The Mentor with Mark Bouris

After working as a model and producer since the age of 15, Taryn Williams was frustrated by the inefficiencies in the industry, with late payment common practice and jobs few and far between. So at the age of 21, she founded WINK Models with the company policy to pay all models within seven days, and include diversity in the representation. The business was completely bootstrapped and WINK now has over 650 talent nationally...

My guest today left his successful career in advertising to set up his business after realising his passion for the ethics and origin of food. Cameron Romeril is the Founder and CEO of Soda Press Co, who create organic soda, cocktail and mixer syrups that aren't made with artificial ingredients and full of sugar. Soda Press Co. has now spread beyond Australia to 19 countries and all their products are end-to-end plastic free, organic and manufactured right here in Australia...

Anthony Welsh has seen first-hand just how much the transportation landscape has changed over the last year. He is the Director of Popcar, a car-sharing service that operates across NSW, Victoria and the ACT. Anthony started PopCar in 2016 after seeing where trends in commuting were, to allow people to rent a communal car by the hour and only pay for the time used...

Hiam Sakakini is the Founder and CEO of The Culture Equation, a boutique management consultancy that specialised in creating high performing culture within organisations. Hiam grew up, studied and worked among vastly different cultures around the world, before working in the leadership team at Google for 10 years and seeing firsthand the importance of culture and good leadership in the workplace...

My guests today were studying at uni when they came up with the idea for their business, which is now Australia’s fastest growing quick service restaurant. Nathan Dalah and Nic Pestalozzi are two of the three founders of Fishbowl, the Japanese inspired salad bar on a mission to change the culture of fast food with their healthy salad bowls. They launched their first store in 2016 in the middle of winter, and by spring they were selling over 500 bowls a day...

My guest today went from a career as a stressed-out corporate lawyer to a hugely successful self-made entrepreneur in a matter of years. Alyce Tran co-founded The Daily Edited (TDE) in 2011 as a fashion and lifestyle blog that quickly evolved into a personalised accessories line. Now The Daily Edited is the go-to destination for luxe lifestyle accessories that are affordable, specialising in monogram-able leather goods...

Joanne Howarth went from being a waste offender in a previous business, to a sustainability crusader after seeing the effect polystyrene was having in her own business. Joanne is the founder of Planet Protector Packaging, who produce sustainable recyclable and biodegradable insulated packaging made from sheep wool waste. They’re on a mission to eliminate polystyrene and become the market leader in sustainable thermal packaging...

Sean Satha is the Founder of Local Supply - a sustainable, zero-waste eyewear label that is revolutionising the production of glasses. Local Supply uses a plant-based resin to produce their frames, resulting in 50% less carbon emissions than traditional eyewear. In 2020, Local Supply saw online sales surge by over 50% and are set to keep growing...

Morgan Coleman was working in a corporate career when a chance encounter at the vet with his dog got him thinking about how he could make the process more efficient and painless than traditional vet visits. He saw the opportunity to disrupt the pet care industry with a service that was more convenient for pet owners and less stressful for their pets, so he started his business Vets on Call; a mobile app that delivers high-quality veterinary care right to your door...

Jonathan Moody is the Founder and CEO of Physio Inq, a physiotherapy business that takes people through simple changes that have profound effects on athletic performance and pain relief. Physio Inq started as a bricks and mortar clinic in 2006 in Western Sydney, and the business now has 14 clinics and 300 staff across Australia, with a new arm of mobile and in-home care for disability & aged care...