The Mentor With Mark Bouris

"If you can come up with bigger questions you'll come up with bigger answers." Self-belief is one of the few things that’ll get you through the shit…during those uncomfortable moments that make you wonder, ”why the hell am I here?” After witnessing the tragedy of workplace incidents as a private investigator, Luke created SafetyCulture, a darling of Australia’s growing tech sector.Luke and Mark discuss the humble beginnings of working in a Mobil service station, investment from his dentist, and why your imagination could be killing your business.Join the Facebook Group.Follow Mark Bouris on Instagram, LinkedIn & YouTube. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mark shares his frustration caused by the NSW lockdowns and the growing disunity and disconnect.He also answers your questions about using this time to rebuild your business and why you should adjust your business to reflect your customers' needs who are also experiencing lockdown.Join the Facebook Group.Follow Mark Bouris on Instagram, LinkedIn & YouTube. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Natalie Anne has worked in the hair industry since she was 14 years old and has hustled her way to becoming one of Australia's most influential hair specialists. But no small business is immune to the impact of lockdown. The small business community has been severely impacted and many are hanging by a thread. Natalie Anne also shares how small businesses can use this time to improve social media presence and brand. Join the Facebook Group.Follow Mark Bouris on Instagram, LinkedIn & YouTube. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is a special lockdown episode outlining the Commonwealth government's Covid-19 Disaster Payment announced by Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Tuesday, 13th July. For more information about the COVID-19 Disaster Payment visit: Services AustraliaServiceNSW   Join the Facebook Group.Follow Mark Bouris on Instagram, LinkedIn & YouTube.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After being misdiagnosed with polycystic ovaries (PCOS) by her doctor, Nicole Liu found herself travelling down the confusing, fragmented path of women's reproductive health. Nicole is the founder of Kin Fertility – a platform empowering women with the information, products and access to the health care they need to take control of their fertility.Backed by venture capital Eucalyptus, Kin Fertility has created Australia's first contraceptive prescription service and provides personalised telehealth consultations to patients throughout their fertility journey. Nicole discusses the importance of facilitating risk, cultivating interest and evolving into a business model.Join the Facebook Group.Follow Mark Bouris on Instagram, LinkedIn & YouTube. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's time we hear from you; business owners, startups, sole traders or people who just love the podcast. Mark shares his thoughts on the latest lockdown in Sydney and its effect on small owners, and what you can do to survive during this period.Join the Facebook Group.Follow Mark Bouris on Instagram, LinkedIn & YouTube. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

They say that the only thing that’s certain in life is death and taxes.  Today on the show, we’re going six feet under and talking about the business of death. There’s always a need for funeral services. It’s one of the few services that are never in short supply. Matthew Kwoka is the owner of Southern Cross Funeral Directors and host of Death Defined, educating people about the process of what happens when we die. Mark and Matt discuss how you navigate professional environments when you feel like you’re stagnating and why sometimes the best thing you can do for your business is refuse service. Join the Facebook Group.Follow Mark Bouris on Instagram, LinkedIn & YouTube. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When Nik Robinson’s kids asked their dad,’ what can we do about the global plastic problem?’ They were deadly serious.Together they launched Good Citizens – turning your plastic bottle into everyday sunglasses. Nik Robinson and Mark discuss the value of transparency in maintaining trust around your business, simplifying your focus to one key problem and putting power back into your customer.  Join the Facebook Group.Follow Mark Bouris on Instagram, LinkedIn & YouTube. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Who is Jimmy Brings? David Berger is the co-founder of the alcohol delivery service Jimmy Brings. David and his business partner, Nathan Besser, first became small business partners through a B2B company, Suppertime. This eventually evolved into what we now know as Jimmy Brings. Mark and David Berger discuss the beauty of letting an idea evolve on its own, making the most out of marketing opportunities and how being flexible is likely more important than your business idea.  Join the Facebook Group.Follow Mark Bouris on Instagram, LinkedIn & YouTube. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Anyone can make a coffee or a good meal. What separates customer service from hospitality is the genuine desire to serve and provide.True hospitality runs through Ameer El-issa’s veins and his family businesses; Bar Biscotti, Shisha, Knafeh Bakery and The Bearded Bakers.You’ll hear how important it is to create a genuine experience around your business, attracting and connecting big companies to your own and why making seemingly small adjustments to your business can create a huge impact. Join the Facebook Group.Follow Mark Bouris on Instagram, LinkedIn & YouTube. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jason Daniel is the founder of sportswear gear LSKD – functional sportswear with a street aesthetic.It's a company that's experienced a few rebrands since Jason founded the company in his teens, then called Loose Kid, and has gone on to grow with the founder. Jason Daniel is brutally honest with himself and shares how a mad motocross kid from Logan, Queensland managed to create cool lifestyle clothing for Hollywood stars and everyday customers who want to chase the vibe.Join the Facebook Group.Follow Mark Bouris on Instagram, LinkedIn & YouTube. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Customers are savvier than ever before, which means it's much harder to win their trust. Gimmie is a start-up company based in Queensland that wants to disrupt the consumer goods rental industry by simply offering a fair product.Co-founders Scott Roworth and Nadine Tuckey are democratising life's bigger purchases for those who often feel financially excluded. Mark and Gimmie talk about anticipating a change in business, how important it is to keep up with what your customer wants and why change needs to be part of your business mindset. Join the Facebook Group.Follow Mark Bouris on Instagram, LinkedIn & YouTube. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Erica Berchtold is the unsuspecting CEO for The Iconic.   The eldest of four children, the daughter to a German migrant father and a mother who was a nurse.After finishing up as the Managing Director at Rebel Sport, spending most of her career in the bricks and mortar world, Erica scored the CEO role at Australia’s number one online retailer – The Iconic.Erica moved into a disruptive online industry while disrupting her career.   The overwhelming mantra Erica carries throughout her career is, 'Why can’t I?'Join the Facebook Group.Follow Mark Bouris on Instagram, LinkedIn & YouTube. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When Mike Smith decided to take an eighteen-month sabbatical to the middle of nowhere, he didn't expect to find plastic ...and lots of it. Smith is the founder of Zero Co, sustainable, reusable home-cleaning and personal-care products.Not only do you feel good buying one of Zero Co's products, but it's managed to make laundry detergent look really sexy with its fun, cool design.  I want to know why so many people have decided to back such a young startup, Mike's Smith's story behind his company, and how Zero Co plans to change the plastic industry.Join the Facebook Group.Follow Mark Bouris on Instagram, LinkedIn & YouTube. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Data is always talking. You just need to learn how to listen. Dharpan Randhawa is the CEO of Talisman, a sports marketing agency, and a former SVP at McLaren Racing. To put it simply, he's a marketing matchmaker.Working alongside big names including Formula 1, Heineken and tennis player Andy Murray, Dharpan Randhawa delivers marketing results by utilising and applying data to his clients. As business owners, data is one of our most valuable resources. Mark Bouris and Dharpan discuss how your small business can learn from big businesses and take things to the next level using data.Join the Facebook Group.Follow Mark Bouris on Instagram, LinkedIn & YouTube.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Miss Amara is an e-commerce rug business achieving online business cult status. Co-founders Alex and Aaron Weller have built a strong customer-centric business strategy with a beautiful online presence and virtual reality styling services.Miss Amara proves it doesn't matter what product you're selling online, as long as you keep the customer front of mind.What makes a rug business so successful online? We discuss product data, production fulfilment, and what what happens when your business faces a crisis? Join the Facebook Group.Follow Mark Bouris on Instagram, LinkedIn & YouTube. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Persuading parents to do a course that will save a kids life is an easy sell. But how does it work as a business? Theo Mallos is an Intensive Care Paramedic and the co-founder of pediatric first-aid business Rescueblue. After attending a heartbreaking job while working as a paramedic, Theo and his wife decided to apply his knowledge as a health care professional on a larger scale – first aid courses for first-time parents. I want to know how Rescueblue recruits new people into the business, the challenges of licensing agreements and the responsibility of a hectic schedule. Join the Facebook Group.Follow Mark Bouris on Instagram, LinkedIn & YouTube. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When the Sydney Lockout laws were lifted seven years after they were imposed in 2014, what remained was a nightlife in decay. This decision cost $16.1 billion annually, as reported by finance analysts at Deloitte.Many small businesses have struggled to stay alive as high-rise buildings replace what was once a bustling hotspot for night goers.Michael Rodrigues is determined to help inject life back into the economy as the newly appointed NSW 24hr Economy Commissioner. I want to know why he is the right person for the job, his strategy, and how he plans to execute it.Join the Facebook Group.Follow Mark Bouris on Instagram, LinkedIn & YouTube. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Naomi Simson is the co-founder of Australia's largest experiences marketplace, Big Red Group and RedBalloon. During the end of the dot-com era, while working in freelance marketing, Naomi found it difficult to attract clients who were willing to pay for her service. She realised a gap in the market for a digital marketplace for experiences. The idea for RedBalloon was born. Over 2200 small businesses in Australia and New Zealand use RedBalloon, now part of Simson's parent company Big Red Group. I want to hear from Naomi how she brought BRG to scale, how it benefits Australian small businesses and what makes it the third-largest experiences marketplace?Join the Facebook Group.Follow Mark Bouris on Instagram, LinkedIn & YouTube. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Michael Fox co-founded an online shoe business, Shoes Of Prey, which gave customers the ability to customise their very own shoes. The company raised 35 million dollars in funding, made its way into the U.S, and hired over 200 employees. It appeared to be on its way to become another Aussie success story. But in 2019, Shoes Of Prey went into liquidation. Michael is now the co-founder of a meat alternative mushroom company, Fable Food.Found in over 1000 grocery stores across Australia, backed by celebrity chef Heston Blumenthal, Fable is on an ambitious mission to shake up the meat industry.I want to know what happened when Michael had to tell his investors the bad news? How did he convince them to fund his latest business, Fable Food? Join the Facebook Group.Follow Mark Bouris on Instagram, LinkedIn & YouTube. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.