Business Is Boring

Tim Brown is an ex-professional footballer turned co-founder of internationally recognised, Wellington-based footwear company Allbirds. They have just announced a world-first zero carbon shoe that Tim hopes can change the industry for good. He chats with Simon Pound about Allbirds' kaupapa, growing a business overseas, and the reality of sustainable business. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Flip Grater decided to give up her career in music to pursue her other passion of vegan delicatessens. Now, her meat-free versions of chorizo, pastrami, and turkey have launched her business and landed her products in foodstuffs supermarkets. She talks to Simon Pound about starting Grater Goods, its rapid success, and expanding it using a grassroots investment website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why is it still so hard to find a good plant-based cheese substitute? After asking herself this exact question Daisy Lab co-founder Irina Miller has come up with her own solution - precision fermentation. She sits down with Simon Pound to discuss her process, their pioneering research and how she makes cheese without a cow in sight. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After going through the court system herself, Jenny Rudd noticed how difficult it is for low income people to gather the resources necessary to compile accurate records of their communications. To fix this, she founded Dispute Buddy, which aims to narrow the power divide that permeates the legal system. She sits down with Simon Pound to discuss her hatred for inequity, the need for more investment in women's businesses, and her role as an investor and mentor. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Most venture capitalism funds have very high buy-in minimums that can be above $50,000. Matū is a local fund that's allowing retail investors to join in the VC fun from just $1,000. Dr Andrew Chen has been a driving force behind Matū and he joins Simon to talk about how accessible investing in deep tech can help the environment and the New Zealand economy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Did you know that more than 16 million tubes of toothpaste enter New Zealand landfills every year? Solid Oral Care are out to change the impact we make when we brush. Founder Laura Nixon talks with Simon about their kaupapa, expanding from a garage operation, and how they're using PledgeMe to fund it.Support Solid Oral Care's PledgeMe capaign here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why is it becoming harder to achieve debt-free status? Money Sweetspot is a new company that uses compassion and incentives to help people pay off their debts. Co-founder Sasha Lockley talks to Simon about using gamification to increase financial literacy, breaking the cycle of poverty, and how she intends to leave the finance industry better than how she found it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

New Zealand is well behind the rest of the world when it comes to transferring money between banks. Shane Marsh and James McEniery discovered this when they were living in Singapore and started Aotearoa’s first real time payment mobile wallet. They aim to bring banking in New Zealand into the 21st century, and they chat with Simon about how they plan to do it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When Pete Gillespie co-founded Garage Project in 2011 over 50% of craft beer in New Zealand was consumed in Wellington. Now, his passion for beer has become a national phenomenon. Pete talks us through how they brewed their success, constant experimentation, and changing the industry.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How do you go from being a local comedian to becoming CEO of the government agency charged with growing the country's global brand? Hear from David Downs, business leader, cancer survivor and CEO of The NZ Story Group. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices