Give It A Nudge

In this episode of Give It A Nudge, Steve Grace chats with Cameron Smith from Take2, a company that provides individuals who have had contact with the justice system a second chance at life through a three-year tech training and employment program. 

Cameron explains how Take2 offers not just technical training but also essential life skills, aiming to break down barriers and create employment pathways for those who have faced significant challenges.

Cameron shares his journey into founding Take2, his background in recruitment, and how witnessing the discrimination faced by people with convictions inspired him to launch the organisation. The conversation dives into the difficulties of getting prisons, funders, and employment partners on board, and the challenges of implementing the program in both New Zealand and now Australia.

Timestamps:
00:00 - Introduction
01:10 - Take2's mission: A second chance for those in the justice system
02:03 - Cameron's background and inspiration for starting Take2
03:30 - Overcoming initial challenges in launching the program
05:00 - The transformative power of employment for marginalised individuals
07:00 - Launching in Australia: Adapting the model for a new market
09:30 - Building employer partnerships and breaking down prejudices
11:15 - Success stories from Take2's graduates
13:00 - How to get involved and support Take2’s mission

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In this episode of Give It A Nudge, Steve sits down with Sophie Hood, founder of Seoul Tonic, to explore her journey of creating a unique health tonic inspired by South Korean traditions. 

Sophie shares her story from starting in consulting and finance to diving into the world of consumer health products. She discusses her fascination with Korean skincare, which led her to discover traditional ingredients that help with alcohol metabolism and liver detoxification.

Timestamps:
01:17 - Quick pitch on Seoul Tonic
01:43 - Sophie's inspiration from South Korea
03:12 - Transition from consulting to Moet Hennessy
04:52 - Experience at Moet Hennessy and Red Bull
06:29 - Starting Seoul Tonic and creating the product
09:59 - Finding the right manufacturer during COVID
13:10 - Distribution challenges and initial marketing
15:59 - Winning Gordon Ramsay’s Food Stars
21:04 - Expansion into international markets
25:35 - Bootstrapping the business and maintaining equity
30:26 - Future plans and new product launch

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In this episode of Give It a Nudge, Steve chats with Alex Kerr (https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-kerr-6599b7197/), the founder of Kumo Study (https://www.kumostudy.com/), a study management tool for students with ADHD and other forms of neurodiversity.

Steve and Alex discuss her journey from university to founding Kumo Study, the unique challenges she faced as a non-tech founder, and how she successfully bootstrapped the business. They also explore Kumo Study's innovative approach to digitising occupational therapy techniques to create an effective learning tool for neurodiverse students.

Timestamps:
00:00 - Introduction and setting the scene
00:18 - Meet Alex Kerr of Kumo Study
01:06 - Quick pitch on Kumo Study and its mission
02:21 - Alex’s background and journey to founding Kumo Study
03:13 - Realising the impact of ADHD on her own study habits
06:29 - Transition from university to startup life
09:18 - Importance of setting up the right study environment
12:30 - Features of Kumo Study: digitising occupational therapy techniques
15:00 - Addressing comorbidities: Dyslexia, Autism, and ADHD
20:21 - Bootstrapping and building Kumo Study
25:35 - Current state and future plans for Kumo Study

This episode is perfect for anyone interested in how technology can support neurodiverse students in their academic journey, and how personal challenges can lead to innovative solutions.

Stay ahead of the curve—subscribe to Give It A Nudge for the latest conversations from top startups, scale-ups, and high-growth companies!


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In this episode of Give It A Nudge, Steve chats with Gabriela Scharf, Founder of Get Cool Brands. Gabriela's fascinating career journey takes centre stage as she shares her experiences moving from Brazil to Australia, working with major brands like Red Bull and WeWork, and eventually finding her passion in purpose-driven initiatives.

Gabriela recounts the challenges of starting anew in Australia, initially working in hospitality before landing marketing roles. Her time at WeWork during COVID shaped her views on the importance of flexibility and community, leading her to focus on building communities and promoting sustainable brands through Get Cool Brands.

Gabriela also discusses her role as an ambassador for the Community Collective, a global network for community managers, and emphasises the value of human interaction and community in a post-COVID world.

Timestamps:
00:18 - Introduction to Gabriela Scharf
01:22 - Moving from Brazil to Australia
03:00 - Early career struggles and transition
06:19 - Working at WeWork during COVID
08:14 - Importance of community and human interaction
11:46 - Founding Get Cool Brands
15:20 - Supporting sustainable brands
18:24 - Ambassador role at Community Collective
21:50 - Future plans and goals

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In this episode of Give It A Nudge, Steve Grace chats with Jessie Hughes, Senior Creative Technologist at Leonardo.Ai, just days after their acquisition by Canva.

Steve and Jessie discuss the groundbreaking features of Leonardo.Ai, a generative AI-powered content creation suite designed to democratize creativity by making high-quality content creation accessible to everyone. 

Jessie shares insights into the company’s rapid growth, innovative tools like real-time canvas doodling and high-resolution upscaling, and the strategic benefits of the Canva acquisition while maintaining Leonardo.Ai's independence.

They also explore Jessie’s unique career path, from her background in interaction design and VR filmmaking to her role in the AI industry, highlighting the importance of adaptability and the transformative potential of AI in various sectors. 

The conversation touches on the future of AI, the balance between technological advancement and human creativity, and the collaborative efforts to ensure AI's positive impact on society.

Timestamps:
00:00 - Introduction
00:18 - Meet Jessie Hughes of Leonardo.Ai
00:36 - Canva's acquisition of Leonardo.Ai
03:30 - Overview of Leonardo.Ai's tools and features
08:23 - Democratizing creativity with AI
12:29 - Jessie's career journey and impact of AI
15:36 - Synergy between Leonardo.Ai and Canva
23:10 - Future of AI and creative industries
27:09 - Navigating rapid technological advancements

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In this episode of Give It A Nudge, Steve chats with Stephen Zilioli, the Founder & CEO of PostLock (https://www.postlock.com.au/), a revolutionary new savings product designed to help aspiring homeowners keep up with runaway property prices.

Steve and Stephen discuss the journey from a stable banking career to founding PostLock, the difficulties of navigating government regulations, and the unique approach PostLock takes in partnering with governments to provide secure, inflation-adjusted returns for home savers. They also explore the significant progress made in the UK, the strategy behind choosing the UK market, and the future plans for expansion and capital raising.

Timestamps:
00:00 - Introduction
00:18 - Meet Stephen Zilioli of PostLock
00:33 - Quick pitch on PostLock and its mission
03:30 - Challenges of saving for home deposits
08:23 - How PostLock works
12:29 - Flexibility and potential exceptions
15:36 - Government partnerships and UK progress
23:10 - Raising capital and ideal investors
27:09 - Surprises and easiest aspects of the journey

Stay ahead of the curve—subscribe to Give It A Nudge for the latest conversations from top startups, scale-ups, and high-growth companies!

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In this very exciting episode of Give It A Nudge, Steve sits down with Dickie, known as "the hype man" for the Australian tech and innovation ecosystem.

Dickie talks about his unique career path, starting from law school and the Territorial Army, moving on to become a Moroccan country specialist in the travel industry, and finally diving into the Australian startup world. He shares his colourful experiences and the impactful roles he's had, highlighting his passion for promoting Australian innovation.

Steve and Dickie discuss his move from Melbourne to Sydney and his impact on the startup community through roles at Startup Victoria and his current project, Tech Australia Advocates. This initiative aims to connect the Australian tech ecosystem with global partners and create a more inclusive community.

Dickie also talks about his dedication to creating meaningful content and fostering innovation. He reveals his long-term dream of becoming a travel writer, telling global innovation stories and linking them to Australia.

Timestamps:
00:18 - Introduction to Dickie, the hype man
01:08 - Dickie's unique career journey
06:19 - Startup experiences in Australia
10:02 - Role at Startup Victoria and Tech Australia Advocates
18:43 - Moving from Melbourne to Sydney
22:00 - Dickie's dedication to content creation and innovation
26:45 - Balancing work-life and avoiding burnout
32:15 - Dickie's long-term dream of becoming a travel writer
36:30 - Importance of diversity and inclusion in tech
40:50 - Final thoughts and future outlook

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In this episode of Give It a Nudge, Steve chats with Melissa Reader, the founder and CEO of Violet (https://www.violet.org.au/), a pioneering virtual care platform dedicated to supporting individuals and their families during the last stage of life. 

Steve and Melissa talk about her shift from consulting to starting Violet, the unique challenges she faced as a non-tech founder in a tech world, and how she successfully bootstrapped the business while keeping control. They also cover Violet’s innovative approach to blending humanity and technology to offer scalable, impactful solutions.

Timestamps:
00:00 - Introduction and setting the scene
00:18 - Meet Melissa Reader of Violet
01:17 - Quick pitch on Violet and its mission
03:12 - Transition from consulting to founding Violet
04:52 - Melissa’s personal story and inspiration behind Violet
06:29 - Building Violet: Combining humanity and technology
09:59 - Overcoming challenges in a non-tech founder journey
13:10 - Distribution challenges and initial marketing strategies
15:59 - Winning support and recognition for Violet’s mission
21:04 - Expansion into international markets and future plans
25:35 - Bootstrapping Violet and maintaining equity
30:26 - Future plans and new product launch

This episode is perfect for anyone interested in how technology can be used to support people during one of the most challenging times in life, and how personal experiences can drive impactful innovation.

Stay ahead of the curve—subscribe to Give It A Nudge for the latest conversations from top startups, scale-ups, and high-growth companies!


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In this episode of Give It A Nudge, Steve talks with Bardia Khalilifar, the Founder of Conicio Advisory.
Bardia shares his journey from the corporate tech world to founding his own consulting firm. Initially working as a programmer and network engineer, he transitioned into sales and partnerships, holding executive roles over a 20-year career. His move from corporate life to entrepreneurship was driven by his desire to apply his skills in a more dynamic environment.

Steve and Bardia discuss the challenges of leaving a stable corporate job for the uncertainty of entrepreneurship. Bardia highlights the importance of building networks and continuous learning to keep up with rapidly evolving technology. He also talks about mentoring interns and the value of understanding market needs to provide tailored consulting services.

Timestamps:
00:00 - Introduction and setting the scene
00:18 - Meet Bardia Khalilifar of Conicio Advisory
02:05 - Founding Conicio Advisory and its mission
06:05 - Bardia’s first client and early successes
12:14 - Building a future vision for Conicio Advisory
14:00 - Challenges of starting a business from scratch
18:25 - Balancing growth and innovation in a consulting firm

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In this episode of Give It A Nudge, Steve is joined by Neelan Sornalingam, a financial advisor passionate about transforming how clients manage and think about their finances. 

During their talk, Neelan explains the importance of having clear, defined life and financial goals before getting into the nuts and bolts of financial planning. He believes that aligning financial strategies with personal dreams, whether those are as straightforward as saving for retirement or as unique as buying an island or starting a bee farm, is crucial.

The conversation also touches on Neelan's insights into personal growth, the benefits of building a strong team around him, and his commitment to continuously improving the services his firm offers. They discuss the broader effects of financial planning, like how it influences lifestyle choices, helps ease financial stress, and the deep satisfaction Neelan gets from making a real difference in his clients' lives. Neelan wraps up by sharing his excitement about the future and his ongoing efforts to make his firm even better.

For more inspiring stories about entrepreneurship, startups, and high-growth businesses, don't forget to subscribe to Give It A Nudge for weekly episodes.


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