The Founders Fire

Dan Moussa - Thirdway Advisory
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Every founder has two stories, the one on the stage and the one over a whiskey. The Founder's Fire are the second ones. I sit down with founders to talk about the things we all go through, but no one talks about. The pressure, the doubt, the times they nearly gave up and how they turned it all around. If you're building something and want to hear what it actually takes, this is for you. Make sure you hit follow because I can guarantee you've never heard these stories before.

  1. 19h ago

    Andrew Banks: Why Great Founders Study Their Wins

    Andrew Banks sold Morgan & Banks, bought it back when the buyer ran into trouble, and went on to build again. His story has plenty of big moments. But the lessons he keeps coming back to are surprisingly practical. The co-founder of Morgan & Banks and Talent2 joins Dan to talk about the career detours that brought him to recruitment, the partnership that helped him scale, and what founders need to understand about themselves before they can build a great team. Andrew is open about not finding his fit straight away, learning to step away from doing everything himself, and keeping his perspective when the business takes a hit. Along the way, he explains why he studies the wins as closely as the losses, what he looks for when hiring, and why being patient with yourself matters more than rushing to prove you’ve made it. 0:00 Andrew Banks and the career detours before recruitment 3:03 The different lessons he learned from his parents 13:08 Choosing a business partner with complementary strengths 14:49 The story behind the name Morgan & Banks 16:39 Opening the doors and winning the first clients 17:28 Selling the business, buying it back and going public 18:19 Understanding what made the early team work 20:55 Why founders should study their wins 26:29 Finding work you actually love 28:46 Building specialist teams that can scale 35:55 What Andrew looks for when hiring 38:35 Stepping away from doing everything yourself 43:09 Starting again with Talent2 45:39 Keeping perspective through setbacks 49:48 The emotional tone a founder sets 51:09 What makes Andrew back a founder 53:30 Be patient with yourself This episode of Founders Fire is powered by Compono. ───────── See behind the scenes over on ⁠Instagram⁠. Or connect with Dan Moussa on ⁠LinkedIn⁠. And if you need help to find the hire that will completely change your business, reach out at ⁠Thirdway Advisory⁠. Hit follow wherever you’re listening so you don’t miss a single episode.

  2. Oct 28

    Homeless at 12, Successful Founder Today but A Father Above Everything - With Tim Dive

    At 12, Tim Dive left a broken home without packing a bag. He just started walking. He describes escaping a violent childhood, sleeping on a pile of dirty clothes and trying to stay in school while figuring out where his next meal would come from. Years later, when his marriage broke down, he made another defining decision: put his business on hold and focus on being there for his children. In this episode of Founders Fire, Dan Moussa sits down with Tim, founder of The HR Cartel, for a deeply personal conversation about survival, ambition and knowing what matters when everything competes for your attention. Tim shares the rugby league pathway he couldn’t sustain without a stable home or support, the jobs he took to keep moving, and the unexpected lessons from selling $4,000 vacuum cleaners door to door. He recounts leaving Sydney for Queensland and finding his way into recruitment, mining and the difficult workplace conversations that would eventually become his business. There’s also the decision to step away, the clients who welcomed him back, and why he believes employers need to look harder at people whose potential doesn’t come neatly packaged in a conventional career path. Through it all, Tim keeps returning to one priority: he could rebuild the business. Being a father was always his plan A. Why Tim paused his business during a marriage breakdown. Leaving home at 12 and trying to work without a permanent address. Why talent wasn’t enough to keep his rugby league dream alive. Learning sales, handling rejection and finding a way forward. Turning hard-earned experience into practical support for small businesses. Recognising potential in people who have had to make their own way. Chapters: 00:00 — Episode preview 00:57 — A word from Compono 01:15 — Meet Tim Dive and The HR Cartel 05:52 — Putting the business on hold for his children 09:41 — Working with clients and helping build a school 13:25 — The childhood behind Tim’s decision-making 19:27 — Finding somewhere to stay and trying to keep going to school 23:34 — Leaving school and looking for work 26:57 — A word from Compono 27:35 — Trying to get hired without an address 29:54 — Rugby league talent and the support he didn’t have 36:06 — Why Tim doesn’t believe in Plan B 39:15 — Fatherhood was always Plan A 39:50 — Selling $4,000 vacuum cleaners door to door 43:25 — Tim’s account of growing up around Cabramatta 50:37 — Leaving Sydney and starting again in Queensland 53:17 — An unexpected opening into recruitment and HR 55:44 — Learning to handle the hardest workplace conversations 59:48 — Building a business and a life today 01:02:52 — Recognising potential beyond the conventional pathway 01:05:47 — A final word from Compono Content note: This episode includes descriptions of childhood abuse and violence, discussion of homelessness, and a brief reference to suicide. Explore The HR Cartel or connect with Tim Dive on LinkedIn. This episode of Founders Fire is powered by Compono. ───────── See behind the scenes over on Instagram. Or connect with Dan Moussa on LinkedIn. And if you need help to find the hire that will completely change your business, reach out at Thirdway Advisory. Hit follow wherever you’re listening so you don’t miss a single episode.

  3. Oct 21

    He Signed the Starlink Deal. Then Had to Find $15 Million

    Neil Jamieson had signed the Starlink deal. He still didn’t know where the money was coming from. The commitment was roughly $15 million, and he had only weeks to find it. People warned him it could sink the business. Neil believed the opportunity was too important to miss. But his willingness to back himself had been shaped long before that moment. In this episode of Founders Fire, Dan sits down with the founder and CEO of Hypha to trace a journey from tobacco farming in Zimbabwe to building communications technology that helps keep Australia’s police, firefighters and ambulance crews connected. Neil shares how he found opportunities during economic collapse, the three-year legal battle that cost him everything, and the nine months his family spent staying with friends across different continents while waiting for a visa. When they finally moved into a rented house in Brisbane, he felt like the king of the world. He also speaks openly about a later crisis at Hypha, the loss of his best friend and business partner Ray to suicide, and the grief he only began processing after the immediate pressure had eased. Along the way, they discuss the difference the right advisers can make, the financial knowledge he wishes he’d gained earlier, and why ambition needs people around it who can challenge, support and guide you. Neil is candid about what the journey has cost him. And after everything he’s built, the life he still dreams of is the one he wanted at the beginning: being a farmer. Content note: This episode includes discussion of suicide, bereavement and financial hardship. Please take care while listening. 0:00 Episode preview and Compono sponsor message 1:14 Meet Neil Jamieson: Hypha, Starlink and the $15 million commitment 9:50 Where his resilience began 10:49 Growing up in Zimbabwe, starting again and the legal battle in Dubai 21:00 A full-circle business relationship and competing with his brother 25:19 Nine months without a home—and the perspective it gave him 28:01 Risk, rapid growth and the challenges inside Hypha 29:54 A business crisis, losing Ray and finding the support to rebuild 35:40 Processing grief after the immediate crisis 38:09 Remembering Ray, the cost of success and choosing the right people 49:12 Hard-earned lessons and the advice he gives other founders 51:10 Finding stability, reflecting on the journey and the dream of farming again Learn more about Neil and the team at Hypha. This episode of Founders Fire is powered by Compono. --------- See behind the scenes over on Instagram. Or connect with Dan Moussa on LinkedIn. And if you need help to find the hire that will completely change your business, reach out at Thirdway Advisory. Hit follow wherever you’re listening so you don’t miss a single episode.

  4. Oct 14

    A World Champion, a $6 Million Dream and the Cyclone Before Opening Day - With Daniel Watkins

    Dan Watkins had spent years building his $6 million dream. The council had signed it off. The mayor and media were booked for opening day. Then flooding associated with Cyclone Debbie tore through the park. For the three-time world wakeboarding champion, it was the beginning of what he describes as ten major floods in ten years—and a cycle of rebuilding that would test far more than his determination. In this episode of Founders Fire, Dan Moussa sits down with Dan Watkins to explore his journey from Bonnie Doon to the international pro tour, and from professional athlete to building GC Wake Park on the Gold Coast. Dan shares the pressure of delivering on a dream he’d sold to investors, his family and the community. He explains why he took on GC Aqua Park to help pay the bills, how close he came to cancelling the World Championships, and what it meant to watch his son win the under-17 world title at the park he’d built. Along the way, they talk about building a team that complements your weaknesses, the personal cost of ambition, and the difficult decision to close a business you’ve fought so hard to keep alive. For someone who had spent his life pushing through, recognising that he’d done enough became a turning point of its own. And the people who found their sport, their friendships and their sense of belonging at the park gave him something to be proud of long after it closed. 0:00 Cyclone Debbie, ten floods and the cost of being driven 0:34 Compono - episode sponsor 0:52 Meet Dan Watkins and GC Aqua Park 2:56 From Bonnie Doon to chasing summers around the world 5:59 The electrical apprenticeship before his sporting career 8:39 Life on tour during the rise of the X Games 10:11 Almost quitting before his first professional win 16:27 The moment that changed his competitive mindset 22:42 Moving from professional sport into business 26:47 Building the Australian wakeboarding tour 28:01 Becoming their own sponsor 29:09 Selling experiences, not just boats 32:18 Why he wanted to build a wake park 34:39 Taking on a $6 million project 37:07 Understanding himself and building a complementary team 40:28 Why different people need different rewards 43:08 Compono - sponsor break 43:42 Getting the park approved and built 45:12 Ready to open - then the flood arrived 47:18 Drawing on the resilience he learned in sport 48:57 "Ten major floods in ten years" 49:59 Finding another business to fund the rebuilding 52:17 Hosting the Worlds and watching his son win 54:12 Writing a book he initially kept to himself 56:54 The personal cost of being driven 58:47 Why GC Wake Park closed 1:00:13 The World Championships they almost cancelled 1:01:05 The conversation with his wife that changed the decision 1:03:19 A family triumph - and recognising he'd done enough 1:05:00 The promise he made when he built the park 1:06:00 A closing-day conversation he'll never forget 1:06:57 Building community through GC Aqua Park 1:08:49 "Do something and something will happen" 1:09:16 His book and the next chapter 1:10:24 Tourism awards and welcoming honest feedback 1:12:12 Finding something you love enough to keep showing up 1:13:48 What that extra "1%" can look like 1:15:54 Compono - closing sponsor message Explore GC Aqua Park. This episode of Founders Fire is powered by Compono. --------- See behind the scenes over on Instagram. Or connect with Dan Moussa on LinkedIn. And if you need help to find the hire that will completely change your business, reach out at Thirdway Advisory. Hit follow wherever you’re listening so you don’t miss a single episode.

  5. Oct 7

    From $900 Websites to Winning Westpac as a Client - Ken Kencevski

    Ken Kencevski helped take his family’s car-parts business online and into international markets. Then he left to start again. His family thought he was crazy. For six months, they barely told anyone he’d gone, just in case he changed his mind. Ken was out knocking on doors in Wollongong, selling $900 websites and building momentum wherever he could. But one of the biggest rewards had nothing to do with his new business. Once work stopped dominating every conversation, he felt like he got his parents back. In this episode of Founders Fire, Dan sits down with the founder of Devika to explore the decisions behind a decade of building digital products. From taking over a stalled software implementation at the family business, to landing Westpac as a client after abandoning his presentation and handing someone a VR headset. Ken shares why he told every existing client the business was changing direction, how he held onto his team while competitors tried to poach them, and why he cares more about his business doing well than looking successful. They also get into AI and vibe coding: where Ken sees real value in testing an idea quickly, and where founders can mistake a promising prototype for a product that’s ready for paying customers. Along the way, there are $900 websites, kids’ coding classes, a Coachella project, a UFC Christmas party and an ambitious vision for Devika Ventures. Through it all, Ken keeps coming back to the same question: how hard can it be? 0:00 Backing yourself and making the big calls0:42 Meet Ken Kencevski, founder of Devika1:09 Building and launching digital products3:10 Ten years of Devika and the COVID pivot5:20 Keeping the team together as competition for talent exploded7:26 Choosing retention and profitability over rapid growth9:56 The server outage that sparked his interest in tech12:04 Taking the family business online14:31 The software project that was always “one month away”17:10 Taking ownership when the tech partner couldn’t deliver20:17 AI, vibe coding and the gap between prototype and product23:18 Creating one consistent way to build software25:50 Why saying yes to everything became unsustainable27:59 The “Jerry Maguire moment”: calling every client29:44 Growing the family business through e-commerce32:51 The San Francisco trip that changed his direction34:42 Why his family didn’t want to take another big bet36:24 Leaving the family business37:03 “I got my parents back”38:20 Starting again without an established reputation39:22 Knocking on doors and selling $900 websites40:27 Kids’ coding classes and unexpected connections43:06 How small projects became much bigger relationships45:00 VR experiments, education and Coachella48:59 The Westpac presentation that changed everything52:35 Choosing clients and building Devika Ventures53:52 Moving from gut-feel investments to a structured process58:19 His six-year vision for $100 million exits59:02 Building Baseline and working with Amazon1:00:49 Doing well versus looking successful1:01:04 Balancing revenue, reputation and strategic opportunities1:03:22 What gets done when nobody needs the credit Connect with Ken at ken.au. Explore Devika and listen to Build & Scale with Devika. See behind the scenes over on Instagram. Or connect with Dan on LinkedIn. And if you need help to find the hire that will completely change your business, reach out at Thirdway Advisory. Hit follow wherever you’re listening so you don’t miss a single episode.

  6. Sep 30

    He Was a Health Coach. He Was Burning Himself Out - With James Matolich

    James Matolich was helping other people get healthier while running himself into the ground. Personal training in the morning. Working in his café all day. Back to the gym for evening sessions. By the weekend, he was so exhausted he’d tell his now-wife not to speak to him until he’d slept. Later, becoming a dad made the cost of those hours even clearer. He was helping clients reach their goals while missing bedtime with his daughter. In this episode of Founders Fire, Dan sits down with the founder of JM Peak Performance to explore the experiences behind his work with founders and business owners. From long nights in hospitality and losing 34 kilos through Muay Thai, to moving to Thailand, opening a café and pushing himself too hard preparing for a professional fight. James shares why he walked away from the ambition of owning a gym, what burnout did to his relationships, and how a bold Instagram video helped him land Simon Beard as a client. Dan also opens up about his own health journey as one of James’s clients. Together, they discuss the habits that slip when business gets busy, the temptation of a quick fix, and why getting back into training can mean letting go of what you used to be able to do. At the heart of it is a question every founder needs to consider: are you building a business that supports the life you want—or leaving yourself with nothing left to enjoy it? 0:00 When pushing harder takes a toll0:42 Meet James Matolich1:51 Why he works with founders and business owners3:39 Growing up in Western Sydney and moving to the Gold Coast6:18 His first job: hard work for $100 a week8:30 Becoming a chef and discovering the hospitality lifestyle11:26 Finding Muay Thai12:28 Losing 34 kilos and changing direction14:04 Becoming a trainer and starting his first business15:31 Selling up to become a sponsored fighter in Thailand17:32 Coming home earlier than planned20:28 Why he decided against owning a gym21:55 Fatherhood and the bedtimes he was missing23:28 Running a café alongside personal training25:13 Exhaustion, burnout and the impact on his relationship26:14 The fight preparation that pushed him too far28:15 Winning a client by doing something different30:17 The backyard video pitch to Simon Beard32:54 The patterns he sees in founders neglecting their health34:49 Food, coffee and getting through a busy day36:11 Why switching off is so difficult38:41 Looking beyond the quick fix40:48 Starting when the journey feels overwhelming42:21 Breaking a big goal into smaller milestones43:21 How James approaches testing and individual coaching47:01 Letting go of how you used to train49:49 Discussing testosterone and lifestyle habits51:51 His message to founders putting their health last53:12 Taking the first step towards change Connect with James at JM Peak Performance. See behind the scenes over on Instagram. Or connect with Dan on LinkedIn. And if you need help to find the hire that will completely change your business, reach out at Thirdway Advisory. Hit follow wherever you’re listening so you don’t miss a single episode.

  7. Sep 23

    He Built It By Going All In. Then He Had to Let Go - With Ceri Cummings

    Ceri Cummings was answering messages at three in the morning, coaching in the gym and working 16–17-hour days across multiple businesses. Then severe nerve pain left him unable to work. While he struggled with sleepless nights and the guilt of letting his team down, something happened that changed how he saw his role: his businesses kept growing. On this episode of Founders Fire, recorded on tour in Sydney, Dan sits down with the BOLT Fitness founder and GOAT co-founder to trace the decisions that brought him here. From 11 years in the British Army and a rugby contract that took him to Perth, to opening his first gym with no money and a landlord willing to back him. Ceri shares how that first gym grew into a wellness hub, how he and his co-founder developed GOAT — Greatest of All Tapes — and how the brand reached around $1.5 million in monthly revenue, according to Ceri at the time of recording. Along the way, they talk about backing yourself before you feel ready, building a business with someone who works completely differently, choosing community over volume, and learning to hand over control. For a founder whose instinct has always been to keep going, being forced to stop brought a lesson he’s now putting into practice. 0:00 Taking risks and backing yourself0:51 Meet Ceri and the story behind GOAT4:16 From Wales to the British Army6:58 The phone call that brought him to Perth8:26 Rugby injury and a new direction in fitness10:54 Finding a business partner through Facebook12:59 Losing his granddad and deciding to back himself14:14 The landlord’s deal: no rent, no salary15:08 Building the gym while working full time15:59 Turning one gym into a wellness hub17:21 What the Army and rugby taught him about business20:06 Where the idea for GOAT began22:45 The perfectionist and the founder who moves fast25:01 Months of testing to get the product right27:58 International ambitions and $1.5 million a month in revenue29:38 Why community still matters to him30:19 Working 16–17-hour days and handing over control32:32 Selling out and the challenges of keeping stock33:13 The health setback that forced him to stop37:06 Pain, sleepless nights and the mental toll39:55 Feeling guilty for being unable to work40:30 His businesses kept growing without him41:47 Rethinking his working week43:04 Golf, his next business idea and life after rugby46:42 His advice to founders: don’t burn out, and take action Explore GOAT at The Greatest of All Tapes. See behind the scenes over on Instagram. Or connect with Dan on LinkedIn. And if you need help to find the hire that will completely change your business, reach out at Thirdway Advisory. Hit follow wherever you’re listening so you don’t miss a single episode.

  8. Sep 16

    He Lost $1 Million at 36. It Changed How He Built Everything After - With Dan Copsey

    He lost more than $1 million at 36, walked away from the business, and later realised he hadn't properly dealt with any of it. Dan Copsey has built businesses across transport, marketing, recruitment, technology and investment. Today he co-runs TMSPC alongside his childhood best mate Alex, with interests spanning multiple companies, international teams and not-for-profit work. But the part of his story that shaped him most came before all of that. In this episode Dan is open about losing seven figures, the burnout that followed, why driving a forklift for three months became one of the best decisions he ever made, and the moment COVID brought his new business within 4% of shutting down. Along the way he talks about cash flow, co-founders, bad advice, resilience, giving back and why he's no longer trying to prove anyone else wrong. He's just trying to prove himself right. 0:00 Losing more than $1 million at 361:12 The portfolio of businesses he runs today5:15 Building a company with his childhood best mate9:15 From landscaping and civil infrastructure into business12:00 The acquisition that eventually cost them more than $1 million15:20 Why he didn't realise he was burnt out17:00 The best thing he did next: drive a forklift20:50 "I obviously wasn't coping. I just didn't know it."24:30 Starting again in a completely different industry29:00 Cash flow, payroll and the anxiety founders carry33:30 The COVID moment that nearly ended everything34:45 They would shut at 48%. They hit 44%.36:00 The business education you can't buy43:45 Why founders almost never celebrate the wins47:00 Why some business partnerships work and others don't50:05 "I'm not trying to prove anyone else wrong"51:30 Why he believes life is always on time53:00 From payroll to fighting a house fire in the same day55:00 Why giving back matters56:45 The advice he gives every founder about advisors Connect with Daniel at https://dancopsey.com/ See behind the scenes over at https://www.instagram.com/danmoussa_thirdwayadvisory/ Or LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-moussa-thirdway/ And if you need help to find the hire that will completely change your business reach out over at https://www.thirdwayadvisory.com.au/ Hit follow wherever you're listening so you don't miss a single episode.

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About

Every founder has two stories, the one on the stage and the one over a whiskey. The Founder's Fire are the second ones. I sit down with founders to talk about the things we all go through, but no one talks about. The pressure, the doubt, the times they nearly gave up and how they turned it all around. If you're building something and want to hear what it actually takes, this is for you. Make sure you hit follow because I can guarantee you've never heard these stories before.

Information

  • Creator
    Dan Moussa - Thirdway Advisory
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    25
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Dan Moussa - Thirdway Advisory
  • Show Website
    The Founders Fire

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