Deals & Reveals

In this episode of Deals & Reveals, we sit down with entrepreneur and business leader Cain Cooke to discuss his latest ventures, the lessons learned throughout his career, and what it takes to build, grow and lead businesses across very different industries.A major focus of the conversation is LEKI, Cain’s electric motorcycle venture. We explore the opportunity Cain saw in the market, how the business has developed, its growth strategy and what the future of electric mobility could look like in Australia.Drawing on senior leadership experience across organisations including Century 21, Boost Juice, Specsavers, CIBO Espresso and Discovery Parks, Cain shares how his approach to leadership, strategy and measuring success has evolved, particularly the differences between running established businesses and building something from the ground up.We also discuss M&A, valuation, due diligence, risk and capital allocation, along with some of the biggest decisions, setbacks and lessons that have shaped Cain's career.Away from the numbers, we get to know Cain the person what motivates him, who has influenced him, what he values outside of business and what continues to drive him today.Find out more about LEKI: https://lekielectric.com/Connect with Cain: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cain-cooke/If you enjoy conversations about business, entrepreneurship, M&A, leadership, investment and building companies, subscribe to Deals & Reveals for more conversations with founders, executives and business leaders.

On this episode of Deals & Reveals, we sit down with Hon Ben Hood MLC to explore his journey from regional South Australian entrepreneur to senior state politician.Ben shares how he co-built creative advertising agency Hello Friday and children's farming and agricultural educational figure, George the Farmer. The conversation explores the realities of growing businesses and balancing family life with professional ambition. We also unpack what drew Ben into politics, how his business experience shapes his approach to leadership and what he believes South Australia needs to strengthen its economy, support small business and create greater opportunities across regional communities.This is an honest conversation about entrepreneurship, public life, and the person behind the politician. To contact Ben: https://saliberal.org.au/team/ben-hoodProudly brought to you by the H.U. Group and Wayville Consulting: https://hugroup.com.au/ Producer: Kieran HookwayHosts: Sam Duluk and Jordon Tomopoulos

On this episode of Deals & Reveals, we sit down with James Kitching to unpack what it looks like to turn a passion for sport into a global career. From working at FIFA to navigating the international sports industry, James shares what happens behind the scenes of one of the biggest organisations in the world and the lessons that come with operating at that level.We dive into the realities of building a career in sport, the sacrifices, the opportunities and the mindset required to carve out a path in a highly competitive global industry. James also shares his journey of founding his own business, bringing that international experience back to Adelaide and how he now thinks about the business of sport from a commercial and strategic lens.This conversation goes beyond sport. It is about backing yourself, taking calculated risks and building something aligned with what genuinely drives you. If you have ever thought about pursuing a passion at a professional level or want insight into how the global sports industry really works, this episode is worth a listen.For listeners wanting to connect with James: https://au.linkedin.com/in/james-kitching

Proudly brought to you by the HU Group: https://hugroup.com.au/ Producer: Kieran HookwayHosts: Jordon Tomopoulos and Brendan Hookway

On this episode of Deals & Reveals, we sit down with Dr Michael Filosi, who successfully bought and sold Fullarton Park Dental. Dr Filosi decided to buy a run down dental clinic and grow it from 2 to 10 chairs, creating unique customer service offerings and successfully selling the business after 10 years to a corporate buyer. We dive into what it actually takes to grow and scale a business, including the systems, culture and leadership to sustain that growth over time. Michael shares insights into building an internal ecosystem that supports performance, investing in the right areas of the business and surrounding himself with the right people. We unpack the exit process in detail, including how to position a business for sale, what buyers are really looking for and how to avoid common mistakes that can impact value at the final stage.Beyond the business itself, Michael’s approach to learning and self development stands out. From reading his height in business books, his journey highlights the importance of continuous improvement and thinking beyond the day-to-day operations.What makes this conversation different is that there is no pitch, no product and nothing being sold. Just an honest conversation with someone who has built, scaled and exited a business and is willing to share exactly what he has learned along the way.If you are building a business, looking to scale or thinking about your long term exit strategy, this is a conversation you will get real value from.For listeners wanting to connect with Dr Filosi: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelfilosi/Proudly brought to you by the HU Group: https://hugroup.com.au/ Producer: Kieran HookwayHosts: Jordon Tomopoulos and Brendan Hookway

In this episode, we’re thrilled to welcome Richard Turner, one of South Australia’s most pioneering business leaders and innovators. Richard is a serial entrepreneur who has founded successful companies across diverse industry sectors. From growing up the youngest of three brothers and working in the beef industry to starting and scaling nationally recognised clean energy business ZEN Energy, Richard explains what it takes to be an entrepreneur in Australia. Richard’s journey spans decades of disruption, reinvention, and growth. Along the way, he has been honoured with multiple accolades including Australian Entrepreneur of the Year (Cleantech), twice South Australian Entrepreneur of the Year, and awards for building some of the fastest-growing companies in Australia. His experience scaling businesses from idea to exit has made him a respected voice in leadership and innovation. In 2022, Richard distilled his years of business experience into his globally published book, The Essential Entrepreneur, a practical, no-nonsense guide on how to start, scale, and sell a successful business. Join us as Richard shares the pivotal stories behind his career, from the early challenges of launching ventures to steering companies through rapid growth. Whether you’re an aspiring founder or an experienced leader, this conversation is full of wisdom and inspiration.For listeners wanting to connect with Richard or sign-up to The Essential Entrepreneur mailing list: https://essentialentrepreneur.com/ Proudly brought to you by the HU Group: https://hugroup.com.au/ Producer: Kieran HookwayHosts: Jordon Tomopoulos and Brendan Hookway

Leigh pulls back the curtain on how he built Adelaide Retaining Walls over 21 years, starting with a truck and an excavator to running one of South Australia’s most recognised retaining wall and fencing companies.

From a $5,000 name change to industry leadership, this episode is a masterclass in building a family trade business the right way. We dive into the early pivots that changed everything; ditching hourly rates for project pricing, betting big on marketing when no one else would, and doubling down during COVID while others pulled back. Leigh shares how meticulous ROI tracking, brand-building, investing in personal development and long-term thinking became his advantage.This is also a raw look at what it takes to run a family business, from working alongside his wife to raising kids around the dinner-table conversations of business, and now welcoming his daughter into the company.We talk leadership, hiring struggles, getting off the tools, managing risk, mentoring future competitors, and the philosophy that underpins it all: “Finding a way.”If you’re in a trade, construction, or any small-to-medium sized Australian business, this episode is worth a listen.

Packed with hard-earned lessons, honest mistakes, and real-world stories.For more on Adelaide Retaining Walls: https://dev.adelaideretainingwalls.co...Proudly brought to you by the HU Group: https://hugroup.com.au/

Producer: Kieran Hookway

Hosts: Jordon Tomopoulos and Brendan Hookway

Understand how a young Australian has built a leading AI recommendation company from the USA.

Tullie Murrell, CEO and cofounder of Shaped.ai talks about his time working in machine learning research at Meta (Facebook and Instagram) in San Francisco and how his experiences are still used today when he is managing the company from New York.

From growing up in regional South Australia and studying computer science at the University of Adelaide to now being the CEO of global tech company, this episode goes into detail about how to raise capital in the US.

Tullie talks about pre-seed rounds and explains how they secured $8 million USD in Series A funding to make AI-powered personalization more accessible for more businesses.

An interesting conversation about what it takes to intern and secure a job at the biggest companies in the world then take the plunge into entrepreneurialship and give up the golden handcuffs offered in big tech.

For more on Shaped.ai: https://www.shaped.ai/

Connect with Tullie: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tullie/

Proudly brought to you by the HU Group: https://hugroup.com.au/

Producer: Kieran Hookway

Hosts: Jordon Tomopoulos and Brendan Hookway