The article discusses the risks of mixing friendship with business through the lens of Karl Stefanovic’s podcast venture and its subsequent legal issues with his former producer and close friend Keshnee Ibrahim. The author, along with her friend Mia, imagines a fictional consultancy called Cabo Communications, inspired by celebrity culture in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, which hypothetically offers advice on crisis management based on their extensive experience in media and personal life challenges. However, they caution against entering business partnerships with friends, citing the potential damage to relationships and professional reputations, as exemplified by Stefanovic’s current situation involving complex legal disputes and strained friendships.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-18,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Kate Halfpenny discusses a humorous concept with her friend Mia for starting a business called Cabo Communications, inspired by Jennifer Aniston's vacations in Cabo, Mexico. The idea is to offer crisis management services that promise no worries and quick fixes, much like the carefree atmosphere associated with Cabo. Both women, in their 50s and having worked extensively in media, claim they have experience handling tricky situations involving egos, live broadcasts, and personal crises. Their proposed business would provide solutions similar to how Matron Sloan helps patients on A Country Practice, a popular Australian TV show. The duo highlights their qualifications as mothers who have navigated various challenging scenarios, from parental politics at school to relationship issues, suggesting they are well-equipped to handle any problem thrown their way.
Written for “Karl Advice Column” on 2026-09-18,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
Whenever there’s a celebrity crisis or people have been grubs or stupid (Luke Sayers – godsend), it’s a race between my friend Mia and me to see who can text one word fastest: “Cabo”.
asserted
who → ’ → word
It’s shorthand for Cabo Communications, the business we’ve been not-quite-joking about starting since forever.
asserted
we → ’ → Communications
It’s named after Jennifer Aniston’s signature Mexican holiday spot.
asserted
It → name → spot
Mia and I love photos of Jen there, in a black triangle bikini, and yearn to be her and be in Cabo.
asserted
Mia → love → Cabo
It signifies zero problems other than where the next tequila is coming from.
asserted
tequila → signify → where
That’s the point of Cabo – no worries.
asserted
That → ’ → Cabo
Which is what our imaginary business would do.
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business → do → what
Hiring Cabo would be like having Matron Sloan from A Country Practice tell you straight how to get out of a tight spot or make people stop hating you.
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people → hire → you
Plus there’s the qualification which trumps everything: we’re mums in our 50s who’ve handled every tricky situation going, from school WhatsApp politics to kids being cast as Tree Number Two and husbands announcing they’re off.
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they → ’ → Number
We know pear-shaped.
asserted
We → know → ?
Whether Sydney Sweeney should have worn pants to sit on that cold basketball hoop?
asserted
Sweeney → wear → hoop
Cabo knows the biggest problem Meghan has (she’s embarrassing) and is expert at red carpet appraisals (“bad feathers – should have called Cabo”).
asserted
feathers → know → Cabo
While Cabo gives excellent advice, it doesn’t exist.
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it → give → advice
Because Mia and I know the rule.
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Mia → know → rule
Babies know the rule.
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Babies → know → rule
You do not go into business with friends.
asserted
You → go → friends
It sits in life’s top 10 somewhere near “never cut a fringe while sad”.
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It → sit → fringe
People defy it, but rarely without tears and permanent rents in the friendship fabric.
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People → defy → fabric
I give you Frank Costanza and Kramer’s bust-up over the Manssiere bra for men.
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I → give → men
It’s something Karl Stefanovic should have remembered when he launched his podcast this year.
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he → ’ → podcast
Buoyed up, striding about in his skinny jeans and that hat, he went into business with Keshnee Ibrahim.
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he → buoy → Ibrahim
She’s a former magazine editor and – cue tension music – a close friend of Karl’s wife, Jasmine.
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She → ’ → wife
Eight months on, the podcast went dark for three weeks and the biz partners are wrangling in the Supreme Court.
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partners → go → Court
According to reports, the former Today host blamed his podcast producer Ibrahim for his departure from the Nine Network after an interview with right-wing British agitator Tommy Robinson.
uncertain
host → accord → Robinson
He allegedly also gave Ibrahim one business day to set a price to buy her out.
uncertain
He → give → her
The lawyers, of course, will sort things out, but nobody can sort the rest.
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nobody → sort → rest
What happens now to the former friends’ shared dinners and holidays?
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What → happen → dinners
And what happens to Jasmine, now piggy in the middle between her husband and BFF?
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what → happen → husband
Karl, because we love that you and Jasmine married in actual Cabo, Mia and I will tell you this for free: next time, don’t quit your $3 million day job.
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Mia → love → job
Also, do not get a business partner you drink Aperol Spritz with on boats or are going to see at toff Christmas parties.
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you → get → parties
Because friendship makes you gloss over the paperwork.
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you → make → paperwork
Negotiating an exit clause with someone you really like feels like an insult, so you don’t.
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you → negotiate → insult
Next minute, you’re wondering how much Sue Chrysanthou, SC, costs.
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Chrysanthou → wonder → much
Money keeps score.
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Money → keep → score
Suddenly, there’s a ledger: who worked on Sunday, whose name pulls in the clients, who’s lunching too long.
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who → ’ → clients
Someone needs the income, the other is enjoying a lovely creative outlet.
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other → need → outlet
Soon you’re wading in pools of resentment.
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you → wad → resentment
Possibly worst of all, as Karl is finding, collateral damage can’t be contained.
uncertain
damage → find → all
A business divorce swallows up the group chat, mutual friends, the sharing of choppers to and from Derby Day.
asserted
divorce → swallow → Day
Which is awkward to admit because I’m on the cusp of launching a hot choc fudge business with my mate Deb.
asserted
I → admit → mate
…and 2 more, not listed.
The Aporia
