Ivana Alfonso has worked many jobs since emigrating from Croatia at a young age. Coming out of the pandemic in 2020, Ivana's husband, a keen angler, found himself selling brag mats and making a considerable profit. Ivana and her husband saw potential, and a way to entertain themselves when self-isolation was the norm. They combined their respective knowledge and skills to create The Bragmat Bloke, a thriving company that offers customers customizable brag mat that reflect the best of design, craftsmanship and reflect a shared love of the outdoors. But with the Australian economy tightening, Ivana is feeling the strain like so many small business owners fighting against a wealth of challenges.

My team and I have been paying attention, and one thing is clear - you want to hear from businesses beyond Sydney, not just the success stories, but especially those facing real challenges.

That’s why we’re launching The Small Business Callout under The Mentor channel-giving business owners across the country a voice. In between The Mentor episodes, we’ll hear what’s working, what’s not, and what real support from the government should look like. We want to hear from all industries - those struggling, those overlooked, and those who have something to say but haven’t had the platform to say it.

This is about real business owners, real struggles, and real conversations. Let’s get into it.

Check out more about The Bragmat Bloke here: https://thebragmatbloke.com.au/

If you want to be on Small Business Callout - Email: [email protected]

You can subscribe to the Mentored newsletter here: https://mentored.com.au/newsletter-sign-up

Join the Facebook Group.

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When pregnancy left her craving coffee without the guilt, this mum turned her ‘what if?’ into Mumma’s Beans—a warm hug in a cup for thousands of health conscious Australians seeking a lower acidity lower caffeine brew that won't upset their gut or spark jitters and anxiety. Founded during a canceled wedding and fueled by love (and caffeine), they don't just stick to delicious low-acid brews, but also use their beans to craft coffee skincare, made from nothing but Australian sourced natural ingredients.  With the Australian economy tightening, Maika is feeling the strain like so many small business owners fighting against a wealth of challenges.

My team and I have been paying attention, and one thing is clear - you want to hear from businesses beyond Sydney, not just the success stories, but especially those facing real challenges.

That’s why we’re launching The Small Business Callout under The Mentor channel-giving business owners across the country a voice. In between The Mentor episodes, we’ll hear what’s working, what’s not, and what real support from the government should look like. We want to hear from all industries - those struggling, those overlooked, and those who have something to say but haven’t had the platform to say it.

This is about real business owners, real struggles, and real conversations. Let’s get into it.

Check out more about Mumma's Beans Coffee here: www.mummasbeans.com.au

USE CODE 'MENTOR' for 15% OFF the Mumma's Beans range.

If you want to be on Small Business Callout - Email: [email protected]

You can subscribe to the Mentored newsletter here: https://mentored.com.au/newsletter-sign-up

Join the Facebook Group.

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Offshore Boat Sales is a family-run business dedicated to crafting high-quality, custom boats—whether for serious anglers or weekend explorers—designed to suit every budget and lifestyle. With trusted brands such as Cutting Edge Marine Plate Alloy Boats, Yamaha Outboards, Garmin Electronics and All things Business through Cutting Edge Business Solutions. But with Australia's economy tightening, they are feeling the strain-like so many small business owners fighting against a wealth of challenges.

My team and I have been paying attention, and one thing is clear - you want to hear from businesses beyond Sydney, not just the success stories, but especially those facing real challenges.

That’s why we’re launching The Small Business Callout under The Mentor channel-giving business owners across the country a voice. In between The Mentor episodes, we’ll hear what’s working, what’s not, and what real support from the government should look like. We want to hear from all industries - those struggling, those overlooked, and those who have something to say but haven’t had the platform to say it.

This is about real business owners, real struggles, and real conversations. Let’s get into it.

Check out Offshore Boat Sales website here: https://www.offshoreboatsales.com.au/

If you want to be on Small Business Callout - Email: [email protected]

You can subscribe to the Mentored newsletter here: https://mentored.com.au/newsletter-sign-up

Join the Facebook Group.

Follow Mark Bouris on Instagram, LinkedIn & YouTube.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Picture this: a waste management company that doesn’t just haul away your junk—it builds up its community. That’s 'Mildura Waste & Recycling', a 100% locally owned Mildura business with a passion for reliability, fairness, and sustainability run by Mark Forbes-Wilson. From sourcing Aussie-made bins to supporting local fundraisers, they’re all about keeping business—and waste—where it belongs: in trusted hands. But with Australia's economy tightening, he's feeling the strain-like so many small business owners fighting against a wealth of challenges.

My team and I have been paying attention, and one thing is clear - you want to hear from businesses beyond Sydney, not just the success stories, but especially those facing real challenges.

That’s why we’re launching The Small Business Callout under The Mentor channel-giving business owners across the country a voice. In between The Mentor episodes, we’ll hear what’s working, what’s not, and what real support from the government should look like. We want to hear from all industries - those struggling, those overlooked, and those who have something to say but haven’t had the platform to say it.

This is about real business owners, real struggles, and real conversations. Let’s get into it.

Check out more about Mildura Waste & Recycling here: https://www.mwar.com.au

If you want to be on Small Business Callout - Email: [email protected]

You can subscribe to the Mentored newsletter here: https://mentored.com.au/newsletter-sign-up

Join the Facebook Group.

Follow Mark Bouris on Instagram, LinkedIn & YouTube.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lloyds Building and Constructions Pty Ltd is owned by Anthony Lloyd, a qualified carpenter with an ACT builder's license and over a decade of experience in both commercial and domestic construction. Since completing his apprenticeship in 2009, Anthony has built a strong reputation in Canberra's building industry. But with Australia's economy tightening, he's feeling the strain-like so many small business owners fighting against a wealth of challenges.

My team and I have been paying attention, and one thing is clear - you want to hear from businesses beyond Sydney, not just the success stories, but especially those facing real challenges.

That’s why we’re launching The Small Business Callout under The Mentor channel-giving business owners across the country a voice. In between The Mentor episodes, we’ll hear what’s working, what’s not, and what real support from the government should look like. We want to hear from all industries - those struggling, those overlooked, and those who have something to say but haven’t had the platform to say it.

This is about real business owners, real struggles, and real conversations. Let’s get into it.

Check out Lloyd's Building and Construction website here: https://lloydsconstructions.com.au

If you want to be on Small Business Callout - Email: [email protected]

You can subscribe to the Mentored newsletter here: https://mentored.com.au/newsletter-sign-up

Join the Facebook Group.

Follow Mark Bouris on Instagram, LinkedIn & YouTube.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Step into The Real Florist, owner Renee Williams's dreamy florist café, a place where fresh blooms and great coffee collide. Located within the heart of Albury's CBD, their talented team has a passion for floristry education, offering workshops to teach you the skills to craft stunning personalised arrangements, all done in a relaxing atmosphere, making it the perfect spot for flower lovers and caffeine addicts alike! But with Australia's economy tightening, she's feeling the strain-like so many small business owners fighting against a wealth of challenges.

My team and I have been paying attention, and one thing is clear - you want to hear from businesses beyond Sydney, not just the success stories, but especially those facing real challenges.

That’s why we’re launching The Small Business Callout under The Mentor channel-giving business owners across the country a voice. In between The Mentor episodes, we’ll hear what’s working, what’s not, and what real support from the government should look like. We want to hear from all industries - those struggling, those overlooked, and those who have something to say but haven’t had the platform to say it.

This is about real business owners, real struggles, and real conversations. Let’s get into it.

Check out The Real Florist website here: https://www.therealflorist.com.au/

Check out more about floral workshops and classes here: https://www.therealflorist.com.au/workshops

If you want to be on Small Business Callout - Email: [email protected]

You can subscribe to the Mentored newsletter here: https://mentored.com.au/newsletter-sign-up

Join the Facebook Group.

Follow Mark Bouris on Instagram, LinkedIn & YouTube.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For over 37 years, Sam Beau Patrick has dedicated her career to holistic health—first as a nurse and pharmaceutical rep, then as a naturopath and health performance coach. Today, she’s a published author, art therapist, and life coach who blends science, nature, and creativity to help clients worldwide. But with Australia's economy tightening, she's feeling the strain-like so many small business owners fighting against a wealth of challenges.

My team and I have been paying attention, and one thing is clear - you want to hear from businesses beyond Sydney, not just the success stories, but especially those facing real challenges.

That’s why we’re launching The Small Business Callout under The Mentor channel-giving business owners across the country a voice. In between The Mentor episodes, we’ll hear what’s working, what’s not, and what real support from the government should look like. We want to hear from all industries - those struggling, those overlooked, and those who have something to say but haven’t had the platform to say it.

This is about real business owners, real struggles, and real conversations. Let’s get into it.

Check out Sam Beau Patrick's website here: https://www.sambeaupatrick.com/

If you want to be on Small Business Callout - Email: [email protected]

You can subscribe to the Mentored newsletter here: https://mentored.com.au/newsletter-sign-up

Join the Facebook Group.

Follow Mark Bouris on Instagram, LinkedIn & YouTube.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ben Crowley isn’t your typical health entrepreneur. He started out teaching English in Japan, got hooked on boxing, and ended up building one of Australia’s leading supplement businesses. Today, he runs Bulk Nutrients, the flagship sponsor of our Project 100 series.

In this episode, I sit down with Ben to unpack how he built a high-growth, direct-to-consumer business that cuts out the middlemen and delivers premium products at unbeatable value. We talk the importance of work culture manufacturing, logistics, product testing, and what it really takes to scale a business without losing control of quality or customer trust. 

This one’s for the underdogs, the builders, or the health-conscious who want to know exactly what they’re putting in their bodies.

You can subscribe to the Mentored newsletter here: https://mentored.com.au/newsletter-sign-up

Join the Facebook Group.

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My team and I have been paying attention, and one thing is clear - you want to hear from businesses beyond Sydney, not just the success stories, but especially those facing real challenges.

That’s why we’re launching The Small Business Callout under The Mentor channel-giving business owners across the country a voice. In between The Mentor episodes, we’ll hear what’s working, what’s not, and what real support from the government should look like. We want to hear from all industries - those struggling, those overlooked, and those who have something to say but haven’t had the platform to say it.

I’ll continue hosting The Mentor, but these callouts will drop between episodes. For our latest episode, we have - Jason Spaull from Gold Coast based business Coastal Asbestos, which is dedicated to safely removing and managing asbestos across Queensland. Like many small businesses, Jason is feeling the pressure of Australia’s economic climate, navigating rising costs, compliance challenges, and an uncertain future.

This is about real business owners, real struggles, and real conversations. Let’s get into it.

Check out Coastal Asbestos's website here: https://www.coastalasbestosremoval.com.au/

If you want to be on Small Business Callout - Email: [email protected]

You can subscribe to the Mentored newsletter here: https://mentored.com.au/newsletter-sign-up

Join the Facebook Group.

Follow Mark Bouris on Instagram, LinkedIn & YouTube.

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Sam Gordon is an entrepreneur, property investor, and host of the Top 1% Podcast, where he shares insights from his journey as a high school dropout to building multiple multi-eight-figure businesses, offering listeners strategies to maximise their potential and impact.

In our conversation, we covered how he built his property portfolio, his inspiration from Harry Triguboff, how to identify growth opportunities in real estate, the complexities of scaling a property portfolio, his entrepreneurial journey, and the key lessons he’s learned from speaking with the top 1%.

You can subscribe to the Mentored newsletter here: https://mentored.com.au/newsletter-sign-up

Join the Facebook Group.

Follow Mark Bouris on Instagram, LinkedIn & YouTube. 

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