The Dom Harvey Podcast

At 18 years old, 3 days after his mother died, Paul Wood committed murder. He spent the next 11 years in prison.

Today, he’s a Doctor of Psychology, an author, a husband and a dad. And the story of how he got from there to here is extraordinary.
Paul first came on the podcast four years ago, when I was recording in the spare bedroom at home.
He came back on the show to celebrate his third book and there are plenty of great takeaways in this conversation we can all use to improve our own lives.

In this episode we talk about prison, taking responsibility, and what it’s like walking back into the world after 11 years locked away.
There’s also his dad, who kept turning up and paid for Paul’s education out of his pension. And how Paul went from smuggling drugs into prison to smuggling in study materials.

His new book is called Better Never Stops. And there’s plenty in this conversation about getting better, whatever your starting point happens to be.
***

Massive thanks to my long‑term podcast sponsor, Generate.
Like a lot of Kiwis, I spent years saying, “I’ll look at my KiwiSaver account later.”
Turns out later comes around faster than you think, and the decisions you make now could be the difference between counting every dollar in retirement or having the freedom to take that trip you've always talked about.
I switched my KiwiSaver account to Generate after they came on board, and honestly, I should’ve done it sooner.
They’re an award-winning KiwiSaver provider with strong long‑term performance. You can check out their latest returns online, or book a no‑obligation chat with one of their friendly advisers at https://www.generatewealth.co.nz/dom
No pressure, no judgement — they’re just there to help wherever you’re at in your investing journey.

The issuer of the scheme is Generate Investment Management Limited. You can view their Product Disclosure Statement and Financial Advice Provider information at generatekiwisaver.co.nz/disclosures.

Past performance does not guarantee future returns.

And just a reminder — I’m a podcast host, not a financial adviser. This is general information only, and I recommend getting expert advice before making any financial decisions.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode is proudly brought to you by the legends at Odoo: https://www.odoo.com/r/9hlD

You might know David de Latour as Ted West from Westside. You might know him as Stephen Donald in The Kick, Dr Greg Miller in Wentworth, or, depending on your age, a Power Ranger.

David moved from West Auckland to New York at 18, convinced he was going to win an Oscar.
And he’s had an incredible career. But there’s a lot you don’t see in between gigs: the auditions that go nowhere, the years without work, and building swing sets in LA to keep some money coming in. We talk about all of that.

We also get into Westside, working with his wife Hannah Marshall and raising their two kids. And we talk about Ms. X, the show he and Hannah created, and why he’s getting so much out of being behind the camera.

This is David's first ever podcast. He’s funny, thoughtful, and really open about the unsexy parts of this job that most of us never see.
***

If you run a business, here’s a question: How many different bits of software are you paying for right now?
One for accounting. One for sales. Another for projects. Another for inventory. Another for your website.
Odoo is designed to simplify all of that.
It’s a user-friendly, all-in-one business management solution, with a huge range of apps that are fully integrated and designed to work together.
So instead of building your business around a pile of disconnected tools, you can manage it from one platform.
Have a look for yourself! You can try Odoo free for 15 days, with no credit card required, at https://www.odoo.com/r/9hlD
Odoo. All your business, on one platform.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Shane Cameron is a return guest to the podcast.
He was one of the first people to say yes to this podcast, before I’d even released an episode back at the start of 2022.
A lot has changed in both our lives since then so I thought a catch up was on the cards.

We talk about living in a tent as a little boy, struggling with reading and writing and leaving school at 13. Then going from life on the farm to sharing a boxing ring with Mike Tyson. His stories about his time spent training with Tyson are something else.
We also get into the David Tua fight: the buildup, the devastating loss, picking himself up afterwards, and how the two of them ended up drinking tequila in Shane’s garage years later.

Plus, life after boxing, depression, his fear of dementia, and what gives him purpose these days.
Shane’s a humble guy who’s very open about both the things he’s proud of and the things he wishes he’d done differently. I really enjoyed this catch-up, and I hope you do too.
***
Massive thanks to my long-term podcast sponsor, Generate.
We’ve all got that one mate who’s convinced they’ve worked out how to beat the market, usually with a lot of confidence and no actual expertise. That’s the mate that is very noisy when the market is going well but bizarrely quiet when there is a downturn.
So, here's your reminder not to get caught up in the noise and trust the real investment experts at Generate.
I sat down with a Generate KiwiSaver adviser when they came on as sponsor in 2023, and it was one of those conversations that made me kick myself for not doing it years earlier.

A Generate adviser can help you figure out what fund type is best suited to your KiwiSaver goals.
Start planning now! Book a no cost chat with an adviser at generatekiwisaver.co.nz/dom

The issuer of the scheme is Generate Investment Management Limited. To see their PDS and Financial Advice Provider info see generatekiwisaver.co.nz/disclosures. Past performance does not guarantee future returns.

And remember, I’m not a financial adviser, so this is just general information. I recommend getting expert advice before making any financial decisions.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bex Chapman emailed me asking to share her story, then flew herself up from Wellington to be here. And I’m really pleased she did.
Today, she’s a mum of two, a builder and a keen runner. But for years, her life revolved around methamphetamine: using it, selling it, abusive relationships and repeated arrests.

In this conversation, Bex is incredibly honest about that life, the impact on her family, and the guilt she still carries about the years she missed with her oldest daughter.

We talk about what finally helped her get clean, the role running has played in her recovery and rebuilding a life she once couldn’t imagine having.

We recorded this on her 36th birthday- 6 years after she last used meth. And she’s sharing her story because she wants other people to know change is possible.
***
This episode is proudly brought to you by the legends at Odoo.
https://www.odoo.com/r/bl1T

If you run a business, here’s a question: How many different bits of software are you paying for right now?
One for accounting. One for sales. Another for projects. Another for inventory. Another for your website.
Odoo is designed to simplify all of that.
It’s a user-friendly, all-in-one business management solution, with a huge range of apps that are fully integrated and designed to work together.

So instead of building your business around a pile of disconnected tools, you can manage it from one platform.
Have a look for yourself! You can try Odoo free for 15 days, with no credit card required, at https://www.odoo.com/r/bl1T
Odoo. All your business, on one platform.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You might remember Matty J Ruys from his music in the ’90s.
Behind the scenes, he’s also helped shape the careers of artists including K’Lee, Brooke Fraser, Dei Hamo and Elemeno P.
Now he’s preparing to release his first solo album in 30 years, Beautiful Mess (It's out Friday November 6, 2026)

We talk about his tough upbringing, the brutal attack that left him with 7 years of seizures, fatherhood, loneliness, and the highs and heartbreaks of the music business - including his time managing Brooke Fraser.

There are some great laughs too: getting banned from the Parachute Christian music festival, appearing on a TV dating show Blind Date as a robot, and the reality of being famous in New Zealand while still catching the bus.
***

This episode has been sponsored by Generate- a six time winner of the Consumer NZ People’s Choice award for KiwiSaver
Generate have over 200,000 Kiwi clients, including myself, my partner my mum and most of my close friends!I switched over when they began sponsoring the podcast, and I’ve convinced most of the people I care about to make the switch too!
Generate have a strong track record of long‑term performance. You can check out their latest returns online, or book a no‑obligation chat with one of their advisers at https://www.generatewealth.co.nz/dom

No pressure, no hard sell, no judgement - just clear advice to help you feel confident that you’re on track without any judgement for leaving this on the to‑do list a bit longer than planned.

The issuer of the scheme is Generate Investment Management Limited. To see their PDS and Financial Advice Provider info see generatekiwisaver.co.nz/disclosures.

Past performance does not guarantee future returns.

And remember, I’m not a financial adviser, so this is just general information. I recommend getting expert advice before making any financial decisions.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.