Startup Lessons
Hard-won advice and how-tos for building from day one.
Some of the most useful content on the network is the plain how-to — the hard-won, specific advice founders give when they're being honest about what they got wrong and right.
A running collection of practical lessons for building from day one, pulled from across every show — the stuff you'd want a more experienced founder to tell you over coffee.
“Nothing educates the mind quite like a complete lighting of one’s capital on fire.”
Answers are drawn live from the network's conversations by Ask the Network.
104 episodes on Startup Lessons
▶ First Cheque with Cheryl Mack & Maxine Minter · 17 June 2026
M&A Is a Muscle: Alex Feldman on Buying & Selling in Chaos
▶ First Cheque with Cheryl Mack & Maxine Minter · 8 June 2026
How to Think About Equity as a Startup Employee
▶ Pick My Brain with Alan Jones · 28 May 2026
How to Price Your Business So You Actually Take Home Enough | Quinnie Chen from Profit Plainly
▶ Secured by Galah Cyber · 15 May 2026
What AI Is Actually Changing in Cyber and How to Keep Up
▶ Secured by Galah Cyber · 2 April 2026
What the ISM AI Update Actually Means for Cyber Teams
▶ First Cheque with Cheryl Mack & Maxine Minter · 12 January 2026
The Australian Venture Playbook for 2026
▶ Oversubscribed with Brendan Hill · 29 October 2025
Inside the Playbooks of Australia’s Million-Dollar Founders
▶ First Cheque with Cheryl Mack & Maxine Minter · 20 October 2025
Why “Boring” Businesses Make the Best Startups (Replay Ep with Matthew Browne)
▶ Mumbition with Carrie Kwan & Lucy Kippist · 8 September 2025
Episode 121: Startup Realness: Branding Balance & Bold Moves
▶ Pick My Brain with Alan Jones · 27 August 2025
Cole Cornford on Protecting Startup Attack Surfaces | Galah Cyber
▶ In The Blink Of AI with Georgie Healy · 15 August 2025
The Truth About AI Agents: Real Wins, Real Failures
▶ Pick My Brain with Alan Jones · 13 August 2025
The 4 Things Every Investor Wants to Hear in Your Pitch
▶ Fintechfun with Chris Titley · 31 July 2025
Mastering Money Management: Jason Leong on Bootstrapping PocketSmith and Empowering the Home CFO
▶ First Cheque with Cheryl Mack & Maxine Minter · 28 July 2025
Decode the VC Dictionary Before Your Next Raise
▶ Pick My Brain with Alan Jones · 16 July 2025
How to Build a Community-Led Startup | with James Davie from Miyagi
▶ Mumbition with Carrie Kwan & Lucy Kippist · 11 July 2025
Episode 119: Systems, Sanity & School Pickups: Mumbition with Korryn Haines
▶ First Cheque with Cheryl Mack & Maxine Minter · 2 July 2025
Why Australia Builds More Unicorns per Dollar Than Anyone | with Ben Grabiner from Side Stage Ventures
▶ Mumbition with Carrie Kwan & Lucy Kippist · 18 June 2025
Ep 114: Cyber Awareness & Tech Tools for small business
▶ Pick My Brain with Alan Jones · 4 June 2025
How Bardar Pivoted: Dexter Todd’s Festival Data Playbook
▶ Mumbition with Carrie Kwan & Lucy Kippist · 28 May 2025
Forensic Finance to Empowering Women with Julie Garis
▶ In The Blink Of AI with Georgie Healy · 29 April 2025
Anish Sinha (upcover) on How Founders Can Thrive Despite Australia’s AI Budget Blunder
▶ Diaspora NZ with David Booth · 28 March 2025
S3 | E4 - Bowen Pan (Common Room) on launching Facebook Marketplace, spotting hidden opportunities, and mastering the art of product
▶ Diaspora NZ with David Booth · 21 March 2025
S3 | E3 - Joel Little (Grammy-winning producer) on making Royals with Lorde, creative collaboration, and why startups are like hit songs
▶ In The Blink Of AI with Georgie Healy · 7 March 2025
The Ultimate AI Toolkit for Busy People ft. Gareth Rydon
▶ First Cheque with Cheryl Mack & Maxine Minter · 16 December 2024
The 2024 Wrap-Up and Spicy Predictions with Cheryl & Maxine
▶ In The Blink Of AI with Georgie Healy · 13 December 2024
Scaling AI Education for Founders: Inside BuildClub with Annie Liao
▶ The Startup Retro with Will Richards & Gemma Clancy · 15 September 2024
Square Peg's global shift, Linktree's 2023 & SA rocket launches
▶ Unfunded with Joan Westenberg · 12 September 2024
Building a Profitable AI-Driven Design Platform Without VC Funding
▶ The Startup Retro with Will Richards & Gemma Clancy · 8 September 2024
Turo partners with Uber, AirTrunk's $23B sale & agtech spotlight
▶ The Startup Retro with Will Richards & Gemma Clancy · 1 September 2024
$66M fund, AustralianSuper's loss & CAST's debut
▶ Unfunded with Joan Westenberg · 29 August 2024
Cole Cornford Discusses Bootstrapping and Balancing Business with Family Life
▶ The Startup Retro with Will Richards & Gemma Clancy · 25 August 2024
Uber shuts down Car Next Door, Sitemate acquires Nomad Fleet
▶ The Startup Retro with Will Richards & Gemma Clancy · 18 August 2024
Breakthrough Vic saga, FMiA update & Slice's US expansion
▶ The Startup Retro with Will Richards & Gemma Clancy · 11 August 2024
OneVentures' 7th fund, accelerator cohorts & Google monopoly ruling
▶ First Cheque with Cheryl Mack & Maxine Minter · 7 July 2024
Bronwen Clune on Risk Appetite and the Future of Australian Startups
▶ The Startup Retro with Will Richards & Gemma Clancy · 7 July 2024
Fintech vs. banks, AI jobs surge & top startup raises
▶ Unfunded with Joan Westenberg · 20 June 2024
Sheree Rubinstein on Bootstrapping, Pivoting, and Building One Roof
▶ Unfunded with Joan Westenberg · 20 June 2024
Unlocking Startup Success: Lucy Lloyd founder of Mentorloop on Bootstrapping & VC Funding Challenges
▶ First Cheque with Cheryl Mack & Maxine Minter · 26 May 2024
Marvin Liao Shares Insights on Investing and Developing an Edge in Startup Ecosystems
▶ First Cheque with Cheryl Mack & Maxine Minter · 17 December 2023
Elaine Stead discusses bravery, diversity, and changing the investing ecosystem
▶ First Cheque with Cheryl Mack & Maxine Minter · 3 December 2023
The Art of Building a Network: How Rayn Ong Became the All-Seeing Eye of the Australian Startup Ecosystem
▶ Documentary: The History Of The Australian Startup Ecosystem · 19 December 2022
The History Of The Australian Startup Ecosystem - Part 1
▶ Documentary: The History Of The Australian Startup Ecosystem · 19 December 2022
The History Of The Australian Startup Ecosystem - Part 2
▶ Documentary: The History Of The Australian Startup Ecosystem · 19 December 2022
The History Of The Australian Startup Ecosystem - Part 3
▶ Documentary: The History Of The Australian Startup Ecosystem · 19 December 2022
The History Of The Australian Startup Ecosystem - Part 4
▶ Documentary: The History Of The Australian Startup Ecosystem · 19 December 2022
The History Of The Australian Startup Ecosystem - Part 5
▶ Documentary: The History Of The Australian Startup Ecosystem · 19 December 2022
The History Of The Australian Startup Ecosystem - Part 6
▶ The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem - Interview Series · 24 April 2022
Rachael Neumann explores the effects of the pandemic on startups
▶ The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem - Interview Series · 21 April 2022
Pete Cooper discusses Universities’ role in the ecosystem
▶ The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem - Interview Series · 19 April 2022
Anna Wright: why “fail fast” is the greatest advice
▶ The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem - Interview Series · 17 April 2022
Chad Renando talks definitions of a strong ecosystem
▶ The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem - Interview Series · 7 April 2022
Baden U’Ren on the importance of teaching our youth entrepreneurship
▶ The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem - Interview Series · 3 April 2022
Aaron Birkby discusses the gaps in the Australian startup ecosystem
▶ The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem - Interview Series · 29 March 2022
Malcolm Turnbull discusses innovation in the political sphere
▶ The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem - Interview Series · 27 March 2022
Jodie Fox highlights the contrasts between the Australian and US Ecosystems
▶ The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem - Interview Series · 24 March 2022
James Alexander shares his thoughts on Governments’ roles in startups
▶ The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem - Interview Series · 20 March 2022
Phil Morle explains the struggles that incubators often face
▶ The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem - Interview Series · 17 March 2022
Silvia Pfeiffer discusses her first startup and the lessons it taught her
▶ The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem - Interview Series · 15 March 2022
Murray Hurps discusses the barriers to growth in the startup ecosystem
▶ The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem - Interview Series · 13 March 2022
Rachel Yang explores diversity and social issues
▶ The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem - Interview Series · 8 March 2022
Nicole O’Brien: The startup ecosystem is overwhelmingly positive
▶ The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem - Interview Series · 6 March 2022
Dean McEvoy on egos and startups
▶ The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem - Interview Series · 3 March 2022
Georgie Turner discusses the next steps for Australia’s ecosystem
▶ The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem - Interview Series · 1 March 2022
Colin Kinner discusses the key missteps first time founders often make
▶ The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem - Interview Series · 27 February 2022
Alan Jones: Can we talk about smartphones?
▶ The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem - Interview Series · 24 February 2022
Paul Bassat examines the evolution of the ecosystem
▶ The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem - Interview Series · 20 February 2022
Hamish Hawthorn discusses the evolution of the ecosystem
▶ The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem - Interview Series · 17 February 2022
Peta Ellis on the importance of innovation
▶ The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem - Interview Series · 15 February 2022
Alfred Lo compares startup ecosystems in different nations
▶ The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem - Interview Series · 13 February 2022
Sarah Pearson on the importance of cooperation and competition
▶ The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem - Interview Series · 10 February 2022
Michael Batko discusses the four prevalent business models of accelerators
▶ The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem - Interview Series · 8 February 2022
Julie Trell discusses the importance of diversity
▶ The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem - Interview Series · 3 February 2022
Maxine Sherrin discusses the importance of building a community of innovators
▶ The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem - Interview Series · 30 January 2022
Lauren Capelin and the importance of nurturing diversity
▶ The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem - Interview Series · 27 January 2022
Bruce Tulloch on some of the key challenges the Australian startup ecosystem faces
▶ The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem - Interview Series · 23 January 2022
Cheryl Mack on building communities and her passion for supporting founders
▶ The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem - Interview Series · 23 January 2022
Kate Cornick on ways to support Australians to begin their startup journey
▶ The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem - Interview Series · 23 January 2022
Niki Scevak is optimistic about Australia’s future
▶ Welcome to Day One with Adam Spencer · 16 May 2021
Antony Martin from Hone
▶ Welcome to Day One with Adam Spencer · 2 May 2021
Mike McKiernan from Deckee
▶ Welcome to Day One with Adam Spencer · 25 April 2021
Colin Goudie from Social Pinpoint
▶ The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem - Interview Series
Craig Swann fears complacency may slow innovation
▶ The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem - Interview Series
Darren Winterford believes Australian Entrepreneurs would benefit from more networking
▶ The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem - Interview Series
Darryl Lyons believes Australia has an opportunity to lead the world in Agri-tech
▶ The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem - Interview Series
David Burt explains why startups are essential to our standard of living
▶ The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem - Interview Series
Don Wright believes the various startup ecosystems within Australia should work cooperatively
▶ The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem - Interview Series
Eloise Hall and Isobel Marshall discuss how social enterprises fit within the startup community
▶ The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem - Interview Series
Evan Thornley discusses the evolution of the startup ecosystem
▶ The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem - Interview Series
James Fielding shares his belief that Australia’s talent pool is world class
▶ The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem - Interview Series
James Tynan shares his unpopular views on startup accelerators
▶ The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem - Interview Series
John Allsopp discusses the startup ecosystem’s evolution from a “community” to an “industry”
▶ The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem - Interview Series
Joshua Flannery discusses the key differences between Australia and Japan’s startup ecosystems
▶ The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem - Interview Series
Kate Jones explains why the Tech Council of Australia was founded
▶ The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem - Interview Series
Kim Heras relives the major milestones he witnessed during the growth of the ecosystem
▶ The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem - Interview Series
Lars Rasmussen discusses the key ingredients for successful founders
▶ The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem - Interview Series
Leslie Delaforce highlights the unique challenges facing Indigenous founders
▶ The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem - Interview Series
Louise Nobes: Australian startup ecosystem needs to be brave enough to “think untraditionally”
▶ The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem - Interview Series
Markus Kahlbetzer explores support opportunities for government and universities
▶ The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem - Interview Series
Megan Sebben believes there is still work to be done in improving access for underrepresented groups
▶ The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem - Interview Series
Mick Liubinskas: Australia’s startup ecosystem would be stronger with a single city leading it
▶ The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem - Interview Series
Moira Were discusses what metrics companies can use to measure “good”
▶ The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem - Interview Series
Pauline Fetaui discusses the difference between the corporate and startup worlds
▶ The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem - Interview Series
Pete Horsley explains why diversity is so important in the ecosystem
▶ The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem - Interview Series
Pete Lead: “You have permission to be awesome and complete freedom to fail”
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