Australian Business Podcast

Owen Rask on building Rask from scratch, surviving the hardest years of business, and designing an operating system for long-term scale. In this opening episode of the Australian Business Podcast Summer Series, Owen Rask shares the real story behind building Rask — not the polished highlight reel, but the uncomfortable truth of what it actually takes to survive and scale a modern Australian business. From starting with little more than an idea, an iMac and a strong sense of purpose, Owen walks through the messy middle years that almost broke the business. He explains why years five and six were harder than the early days, how losing licences, shrinking teams and running out of cash shaped his leadership style, and why managing your own psychology is the most important skill a founder can develop. Drawing on lessons from The Hard Thing About Hard Things, this episode reframes anxiety, uncertainty and loneliness as part of the job — not signs of failure. Owen breaks down what smart founders do differently: confronting problems early, encouraging brutal honesty, and understanding that leadership is simply a series of tough conversations. You’ll also hear how Rask operates today, including the Inflection Operating System that underpins decision-making, execution and growth. With more than 38,000 students, 60,000 account holders and over 250,000 podcast listeners, Owen shares clear targets for the years ahead — including a $5 million turnover goal and a $30–50 million valuation — and what it will take to get there. If you’re building a business and wondering whether the struggle ever ends, this episode gives you the clarity and perspective to keep going. Topics covered in this Australian Business Podcast episode - The unspoken realities of building a business - Why the struggle is the job - Managing founder psychology under pressure - The Inflection Operating System explained - Confronting existential business risks early - Setting long-term growth and valuation targets Episode Resources Join Rask’s business community Rask’s Australian Business Podcast Rask Business 101 (free course) Rask Operating System (Owen's blog): https://www.raskmedia.com.au/2026/01/04/rask-operating-system Books No Rules Rules: https://www.amazon.com.au/No-Rules-Netflix-Culture-Reinvention/dp/1984877860/ Hard Thing About Hard Things: https://www.amazon.com.au/Hard-Thing-About-Things-Building/dp/0062273205 Traction: https://www.amazon.com.au/Traction-Get-Grip-Your-Business/dp/1936661837 The E-Myth Revisited: https://www.amazon.com.au/Myth-Revisited-Small-Businesses-About/dp/0887307280 Rask Resources Inflection community All services Financial Planning Invest with us Access Show Notes Ask a question We love feedback! Follow us on social media: Instagram: @rask.invest TikTok: @rask.invest DISCLAIMER: This podcast contains general financial information only. That means the information does not take into account your objectives, financial situation, or needs. Because of that, you should consider if the information is appropriate to you and your needs, before acting on it. If you’re confused about what that means or what your needs are, you should always consult a licensed and trusted financial planner. Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information in this podcast, including any financial, taxation, and/or legal information. Remember, past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance. The Rask Group is NOT a qualified tax accountant, financial (tax) adviser, or financial adviser. Access The Rask Group's Financial Services Guide (FSG): https://www.rask.com.au/fsg Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this Australian Business Podcast episode, your host Owen Rask sits down with Shane Horsburgh — ex-police tactical leader, author of Fighting Blind, and leadership coach — to explore: - what it means to be guided by your soul, not your ego - redefining masculinity through stillness, patience and presence - lessons from Iraq, police tactical operations and culture change programs - how leaders collapse under complexity when they cling to control From Sound of Music tours in Austria to Special Operations on Sydney rooftops, Shane shares deeply human, practical and philosophical lessons for modern leaders. If you’re curious about how to lead in a world that’s moving faster and becoming harder to control, this conversation will reframe how you see yourself, your decisions and your team. Follow us on Instagram (Rask.Invest) and TikTok (Rask.Invest) for more investing and leadership insights. Topics covered in this Australian Investors Podcast episode - Being guided by your soul, not your ego - Stillness in chaos & emotional regulation - Masculinity, identity and leadership assumptions - Complexity, hierarchy and adaptive leadership - Quantum thinking & decision-making - AI as a leadership challenge, not a tech one - The myths that hold leaders back Resources for this business podcast episode Learn more about Shane Horsburgh: ⁠Fighting Blind (Shane’s book)⁠ ⁠TEDx Talk – Redefining Masculinity (2014)⁠ ⁠LinkedIn: Shane Horsburgh⁠ ⁠Ask a question (select the Business podcast)⁠ ⁠ Rask Resources Inflection community All services Financial Planning Invest with us Access Show Notes Ask a question We love feedback! Follow us on social media: Instagram: @rask.invest TikTok: @rask.invest DISCLAIMER: This podcast contains general financial information only. That means the information does not take into account your objectives, financial situation, or needs. Because of that, you should consider if the information is appropriate to you and your needs, before acting on it. If you’re confused about what that means or what your needs are, you should always consult a licensed and trusted financial planner. Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information in this podcast, including any financial, taxation, and/or legal information. Remember, past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance. The Rask Group is NOT a qualified tax accountant, financial (tax) adviser, or financial adviser. Access The Rask Group's Financial Services Guide (FSG): https://www.rask.com.au/fsg Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode was originally featured on the Australian Investors Podcast. In this Australian Business Podcast episode, your host Owen Rask chats with Sarah Nolet and Matthew Pryor: – How big Australia’s ag opportunity really is (55% of land mass in agriculture; ~$3.6t farmland; ~$100b farm-gate output; ~$16b profit) – Tenacious Ventures’ OCP framework for evaluating deals and portfolio construction (incl. 40/60 follow-on reserves) – Deep tech over pure software and why “digitally native ag” doesn’t just mean SaaS – Case studies: SwarmFarm Robotics (robots at scale), GoTerra (decentralised insect waste), Orthodic (lignin-based coating), plus Jupiter Ionics & Embryo If you love learning about agtech & venture investing, subscribe to the Australian Business Podcast on Apple, Spotify, or YouTube! Follow us on Instagram and TikTok for more investing insights. Topics Covered – Australia’s agri-food scale and why small efficiency gains matter for returns – The OCP (Opportunity–Company–Partnership) lens & portfolio pacing (40% initial, 60% follow-on) – Sourcing founders via content and a tight early-stage ecosystem across AU/NZ – Deep tech in ag: atoms & molecules, pure bits; avoiding the Silicon Valley “over-fund & rush” trap – SwarmFarm’s path from prototypes to robots per week & 10.5m acres covered – GoTerra’s decentralised waste “platform” and council use cases – Orthodic’s wax-replacement coating leveraging existing infrastructure (no capex-heavy plants) – Fund 1 sizes, typical rounds & who can invest (wholesale/sophisticated) – Final thoughts on climate resilience, farmer adoption & retaining customers once value is proven Resources for this episode ⁠Ask a question (select the Business podcast)⁠ ⁠Tenacious website⁠ ⁠Did Silicon Valley kill AgTech?⁠ ⁠Tenacious Portfolio⁠ Rask Resources ⁠All services⁠ ⁠Financial Planning⁠ ⁠Invest with us⁠ ⁠Access Show Notes⁠ ⁠Ask a question⁠ ⁠We love feedback!⁠ Follow us on social media: Instagram: ⁠@rask.invest⁠ TikTok: ⁠@rask.invest⁠ DISCLAIMER: This podcast contains general financial information only. That means the information does not take into account your objectives, financial situation, or needs. Because of that, you should consider if the information is appropriate to you and your needs, before acting on it. If you’re confused about what that means or what your needs are, you should always consult a licensed and trusted financial planner. Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information in this podcast, including any financial, taxation, and/or legal information. Remember, past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance. The Rask Group is NOT a qualified tax accountant, financial (tax) adviser, or financial adviser. Access The Rask Group's Financial Services Guide (FSG): ⁠https://www.rask.com.au/fsg Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of The Australian Business Podcast, Owen Rask sits down with Wenee Yap and Thomas Derricott, co-authors of the new book “Riding the Unicorn: The Startup Guide You'll Want to Read” In a deeply insightful and inspiring conversation, they explore: – What makes a company a “unicorn” – Why Australia punches above its weight in the global startup scene – The biggest myths about startups and side hustles – The six-stage founder framework – What startup success (and failure) really looks like Whether you dream of launching a business, joining the startup ecosystem, or backing the next Aussie success story, this conversation is a must-listen. If you enjoy this episode, don’t forget to subscribe on Apple, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts! 🔗 Apple: ⁠Australian Finance Podcast on Apple⁠ 🔗 Spotify: ⁠Australian Finance Podcast on Spotify⁠ 🔗 YouTube: ⁠Australian Finance Podcast on YouTube⁠ Follow us on Instagram and TikTok for daily insights: 📲 Instagram: ⁠@rask.invest⁠ 📲 TikTok: ⁠@rask.invest⁠ Topics Covered – What is a Unicorn Startup? – Why Australia is one of the most capital-efficient ecosystems – How Australia compares to Silicon Valley – The six-stage startup founder framework – The differences between a startup, small business, and side hustle – Lessons from launching a cat café (yes, really) – The “Sulopolis Score” and problem-solving in startups – Why storytelling matters for business growth – Mistakes to avoid from failed startups (MilkRun, etc.) – How successful founders think differently the second time around – Common traits of Australia’s top founders – The truth about market research and pivots – How to get started in the startup ecosystem—without quitting your job Resources for this episode ⁠Amazon link⁠: ⁠https://amzn.to/4q52j56⁠⁠Website link:⁠ ⁠https://www.ridingtheunicornhq.com/⁠ We are on LinkedIn, Instagram and TikTok: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/riding-the-unicorn/⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/ridingtheunicornhq/⁠⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@ridingtheunicorn⁠ ⁠Buy Gemma’s book “The Money Reset”⁠ ⁠Ask a question (select the Finance podcast)⁠ Rask resources ⁠All services⁠ ⁠Financial Planning⁠ ⁠Invest with us⁠ ⁠Access Show Notes⁠ ⁠Ask a question⁠ ⁠We love feedback!⁠ Follow us on social media: Instagram: ⁠@rask.invest⁠ TikTok: ⁠@rask.invest⁠ DISCLAIMER: This podcast contains general financial information only. That means the information does not take into account your objectives, financial situation, or needs. Because of that, you should consider if the information is appropriate to you and your needs, before acting on it. If you’re confused about what that means or what your needs are, you should always consult a licensed and trusted financial planner. Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information in this podcast, including any financial, taxation, and/or legal information. Remember, past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance. The Rask Group is NOT a qualified tax accountant, financial (tax) adviser, or financial adviser. Access The Rask Group's Financial Services Guide (FSG): ⁠https://www.rask.com.au/fsg Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this Australian Business Podcast episode, Jordan Kidis and Danil Goloubev give us an update about what is happening with their business Grey Space Advisory. The trends they are seeing as business owners and the things that they are seeing affecting their clients. Resources for this episode Free community Book in your Meeting Join our Q&A in August Ask a question (select the Business podcast) Rask Resources Inflection community All services Financial Planning Invest with us Access Show Notes Ask a question We love feedback! Follow us on social media: Instagram: @rask.invest TikTok: @rask.invest DISCLAIMER: This podcast contains general financial information only. That means the information does not take into account your objectives, financial situation, or needs. Because of that, you should consider if the information is appropriate to you and your needs, before acting on it. If you’re confused about what that means or what your needs are, you should always consult a licensed and trusted financial planner. Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information in this podcast, including any financial, taxation, and/or legal information. Remember, past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance. The Rask Group is NOT a qualified tax accountant, financial (tax) adviser, or financial adviser. Access The Rask Group's Financial Services Guide (FSG): https://www.rask.com.au/fsg Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices