What no one tells you

Where should a business owner start with AI?

Clive Mayhew - Founder Golf.AI and Author Vertical AI joins Kristy Valentine to talk about the story behind Golf.AI, the opportunities he sees for small businesses and how to start with the everyday friction in your operations.

From the “pro shop moment” to customer workflows and personal AI agents, we explore practical starting points, risk and control, and the business fundamentals that still matter for founders. Clive also explains how Vertical AI encourages business owners to apply their existing industry knowledge.

Follow What No One Tells You for more conversations with founders and business owners.

Hosted by Kristy Valentine.

Recorded at Work inc Private Offices.

Most people know Jim Penman for Jim’s Mowing and the franchise business. His life’s work goes much further.

In this episode of What No One Tells You, I sit down with Jim to talk about building Jim’s Group, putting franchisees first and the research that has occupied so much of his life.

Jim reflects on starting without a grand vision and the choices that shaped the business. We also explore his views on falling birth rates, family and the purpose that keeps him working.

That research is the focus of his new book, Birth-Rate Crisis: Reclaiming Family and Purpose in a Dopamine-Driven World, co-written with Andrea Pearson.

A conversation about business, the person behind a familiar Australian brand, and what success makes possible.

Host: Kristy Valentine
Guest: Jim Penman
Podcast: What No One Tells You
Jim’s book: https://birthratecrisisbook.com/

Powered By Work inc Coworking

Matthew Denholm 

Director TeeArc Investment Group

Co-Owner and Executive Director - Hoops Capital  - Sydney Kings and Sydney Flames.

In this episode of What No One Tells You, we sit down with former Work inc member Matthew Denholm to get beneath the surface of family office investing and uncover what really drives investment decisions.

Matthew shares what he looks for in founders beyond the pitch deck, why some entrepreneurs stand out while others don't, and the qualities that build long term conviction. We also explore the realities of working within a family business, the lessons that come from investing alongside family, and the unexpected thread that has become central to both their family and business dynamic - basketball.

A key theme throughout the conversation is Matthew's belief that the best investments create more than financial returns. We discuss why TreeArc Investment Group has centred its investment philosophy around sustainability, community and backing founders who are solving meaningful problems. For Matthew, the most compelling opportunities are those that have the potential to make a lasting, positive impact on Australia and the world.

Today, Matthew is the Co-Owner and Executive Director of Hoops Capital, the ownership group behind the Sydney Kings and Sydney Flames, where he combines his passion for elite sport with building high-performing organisations.

If you've ever wondered what happens behind closed doors when investors decide whether to back a founder, this episode offers an honest look at the conversations, values and decisions that rarely get talked about. Whether you're raising capital, building a business, or simply curious about how sophisticated investors think, this conversation offers valuable insights into what separates great founders from the rest.

Recorded at Work inc and hosted by Kristy Valentine - TreeArc is a former member at Work inc.

What No One Tells You About Sales with Johnny Lee - Founder of Enable IQ.

Everyone wants more sales, but very few people are actually taught how to sell.

In this episode, I sit down with Johnny Lee, founder, to unpack why confidence, not charisma, is often the biggest difference between average and exceptional salespeople.

Johnny shares how he's built a virtual sales coach that allows people to learn the technical skills of selling, practise through role play, receive personalised feedback, and develop a sales style that feels authentic to them. Because great salespeople aren't born, they're trained.

One of the biggest takeaways? Staying true to yourself. Johnny explains that the best salespeople don't try to become someone they're not. They understand the fundamentals, adapt their approach to the person sitting in front of them, and let their own personality shine through. Sales isn't about delivering a polished pitch in a fancy suit, it's about preparation, discipline, curiosity and trusting your training when it matters most.

We also explore why sales has an unfair reputation, how AI is changing the way we learn, and why businesses spend thousands attracting customers but often lose them at the most important moment: the close.

Whether you're a founder, business owner, leader or simply someone who wants to communicate with more confidence, this conversation is packed with practical insights that will change the way you think about sales.

What you'll learn:

• Why confidence comes from practice, not personality.
• How role play accelerates sales performance.
• The importance of developing your own authentic sales style.
• Why adapting your communication to your audience is a superpower.
• Every person in your team is responsible for sales.

• Why every business should invest in conversion, not just marketing.
• How AI is transforming sales coaching without replacing the human element.

Because what no one tells you is… the best salespeople aren't the smoothest talkers. They're the best prepared.

Recorded at our favourite local wine store - LePont in Milsons Point. Thanks to Rob and his team for always providing the best recommendations. From Chablis to Barolo, your drop is covered.

What happens when fashion expertise meets fraud detection and artificial intelligence?

In this episode of What Nobody Tells You, we sit down with Lauren Kennedy, founder of Verity AI, to explore her unconventional journey from the fashion industry to building cutting edge AI technology disrupting the ecomm industry.

Drawing on her experience in luxury fashion and data fraud science for one of Australia's largest banks, Lauren recognised a problem hiding in plain sight, the growing counterfeit market, and set out to solve it with technology.

Today, Verity AI is helping businesses authenticate designer goods using artificial intelligence, bringing together deep industry knowledge with sophisticated fraud detection techniques proactively at the product level.

Lauren shares the realities of building a tech startup, raising capital, why domain expertise can be a founder's greatest competitive advantage, and what nobody tells you about turning an idea into an AI-powered business.

Whether you're a founder, fashion enthusiast, or curious about the future of AI, this conversation offers a fascinating look at innovation, entrepreneurship, and solving real-world problems with technology.

Recorded at Work inc, we take you behind the scenes of what business owners really go through to build something great.

What if your best employee benefit wasn’t a gym membership or free snacks but instant access to healthcare?

In this episode, we sit down with Patrick Aouad, internationally published neurologist, academic, and multi-business founder, to unpack how technology is reshaping workplace wellbeing and why employee health has become a business growth strategy, not just an HR initiative.

Patrick shares the story behind building Australia’s first virtual medical practice for businesses and explains how giving employees on-demand access to healthcare professionals from GPs and psychologists to nutritionists and specialists can improve performance, productivity and long-term outcomes.

We discuss:
• Why workplace wellbeing needs a rethink
• The real economic impact of employee health
• Taking risk to leave a comfortable career to pursue an entrepreneurial path

• The Discretionary Energy gap
• Why preventative care beats reactive care
• The future of employee benefits and retention

Whether employees are at work, at home or travelling, this conversation explores how accessible, confidential healthcare could transform the way businesses support their people.

From pushing a lawn mower around the suburbs as a teenager to building one of Sydney's most iconic business communities beneath the Sydney Harbour Bridge, Mark Davidson's entrepreneurial journey is a lesson in backing yourself before anyone else does.

Mark shares how his first taste of business came through a lawn mowing round, and how a chance conversation with a customer led to an unexpected opportunity in sales despite having zero experience. From there, curiosity and ambition became the driving forces behind his career, taking him from door-knocking sales roles to property development and eventually entrepreneurship.

What started as a personal office in a disused warehouse beneath the Sydney Harbour Bridge soon became something much bigger. As more people walked through the door asking if they could work there too, Work inc was born. Through organic growth, Mark transformed a single warehouse into a thriving business ecosystem spanning six heritage warehouses, home to hundreds of entrepreneurs, founders and business leaders.

Today, Work inc has become far more than a coworking space. It's a hub where businesses are launched, partnerships are formed and billions of dollars worth of deals have been created.

Kristy and Mark also dive into:

• How saying "yes" before you're ready can accelerate your career
• The power of backing yourself when opportunities appear unexpectedly
• Why community is one of the most underrated assets in business
• Building a business through organic growth rather than chasing scale at all costs
• The lessons entrepreneurship teaches about resilience, uncertainty and adaptability
• How competing in the Dakar Rally mirrors the realities of running a business

Mark draws striking parallels between navigating the world's toughest off-road race and building a company; both require endurance, decision-making under pressure and the ability to keep moving forward when the path ahead is unclear.

This episode is a candid conversation about entrepreneurship, calculated risk-taking, creating opportunity where none exists, and building something that lasts.

If you're a founder, business owner, or someone wondering whether to take the leap on your next big opportunity, this one's for you.

Your property portfolio is one of your most powerful assets, but only if it’s structured for what’s coming next. Andrew Cull from Sound Property tells us how smart property investors are staying ahead of Australia’s biggest proposed tax shake up. 

Whether you’re a first-time investor or rentvestor, have equity sitting idle in your home, are considering investing through your SMSF, or you’re an experienced investor short on time, Sound Property is here to help you invest with clarity and confidence.

With nearly two decades of experience Andrew shows you how to cut through media hype, avoid costly mistakes, uncover hidden opportunities, and build a proven framework for safe, profitable property investing.

Walk away with the knowledge to make confident decisions and ensure your assets are positioned to perform.

In this short video, you’ll understand: 

✨Benefits of established vs new properties

✨What markets are best for investment 

✨Reinvesting vs owner occupied

It is here that you will learn the lessons that you wont see on Linked in or in media releases. This is where you'll hear about what business owners really go through to pull them selves and their teams through the trenches to build a brand and make a business a success.

The messy, sleepless moments that no one talks about will be shared here. Because the moments that keep you up at night deserve more than silence. And the leaders navigating them deserve a community that gets it.