The Venture Podcast with Lambros Photios: Recent Episodes
Lambros Photios
Entrepreneur Lambros Photios talks to the world's leading entrepreneurs, VCs and business people from around the world to discover their most effective methods for business success. As featured in Business Insider, Smart Company, Yahoo Finance and Stockhead.
Where do people get selling on LinkedIn wrong? Where do we go wrong with the type of connections we have? How can we best communicate with them to be top of mind?Mark McInnes is ranked the number one social seller in Australia by Linkedin and works with the leading companies in APAC, including Coca-Cola Amatil.By the end of this podcast, you'll be able to implement Mark's advice to communicate with potential customers better and secure more meetings.Connect with Lambros Photios on LinkedIn and Twitter.
What's the key to a successful crowdfunding stunt? Why is it important to think about VC funding vs bootstrapping when it comes to your exit strategy? Why is aligning with a good cause invaluable for your startup?Simon Griffiths is the co-founder and CEO of Who Gives A Crap, an Australian eco-friendly toilet paper company that donates half of its profits to charity each year.In this podcast, Simon gives entrepreneurs advice around executing a viral crowdfunding strategy, and why you need to align with causes that set you apart from your competition.During COVID-19, the business grew 4,000%, and Simon has many lessons leading up to the pandemic, and during it, that he wants you to hear.Connect with Lambros Photios on LinkedIn and Twitter.
Why is language so important when selling? Why are the right words at the right time the difference between good and great salespeople? What are some word choices we can learn today?Phil M. Jones has trained over 2 million salespeople to use the power of language: "Your words are your tool."In this podcast, Phil helps us redefine what sales really is, and gives us tips to ensure startup prosperity.Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
Why is it safer to be an entrepreneur today? How can we become a company of one? What are the questions to ask in an effort to make money as soon as possible?Paul Jarvis is an entrepreneur, sharing what he has learned in two decades of freelancing as a web designer and writer.His new book, "Company Of One," is our official guide to the idea that staying small and avoiding growth can be more durable and even more enjoyable than business as usual, whilst still being profitable.In this podcast, Paul gives us some advice on how to achieve just that.Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
How can we increase our mental performance as entrepreneurs? What did Bob Tewksbury plan for every game to give him and his team the edge? What can we learn about sharing our suffering?Bob Tewksbury is a retired Major League Baseball pitcher who played professionally for the New York Yankees, Chicago Cubs, St. Louis Cardinals, Texas Rangers, San Diego Padres, and the Minnesota Twins.He was also a mental skills coach for the Boston Red Sox and San Francisco Giants, sharing his lessons in his new book "Ninety Percent Mental."In this podcast, Bob divulges his lessons as a player and coach, in the quest to inspire and educate entrepreneurs to increase their mental performance.Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
How can we get started on our side hustles immediately? What is "freedom time", and how can we bring it into our lives? Why is a service-based business best for making money quickly?Nick Loper runs sidehustlenation.com, and was once in a big corporate job with a company car climbing the corporate ladder -- until one day -- he created his own ladder.In this podcast, Nick tells us how to take the appropriate steps to escape the 9-5, and sheds light on the "what sucks" method, that can help us discover the mission of our next (or first) side hustle. Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
What's the best way to deal with fear? How can we develop habits effectively? What is the 5 step formula to overcoming mental obstacles?Akshay Nanavati is the author of Fearvana: The Revolutionary Science of How to Turn Fear Into Health, Wealth and Happiness, and is a United States Marine veteran, speaker, entrepreneur, ultra runner and author.Akshay served in Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom and was later diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder. This led Akshay to alcoholism and depression before he realised he was on the brink of suicide. This led Akshay to research neuroscience, psychology and spirituality, that he shares with you in this podcast.Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
How can you innovate faster and better? What are the small changes you can make inside teams and companies, that will change things for the better? Why is culture overvalued for this?Safi Bahcall is the author of "Loonshots: How to Nurture the Crazy Ideas That Win Wars, Cure Diseases, and Transform Industries."Safi, a physicist and entrepreneur, reveals a surprising new way of thinking about the mysteries of group behaviour and the challenges of nurturing radical breakthroughs.In this podcast, Safi explains why good teams can kill bad ideas, and details the two phases of executing a great idea: the solider phase and the artist (aka loonshot) phase.Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
Why should you aim to be the boss you wish you had? Why is life experience so important to being an entrepreneur? Why is it critical to admit when you don't know something?Jeff Kofman would never have believed you if you told him he'd be a tech entrepreneur. He spent more than 30 years as a television reporter, foreign correspondent and war correspondent with ABC News and CBS News, winning two Emmy's.But something bothered him: why he had to manually transcribe his interviews.So he decided to create Trint, tech software that uses AI to transcribe voice recordings, which is now one of the fastest-growing startups in the world.In this podcast, Jeff takes you through his lessons he wants all entrepreneurs to hear.Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
How does Jeff Bezos keep reinventing with Amazon? How has he learned the art of the fail? What does he do ahead of a launch that separates him from other leaders?Steve Anderson is the author of The Bezos Letters: 14 Principles to Grow Your Business Like Amazon. These letters pertain to the 21 letters to shareholders that Bezos has issued annually.In this podcast, Steve shares the lessons from Jeff's letters that should be examined, mastered and utilised by all entrepreneurs. Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
What is same side selling, and why is it better than traditional approaches? What are the three questions people ask when they are looking to make and approve a decision to buy? Why should we acknowledge that not everyone is not a good fit for us to sell to?Ian Altman has been a CEO for two decades, founding and growing his own business-services and technology companies from zero to over $1 billion in value.This business success, backed by years of researching how customers make decisions, established Ian as a leading authority on accelerating business growth.Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
How can we achieve peak performance? Why will entrepreneurs make more money in the coming years? What technological acceleration do we need to be in tune with?Steven Kotler, a New York Times-bestselling author, is praised by leaders like Elon Musk and Richard Branson as one of the world’s leading experts on human performance.His latest book, "The Future is Faster Than You Think,” aims at getting people ahead of the game to future proof their businesses and careers.Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
How can you change the way your startup operates so you don't have to be there? How can you change how you bill to achieve this? How does this make your startup ultimately not only worth more, but actually saleable?John Warrillow is the author of Built To Sell, and the founder of The Value Builder System.Throughout his career as an entrepreneur, John has started and exited four companies, and sees too many entrepreneurs on the "hamster wheel" with their startups -- their businesses aren't saleable, and their clients rule them.In this podcast, John outlines how you can achieve real startup wealth by pivoting to a monthly subscription model.Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
How can you launch your side hustle without running a huge risk? What's the best way to discover what your side hustle should be? What are some PR tips for ultimate traction?After winning Miss Philippines Australia in 2009 and studying insurance law, Aprille still wasn't that passionate about being a lawyer.She was on holidays and noticed her apprehension about snorkeling; fearing her phone would get wet and destroyed. To solve the problem Aprille created Seaquatix -- a waterproof and airtight container that can house your phone or wallet -- and her side hustle was born!In this podcast, Aprille talks about how she has sold thousands of devices, and how she leveraged her experience in PR (where she now works by day) to spread the word about her evolutionary product.Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
The research into remote work shows increased productivity, but what about under these forced conditions? How can we push through any problems to make it work? Why is non-instantaneous communication the key to remote working success? Raj Choudhury is a Harvard business school professor, who has been researching remote work for years.In this podcast, Raj outlines why productivity has initially taken a hit, but gives his insights into the organisational changes that have been made by large companies prior to COVID-19, to ensure remote work is as successful as it can be. Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
Why is the way humans perceive things critical to startup success? What is the future of remote work, shared offices, and living out of the city in the context of behavioural science? Why is logical marketing not effective?Rory Sutherland is Vice Chairman of Ogilvy in the UK, where he has co-founded a behavioural science practice.Rory works with a consulting practice of psychology graduates who look for ‘unseen opportunities’ in consumer behaviour - these are the very small contextual changes which can have enormous effects on the decisions people make - for instance tripling the sales rate of a call centre by adding just a few sentences to the script.In this podcast, Rory reveals all the "unseen opportunities" utilised by large companies to persuade buyers and attract supporters.Podcast co-hosted by Ian Whitworth from Scene Change. Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
Why is platform entrepreneurship the future? What advantages has COVID-19 provided? How can we shift our businesses to a platform?Ted Ladd is the Dean of Research and a Professor of Entrepreneurship at the Hult International Business School, and an Instructor of Platform Entrepreneurship at Harvard University. He founded, led, or otherwise participated in five platform startups. The most recent was acquired by Google to become WearOS.Ted is passionate about divulging quality advice for entrepreneurs, and in this podcast, shares his detailed and niche knowledge around platform entrepreneurship, and how to reinvent your business in the wake of COVID-19.Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
How will Entrepreneurs win during and post COVID-19? Why is bitcoin the "currency of the now?" What technologies and industries should entrepreneurs be looking at for huge success?Tim Draper is renowned as one of the most successful venture capitalists in the world, and one of the most powerful and influential people in Silicon Valley.Tim’s most prominent investments include Hotmail, Skype, Tesla, SpaceX and Twitter, and in this podcast, outlines why Bitcoin is now more valuable and important than ever.Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
How can we reach a large audience with no marketing budget? How can you build a blog that gets noticed? How can you get to a point where you're employing staff?Harry Campbell was an engineer at Boeing when he took quit to work on his website, the rideshareguy.com.Harry noticed no information out there helping people like him who were driving for Uber and Lyft.Harry has been able to make a living with from the blog, on top of helping 100,000 drivers a month and employing numerous staff in the process.In this podcast, Harry reveals what he's done to build a blog and content strategy that gets results.Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
How can we give our best speeches possible? What are the 12 steps to ensure this? What should our slides look like for optimal engagement?Guy Kawasaki is an American marketing specialist, author, and Silicon Valley capitalist, renown for his time working directly with Steve Jobs at Apple.Audience members always recall a talk from Guy Kawasaki, and in this special edition podcast, Guy reveals the how and why.Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
Why do our startups need to operate online only in future? How can we pandemic-proof our startups? How can we ensure mental stability in this tough period?Patrick Bet-David is an author, CEO and successful startup entrepreneur, who fled Iran at the age of 10 with his family. He settled in America, where he's risen to become one of the biggest names in the startup world today. It’s likely you’re one of the many millions who watch Patrick’s “Valuetainment” channel for entrepreneurs on YouTube, or one of his many clients at his company PHP Agency.In this podcast, Patrick has many insightful and motivating stories to help you and your business through this difficult time.Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
What was the mindset behind Amazon's growth? Why do tech titans treat every day as day one? How can you apply this to your business?Alex Kantrowitz's new book "Always Day One", is a fascinating new book for entrepreneurs looking to innovate to the top.Alex, a senior technology reporter for BuzzFeed News, tells the stories from exclusive meetings with the likes of Mark Zuckerberg, Steve Wozniak, Mark Cuban, and many hourly workers.Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
How can you go about raising capital immediately? What are the advantages of being a young entrepreneur? What specific technology can change industries for the better?Jackson Meyer is the CEO of Verus Global, a company established to reimagine the freight forwarding industry through cloud-based technology.In this podcast, Jackson talks about his journey starting the company not quite out of business school, to raising the money, and facing the hurdles along the way. Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
Why is Linkedin so valuable during COVID-19 for selling? How do we utilise it properly? How can we keep our routines and sanity during this time?Erik Qualman is a digital transformation expert often called a digital Dale Carnegie and The Tony Robbins of Tech. He's a #1 Bestselling Author and Motivational Keynote Speaker that has spoken in over 55 countries, and reached 35 million people.In this podcast, Erik takes us through how we can go "100% Jetsons" and rely on technology during COVID-19, to not only stay afloat, but flourish.Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
Ian Whitworth and Vu Tran are well-respected Australian entrepreneurs facing COVID-19 head-on.In this podcast, the pair breakdown how they are navigating the crisis with their respective businesses Scene Change and go1.How should we rely on the government, if at all? What do we do about staff? What are the absolute essential steps to take to survive?Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
How can we pivot to increase revenue during COVID-19? What is the future of business in the current climate? What can we learn from what the world's best business leaders are doing?Martin Lindstrom is a Danish author, Time magazine Influential 100 Honoree, and columnist for Fast Company, Time Magazine, and Harvard Business review.His business, "Lindstrom company", helps the world's leading companies with culture and transformation.In this podcast, Martin shares how entrepreneurs can pivot during COVID-19, to given them their best chance at ongoing revenue.Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
How can startups get through this time? What are the two people your startup absolutely needs? Should you look at giving your staff stock options?Guy Kawasaki is an American marketing specialist, author, and Silicon Valley capitalist, renown for his time working directly with Steve Jobs at Apple. In this podcast, Guy sheds light on what he thinks you can do to survive the economic difficulties the Coronavirus is bringing. For further Podcast content with Guy, check out his exciting new podcast "Remarkable People" here.Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
Why is the story of how you started so important? How can you discover who you are to forget the competition? Why is affinity instead of awareness more important for your startup?Brands like Adidas, Linkedin and EA Sports turn to Bernadette Jiwa when they need a powerful dose of marketing and storytelling to cut through.Bernadette believes people don’t buy what we do, they buy how we make them feel, and the story we give them to tell.Bernadette is the author of eight #1 Amazon Bestsellers, is a TED talker, and was recently named by Smart Company as a Top Business Thinker.In this podcast, Bernadette brings clarity to how to carve out your own space with your startup, and enjoy the success this brings.Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
Why is body language so important? What should we be doing when communicating? Where do most founders get it wrong? Mark Bowden has been voted the world’s number one body language expert, working with leaders of Fortune 500 companies, politicians, and Prime Ministers of G7 powers.A Ted talker, Mark also helps companies like Shopify, Microsoft, Toyota, Samsung, communicate non-verbally to be noticed, trusted and seemingly credible.In this podcast, Mark talks to the truth of how we judge each other, and how we can ensure those judgements are in our favour.Mark teaches us how to get into our body and be more "alive" to win more business.Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
How can we slow down and still reach our goals? Why DON'T we slow down, and how can we fix it? How does slowing down help creativity?Carl Honore is the author of “In Praise of Slow", and is passionate about helping us slow down as leaders to ultimately succeed faster. Carl is an award-winning writer, broadcaster and TED speaker, and known as the voice of the Slow Movement -- travelling the globe tirelessly to spread the word. Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
How can we regain lost productivity? How can we stop ourselves from being distracted? Why are to-do lists bad for productivity? Nir Eyal is a Wall Street Journal best-selling author, who has been studying distraction for years. Nir is passionate about giving you the ability to do whatever it is you say you want to do.In this podcast, Nir takes us through how to create personal integrity, and discusses how all human motivation is the desire to escape discomfort.Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
Why are our entrepreneurial struggles ultimately fulfilling? Why do we feel sadness after achieving a target? Why does the journey make us the happiest? Dr Adam Fraser has been researching what brings our life meaning for 10 years, and it's not what many people would expect.In this podcast interview, Adam dives into the science he's unearthed for his new book "Strive," which aims to help entrepreneurs in their quest for their goals.Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
What does success actually entail? How can you define it appropriately for yourself? How can you gain ultimate control of your life and career?Laura Gassner Otting is the author of “Limitless: How to Ignore Everybody, Carve Your Own Path, and Live Your Best Life,” and began her career as a Presidential Appointee in Bill Clinton’s White House.Laura uses her infectious personality and insights to help entrepreneurs and companies think bigger.In this podcast, Laura talks about the four C's, Calling, Connection, Contribution and Control, and how they can make us "limitless."Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
How are customers now buying? How can we market to them accordingly? What is "Duct tape" marketing, and how can we reach customers before their buying journey starts?John Jantsch is a world-renown marketer with valuable advice for entrepreneurs.In this podcast, John takes us through what the best methods for engaging customers today. Touching on the truth about TikTok and voice search, John has 30 years of experience as an entrepreneur, with fool-proof advice around ensuring your startup survives.Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
What will your first 12 months as an entrepreneur look like? What are the key lessons? What can we learn from someone who has just done it?Dan Pontefract is a 4 x Ted Speaker and multiple author, who recently founded the Pontefract Group, consulting in leadership strategy. In this podcast, Dan opens up about his surprises, discoveries, tough lessons, and strategies for entrepreneurs facing their first 12 months.Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
What is self-compassion as defined by science? Why does it motivate us more than fear? How can we master it to improve all aspects of our life?Dr Kristin Neff is one of the world authorities on how self-compassion can benefit our mental and physical health.In this podcast, Dr Neff takes us through the steps of self-compassion to help relieve anxiety, motivate ourselves, and understand how to deal with business life when things don't go as planned.Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
What's the best ideation process for coming up with your marketing ideas? What's the best social platform for your brand? How do you actually test your campaigns properly? Jamie Turner is a marketing expert and CEO, who recently won the Socialnomics Top 20 Speaker Award alongside Tony Robbins, Richard Branson, and Ariana Huffington.An author of multiple marketing books, Jamie helps companies globally to execute more efficient marketing strategies, and put an end to the plethora of confusion.In this podcast, Jamie details how he (and you) can come up with your best marketing ideas, and how to test them effectively.Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
Why are we afraid of promoting ourselves? How can we overcome it? What's the most powerful way to approach storytelling in your marketing?Eric S. Thomas is an accomplished story expert and Ted talker, who says we need to learn to promote ourselves again.In this podcast, Eric outlines where we're at with storytelling in marketing, where it's going, and how we stay ahead of the curve.Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
Does anyone really know anything about business? What's the one part of our lives most critical to business success? How do we actually get culture right?Marc Randolph is the co-founder and first CEO of Netflix, and when he came up with the idea, he was told it would never work.In this podcast, Marc talks openly about why we need to pursue those ideas we have in the shower, why no one knows anything, and why Netflix is yet to turn a profit.Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
Is the future of work remote? Why does leadership and culture determine the quality of the work? What does effective leadership actually look like?Dominic Price is Atlassian's Work Futurist, and a globally recognised thought leader in the space. In this podcast, Dominic takes us through the four things founders need to get right to ensure remote work succeeds in the way it does for Atlassian.Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
How can we ensure customers keep coming back? How do we remove friction from their experience? Where are startups getting their customer service strategies wrong? Don Peppers is known globally as a leader in customer service.The Times of London has listed Don within their “Top 50 Business Brains”, while Accenture has included him in its global list of the “Top 50 Business Intellectuals.”Don has shared his exquisite knowledge via his talks and workshops in more than 60 countries around the world; and the 10 books he’s co-authored have sold over a million copies in 18 different languages.In this podcast, Don shares decades of knowledge he's eager or you to hear.Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
How can we avoid stress and doubt as an entrepreneur? What are the strategies to minimise feeling overwhelmed? Why is understanding your why pertinent to succeeding and getting through the tough times? Alden Mills was a Navy Seal Platoon commander, before going on to grow “Perfect Fitness” from zero to $63m in sales. "Perfect Fitness became the fastest-growing consumer company in America, courtesy of Alden's entrepreneurial philosophy he's keen to share. In this podcast, Alden details how bad news from a doctor as a young man changed his outlook and fate forever. Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
How well do you really know yourself? How does understanding your mind make you a better entrepreneur? What steps do we need to take to achieve this?Ariel Garten is a scientist, psychotherapist, and co-founder of InteraXon, and is on a mission to help us achieve faster by mastering our minds.Ariel says in today’s tech-based world, we don’t take the time to learn who we are. In this podcast, Ariel outlines a strategy to make our entrepreneurial efforts more effective.Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
Why do the best leaders have no rules? How can you become the boss everyone wants? How can you double your productivity?Billionaire Entrepreneur Kevin Kruse has had multiple successful exits as a founder, and has learned many tips surrounding leadership he wants you to know.Kevin is a New York Times bestselling author of 6 books, who tells great stories around the power of co-creating standards with your staff. As a keynote speaker and advisor to Fortune 500 CEOS, he's on a mission over the next 10 years to ignite 100 million leaders around the world. After 5 startups, Kevin wants you to become a leader with no rules to ensure your startup succeeds. Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
What are early stage investors looking for? What basic fundamentals do founders still get wrong? Where do entrepreneurs screw up their pitches almost instantly?Steve Baxter is one of Australia’s most successful tech entrepreneurs. He's the founder of River City Labs, and the founder and CEO of Transition Level Investments.Steve is a household name due to his appearances as a ‘Shark’ on Channel 10’s Shark Tank Australia, and has many tips for founders around their customers, operations, and what a good investor should do. Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
How do you create peak performance with teams? Why are teams that get along the best strategy? Do we have to do EVERYTHING in our startups, and is it a weakness to outsource?Robyn Benincasa is the go to team builder for companies like Microsoft, Honda, Starbucks and Deloitte. These companies rely on Robyn for creating harmonious teams that are willing to break boundaries in the spirit of achieving more.Robyn Benincasa holds three Guinness World Records as an endurance racer, and has had much success as a leader and adventure racer with her teams; which have gathered the attention of global companies desperate for her tips. Her Eco-Challenge team were two-time world champions, and top 5 for 15 years at the world championships.A New York Times best selling author, Robyn insists a strong team is the best strategy, and is passionate about teaching you how. Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
How can we stand out in today’s content-saturated world? What can we learn from chocolate when it comes to storytelling and winning business?How can we create a receptive field when our startup brings change and disruption to people?Michael Margolis is the CEO and founder of Storied. He's so good winning hearts and minds with story, that Facebook, Google, and Uber rely on him to sell a disruptive future.Michael works with other clients like NASA, American Express and Deloitte, helping them translate radical ideas into cultural acceptance.In this podcast, Michael reveals the link between chocolate and storytelling; and how to win the soul of your potential customers.Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
Why is EVERYTHING to do with your startup on you? How can you master the ability to self criticise? What happens when someone in your team is dragging the chain?Jocko Willink is a world-renowned author, motivator and consultant, after years servicing the US Navy Seals.Jocko has received the Silver Star and Bronze Star for his service in the Iraq war, and was commander of SEAL Team Three’s Task Unit Bruiser during the Battle of Ramadi. He had multiple teams out on the battlefield, with bullets coming from all directions, and he was in charge of it all. With many leadership lessons learnt, companies and startups now lean on Jocko for business advice. In this podcast, he discusses what makes a great leader, and details why everything that occurs within a business is due to the founder's leadership.Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
Why are some of our meetings useless? How can we become more productive? Is creative office design actually beneficial?Carson Tate is a world leader in workplace productivity, and has valuable advice she wants to share with startup founders. She's the Founder and Managing Partner of Working Simply, with her advice featured constantly in Forbes, The Harvard Business Review blog, and The New York Times.In this interview, Carson takes us through why our smartphones hinder productivity, how to have efficient meetings, and how we can learn to perform better under pressure.Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
How can you be the sort of leader everyone relies on constantly? With the "War for Talent", how can you attract and maintain the best staff? How can "Check your 6" culture revolutionise your business? Lieutenant Colonel Rob "Waldo" Waldman is a decorated fighter pilot with 65 combat missions across Iraq, SE Asia, and Kosovo. He is a sales manager, New York Times best-selling author, and professional leadership speaker.In this podcast, Rob details how he learned so much about business within his 2,650 flight hours. In addition to his MBA, Rob boasts many Fortune 500 clients like Hewlett-Packard, Marriott and Nokia, and has given talks to companies like Paypal, Bridgestone, Subway, Deloitte, and more.Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
Why are people and culture the reason businesses succeed or fail? Where do founders go wrong with their digital strategy? What attributes do the best leaders have? Stephen Scheeler is the former CEO of Facebook for Australia and New Zealand, and says people and culture matter today more than ever.In this podcast, Stephen reveals how we can increase our learning massively in the workplace, how to utilise what makes us unique, and comments on the future of Facebook given its recent controversies. Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
How can we ensure maximum impact during landmark sales periods like Black Friday? Why should we look to other social channels for advertising opportunities? What is 5 degree thinking and why should startups utilise it?Josh White is the CEO of Neon Treehouse, a social media and digital marketing agency that works with clients to ensure maximum impact with their marketing budgets.In this podcast, Josh takes us through a high-level strategy that startups can adopt to ensure their message is heard amidst the cesspool of sameness.Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
What do entrepreneurs really go through? How can you pivot when you fall short of funding? How can you discover the way in which you work your best?A Ted speaker, Yasmin Grigaliunas is the CEO & Co-founder of World's Biggest Garage Sale, and a brave/inspiring entrepreneur who refuses to accept "failure." In this podcast, Yasmin reveals how she's been able to motivate her team despite falling short of her funding, and how she's been documenting her journey via video to ensure the world can see what really goes into entrepreneurship. Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
How do we actually achieve brand affinity today? How can we earn AND retain an audience that we can market to properly? How did Wistia grow with and for their customers to ensure success?Chris Savage is one of the most successful content marketers in the world. As the CEO of Wistia, Chris has built a video platform that helps some of the biggest brands discover, retain, and inspire customers.In this podcast, Chris also reveals where he sees startups mostly go wrong with their marketing, and divulges the strategy behind marketing to your best audience for a better chance at success.Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
How is the WeWork situation affecting startups and entrepreneurs? How will this change how VCs operate? How will this affect future IPOs and future valuations? John Colley is Professor of Practice at Warwick Business School, and Associate Dean. Before entering academia he was Group Managing Director at a FTSE 100 business, and Executive Managing Director at a French CAC 40 business.In this podcast, John talks about the situation facing WeWork, and the knock-on affect its downfall will have for tech IPO markets, and investment in startups generally. Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
How can marketers move with new technologies to stay relevant? What are the big changes that are already happening? Are Siri and Alexa a slow progression towards allowing robots into our lives?Tony Eades is a brand futurist, and CEO of Salted Stone APAC. He has worked with iconic brands like Qantas, Unilever, IBM, SGIO, Maggie Beer, Kidsafe, Australian College of Nursing and Energy Australia.In this podcast, Tony keeps us up to date with the emerging technologies, and discusses how brands MUST change their strategies to keep up with consumers.Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
When is it right to enter entrepreneurship? What are the first few months like? What emotions will you experience?
Ahron Young has taken his journalistic talents to his own venture called “Ticker Media,” after 13 years as a Sky News reporter and Melbourne bureau chief.
Ticker Media features an all day streaming program hosted by Ahron called Ticker TV; an ad-free online news channel dedicated to business, technology and aviation.
Ahron talks about how he built the courage to take the leap, his fears/excitement for the future, and what it's like to sell your own vision after years as an employee.
Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
Is corporate language always the best way to attract clients? How can we identify our target audience first? Why do so many companies get giveaways wrong?Luke Buesnel is the owner and content director of Story League, and is on a mission to rescue brands from their traditional and boring corporate talk. Luke is passionate about memorable business storytelling, and has many insights he wants entrepreneurs to hear. Luke was previously a journalist and broadcaster with the ABC, Ninemsn, and the Age, and also worked as an adviser to an Australian senator. Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
Why are customers demanding more today? How can we leverage that to bring down big industries? What power do startups have over larger companies?Yanir Yakutiel is the founder of Lumi, a company using the power of data and analytics to create a market-leading, consumer-focused small business lender.After two extremely successful capital raises; the first one over $31.5 million and the most recent one $8 million -- Yanir shares his customer service tactics that have seen small businesses desert the big four banks in favour of his outlook and services.Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
What are the benefits of a co-founder? How does it differ from being a solo founder? How do co-founders make the journey different? Ian Whitworth is the co-founder of Scene Change, an AV Hire and Production Company that he insists is more successful because of his co-founders.In this podcast, Ian talks about why co-founders take the edge off your bad ideas, and how the good and bad times are better with someone to lean on.Ian also talks about the importance of being able to pivot rapidly in today's world, and hilariously compares it to the journey undertaken by Australian Ibis birds, who have had to adapt to life beside humans.Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
How do these famous entrepreneurs run their meetings? How can we become more emotionally intelligent? Why is emotional intelligence critical for running a startup successfully?Justin Bariso is an emotional intelligence expert and the author of top-selling book EQ Applied. His work appears in Forbes, TIME, and CNBC, and Inc.com, and is read by over a million people per month.In this podcast, Justin tells us how we can work on our emotional intelligence, and how it's vital for ongoing progression in conjunction with IQ.Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
How can Bitcoin ensure ethical business? Do governments feel threatened by it? Why is Bitcoin the future for some nations?Tim Draper is a billionaire VC who has invested in startups like Twitter, SpaceX, Tesla, Hotmail, Skype, and more. He's a Bitcoin proponent who believes the cryptocurrency is the way of the future.In this podcast, Tim outlines why he thinks Bitcoin can be used to drive tomorrow's ethical business, by ensuring money doesn't touch "any human hands which sometimes are a little sticky."Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
Can we be both analytical and creative? How dangerous is creativity? Is startup failure becoming too normalised?Dr Alice Flaherty is a neurologist at the Massachusetts General Hospital, and an associate professor of both neurology and psychiatry at Harvard Medical School.In this podcast we discuss the Darwinian view of creativity and critique it within the context of startups.Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
What's the one detailed mission all successful founders have? Why is pivoting such a good idea? Why do all entrepreneurs need to stake out their own territory?Tim Draper is renowned as one of the most successful venture capitalists in the world, and one of the most powerful and influential people in Silicon Valley.Tim’s most prominent investments include Hotmail, Skype, Tesla, SpaceX and Twitter, and is one of the pioneers of viral marketing. In this podcast, Tim shares what he thinks startups and their founders need to discover success, and outlines why optimism is a critical skill for entrepreneurs.Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
What's the first thing you need to ask yourself before starting a business? Where do founders go wrong with their business plans? Where does the customer journey really start?Valentina Borbone is the CEO of Banter Group, a marketing agency that works with companies like McGrath Real Estate, to provide marketing solutions minus the fluff and bravado.Valentina is a straight-shooter who wants founders to harness this critical information ahead of a venture. Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
Why does customer service start with employees? Why are we ultimately competing with the service of all industries? Why should we think about customers before our first sale?Shep Hyken is a customer service and experience expert, and New York Times and Wall Street Journal best selling author. Shep helps companies like American Airlines, American Express, Lexus, and Disney, build loyal relationships with their customers and employees.In this podcast, Shep takes us through the customer service mistakes too many companies are making, and how we can rectify them quickly.Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
How can you manage hyper-growth as a startup? How can staff be empowered? Why are your startup's financials such a big part of it?Amy Foo is the Managing director of Zendesk for Australia and New Zealand, and is steering the growing tech company towards the $1 billion mark. In the last quarter of a recent calendar year under Amy’s guidance, Zendesk’s revenue rose by more than 40 percent on the year prior to US$172.2 million.As a CPA, Amy discusses how she could use these skills to harness the growth, and reveals the critical role staff play in the process.Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
Why is storytelling so important for connecting to customers? Why do we avoid telling the best parts of our journey? What's your brand's Origin story, and why is it so important? Mark Jones is the co-founder of Filtered Media, a company providing marketing and PR with a dedication to brand storytelling. In this podcast, Mark and I go through the critical storytelling components of a brand, and discuss how business owners can adopt such a strategy.Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
What's the science behind recovering from work? What are the three steps for optimal recovery? Why is recovery so important? Dr Jamie Gruman is the author of "Boost: The Science of Recharging Yourself in an Age of Unrelenting Demands",and a professor of organisational behaviour at Canada’s University of Guelph. Dr Gruman poured over 3000 research papers to discover the why and how of recovery in today's gig economy. Jamie discusses the particular ways to recharge effectively, and discusses why millennials today feel less in control of their own life.Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
Why should we focus on B2H (human), and not B2B or B2C? Why should we NOT try to be everything to everyone? Should we move towards generation Z to future-proof our startups?Tony Eades is a brand futurist, and CEO of Salted Stone APAC, and has worked with iconic brands like Qantas, Unilever, IBM, SGIO, Maggie Beer, Kidsafe, Australian College of Nursing and Energy Australia.In this podcast, Tony takes us through the key to succeeding with your marketing by finding your "why", and ensuring your business is moving to capture the hearts of minds of future customers.Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
How do you know which VC is right for you? What are VCs looking for in a founder? Is there such thing as receiving too much funding, and giving away too much equity?With just over 100 venture capital firms in Australia, and 1000 in America, choosing the right firm for your startup is critical.Adam Struck is the Founder and Managing Partner at Struck Capital in Santa Monica, California, and has many tips for you he's keen for you to hear.Prior to Struck Capital, Adam was a Co-Founder of Long Island Brand Beverages, a company that was acquired and taken public on the NASDAQ.Previously, Adam was an M&A / PE attorney at Kirkland & Ellis, and was recently recognised by Forbes, as part the prestigious 30 Under 30 List for Venture Capital.In this interview, Adam also details why he's keen to invest in founders outside of America.Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
What language should we use when asking for referrals? Who are our "influencers" and how can we leverage them? What's the best way to handle initial meetings?Judith Humphrey is the founder of the Humphrey group, a premier leadership communications firm in Toronto working with Hewlett Packard, IBM, Microsoft, Bank of America and Deloitte. A three-time author, Judith specialises in helping us become better emotionally intelligent leaders, and has some critical tips around asking for referrals to help us boost business.Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
Is there a link between criminality and creativity? Why are inmates creating successful brand campaigns? Are you ever really too old to start another career?Concreates is an advertising agency started by Vincent Bragg and Janeya Griffin, that uses the creative minds of the incarcerated and formerly incarcerated. Some see a bank robber, Concreates see a strategist. Vincent and Janeya know all about the world behind bars; Vincent served just over five years in federal prison on drug charges, and at 16, Janeya’s parents were both incarcerated -- leaving her to temporarily care for her 6-year-old brother.Vincent saw how his fellow inmates were able to make something from nothing, and Janeya learned about how harmful society’s stigma toward felons are as she watched her mother struggle to find a job. This led them to join forces on an idea that's giving many men and women a second chance at life, and brands a unique strategy to take to market.Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
How can we stay in the moment as entrepreneurs? Why are our visions never achieved? What's the strategy for discovering what we'd be best at as entrepreneurs?Chip Wilson is the multi-billionaire founder of Lulu Lemon, and is renowned for creating the athleisure trend; where people wear workout gear outside of fitness settings. Chip has been named EY's Canadian Entrepreneur of the Year for Innovation and Marketing, and has touched thousands around the world with his inspirational view of life.In this interview, Chip tells us why we need to make our goals attainable, what reading 100 novels as a young man taught him, and why our subconscious computers are the difference between being successful or not.Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
What's the best content marketing strategy? Why should we stop talking about our product? Why are so many marketers miserable, and not able to engineer their best results?Michael Brenner is recognised as a top business speaker by The Huffington Post, and a leading CMO Influencer by Forbes. He is the CEO of Marketing Insider Group, working with brands like Adidas, The Guardian, IBM and SAP. Michael is passionate about delivering the best results in an ever-changing business landscape. In this interview, Michael also talks about the importance of storytelling in B2B marketing, and how too many CMOs create unfavourable environments for skilled marketers.Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
Why is persuasion so important in today's ideas age? Why does every entrepreneur need to master these skills? Why is storytelling so critical to a founder's success?Carmine Gallo, endorsed by the legendary Tony Robbins, is a three-time Wall Street Journal bestselling author. He has built a reputation for transforming leaders into powerful storytellers and communicators at brands like Walmart, Amazon Web Services, Apple, Berkshire Hathaway Home Services, Chevron, Coca-Cola, Google, Intel, and LinkedIn.Carmine is also a Harvard instructor, and insists persuasion is a vital tool every entrepreneur MUST possess. Carmine talks us through strategies invented by Aristotle, and gives us some insights into what makes amazing persuaders like Steve Jobs memorable.Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
Why do we need a personal brand? What are the 5 steps to do it? Do you have to be an extravert to succeed?Glen Carlson is the co-founder of Dent Global and the co-founder of the “Key Person of Influence” growth Accelerator. He is internationally renowned with a team of 45 in the UK, USA, Singapore and Australia.Through his popular 'Key Person of Influence Accelerator', Glen has worked directly with 2000+ business owners to help them develop their personal brand.In this interview, Glen draws upon years of experience to help you stand out in today's ultra-competitive business climate.Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
How can you use being an Australian business to your advantage in the US? What mindset do you need to win? What issues can you forsee before they happen?Costa Koulis is the co-founder of Designerex, the world’s largest peer-to-peer designer dress sharing platform, who's expanded to the USA with great success. Costa has valuable lessons he's learnt along the way he's eager to share.Too many founders make the mistake of going to the USA only half prepared. Factor that in with getting the basics wrong; and you have the perfect conditions for startup failure!In this discussion, Costa outlines what you MUST know to ensure you fit in.Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
How do you know if entrepreneurship is for you? How can you enter entrepreneurship and minimise the risk? Why is peaking early not ideal for fulfilling your true character?Steve Glaveski is the CEO and Co-founder of Collective Campus, a corporate innovation and startup accelerator, and the author of Employee to Entrepreneur.Steve has worked with over 50 big brands globally, like NAB, Microsoft and Village Roadshow, and has incubated over 100 startups that have collectively raised over US$20M.Steve spent ten years in the corporate world, before jumping ship to explore entrepreneurship. In this interview, Steve gives tips around how you know if entrepreneurship is for you, and how to avoid the mistakes many founders make.Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
What attributes does a successful founder have? How do you redefine inspiration when times get tough? Why is it important to launch as soon as possible?It's rare founders open up so honestly; but Fred Schebesta, the founder of Finder.com.au and HiveEx, is no ordinary founder.A 3 x award recipient from EY, the ADMA Australian Young Direct Marketer of the Year, and the Blockchain Australia Industry Awards 2019 Entrepreneur of the Year; Fred knows what startup founders are going through, and insists none of you are alone. In this candid interview, Fred opens up about the challenges he faces everyday as a world renown business leader. Beginning his entrepreneurial journey at just 22 with a digital marketing agency, and selling it to a publicly listed company; Fred insists his principle of "go live" is vital to putting you on the track to success.Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
Why are stories vital for securing funding? Why is your story critical for more business? Where do so many founders get it wrong?Neil Bearden is a world-renowned preacher of the power of story. A professor at the INSEAD business school, Neil has valuable advice for founders ahead of a VC pitch, or for simply finding more customers.Neil has been an active angel investor since 2008, having made over 20 investments. He’s a Mentor at the INSEAD Alumni Venture Fund, and is working with several startup accelerators in Singapore. Neil has helped those companies go to Series C, and has been through multiple exits.In this conversation, Neil has some advice he's desperate for you (and the naysayers of storytelling) to hear.Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
What can you do to prevent burnout? What are the signs you're heading for burnout? Why does no one talk about it?We’re being described as the burnout generation, buried in burnout culture; but thankfully someone is doing something about it. Skye Romuld was working for a top publisher three years ago in New York city, servicing clients like ASOS, VISA, and Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy.Skye was earning a killing and literally living the dream; only on the inside she was dying. After years of failing to shut off each day, Skye became diagnosed with depression and anxiety. In this interview, Skye reveals how her startup Yellow is working with companies to prevent this occupational phenomenon.Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
How can smaller brands take on the behemoths and win? What are the four critical steps required to do so? What's the most effective market research?
After departing Schweppes as the General Manager of Marketing, Troy McKinna left to start Calm & Stormy; a beverage company selling mineral water in sustainable, recycled aluminium cans. This is something the bigger companies weren't yet doing; and the perfect example of how Troy knows startups can succeed.
Troy is also the cofounder of Agents of Spring, where he helps brands with their development and growth strategy. Troy gives many other valuable insights into how you can compete against the bigger companies, and insists there's never been a better time for startup success.
Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
How do you test your product properly before going to market? How many people are required for a worthwhile product test? What can you do when you don't know what your product is yet?Too many non-technical founders race to meet a deadline, and are plagued by the horrors that come with a premature product release and lack of due diligence.Sean Hasselback, a full stack developer and the tech lead at Station Five, has many insights he'd love you to hear.Sean unpacks the steps and solutions to the startup founders biggest nightmare; that can be avoided with critical steps.Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.Get more information about the User Testing Exchange Meetup as outlined by Sean.
A crisis has the potential to destroy your brand, so how can you implement safeguards to protect it? Where do brands get it wrong when a crisis arises, and what can you learn from their mistakes? Demetri Hughes is the founder of 1 UP communications, and has been awarded with Certified Practising Marketer of the Year in 2016 and 2018 for the state of Queensland. Demetri is also the former Queensland President for the Australian Marketing Institute.Demetri specialises in crisis-proofing brands BEFORE they are faced with a nightmare scenario. Demetri has lots of advice for startup founders he's keen for you to hear; including what a brand really is, and the critical dimensions you need behind yours.Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
Why are tenders so hard to win, and how can we increase our chance of success? Why is someone's so-called "safe" job not so secure in 2019? What are the telltale signs someone won't ever rise above middle management?Ian Whitworth's no-nonsense approach to business is not for the faint hearted! Ian is renown for delivering home truths to startup founders, entertaining and informing his readers at Ian Whitworth dot net.When he’s not writing, Ian is the founder of Scene Change; which has grown at an average of 30% per year since it was founded in 2006. Scene Change, a BRW fast starter, has done this without any external funding.In this honest and hilarious interview, Ian shares many relevant stories and insights for startup founders; including the time he took a massive marketing gamble involving a private jet.Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
Why should every staff member get equity? What salary/equity package options should they be offered? What are the advantages/disadvantages to being married to your co-founder?Ruwin Perera is the co-founder of Different, an Australian startup having lots of success making rent and property management easier for mum and dad owners; after a $1.3 million seed round early on. Ruwin shares great detail around what packages he offers staff members, and his strategy for attracting the right staff, and keeping them.Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
What makes a great disruptive leader? Why is it critical we understand all four types of disruption? What are the signs an industry is ready for disruption?As a management consultant and coach, John Furth has spent a lifetime teaching the importance of disruption. John outlines what makes great disruptive leaders like Geoff Bezos and Jack Ma, and has himself consulted to Sony Corporation and Discovery Communication. John speaks about why disruption never backfired on companies like Amazon, but did for Uber, and has some solid tips for entrepreneurs he doesn't want you to miss.Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
How do you win the business of large organisations? How can you pre-empt and deal with burnout? Why are multiple founders better for a startup?Brad Moran is the co-founder of Citrus Ad, an Australian SaaS startup that has secured multi-billion dollar clients like Coles less than two years after launching. Brad is taking on Silicon Valley giants and winning, but stresses it's a tough road you need to understand ahead of your journey. Brad also opens up about the strategies he's adopted after securing 20 significant local and international clients, following a $5 million capital raise.Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
What can you do as a startup when a corporate juggernaut offers the same service? What strategies do you need to adopt? How can Afterpay fight off the threat from Visa?Visa has announced the same offering as Afterpay, who have had to pivot rapidly and even change their CEO. Benjamin Chong is the founder and investor at Right Click Capital, and has some advice for startup founders ahead of this challenge for Afterpay. Benjamin is also the director of online travel agency Jetabroad.com, where he’s been forced to pivot and re-evaluate since 2005.Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
Should startups bother with an agency or go internal? How can startups make sure their voice is heard? Why is programmatic marketing where business is heading?Miles Joyce is an advertising and marketing expert with 36 years experience, and gives away key insights for you to utilise during your journey. Miles is the co-founder of NetX, which placed first in BRW’s fast 100, and was awarded Digital Agency of the year three times.Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
What's the difference in mentality between a millionaire and a billionaire? What's the one skill all billionaires are masters in? Why do people live their lives not believing in their entrepreneur capabilities?Rafael Badziag is a global entrepreneur, best-selling author, top TED speaker and angel investor. He's spent 5 years travelling the world to interview 21 billionaire entrepreneurs, and has compiled it into a book titled "The Billion Dollar Secret." Rafael uncovered their strategies and strengths that set them apart, and now wants to share them all with you.Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
What's the value in challenging expectation with your startup? Why market on platforms other brands are fleeing? Why is NOT raising capital better for ultimate business growth and control?I unpack these questions with HiSmile founders Nik Mirkovic and Alex Tomic, whose company has made nearly $150 million after starting the business with just $20,000 between them. The pair have found their places on the Australian Financial Review's Young Rich List by challenging traditional marketing approaches, and taking a meticulous approach to goal setting.Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
When is the best time to start delegating? When should you hire a full-time staff member over a freelancer? How can you succeed as a non-technical founder with a tech startup?Taryn Williams is the founder of The Right Fit and Wink Models, and one of Australia’s most popular female entrepreneurs & digital influencers. Taryn has been recognised with the 2018 Mumbrella Award for Innovation, and 2017 B&T Women in Media tech leader. Taryn is passionate about passing on her lessons to entrepreneurs, and generously parts with advice around growing your startup as frictionless as possible.Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
How does an unwavering commitment to staff happiness lead to greater profits? Why do most founders get replaced after raising capital? Why is trying to do everything on your own not the best strategy?I had the pleasure of speaking to Michael C. Bush, the former CEO of Tetra Tech Communications, which he grew from $40 million to $300 million in revenues. Michael is currently the CEO of a Great Place To Work, and is one of the key drivers of the modern leadership approach that he insists too many leaders today "still don't get."In this podcast, Michael talks us through some of the content of his new book: "A Great Place to Work For All," and outlines a fool-proof strategy for taking your leadership and company to the next level.Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
Why do you critically need to find a "why" for your startup? Why are large companies now marketing to businesses as if they're consumers? How can you use storytelling to squash your competition?Traditionally, creativity and storytelling has been seen as a luxury afforded to B2C brands, but B2B marketers are now realising the insurmountable benefits of adopting this strategy.Steve Hemsley is a UK based marketing expert who writes regularly for Marketing Week; keeping his eye on the ever-changing marketing industry to discover what's yielding the best results, and why.In this podcast, Steve summarises a fresh but tested B2B marketing approach he's certain you'll see results from.Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
IBM has cut headcount by 25% under CEO Ginni Rometty, so what does that say about their motives? How can we use AI for the better of our staff? Why is allowing staff to work less better for productivity and revenue?I discuss this with Dan Pontefract, the CEO of The Pontefract Group, a company that helps people become better at leadership. A three time best selling author, Dan has presented at four different Ted events, and has solid advice for founders all over the world.Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
Why do you need a consistent leadership style for optimal success? Why is learning about yourself first critical to being a good leader? What can you learn from Apple when it comes to keeping customers?I had a terrific discussion with Rod Moynihan around leadership, and what he's learnt after decades of experience. Rod is the former Aust/NZ director of Zendesk for Australia and New Zealand, and has previously delivered results at Microsoft (Dynamics), SAP, Salesforce, and Accenture.Rod is passionate about you hearing what he's spent his career discovering, and has some "nuggets" of gold he doesn't want you to miss.Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
How do you disrupt a market that people associate with banks? How important is your leadership team? How do you market for disruption?Michael Starkey and his Co-Founder were NAB bankers before they took the plunge to enter the home loan market and offer more to customers. They started their company, Athena, after raising more than $45 million. In this discussion, Michael has some great advice around how he built the company.Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
Hiring the right staff is one of the biggest challenges a founder faces, so how can you get it right? What does the MD of Xero Australia test every potential staff member with? What's the most important attribute for applicants to posses?I unpack the one secret technique (and more) utilised by award winning MD Trent Innes, who's urging you to implement a similar approach.Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
How can you discover your startups' best story? How can you get inside a journalist's head? Why do so many business fail with PR?Oryana Angel brings 15 years of journalism experience to this interview, where she outlines how you can begin getting press immediately. Oryana is the cofounder of In The Media PR, an agency that helps companies get widespread publicity by getting to the heart of what makes them unique.Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
Why don't we entrepreneurs talk about the pain we're in? How can we look after ourselves better? Is our true purpose in line with our entrepreneurial goals?Mark Leruste is the founder and host of the Unconventionalists, and helps people discover their purpose and ideal impact.In this honest and heartfelt discussion, Mark also reveals why some founders experience mental hardship due to entering the life of an entrepreneur with unrealistic expectations.Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
Have traditional marketing practices been forgotten? How is data getting in the way for startups? Does research trump creative brilliance?I discuss these questions with Robert Strohfeldt, a marketing and advertising industry veteran. Robert has seen many things change during his marketing career, but not necessarily for the better. Robert has worked in strategy and management with McCann Erickson, Clemenger and Saatchi, before launching Bond Strohfeldt in 1990, servicing clients like Samsung and Disney.Robert continually sees new and old businesses making the wrong decisions, and wants you to listen to his advice ahead of your next one.Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
Why is advertising on Facebook or Instagram not the best use of your money? How can you ensure you nail your launch? Why is user experience so vital?I go through the fresh approach being undertaken by world renowned marketer for startups, Andrew Lee Miller. Andrew is a growth hacker who has driven growth for 3 multi-million dollar startup exits in both Dubai and Silicon Valley, with really low budgets.Andrew's unique approach to getting your business in front of as many people as possible is something we're both excited to share with you!Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
How do you attract and retain the right people for your business? How do you set up a hierarchy without alienating staff? Why is culture and purpose the most important things for start up success?Dan Pontefract is the CEO of The Pontefract Group, a company that helps people become better at leadership. A three time best selling author, Dan has presented at four different Ted events, and has solid advice for founders all over the world.Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
Where do startups fail with their legal framework? What should you focus on in particular? What should you do if you can't afford top legal advice?Michael Tidball is the CEO of The Law Society in New South Wales, and wants you to hear his comments ahead of and during your startup efforts.Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
James Eder was staring down the barrel of immense success with his startup Causr. He had funding coupled with coverage from Sir Richard Branson, but the business ultimately failed and he had to close it down.So what would he do differently? When is the best time to raise money? When should you bring on a co-founder?James opened up to me about his heart trouble, the lessons he learnt about startup failure, and his advice for founders around the world.Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
What are the three things venture capital firms are seeking in a founder? How important is a track record? What does a successful startup look like?I discuss these queries with Right Click Capital founder and investor Benjamin Chong, who's been investing in and building successful internet related businesses for the last twenty years.Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
Is having Wednesdays off better for productivity? Does it boost profits? Would it work for your business?After creating headlines around the world for giving her staff Wednesdays off, Chief Executive Kath Blackham reveals her positive results that might surprise you. Kath Blackham is the CEO of Digital agency Versa and is hoping companies around the world do the same.Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
Why are the big four banks reluctant to work with startups? How can a founder increase their chances of doing business with them? How can you avoid wasting your time with them?I go through these questions with Peter Bradd, who has started "The Beanstalk Factory", to deal with this very issue. Peter started working with Qantas after a cold call pitch to the receptionist when he was in his early twenties, and has since been named one of Australia’s Top 10 Most Influential People in Tech. Peter is also the founding director of Fishburners, Australia’s largest community of Startups.Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
Why does the government need access to facial matching? What is the legal framework here? Why are they being so secretive about it?I discuss my concerns here with Tim Garnsey, who is equally as eager as myself to see what their proof of concept would look like. Tim is the Co-Founder and Director of Certitude Id, after stints at Atlassian, Spaceship and Airtasker.Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
Why are multiple founders better than just one? What's the best possible pitch for a VC? How can founders achieve balance and optimal mental health during the hustle?I speak with Nihal Mehta about these key questions for entrepreneurs. Nihal's Eniac Ventures is a $100 million fund with investments in companies like Airbnb and SoundCloud; and he has some knowledge valuable for all founders.Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
AI is expensive, but how can small business use it for a competitive edge? What's the most cost effective way of utilising it? And is Australia really the best place for your startup?I discuss all of these topics with Emma Martinho-Truswell, the co-founder of UK technology consultancy Oxford Insights, who has previously worked in the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. Emma also discusses the challenges Australian founders face with their startups on home soil, and has valuable advice for those about to embark on a new venture.Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
How can we communicate to ensure our negotiations are a success? What's the "red line" in negotiating, and why is it so important? How can we ensure we don't agitate the other party?I go through this with Seth Pinsky, who was instrumental in the negotiations with Larry Silverstein for the World Trade Center rebuild. Seth is currently theExecutive Vice President and Investment Manager of RXR Realty, having previously worked under former NYC mayor Michael Bloomberg.Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
How can you use AI to win your next job? How does a startup founder best seperate themselves from their opposition? Is it business suicide if your startup relies on educating the market?I discuss all of these topics with the founder of x.ai, Dennis Mortensen, an AI agent that schedules meetings automatically between two people. Dennis shares his wisdom surrounding the key questions and risks an entrepreneur should be aware of ahead of a new venture.Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
What will McDonald's do about consumer privacy in the wake of their 300 million dollar investment into big data? What about motorists at the drive thru who don't want their number plates recorded? How will this change our fast food experience?I speak to Tim Garnsey about the questions and challenges that lie ahead for McDonalds. Tim is the Co-Founder and Director of Certitude Id, after previously working in machine learning and data roles at Atlassian, Spaceship and Airtasker.Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
Why is the Australian Government reacting so rapidly after the live streaming of the Christchurch mass shooting on Facebook? Are we heading down an anti-tech path? What effect will this have on tech founders here? The Government has passed laws whereby Social media companies risk fines of up to 10 per cent of the platform's annual turnover if they fail to remove violent content "expeditiously".I speak to Alex McCauley, Chief executive of StartupAUS, about what this means for today's tech founder and just what the government is trying to do.Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
After the Christchurch mass shooting, how much responsibility should Facebook have over what’s broadcasted live on their platform? How do we stop acts of terror being broadcasted? Will the government really send tech executives to jail if they leave dangerous and harmful content online, and how does this affect you as a business owner?I endeavour to get to the bottom of this with Craig Davies, the former CEO for the Federal Government’s AustCyber, former Head of Security at Atlassian and Chief Security Officer at Cochlear.Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
Why is the government putting all of our data at risk to hackers, when their whole job is to guarantee the security of Australians? What are their REAL intentions here? With companies like Microsoft saying this is a bad idea, why is our government persisting?I endeavour to get to the bottom of this with Craig Davies, the former CEO for the Federal Government’s AustCyber, former Head of Security at Atlassian and Chief Security Officer at Cochlear.Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
What does it take to go from the customer of a business to then publicly listing it on the NASDAQ? What impact does your approach to other people have on business success? What differentiates Australian and US based entrepreneurs for those looking to go global?In this podcast I discuss vision, focus and alignment as vital business principles with Scott Penn, an influential figure in his field for more than 20 years. Scott runs SP Health, and was Weight Watchers' global Vice President, helping take them public in 2001. Scott is also the Owner and Chairman of the Manly Sea Eagles, an Australian National Rugby League team.Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
There are three big questions I hear from entrepreneurs. Should I hire on qualifications or character? Should I work with family? Is being a franchisee a profitable model?I discuss all of these questions with Jim Penman, whose business turns over $400 million per year. Having started his mowing franchise in 1989, he has now dominated almost 50 different service industries with this same model.Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
How do you get funding from a VC? One of the best tactics, as I discuss with top NYC VC Charlie O'Donnell, is by reverse engineering it. Here we discuss a solid strategy to give you the best shot.Charlie is one of only a dozen individuals to be named to Business Insider's 100 Most Influential People in New York Tech 5 times or more, with a reputation of being the most accessible early stage investor in New York.Connect with Lambros Photios of Station Five on LinkedIn and Twitter.
Scott Gerber is the author of the popular book "Superconnector" which aims to help us make more meaningful connections that translate into better business. Scott Gerber insists "networking is dead", and is on a mission to steer us away from the vanity metrics of social media and into the world of strong, long term relationships.Scott shares the approach he utilises daily as CEO of The Community Company, an organisation that builds and manages communities for global brands and media companies.Interview conducted by Lambros Photios of Station Five.
Andrea Breanna is changing marketing one company at a time with RebelMouse, a platform that allows clients to streamline a calculated content marketing approach. A former CTO of the Huffington Post, Andrea outlines why you need to act like a media company, and why she removed her sales team and grew 80% year on year.Andrea's advice for businesses will transform your approach to sales and marketing, and you won't look back.Interview conducted by Lambros Photios of Station Five.
Andrew Horn is described by Forbes as the Dale Carnegie of the digital age. Andrew has devoted his live to teaching people the art of meaningful conversation and finding their true calling and happiness in an environment where it's harder than ever.Andrew's advice for entrepreneurs is unmatched, talking them through ways to escape the imposter syndrome and finding purpose day to day.Interview conducted by Lambros Photios of Station Five.
This podcast explores the key insights of Laurel Touby, the managing director of Supernode Ventures. What's so insightful about her thoughts is her approach to founders, having successfully exited her own startup mediabistro.com in 2011 for USD $23 million.In Laurel's words, "You definitely have to be so uncomfortable that the only way you're going to be happy is when the company exits."Interview conducted by Lambros Photios of Station Five.