towns like Bucha that were destroyed because their mindset is "you're not getting back here," the sophistication of Ukrainian cities with shopping malls that make Australian ones look like dirt farms, and why their innovation with drones, floating bombs, and improvised weapons is leading the world. We examine the human cost of the conflict, why smaller towns and villages bear the recruiting burden while young people skateboard in Kiev, the conscription age and meat grinder reality for soldiers sent to units with officers who don't care, the woman at the souvenir stand who started crying when Vince told her "you're not alone," and why he keeps going back despite the financial cost and physical toll. Vince shares his thoughts on what Australia should do to support Ukraine, why giving them our mothballed helicopters instead of cutting them up would make a difference, the challenge of finding an off-ramp for Russia that doesn't require Ukraine to cede territory, and his disappointment that Trump hasn't brokered the deal he hoped for. Get Vince's book Never Get Off The Train at www.vincecraig.com.au [https://www.vincecraig.com.au]

The JBH Show Episode 23: Saxon Davidson - Climate Policy, Regional Rights & Crossing the Nullarbor

Saxon Davidson is a research fellow at the IPA, regular media commentator, and contributor to multiple newspapers across Australia. From discussing environmental lawfare and publicly funded green activists to debating Australia's energy crisis and the systemic failures of our political class, Saxon brings sharp analysis and unfiltered opinions to The JBH Show. Join us as we explore how Section 487 of the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act allows Melbourne-based green activists to challenge regional mining and agriculture projects they've never visited, why the Environmental Defenders Office receives government funding to stop job-creating industries, and the shocking reality that China replaces Australia's entire annual emissions in just twelve days. We dive deep into Saxon's journey from IPA admin assistant to research fellow, how he survived university by writing like a leftist while working for a free market think tank, his first-year essay arguing the Iraq War wouldn't have happened if the Shah hadn't been deposed in Iran, and why he questions Ben Shapiro's debate skills despite following his university survival strategy. Saxon opens up about the importance of media training, how the IPA taught him to articulate complex policy positions, the difference between writing research reports versus newspaper commentary, and why he believes discussing trade-offs is more important than debating climate change itself. The conversation takes a deep policy turn as we explore why Australia's Future Made in Australia policy is fundamentally flawed, the energy trilemma of reliability, affordability, and environmental considerations, how the government has sacrificed the first two for the third, and why manufacturing based on intermittent renewables is impossible. Saxon explains why Anthony Albanese is the only Prime Minister in recorded history to oversee an overall reduction in GDP per capita from start to finish, how ten out of thirteen quarters under this government have seen living standards decline, why Jim Chalmers is the most fortunate treasurer ever because Liberal Party turmoil has distracted from his horrific budgetary record, and the critical difference between real surpluses and accounting tricks that ignore rising gross debt. We tackle government spending approaching $1 trillion in gross debt, why you have to slay the beast before you starve it, the myth that cutting taxes forces spending reductions, bracket creep in superannuation taxes, how Albanese's untouched parliamentary pension contrasts with his changes to super for farmers and self-managed funds, the case for bringing back parliamentary pensions to attract quality people to politics, and why regional industries like agriculture and mining suffer when public servants and politicians regulate from hundreds of kilometres away. Saxon shares his thoughts on new states and regional exit movements, why he's not opposed to breaking up Australia's vast states, the Free State of Riverina concept, North Queensland independence dreams, and why he thinks it would take a generation but could bring government closer to the people. The episode takes a lighter turn as we discuss Essendon Football Club, why Saxon went from confident to pessimistic between seasons, his prediction of finishing 17th, the spectacular Bristol Beaufighter Anzac Day guernsey that briefly restored his hope, why Nic Martin as captain concerns him despite being a good bloke, the Zach Merrett trade saga and why Saxon is completely off him after requesting to play under Sam Mitchell who stole Joe Daniher's Brownlow, and the Essendon Messiah complex that prevents the club from addressing systemic institutional failure. We explore whether Christian Petracca rumors could save the club, why bringing back James Hird would be a mistake despite Saxon's love for him, the baby bombers hope for the future, and why both Essendon and Australia share a tendency to look for saviors instead of fixing structural problems. Whether you're interested in environmental law reform, energy policy, the mechanics of how green activism stops regional development, government spending and taxation, the decline in Australian living standards, footy club dysfunction, or just want to hear someone who can articulate conservative policy positions with clarity and passion, this episode delivers compelling insights, brutal honesty about both national politics and Essendon's prospects, and a roadmap for reversing Australia's decline before we cross the Rubicon or as Saxon calls it, the Nullarbor.

The JBH Show Episode 22: Matt Ward - Pyramids, Parenting & Personal Transformation

["Matt Ward returns for his second appearance on The JBH Show, bringing his trademark blend of raw honesty, conspiracy theories, and unfiltered conversation. From discussing the mysteries of the Egyptian pyramids and questioning everything from ancient civilizations to modern politics, Matt takes us on a wild ride through his unique worldview. This episode kicks off with ancient mysteries and quickly spirals into discussions about Catholicism, determinism, and why Matt believes that if a higher power has already written the script, every decision you make is ultimately the right one—even when it feels wrong in the moment. We explore Matt's journey back to faith, how becoming Catholic twelve months ago transformed his approach to mental health and anxiety, and why letting go of control has paradoxically given him better control over his life. Matt opens up about parenting his nearly three-year-old daughter Maeve, who's already showing signs of his rebellious personality by letting German Shepherds into the house at 5:30am and drawing on walls while laughing about it. With a son due in twenty days and his wife working to turn a breached baby, Matt reflects on how his own challenging upbringing has shaped his parenting philosophy of providing what his children need without spoiling them, and why soft parenting simply isn't possible with a child like Maeve. The conversation takes a deeply personal turn as Matt reveals his battle with painkiller addiction, detailing how an injury led to taking twelve Panadeine Forte tablets daily for months, creating an elaborate rotation system involving friends and family to hide his dependency. He shares the moment his wife discovered the truth, the overwhelming shame that followed, and how he channeled his addictive personality into running, then football, and now fighting—completing eight fights in two years when most fighters manage three annually. Matt discusses living with Generalized Anxiety Disorder, why missing a gym session sends him into an anxious spiral, the importance of structure for his mental health, and his philosophy of openly discussing struggles that many people can't vocalize themselves. We dive into everything from Disneyland obsession and why Matt goes full Disney adult mode despite initially preferring Universal Studios, to his annual Thailand training camps, the Stranger Things ending controversy and Conformity Gate conspiracy theories, Trump's ninety-minute operation to remove Maduro from Venezuela, the strategic importance of Greenland's rare earth minerals, and why Matt thinks there will be a secret sixth season of Stranger Things. The episode explores second chances for ex-convicts, whether anyone truly deserves to die, the difference between punishment and rehabilitation, mental health advocacy, why Matt focuses only on things he can control, and his final message about treating every conversation as if it could be your last. Whether you're interested in ancient mysteries, addiction recovery, parenting chaos, mental health advocacy, geopolitics, or just want to spend ninety minutes inside one of the most fascinating minds you'll encounter, this episode delivers compelling insights, brutal honesty, and genuine human connection."