Invest Rural

The Invest Rural Podcast, hosted by Jo Palmer, explores the intersection of rural ambition and investor opportunity. The podcast captures conversations, insights, and stories from Invest Rural events, aiming to connect rural founders with investment networks.In this episode, we share a radio interview that Jo had with Donald Alexander from 2MCE, post the Invest Rural event in Bathurst.Co-founded by Jo Palmer, Claire Bull and Dave LT, the platform seeks to provide equitable access to capital and growth opportunities for rural businesses. The podcast highlights the untapped potential in rural innovation and aims to make rural deal flow visible to investors.Join the movement - www.investrural.com.auA special thank you to WestpacA major shout out to the team at Westpac who have extended the offer of support to listeners. How Westpac can help you move forward:●      Have you been running your business for under 24 months? Access up to $50k, unsecured, with just a business plan and budget projections.●      Looking to scale up? Apply for lending of up to $5 million with loanterms to suit your needs. Borrow up to $500k with no requirement for property as security (T&Cs apply).●      Westpac can connect you with local bankers whounderstand rural business and are ready to help you plan your next move.●     Learn more about Westpac’s lending options by visiting their Business Lending Pathways page.You can request a call back from a business banker by filling out the form here.

The Invest Rural Podcast, hosted by Jo Palmer, explores the intersection of rural ambition and investor opportunity. The podcast captures conversations, insights, and stories from Invest Rural events, aiming to connect rural founders with investment networks.In this episode, Kirsten Hunter, CEO of Birchal (and ex-CEO of TechStars) runs a fantastic session on pitching. We've edited out all of the 'thinking' time during the session for if you want to follow along at home!Co-founded by Jo Palmer, Claire Bull and Dave LT, the platform seeks to provide equitable access to capital and growth opportunities for rural businesses. The podcast highlights the untapped potential in rural innovation and aims to make rural deal flow visible to investors.Join the movement - www.investrural.com.auA special thank you to WestpacA major shout out to the team at Westpac who have extended the following offer of support to friends of Invest Rural. How Westpac can help you move forward:Flexible business loans up to $500k, with no property security required for eligible businessesFunding to support your next steps - whether that’s expanding, investing in technology, purchasing stock, or upgrading your workspaceConnecting you with local bankers who understand rural business and are ready to help you plan your next moveLearn more about our lending options by visiting our Business Lending Pathways pageYou can request a call back from a business banker by filling out the form here.

The Invest Rural Podcast, hosted by Jo Palmer, explores the intersection of rural ambition and investor opportunity. The podcast captures conversations, insights, and stories from Invest Rural events, aiming to connect rural founders with investment networks.In this episode, we’re joined by Teala Stephens, from Cake Equity, for a practical deep dive into one of the most important and often misunderstood parts of building a business: equity.Teala breaks down how equity can be used as a powerful incentive to attract and retain talent, particularly when cash is tight, and why understanding your cap table early matters far more than most founders realise.This session demystifies the language of equity, explaining what common terms actually mean, how different equity structures work, and the long-term implications of the decisions founders make along the way.It’s a clear, generous and highly practical conversation that will leave you far more confident navigating equity conversations in your business.Co-founded by Jo Palmer, Claire Bull and Dave LT, the platform seeks to provide equitable access to capital and growth opportunities for rural businesses. The podcast highlights the untapped potential in rural innovation and aims to make rural deal flow visible to investors.Join the movement - www.investrural.com.auA special thank you to WestpacA major shout out to the team at Westpac who have extended the following offer of support to friends of Invest Rural. How Westpac can help you move forward:Flexible business loans up to $500k, with no property security required for eligible businessesFunding to support your next steps - whether that’s expanding, investing in technology, purchasing stock, or upgrading your workspaceConnecting you with local bankers who understand rural business and are ready to help you plan your next moveLearn more about our lending options by visiting our Business Lending Pathways pageYou can request a call back from a business banker by filling out the form here.

The Invest Rural Podcast, hosted by Jo Palmer, explores the intersection of rural ambition and investor opportunity. The podcast captures conversations, insights, and stories from Invest Rural events, aiming to connect rural founders with investment networks.In this episode, we unpack one of the most misunderstood but powerful growth tools available to Australian businesses: research and development incentives and funding strategies.Facilitated by Claire Bull, this panel brings together deep expertise from across advisory, connectivity and founder experience, with Patrick Stewart, Maggie Ng, and Jarrod Moore.Together, they explore how the R&D Tax Incentive actually works, how businesses can legitimately leverage it to support innovation and cash flow, and how to think strategically about R&D as part of a broader growth and funding plan, not just a compliance exercise.This is a practical conversation grounded in real-world examples, demystifying the process and helping founders understand how to use R&D to reinvest in their business, extend runway and unlock future opportunity.Co-founded by Jo Palmer, Claire Bull and Dave LT, the platform seeks to provide equitable access to capital and growth opportunities for rural businesses. The podcast highlights the untapped potential in rural innovation and aims to make rural deal flow visible to investors.Join the movement - www.investrural.com.auA special thank you to WestpacA major shout out to the team at Westpac who have extended the following offer of support to friends of Invest Rural. How Westpac can help you move forward:Flexible business loans up to $500k, with no property security required for eligible businessesFunding to support your next steps - whether that’s expanding, investing in technology, purchasing stock, or upgrading your workspaceConnecting you with local bankers who understand rural business and are ready to help you plan your next moveLearn more about our lending options by visiting our Business Lending Pathways pageYou can request a call back from a business banker by filling out the form here.

The Invest Rural Podcast, hosted by Jo Palmer, explores the intersection of rural ambition and investor opportunity. The podcast captures conversations, insights, and stories from Invest Rural events, aiming to connect rural founders with investment networks.This panel was the big ticket panel on the program. Dave LT hosted the following investors and funders for an in depth exploration of investment from across different asset classes.Kirstin Hunter, CEO @ BirchalPrem Chand, Chair @ Hunter AngelsPhil Ceulen, Partner @ Mandalay Rory HMC Private CreditRenee Martin (SEFA)Jim Cooper (Blue X)Melanie Portelli (Westpac)Co-founded by Jo Palmer, Claire Bull and Dave LT, the platform seeks to provide equitable access to capital and growth opportunities for rural businesses. The podcast highlights the untapped potential in rural innovation and aims to make rural deal flow visible to investors.Join the movement - www.investrural.com.auA special thank you to WestpacA major shout out to the team at Westpac who have extended the following offer of support to friends of Invest Rural. How Westpac can help you move forward:Flexible business loans up to $500k, with no property security required for eligible businessesFunding to support your next steps - whether that’s expanding, investing in technology, purchasing stock, or upgrading your workspaceConnecting you with local bankers who understand rural business and are ready to help you plan your next moveLearn more about our lending options by visiting our Business Lending Pathways pageYou can request a call back from a business banker by filling out the form here.

The Invest Rural Podcast, hosted by Jo Palmer, explores the intersection of rural ambition and investor opportunity. The podcast captures conversations, insights, and stories from Invest Rural events, aiming to connect rural founders with investment networks.In this episode, we turn our focus to the role of networks in growing successful businesses from rural and regional Australia.Facilitated by Jo Palmer, this panel brings together ecosystem leaders who are actively shaping innovation and investment pathways beyond the cities: Sinead Fitzgerald from Vested Impact, Nick Chilton from Venture Affairs, Rhonda Taylor from Elevate Bathurst, and Tiffany Holland from SparkLabs Cultiv8.Together, they explore what strong ecosystems really look like on the ground, why networks matter at every stage of a business journey, and how access to the right people, opportunities and support can fundamentally change growth outcomes for regional founders.This is a practical, thoughtful conversation about visibility, connection and collaboration, and what it truly takes to build momentum for innovation in the regions.Co-founded by Jo Palmer, Claire Bull and Dave LT, the platform seeks to provide equitable access to capital and growth opportunities for rural businesses. The podcast highlights the untapped potential in rural innovation and aims to make rural deal flow visible to investors.Join the movement - www.investrural.com.auA special thank you to WestpacA major shout out to the team at Westpac who have extended the following offer of support to friends of Invest Rural. How Westpac can help you move forward:Flexible business loans up to $500k, with no property security required for eligible businessesFunding to support your next steps - whether that’s expanding, investing in technology, purchasing stock, or upgrading your workspaceConnecting you with local bankers who understand rural business and are ready to help you plan your next moveLearn more about our lending options by visiting our Business Lending Pathways pageYou can request a call back from a business banker by filling out the form here.

The Invest Rural Podcast, hosted by Jo Palmer, explores the intersection of rural ambition and investor opportunity. The podcast captures conversations, insights, and stories from Invest Rural events, aiming to connect rural founders with investment networks.In this episode, we sit down with Kristy Withers, a multi-time founder who has built and scaled several businesses from the Central West of New South Wales.Kristy is best known for founding Incy Interiors, a business she grew from the regions into a $50 million company, largely through bootstrapping. In this fireside chat with Claire Bull, Christy shares what that journey really looked like behind the scenes.Together, they explore the realities of bootstrapping a high-growth business, including the benefits of control and optionality, the pressure of self-funded growth, and the moments where outside capital might have changed the path.This is an honest, practical conversation about scaling from regional Australia, making deliberate funding choices, and understanding the trade-offs that come with growing on your own terms.Let’s dive in.Co-founded by Jo Palmer, Claire Bull and Dave LT, the platform seeks to provide equitable access to capital and growth opportunities for rural businesses. The podcast highlights the untapped potential in rural innovation and aims to make rural deal flow visible to investors.Join the movement - www.investrural.com.auA special thank you to WestpacA major shout out to the team at Westpac who have extended the following offer of support to friends of Invest Rural. How Westpac can help you move forward:Flexible business loans up to $500k, with no property security required for eligible businessesFunding to support your next steps - whether that’s expanding, investing in technology, purchasing stock, or upgrading your workspaceConnecting you with local bankers who understand rural business and are ready to help you plan your next moveLearn more about our lending options by visiting our Business Lending Pathways pageYou can request a call back from a business banker by filling out the form here.

The Invest Rural Podcast, hosted by Jo Palmer, explores the intersection of rural ambition and investor opportunity. The podcast captures conversations, insights, and stories from Invest Rural events, aiming to connect rural founders with investment networks.In this session, we dived into what it really takes to scale a business from rural Australia.You’ll hear from three founders who have built, grown and navigated funding decisions while operating outside metropolitan centres: Hamish Munro from Pairtree, Olympia Yarger from Goterra and Michelle Stansfield from Cauldron.Each of these founders has taken a different path to growth, experimenting with different types of capital along the way. In this conversation, they speak candidly about the funding they’ve raised, what worked, what didn’t, and the trade-offs they had to make as they scaled from the regions.Hosted by Dave LT, this is a raw and honest discussion that goes beyond the headlines, unpacking the realities of growth, control, timing and resilience when you’re building a business from rural Australia.Co-founded by Jo Palmer, Claire Bull and Dave LT, the platform seeks to provide equitable access to capital and growth opportunities for rural businesses. The podcast highlights the untapped potential in rural innovation and aims to make rural deal flow visible to investors.Join the movement - www.investrural.com.auA special thank you to WestpacA major shout out to the team at Westpac who have extended the following offer of support to friends of Invest Rural. How Westpac can help you move forward:Flexible business loans up to $500k, with no property security required for eligible businessesFunding to support your next steps - whether that’s expanding, investing in technology, purchasing stock, or upgrading your workspaceConnecting you with local bankers who understand rural business and are ready to help you plan your next moveLearn more about our lending options by visiting our Business Lending Pathways pageYou can request a call back from a business banker by filling out the form here.

The Invest Rural Podcast, hosted by Jo Palmer, explores the intersection of rural ambition and investor opportunity. The podcast captures conversations, insights, and stories from Invest Rural events, aiming to connect rural founders with investment networks.This episode is the recording of the session welcome with a Welcome to Country from local First Nations leaders Yanhadarrambal and Aunty Leanna, a sponsor welcome from Chris Dennis, Senior Export Advisor with Investment NSW and then 'setting the scene with Claire, Dave and Jo.Co-founded by Jo Palmer, Claire Bull, and Dave LT, the platform seeks to provide equitable access to capital and growth opportunities for rural businesses. The podcast highlights the untapped potential in rural innovation and aims to make rural deal flow visible to investors.Join the movement - www.investrural.com.auA special thank you to WestpacA major shout out to the team at Westpac who have extended the following offer of support to friends of Invest Rural. How Westpac can help you move forward:Flexible business loans up to $500k, with no property security required for eligible businessesFunding to support your next steps - whether that’s expanding, investing in technology, purchasing stock, or upgrading your workspaceConnecting you with local bankers who understand rural business and are ready to help you plan your next moveLearn more about our lending options by visiting our Business Lending Pathways pageYou can request a call back from a business banker by filling out the form here.

The Invest Rural Podcast, hosted by Jo Palmer, explores the intersection of rural ambition and investor opportunity. The podcast captures conversations, insights, and stories from Invest Rural events, aiming to connect rural founders with investment networks.In this episode, we share the recording of a spontaneous Zoom call, a week before our Bathurst event. Some of the speakers who attended the Bathurst event were able to dial in and introduce themselves before thesession for some 'speed introductions'!Co-founded by Jo Palmer, Claire Bull and Dave LT, the platform seeks to provide equitable access to capital and growth opportunities for rural businesses. The podcast highlights the untapped potential in rural innovation and aims to make rural deal flow visible to investors.Join the movement - www.investrural.com.auA special thank you to WestpacA major shout out to the team at Westpac who have extended the following offer of support to friends of Invest Rural. How Westpac can help you move forward:Flexible business loans up to $500k, with no property security required for eligible businessesFunding to support your next steps - whether that’s expanding, investing in technology, purchasing stock, or upgrading your workspaceConnecting you with local bankers who understand rural business and are ready to help you plan your next moveLearn more about our lending options by visiting our Business Lending Pathways pageYou can request a call back from a business banker by filling out the form here.

The Invest Rural Podcast, hosted by Jo Palmer, explores the intersection of rural ambition and investor opportunity. The podcast captures conversations, insights, and stories from Invest Rural events, aiming to connect rural founders with investment networks. Co-founded by Jo Palmer, Claire Bull, and Dave LT, the platform seeks to provide equitable access to capital and growth opportunities for rural businesses. The podcast highlights the untapped potential in rural innovation and aims to make rural deal flow visible to investors.Join the movement - www.investrural.com.auKeywordsInvest Rural, rural innovation, investment networks, Jo Palmer, Claire Bull, Dave LT, rural business growth, capital access, rural ecosystems, rural deal flow, Invest Rural eventsTakeawaysInvest Rural connects rural ambition with investor opportunity.The podcast captures insights from Invest Rural events.Jo Palmer, Claire Bull, and Dave LT co-founded Invest Rural.The platform aims to provide equitable access to capital.Rural innovation holds untapped potential.Invest Rural makes rural deal flow visible to investors.Claire Bull specializes in commercialization and innovation.Dave LT brings clarity and energy to program design.Jo Palmer focuses on building rural communities and opportunities.The podcast is for anyone who believes big ideas don't need a city postcode.