
Wild Hearts
Wild Hearts is the podcast that reveals the real-time lessons from the founders and operators changing the world.
Latest episodes

Apr 22, 2025 ⢠1h 6min
From burnout to balance: lessons in product, writing and culture with Harry Flett.
Harry Flett, VP of Product at Tracksuit, shares insights on creating a thriving product culture that balances fun and performance. He discusses the importance of the 'say-do ratio' in building trust within teams. Harry also delves into managing burnout, emphasizing the need for intentional delegation. His approach to clear writing enhances team clarity and strategy. Additionally, he reveals effective hiring practices focused on genuine connections and the role humor plays in fostering engagement and creativity in the workplace.

Apr 15, 2025 ⢠1h
The intersection of marketing, product, and creativity with George Howes from Magic Brief
George Howes, former creative lead at Eucalyptus and founder of Magic Brief, dives deep into the cluttered world of online content. He highlights how creative teams thrive on feedback loops, not just freedom. Discussing AI, George emphasizes that it should enhance, not replace, creativity, while also sharing his 15 principles for high-performing teams. He offers insights on optimizing marketing strategies and the evolving role of technology in fostering genuine customer engagement. A masterclass for marketers seeking innovation!

16 snips
Apr 8, 2025 ⢠1h 1min
Why Australiaâs defence needs tech founders: Vu Tran of Black Sky Industries on building missiles with a startup mindset.
Vu Tran, co-founder of Go1 and Black Sky Industries, shares his unique journey from edtech to the defense sector, driven by concerns for future generations. He discusses the moral dilemmas that guided his shift to missile manufacturing and emphasizes the need for Australia to become self-reliant in its defense. Vu believes in adopting a startup mindset to innovate within this slow-moving industry, advocating for a defense philosophy akin to an echidnaâsmall yet formidable. His insights on personal mission and national security spark a conversation about reshaping Australiaâs military landscape.

18 snips
Apr 1, 2025 ⢠1h 6min
Scaling Heidi in the US: Lessons in product, people and persistence.
Jesse Creighton, Director of Heidi Health in the US, dives into the challenges of scaling a healthcare startup in a competitive market. He shares insights on awkward networking experiences and the obstacles of initial customer outreach. Jesse discusses how switching to a freemium model transformed their growth and the importance of adapting strategies to achieve product-market fit. He also explores building a customer-focused team and the unique hiring dynamics between Australian and American talent. Get ready for lessons in persistence and product innovation!

Mar 25, 2025 ⢠53min
From Impossible to Obvious: OpenStarâs Fast-Track Approach to Fusion
What does it take to achieve nuclear fusion in less time than it takes to build a traditional power plant prototype? In this episode of Wild Hearts, weâre joined by Ratu Mataira, CEO of OpenStar, a company that just hit the crucial "first plasma" milestone in a staggering 16 months. We unpack the misconceptions surrounding fusion, the unique design of OpenStarâs levitated dipole reactor, and why the pathway to commercial fusion might be shorter -and more valuable - than most people think.đ In this conversation, we cover:⥠How OpenStar achieved first plasma in just 16 monthsâyears faster than competitorsđĽ Why fusion isnât â30 years awayâ anymoreâand never really was đ How misconceptions about cost, scale and safety are holding the industry back đŠ The engineering breakthrough that allows OpenStar to iterate faster đ§Ş Why their first product wonât be a power plantâand what it might be instead đĽ Medical isotopes, nuclear waste and imaging: the early use cases for fusion đ§ âAlways include a crankâ: how failure tolerance fuels rapid learning đ The startup mindset behind building a trillion-dollar fusion company This episode goes beyond fusion hype; itâs a candid look at how OpenStar is breaking barriers in one of the worldâs hardest engineering challenges.

Mar 19, 2025 ⢠51min
Breaking barriers in neurotechnology: The future of brain-computer interfaces
How do you take a scientific hunch and turn it into a breakthrough that could change medicine forever?In this episode of Wild Hearts, we sit down with Elise Jenkins, co-founder of Opto Biosystems, to discuss the journey of building a first-in-class brain implant that merges neurotechnology with oncology. đ§ Subscribe on Apple or Spotify to learn.We explore the highs and lows of moving from academia to a high-stakes startup, the unexpected hurdles of working with neurosurgeons, and the race toward first-in-human trials.In this conversation, we cover:đ§ Bridging the gap between neuroscience and cancer researchđŹ How brain-Computer interfaces could transform oncologyđ The road to the first-in-human clinical trials and what It means for the futuređĄ The challenges of moving from academia to a high-impact startup⥠Why the next generation of neural implants need to be MRI-invisible đĽ What It takes to get regulatory approval for a revolutionary medical implant đ Optoâs long-term vision: using neural biomarkers beyond brain cancerIf you're fascinated by the intersection of science, engineering, and medicine, this conversation is for you.đ§ Subscribe on Apple or Spotify to learn.

Mar 11, 2025 ⢠38min
REPLAY: Changing the conversation on sexual wellness with Lucy Wark, founder of Normal (live Sunrise edition)
In this episode we cover:â
Challenges of creating a hardware productâ
Helping people overcome shame and stigmaâ
Building a brand beyond a visual identityâ
Investing in your own mental healthâ
Reaching your audience where they areWith its range of sex toys and sex education resources, NORMAL has reimagined the sex shop into an online experience that is fun and informative, with the mission of empowering absolutely anybody to explore their sexuality free from stress and stigma.In this special live episode of Wild Hearts, founder of NORMAL Lucy Wark spoke with me on stage at Blackbirdâs Sunrise Festival.Episode highlights from Lucy:âMore than 1 in 5 searches on the internet is about sex. Thereâs an incredibly large organic interest in this topic.ââAs a culture, we have a long history of religious and cultural ideas about sex being sinful, sex being something that should only exist inside marriage, or should only exist for the creation of children.ââItâs not like selling toilet paper or mattresses. Youâre trying to help people tackle quite deep psychological stigma.ââThings like libido, desire, arousal, changes in the body, sexual dysfunction, relationship skills, and sex while ageing, sex in menopause, there is this enormous suite of challenges for which we are incredibly poorly prepared for by formal sex education.ââA brand is not a logo and colours. To build authentic brands that mean something to people, is about a lot more than just building a visual identity.ââI think having practices like therapy are incredibly helpful investments in yourself as a founder, and an operator, and just a good human being to be around, so thatâs been probably the highest ROI thing I do.â

Mar 4, 2025 ⢠58min
Scaling Chaos: The Wild Ride of Clutch with Annabel Hay
What happens when a 10-second TikTok video changes everything overnight? For Annabelle Hay, co-founder and CEO of CLUTCH, it meant selling out 5,000 units in hours, navigating a manufacturing disaster, and scrambling to scale. In this episode, Annabelle shares the rollercoaster journey of building a consumer brand from scratch, the unexpected lessons of going viral, and the challenges of breaking into retail.In this conversation, we cover:đĽ The TikTok video that went viral overnight and sold out 5,000 units đĽ The manufacturing disaster that led to exploding tubes and mass refunds đ How Annabelle scaled CLUTCH from a side hustle to a retail success đŚ The Shark Tank investor who tried to rip her offâand how she fought backđŻ The unexpected challenges of retail, from supply chain issues to hidden costs đĄ The founder-led brand strategy that resonated with millions đ Lessons in growth, hiring, and relinquishing control in a fast-moving startupIf youâve ever wondered what itâs like to scale a consumer product from zero to retail shelves, this conversation with Annabelle Hay is a masterclass in resilience, adaptability, and strategic growth.

Feb 25, 2025 ⢠50min
Betting Big: How Armina Rosenberg is Reshaping Investing with AI
What happens when artificial intelligence isn't just assistingâbut reshapingâthe world of investment?In this episode of Wild Hearts, we chat with Armina Rosenberg, an investor combining traditional fundamental research with revolutionary AI-driven techniques. Armina dives into how her firm, Minotaur, leverages AI to break down barriers, uncover global opportunities, and make investment decisions at unprecedented speeds. It's not just about efficiency; it's about reshaping the way capital is allocated worldwide.In this episode, we cover:đ How AI can remove language barriers in global investment research (03:30)đ Arminaâs innovative strategy for identifying mispriced companies (11:45)đ§ How large language models (LLMs) transform fundamental analysis (14:10)âď¸ Managing risk and building conviction with AI analytics (23:50)đ ď¸ The competitive advantage of building proprietary AI software (29:30)đ Future AI investment trends and capturing economic value (34:20)This episode is a rare inside look at how AI is transforming the art of investing, and what it means for the future of software.

Feb 18, 2025 ⢠52min
The Future of Product Management: AI, Efficiency & Leverage with Matt Hinds
Imagine being able to understand your customers better than ever beforeâinstantly. Thatâs the promise of AI-powered product management. In this episode, Matt Hinds, Co-founder and CEO of Sauce AI, explains how AI is transforming the way companies prioritise, iterate, and execute on their product roadmaps. We dive into the tools, strategies, and mindset shifts that are allowing top teams to unlock massive leverage in world of product development.In this conversation, we cover:đ§ The evolving role of product managers in an AI-powered worldđ How Sauce AI is transforming product insights and decision-making đ Why some companies are eliminating PM roles â and why others are doubling downđĄ How top product teams use AI to unlock customer insights 100x fasterđ ď¸ The must-have AI tools that product managers should be using right now đ The future of product iteration: instant feedback loops and automated workflows
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