The Pay Off with Sylvia Jeffreys

How do you build a billion-dollar beauty empire based on high-end imitation? For our guest today on The Pay Off, Shelley Sullivan, founder of ModelCo and the explosive mass-market brand MCoBeauty, imitation wasn't just flattery—it was a calculated, brilliant, and controversial marketing strategy. Shelley's journey began with an entrepreneurial spark, launching a modelling agency at 21 before spotting a gap and revolutionising the industry with "tan-in-a-can" and the first heated lash curler.  But it was MCoBeauty, launched in 2016 with a "luxe for less" mandate, that became a massive disruptor, recently valued at over $1 billion. In this conversation, Shelley opens up about the strategic genius and the intense pressure of her business model, her decision to sell her remaining stake in the company and the power of intuition. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Russel Howcroft, an advertising executive and media personality, shares his insights on the challenges facing today's 30-year-olds in Australia. He discusses the financial obstacles young people encounter, from soaring HECS debts to stagnant wages. Russel reflects on Melbourne's cultural decline, the importance of optimism, and how past decades fueled innovation. He encourages parents to nurture creativity in their children and advocates for bold advertising as a means to reshape stories about Australia. His journey through media and insights on entrepreneurship provide listeners with valuable perspectives.

Sometimes life can feel picture perfect – until it doesn’t.  In this episode of The Pay Off, Sylvia sits down with financial advisor, professional wealth coach, and author, Gemma Mitchell, to talk about financially rebuilding from the ground up when inevitable curveballs—like divorce or sudden job loss—get thrown our way. Gemma, who built what looked like the 'perfect life'—the job, the house, the investments—only to have it crumble with a sudden divorce at 28, shares her raw, personal journey and how she’s rewriting her money story. Gemma dives into the simple, non-negotiable steps we should all take right now to kick off our own Money Reset, as detailed in her new book, The Money Reset.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With a successful business history like his, you pretty much afford yourself bragging rights for life.  And yet, Adam Schwab is unbelievably humble when it comes to discussing his entrepreneurial journey, crediting compounding luck, an incredible team and a loyal customer base of 8-million people to his ongoing success.  On this episode of The Pay Off, the Luxury Escapes Co-Founder and co-host of the podcast, ‘The Contrarians’, speaks candidly about his journey through business so far. From a sneaky side hustle in Law School, to subleasing backpacker apartments and eventually, scaling to a luxury travel company, it’s clear Adam’s main passion lies in creating value and delivering on happiness, with a side of impressive profit to go with it.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On a podcast about money, it’s not uncommon to hear about ‘bonds’. We’re taking a slightly different approach… We’re talking about sisterly bonds.  This week’s guests on The Pay Off are sisters and co-founders, Ali & Gaby Rosenberg, whose strong sisterly bond has allowed them to create the successful Fintech company Blossom.  In this episode, Ali & Gaby share the ups and downs of their journey creating a company, the heartfelt reason behind calling the app ‘Blossom’, how they’re helping both people and the planet as well as their advice to future entrepreneurs. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

James Wrigley, a financial advisor and author of *Retire Life Ready*, discusses how to conquer financial anxiety with actionable strategies. He shares insights on the upcoming wealth transfer from baby boomers, the complications of inheritance, and why owning your home is crucial for retirement. Wrigley also highlights the importance of balancing present enjoyment with future savings and gives practical retirement planning advice. His approach shifts the narrative from financial fear to empowerment, making a stress-free future seem attainable.

He’s a man who unashamedly loves dragons, wizards and fairies… But it would be the inner demons which would spark the greatest change in his life.  Luke Bateman is the man making SERIOUS noise on social media, sparking an absolute frenzy across BookTok for his authentic and honest passion for fantasy books.  He’s now running his own company, signed a two book deal and has launched his own podcast, In The Good Books.  It didn’t always look like this though - Luke’s battled depression, addiction and a complete loss of identity. His story is an important one to tell, and he’s joining The Pay Off this week to do exactly that. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

She went from being a banking executive to a Senator determined to fix the system. But is the political fight worth it? On this episode of The Pay Off, Sylvia is joined by Senator Jane Hume, the former financial sector powerhouse who stepped off the corporate ladder and into the Senate.  Her mission? To correct the systemic failures that are costing Australian families—and particularly women—billions. Senator Hume has made recent headlines with the Tackling the Gender Super Gap Bill, a legislative push designed to empower couples to overcome the 'motherhood penalty' through tax-free super splitting. In this episode, she talks about her leap into politics, the motherhood penalty and the current Australian political climate. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Financial freedom is a mindset, not a milestone. Today’s guest is Queenie Tan, the financial guru helping people reframe their relationship with personal finance. Through her platform, ‘Invest with Queenie’ and recently published book ‘The Fun Finance Formula’, Queenie is on a mission to prove your money doesn’t have to be a source of stress or deprivation, and instead, a wealth of opportunity. Growing up, Queenie saw the extremes of both her father's frugality and her mother's belief that money was for enjoying life, which led to a personal struggle with finding balance. Now, her work is guided by the "three Fs"—Foundation, Fun, and Freedom—a framework she uses to help people balance their budgets and lives.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Simple principles to transform your financial habits - that’s what this podcast is all about. It’s also a philosophy our next guest on The Pay Off is sharing with the world. Ben Nash is a financial advisor, best-selling author, and the man behind Pivot Wealth. He’s all about making smart moves with your money, so that you don’t have to sacrifice your lifestyle or give up on your dreams.  In the episode, Ben talks about the 5% rule, investment strategies, the most common questions he receives on social media, the foundations of a good ETF and the risk vs. reward argument around Crypto. Ben’s new book, Virgin Millionaire; the step-by-step guide to your first million and beyond is out now on Amazon|Audiobook. If you want some help with your money and investing, you can book a call with Pivot Wealth here. Disclaimer: The information contained in this episode is general in nature and does not take into account your personal objectives, financial situation or needs. Therefore, you should consider whether the information is appropriate to your circumstances before acting on it, and where appropriate, seek professional advice from a finance professional.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.