Australian Business Podcast

In this episode of The Australian Business Podcast Summer Series, Owen Rask breaks down what business strategy really is — and why most founders overcomplicate it or ignore it altogether. Strategy isn’t a document you write once and forget. It’s an ongoing decision-making process that evolves as your industry, customers and resources change. Owen explains why early-stage businesses have plenty of time but very little capital, and how that equation flips as you grow — forcing founders to think differently about risk, research and execution. You’ll learn how to research your industry properly using practical tools like SWOT analysis, competitive mapping and cheap experiments that de-risk big decisions before you commit serious time or money. Owen also shares how to identify your biggest existential risks, invert problems using Charlie Munger-style thinking, and focus on what could kill the business before chasing what could grow it. This episode also introduces key strategic frameworks including the 80/20 principle, the now–where–how model, and the difference between a wartime CEO and a peacetime CEO, drawing on lessons from Ben Horowitz. You’ll discover when to double down, when to cut, and how to build feedback loops that tell you — early — whether your strategy is working or broken. If you want clarity instead of chaos, and execution instead of endless planning, this episode gives you the tools to master business strategy. Topics covered in this Australian Business Podcast episode • What business strategy actually means in practice • Using data instead of guesswork • Industry research and SWOT analysis • Identifying and managing existential risks • The 80/20 principle for focus and growth • Wartime CEO vs peacetime CEO • Knowing when to change strategy Episode Resources • Join Rask’s business community • Rask’s Australian Business Podcast • Rask Business 101 (free course) DISCLAIMER 🔗 Explore all Rask services 📋 Get Financial Planning 📈 Start investing with Rask 📜 Access Show Notes ❓ Ask a question – just select the Investors Podcast 📲 Follow us on social media: – Instagram: @rask.invest – TikTok: @rask.invest This podcast contains general financial information only. That means the information does not take into account your objectives, financial situation, or needs. You should consider if the information is appropriate for your situation before acting on it.If you’re unsure, consult a licensed financial planner. The Rask Group is NOT a qualified tax accountant, financial adviser, or tax professional. You can access The Rask Group’s Financial Services Guide (FSG) here: https://www.rask.com.au/fsg. #AustralianBusinessPodcast #BusinessStrategy #Scaling Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of The Australian Business Podcast Summer Series, Owen Rask tackles one of the most overlooked foundations of business success: knowing why you’re doing it in the first place. Most people start businesses chasing money, flexibility or independence — but without a clear personal purpose, those goals often turn into stress, burnout and resentment. Owen breaks down why your why must come before strategy, systems or scaling, and how failing to define it early can lock you into a business you eventually want to escape. This episode introduces the BusLife Scorecard, a practical self-assessment framework designed to help business owners step outside the noise and honestly evaluate where their business — and life — are thriving or breaking down. You’ll also hear about the concept of your FU number: the price at which you’d happily walk away from your business, and why reverse-engineering that number creates sharper decision-making and better boundaries. Drawing lessons from The E-Myth Revisited, Traction and No Rules Rules, Owen explains the three competing personalities inside every founder — the technician, the manager and the entrepreneur — and why staying stuck in the wrong role keeps businesses small, fragile and stressful. If you want a business that supports your life design instead of consuming it, this episode sets the direction. Topics covered in this Australian Business Podcast episode - Defining your personal why before scaling - The BizLife Scorecard framework - Your FU number and reverse planning - Technician vs manager vs entrepreneur - Using data instead of ego to make decisions - Right people, right seats Episode Resources - Join Rask’s business community - Rask’s Australian Business Podcast - Rask Business 101 (free course) - Buslife scorecard 3 Books - The E-Myth Revisited - No Rules Rules - Traction Rask Resources 🔗 Explore all Rask services 📋 Get Financial Planning 📈 Start investing with Rask 📜 Access Show Notes ❓ Ask a question – just select the Investors Podcast 📲 Follow us on social media: – Instagram: @rask.invest – TikTok: @rask.invest DISCLAIMER This podcast contains general financial information only. That means the information does not take into account your objectives, financial situation, or needs. You should consider if the information is appropriate for your situation before acting on it.If you’re unsure, consult a licensed financial planner. The Rask Group is NOT a qualified tax accountant, financial adviser, or tax professional. You can access The Rask Group’s Financial Services Guide (FSG) here: https://www.rask.com.au/fsg. #AustralianBusinessPodcast #BusinessMindset #FounderLife Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Owen Rask on building Rask from scratch, surviving the hardest years of business, and designing an operating system for long-term scale. In this opening episode of the Australian Business Podcast Summer Series, Owen Rask shares the real story behind building Rask — not the polished highlight reel, but the uncomfortable truth of what it actually takes to survive and scale a modern Australian business. From starting with little more than an idea, an iMac and a strong sense of purpose, Owen walks through the messy middle years that almost broke the business. He explains why years five and six were harder than the early days, how losing licences, shrinking teams and running out of cash shaped his leadership style, and why managing your own psychology is the most important skill a founder can develop. Drawing on lessons from The Hard Thing About Hard Things, this episode reframes anxiety, uncertainty and loneliness as part of the job — not signs of failure. Owen breaks down what smart founders do differently: confronting problems early, encouraging brutal honesty, and understanding that leadership is simply a series of tough conversations. You’ll also hear how Rask operates today, including the Inflection Operating System that underpins decision-making, execution and growth. With more than 38,000 students, 60,000 account holders and over 250,000 podcast listeners, Owen shares clear targets for the years ahead — including a $5 million turnover goal and a $30–50 million valuation — and what it will take to get there. If you’re building a business and wondering whether the struggle ever ends, this episode gives you the clarity and perspective to keep going. Topics covered in this Australian Business Podcast episode - The unspoken realities of building a business - Why the struggle is the job - Managing founder psychology under pressure - The Inflection Operating System explained - Confronting existential business risks early - Setting long-term growth and valuation targets Episode Resources Join Rask’s business community Rask’s Australian Business Podcast Rask Business 101 (free course) Rask Operating System (Owen's blog): https://www.raskmedia.com.au/2026/01/04/rask-operating-system Books No Rules Rules: https://www.amazon.com.au/No-Rules-Netflix-Culture-Reinvention/dp/1984877860/ Hard Thing About Hard Things: https://www.amazon.com.au/Hard-Thing-About-Things-Building/dp/0062273205 Traction: https://www.amazon.com.au/Traction-Get-Grip-Your-Business/dp/1936661837 The E-Myth Revisited: https://www.amazon.com.au/Myth-Revisited-Small-Businesses-About/dp/0887307280 Rask Resources Inflection community All services Financial Planning Invest with us Access Show Notes Ask a question We love feedback! Follow us on social media: Instagram: @rask.invest TikTok: @rask.invest DISCLAIMER: This podcast contains general financial information only. That means the information does not take into account your objectives, financial situation, or needs. Because of that, you should consider if the information is appropriate to you and your needs, before acting on it. If you’re confused about what that means or what your needs are, you should always consult a licensed and trusted financial planner. Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information in this podcast, including any financial, taxation, and/or legal information. Remember, past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance. The Rask Group is NOT a qualified tax accountant, financial (tax) adviser, or financial adviser. Access The Rask Group's Financial Services Guide (FSG): https://www.rask.com.au/fsg Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this Australian Business Podcast episode, your host Owen Rask sits down with Shane Horsburgh — ex-police tactical leader, author of Fighting Blind, and leadership coach — to explore: - what it means to be guided by your soul, not your ego - redefining masculinity through stillness, patience and presence - lessons from Iraq, police tactical operations and culture change programs - how leaders collapse under complexity when they cling to control From Sound of Music tours in Austria to Special Operations on Sydney rooftops, Shane shares deeply human, practical and philosophical lessons for modern leaders. If you’re curious about how to lead in a world that’s moving faster and becoming harder to control, this conversation will reframe how you see yourself, your decisions and your team. Follow us on Instagram (Rask.Invest) and TikTok (Rask.Invest) for more investing and leadership insights. Topics covered in this Australian Investors Podcast episode - Being guided by your soul, not your ego - Stillness in chaos & emotional regulation - Masculinity, identity and leadership assumptions - Complexity, hierarchy and adaptive leadership - Quantum thinking & decision-making - AI as a leadership challenge, not a tech one - The myths that hold leaders back Resources for this business podcast episode Learn more about Shane Horsburgh: ⁠Fighting Blind (Shane’s book)⁠ ⁠TEDx Talk – Redefining Masculinity (2014)⁠ ⁠LinkedIn: Shane Horsburgh⁠ ⁠Ask a question (select the Business podcast)⁠ ⁠ Rask Resources Inflection community All services Financial Planning Invest with us Access Show Notes Ask a question We love feedback! Follow us on social media: Instagram: @rask.invest TikTok: @rask.invest DISCLAIMER: This podcast contains general financial information only. That means the information does not take into account your objectives, financial situation, or needs. Because of that, you should consider if the information is appropriate to you and your needs, before acting on it. If you’re confused about what that means or what your needs are, you should always consult a licensed and trusted financial planner. Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information in this podcast, including any financial, taxation, and/or legal information. Remember, past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance. The Rask Group is NOT a qualified tax accountant, financial (tax) adviser, or financial adviser. Access The Rask Group's Financial Services Guide (FSG): https://www.rask.com.au/fsg Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join Sarah Nolet and Matthew Pryor from Tenacious Ventures as they dive into Australia's booming agtech scene. Sarah, a farm-savvy consultant turned investor, and Matthew, a water tech entrepreneur, reveal the vast potential of Australia's agricultural landscape—covering 55% of land. They discuss their unique OCP framework for deal evaluation and how deep tech innovations, like SwarmFarm's robotics and GoTerra's waste solutions, are revolutionizing farming. Discover why small efficiency gains can mean big returns and learn about their exciting projects shaping the future of agtech!

Thomas Derricott and Wenee Yap, co-authors of "Riding the Unicorn," share their journey through the startup world. They define what makes a unicorn and explore why Australia excels in this space compared to Silicon Valley. The duo introduces a six-stage founder framework to guide aspiring entrepreneurs. They discuss the nuances between startups, small businesses, and side hustles, and Wenee recounts the lessons learned from launching a cat café. Additionally, they highlight the significance of storytelling and learning from failures in building successful ventures.

In this Australian Business Podcast episode, Jordan Kidis and Danil Goloubev give us an update about what is happening with their business Grey Space Advisory. The trends they are seeing as business owners and the things that they are seeing affecting their clients. Resources for this episode Free community Book in your Meeting Join our Q&A in August Ask a question (select the Business podcast) Rask Resources Inflection community All services Financial Planning Invest with us Access Show Notes Ask a question We love feedback! Follow us on social media: Instagram: @rask.invest TikTok: @rask.invest DISCLAIMER: This podcast contains general financial information only. That means the information does not take into account your objectives, financial situation, or needs. Because of that, you should consider if the information is appropriate to you and your needs, before acting on it. If you’re confused about what that means or what your needs are, you should always consult a licensed and trusted financial planner. Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information in this podcast, including any financial, taxation, and/or legal information. Remember, past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance. The Rask Group is NOT a qualified tax accountant, financial (tax) adviser, or financial adviser. Access The Rask Group's Financial Services Guide (FSG): https://www.rask.com.au/fsg Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of the Australian Business Podcast, host Gemma Mitchell sits down with Ali and Gaby to unpack how they spotted a gap in the market, validated a niche idea, and scaled a trusted investing platform in one of the most regulated industries. If you like this episode, make sure to follow The Australian Business Podcast on Apple, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts. Ali and Gaby Rosenberg from Blossom talk about: – Spotting the gap in Australia’s fixed-income market and validating the demand – Launching a fintech startup during the uncertainty of COVID-19 – How they went from idea to app in under a year – The challenges (and perks) of building a company with your sibling – Funding their startup and finding their first thousand users – The early growth strategies that helped Blossom stand out – The hardest parts of scaling — from compliance to culture – Leadership lessons learned the hard way as young founders – Their advice for anyone dreaming of starting a purpose-driven business Resources for this episode Blossom Ask a question (select the Business or Finance podcast) Rask Resources Inflection community All services Financial Planning Invest with us Access Show Notes Ask a question We love feedback! Follow us on social media: Instagram: @rask.invest TikTok: @rask.invest DISCLAIMER: This podcast contains general financial information only. That means the information does not take into account your objectives, financial situation, or needs. Because of that, you should consider if the information is appropriate to you and your needs, before acting on it. If you’re confused about what that means or what your needs are, you should always consult a licensed and trusted financial planner. Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information in this podcast, including any financial, taxation, and/or legal information. Remember, past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance. The Rask Group is NOT a qualified tax accountant, financial (tax) adviser, or financial adviser. Access The Rask Group's Financial Services Guide (FSG): https://www.rask.com.au/fsg Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this Australian Business Podcast episode, your host Owen Rask sits down with David Gardner (co-founder of The Motley Fool and author of Rule Breaker Investing) to discuss: – Beating the market vs indexing – The “lose to win” philosophy and position sizing – The six traits of rule-breaker companies – Conscious capitalism, purpose and culture If you love learning about growth investing and finding outliers, subscribe to the Australian Business Podcast on ⁠Apple⁠, ⁠Spotify⁠, or ⁠YouTube⁠! Follow us on ⁠Instagram⁠ and ⁠TikTok⁠ for more investing insights. Topics Covered – Beating the market: why David still believes individuals can outperform and why most don’t try – Lose to win: accepting frequent small losses to capture rare, massive winners (Babe Ruth analogy) – Six rule-breaker traits: top dog & first mover, sustainable edge, strong price action, leadership/backers, brand love, and “overvalued” narratives – Final thoughts & how to learn more: AI’s role in research (not a reason to quit stock picking) and making portfolios reflect our best vision for our future Resources for this episode ⁠Ask a question (select the Business podcast)⁠ ⁠Visit TermPlus to learn more⁠ Rask Resources ⁠All services⁠ ⁠Financial Planning⁠ ⁠Invest with us⁠ ⁠Access Show Notes⁠ ⁠Ask a question⁠ ⁠We love feedback!⁠ Follow us on social media: Instagram: ⁠@rask.invest⁠ TikTok: ⁠@rask.invest⁠ DISCLAIMER: This podcast contains general financial information only. That means the information does not take into account your objectives, financial situation, or needs. Because of that, you should consider if the information is appropriate to you and your needs, before acting on it. If you’re confused about what that means or what your needs are, you should always consult a licensed and trusted financial planner. Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information in this podcast, including any financial, taxation, and/or legal information. Remember, past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance. The Rask Group is NOT a qualified tax accountant, financial (tax) adviser, or financial adviser. Access The Rask Group's Financial Services Guide (FSG): ⁠https://www.rask.com.au/fsg Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bubba Pizza makes this podcast better. In this Australian Business Podcast episode, your host Owen Rask, founder of Rask, speaks with Damian Hopper, Managing Director of Bubba Pizza and the marketing wizard behind some of Australia's most viral business videos. If you like this Australian Business Podcast episode on social media marketing and growing a real business, you'll love the series. Don't forget to subscribe for weekly shows on Apple, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts. Topics covered today: – The Bubba Pizza journey – How Bubba leverages social media for growth – TikTok and Instagram hacks – Why going viral isn't always the right strategy for your business – Lessons learned from running a franchise – The truth about food delivery services Chapters (approximate) (00:00) Introduction (10:39) Food Delivery Partners (19:44) Most Viral Video (22:43) Investing Heavily In Social Media (33:15) Organic vs Paid Content (35:28) Logo Origin (36:55) Operating Through Covid (40:12) Interest Rates (45:29) Goals for Bubba Pizza (46:59) Bubba Branding (52:38) Advice for Young Damian Resources for this episode Damian's LinkedIn Bubba on IG Ask a question (select the Retirement podcast) Rask Resources Inflection community All services Financial Planning Invest with us Access Show Notes Ask a question We love feedback! Follow us on social media: Instagram: @rask.invest TikTok: @rask.invest DISCLAIMER: This podcast contains general financial information only. That means the information does not take into account your objectives, financial situation, or needs. Because of that, you should consider if the information is appropriate to you and your needs, before acting on it. If you’re confused about what that means or what your needs are, you should always consult a licensed and trusted financial planner. Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information in this podcast, including any financial, taxation, and/or legal information. Remember, past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance. The Rask Group is NOT a qualified tax accountant, financial (tax) adviser, or financial adviser. Access The Rask Group's Financial Services Guide (FSG): https://www.rask.com.au/fsg Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices