LADY-BRAINS

Our next guest, Courtney Ray, began her career occupied in the fields of accounting and finance, tapping away on excel and powerpoint, until her honeymoon getaway in the US inspired a lightbulb moment in a completely unrelated industry - flowers! In fact, Courtney identified that the traditional business model of the flower industry was fundamentally flawed due to high store front costs and hard to forecast perishable inventory. So she immediately jumped into action and built a completely new model for a flower delivery business - one curated bunch of flowers, ordered online and delivered same day direct to your door. In hindsight it makes sense, Courtney grew up on a farm surrounded by gorgeous gardens and freshly cut blooms - so it seems plausible that she managed to take one of her passions and turn it into a profitable business....enjoy! Connect with usSign up to our non-spammy monthly newsletter: www.ladybrains.com.auFollow us on Instagram: @lady.brainsChat to us in the Facebook group: the lady-brains clubhouseHave a sweet business idea but unsure if it has potential?Sign up for the free 'Idea Validation Mini Course' at www.ladybrains.com.au/idea-mini-couse  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Elle Ferguson, founder of beauty brand ELLE EFFECT, shares how she implemented systems and processes during COVID that have fully streamlined her business operations, the crucial mistake she made that cost her almost 20,000 bottles of product, and why she’s seeking external investment to fund her next wave of growth. You’ll learn:  Why Elle reviews her numbers weekly, and how this informs her decision making  Why she’s separated the Elle Effect and Elle Ferguson businesses and brands The 3 secret ingredients she uses to create a killer campaign  Why she postponed a set of product launches multiple times  How she manages to continuously create new, exciting and inspiring content at scale  Connect with usSign up to our non-spammy monthly newsletter: www.ladybrains.com.auFollow us on Instagram: @lady.brainsChat to us in the Facebook group: the lady-brains clubhouseHave a sweet business idea but unsure if it has potential?Sign up for the free 'Idea Validation Mini Course' at www.ladybrains.com.au/idea-mini-couse  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jodie Fox is the co-founder of Shoes of Prey, a brand that allowed women to design their shoes in any colour, material, shape or size. In this chat provides insights into how she achieved on-demand manufacturing and customisation at scale, how she raised over $27 million in funding, and why in 2019 it all came crashing down around her. We learn what it was really like for Jodie to fail in such a public way.  You’ll learn:  Why Jodie thinks the business failed, and what she would do differently if she had her time again  How her identity was wrapped up in being an entrepreneur, and what this meant for her after Shoes of Prey closed its doors   The challenges with the mass on-demand manufacturing business model   How she raised over $27 million in funding to scale the business globally   The importance of being curious and doing your research when building a business   Connect with usSign up to our non-spammy monthly newsletter: www.ladybrains.com.auFollow us on Instagram: @lady.brainsChat to us in the Facebook group: the lady-brains clubhouseHave a sweet business idea but unsure if it has potential?Sign up for the free 'Idea Validation Mini Course' at www.ladybrains.com.au/idea-mini-couse  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In a world where brands are constantly vying for people’s attention, how do you truly connect with those who make the crucial financial decisions in our homes? Christie Nicholas is the brains behind Mumpower – Australia’s leading agency dedicated to understanding, engaging, and empowering the most influential household spender – mums. In 2009, while working for some big-name brands, Christie knew deep down there was a better way to reach and communicate with mothers. This led her to quit her dream job to go all in on Mumpower, which now boasts a vast network of influencers, creators, product review panellists and market researchers. In this chat you'll hear from Christie on:  Why she thought she could do a better job at speaking to Mums as buyers Quitting her dream job to start Mumpower  Overcoming her limiting beliefs and imposter syndrome  The harsh truths she had to face after a decade into business Understanding your customer intimately and the pain points along the customer journey  The 3 strategies she uses time and time again to ensure personal, business and team success.  Does your business need support during the busy e-commerce sales period? Check out Australia Post's FREE Peak Playbook to help you create a better customer experience and get your packages in their hands on time: www.auspost.com/peak SAY HEY Find us at www.ladybrains.com.auFollow us on Instagram @lady.brainsLearn more about Mumpower at www.mumpower.com.auSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This episode is sponsored by Australia Post. Anna Hoang is the founder and creator of ANNA QUAN, a contemporary Australian fashion label. The brand epitomises simplicity, elegance and quiet luxury. You may know the label for its bread and butter item, the white button down shirt. Anna has managed reimagined and redefined this staple , and has people from all over the world coming back for time and time again.  Anna opens up in this rare interview, about her transition from law to fashion, her struggle in the first few years with gaining traction in the Aussie market and the bold move she made next, how her values help her hire the right people, and the important questions she asks herself as she hits 10 years in business. In this ep, you’ll learn about:  The transition she made from law school to fashion school Her first business failure and finding the confidence to go it alone The Paris showroom debacle and what happened when she tried to rent her own Airbnb for showings Why she's big on iterating styles that have been left on the cutting room floor to create a version that customers actually want  Why it's important to have a bread and butter product Her thoughts on greenwashing and sustainable fashion The type of brand she wants to build and the values that underpin it The questions she asks herself after reaching a decade in business Does your business need support during the busy e-commerce sales period? Check out Australia Post's FREE Peak Playbook to help you create a better customer experience and get your packages in their hands on time: www.auspost.com/peak SAY HEY Find us at www.ladybrains.com.auFollow us on Instagram @lady.brainsChat to us in the Facebook group, the lady-brains clubhouseSign up for our online business course BASE CAMP here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Get a free fitting and find your perfect bra at theonetwo.com, and use the code LB20 at the checkout for 20% off your entire order. The last time you heard from Margot & Maria they’d raised $100k from over 700 backers during their Kickstarter pre-sale campaign. They were on a high and excited to hard launch their brand in time for the Christmas rush.   But just as they were about to go live, their online custom fit algorithm (the one they’d spent over a year getting right) broke. Christmas came and went. They missed their deadline...again.   But the duo didn’t let that stop them. They were on the home stretch and a few months later they finally launched The OneTwo into the world.   So how have their first few months in market been? What has the response been from customers? What other curve balls have been thrown their way?   Created in partnership with lady-brains.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Get a free fitting and find your perfect bra at theonetwo.com, and use the code LB20 at the checkout for 20% off your entire order. The year was 2022 and by now, Margot and Maria had been working on bringing The OneTwo to life for over two whole years. COVID had played havoc with their timeline, their product taking years longer to develop than they originally planned and their cash reserves slowly but surely running out.   Thing were heating up and the duo decided to run a Kickstarter pre-sale campaign. Not only did they need to raise money to keep the wheels turning, but they also were out to prove to their investors that despite the delays, the fire in The OneTwo’s belly was still burning brightly.  Created in partnership with lady-brains.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Get a free fitting and find your perfect bra at theonetwo.com, and use the code LB20 at the checkout for 20% off your entire order. After the world and supply chains ground to a halt and the world became locked down, Margot and Maria’s factory pulled out of the partnership and left them high and dry, without a manufacturer to make their bra. After searching high and low, they finally found a factory in Sri Lanka who were amazed by their innovative approach, and believed in what they were trying to create.   A bra that is engineered for women’s breasts of ALL shapes and sizes.  But with the world turned upside down and unable to leave the country to visit their factory in person, will they be able to finalise samples in time to meet their production deadlines?   Will their rapidly decreasing cash runway last long enough for them to pull through?  Created in partnership with lady-brains.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Get a free fitting and find your perfect bra at theonetwo.com, and use the code LB20 at the checkout for 20% off your entire order. Fundraising is one of the most crucial parts of getting a startup off the ground and it’s no secret that doing this as a woman is hard. It’s even harder for two women who are pitching their bra product to a table of men, most of whom struggle to understand the product or problem.   So, how did Margot and Maria pitch their revolutionary bra in order to raise six figures to turn their dreams into a reality? How did they manage to get a breast surgeon on their cap table? And why did we (lady-brains) decide to invest? 👀  Created in partnership with lady-brains.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Get a free fitting and find your perfect bra at theonetwo.com, and use the code LB20 at the checkout for 20% off your entire order. Welcome to this special lady-brains podcast series documenting the incredible story of Margot and Maria, the co-founders behind new bra tech startup The OneTwo.   Over the next five episodes we’re diving deep to hear about the trials and tribulations they’ve encountered in the lead up to launching. From meeting during an accelerator program in 2020, to challenges fundraising while pitching a product for to a room full of men, to dealing with the fallout of COVID and its impact on their supply chain, to Margot finding out she was pregnant just as things were heating up...this story has it all!  We’re proud to present this story of two women, creating a product for women in a category that has largely been neglected, and forging their own way in a male-dominated business world. Strap in! Created in partnership with lady-brains.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This episode was produced in partnership with Who Is Elijah.  Raquel Bouris is the founder of Who Is Elijah, a beautiful fragrance brand that absolutely took off during the pandemic. She was inspired to create a perfume after a trip to Coachella, and what started as a little side project to a scent just for her, has now taken on a life of its own and grown into a multimillion-dollar brand.   In this ep, you’ll learn:  How she generated traction early on and secured DJs as a retailer with a slick marketing deck  Her ambitions to scale into the US, and what Sephora US asked her to do before they ranged her brand  In 2021, why her accountant told her she’d have to radically cut costs or she wouldn’t have a business in a few months  Why she hired two of her best mates into the business, and what it was like to fire them  How she’s built confidence in her own skills along the way    ~ Connect with us ~  Find us at www.ladybrains.com.auFollow us on Instagram @lady.brainsChat to us in the Facebook group, the lady-brains clubhouseSign up for our online business course BASE CAMP here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This episode is sponsored by Twisted Healthy Treats Australia’s first and only female-led ice cream manufacturer. Get their delicious Oat Milk Ice Cream Bars, Watermelon and Mango Fro-Yo, and Coconut Pops at twistedhealthytreats.com.au or your closest supermarket. Kim Teo is the founder of tech start-up Mr Yum. If you’ve ever been to a restaurant, browsed the menu on your phone and ordered through a QR code, chances are you’ve used the Mr Yum platform. In 2021, she raised an $89M Series A round – the largest ever Aussie Series A for a female led company. But soon after she raised this cash, the tech bubble burst and the economic environment dramatically shifted, and in 2022 she made the hard decision to lay off 17% of the team.  In this chat, you’ll learn:  Why this was a necessary response to the changing economic climate and Mr Yum’s need to maintain a longer runway in the face of so much uncertainty  How she’s thinking about her business as we move into a recession  Her decision-making process around those latest redundancies  Who she leans on for support when times get tough  Why transparency is her most important leadership trait  ~ Connect with us ~ Find us at www.ladybrains.com.au  Follow us on Instagram @lady.brains Chat to us in the Facebook group, the lady-brains clubhouseSign up for our online business course BASE CAMP here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What’s it like to completely pivot your business three times, before you even launch? Katherine Clayton, co-founder of Peachii Insurance shares how she's pivoted the business three whole times before they've gone to market, why a change in regulation almost meant their idea was dead in the water, and how she's leveraged her sales skills to raise a bunch of cash. You’ll learn:  How they’re making insurance sexy and accessible to the younger generation  That their original fundraising aspiration was a $2M pre-seed round, and how they had to adjust their expectations and raise smaller cheques from angels instead  How they responded when government regulations changed meaning their original product was almost dead in the water (but how it’s actually worked out well in the end!)  How they approached the equity split with a three person co-founding team  The art of doing a deal, and how Katherine approaches selling  How she deals with investors who ghost her   What they’re doing in the lead up to launch!  ~ Connect with us ~ Learn more about Peachii Insurance at www.peachii.comFind us at www.ladybrains.com.au  Follow us on Instagram @lady.brains Chat to us in the Facebook group, the lady-brains clubhouseSign up for our online business course BASE CAMP here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This episode was produced in partnership with Twisted Healthy Treats.Today’s guest, Cass Spies, is the founder of ice cream brand Twisted Healthy Treats. In this chat she shares why her dream was to be ‘the next Janine Ellis’ and create a frozen yoghurt retail franchise (and how this didn’t pan out) how she went about building her own manufacturing facility, how she landed retailers like Woolworths, Coles and Costco in the US, and how she managed to get into 5000 school canteens across Australia. You’ll learn:  How Cass phased the transition of her business away from retail and into wholesale when her stores weren’t making money  Why opening her own manufacturing facility was one of the scariest things she’s done thus far  Why getting her products into school canteens pretty much saved her business  Why she listens to the signs the universe puts in front of her  When to know when to continue pushing forward vs. giving up and letting go of the plan  How landing a deal with Costco saw her increase sales by 70%  The process of exporting her product to China  Why Cass has chosen to finance her business via loans instead of seeking external investment  ~ Connect with us ~ Find us at www.ladybrains.com.au  Follow us on Instagram @lady.brains Chat to us in the Facebook group, the lady-brains clubhouseSign up for our online business course BASE CAMP here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This episode is proudly sponsored by Carlisle Homes, Australia’s number 1 builder for 2021.  Tune into their new podcast show Home Files (hosted by us!) to uncover all the truths about what knocking down and building your dream home. Listen here.Is it possible to build a profitable, fulfilling business, working 3 days a week? If you're asking Jen Bishop, former newspaper journalist and magazine editor, the answer is a resounding YES. She's built The Interiors Addict, Australia's largest interior design, styling and renovation blog, doing just that. In this chat Jen shares how she’s designed her business around the lifestyle she wants and how she’s intentionally kept her operation lean, employing contractors to create the majority of her content while focusing her time on bringing in the cash. You'll learn: Birthing her business after being made redundant  Being a commentator not an expert  Monetising her platform through sponsored content, partnerships and brand ambassadorship gigs  Getting through COVID despite losing most of her cash flow  Her preference for working with contractors over agencies   Why being kind is her guiding principle  ~ Connect with us ~  Find us at www.ladybrains.com.au   Follow us on Instagram @lady.brains  Chat to us in the Facebook group, the lady-brains clubhouse Sign up for our online business course BASE CAMP here Sign up for our Black Friday Marketing Crash Course here and have your best sales weekend ever  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This episode is proudly brought to you by Eugene, Australia’s first end to end genetic counselling and testing service. To receive $50 off your first genetic test, use the code LADYBRAINS50 at checkout. Just head to eugenelabs.com to shop now.   How do the most successful people in the world manage their time, energy and relationships? Today’s guest is Dr Amantha Imber; organisational psychologist and the founder of behavioural science consultancy Inventium, host of the How I Work podcast and author of Time Wise, a guide to how the world’s most successful people dominate their day. You'll learn: What ‘work smarter, not harder’ actually means  How to stop being a slave to your inbox  The importance of understanding your chronotype in designing the most effective structure to your day (and your team’s too!)  How knowing your values can help you identify the right times to say no  How to overcome the planning fallacy  How to be aware of, and avoid, the Iceberg Yes  The difference between synchronous work and asynchronous work  ~ Connect with us ~  Find us at www.ladybrains.com.au   Follow us on Instagram @lady.brains  Chat to us in the Facebook group, the lady-brains clubhouse Sign up for our online business course BASE CAMP here Sign up for our Black Friday Marketing Crash Course here and have your best sales weekend ever  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This Black Friday and Cyber Monday, 1 in 3 Aussies are ready and willing to open their wallets, and as a founder, we want you to be prepped and ready to earn your slice of the pie. If you want to maximise this sales opportunity for your business, then listen up! In this episode we chat to Beth Wilson, who participated in our Black Friday Marketing Crash Course last year, to learn EXACTLY how she grew her sales by 445% across the sales period. We also get Digital Marketing Expert, Gabriella Singh, back on the line to give us her top tips for BF/CM 2022. You’ll learn:  How Beth from Saint Jack 5x’d her sales during Black Friday 2021 (and how you could too)  Why consumer mentality around Black Friday is even stronger this year, despite the fact we're facing inflation and cost of living pressures  Why planning your activity early (6-8 weeks out) is KEY to your campaign performance  How to engage your existing audience through teasing your offer in advance via emails and social  How to find new, high-quality leads to add to your marketing funnel  How to re-engage your disengaged segment through creating a new, personalised nurture sequence   ~ Connect with us ~  Sign up for our Black Friday Marketing Crash Course here and have your best sales weekend ever Find us at www.ladybrains.com.au   Follow us on Instagram @lady.brains  Chat to us in the Facebook group, the lady-brains clubhouse Sign up for our online business course BASE CAMP here  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

To celebrate lady-brains' 100th episode, we're listening back to some of our favourite chats of all time. In this episode, you'll hear: Author and activist, Cleo Wade, chatting about her version of imposter syndrome; feeling random (ep 1) Jo Horgan, founder of MECCA, sharing how she thinks about business as a game, and one that's she's determined to win (ep 31) Hannah Spilva, founder of LVLY, sharing how she figured out how to send fresh flowers through the Aussie postal system (ep 47) Jodie Fox, founder of Shoes of Prey, telling us what it was like to experience failure (the liquidation of her business) in a very public way (ep 42) Kate Morris, founder of Adore Beauty, sharing a story of crying in the carpark because she couldn't make payroll the following week (ep 32) Maeva Heim, founder of Bread Beauty Supply, telling us how she landed a deal with Sephora before she launched her brand (ep 54) Jenna Holmes, aka. Plant Mama / Pasta Mama, on the funny moment she decided she'd only deal with customers who valued her time (ep 53) Bianca Spender, recorded live at Australian Fashion Week, on the decision to split her business from her mum's, Carla Zampatti (ep 92) Sarah Friar, CEO of Next Door, on how startups look polished on the outside but are full of holes on the inside (ep 26) Jane Martino, serial entrepreneur, on the power of letting go of a product, project or business when it's no longer serving you (ep 37) Artist CJ Hendry, on the fact her art exhibitions have almost bankrupted her (ep 25) ~ Connect with us ~ Find us at www.ladybrains.com.au  Follow us on Instagram @lady.brains Chat to us in the Facebook group, the lady-brains clubhouseSign up for our online business course BASE CAMP here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

To celebrate our 5th birthday, we've curated our top 5 pieces of advice for any founder starting out in business. If you’re taking the leap into the business full time, do your due diligence  Say yes a lot in the early days. Say no more than yes, the further down the road you go.  Stay aligned to your values. Set a short deadline to solve every problem.  Be bold, be brave.  Resources mentioned:VIA Character Assessment: www.viacharacter.org ~ Connect with us ~ Find us at www.ladybrains.com.au  Follow us on Instagram @lady.brains Chat to us in the Facebook group, the lady-brains clubhouseSign up for our online business course BASE CAMP here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's lady-brains' 5th birthday 🎉In this episode, Anna & Caitlin reflect on the last five years in business, and share their favourite moments, biggest lessons and most memorable guests.You'll hear: How Anna & Caitlin were given a huge scoop (that they kept to themselves for 3 years) before the information became public How they were two degrees of separation away from Beyonce on their 2019 NYC recording trip The moment they broke their Base Camp sales page the night before the program was due to launch The moment they were threatened to be sued by a podcast guest The common characteristics and attributes that their podcast guests have possessed How they've monetised the podcast and leveraged it for other opportunities The ups and downs of managing small business cashflow Why it took 2 years to create Base Camp ~ Connect with us ~ Find us at www.ladybrains.com.au  Follow us on Instagram @lady.brains Chat to us in the Facebook group, the lady-brains clubhouseSign up for our online business course BASE CAMP here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.