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Artwork for The Contrarians

The Contrarians with Adam and Adir

The Contrarians
Australia
Luxury Escapes
Atlassian
Canva
Vanta
Tesla
Temple & Webster
Netwealth
NVIDIA
Artificial Intelligence
Openai
Qantas
Netflix
Covid-19
Jellycat
Waymo
Xero
Firmus
Disney
SXSW Sydney

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 weeklyEpisodes257Founded3 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
Business

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Artwork for The Contrarians

Latest Episodes

Adam and Adir sit down with Brett Craig from Aura Group to unpack what private credit actually is, why the industry exploded after the GFC and how non-bank lenders are filling a funding gap left by Australia’s major banks.

Brett explains Aura’s “len... more

Emergency pod!

Anthropic has finally opened its books, giving Adam and Adir their clearest look yet at the economics behind Claude and one of the fastest-growing businesses in history.

Join us on Substack for articles, news and more: www.th... more

Adam and Adir unpack the tax shock hitting Australian venture capital and private equity, including why carried interest has historically received favourable treatment and what the government's new capital gains rules could mean for fund managers.

T... more

YouTube

Adam and Will go inside the way Luxury Escapes is actually run, from the decisions Adam still personally signs off on to the systems, people and mental models behind one of Australia's biggest travel businesses.

Adam explains why CEOs should never b... more

YouTube

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
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Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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Recent Guests

Scott Middleton
Guest from Terem Capital
Terem Capital
Episode: Soul Patts: The $18bn ASX Giant Most Australians Have Never Heard Of
John Stensholt
Australian journalist and author of Tech Bros
The Australian Financial Review
Episode: Firmus’ IPO Fallout with Guest John Stensholt, Maas Smashed, Swipejobs’ $2bn IPO and Melbourne Marathon Chaos
Ben Adams
Head of Visa, Commercial and Government Solutions
Visa
Episode: Meta Comes Back, JB Hi-Fi Gets Cheap, and Hello World’s $135m Acquisition Gets Weird
Luke Larrative
Friend of the pod, contrarian guest mentioned in intro
Episode: Meta Comes Back, JB Hi-Fi Gets Cheap, and Hello World’s $135m Acquisition Gets Weird
Tim Slattery
Managing partner and co-founder of ASA Real Estate Partners
ASA Real Estate Partners
Episode: Commercial Property Cycle, Retail’s Comeback, Aged Care and Finding Value Where Nobody’s Looking: with Commercial Property Gun, Tim Slattery
Chris Judd
Fund Manager, Double Roundelay Medalist
Fund Manager, Double Roundelay Medalist
Episode: Ask Us Anything: How Do We Get Real People Into Politics? + When Is It Time To Pivot? (with Chris Judd)
Vicki Medvec
World-renowned negotiation educator and Kellogg professor; founder of Medvec & Associates
Kellogg School of Management; Medvec & Associates
Episode: The World's Best Negotiator Returns To The Contrarians
Ridgley Scott Farquhar
Australia's favorite private jet taker, featured guest
Atlassian co-founder? (contextual)
Episode: Tech Bros Goes Off, DEF CON Hackers, Waymo vs Zoox, and The LinkedIn Algorithm
Ian Gardiner
Gurus of podcasting and venture, founder of Last Orders; on board with Innovation Bay activities
Innovation Bay / Last Orders
Episode: Australia's Most Powerful VCs Join the Pod

Hosts

Adam Schwab
Co-host; Luxury Escapes co-founder; Host of The Contrarians; deep experience in startups and consumer brands.
Adir Shiffman
Co-host; Exec Chairman at Catapult Sports; Host of The Contrarians; experienced investor and operator.

Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars from 246 ratings
  • Excellent podcast

    Excellent podcast. Great deep dives into businesses with insights that are rare to find……and funny.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    MelMB
    Australia3 months ago
  • OMG right wing racists out of touch with everyday Aussies

    OMG right wing racists out of touch with everyday Aussies

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    ncholxz
    Australia4 months ago
  • Loving the Pod

    Great Aussie humour matched with insightful conversation

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    EBA23
    Australia5 months ago
  • 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
    Australiaa year 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

Listeners Say

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

Audiences value the hosts' blunt candor and practical business insights.
Critiques note the banter can verge on confrontational but acknowledges the quality of analysis.
Listeners praise the show for strategic takes, though some critique delivery with frequent interruptions.
Fans appreciate Australia-focused coverage with global relevance and real-world case studies.

Chart Rankings

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

Spotify
#46
Australia/Business
Apple Podcasts
#24
Australia/Business
Apple Podcasts
#148
New Zealand/Business

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

How Adam Runs Luxury Escapes and Builds Great Teams
Q: How do you think about hiring, and are there things you look for that other people don't adequately value?
Schwab emphasizes matching candidates to the role and business, and looks for cultural fit, initiative, entrepreneurialism, risk tolerance, emotional intelligence, and understanding of customers and colleagues.
How Adam Runs Luxury Escapes and Builds Great Teams
Q: Do you think being so involved is something very specific to you and to Luxury Escapes, or do you commonly advise other CEOs to be more across the detail?
Schwab says he is less hands-on than he used to be, but leaders should understand the details of their business. He sees founders' greater freedom to take risks and their product knowledge as distinctive advantages.
Soul Patts: The $18bn ASX Giant Most Australians Have Never Heard Of
Q: Is it justified to pay this kind of money for a fund manager?
The panel debates the premium, citing Soul Patts' record and patient investment approach while raising concerns about future leadership, overseas investing, scale and whether its returns compensate for the risks.
Soul Patts: The $18bn ASX Giant Most Australians Have Never Heard Of
Q: What are your views?
Scott says investors should assess Soul Patts' cash generation and valuation, compare its market price with the value of its underlying assets, and decide whether its advantages justify any premium.
Commercial Property Cycle, Retail’s Comeback, Aged Care and Finding Value Where Nobody’s Looking: with Commercial Property Gun, Tim Slattery
Q: What was it like to run a public company at a young age?
Tim describes working hard, leveraging prior M&A experience, and navigating investor relations, ultimately building a resilient business that could achieve substantial growth and a strong exit.

Audience Metrics

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

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
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Frequently Asked Questions About The Contrarians

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

Two Australian business voices provide contrarian takes on startups, finance, politics, and corporate strategy, drawing on their dual perspectives from operating and investing. Episodes routinely critique leadership decisions, governance, branding shifts, and market narratives while weaving in real-world anecdotes from luxury hospitality, sports, tech, and policy. The show stands out for its fearless, no-holds-barred style, guests who offer insider angles, and a willingness to challenge conventional wisdom across global and local business stories. Potential listeners will find practical frameworks for evaluating deals, ownership, and strategy, along with sharp, entertaining banter that keeps complex topics approachable for ambitious profess... more

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Which podcasts are similar to The Contrarians?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Contrarians:

1. The Fin
2. Chanticleer
3. How I Made It
4. FEAR & GREED | Business News
5. Equity Mates Investing Podcast

How many episodes of The Contrarians are there?

The Contrarians launched 3 years ago and published 257 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. John Stensholt
3. Ben Adams
4. Luke Larrative
5. Tim Slattery
6. Chris Judd
7. Vicki Medvec
8. Ridgley Scott Farquhar

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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