🫡 A tribute to Australia’s reservists

S03E45 | Peter Liston – My Tribute to the Reserves: Why Your Service Matters and Your Business Is Important to VBC

In Part 3 of Building Australia’s Veteran Business Ecosystem, VBC Co-Founder Peter Liston recognises the people who have served across the Army, Navy or Air Force in a reserve capacity. Whether you served briefly, never deployed or don’t identify strongly with the word “veteran”, your service still matters—and you are an important part of the Veteran Business Community.

Pete explores the valuable combination of military service and civilian experience that reservists bring to business. From engineering and construction to finance, logistics, technology and professional services, reservists contribute skills and capabilities developed across both their military and civilian careers.

Pete also speaks to current ADF members considering transition, sharing how Reserve service can help them maintain their connection, contribute to the nation and provide stability while establishing a business. Above all, this episode carries a clear message: if you served, you belong—and VBC is here to support your business journey.

🌐 Join the VBC Community:
👉 https://veteranbc.com/join-our-community

#VBC #VBCPodcast #VeteranBusinessCommunity #VeteranBusiness #ADFReserves #ArmyReserve #NavyReserve #AirForceReserve #MilitaryTransition #VeteranEntrepreneurship #StillServing

💳 From the high seas to helping businesses get paid!

S03E43 | Lorne Thurgar – Loot Pay: Tired of paying high fees for electronic payments or need a new way to do POS on the run? Former Navy and Australian Federal copper Lorne explains how.

Lorne Thurgar joined the Royal Australian Navy at 16, serving as a meteorologist and navigator’s yeoman aboard HMAS Canberra and HMAS Success. He later spent almost 20 years with the Australian Federal Police, with roles and deployments spanning fraud, intelligence, undercover operations, Cyprus, Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands.

In this episode, Lorne shares how he moved into business and built Loot Pay, helping businesses manage electronic payments, EFTPOS, ATMs and point-of-sale solutions. He explains how mobile operators and tradies can turn a compatible phone into a payment terminal, send secure payment links and take deposits while meeting customers on the road.

Lorne also discusses the fees hidden within electronic transactions, the importance of reliable support and how a simple payment health check can identify potential savings. A practical conversation for any business accepting electronic payments and looking to improve costs, cash flow and the way customers pay.

🌐 Learn more:
👉 https://lootpay.com.au

🌐 Join the VBC Community:
👉 https://veteranbc.com/join-our-community

#VBC #VBCPodcast #VeteranBusinessCommunity #VeteranBusiness #LootPay #PaymentSolutions #EFTPOS #MobilePayments #CashFlow #RoyalAustralianNavy #StillServing

🇦🇺 Why veteran enterprise matters to Australia

S03E43 | Building Australia’s Veteran Business Ecosystem – Part 2: The Big Picture. Why Veteran Enterprise Matters – Peter Liston

In Part 2 of the series, VBC Co-Founder Peter Liston looks at the long history of veteran entrepreneurship in Australia and how skills developed through service have helped veterans build businesses, create jobs and contribute to the national economy.

Pete explains why veteran enterprise is about more than Defence industry. Veteran-owned businesses operate across almost every sector, and their success can create further employment and opportunities for other veterans. He also discusses the need for veteran businesses to be recognised for their capability, quality and commercial value—not as recipients of a handout.

The episode explores VBC’s work to increase demand through government and corporate procurement, verification and the Buy Veteran movement. Pete also shares VBC’s goal of creating $1 billion in recurring revenue opportunities for Australia’s veteran business community by 2029—and challenges veteran business owners to support the movement by buying from one another.

🌐 Find and support veteran-owned businesses:
👉 https://business.veteranbc.com

🌐 Join the VBC Community:
👉 https://veteranbc.com/join-our-community

#VBC #VBCPodcast #VeteranBusinessCommunity #VeteranBusiness #VeteranEnterprise #BuyVeteran #VeteranOwned #Procurement #AustralianBusiness #StillServing

🚀 Where defence innovation meets investment!

S03E42 | Steve Baxter – TAK HACK 26 and Reveille 26: Two key events for investors and innovators run by Beaten Zone Venture Capital

Steve Baxter is an Australian Army veteran, entrepreneur, investor and the Founder of Beaten Zone Venture Capital—an early-stage investment firm supporting Australian companies building sovereign defence capability and helping them enter the US market.

In this episode, Steve introduces two upcoming events designed to strengthen Australia’s defence innovation and investment ecosystem.

💡 TAK HACK 26 is a three-day hackathon bringing together technical specialists, operators and people interested in defence technology. Participants form teams, develop ideas and build practical solutions using the Tactical Awareness Kit platform. It’s an opportunity to collaborate, test ideas and meet potential future teammates.

📅 14–16 August 2026
📍 The Precinct, Fortitude Valley, Brisbane

💰 Reveille 26 is a one-day conference created to help investors and capital allocators better understand the opportunities within Australia’s defence sector. It brings together Australian and international investors, successful defence businesses and industry leaders to explore how capital can support innovation, sovereign capability and commercial growth.

📅 9 September 2026
📍 Sofitel Gold Coast

Steve also shares insights into entering the US defence market, why Australian defence businesses remain underrepresented among investors, and the importance of combining commercial success with a genuine commitment to Australia’s national capability.

A timely conversation for innovators, founders and investors looking to better understand Australia’s growing defence technology sector.

🌐 Learn more:
👉 https://beatenzone.vc
👉 https://reveille2026.com

🌐 Join the VBC Community:
👉 https://veteranbc.com/join-our-community

#VBC #VBCPodcast #VeteranBusinessCommunity #VeteranBusiness #BeatenZoneVC #TACHack26 #Reveille26 #DefenceInnovation #DefenceIndustry #VentureCapital #SovereignCapability #AustralianInnovation

🔐 From the engine room to the boardroom!

S03E41 | Luke Irwin – Aegis Cybersecurity: Cybersecurity and maximising your media profile—how to get it right.

Luke Irwin is a Royal Australian Navy veteran and the Founder and Principal Consultant of Aegis Cybersecurity, bringing more than 25 years of experience across technology, cybersecurity, governance and operational resilience.

Luke spent seven years in the Navy, initially serving as a Marine Technician aboard HMAS Sydney. His service included deployments to Timor in 1999 and the Persian Gulf in 2001, before moving into an IT-focused role supporting the Navy’s warship maintenance database platform.

In this episode, Luke shares how his military experience shaped his approach to leadership, problem-solving and staying calm during a crisis. He also explores how businesses can make cybersecurity a practical commercial priority, while discussing the value of building a strong and credible media profile.

Luke also reflects honestly on his transition into civilian workplaces—from learning a completely different style of communication to applying military discipline without expecting everyone else to think like a sailor.

A practical conversation about cybersecurity, leadership, communication and turning service experience into a successful business beyond Defence.

🌐 Learn more:
👉 https://www.aegiscyber.com.au

🌐 Join the VBC Community:
👉 https://veteranbc.com/join-our-community

#VBC #VBCPodcast #VeteranBusinessCommunity #VeteranBusiness #Cybersecurity #AegisCybersecurity #BusinessResilience #RiskManagement #Leadership #RoyalAustralianNavy #StillServing

🎙️ This time, Pete’s on the other side of the mic.

S03E40 | Building Australia’s Veteran Business Ecosystem – Part 1: Pete Liston’s Why

After more than 115 episodes featuring guest speakers, VBC Co-Founder Pete Liston takes the microphone solo for the first episode in a new series exploring VBC’s strategy—and why building a strong veteran business ecosystem matters.

Pete shares his honest journey from growing up in Katoomba and joining the Australian Army at 30, through to transitioning from service and finding his way into business. He reflects on the ventures that succeeded, the ones that didn’t, and the lessons that ultimately shaped the Veteran Business Community.

At the heart of Pete’s story is a clear belief: veterans deserve the opportunity to take control of their future, build successful businesses and create lasting wealth. With the skills and experience gained through service, veterans are well placed to become exceptional business owners—but Australia needs the right ecosystem to help them succeed.

That ecosystem didn’t exist, so Pete and the VBC team are setting out to build it.

This is Part 1 of the journey, with Pete sharing the experiences behind his commitment to veteran enterprise and what drives VBC’s work today.

🌐 Join the VBC Community:
👉 https://veteranbc.com/join-our-community

#VBC #VBCPodcast #VeteranBusinessCommunity #VeteranBusiness #VeteranEntrepreneurship #BusinessEcosystem #MilitaryTransition #AustralianVeterans #StillServing

✈️ Ready for Take-off!

S03E39 | Paul Brackley – Jet Flight Simulators: Creating a business that runs without you to build an asset and passive income.

Paul Brackley joined the RAAF at just 17, serving for six years before moving into the Melbourne Fire Brigade and eventually building and owning businesses throughout his working career.

Now semi-retired, Paul is involved in Jet Flight Simulators, which has expanded from Melbourne into Adelaide and Brisbane. In this episode, Paul shares how the business gives people the opportunity to experience flying for themselves—whether for entertainment or as the first step towards a career as a pilot.

Paul also discusses building a business that can operate without relying on its owner every day, creating a valuable asset and a source of passive income. A great listen for veterans, aspiring entrepreneurs and anyone interested in aviation or building a more sustainable business.

🌐 Learn more:
 👉 https://jetflightsimulatoradelaide.com.au/

🌐 Join the VBC Community:
 👉 https://veteranbc.com/join-our-community

#VBC #VBCPodcast #VeteranBusinessCommunity #VeteranBusiness #Aviation #FlightSimulator #Entrepreneurship #BusinessGrowth #PassiveIncome #RAAF #PilotCareer

🔥 Built for the Fireground!

S03E38 | Mike Taylor - Fair Air Fire Masks. Classic business conundrums - see problem, fix it. How a practical observation led the the development of a world class solution.

Mike Taylor is an Australian Army Reserve veteran, former Infantry officer and the inventor of the Fair Air fire mask—a reusable respirator designed to provide greater comfort and protection in demanding, smoke-filled environments.

In this episode, Mike shares the practical observation that inspired Fair Air Masks, the problems he identified with existing respiratory protection and how he set about creating a better solution. Today, Fair Air masks are used by nearly 1,000 brigades across Australia, as well as users in New Zealand, Canada, Brunei, the United States, South Africa and Afghanistan.

Mike also discusses the persistence required to turn an idea into a world-class product, and how the masks are now helping not only firefighters but also farmers, builders, tradespeople and others working in dusty or hazardous environments.

A fascinating conversation about innovation, problem-solving and building a practical solution that protects people when it matters most.

🌐 Learn more:
👉 https://www.fairairmasks.com/

🌐 Join the VBC Community:
👉 https://veteranbc.com/join-our-community

#VBC #VBCPodcast #VeteranBusinessCommunity #VeteranBusiness #FairAirMasks #FirefighterSafety #RespiratoryProtection #AustralianInnovation #BushfireSafety #ArmyVeteran #StillServing

New Pod Drop

S03E37 | Zian Meredith and Chris Phillis - MarchOut. Plenty of support getting you into the military - but what happens when you get out?? Why we need MarchOut to bridge the gap between two worlds

Chris and Zian have each transitioned from military service in different ways, but they share a common mission today: ensuring veterans don't have to navigate life after Defence alone. Through MarchOut, they're helping bridge one of the biggest gaps in the veteran journey by connecting transitioning service members with the support, networks, and opportunities they need to succeed beyond the uniform.

In this episode, Chris and Zian discuss why Defence invests so much in preparing people to serve, yet many veterans still find transitioning out to be one of the hardest missions they'll face. They share lessons from their own military careers and transitions, why asking for help is a strength, and the importance of building a community that supports veterans long after they leave service. Zian also explains why veterans need to back themselves more in business, while Chris reflects on the military mindset of never stepping outside the wire without the right preparation, equipment, and team. If you're preparing to transition, have already left Defence, or want to support those making the move into civilian life, this is an important conversation you won't want to miss.

🌐 Learn more about MarchOut:
https://marchout.com.au/

🌐 Join the VBC Community:
https://veteranbc.com/join-our-community

#VBC #VBCPodcast #VeteranBusinessCommunity #MarchOut #ADFTransition #VeteranSupport #MilitaryTransition #Leadership #Veterans #Business #CareerTransition #Community #StillServing

New Pod Drop!

S03E36 | Karl Schwantes - Serial entrepreneur - artilleryman - master of customer experience. Listen to Karl's journey from Xennox Diamonds to Reputable to The Curated Circle. 

Karl Schwantes has built a career around understanding what customers really value and helping businesses stand out in increasingly competitive markets. A former artilleryman, Karl transitioned from military service into entrepreneurship, building and scaling multiple successful ventures including Xennox Diamonds, Reputable, and The Curated Circle. Along the way, he developed a reputation for delivering exceptional customer experiences and helping business owners turn trust, reputation, and relationships into sustainable growth.

In this episode, Karl shares his journey from the Army to business ownership, the lessons learned through both successes and setbacks, and why customer experience remains one of the most powerful competitive advantages available to any business. We discuss the importance of reputation in the digital age, how businesses can leverage reviews and social proof to attract ideal clients, and why authentic relationships continue to outperform traditional marketing tactics. Karl also explains the mission behind Reputable and The Curated Circle, and how helping others succeed has become a core part of his own business philosophy.

🌐 Learn more:

• Xennox Diamonds: https://www.xennoxdiamonds.com.au/
• Reputable: https://reputable.global/
• The Curated Circle: https://thecuratedcircle.com/

🌐 Join the VBC Community:
https://veteranbc.com/join-our-community

#VBC #VBCPodcast #VeteranBusinessCommunity #Entrepreneurship #CustomerExperience #Leadership #BusinessGrowth #Marketing #ReputationManagement #SmallBusiness #VeteranOwnedBusiness #KarlSchwantes #Reputable #TheCuratedCircle