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Artwork for The Contrarians

The Contrarians with Adam and Adir

Adam Schwab and Adir Shiffman
Australia
Luxury Escapes
Atlassian
Tesla
Temple & Webster
Vanta
Qantas
Canva
Netwealth
Nvidia
Covid-19
Cettire
Netflix
Artificial Intelligence
Openai
Jellycat
Guzman Y Gomez
Waymo
Catapult Sports
Apple

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

Adam and Adir discuss Tesla’s profit collapse, Elon Musk’s valuation premium, robotaxis, self-driving, BYD, SpaceX, Starlink, Richard White, Immutable, blockchain gaming, NFTs, crypto tokens, Australia’s unicorn bubble and the $3.5 billion valuation ... more

Adam and Adir discuss the Labor Party conference, Ed Husic, Jacinta Allan’s political problems, Victoria’s unemployment rate, a 1998 celebrity earnings quiz, Etched and the AI chip race, Nvidia, OpenAI, KPMG’s Lendlease audit scandal, Waymo vs Uber, ... more

Adam and Adir discuss luxury hotel inflation, Instagram status games, SpaceX’s valuation drop, Starlink’s powers, Tesla vs BYD, Australia’s best-selling cars, Atlassian’s Loom problem, Mike Cannon-Brookes and Adam’s safari life.

Join us on Substack... more

Adam and Adir discuss safari business lessons, England vs Argentina, Murderbot Diaries and $0.99 Kindle funnels, Uber One, Lux Plus, Marxism, social democracy, Xero’s CEO share sale, SEN circling ARN, Jackie O, 4DMedical, Pro Medicus comparisons and ... more

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Recent Guests

Tim Wilson
Shadow Treasurer and former MP
Australian Parliament
Episode: Shadow Treasurer Tim Wilson Joins the Pod. And, Robyn Denholm cosplays Founders, Elon a Trillionaire and the great Xero Pay Rip-Off
Ari Berman
Listener guest who asks about unintended consequences of budget policy on investors
Episode: Ask Us Anything: Why do some aggregators beat direct prices? + Is the budget punishing risky investors?
Matt Heine
CEO of Netwealth
Netwealth
Episode: Matt Heine on How Netwealth Became One of Australia’s Greatest Tech Success Stories
Frank Greef
Founder/entrepreneur, RealBase and Kinso AI founder, charity fundraiser
Kinso/Kinsale AI, Eat With Purpose
Episode: Meme Hero Frank Greeff Joins Pod, OpenAI vs Anthropic, Clare O'Neil's Budget Slip, SexyLand get Hot, CTM Crumbles and is SpaceX the Most Overvalued IPO Ever?
Will Hayward
Co-founder and CEO of The Contrarians Co.
The Contrarians Co.
Episode: New Contrarians CEO, Boomer's Budget, GYG Comes Home, EY Parental Leave Rort
Scott from Terram Capital
Representative from Terram Capital
Terram Capital
Episode: New Contrarians CEO, Boomer's Budget, GYG Comes Home, EY Parental Leave Rort
Steve Baxter
Beaton's Own Venture Partners founder; veteran VC and Shark Tank personality
Beaton's Own Venture Partners
Episode: Shark Tank Star and VC Steve Baxter, Mythos, Will Quantum Kill Encryption, Pope Double Standards, Data Centres, Glydways and Hermes
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?

Hosts

Adam Schwab
Co-founder of Luxury Escapes; host with Adir; noted for contrarian, market-focused commentary.
Adir Shiffman
Co-host and Exec Chairman with a contrarian, investment-backed perspective; frequent industry and policy insights.

Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars from 228 ratings
  • Loving the Pod

    Great Aussie humour matched with insightful conversation

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    EBA23
    Australia2 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
  • 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

Listeners Say

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

Consistent, high-energy host dynamic with a clear Australian business perspective.
Banters and anecdotes add color but occasionally mute on-the-record insights.
Excellent mix of practical business lessons and big-picture market analysis.
Listeners value blunt, data-driven takes on startups and policy.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#73
Australia/Business

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Ask Us Anything: How do you explain average grades? + Should workers own more of the businesses they help build?
Q: What is Australia's greatest invention and what does that say about the country's innovation ecosystem?
The hosts highlight a mix of health sciences breakthroughs (e.g., Cochlear, ResMed, spray-on skin) and practical innovations (polymer banknotes, boomerang) to illustrate Australia's strength in life sciences and its relatively weaker commercialization in tech, suggesting a need to improve IP commercialization and ecosystem support for scale.
Ask Us Anything: How do you explain average grades? + Should workers own more of the businesses they help build?
Q: Are employee ownership models a viable alternative to traditional succession planning in Australia?
Yes. They discuss how employee ownership or ESOP-style transitions can align incentives, spread ownership, and address generational wealth transfer while acknowledging leadership challenges and the need for careful arrangements to fund founder payouts.
Ask Us Anything: How do you explain average grades? + Should workers own more of the businesses they help build?
Q: What should a candidate do if their academic record is average but they have a strong work history and an ADHD diagnosis?
The hosts suggest that after the first job, school transcripts matter far less than demonstrated performance, skills, and relevant experiences. They advocate acknowledging ADHD as part of the personal narrative when it adds context to focus and energy, but emphasize that proven capability and results are what prospective employers value most.
Ask Us Anything: Why do some aggregators beat direct prices? + Is the budget punishing risky investors?
Q: Tim asked whether Australian consumers are pulling back on spending in light of Barbeques Galore entering administration.
They attribute the decline to a mix of competitive pressure (e.g., Bunnings), the difficulties of traditional retailers adapting to online and private equity debt loads, and broader economic softness, concluding that the collapse more reflects business-model challenges than a simple consumer confidence story.
Ask Us Anything: Why do some aggregators beat direct prices? + Is the budget punishing risky investors?
Q: Ari Berman asked about unintended budget consequences on investors and whether riskier investments should still be favored or yield-focused bets become more attractive.
The hosts discuss how inflation indexing quirks can alter capital gains taxation and encourage investors to rethink asset allocation, with a caveat that high-growth investments remain essential for long-term wealth despite higher taxes. They suggest considering overseas relocation as a potential hedge and emphasize long horizons for venture-style investments.

Audience Metrics

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

Listeners per Episode
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Frequently Asked Questions About The Contrarians

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

Two veteran Australian business voices deliver high-signal, contrarian takes on startups, corporate Australia, policy, and tech. Across episodes, they dissect funding climates, government policy, market moves, and practical startup growth strategies, often pairing sharp analysis with candid anecdotes from their own entrepreneurial and investment experiences. The conversations frequently center on Australia's startup ecosystem, tax and policy shifts, industry dynamics, and the global tech and markets backdrop, making it useful for founders, investors, and teams navigating growth, policy, or alliances with large incumbents. A notable strength is their ability to translate complex macro topics into actionable, real-world guidance, with a fearl... more

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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. The Rules of Investing
4. The Money Café with Alan Kohler
5. How I Made It

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. Tim Wilson
2. Ari Berman
3. Matt Heine
4. Frank Greef
5. Will Hayward
6. Scott from Terram Capital
7. Steve Baxter
8. Scott Middleton

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