
The Mentor with Mark Bouris
Mark Bouris speaks to business owners and entrepreneurs, finding out what makes them tick and their plans for growth. Some business owners are on the way up and enjoying new success, others are at a turning point. Mark digs into their stories and finds out why they set out to create their own path, their challenges and where they go from here. Based on his own personal experiences and learnings, he also passes on his own guidance on how to take their business to the next level.
Latest episodes

Apr 11, 2022 • 55min
#314 Sunroom: The common trait of every great entrepreneur
"If it's not edgy, then why are you doing it? "Michelle Battersby is the co-founder and Chief Marketing Officer at Sunroom - a content and connection platform for women and non-binary creators to make money.After 5 years in the corporate world, at the age of 25 Michelle was introduced to Whitney Wolfe Herd, Bumble’s CEO and Founder and tasked with launching the dating app into Australia. Battersby was ready for her next challenge, taking on the role of CMO at health and wellness app Keep it Cleaner. Join the Facebook Group.Follow Mark Bouris on Instagram, LinkedIn & YouTube. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Apr 4, 2022 • 54min
#313 The DOM: Go your own way in business
Justin Seskin is the CEO and co-founder of The DOM, an online outlet for shopping. Raised by the rag trade, Justin Seskin wants to disrupt the Direct Factory Outlet and take it online.One of the backers of The DOM is Hilton Seskin. He is also Justin's father, known in the industry as part-owner of Rebel Sport during the '90s, founder of Glue Store and responsible for bringing Topshop and JD Sports to Australia. The retail heavyweights Justin and Hilton Seskin join Mark on The Mentor to provide an insight into how a mentor can help shape you as an entrepreneur and serve as a guide in your business. Join the Facebook Group.Follow Mark Bouris on Instagram, LinkedIn & YouTube. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mar 28, 2022 • 51min
#312 LTK Australia: Scaling influence and making everything shoppable
Rey Vakili is the managing director of a three-sided marketplace business, LTK and has been tasked with establishing the Australian arm of the international platform alongside Alyce Tran, founder of Daily Edited. LTK is the largest Influencer Marketing community that gives creators the ability to monetise while also serving the brands and shoppers they engage with on the fashion-tech platform. Rey has positioned herself in pretty exciting places because she gives things a crack. Her first job out of Yale was as the assistant to the editor-in-chief of American VOGUE – Anna Wintour. So what you'll love about my chat with Rey is that more things can happen for you if you choose to embrace the risk in business. Join the Facebook Group.Follow Mark Bouris on Instagram, LinkedIn & YouTube. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mar 21, 2022 • 60min
#311 The Inspired Unemployed: Monetising fun and audience
Increasingly, people prioritise passion over a paycheck, and many gravitate towards the creator economy.Jack Steele and Matt Ford are the charming duos behind The Inspired Unemployed. The dynamic has shot to social media fame and has become a business, attaching with high tier brands, including the GQ, Redbull, Louis Vitton and Vogue. The Inspired Unemployed have released a beer under Better Beer to cushion their rapid rise. The boys are in a unique position to leverage their business, so how will they protect this in the long run?Join the Facebook Group.Follow Mark Bouris on Instagram, LinkedIn & YouTube. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mar 16, 2022 • 45min
#31 0 Bonus: Australia's response to natural crisis is out of date
Within an instant, flash floods have destroyed the thousands of homes that reside along the northeast coast of Australia at the start of 2022. It has become apparent that our country’s response to a natural crisis is not working, and it is in demand of an update. Andrew Constance, former NSW transport minister, running in the marginal seat of Gilmore, witnessed firsthand the savagery of the Black Summer fires during 2019-20. Join the Facebook Group.Follow Mark Bouris on Instagram, LinkedIn & YouTube. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mar 14, 2022 • 1h
#309 Dr Cody: Cracking the social media algorithm & making it work for you
People are obsessed with watching Sydney-based chiropractor Dr Cody crack and adjust the necks, backs and hips of people with built-up tension.Cody has a powerful and loyal follower base of 300k on Instagram and three million on TikTok. For this reason, people will travel for hours just to be cracked by him. Mark Bouris and Cody discuss how entrepreneurs can reach up to 1 billion video views online, how to leverage and convert your online presence, and why hustle culture might just be clickbait. Join the Facebook Group.Follow Mark Bouris on Instagram, LinkedIn & YouTube. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mar 7, 2022 • 1h 4min
#308 Linda Goldspink-Lord: Crawling through the darkness
Each of us will experience something in and outside of business life that will feel insurmountable, and the prospect of rebuilding your life is challenging to grasp.But you will always find the breakthrough you never knew existed.Linda Goldspink-Lord is an award-winning small-business owner of Poseidon Equine, an animal gut health company and alcoholic kombucha, Saint and Sinner. Ten years ago, Linda was confronted with one of her most significant challenges: saying goodbye to Molly. But Linda has found a way to rebuild her life that she lives more fully on all levels, with Molly by her side. She shares this in her memoir, Crawling Through The Darkness – a book about hope. ___If you or anyone you know needs help:StandBy — Support After Suicide on 1300 727 247Lifeline on 13 11 14Kids Helpline on 1800 551 800MensLine Australia on 1300 789 978Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467Beyond Blue on 1300 224 636Headspace on 1800 650 890___Join the Facebook Group.Follow Mark Bouris on Instagram, LinkedIn & YouTube. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Feb 28, 2022 • 1h 3min
#307 ACERO: Why celebrities like Rebel Wilson want to be trained by Jono Castano
When comedian Rebel Wilson announced that 2020 would be her year of health and underwent a dramatic body transformation, everyone wanted to know who the hell was her fitness trainer.Jono Castano is the Aussie boy keeping the celebrity bodies ripped, lean, and checked. Beyond this, he co-founded ACERO gym in Sydney with his business partner, Amy Castano and is preparing to launch a fitness app under the ACERO name alongside AFL star Dustin Martin.But how does a guy from western Sydney climb his way through an oversaturated business like PT and train people like Richard Branson, Michael Clarke, Kim Kardashian’s hairstylist?Join the Facebook Group.Follow Mark Bouris on Instagram, LinkedIn & YouTube. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Feb 21, 2022 • 1h 5min
#306 GenieUs: Selling big risk for big reward
Why do we know more about outer space than we do about our own brains?GenieUs is a data science company that is on a mission to utilise the power ofthe human genome to unlock new solutions for neurodegenerative diseases. Matt Keon is the co-founder and CEO of biotech company GenieUs, alongside Sam Brennan PhD with research lead and supported by a world-class advisory board including Alan Robertson PhD, Professor Marcel Dinger PhD, and Dr Masha Strømme PhD. Mark Bouris and Matt Keon discuss the commercialisation of data selling in science, the art of telling the story of an idea and leaning into trend.Join the Facebook Group.Follow Mark Bouris on Instagram, LinkedIn & YouTube. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Feb 14, 2022 • 48min
#305 ModelCo & MCoBeauty: How Shelley Sullivan built one of the fastest growing beauty brands in Australia
ModelCo and MCoBeauty is the fastest-growing beauty brand in Australia and continues to be led by the original founder and CEO, Shelley Sullivan. For 20 plus years, Shelley has been making her way through the beauty industry, shaking up the cosmetic landscape with innovative, trend first products. The brands have attracted the attention of some of the world’s most influential women, including Elle Macpherson, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Hailey Bieber and now Celeste Barber.Mark Bouris and Shelley discuss the key to longevity, how to listen to your key customer base and what it was like partnering with one of the biggest names in fashion history.Join the Facebook Group.Follow Mark Bouris on Instagram, LinkedIn & YouTube. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.