246: The untold story of regional fashion powerhouse Holly Goodman

01/26/25 • 47 min

You’ve probably heard of my guest today. But chances are, what you haven’t heard is the story she’s about to tell you. Holly Goodman is a regional powerhouse. She’s a teacher turned small business owner turned fashion designer, and now runs her own label, Peter Bill. Holly met her husband Ben while they were both showing cattle at the Sydney Royal Easter show in High school. They both knew they wanted kids, but it didn’t happen instantly for them. As her friends were getting pregnant around her, Holly was struggling to conceive. But, after two years of trying, their first son was born and she was smitten. 17 months later, their second son arrived in the world. But things weren’t so smooth the second time around. Holly is a very ‘happy-go-lucky person’- but she struggled silently with her mental health for over a year. In this episode, she opens up for the first time about her struggles, how she got through it, and why, not long after, she decided to launch her fashion label. Today we discuss business, family life, mental health and why it’s okay to want to wind back your career a bit to focus on family. This is Holly Goodman’s story.

Our summer sponsor nbn has a strategy for rural Australia and they’re on a mission to ensure that every rural household has access to fast, reliable, and affordable broadband, enabling more families, wherever they live, to access the opportunities and benefits that the latest in connectivity can offer. Motherland is powered by nbn, and we’re proud to partner with them this season. To learn more about how nbn is transforming rural communities, visit www.nbnco.com.au/learn/regional.

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245: Five Children, One Remarkable Woman: Louise Taheny’s story

At 56, Louise Taheny has lived a very big life. The twists and turns and setbacks have truly made her who she is today; a very remarkable woman, as you’re about to hear. Louise was born and raised in regional South Australia, and met her husband John, a farmer, in her early 20s. They knew they wanted a big family. First came Edwina, then Tom, Lucy, Will and then, their youngest, Hugo. After five children in six years, when Hugo was born, Louise knew instantly that things weren’t the same as her other babies. A few days after his birth, Hugo was diagnosed with Down syndrome, and that came with its own kind of challenges. More than a decade on, Louise’s husband had a stroke, and then unbelievably in 2022, their son Will was a passenger in a car accident that left him a quadriplegic. But just wait until you hear what both Hugo and Will have been up to despite their challenges. Over the years, again and again, everything Louise knew, particularly as a mother, was tested, but her positivity and love for her family has shone through all the hardships. So, after everything that has been thrown her way, what has she learned? This is Louise Taheny’s story.

Our 2025 Summer podcast sponsor NBN is helping bridge the digital gap by providing fast, reliable internet to rural communities and families just like yours. Whether it’s for business,education, health and support, or staying connected with loved ones - nbn’s commitment to rural Australia is shaping a more connected and inclusive future. We’re excited to have them onboard, and also thank them for being the major partner of Motherland Connect! To learn more about how NBN is supporting rural communities, visit nbnco.com.au.

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Next Episode

247: “I had to get something positive out of such a great loss” - Hannah Speers’ story

Hannah Speers was standing on a stage speaking when I first heard her story, and I knew instantly that I wanted to invite her onto the show. When Hannah met her husband Joe in Tumut near the Snowy Mountains in New South Wales, she didn’t think she wanted to have kids. But she realised that she loved Joe enough to have his kids. And very quickly Liam came along in 2008, followed by Lulu, 12 months later. Hannah and Joe set up their family not far outside of Tumut in a small town called Adelong. Hannah had a successful career at Elders (where she still works) and Joe was working as a Machinery Operator in one of the Pine Mill’s in town. Life was good, chaos, but good. Then a series of events happened that led to their youngest, Lulu, being diagnosed with anxiety. But unbeknownst to Hannah, Liam was also struggling... and what happened next is unimaginable. Hannah is a remarkable woman. And she is going to help a lot of parents of teenagers by sharing her story today.
Just a warning, this conversation deals with suicide and parts of Hannah’s story is very upsetting. If you or someone you know needs help, call Lifeline now on 131114.

https://www.lifechanger.org.au/
A reminder from our Summer Sponsor nbn that 2 in 3 Australians haven't checked their internet plan in the last 3 years - when was the last time you reviewed yours? To learn more about checking and optimising your nbn digital set-up from wherever you are in regional or rural Australia visit: www.nbnco.com.au/learn/optimisation/in-home-optimisation

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