How I Made It

Since she was a little girl, Flavia Tata Nardini was obsessed with space.

The Italian-born rocket scientist began her career at the European Space Agency but moved to Adelaide in her 20s, where she found herself confronted with a lack of industry.

Left with no other choice, she started her own business.

On this week's episode of How I Made It, Rich List editor Yolanda Redrup finds out how the CEO of Fleet Space Technologies reignited Australia’s space industry – and built an $800 million company.

This podcast was sponsored by Telstra.

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Vikas Rambal came to Australia from India on a prospective business trip in 2000. But the project he was looking into was not what it seemed.

It was a moment on his five-day trip that would prove to be pivotal.

On this week’s episode of How I Made It, Rich List editor Yolanda Redrup finds out how a scam and a chance encounter set about the Perdaman Group founder’s dream to build the country’s largest fertiliser plant.

This podcast was sponsored by Telstra.

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Chris Lucas grew up in the world of hospitality, often spending time in his dad’s pub in Geelong.

But it wasn’t until his mid-30s that one of the country’s top restaurateurs entered the industry himself.

On this week’s episode of How I Made It, host Lauren Sams finds out how working at IBM as a sales and marketing executive inspired Lucas to become one of the biggest figures in the hospitality industry.

This podcast was sponsored by Telstra.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Leading Australia’s largest airline is by all accounts a dream job. 

But in 2012, Bruce Buchanan – who was on track to become chief executive of Qantas – walked away from the national carrier. He now runs one of the world’s hottest tech companies: $7.2 billion e-commerce marketing tech firm Rokt.

This week on How I Made It, Rich List editor Yolanda Redrup pulls back the curtain to find out how this former aviation executive built a company that became a giant of the tech world.

This podcast was sponsored by Telstra.

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Trinny Woodall first became a household name as one half of the dynamic duo, Trinny and Susannah.

Together the pair built a career issuing fashion advice to women on their long-running BBC series, What Not to Wear. But at the age of 53 Woodall decided it was time to step out on her own, launching eponymous beauty brand Trinny London.

On this week’s episode of How I Made It, fashion editor Lauren Sams finds out how the former television host became a beauty disruptor standing at the helm of a multimillion-dollar company.

This podcast was sponsored by Telstra.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Growing up on a sheep farm, Matt Jensen has long had an appreciation for natural fibres.

But it was during a stint in London working as a banker that the budding entrepreneur spotted a gap in the menswear market.

On this week’s episode of How I Made It, fashion editor Lauren Sams finds out how the failure of one business led to the success of another – menswear giant MJ Bale.

This podcast was sponsored by Telstra.

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When the co-founder and former chief executive of The Big Group was 21, he had just $500 in his pocket.

Not afraid of risk, Bruce Keebaugh and his wife, Chyka Keebaugh, used it to champion the competitive world of catering and events.

This week on How I Made it, The Australian Financial Review’s Lauren Sams finds out how this hospitality guru came to dominate an industry.

This podcast was sponsored by Telstra.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From the start of high school, Rod Drury was captivated by computing. 

It was a fascination that would go on to create one of the largest ASX-listed tech companies, accounting software giant Xero.

In this week’s episode of How I Made It, The Australian Financial Review Rich List editor Yolanda Redrup finds out how a passion in high school became a $28 billion company.

This podcast was sponsored by Telstra.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jose Bryce Smith came to Australia on holiday. Seven years later, she founded what would become one of the country’s biggest haircare brands.

With products stocked in more than 30,000 salons across 21 countries, Original & Mineral (O&M) is a dominant force in the hair industry.

In this week’s episode of the new season of How I Made It, The Australian Financial Review fashion editor Lauren Sams pulls back the curtain to find out how Bryce Smith built O&M from the ground up.

This podcast was sponsored by Aussie Broadband.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How I Made It is back with new hosts Lauren Sams & Yolanda Redrup. Join us to learn how Australia’s top entrepreneurs built their fortunes and what they learnt along the way.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.