Founders

Along with three other co-founders, Michael Su has opened a new cafe and it's not your typical enterprise.Between 6am and 4pm, it trades as Garden State Cafe. After hours, it transforms into an 8 menu ghost kitchen for Ubereats, and soon-to-be late-night diner. With a previous career in finance, hear the intriguing story of this 20-something year old entrepreneur, testing the boundaries of his startup.

Harry Katsiabanis has been involved in numerous entrepreneurial ventures, some successful others not so successful.In this episode, we talk through the aftermath of Taxi-Link which he took all the way to the ASX as a public company.Covid was not very good to this start up and the venture was not able to trade through Melbourne's paralysing lockdowns. Harry managed to pay all creditors in full but suffered significant financial loss.As Harry says “With devastation comes innovation” and he undertook extensive research into new business models and industries and landed upon his next idea.

When Monash mother, Jasna Drazic, couldn't find a nappy bag she could take to her day job, she went ahead and designed one herself while on maternity leave. After some market research and prototyping, her brand Miana launched online in 2021 and has since grown its social media following. Based in Glen Waverley, this one-woman business aims to provide chic design at affordable prices.In this episode, we learn more about what motivates founders to push on through the hard times of an early start up.

In this episode we welcome Alex Solo, the Co-founder of SprintLaw - a specialist law firm for startups. Alex presents his top tips for all the legal considerations with starting a business here in this podcast.

Entrepreneurship Facilitator Nic Bolto chats with students Kai Macann and Daniel Mawston, co-founders of Terra Symposium - the 2022 People's Choice National iAwards winner.The National iAwards Ceremony unearths, recognises and rewards excellence in Australian innovation that is making a difference and has the potential to create positive change - nationally and internationally.

"This episode we're meeting Joel Hanna, Founder at Big Little Brush, a recent South East Melbourne Awards winner. Joel started his business with impact in mind and sales from his sustainable brushes fund healthcare work with indigenous communities. Joel provides some great insights into managing priorities and keeping the end in mind."

A conversation with Entrepreneur Facilitator, Robert Sayegh about problem solving in the post-lockdown business market.

We get the brainwave. We make the prototype. We put it into market. Then nothing happens... or at least, not the sales firestorm we imagined!In this highly engaging session, we will hear from Ailsa Page on these key points:1. The power of research at every stage of product development2. What you need in place before you go to market3. Ways to increase your chances of people buying from you

Welcome back to founders!It's been a while. Now we're back, there are new lessons to learn from the highs and lows of the many other founders who have gone before you. We hope you enjoy this very intimate episode with Lee and Liz from The Mare Coffee Co.

Perri Yiu, prolific in her social media posts as “Yummy Balance Dietitian”, holds a number of clinical and community dietitian roles in Metro Melbourne and Regional Victoria empowering her clients with insights on a better relationship with food and making healthy eating realistic.

Emma Koster did something that many of us can only envy at: she delivered on a plan to achieve social purpose through bringing a technology solution to market. With the impact of COVID, many have said "for such a time as this" with her techbot solution "Hello Cass" which enables people experiencing abuse or family violence to safely reach out. Hear her story of overcoming doubt here.

We all have a cafe that's close to our hearts and at this time, we may hold them closer than in normal life. Not all cafe's are doing well and here, Founder Johathan Cosentino explores the terrible contradiction of losing money only in the hope of trying to make it up later.

George McEncroe began her career in media and comedy but has transcended into a fierce business leader, entrepreneur and mobility innovator. At a bleak time of Stage 4 COVID restrictions, reducing our lives to a 5km radius, George shares her best insights on the rollercoaster that is business and it's impact on her female ride share start-up called Shebah.

In this episode of Founders, we meet our COVID-19 success story, someone who has carefully considered how he can meet his goals during this difficult time. And, it has been customers that have helped him find his way.We hope you enjoy this episode and the insights it brings to us all!

In this episode of Founders, learn what great timing and the added leverage co-founders can bring to the table.Michael Fox's plant-based meat startup raised $1.5 million last December from Blackbird Ventures, Grok Ventures and food industry angel investors. His mushroom based meat alternative landed on fine dining menus to the joy of customers and will to continue to satisfy them as Michaels’s company, Fabel is now patterning with Heston Blumenthal to launch its first product in Woolsworths this year!

In this episode we hear from fashion enthusiast and founder of Ford Millinery, Chantelle Ford. As we are living in a global pandemic, Chantelle has recently redirected her talents towards making face masks to support Australians. Her quick thinking by producing face masks has benefited many and serves to inspire other Australian businesses to find ways to support our country and keep their business dreams alive

Everyone wants investment right? Fresh out of running one of the most successful VC funds in the country, Jordan Green established a Melbourne icon for angel investing, and helped set a national benchmark in how these collaborative funding communities operateFor more entrepreneurial insight follow Nicholas Bolto on LinkedIn and @foundersofaus on instagram

When Michael Aronson was sitting at his South Melbourne market stall in 1973, he wondered why people bought toothpaste that had flouride in it given it was already in the water. Almost 50 years on, Michael has created a global success from selling organic, vegan and other natural products for discerning customersListen to his story of perseverance and customer need in this latest episode of Founders

Just under a year ago, Colin Pudsey started a futuristic new business offering rich, immersive, virtual reality experiences for people in aged care homes. Now with COVID-19, his idea could pivot quickly to address even greater isolation issues for older people.How's Silvr Adventures tracking? Listen to this podcast to learn more about weathering the hard knocks that come with creating an entirely new market offer. https://www.silvradventures.com.au/

When she set out with a vision to bring Australian indigenous foods to our plates, Hayley Blieden from The Australian Super Food Co didn't expect the customer demand to be so great!In this episode, Hayley shares her story of pivoting from retail products to a supply led boom so that she could better realise her goals for the accessibility of bush foods. 

In this episode we meet Alem Hailemariam, a single mother with a vision to help others and serve a growing community of loyal customers organic Ethopian coffeeGet in touch with her by emailing organiccoffeeland@yahoo.com

The hospitality business can be ruthless. Hear from Michele, a 15 year veteran about how he and his partner have chiselled out a living from creating a highly unique customer experience at Speck in Queen St Melbourne

In this episode we meet visionary founder Ian Clark who now runs a multi-million dollar, award winning business. It all started as vacant crown land of no value and is now a successful and awarded tourist destination. For Ian, gold tourism awards is just the beginning. music: https://www.bensound.com

In this episode we hear from our dux of the 2019 class, Tim Scrivenor There’s a lot to appreciate and celebrate in this episode so we hope that you enjoy each point!

In this episode we meet Shanil Dissanayake and hear about the Swivel Group’s rapid growth into four countries, the importance of networks, relationships and trust

James Woolcock is the Co-Founder & Engineering Director of Bastion Cycles, makers of the first commercially produced 3D printed pushbike in the world. We hope James's story of careful planning and persistence helps motivate you and your next business challenge

This episode covers the challenges and pitfalls of seeking investment with Vladimir Finn. Vlad is hands-on in bringing innovative and transformational opportunities to reality and mentors and facilitates access to investment, a process which he has been through a number of times himself as a founder.

The translation for dumplings from the Komi language is 'ear bread', a food originally favoured by hunters in Russia as a quick and simple meal to take with them on long winter treks.To help move your business to the next level, learn more about determination from our founder Tatiana Kuzovova

When Melbourne's Entrepreneurship Facilitator Nic Bolto posted on confidence earlier this year, his insights were viewed 118,000 times. In this practical session, Nic deals with five major touchpoints of confidence... the killers and the enablers.

In this highly practical session hear from Joel Whittaker, the guy who helped make The Thankyou Group a runaway success.He's started a new venture, The Narrative Lab and will share his insights into how the digital marketing algorithms mesh. Joel will share his top 5 in what you need to consider when setting up your own digital marketing strategy.