Startup 360

Startup Daily
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Every Friday, Startup 360 hosts Simon Thomsen and Majella Campbell, dissect the news of the week in ANZ startups, before they’re joined by a guest to explore what makes them tick. Think of it as your startup guide to staying human. It’s all about lifting the bonnet on people to understand how they see the world and what inspires and drives them, and what they’ve learnt from both success and failure.

  1. 5d ago

    How The Laundry Lady’s Susan Toft turned her washing into a global brand

    On episode 78 of the weekly Startup 360 podcast, Susan Toft joins us to unpack how a government redundancy, a toddler and a mountain of washing became The Laundry Lady, the Queensland scaleup that’s now an international marketplace with more than 600 laundry partners. Susan takes us through the unglamorous reality of scaling: bootstrapping with off-the-shelf technology, building a platform only once the business demanded it, learning to pitch investors, and discovering that the right capital matters as much as the cheque. We also get the inside story on Shark Tank, where a national TV appearance became marketing gold, plus Susan’s lessons on brand, visibility and why founders can’t afford to treat marketing as an afterthought. Underneath is a founder story about motherhood, flexibility, resilience and building a business around the life you actually want. The Sunshine Coast mother of two teenage boys offers practical, funny and refreshingly grounded advice about solving a simple problem well, then having the nerve to scale it. Startup 360 is a SmartCo. Media production, produced and edited by Matt Jackson, and supported by Deel. Hire, manage and pay – anyone, anywhere. Subscribe on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube, and read StartupDaily.net for all the ANZ tech news for free.

  2. Oct 2

    Ranya Alkadamani on the “So what?” test every founder needs

    On episode 77 of Startup 360, we’re talking about storytelling, influence, AI, parenthood and the increasingly important business of staying human with Ranya Alkadamani, founder of Impact Group International. Ranya worked for Kevin Rudd when he was foreign minister, in a career that also spans media, international affairs, intelligence and communications. That’s given her a rare view of what happens when ideas meet institutions, politics and the people they’re supposed to serve. For founders, there’s plenty to unpack. Simon and Julie get into why relationships with government should start long before you need something, why great products can still fail the “so what?” test, and why founders need to understand not just what they’re building, but how the people outside their bubble will experience it. That’s especially relevant when the conversation turns to AI. Alongside enormous opportunity, there’s also growing anxiety about what gets automated, what skills we risk losing, and whether efficiency translates into progress. Ranya also talks candidly about motherhood, identity and discovering that success and capability in one part of life don’t necessarily prepare you for another. She had post natal depression after her first child and shares how that shaped her thinking about the world and the way forward. Startup 360 is a SmartCo. Media production, produced and edited by Matt Jackson, and supported by Deel. Hire, manage and pay – anyone, anywhere. Subscribe on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube, and read StartupDaily.net for all the ANZ tech news for free.

  3. Sep 25

    How to build a startup without losing yourself

    In this special edition of Startup 360, we revisit four conversations about the decisions, doubts and relationships behind building a business -the parts founders often leave out of the story. Mark ‘Z’ Zmarzly, head of startups at Morfless, shares the loneliness of his journey, a cofounder breakup that almost ended the business, and how he won a paying customer before the product existed. He also explains why a basketball court can reveal more about someone than a networking event. Tech Ready Women’s Renate Crollini explores the courage to back yourself, the honesty to recognise when something isn’t working, and the challenge of sorting useful advice from mentor whiplash. Knowing when to stop matters as much as knowing when to start. Posca cofounder Ed Stening admits he should have listened when a teammate questioned the packaging. His lessons in understanding customers come with an honest account of family life, financial sacrifice and children who aren’t afraid to tell Dad what they think. And Emma Earley from 1000 Women in AI, winner of the GSD Award at the Startup Daily Best in Tech awards, reflects on closing a startup, building differently next time, and resisting the pressure to put AI ahead of people. Her thoughts on curiosity, motherhood and rediscovering joy bring the conversation back to what all that ambition is meant to serve. Together, these conversations explore how to build with conviction without becoming deaf to feedback, ask for help without surrendering your judgement, and make room for life beyond the business. Startup 360 is a SmartCo. Media production, produced and edited by Matt Jackson, and supported by Deel. Hire, manage and pay – anyone, anywhere. Subscribe on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube, and read StartupDaily.net for all the ANZ tech news for free.

  4. Sep 18

    The power of data: Seer’s Kristi Mansfield on connection and community in the AI age

    We know data is powerful. But there are important questions around who owns it, who can access it, and who gets to make decisions with it? This week, on episode 75 of Startup 360, Julie and Simon sit down with Kristi Mansfield, philanthropist, community advocate, and founder and CEO of 10-year-old Seer Data & Analytics, to unpack how data, AI and better infrastructure can shift power closer to everyday people, not just those who can afford it. Seer works with governments and organisations here and globally to help everyone turn fragmented information into evidence to guide investment, measure impact and improve local decision-making. Kristi also introduces Meteora, Seer’s new AI-native platform built to connect commitments with outcomes and give governments, funders and organisations a clearer view of whether change is actually happening. The conversation gets into the hard stuff too: data governance, sovereign AI, responsible technology, trust and why moving fast isn’t enough when you’re working with sensitive information and complex social problems. Kristi also opens up about her founder journey, from hiring ahead of the company’s needs to lessons from trying to enter the US market, reshaping Seer’s operating model and learning how to build international growth through the right partners and channels. There’s also a powerful look at Humans of Purpose and its work creating pathways into data careers for women leaving family violence. This conversation is about building technology with consequence. And about what Kristi calls “the long middle” of entrepreneurship: staying adaptable, solving the next problem and keeping the vision moving forward. Startup 360 is a SmartCo. Media production, produced and edited by Matt Jackson, and supported by Deel. Hire, manage and pay – anyone, anywhere.Subscribe on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube, and read StartupDaily.net for all the ANZ tech news for free.

  5. Sep 18

    Regrets, Jason Dunn's had a few, but now he's a triathlete and loves adversity

    “Regret got me into running” is an unusual reason to become a triathlete, but then Jason Dunn, the author of Greatness Doesn’t Care, has taken an unusual career path since he dreamed of being a soccer player growing up in England. Jason, who now helps entrepreneurs build resilience, discipline and purpose on their path to success joined Simon and Julie on the couch for episode 74 of Startup 360 this week. Growing up in the UK, Jason lived and breathed football, playing four games a week as a teen. He was offered a pathway to becoming a pro footballer, but took a different one that lead to wealth management and now asks: what keeps you moving when your life doesn’t follow the path you once pictured? When he agreed to be part of a corporate triathlon team, he didn’t even know there was a swimming leg - he was hydrophobic, and in his mid 30s, didn’t know how to swim. Training meant cutting back on the ciggies, and a few jogs, but now he had to face his demons. Now he’s completed 14 Ironman triathlons and made the cut for the Ironman World Championship in Hawaii. Jason’s story is an invitation to think about your own relationship with ambition and purpose and how you tackle life..It’s a conversation that begins with football and running and then dives into the motivation behind a founder’s mindset. Startup 360 is a SmartCo. Media production, produced and edited by Matt Jackson, and supported by Deel. Hire, manage and pay – anyone, anywhere.Subscribe on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube, and read StartupDaily.net for all the ANZ tech news for free.

  6. Sep 4

    Finding your startup tribe with Innovation Bay’s Ian Gardiner

    On episode 73 of Startup 360, Simon and Julie sit down with Ian Gardiner, cofounder of Innovation Bay, investor, entrepreneur and champion of founder communities. Ian reflects on his journey from Glasgow to Australia, his life with his wife Andread, founder of Jelix Ventures, the dot-com boom, building Viacorp, and the lessons that came from growing a company without the kind of founder peer networks that exist today. That experience helped shape his belief that community isn’t a nice-to-have for founders, it's critical infrastructure. The conversation explores the power of peer groups such as YPO Forum, where founders can drop their mask, share challenges they can’t always discuss with staff, investors or family, and learn from people who have been through similar experiences. Ian also makes the case for human connection in an increasingly AI-driven world. While it can make founders more productive and even provide useful coaching, he argues there are limits to what it can understand about pressure, fear, accountability and the reality of building something difficult. It can take you so far, but only a human can get you to 100%. They also dig into Australia’s startup investment climate, why he sees angel activity as a useful barometer for market confidence, and how the rise of AI is changing startup defensibility. Ian also shares why being “tenacious and sticky” is both a founder superpower and a potential weakness, what he looks for in great founders, and why his simplest advice for building a network is still the most effective: get out, meet people and find your tribe. Startup 360 is a SmartCo. Media production, produced this week by Alex Harrod and edited by Matt Jackson, and supported by Deel. Hire, manage and pay – anyone, anywhere. Subscribe on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube, and read StartupDaily.net for all the ANZ tech news for free.

  7. Aug 30

    How Lucinda Hartley’s great Australian dream is rethinking home ownership

    This week on Startup 360, Majella Campbell returns to the host’s chair in Simon’s place, alongside Julie Trell, to unpack a huge week in Australian venture capital before sitting down with urban designer, serial founder and author Lucinda Hartley. Lucinda has spent her career exploring how the places we live shape the lives we lead. From cofounding CoDesign Studio and Neighbourlytics to her latest venture, Zeroo Home Loans, she has combined data, design and a deeply human lens to tackle some of Australia’s biggest urban challenges. The conversation dives into Australia’s housing affordability crisis and why Lucinda believes we need to rethink the traditional “Great Australian Dream”. She explains how Zeroo’s zero-deposit home loan model aims to help people with strong incomes but no deposit enter the property market, while using data to help buyers choose homes with strong long-term potential. Lucinda also shares some powerful lessons from her founder journey: why customer enthusiasm isn’t the same as willingness to pay, the dangers of tying your identity too closely to your company, and how understanding your own blind spots can make you a better leader. There’s also a fascinating discussion about AI and design. Lucinda warns that AI-generated work can appear so polished that we mistake it for finished thinking — making critical thinking and human judgment more important, not less. As she explains in episode 72, whether we’re building cities, companies or technology, the human stuff still matters most. And best of luck from the Startup 360 team to Lucinda as she runs the 42km Sydney Marathon this Sunday. We hope it brings you great joy. Startup 360 is a SmartCo. Media production, produced and edited by Matt Jackson, and supported by Deel. Hire, manage and pay – anyone, anywhere.Subscribe on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube, and read StartupDaily.net for all the ANZ tech news for free.

  8. Aug 20

    Four Pillars Gin cofounder Matt Jones on making your story come true

    Matt Jones describes himself as a creative strategist, accidental entrepreneur and serial failure. As his career pinballed between military intelligence, political speechwriting, brand strategy and co-founding Four Pillars Gin, he developed a theory about how people make decisions and why story matters. Matt, now founder of Think Story Experience, host of the StoryWork podcast and Startup Daily contributor, sat down with Julie and Simon for episode 71 of Startup 360 to explain how working in UK politics gave him an early lesson in human behaviour: people rarely make decisions based purely on facts. Identity, emotion and belonging matter. That insight shaped how he thinks about brands and building businesses. Storytelling is just part of the equation. The bigger challenge is creating a narrative - a shared worldview for founders, teams, customers and investors on where a startup is going and why. As he puts it, the challenge “isn’t about the story you tell. It’s about the story that you make true”. Four Pillars became a proving ground for those ideas. It wasn’t about MVP - they went “maximal”: exceptional gin, custom bottles, striking labels, and the absolute belief that Australia could make some of the world’s best gin using local flavours. They also built a deliberate growth story, from a $30,000 crowdfunding campaign, to $35 million in revenue in less than a decade. And knowing what to hold onto and what to change is, Matt found, one of the hardest parts of growth. Now, through his Storywork podcast and advisory work, he wants leaders to see story as strategy owned by the CEO, not handed to marketing. It’s not that the strongest businesses tell better stories. The trick is to build something worth talking about. Startup 360 is a SmartCo. Media production, produced and edited by Matt Jackson, and supported by Deel. Hire, manage and pay – anyone, anywhere. Subscribe on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube, and read StartupDaily.net for all the ANZ tech news for free.

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Every Friday, Startup 360 hosts Simon Thomsen and Majella Campbell, dissect the news of the week in ANZ startups, before they’re joined by a guest to explore what makes them tick. Think of it as your startup guide to staying human. It’s all about lifting the bonnet on people to understand how they see the world and what inspires and drives them, and what they’ve learnt from both success and failure.

Information

  • Creator
    Startup Daily
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    79
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Private Media. All rights reserved. Unauthorised reproduction, distribution, or use of this podcast, in whole or in part, is strictly prohibited.
  • Show Website
    Startup 360

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