First Cheque with Cheryl Mack & Maxine Minter

First Cheque with Cheryl Mack & Maxine Minter

Open-sourcing conversations with experienced investors globally

First Cheque brings you the world of early-stage investing. Join us as we engage in insightful conversations with some top Investors worldwide. Uncover the inner workings of early-stage investing and gain practical knowledge from seasoned, successful investors. Learn about their perspectives, decision-making approaches, and the valuable lessons they've acquired throughout their journeys.

Whether you're a novice or an experienced investor, a founder or an operator, this show aims to inspire and equip you with the tools to become a proficient investor in early-stage businesses and understand how investors think. Hosted by Cheryl Mack & Maxine Minter.

First Cheque is a Day One show. Day One® is the podcast network dedicated to founders, investors, and operators. Tune in for an enriching experience as we uncover the secrets to becoming a skilled early-stage investor.

Presented By

5 Feb 2026

How to Pick Your First Market for International Expansion

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20 Oct 2025

Why “Boring” Businesses Make the Best Startups (Replay Ep with Matthew Browne)

First Cheque with Cheryl Mack & Maxine Minter

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8 Sept 2025

Why Australia’s AI Opportunity Is Bigger Than We Think

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2 July 2025

Why Australia Builds More Unicorns per Dollar Than Anyone | with Ben Grabiner from Side Stage Ventures

First Cheque with Cheryl Mack & Maxine Minter

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22 Apr 2025

Inside Monique Woodard’s Solo GP Playbook

First Cheque with Cheryl Mack & Maxine Minter

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10 Mar 2025

Decoding Startup Investment: SAFE Notes, Convertible Notes & Priced Rounds

First Cheque with Cheryl Mack & Maxine Minter

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27 Jan 2025

From Firefox to AI: Mozilla’s Fight for Open Technology

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1 Apr 2024

Understanding Fund of Funds: A Primer on Investing in Venture Capital

First Cheque with Cheryl Mack & Maxine Minter

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15 Apr 2024

Startmate CEO Michael Batko discusses community-building and portfolio construction in early-stage investing.

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13 May 2024

The Debate Over Follow-On Investments in Early-Stage Investing

First Cheque with Cheryl Mack & Maxine Minter

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18 Nov 2024

Navigating the Hype Cycles and Early-Stage Deep Tech Investing with Emily

First Cheque with Cheryl Mack & Maxine Minter

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5 Aug 2024

Q&A: Practical Advice on Secondaries, Valuations, and Building Strong Investor Relations

First Cheque with Cheryl Mack & Maxine Minter

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7 Oct 2024

From Zero to One: Why Founders Make Exceptional Early Stage Investors with Matthew Browne

First Cheque with Cheryl Mack & Maxine Minter

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18 Feb 2024

Craig Blair Shares Insights on Investing and Building a VC Fund

First Cheque with Cheryl Mack & Maxine Minter

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21 Jan 2024

Angel Investing: On-Ramps, Communities, and Maximizing Learning

First Cheque with Cheryl Mack & Maxine Minter

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17 Dec 2023

Elaine Stead discusses bravery, diversity, and changing the investing ecosystem

First Cheque with Cheryl Mack & Maxine Minter

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5 Nov 2023

Dan Gavel on Building a Diversified Investment Strategy in Venture Capital

First Cheque with Cheryl Mack & Maxine Minter

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12 Jan 2026

The Australian Venture Playbook for 2026

First Cheque with Cheryl Mack & Maxine Minter

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6 Oct 2025

Inside Super Returns: How the Biggest Investors Pick Venture Funds

First Cheque with Cheryl Mack & Maxine Minter

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28 July 2025

Decode the VC Dictionary Before Your Next Raise

First Cheque with Cheryl Mack & Maxine Minter

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2 June 2025

Nnamdi Okike's Playbook for Investing in Non-Obvious Winners

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7 Apr 2025

How James Tynan from Square Peg Invests in EdTech

First Cheque with Cheryl Mack & Maxine Minter

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24 Feb 2025

The Venture Fund Playbook: Raising, Deploying & Exiting Smarter

First Cheque with Cheryl Mack & Maxine Minter

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11 June 2024

The Value of Being the First Investor: Insights from Ash Fontana

First Cheque with Cheryl Mack & Maxine Minter

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19 Aug 2024

Unlocking Tax Benefits for Angel Investors: A Deep Dive into ESIC, ESVCLP, and Investment Strategies with Cheryl Mack and Maxine Minter

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16 Dec 2024

The 2024 Wrap-Up and Spicy Predictions with Cheryl & Maxine

First Cheque with Cheryl Mack & Maxine Minter

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24 Feb 2025

Mastering Early-Stage Investing: From Checklists to Decision Diaries

First Cheque with Cheryl Mack & Maxine Minter

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16 Sept 2024

Navigating Venture Capital: Aligning Incentives and Realistic Outcomes with Georgie Turner

First Cheque with Cheryl Mack & Maxine Minter

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22 July 2024

Exploring Growth Stage Investing with Ex-Investment Banker Turned VC

First Cheque with Cheryl Mack & Maxine Minter

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2 Dec 2024

Leveraging AI to Predict Venture Success: John Sharp's Journey with Hatcher+

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17 Mar 2024

Elicia McDonald discusses resilience and founder empathy in venture investing

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7 Jan 2024

Angel investing is a team sport - building your network funnel with Anabel Lippincott Paksoy

First Cheque with Cheryl Mack & Maxine Minter

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3 Dec 2023

The Art of Building a Network: How Rayn Ong Became the All-Seeing Eye of the Australian Startup Ecosystem

First Cheque with Cheryl Mack & Maxine Minter

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22 Oct 2023

Investor Jessy Wu discusses the importance of bravery and building a personal brand in the VC industry

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17 Nov 2025

What are VC Fund Secondaries?

First Cheque with Cheryl Mack & Maxine Minter

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22 Sept 2025

How Prosus Ventures Became an “Honorary Australian” Fund

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11 July 2025

Scaling Solo: How Charles Hudson Built a High-Volume VC Model at Precursor Ventures

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5 May 2025

Pocket Sun’s Guide to Standing Out as an Emerging Investor

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24 Mar 2025

Crafting Your Investment Thesis: How to Decide What to Invest In

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10 Feb 2025

Angel Investing 101: How To Not Run Out Of Money

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4 Mar 2024

Trang Nguyen on Investing in Ambitious Founders and Building Lasting Venture Franchises

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5 Feb 2024

Sam Wong discusses building an ecosystem, leverage, and investing in New Zealand.

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29 Apr 2024

The Art of Getting to Conviction: Strategies for Successful Investing

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4 Nov 2024

Navigating Early-Stage Investing and Scaling with Tim from Turo

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24 June 2024

Portfolio Allocation: Diversification vs. Concentration Strategies Unpacked

First Cheque with Cheryl Mack & Maxine Minter

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2 Sept 2024

From Scalpel to Syndicate: Paul Kelly's Guide to Navigating Biotech Investing

First Cheque with Cheryl Mack & Maxine Minter

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26 May 2024

Marvin Liao Shares Insights on Investing and Developing an Edge in Startup Ecosystems

First Cheque with Cheryl Mack & Maxine Minter

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7 July 2024

Bronwen Clune on Risk Appetite and the Future of Australian Startups

First Cheque with Cheryl Mack & Maxine Minter

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22 Dec 2023

Tis the season to be reflective - 2023 in review on First Cheque

First Cheque with Cheryl Mack & Maxine Minter

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19 Nov 2023

Building a Network-Powered Family Office for Impactful Investing with Judy Anderson-Firth Group CEO of Euphemia

First Cheque with Cheryl Mack & Maxine Minter

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2 Oct 2023

Your Warm Intro to First Cheque with Cheryl Mack & Maxine Minter

First Cheque with Cheryl Mack & Maxine Minter

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Day One® exists to help founders and startup operators make better business decisions more often

Subscribe for helpful content from other successful founders, operators and investors

Join 755 other founders & investors receiving our emails. They're cool, are you? :)

* Regrettably, mel@canva.com is not on our list… yet.

Day One® is a registered trademark of W2D1 Media Pty Ltd. All rights reserved. © 2026 W2D1 Media Pty Ltd.