Day One®

Bowen Pan’s career is a playbook on turning hidden opportunities into global products. Currently the VP of Product at Common Room (a $52M Series B startup backed by Greylock and Index Ventures), Bowen previously shaped major products at Facebook and Stripe. At Facebook, he discovered latent buying and selling behaviour buried in groups, leading to the creation of Facebook Marketplace, now serving over 500 million people worldwide. Later, at Stripe, Bowen built their apps platform, creating an ecosystem empowering small businesses around the globe.

Bowen’s product philosophy hinges on ruthless curiosity, finding underserved markets, and cultivating teams focused on impact, not visibility. From his formative days at Trade Me in New Zealand, through launching ambitious new verticals at Facebook, to redefining payments at Stripe, Bowen shares how Kiwi generalism laid the foundation for his product-led approach.

In today’s episode, we cover:

• How Bowen uncovered and scaled Facebook Marketplace from a simple SQL query

• Why high-impact, low-visibility projects are career superchargers

• How New Zealand shaped Bowen’s holistic view of product building

• The secret to spotting hidden user behaviour that others overlook

• The skills you should build (and ignore) to be an exceptional product leader

• Why truth-seeking is the greatest career skill of all

• How Common Room is reinventing go-to-market by putting people first

We also explore Bowen’s thoughts on investing in passionate founders, the future of product management amidst AI-driven tools, and how Kiwi companies can better leverage global opportunities.

00:32 Bowen’s journey from Trade Me to Facebook, Stripe, and Common Room

02:27 Spotting hidden opportunities: the power of latent user behaviour

09:45 Building Facebook Marketplace from scratch

21:00 How Bowen validated Marketplace’s potential

28:43 Stripe’s mission and building a platform for SMBs

35:43 What defines excellent product management?

47:26 The future of product leadership in the age of AI

55:18 How New Zealand shaped Bowen’s global career

59:25 Using New Zealand as a global testing ground

01:03:55 Investing philosophy: finding founders with secret insights

Bowen Pan’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bowenpan/

Common Room - Reinventing go-to-market software: https://www.commonroom.io

Georgie Healy speaks with Michelle Gilmore, co-founder of Juno, an AI-driven interviewer built to deeply understand customers without bias. Michelle, a seasoned behavioural researcher, reveals the overlooked importance of thorough customer research, sharing why so many founders avoid it despite its immense value. She explains how Juno overcomes human biases in traditional surveys, enabling businesses of all sizes to access honest, real-time insights previously reserved for companies with large budgets.

Michelle outlines her rigorous approach to building an AI product, rooted in experimentation, continuous validation, and a willingness to venture into uncertainty. She also discusses the challenges and paradoxes of scaling an AI startup, including navigating abundance and staying mission-focused.

Throughout the conversation, Michelle offers candid reflections on her entrepreneurial journey, the reality of running a venture-backed AI company, and why success hinges on deeply understanding human behaviour. She also touches on Juno's thoughtful personality design, balancing neutrality with empathy to capture truthful customer experiences.

01:10 – Introducing Michelle Gilmore and the vision behind Juno

02:19 – Why so many founders fear talking directly to customers

05:00 – When should founders start customer research? (Hint: it's immediately)

07:24 – What does a behavioural research expert actually do?

09:18 – How AI helps overcome human bias in surveys and interviews

13:42 – The hidden dangers of relying on biased data (Michelle shares a shocking story)

16:35 – You've gathered customer data. What's next?

21:07 – How Juno's personality was thoughtfully designed

25:59 – Can AI models really detect human emotions during customer interviews?

34:05 – The hardest part of building an AI product that no one talks about

38:23 – Navigating the tough choices: are there companies Juno wouldn’t work with?

40:35 – Michelle’s view on uncertainty and why founders should embrace it

47:01 – What really keeps a venture-backed founder awake at night

Michelle's email - [email protected]

Michelle's LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellejoygilmore/

Juno – AI-led customer interviews for unbiased insights (https://www.heyjuno.co)

Neo – Michelle's previous channel-agnostic design agency

Weekly Substack: https://georgiehealy.substack.com/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/georginahealy/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/georginahealytech/

In The Blink of AI is part of Day One, the podcast network dedicated to founders, operators & investors.

Sign up to get your weekly insights into the up-and-coming AI startups: https://dayone.fm/newsletter

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Win $2,000 in credits with the Day One Network — take our 2-minute audience survey before 30 June: dayone.fm/survey

Having a clear investment thesis helps you make better decisions, improve your deal flow, and maximise your returns. Cheryl and Maxine break down exactly what an investment thesis is, why it matters, and how to structure one that fits your risk appetite, interests, and long-term goals.

They explore the core elements of an investment thesis, including industry focus, stage, business model, and geography. Plus, they highlight key company criteria investors should consider, from strong founding teams and large market opportunities to traction and defensibility.

Beyond just what to invest in, this episode also covers how to stand out as an investor, build a strong value proposition, and get access to the best deals. They wrap up with an essential discussion on portfolio construction, time horizons, and risk management, so you don’t run out of money before your portfolio has a chance to deliver returns.

If you're looking to sharpen your investing strategy and back better startups with confidence, this episode is a must-listen.

00:00 – Introduction: Why your investment thesis matters

01:49 – Defining an investment thesis: What it is & why it's essential

04:49 – How to break down your thesis into clear categories

05:16 – Industry focus: Verticals, horizontals, and emerging trends

07:05 – Stage focus: Pre-seed, seed, growth—how to pick your sweet spot

08:24 – Business model focus: B2B SaaS, marketplaces, and beyond

10:01 – Geography: The pros and cons of investing locally vs globally

14:29 – Key questions every investor should ask themselves

17:24 – Company-specific criteria: How to create your investment checklist

22:33 – Evaluating market size and growth potential

25:39 – Pain vs pleasure: Investing in painful problems vs unmet desires

29:54 – Unique or niche theses: Second-time founders, alumni networks, and more

33:46 – Access and deal flow: How to attract great opportunities

38:35 – Understanding your personal risk profile & timeline expectations

Angel Academy – Comprehensive angel investing course for Australia & NZ: www.venture.academy

Aussie Angels – Cheryl’s platform for angel investing https://www.aussieangels.com/

Co-Ventures – Maxine’s venture capital firm https://www.coventures.vc/

Deel: Global hiring and payroll can be a headache. Deel brings HR, IT and payroll together in one platform, helping companies including Shopify, Revolut and ElevenLabs scale internationally.

Ready to expand your business?

Build your global team with Deel at deel.com/dayone.

___

Pear Tree: Pear Tree helps Australian and New Zealand founders build high-performing offshore teams without the agency middleman.

As local hiring becomes more expensive and harder to fill, many operators are turning to offshore talent across engineering, development, marketing, accounting and operations at a fraction of local salary costs.

The offshore horror stories you hear usually aren’t a talent problem. They’re the result of outsourcing agencies that overcharge clients while underpaying staff. Pear Tree takes a different approach through a direct, transparent model where your team is paid fairly, fully compliant, and focused entirely on your business.

As part of the Day One community, you’ll receive a free team audit to identify where offshore talent could move the needle in your business, plus 20% off your first hire. Learn more at http://dayone.fm/peartree

To learn more, join our newsletter to be notified of new First Cheque episodes and upcoming shows.

Mentioned in this episode:

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Joel Little is one of the world's top music producers, quietly shaping global hits behind the scenes - from co-writing Lorde’s breakthrough "Royals" to producing massive tracks for artists like Taylor Swift, Imagine Dragons, and Khalid. Despite Grammys, multi-platinum records, and billions of streams, Joel remains remarkably down-to-earth, bringing a uniquely Kiwi sensibility to Hollywood and beyond.

In this special live episode, Joel flips roles with early Trade Me engineer and investor Rowan Simpson, uncovering the striking similarities between creating hit songs and building startups. They dive into the art of discovering and shaping raw talent, how Kiwi humility can be a secret weapon (and sometimes a weakness), and the critical role that producers, mentors, and early supporters play in global success stories.

In today’s episode, we cover:

• Joel’s wild ride from recording Royals in two days to topping global charts, winning Grammys, and producing some of the decade’s biggest songs

• What music producers actually do, and why creative collaboration often feels like therapy

• Why Joel sold his song catalogue (and how that’s like a startup “exit”)

• The parallels between startups and music: from finding product-market fit, to pivoting when something’s not working, to knowing how to scale authentically

• How Kiwi humility can be both a superpower and a stumbling block on the world stage

• The backstory of Joel’s non-profit Big Fan, building studios and stages for the next generation of Kiwi artists

We also hear about Joel’s own personal growth, from musician in Goodnight Nurse to world-renowned producer, and Rowan’s perspective from the early days of Trade Me and Xero, reflecting on how creativity and business blend in unexpected ways.

00:00 Intro

01:19 Meet Joel Little: Grammy-winning Kiwi producer behind Royals, Taylor Swift, Khalid, and more

03:07 What does a producer actually do? Joel breaks down his creative process

10:22 The making of Royals: how a song recorded in two days became a global hit

15:58 Life after Royals: from struggling musician to Grammy-winning producer

19:08 Working with global superstars: Imagine Dragons, Khalid, Taylor Swift

22:04 How Joel avoided the classic rockstar pitfalls (and stayed authentically Kiwi)

23:12 Why Kiwi humility is both Joel’s secret weapon and greatest challenge

28:00 Early days at Trade Me - Rowan shares his journey from scrappy startup to Kiwi tech icon

30:16 What Joel looks for in creative collaborators—and how startups can learn from his approach

42:12 Selling his catalogue: Joel’s version of a startup “exit”

46:30 Big Fan: Joel’s nonprofit building studios and stages for the next generation of artists

Joel Little’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamjoellittle

Rowan Simpson's Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rowansimpson/

Big Fan – Joel’s nonprofit for emerging Kiwi artists: https://bigfan.co.nz

Royals by Lorde (Grammy-winning single produced by Joel Little): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nlcIKh6sBtc

Young Dumb & Broke by Khalid (Joel’s biggest streaming hit): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPfJnp1guPc

Georgie Healy goes solo to address listeners' burning questions about AI's impact on jobs, careers, and the future of work. Drawing on insights from previous podcast guests, Georgie explores which jobs AI will transform, how professionals can adapt, and why emotional intelligence might be our greatest advantage. She also shares her personal journey, from chemical engineering to running Google's AI accelerator, offering actionable advice to stay competitive and fulfilled in an AI-driven world.

00:00 – Georgie's first solo episode & her unconventional career journey

02:18 – Will AI take your job? Georgie's candid take

03:29 – Jobs most likely impacted by AI (hint: intuition matters!)

06:00 – Is AI really an existential risk? Georgie addresses fears & myths

08:03 – Companies making waves in AI (and why it matters)

10:03 – AI tools and skills YOU should be mastering right now

12:53 – The best strategies for upskilling (practical tips!)

13:11 – Georgie's personal career bet: why she's doubling down on her strengths

15:11 – Final advice: Leveraging AI to empower your career (with a memorable quote!)

Georgie’s Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/georginahealy/

Georgie’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/georgina_healy/

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In this episode of the NewyTechPeople podcast, James sits down with Adam Ingles, a fractional CFO and Director at Quick:Ratio, who works with technology startups. Adam shares his experience in the tech industry and explains the benefits of fractional CFO roles for early-stage startups. He breaks down when companies should bring in finance expertise, the current fundraising landscape, and the key elements of a strong pitch deck.

Adam also offers advice on funding options, the challenges faced by Newcastle-based startups, and what he looks for when choosing to work with a company. Plus, he covers work-life balance in fractional roles, essential hires for growing startups, and the best resources for founders.

Whether you’re a tech professional, a startup founder, or simply interested in the financial side of scaling a tech company, this episode is packed with valuable insights.

Cole Cornford speaks with Kat McCrabb, founder of Flame Tree Cyber, about navigating cybersecurity compliance and risk, particularly within education, government, and mission-driven organisations. Kat shares insights from her experience in federal government and as CISO at Brisbane Catholic Education, highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of compliance frameworks like Australia's Essential Eight and MITRE ATT&CK. The conversation covers how to effectively communicate cyber risks to stakeholders, align security with organisational priorities, and why prevention beats incident response every time. Kat also discusses strategies for meaningful conversations around funding and shares her perspective on the evolving landscape of security in the age of SaaS and cloud technologies.

00:59 - Kat’s background and founding Flame Tree Cyber

03:10 - Defining mission-driven organisations

04:29 - Challenges of prescriptive compliance frameworks (ISM, Essential Eight, DISP)

05:41 - Compliance vs meaningful security improvement

06:51 - How threat modelling with MITRE ATT&CK helps allocate resources

07:35 - Balancing foundational cybersecurity and advanced threat intelligence

08:52 - Incident response and the value of understanding threat actors

11:46 - Allocating budget and demonstrating security value to executives

16:31 - How to effectively request security funding from the board

20:00 - Relevance of Essential Eight in modern SaaS environments

29:21 - Kat’s role with AISA and building the cybersecurity community in Queensland

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Call for Feedback

Kathryn Zealand founded Skip to help people stay active and independent through aging and injury, inspired by her grandmother’s painful fall and the inadequate technology available at the time. Skip's flagship product, the MoGo, is an innovative, lightweight robotic exoskeleton that acts like an e-bike for walking, offering just the right amount of assistance, whether hiking up mountains or standing from a chair.

Kathryn brings her unique perspective as a physicist-turned-founder and former project lead at Google X, Alphabet’s moonshot factory, where she learned the art of rapid prototyping and building breakthrough technologies. In this conversation, Kathryn shares Skip’s journey from idea to hardware startup, the nuances of building consumer robotics, navigating FDA approval, and tackling the manufacturing challenge of moving from prototype to scale.

In today’s episode, we cover:

• How a personal mission became a company, and why mobility impacts mental health as much as physical well-being

• What Skip’s MoGo exoskeleton is and how it empowers people to reclaim active lives

• Behind the scenes at Google X: spinning out projects, rapid prototyping, and taking big bets

• Navigating the complex hardware funding landscape: equity, grants, pre-orders, and venture debt

• The art and science of robotic mobility: why understanding user intent matters

• Why Skip chose outdoor brands like Arc'teryx as their first partners, and what’s next in consumer robotics

• The skills Kat had to learn (and unlearn) to become a successful CEO and founder

We also talk about Kat’s unconventional career path, from astrophysics to humanitarian law to deep-tech entrepreneurship, and her advice to aspiring founders looking to change the world with impactful technology.

00:41 Meet Kat Zealand: Founder, physicist, and former Googler making robotic exoskeletons

02:07 How a grandmother’s fall became Skip’s origin story

03:32 Introducing MoGo: “An e-bike for walking”

05:11 Why mobility technology impacts mental health and quality of life

07:50 Partnering with Arc'teryx: From mountain trails to everyday use

08:44 Preparing to scale: From 50 handcrafted prototypes to 10,000 units

10:23 Navigating FDA approval and the medical vs consumer hardware divide

12:53 The robotics software challenge: Predicting user intent accurately

15:58 Behind the scenes at Google X: How Alphabet’s moonshot factory works

22:34 Spinning out from Alphabet: Lessons from Skip’s journey

24:00 Funding hardware startups: Venture capital, non-dilutive grants, and customer pre-orders

34:37 Leadership lessons Kat had to unlearn as a Kiwi CEO in Silicon Valley

Kathryn Zealand’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathryn-zealand/

Skip website and MoGo rentals & pre-orders: https://www.skipwithjoy.com

Google X (Alphabet’s moonshot factory): https://x.company

Founders, Inc – SF-based startup community: https://f.inc

AI isn't just assisting game developers; it's changing how games are fundamentally experienced. Marty Burgess, CEO and co-founder of Lightning Forge Games (LFG), explores the game-changing (literally!) potential of AI agents that seamlessly replace players during internet outages, replicate pro gamers, and even play on your behalf. He reveals how LFG's AI-driven gaming tools aren't just for internal use, they're opening up a SaaS platform, Saturn AI, to share these innovations across the industry.

Marty explains the concept of "perfect game balance" and "dynamic worlds," detailing how AI can deliver tailored gaming experiences suited precisely to individual players. He shares his personal gaming inspirations, from childhood favourites to the current landscape of hyper-personalised, always-evolving gameplay. Marty and Georgie also discuss the importance of making games as fun to watch as they are to play, why AI can transform traditional storytelling in gaming, and the challenges of managing high compute costs.

Throughout the conversation, Marty emphasises inclusivity in gaming, celebrates the diverse gaming community, and discusses the upcoming showcase of LFG's flagship title, Gladiator Mayhem, at the Game Developers Conference.

00:00 – Replacing disconnected gamers seamlessly with AI agents

01:32 – Introduction to Marty Burgess, CEO of Lightning Forge Games (LFG)

02:33 – Marty shares the inspiration behind his passion: Sid Meier's Pirates

04:58 – How LFG uses AI at the core of gaming experiences

07:24 – AI agents playing on your behalf: revolutionary or controversial?

09:04 – Filling multiplayer matches instantly using AI-driven agents

12:10 – What exactly is "perfect game balance"?

14:39 – Using AI to process massive amounts of game data effectively

19:22 – Can AI help non-gamers discover a love for gaming?

25:00 – How AI could make interactive fiction hyper-personalised

29:02 – Understanding the concept of a "dynamic world" in gaming

34:01 – AI playing Pokémon & Mario: Is it a good indicator of AI's potential?

37:00 – Will people actually enjoy watching AI play games?

39:05 – Lightning Forge Games announces its flagship title, Gladiator Mayhem

40:53 – Rapid-fire Q&A: Marty names gaming’s GOAT (sort of!)

43:21 – Marty’s passionate take on the best age to get into gaming

45:10 – Hiring dilemma: Choose between an AI expert or an avid gamer?

47:58 – Marty’s shout-out: How listeners can support Lightning Forge Games

Marty’s Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/marty-burgess/

Lightning Forge Games (LFG) – AI and blockchain-powered gaming studio - https://lightningforge.games/

Saturn AI – LFG’s upcoming SaaS product bringing AI agents to all game developers

Game Developers Conference (GDC) – Premier professional event in gaming - https://gdconf.com/

Weekly Substack: https://georgiehealy.substack.com/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/georginahealy/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/georginahealytech/

In The Blink of AI is part of Day One, the podcast network dedicated to founders, operators & investors.

Sign up to get your weekly insights into the up-and-coming AI startups: https://dayone.fm/newsletter

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Win $2,000 in credits with the Day One Network — take our 2-minute audience survey before 30 June: dayone.fm/survey

Understanding how to invest in startups requires more than just writing a cheque. Cheryl and Maxine break down the legal structures behind startup investing, covering SAFE notes, convertible notes, and priced rounds. Whether you're a seasoned investor or just starting out, this episode unpacks the key terms, investor-friendly vs. founder-friendly clauses, and the risks involved.

They discuss the evolution of SAFEs, why they've become the dominant structure in early-stage funding, and the critical differences between pre-money and post-money SAFEs. Plus, they explore the role of pro-rata rights, most favoured nation (MFN) clauses, and side letters—so you don’t get caught off guard in your next deal.

If you’ve ever wondered how to protect your equity position, when to push back on certain terms, or what legal documents you’ll actually be signing, this episode is your investor cheat sheet.

00:00 – Why startup investment structures matter

01:45 – SAFE notes, convertible notes, and priced rounds explained

03:47 – How founders raise money: equity vs. debt

06:21 – The documents you’ll sign in a priced round

10:22 – Do startups need a constitution? Red flags to watch for

14:29 – Side letters: What are they, and should you be worried?

19:08 – Pro-rata rights & why they matter for investors

22:23 – Most Favoured Nation (MFN) clauses explained

30:27 – Pre-money vs. post-money SAFEs: Which one is better?

38:03 – Why valuation caps and discounts can be a double-edged sword

43:53 – Investor-friendly vs. founder-friendly terms: What’s fair?

- A Deep Dive into ECIS, ESVCLP, and Investment Strategies - https://open.spotify.com/episode/1Agiu4dskF53m6DBZgXitD?si=KFeAlY_wTjSwOWfRMiiQFA

- Angel Academy – The most comprehensive angel investing course for Australia & NZ: www.venture.academy

- Aussie Angels – Cheryl’s platform for angel investing https://www.aussieangels.com/

- Co-Ventures – Maxine’s venture capital firm https://www.coventures.vc/

Deel: Global hiring and payroll can be a headache. Deel brings HR, IT and payroll together in one platform, helping companies including Shopify, Revolut and ElevenLabs scale internationally.

Ready to expand your business?

Build your global team with Deel at deel.com/dayone.

___

Pear Tree: Pear Tree helps Australian and New Zealand founders build high-performing offshore teams without the agency middleman.

As local hiring becomes more expensive and harder to fill, many operators are turning to offshore talent across engineering, development, marketing, accounting and operations at a fraction of local salary costs.

The offshore horror stories you hear usually aren’t a talent problem. They’re the result of outsourcing agencies that overcharge clients while underpaying staff. Pear Tree takes a different approach through a direct, transparent model where your team is paid fairly, fully compliant, and focused entirely on your business.

As part of the Day One community, you’ll receive a free team audit to identify where offshore talent could move the needle in your business, plus 20% off your first hire. Learn more at http://dayone.fm/peartree

To learn more, join our newsletter to be notified of new First Cheque episodes and upcoming shows.

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