Secrets of a Self-Starter: Recent Episodes
LiSTNR
You can learn a lot from a mentoring session. But how do you get access to some of the best thought leaders? This is the podcast that does exactly that. We take you behind the closed doors of mentorship sessions with inspirational self-starters like Sarah Davidson, Laura Henshaw, Hugh van Cuylenburg and more. Host Mim Rizvi facilitates conversations between these top performers and participants from the Accelerator for Enterprising Women Kickstarter Challenge. Be a fly on the wall and be inspired to turn your passion into a profession with real advice from real self-starters from a range of industries.
In this episode, Lorraine Murphy mentors Barbara Armstrong, the founder of Sweet Peanut, a social enterprise supporting women and families who have experienced miscarriage or early pregnancy loss.
Barbara shares her powerful journey, the motivation behind launching Sweet Peanuts, and her ambitious vision to scale the initiative from 100 to 500 care packages annually by 2027. She also outlines her goals to register as a charity, build a social enterprise arm, and expand her support services to other gestational stages and medical conditions.
Together, Barbara and Lorraine explore the intersection of purpose and strategy, from building strategic partnerships and re-engaging with local networks, to refining her communications and marketing. They also touch on the importance of self-care, energy management, and sustaining momentum as a founder working full-time while raising a young family.
This episode is a heartfelt and practical listen for purpose-driven founders balancing mission with capacity.
Connect with Barbara
@sweetpeanutsorg
www.sweetpeanuts.org
https://www.instagram.com/sweetpeanutsorg/
https://www.facebook.com/sweetpeanutsorg/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/sweet-peanuts/
https://www.tiktok.com/@sweetpeanutsorg
Connect with Lorraine:
@lorrainemurphymentor
www.lorrainemurphy.com.au
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In this mentoring session, Lorraine Murphy sits down with Ebony Kriedemann, the co-founders of InPsync, a mental health platform reshaping how people connect with therapists. Launched in 2022, InPsyn is currently in beta and has already onboarded over 100 therapists without a dollar spent on marketing. The platform uses a research-backed algorithm that matches users with therapists based on attachment and personality styles, reducing therapy dropout rates and improving satisfaction on both sides.
Ebony (a school counselor) shares how they balance business growth with their personal wellbeing, how they use tools like JIRA and daily stand-ups, and what they’ve learned about energy management, communication, and pricing. Lorraine offers powerful advice on founder mindset, subscription models, and building a business that scales with intention.
This episode is packed with actionable insights for purpose-driven founders building products with real impact.
Connect with Ebony@goldreytherapy@inpsync.app
www.inpsync.apphttps://www.instagram.com/inpsync.app/https://www.tiktok.com/@inpsync.apphttps://www.linkedin.com/company/inpsync/
Connect with Lorraine:@lorrainemurphymentorwww.lorrainemurphy.com.au
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In this episode, business mentor Lorraine Murphy teams up with Catherine Mary, the visionary founder of Good Day, an AI-powered calendar syncing platform set to change how we manage our time. Catherine is on an ambitious mission: secure pre-seed investment, onboard 500 businesses and hit 500,000 users by the end of 2025. With big goals in her sights, this session is all about mapping out a clear, focused 90-day plan to help her get there. [LINKED HERE]
This episode is packed with real-world strategy and mindset shifts for founders scaling early-stage startups, especially those balancing vision with execution in the fast-paced world of tech.
Connect with Catherine:www.gooday.com.au
@gooday_app_
Connect with Lorraine:@lorrainemurphymentorwww.lorrainemurphy.com.au
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In this mentoring session, Lorraine Murphy works with Catherine McDougall, founder of Support Plus, to shape the next chapter of her powerful platform for caregivers. Originally designed to support families navigating the NDIS, Support Plus has evolved into a universal future planning tool for Australia’s 3 million unpaid carers, offering much-needed clarity and structure in what can often feel like an overwhelming journey.
It’s a conversation for purpose driven founders who are building products with heart and a reminder that storytelling, strategy and smart partnerships can accelerate real impact.
Connect with Catherine:@supportplus01supportplus.net.au
Connect with Lorraine:@lorrainemurphymentorwww.lorrainemurphy.com.au
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In this episode, Lorraine Murphy chats with Rosie Dumbrell, the powerhouse founder behind Everform Therapy Wear, a brand revolutionising pelvic health with medical-grade compression systems. Rosie opens up about the behind-the-scenes reality of building a product-based business with purpose, and what it looks like to grow smart without burning out.Rosie and Lorraine dive deep into what it really takes to scale with intention, from the importance of hiring people who align with your values, to creating a smooth onboarding process, to building a hiring strategy that sets your business up for long-term success.
It’s an inspiring, energising conversation for any founder who’s wearing too many hats and knows it’s time to grow, strategically.
Connect with Rosie:
@rosie.dumbrell
everformwear.com.au
Connect with Lorraine:
@lorrainemurphymentor
//www.lorrainemurphy.com.au
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Doug English, Founder & CTO of market-leading employee experience platform Culture Amp knows a thing or two about turning an idea into a booming business. Having mastered the art of investor charm and grown his team from 4 scrappy founders to a bustling company of over 900 employees, he chats with Alex Cannizzaro, founder of Platform Zero, about where startups should channel their energy and why out-executing your competition is the golden-ticket to longevity. With host Mim Rizvi, he also serves up tips on juggling the pursuit of big-name clients and perfecting your product.
CREDITS
Host: Miriam Rizvi
Producer: Kelsey Menzies
Audio Imager: Kelli Foulstone
Managing Producer: Todd Stevens
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
If you were to ask businesswomen Verity Tuck and Esther Oh what their former floristry and med-tech companies have in common, you would hear the same answer - purpose. Verity, Co-Founder of LVLY flowers, bootstrapped her way to a momentous exit after years of hard work and dedication to the idea of making everyone’s day brighter. The buyout then fuelled her new business, Goldee, an AI personal assistant for busy families. Alongside host Mim Rizvi, Verity tells Esther, the CEO and Founder of Agili8, a med-tech company born out of the toughest of circumstances – the loss of her son’s sight - exactly how she did it. They discuss balancing work with parenthood, why getting intimate with your numbers is crucial to success (even when the balance sheet is frightening!), and what to look out for when building early-stage teams.
CREDITS
Host: Miriam Rizvi
Producer: Kelsey Menzies
Audio Imager: Kelli Foulstone
Managing Producer: Todd Stevens
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
'Failure is the determinant of success' - that’s the message CEO and Founder of RIISE Sara Bell has for budding entrepreneur Desiree D’Cruz, Co-Founder of ACEGIRL. In a captivating conversation with Desiree and host Mim Rizvi, Sara discusses her experiences in navigating setbacks, overcoming countless rejections, and forging a path to success in a male-dominated industry. Also on the cards is Sara’s secrets to capital raising, building early-stage teams, and how strategic thinking around work and personal priorities can help keep what’s important in focus.
CREDITS
Hosts: Miriam Rizvi
Producer: Kelsey Menzies
Audio Imager: Kelli Foulstone
Managing Producer: Todd Stevens
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
You might remember Hailey Brown as the visionary CEO and Founder of travel app Vaycay It that caters to the blind and low-vision community from last season. Back now as a Mentor, Hailey tells Liz Lea, founder of ShowGo, what she’s learnt managing a rapidly growing business. Guided by host Miriam ‘Mim’ Risvi, they talk about funding challenges, user-testing, launching an MVP that’s just ‘good enough’, and the importance of finding your heroes in your consumer base.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Business savvy and an unwavering determination may have helped Steph Claire-Smith get to where she is today, but the true magic behind the remarkable growth of KIC lies in her unique talent for building communities through genuine online and offline interactions. And, she tells budding businesswoman Danielle Arrebola, founder of Employi, just how she’s able to leverage social media and overcome imposter syndrome. In a candid conversation with the budding entrepreneur and host Miriam ‘Mim’ Rizvi, Steph also reveals the intricacies of app development and knowing when it’s time to make the pivotal decision of whether to onboard a CEO.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Ok, so we could easily make some pun about entrepreneur Janine Allis knowing the best way to ‘Boost’ your business… but we are better than that. In this episode of Secrets of a Self-Starter, Janine sits down with the winner of the Accelerator for Enterprising Women Kickstarter Challenge, Hailey Brown, founder of Vacayit, to explain the importance of surrounding yourself with the right team. Along with host Mim Rizvi, Janine unpacks with Hailey the conversations that you must have with business partners early on, why she believes a true entrepreneur is often a terrible businessperson, and why failing in business is more often the beginning of the journey than the end.
To find out more about the Accelerator for Enterprising Women, head to enterprising-women.com.au
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Finding purpose in a career culture addicted to productivity is a millennial struggle many of us face, and it’s something Sarah Davidson, corporate lawyer turned entrepreneur turned podcaster/author and everything in between, reconciled herself with the creation of her most recognisable brand, Seize the Yay. Chatting to mentee Ellana Pierce from sustainable swimwear brand El Adrift, Sarah poses an important question, ‘if no-one saw you fail, would you be scared of the failure?’. Joining Host Mim Rizvi, Sarah tells us about why her daily rituals away from work are critical to maintain joy, and how looking at each experience like a jigsaw puzzle could just be the perspective change you need.
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Most of us will remember Justine Clarke, legendary children’s entertainer and actor, gracing our screens as kids in her long-time role on beloved children’s program Playschool. Sharing advice with fellow kids entertainer, Alex Mangano – creator of Jak The Silly Yak - Justine gives us a look behind the screen, discussing her journey into the industry, merchandise, and slogging it out on tour. Host Mim Rizvi, who works in the industry too, strongly relates to the need to ‘stay silly’, and the importance of respecting your audience, even if they are just kids.
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Laura Henshaw is one of Australia’s most successful health and wellness CEO’s, and in this episode, she joins fellow female founder - Elaine Kwong of healthcare platform Escollate - and host Mim Rizvi to discuss everything from core metrics, building community, and creating safe spaces for women to thrive. As the operational brain behind Keep It Cleaner, Laura knows the challenges of app development (especially when you’ve never done it before) and how striving for perfection might just be what holds you back. She discusses the challenges of overcoming imposter syndrome when taking over as CEO, and the importance of communication when navigating personal relationships, which Elaine and Mim both agree with.
To find out more about the Accelerator for Enterprising Women, head to enterprising-women.com.au
Music by James Court
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Do you want to love what you do? Then get ready to have your mind blown by Hugh van Cuylenburg, Founding Director of the Resilience project, as he drops bombs of wisdom in a mentoring session with budding young businesswoman Amy Silver from the Dough Co. The pair are joined by host Mim Rizvi as they talk all things motivation, from not having any at all, to setting realistic expectations. Although Hugh and Amy can’t agree on a coffee order (or the best time to wake up), they both believe in the importance of running your own race, with Hugh sharing insights on the inner-critic and knowing when - and when not - to listen to it.
To find out more about the Accelerator for Enterprising Women, head to enterprising-women.com.au
Music by James Court
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
You can learn a lot from a mentoring session. But how do you get access to some of the best thought leaders? This is the podcast that does exactly that. We take you behind the closed doors of mentorship sessions with inspirational self-starters like Sarah Davidson, Laura Henshaw, Hugh van Cuylenburg and more. Host Mim Rizvi facilitates conversations between these top performers and participants from the Accelerator for Enterprising Women Kickstarter Challenge. Be a fly on the wall and be inspired to turn your passion into a profession with real advice from real self-starters from a range of industries.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.