In this episode, Alan is joined by Marie Dowling, founder and CEO of Newsary, a hybrid AI and human PR platform built for startups and small businesses. Marie walks through how Newsary works, why PR is becoming the new SEO, and how she landed enterprise client Flixbus, generating over 300 pieces of Australian media coverage.

Alan challenges Marie to think beyond founder-led sales, pushing her to consider referral incentives, agency partnerships, and her LinkedIn audience as scalable distribution channels. If you're a founder who's written off PR, this episode might just change your mind.

Time Stamps

02:13 – Meet Marie Dowling and her path from PR agency to founder

04:37 – Why bigger clients mean less interesting press releases

06:09 – What Newsary does and who it's for

07:02 – The pivot: from "how to write" to "what is a good story"

08:01 – Why PR is the new SEO

09:09 – How Newsary works: interview-style, not AI-generated

11:05 – Pricing: what Newsary costs vs. a traditional agency

12:32 – How Marie finds customers (and what they all say about PR)

13:39 – The real reason most PR fails: founder involvement

15:14 – Alan's challenge: scaling beyond founder-led sales

18:03 – The Flixbus campaign: 300+ pieces of coverage

19:14 – Who's behind Newsary: the team and advisors

20:16 – Co-hosting industry events: lessons learned

23:18 – Platform rebuild and January launch plans

25:10 – Marie's one ask of listeners

Resources Mentioned

💸 Newsary: https://www.newsary.co/

🎙 Ask Alan a Question – https://speakpipe.com/pickmybrain

🎧 More from Alan Jones – https://www.startupfoundercoach.com

Sponsors:

Pick My Brain is supported by our wonderful sponsors:

Galah Cyber offers the Foundations of Application Security course: a practical, hands-on AppSec course built for engineers who actually ship code. Two days of real-world lessons you can apply immediately. Learn more at galahcyber.com.au/learn.

The Day One Network

Pick My Brain is part of Day One, the podcast network dedicated to founders, operators & investors.

To learn more, join our newsletter to be notified of new and upcoming shows. The only content we create is content that will help Australian founders.

Consumers lose billions to scams and miss out on trillions in potential savings every year. So what if everyone had their own AI-powered financial assistant working 24-7?

In this episode of Pick My Brain, Alan Jones is joined by James Horan, founder of Phinly, an AI-driven personal finance platform designed to help consumers automate savings, prevent fees, and optimise their financial lives. James walks through his live pitch for Phinly, outlining the problem with doom-scrolling money advice, the rise of AI agents in personal finance, and a bold vision for owning the AI money assistant category.

Phinly connects to over 20,000 institutions, identifies cost savings opportunities, and enables one-tap actions from cancelling subscriptions to switching providers. With early partnerships secured, backing from a global AI accelerator, and a savings-based revenue model, the startup is raising $800,000 on a pre-seed SAFE to scale toward $4.5M ARR in 18 months.

But Alan’s feedback goes deeper than traction and TAM. He challenges James to avoid blending in with every other AI fintech startup in the room. Instead of leaning purely on logic and numbers, Alan pushes for something more memorable: behavioural insights that surprise the audience about their own financial habits. The goal is simple. Make investors go home and say, “Did you know that…?” and have that sentence start with something you taught them.

If you’re building in fintech, AI, or any crowded category, this episode is a masterclass in standing out when everyone else looks the same.

Time Stamps

02:08 – Meet James Horan and his founder journey

03:14 – Lessons from a failed two-sided marketplace

04:28 – The Phinly pitch begins

05:40 – Money advice, TikTok, and the cost-of-living crisis

06:50 – How Phinly works: AI-powered money automation

07:45 – Traction: 20,000 institutions connected and major partnerships

08:30 – Revenue model: percentage of savings and future subscriptions

09:10 – Alan’s first reaction: good foundation, but blends in

11:45 – The power of surprise in a crowded fintech room

12:30 – Using behavioural economics to stand out

14:00 – Stop reading your slides

15:30 – Supporting your story instead of replacing it

17:00 – Bringing emotion into a rational fintech pitch

18:00 – How to create a pitch people repeat to others

Resources

💸 Phinly – https://phinly.com

🎙 Ask Alan a Question – https://speakpipe.com/pickmybrain

🎧 More from Alan Jones – https://www.startupfoundercoach.com

Sponsors:

Pick My Brain is supported by our wonderful sponsors:

Galah Cyber offers the Foundations of Application Security course: a practical, hands-on AppSec course built for engineers who actually ship code. Two days of real-world lessons you can apply immediately. Learn more at galahcyber.com.au/learn.

The Day One Network

Pick My Brain is part of Day One, the podcast network dedicated to founders, operators & investors.

To learn more, join our newsletter to be notified of new and upcoming shows. The only content we create is content that will help Australian founders.

If you have to pitch the same product to two totally different audiences, should you use one deck or two?

In this episode of Pick My Brain, Alan Jones is joined by Michelle Chen, founder of Mental Jam, a startup turning real lived experiences of depression and anxiety into cozy, story-driven mobile games. Michelle is preparing to pitch in two worlds at once: to investors who care about venture-scale growth, and to game publishers who care about commercial upside and licensing rights.

Alan breaks down why one pitch is rarely enough, and introduces a simple framework: three decks for each audience. A teaser deck to spark curiosity, a pitch deck to support your live story, and a leave-behind deck packed with detail for later review. They also get tactical about what makes a pitch land: fewer words on slides, stronger emotional delivery in the first 10 to 15 seconds, and building trust by keeping the audience focused on the founder, not the deck.

Michelle also shares the real nerves behind pitching, including stage anxiety and how it impacts performance. Alan offers a mindset shift that helps founders separate their personal fear from the “role” they’re playing on stage, plus practical tips for pitching on video calls. They finish with concrete improvements: shorten the character section, add a clear team slide, and capture customer reactions on video to show emotional impact, not just quotes.

If you’re pitching a product with multiple buyers, fundraising while still building, or struggling with confidence on stage, this episode is a masterclass in making your pitch clearer, shorter, and more human

Time Stamps

02:10 – Michelle’s origin story: from PhD research to startup

04:10 – Why Catalyzer mattered for a migrant founder

05:20 – Two audiences: investors vs game publishers

06:05 – Should you build two pitches? Alan’s answer: yes, tailor

08:05 – The 6 deck framework: teaser, pitch, leave-behind for each audience

13:05 – Ideal slide counts: teaser 3 to 5, pitch 10 to 15, leave-behind as needed

14:00 – Why founders accidentally read slides and lose the room

15:00 – Video call tip: pin the person, not your slides

16:15 – Michelle’s pitch: Mental Jam and Boba Rista

23:15 – Alan’s feedback: scripting, emotion, and the first 10 seconds

26:00 – Handling stage anxiety while pitching

29:20 – Cut words per slide: aim for fewer than 10 words

31:10 – Too many characters: use one or two for investors

31:40 – Add a team slide and show real customer feedback

33:00 – Use video testimonials for emotional proof

Resources Mentioned

🎮 Mental Jam – https://hellomentaljam.com

🎙 Ask Alan a Question – https://speakpipe.com/pickmybrain

🎧 More from Alan Jones – https://www.startupfoundercoach.com

Sponsors:

Pick My Brain is supported by our wonderful sponsors:

Galah Cyber offers the Foundations of Application Security course: a practical, hands-on AppSec course built for engineers who actually ship code. Two days of real-world lessons you can apply immediately. Learn more at galahcyber.com.au/learn.

The Day One Network

Pick My Brain is part of Day One, the podcast network dedicated to founders, operators & investors.

To learn more, join our newsletter to be notified of new and upcoming shows. The only content we create is content that will help Australian founders.

In this episode of Pick My Brain, Alan Jones is joined by Dan Borthwick, founder of NiceGit, a startup rethinking source control for the reality of modern product teams. Dan pitches NiceGit as a single button way to use Git, keeping the power of version control while stripping away the terminal commands, scary UI, and workflow friction that locks non engineers out of making changes.

Alan and Dan unpack why Git has become a productivity bottleneck as more of the world builds software, especially now that over half of GitHub’s users are not programmers. They explore the hidden cost of routing every small change through developers, from UX tweaks to copy updates, and why “good enough” often wins simply because teams cannot afford the delays.

They also go deep on go to market strategy for technical products, including why engineers resist traditional marketing, how Atlassian used meetups and peer conversations to grow early, and how to think about whether you are selling a headache pill or a vitamin pill. Dan shares why game studios may be the ideal beachhead, how inbound interest is already forming through LinkedIn, and why team leads are often the real buyer even when end users feel the pain.

Along the way, Alan offers practical guidance on positioning, taglines, multivariate testing messaging, and how to equip champions inside an organisation with the right “cheat sheet” to win internal buy in. They finish with sharp, Australia specific advice on fundraising timing, investor targeting, and why warm coffee conversations beat sending a deck too early.

If you are building B2B SaaS, developer tools, or selling into teams with multiple stakeholders, this episode is packed with practical insight you can use immediately.

Sponsors:

Pick My Brain is supported by our wonderful sponsors:

Galah Cyber offers the Foundations of Application Security course: a practical, hands-on AppSec course built for engineers who actually ship code. Two days of real-world lessons you can apply immediately. Learn more at galahcyber.com.au/learn.

The Day One Network

Pick My Brain is part of Day One, the podcast network dedicated to founders, operators & investors.

To learn more, join our newsletter to be notified of new and upcoming shows. The only content we create is content that will help Australian founders.

In this episode of Pick My Brain, Alan Jones speaks with Clement Baissat, founder of mental wellbeing startup Hope Stage, about a journey that doesn’t follow the usual startup narrative. It begins with ambition and company building, then runs into depression, bankruptcy, and a bipolar diagnosis that arrives with clarity, but no instructions.

Clement shares growing up in France, knowing early that he wanted to build things on his own terms, and then spending years moving through startups, jobs, and burnout without understanding the patterns behind his highs and lows. A walk through a Paris park, a phone call to his mother, and two psychiatrists later, everything finally had a name. What remained unanswered was how to live with it.

That question became the foundation of Hope Stage. Not as a breakthrough moment, but as a practical attempt to understand bipolar disorder, build stability, and keep functioning. The conversation covers community, acceptance, routine, and the everyday systems that make progress possible, from sleep and structure to professional support. It also touches on why conditions like bipolar disorder and ADHD appear so often among founders.

As always, the discussion stays grounded and conversational. Alan brings curiosity and humour as they talk through business models, pricing, NGOs versus startups, and what it means to build something meaningful with limited resources.

This episode is about working with reality rather than fighting it, about replacing guesswork with systems, and about turning personal experience into something that may help others.

Sponsors:

Pick My Brain is supported by our wonderful sponsors:

Galah Cyber offers the Foundations of Application Security course: a practical, hands-on AppSec course built for engineers who actually ship code. Two days of real-world lessons you can apply immediately. Learn more at galahcyber.com.au/learn.

The Day One Network

Pick My Brain is part of Day One, the podcast network dedicated to founders, operators & investors.

To learn more, join our newsletter to be notified of new and upcoming shows. The only content we create is content that will help Australian founders.

In this episode of Pick My Brain, Alan Jones is joined by Paul Bevan, founder of cultivated meat startup Magic Valley, to explore how second-generation food tech is reshaping the economics and investability of cultivated meat. Paul pitches Magic Valley’s approach to growing real meat from animal cells, without livestock, and explains why minced products like lamb and pork are the logical first step to reaching commercial scale.

Alan and Paul unpack why earlier cultivated meat companies struggled, how advances in equipment and cell culture media have dramatically lowered costs, and what that means for investors assessing deep tech risk today. They also dig into Australia’s surprisingly strong regulatory framework for novel foods, Magic Valley’s decision to launch locally first, and how to raise deep tech capital without burning hundreds of millions of dollars.

Along the way, Alan shares practical advice on investor communication, momentum, and signalling progress, while Paul reflects on the challenge of telling one coherent story to impact investors, deep tech funds, and commercial partners at the same time.

If you are building in food tech, climate tech, deep tech, or navigating complex investor messaging, this episode is packed with hard-earned insight.

Sponsors:

Pick My Brain is supported by our wonderful sponsors:

Galah Cyber offers the Foundations of Application Security course: a practical, hands-on AppSec course built for engineers who actually ship code. Two days of real-world lessons you can apply immediately. Learn more at galahcyber.com.au/learn.

The Day One Network

Pick My Brain is part of Day One, the podcast network dedicated to founders, operators & investors.

To learn more, join our newsletter to be notified of new and upcoming shows. The only content we create is content that will help Australian founders.

Earlier this year, I got a cancer diagnosis. That sucked. But I had surgery at the end of September, and it looks like it was successful. So maybe now I update my LinkedIn profile to say “cancer survivor” — I don’t know.

With all that going on, I dropped a few things, and new episodes of Pick My Brain was one of them. And here we are in December. I feel much, much better than I did a few months ago, but that break in recording means we won’t have any new episodes for you until early January.

The good news is we’re recording again now. We’ve made some big improvements to the show, and I hope you’re going to love what we have in store for you starting January 2026.

If you need more listening in the meantime, I highly recommend First Check, Perspective X, In The Blink of AI, and our newest show Oversubscribed with angel investor Brendan Hill, which goes deep into the stories behind Australia’s best performing startups.

Anyway, I hope you have a safe, happy, and fun summer break. I hope it’s full of friendship, love, and good times. And I hope your startups are doing well too.

See you in January.

Carbon credits are meant to help the world fight climate change, but the reality is messy: project developers are still managing everything in spreadsheets, emails, and PDFs, making credits slow, opaque, and hard to trust.

In this episode of Pick My Brain, Alan Jones sits down with Allen Fan, co-founder of CarbonHQ, a B2B SaaS startup building the operating system for carbon project developers. Together they unpack how CarbonHQ is cutting issuance time from months to weeks, why credibility and transparency matter as much as climate impact, and what it really takes to sell software in a market still run on paper.

Allen also shares how he met his co-founder through a layoff talent directory, why sales never came naturally to him, and how repeated “reps” are helping him get better. Alan Jones dives in with advice on pricing strategy, investor communications, and building trust through authentic storytelling, the real ingredients behind startup growth.

Whether you’re tackling climate tech, B2B SaaS, or just wrestling with sales as a founder, this episode is packed with practical takeaways.

Time Stamps

01:15 – What CarbonHQ really does (and why it’s not carbon accounting)

03:40 – The pitch: fixing carbon credit issuance with software

06:15 – Co-founder story: meeting through a layoff talent directory

08:20 – Breaking down CarbonHQ’s 3-year journey and first $100K ARR

09:40 – Learning sales as a founder who isn’t “a salesperson”

12:10 – Why trust is the foundation of every sale

14:20 – Early-stage websites, product storytelling, and pricing psychology

19:55 – How to think about pricing when you don’t know your market yet

20:30 – Raising capital vs. focusing on revenue growth

23:40 – Why regular investor updates and pitching on stage build credibility

Resources Mentioned

🎙 Ask Alan a Question - https://www.speakpipe.com/PickMyBrain

👨‍💻 Allen Fan – https://www.linkedin.com/in/allen-fan-618b9864/

🌏 CarbonHQ – http://carbonhq.earth/

Mentioned in this episode:

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For most founders, cybersecurity feels like something to worry about “later.” But what if ignoring it now could kill your business before it even gets off the ground?

In this episode of Pick My Brain, Cole Cornford, founder of Galah Cyber, joins Alan Jones to unpack the real security risks early-stage startups face, and why they’re not always the ones you expect. Forget hoodie-wearing hackers: the bigger risks might be your Instagram account, your payments funnel, or the invoices sitting in your inbox.

Alan and Cole explore how to think about attack surfaces without jargon, when frameworks like ISO and SOC 2 actually matter, and why introducing just the right amount of friction can save you from catastrophic mistakes. They also talk branding, talent, and how Galah’s bright pink approachability helps win the right kind of customers.

If you’re building a B2B SaaS startup or scaling towards enterprise clients, this episode will help you avoid costly security missteps and focus on the protections that really matter.

Time Stamps

01:40 – Cole’s childhood dream: video games, Team Fortress, and eSports sponsorship

05:22 – Why Galah Cyber’s mascot is a pink galah (and not a scary hawk or snake)

07:36 – The three buyer journeys in cybersecurity: proactive, reactive, and compliance-driven

09:29 – What “attack surface” actually means, minus the jargon

10:08 – Who counts as a “threat actor”? From clumsy insiders to international hackers

12:07 – The overlooked risks: protecting marketing funnels and payment channels

14:20 – Why adding friction to payments can stop scams

16:09 – The opportunity cost of over-investing in security too early

17:28 – What ISO and SOC 2 certifications mean (and when founders should care)

19:25 – When enterprise customers will demand compliance

19:42 – Where founders should go for security advice that actually makes sense

21:08 – MFA (multi-factor authentication): better than nothing, even if it’s just SMS

21:25 – Why approachable branding makes Galah stand out in a serious industry

Resources

🙋🏻‍♂️ Cole Cornford: https://www.linkedin.com/in/colecornford/

🛡️ Galah Cyber: https://www.galahcyber.com.au/

🔒 Secured Podcast: https://www.galahcyber.com.au/podcasts/

Sponsors:

Pick My Brain is supported by our wonderful sponsors:

Galah Cyber offers the Foundations of Application Security course: a practical, hands-on AppSec course built for engineers who actually ship code. Two days of real-world lessons you can apply immediately. Learn more at galahcyber.com.au/learn.

The Day One Network

Pick My Brain is part of Day One, the podcast network dedicated to founders, operators & investors.

To learn more, join our newsletter to be notified of new and upcoming shows. The only content we create is content that will help Australian founders.

Mentioned in this episode:

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Tap, beep, done. Australia’s payment experience is one of the world’s most convenient, but also one of the most expensive. Small businesses lose thousands a month in card and scheme fees, while everyday Australians pay hundreds each year just to access their own money.

In this episode of Pick My Brain, Gaurav Rana, co-founder of GANI Pay, joins Alan Jones to pitch his mobile-first payment platform designed to bypass the legacy card system entirely. GANI Pay uses NPP, PayID, and PayTo to enable instant, secure QR payments, with flat monthly fees for merchants and cash-back rewards for consumers.

Alan and Gaurav dig into the economics of “tap and go,” how to convince both merchants and customers to switch, and why regulatory trust is just as important as slick tech in fintech. They also explore GANI Pay’s go-to-market focus on high-volume, low-ticket retailers, and what it takes to turn a payment product into a movement.

If you’re building in fintech, payments, or tackling an entrenched incumbent, this is a masterclass in pitching, positioning, and finding your wedge.

Time Stamps

01:40 – What is GaniPay? Mobile-first QR payments without the card fees

03:00 – Gaurav’s early ambitions: from science to entrepreneurship

04:15 – The problem: why tap payments quietly cost Australians billions

06:10 – How GaniPay works: bypassing Visa/Mastercard with NPP & PayTo

08:20 – Merchants’ biggest question: will customers adopt it?

09:50 – Building trust: compliance, security, and banking partnerships

12:15 – Go-to-market: targeting high-volume, sub-$100 transactions

14:30 – Competing with Afterpay & co: different problem, different value

15:55 – Alan on finding the most promising merchant verticals

17:40 – Fundraising plans: seeking $600k to scale tech & marketing

18:35 – How to become an “investable” fintech in 60 days

20:45 – Movement vs product: can GaniPay spark a payments revolution?

Resources

🙋🏻‍♂️ Gaurav Rana – https://www.linkedin.com/in/gauravrana841/

💰 GaniPay – https://ganipay.com.au/

Sponsors:

Pick My Brain is supported by our wonderful sponsors:

Galah Cyber offers the Foundations of Application Security course: a practical, hands-on AppSec course built for engineers who actually ship code. Two days of real-world lessons you can apply immediately. Learn more at galahcyber.com.au/learn.

The Day One Network

Pick My Brain is part of Day One, the podcast network dedicated to founders, operators & investors.

To learn more, join our newsletter to be notified of new and upcoming shows. The only content we create is content that will help Australian founders.

Mentioned in this episode:

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Would you trust AI to help close a multi-million dollar acquisition? That’s exactly what Deeligence is helping lawyers do faster and with fewer headaches.

In this episode of Pick My Brain, Elena Tsalanidis, co-founder of Deeligence joins Alan Jones to pitch her AI-powered legal tech startup. Elena shares how her platform streamlines the M&A due diligence process for lawyers, cutting review time in half while delivering greater accuracy.

Alan and Elena dive deep into B2B SaaS sales strategy, how to stand out in a sea of AI wrappers, and what actually makes a startup defensible when everyone’s using the same language models. They explore how founders can navigate complex enterprise sales cycles, why law firms resist change, and how product distribution (not tech) is the real moat.

If you’re building in legal tech, enterprise AI, or B2B SaaS, you’ll want to take notes.

Time Stamps

01:40 – What is Deeligence? AI-powered legal due diligence for M&A lawyers

03:05 – Elena’s background: ex-lawyer, ex-legal tech startup operator

04:15 – Childhood ambitions: politics, drill sergeant energy, and leadership

06:00 – The challenge: how do AI startups prove real product differentiation?

08:30 – Alan on “thin wrappers” vs customer experience as a moat

10:10 – Building trust in professional services: security, UX, and reliability

11:40 – Why distribution beats tech in B2B AI

14:10 – What makes a moat in the era of fast, AI-powered software

16:05 – How deal size affects sales cycles in enterprise SaaS

17:15 – Selling into law firms: why Hobart offices can be a strategic wedge

20:00 – Innovation teams: gatekeepers, champions… or blockers?

22:00 – The danger of general-purpose tools vs specialist point solutions

25:05 – How to respond when clients say “we’ll build it in-house”

27:00 – Why law firms are fast-moving money machines (and hate friction)

Resources

👩‍⚖️ Elena Tsalanidis – https://www.linkedin.com/in/elenatsalanidis

⚖️ Deeligence – https://www.deeligence.ai

🎧 More from Alan Jones – https://www.startupfoundercoach.com

Sponsors:

Pick My Brain is supported by our wonderful sponsors:

Galah Cyber offers the Foundations of Application Security course: a practical, hands-on AppSec course built for engineers who actually ship code. Two days of real-world lessons you can apply immediately. Learn more at galahcyber.com.au/learn.

The Day One Network

Pick My Brain is part of Day One, the podcast network dedicated to founders, operators & investors.

To learn more, join our newsletter to be notified of new and upcoming shows. The only content we create is content that will help Australian founders.

Mentioned in this episode:

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James Davie is the Co-founder and CEO of Miyagi, an AI-powered platform helping tech companies run more efficient and engaging online communities. In this episode, Alan sits down with James to explore what it takes to build a startup when you’ve never sold a thing in your life, and why community might just be the next frontier in customer experience.

They talk founder-led sales, credibility building on LinkedIn, and how James is navigating the messy middle between MVP and product-market fit. You’ll also hear real insights into Miyagi’s pilot customers, the importance of owning your distribution channel early, and why building your personal brand can unlock your first 100 users, even before the product is “done.”

This is essential listening for early-stage founders, community managers, and product leaders who know the power of customer engagement, but also know how hard it is to scale it.

Time Stamps

01:44 – James’ surprising path to becoming a founder

06:39 – What is Miyagi, and who is it for?

10:30 – The hidden cost of running a community without ownership

12:45 – Founder-led sales when you’ve never sold before

13:17 – Learning to ask for the sale: how James is building muscle

15:54 – Imposter syndrome and credibility as an unknown founder

17:39 – Why LinkedIn alone won’t build your funnel

18:51 – Using small events and meetups as growth channels

21:29 – From attendee to speaker: how to build “expert magic”

24:35 – Becoming a panelist, host, or community organiser

25:58 – Why different roles across the org all touch “community”

26:56 – Founder brand vs company brand: what comes first?

Resources Mentioned

👨🏻‍💻 James Davie on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-davie/

🏗️ Miyagi – https://www.linkedin.com/company/miyagi-ai/

Sponsors:

Pick My Brain is supported by our wonderful sponsors:

Galah Cyber offers the Foundations of Application Security course: a practical, hands-on AppSec course built for engineers who actually ship code. Two days of real-world lessons you can apply immediately. Learn more at galahcyber.com.au/learn.

The Day One Network

Pick My Brain is part of Day One, the podcast network dedicated to founders, operators & investors.

To learn more, join our newsletter to be notified of new and upcoming shows. The only content we create is content that will help Australian founders.

Mentioned in this episode:

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Can a 27-second video replace a cover letter?

In this episode, Alan sits down with Luke Marshall, Head of Growth at UseVerb, a startup reinventing the way frontline teams hire with short-form video job applications. Luke shares his journey from big-budget media agencies to lean startup teams, the lessons learned from building and rebuilding UseVerb, and why Gen Z is redefining how we think about recruitment, content, and connection.

You’ll hear why UseVerb is doubling down on portrait video, how they’re targeting multi-location retailers and hospitality groups, and what their experiments in landing pages, email outreach, and TikTok-style branding have revealed so far.

If you’ve ever tried hiring at scale or building a startup in a noisy market, Luke’s insights on growth, product-market fit, and trust-based hiring will hit home.

Time Stamps

02:02 – Childhood dreams, Jurassic Park, and marine dinosaurs

03:12 – From media agency life to the startup world

04:34 – The origin story of UseVerb and what went wrong the first time

07:41 – Rebooting the startup: What’s different now

08:40 – The power of a 27-second video job application

10:57 – Why Gen Z gets video — and how that’s a hiring advantage

12:07 – Who UseVerb is built for (and how to reach them)

14:37 – Why TikTok changed everything for startup marketing

16:46 – UseVerb’s omnichannel growth strategy

18:18 – Creating content for portrait video vs landscape: Lessons from Gen Z

22:43 – Personalised landing pages: Too creepy or just right?

24:39 – How UseVerb uses AI to write emails that don’t sound like AI

29:25 – Why diversity in case studies matters for conversion

31:34 – The heartbreak of bounce rates and browser tab 76

33:26 – Final thoughts + a callout for user research participants

Resources Mentioned

🙋🏻‍♂️ Luke’s Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/marshwah/

🗣️ UseVerb – https://www.useverb.com/

🧊 SmartLead – https://smartlead.ai/ – tool for cold outbound

🕸️ Make.com – https://www.make.com/ – no-code automation for landing page generation

📋 Microsoft Clarity – https://clarity.microsoft.com/ – session replay for landing page behaviour

Sponsors:

Pick My Brain is supported by our wonderful sponsors:

Galah Cyber offers the Foundations of Application Security course: a practical, hands-on AppSec course built for engineers who actually ship code. Two days of real-world lessons you can apply immediately. Learn more at galahcyber.com.au/learn.

The Day One Network

Pick My Brain is part of Day One, the podcast network dedicated to founders, operators & investors.

To learn more, join our newsletter to be notified of new and upcoming shows. The only content we create is content that will help Australian founders.

Mentioned in this episode:

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In this episode of Pick My Brain, Kartini Ludwig, co-founder and CEO of Koup Music, shares her vision for an ethical, artist-first AI music platform. Kartini explains how Koup allows artists to fine-tune and collaborate with AI models to unlock new sonic possibilities, while still maintaining creative control.

Alan Jones dives deep into Koup’s pitch, offering tactical advice on simplifying IP rights, presenting a stronger fundraising narrative, and testing paid marketing before hiring a CMO. They also explore why community-driven tools need clear go-to-market strategies, and how to make investors feel safe in uncharted territory.

Time Stamps

01:33 – Kartini’s background, creative roots, and how Koup Music began

03:00 – What Koup Music is: empowering artists with tunable AI music models

04:50 – Industry validation: APRA stats and ethical concerns in AI music

06:05 – How Koup Music works: live performance demos and remix capabilities

09:35 – Alan’s feedback: clarify visuals, showcase real artists in action

11:22 – Business model: pay-as-you-go credits, future subscriptions, and a model marketplace

14:39 – Who owns AI-generated music? IP rights, artist licensing, and transparency

18:42 – Fundraising strategy: what $1M in seed funding will achieve for Koup

22:04 – Growth goals: 100K users, CAC targets, and early marketing experiments

Resources

🙋🏻‍♀️ Kartini Ludwig – https://www.linkedin.com/in/kartiniludwig/

🎶 Koup Music – https://www.koupmusic.com/

Sponsors:

Pick My Brain is supported by our wonderful sponsors:

Galah Cyber offers the Foundations of Application Security course: a practical, hands-on AppSec course built for engineers who actually ship code. Two days of real-world lessons you can apply immediately. Learn more at galahcyber.com.au/learn.

The Day One Network

Pick My Brain is part of Day One, the podcast network dedicated to founders, operators & investors.

To learn more, join our newsletter to be notified of new and upcoming shows. The only content we create is content that will help Australian founders.

Mentioned in this episode:

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Imagine navigating a festival with ease, knowing exactly where to go, how busy each venue is, and what’s happening around you. That’s the vision behind Bardar, an app revolutionising the festival experience.

In this episode of Pick My Brain, Dexter Todd shares how Bardar pivoted from a nightlife discovery app into a data-driven platform that helps festival organisers improve attendee experiences and prove their economic impact. Alan Jones dives into the importance of positioning Bardar as an enterprise SaaS product rather than a one-off event app, and how this strategy can unlock longer-term revenue and growth.

They also discuss Dexter’s cold outreach success with South by Southwest Sydney, landing a $25K contract, and the power of leveraging real-time foot traffic data to build value for festival clients.

Time Stamps

00:00 – Dexter on festival frustrations and app clunkiness

02:01 – From ANU student startup to Bardar’s growth

03:37 – How Bardar pivoted to focus on festivals

08:23 – Landing a contract with South by Southwest via cold email

11:55 – Using foot traffic APIs to track venue capacity

14:24 – Post-event reports and insights for festivals

15:09 – Fundraising journey: $225K pre-seed and $200K extension

16:36 – Alan’s advice: converting seasonal deals into SaaS contracts

17:27 – Positioning Bardar as a data-driven SaaS enterprise

21:38 – The importance of annual contracts to build a sustainable business

Resources Mentioned

🙋🏻‍♂️ Dexter Todd’s LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/dexter-todd-77a600242/

📍 Bardar - https://www.bardar.app/

The Day One Network

Pick My Brain is part of Day One, the podcast network dedicated to founders, operators & investors.

To learn more, join our newsletter to be notified of new and upcoming shows. The only content we create is content that will help Australian founders.

Sponsors:

Pick My Brain is supported by our wonderful sponsors:

Galah Cyber offers the Foundations of Application Security course: a practical, hands-on AppSec course built for engineers who actually ship code. Two days of real-world lessons you can apply immediately. Learn more at galahcyber.com.au/learn.

Mentioned in this episode:

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Imagine translating, dubbing, and captioning a full video course in multiple languages, automatically, in minutes, and at a fraction of the cost. That’s exactly what Ben Radcliffe and his team at Braiv are building.

In this episode of Pick My Brain, Ben shares the journey of launching Braiv’s AI-powered multi-language video platform, how they’re helping online educators reach global audiences, and why their pitch has evolved dramatically after just two months in beta.

Alan Jones breaks down Ben’s pitch with sharp advice on cutting the buzzwords, leading with traction, and telling a story that makes investors lean in. They also unpack the power of getting paid early, experimenting with Google Ads, and why startup decks should create curiosity, not explain everything.

Time Stamps

1:37 – Ben’s pitch: The AI-powered platform breaking language barriers

3:25 – What makes Braiv’s multi-language video player a world-first

5:16 – Alan’s pitch feedback: Less jargon, more real-world examples

7:00 – Why investor decks should lead with traction, not theory

9:57 – $2K in beta revenue and a paying customer found through Google Ads

12:56 – The real value of paid growth experiments for early-stage startups

13:53 – Knowing your true customer persona (and how fast it changes)

Resources

🙋🏻‍♂️ Ben Radcliffe - https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrad/

🎥 Braiv - https://www.braiv.co/

The Day One Network

Pick My Brain is part of Day One, the podcast network dedicated to founders, operators & investors.

To learn more, join our newsletter to be notified of new and upcoming shows. The only content we create is content that will help Australian founders.

Sponsors:

Pick My Brain is supported by our wonderful sponsors:

Galah Cyber offers the Foundations of Application Security course: a practical, hands-on AppSec course built for engineers who actually ship code. Two days of real-world lessons you can apply immediately. Learn more at galahcyber.com.au/learn.

Mentioned in this episode:

Vanta PMB Ad_March 2025_02

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Kabir Arora is the co-founder of Backya, a fresh take on the events marketplace, connecting homeowners with underused backyards to people who need affordable, outdoor spaces to celebrate. In this episode, Kabir walks Alan through his pitch and early traction, including $2K in bookings and a growing network of yard hosts and service providers. Alan shares advice on investor decks, creating emotional hooks, and why a short video from your co-founders might just seal the deal. It’s the perfect listen for first-time founders and anyone building a marketplace from scratch.

Time Stamps

1:51 – The Backya pitch: renting backyards for events

3:25 – Why venues are broken (and outdoor alternatives matter)

4:44 – Alan’s tip: use a “bridge” to hook your audience early

6:22 – From backyards to warehouses: Backya’s big vision

8:55 – Creating teaser decks that open investor doors

9:57 – Early traction: 10 listings, 1 event, $2K revenue

11:49 – Building trust with a strong, visible founding team

Resources

🙋🏻‍♂️ Kabir’s Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/arorakabir/

🏡 Bakya Australia - https://www.backya.au/

Sponsors:

Pick My Brain is supported by our wonderful sponsors:

Galah Cyber offers the Foundations of Application Security course: a practical, hands-on AppSec course built for engineers who actually ship code. Two days of real-world lessons you can apply immediately. Learn more at galahcyber.com.au/learn.

The Day One Network

Pick My Brain is part of Day One, the podcast network dedicated to founders, operators & investors.

To learn more, join our newsletter to be notified of new and upcoming shows. The only content we create is content that will help Australian founders.

Mentioned in this episode:

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In Perspective X, host Pauline Fetaui dives deep into conversations with extraordinary entrepreneurs and leading innovators to explore not just their successes—but the overlooked decisions, mindset shifts, and personal turning points that sparked their greatest breakthroughs.

This show is about the ripple effect of choice: how deep accountability enables us to respond intentionally to life's challenges, rather than simply reacting. If you're curious about the inner journey behind meaningful achievements and how leaders evolve through adversity, this podcast is for you.

Join us on Perspective X, where we move beyond the highlight reel and into the pivotal moments that changed everything.

Launching on the 12th of May, wherever you get your podcasts.

Mentioned in this episode:

Day One sting

Stephen Neli is only six weeks into building Zellus, but he’s already going after one of small business’ biggest problems—late payments. In this episode, he shares the origin story behind Zellus, how he’s pitching investors and customers, and what it’s like starting up solo (with a lot of heart and a little help from Figma). Alan breaks down his pitch, offers advice on finding a tech co-founder, and chats about that sneaky startup sidekick: imposter syndrome. If you’re an early-stage founder, this one’s packed with gold.

Time Stamps

1:27 – Stephen’s startup story and the birth of Zellus

2:20 – The pitch: how Zellus helps small businesses get paid faster

5:30 – Alan’s feedback: strong structure, clear gestures, great storytelling

8:18 – Who Stephen needs on the team (CTO wanted!)

12:13 – Building in public and what Instagram has taught him

14:52 – Partnerships, pilots, and early traction

17:32 – Customer interviews, pivots, and prototyping with Figma

25:06 – Imposter syndrome and learning to share the lowlights

27:27 – Why sharing the lowlights helps others (and you)

29:49 – Mailout mishaps and the power of founder vulnerabilit

Resources

⚡️ Zellus on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/zellus-au/

🙋🏻‍♂️ Stephen’s Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/sneli/

🛳️ Stephen’s Startup Voyage on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/stephen.startupvoyage

🎙️ TEDx Talk: Mike Cannon-Brookes on Imposter Syndrome - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZwEquW_Yij0

Sponsors:

Pick My Brain is supported by our wonderful sponsors:

Galah Cyber offers the Foundations of Application Security course: a practical, hands-on AppSec course built for engineers who actually ship code. Two days of real-world lessons you can apply immediately. Learn more at galahcyber.com.au/learn.

The Day One Network

Pick My Brain is part of Day One, the podcast network dedicated to founders, operators & investors.

To learn more, join our newsletter to be notified of new and upcoming shows. The only content we create is content that will help Australian founders.

Mentioned in this episode:

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Olivya Munro, founder of Zello Studio, is on a mission to transform fitting rooms with smart tech. She shares how a frustrating shopping experience sparked the idea for Zello, how she turned that idea into a startup, and why retailers are eager to get on board. Alan puts her pitch to the test, offering advice on storytelling, investor questions, and scaling in a tech-resistant industry. Whether you’re a founder refining your pitch or just love a good startup origin story, this episode is packed with insights.

Time Stamps

1:33 – From fashion dreams to startup founder: Olivya’s unexpected career shift

3:32 – The moment that sparked Zello: a broken fitting room experience

4:22 – 91% of shoppers are dissatisfied—why retailers should care

5:58 – How Zello works: tablets, real-time requests, and upselling

7:14 – The “boyfriend seat” and retail design realities

9:28 – Addressing privacy concerns in the changing room

11:07 – First in-store launch and landing major retailers

13:00 – What makes a great startup pitch?

15:15 – The #1 investor question: progress toward commercialisation

18:41 – Hiring for growth: Who’s the first key hire?

Resources

Olivya Munro's Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/olyvia-munro-2038a6218/

Zello Studio – Learn more about Olivya’s smart fitting room assistant. https://www.zellostudio.co/

Startmate – The accelerator where Olivya pitched Zello. https://www.startmate.com/writing/gen-z-startup-zello-is-transforming-the-140-year-old-fitting-room-experience

How to Pitch to Investors – A collection of pitching tips from Y Combinator. https://www.ycombinator.com/library/4b-how-to-pitch-your-company

Sponsors:

Pick My Brain is supported by our wonderful sponsors:

Galah Cyber offers the Foundations of Application Security course: a practical, hands-on AppSec course built for engineers who actually ship code. Two days of real-world lessons you can apply immediately. Learn more at galahcyber.com.au/learn.

The Day One Network

Pick My Brain is part of Day One, the podcast network dedicated to founders, operators & investors.

To learn more, join our newsletter to be notified of new and upcoming shows. The only content we create is content that will help Australian founders.

Mentioned in this episode:

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