First Act

Luke ‘Cookie’ Cook is on a mission to change how we see and speak about mental health. Since launching his business Cuppa.TV during the pandemic, Cookie has put conversations about mental health and wellbeing on the national agenda. His daily discussions with movers and shakers in the wellness space have delivered a dose of optimism to a nation in need. He joins us to share the inspiration behind the Cuppa brand and how its helped him get through times of struggle too. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

He may be the cofounder of one of Australia’s most successful legal startups, but Tom Willis’s driving purpose is to help businesses be seen. Marketing is his raison d'être and he’s spent over a decade at the forefront of the digital marketing space. As General Assembly’s go-to lecturer for all things marketing, he's taught thousands of students, marketers and business owners the ABCs of the latest digital trends. He joins us today to tell us how he got the marketing bug and why he's so passionate about sharing his wisdom. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Anaita Sarkar knows how to back herself. The serial entrepreneur left behind a career in marketing to found her first brand, Olivia & Co, despite having no experience in fashion or small business. Several years later, horrified by the amount of waste her products were contributing to the planet, Anaita switched tack again to create Hero Packaging. Since launching in 2018, Anaita’s compostable mailer has sold over 15 million units to 40,000 businesses globally. The accidental eco-warrior is now a passionate convert to sustainability and the green economy. Her can-do attitude has taken the startup from strength to strength and provides the perfect fodder for Anaita to deliver small business tips to a legion of 300,000 devoted TikTok followers. Did we mention she’s also the author of the best-selling book Sell Anything Online? She’s here today to take a look back at her career and share some of the highs and lows of being a female founder. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

TV viewers may remember her as the red-jacketed judge on Shark Tank. But long before she landed on TV screens, crushing or uplifting the dreams of the nation’s entrepreneurs, Naomi Simson founded online success story, RedBalloon. From humble beginnings in Naomi’s Balmain backyard, RedBalloon has grown to become a multimillion-dollar enterprise and is just one of the many strings to her bow. Today, Naomi is renowned as one of Australia’s most inspirational business leaders and philanthropists. She has nearly 2.8 million followers on LinkedIn; she’s an accomplished author and has one of the most popular business podcasts in Australia. Plus, she continues to play an active role at BigRedGroup. She joins us today on First Act to dive into the genesis of RedBalloon, why you need to back yourself and how having a singular vision can help you succeed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#nofilter should actually be synonymous with Roxy Jacenko – the PR maven, entrepreneur and influencer is always unabashedly herself. In a world of pretenders, Roxy is the real deal. From founding one of Australia’s most innovative PR agencies to pioneering the influencer movement with the Ministry of Talent to starring in her own reality TV show to taking the world by storm with her daughter Pixie and their brand Pixie’s Bows. Jacenko is all-in, all the time. This has led to a life full of massive highs and lows. In this episode of First Act, Roxy unpacks it all as she battles mental health and addiction issues, breast cancer and infidelity on her road to being a great Aussie success story. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stephen Hunt knows a thing or two about the pub business. He began his journey as a humble dish pig and decades later is the proud owner of the Hunt Hospitality Group, where he employs over 300 people and turns over millions in revenue. If you live in NSW’s Hunter region no doubt you’ve been in one of his many pubs. But how does someone go from dishwasher to pub mogul? Stephen’s is a story of lifelong lessons learned on the job, backed up by business nous and a strong sense of community. It’s a marriage of passion and purpose and one hell of a business journey. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A four-time Olympian and three-time entrepreneur, diving sensation Melissa Wu is as busy in the pool as she is out of it. Juggling training and business is all in a day’s work for Melissa, who was thrust into the spotlight as a teenager when she scored a silver medal at the Commonwealth Games at the ripe old age of 13. The diver then backed it up with a silver medal at the Olympics two years later and has been making a splash off the high board ever since. The founder of three businesses (all with an athletic bent), Melissa Wu is as passionate about business as she is about sport and joins us today to share a little of her journey. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tim Duggan has always been a person with his finger firmly on the pulse of the popular zeitgeist. But his ability to see what’s next is not some kind of crystal ball trickery. Rather it’s born from his boundless creativity, his sense of community and an unfaltering vision and belief in himself. He joins us to share the genesis of his entrepreneurial journey and it’s quite the rollercoaster ride. From journalist to digital publisher to event creator to author and editor at large, Tim’s packed quite a bit into his life to date. Yes, there have been mistakes along the way – like that time he lost $80k in one night when an event he planned didn’t hit its target - but there have been plenty of highs too. Listen in to hear Tim’s First Act… Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Amanda Rose is a force of nature. She’s a serial entrepreneur and a tireless champion of both women in business and her local stomping ground, Western Sydney. Amanda’s a #BossLady with a ‘take no prisoners’ attitude, and her outspokenness makes her a wonderful advocate for Australia’s female founders. She’s a passionate mentor and campaigner for more women in leadership positions and if she sees an issue she’s happy to tackle it head-on. Straight-talking and confident, Amanda joins us on First Act to share the lessons she’s learned in resilience, passion and purpose during her journey to become an uncompromising entrepreneur. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Troy Douglas was just 23 when he and {now} brother-in-law, Drew Bilbe started Nexba – a sugar-free drink brand that has taken Australia by storm. In this episode of First Act, Troy takes us back to where it all began. From selling drinks out of the back of a van in Bondi to opening a cannery with equipment bought off the internet, Troy and Drew have built up Nexba to be one of Australia’s leading sugar-free brands. Troy explains why passion and purpose go hand-in-hand with Nexba's success; what it’s like to be in business with his best mate and how it feels to be a role model for young queer kids with startup aspirations. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jodie Fox was always meant to be a lawyer but the universe had other plans. A chance conversation on a Gold Coast beach led to her abandoning her career to start Shoes of Prey with cofounders Michael Fox and Mike Knapp. Jodie was the face of the business. The brand’s rapid rise to success saw it gain fame as a startup darling and cemented Jodie’s status as one of Australia’s leading entrepreneurs. Then after almost a decade of riding a wave of success, the brand went pear-shaped and Jodie was faced with the heartbreaking decision of closing the doors on a business she has described as “her baby”. In this episode of First Act, Jodie takes a look back at her entrepreneurial journey, explains why she left a career in law and marketing behind to go into business for herself, dives into the genesis of Shoes of Prey, explores the startup’s rise and demise and shares the many learnings she’s had along the way. It’s a raw and emotional story and Jodie never holds back on the details - no matter how painful. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There’s a lot you don’t know about Matty J, arguably Australia’s favourite Bachelor. Well before he was handing out roses, hosting radio shows and podcasts or posting comedy videos to more than 330,000 Instagram followers, Matt 'Matty J' Johnson was that guy having the time of his life working at your local Macca’s. And music festivals. And one “nightmare” job in London that made him question “What am I doing?” We’ve all been there. But not quite like Matty J. On this episode of First Act, Matty J tells Kochie’s Business Builders editors Cec Busby and Adam Bub what he did before The Bachelor, how he founded his own business Pineapple Productions after, and what he’s learned from fiancée Laura Byrne and their two daughters about creativity and business smarts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

First Act is back with a brand new season. Each week, Kochie’s Business Builders editors and co-hosts Cec Busby and Adam Bub talk with some of Australia’s most innovative business owners and personalities and share their inspirational stories and origin tales. From former Bachelor Matty J’s first job to Jodie Fox’s raw insights from the rise and fall of Shoes of Prey, these conversations dig into the trials, tribulations and lightbulb moments behind the veil of success. So listen in each Tuesday for First Act. Because every story has a beginning. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of First Act, Cec Busby chats with Melanie Perkins, the co-founder of online design tool Canva and explores how she brought the idea to fruition, what motivates her and why mentors are so important. See /listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this week's podcast, Cec Busby catches up with Dean Foley, the founder of Australia's first indigenous accelerator program, Barayamal. Foley gives us the nitty-gritty on life as an indigenous entrepreneur, explains what inspires him and why he recommends a stint in the armed forces to anyone uncertain of their career path. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices