The Contrarians with Adam and Adir
Hosted by Adam Schwab & Adir Shiffman · 27 decoded episodes · newest Oct 5, 2026
Get the fearless truth about start-ups and corporate Australia from guys that give you the hard facts, not the company line. Hear Luxury Escapes co-founder Adam Schwab and Catapult Sports Exec Chairman Adir Shiffman provide the inside word on the biggest stories in business with a contrarian take from the guys who sit on both sides of the table. New episodes dropping weekly.
Episodes 27
- Aug 31, 2026 · 1h 34mCorporate battles heat up over Canva liquidity and Xero executive payAs market conditions tighten, tech darlings and corporate mainstays are being forced to answer to angry shareholders and expensive lenders.
- Aug 28, 2026 · 39 minTech giants burn billions while online retailers struggle with unit economicsThe episode exposes the structural challenges of turning massive top-line growth into sustainable profits in both the AI sector and digital retail.
- Aug 26, 2026 · 57 minNegotiation expert Vicki Medvec reveals strategies for mastering high-stakes dealsMastering negotiation strategies like anchoring and package deals can prevent costly deadlocks and unlock massive hidden value in business transactions.
- Aug 24, 2026 · 1h 37mDeepfakes drain corporate cash while Guzman y Gomez posts blowout profitsAs artificial intelligence tools accelerate corporate fraud and data scraping, businesses must radically rethink security and customer privacy.
- Aug 21, 2026 · 38 minFalling Australian house prices and tech markdowns signal broader economic painThe dual pressures of cooling property markets and tech valuation markdowns point to a broader correction in both traditional wealth and speculative venture capital.
- Aug 17, 2026 · 1h 26mAI boom and autonomous driving reshape tech valuations and security strategiesUnderstanding the intersection of rapid AI valuations, autonomous vehicle deployment, and corporate security is essential for navigating the next wave of global tech disruption.
- Aug 14, 2026 · 49 minAustralian venture capitalists warn tax changes threaten local tech ecosystemAs global capital landscapes shift, understanding the regulatory pressures and funding dynamics of the Australian startup market reveals how regional hubs compete with Silicon Valley.
- Aug 10, 2026 · 1h 56mAtlassian surges on profit pivot while Canva faces AI growth threatsThe contrasting fortunes of Canva and Atlassian reveal how public markets are aggressively rewarding immediate profitability over long-term growth speculation.
- Aug 7, 2026 · 25 minCanva faces AI headwinds while eBay wrestles with executive misconductThis episode exposes the fragile valuations of tech giants in the AI era and the catastrophic consequences when corporate governance fails to restrain executive misconduct.
- Jul 31, 2026 · 37 minTesla margins collapse as Australian blockchain unicorn Immutable stumblesThe dual struggles of Tesla and Immutable expose how market hype and lofty valuation premiums are being tested by harsh financial realities.
- Jul 27, 2026 · 1h 29mVictorian political friction and global tech shifts spark economic warningsThis episode connects local Australian policy failures with global tech disruptions, showing how political decisions and market shifts impact broader economic stability.
- Jul 24, 2026 · 46 minGlobal wealth shifts fuel luxury hotel boom and disrupt tech valuationsUnderstanding the shifting dynamics of luxury travel, aerospace, and software acquisitions reveals how capital efficiency is changing in a tight economy.