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Artwork for The Contrarians

The Contrarians with Adam and Adir

Adam Schwab and Adir Shiffman
Australia
Luxury Escapes
Atlassian
Tesla
Vanta
Qantas
Temple & Webster
Canva
Netwealth
Cettire
Covid-19
Openai
Nvidia
Netflix
Work From Home
Chemist Warehouse
Jellycat
Guzman Y Gomez
Inflation
Waymo

Get the fearless truth about start-ups and corporate Australia from guys that give you the hard facts, not the company line. Hear Luxury Escapes co-founder Adam Schwab and Catapult Sports Exec Chairman Adir Shiffman provide the inside word on the biggest stories in business with a contrarian take from the guys who sit on both sides of the table. New episodes dropping weekly.

PublishesTwice weeklyEpisodes108Founded3 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
Business

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Artwork for The Contrarians

Latest Episodes

Steve Baxter joins the pod to discuss his incredible story and why the best investments are the least popular, Anthropic kind of drops Mythos, Adir’s deep dive into encryption, Pope Leo vs Donald Trump, how investible are data centres, are trains dea... more

Happy Saturday! We’re back with another Q&A episode of the show.

This week you asked:

👨‍🔬 How much research do you do when investing in a public company?

📢 What justifies a Prime Minister’s public address?

🥺 Leaving friends behind in a wo... more

The guys discuss the bombshell tax ruling on WFH, Elon’s Big IPO, Droneshield Chairman and CEO Gone, GYG confounds its critics and CTM disappoints investors again.

Thanks for listening!

Thanks to our sponsor Acquire Intelligence - visit a... more

It's Saturday, so we're back with another Ask Us Anything episode.

Today we're answering:

⌛ How to find time to do everything you want to do

👔 Starting a business in 2026 vs 2006

💿 Should you choose one AI service and stick with it?

Thank... more

Key Facts

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Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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Recent Guests

Scott Middleton
Australian investor described as the Australia's Warren Buffett
Carma investor
Episode: Special Bonus: Carma Deep Dive with special guest, Scott Middleton
Ward Williams
Guest who asked about Australian identity
Episode: Ask Us Anything: Should fuel price surges mean people work from home? + What does it mean to be Australian?
Dennis Friedman
Guest who asked about disruption vs. tradition
Episode: Ask Us Anything: Should fuel price surges mean people work from home? + What does it mean to be Australian?
John Stensholt
Editor of The List, author on Atlassian biografy project
The List / The Australian
Episode: Rich List, Atlassian Crash, Seek Horrors, Operation Epic Fury, Biennial Disgrace, Councils Behaving Badly and Adir’s Great and Terrible Calls
Perry Williams
Colleague at The Australian, co-author on a biography of Mike Cannon-Brooks and Scott Farquhar
The Australian
Episode: Rich List, Atlassian Crash, Seek Horrors, Operation Epic Fury, Biennial Disgrace, Councils Behaving Badly and Adir’s Great and Terrible Calls
Adrian Rima
Listener guest, asked about GYG pricing and market expectations
Listener
Episode: Ask Us Anything: The dwindling radio industry + How did the market get GYG so wrong?
Chris Janz
Founder of Capital Brief, former Fairfax executive
Capital Brief
Episode: Eucalyptus Sale Deep Dive, is Waymo an Uber killer, Winnings’ Winnings, Victoria becomes an official Crime State, Adir Visits Lakemba and special guest business publishing legend, Chris Janz
Jessy Wu
Venture capitalist and entrepreneur who closely follows SXSW events
Episode: Jellycat Deep Dive, Atlassian Share Price Crash, Kings Counsel Ransom, Writers Festival Monstrosity, SXSW Sydney Dies and Adam’s Passport Bliss
Dave Hyman
Founder and CEO of Lendi
Lendi
Episode: Woolworths v Coles, Cettire Nears the Precipice, Australia’s Secret Unicorn Founder, Neurodivergent Founders and Dan’s Brush with Dictators

Hosts

Adam Schwab
Co-founder of Luxury Escapes and co-host known for providing insights into the business world from an entrepreneurial perspective.
Adir Shiffman
Executive Chairman of Catapult Sports and co-host, offering a contrarian perspective on business strategies and trends.

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 206 ratings
  • Great content - delivery needs work

    Great content.

    But why do the hosts keep talking over each other so much? I had wanted to hear joe Aston talk but he could hardly get a word in!

    And I get that you are both well connected but the conversation descends into a **** measuring contest too often on who knows whom/what etc.

    Please interrupt each other less and keep up the great content.

    The content is really quite interesting but the delivery is grating.

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    Trmta
    Australia9 months ago
  • A Must Listen for Aussie Entrepreneurs

    A must-listen for anyone in the Australian business scene. With a strong but not exclusive focus on Australian industries, Adam and Adir bring the unique perspective only founders and operators can offer. Their broad points of view, grounded in real-world experiences, offer insights you won’t get from traditional media. They cover everything from startups to larger legacy businesses, from private to publicly listed companies, and across a wide range of industries — from tech to retail. The in-de... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Robyward
    Australia2 years ago
  • Fantastic business insight

    Adam and Adir have a great synergy and provide a unique insight into a wide range of businesses and industries along with their views on many current issues happening both locally and internationally. Well worth listening.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    rodking
    Australia2 years ago
  • Behind the scenes

    Love the insights Adam and Adir provide to the business world, always educational, thought provoking and insightful. I also enjoy the friendly banter these guys have. Thanks A&A!!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    DC on the GC
    Australia2 years ago
  • :)

    :)

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    coolperson59
    Australia2 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Feedback indicates that while the content is appreciated, there are some critiques regarding the delivery and conversational styles of the hosts.
Reviews highlight the unique perspective offered on various industries and current events, making it a must-listen for those interested in practical business insights.
Listeners commend the insightful, relevant business discussions and the engaging dynamic between the hosts.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#103
Australia/Business

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Ask Us Anything: Researching when investing in public companies + Was the Prime Minister’s Address Necessary!?
Q: Do you have any advice on how to move on after leaving a team you loved?
The advice centers on accepting that teams and roles are transient, staying in touch with people, finding a new opportunity to get excited about, and acknowledging that most people are replaceable while valuing the experiences gained.
Ask Us Anything: Researching when investing in public companies + Was the Prime Minister’s Address Necessary!?
Q: Recently Prime Minister Albanese had a national address; what kind of event justifies it in the future?
The hosts felt it was inappropriate for routine situations and should be reserved for truly dramatic scenarios like war or severe national threats; they view such addresses as extraordinary, not standard governance communication.
Ask Us Anything: Researching when investing in public companies + Was the Prime Minister’s Address Necessary!?
Q: If you were to invest in a public company, what is the level of research you would do to have comfort or conviction with the investment?
They suggest dividing research into two parts: first, understand the business and industry by reading the company's materials and using reliable summaries or news, and second, scrutinize the financials—income statements, cash flows, and balance sheets—through annual reports, quarterly results, and broker/analyst insights to assess margins, competitive advantages, and feasibility of long-term value. If not financially literate, consider passive index investing; otherwise build a core+satellite portfolio combining ETFs with selective stock ideas.
Ask Us Anything: Finding enough time to do it all + Starting a business in 2026 vs 2006
Q: Daniel asks, with AI becoming prevalent, how should an organization select and potentially pivot between providers like Claude or others?
The hosts recommend keeping models agnostic with fallback options, using multiple models, and evaluating performance across providers to avoid over-reliance on a single model for future-proofing and flexibility.
Ask Us Anything: Finding enough time to do it all + Starting a business in 2026 vs 2006
Q: Travis asks, starting a small business in 2026 compared to 2006, which is more difficult?
They argue that starting a tech business in 2006 was harder due to lack of cloud infrastructure and digital marketing channels, while 2026 has easier access to online tools like AWS and Shopify, though some domains like offline retail and labor-intensive services remain challenging.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
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Frequently Asked Questions About The Contrarians

What is The Contrarians about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This podcast provides listeners with an insightful and often contrarian perspective on the business landscape, particularly focusing on start-ups and corporate Australia. The hosts, experienced entrepreneurs, share their analyses on significant events in the business world, ranging from the latest economic trends to deep dives into specific companies and industries. They are known for their candid discussions that often challenge conventional wisdom, making it an intriguing listen for those interested in innovative business strategies and real-world insights rather than typical corporate narratives. Notably, their engaging banter brings entertainment and humor to serious topics, striking a balance that captures a wide audience's attention.

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How many listeners does The Contrarians get?

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Which podcasts are similar to The Contrarians?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Contrarians:

1. Chanticleer
2. The Fin
3. Equity Mates Investing Podcast
4. The Rules of Investing
5. The Money Café with Alan Kohler

How many episodes of The Contrarians are there?

The Contrarians launched 3 years ago and published 108 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on The Contrarians?

Recent guests on The Contrarians include:

1. Scott Middleton
2. Ward Williams
3. Dennis Friedman
4. John Stensholt
5. Perry Williams
6. Adrian Rima
7. Chris Janz
8. Jessy Wu

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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