Richard Cozzella opens up about building a career from a tanning studio in Geelong at 19 to a portfolio spanning NDIS disability housing, insurance, and property development. He talks candidly about the near-failure that taught him resilience, the "20 meters of headlights" way he approaches big decisions, and why he doesn't chase retirement — he's chasing mentorship. The conversation also gets personal, touching on faith, fatherhood, and the charity ride he organized for his niece.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Failure isn't the opposite of success, it's part of the process. "Either we win or we learn."
• Vision doesn't require seeing the whole road, just the next 20 meters.
• Before scaling a business, count the cost of losing, not just the upside of winning.
• Change in a business often has to start at the top before it reaches the rest of the team.
• Personal branding rests on three pillars: authority, results, and trust.
• Self-care isn't optional for founders — Richard leans on faith and fitness to stay grounded.
• The next 10 years, for Richard, aren't about retiring — they're about mentoring others.

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 - Teaser: Motivation, Mindset & Belief 00:56 - Meet Richard Cozzella 01:16 - Who Richard Is Today 01:41 - Where It Began: Family Business Roots 02:13 - The Headlights Metaphor02:39 - First Business: The Tanning Studio Near-Failure 03:16 - Becoming a Serial Entrepreneur 03:41 - Win or Learn: Reframing Failure 05:00 - The Best Business Day of His Life 05:37 - Mindset, Motivation & Belief 06:52 - Starting a Charity for His Niece 07:39 - COVID, Innovation & Thinking Outside the Box 08:39 - Fixing the NDIS Business 10:08 - Advice for Dreamers & Personal Branding 11:36 - Trust in the Digital Age 12:16 - Work-Life Harmony, Faith & Self-Care 13:39 - Current Projects: Housing & Insurance 14:05 - The Next 10 Years: Mentorship & Legacy 15:49 - A Future Charity 16:10 - Closing Thoughts

GUEST INFORMATION

Richard CozzellaEntrepreneur, Business Consultant & Community Leader Business Development, Strategic Consulting, NDIS & Insurance

Connect with Richard:

• LinkedIn: https://au.linkedin.com/in/cozzellarc
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1JTw9zxuoc/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/richard_cozzella
• Website: https://cozzella.com.au/

Every migrant has a story—of dreams, struggles, and triumphs. My Migrant Soul brings you powerful, real-life conversations with migrants from diverse backgrounds who have navigated the challenges of starting over in a new land. Hosted by Imran Abul Kashem, this podcast sheds light on personal migration journeys, cultural transitions, and the resilience that fuels success.

HOST INFORMATION

Imran Abul KashemFounder, My Migrant Soul Serial Entrepreneur, Former Journalist and Personal Branding Expert

Connect with Imran:

• Website: https://westendpodcast.au/
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@mymigrantsoul-aus
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imran_abul_kashem_melbourne/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/imranabulkashem/

Subscribe for more real stories of migration, identity, and human experience.

Got a story to tell? Start your podcast with Westend Podcast: https://www.westendpodcast.com.au

Martin Probst moved from Switzerland to Australia after working around the world and on cruise ships for many years, chasing a childhood dream of travel and having palm trees in his own backyard. Fifteen years later he's running PROfound Leadership, a coaching and leadership development company built on a simple belief: If you want things to change, you have to change. In this episode, Martin talks with Imran about the difference between being interested and being committed, why we need to have a "healthy relationship" in relation to obstacles, rather than seeing it as a threat, and how listening to his clients during COVID rebuilt his entire business from zero in under six weeks. He also opens up about his "mindset factory," the practice of Tai Chi as a form of slowing down, and why looking after yourself is the first step to serving anyone else.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Vision without action is just a dream. Action without vision is a nightmare on repeat. But vision aligned with action can change the world.
• There's a real difference between being interested in something and being committed to it. To achieve our vision, we must show commitment as there is no substitute for action.
• Obstacles aren't the enemy. They're opportunities for growth, to fulfill our values, and reveal who we are and what we're made of.
• When COVID wiped Martin's business to zero, listening to what his existing clients actually needed rebuilt it within four to six weeks.
• The "mindset factory" produces thoughts constantly. As leaders, our job is to model, inspire and produce better thinking.
• Innovation doesn't have to be complicated. Sometimes it's as simple as listening closely enough to see the solution.
• Looking after yourself is the starting point for being able to serve anyone else well.
• Work-life balance might be the wrong term. Martin prefers "work-life harmony," where the different parts of life move with each other instead of competing.

TIMESTAMPS

• 00:00 - Introducing Martin Probst and Profound Leadership
• 01:16 - Turning dreams into action: from bestselling author to "interested vs. committed"
• 03:26 - From cruise ships to a career in leadership
• 05:37 - The real challenges of building a business, from ignorance to COVID
• 09:19 - Rebuilding through listening: clients, mindset, and innovation
• 13:47 - Advice for dreamers and redefining work-life balance
• 19:44 - Selfishness as service, and what's next for Martin
• 24:44 - On leadership in the world today, and closing thoughts

GUEST INFORMATION

Martin ProbstFounder, PROfound Leadership Leadership Development & Coaching

Connect with Martin:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/martinprobst/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/profoundlead
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profoundleadership
• Website: https://www.profoundleadership.com.au/

Every migrant has a story - of dreams, struggles and triumphs. My Migrant Soul brings you powerful, real-life conversations with migrants from diverse backgrounds who have navigated the challenges of starting over in a new land. Hosted by Imran Abul Kashem, this podcast sheds light on personal migration journeys, cultural transitions, and the resilience that fuels success.

HOST INFORMATION

Imran Abul KashemFounder, My Migrant Soul Serial Entrepreneur, Former Journalist and Personal Branding Expert

Connect with Imran:

• Website: https://westendpodcast.au/
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@mymigrantsoul-aus
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imran_abul_kashem_melbourne/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/imranabulkashem/

Subscribe for more real stories of migration, identity, and human experience.

Got a story to tell? Start your podcast with Westend Podcast: https://www.westendpodcast.com.au

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In this episode of My Migrant Soul, host Imran Abul Kashem sits down with Anna Rante, Founder and CEO of Right and Keystone Group, to unpack a story that began with rejection and ended in reinvention. Anna migrated to Australia at the age of 18 and she faced the same wall many migrants hit: qualifications and ambition weren't enough without "Australian experience." Rather than wait for someone to open a door, she built her own. She started a small accounting firm at 21 with nothing but a desire to help people who lacked access to professional financial guidance.

Anna traces her journey from childhood, watching her single mother run a transport and construction business in the Philippines, through the isolation and self-doubt of her early years in Australia, to founding what is now a multi-division franchise network spanning taxation, migration, mortgage broking, and real estate. She opens up about the implicit bias she faced as a young Asian woman who "looked like a high school student," the mindset shifts that helped her build trust with clients, and why she believes in building community and legacy rather than just business. The conversation also covers her current ventures, including an AI-powered tax management app and her role in a UBS accelerator program for female founders, before closing with her vision for the next decade.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• How to turn rejection into momentum instead of letting it define you, by treating every "no" as information rather than a verdict.
• Why your biggest barrier is often internal, and how naming and challenging your own implicit bias can unlock opportunities that external circumstances alone won't.
• How to build trust quickly, especially when people doubt you on sight, by leading with consistent delivery and genuine vulnerability instead of trying to look the part.
• Why building a community around your work, not just a customer base, creates loyalty and impact that a transactional business model can't match.
• How to stop waiting for the "right time" to start something, and why treating failure as fast, cheap feedback gets you further than waiting for a perfect plan.
• Why rest and self-care function as fuel for sustained ambition, not a distraction from it, and how to stop treating them as guilt-inducing indulgences.
• How to think about legacy versus wealth when making big decisions, using a simple gut-check question for moments when you're at a crossroads.

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 Intro 01:08 Anna's childhood in the Philippines and her mother's influence 03:17 Arriving in Australia: starting over from nothing 05:57 Building her first accounting firm at 21 09:30 Becoming a migration agent and building an internship program 11:25 Overcoming bias as a young female migrant entrepreneur 15:02 Building a purpose-driven franchise for underrepresented entrepreneurs 18:48 Mindset, motivation, and staying resilient 21:10 Innovation, creativity, and launching Tax 360 24:34 Advice for dreamers: authenticity and leadership 27:58 Legacy over wealth 30:50 Work-life balance, self-love, and a pivotal shift during COVID 34:30 Current projects and her vision for the next 10 years 41:26 Closing thoughts: always believe in yourself

GUEST INFORMATION

Anna Rante Founder and CEO, Right and Keystone Group Accounting, Migration, and Franchise Services

Connect with Anna:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anna-rante/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rktaxationexperts
• Website: https://www.rktaxationexperts.com.au/

Every migrant has a story—of dreams, struggles, and triumphs. My Migrant Soul brings you powerful, real-life conversations with migrants from diverse backgrounds who have navigated the challenges of starting over in a new land. Hosted by Imran Abul Kashem, this podcast sheds light on personal migration journeys, cultural transitions, and the resilience that fuels success.

HOST INFORMATION

Imran Abul Kashem Founder, My Migrant Soul Serial Entrepreneur, Former Journalist and Personal Branding Expert

Connect with Imran:

• Website: https://westendpodcast.au/
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@mymigrantsoul-aus
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imran_abul_kashem_melbourne/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/imranabulkashem/

Subscribe for more real stories of migration, identity, and human experience. Got a story to tell? Start your podcast with Westend Podcast: https://www.westendpodcast.com.au

migrant entrepreneur, Anna Rante, Right and Keystone Group, Australian experience, female founder, franchise network, purpose-driven business, underrepresented entrepreneurs, accounting firm, migration agent, mortgage broking, mindset shift, implicit bias, authenticity in leadership, build a legacy, Harvard Business School, UBS female founder accelerator, Tax 360, AI tax management app, work-life balance, self-love, resilience, immigrant success story, My Migrant Soul podcast, Imran Abul Kashem

Amol Kasaju came to Australia in 2009 as a student with no connections and no plan. He started as a housekeeper just to survive. Fifteen years later, he became co-owner of Quest Werribee alongside his business partner Natalie Bui.

But behind every role and every setback was one constant. His family. In this episode of the Dreamer and Doers Series, Amol shares the unfiltered story of how he got here and why purpose is what keeps a dream alive.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• From Housekeeper to Franchise Owner: The 15-year journey and the mindset that made it possible
• Rejection Is Part of the Process: How Amol got turned down repeatedly and chose to invest in himself instead
• Dream vs. Purpose: Why a dream is not enough and how Amol's purpose evolved into a family mission
• The Hustle Nobody Sees: Why people assume success was easy and what it really took behind the scenes
• When You Share a Story It Is Not About You: The insight that inspired Amol to speak openly

TIMESTAMPS

02:03 From Housekeeper to Dream: Amol's Journey Begins 02:58 The Desire That Started Everything 03:56 Getting Rejected and Choosing to Grow Anyway 04:56 The Graveyard Shift That Quietly Changed His Life 06:46 How Meeting Natalie Bui Led to Business Ownership 08:40 Why a Dream Without Purpose Goes Nowhere 09:50 The One Thing You Must Never Forget as You Grow 11:20 The Mindset Shift From Employee to Owner 44:51 Would You Do It All Over Again? 45:57 The Hustle Nobody Sees Behind Every Success Story 47:26 Why Family Is the Real Why Behind Everything 49:13 Why Sharing Your Story Is Never Just About You

GUEST INFORMATION

Amol Kasaju

Co-Owner, Quest Werribee Entrepreneur and Community Leader

Connect with Amol

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amol-kasaju-732a3170/
• Website: http://www.questwerribee.com.au

Every migrant has a story—of dreams, struggles, and triumphs. My Migrant Soul brings you powerful, real-life conversations with migrants from diverse backgrounds who have navigated the challenges of starting over in a new land. Hosted by Imran Abul Kashem, this podcast sheds light on personal migration journeys, cultural transitions, and the resilience that fuels success.

HOST INFORMATION

Imran Abul Kashem Founder, My Migrant Soul Serial Entrepreneur, Former Journalist and Personal Branding Expert

Connect with Imran

• Personal Website: https://imranabulkashem.com.au
• Podcast Website: https://westendpodcast.au/
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@mymigrantsoul-aus
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imran_abul_kashem_melbourne/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/imranabulkashem/

Subscribe for more real stories of migration, identity, and human experience. Got a story to tell? Start your podcast with Westend Podcast: https://www.westendpodcast.com.au

What does it take… to face the parts of your story you've spent years avoiding?

Not later. Not when it's easier. But now.

In this episode of My Migrant Soul, Imran sits down with Kabinga Mazaba — an award-winning author, speaker, and transformational coach whose journey is as powerful as it is deeply human.

Born in Zambia and now based in Australia, Kabinga's story is shaped by migration, loss, and the quiet weight of unspoken trauma. But this conversation isn't just about what she's been through.

It's about what she chose to do with it.

From navigating life as a migrant spouse… to rebuilding her identity across multiple countries… to confronting the past that once defined her —

Kabinga shares what it really means to reclaim your life.

Because healing doesn't happen by accident.

It happens when you decide to face what's been holding you back.

What You'll Hear in This Episode:

• Kabinga's migration journey from Zambia to Australia

• Growing up with trauma — and the impact it leaves behind

• The challenge of losing identity while starting over

• Life as a migrant spouse and rebuilding from the background

• Why identity is not fixed — and how that changes everything

• The power of community, connection, and curiosity

• What it means to truly "confront" your past

• Lessons on resilience, self-worth, and personal growth

Key Takeaway:

You can't change your past — but you can confront it, and in doing so, reclaim your future.

Special Thanks to Our Partners

This podcast is proudly supported by Westend Business Hub, Westend Digital, Westend Photography, Westend Podcast and WeConnect.

Their support helps bring these important stories to life and creates space for voices and experiences that matter.

Thinking about starting your own podcast?

Westend Podcast can help you turn your idea into something real.

Learn more: https://www.westendpodcast.com.au

What does it do to a person… to witness the world at its most confronting?

Not from a distance. But up close. Through a lens. In real time.

In this episode of My Migrant Soul, Imran sits down with Jake Simkin - a photojournalist and filmmaker who has spent over two decades documenting life inside war zones, humanitarian crises, and places most of us only see in headlines.

From Afghanistan to Syria, Jake's work is not just about conflict. It's about people. Behind every image is a story of survival, fear, resilience, and sometimes… quiet moments of humanity that don't make the news.

But this conversation goes deeper than the work itself.

It explores what it means to carry those experiences.

To witness injustice. To walk away… and not fully leave it behind.

Because some stories don't stay where they happened. They stay with you.

• Jake's early life and the influences that shaped his path

• The moment photography became more than just a craft

• What it's like working in Afghanistan and Syria

• The reality behind the images we see in the media

• Experiencing fear, risk, and "scary moments" in conflict zones

• The concept of moral injury and its lasting impact

• Stories that are hard to forget — even years later

• Witnessing injustice and the human cost of conflict

• The migrant crisis and the responsibility of telling these stories

• What "safety" really means after seeing the world this way

When you see the world at its most fragile, it changes how you understand humanity.

This podcast is proudly supported by Westend Business Hub, Westend Digital, Westend Photography, Westend Podcast and WeConnect.

Their support helps bring these important stories to life and creates space for voices and experiences that matter.

Thinking about starting your own podcast?

Westend Podcast can help you turn your idea into something real.

Learn more: https://www.westendpodcast.com.au

What happens when you're born into a world that doesn't recognise you?

No country. No citizenship. No official identity. Just survival, family and hope.

In this deeply moving episode of My Migrant Soul, Imran sits down with May Joy Naw Nyo - a refugee, community leader and someone whose story quietly redefines resilience.

Born stateless in Thailand after her parents fled Myanmar, May spent the first 20 years of her life in a refugee camp. No passport. No nationality. No clear sense of where she belonged. Then came Australia.

A new country. A new language. A completely different way of life.

From not understanding simple phrases like "have here or takeaway" to becoming a confident community development professional, May's journey is not just about adapting - it's about rebuilding identity from the ground up.

This conversation moves beyond hardship. It explores perspective, gratitude and the kind of resilience that reshapes how you see your own life.

Because when you've had to choose between life and death, everything else looks different.

What You'll Hear in This Episode:

• Growing up stateless and unrecognised by any country

• Life inside a refugee camp and what it teaches you about survival

• The culture shock of arriving in Australia

• Language barriers, confidence and starting from zero

• How volunteering became a turning point

• Learning about money, opportunity and building a future

• The emotional weight of receiving an Australian citizenship certificate

• The question many migrants carry - "Where is home?"

• The strength that comes from perspective and gratitude

Key Takeaway: When you've lived through survival, you stop measuring life by what's missing - and start valuing everything you have.

Special Thanks to Our Partners This podcast is proudly supported by our incredible partner businesses: Westend Business Hub, Westend Digital, Westend Photography, Westend Podcast and WeConnect

Their continued support helps bring these powerful stories to life and fosters a platform where voices, experiences, and communities can be shared. These partnerships reflect a shared commitment to connection, growth, and empowering diverse stories that inspire meaningful change.

If this story shifted your perspective, share it with someone who needs to hear it.

And follow My Migrant Soul for more stories that remind us what it really means to belong.

Every migrant story carries layers - identity, sacrifice, reinvention.

In this episode of My Migrant Soul, host Imran Abul Kashem sits down with Sunil Abbott, whose journey proves that it's never too late to start again.

Migrating from India to Australia in his late 50s, Sunil faced a completely new world - new systems, new culture, and a new pace of life. From learning how to operate basic technology to navigating business ownership in a foreign country, his early years were anything but easy.

But instead of retreating, Sunil rebuilt.

From running Indian restaurants near Melbourne's iconic sporting precinct to founding Club 60 Tarneit - now a thriving community of over 800 members - Sunil transformed isolation into connection, and uncertainty into leadership.

This is a story about identity, ageing, belonging… and the quiet courage it takes to begin again.

In this episode, we explore:

• Migrating later in life and redefining identity

• The emotional reality of starting over in your late 50s

• Learning new skills - from language nuances to technology

• Building a business in a new country

• The power of community and combating isolation

• How Club 60 Tarneit grew into a multicultural movement

• Celebrating culture while embracing a new home

"If you want to stay in this country, you have to build your identity again - and learn to enjoy life in a new way."

This podcast is proudly supported by our incredible partner businesses: Westend Business Hub, Westend Digital, Westend Photography, Westend Podcast and WeConnect

Their continued support helps bring these powerful stories to life and fosters a platform where voices, experiences, and communities can be shared. These partnerships reflect a shared commitment to connection, growth, and empowering diverse stories that inspire meaningful change.

What does it mean to truly belong?

In this episode of My Migrant Soul, host Imran Abul Kashem sits down with Nasz Khan - a woman whose journey begins with displacement and evolves into deep purpose.

From growing up questioning her identity in Singapore to becoming a cornerstone of community life in Seabrook, Nasz's story is a powerful reminder that belonging isn't something you find - it's something you build.

This is a conversation about courage, conviction, and choosing to show up for others, again and again.

Nasz Khan has spent nearly two decades quietly shaping the heart of Seabrook.

Since settling in Australia in 2005, she has led initiatives that bring people together - from founding the Seabrook Community Gardens to helping develop Homestead Run Park, organising ANZAC Dawn Services, and even sparking the idea behind the local shopping centre mural.

During COVID, she stepped in where it mattered most - delivering meals, lifting spirits, and reminding people they weren't alone.

Alongside her community work, Nasz is also an autism teacher at the Western Autistic School, where she champions a belief-led approach - seeing potential where others may not.

• Growing up feeling "in between" cultures and identities

• The moment that led her to choose Australia - without knowing anyone

• What it really takes to build community from the ground up

• Why small actions often create the biggest ripple effects

• Her philosophy in autism education - belief, expectation, and care

• The darker side of systems that lose sight of purpose

• Navigating workplace challenges, bias, and standing your ground

• The importance of bridging cultures, not staying within them

"Don't stay in your silo. Be the bridge. That's how communities are built."

Special Thanks to Our Partners:

This podcast is proudly supported by our incredible partner businesses:

Westend Business Hub, Westend Digital, Westend Photography, Westend Podcast, and WeConnect

Their continued support helps bring these powerful stories to life and fosters a platform where voices, experiences, and communities can be shared. These partnerships reflect a shared commitment to connection, growth, and empowering diverse stories that inspire meaningful change.

My Migrant Soul – A Podcast by Imran Abul Kashem Stories of Resilience, Struggles, and Success in a New Land Every migrant has a story—of dreams, struggles, and triumphs. My Migrant Soul brings you powerful, real-life conversations with migrants from diverse backgrounds who have navigated the challenges of starting over in a new land. Hosted by Imran Abul Kashem, this podcast sheds light on personal migration journeys, cultural transitions, and the resilience that fuels success. Through heartfelt interviews, we celebrate the courage, sacrifices, and victories of those who dared to chase a better future. Tune in for inspiring stories that remind us of the strength within every migrant soul.