Our final Digital Edition of 2024 has landed, shining a spotlight on the pioneering athletes, entrepreneurs and advocates helping push the boundaries of modern life. Centred around the theme of DISRUPTION, this curated collection of features explores the notion of going against the grain and risking the threat of splintering off in the process. The personalities and products highlighted in this issue were born not only out of necessity but also through inspiration, giving us solutions to problems we didn’t know we had. To that, we should all tip our hat.
From the Editor-in-Chief
There was a time when disruption was considered a dirty word. Back before the big tech boom, when craftspeople honed their skills with tools in hand, the very notion of industry upheaval made people nervous, but it must be said, to disrupt doesn’t always mean to destroy. Rather, it is the means to innovate, to improve and to create something better.
Whether it’s a respected leader, like Test Cricket captain Pat Cummins, standing up for what they believe or an inspirational Aussie, like Nedd Brockmann, pushing themselves to the limits, disruption is alive in those who dare to think differently. In this issue, our team delved deep into the lives of these, and many more, disruptors. From athletes going their own way to entrepreneurs forging new industries, each story is a testament to creating courageously.
Closer to home, this digital edition marks a moment of reflection. As we step into the final stretch of 2024, I am reminded of the origins of this project—now four issues deep—and how proud I am to have delivered on our goals. It’s been a challenge, but I think it’s been worth it.
So, as you dive into these stories of resilience, I hope you find some inspiration of your own. If I’ve learned anything from the past 12 months, it is that all progress, no matter how small, starts when you step out of your comfort zone. That, to me, is the true essence of disruption.
Nick Hall
Editor-in-Chief
DISRUPTION
Disruption isn’t simply about breaking the rules; it’s about rewriting them. In this issue, we detail the people doing exactly that, charting the incredible efforts of a diverse group of pioneers. Remarkably, in all our open discussions with athletes, actors and businesspeople, one common thread stuck out—the drive to disrupt came from the desire to do things better than they have been done before. More often than not, it started with the simple question of ‘Why?’.
For inspirational athlete Nedd Brockmann, he looked at the nation’s burgeoning youth homelessness problem and thought ‘Why aren’t we doing more?’. It was that line of thinking that saw him undertake his most difficult challenge to date, a task that ‘almost killed him’. Twelve days, 1,000 miles and more than $4 million later, he’s captured global attention.
Disruption doesn’t always come with fireworks or headlines, however. It can happen in the quiet recesses of solidarity, as with enigmatic character actor Michael Dorman. The Aussie star may have helped helm some of the biggest franchises of the streaming age, but now he’s coming back down to Earth. His quiet and considered chat with Man of Many Editor-in-Chief Nick Hall explored the notion of disruption as a means of breaking free from convention. And he wasn’t alone.
Journalist Ben McKimm sat down with Dr Kate Reid, the aerospace engineer whose decision to step away from science and into pastry-making redefined a centuries-old practice. As she exemplifies, disruption can exist in the single decision to walk away from something that no longer works for you, but is also a balancing act. As Aussie beer brewers Heaps Normal and Hawkes Brewing Co told journalist Dean Blake, category disruption is not about chaos for chaos’ sake. The innovative brewing businesses believe that it is a measure of purpose and that can often extend beyond the expected. It should leave things better than it found them. Check out all of our DISRUPTION features for this quarter and sign up for our newsletter for more.
Pat Cummins is Doing Things His Way
“You’ve got to stand up for things that you believe in, that you’re passionate about. You want to live a life where you’re doing things your own way. So I guess that’s how I try and live my life.”
Three years after taking on the nation’s ‘second-most important job’, Aussie Test Cricket captain Pat Cummins has seen it all. From Ashes victories and World Cup Championships to online vitriol and slew of off-field obstacles, the man they call ‘Captain Planet’ is learning to roll with the punches, and he’s doing it in style.
Ahead of a blockbuster five-test series against traditional rivals India, we sat down with the star athlete to talk setbacks, seamers and the surprise project he’s been working on in the off-season. No longer just another athlete with a squeaky-clean image, Cummins has become synonymous with taking a stand and daring to be bold. With the backing of a new team and a legion of fresh faces waiting in the wings, this could well be the moment Aussie cricket makes a leap of faith.
Nat’s What I Reckon Thinks the Internet is (Mostly) Full Of Shit
After gracing our screens during lockdown, Nat’s What I Reckon became a household name throughout Australia. Now, he’s touring across the country, asking big questions like, “Are hot dogs real?” We sat down with Nat to chat about a bit of everything: being internet famous, working with Beyond Blue on raising awareness for mental health initiatives, and why telling someone to ‘man up’ is probably the worst advice you can give.
Jaguar’s Controversial New Type 00 Concept Might Not Be So Bad
When Jaguar unveiled its bold new branding in November, the internet did not hold back. The iconic British marque was savagely scorned for its attempt to fuse contemporary design language with ultra-modern luxury, all while relegating the combustion engine to the back-burner. But perhaps auto fans were too hasty in their reviews. One month and two hyper-colour concept models later, is it time we finally give Jaguar its dues?
How Keith Haring Helped Swatch Start a Movement
How did a fledgling Swiss watch company and a rising New York City street artist kick-start a breakdance revolution? Swatch creative director Carlo Giordanetti recounts the remarkable story of the first-ever World Breakdance Championship, revealing the incredible role that Keith Haring played in bringing the movement to life. Read how the two industry disruptors worked to challenge the status quo and how 40 years later, Swatch is continuing the legacy.
Inside the Hunt for the Next Big Social Media Platform
With X haemorrhaging users and Facebook falling flat, social media is a crossroads, and it could be about to get worse. Amid rising uncertainty around the future of social media in Australia, journalist Dean Blake sat down with the ‘new’ platforms aiming to disrupt the space and bring something different to table. From Retro to Supernova, Bluesky to NoPlace, take a look at the platforms offering social media users a rare entry to ‘The Cozy Web’…whatever that may be.
Nedd Brockmann is Going the Distance
Twelve days, 13 hours, 16 minutes and 45 seconds after he set off on his remarkable journey, Nedd Brockmann achieved the impossible. With his feet raw, shins aching and blood pouring from his nose, the tradie-turned-athlete trudged his way around the track of the Sydney Olympic Park for one last time, rounding the corner and heading down straight into the history books. But as he reveals, Brockmann’s painstaking quest to run 1,000 miles non-stop almost ended in tragedy.
“That was probably the worst I’ve ever felt—it was the closest I’ve ever been to seeing what it might be like to die,” Brockmann says. “My throat was closing up, my nose was bleeding, everything was going to crap. Mum and Belly, my physio, had to make the call and figure out how we were going to go about this because I was going to die out there. I was willing to go to that point, but the team weren’t willing to watch me go to that point.”
In a rare interview, Brockmann recounts each and every painful moment encountered on his Uncomfortable Challenge, revealing the messages of support that helped him get through it all. Audacious, bold and borderline obsessive, the Aussie legend’s commitment to breaking down barriers is something to behold.
Is Australia’s Craft Brewing Scene Going Flat?
It’s our national vocation, weaved into the fibres of our very identity, but is a cold one really all its cracked up to be? With Australia’s once-booming beer scene starting to fall flat, Aussie brewers are turning to alternative means and for Andy Miller, co-founder of the booming non-alcoholic business Heaps Normal, it’s music to his ears.
The ‘Spiritual’ Preparation Behind ‘Gladiator II’
Gladiator II is out, and the epic follow-up to Ridley Scott’s masterpiece brings the Roman Empire even closer to its inevitable demise. Here, journalist Dean Blake sits down with three of the box office topping film‘s leads – Paul Mescal, Fred Hechinger, and Connie Nielsen – about how they brought their characters to life in the action-packed sequel.
How Golf Gods Went From $2,000 to $27 Million in 10 Years
You probably wouldn’t expect one of the fastest up-and-coming challenger brands in the golf scene to have been born in South Australia, especially from the minds of two former tradies, but Golf Gods does a lot of things you wouldn’t expect.
From Penis Putters to The Shocker glove, co-founders Dale Smedley and Shaun Trevillian have built a business out of borderline-meme-worthy products and making golf fun again. What’s more, business is booming. The pair have raked in a whopping $27 million in turnover, built completely off the back of a $2,000 investment made 10 years ago, and it’s only getting better. Journalist Dean Blake wanted to know how they did it, so he went right to the source.
Final Fantasy’s Naoki Yoshida Doesn’t Make Other Games
Final Fantasy XIV is undoubtedly one of the most popular video games on the planet today. Playable on almost every gaming console and platform and with thousands of hours of content, Square-Enix’s crown jewel of an MMO delivers an entire world for its whopping 30 million registered players to get lost in, and, largely, all of those people look to one man as the captain of the ship: Naoki Yoshida.
How Eight Sleep Made a Good Night’s Rest Profitable
They might appear like the quintessential Silicon Valley power couple, but technology entrepreneurs Matteo Franceschetti and Alexandra Zatarain don’t prescribe to the toxicity of hustle culture. The masterminds behind bed-tech unicorn Eight Sleep have built a remarkable business that won’t take ill health lying down. Read how the highly-driven team transformed a good night’s sleep into a thriving multi-million dollar enterprise.
The Cinematic Seven: A Guide to This Season’s Blockbusters and Blunders
Want to know what (and what not) to put on your watchlist this season? Journalist and film critic Rob Edwards takes a deep dive into the best new films coming to cinemas over the next three months. From big budget blockbusters like Nosferatu to the lesser-known gems that we otherwise would have missed, Man of Many’s resident Roger Ebert-impersonator has the latest releases on lock.
In this inaugural instalment of our upcoming release series, The Cinematic Seven, Rob Edwards charts the best new movies heading to theatres. Check out everything you need to know, along with release dates, trailers and more.
After the Olympics, Harry Garside is Staying True
Aussie boxer extraordinaire, plumber, and mental-health advocate Harry Garside is well known for his acumen both in the ring and out; but when he fell short of medalling at the Paris 2024 Olympics, the mental toll hit hard. His emotional explanation live on air captured global attention and reminded us all of the power of vulnerability. We caught up the Aussie hero post Olympics to talk modern masculinity, the success of his new book and what life is like once the final bell rings.
One Old Family Recipe is Turning Spirits Upside Down
If you have never heard heard of rakija, you’re in good company. Journalist Rob Edwards was similarly unfamiliar with the remarkable European spirit until a chance meeting with DNA Distillery’s Monique Sutevski and James Projcevski righted his wrongs. More than just founders, the siblings are the entire team behind the label, responsible for nearly every step in the process. Armed with their grandfather’s rakija recipe, they’re planning on taking over the Aussie spirits industry.
The Many Faces of Michael Dorman
After spending the better part of two decades grinding out exceptional, if not entirely unheralded, performances, Michael Dorman would be forgiven for having an air of L.A. self-importance. Instead, what you get is an actor who is as proud as punch to chat about his time in Australia, and for good reason. Dorman, alongside homegrown heavyweights Anna Torv and Roger Taylor, currently leads the number-one Netflix show in the country.
Sitting down with Man of Many Editor-in-Chief, Nick Hall, Dorman recounts highlights from his extensive on-screen career, from leading the Straw Hats in the blockbuster live-action One Piece adaptation to tackling the final frontier in For All Mankind. But after conquering the Grand Line and travelling to outer space, the homegrown talent is coming back down to earth, leading the breakout Netflix smash Territory. Here, the revered character actor reveals the incredible experience of playing a tortured and tested Australian cowboy.
Kate Reid Was an F1 Engineer. Now She’s a Pastry Legend
A decade ago, Kate Reid was a high-performance engineer working her dream job in Formula 1. Now, Melbourne residents spend hours queuing up for her internationally acclaimed pastries. In this thought-provoking chat, the former aerospace engineer turned Lune Croissanterie co-founder explains her incredible and inspiring change of heart.
How Bruichladdich Crafted the World’s Peatiest Whisky…Twice
Islay is home to a rich history of traditional Scotch whisky production, but one progressive distillery is breaking all the rules. Bruichladdich’s latest Octomore 15 collection marks the label’s most arcane and divisive release, and it’s helping to redefine the Scotch whisky industry’s concept of what is possible, probable and, most importantly, palatable.
Inside Jackalope Hotel, Mornington Peninsula’s Home of Edgy Luxury
Nestled among the peaceful vineyards of the Mornington Peninsula, a world apart from Melbourne’s espresso-fuelled buzz and graffiti-clad laneways, awaits an invitation to experience the art of true luxury.
In this instalment of our luxury escape series, Suite Spot, John Guanzon takes us inside Jackalope Hotel, the decadent and enchanting venue that is as opulent as it is obscure. As the inaugural editorial feature for Suite Spot’s quarterly review series, Jackalope sets a dazzling standard—not just for the Peninsula, but for luxury stays across the country.
How a ‘Shoey’ Gave a $12M Boost to This Aussie Alcohol Brand
Three years ago, Hard FIZZ was a start-up low-calorie alcohol brand built out of a sweaty shed in Queensland. Today, it has evolved to become one of the biggest home-grown alcohol brands in the country. If you ask CEO and co-founder Wade Tiller, however, the secret to this fair-dinkum true blue Aussie success story comes a little out of left-field, citing a ‘Shoey’ for none other than The Great White Shark, himself.
Meyne Wyatt’s New Movie Could Scare You Enough to Think
As one of Australia’s most prolific actors, Meyne Wyatt has moved gracefully from stage to screen. With his new release, The Moogai, Wyatt is weaving social commentary with a horror genre film and the results and nothing short of terrifying. Here, the iconic Aussie actor reveals the story of The Moogai and what the tale tells us about intergenerational trauma facing First Nations people.
The Man of Many Digital Edition is a quarterly online publication highlighting key stories of success and determination. For more information on how to get involved or to share a story, contact [email protected] and be sure to sign up to our daily newsletter.
Authors – Nick Hall, Ben McKimm, Rob Edwards, Dean Blake, John Guanzon.
Design & Production – Nick Hall, John Guanzon, Dianne Caliwan, Beatrix Boon.
Special Thanks – Ogilvy, Carrera Eyewear, Netflix Australia
Sales & Partnerships – Elliott Barsby, Marcus Hurley, Alex Martinez.
