First Act: Recent Episodes
Kochie's Business Builders
First Act shares the origin tales and inspirational stories of Australia’s most innovative business owners and personalities. Hosted by Kochie’s Business Builders’ editors Cec Busby and Adam Bub, these frank conversations deliver a deep dive into the genesis of success. Cec, Adam and their guests unpack the motivations that fired up their journeys and explore the road travelled to reach their goals.
In 2010 Mark Dombkins and his wife Anna moved to Tanzania with their children in the hope of extending their family by adoption. Three years later, the couple returned to Australia as a family of eight and with a firm desire to help the women of Tanzania break the cycle of poverty.
From this desire, Forever Projects was born, a not-for-profit whose dream is to educate Tanzanian women to become self-sustaining in the hope of keeping more families together. Several years later and Forever Projects has managed to save over 1000 families from being split apart, and Mark’s not stopping his mission anytime soon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Here’s a story worth giving a crap about. In 2012, Simon Griffiths sat on a toilet for 50 hours to raise money for Who Gives A Crap – a social enterprise that would sell toilet paper and give 50 per cent of those profits to communities in dire need of clean water and toilets. That’s around 2 billion plus people on this earth.
Who Gives A Crap became a sensation. A toilet paper disruptor. A saviour to many throughout the TP panic of the pandemic. Raising millions for charities, Simon and co-founders Jehan Ratnatunga and Danny Alexander are kicking lofty goals. And if you ask Simon, they’re only just getting started. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Over the past five years, Sonia Majkic has made $25 million with her Australia-wide digital marketing company, 3 Phase Marketing. She’s been named on AFR’s Fast 100 List and won numerous accolades for her work helping businesses of all sizes grow and prosper.
But Sonia didn’t have money growing up. Immigrating from Serbia to Australia in the ’80s, Sonia’s family struggled with language, community and finding work without formal qualifications in Melbourne. At the age of 12, Sonia took it upon herself to sell ‘crafty things’ to her neighbours – an idea that sparked a rags-to-riches tale you’ll love listening to on First Act. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Catherine Velisha is passionate about all things fruit and veg, but that wasn’t always the case. It was never her intention to run the family business, Velisha Farms. Yet since taking on the role of managing director, Catherine has taken the family’s market farm to new heights.
In a male-dominated industry, she is a force to be reckoned with. When she’s not busy navigating the ins and outs of the family business, she’s got her hands full with VEG Education - a support service for those in the fresh fruit and veg trade, and Food Futures, which is helping to train the next generation of food experts. Catherine is changing the face of the Aussie agricultural industry for the better! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Catherine Velisha is passionate about all things fruit and veg, but that wasn’t always the case. It was never her intention to run the family business, Velisha Farms. Yet since taking on the role of managing director, Catherine has taken the family’s market farm to new heights.
In a male-dominated industry, she is a force to be reckoned with. When she’s not busy navigating the ins and outs of the family business, she’s got her hands full with VEG Education - a support service for those in the fresh fruit and veg trade, and Food Futures, which is helping to train the next generation of food experts. Catherine is changing the face of the Aussie agricultural industry for the better! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Like many great entrepreneurs, Man of Many’s Frank Arthur has two driving forces that kicked off his early career: a major passion and a job at Macca’s. The passion was for product design – which would later become his bread and butter. But not without some surprising career moves along the way…
Born in Ghana and raised in Dubbo, this ideas man found his calling when he and then-flatmate Scott Purcell started a digital platform to profile the latest trends in products, culture and style. In 2012, Man of Many was born. Years later, they quit their jobs and threw everything into what is now an award-winning men’s lifestyle media brand consumed by millions worldwide. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Natassia Nicolao is on a mission to save the beauty industry from water waste. As the founder of Conserving Beauty, she has developed a range of waterless beauty products that are a real game changer for the sector. When you consider two-thirds of the global population will live with water restrictions by 2035 and that beauty products are usually made from 50-70 per cent water, you get some idea of the magnitude of her innovation.
Natassia was recently crowned the 2022 Women of the Future winner for her achievement and she joins us to share how her passion for beauty and science have combined for the betterment of the planet. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Does an apple a day keep the doctor away? Dr Vincent Candrawinata knows the answer. He’s the founder of Renovatio, one of Australia’s fastest-growing health and wellness brands specialising in anti-inflammatory relief. At the core (boom-tish!) of his operations are apples from Orange, NSW. Yes, apples from Orange.
The highly respected antioxidant researcher, food scientist and clinical nutritionist discovered how to extract bionic antioxidants from apples using only water – a process scientists globally had been trying to do for more than 80 years. Renovatio has since helped 1000s of Australians - here’s the story behind the brand. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Entrepreneurship may have seemed an unlikely choice for Leela Cosgrove, founder of business growth consulting firm Strategic Anarchy. Growing up in Brisbane’s housing commission estates, Leela was surrounded by less-than-ideal circumstances. Fortunately, she had strong female role models - in the guise of her mother and grandmother - who led her to believe anything was possible. Today, Leela heads up a multimillion-dollar business and counts Richard Branson among her friends.
She’s passionate about helping women succeed in business and shatter any barriers that are in their way. Leela is bringing this mission to life as the Australian Chapter Leader of the Dell Women’s Entrepreneur Network (DWEN), and with the Women’s Leadership Festival in Melbourne this October. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
He’s the Aussie chef who’s made it in the US, popping up on shows like Good Morning America and The Drew Barrymore Show. And every day, he’s serving up Aussie breakfasts and coffees to discerning New Yorkers at his impact-driven restaurant in Nolita, New York: Charley St.
But we first met Dan on season five of MasterChef Australia when he was making ‘dude food’. He’s since become a globally renowned chef, cookbook author, athlete, wellness coach and podcast host on The Epic Table Podcast. He also happens to be the chef and nutrition expert for Chris Hemsworth’s CENTR health advice app – and he’s now joined Australian Eau De Vie grape spirit brand Feels Botanical as a partner and major investor. Busy, but oh so chill. How does he do it?
Daniel Flynn is an eco-warrior. As the managing director and co-founder of Thankyou, Daniel and his team are flipping consumerism on its head to deliver meaningful change. In a world where brands often pay lip service to social impact, Thankyou is the real deal. Since launching Thankyou in 2008, the brand has grown from selling a single product to over 50 lines that are available in supermarkets all over Australia. The ethos of Thankyou is simple: to create a better world where no one lives in poverty and as co-founder, Daniel is leading the charge.
Daniel Flynn is an eco-warrior. As the managing director and co-founder of Thankyou, Daniel and his team are flipping consumerism on its head to deliver meaningful change. In a world where brands often pay lip service to social impact, Thankyou is the real deal. Since launching Thankyou in 2008, the brand has grown from selling a single product to over 50 lines that are available in supermarkets all over Australia. The ethos of Thankyou is simple: to create a better world where no one lives in poverty and as co-founder, Daniel is leading the charge.
Cook, media publisher and entrepreneur, Marion Grasby wears a lot of hats. As one of Masterchef’s favourite contestants, Marion quickly won the hearts of Aussie viewers with her Thai-Aussie flavour fusions. Although she missed out on the crown, Marion quickly parlayed her fame into a cook book deal before launching her brand, Marion’s Kitchen. Today Marion is the head of a next-generation food and lifestyle company with a subscriber base of 7 million and a global monthly reach of more than 30 million people. Not bad going for the home-cook who insists fame was never on her agenda.
Cook, media publisher and entrepreneur, Marion Grasby wears a lot of hats. As one of Masterchef’s favourite contestants, Marion quickly won the hearts of Aussie viewers with her Thai-Aussie flavour fusions. Although she missed out on the crown, Marion quickly parlayed her fame into a cook book deal before launching her brand, Marion’s Kitchen. Today Marion is the head of a next-generation food and lifestyle company with a subscriber base of 7 million and a global monthly reach of more than 30 million people. Not bad going for the home-cook who insists fame was never on her agenda.
If you’re mad about pets, you’ll be mad for our next guest … Justus Hammer. Justus is the founder of Mad Paws, Australia’s largest online pet care platform. Dubbed ‘Airbnb for pets’, Mad Paws matches pets with trusted pet sitters. It’s a fabulous alternative to traditional kennels and has proved a massive success. But Mad Paws isn’t his first venture. Justus is also the man behind Australia’s largest group buying platform, Spreets – which he sold for a massive $40 million less than a year after launch. It was the first of a number of successes for the serial entrepreneur but there have been some failed ventures too. Justus joins us to share the highs and lows of his First Act.
Sarah Cordiner’s used to breaking boundaries. As the first woman in her family to get a higher education, Sarah bucked convention from the start. Education is her passion and it drives her purpose. As one of the world’s leading edupreneurs, Sarah has helped thousands of small business owners use their expertise to create new revenue streams. She’s the queen of online courses, has been cited by Forbes as a leader in the education space, ranked by HuffPost as one of the world’s 50 must follow women entrepreneurs and has the number 1 blog in the e-learning space. Did we mention she holds the record as the youngest University ‘Executive Director and Head of Campus’ in Australian HISTORY? But it hasn’t all been plain sailing and Sarah joins us to share some of the ups and downs of her entrepreneurial journey.
Sarah Cordiner’s used to breaking boundaries. As the first woman in her family to get a higher education, Sarah bucked convention from the start. Education is her passion and it drives her purpose. As one of the world’s leading edupreneurs, Sarah has helped thousands of small business owners use their expertise to create new revenue streams. She’s the queen of online courses, has been cited by Forbes as a leader in the education space, ranked by HuffPost as one of the world’s 50 must follow women entrepreneurs and has the number 1 blog in the e-learning space. Did we mention she holds the record as the youngest University ‘Executive Director and Head of Campus’ in Australian HISTORY? But it hasn’t all been plain sailing and Sarah joins us to share some of the ups and downs of her entrepreneurial journey.
Simon Cohen knows a thing or two about the lifestyles of the rich and famous. As the founder of CohenHandler - Australia’s number one Buyers Agency - his job is to find the ultra-rich the most extra homes. He’s gone from starting a business with just $5000 in his bank account to becoming the highest-grossing buyers’ agent in Australia. A natural salesman, Simon has quickly carved out a niche in a competitive industry. He joins us on First Act to unpack some of the secrets to his success, including how he’s leveraged his expertise into a popular TV show, Luxe Listings Australia.
Pete Ceglinski is a surfer, industrial designer and ‘eco-preneur’ whose game-changing invention, the Seabin has captured millions of kilos of waste from our oceans. It’s a simple idea - a bin for the sea - yet its footprint is indelible. Since launching the business with a crowdfunding campaign, Pete and his team have taken Seabin global, saving 1000s of sea creatures from being trapped in plastic waste. But the Seabin isn’t just a floating garbage collector, thanks to smart technology, Pete and co. can now track microplastics and their impact on the ocean. Thanks to Pete and the Seabin Project, our seas and futures look brighter every day!
From his early days as a Dutch backpacker bartending in the ’70s gangster’s paradise of King’s Cross to growing his family business from a backyard caravan, Richard Kuipers is a man with stories to tell. At 75, he’s passionate about sharing what to do and what NOT to do when running a family business – based on his learnings from creating one of Australia’s largest removal companies, Two Men And A Truck.
Richard started the business more than 40 years ago with a single truck. Now it’s a multimillion-dollar operation that employs 300 people with a fleet of close to 100 vehicles. But not without family drama along the way.
Jane Cay is one of the most humble entrepreneurs you’ll meet. She also happens to be one of Australia’s leading fashion retailers and has grown her business from a small boutique store in country New South Wales, into an online empire with more than 150 staff. But retail was never the original plan for Jane. It wasn’t until she fell in love and returned to the Snowy Mountains that this accidental entrepreneur found her calling and her business Birdsnest was born. Jane knows how to make Australian women feel good, whatever size, colour or style of dress they’re wearing. She’s also got a crystal ball when it comes to trends in online shopping ...
People, culture and organisation are Michelle Fotheringham’s bread and butter. As the cofounder of Werkling – an on-demand talent platform - Michelle spends her day-to-day immersed in helping businesses assemble their dream teams. But it wasn’t always the case. Michelle is a self-described corporate escapee who took the plunge into startup land during the pandemic, after realising people wanted to make the shift from work as life to work with purpose. If you want to get the lowdown on people and the future of work, Michelle shares plenty of advice as we delve into her first act as a founder.
Jax Garrett puts the ‘game’ into ‘game-changer’. In 2018, the Newcastle-based entrepreneur founded GGWP Academy, an E-learning and Influencer marketplace platform to help gamers globally become full-timer creators and connect with sponsors. Jax has skin in the game – she’s a gamer herself and her son competed in a Pokemon tournament in the US when he was just nine. With an intimate knowledge of the esports industry, Jax saw an opportunity to change it from the inside – and she’s only getting started. Jax tells First Act about her unique career path, how she came up with GGWP Academy and what it means for the world’s next generation of gaming influencers.
Jaimie Fuller always loved sports so it seems inevitable that he would one day find his place at the helm of a sporting company. His passion led him to become an outspoken advocate; championing fairness, equality and justice in the games he loved. Taking a stand is just part of who he is and even when his business crumbled and he filed for bankruptcy, he took the failure in style with a mea culpa to his brand’s fans. He’s here today to share the rise and fall of his beloved business, Skins, his journey as an activist and advocate and how he’s stepped up again to start a new game-changing venture that’s set to protect athletes from brain injuries.
Sharon Williams is a marketing maverick and PR maven. While other agencies were still wrapping their heads around personal branding and business strategy, Sharon was coming up with her own trademarked formula - the Taurus Bullseye - which has led countless businesses and corporations to success. She’s managed to do all this while being a single mum to three children and a survivor of multiple breast cancer diagnoses. Her no guts, no glory attitude is evident in everything she does – but it’s tempered with a kindness and generosity of spirit that is rare. She joins us today to share the highs and lows of a close to three-decade career.
Luke ‘Cookie’ Cook is on a mission to change how we see and speak about mental health. Since launching his business Cuppa.TV during the pandemic, Cookie has put conversations about mental health and wellbeing on the national agenda. His daily discussions with movers and shakers in the wellness space have delivered a dose of optimism to a nation in need. He joins us to share the inspiration behind the Cuppa brand and how its helped him get through times of struggle too.
He may be the cofounder of one of Australia’s most successful legal startups, but Tom Willis’s driving purpose is to help businesses be seen. Marketing is his raison d'être and he’s spent over a decade at the forefront of the digital marketing space.As General Assembly’s go-to lecturer for all things marketing, he's taught thousands of students, marketers and business owners the ABCs of the latest digital trends. He joins us today to tell us how he got the marketing bug and why he's so passionate about sharing his wisdom.
Anaita Sarkar knows how to back herself. The serial entrepreneur left behind a career in marketing to found her first brand, Olivia & Co, despite having no experience in fashion or small business. Several years later, horrified by the amount of waste her products were contributing to the planet, Anaita switched tack again to create Hero Packaging.Since launching in 2018, Anaita’s compostable mailer has sold over 15 million units to 40,000 businesses globally. The accidental eco-warrior is now a passionate convert to sustainability and the green economy. Her can-do attitude has taken the startup from strength to strength and provides the perfect fodder for Anaita to deliver small business tips to a legion of devoted 300,000 TikTok followers.Did we mention she’s also the author of the best-selling book Sell Anything Online? She’s here today to take a look back at her career and share some of the highs and lows of being a female founder.
TV viewers may remember her as the red-jacketed judge on Shark Tank. But long before she landed on TV screens, crushing or uplifting the dreams of the nation’s entrepreneurs, Naomi Simson founded online success story, RedBalloon.From humble beginnings in Naomi’s Balmain backyard, RedBalloon has grown to become a multimillion-dollar enterprise and is just one of the many strings to her bow. Today, Naomi is renowned as one of Australia’s most inspirational business leaders and philanthropists. She has nearly 2.8 million followers on LinkedIn; she’s an accomplished author and has one of the most popular business podcasts in Australia. Plus, she continues to play an active role at BigRedGroup.She joins us today on First Act to dive into the genesis of RedBalloon, why you need to back yourself and how having a singular vision can help you succeed.
nofilter should actually be synonymous with Roxy Jacenko – the PR maven, entrepreneur and influencer is always unabashedly herself. In a world of pretenders, Roxy is the real deal. From founding one of Australia’s most innovative PR agencies to pioneering the influencer movement with the Ministry of Talent to starring in her own reality TV show to taking the world by storm with her daughter Pixie and their brand Pixie’s Bows. Jacenko is all-in, all the time. This has led to a life full of massive highs and lows. In this episode of First Act, Roxy unpacks it all as she battles mental health and addiction issues, breast cancer and infidelity on her road to being a great Aussie success story.
Stephen Hunt knows a thing or two about the pub business. He began his journey as a humble dish pig and decades later is the proud owner of the Hunt Hospitality Group, where he employs over 300 people and turns over millions in revenue.If you live in NSW’s Hunter region no doubt you’ve been in one of his many pubs. But how does someone go from dishwasher to pub mogul? Stephen’s is a story of lifelong lessons learned on the job, backed up by business nous and a strong sense of community. It’s a marriage of passion and purpose and one hell of a business journey.
A four-time Olympian and three-time entrepreneur, diving sensation Melissa Wu is as busy in the pool as she is out of it. Juggling training and business is all in a day’s work for Melissa, who was thrust into the spotlight as a teenager when she scored a silver medal at the Commonwealth Games at the ripe old age of 13. The diver then backed it up with a silver medal at the Olympics two years later and has been making a splash off the high board ever since. The founder of three businesses (all with an athletic bent), Melissa Wu is as passionate about business as she is about sport and joins us today to share a little of her journey.
Tim Duggan has always been a person with his finger firmly on the pulse of the popular zeitgeist. But his ability to see what’s next is not some kind of crystal ball trickery. Rather it’s born from his boundless creativity, his sense of community and an unfaltering vision and belief in himself. He joins us to share the genesis of his entrepreneurial journey and it’s quite the rollercoaster ride.
From journalist to digital publisher to event creator to author and editor at large, Tim’s packed quite a bit into his life to date. Yes, there have been mistakes along the way – like that time he lost $80k in one night when an event he planned didn’t hit its target - but there have been plenty of highs too. Listen in to hear Tim’s First Act…
Amanda Rose is a force of nature. She’s a serial entrepreneur and a tireless champion of both women in business and her local stomping ground, Western Sydney. Amanda’s a #BossLady with a ‘take no prisoners’ attitude, and her outspokenness makes her a wonderful advocate for Australia’s female founders. She’s a passionate mentor and campaigner for more women in leadership positions and if she sees an issue she’s happy to tackle it head-on. Straight-talking and confident, Amanda joins us on First Act to share the lessons she’s learned in resilience, passion and purpose during her journey to become an uncompromising entrepreneur.
Troy Douglas was just 23 when he and {now} brother-in-law, Drew Bilbe started Nexba – a sugar-free drink brand that has taken Australia by storm.In this episode of First Act, Troy takes us back to where it all began. From selling drinks out of the back of a van in Bondi to opening a cannery with equipment bought off the internet, Troy and Drew have built up Nexba to be one of Australia’s leading sugar-free brands. Troy explains why passion and purpose go hand-in-hand with Nexba's success; what it’s like to be in business with his best mate and how it feels to be a role model for young queer kids with startup aspirations.
Jodie Fox was always meant to be a lawyer but the universe had other plans. A chance conversation on a Gold Coast beach led to her abandoning her career to start Shoes of Prey with cofounders Michael Fox and Mike Knapp.Jodie was the face of the business. The brand’s rapid rise to success saw it gain fame as a startup darling and cemented Jodie’s status as one of Australia’s leading entrepreneurs. Then after almost a decade of riding a wave of success, the brand went pear-shaped and Jodie was faced with the heartbreaking decision of closing the doors on a business she has described as “her baby”.In this episode of First Act, Jodie takes a look back at her entrepreneurial journey, explains why she left a career in law and marketing behind to go into business for herself, dives into the genesis of Shoes of Prey, explores the startup’s rise and demise and shares the many learnings she’s had along the way. It’s a raw and emotional story and Jodie never holds back on the details - no matter how painful.
There’s a lot you don’t know about Matty J, arguably Australia’s favourite Bachelor. Well before he was handing out roses, hosting radio shows and podcasts or posting comedy videos to more than 330,000 Instagram followers, Matt 'Matty J' Johnson was that guy having the time of his life working at your local Macca’s. And music festivals. And one “nightmare” job in London that made him question “What am I doing?”We’ve all been there. But not quite like Matty J. On this episode of First Act, Matty J tells Kochie’s Business Builders editors Cec Busby and Adam Bub what he did before The Bachelor, how he founded his own business Pineapple Productions after, and what he’s learned from fiancée Laura Byrne and their two daughters about creativity and business smarts.
First Act is back with a brand new season.
Each week, Kochie’s Business Builders editors and co-hosts Cec Busby and Adam Bub talk with some of Australia’s most innovative business owners and personalities and share their inspirational stories and origin tales.
From former Bachelor Matty J’s first job to Jodie Fox’s raw insights from the rise and fall of Shoes of Prey, these conversations dig into the trials, tribulations and lightbulb moments behind the veil of success.
So listen in each Tuesday for First Act. Because every story has a beginning.
In this episode of First Act, Cec Busby chats with Melanie Perkins, the co-founder of online design tool Canva and explores how she brought the idea to fruition, what motivates her and why mentors are so important. See /listener for privacy information.
In this week's podcast, Cec Busby catches up with Dean Foley, the founder of Australia's first indigenous accelerator program, Barayamal. Foley gives us the nitty-gritty on life as an indigenous entrepreneur, explains what inspires him and why he recommends a stint in the armed forces to anyone uncertain of their career path.
In this week's podcast, host Cec Busby gets up close and personal with Lisa Messenger. A prolific author, a serial entrepreneur and the founder of The Messenger Group and Collective Hub, Lisa is known for her honesty and no holds barred opinions. In this episode, Lisa chats with us about the making and breaking of her brand, why risk and resilience matter for entrepreneurs and how you can bounce back after setbacks.
Usman Iftikhar is the co-founder of Catalysr, an accelerator program that assists refugees and migrapreneurs to achieve their startup dreams. A mechanical engineer by trade, Usman arrived in Australia in 2013 and like many skilled migrants and refugees before him, he found there were barriers to getting work. Rather than remain disillusioned, Usman took matters into his own hands and started an entrepreneur program that helps others get their start. Today Catalysr has helped over 100 migrapreneurs and spawned over 30 new enterprises. Did we mention he's also the Commonwealth Young Person of the Year!
In this episode of First Act, host Cec Busby gets up close and personal with the founder of Keep Sydney Open, Tyson Koh. A self-described reluctant activist, Koh explains the genesis of the grassroots campaign which has since grown to become a political party, shares his view on how a city's nighttime culture correlates with its level of innovation and explains why we all need to fire up our passions.