The Mentor with Mark Bouris
Episodes
#348 Why discipline is the major determining factor of your success: My Muscle Chef
31 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"You can predict someone's success by observing their ability to deal with discomfort and distractions."Tushar Menon co-founded the healthy convenienc...
#347 Bonus: What a high-inflation economy means for housing? Economist Stephen Koukoulas
29 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This is a bonus episode with Mark Bouris and leading economist Stephen Koukoulas. They discuss the economic performance during September, speculate o...
#346 Meta: The features you need to know for your business
24 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Meta – formally named Facebook and the parent company of Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp, is a powerful tool for small businesses. Meta is experie...
#345 How to make sure your business survives any market: Her Black Book
17 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
When Stylerunner first came on the scene in 2012, it was an international success. The business was innovative and highly sought after by women looki...
#344 'I lost everything' Rebuilding a household brand after hitting rock bottom: ENJO
10 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Barb de Corti is the CEO and Founder of ENJO Australia. The Austrian-born entrepreneur decided to bring chemical-free cleaning products to the land D...
#343 Bonus: Is the US heading into a recession? Economist Stephen Koukoulas
30 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This is a bonus episode with Mark Bouris and leading economist Stephen Koukoulas. They discuss the economic performance during September, speculate o...
#341 A brilliant marketing strategy will make a crap product fail faster: STUFF
26 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Hunter Johnson is the founder of the aspirational brand STUFF, which sells groom and skincare products for men and is backed by Ian Thorpe.STUFF fuels...
#340 Navigating the legal minefield when starting a business
19 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The legal complexity that comes with starting or running a business is more challenging than it has ever been before. How do you handle legal issues ...
#339 Utilising human observation to reveal the needs and impulses of consumers: Internationally recognised brand strategist – Martin Lindstrom
12 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Martin Lindstrom is one of the world’s premier brand-building experts, advising Fortune 100 companies on how to build future-proof brands. He has ca...
#338 Bonus: Has inflation peaked? With Julia Gillard's former economist Stephen Koukoulas
05 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This is a bonus episode with Mark Bouris and leading economist Stephen Koukoulas. They discuss the economic performance during August, speculate on t...
#337 Why your fashion style is the tool you need to elevate: Celebrity stylist Lana Wilkinson
29 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The value of style is often undervalued and misunderstood. But it is what we use to stamp our identity and, therefore, business and authority. Lana W...
#336 How to build a nationally recognised franchise with no experience: Rashays
22 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
After leaving war-torn Lebanon, Rami Ykmour and his family relocated to Australia and set up in western Sydney. With an eye for opportunity, Rami a...
#335 How to position your perceived flaw as an advantage: Go1
15 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Thomas Wythe has been able to rise the ranks in the business and tech world and excel at work and life with autism.Thomas is Go1’s Chief Information...
#334 Combining human intelligence with AI to create better healthcare: Harrison.ai
08 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Harrison.ai is a Sydney-based healthcare startup that uses AI to design new algorithms and treatments for healthcare professionals.It’s clinician-le...
#333 Why you need to rely less on passion to be successful: Atomi
01 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Atomi is an ed-tech startup that wants to be the solution to the current teaching system.Thomas O’Donahoo & Rob Barakat are the co-founders of t...
#332 BONUS: What can we expect from RBA's August announcement?
29 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This is a bonus episode with Mark Bouris and leading economist Stephen Koukoulas. They discuss the economic performance during July, speculate on the...
#331 From filing bankruptcy to starting all over again in your fifties: eo elite athletic sporting technology
25 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Jaimie Fuller and his co-founding team at eo, want to be at the forefront of sports innovation. Fuller's been in the thick of athletic performance fo...
#330 Is there risk in being socially responsible? : Daily Jocks
18 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Daily Jocks is an underwear and lifestyle brand established in 2010 by Nic Egonidis. What started as a Facebook community page is now an all-inclusiv...
#329 Make your competition irrelevant by building something new: Managed App
11 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
“Cutthroat competition results in nothing but a bloody red ocean of rivals fighting over a shrinking profit pool.” How do you gauge market appe...
#328 Are you holding your business back? Finding success through self-awareness & healing: Iris Smit
04 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
How you decide to handle a business separates you from the pack. Iris Smit is the founder of one of the biggest things to shake up the makeup industr...
#327 Building a brand that catches the attention of Amazon: Gavin Rubinstein
27 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Gavin Rubinstein knows how to sell homes and himself.Unlike other real estate agents, Gavin has put himself in front of the screen as the face of Am...
#326 Be Media: How the Metaverse will incentivise your customer & build communities
20 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The AFL is the latest organisation to enter the Metaverse in a joint partnership with the digital agency, Be Media.Jordan Fogarty, the company's CEO a...
#325 Equity Mates Media: Want to start a podcast network?
13 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The cost of living is packing a punch right now.Equity Mates Media is Australia’s number one finance and investing podcast network, ranging from pod...
#324 Turning your rival into a competitive advantage: Institute of Aesthetic Teeth Whitening
06 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
When we enter the market, competition can either be an ongoing headache or a problem waiting to be solved.The teeth whitening and dentistry industries...
#323 Disputify: Why you should be backing yourself and aspiring for more
30 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Brisbane boy Jack Bloomfield first met Mark when he was 17, accompanied by his mother due to not being the legal age to check in to a hotel. Jack shar...
#322 Body Movement: Vertically integrating your business to leverage cost base
23 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Scott Madden & Elle Nielson are partners in life and small business co-owners on the central coast of Australia. Scott and Elle run three busines...
#321 Bamboo: Crypto markets are volatile, so why remain confident about its future?
16 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Whenever cryptocurrency experiences a significant dip in the market, confidence in its future is destabilised. Tracey Plowman, COO of the micro-inv...
#320 Engage: Identifying talent early and fostering growth
09 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Ash Belcastro is the founder of Engage, combat sportswear and gear. He also happens to be the business partner of Eugene Bareman, managing UFC champi...
#319 Click MGMT: Lucrative business of non-competitive gaming industry
02 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Imagine talking to an audience of over a million people who are watching you do walkthroughs, how-tos, and reviews about gaming.The gaming industry co...
#318 Bonus: How fitness app SWEAT negotiated a spectacular deal
28 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This is a bonus episode from Mark’s chat with SWEAT co-founder and former CEO Tobi Pearce on Straight Talk. Listen to the full Straight Talk episod...
#317 Bumble: Communicating your message effectively
25 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Communicating your brand's message can be the difference between make or break.Bumble, the female-initiated social network & dating app, has posit...
#316 Bonus: Liberal candidate Dave Sharma stakes his claim for Wentworth seat
21 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In its 120-year history, the affluent seat of Wentworth in Sydney is yet to elect outside of its Liberal preference. However, independent challenger A...
#315 Linktree: Monetising your corner of the internet
18 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Aussie unicorn, Linktree is the link-in-bio category startup success story.Brothers Alex and Anthony Zaccaria and their business partner, Nick Humphre...
#314 Sunroom: The common trait of every great entrepreneur
11 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"If it's not edgy, then why are you doing it? "Michelle Battersby is the co-founder and Chief Marketing Officer at Sunroom - a content and connection ...
#313 The DOM: Go your own way in business
04 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Justin Seskin is the CEO and co-founder of The DOM, an online outlet for shopping. Raised by the rag trade, Justin Seskin wants to disrupt the Direct...
#312 LTK Australia: Scaling influence and making everything shoppable
28 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Rey Vakili is the managing director of a three-sided marketplace business, LTK and has been tasked with establishing the Australian arm of the interna...
#311 The Inspired Unemployed: Monetising fun and audience
21 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Increasingly, people prioritise passion over a paycheck, and many gravitate towards the creator economy.Jack Steele and Matt Ford are the charming duo...
#31 0 Bonus: Australia's response to natural crisis is out of date
16 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Within an instant, flash floods have destroyed the thousands of homes that reside along the northeast coast of Australia at the start of 2022. It has...
#309 Dr Cody: Cracking the social media algorithm & making it work for you
14 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
People are obsessed with watching Sydney-based chiropractor Dr Cody crack and adjust the necks, backs and hips of people with built-up tension.Cody ha...
#308 Linda Goldspink-Lord: Crawling through the darkness
07 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Each of us will experience something in and outside of business life that will feel insurmountable, and the prospect of rebuilding your life is challe...
#307 ACERO: Why celebrities like Rebel Wilson want to be trained by Jono Castano
28 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
When comedian Rebel Wilson announced that 2020 would be her year of health and underwent a dramatic body transformation, everyone wanted to know who t...
#306 GenieUs: Selling big risk for big reward
21 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Why do we know more about outer space than we do about our own brains?GenieUs is a data science company that is on a mission to utilise the power ofth...
#305 ModelCo & MCoBeauty: How Shelley Sullivan built one of the fastest growing beauty brands in Australia
14 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
ModelCo and MCoBeauty is the fastest-growing beauty brand in Australia and continues to be led by the original founder and CEO, Shelley Sullivan. For...
#304 Little Tokyo: What's holding you back from being great?
07 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The Australian business community has been starving for resources and support over the past couple of years.In partnership with NRMA Insurance, Surviv...
#303 Olympian Mel Wu: How to get out of your own way
31 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
It's not how much weight you carry, and it's the way you carry it. — Lena Horne.Australian Olympic diver Mel Wu has been in the business of professi...
#302 5 times these entrepreneurs trusted their gut instinct
24 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Intuition; by definition – it's your immediate understanding of something; there's no need to think it over or get another opinion—you know. Your...
#301 ChefPrep: Reframe your thinking, choosing abundance & validating your product
17 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Good ideas are most apparent when we experience a moment of frustration. Josh Abulafia and Elle Curran co-founded ChefPrep because they were fed up w...
#300 P.A.C Capital: Next level investing
10 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Clayton Larcombe is the Chief investment officer at P.A.C Capital, an independent investment manager and as of current, is taking on two key interests...
#299 Pinot & Picasso: Rapid franchise growth and creating successful experiences
03 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Pinot and Picasso is a paint and wine sipping studio, a franchise business buoyed by the success of people desperate to get away from their screens. ...
#298 Bonus: The strange way comedian Merrick Watts prepared for SAS Australia
29 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Have you subscribed to Straight Talk with Mark Bouris yet? Subscribe here Check out the latest episode with Merrick Watts Watch episodes on YouTube...
#297 2021 wrap, bold business predictions and preparing for the new year
27 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Thank you for tuning in for another year of The Mentor with Mark Bouris! It's been a big year, but as the saying goes, next year is even bigger. The...
#296 Mr Yum: Identifying a good idea and how to pursue it
20 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
When you discover a win-win solution for both the customer and the merchant, you’re sitting on a goldmine. Mr Yum is a QR code food ordering platfo...
#295 My Millennial Money: It's time to sort your money out
13 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Glen James hosts the successful financial podcast – My Millennial Money.After spending ten years as a financial advisor, Glen realised he could shar...
#294 Refundid: Eliminating customer pain points
06 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The growth in the payments industry has taken off in the past few years, and there is a buy now pay later for everything. Refundid is an instant-refu...
#293 The Daily Aus: Building a brand universe from a passionate following
29 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
'If we're not innovating, and we're not trying out something different, then what's the point?' The Daily Aus is Australia's leading social media-fir...
#292 FELLR: Examining foreign markets & break through your local market
22 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The rise of mindful drinking has taken hold internationally and now Australia is riding the wave with new products such as hard seltzer –alcoholic s...
#291 In My Patch: Beginners guide to turning a side hustle into a flourishing business
15 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
As more people rely on ready-made meals, growing your own food is quickly becoming a dying skill. Sarah Rani picked up a hobby out of necessity after...
#290 Bonus: Encouraging businesses to speak up about their mental health
11 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
David Coleman MP is the Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention.Head to health offers multiple ways of searc...
#289 Spaceship: Rise of the young investor & understanding changing customer behaviour
08 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The rise of the passive investor has taken off, particularly amongst young millennials and gen-z who recently found it difficult to enter the stock ma...
#288 Tiny Stays: Taking risks is less energy with higher reward
01 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Aimee Stanton lives a stark difference from how she once lived as an adolescent to how she approaches her business life as the co-founder of Tiny Stay...
#287 Slyp: Smart receipts providing invaluable insight into customers
25 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
"How do we create an ecosystem that's built on trust but also on value exchange as well?"And Paul Weingarth is an Aussie entrepreneur who is the co-fo...
#286 HiSmile: Effective influencer marketing driving brand awareness
18 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
When long-term mates Nik Mirkovic and Alex Tomic decided to launch their own business, they had a fairly solid understanding of consumer behaviour and...
#285 Davie Fogarty: The formula for growing a successful e-commerce brand
11 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Growing your business online starts and ends with an effective digital marketing strategy and storytelling. Relying on organic growth is tempting –...
#284 Bangn Body: How to create hype online before launching a product
04 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
If you’re a young woman on Instagram, chances are Bangn Body has likely popped up in your feed.The brand’s main product, a yellow-tubed body lotio...
#283 Immutable: What are NFTs, and how could they change the way you do business?
27 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
If you think NFTs are just an internet fad, then maybe now is the time to take it more seriously. NFTs – non-fungible tokens – represent unique d...
#282 Amanda "Yellowpanda" Williams: How to amplify your brand awareness
21 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Amanda Williams cut her teeth in politics as a media advisor in federal and state politics. Here, she learnt how to build someones public image and re...
#281 If you're seeking small business advice, start here
15 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Chris Lamont has been the NSW Small Business Commissioner since June 2020.Chris has extensive experience in both the public and private sectors.Having...
#280 Finder: Should you be taking cryptocurrency more seriously?
13 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Fred Schebesta is the co-founder of Finder.com.au, one of the largest comparison websites and has recently launched the finder app that combines perso...
#279 Samantha X: What everyone gets wrong about high-class escorts
06 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
While many of us understand how sex works (maybe), the business of sex work is rarely spoken about. Samantha X is Australia's most know high-class es...
#278 Bonus: Small business needs a seat at the table
01 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
At the moment, people across the country tune in to their state's press conference every day to hear the latest COVID-19 case numbers. Our physical an...
#277 Circular Economy: There's a finite limit to how we operate
30 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In nature there's no such thing as waste, so why isn't this the same for business? Instead, society relies heavily on the 'linear economy' – take, ...
#276 Positivity Institute: Resilience and mental toughness
23 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Dr Suzy Green is the CEO and founder of The Positivity Institute which is dedicated to improving wellbeing in the workplace. Early in her career, she...
#275 Honey Insurance: How you view failure determines your success
16 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
"There's an infinite upside to giving something a go." Inefficiency drives Rich Joffe crazy, which is why he's set out to sweeten a bland industry –...
#274 BONUS: How do we get out of this mess?
11 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The economic cost of a lockdown in a major Australian city is estimated to be nearly $1 billion a week.Lockdowns are crippling the economy, and the sm...
#273 Airtasker: Everyone has a skill worth paying for
09 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Tim Fung is CEO and co-founder of Airtasker – a marketplace enabling users to outsource everyday tasks. Tim and his co-founder Jonathan Liu launche...
#272 BONUS: Live with Mark Bouris & Natalie Anne Hair on small business in lockdown
05 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Mark Bouris is joined by world recognised hairstylist, Natalie Anne in an Instagram Live event discussing small businesses in lockdown. Watch the Ins...
#271 SafetyCulture: Why self-doubt could be holding you back
02 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
"If you can come up with bigger questions you'll come up with bigger answers." Self-belief is one of the few things that’ll get you through the shi...
#270 Q & A: How to give your business the best chance during lockdown
28 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Mark shares his frustration caused by the NSW lockdowns and the growing disunity and disconnect.He also answers your questions about using this time t...
#269 Natalie Anne Hair: Small business in the middle of lockdown
26 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Natalie Anne has worked in the hair industry since she was 14 years old and has hustled her way to becoming one of Australia's most influential hair s...
#268 What the COVID-19 Disaster Recovery Payments mean for you
23 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
This is a special lockdown episode outlining the Commonwealth government's Covid-19 Disaster Payment announced by Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Tue...
#267 Kin Fertility: Revolutionising reproductive health
19 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
After being misdiagnosed with polycystic ovaries (PCOS) by her doctor, Nicole Liu found herself travelling down the confusing, fragmented path of wome...
#266 BONUS Q&A: Lockdown, feeling overwhelmed, covid work safety
15 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
It's time we hear from you; business owners, startups, sole traders or people who just love the podcast. Mark shares his thoughts on the latest lockd...
#265 Southern Cross Funeral Directors: The business of death
12 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
They say that the only thing that’s certain in life is death and taxes. Today on the show, we’re going six feet under and talking about the bus...
#264 Good Citizens: Empowering customers to make a global impact
05 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
When Nik Robinson’s kids asked their dad,’ what can we do about the global plastic problem?’ They were deadly serious.Together they launched Go...
#263 Jimmy Brings: Solving more problems than the next guy
28 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Who is Jimmy Brings? David Berger is the co-founder of the alcohol delivery service Jimmy Brings. David and his business partner, Nathan Besser, fir...
#262 Bearded Bakers: Why it's so important to know your business purpose
21 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Anyone can make a coffee or a good meal. What separates customer service from hospitality is the genuine desire to serve and provide.True hospitality...
#261 LSKD: How hustle and leverage can lead you to a Hollywood star
14 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Jason Daniel is the founder of sportswear gear LSKD – functional sportswear with a street aesthetic.It's a company that's experienced a few rebrands...
#260 Gimmie: Disrupting the billion-dollar Rent to Own industry
07 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Customers are savvier than ever before, which means it's much harder to win their trust. Gimmie is a start-up company based in Queensland that wants ...
#259 The Iconic: Erica Berchtold is braver than she is confident
31 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Erica Berchtold is the unsuspecting CEO for The Iconic. The eldest of four children, the daughter to a German migrant father and a mother who was ...
#258 Zero Co: The future of plastic living
24 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
When Mike Smith decided to take an eighteen-month sabbatical to the middle of nowhere, he didn't expect to find plastic ...and lots of it. Smith is t...
#257 Talisman: Harnessing the power of data
17 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Data is always talking. You just need to learn how to listen. Dharpan Randhawa is the CEO of Talisman, a sports marketing agency, and a former SVP at...
#256 Miss Amara: Rug business with a cult following
10 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Miss Amara is an e-commerce rug business achieving online business cult status. Co-founders Alex and Aaron Weller have built a strong customer-centri...
#255 Theo Mallos: Rescueblue
03 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Persuading parents to do a course that will save a kids life is an easy sell. But how does it work as a business? Theo Mallos is an Intensive Care P...
#254 Michael Rodrigues: 24hr Economy Commissioner (NSW)
26 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
When the Sydney Lockout laws were lifted seven years after they were imposed in 2014, what remained was a nightlife in decay. This decision cost $16....
#253 Naomi Simson: RedBalloon & Big Red Group
19 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Naomi Simson is the co-founder of Australia's largest experiences marketplace, Big Red Group and RedBalloon. During the end of the dot-com era, while...
#252 Michael Fox: Fable Food
12 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Michael Fox co-founded an online shoe business, Shoes Of Prey, which gave customers the ability to customise their very own shoes. The company raised...
#251 Irene Deutsch: Fairfax & Roberts
05 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Irene Deutsch is the managing director and co-owner of Australia's oldest jewellry house, Fairfax & Roberts. After spending 25-years in banking an...
#250 Oscar McMahon: Young Henrys
22 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Oscar McMahon is one of the Co-Founders of Sydney brewery Young Henrys, whose mission is to create a beer company that’s in touch with the people dr...
#249 Jonathan Moody: Physio Inq
15 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan Moody is the Founder and CEO of Physio Inq, a physiotherapy business that takes people through simple changes that have profound effects on a...
#248 Morgan Coleman: Vets On Call
08 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Morgan Coleman was working in a corporate career when a chance encounter at the vet with his dog got him thinking about how he could make the process ...