Humble Brags Podcast

It's Hannah's birthday, so we sat down to give you a PART 1 and have a proper chat to fill you in on everything that's been going on, because there is a LOT.We recap our trip to Miami (and everything it stirred up for where we're taking things), and we walk you through all the new things happening at Humble Brags right now, including the one we've been quietly building behind the scenes: The Brag Club.Consider this your catch up. Grab a drink, settle in, and let us bring you back into the fold.Part 2 coming soon...You can read more about The Brag Club here: https://www.humblebrags.com.au/pages/the-brag-club

Show NotesWhat happens after you achieve the founder dream and realise it did not bring the fulfilment you expected?This week we sit down with Hannah Spilva, founder of Done and exited founder of LVLY.Hannah opens up about the emotional reality of life after a successful exit, why money did not bring the fulfilment she expected, and the powerful mindset shift that changed how she approaches business today.The conversation explores founder identity, burnout and anxiety as entrepreneurial strengths, customer obsession, sustainable growth, and the importance of building a life and career you genuinely enjoy.Hannah also shares the story behind Done, the salon-quality at-home hair colour brand born during Melbourne’s lockdowns, and why she believes convenience, simplicity and customer experience are the future of beauty.If you are building a business, questioning success, or trying to create something meaningful on your own terms, this episode is packed with honest insights and practical advice.Key TakeawaysThe joy of entrepreneurship is often found in the building process, not the exit.Sustainable growth and customer happiness can matter more than rapid scaling.ADHD and anxiety can become entrepreneurial superpowers when channelled productively.Saying no to the wrong opportunities is just as important as saying yes to the right ones.Building a business that aligns with your lifestyle and values creates longer-term fulfilment.

In this episode we sit with Liam Millward, Co Founder of Instant, the AI-powered tech platform helping brands and entrepreneurs scale faster, who has built an impressive multi-million dollar tech startup.If you’ve ever wondered how to start a tech company as a young adult or what it takes to grow a business from scratch, this episode breaks it all down. Liam shares his journey into entrepreneurship, how he identified early opportunities, and the exact strategies he used to build and scale a successful startup in a competitive industry and how he is now supporting brands around the world to scale their own businesses using his tech.We dive into the mindset required for startup success, the challenges young entrepreneurs face, and the future of AI for ecommerce marketers. This is a real startup story packed with practical advice, from business growth strategies to scaling a tech startup fast.Whether you're an aspiring founder, a Gen Z entrepreneur, or someone interested in AI business tools and innovation, this episode delivers actionable insights and inspiration.

What does it really take to build a business that stands the test of time?In this episode, we sit down with Karen and Daniel from KAS Australia, the founding family behind a brand that has not only survived but thrived for 46 years in an ever-changing retail landscape.We unpack the decisions, values and long-term thinking that have allowed KAS to outlive trends, economic cycles and shifting consumer behaviour, without losing sight of who they are as a brand.From navigating growth and reinvention, to knowing when not to chase the latest trend, Karen and Daniel share honest insights on longevity, leadership and building something that truly lasts.This is a must-listen for founders who are playing the long game and want to build a business that’s still relevant decades from now.

We sit down with Catherine Dix, who brought the global sustainable hydration brand Waterdrop to Australia and New Zealand through an innovative joint venture partnership.From agency operations to launching a disruptive FMCG brand in a market halfway across the world from head office, Catherine shares the raw, unfiltered journey of bringing Waterdrop's mission of sustainable hydration to Australian shores, building on the brand's incredible success across Europe with five million happy customers globally.We dive deep into the realities of launching a global brand locally, from localising a proven European tech stack and community strategy for the Australian market, to navigating seasonal differences when your global socials show winter campaigns during Australian summer, and the strategic decision to leverage three quarters of a million Instagram followers rather than starting from scratch.Catherine gets refreshingly honest about the challenges and triumphs of scaling from D2C to retail, landing one of Australia's biggest partnerships with the Australian Open just four months into market, creating the official player bottle that eliminates 97,000 plastic bottles from a single tournament, and the nerve-wracking journey of launching into Woolworths.We explore the power of building the right foundation before rushing into retail, why their Coca-Cola flavored cube keeps selling out (despite being contentious with cola purists), the importance of owning what you don't know as a founder, and how customer service for 18 months taught her everything about logistics, lost parcels, and why address validation matters.Plus, we're joined by Tom from Clearer.io, longtime partner and sponsor of this episode, who shares insights on building a consultative tech stack approach, the future of personalization and AI-powered search, and an exclusive sneak peek at their upcoming product launching in Q1 2026.From leveraging five years of global reviews data from day one, to syndicating reviews to Woolworths, to scaling through Facebook ads and email while building a passionate VIP community on Facebook, this episode is packed with tactical insights on international expansion, retail partnerships, and sustainable growth.Whether you're scaling a global brand locally, navigating the leap from D2C to retail, or building a mission-driven FMCG business, this episode delivers honest lessons, partnership strategies, and inspiring moments from the frontlines of bringing a European success story to Australia.✨ Make sure to like, subscribe and follow along for more founder stories from the world's most innovative companies.

Join us for an incredible episode recorded live in New York City, where we sit down with Alex Fine, CEO and co-founder of Dame Products, the pioneering sexual wellness brand that's been breaking barriers and changing the conversation around women's pleasure for over 12 years.From a curious six-year-old getting in trouble at show-and-tell to earning a Master's in Clinical Psychology from Columbia University, Alex shares her unconventional journey from aspiring sex therapist to building one of the first female-founded vibrator brands in the industry.Alex gets refreshingly honest about the realities of building a consumer goods brand, from bootstrapping for six years, navigating the complex world of venture capital as a female founder (spoiler: only 2% of VC dollars go to women), to the challenges of inventory management, cash flow constraints, and finding sustainable profitability.We explore the notorious New York City subway ad battle where Dame sued the MTA for discrimination, the absurd advertising restrictions sexual wellness brands face on platforms like Meta, and the creative workarounds required to market products that science proves are good for you.Plus, Alex shares her philosophy on product innovation through community-driven research with Dame Labs, why she's more proud of bootstrapping than raising capital, her top advice for female founders considering investment, and why sexual wellness deserves to be recognized as an essential part of overall health and well-being.Whether you're a founder navigating taboo industries, interested in the sexual wellness revolution, or just love a story about persistence and purpose-driven entrepreneurship, this episode is packed with raw insights, tactical advice, and inspiring moments from a true industry pioneer.✨ Make sure to like, subscribe and follow along for more founder stories from the world's most innovative companies.

Join us for an incredible live episode recorded in San Francisco, where we sit down with Krish Ramineni, co-founder of Fireflies AI, one of the fastest-growing AI companies transforming how teams work. From humble beginnings at an MIT hackathon to building a platform used by 75% of Fortune 500 companies, Krish shares the raw, unfiltered journey of creating Fireflies AI. We dive deep into the early struggles, seven failed products, running out of savings, getting rejected by Y Combinator twice, and the pivotal moment when they built something people actually wanted to pay for. Krish reveals how they launched their AI meeting assistant just two weeks before COVID hit, the challenges of scaling from zero to billions of conversations, and the controversial decisions that shaped their company culture including no one-on-ones, 100% remote with 120 employees across 50 cities, and why they hate recurring meetings despite building meeting software. We explore the technical evolution from pre-LLM era to integrating GPT-3 before ChatGPT launched, building enterprise-grade security while staying customer-obsessed, and why they chose bottoms-up growth over traditional enterprise sales. Plus, Krish gives us an exclusive sneak peek into Fireflies' upcoming product launch, a real-time AI assistant that will fundamentally change how we experience meetings. Whether you're building an AI startup, scaling a tech company, or just fascinated by the future of work, this episode is packed with tactical insights, contrarian takes, and honest lessons from the frontlines of the AI revolution. ✨ Make sure to like, subscribe and follow along for more founder stories from the world's most innovative companies.

Join Hannah and Carmel for a raw, unfiltered solo episode recorded straight from New York City. Between back-to-back meetings, podcast shoots and city chaos, we sit down to share everything happening behind the scenes, in our personal lives, our careers, and the evolution of Humble Brags. We talk about what’s working, what’s changing, what’s challenging us, and where we’re heading as we build Australia’s fastest-growing founder community. And of course, we couldn’t leave NYC without diving into our top ecommerce predictions for 2026, the trends, tech, behaviour shifts and opportunities we believe every brand should be preparing for. Whether you’re a founder, marketer or just love a good catch-up chat, this episode is packed with insight, honesty and a whole lot of New York energy. ✨ Make sure to like, subscribe and follow along, big things are coming.

In this episode, we are live in San Fransisco as we sit down with Mitch Lowe, Co-Founder of Netflix and former President of Redbox, to uncover the mindset behind building one of the world’s most transformative brands.Mitch shares the untold lessons from Netflix’s early days, from redefining entertainment through data and disruption, to navigating risk, reinvention, and scaling a brand that changed how the world watches content.Whether you’re building a category-defining brand, leading innovation in your industry, or simply curious about what it takes to stay ahead of the curve, Mitch’s insights on leadership, storytelling, and resilience will leave you inspired.

In this episode, we caught up with Wendy, Founder of Okanui, and Tom, their Marketing Manager, to dive deep into six decades of legacy, innovation and growth. They share the story behind Okanui’s physical footprint, how they’ve approached store openings, leveraged customer data to shape their next moves, and kept the brand relevant in a fast-evolving retail landscape. Whether you're curious about building brand heritage, scaling with intention, or turning brick-and-mortar into a powerful hub, Wendy and Tom’s insights will leave you inspired.

In this episode, we sit down with Bella Moro, the founder of My Cavoodle, to hear how she turned a $10k investment into a million dollar brand. Bella shares the inspiration behind starting a business in such a niche industry, what it takes to build trust with a loyal customer base, and the challenges and wins along the way. From clever marketing moves to staying deeply connected with her community, Bella’s story is a refreshing look at what’s possible when you combine passion with strategy. Whether you’re a founder, a dog lover, or just curious about scaling a brand from the ground up, this episode is packed with insights and heart.

From a Humble Idea to a Global Icon , we sit down with the brilliant minds behind memo bottle, Jono & Jesse, who created the cult-favourite flat water bottle that’s become a global design staple.We dive into the real story of how the they met, the unexpected challenges they faced turning a simple idea into a tangible product, and why the prototype was anything but easy to perfect. From local beginnings to global shelves, they share the gritty behind-the-scenes of scaling a brand that balances design, function, and purpose.This one’s packed with honest insights, laughs, and hard-won lessons about creativity, resilience, and building a brand with impact.

In this episode, Jennifer Mekhaeil, founder of Go Bare, shares her journey from spotting a gap in the laser hair removal market to launching an IPL brand that’s now stocked in Priceline and other top retailers. Discover how Jennifer’s vision turned an unmet personal need into a thriving business and hear her insights on product development, building retail partnerships, and empowering customers to take hair removal into their own hands.

Sisters, Sally & Maha were faced with the unimaginable when Sally was diagnosed with cancer the day before her baby was born. They stuck together to get Sally through her battle promising each other that they would launch a wellness business to help others and that's exactly what they have done. 8 years later Swiish is Australia's leading wellness & lifestyle brand. We uncover what it took to get them to where they are today.

Viv Conway Co-Founded Girls Get Off with a mission to normalise women's sexual wellness. In just a few years, they have managed to build a safe community for women to share experiences and lean on each other for support. We chat about the sexual wellness space and how they have grown the business.

We chat with Raquel Bouris, founder of Who is Elijah to explore the journey of launching and growing her unique fragrance brand. Raquel shares insights on how she transformed it into a profitable venture, and cultivated a devoted cult following.

We sit down with Sam Wood, the visionary founder of Azura Fashion Group. Sam shares the compelling story behind the inception of his business, revolutionising the way customers can access luxury brands. We dive into how he harnessed the power of technology to propel Azura Fashion Group to new heights and grow into 30 countries, selling across 65 different marketplaces!

We sit down with Tara Crocker, Founder of Yaala Sparkling, to unpack the complexities of starting a drink-based business and how she keeps the heart of her purpose—supporting Aboriginal communities—at the centre of her brand.Talk to us!

We held a Live Podcast event in Sunny Queensland and got to sit with the inspiring Founder and leader Georgie Stevenson, Founder of Naked Harvest talking about her founder journey, what inspired her to get into the health and wellness space and how she remains motivated to create content and continue to inspire others.Talk to us!

From making hand made jewellery from beads in Tasmania, sisters, Rachel & Hannah grew their brand through their cult following to a multi million dollar business now supporting many migrant women by giving them job opportunities and their huge contribution to anti human trafficking charities. Talk to us!

A leading returns and exchange platform with huge presence in the US and now Australia, we chat with Loop Returns representative Dan Anand about the impact of reverse logistics on your customer experience metrics and how to leverage a platform like Loop to succeed.Talk to us!

Getting skin deep with Rachael Wilde, we delve deep into what it took to launch TBH Skincare, how she created viral moments that led to major milestones and saw the business continuing to grow month by month.Talk to us!

We sit town with Team ShipBob to understand the ins and outs of retail logistics and how to best optimise it for success.Talk to us!

Daniel Small, GM of Move with Us takes us through his rich journey in ecommerce, working directly with founders of global companies such as Crop Shop Boutique, Culture Kings and many more and developing an ecommerce strategy that amplifies reach.Talk to us!

From watching his mum's profession as a clown slowly grow into a party supply business, Dean Salakas, CEO of The Party People took his family business to new heights, being one of the first retailers in Australia to enter ecommerce. Dean chats to us about how he has remained profitable and innovate during his business journey.Talk to us!

We sat down with Klaviyo's Customer Growth Account Executive Kat Ramos and Klaviyo customer Airi Sutherland who is the Global General Manager of Online from Ksubi. From discussing marketing tactics that drive business impact to chatting through all things BFCM, the concept of digital body language and more. This episode is sponsored by Klaviyo — an intelligent marketing platform that helps brands power smarter digital relationships. OUTLINE00:00:00 - Introduction to the Podcast00:00:12 -...

Founder of The Aggregate Co and Co Founder of Seko Logistics, Justin Irvine takes us through is long history of experience in logistics and fulfilment and what brought him to start The Aggregate Co, helping founders and entrepreneurs succeed in retailOUTLINE: 00:00:01 - Introduction to Justin Irvine and The Aggregate Co00:00:31 - The Importance of Logistics in Commerce00:01:17 - Justin's Background and Entry into Logistics00:01:51 - Work Ethic and Career Advancement00:05:07 - The Evoluti...

Australia's largest dress rental platform, Designerex. We sit down with Co-Founders Kirsten and Costa to learn about the beginning of Designerex, how it has evolved and their vision to reduce fast fashion by operating in 141 countries across one ap. OUTLINE: 00:00:02 - Introduction and Welcome00:02:30 - How Designerex Started00:06:13 - Taking the Leap and Starting Research00:09:15 - Challenges of Building a Two-Sided Marketplace00:11:39 - Attracting Dress Renters and Rentals00:17:22...

We chat with incredible business leader and founder of Hero Packaging, Anaita Sarkar about her unique journey in business and how she launched and grew Hero Packaging, a sustainable packaging company, leading the way with a first in market product formula.OUTLINE: 00:00:13 - Introducing Anaita from Hero Packaging00:00:31 - Anaita Describes Her Roles00:00:57 - Discussing Productivity00:02:10 - Anaita's Background and Entrepreneurial Journey00:05:22 - Transition from eBay to Hero Packaging...

To celebrate our 10th episode we have a special episode with just Hannah & Carmel as we give you the chance to get to know your hosts a little better as they dive deep into their personal lives, careers journeys and the why behind what they do.OUTLINE: 00:00:06 - Introduction and Setting the Tone00:01:04 - Taking a Risk and Starting the Podcast00:02:23 - Connecting and Building a Community00:03:59 - Breaking the Clicky Culture in E-commerce00:06:06 - Gratitude for the Podcast Opportu...

Co-Founder of Mountain Culture Beer, Australia's number 1 voted beer, Harriet sits down to share her journey of going from small brewery in Katoomba to becoming a household name OUTLINE: 00:00:02 - Introduction and Background of Mountain Culture00:03:49 - Passion for Brewing Craft Beer and Starting Mountain Culture00:06:08 - Acquiring the First Customers and Building a Following00:08:29 - Branding and Marketing Mountain Culture00:09:40 - Values, Mission, and Purpose of Mountain Cult...

Founder and CEO of Bangn Body, Australia's most loved skincare brand, shares with us the journey that led her to creating Bangn Body, the hurdles she overcame and the incredible success and popularity that brought on accelerate growth.OUTLINE:00:00:00 - Introduction and Welcome Back00:00:18 - Season Two and Introduction of Guests00:01:07 - Listener Feedback and Guest Request00:01:54 - Last Name Change and Wedding00:03:12 - Love for Bang & Body Products00:03:42 - The Journey of Bangn Body0...

Ade Adeniyi Founder of Little Lagos talks candidly on launching a food business in a brand new country, showcasing Nigerian cultureOUTLINE: 00:00:30 - Introduction of Ade and his background00:02:33 - Ade's experience living in different countries00:04:47 - Ade's language skills00:06:35 - Ade's move to Australia00:09:40 - The inception of Little Lagos and the lack of Nigerian food in Sydney00:12:08 - Challenges faced in starting Little Lagos00:14:18 - Overcoming challenges and build...

We chat to founders of Oz hair & Beauty about they evolved to grow the business to become a multi million dollar brand and marketplace featuring an incredible product range and unmatched customer experience

We chat with Co - founder of Scratch, Australia's fastest growing direct to consumer pet company. Mike talks to us about how he started the business, the community he has fostered, building a subscription based model and much more!OUTLINE: Discussing the Challenges of Owning a Dog00:00:35 - Early morning dog walk challenges00:00:47 - The importance of walking energetic dogs in the morning00:00:55 - Observations during early morning dog walksThe Journey to Starting Scratch00:02:33 - Accid...

Queen of collaborations and serial entrepreneur, Jess Ruhfus chats with us about everything from collabs, starting a tech company, her experience with raising capital and so much more...OUTLINE: Introduction and Background (00:00:02 - 00:01:42)The Inspiration for Collabasaurus (00:02:06 - 00:06:16)The Name "Collabasaurus" (00:06:16 - 00:06:55)Different Types of Collaborations (00:08:06 - 00:08:44)Collaborating with Competing Brands (00:09:34 - 00:10:31)Getting Brands on the Collabasaurus...

We chat to founders of Oz hair & Beauty about they evolved to grow the business to become a multi million dollar brand and marketplace featuring an incredible product range and unmatched customer experience OUTLINE: 00:00:01 - Introduction and Welcome00:00:25 - Excitement about the conversation and introduction of guests00:01:02 - Starting the conversation with the journey of Oz Hair and Beauty00:02:49 - The early days of selling products on eBay and the transition to a website0...

We chat with the incredible Kelly Slessor, tech founder and CEO of Shop You and ecommerce consultant about all things digital, what it's like in the tech industry and the challenges and hurdles she has had to overcome which has led her to where she is today, coaching some of the businesses in the world.Talk to us!

Entrepreneur, business owner and sexual happiness advocate Rob Godwin sits down with us this episode for a candid conversation around the sexual wellness industry, what it takes to break through the marketing barriers and all the inspiring ways Rob is leading the way and giving back to his community.Talk to us!

Join Hannah and Carmel for an inspiring conversation with Travis Wright, CEO of iconic Australian swimwear and fashion brand Tiger Lily.From arriving in Australia with just $1,000 as an au pair to leading one of the country's most beloved fashion brands, Travis takes us through her remarkable journey to the top of the e-commerce industry.We dive deep into how she worked her way up from customer service at Esther & Co, constantly upskilling, pitching herself for promotions, and proving her value at every turn, before ultimately stepping into the CEO role at Tiger Lily during one of the most challenging periods in retail history.Travis shares the strategic decisions behind her complete brand transformation, from overhauling tech systems and pricing strategies to moving warehouses and launching new channels, all while navigating a pandemic and keeping the team aligned to a clear vision.We talk about the power of testing and learning, the importance of understanding every aspect of your business from logistics to tech stack, why she believes brick-and-mortar retail still has a special place in the customer journey, and how curiosity and continuous learning have been the foundation of her success.Whether you're a founder, marketer, or aspiring leader, this episode is packed with practical advice, honest insights, and serious hustle inspiration.✨ Make sure to like, subscribe and follow along for more founder stories and e-commerce insights.

Carmel and Hannah sit down with leaders of B2C Furniture, Stacey & Caitlin to chat about the opportunities and challenges within the furniture industry right now, their mission for sustainability and vision of building a loyal community.OUTLINE: 00:04:55 Unique business model in furniture industry.00:08:40 Building customer loyalty through experiences.00:12:04 Importance of sustainability in business.00:17:09 Sustainability should be cool.00:24:04 Sustainable Australian brand with qu...