
Business Is Boring
Think business is boring? This podcast proves it's anything but. Join Simon Pound as he talks to everyone from accidental entrepreneurs to industry leaders about their business journeys and what propelled them to where they are today. Made in partnership with Deel.
Latest episodes

Jul 28, 2021 • 35min
A new way for startups to raise capital
Jodie Imam and Lance Hodges are the COO and general partner of Tractor Ventures, a group offering debt financing to Australian and New Zealand startups. Both startup legends in their own right, they tell Simon Pound why they wanted to be part of this new model and how it all works.Business is Boring is presented by The Spinoff in association with Callaghan Innovation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jul 21, 2021 • 38min
How Socialites stays on top of the social media game
Melanie Spencer is the co-CEO of Socialites, a company that’s helping businesses big and small succeed on social media. She joins Simon Pound on Business is Boring this week to talk about her journey, agency culture and staying on top of the rapidly changing social media landscape.Business is Boring is presented by The Spinoff in association with Callaghan Innovation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jul 14, 2021 • 44min
How NZ joined the space club, with Rocket Lab’s Peter Beck
Ten years ago, if you said New Zealand would soon be one of the handful of countries in the space club, regularly sending satellites to space and famous for its space industry, you’d probably have been laughed out of the room. But that’s exactly what has happened, and the driving force behind this change has been Peter Beck at Rocket Lab.To get the company off the ground he’s had to pull together some of the world’s biggest investors, have international laws changed and successfully pioneer innovations in making and sending rockets that are now industry standards. It was wildly unlikely at most every step, but today Rocket Lab is on the verge of a massive listing on the US stock exchange, and a big shift to larger rockets.To talk about the journey, his perseverance and New Zealand becoming a member of the space club, Simon Pound met Peter Beck at the Rocket Lab’s Mount Wellington HQ.Business is Boring is presented by The Spinoff in association with Callaghan Innovation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jul 7, 2021 • 43min
How Multitudes is helping businesses measure and improve team culture
Lauren Peate is the founder and CEO of Multitudes, a New Zealand software company that helps measure and improve companies’ culture and performance. She came up with the idea while running Ally Skills NZ, a diversity, equity and inclusion consultancy for tech companies. She’s worked in and with startups in the Middle East and as a management consultant with Bain & Co in San Francisco, and received a degree in economics from Stanford. To talk about that journey and what Multitudes is here to do, Lauren joined Simon Pound for a chat.Business is Boring is presented by The Spinoff in association with Callaghan Innovation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jun 30, 2021 • 21min
Shotgun’s ride from mountain biking brainwave to global business
Shotgun co-founder Dan Necklen joins Simon Pound to talk about designing a new type of kids’ bike seat and taking it to the world. From a couple of mountain biking mates turning over an idea – what if a child could sit between the arms of the rider and have their own set of handlebars – the idea has grown to now be sold all over the world. With new products in the works, the company now has a bigger goal of helping get kids off screens and ultimately raise the next generation of mountain bikers.Business is Boring is presented by The Spinoff in association with Callaghan Innovation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jun 23, 2021 • 32min
How to sell a fast growing company, and other tips from an advertising entrepreneur
Jane Ormsby is an online ad industry innovator. She built online advertising inventory network Response Directive into an Australasian market leader before using her online publishing expertise to work with APN (now NZME) as it tackled digital, leading the paywall at The Listener and launching Bite. Her current company is Scroll Media, a network of trusted publishers and advertisers. To talk about the journey, the future of advertising and share tips for selling a business, Jane joined Business is Boring this week for a chat.Business is Boring is presented by The Spinoff in association with Callaghan Innovation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jun 16, 2021 • 40min
What Woop does differently with their food boxes
Thomas Dietz is the founder and CEO of Woop – short for world on our plate – a company whose inventive offering has found a strong foothold in the hyper-competitive food box space. He joined Business is Boring this week to talk about his journey from France to New Zealand, and from makeup marketing to food boxes.Business is Boring is presented by The Spinoff in association with Callaghan Innovation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jun 9, 2021 • 39min
The ticketing app using booking fees for good
New Zealander Georgia Robertson is the CEO of Humanitix, an Australian ticketing app with a difference. The company was started by two friends in Sydney, who pooled their resources to make a ticket booking platform that would donate 100% of profits to charity, using the power of better tech to deliver lower costs to customers and clients. Georgia joined Business is Boring this week to tell Simon Pound about working at the intersection of tech and social good.Business is Boring is presented by The Spinoff in association with Callaghan Innovation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jun 2, 2021 • 46min
Making wearable tech for astronauts, Olympic athletes and everybody
New Zealand company Myovolt has been at the cutting edge of innovation in wearable technology the last 20 years, with founders Dianne Jones and Steve Leftly working on wearable tech with Nasa, Apple, Adidas and Nike. Now they’re launching their first major consumer products, a series of devices to help with muscle recovery.To talk about Myovolt’s journey, their new range and ongoing innovation, Steve Leftly joined Business is Boring this week.Business is Boring is presented by The Spinoff in association with Callaghan Innovation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 26, 2021 • 42min
The business and politics of bread
Isabel Pasch is the majority owner of Bread and Butter, bakeries and cafes that focus on traditional sourdough fermentation and using as many locally sourced and organic ingredients as possible. Unlike most supermarket white bread, which she believes is about as nutritional as a fizzy drink, Isabel’s Bread and Butter aims to make bread that’s good for you, your gut, and the planet. To talk about the journey, a mission for sustainable food, the politics of bread and what’s next, Isabel joined Business is Boring this week for a chat.Business is Boring is presented by The Spinoff in association with Callaghan Innovation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices