News from the Room
Some days, it feels like I’m getting nowhere.
I’ve got a list of things I need to do to make Room Eleven work, reaching out to organisations, editing podcasts, fundraising & training while trying to build an audience, writing this newsletter, and they all matter. They all feel urgent. Because this isn’t a side project anymore.
But being a dad comes first.
And when the kids are home, which they have been all week due to illness (which yes I’m sure they got from me being sick the week before) they get my attention. That’s non-negotiable.
The tension sits in the space between those two truths:
I’ve got so much to do… and I also don’t want to miss any time with them. Especially at this age they are both at now.
I’m not glued to a screen when I’m with them. But mentally? Sometimes it’s hard to be where my feet are. Because while I’m building blocks or making snacks or reading the same book for the fourth time, there’s a quiet pressure running underneath:
You should be working.
You’re not doing enough.
You’re falling behind.
Talks aren’t really booking yet. Revenue isn’t exactly flooding in (Which means no Still Billie Boxes are going out).
And there are days where I feel like I’m just spinning wheels, showing up, putting in the hours, and watching nothing eventuate.
But I force myself to zoom out. And I realise that piling on more pressure doesn’t help, it just blurs the wider lens.
The wider lens allows me to see that the podcast is live. The newsletter goes out every week. The stories are being told. People are beginning to find it. Slowly.
There’s no hockey stick growth curve. No viral moment.
But there’s motion.
You can’t tell how far the planes moving when you’re sitting in it. It just feels like sitting still.
But look out the window, or eventually land somewhere new, and you realise how far you’ve actually travelled.
That’s what this season feels like.
Hard to measure. Full of unknowns.
But moving, all the same.
Maybe you’re in that same place too, somewhere between pressure and progress.
What would happen if you zoomed out?
What might you see from the window?
The 411
This Week at Room Eleven
the Room Eleven Podcast: Episode 2 - Grief & Fatherhood with Chris Wood
Chris Wood and his wife Bethany lost their son Liam at just 22 hours old.
In Episode 2 of the Room Eleven Podcast, Chris talks about what grief looked like in the months that followed — the despair, the isolation, and the lack of dedicated support for bereaved fathers after multiple pregnancy losses.
So, he built it.
Chris now leads Australia’s only in-person support group for bereaved dads through Red Nose Australia, and has created a footy club where grieving fathers come together. Not to fix anything, but to connect, move, and just know they are not alone in their grief.
We had a good chat. I hope you get as much out of it as I did!
🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Sponsor a Kilometre. Power the Ride. Fund Real Change.
As mentioned last week, but leaving it in as a reminder. We launched a new way to get behind Scooting for Hope — and it’s perfect for people and businesses who want to be part of the record-breaking ride, without, you know, riding 270 km on a scooter.
We’re inviting 135–270 individuals and businesses to sponsor 1 or 2 kilometres of this world record attempt.
1 km = $150
Includes a certificate of appreciation, your name on our sponsor wall and official tracker, plus an invite to the private event at Calder Park.2 km (1+ lap) = $250
Everything above — plus a feature in the livestream, event materials, and across our socials.
This isn’t just a donation. It’s a purpose-driven partnership.
Support helps cover the infrastructure and broadcast costs, so every dollar from public donations can go straight to the Pregnancy After Loss Service at the Royal Women’s.
Room Eleven takes no profit. Just heart, wheels and momentum.
Weekly Musings
What I’m Watching: Tires
Lately, most of my nights have looked like this: laptop open, Room Eleven work on the screen, snacks within arm’s reach, and the occasional existential crisis popping in to say hi.
So I needed something. Not something emotional, not something plot-heavy, just...noise. Preferably short and light comedy noise.
Enter: Tires.
The show is set in a barely-functioning tyre shop and follows a crew of underachievers whose main goal seems to be making it to the end of the day without having to actually do anything. I’m not saying I related, but I also used to worked in building maintenance for 12 years, and I absolutely related.
Picture this: a bunch of mostly dudes at varying stages of life wandering around work pretending (or not even trying to pretend) to be productive, roasting each other, pranks & crude humour while avoiding responsibility. It’s dumb, funny, and surprisingly has some moments of heart. Like being back in the smelly and dusty maintenance workshops.
10/10 for background noise
What I’m Reading: As a Man Thinketh by James Allen
This little book is basically the great-grandparent of every self-help book you’ve ever read. First published in 1903, it explores one simple but powerful idea: our thoughts shape our lives. The language is old-school, but the message is on point, what you dwell on becomes who you are.
I came across this book thanks to a TikTok trend. You type in “book,” and the first one that pops up is apparently the one you need to read. Bit of a gimmick, but I played along. And surprisingly... it nailed it.
It’s less than 40 pages, so I finished it in a single sitting. And even though it was written over a century ago, it felt incredibly current. It reminded me just how little the core challenges of life have changed. We might have more tech, louder opinions, and fancier ways to communicate, but the human stuff — doubt, distraction, purpose, fear — still impact us the same.
My main takeaway:
Your thoughts crystallise into habits, which solidify into circumstance.
Basically, you become what you focus on. Think with purpose. Don’t just drift.
Sometimes progress feels invisible, like you’re stuck in the slow lane while life moves ahead. Whether it’s a slow-burning comedy or a century-old reminder that our thoughts shape our reality, the lesson is clear: keep showing up and choose where you put your focus. Small steps add up, even when it doesn’t feel like it.
This week, take a moment to zoom out and see the bigger picture. You might be further along than you realise.
And if you haven’t yet, listen to episode 2 of the Room Eleven podcast. Chris Wood’s story as a bereaved dad is powerful and honest. If it speaks to you, please share it and leave a review as it really helps more people find the show.
Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.
See you next week!
Rob
Giving Back
Donate a Still Billie Box
Our care packages for families who’ve lost their baby, named after our baby daughter Billie. Offering comfort during what should be a special, happy time.
Your donation can make a real difference in allowing us to provide free Still Billie Boxes to hospitals across Australia and fund our Scooting for Hope $100k Campaign.
Room Eleven is a social enterprise business and does not qualify for DGR status.