The Startup Playbook Podcast

James Fuller, Co-founder & CEO of Hnry, shares his journey of transforming a simple spreadsheet into a powerful tax automation platform, processing $2.6B annually. He discusses the unique advantages and challenges of being a husband-and-wife founding team, including navigating their personal dynamics. The duo focuses on fairness in their pricing strategy and the importance of customer feedback in shaping their service. James reflects on overcoming tough moments in their startup journey, highlighting resilience and the support of their community.

My guest for Ep209 of The Startup Playbook Podcast was Mat Ellis. This episode is a little special. Not only is it Mat’s first-ever podcast interview, but we’ve also been close friends since grade 7. And many years ago, after months of trying, I finally convinced him to join as one of the co-founders of […] The post Ep209 – Mathew Ellis (Co-founder & CTO – Kismet) on vertical ownership and high performing teams appeared first on Startup Playbook.

My guest for Ep208 of The Startup Playbook Podcast was Jane Martino. Jane has had an incredibly successful career as a director, investor, advisor and founder of a number of companies that have successfully exited. She’s best known as the Co-founder & Chair of Smiling Mind, one of the worlds leading mindfulness and mental health […] The post Ep208 – Jane Martino (Co-founder & Chair – Smiling Mind) on founder mental health, mindfulness & multiple exits appeared first on Startup Playbook.

My guest for Ep207 of The Startup Playbook Podcast was the Vice President and General Manager for Asia-Pacific & Japan at Monday.com, Dean Swan. Dean spent 11 years at Microsoft before becoming the Country Manager for Australia & New Zealand at Dropbox. He’s now the Vice President and General Manager of APJ at Monday.com. When […] The post Ep207 – Dean Swan (VP for APJ at Monday.com) on growing Monday.com zero to $100M+ in APJ appeared first on Startup Playbook.

My guest for Ep206 of The Startup Playbook Podcast was Adam Schwab. Adam started his career as a lawyer before transitioning to startups and has had a number of successful businesses, but is best known as the Co-founder & CEO of Luxury Escapes. Luxury Escapes is one of the world’s leading travel brands, revolutionising the […] The post Ep206 – Adam Schwab (Co-founder & CEO – Luxury Escapes) on reinventing Luxury Escapes & Scaling to $1B+ GTV appeared first on Startup Playbook.

My guest for Ep205 of The Startup Playbook Podcast was Damir Cuca. From tinkering with toys and electronics and immigrating to Australia as a child without knowing the language to building and exiting two successful businesses, Damir’s career has been a masterclass in determination, resilience and growth. He’s best known as the Founder & CEO […] The post Ep205 – Damir Cuca (Founder & CEO – Basiq) on building and exiting 2x startups and being a father of six appeared first on Startup Playbook.

George Hartley, Co-founder and Co-CEO of Bluethumb, shares his journey from music to tech and the growth of Australia's leading art marketplace. He discusses the three-year wait for their seed funding and the continued focus on bootstrapping. George emphasizes the importance of risk-taking and experimenting in business, as well as the unique challenges of scaling a consumer marketplace. He also reflects on effective hiring strategies and the impact of his journey on work-life balance as they look to expand into the US market.

My guest for Ep203 of The Startup Playbook Podcast is the Co-founder & CEO of Zeller, Ben Pfisterer. Ben is a returning guest on the show. Our last interview was in August 2020 when Ben had left his role as Country Manager for Square to launch his new company, Zeller, which had just come out […] The post Ep203 – Ben Pfisterer (Co-founder & CEO – Zeller) on becoming the fastest Australian company to achieve unicorn status appeared first on Startup Playbook.

Josh Ball, Co-founder of Farmers Pick, shares his journey in transforming food waste into a thriving business. He discusses the importance of a strong mission and the challenges of scaling a startup that rescues imperfect produce. Josh sheds light on their successful shift to equity crowdfunding to foster growth without traditional VC pressures. He also highlights the role of storytelling and social media in building brand loyalty, along with the intricacies of managing a rapidly expanding team while maintaining company values.

Cheryl Mack, Co-founder & CEO of Aussie Angels, shares her journey from launching Australia’s largest startup conference to leading a platform that democratizes angel investing. They delve into the essentials of brand marketing and storytelling for startups. Cheryl offers insightful advice for budding angel investors and discusses what to look for in founders and investment opportunities. Discover the benefits of syndicates and the critical elements that define successful investing strategies as Cheryl navigates the evolving startup landscape.