In this episode, I interview Brett Steel, the Founding Director and General Manager of Spirit Thief Distilling Co, an independent bottling company based in Tasmania, Australia, and was established in 2015. Brett is defined for his passion for brewing and distilling and found an...
148: Works as a strategic planner, specializes in providing proactive, focused, and strategic advice to help & support Australian business owners. Clients he has been working with have achieved an increase of 37% in net profit. (Michael Denehey)
Oct 13, 2021
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In this episode, I interview Michael Denehey, an adviser at Collins SBA based in Hobart, Australia. Collins SBA is a financial advice and accounting service for Australian businesses. They work with small and medium business owners and assist them in growing and scaling their business. Michael is...
143: After a difficult experience with a staff dealing with a mental health crisis, she decided to learn & study psychology. Now a mental health educator, helping hospitality leaders on how to create a mentally healthy workplace. (Bianca Welsh)
Sep 26, 2021
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In this episode, I interview Bianca Welsh, the Co-owner of Stillwater Restaurant, and Founder of From Experience, a mental health service based in Launceston, Tasmania. Bianca Welsh is a Certified Mental Health First Aid Instructor who aims to equip business owners with the tools they need to...
141: Expert on cybersecurity, helping small to large organizations understand cyber risk and managing their outsourced business process. Shutting digital doors to cyber-attacks, ensuring a sustainable and high-performing business. (Mariae Leckie)
Sep 19, 2021
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In this episode, I interview Mariae Leckie, the Interim CEO, and Senior Consultant of The Project Lab, a consulting and advisory firm based in Hobart, Tasmania. They are experts on cyber security and they work with small to large organizations to ensure the safety and security of their assets....
130: Founded a small business in 2015 specializing in fermented products. Started in the shared kitchen, upgraded their space up to 1000 meters. Become the first and biggest Miso supplier in Australia with revenue growth of 40% p.a. and 5 FTEs. (Chris de Bono)
Aug 11, 2021
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In this episode, I interview Chris de Bono, the Founding Director, and Miso Master at Meru Foods, a food manufacturer based in Launceston Tasmania, specializing in fermented products. They supply premium ingredients to the food manufacturing sector. Meru Foods is the company behind Meru Miso and...
126: In 1993, established a travel agency and spent almost 30 years in the industry, sold it in 2017 with 35 FTE. Now turned attention to wine, sheep, and a luxury farm stay in a sixth-generation farming property in southern Tasmania. (Andrew Jones)
Jul 28, 2021
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In this episode, I interview Andrew Jones, the owner, and operator of Invercarron Wines, a young Tasmanian vineyard producing premium wines. The Jones family have maintained their farming origins and after constantly looking to diversify and grow the farm- Invercarron Wines was born.
Andrew...
118: In 2008, became a part-owner and opened a boutique steakhouse. An opportunity arose in 2010 to buy a share in a restaurant, take on the Executive Chef position of the operation & upgrade with a hotel just above the restaurant. (Craig Will)
Jun 30, 2021
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In this episode, I interview Craig Will, the Executive Chef and Co-owner of Tasmania’s finest restaurants, Stillwater and Black Cow Bistro, and just above Stillwater is a two-year-old hotel business, Seven Boutique Accommodation. Craig is passionate about local products and the seasonal...
107: Started dairy sheep enterprise in 2002, evolved from birthing sheep to vodka distilling- won World’s Best Vodka & awarded as the Australian Champion Vodka 5 yrs in a row. Grew 2 FTE to the current 20 in 19 yrs with 40% annual return. (Diane Rae)
May 23, 2021
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In this episode, I interview Diane Rae, the CEO of Ewenique Enterprises based in Tasmania, Australia- known for its sheep-making cheese expertise and best vodka. Ewenique Enterprises is the incorporation of Grandvewe Cheeses- a farmhouse cheesery that uses sheep milk to make exceptional...
062: Australia is the harshest country when businesses go under. Some simple and low cost ways to protect your business if your customers do – Insolvency, Administration & Receivership. Improved laws in Australia 1 Jan 2021 (Jennifer O’Farrell)
Dec 13, 2020
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In this episode, I interview Jennifer O’Farrell, a Senior Associate at Dobson Mitchell Allport. Jennifer is a commercial litigation and dispute resolution lawyer. She has a particular interest in insolvency, personal property securities, administrative and local...
035: Invented a world-leading shoe for horses, sells in Europe, USA, Canada, NZ, and Australia through 500+ stockists. Growing the team from 2 to 11 FTE since starting in 2015. With only 5 competitors, sales have grown 25%-125% p.a. (Annette Kaitinis)
Aug 23, 2020
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In this episode, I interview Annette Kaitinis, the Co-founder and Director of Scoot Boots Pty Ltd, Australia’s only manufacturer of equine hoof boots for barefoot horses. In 2015, she formed a business partnership with her ex-farrier, Dave MacDonald, who in invented a shoe for horses....
034: They took over a yoga studio with 35 members, in a year got that to 300 then added another 100 online members during COVID. Increased prices, offered Pilates, improved the value to members and doubled recurring revenue to $360k (Kate Cashman)
Aug 16, 2020
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In this episode, I interview Kate Cashman, co-founder of Mana Movement Studio in Hobart, Tasmania. In early 2019, they took over the lease of one of the oldest yoga studios in Tasmania, increased prices, added Pilates, and pivoted to a membership model. The Founders took it from 35...
033: When her ex-husband got too sick to run the business Kate took the helm in 2009, now Tasmania’s largest conveyancing firm. Grew from $350k to $2m in sales, and 2 FTE to 12. Key is using experts hiring well and great culture (Kate Goodman)
Aug 09, 2020
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In this episode, I interview Kate Goodman, the owner of Goodman Conveyancing, and a licensed conveyancer. Her ex-husband and best friend started a legal firm in Hobart in 2001. After he became too unwell due to MS, Kate stepped in to run the conveyancing business, now the...
032: With a single 300L still at home in 2007 made an Irish-style, triple distilled whisky – merged, moved to a 4,500L and 2 other stills, launched an award-winning gin then sold out to return to distilling from home on a 700L still (Damian Mackey)
Aug 02, 2020
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In this episode, I interview Damian Mackey, a master distiller of whisky and gin and the founder of New Town Distillery in Hobart, Tasmania. In 2005, he started building a small distillery (Mackey’s Distillery) in his backyard in Hobart, and in 2007, filled their first cask with triple...
030: In its 24 years the distillery was sold 4 times, the 3rd after the business failed. They went on to win the best single malt in the world – the first outside Scotland, Ireland and Japan. Grew from 4 FTE to 23 (Patrick Maguire)
Jul 21, 2020
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In this episode, I interview Patrick Maguire, the Master Distiller for Sullivans Cove Distillery in Hobart, Tasmania, and the Chairman of the Tasmanian Whisky Producers Association in 2012. Sullivans Cove was one of the first craft distilleries of commercial scale in Australia founded in 1996,...
028: Small business marketing consultant with 25 years experience talks about what marketing is, knowing your ‘why’ and focusing on the customer. Excellent books, podcasts and tools to help any fast-growing business with their marketing (Toni Kibbey)
Jul 05, 2020
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In this episode, I interview Toni Kibbey, a subject matter expert on marketing. With over 25 years in marketing, especially in small business, Toni strongly believes if you don’t have a customer, you don’t have a business. And that’s where your marketing should be built...
025: Late 2011 convinced her partner and another friend to quit their architectural jobs and found the internationally acclaimed Cumulus Studios, from $55k first year revenue to now $3m and 18 FTE after starting with 4 founders (Kylee Scott)
Jun 14, 2020
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In this episode, I interview Kylee Scott, a director, and the studio manager at Cumulus Studio. After leaving a leading architectural firm to work for a large engineering company, Kylee saw how profitable a well run professional services company can be, so she convinced her partner in Hobart...
024: In 2002 moved back from London to buy a cafe restaurant in Hobart. Sold that in 2009 and started two cafes and a Mountain Bike Tour business. Grew from 5 FTE to now 20 and over $2m in annual sales (Jon Stagg)
Jun 07, 2020
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In this episode, I interview Jon Stagg, the Founder/Owner of Atlas Cafe, The Stagg, and Hobart Mountain Bike Tours, all based in beautiful Hobart, Tasmania. After years working in banking and IT, in a blanket in the Wimbledon Common in London, where the Wimbles live, Jon and his wife decided to...
022: Over a beer at uni 3 friends started a forest management business in 2001, now with 125 FTE and $20m – $30m in sales. Diversified into value-adding wood products they now also harvest trees from the depths of a lake in Tasmania (David Wise)
May 24, 2020
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In this episode, I interview David Wise, a Co-founder, and Director at SFM Environmental Solutions Pty Ltd, a professional forestry business that provides forest management and consultancy services to a range of clients in Australia and New Zealand. David and his 2 partners started SFM back in...
018: Executive recruitment firm in the tech space launched in 2001 as the tech-wreck hit, from 2 FTE grew to 90 across 4 countries with $18m in revenue and minimal capital investment (Phaedon Stough)
Apr 26, 2020
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In this episode, I interview Phaedon Stough, the Co-Founder of Innovation Bay, the longest-running networking group for tech founders, startups, and investors in Australia. He’s also the founder and non-executive director of MitchelLake Global Executive Search and Talent Acquisition, an...
017: With 2 FTE, Launched in 2006 Just Before The GFC, They Grew to 9 FTE and $1M in Annual Sales with Many Bumps in the Road and Lessons Learned Before Selling Out 10 Years Later (John Groom)
Apr 19, 2020
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In this episode, I interview John Groom, the founder and previous CEO of Acrodata. In 2006, aged 39 and a year after getting married, John jumped from senior corporate life and started his first business which specializes in document security and management in the small market of Tasmania,...
013: From Quitting His Teaching Job To Market 4WD Accessories Online, Growing the Business And The Business Collapsing, To Pivoting it Again, Starting His Own Online Business, and Turning it into a Multiple Seven Figures Company (Dan Kozaris)
Mar 22, 2020
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In this episode, I’ll have a conversation with Dan Kozaris, the owner of KPD44, a successful Australian four-wheel drive (4WD) accessories company. At age 26 in 2008 as the global financial crisis hit, Dan decided to pivot from the safe job of school teacher to become a marketer of...
012: In 2013 Took Over a Dead Bar Venue, Turned it into a Thriving Craft Beer and American-style Food Pub Initially Growing 20% Each Year and Now With 13 FTE, Added a Small Brewery and Soon Opening a Craft Beer Bottle Shop (Kris Miles)
Mar 15, 2020
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In this episode, I’ll have a conversation with Kris Miles, the co-owner of the Winston Ale House and The Winston Brewery, both in North Hobart, Tasmania. When Kris and his wife Caroline’s local pub went up for sale, they couldn’t pass on the opportunity to snap it up. After...
011: Doing $30m+ in Sales with 40 Team Members, in 2011 Shut-down a Successful Digital Agency to Back an iPad Idea and Push Through the Hard Transition Times When They Were Down to Their Last Few Dollars in the Bank (James Cuda)
Mar 08, 2020
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In this episode, I’ll have a conversation with James Cuda, CEO, Co-Founder and Creative Director of Savage Interactive, the company behind the hugely successful iPad app, Procreate. The multi-award-winning art app is designed to free creatives from their desks and encompasses a powerful...
010: Starting with $10k savings in 2004, losing it all and almost quitting now has $27m annual sales and 55 team members selling protein powders and other fitness products (Ben Crowley)
Mar 01, 2020
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In this episode, I’ll have a conversation with Ben Crowley, the founder of online supplements retailer Bulk Nutrients. While teaching English in Japan, Ben saw a gap in the market with Australian customers paying so much more for protein powders and other fitness products. He...
