Give It A Nudge

In this episode of Give It A Nudge, Steve sits down with David Kenney, the author of Epic Execution. With over three decades of hands-on experience, David has advised the who's who of Australian entrepreneurial fame, supporting tens of thousands of founders from early-stage ideas all the way to NASDAQ listings.David's journey into the mechanics of business began at 18 when he hitchhiked across Sydney to interview CEOs and uncover exactly what drives growth. He spent 28 years as a chartered accounting partner and has refined his sharp pattern recognition through top accelerator programs like Startmate, UNSW Founders, and Tech Ready Women. He explains how his systematic thinking helped early tech startups commercialize their ideas before the ecosystem even really existed. Instead of just delivering standard accounting advice, David focuses on getting People, Product, Promotion, and Profit right.We dive deep into his new book, Epic Execution. It is not a generic roadmap, but a complete Founder Operating System distilled into 24 pragmatic chapters. David spent a year crafting it as a series of tough questions founders need to ask themselves to test reality against their assumptions. He breaks down why pathological optimism can be a founder's biggest asset, but also their downfall if they let ego and the need for social media validation drive their decision-making.Steve and David also trade thoughts on surviving the chaos of the COVID-19 pandemic, the massive shift in commercial real estate with 750,000 square meters of empty office space, and how the rise of AI is forcing companies to be more human-centric. David opens up about his personal operating system too, from mentoring youth startups to his non-negotiable 6:00 AM walks and freezing ocean swims at Shelly Beach.Timestamps:00:00 - Intro and the authenticity of unedited podcasts01:54 - The 28-year accounting career and 30,000 founder meetings05:03 - Commercializing university ideas in the early tech ecosystem07:39 - Why pricing and capital allocation are the true foundations of scale13:08 - Leaving a major partnership to drive deeper advisory impact16:56 - Writing Epic Execution and forcing founders to ask hard questions22:05 - The philosophy that great businesses are bought not sold27:38 - Cash flow mistakes and the reality check loop for founders31:18 - Navigating founder egos and the trap of social media perception37:39 - Advising startups through the chaos of the COVID-19 pandemic46:00 - Empty office buildings and the new era of co-working spaces50:38 - How AI is shifting knowledge work and the value of human connection57:27 - Mentoring youth startups and morning swims at Shelly BeachLinks:Connect with David Kenney → https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidkenneyofficial/Epic Execution → https://www.epicexecution.com/Connect with Steve → https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevegrace/The Nudge Group → https://thenudgegroup.com/Give It A Nudge Podcast → https://www.youtube.com/@giveitanudge/The Trouble With People → https://thetroublewithpeople.substack.com/

In this episode of Give It A Nudge, Steve sits down with Dr. Mariam Martin-Mnatsakanyan, the Founder and CEO of AirLabOne. They talk about the reality of digitizing physical assets for complex, high-risk industries like healthcare, mining, and space exploration. Mariam explains exactly how her embedded technology takes existing legacy machinery and makes it intelligent and self-regulating. This autonomy is crucial for environments that are harsh or completely isolated, like microgravity, where human intervention just isn't possible.Building deep-tech hardware is notoriously hard. Mariam spent over five years bootstrapping the business entirely on her own, without traditional funding. She explains why she deliberately ignored early investors who didn't understand her vision, choosing instead to follow her own structured path. This resilience paid off when she secured a global patent for remotely accessing real and virtual scientific instrumentations, and later won major validation from tech giants at the Select USA Investor Summit. She also walks through her plans to expand into Southern California while waiting on a major grant that could see her technology manufactured in local clean rooms and sent into space.We get into Mariam's personal story, too. She traces her early career as an analytical chemist and pharmacology researcher , from hunting for male contraceptive drugs at the University of Geneva to breast cancer drug discovery at the University of Sydney. She opens up about the exact moment her own frustration with accessing lab equipment sparked the idea for her global collaborative platform. Steve and Mariam also trade thoughts on the loneliness of being a solo founder, the critical importance of industry validation over random advice, and why building new technology that pairs with old equipment is the ultimate sustainable business model.Timestamps:00:00 – Intro: From pharmacology researcher to deep-tech founder02:50 – The origin of AirLabOne: Making legacy machinery intelligent04:53 – Microgravity: Why space is the ultimate test for autonomous tech08:06 – How the frustration of drug discovery sparked a global patent13:03 – The lonely road: 5 years of bootstrapping without co-founders16:24 – Ignoring the noise: Why you shouldn't take advice from outside your industry19:00 – Winning validation at the Select USA Investor Summit23:20 – The pivot to scaling: Expanding to California and raising capital29:56 – Sustainability: Pairing cutting-edge AI with old infrastructure34:11 – Manufacturing locally and the wait for a major space grantLinks:Connect with Mariam → https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariam-martin-mnatsakanyan-phd-4b0310104/AirLabOne → https://airlabone.com/Connect with Steve → https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevegrace/The Nudge Group → https://thenudgegroup.com/Give It A Nudge Podcast → https://www.youtube.com/@giveitanudge/The Trouble With People → https://thetroublewithpeople.substack.com/

In this episode of Give It A Nudge, Steve sits down with Tom, co-founder and CMO of Lawpath. They talk about the reality of scaling a legal tech platform to over 600,000 small businesses. Tom shares a staggering statistic: up to 120,000 new companies are registered in Australia every single month. He explains exactly how Lawpath built a system to capture that massive audience.Starting a business is hard. The standard three-year survival rate sits at a grim 51%. Most founders get completely crushed by the administrative burden of running a company. Tom explains why taking the legal and compliance work off their plates frees them up to actually build their products. This shift has pushed the survival rate of Lawpath users up to 65%. He also walks through their massive $10 million investment from Westpac, and why they doubled down on advertising during the COVID-19 lockdowns while their competitors froze.We get into Tom's personal story, too. He traces his early career from Spritz—a startup that went through a wild $40 million acquisition by Yahoo7—to learning strict brand discipline at Tom Waterhouse. He opens up about the painful jump from being an individual contributor to a scale-up executive. He even admits that the sudden birth of his first child right before Black Friday finally forced him to stop micromanaging his team. Steve and Tom also trade stories about maintaining an 11-year co-founder relationship, and why loyalty always beats cheap pricing in the Australian market.Timestamps:00:00 – Intro: Surviving Spritz’s $40M Yahoo7 acquisition05:47 – Learning strict brand discipline at Tom Waterhouse08:31 – The origin of Lawpath: Fixing the headache of business setups11:48 – Reaching 600,000 customers and the roadmap to 1 million13:51 – How to secure a $10M strategic investment from Westpac16:24 – Why 120,000 Aussies register new businesses every month18:56 – Market quirks: Why Australian clients value loyalty over a cheap price20:39 – The COVID pivot: Doubling ad spend while everyone else panicked26:19 – Leadership realities: How a Black Friday baby cured his micromanaging30:00 – Co-founder survival: 11 years together without imploding37:01 – The 65% survival rate: Why automating the back-office keeps startups aliveLinks:Connect with Tom → https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomwillisweb/Lawpath → https://lawpath.com.au/Connect with Steve → https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevegrace/The Nudge Group → https://thenudgegroup.com/Give It A Nudge Podcast → https://www.youtube.com/@giveitanudge/The Trouble With People → https://thetroublewithpeople.substack.com/

In this episode of Give It A Nudge, Steve sits down with Jacqui Clarke, ex-Deloitte Private Partner and author of Stop Worrying About Money, to talk about the single most important number 95% of people don't know: "What does it cost to open your front door?"With the cost of living skyrocketing and "inheritance impatience" on the rise, financial stress is no longer just for those struggling to make ends meet. Jacqui explains why earning more money rarely solves a spending problem and why even high-net-worth individuals are terrified of their own bank accounts. She breaks down the "Toyota vs. Porsche" mindset trap and why smart women often find themselves financially vulnerable after a divorce.Jacqui shares her background advising Australia’s wealthiest families and the brutal reality of the "ghosts" that come out of the woodwork when you leave a major firm. She also opens up about the "Orphan Club"—losing both parents in six months—and how it reshaped her view on legacy. Together, they prove that financial freedom isn't about how much you make, but about clarity, control, and honest conversations.Timestamps:00:00 – Intro: Steve’s 15-year history with Jacqui02:00 – The "Orphan Club": Losing both parents in 6 months08:00 – The secrecy of money & why families don't talk12:15 – Divorce & financial literacy: Why smart women get stuck17:45 – Leaving Deloitte: Bad leadership & the decision to jump21:30 – The exit: Non-competes and the relief of walking away24:40 – The "Ghosts": When former colleagues circle back30:30 – The Big 4 Model: Why the "magic" is fading36:00 – Writing a bestseller in 12 weeks (The 5am routine)49:15 – The 95% Stat: Knowing the cost to open your front door52:10 – The Toyota vs. Porsche mindset for young adults56:30 – Longevity Risk: Can you afford to live to 100?58:30 – Closing thoughtsLINKSConnect with Jacqui → https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacquiclarke/Stop Worrying about Money → https://www.jacquiclarke.me/stop-worrying-about-money Connect with Steve → https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevegrace/The Nudge Group → https://thenudgegroup.com/Give It A Nudge Podcast → https://www.youtube.com/@giveitanudge/The Trouble With People → https://thetroublewithpeople.substack.com/

In this episode of Give It A Nudge, Steve sits down with Jevon Le Roux (CEO) and Tahir Rauf (CTO), co-founders of Keeyu, to talk about the single most expensive question in e-commerce: "Where's my order?" With 40% of all support tickets relating to delivery status and 56% of customers churning after just one bad post-purchase experience, the stakes have never been higher. Jevon and Tahir explain how they built a system to monitor 28 different failure points across fragmented software systems. This moves the industry from reactive resolution to proactive prevention.The results? A massive 90% reduction in complaints and a 29% drop in workforce costs for their pilot customers.Jevon shares his background in high-pressure retail ops where he saw teams spending half their day manually searching for orders. Tahir breaks down the technical challenge of connecting a "spaghetti stack" of legacy systems. Together, they are proving that while it takes 4 hours to fix a problem, it only takes 1 hour to prevent it.Timestamps:00:00 – Intro: The 56% Churn Stat & The Where’s My Order Nightmare01:58 – Jevon & Tahir’s background: From Fintech & Retail to Founders06:58 – The Problem: 28 failure points across 8 different systems08:35 – How Keeyu Works: Moving from Reactive to Proactive12:00 – The “4 Hours vs 1 Hour” Efficiency Rule15:15 – It Can’t Be Done: Tackling the integration spaghetti18:15 – The Pilot Results: 90% less complaints, 29% lower costs21:00 – Raising Capital & The Plug-and-Play Architecture34:00 – Steve’s horror story (and why manual support is dying)38:15 – Services as Software: Redefining the industry standard40:00 – The Founder Dynamic: Why Jevon said “I’m in” in one second42:50 – Closing thoughtsLinks:Connect with Jevon → https://www.linkedin.com/in/jevonleroux/Connect with Tahir → https://www.linkedin.com/in/tahirrauf/Keeyu → https://www.keeyu.com/Connect with Steve → https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevegrace/The Nudge Group → https://thenudgegroup.com/Give It A Nudge Podcast → https://www.youtube.com/@giveitanudge/The Trouble With People → https://thetroublewithpeople.substack.com/

In this episode of Give It A Nudge, Steve sits down with Crystal McGregor, General Manager at Tech Ready Women Academy, to talk about what it really takes to help more women start, grow, and fund businesses — and why the investment numbers still don’t reflect the performance data.Crystal shares a career path that starts in local government in Central Queensland (building skateparks, pools, and community programs), then moves into entrepreneurship through an 18-year consulting business, and eventually into the startup world via a fashion-tech company where she raised funding (including a friends-and-family round) and learned, in her words, by “making every mistake possible.”Now, she’s focused on scaling Tech Ready Women’s impact nationally after the business’s acquisition by Scolari, helping founders build traction, revenue, and confidence — without drowning in contradictory advice.In this episode, we cover:Crystal’s move from government to entrepreneurship — and why she “got sick of saying no.”The youth entrepreneurship program that taught teens how to problem-solve (including twins who learned to read using audiobooks + physical books).Raising a friends-and-family round ($100k) — how those conversations actually happen.Why VC data says “invest in women” and the market still doesn’t follow it.How AI is changing the game for non-technical founders.Tech Ready Women’s three-step pathway: Ideation → Customers → Investment Readiness.The “1 to 1000 customers” sprints — and founders making their first sales fast (e.g., $300 in 24 hours).The worst advice founders hear: “Take every piece of advice.”Timestamps:00:00 – Intro: Why this topic still isn’t shifting fast enough00:52 – Crystal’s start in local government (sport & recreation)03:20 – Leaving government + building an 18-year consulting business04:30 – Youth entrepreneurship program: how it worked + the outcomes08:52 – Fashion-tech startup: virtual try-on, grants, angels, and reality10:33 – Friends-and-family round: how they raised $100k11:25 – “We made every mistake possible” + lessons from the experience13:00 – Tech Ready Women + the Scolari acquisition15:10 – Has the environment changed for women founders?16:14 – Why the VC model doesn’t match the data17:18 – AI and the rise of the non-technical founder22:14 – Program breakdown: Female Founders Startup Program24:19 – “1 to 1000 customers” sprints + first sales momentum26:38 – Investment Ready program (5 months) + capital options beyond VC31:12 – Free resources, scholarships, and low-cost options32:55 – Worst advice founders get: “Take every piece of advice”33:23 – Closing thoughtsLINKSConnect with Crystal → https://www.linkedin.com/in/crystal-mcgregor-86201068/Tech Ready Women Academy → https://www.techreadywomen.academy/Connect with Steve → https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevegrace/The Nudge Group → https://thenudgegroup.com/Give It A Nudge Podcast → https://www.youtube.com/@giveitanudge/The Trouble With People → https://thetroublewithpeople.substack.com/

In this episode of Give It A Nudge, Steve finally sits down with Brendan Malone, Managing Director and Group CEO of Raiz Invest (ASX:RZI), after six years of trying to get him on the show!Brendan takes us through his fascinating career journey, transitioning from a traditional background in investment banking (RBS) in London and Asia to owning a pub in Newcastle, and finally leading one of Australia’s most successful FinTechs.They dive deep into the evolution of Raiz (formerly Acorns Australia), managing over $2 billion in funds, and the lessons learned from their expansion into (and withdrawal from) the Asian market. Brendan also discusses the power of "round-ups," the importance of financial literacy, and how Raiz is helping Aussies—and their kids—build wealth during tough economic times.In this episode, we cover:* Brendan’s shift from corporate banking to startup founder.* The "sustainable growth" philosophy vs. burning cash.* The mechanics of Raiz Rewards and reinvesting $10M+ back to users.* Lessons learned from listing on the ASX and expanding into Indonesia & Malaysia.* New features: From Bitcoin allocations to "Jars" for specific savings goals.* How user behavior changes during market volatility (Brexit vs. Trump vs. Now).Timestamps: 00:00 – Intro: Finally getting Brendan on the show02:00 – Brendan’s Background: From Newcastle to Investment Banking in London/Asia05:00 – The pivot: Owning a pub & discovering Acorns06:00 – Launching Acorns Grow in 201609:00 – The strategy of sustainable growth12:00 – Explaining the “Round-Up” technology14:00 – Adding Bitcoin & custom portfolios16:00 – Raiz Rewards: $10M reinvested into user accounts17:00 – Rebranding to Raiz & Listing on the ASX19:00 – The Asian Expansion: Challenges in Indonesia & Malaysia24:00 – Branding consistency & App design30:00 – The power of Dividends & Financial Literacy32:00 – Raiz Kids & Intergenerational wealth35:00 – Data insights: Raiz Jars & saving for haircuts46:00 – How Raiz educates users through market volatility49:00 – What’s next for Raiz?LINKSConnect with Brendan → https://www.linkedin.com/in/brendanmalone/Raiz Invest Australia → https://raizinvest.com.au/Connect with Steve → https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevegrace/The Nudge Group → https://thenudgegroup.com/Give It A Nudge Podcast → https://www.youtube.com/@giveitanudge/The Trouble With People → https://thetroublewithpeople.substack.com/

In this episode of Give It A Nudge, Steve chats with James Sneddon, the founder of Hyphen Health, Australia’s largest network of sexual health and harm minimization telemedicine clinics.James didn’t start in medicine; he started in hospitality. The idea for Hyphen Health was born while owning a café across the street from a GP clinic, watching patients wait hours just to get a simple script. He realized the system was broken, and he built a digital solution to fix it.Steve and James dive deep into the reality of scaling a business in a high-stigma industry. They discuss why doctors are legally refusing to treat steroid users (and why James steps in to help), the "cooking medication for grandma" privacy problem, and how COVID finally forced the public health sector to ditch fax machines and join the 21st century.They also cover the massive shifts in the business—from buying out a co-founder and acquiring competitors to landing a world-first partnership with the public health sector.TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 Intro: Taboo subjects and "Hyphen" Health 00:55 Steroids & Stigma: Why doctors refuse to treat users 02:25 From Hospitality to Healthcare: The "Founder Mindset" 06:10 The Epiphany: Watching the doctor's waiting room from a cafe window 08:40 How COVID killed the fax machine 09:50 Navigating regulatory panic & buying out a co-founder 14:40 "Cooking meds for Grandma": The need for absolute privacy 15:50 The reality of HIV today (vs Diabetes) 20:35 The "Work From Home" impact on testing trends 23:00 Acquiring "Hey Fella" & navigating growth 29:20 The World-First Public Health partnership 33:22 The 84% Statistic: Why you need to get testedQUOTES FROM THIS EPISODE:"HIV has less of an impact on your life now than diabetes.""The same reason you don't see a doctor... You're cooking your medication for the next grandma.""Covid ended the trust. It also encouraged public health to stop in line with fax machines and allow emails to work.""16% of Australians from 16 to 49 have never been tested... So 84% of the population have never been tested."ABOUT JAMES:James Sneddon is the founder of Hyphen Health, a group of digital health brands focused on removing barriers to healthcare. His portfolio includes Stigma Health (sexual health), PrEP Health (HIV prevention), and other harm-minimization platforms.Starting his career as an accountant before building a hospitality empire in Newcastle, James pivoted to health tech to solve the inefficiencies he saw in the traditional medical system. He has since grown Hyphen Health into a profitable, multi-brand ecosystem that is reshaping how Australians access sensitive healthcare.LINKSConnect with James → https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-sneddon-a3a4b52b/Hyphen Health → https://hyphen.health/Connect with Steve → https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevegrace/The Nudge Group → https://thenudgegroup.com/Give It A Nudge Podcast → https://www.youtube.com/@giveitanudge/The Trouble With People → https://thetroublewithpeople.substack.com/

In this episode of Give It A Nudge, Steve chats with Yash Varma, a seasoned tech founder, investor at Empress Capital, and high-performance coach.While Yash has a massive background in tech (founding Spaarks, investing in Tesla and Moderna, and studying AI at Stanford), this conversation is not about code. It is about code for the human body. Steve and Yash dive deep into the concept of Longevity to debate why the "retire at 65" model is broken and why health is officially the new wealth.Yash opens up about the health scare that forced him to stop the "founder grind," the specific habits he uses to optimize his energy (including a live demonstration of a Tony Robbins style state change), and why eating food that "goes off" is actually the secret to living longer.If you are a founder, business leader, or just someone looking to add more life to your years, this is a must-watch.TIMESTAMPS:00:00 Intro: Why we need a "grown-up" conversation about longevity01:18 Defining Longevity: It is about quality of life rather than just years03:55 Why retirement is an outdated concept05:00 State Management: Jumping off bridges with Tony Robbins07:06 LIVE DEMO: Yash teaches Steve the "Power Move" to change energy instantly12:00 The 3 Pillars of Performance: Work, Purpose, and Health16:30 "You can’t do anything if you’re dead": Prioritizing founder health19:00 The Wake-Up Call: Yash’s hospitalization story23:15 Parenting: Why kids do what you do, not what you say25:00 The widening gap between the healthy and unhealthy26:45 AI, Technology, and the "Glasshole" story36:55 The pros and cons of wearable health tech (Whoop, etc.)40:00 Yash’s Sleep Routine: Same time, dark room, and "sleepy tea"46:50 Blue Zones & The "Centenarian Olympics" (Getting up without hands)50:40 Yash’s advice: Move heavy things, eat fresh food, and connect with peopleQUOTES FROM THIS EPISODE:"It's not about living more years, it's about the life in your years.""I prioritize my health over everyone else’s because if I want to give to my family and my business, I can’t do anything if I’m dead.""Health is wealth. You can have as much money as anyone in the world, but without your health, you're on a hollow vision of performance.""People do what you do, not what you say."ABOUT YASH:Yash Varma is a global citizen, tech founder, and high-performance coach. After founding and exiting the global software consultancy Spaarks (with offices in London, Glasgow, and Canberra), Yash shifted his focus to empowering other founders.He is currently a Principal at Empress Capital and an active Angel investor with early stakes in companies like Tesla and Moderna. Beyond business, Yash is a certified high-performance coach, a mentor with Energy Labs, and a dedicated philanthropist leading the Canberra Chapter of Room to Read. He lives by three words: Love, Joy, and Contribute.LINKS:Connect with Yash → https://www.linkedin.com/in/yashvarma/Connect with Steve → https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevegrace/The Nudge Group → https://thenudgegroup.com/Give It A Nudge Podcast → https://www.youtube.com/@giveitanudge/The Trouble With People → https://thetroublewithpeople.substack.com/

In this episode, Steve Grace sits down with Albert Patajo, VP Strategy & Operations at Nexl, to unpack one of the rarest outcomes in Australian tech right now: a local startup hitting Series B, and what it actually takes to get there.Albert shares his non-founder path into the operator seat, from Deloitte to early-stage startups to capital raise advisory, before joining Nexl with one urgent mandate: raise money and build a more capital-efficient business in a market that had tightened overnight. He breaks down why focus beats ambition, how Nexl went deep in the US Northeast instead of trying to launch everywhere, and what changed when top US investors started coming inbound with term sheets.They also dig into the founder-operator partnership: trust, low ego, and working like co-founders without the title. Plus why Albert thinks AI’s biggest immediate impact in legal won’t be the practice of law, but everything around it, relationships, BD, and operations.Timestamps:0:00 – Intro: Nexl and the Series B milestone0:40 – Darwin to Canberra to Sydney (and the culture shock)3:20 – Why consulting is startup training in disguise6:30 – First startup lessons: being employee #6 and doing everything9:15 – Capital raise advisory in the 2020–21 boom10:45 – How Albert met Phil (Nexl’s founder) and why the role existed12:25 – Why Series B is "escape velocity"13:55 – The first six months: raising with limited runway15:30 – Capital efficiency: small bets, incremental hires16:20 – The focus move: winning the US Northeast (not launching the US)18:45 – What Nexl does: relationship-first CRM for law firms20:35 – Inbound term sheets and testing the waters for Series B22:00 – Bringing in the "dream" investor and why it was worth it23:05 – Founder-operator dynamic: low ego, high trust26:55 – Australia as the timezone bridge for US and Europe teams28:50 – Post-Series B: hiring leaders who’ve "seen the movie"33:25 – The big ambition: category leadership and deep penetration35:10 – AI in legal: where it actually changes firms firstLinks:Connect with Albert → https://www.linkedin.com/in/albertpatajo/Connect with Steve → https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevegrace/The Nudge Group → https://thenudgegroup.com/Give It A Nudge Podcast → https://www.youtube.com/@giveitanudge/The Trouble With People → https://thetroublewithpeople.substack.com/

In this episode, Steve Grace sits down with Kevin Lu, founder of Atrium, to unpack the "reverse journey" of leaving a prestigious career in Venture Capital to enter the trenches as a founder. Kevin reveals why he walked away from investing in some of Australia's most successful tech companies to solve a problem that haunted him for years, which was the absolute chaos of managing professional relationships.Kevin breaks down the "Founder Hierarchy" used by top VCs to spot unicorns (and why having a "chip on your shoulder" is the ultimate competitive advantage), the 100-year-old secret from Rockefeller’s Rolodex that inspired his new AI startup, and why he believes constraints rather than massive funding rounds are the true drivers of innovation.Timestamps:0:00 – The “Reverse Journey”: Investor to Founder1:47 – Escaping the “Lawyer Trap” into Tech6:11 – Corporate VC (Reinventure) vs. Pure Play (AirTree)10:07 – The 2021 Funding Craze: “It was nuts”14:10 – The Founder Hierarchy: Why you need a chip on your shoulder22:42 – REVEAL: What is Atrium?25:18 – Rockefeller’s 120,000-card secret30:17 – The joy of co-founding with a sibling33:17 – Why constraints create value (Bootstrapping vs. VC)37:47 – US vs. Australia: Risk appetite and hiring bias40:47 – Where have all the young founders gone?Links: Connect with Kevin → https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-lu-514420112/Connect with Steve → https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevegrace/The Nudge Group → https://thenudgegroup.com/Give It A Nudge Podcast → https://www.youtube.com/@giveitanudge/The Trouble With People → https://thetroublewithpeople.substack.com/

In this episode, Steve Grace sits down with Arjun — founder of inaam — to unpack how a tragic loss of his father's life savings fueled a mission to disrupt the Australian financial system, and why he believes the local VC ecosystem is fundamentally broken due to a crippling lack of risk tolerance.Arjun breaks down the dangerous myth that "impact investing" means sacrificing returns (proving it with a portfolio that outperformed the market), why he famously believes the tagline for Australian venture firms should be "F*ck off," and how he is gamifying financial literacy to help young Australians build wealth without compromising their values.They also dive into:The "Oligopoly" problem: Why having only three major VCs is stifling Australian innovationThe reality of building a fintech as a migrant founder and facing racism on the streets of MelbourneThe irony of being an award-winning innovator who still doesn't qualify for a National Innovation VisaHow inaam combines education with execution to bridge the wealth gapWhy email is a terrible leadership tool and the power of the "Communication Triangle"The "Non-Linear" career path: From investment banking to losing it all, to building a unicorn contenderTimestamps: 0:00 From investment banking to startup founder 6:45 Arriving in Melbourne 3 weeks before lockdown 10:27 The "F*ck Off" critique of Australian VCs 11:04 Why Australia has capital but zero risk tolerance 15:22 The Origin Story: Losing his father's life savings 17:20 Debunking the myth: Impact Investing vs. High Returns 23:30 The reality of racism and the migrant founder experience 28:16 The struggle to get a National Innovation Visa 36:00 Why email kills culture: The Communication Triangle 43:10 How to start investing with just $10Links: inaam → https://www.inaam.me/Connect with Arjun → https://www.linkedin.com/in/arjunagarwal1996/The Nudge Group → https://thenudgegroup.com/Give It A Nudge Podcast → https://www.youtube.com/@giveitanudge/Steve on LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevegrace/The Trouble With People → https://thetroublewithpeople.substack.com/

In this episode, Steve Grace sits down with Mick Liubinskas — founder of Climate Salad — to unpack how a simple newsletter turned into an industry body representing over 800 companies, and why Australia is world-class at inventing technology but historically terrible at commercialising it.Mick breaks down the massive difference between scaling software and industrial hardware, why the real funding gap isn't at the start but in the messy middle, and why he predicts a massive economic tipping point for climate tech in 2027 driven by policy and profit, not just goodwill.They also dive into:- Why Australian corporations refuse to be the "first customer" for local tech- The "Valley of Death" for funding physical infrastructure- Real examples of deep tech: Jet engines running on sewage and infinite thermal batteries- The generational shift from "doing less bad" to "nature first"- How Wright’s Law is driving down the cost of batteries and solar- Why capitalist business models are the fastest way to solve climate problemsTimestamps:0:00 From newsletter to industry body 1:20 The accidental founding of Climate Salad 5:33 Australia’s commercialization crisis 6:37 Why hardware is harder than software 12:14 Capitalism vs. Climate Change 15:53 The investment "Valley of Death"17:54 Jet engines running on sewage 19:33 The Generational Divide: Nature First 26:19 The 2027 Tipping Point Prediction 35:43 Antarctica and the fragility of nature Links:Climate Salad → https://www.climatesalad.com/ Connect with Mick → https://www.linkedin.com/in/mliubinskas/The Nudge Group → https://thenudgegroup.com/Give It A Nudge Podcast → https://www.youtube.com/@giveitanudge/Steve on LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevegrace/The Trouble With People → https://thetroublewithpeople.substack.com/

In this episode, Steve Grace sits down with Tiana Manticos — founder of TX Method — to unpack how her career across airports, QSR franchises, luxury yachts, and global retail brands turned into a repeatable scaling framework now used by founders looking to grow with intention, not chaos.Tiana breaks down the four-part TX Method framework (Truth, Translation, Transmission, Tempo), why founders should stop obsessing over content execution and start with clarity, and how personal brand can create competitive advantage — without trying to be an influencer.They also dive into:What she learned managing 250+ franchise operatorsWhy some brands scale and some burn outThe difference between perception economy and manufactured hypeThe rise of events and in-person connection post-content fatigueHow authenticity creates trust faster than perfectionWhy founders need to build brand before they need itTimestamps:0:21 What TX Method is1:55 The system behind scaling brands4:35 Lessons from franchising and customer behaviour7:48 Trend-chasing vs long-term growth10:55 Moving into the luxury sector and Ahoy Club15:20 Branding founders without turning them into influencers19:02 The Perception Economy explained24:57 Personal brand vs vanity metrics29:21 The TX Method framework33:12 Content, attention, and the role of events38:50 Starting vs perfecting43:40 The reality of becoming a founder47:53 Final advice: Start with truth, not tacticsLinks:TX Method → https://www.txmethod.com/Connect with Tiana → https://www.linkedin.com/in/tiana-manticos/The Nudge Group → https://thenudgegroup.com/Give It A Nudge Podcast → https://www.youtube.com/@giveitanudge/Steve on LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevegrace/The Trouble With People → https://thetroublewithpeople.substack.com/

In this episode, Steve Grace sits down with Paz Pisarski, co-founder of Community Collective, to unpack how a small 17-person meetup in Melbourne grew into a global community spanning 18 countries — without paid marketing, without hype, and without trying to be everything to everyone.Paz breaks down the Niche Cubed framework (profession + location + domain), how Who Not How changed how she makes decisions, and the simple community flywheel that turned early gatherings into an international movement.They also go deep into:Building with members, not for themFocus vs FOMO, and knowing what not to doScholarships and access pathways for community buildersWhy Nigeria unexpectedly became one of their strongest hubsHow music, ritual, and state-shifting practices shape her work and creativityTimestamps:0:00 Opening1:25 What Community Collective is3:08 The first meetup and early traction8:40 The 8-week cohort and 992-person waitlist10:55 Quitting full-time work to build community13:40 Who Community Collective trains and supports15:57 Paz’s background in music & sound19:44 Rituals, brainwaves, and performance29:02 Niche Cubed explained32:10 Focus, prioritisation, and saying “not yet”36:20 Growing to 18 countries40:48 Scholarships and global access43:50 Local leaders, city chapters, and sustainability46:42 Final advice: Start small. Do it with others.Links:Community Collective → https://www.communitycollective.com.au/Connect with Paz → https://www.linkedin.com/in/paz-pisarski/The Nudge Group → https://thenudgegroup.com/The Trouble With People → https://thetroublewithpeople.substack.com/Give It A Nudge Podcast → https://www.youtube.com/@giveitanudge/Steve on LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevegrace/

Host: Steve GraceGuest: Christie Jenkins — 3-sport pro athlete (ex-AUS #1), Managing Director at Techstars Sydney, investor (Athletic Ventures; ex-Blackbird), keynote speaker & performance coach.Christie unpacks how an elite-athlete mindset translates to venture and leadership: covering her leap to the U.S., buying European football clubs, and returning to run Techstars Sydney.What we cover:Packing up life in a week and landing in the U.S. with one introNetworking that compounds (and why Aussies under-index on intros)Building FC32: raising ~US$8M and buying 3 football clubs (Ireland, Austria, Italy)How soccer’s unique player-trading economics workWhat Christie learned meeting ~200 U.S. VC fundsWhy consistency beats “chasing gold medals”Carry 101: how VC incentives really workWhy founders need coaches (belief + trust) as much as athletesInside Techstars Sydney: 565 applications → 12 startups, retreat, mentors, and lifelong supportLinks:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christiejenkins/Newsletter: https://christiejenkins.substack.com/Website: https://www.christiejenkins.com.au/

In this episode of Give It A Nudge, Steve interviews Caitlin Judd, who takes us through her fascinating journey, starting with her roots in Melbourne, where she studied business and media at Monash University. She shares her transformative experience living in Miami, working across marketing, acting, and even selling high-end art, before returning to Melbourne to pursue a corporate marketing career.Feeling unfulfilled, Caitlin made a bold pivot into freelancing, supporting female entrepreneurs and leaders in the wellbeing sector. She discusses the importance of mentorship, coaching, and empowering women in business—particularly in the male-dominated investment world. Caitlin also dives into her podcasting journey with Lady Brains, which became a powerful tool for personal and professional growth, allowing her to build a community of like-minded individuals.Timestamps:00:18 – Meet Caitlin Judd and her journey from Melbourne to Miami01:07 – From corporate marketing to freelancing for women entrepreneurs02:26 – The power of mentorship and coaching women in leadership05:45 – How podcasting with Lady Brains became a tool for growth11:15 – Exploring angel investing and the gender funding gap16:55 – The importance of self-compassion and taking risks in business19:30 – Caitlin’s mission to create meaningful change for women27:00 – What’s next for Caitlin and her future goalsDon't forget to subscribe to Give It A Nudge for more inspiring conversations with founders and industry leaders making an impact!Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/give-it-a-nudge--4623437/support.

In this episode of Give It A Nudge, Steve chats with Tom Waterhouse, a well-known name in Australian bookmaking and online betting. Tom opens up about his fascinating journey, from growing up in a family of bookmakers to launching his own online betting business, TomWaterhouse.com, in 2009. He shares how he went from being an on-course bookie to building a business that grew from 100 to a quarter of a million customers in just 18 months! After selling to William Hill in 2013, Tom became the CEO of William Hill Australia, overseeing a massive $2.5 billion turnover. But Tom wasn’t done yet—he’s now focused on a new adventure: his own venture fund, investing in tech suppliers for the gambling industry. He explains his unique option strategy and how he’s building a global portfolio.Timestamps:00:18 – Meet Tom Waterhouse and a quick intro to his background01:07 – From on-course bookie to launching TomWaterhouse.com02:26 – Growing the online business and selling to William Hill05:45 – Tom’s time as CEO of William Hill Australia11:15 – Starting his venture fund and focusing on gambling tech suppliers16:55 – The option strategy and finding the next big thing19:30 – Diversification and expanding globally27:00 – Why execution is everything when it comes to startup success31:10 – What’s next for Tom and his fundDon't forget to subscribe to Give It A Nudge for more fun and insightful chats with founders and industry leaders shaking things up!Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/give-it-a-nudge--4623437/support.

In this episode of Give It A Nudge, Steve welcomes Rafael Niesten, founder of Proptech Labs, a company revolutionising property management by handling essential back-end services like maintenance, inspections, and invoicing for residential properties. Rafael, a serial entrepreneur, shares his colorful journey, from running a mobile phone business and starting a youth radio station in Perth to tackling the challenges of the property tech space.Timestamps:00:18 – Introduction to Rafael Niesten and Proptech Labs01:07 – Overview of Proptech Labs and its back-end property services02:26 – Rafael’s early ventures: mobile phones and community radio05:45 – From Perth to Sydney: starting over and building new ventures11:15 – Managing a medical IT company through a data breach16:55 – Transition to Proptech Labs and the drive to innovate property management19:30 – Expanding internationally and navigating different markets27:00 – Reflections on resilience and the entrepreneurial journey31:10 – Rafael’s future plans to mentor and give backDon’t forget to subscribe to Give It A Nudge for more fascinating conversations with founders and industry leaders who are making an impact!Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/give-it-a-nudge--4623437/support.

In this episode of Give It A Nudge, Steve sits down with Ben Ford, a fintech expert who’s been shaping Australia’s fintech landscape for over a decade. Ben shares his journey from corporate roles to becoming a key player in fintech, proptech, and logistics, recounting his early days with industry pioneers like Afterpay and Acorns. Beyond business, Ben opens up about his latest project—the Vanessa Ford Foundation, a new initiative inspired by personal loss and focused on mental health support for high-achieving professionals. Timestamps:00:18 – Introduction to Ben Ford and his fintech journey01:20 – Early days with Afterpay, Acorns, and fintech in Australia06:14 – The evolution of fintech and Ben’s insights on the sector’s future10:03 – Challenges in open banking and new fintech opportunities16:25 – Proptech and logistics: Ben’s latest ventures in tech19:00 – Launching the Vanessa Ford Foundation and its mission23:15 – Remembering Vanessa and the motivation behind the foundation26:00 – Future goals for the foundation and mental health advocacy30:12 – Ben’s thoughts on upcoming tech trends and the next wave of startupsDon’t forget to subscribe to Give It A Nudge for more inspiring conversations with founders and innovators who are making an impact!Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/give-it-a-nudge--4623437/support.