People over profit with Clinton Schultz
Image courtesy @michaelbattle.photos
Today’s episode is such a treat, but to be honest, I’ve struggled with how to categorise it. Is it about giving up the booze? Is it about creating boundaries around work and relationships? Smashing stereotypes of wellness? Or creating a values-based business?
Turns out, it’s all of the above!
In this poggie I chat with the wonderful Dr Clinton Schultz, a proud Gamilaroi man, psychologist, husband, dad and founder of Sobah - hands down the best non-alcoholic craft beer you will ever taste. (Seriously. It’s delicious.)
Clinton and his partner Lozen started Sobah out of a desire to provide better tasting (non-soda water!) options for those who aren’t drinking, and have since built it into a business that is reframing the conversation around social drinking in Australia. One of the things I love so much about them is the way they’ve built Sobah on the foundation of Gamilaraay Lore ‘dhiriya Gamil’. This includes respecting people, place and the environment; understanding and working towards fulfilling our responsibilities and engaging in positive reciprocity, and it’s those three ‘R’s of respect, responsibility and reciprocity that imbue everything Clinton does.
He and I talk about the realities of giving up booze and the pushback that sometimes accompanies it, as well as the way drinking is wound into virtually every element of Australian culture. We also dig in to the thinking behind Sobah’s recent (and very successful) round of equity crowd-funding - namely why they wanted to work with co-owners who are aligned with their values, rather than Big Money that is only interested in making more of it.
Clinton and I also talk about:
developing and maintaining boundaries between work and home
how his work as a psychologist has informed his personal journey and that of Sobah
what care looks like for Clinton and his family
stereotypes around alcohol consumption and wellness
collective thinking and why individualism is costing us all so dearly
lessons that non-Indigenous Australians can, and should be learning from First Nations people
why it was so important for Sobah to work with native ingredients and support First Nations businesses
why Clinton was happy to let investors walk away if they weren’t aligned with Sobah’s values.
Ben and I have had many great conversations as a result of this episode, and I hope it brings the same to you. Enjoy!
Things to check out after today’s episode:
Warndu - The Australian native food revolution
Listen to the Sobah Life Podcast here
Connect with Sobah:
@sobahbeverages on IG
CARE is now available as an audiobook:
Give the gift of Care this Christmas! Signed, personalised copies of my books are now available to purchase. If you’d like to buy one as a gift, be sure to do so before shipping cut-off dates. (Dec 8 for Australian addresses. International shipping has already closed.)
Check out our intro musicians - Shred Kelly
Looking for more?
Follow me on Instagram @brookemcalary
Or leave a rating or review in iTunes
Support the show!