Future History

• #51 - Benjamin Cooper - How Food is the Most Powerful Way We Connect

  Benjamin Cooper is the Executive Chef at Melbourne’s iconic restaurant Chin Chin. With a background that spans fine dining in the UK and Europe to leading some of Australia’s busiest kitchens, Benjamin brings a balance of technique, intuition and creativity to his work. He is also the author of three cookbooks in the Chin Chin Collection: The Book, Feed Me and Still Hungry.On this episode, Benjamin reflects on the early decisions that shaped his career, the importance of curiosity, adaptability and and creative risk-taking, how philosophy guides his work, how nourishment goes beyond food to become a form of connection, how great restaurants create moments of true presence, how vision and collaboration bring a restaurant to life, the responsibility that comes with hospitality, how purpose and reason evolve over a lifetime and so much more.-00:00 – Intro03:02 – Kitchens & Creativity07:45 – Led by Curiosity12:10 – Lessons from High-Volume Service20:55 – Asian Culture25:15 – Australian Identity30:14 – Kitchen Choreography32:41 – Nourishment, Pleasure, and Presence37:12 – Collaborative brand Building43:55 – Gatekeeping vs Natural Evolution48:55 – Philosophy Over Process55:51 – Purpose, Reason, and Sacrifice1:03:20 – Chin Chin and the Lucas Legacy1:14:29 – Guiding Philosophy1:15:51 – Redefining Imposter Syndrome-Follow Benjamin on Instagram: @chefjamincooper----Follow Future History on Instagram: @futurehistory.coFollow Wayne Lim on Instagram: @hausofwayne

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• #50 - Wayne Lim - The Pursuit of Creative Freedom: Building Something That Matters

  Wayne Lim is a designer, artist, and host of the Future History podcast, with a career that spans nearly two decades across design, brand strategy and illustration. Having worked with brands like T2 Tea, Marvel, Museums Victoria, and Basketball Australia, he is now shifting focus back to his roots in visual art. Through both his podcast and his artwork, his focus is on process over outcomes using creativity as a tool for reflection, growth, making work that’s true to his experience and grounded in curiosity.On this episode, Wayne is joined by special guest host, his wife Stacey Lim as they reflect on his journey from design to art, how the podcast was the result of a chapter of life challenges, lessons from pasts guests, the importance of making work for yourself where you're the only measure that matters, why hard work will always beat talent, how lessons from one pursuit can inform and strengthen all the others, why discipline is more reliable than motivation and so much more.-00:00 - Intro05:43 - Why I Had to Start This Podcast11:44 - Running: The First Step Out of Rock Bottom15:38 - Learning There Are No Limits22:04 - Reflecting on Past Episodes25:59 - Having Faith in Your Capabilities30:50 - Benefits and Philosophy of Marathon Training39:24 - When Fear Looks Like Self-Sabotage47:13 - The Mindset Shift: Challenges Are the Way50:12 - Why Execution Matters More Than the Idea59:16 - Choose Your Hard1:02:40 - The Creative Ripple Effect1:07:56 - From Comparison to Motivation1:12:58 - The Fallacy of Personal Brands1:23:56 - Finding Genuine Confidence1:30:36 - Final Thoughts-Follow Stacey on Instagram: @staceylimrocks----Follow Future History on Instagram: @futurehistory.coFollow Wayne Lim on Instagram: @hausofwayne

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• #49 - Eddie Zammit - How Nostalgia Shapes Our Creative Future

  Eddie Zammit is an art director and cultural curator. With a career spanning decades, he has played a pivotal role in shaping the Australian creative landscape through magazines, brand collaborations and T-World, a globally recognised publication covering all things T-shirts. Most notable are the exhibitions Eddie curated - Sesame Street 50 Years and Counting, Micky Mouse 90th Birthday, Daniel Johns: Past, Present & FutureNever, Shepard Fairey: Printed Matters Sydney, the Benalla Street Art Festival, most recently, Hello Kitty 50th Anniversary.On this episode, Eddie shares how nostalgia can be a tool for creative innovation, why curation is about storytelling as much as aesthetics, and what makes an exhibition truly immersive. We discuss the power of pop culture, the psychology behind enduring creative work, the importance of his values in quality, originality and longevity. We dive into the thinking behind exhibitions he’s curated for Mambo, Mickey Mouse, and Daniel Johns and how curation, when done well, becomes a cultural archive plus so much more.-00:00 - Intro01:57 - Art Direction vs Curation05:27 - Creative Values: Quality, Originality, Longevity08:58 - The Mambo Legacy & Brand Perception12:51 - Style, Originality & Personal Voice16:15 - The Role of Memory in Creative Work20:28 - Cultural References, Aging & Creative Timelessness25:01 - Daniel Johns Exhibition, Unused Mambo Art and Australia's Cultural Identity35:42 - Designing Immersive Exhibitions46:10 - The Power of Artists, Legacy, Persistence & Creating Without Limits54:53 - Personal Drive and the Emotional Investment01:04:53 - Basketball Culture & Creative Energy in Sport01:07:10 - Unexpected Creative Pairings01:16:00 - Australia’s Cultural Identity on the Olympic World Stage01:22:48 - The Benalla Art Festival - Embracing Artistic Identity01:27:50 - Building Value, strategy and branding as an Artist-Follow Eddie on Instagram: @eddiezammit----Follow Future History on Instagram: @futurehistory.coFollow Wayne Lim on Instagram: @hausofwayne

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• #48 - Tinky Sonntag - The Art Of Absurdity: Finding Magic In The Mundane

  SPOTIFY#48 - Tinky Sonntag - Finding Magic in the MundaneTinky Sonntag is a Melbourne-based installation and street artist known for her whimsical miniature dioramas that transform overlooked urban spaces into scenes of playful storytelling. Her art reimagines vintage and discarded materials into darkly humorous scenes, paired with witty captions that highlight the absurdity and beauty of everyday life.On this episode, we explore the power of observation, the value of finding meaning in the mundane, and how humour and absurdity can be tools to process life’s heavier themes. Tinky shares insights on embracing imperfection, letting go of ego, and balancing humility with creative confidence. We discuss how storytelling can emerge from overlooked details, why staying playful matters, navigating imposter syndrome as a working artist, how shifting your perspective can transform not just your art, but the way you engage with the world and so much more.-00:00 Intro01:15 Finding Humour and Beauty in the Absurd09:50 Turning Trash into Tiny Worlds16:05 Early Influences and Inspirations19:45 Why People Are Drawn to the Work23:10 Sneaking Artwork into MONA28:49 Why Her Work Left the Streets34:44 What Kids Teach Us About Creativity40:40 Creating Worlds That Pull You In49:14 Letting Go of Ego and Doubt55:50 Following Intuition in Creative Work01:03:15 The Big Bird That Started It All01:10:03 Happy Accidents and Unplanned Success01:17:22 Staying Open and Moving Forward-Follow Tinky on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tinkysonntag----Follow Future History on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/futurehistory.coFollow Wayne Lim on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hausofwayne

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• #47 - Nate Spiteri - The Startup Powering Circular Fashion

  Nate Spiteri is the co-founder and CEO of Shopfront, a platform that makes it simple and easy to connect you to every marketplace globally to sell your preloved clothes. With a background in fashion and fintech, Nate brings together his passions and expertise to reshape the future of retail by making it more accessible, affordable, and environmentally responsible.On this episode, Nate shares his journey as a startup founder in the circular fashion space, the lessons he’s learned building Shopfront from idea to launch, and how he’s navigating the challenges of entrepreneurship in sustainable fashion. We dive into what it takes to build a business that balances purpose and profit, the strategies behind launching a brand in a competitive market, why adaptability is critical for startup success, the growing importance of resale and rental models in fashion, and so much more.-00:00 – Intro03:04 – Fast Trends and Fashion Subcultures08:50 – Secondhand Fashion and Cultural Stigma11:52 – How Overconsumption Inspired Shopfront20:41 – Changing Mindsets About Secondhand Fashion23:33 – Discount Culture and Consumer Behavior26:16 – Nate’s Journey: Finance to Fashion Tech32:00 – Identifying a Gap in Circular Fashion45:15 – Startup Qualities That Matter Most46:47 – Building a Scalable, Investable Business53:00 – Big Goals vs. Comfort Culture59:22 – Branding Trust in Sustainable Markets01:00:47 – How Resale and Rental Are Reshaping Fashion01:06:09 – Raising Consumer Standards01:09:03 – Rethinking Sustainability and Brand Creation01:13:00 – Staying True to Your Brand Values01:18:00 – Opportunity Timing and Cultural Shifts01:24:00 – Shopfront Launch and Final Thoughts-Follow Nate on LinkedIn: @nathanspiteriFollow Shopfront on Instagram: @shopfront.ig----Follow Future History on Instagram: @futurehistory.coFollow Wayne Lim on Instagram: @hausofwayne

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