Weird Growth

On this episode, we have a returning guest, Iain McIntyre, who has journeyed from the realm of neuroscience with Humm to the forefront of AI innovation at MindsDB in San Francisco. Iain's story goes through the highs and lows of entrepreneurship and the constant pursuit of ground-breaking solutions to complex challenges. Problem: Software developers face a common hurdle which is the time-consuming and intricate process of integrating AI into their applications. Solution: MindsDB with its open-source virtual database, automates the connection between data and AI models, enabling developers to deploy AI applications quicker and easier. One big piece of advice: You really need to look after yourself, if you know how to then you will go further. (Take time off, see family and friends, talk to other founders)

Bullets:   

(00:00) - Introduction

(03:50) - How humm became a thing

(09:24) - Hardware is hard

(10:07) - The realisation Humm wasn’t going further

(13:00) - Living in a UFO landing pad during COVID

(14:13) - Helping people with anxiety

(17:31) - Progress made in neuroscience

(22:33) - Story of his journey at MindsDB

(27:44) - Self-driving cars

(29:44) - What it’s like living in San Francisco

(35:20) - Chat-GPT going live and society changes

(44:55) - What MindsDB is solving

(46:30) - One big piece of advice

(48:38) - Show & tell

On this episode, we have Harriet Mellor from Your Sales Co, who works with clients to support and improve their sales teams. They can identify in 30 minutes the sales teams’ strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities. Hear valuable insights on using your business data to make better decision-making decisions in your business. We discuss the yin and yang between marketing and sales, and the art of building an effective network including LinkedIn.

Problem:

People don’t know how to sell or enable their team to sell, the teams are underperforming.

Solution:

Your Sales Co can identify your strengths, opportunities, and weaknesses in 30 minutes. They solve problems that their clients don’t even know exist.

One big piece of advice:

Take the data you are getting from your entire business and make decisions based on that data that is progressing. There is so much data within our business, that you can apply it across your business.  

Bullets:   

(00:00) - Introduction

(03:37) - Why people turn away from sales

(05:57) - How to deal with people (McDonalds experience)

(08:55) - Relationship between Marketing and Sales

(10:45) - How successful tech businesses have scaled their sales process

(13:39) - Sales metrics to consider early on

(14:35) - Advice on how to build your network

(17:08) – Tips for LinkedIn networks

(18:08) – Problem Your Sales Co is solving

(20:00) – Are the tools the problem?

(22:06) – System of selling

(24:18) – Rules of thumb for cold outreach

(28:14) – What to look for when hiring a salesperson

(33:12) – What took Harriet to take a leap (Her Day Spa)

(37:13) – Common trait in entrepreneurs

(37:44) – What is next for Your Sales Co

(40:14) – One big piece of advice

(42:03) – Show & tell

Show & tell

On this episode we have Erin Bell from Co-Connect, a workforce app designed to streamline complex communication, information, and emergency systems into a single, user-friendly platform. We'll uncover the pivotal moments that shaped the company, why Erin believes in the power of community involvement, and why cutting ties early can sometimes be the wisest move for growth. Erin shares how they grew Co-Connect, learn why you should apply for awards and whether you should be entering different lanes with your product/service.

Problem:

Communication in mining workforces is very large-scale in complexity and always changing, an example is a worker trying to find their room at a mining site.

Solution:

Co-Connect App provides all essential site & village information, manages emergencies, and creates amazing site experience with the app.

One big piece of advice:

Identify and cut the cord earlier, and get involved in the community because it is easy to get lost in time – how can you help others more? The more inclined you are to help, it can also broaden your network.

Bullets:   

(00:00) - Introduction

(03:08) - The business Erin would start today

(04:33) - The problem co- connect is solving

(09:45) - How Co-Connect reached their very first customers

(12:38) - The moment Erin realised they were on to something

(16:58) - How they grew Co-Connect

(21:28) - Doing a whole re-build

(22:00) - Erin’s experience during Plus 8 Accelerator program

(25:10) - How to assess different lanes

(28:43) - WA Innovator of the Year

(31:33) - Process for applying for awards

(32:50) - One Big piece of advice

(34:46) - Show and tell

Show & tell

On this episode, we have Amanda Price from KPMG High Growth Ventures who works with founders to help them understand their opportunities. We discuss the dynamics of founder-led sales and the challenges faced by founders, particularly when expanding into the US market. Amanda shares experience from her extensive career, from her first job at Tech Specific to setting up programs for founders to get into the US. The conversation looks at the role of accelerators and the moment Amanda realised the potential of the high-growth venture space. Amanda provides an extreme amount of entrepreneurial wisdom. Problem: Founders struggle to understand what opportunities they have, who to connect with, or the market they need to expand into. Solution: KPMG High Growth Ventures works like a concierge service, they help the founders to understand their opportunities and help connect them to relevant people like vetters, SMGs & advisors. One big piece of advice: You have to do founder-led sales, the best salesperson for customers and investors is the founders.

Bullets:   

(00:00) - Introduction

(02:09) - The business Amanda would start today

(05:38) - Founder-led sales

(06:50) - Amanda’s first job at Tech Specific

(08:26) - Going from startup office to a corporate job

(09:25) - Amanda’s travels to the United States during the Global Financial Crisis

(12:30) - Challenges Aussie founders have when they the US market

(15:16) - Many people fight for that 1% of the market

(17:16) - What the best founders that do that reach customers elsewhere

(18:55) - Role of accelerators

(22:04) - Sustaining high performers

(24:23) - How was it when Amanda realised this high-growth venture space was working

(25:33) - Putting satellite dishes on 500 Woolworths stores

(28:35) - What Amanda would change for founders

(31:16) - One Big Piece of Advice

(37:57) - Show & tell

Show & tell

In this episode, Clinton Schroeder and Kevin Venter, Founders of TOKN, shed light on the challenges faced by mid-tier enterprises in keeping up with the digital transformation. With thousands of hours given back to users, 10,000s of active users, and 150,000 app interactions weekly, TOKN addresses the struggle of these enterprises with their complex IT landscapes. Their solution involves bringing together intricate systems and data for customers, with a focus on making these systems accessible through various interfaces, including mobile. The duo emphasizes the importance of digitalizing services like timesheets and administrative procedures.

Problem:

Mid-tier enterprises have a large workforces, services and complex IT Landscapes. They want to bring systems together to be available on different user interfaces.

Solution:

TOKN brings complex systems and data together for their customers (Mid-enterprises). The second thing is to make sure they are available to their workforce on interfaces like mobile. Some of the systems they digitalise are timesheets and admin procedures.

One big piece of advice:

Kevin: Get traction and the money will come to you. Don’t let the idea sit in your mind, do something about it, don’t just sit on it.

Clinton: Don’t force yourself to define the problem because people are asking you. Prove you have put skin in the game as-well. (Define the problem and believe in it)

Bullets:   

(00:00) - Introduction

(04:45) - The business they would start today

(07:37) - The problem TOKN is solving

(11:55) - How enterprises are miles behind

(14:39) - Reaching their first customers

(16:29) - Blind faith

(17:33) - The steps that led them to today

(19:52) - Listening to their customers

(23:51) - Marketing & brand activities used

(26:05) - The one thing that brings their business

(31:10) - The next for TOKN Technology

(32:57) - One big piece of advice

(35:55) - Hubflow: a communication engagement tool

(37:34) - Show & tell

Show & tell

·     Phone

·     Massage gun

In this episode, Gabe Alves discusses the challenges faced in asset management due to a lack of human engagement and introduces a unique solution, EXTAG. The software engages users by providing tags for locations or assets that can be scanned to collect and visualize data. Gabe shares insights into the mindset of founders, emphasizing the importance of thinking about the selling aspect early on. He suggests that validating a product through sales before its actual development can lead to better outcomes.

Problem:

There was little human engagement with asset management.

Solution:

Created software that engages with people differently, they provide tags that can be put on locations or assets. Which then can be scanned to collect data and be visualized.

One big piece of advice:

Most founders are product people who want to solve a problem, but they think about the selling part later. If you can sell a product and get validation before you have it, then it will be better.

Bullets:   

(00:00) - Introduction

(04:17) - The stat of successful founders

(06:43) - Gabe’s Morning Startup talk

(08:27) - The most successful marketing strategy

(10:55) - The problem EXTAG is solving

(15:48) - The piece of tech they accidentally made

(22:10) - How they sell EXTAG to people

(26:13) - Other promoting strategies

(29:29) - What’s next for EXTAG

(32:00) - Sales process

(35:22) - Technology showcase

(42:09) - The biggest lesson Gabe has learned

(44:23) - One Big Piece of advice

(46:54) - Show & tell

Show & tell

- Ultra Running (42km+)

- Motorbike Riding

Matt Ikin, Head of Growths and Partnerships at We Money delved into the common struggles people face with credit scores, status, and relationships. We Money offers clarity by consolidating finances into one accessible platform. Matt shares valuable advice, emphasizing meticulous tracking, mindset optimization in recruitment, and honest self-evaluation. The episode covers We Money's growth journey, from 500,000 downloads in Australia to practical activities for brand growth and team development. Discussions touch on credit scores, customer outreach challenges, growth tactics like influencers and user-generated content, the impact of TikTok, and the significance of partnerships.

Problem:

People struggle with their credit score, status, belonging, and relationships – finance tends to be at the core of these issues.

Solution:

We Money gives them clarity and confidence surrounding their finance. The platforms collate all their finances and debts into one place.

One big piece of advice:

Track absolutely everything, optimise for mindset when you recruit, in a fair way be really harsh on yourself on the results you are delivering. You will look back and see the moments of magic. Be really honest, and have an ultimate focus on doing things that help deliver your outcome.

Bullets:   

(00:00) - Introduction

(01:35) - 500,000 downloads in Australia or 5 MCGs

(04:02) - The business Matt would start today

(05:20) - Importance of credit scores

(09:20) - The problem We Money is solving

(11:15) - Reaching their first customers

(15:40) - Surveying non-users

(17:08) - Practical activities to grow their brand

(20:00) - Growing a growth team

(24:10) - Identifying a growth mindset individual

(30:42) - Growth tactic of influencers

(32:44) - Two ways to use user-generated content

(36:12) - How people are using TikTok

(41:11) - The importance of partnerships

(42:45) - Why has Cashback taken off

(44:14) - Helping members access better financial products

(47:16) - We Money’s awards program

(51:50) - What’s next for We Money

(53:00) - One big piece of advice

(54:25) - Show & tell

Show & tell

Live at We Work in Perth, David Press from Risk Talk & Stuart Riddle from KNKT dive into conversations regarding problem-solving and growth in business and the entrepreneurship landscape. They both share invaluable advice; David Press underscores the importance of resilience in the face of rejection, while Stuart Riddle emphasizes the significance of customer engagement and trusting instincts. Additionally, the episode explores aligning personal interests with life stages, advocating for a life filled with pursuits that bring true fulfillment. We also discuss the power of listening and storytelling in building connections and overcoming challenges in the entrepreneurial world.

Problem:

KNKT – Clients get burnt out from software development projects.

Risk Talk – Front-line workers getting frustrated with filling out risk management forms, would rather talk.

Solution:

KNKT – They have their own clients who they build the software for. They have a rapid-fire delivery approach to pump out the Software development projects.

Risk Talk – Use voice technology to run risk assessments, safety observations, and hazard and incident reporting.

One big piece of advice:

David Press - Be prepared to be rejected over and over, have resilience

Stuart Riddle - Spend more time talking with your customers. Also, trust your gut.

Bullets:    

00:00 - Introduction

04:00 - The business they would start today

05:25 - Burnout of developing software

09:04 - Problem of risk assessments

10:45 - Finding their first customers.

14:20 - An alignment of your stage in your life and what you want to focus on

19:10 - Communicating in the tech world

22:47 - The no-code and AI intersection

27:29 - The future for them

29:06 - Their one big piece of advice

30:00 - Show & tell

Show & tell:

Serial entrepreneur Kevin Garber discusses the challenges of finding the right idea and solving problems for startups. He emphasizes that overthinking ideas can hinder progress and suggests that building upon existing concepts can lead to success. He shares insights from his entrepreneurial journey, including his experiences with Managed Flitter, a social media app. Kevin highlights the importance of adapting to changes and finding ways to provide value in the startup world. The episode delves into his current venture, Zlinky, a mobile and web app focused on bookmark and image organization. The conversation touches on the thrill of entrepreneurship, learning from failures, and the rewarding feeling of making a positive impact. 

Problem: 

As huge content consumers, there was a lack of tooling around storing and organising these links.  

Solution:  

Zlinky helps to store and organise all your saved links including bookmarks, articles, videos, etc into one place.  

One big piece of advice: 

Keep learning and pulling all the different levers, and try not to compare yourself to others in the tech press. Sometimes it's very easy to think everyone is crushing it very easily, which is not the case. 

Bullets:    

(00:00) - Introduction 

(04:02) - The business Kevin would start today 

(07:24) - The lead-up to launching ManageFlitter 

(16:13) - What led the business to take off 

(17:44) - Tips on how to build something or find a solution for a problem 

(19:24) - What's happened with Twitter (X)? 

(24:00) - The stressful decision 

(26:12) - The problem Zlinky is solving 

(31:00) - Reaching Zlinky’s first customers 

(33:20) - How they collect feedback 

(36:05) - What’s next for Zlinky in the future 

(37:45) - Entrepreneurship is... 

(38:44) - Kevin's one big piece of advice 

Show & tell 

Kevin’s Dog – Banjo 

Ever Nimble, an IT company founded by Chris Morrissey, marks its fifth anniversary with remarkable growth and a reputation for excellence in cyber security. Coming from a retail background, Chris leveraged his experiences and learnings to build a business that values diversity and fosters a high-performing team. With a customer-centric approach and a focus on cyber security, Ever Nimble has carved out a unique position in the market, distinguishing itself from over 2,500 competitors. Ever Nimble sets its sights on future growth, with a heightened emphasis on cyber security, advisory services, and upskilling their clients. 

Problem: 

People were not excited to see IT teams, it was seen as a cost and something that had to happen.  

Solution:  

Create a team that people could rely on for tech issues 

One big piece of advice: 

Get some really good mentors 

Bullets:     

(00:00) – Introduction 

(05:29) – How retail skills are transferable 

(09:30) – Addressing the IT Professional Trope

(12:40) – The impact of a micro change  

(14:25) – Chris' leap into IT 

(16:50) – What is an MSP? 

(19:05) – The importance of Cybersecurity 

(20:06) – 5 years ago... 

(22:35) – Growing Ever Nimble 

(24:35) – What is Cyber Security? 

(26:35) – Cyber Tips for Startups  

(29:25) – Verifying Details 

(30:39) – Electric Peach 

(32:23) – Expanding Service Offerings 

(34:20) – The Importance of People  

(36:05) – Business Structure  

(37:00) – How Culture Helps Find Good People 

(39:37) – Burnout in Tech 

(40:15) – Standing out from Competitors. 

(42:00) – Reputation and Referrals 

(43:35) – The road to cyber 

(46:04) – Chris' one big piece of advice 

(49:40) – Show and Tell 

(51:10) – Chris on AI 

Show & tell 

Brad Dessington, the Director of Legion Lab, a brand innovation lab in Perth, Australia, works with brands to create cutting-edge brand innovations that outperform the competition. Legion Lab creates customised consultancy by allowing the self-selection of world-leading individuals for brands to achieve success. With a background as a founder of various businesses, discover how Brad has combined his knowledge and experience across AI, Brand and Strategy. Providing his insights into the evolution of branding and the impact of AI on creatives.  

Problem: 

By solely focusing on executing brand strategies through brand communications, there is a risk of neglecting the crucial element of prioritising the customer experience. 

Solution:  

Providing diversified thinking by 'parachuting in' leaders in respective fields to assist brands develop growth strategies and birth new innovations that improve customer experience, and the brand. 

One big piece of advice: 

Talk to your prospective customers through the development process, that way you market and validate before you even have the product. 

Bullets:     

(00:00) - Introduction  

(01:36) – Founding a Brand Agency 

(04:06) – What is Brand Consultancy? 

(06:15) – Evolution of Branding 

(07:59) – Journey of Business Growth 

(10:47) – Moving into Digital Products – Nectir 

(14:18) – Shift from Agency to Product 

(16:40) – Back to the Forefront of Innovation 

(17:42) – September AI Labs 

(19:00) – Detect Circulating Tumour Cells in the Blood 

(20:28) – Kids Books 

(21:42) – AI Data Dependency 

(22:50) – Intersection of AI and Branding 

(24:17) – Legion Labs 

(29:30) – Brad Loves Creating New Businesses 

(30:40) - Brand Ideology 

(31:20) – Unique Factor 

(32:55) – Impact of AI  

(36:28) – Do Creatives Benefit from AI? 

(38:52) – Brad's Hard View on AI 

(39:32) – Digital Twin 

(40:53) – Are we in a Simulation? 

(42:30) – Devices for Kids 

(43:21) – Brad's Big Piece of Advice 

(48:18) – Show and Tell 

Show & tell 

Kevin Brown, Chief Operations from Icetana joined us in a captivating episode where we delve into the AI-powered software that transforms camera footage analysis. Discover how their innovative solution filters routine motion and enables operators to focus on identifying and responding to unusual behaviour. Gain valuable insights from Kevin's entrepreneurial journey, including his experience in project managing at Virtual Gaming World, where he worked alongside the visionary and dynamic founder, Laurence Escalante. Explore intriguing topics such as A/B testing, navigating market cycles, and how he found the right price point with Nearmap (Google Maps on steroids). Tune in for an inspiring discussion on the transformative power of AI, entrepreneurship, and the collaborative energy of visionary leaders. 

Problem: 

Organisations are running with thousands of cameras and are unable to track all unusual behaviour that is occurring. Their largest client has 8,000 cameras with 24/7 footage. 

Solution:  

Harnessing the power of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, Icetana software effectively detects and filters routine motion, enabling operators to focus on unusual behaviour. 

One big piece of advice: 

There is no excuse to be ignorant about a subject when you can read, watch YouTube, listen to a podcast or even ask Chat-GPT.  

Bullets:    

(00:00) - Introduction  

(11:30) - The business Kevin would start today 

(14:40) - The dot.com bubble burst 

(17:46) - A/B testing Ebay’s page 

(19:10) - Got acquired by Accenture around the GFC 

(20:28) - What Kevin learnt about the financial cycles

(25:15) - How humans chase a sunken cost 

(27:21) - Screenshotting $1m in the bank 

(28:32) - Buy an iPhone for 42c 

(30:49) - Working at a web development company 

(31:12) - Google Maps on steroids 

(35:00) - Finding the right price point 

(37:45) - Made $3m in one month 

(38:34) - Virtual Gaming World  

(40:20) - Laurence's Escalante  

(43:13) - Kevin went to Europe for a month 

(46:35) - Project Managing  

(48:40) - Replaced the whole tech team 

(50:35) - Only had 3-months in the tank 

(54:29) - Welcome to the business – your budget is 0 

(54:50) - Laurence took the company to Boracay 

(56:43) - Icetana and the use of AI 

(1:00:10) - First fire detection detected red-haired people 

(1:03:00) - The pre-success of Icetana 

(1:03:30) - Kevin's views on AI 

(1:08:46) - Kevin's one big piece of advice 

(1:11:40) - Show & Tell 

Show & tell 

Midnight Health is a Digital Healthcare platform that is addressing the challenges of limited accessibility and poor healthcare experiences. With over 50,000 customers, the platform encompasses four distinct brands, including Youly (women's healthcare), Stagger (men's healthcare), Hub Health (general health), and Vidality (gut-health product), offering a comprehensive range of healthcare solutions. Co-Founder, Nic Blair also explains the technical process they went through to identify their market opportunity.

Problem: 

The healthcare system suffers from significant accessibility issues, particularly in remote and regional areas, where individuals often face long wait times and limited options for seeking medical assistance. Fragmented healthcare data and poor customer experiences further increase these challenges. 

Solution:  

Midnight Health aims to simplify healthcare experiences and enhance accessibility for individuals by empowering them to take control of their own health. Through integrated telehealth, doctors, and pharmacy networks, the platform offers patient-led solutions, enabling users to access healthcare services conveniently and efficiently. 

One big piece of advice: 

At the start of your business, you need to really understand your financials and have a good business model to begin with.   

Bullets:     

(00:00) - Introduction  

(03:50) - The business Nic would start today 

(05:52) - Benefits of starting a Services business 

(09:40) - The problem Midnight Health is solving 

(10:55) - The rapid technology innovation – is healthcare last? 

(14:25) - The point that led Nic to the Health Industry 

(18:27) - Reaching their first customers 

(20:54) - The PR process 

(22:39) - The brand strategy of having multiple brands  

(25:10) - NIB invested $16m  

(28:35) - The vision and product roadmap 

(33:20) - Nic’s one big piece of advice 

(36:40) - Brisbane is punching above their weight 

(38:56) - Show & tell 

Show & tell 

Ammo Marketing has turned 9 years old, celebrating over 250 businesses they have worked with over the years. Director Cam Sinclair shares his story; the journey Ammo has taken and what is next for the team. 

Problem: 

A lot of small businesses are working with marketing and brand agencies and spending loads of money on logos and designs, then being left with their own devices to grow their business. 

Solution: 

Ammo is there to support an ongoing relationship with clients to help them grow their businesses.  

One big piece of advice: 

If you are waking up in the morning and not looking forward to the day ahead, you need to solve that.  

Bullets:   

(00:00) - Introduction  

(01:50) - The business Cam would start today 

(05:50) – Cam applied for the wrong job, but it ended up being the best decision 

(09:32) - “Not happy Jan!" 

(10:50) - In 2004, Cam suggested Google Ads to his boss 

(13:00) - 3 main vote drivers in Australia 

(16:25) - Running digital campaigns in Politics 

(19:40) - The power of social media 

(20:24) - The problem Cam was solving with Ammo 

(24:45) - The 4-hour workweek 

(25:00) - Reaching his first customers 

(28:00) - Why do we not have online voting  

(29:55) - Everyone wanted a growth hack 

(34:33) - A tech favourite of Cams – Bamboo 

(36:23) - The authentic content that can come from a third party 

(38:04) - Cam's one big piece of advice 

(39:25) - Show and tell 

(41:33) - Ammo’s latest chapter 

Show & tell 

The average wait time for public dental health care is 2-3 years. Dr Kyle Turner created Pearlii to provide oral care for disadvantaged people.

The Pearlii app lets the user take a free photo of their teeth and will give feedback on any signs of dental issues. Pearlii has landed on product hunt multiple times including being number #9 for the product of 2020.

Problem:

35% of people rely on the public dental system in Sydney and Melbourne, the appointments are expensive and people are neglecting their dental health.

Solution:

Pearlii is helping to solve this problem by having an AI algorithm which detects gum/teeth issues for free by taking a photo of your mouth. They are also working towards treatment via a dental treatment van.

One big piece of advice:

You must have a strong why behind your business and need to do some good with that why. Try to have a purpose-led business.

Bullets:

(00:00) - Introduction

(01:18) - The business Kyle would start today

(02:21) - The problem and solution Pearlii is giving

(04:50) - Good oral health

(05:50) - Reaching Pearlii’s first customers

(09:50) - Pearlii got on product hunt

(12:20) - The business model didn’t work

(15:15) - There are two sides of the coin for Public Health

(16:19) - Kyle will be pissed if they don’t get the truck

(19:00) - People are more conscious of their health now

(19:55) - How to stand out in a busy market

(22:18) - The key to success for a product hunt launch

(25:40) - The next thing in the future for Pearlii

(27:40) - What made Kyle a better founder

(30:00) - Kyle's one big piece of advice

Show & tell

Kyle’s Dog – Brian the Mascot

Morning Startup host and Fastvue co-founder Scott Glew explain why every Australian startup founder should consider moving to the USA. 

Fastvue does internet usage reporting that extracts details from your firewall to give you insight into keeping your network productive and safe. Scott’s global business has partnered with The Internet Watch Foundation in the UK who works to stop child sexual abuse online.   

The Problem:  

Online Firewalls do not have many options when it comes to reporting and gaining insights. Fastvue has helped to solve this issue.

Bullets:

(00:00) - Introduction

(02:35) - Scott's global company

(03:17) - The problem Scott is solving   

(05:19) - How he found his first customers   

(07:12) - The moment he knew his product was going to work   

(08:10) - Find the key people to help you get in front of others

(10:50) - Do you need to move to the USA to pursue your business?   

(13:08) - Having the nice lifestyle  

(14:19) - Unicorn Business  

(16:30) - Fastvue partnered with The internet watch foundation

(19:00) - The beginning of Morning Startup   

(21:00) -  Validate your idea   

(23:16) - The business Scott would start today from scratch  

(25:36) - The new GPT chat function

Show & tell

Noisy Guts is giving an alternative option for people suffering IBS.

There are many people suffering from irritable bowel syndrome who suffer symptoms when eating certain foods. They often require an intense low-fodmap diet which can be hard to stick to. Josephine and Mary wanted to solve this issue and they came up with Noisy Guts, they conduct research on gut health, provide recipes to help your gut health and have their own products including protein balls and shakes.

Problem

People with irritable bowel syndrome are suffering from symptoms and have a specific diet to minimise these symptoms. Noisy Guts provide food options that don’t cause these symptoms.

One big piece of advice

From Mary - Know your numbers, your costs, your economics, margins and do your numbers work?”

From Josephine - Make sure if you’re a sole founder, you are not stuck inside your head, don’t isolate yourself at home, and don’t listen to the voices in your head.

Bullets:

(00:00) - Introduction

(01:46) - The business they would start today

(03:30) - Solving the product market fit

(04:30) - The problem being solved – Troublesome guts

(05:50) - The wicked problem

(07:20) - Symptoms of Irritable bowel syndrome

(09:27) - The hangry problems Josephine was facing every day

(10:50) - Finding their first customer

(14:40) - The confidence to jump off the cliff

(17:30) - The benefit of accelerators

(20:17) - Hurdles with Med Tech

(22:47) - Super Flora and the importance of brand

(25:49) - Teach someone how to fish, just don’t feed them

(30:03) - Lifetime value customers

(33:20) - Tips on pitching from the pitching Queen

(38:20) - Investing in the team, not the product

(40:00) - Founders are nuts

(40:15) - One big piece of advice from the pair

(43:10) - A one-sentence pitch

Show & tell

On this episode, we are coming to you live from Perth Podcast Festival. Hear from Megan Del Borrello and Steve Knight on the value  communication can have when it comes to growing your business. These two advise executives, directors, and the next generation of entrepreneurs. There's so much to learn on this episode of Weird Growth.

The Problem

Female founders are facing challenges when building businesses, Megan provides them with mentoring, programs, and support to overcome these challenges.

Executive level professionals struggling at being good at communicating. Steve teaches them to change their mindset from ‘public speaking’ to ‘having conversations.’

Bullets:

(00:00) - Introduction

(04:40) - The businesses they would start today

(05:35) - The problem Megan is solving

(06:26) - The problem Steve is solving

(08:00) - Finding the first customers

(10:00) - Communicating well, now more than ever

(11:39) - Uncertainty causes stress

(11:50) - The new format of communicating

(13:39) - Communication channels

(14:10) - The reason why Weird Growth was started

(15:30) - What founders can learn about the importance of communication

(18:23) - What the best communicators do

(20:54) - The future of Behind the Brands

(22:03) - What is Steve Knight going to do next?

(23:45) - One big piece of advice from the guests

One big piece of advice

From Megan - Build resilience, if you don’t have resilience, you are not cut out to be a founder

From Steve - You have to have such a passion and a hunger for what you want to do

Show & tell

From seed capital to hemp growth. Medicann provides science-backed, reliable and affordable cannabis medicines to patients in need.

2016 was a big year for cannabis. And we’re not just talking smoke but the industry in Australia took a massive step forward when medicinal cannabis products finally became legal. This was the opportunity Matt and the Medicann team were looking for. Their first customers consisted of hemp seed and oil products sold through pharmacies and supermarkets. Today, Matt and the team are crowdfunding on Birchall to keep up with demand.

Problem
65% of deaths in Australia right now are from painkillers. Improving the quality of life for people in need. Medicann creates products with fewer side effects.

One big piece of advice
Stick with it. When you have the passion for what you are doing you will find a way.

Bullets:

(00:33) – Matt introduces himself

(01:13) – The business Matt would start today

(02:04) – How it all started for Matt

(04:14)- We’re still discovering the possibilities of cannabis

(05:40) - The problem Medicann solves for patients

(07:25) – How Medicann reached their first customers

(08:25) - Matt’s first seed capital consisted of $50 and a trip to the casino

(10:39) - What it took for Matt to start a medical cannabis business

(14:37)- How Medicann Clinics found their first patient

(18:44) - How Birchal works to raise capital

(20:06)- Matt’s advice for crowdfunding

(21:05) - Medicann’s clinical trials in concussion

(23:45)- Matt’s one big piece of advice for founders

(26:03) – Hemp Brothers products to get you through the day

Show & tell:

Kate brought her spark to this episode of Weird Growth. Lover of creating and driven by people and purpose. You’ll often find her in glitter, coding or hooping outside of She Codes. Why do She Codes exist? Simple. To inspire 100,000 women by 2025. Their programs involve teaching technical skills, connecting women to career pathways, and working with fantastic partners. Their flagship program, She Codes Plus, is a six-month program that is designed to supercharge the tech career of its participants – ideal for women looking to enter, or advance in, the tech industry. They also offer one-day workshops and tutorials. Kate packed a lot of brilliant advice in this episode so strap in.

Problem
We need another million people in tech in Australia by 2025. She Codes solves both the hiring and diversity problems of the tech scene. 

One big piece of advice.
It never hurts to ask. Everyone is so nice. What is the worst that can happen? An ignored email? And listen to your customers. Don’t be afraid to ask them what they want.

Bullets:

(00:00) – Introduction 

(01:37) – The business Kate would start today

(06:00) – How She Codes reached their first customers

(07:14) – Why Kate took the leap

(09:16) – Their first partnership with BHP

(11:55) – What next-level customer validation looks like

(12:52) – The Cupcake Effect 

(14:07) – What we can learn from the cupcake effect

(18:18) – Spacecubed turned 10 – Here are some of Kate’s highlights

(20:44) – Kate’s advice for encouraging STEM

(23:46) – What’s next for Kate and She Codes

(24:46) – How East Coast states differ from Perth

(27:20) – Be helpful first

(28:17) – How Kate asks customers for feedback

Show & tell: 

From a shipping container to a brew pub in the heart of Perth’s trendy suburb – Subiaco. Golden West has grown from door-to-door delivery to producing thousands of litres a week.

What gives someone the confidence to launch a brewery in the middle of COVID? Customers, Community and a Trusted Brand.

Founders often forget that when building a company your product (in this case beer) still needs to taste good. Creating tight feedback loops with your customers and community keeps you on the pulse of your taste.

We’ve packed this episode with lots of growth flavour and nutrients. Enjoy watching or listening with a glass of your favourite beverage.

Bullets:

(00:00) – Introduction

(01:50) – The business Dan would start today

(03:16) – The catalyst to starting the brewery

(06:17) – Tight feedback loops

(07:32) – Golden West’s milk run deal

(08:40) – The Brand and its background story

(12:00) – Dan’s growth journey

(16:50) - What it takes to run a hospitality venue in Perth

(18:53) – The Tech & brewery world colliding

(24:15) – The future for Golden West!

(26:12) - Dan’s one big piece of advice

(27:32) – Show & Tell: Working in bursts thanks to his personal alarm – A one-year-old child

(29:00) – Look for organic growth

One big piece of advice for Founders:

Seek as much advice as possible, not just from highly successful people, talk to people who failed too. You will know what’s relevant, cherry-pick it.

Show & Tell:

Mihailo a.k.a “Michael Christmas” Bozic, CEO & Founder of Envited joined us for this episode of Weird Growth. Envited helps you create events for any social media in under 2 minutes. What we like most about Envited so far is it is so lightweight and easy to use. Mihailo shares the non-scalable tactics he used to grow his meme page “Just Jedi Things” and now Envited which launched across the globe this week. Mihailo & Jordan Saddik raised a Seed Round with Galileo Ventures and now looking for their next round of funding to keep up with growth.

Problem

Only 2% of teens use Facebook. Therefore, Facebook Events cannot be a sustainable solution to social media events in the future. What will that platform look like? Envited is on the journey to find out.

One big piece of advice for Founders

Talk to customers. Super simple. Don’t overcomplicate it. If you have their phone number just call them. It’s so important as a founder to be close to your users. You need to know what users are frustrated with and what they love.

Bullets:

(00:00) - Introduction

(00:47) - Meet Michael Christmas

(02:09) - The business Mihailo would start today

(04:11) - How Envited built a prototype at TechStars startup weekend

(05:32) - Growing a meme page – Just Jedi Things

(07:30) - Why memes grow so fast

(07:51) - A brief history of memes

(08:23) - Harambe’s death was a turning point for memes & culture

(10:31) - What running a meme page taught Mihailo Bozic about growth?

(13:50) - Find early customers who will use your product when its crap

(14:26) - Building in public

(16:33) - What’s the biggest challenge for Envited right now?

(19:19) – Raising 350K Seed over Zoom

(23:14) – How Envited found their first team members

(28:22) – Creativity is the most underrated skill to hire for

(29:20) – What’s next for Envited?

(30:07) – Mihailo’s one big piece of advice for founders

(31:04) – The one thing Mihailo can’t live without – Dual Monitors

Show & Tell:

Steve Grace, CEO & Founder of Nudge Group joined us for this episode of Weird Growth. Since 2019, they’ve experienced some rapid growth. Nudge is now a global recruitment business for startups. Steve also has his own show “Give it a Nudge” and a high traffic content site for business owners, “Balance the grind”. Steve and his team know what it takes to build content, community and a talent network for the Startup Ecosystem. Steve shares top advice for Founders at all stages and how to come up with an attractive offering for the modern workforce.

Problem

Nudge Group help fast growing start-ups and scale-ups find talent, offering a bespoke and flexible pricing model to suit the needs of the company.

One big piece of advice for Founders

Everyone needs to slow down a bit. There’s too much growth for growth’s sake. Don’t grow at all costs. I’d like to see more purposeful growth from Founders.

Bullets:

(00:00) - Introduction

(01:26) - What is Nudge?

(03:14) - The business Steve would start today

(04:06) - Scaling a service business vs a product business

(06:17) - The Problem Nudge is solving

(11:20) - How Nudge reached its first customers

(13:08) - How content marketing helped Nudge

(18:35) - Nudge’s key tactic to building an audience

(19:31) - Be everywhere, be a part of the community.

(24:17) - What Steve calls “The Karma circle”

(27:01) - A massive push towards gamification

(28:35) - Finding the right people for a start-up

(30:25) - What founders can do to reach the best people

(37:00) - What is next in the future?

(39:19) - Steve’s One big piece of advice

(41:48) - The difference between start-up and scale-up

(42:38) - Apple watches & Soda Stream

Show & tell:

Carl shares his top 5 no-code tools on this episode of Weird Growth. No-code development is a type of development that allows non-programmers and programmers to create software using a graphical user interface, instead of writing code. We covered DeFi, Accelerators, his startup journey and The Xrossing, an Indi-film he co-produced and released. Stick around to the backend of this episode to learn more about the powerful prototypes you can create with no-code and even what you can make with a shovel.

Problem
The no-code movement rests upon the fundamental belief that technology should enable and facilitate creation, not be a barrier to entry. Carl and Next Revolution help Founders and Teams ride the no-code wave.

One big piece of advice for Founders

Have the right attitude to be curious and to learn. Don't expect to be perfect. The success founders incrementally improve. You'll find success if you stick at it long enough. 

Bullets:

(00:00) - Introduction
(01:28) - Early career in financial services and property
(02:22) – Carl’s first startup BuyerUp
(02:44) - Carl’s experience with Perth’s Plus Eight Accelerator
(03:27) – The problem Buyerup was solving
(06:39) - The business he would start today
(07:58) - Decentralised Finance (DeFi)
(11:31) - Why he’s building with Next Revolution
(12:30) - How businesses can use no-code tools to unlock growth
(14:48) – Anyone who has an idea can build a version of it with no-code
(15:30) – How Next Revolution is helping people navigate no-code
(17:24) – The sweet spot for no-code tools
(22:51) - Raising money for an Indi-Film
(26:00) - The Xrossing release
(30:37) – What’s the next wave for no-code?
(34:08) - Carl’s Top 5 no-code tools to get started
(40:25) - Carl’s one big piece of advice
(41:10) - The Shovel Guitar

Happy Birthday to Earlywork who turned 1 this week. Earlywork is a community of young people working for and interested in the Startup space. It all started with three co-founders out of UNSW – Marina Wu, Dan Brockwell and Jono Herman. Now, they've grown their community to 2,500+ young people and raised 700K Seed Investment in just a year. Their mission is to give young people access to a network of like-minded professionals and startup gigs so that they progress in their careers and build the local ecosystem. In this episode of Weird Growth, Marina covers how community building is the only real moat left when it comes to your Marketing Strategy. Marina says, “you can copy other tactics and software, but you can't copy your audience.” When you build an authentic community from day one, it acts as great customer research tool, and it allows you to co-create a product with your community. We get into the ‘nitty gritty’ of community building in this episode while chatting about memes, hacker houses, and colourful lights for your room. Join us as we go back to the beginning of Earlywork and how it came to be a pillar for young people in the Australian Startup community.

Problem

The world of work is still set up to funnel talent into old school jobs. University degrees aren’t teaching the required skills and the classroom/lecture format can encourage habits of passive learning that generally need to be unlearned to be a successful founder or operator. And where is your network? If you take the “safe” option of a grad program you’ve got a built-in group of friends (with the occasional frenemy) but jumping into the new world can mean having to form your own community from scratch. It’s clear that we need a new interface between talent and work.

One big piece of advice for Founders

Start now. The biggest risk is in your career is inaction. It’s not having a go at your crazy idea that you can’t shake from your mind. The worst that can happen if it fails is that you just go back to your previous job. Do it now before it's too late.

Bullets

(0:00) – Introduction

(2:15) – The business Marina would start today

(5:45) – The core problem Earlywork is solving

(7:33) – How Earlywork reached their first community members

(10:40) – Community as a modern-day growth channel

(12:55) – The increasing importance of community in a remote-first world

(15:18) – How Earlywork scaled beyond first community members

(18:08) – The main types of gigs available through Earlywork: ’The careers of tomorrow’

(19:17) – Marina's advice for Startups looking to hire employees in today’s job market

(22:50) - How to use Community as a growth channel and defensive moat

(25:30) – Earlywork’s pre-seed investment from Square Peg Capital

(29:28) – What's next for Earlywork

(31:30) – Earlywork’s launch house

(33:11) – Marina's one big piece of advice

(35:08) – Marina's favourite tool

Show & tell:

Before he was 17, Kai had already left high school to work in startups, marketing and product. He’s got some wicked skills and he chooses to use them for good. Find out how Kai has built products and grown audiences around them, including a story of a global Product Hunt launch. Learn more about how he does it on this episode of Weird Growth.

Company

My Funnel

As an engineer, Derick loves to tinker. Not so long ago he found an opportunity to improve workplace safety all over the world with robots. Roborigger uses a wireless load controlling system which uses gyroscopic and inertial forces to accurately rotate and orient crane loads.

Company

Reducing the cost and improving the safety and efficiency of lifting operations.

For Halloween we celebrated with a live episode in the Perth CBD with Tim Brewer (CEO) of Functionly. Functionly was founded in 2018 with Co-Founder, Damian Bramanis and consists of a global team who have worked with companies including Dropbox, Teamline, Auth0, Yammer and HealthEngine. In 2020, the team won a $598K Accelerating Commercialisation grant from the federal government and this year (2021) secured a $3.6m seed round. Functionly's mission, to disrupt the organisational design industry and bring simple to use software for all companies.

Company

Intelligent organisational design

Problem

Helping leaders solve their people gaps, cracks, and overlaps

Customers

Organisations with 25+ people

One big piece of advice

Know why you’re doing what you’re doing. If you know why, you’ll do it for long enough, and if you do it long enough and listen to your customers hard enough, you’ll eventually work out how to succeed.

Bullets

0:00 – Introduction

3:32 – The business Tim would start if he were starting again today: Working with kind and ‘athletic’ people

6:09 – How Tim found his way into the world of technology

From a tech meetup to cofounding one of Perth's fastest growing development houses. Alex and John from Ninja Software have built a great company over the last 5 years. On this episode of Weird Growth we chatted about Synthetic Biology, Agile Software Development vs Fixed Fee, proof of concept apps and building a passionate dev team. They also run Tech Society a great podcast we've linked below in the show notes go and check it out.

Company

Entrepreneurial software development

Cian gave us a great recap on how he started his business Quantum Contract Solutions and how he scaled through great business metrics. Cian's approach to sales is a great blueprint for service businesses and B2B. If you love sales, you'll love this episode of Weird Growth. More links in the show notes.

Company

Contractual superpowers for construction subcontractors

We hosted our subscribers for a live episode at terraceloft studio in East Perth with two amazing founders Nick Hudson and Elizabeth Knight. Listen to these two founders share the ups and downs of startup life and how showing up and having a purpose driven venture has been the key to their success. Purposeful helps young people find direction in their lives after school. Elizabeth wants to help people graduates find confidence in their careers in a complex world. She's now participating in Plus Eight's Accelerator program to grow and get The Lost Button to market. Check out The Lost Button in the show notes.

Nick founded mental health charity event The Push-Up Challenge after a life changing experience and his own challenges with mental health. Here more about what drives him and all the great work his team has done in the mental health space. The Push-Up Challenge raised around $9 million this year. To date over 241 million push ups have been done as part of the event.

Companies

Purposeful: Helping students find direction in their life after school

KC Co-Founder of Qalo, built a new category of product from scratch, silicone wedding rings. What started as a way to wear a wedding ring at the gym quickly turned into an online business generating millions in revenue which was up to $125million when he sold it. The tipping point? KC knew he was onto something when a Qalo ring ended up on an NFL player’s finger on a TV showed which aired for millions across the US. Although KC didn’t get results from that initially, what followed was just as amazing. Listen in to hear how you can access great resources, education, knowledge and experience from KC himself. 

Company

Silicon wedding rings

A girl from the country, Elsa is a strong and successful business mentor. Elsa Mitchell runs digital marketing workshops for business owners in person (she's old-school). She enjoys connecting with people and being her own bossy bitch. Great episode if you are just starting out in digital and looking to grow/get your content to the next level.

Her first business was a hair salon which she started during the GFC, grew to solid client base, and sold it. Now, she mentors other business owners, especially in digital marketing, while also raising her family with her husband. You’ll often find them with their blended tribe of 4 kids refining their surf skills at Trigg Beach. Her 2 rules for business - 1) Be consistent and 2) Be a good human. Listen in to her from someone who has been through all the ups and downs of an entrepreneur and just some good of fashion honest advice with no sugar coating. *Language warning*

Company

Business Mentors

Dan has been on both sides of the investment table for startups. Now he is leading one of Australia's fastest growing Fintechs, WeMoney. WeMoney helps Young Australians take control of their finances giving them a 360 view of their money.

Through education and a brilliant mobile app, WeMoney is on track to be a success. How did they get to this point? Listen and you'll find out along with some great growth marketing, money and startup tips.

Company

Financial wellness app

David has lived all over the world and spent years between San Francisco and Australia. His current day-to-day as the CMO for Nuheara is exciting but it's taken 7 years to become and overnight success. As we know hardware is hard. However, David and the team have made it work packing a lot of software and complex technology into their award winning earbuds and now a partnership with HP. Hear more about their journey on this episode of Weird Growth. 

Company

Creating personalised hearing solutions that are multifunctional, accessible, and affordable to an underserviced global market

What started with a tweet, quickly become a voice for social media users of Perth. So Perth shares stories, questions and local conversations. It is Australia’s fastest growing new media publishers with over 460,000 followers, average 5,300,000 impressions on Facebook per month and 1,400,000 website views per month. Now the So Media Group is raising capital to expand their community driven media. So, we thought it would be a great time to bring Co-Founder Adam Barrell on the show to tell us all about his journey and the weird growth of the community so far. 

Company

Trending news in Perth

From a Startup Weekend came Ardea Waste. Ardea provides online waste management to businesses across Australia. On this episode of Weird Growth, we discuss the War on Waste, Commercial Waste, The Blue Chilli Accelerator and why it's important just to start and back yourself.

Company

Sustainable waste management

On this episode of Weird Growth Jamie talks about the evolution of Carbon Group and how he and his co-founder Nathan Hood combined their bookkeeping and tax advisory businesses to create a one stop shop for core business needs. The group now has 180 people across Australia in multiple business advisory disciplines. Carbon provides accounting and business advisory services for business nationally. During 2020 Carbon Group continued to thrive. Cam and Jamie discuss all things culture, startups, professional services and Angel Investing. Jamie's advice for founders if you are not making mistakes you are not running fast enough.

Company

Financial services for businesses in Australia

Customers

Small to medium Australian Businesses

Big pieces of advice

Surround yourself with good people. They don’t have to be the best technically, but you need to be surrounded by positive people that give you good energy. A supportive partner can make a huge difference.

If you’re not making mistakes, you’re not running fast enough.

Personal brands and your life outside of work is important. People are attracted to others with interesting lives.

Have fun. Business is a game. If you’re so interested in just winning, you’re not going to have fun.

Bullets

(0:00) – Introduction

Matt Pound from Varsity Group shares his journey with Varsity Bar, Boat Parties, Consulting, Accelerators, Tech Gnomies, Burgers and Long-Machs in this episode. Matt's mix helped him create a unique hospitality experience and a cult following for American food & culture that has seen them open 6 restaurants in five years. Learn how he did it in this episode of Weird Growth.

Company

Varsity Bar – American college style food & culture

Customers

University/College students

One big piece of advice

Be intensely focused on your customers and giving them what they want. If people have a bad experience with your product or service, make sure you do everything in your power to turn it around.

Bullets

(0:00) – Introduction

(3:00) – How Matt got involved in the hospitality sector

(4:34) - What Matt learnt from his early experience hosting events (including boat parties on the Swan River)

Constructive Software makes it much more enjoyable to build a house. When you build with Constructive you'll be able to stay up to date with build progress, select finishes, and visualise a tailored view of your home design in 3D. The builder has control over the options for the homeowner making the process from start to finish more transparent and enjoyable for everyone involved. Founder James Salt originally from the UK, shares what it was like growing up in a family in the construction industry and why one summer they had a whole kitchen in their garage. Listen to how he bootstrapped his business from consulting to product and learn from the constructive advice he has to offer.

Company

Improving the customer experience for housebuilders

Ex - Revolut and British Airways, Growth Marketer Lucas Calleja joined us in the studio while he was back home in Perth. He shared some fantastic growth lessons from experience working with companies big and small. After years of experience in funds, corporate and fintech Lucas now focuses his energy on building strong unit economics for companies. The key to growth according to him - feedback and testing. Listen to this great chat to learn how you can apply these world leading marketing techniques in your business. And we have our first addition of "Ask us anything" in this episode, where we answer any questions you have about marketing with some of the best founders and marketers in the world.

Company

Helping businesses drive strong unit economics

Jesse Emia has been around the block a few times when it comes to getting a company off the ground. Since 2016 Keepspace has been automating eCommerce fulfilment for online businesses. Now they process thousands of orders a day. The secret to his success, his wife. Listen to all the ups and downs of Jesse's journey to growth, how he went from getting married to selling wedding dresses and why focusing on the gaps in your industry will pay off. 

Company

eCommerce fulfilment

It was a pleasure to have Plus Eight's Program Manager Isabelle Goldfarb on the show. She touched on her diverse startup experience, moving to Australia from Brazil and the importance of keeping it simple.

When it comes to building community Isabelle says 1-on-1s are a must. If you want to build insights and truly understand your customers needs 1-on-1s can be a great source. This comes back to the common sentiment of doing things in the beginning that don't scale, so that when you do grow you grow with a product that people actually want.

Company

Plus Eight Accelerator – Perth’s leading accelerator

Companies Isabelle is involved with:

Miles Burke joined us to share the growth journey of 6Q which was indeed weird. They built the first version in a day and had over 1000 users to deal with in the morning. Listen in to hear how 6Q went from a side-project to improving company culture for organisations of all sizes globally.

Company

Meaningful employee surveys in minutes

Weird Growth's first live episode with special guest hosts Dave Newman and Scott Glew from Morning Startup Perth. Hear the fascinating story behind Uno Group's early days back when they were "tinder for food" right through to their recently announced partnership with the world’s largest market research company Nielsen. Tyler also touches on how Uno Group has adapted in the new landscape bought about due to COVID-19.

Company

Market intelligence platform

We recently caught up with Chloë Constantinides to discuss her interesting portfolio career as an Innovation Consultant that spans across Startups, Apps, SAAS products and eCommerce. She’s taken over conferences, manufactured ethically sourced makeup brushes and worked with companies big and small on Innovation. Her biggest lesson experiment, experiment, experiment and she goes into why this is so important as a founder or anyone in business in this episode of Weird Growth.

Chloe – Innovation Consultant

Chloe works as a creative technologist and product manager with government, start-up, and corporate clients to design clever strategies, build better products, engage with emerging technology and to prepare for the future of work.

In this episode, we caught up with Aaron McDonald, Founder and Director at Pragma Lawyers, who grew a law firm from scratch to over 30 employees in just 6 years. How did he do it? Simple. Provide a better service in an old inefficient profession. Something that people seeking legal advice were crying out for.  We also touched on Aaron's new online arbitration service, Judicate.

Learn more about the two companies here: Pragma and Judicate

Company

Dispute resolution lawyers (Pragma)

Problem

Resolving disputes quickly and cost effectively to allow clients to move on with their lives

Customers

Organisations and individuals

One big piece of advice

Back your instincts and work extremely hard. If you think you’ve got a good idea, it’s worth getting a mentor who has been there done that to guide you through the process

Bullets

(2:56) – The Anti-Law Firm

(4:26) – Purpose before profit: Solving an important problem and backing yourself in

The most successful entrepreneurs are those who set out to solve a real problem they’re extremely passionate about, not to just start a business

In Aaron’s case, he felt strongly about the need to provide dispute clients with more value than they were currently receiving. He took a leap of faith going out on his own with no initial customers lined up, but the problem was important enough to him and he had enough self-belief, that he was able to stay the course over the tough beginning months

(6:02) – How Pragma adjusted their business model from the traditional ‘6-minute’ increment law model to a model that provides more value

(6:49) – How Pragma grew their customer base: Word of mouth (WOM) referrals are one of the most powerful assets for growing a business. Building trust with your customers/clients is the key enabler and driver of WOM referrals

(9:07) – How Pragma leveraged Press Relations (PR) and Radio to grow their customer base

Journalists need regular content and so offering to comment on a news story or write a guest article is a great way to get free PR

Building trust and staying visible through regular content (in Pragma’s case radio and PR) is critical to being front of mind when customers/clients decide they need your solution (expert advice in Pragma’s case)