In this episode of Founders and Funders, host Ray Yee sits down with Gabriel Bastien-Dietrich, Brand Manager at Nautica Australia. Gabriel shares his journey from the ski slopes north of Montreal to navigating the high-stakes world of international fashion licensing. They dive deep into the mechanics of brand rejuvenation.

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Key Takeaways

• The Licensing Advantage: Discover how licensing (versus distribution) allows the Australian team to design specific silhouettes and sub-brands, like Nautica Competition, specifically for the local market.
• Authenticity Over Aesthetics: Gabriel explains why their most successful campaign was shot authentically on a boat in Sydney Harbour with friends, rather than using "pretty" staged modeling.
• Sustainable Quality: A look at why Nautica Australia prioritizes garment longevity—using 220 GSM Australian cotton—to combat "greenwashing" and ensure clothes last for 15 years.
• Navigating the Retail Crunch: Insights into the shrinking brick-and-mortar landscape and why brands with a "North Star" ethos are the ones that survive economic downturns.

Founder Lessons

• Stay a "Tourist": Gabriel attributes his ability to seize opportunities to a mindset of constant wonder and openness.
• Data-Driven Decisions: Why "Excel is his best friend" and how annual customer surveys provide the subjective feedback necessary to iterate effectively.
• The Originality Mandate: In a small, homogenous market like Australia, being a "copycat" is a fast track to being disposed of by consumers.

Links & Resources

• Nautica Australia: Official Website
• Follow on Instagram: @nauticaaus
• Riverside AI: Our secret weapon for social media clips.
• Industry Reading: Gabriel recommends Inside Retail and Business Insider for staying ahead of market trends.

Host: Ray Yee

Guest: Gabriel Bastien-Dietrich, Brand Manager at Nautica Australia

In this episode of Founders and Funders, we sit down with Connor Luke Van Brown, a designer who transitioned from the high-octane world of professional cycling to the intricate craft of technical fashion. Connor shares the "aha moment" in a team van—watching a Givenchy show just minutes before a race—that led him to trade his bike for a career in design.

We explore his journey through UTS School of Design, the reality of funding a career pivot by selling off his cycling gear, and how he leverages his background in animation and 3D software to create his signature "Resembool" collection.

Named after the hometown in Fullmetal Alchemist, the collection represents a "checkpoint" in his journey. From interning at Song for the Mute to receiving unexpected interest from international buyers in Tokyo and London, Connor discusses what it takes to build a brand in the modern fashion landscape and the meticulous process behind his "beaded pleat" textile manipulations.

• Instagram: @connor.lv.brown
• Latest Collection: "Resembool" (UTS Honors Graduate Collection)

• Professional Background: UCI Continental Team Development
• Industry Experience: Song for the Mute (Sydney)
• Education:

In this episode of Founders and Funders, Ray speaks with Valentin Zhmodikov, a Melbourne-based fashion and portrait photographer originally from St. Petersburg, Russia.

Valentin shares how photography became both a creative outlet and a professional path, and what it really takes to move from hobbyist to working photographer. He talks openly about self-doubt, rejection, and the uncertainty that comes with creative careers, especially during periods like the COVID-19 pandemic.

The conversation explores finding your own visual style, why gear matters far less than consistency, and how personal projects help shape a recognisable creative voice. Valentin also reflects on collaboration, trust between photographer and subject, and the emotional vulnerability involved in portrait work.

This episode is for creators navigating long journeys, imperfect progress, and the challenge of staying committed when results aren’t immediate.

Follow Valentin Zhmodikov
Website: https://www.zhmodikov.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zhmodikov/

In this episode of Founders and Funders, Ray interviews Vick, a passionate photographer whose hobby turned into a profession. Vick shares his journey from growing up in a small town in Indonesia to becoming an international photographer, working with models and brands, and attending Paris Fashion Week. He discusses the challenges and rewards of his career, the importance of social media in building his brand, and his aspirations for the future.

Follow Vick on Instagram:@vickar.adam

Episode Highlights:

• Photography started as a hobby for Vick and became a profession
• Vick’s work in humanitarian projects led him deeper into photography
• Social media played a crucial role in Vick’s career growth
• Vick’s first paid job came through friends and family support
• Working with models and brands expanded Vick’s portfolio
• His international exposure began in Europe, particularly in Holland
• Paris Fashion Week was a pivotal moment in Vick’s career
• Vick emphasizes the importance of trust in photography
• He advises new photographers to take every opportunity, even pro bono
• Communication is key to balancing personal style with client needs

Topics Covered:

• From hobby to profession: Vick’s photography journey
• Capturing moments: Vick’s path to international photography
• The power of social media in building a photography career
• Vick’s journey from Indonesia to Paris Fashion Week
• Trust and communication as keys to success in photography
• Balancing creative style with client expectations
• Building a photography brand through consistency and connection

Quotes from the Episode:

• “Photography is half of my life.”
• “Social media helped me a lot.”
• “Paris Fashion Week was a big opportunity.”
• “Trust is crucial in photography.”
• “Take every opportunity, even pro bono.”
• “Communication is key with clients.”
• “My style is capturing emotion.”
• “Social media connects me with people.”
• “I love capturing memories.”
• “Photography started as a hobby.”

Special thanks:
Special thanks to Society of Wolves for providing the beautiful Oxford shirt worn by Ray in this episode.
Follow them on Instagram:@society.of.wolves

This week on Founders & Funders Australia, Ray sits down with filmmaker and multidisciplinary creative Dale Crawford, founder of Moon Room Films.

Dale grew up in Melbourne surrounded by early computers, robotics, and animation thanks to two programmer parents. From childhood inventions to studying fine arts, screenwriting, and philosophy simultaneously, his early life set the foundation for a career that spans fashion design, independent film, and deep historical storytelling.

Ray and Dale explore the extraordinary Chinese-Australian history that inspired Dale’s decades-long research project, including secret societies on the Bendigo goldfields, clan wars, and the origins of Australia’s oldest Imperial Dragon. Dale shares why he closed a fashion label invited to New York Fashion Week to pursue filmmaking, and how acting and modelling became tools to study film sets from the inside and reinvest into his creative work.

They also dive into the reality of producing independent films: building teams, sustaining multi-year projects, navigating distribution, and shaping meaningful work in a fast-content world. The discussion moves from TikTok attention loops to the “paradox of purpose,” and why creative people must learn to consume less and make more.

If you’re a founder, creative, or someone navigating long-term meaningful work, this episode will resonate deeply.

In this episode, Dale shares:

• Growing up with early computers, robots, and stop-motion animation
• Childhood plans to invent an electromagnet motor and build a “perma jungle”
• Studying fine arts, screenwriting, and philosophy across three universities
• Building a made-to-measure fashion label later invited to New York Fashion Week
• Closing the label to focus on filmmaking
• 16+ years researching Chinese secret societies in Australia
• The story behind the Imperial Dragon and the Bendigo goldfields
• How a stolen script pushed him to start his own production company
• Using acting and modelling gigs to learn filmmaking and fund projects
• The 10-year journey from writing to releasing his feature film Lilith
• How rapid media consumption affects our emotional processing
• Why creators need to bring “nutritious work” into an oversaturated world
• The paradox of purpose — why achieving goals can erase meaning
• Why aspiring filmmakers must start small, iterate, and learn by doing

Where to watch

Lilith

• Australia: Vimeo On Demand
• North America: Fandango

Connect with Dale

• Instagram: @moonroomfilms
• Film company: Moon Room Films

This week on Founders and Funders Australia, Ray sits down with sculptor and model Chi, whose life has taken her from childhood in Vietnam to exhibiting at the NGV and building a new life in Australia.

Chi shares how her parents, raised during the Vietnam War with almost no resources, fought to give their daughters an international education. She talks about teaching herself English through Disney Channel, moving to Australia to study sculpture, and what it means to carry her family’s history, privilege and sacrifice into her creative practice.

In the second half of the conversation, Chi opens up about surviving an abusive relationship while on a partner visa, navigating court, and finding a legal path to stay in Australia without her abuser. She explains how trauma shut down her creativity, how modeling and community helped her rebuild, and why her work now centres on resilience, the human body and the full spectrum of the human experience.

Chi also talks about:

• Getting into a “flow state” with sculpture and why process matters more than prestige
• Showing work at NGV and integrating sculpture, light and space
• Her upcoming human-form homewares brand, including an incense holder cast from a human ear
• The immigrant mindset, hustle culture and why no one is truly “self-made”
• Practical advice for young artists on building skills, using uni resources and the power of networking

If you’re an immigrant, creative, or anyone rebuilding after a hard season, this one will land deep.

Follow Chi on Instagram: @lc_trinh

When Jude moved from Singapore to Melbourne as a teenager, fashion wasn’t the obvious path. After studying fine arts, serving two years in Singapore’s military, and starting over, he found his creative calling — designing clothes that reflect personality, playfulness, and purpose.

In this episode, Jude shares how he built Design by Jude from scratch — beginning with a single sewing machine, small design markets, and a couple of small loans — to growing into a permanent Fitzroy store and recognition on the Melbourne Fashion Festival main stage.

We talk about:

• How discipline from military life shaped his creative process
• The reality of starting a fashion label without investors — and growing slowly, on purpose
• Finding and understanding your first customers at design markets
• Keeping production local and ethical in Australia, using small runs and deadstock fabrics
• Why starting small can be your greatest advantage

Design by Jude is proudly made in Melbourne using locally produced and ethically sourced materials. If you’re in town, visit the store at 252 Johnston Street, Fitzroy — or explore the latest collections online at designbyjude.com. You can also find Jude on Instagram and Facebook @designbyjude.

Tune in to hear how passion, persistence, and purpose built one of Melbourne’s most beloved independent fashion labels.

In this episode of Founders and Funders Australia, Ray sits down with Louis — an actor, model, and photographer whose creative journey spans continents and industries. From moving to Australia as a child and navigating cultural shifts, to signing with one of the top acting agencies in the country and walking the runway at Melbourne Fashion Week, Louis shares a story of resilience, belonging, and artistic growth.

Louis opens up about his early experiences in drama school, overcoming cultural barriers, finding his creative voice, and breaking into the acting and modeling industries. He discusses the pivotal moment he signed with Morrissey Agency, how photography became a way to reclaim his image, and why self-acceptance was the biggest transformation of all.

We also dive into:

• ​How to secure your first acting agent — even as a teen
• ​Why vulnerability is essential for acting and modeling
• ​How TFP shoots helped Louis build his modeling portfolio
• ​The reality behind agency representation and runway work
• ​Why your mirror image isn’t the real you — and how to train your perception

This episode is perfect for aspiring actors, models, and creatives who want an honest look at breaking into the industry while staying true to yourself.

Follow Louis’ work:

Instagram: @le.studio.photography

Website: lestudiophotography.com.au

Follow Ray: @rayzworld

In this episode of Founders and Funders, host Ray Yee speaks with Karen, founder of The Creative Warehouse. Based in Australia, Karen shares her journey of building a creative business from the ground up, offering insights into entrepreneurship, resilience, and how creativity can fuel business growth.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• How Karen transformed her creative passion into a thriving business.
• The challenges of entrepreneurship in Australia’s creative industry.
• Tips for founders balancing creativity and business strategy.
• Why community and collaboration matter for entrepreneurs.

If you're an aspiring entrepreneur, a creative founder, or simply curious about the Australian startup landscape, this episode is packed with lessons and inspiration.

Connect with Karen at The Creative Warehouse and on Instagram.

Hosted by Ray Yee

In this episode of Founders and Funders Australia, host Ray Yee sits down with Mitch, the driving force behind The Essential, a supplement brand dedicated to transparency and quality. Mitch shares his journey from aspiring athlete to successful entrepreneur, discussing the challenges of navigating the supplement industry and the importance of integrity in product development. Tune in to learn about the evolution of The Essential, the role of education in consumer choices, and Mitch's insights on balancing business growth with personal values. Don't miss this inspiring conversation about passion, perseverance, and the pursuit of excellence.

Find Mitch:

1. Melbourne Fitness and Performance: Follow them on Instagram for updates and more information about their gym activities.

2. The Essential AU: You can find their supplement brand on Instagram or visit their website to explore their products, including whey protein in chocolate and vanilla flavors, and creatine. They also offer sample packs for those interested in trying their products.

This episode is brought to you by Riverside, the platform for studio-quality remote recordings. Use code Ray15 for 15% off your first subscription.

⁠https://riverside.sjv.io/xLR1Wx