What a Stranger Told Me

• Sleep Coach Searches For Peace & Quiet - Another Stranger Story

  In Episode 13 of the What a Stranger Told Me podcast, Jon meets Anna—a sleep coach on a working holiday, helping CEOs, trauma-affected kids, and exhausted parents learn to sleep well again. This storytelling podcast uncovers honest moments from everyday lives. Escaping Sydney’s “head down, butt up” grind, she’s house-sitting in a client’s off-grid palace, surrounded by silence and stars. “Here, I I can breathe.” Anna’s mission is simple but urgent: sleep well to fix health, mood, and focus. She coaches high-performers for months—some on 10 meds, two hours a night, fearing heart attacks. One woman got off most meds, reclaimed her life. Others run her Sleep to Thrive course at work. Her charity, Sleep and Dream Foundation, trains women’s shelter staff and gives kids sleep packs. A scientific study is underway. She drops gold: in 1942, we averaged 7.9 hours. Now? Six, and it’s junk. Phones, artificial light since the 1930s, stress—they’ve hijacked our rhythm. Her fix? Five minutes outside at dawn and dusk. “Say hello to the sun. That’s it.” No screens, no over-exercise, no forcing exhaustion. “We’re like kids—the more wound up, the worse we sleep.” Favourite time of day? Waking naturally, no alarm, feeling the day begin soft. Anna gets 7–8 hours—her “hero sleep” hits nine. “Most of us need seven and a half. Only 2% truly need six.” This episode of What a Stranger Told Me is about rest, rhythm, and reclaiming your nights. It’s warm, real, and full of heart—proof a quick chat can reset your life. Want to sleep well? Press play. Join Jon to hear Anna’s story, a gentle reminder every stranger carries wisdom worth waking up for. 🎙️ Want more, Stranger? Like the idea of story-collectors Tim Reid & Jon Coghill chatting to attendees at your next conference or event? Or maybe you'd like them to chat to strangers in your part of the world. Hit them up here. 📸 Join us behind-the-scenes Follow the What a StrangerTold Me podcast madness on Instagram. ☎️ Got a story you'd love to share? Call us +61 489 272 286. You've got a whopping 10-minutes, so sit back, take a big breath and go for gold. 👽 Don’t be a stranger Got some feedback? Bring it on. Just be gentle. One of us has thin skin ;) 🤩 Who’s behind all this strangeness? Made & Hosted by Tim Reid & Jon CoghillMusic Supervision by Dennis FelettoPhotography by Will Reid & Andy McCollSupport the show: https://whatastrangertoldme.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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• A Frustrated Magician On Holidays - Real Stories From Real Strangers

  Today we catch up with a Sydney magician on day two of a two-week holiday—and he's feeling a little punchy. As always, the What Stranger Told Me podcast uncovers honest moments from everyday lives. Twenty years making kids gasp with colouring books and vanishing silks, he’s traded the stage for Cable Beach sun. “Just chilling,” he says. No tricks, no reveals - just a break from the grind. He’s self-taught, family-focused, and quick to bristle at secret-spillers. “People want wonder, not how-to.” A recent flop sent him back to the drawing board, but he covered it smooth. “We’re human.” Silly Billy is his hero; big illusions aren’t his game. Favourite moment? A child’s eyes when blank pages bloom colour. That’s the real magic.Annoyed? Maybe. But the gruff edges soften when he talks kids’ joy. “It’s about moments.” Holiday or not, the craft follows. This episode of What a Stranger Told Me is about rest, craft, and the magic that won’t switch off. It’s warm, real, and full of heart—proof even an annoyed magician carries wonder. Join Tim to hear the story, a gentle reminder every stranger, grumpy or not, has a spark worth catching. 🎙️ Want more, Stranger? Like the idea of story-collectors Tim Reid & Jon Coghill chatting to attendees at your next conference or event? Or maybe you'd like them to chat to strangers in your part of the world. Hit them up here. 📸 Join us behind-the-scenes Follow the What a StrangerTold Me podcast madness on Instagram. ☎️ Got a story you'd love to share? Call us +61 489 272 286. You've got a whopping 10-minutes, so sit back, take a big breath and go for gold. 👽 Don’t be a stranger Got some feedback? Bring it on. Just be gentle. One of us has thin skin ;) 🤩 Who’s behind all this strangeness? Made & Hosted by Tim Reid & Jon CoghillMusic Supervision by Dennis FelettoPhotography by Will Reid & Andy McCollSupport the show: https://whatastrangertoldme.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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• Young Butcher Chooses The Simple (Slightly Hectic) Life - Another Stranger Story

  Today you'll meet Rhys in Episode 10 of What a Stranger Told Me - a 20-year-old qualified butcher who’s already lived a lifetime in boots and blades. This storytelling podcast uncovers honest moments from everyday lives. Apprenticed at 16, he’s sharpened knives that shave hair, run bandsaws through hands, and tomorrow he’ll dress a cow from paddock to plate. “I love the whole side of it,” he says. Old-school butchers in their 40s and 50s took him under their wing—cruisy, no bullshit, just craft.Raised on AC/DC, Metallica, and Green Day, he traded city clubs for rodeo dust. “No drugs, no drama—just beers and bulls.” He’s jumped on a mate’s cow drunk, got bucked into a tree, laughed it off. “Stupid, but fun.” One day he’ll open his own shop—small town, sharp knives, honest meat.Favourite time? Cruising the bush after dark, windows down, radio loud. No drink-driving, no fuss. “I’ve never understood the point.” This episode of What a Stranger Told Me is about craft, courage, and staying real at 20. It’s warm, real, and full of heart—proof a quick chat can cut deep. Join Jon to hear Rhys’s story, a gentle reminder every stranger carries a trade worth hearing about. 🎙️ Want more, Stranger? Like the idea of story-collectors Tim Reid & Jon Coghill chatting to attendees at your next conference or event? Or maybe you'd like them to chat to strangers in your part of the world. Hit them up here. 📸 Join us behind-the-scenes Follow the What a StrangerTold Me podcast madness on Instagram. ☎️ Got a story you'd love to share? Call us +61 489 272 286. You've got a whopping 10-minutes, so sit back, take a big breath and go for gold. 👽 Don’t be a stranger Got some feedback? Bring it on. Just be gentle. One of us has thin skin ;) 🤩 Who’s behind all this strangeness? Made & Hosted by Tim Reid & Jon CoghillMusic Supervision by Dennis FelettoPhotography by Will Reid & Andy McCollSupport the show: https://whatastrangertoldme.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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• Inside a Huge, Loving Country Family - Real Stories from Strangers

  Let's meet Emma—one of six siblings from a sprawling beef cattle clan, now bridging country roots with coastal life. The What a Stranger Told Me podcast uncovers honest moments from everyday lives. Growing up, family stretched beyond blood: a tight-knit rural community where everyone leaned in. “We relied on each other.” With 18 cousins and a matriarch nan at the centre, gatherings were loud, constant, essential.When nan passed, an auntie took the reins—now yearly reunions rotate from Tassie to Condobolin, keeping the bond alive. “We’re so lucky.” Emma spends hours each week on the phone, nurturing ties across generations. Her 14-year-old niece gets gentle nudges away from screens: “Comparison steals joy—live your own life.”Coast living for nine years hasn’t faded the country pull. She helps friend Kristen grow Cowgirl Surf Club (sparked by a viral horse-surfing clip), blending rodeo grit with beach vibes. Fashion work beckons internationally—big travel ahead—but asked to choose? “Country, every time. The space, the realness, the air." Favourite time? Red wine, country vinyl, family stories flowing. City crowds post more than they talk; out west, conversations run deep, even when service drops. This episode of What a Stranger Told Me is about legacy, closeness, and the family you choose. It’s warm, real, and full of heart—proof a quick chat can open a whole world of love. Join Tim to hear Emma’s story, a gentle reminder of the importance of family - no matter the size. 🎙️ Want more, Stranger? Like the idea of story-collectors Tim Reid & Jon Coghill chatting to attendees at your next conference or event? Or maybe you'd like them to chat to strangers in your part of the world. Hit them up here. 📸 Join us behind-the-scenes Follow the What a StrangerTold Me podcast madness on Instagram. ☎️ Got a story you'd love to share? Call us +61 489 272 286. You've got a whopping 10-minutes, so sit back, take a big breath and go for gold. 👽 Don’t be a stranger Got some feedback? Bring it on. Just be gentle. One of us has thin skin ;) 🤩 Who’s behind all this strangeness? Made & Hosted by Tim Reid & Jon CoghillMusic Supervision by Dennis FelettoPhotography by Will Reid & Andy McCollSupport the show: https://whatastrangertoldme.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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• Two Cowgirls Cling To Their Country Roots - Real Stories From Strangers

  In Episode 9 of What a Stranger Told Me, Jon pulls up a chair with Lucy and Eliza—two young women whose cowgirl roots run deep, even in the suburbs. This storytelling podcast uncovers honest moments from everyday lives. Raised on cattle properties across Queensland and New South Wales, they grew up mustering, riding, and breathing wide-open spaces. “It’s not the hat,” they say. “It’s in your blood.” Now one’s heading to boarding school in Toowoomba, surrounded by country girls just like her. The other’s studying animal care, dreaming of a future in equine vet nursing. But the farm never left them. They ride Western and English—barrel racing, show jumping, gently retraining a mare who once threw everyone off. “Trust takes years,” Lucy shares. “You feel it, the horse feels it.” She’s aiming for nationals after a tough season with hoof issues. Eliza’s stepping into competitive barrel racing this year—three barrels, tight turns, full gallop home. Motorbikes are part of the mix too, with the twins (one boyfriend, one brother) keeping the country spirit alive on acreage. Tonight? A rare city night out—boots, laughs, maybe a little boot-scooting. Longreach was the plan, but this works just fine. This episode of What a Stranger Told Me is about belonging, quiet confidence, and the pull of where you’re from. It’s warm, real, and full of heart—proof a quick chat can feel like coming home. Join Jon to hear their story, a gentle reminder every stranger has roots worth knowing. 🎙️ Want more, Stranger? Like the idea of story-collectors Tim Reid & Jon Coghill chatting to attendees at your next conference or event? Or maybe you'd like them to chat to strangers in your part of the world. Hit them up here. 📸 Join us behind-the-scenes Follow the What a StrangerTold Me podcast madness on Instagram. ☎️ Got a story you'd love to share? Call us +61 489 272 286. You've got a whopping 10-minutes, so sit back, take a big breath and go for gold. 👽 Don’t be a stranger Got some feedback? Bring it on. Just be gentle. One of us has thin skin ;) 🤩 Who’s behind all this strangeness? Made & Hosted by Tim Reid & Jon CoghillMusic Supervision by Dennis FelettoPhotography by Will Reid & Andy McCollSupport the show: https://whatastrangertoldme.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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