The High Flyers Podcast with Vidit Agarwal

In this episode #104 w Michael Overell, learn about:Sunrise in Brisbane, Australia with 3 younger sistersInfluences of Mum, an English teacher and Dad, an accountantDesire to play rugby professionally and source of ambitionHow he left Mckinsey to create his startup, RecruitLoopReflecting on his own founder journey having to step away from RecruitLoop after 8 yearsMoving from Sydney to San FransiscoHow he joined Lyft and now ClassDojoWhat it means to be high performing and successful at a fast growing tech companyForming the angel syndicate, Antipodes with an all star castWhy he didn't get Jetlag till he was 30 and more!It’s now time to explore your curiosity. Please enjoy!***Follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn or TwitterContact us via our website or email Vidit directly at vidit@curiositycenter.xyz to discuss sponsorship opportunities, recommend future guests or share feedback, we love hearing how to improve! Thank you for rating / reviewing this podcast on iTunes and Spotify, it helps others find us and convince guests to come on the show! 

In this episode #103 w Jeanette Cheah, learn about:Her global upbringing, born in Hawaii and then Japan before settling down in MelbourneChinese and Malaysian heritageHow seeing her parents, with mum an accountant and dad an economist made education the cornerstone of her early yearsStarting career in the banking sector and then realising she didn’t want to play by those rulesHow HEX started with trade missions to san Fransisco with a group of students from AustraliaBeing 3 days away from travelling to Austin, Texas on a big program and the borders shut down when COVID hit in 2020Raising money from investorsFunding challenges for female foundersCurrent economic climate + stay tuned for some very cool info about Jeanette’s assistant and more! It’s now time to explore your curiosity. Please enjoy!***Follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn or TwitterContact us via OUR WEBSITE or email  Vidit directly at vidit@curiositycenter.xyz to discuss sponsorship opportunities, recommend future guests or share feedback, we love hearing how to improve! Thank you for rating / reviewing this podcast on iTunes and Spotify, it helps others find us and convince guests to come on the show! 

Explore your curiosity with Elle and Tash from the newly formed business Co-Lab which brings together restaurant made ready meals and a selection over 1500 pantry products straight to your home! Learn about how a Linkedin message from Tash started this relationship and eventual acquisition, why this made complete sene, how they scaled their business through the pandemic and a deep dive into the acquisition process, biggest surprises and exciting things in the works including same day delivery.It’s time to explore your curiosity. Please enjoy!***Find out more about Curiosity Center, including 100+ episodes at www.curiositycenter.xyz Find out more about CoLab at https://www.colab.com.au/Share your feedback and discuss sponsorship opportunities with us by directly emailing vidit@curiositycenter.xyzFollow the show on Linkedin / Instagram / Twitter

In this episode #101 w Rachel Yang, learn about:Sunrise in Melbourne being the youngest of 3 sisters, being raised by her mum and securing a scholarship to attend a private schoolAsian heritage and how Rachel’s become closer to it with ageWorking in north east arnhem land whilst at KPMG on projects for the indigenous First Nations communityMove into Venture Capital and the connection to an acting classProgressing from associate to partner at Giant Leap, Australia’s first 100% impact focused VC fundSecond and third order effects of impact investingExamples of some startups they’ve backed: Work 180, GoTerra, Great Wrap etcOverseas inspirations to productively use capital for good  It’s now time to explore your curiosity. Please enjoy!***Follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn or TwitterContact us via OUR WEBSITE or email  Vidit directly at vidit@curiositycenter.xyz to discuss sponsorship opportunities, recommend future guests or share feedback, we love hearing how to improve! Thank you for rating / reviewing this podcast on iTunes and Spotify, it helps others find us and convince guests to come on the show! 

In this episode #100, Natasha Ong (marketing associate) interviews Vidit Agarwal (Founder & Host)!We cover: Learnings from first job working at a restaurantMum’s influence and being the high flyer in my lifeHow has my perception of a high flyer changed?Society views on celebrating success and how this podcast plays a small role in re-creating thatOrigin story of the podcast and the name "The High Flyers"Personal growth through this podcast over past 2 yearsBehind the scenes of interview prep and research processHow to make guests comfortable to open upRanking in the top #20 shows in Aus, India, Hong KongWhat’s helped grow the podcast?How has the marketing evolved?Advice for budding podcastersRapid fire: Proudest achievement, Guest that surprised you, Piece of advice from a guest, What separates a great podcast, dream guests, Thank you to first believers It’s now time to explore your curiosity. Please enjoy!***Follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn or TwitterContact us via OUR WEBSITE or email  Vidit directly at vidit@curiositycenter.xyz to discuss sponsorship opportunities, recommend future guests or share feedback, we love hearing how to improve! Thank you for rating / reviewing this podcast on iTunes and Spotify, it helps others find us and convince guests to come on the show! 

Michael is Principal at Blackbird VC and helps uncover & invest in founders and innovation in Synthetic biology, Embedded commerce, Compute, Healthcare and Robotics.In this episode #99, learn about:Sunrise in Melbourne having rich Italian heritage and influences, with his dad being a chemical engineer and mum starting out as a high school teacher and then becoming a financial planner and always being there for Michael and his younger brother.How speaking different languages is he perfect way to see through a clear window into a cultureHow he started his career in law and then utilised an inspiring learning path to move to finance and then into Venture Capital with Playground VC in the USA (which also has a story behind it) Specific learnings of these 3 transitions and now being back in Australia with BlackbirdWhy Deep Tech investing fascinates himDistilling misconceptions about founders in Deep Tech3 key traits to be a successful VCHow he spends his perfect day off work Michael's one strength and one weaknessIt’s now time to explore your curiosity. Please enjoy!***Follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn or TwitterContact us via OUR WEBSITE or email  Vidit directly at vidit@curiositycenter.xyz to discuss sponsorship opportunities, recommend future guests or share feedback, we love hearing how to improve! Thank you for rating / reviewing this podcast on iTunes and Spotify, it helps others find us and convince guests to come on the show! 

Thank you for rating / reviewing this podcast on iTunes and Spotify, it helps others find us and convince guests to come on the show! Follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn or TwitterContact us via OUR WEBSITE or email  Vidit directly at vidit@curiositycenter.xyz to discuss sponsorship opportunities, recommend future guests or share feedback, we love hearing how to improve! ***Welcome to episode #98 w Daniel Madhavan! It’s now time to explore your curiosity. Please enjoy! We cover: Learn about his sunrise in Melbourne, Australia in the most multicultural family with his dad being half Indian, half Chinese and mum being Dutch.Success at age 18 being to be financially independent which drove Dan’s successful 12+ year career in banking with JB Were rising to acting CEOPractical learnings that helped Dan be promoted every few years ("build bridges not boats")Specifics of the fascinating decision making process to leave the firmFunny story from early 20’s that was a big learning in hindsightUsing capital to make a positive impact for the future of the planetTop 3 impact focused investors he’s the most impressed by 

Thank you for rating / reviewing this podcast on iTunes and Spotify, it helps others find us and convince guests to come on the show! Follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn or TwitterEmail  Vidit directly at vidit@curiositycenter.xyz or contact us via www.curiositycenter.xyz to discuss sponsorship opportunities, recommend future guests or share feedback, we love hearing how to improve! ***Welcome to episode #97 w Lauren Capelin! It’s now time to explore your curiosity. Please enjoy! Learn about her sunrise in QLD with dad being a banker and mum working at Ansett and achieve her desire of sending Lauren and her sisters to private school. Lauren candidly shares this private schooling experience and how it changed the family dynamic and also realising success tends to be more about happiness over status.We cover a lot and Lauren shares fantastic insights about how she discovered and built her career merging creativity, community and impact with the business world - working with global thought leaders like Rachel Botsman on building the sharing economy and collaborative consumption to then how she was the first person in a community and platform role in Venture Capital in Australia.How Lauren manages to be ahead of the curve on many trends?Moving to Noosa, QLD in 2020What people get wrong about relationship building? How can Australia cultivate a successful women led VC fund?

Thank you for rating / reviewing this podcast on iTunes and Spotify, it helps others find us and convince guests to come on the show! Follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn or TwitterEmail  Vidit directly at vidit@curiositycenter.xyz or contact us via www.curiositycenter.xyz to discuss sponsorship opportunities, recommend future guests or share feedback, we love hearing how to improve! ***Welcome to episode #96 w Dalton Henshaw! It’s now time to explore your curiosity. Please enjoy!Learn about his sunrise in Melbourne and having to grow up quickly as his parents separated when he was 6. His dad ran a fashion retail business and mum was Chief Family officer before moving into medical admin.Dalton shares his dream at 18 to play professional AFL which eventually turning into creating a prominent mens lifestyle publication called The Tailored Man, working with brands such as Tag Heuer, Hugo Boss and Mercedes Benz.I asked Dalton about the 3 successful people that he’s met that inspire him, how he prepares for client meetings, how he manages a team of 40, especially people older than him and 1% habits he and his wife Laura have added in the last 2 years. Stay tuned to learn about Dalton’s favourite fashion and running brands and lots more

Thank you for rating / reviewing this podcast on iTunes and Spotify, it helps others find us and convince guests to come on the show! Follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn or TwitterEmail  Vidit directly at vidit@curiositycenter.xyz or contact us via www.curiositycenter.xyz to discuss sponsorship opportunities, recommend future guests and share how we can improve. ***Welcome to episode #95 w Joel Connolly! Please enjoy. ***TIMESTAMPS01:50  - Where were you born and live now? 02:00 - What was your first job and now? 02:31 - High Flyer in Joel’s life 03:58 - Darwin and Copacabana 06:57 - Influences of family and public figures 08:53 - Being raised by a single mum 11:18 - First time he came across music and creative world 13:13 - Career plan at age 18 17:08 - Didn’t feeling like a creative till his mid 30’s 18:10 - We’re all born creative 19:36 - Creativity in podcasting 21:39 - The move from music to Venture Capital at Blackbird 28:05 - Unlearning and trying new things at Blackbird 31:50 - How Joel created the Blackbird brand strategy: 36:15 - Community and firm building 38:25 - Most painful learning 42:01 - Balancing creative role in an investment firm 45:13 - Blackbird 2.0 49:03 - What is brand building as an expression of who you are 52:20 - What does crypto have right and wrong about culture? 55:41 - How does Australia encourage Vitaliks (founder of ETH)? 58:31 - Joel’s thinking in themes and not pictures 01:01:12 - Rapid fire