Give It A Nudge

The Nudge Group
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Startups, venture capital, private equity, accelerators—we talk to the people making it all happen. Founders, investors, and industry insiders share their biggest wins, toughest lessons, and everything in between. What went wrong, what went right, and what they learned along the way.

  1. 3D AGO

    The #1 Money Mistake 95% of People Are Making Today

    In this episode of Give It A Nudge, Steve sits down with Jacqui Clarke, ex-Deloitte Private Partner and author of Stop Worrying About Money, to talk about the single most important number 95% of people don't know: "What does it cost to open your front door?" With the cost of living skyrocketing and "inheritance impatience" on the rise, financial stress is no longer just for those struggling to make ends meet. Jacqui explains why earning more money rarely solves a spending problem and why even high-net-worth individuals are terrified of their own bank accounts. She breaks down the "Toyota vs. Porsche" mindset trap and why smart women often find themselves financially vulnerable after a divorce. Jacqui shares her background advising Australia’s wealthiest families and the brutal reality of the "ghosts" that come out of the woodwork when you leave a major firm. She also opens up about the "Orphan Club"—losing both parents in six months—and how it reshaped her view on legacy. Together, they prove that financial freedom isn't about how much you make, but about clarity, control, and honest conversations. Timestamps: 00:00 – Intro: Steve’s 15-year history with Jacqui 02:00 – The "Orphan Club": Losing both parents in 6 months 08:00 – The secrecy of money & why families don't talk 12:15 – Divorce & financial literacy: Why smart women get stuck 17:45 – Leaving Deloitte: Bad leadership & the decision to jump 21:30 – The exit: Non-competes and the relief of walking away 24:40 – The "Ghosts": When former colleagues circle back 30:30 – The Big 4 Model: Why the "magic" is fading 36:00 – Writing a bestseller in 12 weeks (The 5am routine) 49:15 – The 95% Stat: Knowing the cost to open your front door 52:10 – The Toyota vs. Porsche mindset for young adults 56:30 – Longevity Risk: Can you afford to live to 100? 58:30 – Closing thoughts LINKS Connect with Jacqui → https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacquiclarke/ Stop Worrying about Money → https://www.jacquiclarke.me/stop-worrying-about-money Connect with Steve → https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevegrace/ The Nudge Group → https://thenudgegroup.com/ Give It A Nudge Podcast → https://www.youtube.com/@giveitanudge/ The Trouble With People → https://thetroublewithpeople.substack.com/

    1h 1m

  2. FEB 4

    Keeyu is Solving the "Where's My Order?" Nightmare

    In this episode of Give It A Nudge, Steve sits down with Jevon Le Roux (CEO) and Tahir Rauf (CTO), co-founders of Keeyu, to talk about the single most expensive question in e-commerce: "Where's my order?" With 40% of all support tickets relating to delivery status and 56% of customers churning after just one bad post-purchase experience, the stakes have never been higher. Jevon and Tahir explain how they built a system to monitor 28 different failure points across fragmented software systems. This moves the industry from reactive resolution to proactive prevention. The results? A massive 90% reduction in complaints and a 29% drop in workforce costs for their pilot customers. Jevon shares his background in high-pressure retail ops where he saw teams spending half their day manually searching for orders. Tahir breaks down the technical challenge of connecting a "spaghetti stack" of legacy systems. Together, they are proving that while it takes 4 hours to fix a problem, it only takes 1 hour to prevent it. Timestamps: 00:00 – Intro: The 56% Churn Stat & The Where’s My Order Nightmare01:58 – Jevon & Tahir’s background: From Fintech & Retail to Founders06:58 – The Problem: 28 failure points across 8 different systems08:35 – How Keeyu Works: Moving from Reactive to Proactive12:00 – The “4 Hours vs 1 Hour” Efficiency Rule15:15 – It Can’t Be Done: Tackling the integration spaghetti18:15 – The Pilot Results: 90% less complaints, 29% lower costs21:00 – Raising Capital & The Plug-and-Play Architecture34:00 – Steve’s horror story (and why manual support is dying)38:15 – Services as Software: Redefining the industry standard40:00 – The Founder Dynamic: Why Jevon said “I’m in” in one second42:50 – Closing thoughts Links: Connect with Jevon → https://www.linkedin.com/in/jevonleroux/ Connect with Tahir → https://www.linkedin.com/in/tahirrauf/ Keeyu → https://www.keeyu.com/ Connect with Steve → https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevegrace/ The Nudge Group → https://thenudgegroup.com/ Give It A Nudge Podcast → https://www.youtube.com/@giveitanudge/ The Trouble With People → https://thetroublewithpeople.substack.com/

    45 min

  3. JAN 28

    Impacting 10,000+ Female Founders With Tech Ready Women Academy

    In this episode of Give It A Nudge, Steve sits down with Crystal McGregor, General Manager at Tech Ready Women Academy, to talk about what it really takes to help more women start, grow, and fund businesses — and why the investment numbers still don’t reflect the performance data. Crystal shares a career path that starts in local government in Central Queensland (building skateparks, pools, and community programs), then moves into entrepreneurship through an 18-year consulting business, and eventually into the startup world via a fashion-tech company where she raised funding (including a friends-and-family round) and learned, in her words, by “making every mistake possible.” Now, she’s focused on scaling Tech Ready Women’s impact nationally after the business’s acquisition by Scolari, helping founders build traction, revenue, and confidence — without drowning in contradictory advice. In this episode, we cover: Crystal’s move from government to entrepreneurship — and why she “got sick of saying no.” The youth entrepreneurship program that taught teens how to problem-solve (including twins who learned to read using audiobooks + physical books). Raising a friends-and-family round ($100k) — how those conversations actually happen. Why VC data says “invest in women” and the market still doesn’t follow it. How AI is changing the game for non-technical founders. Tech Ready Women’s three-step pathway: Ideation → Customers → Investment Readiness. The “1 to 1000 customers” sprints — and founders making their first sales fast (e.g., $300 in 24 hours). The worst advice founders hear: “Take every piece of advice.” Timestamps: 00:00 – Intro: Why this topic still isn’t shifting fast enough 00:52 – Crystal’s start in local government (sport & recreation) 03:20 – Leaving government + building an 18-year consulting business 04:30 – Youth entrepreneurship program: how it worked + the outcomes 08:52 – Fashion-tech startup: virtual try-on, grants, angels, and reality 10:33 – Friends-and-family round: how they raised $100k 11:25 – “We made every mistake possible” + lessons from the experience 13:00 – Tech Ready Women + the Scolari acquisition 15:10 – Has the environment changed for women founders? 16:14 – Why the VC model doesn’t match the data 17:18 – AI and the rise of the non-technical founder 22:14 – Program breakdown: Female Founders Startup Program 24:19 – “1 to 1000 customers” sprints + first sales momentum 26:38 – Investment Ready program (5 months) + capital options beyond VC 31:12 – Free resources, scholarships, and low-cost options 32:55 – Worst advice founders get: “Take every piece of advice” 33:23 – Closing thoughts LINKS Connect with Crystal → https://www.linkedin.com/in/crystal-mcgregor-86201068/ Tech Ready Women Academy → https://www.techreadywomen.academy/ Connect with Steve → https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevegrace/ The Nudge Group → https://thenudgegroup.com/ Give It A Nudge Podcast → https://www.youtube.com/@giveitanudge/ The Trouble With People → https://thetroublewithpeople.substack.com/

    35 min

  4. JAN 22

    Managing $2B & The Future of Micro-Investing

    In this episode of Give It A Nudge, Steve finally sits down with Brendan Malone, Managing Director and Group CEO of Raiz Invest (ASX:RZI), after six years of trying to get him on the show! Brendan takes us through his fascinating career journey, transitioning from a traditional background in investment banking (RBS) in London and Asia to owning a pub in Newcastle, and finally leading one of Australia’s most successful FinTechs. They dive deep into the evolution of Raiz (formerly Acorns Australia), managing over $2 billion in funds, and the lessons learned from their expansion into (and withdrawal from) the Asian market. Brendan also discusses the power of "round-ups," the importance of financial literacy, and how Raiz is helping Aussies—and their kids—build wealth during tough economic times. In this episode, we cover: * Brendan’s shift from corporate banking to startup founder. * The "sustainable growth" philosophy vs. burning cash. * The mechanics of Raiz Rewards and reinvesting $10M+ back to users. * Lessons learned from listing on the ASX and expanding into Indonesia & Malaysia. * New features: From Bitcoin allocations to "Jars" for specific savings goals. * How user behavior changes during market volatility (Brexit vs. Trump vs. Now). Timestamps: 00:00 – Intro: Finally getting Brendan on the show 02:00 – Brendan’s Background: From Newcastle to Investment Banking in London/Asia 05:00 – The pivot: Owning a pub & discovering Acorns 06:00 – Launching Acorns Grow in 2016 09:00 – The strategy of sustainable growth 12:00 – Explaining the “Round-Up” technology 14:00 – Adding Bitcoin & custom portfolios 16:00 – Raiz Rewards: $10M reinvested into user accounts 17:00 – Rebranding to Raiz & Listing on the ASX 19:00 – The Asian Expansion: Challenges in Indonesia & Malaysia 24:00 – Branding consistency & App design 30:00 – The power of Dividends & Financial Literacy 32:00 – Raiz Kids & Intergenerational wealth 35:00 – Data insights: Raiz Jars & saving for haircuts 46:00 – How Raiz educates users through market volatility 49:00 – What’s next for Raiz? LINKS Connect with Brendan → https://www.linkedin.com/in/brendanmalone/ Raiz Invest Australia → https://raizinvest.com.au/ Connect with Steve → https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevegrace/ The Nudge Group → https://thenudgegroup.com/ Give It A Nudge Podcast → https://www.youtube.com/@giveitanudge/ The Trouble With People → https://thetroublewithpeople.substack.com/

    52 min

  5. JAN 14

    84% of People Never Do This (The Silent Health Crisis)

    In this episode of Give It A Nudge, Steve chats with James Sneddon, the founder of Hyphen Health, Australia’s largest network of sexual health and harm minimization telemedicine clinics. James didn’t start in medicine; he started in hospitality. The idea for Hyphen Health was born while owning a café across the street from a GP clinic, watching patients wait hours just to get a simple script. He realized the system was broken, and he built a digital solution to fix it. Steve and James dive deep into the reality of scaling a business in a high-stigma industry. They discuss why doctors are legally refusing to treat steroid users (and why James steps in to help), the "cooking medication for grandma" privacy problem, and how COVID finally forced the public health sector to ditch fax machines and join the 21st century. They also cover the massive shifts in the business—from buying out a co-founder and acquiring competitors to landing a world-first partnership with the public health sector. TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 Intro: Taboo subjects and "Hyphen" Health 00:55 Steroids & Stigma: Why doctors refuse to treat users 02:25 From Hospitality to Healthcare: The "Founder Mindset" 06:10 The Epiphany: Watching the doctor's waiting room from a cafe window 08:40 How COVID killed the fax machine 09:50 Navigating regulatory panic & buying out a co-founder 14:40 "Cooking meds for Grandma": The need for absolute privacy 15:50 The reality of HIV today (vs Diabetes) 20:35 The "Work From Home" impact on testing trends 23:00 Acquiring "Hey Fella" & navigating growth 29:20 The World-First Public Health partnership 33:22 The 84% Statistic: Why you need to get tested QUOTES FROM THIS EPISODE: "HIV has less of an impact on your life now than diabetes." "The same reason you don't see a doctor... You're cooking your medication for the next grandma." "Covid ended the trust. It also encouraged public health to stop in line with fax machines and allow emails to work." "16% of Australians from 16 to 49 have never been tested... So 84% of the population have never been tested." ABOUT JAMES: James Sneddon is the founder of Hyphen Health, a group of digital health brands focused on removing barriers to healthcare. His portfolio includes Stigma Health (sexual health), PrEP Health (HIV prevention), and other harm-minimization platforms. Starting his career as an accountant before building a hospitality empire in Newcastle, James pivoted to health tech to solve the inefficiencies he saw in the traditional medical system. He has since grown Hyphen Health into a profitable, multi-brand ecosystem that is reshaping how Australians access sensitive healthcare. LINKS Connect with James → https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-sneddon-a3a4b52b/ Hyphen Health → https://hyphen.health/ Connect with Steve → https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevegrace/ The Nudge Group → https://thenudgegroup.com/ Give It A Nudge Podcast → https://www.youtube.com/@giveitanudge/ The Trouble With People → https://thetroublewithpeople.substack.com/

    38 min

  6. JAN 7

    Health is the New Wealth (The Founder's Guide)

    In this episode of Give It A Nudge, Steve chats with Yash Varma, a seasoned tech founder, investor at Empress Capital, and high-performance coach. While Yash has a massive background in tech (founding Spaarks, investing in Tesla and Moderna, and studying AI at Stanford), this conversation is not about code. It is about code for the human body. Steve and Yash dive deep into the concept of Longevity to debate why the "retire at 65" model is broken and why health is officially the new wealth. Yash opens up about the health scare that forced him to stop the "founder grind," the specific habits he uses to optimize his energy (including a live demonstration of a Tony Robbins style state change), and why eating food that "goes off" is actually the secret to living longer. If you are a founder, business leader, or just someone looking to add more life to your years, this is a must-watch. TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 Intro: Why we need a "grown-up" conversation about longevity 01:18 Defining Longevity: It is about quality of life rather than just years 03:55 Why retirement is an outdated concept 05:00 State Management: Jumping off bridges with Tony Robbins 07:06 LIVE DEMO: Yash teaches Steve the "Power Move" to change energy instantly 12:00 The 3 Pillars of Performance: Work, Purpose, and Health 16:30 "You can’t do anything if you’re dead": Prioritizing founder health 19:00 The Wake-Up Call: Yash’s hospitalization story 23:15 Parenting: Why kids do what you do, not what you say 25:00 The widening gap between the healthy and unhealthy 26:45 AI, Technology, and the "Glasshole" story 36:55 The pros and cons of wearable health tech (Whoop, etc.) 40:00 Yash’s Sleep Routine: Same time, dark room, and "sleepy tea" 46:50 Blue Zones & The "Centenarian Olympics" (Getting up without hands) 50:40 Yash’s advice: Move heavy things, eat fresh food, and connect with people QUOTES FROM THIS EPISODE: "It's not about living more years, it's about the life in your years." "I prioritize my health over everyone else’s because if I want to give to my family and my business, I can’t do anything if I’m dead." "Health is wealth. You can have as much money as anyone in the world, but without your health, you're on a hollow vision of performance." "People do what you do, not what you say." ABOUT YASH: Yash Varma is a global citizen, tech founder, and high-performance coach. After founding and exiting the global software consultancy Spaarks (with offices in London, Glasgow, and Canberra), Yash shifted his focus to empowering other founders. He is currently a Principal at Empress Capital and an active Angel investor with early stakes in companies like Tesla and Moderna. Beyond business, Yash is a certified high-performance coach, a mentor with Energy Labs, and a dedicated philanthropist leading the Canberra Chapter of Room to Read. He lives by three words: Love, Joy, and Contribute. LINKS: Connect with Yash → https://www.linkedin.com/in/yashvarma/ Connect with Steve → https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevegrace/ The Nudge Group → https://thenudgegroup.com/ Give It A Nudge Podcast → https://www.youtube.com/@giveitanudge/ The Trouble With People → https://thetroublewithpeople.substack.com/

    1h 1m

  7. 12/22/2025

    Meet the Operator Who Helped Nexl Reach Escape Velocity

    In this episode, Steve Grace sits down with Albert Patajo, VP Strategy & Operations at Nexl, to unpack one of the rarest outcomes in Australian tech right now: a local startup hitting Series B, and what it actually takes to get there. Albert shares his non-founder path into the operator seat, from Deloitte to early-stage startups to capital raise advisory, before joining Nexl with one urgent mandate: raise money and build a more capital-efficient business in a market that had tightened overnight. He breaks down why focus beats ambition, how Nexl went deep in the US Northeast instead of trying to launch everywhere, and what changed when top US investors started coming inbound with term sheets. They also dig into the founder-operator partnership: trust, low ego, and working like co-founders without the title. Plus why Albert thinks AI’s biggest immediate impact in legal won’t be the practice of law, but everything around it, relationships, BD, and operations. Timestamps: 0:00 – Intro: Nexl and the Series B milestone 0:40 – Darwin to Canberra to Sydney (and the culture shock) 3:20 – Why consulting is startup training in disguise 6:30 – First startup lessons: being employee #6 and doing everything 9:15 – Capital raise advisory in the 2020–21 boom 10:45 – How Albert met Phil (Nexl’s founder) and why the role existed 12:25 – Why Series B is "escape velocity" 13:55 – The first six months: raising with limited runway 15:30 – Capital efficiency: small bets, incremental hires 16:20 – The focus move: winning the US Northeast (not launching the US) 18:45 – What Nexl does: relationship-first CRM for law firms 20:35 – Inbound term sheets and testing the waters for Series B 22:00 – Bringing in the "dream" investor and why it was worth it 23:05 – Founder-operator dynamic: low ego, high trust 26:55 – Australia as the timezone bridge for US and Europe teams 28:50 – Post-Series B: hiring leaders who’ve "seen the movie" 33:25 – The big ambition: category leadership and deep penetration 35:10 – AI in legal: where it actually changes firms first Links: Connect with Albert → https://www.linkedin.com/in/albertpatajo/ Connect with Steve → https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevegrace/ The Nudge Group → https://thenudgegroup.com/ Give It A Nudge Podcast → https://www.youtube.com/@giveitanudge/ The Trouble With People → https://thetroublewithpeople.substack.com/

    39 min

  8. 12/10/2025

    Why This VC Quit to Become a Founder

    In this episode, Steve Grace sits down with Kevin Lu, founder of Atrium, to unpack the "reverse journey" of leaving a prestigious career in Venture Capital to enter the trenches as a founder. Kevin reveals why he walked away from investing in some of Australia's most successful tech companies to solve a problem that haunted him for years, which was the absolute chaos of managing professional relationships. Kevin breaks down the "Founder Hierarchy" used by top VCs to spot unicorns (and why having a "chip on your shoulder" is the ultimate competitive advantage), the 100-year-old secret from Rockefeller’s Rolodex that inspired his new AI startup, and why he believes constraints rather than massive funding rounds are the true drivers of innovation. Timestamps: 0:00 – The “Reverse Journey”: Investor to Founder 1:47 – Escaping the “Lawyer Trap” into Tech 6:11 – Corporate VC (Reinventure) vs. Pure Play (AirTree) 10:07 – The 2021 Funding Craze: “It was nuts” 14:10 – The Founder Hierarchy: Why you need a chip on your shoulder 22:42 – REVEAL: What is Atrium? 25:18 – Rockefeller’s 120,000-card secret 30:17 – The joy of co-founding with a sibling 33:17 – Why constraints create value (Bootstrapping vs. VC) 37:47 – US vs. Australia: Risk appetite and hiring bias 40:47 – Where have all the young founders gone? Links: Connect with Kevin → https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-lu-514420112/ Connect with Steve → https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevegrace/ The Nudge Group → https://thenudgegroup.com/ Give It A Nudge Podcast → https://www.youtube.com/@giveitanudge/ The Trouble With People → https://thetroublewithpeople.substack.com/

    46 min
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About

Startups, venture capital, private equity, accelerators—we talk to the people making it all happen. Founders, investors, and industry insiders share their biggest wins, toughest lessons, and everything in between. What went wrong, what went right, and what they learned along the way.

Information

  • Creator
    The Nudge Group
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    158
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © The Nudge Group
  • Show Website
    Give It A Nudge