Australia and Western Australia are entering a major defence and shipbuilding boom, but it is happening largely under the radar.

In this episode, Hanif sits down with Fred Bkamdin, National Business Growth Manager-Marine (Defence & Commercial Excellence) at Energy Power Systems Australia and President of Australian Industry & Defence Network WA, to unpack what is really going on inside the industry.

From the scale of investment and long-term pipeline of work, to the urgent demand for skilled workers, Fred shares why this is not a short-term spike, but a sustained shift that will shape Australia's economy for decades.

They explore the realities of defence manufacturing in Australia, the flow-on impact to jobs and infrastructure, and why collaboration, trust, and capability are critical in an industry where the stakes are ultimately about safety and security.

If you want to understand where real opportunity is emerging in Australia right now, this is a conversation worth paying attention to.

🎥Watch the full episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/6xVlkx8ma_k

🔗https://linktr.ee/In_The_Trenches.pod

🔗Connect with Hanif Ibrahim: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hanif-ibrahim-18175a9/

🔗Connect with Fred Bkamdin: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fred-bkamdin-b2b6296/

If you're building something great—hit follow, share the episode, and leave us a review. Powered by The Finance Agency: https://financeagency.com.au/

Recorded at Podwave Studios: https://podwavestudios.au/

In this episode of In the Trenches, Daniel Gradwell returns for a second conversation, almost a year after being the very first guest on the show.

A lot has changed since then and some things have remained the same.

Host Hanif Ibrahim sits back down with Daniel, Economist and Associate Director of Property at ANZ, to unpack what's actually happened in the Australian economy over the past 12 months and what it means heading into 2026.

From unexpected interest rate movements to shifting market sentiment, this conversation cuts through the noise and focuses on what business owners need to understand right now.

🔗https://linktr.ee/In_The_Trenches.pod

🔗Connect with Hanif Ibrahim: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hanif-ibrahim-18175a9/

🔗Connect with Daniel: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-gradwell-47530123/

If you're building something great—hit follow, share the episode, and leave us a review. Powered by The Finance Agency: https://financeagency.com.au/

Recorded at Podwave Studios: https://podwavestudios.au/

Digital exchanges have opened up new opportunities for investors, but they've also created new opportunities for scammers.

In this episode, we sit down with Gabby Lewis, Head of Fraud and Financial Crime at Swyftx, to unpack the fast-evolving world of scams targeting crypto and digital exchange users.

Gabby explains how modern fraudsters combine classic investment scams with sophisticated social engineering tactics. We also discuss some simple steps that users can take to avoid scams and keep your funds secure.

If you use digital exchanges, or are considering entering the space, this episode will give you a clearer understanding of how scams work and the practical steps you can take to stay safe.

🔗https://linktr.ee/In_The_Trenches.pod

🔗Connect with Hanif Ibrahim: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hanif-ibrahim-18175a9/

🔗Connect with Gabby: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gabbyl33/ Website: https://swyftx.com/au/

If you're building something great—hit follow, share the episode, and leave us a review. Powered by The Finance Agency: https://financeagency.com.au/

Recorded at Podwave Studios: https://podwavestudios.au/

Most business owners are sitting on valuable intellectual property and don't even realise it.

In this episode, IP lawyer Juan Perez breaks down how brands like Apple, Nike and even KFC turn intellectual property into serious enterprise value. From trademarks and patents to trade secrets and brand protection, we unpack how IP isn't just legal protection, it's a growth strategy.

If you run a business, this conversation might completely change how you view your brand.

🔗https://linktr.ee/In_The_Trenches.pod

🔗Connect with Hanif Ibrahim: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hanif-ibrahim-18175a9/

🔗Connect with Juan Perez: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juanperezlink/ Website: https://questlegal.com.au/

If you're building something great—hit follow, share the episode, and leave us a review. Powered by The Finance Agency: https://financeagency.com.au/

Recorded at Podwave Studios: https://podwavestudios.au/

Frank Moscow was there near the beginning, when Silicon Valley was hardware, software was an afterthought, and computer engineering was conducted with punch cards.

Over four decades, he has watched technology evolve from semiconductors and firmware to the internet, venture capital booms, and now artificial intelligence. In this conversation, Frank shares what most people misunderstand about innovation cycles, why 90% of AI startups may fail, why infrastructure and "data plumbing" matter more than hype, and how exponential acceleration is reshaping everything.

His central thesis is simple but profound: the rate of change has never accelerated at the pace it is accelerating now and humanity has no experience managing it.

We explore what that means for society, business models, venture capital, robotics, customer experience, and even human relationships.

We also reference a recent Economist article on ASML the only company in the world capable of producing the extreme ultraviolet lithography machines required to manufacture cutting-edge chips at 7 nanometres and beyond.

Read the full article here:

👉https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2025/03/12/the-race-is-on-to-build-the-worlds-most-complex-machine

In Frank's words, the genie is out of the bottle.

The real question is: how do we adapt?

🔗https://linktr.ee/In_The_Trenches.pod

🔗Connect with Hanif Ibrahim: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hanif-ibrahim-18175a9/

If you're building something great—hit follow, share the episode, and leave us a review. Powered by The Finance Agency: https://financeagency.com.au/

Recorded at Podwave Studios: https://podwavestudios.au/

In this episode, I sit down with Greg Smargiassi, Founder and CEO of OURCFO, to cut through the confusion around business numbers. We unpack why revenue is vanity, cash is king, and why so many profitable businesses still end up stressed, blindsided, or short on cash. Greg explains why numbers are an output, not the starting point, and how poor data, outdated reporting, and story-telling around the numbers lead to bad decisions. We dive into the real difference between profit and cash flow, why growth often creates cash problems, and why most business owners spend too much time looking in the rear-view mirror instead of building a forward view. If you want fewer financial surprises, clearer decisions, and numbers that actually help you run your business, this episode will change how you think about them.

🔗https://linktr.ee/In_The_Trenches.pod

🔗Connect with Hanif Ibrahim: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hanif-ibrahim-18175a9/

🔗Connect with Greg Smargiassi: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregsmargiassi/ Website: https://ourcfo.com.au/

If you're building something great—hit follow, share the episode, and leave us a review. Powered by The Finance Agency: https://financeagency.com.au/

Recorded at Podwave Studios: https://podwavestudios.au/

Most people are following the advice they were given to stay healthy, yet they feel tired, foggy, and stuck. In this episode, we sit down with David Beard, an Accredited Exercise Physiologist with over four decades of experience in metabolic health. David explains why the familiar approach of eating less and moving more often fails, and why willpower is rarely the real issue. This conversation explores how the body actually produces and uses energy, how modern food environments disrupt that process, and why many people are unknowingly working against their own physiology. Rather than extreme diets or rigid routines, David shares a clearer way to think about health, energy, and long-term performance. If you feel like you are doing the right things but not getting results, this episode will challenge how you think about your body and what it really needs. 🔗https://linktr.ee/In_The_Trenches.pod

🔗Connect with Hanif Ibrahim: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hanif-ibrahim-18175a9/

🔗Connect with David Beard: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidfbeard/ Website: https://www.davidbeard.co/ ------------------------------------------------ If you're building something great—hit follow, share the episode, and leave us a review. Powered by The Finance Agency: https://financeagency.com.au/

Recorded at Podwave Studios: https://podwavestudios.au/

We're opening this season by addressing something critical for anyone ambitious about growth, progress, and results: planning. In this episode, Hanif and producer Jeremy sit down for a candid conversation on why planning is often the deciding factor between intention and execution.

They explore the connection between goal setting and planning, why goals without structure tend to fall apart, and how clarity creates momentum. The discussion breaks down how to think about goals in a practical way, how to choose approaches that align with your real capacity, and why sustainability matters more than intensity.

This isn't about New Year resolutions or surface-level frameworks. It's about building direction and discipline that last beyond January. 🔗https://linktr.ee/In_The_Trenches.pod Powered by The Finance Agency: https://financeagency.com.au/ Recorded at Podwave Studios: https://podwavestudios.au/

This episode is a year in review, but not a highlight reel.

After 26 conversations on In the Trenches, we pulled out 13 moments that stayed with us. Not because they sounded good, but because they changed how we think about leadership, growth, fear, communication, and decision-making.

These lessons came from founders, executives, operators, and coaches who were willing to speak honestly about what worked, what didn't, and what they learned the hard way. Some are uncomfortable. Some are simple. All of them are practical.

There's no commentary and no hype. Just real moments, real voices, and the patterns that emerged over the year.

If you've been listening along, this is a reflection. If you're new, this is a sharp introduction to what In the Trenches is really about.

Thank you for being part of the journey. We look forward to you joining us for 2026. 🔗https://linktr.ee/In_The_Trenches.pod Powered by The Finance Agency: https://financeagency.com.au/ Recorded at Podwave Studios: https://podwavestudios.au/

Welcome to Part Two of Our Cryptocurrency Series for In the Trenches.

If Part One helped you understand what cryptocurrency is, Part Two is all about how to actually get started. Joe Shew from the Crypto Consulting Institute returns to break down the simple steps new investors can take today.

You'll learn why getting started is far easier than most people think, we cover how much you realistically need to begin, the power of small consistent contributions, and the different approaches for long-term vs short-term investors.

Joe also shares what matters most early on: basic security, avoiding common mistakes, and getting the right education so you're not "winging it" with your money.

A clear, practical episode for anyone wanting to enter crypto with confidence. 🔗https://linktr.ee/In_The_Trenches.pod

🔗Connect with Joe: Website: https://cryptoconsultinginstitute.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joeshew-cci/

YT: https://www.youtube.com/@crypto-consulting-institute/featured

🔗Connect with Hanif Ibrahim: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hanif-ibrahim-18175a9/

Wacth on YouTube: https://youtu.be/nFdxfTtRTqM

If you're building something great—hit follow, share the episode, and leave us a review.

Powered by The Finance Agency: https://financeagency.com.au/

Recorded at Podwave Studios: https://podwavestudios.au/