The Dion Guagliardo Podcast: Recent Episodes
Dion Guagliardo
The Dion Guagliardo Podcast is a show that brings on Australian business people, leaders and innovators from a variety of industries to discuss entrepreneurship, work ethic and how they achieved success
In this episode, I interview George Lucas, founder of Raiz Invest. Raiz, a fintech company, was founded in 2016 before listing on the ASX and reaching a market cap of $200m at its peak.
Throughout the episode, George talks about the early days at Raiz, and his work with Instreet and other business ventures. We discuss the challenges of stepping down from Raiz as well as the attributes of leaders and how his strengths and weaknesses impacted his business journey. He also talks about types of business people he admires and his advice for anyone in business today.
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In this episode, I interview Deborah Coram, CEO of Safetrac. Safetrac, a compliance training service, was founded in 1999 and grew from 25 to 65 people with revenue of over $20m pa.
Throughout the episode, Deborah talks about her background in law, how she came to buy Safetrac, the challenges of running the business during COVID and adapting to working from home, as well as her management style and the importance of culture for Safetrac. She also talks about the implementation of AI in the business, as well as her advice to people in business.
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In this episode, I interview Jeremy Cabral, co-founder of Finder. Finder, a comparison website, was founded in 2006 growing to annual revenue of over $100m and a valuation of $680m.
Throughout the episode, Jeremy talks about his early interest in technology, his journey with finder, his work ethic, as well as his thoughts on the future of AI and the impact it will have on companies in the future. He also talks about the historic importance of adapting quickly to new technologies, as well as a look at his own personal projects.
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In this episode, I interview Pan Koutlakis, co-founder and CEO of EatClub. Founded in 2017, EatClub is a dynamic pricing platform for restaurants and has grown to over 200 people following a raise of $27 million at a $200 million valuation.
Throughout the episode, Pan talks about the challenge of running a business in a two sided marketplace, the impact of COVID on the company, the process of expanding internationally, and the importance of having great investors in difficult times.
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In this episode, I interview Kelly Drewett, managing director of Synechron and co-founder of Exposé. Exposé, an IT consulting company, was founded in 2016 growing to 70 people before being acquired by Synechron in March along with its sister company Chamonix.
Throughout the episode, Kelly discusses the acquisition and what it means for her role, as well as how her background in performing arts helped her to develop the soft skills to complement the technical skills required for working in IT. She also goes into detail about how she works to improve the experience for women in STEM, her start in the industry as well as the formation of Exposé.
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In this episode, I interview Max Marchione, founder of Superpower. Max started the healthcare business in two thousand twenty-three, so far raising fifty million dollars at a three hundred million US dollar valuation, and plans to revolutionize the healthcare industry in the decades ahead. Throughout the episode, Max shares how he built the business after moving to the US, his vision for Superpower, and how he plans to change healthcare from one of its foundational processes, blood testing, to ultimately reinvent the entire healthcare system.
He also goes into detail about his vision for creating cities, as well as the core values his business is based on, people and books that inspire him, and insights into the process of fundraising.
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In this episode, I interview Ian Runge, founder of RPM Global Holdings Limited Ian started the mining technology business in 1977, listed it on the ASX in 2008, before it was acquired by Caterpillar in February 2026 for over one billion dollars.
Throughout the episode, Ian shares how he built the business and innovated computer programming for the mining industry when it was still a fresh concept. He talks about bringing in investors, making sure the business could run on its own, and formulating an exit from day-to-day operations. He also opens up about the realities of listing and then selling a business and what it means to have a successful life outside of running a successful business.
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In this episode I interview Renece Brewster, co-founder of Visual Domain. Renece started the video production company in 2008 and scaled it into a national business before being acquired by News Corp in 2024. Throughout the episode, Renece shares how she built the business from scratch during the GFC, growing it into a team of over 100 staff while navigating the pressures of rapidly scaling the company.
She also opens up about the realities of selling a business, the emotional side of exiting, and what she's learned since transitioning into a portfolio career across multiple ventures, including her Tech Circle and March Collective.
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In this episode I interview Stefon Bertram, founder and managing partner of Pello Property. Throughout the conversation, Stefon shares his journey into real estate, starting at just 17 years old, growing and selling his first agency through to building Pello into what it is today.
Now approaching its fifth year, the business is on track to achieve $1.2 billion in turnover this year. Stefon also reflects on the key lessons he's learned along the way and how he's maintained a strong team culture while scaling the business.
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In this episode, I interview Andrea Christie-David - Founder of Leor. Founded in 2018, Leor grew into a nationally early learning service, ultimately leading to its acquisition by ASX-listed G8 Education in 2021.
Throughout the conversation, Andrea shares how she built the business as a solution to her own personal challenge. She also opens up about navigating issues such as the COVID-19 pandemic and how leading with vulnerability helped her support and stay connected with her team as the business grew.
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In this episode, I interview Sven Almenning - Founder of The Speakeasy Group. With a background bartending around the world, Sven founded Australia's largest industry consultancy firm, Behind Bars, for nine years. He then founded Speakeasy Group, a high-end boutique hospitality company with 8 venues across Melbourne and Sydney.
Throughout the episode, Sven highlights the value of creating meaningful experiences through human interactions, especially in an era where people are increasingly reliant on technology. He also talks about the importance of strong business partnerships in fostering growth within a challenging industry.
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In this episode, I interview Chris Poulter - Founder and CEO of OSINT Combine. After more than a decade of experience in the Australian Defence Force, Chris founded the company in 2019. Since then, the veteran-operated business has grown into a global provider of open-source intelligence software, serving clients in more than 20 countries.
Throughout the episode, Chris discusses his military career, highlighting how it profoundly shaped his character and his perspective on the world. He shares how OSINT Combine supports critical operations including counter terrorism and counter human trafficking efforts. Chris also talks about the evolving role of AI, discussing both the opportunities and threats to the intelligence landscape.
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In this episode, I interview Diana Williams - Founder of Fernwood Fitness. Driven by her love of strength training, Diana opened Australia's first women-only gym in 1989. Today, Fernwood has grown to more than 70 clubs nationwide, supporting over 90,000 Australian women.
Throughout the episode, Diana reflects on her decision to franchise and the rapid growth and publicity that came with launching a women-only gym. She discusses her leadership style, how the fitness industry has evolved over the past 40 years, and the ways that she's adapted to both the market and women’s needs and how they've changed.
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In this episode, I interview Kristina Karlsson - Founder of kikki.K and Dream Life. Opening her first stationery store in 2001, kikki.K became a global brand with over 100 stores and customers in over 150 countries. Today, she channels her creativity and passion into Dream Life, a print-on-demand stationery brand and digital coaching program designed to help people create and live their dream lives.
Throughout the episode, Kristina talks about the rapid growth of kikki.K and its challenges, including COVID pandemic and parting ways with the business she built. She also highlights her goal to inspire and empower 101 million people worldwide to pursue their dreams through her new business.
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In this episode, I interview Troy Sawdy - Founder and CEO of Titan Ind. Starting the company in 2019, Titan provides maintenance solutions for the mining industry across the country. In just six years, Troy has scaled Titan to almost $100m in revenue and a team of 350 employees nationwide.
Throughout the episode, Troy shares the key lessons he learned to become a better leader and the importance of workplace culture, both of which align with Titan's core values of communication, integrity and accountability. He also reflects on his experience in the business world, emphasising that success isn’t defined by background because everyone is working together towards a shared goal.
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In this episode, I interview Stuart Clout - Founder of thedocyard. Starting his career as a lawyer, Stuart bootstrapped his company before going through a merger, IPO and ultimately securing a $250 million private-equity exit. Today, he channels his expertise as the founder of GTM Garage and co-founder of Mulga Defense Corporation.
Throughout the episode, Stuart discusses the important decisions behind leaving his job in law and starting a company. He talks about his achievements, including optimising internal operations and M&A. Stuart also highlights navigating the post-exit transition, particularly the challenge of autonomy in your business.
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In this episode, I interview Sarah-Jane Kurtini - Co-Founder of Tinybeans and Founder of PitchSlap. Creating Tinybeans in 2011, S-J bootstrapped the family photo-sharing app and by the time of its IPO, Tinybeans had grown to over 1.5 million users worldwide reaching a market cap of $80m. Exiting in 2020, Sarah-Jane went on to launch PitchSlap, where she now advises founders and CEOs on growth and strategy.
Throughout the episode, S-J discusses her experience of launching Tinybeans from fundraising and growth to acquisition and an IPO. She also reflects on how she managed to balance family commitments and moving countries while building the business.
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In this episode, I interview Rich Coombes - a four-time founder including companies such as Will & Co Coffee and Batlow Cider Co. Having co-founded and exited several businesses across consumer goods and tech sectors, Rich has established himself as a leader in the entrepreneurial scene. Now, as a Partner at Nexus Advisory, he works directly with businesses to help them find funding solutions.
Throughout the episode, Rich shares insights into scaling businesses, raising capital, and managing exits. He highlights the importance of strategic partnerships and building a strong management team, both of which have been cornerstones of his success in business.
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In this episode, I interview Quirin Schwaighofer - Co-Founder of MadeComfy. MadeComfy was founded in 2015 and has become Australia's largest professional short-term rental network. With over 1,300 properties under management, the company reached a major milestone this year when it was acquired for more than $50 million.
Throughout the episode, Quirin discusses setting the goal of starting a company with the intention of exiting in ten years. He shares the challenges of growing MadeComfy including the significant loss of revenue caused by COVID-19 travel restrictions. Quirin also emphasises the crucial role of networking in successfully raising capital.
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In this episode, I interview Jim Penman - Founder of Jim's Group. Since launching Jim's Mowing in 1982, Jim's Group has become Australia's largest franchise network, spanning more than 50 service divisions and over 5,500 franchisees. As of 2025, Jim’s Group generates over $1 billion in annual turnover.
Throughout the discussion, Jim shares his early experience of completing his PhD before facing the challenge of finding a career in academia and choosing to grow his mowing business instead. He highlights that his franchisees are his top priority. He explains how he works closely and directly with them to help them succeed and he also discusses the importance of people in business who are hands-on and curious.
If you enjoy this episode, feel free to leave a 5-star review and share with family and friends.
Jim also shares his book recommendations list, which can be accessed at https://jimpenman.com.au/book-recommendations/
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In this episode, I interview David Hyman - Co-Founder and CEO of Lendi Group. Since founding the company in 2013, Lendi has become Australia's leading digital mortgage broker and online home loan platform. After acquiring Aussie Home Loans in 2021, Lendi Group now has over $100 billion dollars in loans and 5 million customers on their platforms.
Throughout the episode, David discusses the process of combining the digital and human experience for their customers. He talks about the commitment to become AI native. David also shares his leadership philosophy, including the importance of teamwork and radical transparency in scaling a high-growth company.
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In this episode, I interview Steve Chapman - Founder of Hyro and Co-Founder of Shine. Steve scaled Shine to become a major name in the beverage industry in over 7,000 stores and $60m in retail sales. Now, Steve is building Hyro, a wellness brand creating hydrating electrolyte drinks, with a mission to become a $100m company.
Throughout the episode, Steve shares his journey growing Shine, including the challenge of navigating sales and supply chains with major retailers like Coles and Woolworths. He highlights the key lessons he's carried over from Shine to his current venture, Hyro. Steve explains why he chose to build a business around hydration.
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In this episode, I interview Benjamin Zeccola - CEO of Palace Cinemas. Founded by his father, Antonio, in 1965, Palace Cinemas has grown into Australia's leading independent cinema group with over 200 screens across 24 locations nationally.
Throughout the episode, Benjamin discusses being involved in the family business from a young age, and the process of stepping into the CEO role. He reflects on the complex process of succession planning and balancing family dynamics with business needs. He also shares how he led the business through major shifts in the cinema industry, including the challenges brought on by COVID-19.
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In this episode, I interview Jaid Hulsbosch - Director at Hulsbosch. Founded by his father in 1982, the independently owned brand and design agency has grown into a powerhouse behind some of Australia's most iconic brands including Woolworths, Virgin Australia, and Qantas.
Throughout the episode, Jaid shares his journey growing up in the business. His decision to gain experience in London before joining his family-run company. He also talks about the importance of passion and why it matters in achieving success in business and life.
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In this episode, I interview Andrew Banks - Co-Founder of Morgan & Banks and Talent2 International. Founded in 1985, Andrew scaled Morgan & Banks to become Australia's largest recruitment company with revenue of almost $1 billion. Andrew also co-founded Talent2 International, an ASX-listed company providing human resource advisory and payroll services.
Throughout the conversation, Andrew talks about the rapid growth of Morgan & Banks, dealing with each stage of the company as it matured and the importance of people and teamwork in making it all happen. He also reflects on his interest in acting and the insights gained from encountering diverse business models, and how they contributed to the success of his ventures and continue to influence his investments in companies today.
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In this episode, I interview Erin Deering - Co-Founder of Triangl Swimwear and Founder of Deering. Launching Triangl Swimwear in 2013, the brand saw rapid growth with revenue hitting $70 million pa in the space of a few short years and a valuation of $200 million at its peak.
Throughout the conversation, Erin talks about the challenges that come with such rapid growth, recognising that she needed to make changes, and how she emerged stronger for the experience. She talks about exiting her business and how the lessons from Triangl influence her new fashion brand, Deering.
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In this episode, I interview Wayne Gerard — Founder of Prtnr and Co-Founder of RedEye. Over the past two decades, Wayne has built and exited multiple businesses, including scaling RedEye, which supports clients in managing over $450 billion in large, complex assets and critical infrastructure. Now, through his current venture Prtnr, Wayne invests in and builds companies that focus on sustainable innovation.
Throughout the conversation, Wayne discusses how his entrepreneurial mindset shaped his early experiences in the army and at Boeing, before going on to grow 13 businesses in his career. He also talks about raising capital and navigating the acquisition process, while reflecting on the personal journey of being a founder and CEO.
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In this episode, I interview Adam Ferrier - Founder of Thinkerbell. Founded in 2017, Adam has helped scale Thinkerbell into one of Australia's most recognisable advertising agencies, working with iconic brands such as Vegemite, Menulog, and Jetstar. With his sharp insights and unique point of view, Adam is also a regular panellist on shows like The Project, Gruen, Sunrise, and ABC Radio.
Throughout the episode, Adam shares his early fascination with commerce and psychology, and how his experience working in the prison system taught him important insights about human behaviour. He also draws on his background as a consumer psychologist and the practice of 'measured magic' at Thinkerbell, where their business model of marketing science and creativity has been key to the company’s success.
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In this episode, I interview Colleen Callander - former CEO of Sportsgirl and Sussan and Founder of Mentor Me Women. Over a 30-year career in Australian retail, Colleen led major fashion brands through periods of significant growth and transformation, including a decade-long turnaround at the labels where she served as CEO.
Colleen discusses how she got her start in fashion at just 16, the leadership lessons she’s learned over time, and the role of self-awareness and empathy in effective management. She also speaks candidly about burnout, and how it shaped her views on work-life balance and sustainable leadership.
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In this episode, I interview Steve Baxter - Co-Founder of TEN13 and Founder of Beaten Zone Venture Partners. Steve launched his first tech startup in 1994 and went on to sell his second, PIPE Networks for $373 million in 2009. He has become one of Australia’s leading investors in start-ups and tech.
Throughout the conversation, Steve talks about the process of scaling his first start-ups within a competitive telecommunications market. He also shares his early experience as a soldier and its influence on his current investments in the Australian sovereign defence technology sector.
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In this episode, I interview Ben Thompson - Co-founder and CEO of Employment Hero. With a valuation of almost $2 billion, Ben has scaled the company to be one of the world’s leading HR, payroll, and recruitment software businesses. Employment Hero is used by over 400,000 businesses and 3 million employees globally.
Throughout the episode, Ben highlights the ambition of Employment Hero to assist people who are disadvantaged around the world and connect them to remote work opportunities. He also discusses capital raising and the potential for AI innovation in business recruitment. Ben talks about the traits that make a founder successful and the way that these traits have helped him build his business.
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In this episode, I interview Amanda Rettig - Founder of Mimco and A-ESQUE. As a design leader in the fashion industry, Amanda grew Mimco into a fashion powerhouse and sold the accessories brand for $45 million in 2007. Now, she continues her creative success into luxury handbags and goods at A-ESQUE.
Amanda shares her approach to building a retail brand, and scaling her business and exit with Mimco. She also talked about how her definition of success in business and life has changed over the years.
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In this episode, I interview Angela Ferguson - Creative and Managing Director of Futurespace. As a business leader in workplace strategy and design for over 25 years, she has worked with global clients to transform their workplace environment through her innovative projects.
Throughout the conversation, Angela highlights her ability to navigate the changing business landscape and implement her future-focused vision to strengthen workplace culture. She also provides great insight into her current PhD work, drawing from her experience in design techniques and thought leadership.
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In this episode, I interview David McGrath – Chief Executive Officer of myPlates and TasPlates. With a distinguished career as a technology and media executive, David has driven business success through his expertise in product innovation and strategic leadership.
Throughout the episode, David shares his experiences navigating the evolving business landscape across different media and technology sectors. He also discusses the influence of technology and AI integration on his business endeavours and how he has optimised current consumer trends to increase business success.
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In this episode, I interview Alan Jones – Managing Partner of M8 Ventures. With a career that evolved through roles at Microsoft and Yahoo during the height of the dot-com boom, Alan has become one of the country’s most experienced and respected angel investors.
Throughout the conversation, Alan shares how his early curiosity and self-taught tech skills shaped his journey from journalism to venture capital. He also reflects on the unpredictable nature of wealth, the ethics of venture capital, and the enduring value of investing in people, not just products.
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In this episode, I interview Cassandra Kelly - Co-Founder of Pottinger — a multi-award-winning financial and strategic global advisory firm. In 2019, Cassandra was awarded an Order of Australia in recognition of her transformative contributions to business through executive roles and as an advocate for equity and inclusion.
Throughout the episode, Cassandra, based in New York, shares insights on how her destination-led strategies have led clients to embrace disruption, uncertainty, and complexity. She also discusses her career journey, highlighting that ethical business practices and integrity are paramount to successful leadership.
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In this episode, I interview David Fastuca - Co-Founder of Locomote and CEO & Co-Founder Growth Forum. Founded in 2012, David grew Locomote into $150 million sales pipeline in less than 18 months, culminating in over $30 million in exits. He now focuses his time scaling Growth Forum, a sales learning platform providing solutions for high-growth companies.
Throughout the episode, David talks about his early days as an entrepreneur, and his journey as a business owner, investor and mentor. He also speaks about how the positioning of a business and distribution of a product are essential for success. David is also the co-author of The B2B Sales Playbook - A Tactical Guide to Build a Flood of Qualified Deals for Your Business.
If you enjoy this episode, feel free to leave a 5-star review and share with family and friends.
David's Links
Book: https://www.growthforum.io/buybook
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidfastuca/
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In this episode, I interview Tom Cawley - Executive Chair of MaxMine — an innovative technology company revolutionizing open-pit mining operations since its founding in 2015. Under Tom’s leadership, MaxMine has grown from a bootstrapped startup into an industry leader backed by private equity, all while maintaining a strong focus on values and reputation to successfully break into a competitive market.
Tom shares insights into scaling a tech-driven business, and how MaxMine is harnessing AI and other emerging technologies to deliver more effective outcomes for their clients.
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In this episode, I interview Jason T Smith. Jason was CEO of Back In Motion Health Group. Founded in 1999, Back In Motion grew into one of Australia’s largest physiotherapy networks, eventually becoming an ASX-listed company and setting a record for one of the sector’s biggest transactions.
Throughout the episode, Jason shares how he built his business from humble beginnings in his garage, scaling it to over 140 locations across Australia and New Zealand with a team of more than 700 professionals. He also opens up about the challenges he faced when scaling and how he maintained strong connections within his team while expanding the business.
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In this episode, I interview Andrea and Ian Gardiner. Andrea is the founder of Jelix Ventures, an early-stage venture capital manager dedicated to supporting startups across Australia and New Zealand. Ian is the co-founder of Innovation Bay, Australia’s leading and longest running startup community. Together, Andrea and Ian have become major pillars in the startup scene, investing in over 45 companies and supporting hundreds more.
Throughout the episode, Andrea and Ian talk in-depth about what distinguishes great founders from the rest and the traits they carry that convince investors to fund their companies. Furthermore, they explain why space and energy are some of their favourite themes to invest in and why they think these categories are vastly underrated.
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In this episode, I sit down with Steve Grace, Founder and CEO of The Nudge Group. Since launching in 2019, The Nudge Group has redefined the role of recruitment agencies, helping startups scale by connecting them with top talent and a trusted ecosystem for growth.
Steve shares his journey as a natural entrepreneur, including how he built and sold two successful businesses before founding The Nudge Group. He also reflects on navigating major global challenges like the GFC and the COVID-19 pandemic, reflecting the lessons he’s learned along the way. If you enjoy this episode, feel free to leave a 5-star review and share with family and friends.
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In this episode, I interview Greg Taylor - Founder of Step One Underwear. Founded in 2017, Step One has become one of Australia’s most popular underwear brands, growing to become an ASX-listed company, with a market capitalisation of around $250 million and operates internationally.
Throughout the episode, Greg talks about his early days in rowing and how competing for Australia taught him the teamwork and resilience needed for business success. He also speaks about how courage and self-belief led him to continue in the tough times.
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In this episode, I interview Paul House - CEO of Imdex, an ASX-listed mining-tech company with a market capitalisation of $1.2 billion. Paul has helped the company grow to now employ over 800 staff globally and earn $445 million in annual revenue.
Throughout the episode, Paul emphasises the importance of staying innovative and the power of seeking inspiration from different industries to identify new ways to solve problems. Paul also talks about his experiences working all around the world and how a focus on culture is a common trait strong teams have globally.
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In this episode, I interview Matt Jones, co-founder of Four Pillars - one of Australia’s most popular gin companies. Since founding in 2013, Matt and his co-founders have seen Four Pillars be named the worlds best gin producer three times, expand overseas and be acquired by drinks giant Lion for a reported $100 million.
Throughout the episode, Matt emphasises the importance of brand, storytelling and how a strong narrative empowers customers to fall in love with a company’s product. Matt goes against the usual lean startup trend and why it could be a mistake to launch an early lower quality product especially when you’re positioning your company as a premium brand.
If you enjoy this episode, feel free to share with family and friends and leave a 5 star review.
Matt has just released a new book going deeper into his insights from Four Pillars titled Lessons from Gin. Get 10% off by using the code LESSONSFROMGIN here!
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In this episode, I interview Phillip Di Bella - founder of Di Bella Coffee and more recently, the Coffee Commune. Founded in 2002, Phillip grew Di Bella coffee into one of Australia’s largest coffee roaster and supplier before eventually selling the business in 2014 for $47 million.
Throughout the episode, Phillip talks about the importance of entrepreneurship and creativity especially when you have limited resources. Starting with only $5000 and never taking on outside investment, Phillip explains how those constraints taught him to spend every dollar wisely - a skill he believes is undervalued today.
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In this episode, I interview Adam Schwab, co-founder of Luxury Escapes. Luxury Escapes is an online travel booking platform aimed at providing great travel packages at fair prices. Founded in 2013, Adam has grown the company to earn hundreds of millions in revenue, employ over 500 staff, and expand internationally.
Throughout the episode, Adam talks about his long history as an entrepreneur and how Luxury Escapes came about from many iterations, pivots and mergers. He also emphasises the importance of fostering talent long term and how empowering staff strongly contributes toward the longevity of the business.
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In this episode, I interview James Clarke, founder of Bolster Group. Founded in 2015, James has grown Bolster from a small team to now a multi-agency business, that employs 50 staff and helps orchestrate some of Australia’s biggest live events.
Throughout the episode, James emphasises how taking on risk is the most important step in achieving scale and growing Bolster to where it is today. James also highlights the importance of learning a process yourself before outsourcing it to gain deep insights into the process, including mergers and acquisitions.
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In this episode, I interview Leigh Jasper - co-founder of Aconex and Firmable. Aconex provided collaboration software technology for the construction, mining and oil sector. Over 18 years, Leigh grew the business to employ over 1000 people, list on the ASX before being acquired by Oracle for $1.6 billion in 2018.
Today, Leigh is working on his latest company, Firmable, which is a platform that helps businesses grow faster and improve their decision making. During the episode, Leigh explains the power of entrepreneurship in being able to control your own destiny, the importance of recognising your weaknesses and learning how to overcome challenges over the course of your business journey.
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In this episode, I interview Frank Caruso, founder of Caruso’s Natural Health. Caruso’s Natural Health is one of Australia’s largest vitamin and supplements companies. Founded in 1982, Frank has grown the company to now earn tens of millions in annual revenue and have a catalogue of over 100 products.
Throughout the episode, Frank talks about how he become fascinated with learning all about natural health and starting businesses in the space. Frank also reveals his 10 principles to success, identifying the traits and behaviours that got him where he is today.
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In this episode, I interview Christian Beck - Founder of Leap Legal Software. Founded in 1992, Christian has grown Leap to be the largest legal software company in Australia, bringing in over $1 billion in annual revenue and now operate internationally.
Christian talks about his experiences as a founder and why he prefers to grow utilising debt instead of raising equity and the freedom that provides him as a founder. We also discuss the lessons business can apply to team and culture from his experience racing and last year finally winning the Sydney to Hobart yacht race.
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In this episode, I interview Nick Greenhalgh, co-founder of PetO. PetO is one of Australia’s leading pet supply stores selling goods such as food, toys and equipment. Starting in 2006, Nick, alongside his brother, has grown the business to own 58 stores, around 1000 staff, and earn $200 million in annual revnue.
Throughout the episode, Nick talks about the importance of bold decision making and why backing yourself against all odds is a strong competitive advantage. Nick provides deep insights into the retail and pet market has changed over time, as he’s been operating in the space for nearly 20 years.
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In this episode, I interview Taryn Williams - founder of Wink Models. Taryn talks about why she started the business as a 21 year old and why she was so determined to disrupt the fashion industry at such a young age. Today, Wink Models has become one of Australia’s leading agencies with over 600 models signed nation-wide. Taryns lastest project is #Gifted a shopify plugin enabling the worlds biggest brands to manage contra gifting at scale.
Taryn talks candidly about her business experiences across the multiple businesses that she's founded. Having built Wink Models where she retains full ownership to this day and theright.fit where she raised funds from leading VC firm Airtree before ultimately exiting, Taryn is uniquely positioned to talk about the merits and challenges of both paths.
She also talks about the benefits of implementing radical transparency, sharing company details with all staff members, explaining how that strategy helped increase ownership amongst her team.
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In this episode, I interview Michael Batko - CEO of Startmate. Startmate is one of Australia’s largest startup accelerator programs. Over the past decade, Michael has grown Startmate to have invested in and supported 250+ startups, with a collective portfolio value of over $3.5 billion.
Michael talks about the how Startmate has grown since 2011 when Niki Scevak founder of Blackbird Ventures and a several successful founders including Mike and Scott from Atlassian first set out to invest in the next generation of early stage founders and started building a community of successful founders to support them.
He also discussed what separates founders that make it into the program and why relentless ambition is one of the key traits they look for.
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In this episode, I interview Mike Wilson - founder of TinyMe. TinyMe is a manufacturing business specialised in making customisable kids toys and gifts. Founded in 2006, Mike has grown the business to now bring in around $10 million in annual revenue and have expanded internationally.
Throughout the episode, Mike talks about how the consumer and commerce landscape has changed since 2006, discussing landmark events such as mobile phones, social media and COVID. Mike also emphasises the importance of setting strong business values and how abiding to them leads to more cohesive teams and a higher quality customer experience.
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In this episode, I interview AFL legend and Sydney Swans Premiership coach Paul Roos. Today, Paul is the co-founder Performance by Design where he has successfully transposed the leadership and culture lessons he has driven through his sporting experiences and successfully delivered them to the corporate market.
Beginning as a 16-year-old at Fitzroy F.C., Paul would eventually finish his playing career at Sydney Swans where his love for high performance dialogue was instrumental to his coaching success. His revolutionary approach to player feedback and recognition was pivotal in building the much-revered ‘Bloods Culture’. In 2005, Paul coached the Swans to their first premiership in 72 years, an achievement that elevated him to AFL Legend status.
This was a fantastic discussion with Paul across sport, business and life. We talk about team and culture, success and failure, coaching and leadership and a whole range of other topics.
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In this episode, I interview Sophie Doyle, the founder of The Fable. The Fable is an e-commerce company specialising in women’s work fashion. Founded in 2015, Sophie has grown the brand into a multi million dollar business that operates internationally.
Throughout the episode, Sophie speaks about the challenges she’s faced within the business such as managing quality over a global supply chain, balancing being a mother, and how mastering digital marketing helped create a multi-million dollar shirt brand.
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In this episode, I interview Ilan Israelstam, co-founder of Betashares. Betashares is one of Australia’s largest financial services companies that are most commonly known for their ETF products. Founded in 2008, Ilan has helped grow the business to now have over $40 billion assets under management, employ 150 people and more than 1m clients. They have recently sold a minority stake to Singapore's Temasek for $300 million.
Throughout the episode, Ilan talks about how he and his co-founders analyse macro-trends and use them to guide business strategy. This has played out well for Betashares as their early bet on ETFs which only had an Australian market of $5 billion at the time has grown to $200 billion.
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In this episode, I interview Nick Morgan, Founder of Vudoo. Vudoo is a software company that enables consumers to purchase products wherever they see them online such as a article or video, rather than having to go to the company’s store. Founded in 2016, Nick has grown the company to now have 35 employees, raised almost 20 million in funding and are now expanding internationally.
Throughout the episode, Nick talks about the evolution of commerce from brick and mortar, digital storefronts and where it’s going next. He also emphasises the importance of understanding your employee’s aspirations to help motivate and retain them long term.
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In this episode, I interview Alex Naoumidis - co-founder of Mindset Health. Mindset Health is a Melbourne-based company that develop digital programs to help better manage chronic health conditions. Founded in 2018, Alex with his brother and cofounder Chris, now generate revenue of over $10 million annually with the company valued at $77 million dollars at their last capital raise.
Throughout the episode, Alex talks about raising capital from investors to their experience with large accelerators like Y Combinator. Alex also mentions how he’s learnt to become a leader by understanding what intrinsically motivates his employees and leveraging that to provide a great workplace experience.
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In this episode, I interview Simon Bugeja, managing director of Lucia’s Group. Lucia’s started as Australia’s first Italian pizza bar founded by Simon’s grandparents ion 1957. Growing up in the family business, Simon found success by expanding into the retail sector and moved into producing and selling goods like pasta sauce, olive oil and pesto. Backed with the advice of his Nonna to “never cheat” on quality, Simon has successfully grown the business to now have over 50 employees and be scaling internationally.
Throughout the episode, Simon emphasises the importance of work ethic - a skill that his family valued the most. He also talks about the enormous impact that hiring the right people has had on the business.
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In this episode, I interview Saxon Wright - co-founder of Huskee and founder of Pablo & Rusty's coffee roasters. Coffee lovers will be familiar with the Pablo and Rusty's brand that Saxon started in 2003 and still owns today. Huskee was born out of an idea to eliminate single-use disposable coffee cups and now employ 30 people and recently merged with packaging company BioPack.
Throughout the episode, Saxon discusses the pros and cons of raising capital and how it has influenced each one of his businesses. He also explains how he has learnt to become a leader and when exactly to delegate tasks instead of doing it yourself.
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In this episode, I interview Jordy Kay, co-founder of Great Wrap. Great Wrap is a material science company that has created Australia’s first compostable and environmentally friendly stretch wrap. Founded in 2019, Jordy and his co-founder Julia have grown the business to now have raised $30 million, employ 20 people, and are currently amidst expanding to the US.
Throughout the episode, Jordy discusses how the funding market for startups has become more difficult over time and that consumer incentive for sustainability has dropped as the cost of living increases. He also discusses the importance of building culture and the lessons he’s learnt as a first time leader while growing the business.
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In this episode, I interview Ben McHarg, co-founder of Life-Space Group. As the managing director of the family-owned business, Ben helped drive the strategic direction of the company to owning their own brands. This strategy ultimately led to the rapid growth that saw the business sold to supplement giant By-Health for $700 million in 2018.
Throughout the episode, Ben speaks about the importance of being ready to fully embrace opportunities when they arise. Ben takes us through the rapid growth of the company and how the business went to a whole new level. He also explains why grit and resilience are the key attributes he looks for in founders when investing in companies.
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In this episode, I interview Simon Beard - co-founder of Culture Kings. Culture Kings is a premium streetwear company founded by Simon and his wife Tah-nee in 2008. Together, they grew the business from a market stall on the Gold Coast to a $600 million valuation and a listing on the New York Stock Exchange.
This was a wide ranging and insightful conversation with Simon. He talked about how developments in AI have changed not just retail, but every facet of business. He also talked about how important it is to learn how to sell in business and the power of managing your emotional state to perform at the highest level.
Simon also outlined that the entrepreneurial qualities that successful people have are within everyone and just need to be fostered and unlocked.
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Inventia is a science and technology company focused on building devices that can create advanced cell models that help accelerate drug discovery and biomedical research. Founded in 2013, Julio Ribeiro has grown the company to now have over 70 employees and scale internationally to the US, Europe and many more locations.
Throughout the episode, Julio explains that creative freedom is one of the most important aspects when building products and the techniques he uses to foster it at Inventia. He also explains the unique troubles that scientific firms face such as the need to constantly invent new solutions and devices to make progress in their research and products.
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In this episode, I interview Tim Levy, founder of Qoria. Qoria is a global technology company that is dedicated to keeping children safe in digital environments. Founded in 2014, Tim has grown the company to have over 500 employees and be listed on the ASX where it now has a market cap of around $500 million.
Throughout the episode, Tim talks about the complexity of today’s digital environments and their mission to provide parents and teachers with tools to protect children from harm online. He also discusses the importance of growing company culture in order to be most effective at a global scale.
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In this episode, I interview Izhar Basha - founder of EHPLabs.
EHPLabs is a sports nutrition company that develops various supplement products. Founded in 2012, Izhar has grown the company globally with revenue forecast to reach $500 million in 2025.
Izhars’s story is fascinating. Coming from humble beginning as a refugee from Fiji at age 5 he talks in candid detail about the pivotal moments on his journey that changed his and his family’s lives forever. He explains his motivation to succeed and what drives him to create better products and build has business.
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In this episode, I interview David Dicker, founder of Dicker Data. David started the business in 1978 has grown it over 46 years including listing it on the ASX where it now has a market capitalization of around $2 billion, making David one of Australia’s wealthiest people in the process.
Throughout the episode, David talks about business in a very logical manner, explaining that large growth is the summation of incremental steps. David also explains why listing on the ASX early was one of the best decisions he ever made in the business and why he would do it again if he had to start from the beginning.
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In this episode, I interview Adam Jacobs - founder of The Iconic and Hatch. Founded in 2011, Adam quickly grew The Iconic, a fashion e-commerce company, to now have just under 1000s employees and over $500m over revenue in 2023. Adam has now moved onto Hatch, helping young Australian’s find work with employers that match their skills and values.
Throughout the episode, Adam talks about the importance of having diversified thinking styles amongst the leadership team to determine the best outcome. He also emphasises to new business owners the importance of staying extremely close to customers for consistent feedback.
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ResApp is a biotech company that commercialised technology to diagnose respiratory illnesses based on an audio recording of a patient’s cough on their phone. After proving immensely useful for diagnosing COVID-19 during the height of pandemic, Pfizer acquired the company for $180 million.
Throughout the episode, Tony discusses the path of listing on the ASX early-on and how that provided the initial capital needed for the company to succeed. Coming from a research background, Tony also talks about how his experience as a scholar and background in engineering contributes to being an effective CEO.
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Having founded and worked in multiple startups both here and in the US, Amanda has grown the venture quickly having now helped over 300 of Australia’s fastest growing companies with their expansion, especially those looking overseas.
Throughout this episode, Amanda provides fascinating insights into the future of Australia’s tech scene and how we can learn from the business culture in Silicon Valley. Amanda also identifies key attributes of successful founders alongside common mistakes they make along the startup journey.
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CitrusAd is a software company that provides retailers with a system for merchants to compete for ad space on their websites. Starting in 2017, Brad Moran grew the business quickly before it was sold in 2021 for $205 million.
Throughout the episode, Brad talks about the harsh reality of building a startup. I was fascinated by his insights on this often ignored aspect of business. He talks about the personal sacrifices founders have to make in order to succeed and whether it is worth it. He also talks about the importance of raising capital early, not just for the money but also for the ability to validate your ideas before committing too much time to it.
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LocknCharge makes products for organisations to securely store their physical devices. Taking over the family business, James has led the growth of the company to now manage over 5 million devices, employ 100 staff, and operate internationally.
Throughout the episode, James talks about the importance of perseverance as he reminisces about the door-to-door sales he did when the business first began. Further, he explains the importance of recognising your own weaknesses and building a strong team around you to offset them.
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In this episode, I interview Steven Maarbani - CEO of VentureCrowd. VentureCrowd is Australia’s leading digital crowd funding investment platform for alternative assets. Steven has helped grow the platform to crowdfund over $310 million for projects.
Throughout the episode, Steven talks about the importance of trusting your own intuition and the dangers on taking too long to make important decisions. Furthermore, Steven talks about the investment scene in Australia and where he believes it will grow to in the next 5-10 years.
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portfoliomanagement #vc #crowdfunding #familyoffice #startups
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Flavour Makers is a food manufacturing business that develops products such as spices, baby food, curry sauces and much more. Founded in 1992, Adrian has grown the business to now employ 330 people and turn over $220m per year.
Throughout the episode, Adrian talks about the importance of taking action when others won’t as this strategy helped get the group’s products into Walmart and other international markets. Furthermore, Adrian emphasises the importance of balancing gut-instinct vs data-driven decision making when faced with business challenges.
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InstantScripts is an online telehealth platform that enables customers to receive online medical scripts, consultations, and more. Founded in 2018, Maxim has helped grow the company to recently be acquired by Wesfarmers for $135 million.
Throughout the episode, Maxim talks about how keeping a small but efficient team has enabled telehealth to thrive without too much overhead. Furthermore, Maxim emphasises the importance of planning, especially with technology as InstantScripts’ well-planned architecture has enabled them to now host over 100,000 consultations per month.
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In this episode, I interview Craig Blair - co-founder of AirTree - one of the largest Venture Capital firms in Australia. AirTree has been an early investor in some of the country’s biggest startups, such as Canva, Mr Yum and LinkTree. Founded in 2014, Craig has helped grow the business to now manage over $1.3 Billion with over 80 active investments.
Craig talks about his journey starting out as a country kid, starting his own construction business, owning a profitable business during the dot com era and now his success with AirTree. He also talks about the characteristics that make the best founders and interestingly, the benefits of reading fiction.
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Premonition was an AI driven logistics company that helped couriers orchestrate their drivers and deliveries in the most efficient manner. In 2022, one of Australia’s largest startups - Shippit, acquired Premonition for $20.5 million.
Throughout the episode, Brad explains how logistics makes up 20-30% of man-made emissions and by making the space more efficient, Premonition and Shippit are having a big impact on climate. Also, Brad mentions the importance of articulating a clear vision to build value based teams and how that leads to success.
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HotDoc is Australia’s largest platform that connects doctors to patients. Patients can easily book appointments with their favourite clinics while doctors can easily manage their patients. Founded in 2012, Ben has grown the business to now have 11 million patients and 20,000 doctors on the platform.
Throughout the episode, Ben talks about how staying within the niche of GPs has allowed them to become the highest quality service in the country - rather than spreading too thin. Also, Ben explains how he’s managed growing from a few people to now over 100 employees as a leader.
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Spreets was a deal comparison website that famously sold for $40 million only 12 months after it started. MadPaws is his current business - an all in one marketplace for all of your pet needs.
Throughout the episode, Justus emphasizes the importance of skill, luck and timing all contribute toward being successful. Justus also mentions how sometimes you need to unlearn previous experience to grow as leader and implement better processes.
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In this episode, I interview Dorry Kordahi, founder of DKM Blue, Swanky Socks and the former owner of Illawarra Hawks Basketball team. DKM Blue, Dorry’s main business, specialises in the development and delivery of promotional merchandise, corporate uniforms and PPE. Starting in 2002, Dorry has grown the company to now be generating tens of millions in annual revenue.
Throughout the episode, Dorry talks about how the importance of being a firm but fair leader to inspire trust and assurance from your team during tough times. Dorry also talks about his basketball career and how he’s applied many of the skills he learned on the court to the business world.
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Agworld is an agriculture technology startup that creates data management tools to help farmers and agronomists work more efficiently. Founded in 2009, Doug and his co-founders grew the business and eventually sold in 2021 for $100 million.
Throughout the episode, Doug talks about the importance of staying the course of your business and persisting even when times are tough. He also emphasises the importance of being people focused and how building a strong culture leads to a more effective team.
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Linktree is a tool allows you to create a directory to multiple websites from one URL link. Starting in 2016, Nick and his co-founders have grown the company tremendously to now have over 40 million users and was valued last year at $1.3 billion dollars.
Throughout the episode, Nick talks about the difficulty of trying to control a rapidly growing business. He discusses the importance of clearly defining what your business does and how that leads translates to a more aligned effective team and culture. If you enjoy this episode feel free to leave a 5 star review and share with family and friends.
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In this episode, I interview Daniel Petre, Co-Founder of AirTree - one of the largest VC firms in Australia and New Zealand. Over it’s lifetime, AirTree has been an early investor in some of the country’s biggest startups, such as Canva, Mr Yum and LinkTree. Founded in 2014, Daniel has helped grow the business to now manage over $1.3 Billion with over 80 active investments.
Throughout the episode, Daniel talks about the key lessons he learnt from long time friend and mentor, Bill Gates. Interestingly, Daniel mentions that he goes against the traditional “move fast break things” approach that startups tend to follow in favour of more structured planning to not harm your end customer. Lastly, Daniel talks about the lack of philanthropy in Australia and how he’s made it his mission to make it the norm for successful Australians to give back.
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In this episode I interview Paul Miller - Founding Partner at Deutsch Miller Law Firm. Deutsch Miller is one of the top boutique legal firms in Australia specialising in corporate law and dispute resolution. After moving across the world from London, Paul recalls how he started the business from scratch and his journey along the way.
Throughout the episode, Paul talks about the importance of networking and relationship management as you never know where potential work and opportunities arise from. Further, he explains the importance to strike a balance between your business, family and life in general to not get burnt out and prosper in the long term.
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In this episode, I interview Bruce Mackenzie, founder of Humanforce. Humanforce is a workforce management software company which has been recently acquired for $60 million. Humanforce specifically targets the “standing-workforce”, making software products to help manage shift and roster driven workers such as retail and hospitality staff.
Founded in 2002 after the dotcom bubble, Bruce talks about how he bootstrapped the business for 17 years and grew it from just himself to nearly 200 employees. Throughout the episode, Bruce explains that even though market conditions aren’t perfect, now is one of the best times to be an entrepreneur and how he’s navigating the market to start a new project.
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Internet 2.0 is one of Australia’s leading cybersecurity companies and is now worth $50 million. Founded in 2018, the company has gone on to make various cybersecurity products including Malcore which made headlines for exposing exactly how much data social media companies take from us. Spoiler alert, TikTok was over double the amount compared to the others.
Being an ex-officer, David explains the differences between being in the military vs being an entrepreneur and the skills that cross over into each field. David also emphasises the importance of committing 100% to your business even when circumstances are dire in order to succeed.
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Being managing director for 25 years, Grant has helped grow MPH Lawyers into one of the most successful law practices in Western Australia. Since 2002, he has also worked extensively in the innovation space such as AI, robotics and automation through advising founders on investment, partnerships and scaling.
Throughout the episode, Grant talks about the power that communication plays in a workplace and how it is a crucial skill when being a strong leader. Grant also extensively compares the startup landscapes between Australia and the United States and how more domestic funding is required for the next wave of startup success.
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28 is an online fitness platform and community that provides workouts that anyone can do in under 28 minutes. Founded in 2016, Sam has grown the platform to help over 500,000 people stay fit and has recently sold the company for $71 million.
Throughout the episode, Sam explains the importance of building a strong team to offset your weaknesses is essential to high-speed growth. He goes on to recall how in the beginning, he was overcontrolling in the business and how having trust in your employees is crucial as it empowers your team and will lead to greater success.
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Car Next Door was a peer-to-peer car sharing service that set out to challenge the one person, one car mentality. Starting in 2013, Will and his co founders grew the company up until their recent deal with Uber at an estimated valuation of 50 million to create Uber car share.
Throughout the episode, Will talks about the intricacies of building a two-sided marketplace and how starting in a niche market helped them succeed. If you enjoyed this episode, feel free to leave a review and share with family and friends.
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Judo Bank is one of Australia’s largest and most trusted banks for small to medium-sized enterprises. Starting from a PowerPoint idea in 2016, Joseph and his co-founders have grown the business to now be valued at over $1.5 billion, have over 600 staff and a loan book of $9 billion.
Throughout the episode, Joseph talks about Judo’s philosophy of measure twice, cut once - emphasizing the importance of planning in a super competitive environment. He also mentions how he took advantage of the big bank’s weakness by providing a “high-touch, high-tech” service - emphasizing relationship building with their clients.
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Stu is a third-generation publican of his family business that now owns around 90 venues and is worth an estimated 1.4bn dollars.
Throughout the episode, Stu talks about how consumer behaviour has changed over time, the strategy of acquiring venues and words of wisdom from his friends and mentors such as Gerry Harvey. Stu also discusses the benefits and challenges of working in a family business.
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Arkose Labs is a SAAS company that protects its customers against cyber criminals. Founded in 2016, the company has raised over 130m USD and has grown to now protect some of the biggest tech companies such as Microsoft, Twitter, Roblox and many more.
Throughout the show, Kevin lets us in on the fascinating world of defending against cybercrime, the importance of learning sales and why working with the criminals is sometimes a good business strategy. If you enjoy the show feel free to share with family and friends and leave a 5 star review.
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Working as a receptionist at his Mum’s business, Mark quickly became frustrated at the repetitive processes and boldly claimed “How hard could it be to build software”. Since then, Mark started and grew his childcare software company Xplor to a substantial 3.8 billion dollar valuation.
Only two weeks after “retiring”, Mark founded his second company Kismet - a healthcare service provider platform aiming to make healthcare more accessible. Throughout the episode, Mark talks about the importance of growing as a founder alongside your business and the necessity for culture building from day one.
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Sidekicker is Australia’s largest online staffing platform that is re-inventing casual and temporary work for businesses and workers. Founded in 2012, Tom and his co-founder Jacqui have grown the company to now have 130 employees and raise $43m to date including Seek as a major investor.
Throughout the episode, Tom explains the importance of not getting too overjoyed on wins and too down on losses but rather keeping a level head throughout business. He also goes on to explain how Australia’s fundraising landscape has changed over the last 10 years.
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Shippit is Australia's leading multi-carrier shipping software and connects stores with the best courier at the time of purchase. Founded in 2014, William and his co-founder Rob, have grown the company to now have 175 employees and tens of millions of dollars in annual revenue.
They've raised over $100 million in capital with a valuation of over $300 million. Throughout the episode, William talks about the importance of pivoting in business, even if it means deviating from the original business model. Furthermore, he highlights the importance of building a strong culture, especially when you're building a fast-growing company.
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AgriWebb is a digital platform that helps livestock producers with record-keeping, compliance and productivity. Starting in 2014, AgriWebb has now grown to the point where 25% of Australia’s farm animals are managed under the platform. To date, they've raised over $40 million at a market cap of over $100 million.
Throughout the episode, John discusses the history of technology’s impact on the farming industry and what innovation is needed today. John also emphasises the importance of meaningful conversations to unlock opportunities for both yourself and your business.
If you like this episode, feel free to share with family and friends and leave a 5 star review.
Mentioned resources:
General Magic Documentary: https://www.generalmagicthemovie.com/
Favourite Business Book (Shoe Dog): https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27220736-shoe-dog
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In this episode, I interview Geoffroy Henry, founder of Ofload. Ofload is a digital B2B platform that helps shippers and road freight carriers connect to minimise wasted space in vehicles. In only three years from 2019, Geoffroy has raised $100m in funding which has led to the company now having 120 employees and making $100m in annual revenue.
Throughout the episode, Geoffroy talks about how the logistics industry is underdeveloped and has huge optimisation opportunities using modern technology. Also, Geoffroy discusses the challenges that rapid growth has caused to both himself and the business.
If you like this episode, feel free to share with family and friends and leave a 5-star review.
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In this episode, I interview James Bruce and Stafford Fox from boutique beverage company StrangeLove. Starting out in Byron Bay, the guys grew the business to become one of Australia’s trendiest drinks companies and have recently been acquired by Asahi.
Throughout the episode, James talks about how differentiating themselves through creative and unique branding massively helped the growth of the business by distinguishing themselves from competitors. Furthermore, Stafford talks about the importance of being relentless and learning how to tolerate hearing “No” a lot when growing a business.
If you enjoy the show feel free to share with family and friends (link below) and leave a 5 star review.
Mentioned resources:
Stafford's Favourite Business Book: Good To Great
James' First Business Book: 4 Hour Work Week
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More on us!
Dion's Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/hHg1ff
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In this episode, I interview Giovanni Pino, co-founder of Sourci. Sourci is Australia’s largest sourcing company that connects individuals and businesses to manufacturers in China, India, Vietnam and many more. Starting out in 2017, Sourci has grown exponentially, expanding from a two-person startup to a team of almost 30 generating tens of millions in revenue annually.
Throughout the episode, Giovanni talks about the company’s perseverance through Covid and the struggles that came with its exponential growth. Specifically, he mentions the difficulties that he and his co-founder (Ellie) faced when defining the roles that they each played as the business and team size grew.
If you enjoy the show feel free to share with family and friends and leave a 5 star review.
Dion's Newsletter can be subscribed to here: https://www.fortressfamilyoffice.com/
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In this episode, I interview Jeremy Mujis - founder of Grown Alchemist. Grown Alchemist is a skincare company that produces a range of innovative skin and beauty products. Recently, global beauty giant L’Occitane Group bought a large stake in the brand for a reported $50 million.
Throughout the episode, Jeremy provides deep insight into the traditional commerce industry. Specifically, as the company started in 2008, Jeremy talks about how the commerce industry has transformed over the last 20 years including the growth of e-commerce and the reduced influence of department stores.
If you enjoy the show feel free to share with family and friends and leave a 5 star review.
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In this episode, I interview Vu Tran - founder of Go1. As described by Vu, Go1 is the Netflix or Spotify of workplace learning. They aggregate training programs from all around the world and bring them into one platform - making them available for any company. Recently, the company’s valuation hit an astonishing $2.8 billion after a $140 million raise.
Throughout the episode, Vu talks about the importance of growing not maintaining culture and how a stagnant one can be detrimental to the growth of your business. When discussing his 3 other co-founders, Vu mentions the importance of finding people who negate your weaknesses and complement your strengths.
If you enjoy the show feel free to share with family and friends and leave a 5 star review.
Dion's Newsletter can be subscribed to here: https://www.fortressfamilyoffice.com/
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In this episode, I interview Julie Mathers. Julie is the founder of Flora and Fauna, which is a successful beauty and personal care e-commerce brand that was voted number one in e-commerce in 2019 and 2021. The business recently sold for around 30 million last year. Not long after the sale, Julie has since gone on to acquire her new project, a baby wear brand Snuggle Hunny.
Throughout this episode, Julie talks about the importance of being cash focused when growing your company. That was really important because Julie didn't take on any outside investment as she grew, Flora and Fauna over the past few years. Julie also emphasizes the importance of being relentless, but not ruthless as a leader.
If you enjoy the show feel free to share with family and friends and leave a 5 star review.
Dion's Newsletter can be subscribed to here: https://www.fortressfamilyoffice.com/
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In this episode, I interview Mick Liubinskas. This is a very special episode as Mick was our very first guest on the podcast. While we covered his career in tech last time, this episode we focus on his latest venture - Climate Salad.
Climate Salad is a fast-growing ecosystem for climate technology entrepreneurs, investors and supporters. Mick discusses the urgency of Climate action and the rapidly growing climate tech industry.
If you enjoy the show feel free to share with family and friends and leave a 5 star review.
Dion's Newsletter can be subscribed to here: https://www.fortressfamilyoffice.com/
Our social media: https://linktr.ee/FortressFinancial
In this episode, I interview Jon Gregory, founder of Vitruvian. Vitruvian is a fitness technology company that is famous for their “Trainer+” device. This device is a smart resistance training system that uses artificial intelligence to adjust weight dynamically to provide the perfect workout for the user. Since 2018, Jon and his team have raised $35 million to commercialize the technology and bring about the most convenient, effective, and efficient ways to train.
While Vitruvian started out as a passion project in Jon’s garage in WA, he’s grown the company to now have 30 employees and it’s become one of Australia’s leading exercise technology companies. Jon speaks about the challenges of getting out of WA and how they had to adapt during Covid by building the devices from home.
If you enjoy the show feel free to share with family and friends and leave a 5 star review.
Dion's Newsletter can be subscribed to here: https://www.fortressfamilyoffice.com/
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In this episode, I interview Cameron Falloon - founder of Body Fit Training. Body Fit Training is Australia's fastest growing fitness franchise with hundreds of locations across the world and revenue of over $120 million.
It was really interesting to hear the strategies that Cameron and the company implemented throughout tough times such as Covid. Through perseverance and looking after key stakeholders such as the franchisees, the company managed to not lose any stores during the period.
Cameron emphasises the importance of only focusing on the elements that you can control rather than worrying about those you can't. By doing so, Cameron has been able to improve the core product of the business and lead it to the success that it's had today.
If you enjoy the show feel free to share with family and friends and leave a 5 star review.
Dion's Newsletter can be subscribed to here: https://www.fortressfamilyoffice.com/
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In this episode, I interview Tim Fung, co-founder of Airtasker. Airtasker is Australia’s largest online marketplace that connects local community members to freelancers and small businesses. The company has been massively successful since it’s initial launch in 2011 with a current valuation of over $160 million and an employee count of over 300.
It was very interesting to hear the struggles that Tim and the company went through in the early stages and especially during Covid. At one point Tim mentions that the company was burning 2 million dollars a month, all while not making a profit. It was inspiring to hear how the company underwent multiple turning points to not only survive during these tough times, but also thrive today.
If you enjoy the show feel free to share with family and friends and leave a 5 star review.
Dion's Newsletter can be subscribed to here: https://www.fortressfamilyoffice.com/
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In this episode, I interview Kristy Chong – founder of Modibodi. Kristy started the business in 2013 after 2 years of R&D before ultimately selling the business this year for $140m to a Swedish multinational.
This is a fascinating interview. Kristy talks in depth about how the business started from simply trying to solve a common problem women face that was previously a taboo. But in the process Kristy created a new category of product and changed the lives of hundreds of thousands of people along the way.
If you enjoy the show feel free to share with family and friends and leave a 5 star review.
Dion's Newsletter can be subscribed to here: https://www.fortressfamilyoffice.com/
Our social media: https://linktr.ee/FortressFinancial
In this episode, I interview Nick Hazell - founder of v2food. v2food is one of Australia's largest producers of plant-based meat. After raising over 180 million since 2019, v2 has made strides to revolutionise the meat industry with a focus on maintaining flavour, nutrition and sustainability. The company is also famous for providing the patty for Hungry Jacks plant-based "Rebel Whopper".
Throughout the episode, Nick emphasises the necessity to re-build the meat industry to accomodate for a rapidly growing population in a sustainable manner. It was also interesting to hear the distinction between companies that provide vegetarians with alternative choices and those that focus on providing plant-based meat for the majority of the population.
If you enjoy the show feel free to share with family and friends and leave a 5 star review.
Dion's Newsletter can be subscribed to here: https://www.fortressfamilyoffice.com/
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In this episode of the Dion Guagliardo Podcast, I interview Graeme Goldman - executive chairman at Clark Rubber. Clark Rubber is an iconic Australian retailer that was founded in 1946 which is famous for selling pools, foam and rubber products. Graeme is an entrepreneur with over 30 years of experience growing businesses from startups to internationally listed corporations.
Throughout this episode, Graeme talks about the contrast of working in corporate vs working for yourself and the importance of choosing your long term career path. It was also very funny to hear the backstory of his choice of always wearing two watches.
If you enjoy the show feel free to share with family and friends and leave a 5 star review.
Dion's Newsletter can be subscribed to here: https://www.fortressfamilyoffice.com/
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In this episode, I interview Phil Morle - partner at Main Sequence Ventures. Phil is a prominent name in the venture capital ecosystem who's well known for co-founding Australia's first start-up incubator - Pollenizer. From its foundation in 2008, Pollenizer went on to help hundreds of ideas turn into real businesses including Spreets which was founded and sold within 12 months for $40 million.
Throughout this episode, Phil discusses how he transitioned from high paying big tech to risking it all and working for himself in the VC space - at a time when the startup ecosystem barely existed. It was very inspiring to hear Phil's dedication for solving some of societies' most difficult challenges with a focus on hard science.
If you enjoy the show feel free to share with family and friends and leave a 5 star review.
Dion's Newsletter can be subscribed to here: https://www.fortressfamilyoffice.com/
Our social media: https://linktr.ee/FortressFinancial
In this episode, I interview Jalal Shaik - founder and managing director of GAMEFACE.AI. GAMEFACE.AI is a real-time sports analytics company that leverages artificial intelligence and machine learning to provide key insights and analytics from the match.
Founded in 2015, Jalal and his co-founder James grew the business from the StartMate accelerator program all the way to recently exiting to Slinger for $33 million.
It was fascinating to hear Jalal's thoughts on how AI and machine learning is going to change the sporting world in the next few years.
If you enjoy the show feel free to share with family and friends and leave a 5 star review.
Dion's Newsletter can be subscribed to here: https://www.fortressfamilyoffice.com/
Our social media: https://linktr.ee/FortressFinancial
In this episode, I interview Brian Sullivan - managing director at Sullivan Property Consultants (SPC). SPC is a property investment, development and management group specialising in the retail, commercial and industrial sector in Western Australia.
Started in 2010, Brian grew the business from the ground up using his vast experience in property investment. It was interesting to hear Brian's perspective on the property market over the years and where it's going today.
If you enjoy the show feel free to share with family and friends and leave a 5 star review.
Dion's Newsletter can be subscribed to here: https://www.fortressfamilyoffice.com/
Our social media: https://linktr.ee/FortressFinancial
In this episode, I interview Ken McKenzie, the former managing director, publisher and owner of Media and Marketing Limited based in Hong Kong. Ken worked his way up from copy-boy at a local newspaper in rural Australia to becoming the owner of one of Asia Pacific's largest and most trusted publications.
Ken went on to sell Media and Marketing Limited to return home to Gunnedah and purchase Namoi Valley Independent - the rural newspaper publication where he started his career. It was fascinating to hear Ken's thoughts on the charging media landscape and his journey in business and the media industry.
If you enjoyed the show feel free to leave a 5 star review.
In this episode, I interview Domenic Lo Surdo, the founder of Stamford Capital. Stamford Capital provides property developers and investors with access to a broad range of financing options and advice to ensure their transaction is successful. Founded in 2011, Dominic grew the business in the aftermath of the GFC into a successful provider of finance amounting to billions of dollars in transactions per year.
Throughout the episode, Domenic talks about the importance of understanding yourself to be an effective leader, as well as the importance of company culture. I hope you enjoy the show. Feel free to leave a review and share with your family and friends.
In this episode, we have Cameron Schwab, founder of Design CEO. Cameron is a leadership coach and strategist. He was appointed the CEO of the famous Richmond football club at the age of 24 and the youngest in the history of the game. For the next 25 years, he was the CEO of Richmond, Melbourne, and Freemantle when those clubs were at their lowest ebb, both on and off the field.
He's the second longest serving CEO in the modern game. Having taken on some of sports, most difficult and daunting challenges. Cameron established a track record of building teams and organizations, unifying groups, while navigating periods of genuine adversity and complexity. It was fantastic to hear Cameron's insights on leadership and high performance.
I hope you enjoy the show and feel free to leave a 5 star review and share with family and friends.
In this episode, I interview Pamela Jabbour - founder of Total Image Group. Total Image Group is Australia's leading uniform and work wear specialists with a strong focus on fashion and design.
Founded in 2005, Pamela got her first few clients by cold calling 100 people per day for an entire year. Alongside kickstarting her business, this process refined the business' strategy as Pamela received countless insights from her target market.
Total Image Group now provides uniforms for over 300,000 individual people and have amassed large clients including Woolworths, Pandora, Dan Murphy’s and many more. It was great to hear Pamela's outlook on the hard-work and drive required in business as well as the need to be an honest and transparent leader. Hope you enjoy the show and feel free to share with family and friends
In this episode, I interview my Dad! Jim Guagliardo grew up in rural WA in Geraldton. We discussed a variety of topics from his experience with running an earth moving and gas business, being frugal during tough economic times and important life lessons. Hope you enjoy. Feel free to share with family and friends. Happy Father's Day to everyone for this Sunday!
In this episode, I interview Jack Gance, the billionaire co-founder of Chemist Warehouse. Chemist Warehouse is one of Australia’s largest privately owned companies with over 550 stores and $7 billion a year in sales. It’s not hard to see why Jack is a permanent fixture on the Financial Review Rich List with a personal fortune of $1.57b.
It was fantastic to have Jack on the show to hear his insights on business and specifically the world of pharmacy. He talks in detail about the growth of Chemist Warehouse from a family business into a multinational company.
Hope you enjoy the show, and feel free to leave a review and share.
In this episode, I interview Rhian Allen - founder of The Healthy Mummy. The Healthy Mummy is a business that helps busy mums stay fit through workout programs, health products and lifestyle content. Founded in 2010, Rhian grew the business over 12 years to now employ 150 people and have 1.5 million mums in their community. Rhian recently sold the business to Halo Food Co for $17 million.
It was excellent to hear Rhian's insights as she spoke about her journey from selling her house and leaving her job to successfully selling the business this year. Throughout the podcast, Rhian emphasises the importance of being consistent and always believing in yourself. Hope you enjoy the show and feel free to share it with family and friends.
In this episode, I interview Ben Bromhead - co-founder of Instacluster. Instacluster is a data management company for tech firms all around the world. Founded in 2012 by Ben and his three co-founders, the team managed to grow the company from a bootstrap startup all the way to a successful international tech firm that now employs over 200 people.
The firm was recently acquired for over $500 million by a large US-based tech company. It was great to hear Ben's insights into what it took to start the business, the importance of pivoting at the right times and getting feedback as quickly as possible.
Hope you enjoy the show and feel free to review and share it with family and friends.
In this episode, I interview Frank Buontempo - co-founder of Roma Foods. Roma Foods are Australia's largest manufacturer of gluten and allergen free food products with a range of household brands such as Orgran, BuonTempo and Splits.
Founded in 1953, the family have grown the business to exceed over $35m annual revenue, export to 70 countries and now employ over 100 people.
It was very interesting to hear Frank's insights into growing a business, the importance of dreaming big and the process of maintaining a strong family culture. Hope you enjoy the podcast, feel free to share with family and friends.
In this episode, I interview Stephen Hunt - founder of Hunt Hospitality. Starting from a $100 Backyard Bar, Stephen grew his business over 20 years to now be a multi-venue empire worth over $100 million.
Stephen has recently launched his new book, "Find, Build, Sell". The book explains the process of finding your passions, building up your business and selling product and yourself to reach greater success.
Great chat with Stephen about the importance of surrounding yourself with the right people and working hard to reach your goals. If you enjoy the show feel free to share and leave a review
In this episode, I interview Alex Logan - co-founder of Cecil. Cecil is a climate tech start-up that builds software solutions for businesses that have potential impact on climate change mitigation. While they're still early in development, Cecil raised $2.2 million last year and are growing rapidly.
Primarily, Cecil is an online platform that connects project developers, investors and land holders to accelerate the development of carbon and natural capital markets. It was very interesting to hear what Alex had to say about being on the forefront of climate tech - a rapidly emerging industry.
Hope you enjoy the show and if you like it, feel free to leave a review and share it with family and friends
In this episode, I interview Mark Carnegie, one of Australia's most successful business people. With over 30 years experience as an entrepreneur, investor and corporate advisor in New York, London and Sydney, Mark founded M.H. Carnegie & Co in 2011 an alternative asset manager currently managing committed funds in excess of $900 million.
It was very interesting to hear Mark's thoughts on business generally and his recent ventures into cryptocurrency, blockchain and web 3.0 technologies via MHC Digital Finance and their potential to change the world.
Hope you enjoy the show and feel free to follow and share.
In this episode, I interview Greg Schneider, co-founder of Quantium. Founded in 2002, the business has grown to become one of the leading data science and AI firms in Australia, employing 1,000 people. Following a recent equity investment from Woolworths, the company is now valued at over $900 million. Greg's views on how data and AI will revolutionise the customer experience over the next decade were fascinating.
Hope you enjoy the show and feel free to follow and share.
In this episode, I interview Steve Weston, founder of Volt Bank. Founded in 2018, Volt Bank has grown to employ over 100 people and have raised over $200 million in capital to create an exciting and disruptive FinTech startup taking on the big 4 banks.
Steve provided very interesting insights into the importance of people and culture in the business world as well as how, starting from humble beginnings, he was able to work his way to the top of Australia's banking industry.
Hope you enjoy the show and feel free to follow and share.
In this episode, I interview Tom Moore, co-founder and CEO of WithYouWithMe, an Australian tech company that focuses on getting war veterans and disadvantaged people into tech jobs.
Founded in 2015, the company now employs over 450 people globally with a vision to solve underemployment and to get rid of the résumé. With the mantra of “potential over experience”, WithYouWithMe have helped over 20,000 people get into full-time jobs.
Tom provided some great and unique insights into what it takes to build a successful company with a humanitarian focus.
In this episode, I interview Niki Scevak, the co-founder and partner of Blackbird Ventures. Blackbird Ventures is Australia's largest venture capital firm with a portfolio worth over $10 billion. Founded in 2012, Blackbird has gone on to invest in some of Australia's most successful startups, such as Canva, RedBubble and SafetyCulture alongside over 90 other great companies. Great insights from Niki about starting a successful company and finding the best startups to invest in.
In this episode, I interview Fred Schebesta, the co-founder of Finder. Finder is an online comparison platform that helps people make better financial decisions. Founded in 2006, the company has now grown to employ over 500 people in 83 different countries. In 2021, the company raised $30 million in seed funding with a valuation of $600 million. Fred himself was on Financial Review's Young Rich List (2021) with a net worth of $340 million. Great insights from Fred about what it takes to build a successful business.
In this episode, I interview Dominic Pym, the co-founder of Australia's largest digital bank, Up. Founded in October of 2018, the business has grown to having over 400,000 customers with nearly $1 billion in deposits and has recently sold to Bendigo Bank for $116 million. Great insights from Dom about the importance of prioritising people and culture when starting a business.
In this episode, I interview Cheyne Jonstone and Angelo Giuffrida - the co-founders of Australian tech business, Nexigen Digital. Nexigen Digital is the largest Australian owned and operated web solutions provider. Today, the company does over 20 million in revenue, work with over 300,000 clients, and employ 95 staff. Great insights from both Cheyne and Angelo.
In this episode, I interview Rory Boyle - the co-founder of Hampers with Bite. Rory and his brother started in 2004, turning over $100k before growing exponentially and selling the business for $28 million this year. Great insights from Rory on starting and growing a business.
Welcome to the first episode of The Dion Guagliardo Podcast. In this episode, I interview Mick Liubinskas, one of the OG’s of the Aussie tech industry! Awesome insights into his views on business and his career.