The Contrarians with Adam and Adir
Adam Schwab and Adir Shiffman
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.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Jun 6, 2025 • 28min
Ask Us Anything: What really happens in the Qantas lounge + Angel Investing Tips + Where to stash your emergency $1M!
00:00 - How to set valuation when Angel Investing?14:35 - What really happens in the Qantas lounge?22:00 - Where are you stashing your emergency $1M?Today's Sponsors:Safety Nest: www.safetynest.com.auMighty: www.mightypartners.com.au/contrarians Affix: www.affix.com.au/contrariansThanks for listening!Join us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-contrarians-with-adam-and-adir-podcastSubscribe on YouTube for all our video content: https://https://www.youtube.com/@ContrariansPodcastFollow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/contrarianspodFollow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@contrarianspodSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jun 2, 2025 • 1h 35min
Labubu Mania, Webjet Takeover, Rich List Deep Dive, Eucalyptus Face Off, Waymo and Warby Parker
The guys chat about the great Labubu craze, go head to head on whether Eucalyptus is a valuable business, discuss the Webjet takeover, deep dive into Australia’s richest people and chat about Google’s surprise investment in Warby Parker.This week's Sponsors:Netwealth: www.netwealth.com.au Telstra: www.telstra.com.au/tbtcVanta: www.vanta.com/contrarians00:00 - Intro7:25 - Adam's Quiz: AFR's Rich List35:42 - Labubu Craze45:20 - Eucalyptus1:05:02 - ATO News1:18:40 - Warby Parker & GoogleSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
May 30, 2025 • 28min
Ask Us Anything: How does ambition change over time? + Contrarian takes on AI
00:00 - How does ambition change over time?12:00 - The guy's contrarian takes on AI20:22 - St. Kilda FC's boardToday's sponsors:Safetynest: www.safetynest.com.auMighty: www.mightypartners.com.au/contrarians Affix: www.affix.com.au/contrarians Thanks for listening!Join us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-contrarians-with-adam-and-adir-podcastSubscribe on YouTube for all our video content: https://https://www.youtube.com/@ContrariansPodcastFollow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/contrarianspodFollow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@contrarianspodSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
May 26, 2025 • 1h 51min
Joe Aston joins Live to talk Qantas, the L1-Platinum Takeover and James Hardie, Catapult Rockets, Interest Rates, the Power of Great Customer Service and Adir’s McDonald’s Incident
The guys are joined by Joe Aston to chat about Qantas, L1, James Hardie, and the growth of Rampart, Catapult’s incredible run continues while Adam encourages Adir to start looking for private jets, the RBA’s foolish decision to prematurely slash interest rates, why great customer service is so important and Adir’s McDonald’s mishap.00:00 - Episode 10002:25 - Catapult12:15 - Adir's Question20:23 - Great Customer Service28.45 - Adir at McDonalds32:45 - Interest Rates42:50 - Joe Aston in Studio with Adam & AdirThis Week's Sponsor:Netwealth: www.netwealth.com.auVanta: www.vanta.com/contrariansThanks for listening!Join us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-contrarians-with-adam-and-adir-podcastSubscribe on YouTube for all our video content: https://https://www.youtube.com/@ContrariansPodcastFollow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/contrarianspodFollow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@contrarianspodSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
May 23, 2025 • 26min
Ask Us Anything: The most important data points for business + Can AI be a financial planner!?
00:00 - Medicinal cannabis + MDMA04:55 - Can AI be a financial planner?13:32 - Most important company data pointsToday's Sponsors:Mighty: www.mightypartners.com.au/contrarians Affix: www.affix.com.au/contrarians See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
May 19, 2025 • 1h 40min
World’s Biggest Travel Businesses, DoorDash Goes Large, HotDoc’s Missing Dance Partner and the guys speak to EatClub Founder Pan Koutlakis
The guys discuss the world’s most profitable travel businesses, DoorDash’s big week as it buys Deliveroo and Seven Rooms, HotDoc’s ambitious IPO plans and the guys speak exclusively to EatClub Founder Pan Koutlakis after his $18.7m raise00:00 - Intro15:40 - Grand Prix Headline22:50 - Ubisoft, Massive and Gaming34:34 - Most profitable travel businesses40:00 - Customer service at LE1:01:00 - Pan from EatClub1:23:35 - HotDocAdir's Books:The Dream Architects by David PolfeldtThis week's sponsors:Netwealth: www.netwealth.com.au Telstra: www.telstra.com.au/tbtc Vanta: www.vanta.com/contrarians See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
May 16, 2025 • 25min
Ask Us Anything: Managing Work Travel with Family Commitments + Adam's Property Solution
00:00 - Manage work travel09:30 - Property tax vs. Income tax16:19 - DigiCo IPO discussionToday's Sponsors:Affix: www.affix.com.au/contrariansMighty: www.mightypartners.com.au/contrarians See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
May 12, 2025 • 1h 30min
Mecca’s Loyalty Win, Tony’s Chocolonely, Waymo, Pet Circle Struggles, Netflix and Would You Have Dinner with Warren Buffett?
The guys discuss the rise and rise of Mecca, the incredible story of Teun van de Keuken and Tony’s Chocolonely, will Waymo win self driving, Pet Circle’s horror losses continue to mount, how Netflix brought back the doco and the guys argue about just how great Warren Buffett is.00:00 - Mecca, Mother's Day and Loyalty Programs21:50 - AI Chat36:11 - Tony's Chocolonely45:00 - Netflix and the Growth of Docos47:17 - Pet Circle58:40 - Warren Buffet's RetirementNetwealth: www.netwealth.com.auTelstra: www.telstra.com.au/tbtcVanta: www.vanta.com/contrariansSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
May 9, 2025 • 34min
Ask Us Anything: How to manage your time + Is DEI actually helpful for business?
00:00 - How Adam & Adir manage their time10:46 - DEI in business21:02 - What industry would you focus on today?Thanks to our sponsors:Safety Nest: www.safetynest.com.au Mighty: www.mightypartners.com.au/contrariansVanta: www.vanta.com/contrariansThanks for listening!Join us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-contrarians-with-adam-and-adir-podcastSubscribe on YouTube for all our video content: https://https://www.youtube.com/@ContrariansPodcastFollow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/contrarianspodFollow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@contrarianspodSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
May 5, 2025 • 1h 43min
Apple’s Disaster, Atlassian Crashes, Tesla’s Struggles, Election Breakdown and Adir’s New Voting Idea
The guys discuss the unfolding disasters at Apple, Atlassian’s share price crash as it gives away AI, Tesla gets squeezed and dive into the Liberal’s election calamity and Adir’s brand new much improved voting system00:00 - Intro07:30 - Australian Election Breakdown49:00 - Adir's LinkedIn Survey Update53:50 - Nintendo Update55:15 - Brambles57:15 - Warren Buffet1:08:35 - Apple's Woes1:16:57 - Atlassian1:31:02 - Storage IndustriesThis week's sponsors:Netwealth: www.netwealth.com.auTelstra: www.telstra.com.au/tbtcVanta: www.vanta.com/contrariansThanks for listening!Join us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-contrarians-with-adam-and-adir-podcastSubscribe on YouTube for all our video content: https://https://www.youtube.com/@ContrariansPodcastFollow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/contrarianspodFollow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@contrarianspodSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
