The Bootstrap - Building Startups from Scratch

Fractional Strategists - When, Why, and How? with Natalie Ellis from The Product Bus

Sun, 22 Feb 2026 20:00:00 GMT

Natalie Ellis, who has just joined The Product Bus full time as Partner & CEO, joins host Scotty Allen to talk about fractional leadership, particularly in the product strategy space. We discuss the pros and cons of fractional strategists, when the timing is right to engage them, what to look for in a strategist and an agreement - and much more!

Learn more about Natalie at LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/n-j-ellis/

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The Bootstrap is a production of Hieland Road for The Product Bus. It was developed by Scotty Allen and Declan Magee. Our producer is Sammy Perryman with assistance from Portia McEwan.

Visit our website at https://thebootstrap.tech/ and check our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@TheBootstrapPodcast

You can find out more about Scotty Allen at LinkedIn and The Product Bus at https://theproductbus.com/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What do founders need to know about Agentic AI and what the heck is OpenClaw? With Callum Holt

Sun, 15 Feb 2026 20:00:00 GMT

Scotty speaks with Callum Holt, software engineer at Shopfront and 13 Labs founder, to explain Agentic AI for early-stage founders. They also discuss the rapid rise of OpenClaw — an open-source AI tool making waves for both its power and its risks.

Callum breaks down what founders really need to understand (and what they can ignore), sharing practical examples of how agentic workflows can automate repetitive tasks, accelerate validation, and act more like digital teammates than tools.

About Callum Holt:

Linkedin: https://au.linkedin.com/in/callumholt

13 Labs: https://www.13labs.au

Shopfront: https://shopfront.com.au

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The Product Bus. It was developed by Scotty Allen and Declan Magee. Our producer is Sammy Perryman with assistance from Portia McEwan.

Visit our website at https://thebootstrap.tech/ and check our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@TheBootstrapPodcast

You can find out more about Scotty Allen at LinkedIn and The Product Bus at https://theproductbus.com/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Has AI Rewritten the Rules for Founders in 2026? with Yaniv Bernstein

Sun, 08 Feb 2026 20:00:00 GMT

In our first episode of 2026 Scotty Allen speaks with Yaniv Bernstein, ex-Google, Chief Product Officer of Vera, and host of The Startup Podcast, about how AI is changing what it takes to build a startup in 2026, what "technical" and "non-technical" founders mean (if anything) in this new age, and what the minimum a founder of any description needs to be able to know about and do with AI to get into the game in this new world.

They discuss why speed is now table stakes, how small teams can go further than ever, what founders should worry about early on, and how product thinking and real customer contact matter more than ever.

About Yaniv Bernstein:

Linkedin: https://au.linkedin.com/in/ybernstein

The Startup Podcast: https://www.tsp.show/

Vera: https://www.vera.guide/

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The Product Bus. It was developed by Scotty Allen and Declan Magee. Our producer is Sammy Perryman with assistance from Portia McEwan.

Visit our website at https://thebootstrap.tech/ and check our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@TheBootstrapPodcast

You can find out more about Scotty Allen at LinkedIn and The Product Bus at https://theproductbus.com/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Founder Friday with Gavin Tye

Thu, 18 Dec 2025 20:00:00 GMT

Founder Friday is about works still in progress. Learning from success stories is important, but learning from founders still in the thick of getting to market is just as useful - and sometimes much more realistic. This week Scotty is joined by Gavin Tye - founder of DealBuddi and SixSides - and B2B or SaaS business consultant through Sales Market Fit.

About Gavin Tye:

Linkedin: https://au.linkedin.com/in/gavintye

Website: https://salesmarketfit.co/about/

This is our last episode for 2025 that will come up in your feeds. We'll be back. mid-January. If you cannot get enough of the bootstrap content and can't live without it for a month, please check out our YouTube channel or other socials. But thank you so much for your support throughout 2025.

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The Bootstrap is a production of Hieland Road for The Product Bus. It was developed by Scotty Allen and Declan Magee.

Our producer is Sammy Perryman with assistance from Portia McEwan.

Visit our website at https://thebootstrap.tech/ and check our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@TheBootstrapPodcast

You can find out more about Scotty Allen at LinkedIn and The Product Bus at https://theproductbus.com/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Founder Led Business with Summer Howarth from Eventful Learning

Sun, 14 Dec 2025 20:00:00 GMT

In this episode Scotty is joined by Summer Howarth - director of Eventful Learnings Co - to discuss what is involved in maintaining a founder led business and how Summer's experience, interest and expertise in learning design and education strategies have made Eventful Learnings a perfect match to lead.

About Summer Howarth:

Linkedin: https://au.linkedin.com/in/summerhowarth

Website: https://eventfullearning.co/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eventful_learning_co/

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The Product Bus. It was developed by Scotty Allen and Declan Magee. Our producer is Sammy Perryman with assistance from Portia McEwan.

Visit our website at https://thebootstrap.tech/ and check our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@TheBootstrapPodcast

You can find out more about Scotty Allen at LinkedIn and The Product Bus at https://theproductbus.com/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Founder Friday with Tom Maitland from Filament Analytics

Thu, 11 Dec 2025 20:00:00 GMT

This week on Founder Friday Scotty is joined by founder of Filament Analytics Tom Maitland. Filament is an automated data warehouse that unifies business data, making it easy to analyse with natural language.

Tom speaks on the value of being a second time founder in knowing what to prioritise in the early stages of building. As well as talking about the new learnings arising from publicly building Filament by sharing progress on social platforms such as Linkedin to gain direct feedback from piers.

About Tom Maitland:

Linkedin: https://au.linkedin.com/in/tommaitland

Filament: https://filamentanalytics.com

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The Bootstrap is a production of Hieland Road for The Product Bus. It was developed by Scotty Allen and Declan Magee. Our producer is Sammy Perryman with assistance from Portia McEwan.

Visit our website at https://thebootstrap.tech/ and check our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@TheBootstrapPodcast

You can find out more about Scotty Allen at LinkedIn and The Product Bus at https://theproductbus.com/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Learning from a Startup Network with Scott Glew from Morning Startup

Sun, 07 Dec 2025 20:00:00 GMT

In this Industry Episode Scotty talks to Scott Glew - co-founder of Fastvue and also the network Morning Startup - based in Western Australia. Exploring Scott's journey in bootstrapping Fastvue to great success, in what continues to be a lean and effective operation, and how Scott has used the lessons of this success to guide other local founders in the space through Morning Startup.

Speaking on the value of being involved in such startup networks, being open to the feedback they can provide, and diving into some of the common takeaways any listener at the start of their founder journey should keep in mind.

About Scott Glew:

Linkedin: https://au.linkedin.com/in/scottglew

Morning Startup: https://www.morningstartup.com

Fastvue: https://www.fastvue.co

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The Bootstrap is a production of Hieland Road for The Product Bus. It was developed by Scotty Allen and Declan Magee. Our producer is Sammy Perryman with assistance from Portia McEwan.

Visit our website at https://thebootstrap.tech/ and check our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@TheBootstrapPodcast

You can find out more about Scotty Allen at LinkedIn and The Product Bus at https://theproductbus.com/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Founder Friday with Jesse Gordon from Study Pulse

Thu, 04 Dec 2025 20:00:00 GMT

This Founder Friday Scotty is joined by Jesse Gordon, founder of Study Pulse, to talk about the early journey bootstrapping journey in ed tech; including all the learnings and reflections involved in the process.

Jesse is a software engineer and entrepreneur who specialises in bridging the gap between technical architecture and profitable product design. He is the founder of StudyPulse, a bootstrapped AI education platform that he scaled to serve students at over 400 schools, fixing the broken feedback loop for exam prep.

About Jesse Gordon:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jesse-gordon-ib/

Website: https://studypulse.au

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The Bootstrap is a production of Hieland Road for The Product Bus. It was developed by Scotty Allen and Declan Magee. Our producer is Sammy Perryman with assistance from Portia McEwan.

Visit our website at https://thebootstrap.tech/ and check our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@TheBootstrapPodcast

You can find out more about Scotty Allen at LinkedIn and The Product Bus at https://theproductbus.com/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Aussie Startup Ecosystem with Amber Main

Sun, 30 Nov 2025 20:00:00 GMT

Community means a lot of things to a lot of different people in the startup ecosystem. But someone who has been doing something or several really interesting things in that space is our guest today, Amber Main.

She is an ecosystem builder. She's the founder and CEO of Sparks. And in this episode talks all things ecosystem, collaboration, and how we actually turn community into something meaningful for startups.

About Amber Main: https://au.linkedin.com/in/amber-main-💎💎-a99a3ab0

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The Bootstrap is a production of Hieland Road for The Product Bus. It was developed by Scotty Allen and Declan Magee. Our producer is Sammy Perryman with assistance from Portia McEwan.

Visit our website at https://thebootstrap.tech/ and check our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@TheBootstrapPodcast

You can find out more about Scotty Allen at LinkedIn and The Product Bus at https://theproductbus.com/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Founder Friday with Nathan MacPhee from IIF

Thu, 27 Nov 2025 20:00:00 GMT

In this Founder Friday Scotty is joined by Nathan MacPhee, founder of Invest Inya Farmer (IIF) to discuss how bootstrapping proved effective for IIF in the early idea validation stage.

Find out more at: iif.today

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The Bootstrap is a production of Hieland Road for The Product Bus. It was developed by Scotty Allen and Declan Magee. Our producer is Sammy Perryman with assistance from Portia McEwan.

Visit our website at https://thebootstrap.tech/ and check our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@TheBootstrapPodcast

You can find out more about Scotty Allen at LinkedIn and The Product Bus at https://theproductbus.com/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When to Use Low and No Code with Dave McManus from Lightning Ventures

Sun, 23 Nov 2025 20:00:00 GMT

If you've been around the startup space for more than a hot second, you certainly have heard the terms low code and no code. Today we have someone that is going to help us understand what they mean, how they might be best used in the startup space, and where maybe they're best left untouched.

Dave McManus is the founder and director of Lightning Ventures. He is a well-known Bubble enthusiast and works with a number of programs, as well as his own work, in helping people in the low and no-code space.

About Dave McManus:

Linkedin: https://au.linkedin.com/in/davemcmanus-lightning-products

Website: https://www.lightningventures.com.au/

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The Bootstrap is a production of Hieland Road for The Product Bus. It was developed by Scotty Allen and Declan Magee. Our producer is Sammy Perryman with assistance from Portia McEwan.

Visit our website at https://thebootstrap.tech/ and check our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@TheBootstrapPodcast

You can find out more about Scotty Allen at LinkedIn and The Product Bus at https://theproductbus.com/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Approaching Cybersecurity as an Early Founder with Billy Hosking

Sun, 16 Nov 2025 20:00:00 GMT

If you are building a digital product and you want other people to use it, then there is probably a cybersecurity element that has to be considered at some point. When is too soon to be focusing on that? When is it too late? And how is AI impacting that? To help attempt to answer these questions Scotty is joined by Billy Hosking, founder of Kavira IT.

About Billy Hosking:

Linkedin: https://au.linkedin.com/in/billy-hosking

Website: https://kavira.com.au

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The Bootstrap is a production of Hieland Road for The Product Bus. It was developed by Scotty Allen and Declan Magee. Our producer is Sammy Perryman with assistance from Portia McEwan.

Visit our website at https://thebootstrap.tech/ and check our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@TheBootstrapPodcast

You can find out more about Scotty Allen at LinkedIn and The Product Bus at https://theproductbus.com/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Founder Friday with Chris Rickard from Userdoc

Thu, 13 Nov 2025 20:00:00 GMT

In this week of Founder Friday Scotty is joined by Chris Rickard, founder and CEO of Userdoc. Exploring how his background and experience, particularly in agencies, led to the creation of Userdoc and what advice he can give to founders with a similar background.

About Chris Rickard:

Linkedin: https://au.linkedin.com/in/chrickard

Website: userdoc.fyi

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The Bootstrap is a production of Hieland Road for The Product Bus. It was developed by Scotty Allen and Declan Magee. Our producer is Sammy Perryman with assistance from Portia McEwan.

Visit our website at https://thebootstrap.tech/ and check our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@TheBootstrapPodcast

You can find out more about Scotty Allen at LinkedIn and The Product Bus at https://theproductbus.com/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Founder Friday Replay with Matt Ainsworth

Thu, 06 Nov 2025 20:00:00 GMT

This week on Founder Friday we are replaying a conversation with start up mentor and coach Matt Ainsworth, originally published in October of 2023, Matt and Scotty discuss effective strategies for idea validation and how this can help inform a start up's product market fit; a valuable conversation to re-explore for first time and early stage founders about to embark on validating their idea.

Find out more about Matt and Startup Founder Mindset at https://sfmindset.com

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The Bootstrap is a production of Hieland Road for The Product Bus. It was developed by Scotty Allen and Declan Magee. Our producer is Sammy Perryman with assistance from Portia McEwan.

Visit our website at https://thebootstrap.tech/ and check our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@TheBootstrapPodcast

You can find out more about Scotty Allen at LinkedIn and The Product Bus at https://theproductbus.com/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What AI Really Means for Growth with Gavin Reddrop

Sun, 02 Nov 2025 20:00:00 GMT

Are we sick of talking about AI yet? We're going to have to continue to talk about it for some time to come, it's becoming ubiquitous in our everyday life. On other levels, particularly when it comes to business and business strategy, we've really only cracked the surface of what it means and how we're going to have to deal with it.

Gavin Reddrop joins us to work through what AI really means for growth. Gavin works with business leaders across Australia who want clarity and real AI implementation strategy.

About Gavin Reddrop:

Linkedin: https://linkedin.com/in/gavinreddrop

Website: https://gavinreddrop.com

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The Bootstrap is a production of Hieland Road for The Product Bus. It was developed by Scotty Allen and Declan Magee. Our producer is Sammy Perryman with assistance from Portia McEwan.

Visit our website at https://thebootstrap.tech/ and check our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@TheBootstrapPodcast

You can find out more about Scotty Allen at LinkedIn and The Product Bus at https://theproductbus.com/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Founder Friday with Dr Paul Browning from Vivedus

Thu, 30 Oct 2025 20:00:00 GMT

In this Founder Friday Scotty is joined by Dr Paul Browning, managing director of Vivedus. As former school principal for over 25 years, his passions are leadership, organisational culture and creativity. He is also the author of “Compelling Leadership: The importance of trust and how to get it” and “Principled: 10 leadership practices for building trust.”

Vivedus is a learning Activation Model for education. In collaboration with the University of Melbourne, Vivedus provides schools with an AI-powered, SaaS-based framework integrating pedagogy, assessment tools, and teaching strategies. It aims to empower educators to teach and assess creative intelligence while giving school leaders real-time insights into teaching quality.

About Paul Browning:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pauldbrowning/

Website: https://www.vivedus.com/

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The Bootstrap is a production of Hieland Road for The Product Bus. It was developed by Scotty Allen and Declan Magee. Our producer is Sammy Perryman with assistance from Portia McEwan.

Visit our website at https://thebootstrap.tech/ and check our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@TheBootstrapPodcast

You can find out more about Scotty Allen at LinkedIn and The Product Bus at https://theproductbus.com/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Do B2B SaaS Playbooks Still Exist with Craig Brown from Everest Engineering

Sun, 26 Oct 2025 20:00:00 GMT

As AI transforms the kind of tech we’re using and job we’re doing, are any of the “old” product and sales playbooks still relevant when it comes to B2B Software as a Service? And if not, what should we be doing instead?

In this episode we’re joined by Craig Brown, CEO and Co-Founder of Everest Engineering to talk about the changes to our standard ways of working we’re seeing as a result of AI, what may change in the future, and which core principles of validation and testing are still relevant - for now, at least.

Linkedin: https://au.linkedin.com/in/craigwbrown

Website: https://www.everest.engineering/

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The Bootstrap is a production of Hieland Road for The Product Bus. It was developed by Scotty Allen and Declan Magee. Our producer is Sammy Perryman with assistance from Portia McEwan.

Visit our website at https://thebootstrap.tech/ and check our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@TheBootstrapPodcast

You can find out more about Scotty Allen at LinkedIn and The Product Bus at https://theproductbus.com/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Founder Friday with Sean Duffy from Stackle

Thu, 23 Oct 2025 19:58:38 GMT

In our latest Founder Friday episode we're chatting to Sean Duffy, CEO and Founder of Stackle - an EdTech tool that is gaining momentum in the High Ed Space. Sean shares the journey and learnings to date with some strong insights on developing a sales process, market positioning, and managing long sales cycles.

Learn more about Stackle at https://stacklehq.com/ and Sean Duffy at https://www.linkedin.com/in/seanjduffy/

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The Bootstrap is a production of Hieland Road for The Product Bus. It was developed by Scotty Allen and Declan Magee. Our producer is Sammy Perryman with assistance from Portia McEwan.

Visit our website at https://thebootstrap.tech/ and check our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@TheBootstrapPodcast

You can find out more about Scotty Allen at LinkedIn and The Product Bus at https://theproductbus.com/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

3 Pitches I Want To Stop Hearing (Scotty Solo)

Sun, 19 Oct 2025 20:00:00 GMT

It's a Scotty solo episode! Occasionally we'll be including an episode that is a (hot or not) take from our host Scotty Allen, and in this first edition he's going to reveal the Top Three Startup Pitches that need to go away for good!

These three pitches are frequent fliers, and the reason they need to go away is because they simply don't work from a commercial model perspective. Scotty talks through each idea, how it's often presented, why it usually won't work (there are always exceptions!) and what you might try instead.

We'd love your feedback on this episode - email Scotty direct at scott@theproductbus.com with your thoughts!

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The Bootstrap is a production of Hieland Road for The Product Bus. It was developed by Scotty Allen and Declan Magee. Our producer is Sammy Perryman with assistance from Portia McEwan.

Visit our website at https://thebootstrap.tech/ and check our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@TheBootstrapPodcast

You can find out more about Scotty Allen at LinkedIn and The Product Bus at https://theproductbus.com/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Founder Friday with Pip Stocks from The Startup Muse

Thu, 16 Oct 2025 20:00:00 GMT

In this Founder Friday we are joined by Pip Stocks, founder of The Startup Muse.

With two decades building, advising, and investing in customer-led businesses, Pip has founded twp ventures in Brandhook and Hearsay. Now building a new platform called The Startup Muse - using AI to bridge the gap between female founder ideas and real life businesses.

About Pip Stocks:

Linkedin: https://au.linkedin.com/in/pipstocks

Website: https://thestartupmuse.com/

The Startup Muse Book is on Amazon

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The Bootstrap is a production of Hieland Road for The Product Bus. It was developed by Scotty Allen and Declan Magee. Our producer is Sammy Perryman with assistance from Portia McEwan.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Top Things Early Founders Get Wrong with Luke Marshall

Sun, 12 Oct 2025 20:00:00 GMT

With a CV that includes Google and Facebook, you might think Luke Marshall would be an unlikely person to be passionate about helping startups with sales and scaling, but he’s made it his mission to bring his experience and smarts to helping early founders navigate this tricky space.

In this episode, we share the experiences of working with early stage startups and founders, and run through a list of things we’d love them to understand, do, or not do.

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marshwah/

Website: https://www.lukemarshall.net/

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The Bootstrap is a production of Hieland Road for The Product Bus. It was developed by Scotty Allen and Declan Magee. Our producer is Sammy Perryman with assistance from Portia McEwan.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Founder Friday with Tabish Bidiwale from Fission

Thu, 09 Oct 2025 20:00:00 GMT

In this Founder Friday Scotty is joined by Tabish Bidiwale to discuss early learnings as founder of Fission, a tool aiming to help developers everywhere plan better and build something they actually want.

About Tabish Bidiwale:

Linkedin: https://au.linkedin.com/in/tabishbidiwale

Website: https://fissionai.io/ and https://openspec.dev/

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The Bootstrap is a production of Hieland Road for The Product Bus. It was developed by Scotty Allen and Declan Magee. Our producer is Sammy Perryman with assistance from Portia McEwan.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Funding Strategies for Early Startups with Liz Van Zyl from Tractor Ventures

Sun, 05 Oct 2025 19:28:29 GMT

Funding is a focus of so much conversation in the startup space, and yet so many ventures fail because founders don’t understand how to match their ideas to a commercial model that can indicate the right approach to funding.

In this episode we’re joined by Liz Van Zyl, a highly experienced entrepreneur and founder who has recently joined Tractor Ventures as their Head of Partnerships. We discuss the challenges and misunderstandings around funding for early startups, and Liz introduces the idea of a “Funding Stack” as a way for founders to build a more effective funding strategy.

Linkedin: https://au.linkedin.com/in/liz-van-zyl

Website: https://www.tractorventures.com/

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The Bootstrap is a production of Hieland Road for The Product Bus. It was developed by Scotty Allen and Declan Magee. Our producer is Sammy Perryman with assistance from Portia McEwan.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Founder Friday with Nate Spiteri from Shopfront

Thu, 02 Oct 2025 21:00:00 GMT

Founder Friday is about works still in progress. Learning from success stories is important, but learning from founders still in the thick of getting to market is just as useful – and sometimes much more realistic.

In this Founder Friday episode we’re talking to Nate Spiteri, the CEO & Co-Founder of Shopfront - a SaaS tool to help charities and resellers list products faster and in bulk across their own channels or marketplaces like eBay, Depop & Grailed. They were the 2025 winners of the eBay Circular Fashion Fund.

About Nate Spiteri:

Linkedin: https://au.linkedin.com/in/nathanspiteri

Website: https://shopfront.app/

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The Bootstrap is a production of Hieland Road for The Product Bus. It was developed by Scotty Allen and Declan Magee. Our producer is Sammy Perryman with assistance from Portia McEwan.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How Will AI Reshape Agencies with Martin Anderson from Ionata

Sun, 28 Sep 2025 21:00:00 GMT

The rise of AI is set to reshape the way agencies work, creating both challenges and opportunities for how they deliver value. In this episode, we’ll explore what agencies need to do to adapt, stay relevant, and thrive in an AI-driven future. Guiding us through the conversation is Martin Anderson, CEO of Ionata Digital, his own agency he has established and scaled over the last 25 years

About Martin Anderson:

Linkedin: https://au.linkedin.com/in/martincanderson

Website: https://ionata.com.au/

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The Bootstrap is a production of Hieland Road for The Product Bus. It was developed by Scotty Allen and Declan Magee. Our producer is Sammy Perryman with assistance from Portia McEwan.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Founder Friday with Chris Asher from Oink Digital

Thu, 25 Sep 2025 21:00:00 GMT

In this Founder Friday, we’re joined by Chris Asher, Founder and CEO of Oink Digital to talk about how to hone creativity into productivity.

Linkedin: https://au.linkedin.com/in/chris-asher-3b476b26

Website: https://www.oinkdigital.com.au/

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The Bootstrap is a production of Hieland Road for The Product Bus. It was developed by Scotty Allen and Declan Magee. Our producer is Sammy Perryman with assistance from Portia McEwan.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

All About Grants with Janine Owen from Grant’d

Sun, 21 Sep 2025 22:54:45 GMT

Access to capital is one of the biggest challenges facing early-stage founders, and while most think immediately of VC or angel investment, grants offer a compelling non-dilutive alternative. Despite $100 billion in grant funding available to Australian businesses and organisations each year, many founders don't know where to start or assume the process is too complex. Is it really as difficult as it seems? What should early founders know about grants, and when should they be thinking about applying for them,?

Our guest today is Janine Owen, founder of Grant'd, Australia's first AI-powered, all-in-one grants platform. Janine has over 18 years of experience helping organisations raise more than $100+ million. She previously ran a successful grants agency before creating Grant'd to make grant-seeking more accessible for founders and businesses.

About Janine Owen:

Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/janine-owen-21348b78

Website: http://grantd.com.au/

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The Bootstrap is a production of Hieland Road for The Product Bus. It was developed by Scotty Allen and Declan Magee. Our producer is Sammy Perryman with assistance from Portia McEwan.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Founder Friday with Dominic Lindsay from Nexobot

Thu, 18 Sep 2025 22:00:00 GMT

In this Founder Friday episode, we’re talking to Dominic Lindsay, founder of Nexobot.

With a rich background in e-commerce logistics and innovative facility design from his time at Australia Post, Dominic's extensive experience provides the foundation for Nexobot's mission to revolutionize warehouse robotics and order fulfilment.

About Dominic Lindsay:

Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/dominiclindsay

Website: https://nexobot.com.au/

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The Bootstrap is a production of Hieland Road for The Product Bus. It was developed by Scotty Allen and Declan Magee. Our producer is Sammy Perryman with assistance from Portia McEwan.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Learning from Failure with Benjemin Elengovan of MyGigsters

Sun, 14 Sep 2025 21:00:00 GMT

Failure isn't the opposite of success - it's the stepping stone to it. Every entrepreneur faces the inevitable question: when do you push through, and when do you pivot? How do you read the subtle signals the market sends about whether to accelerate or pull the plug?

In this episode, Benjemen Elengovan, Founder and CEO of MyGigsters, shares his entrepreneurial journey through both triumph and setback. He shares hard-won insights on transforming failures into fuel, making those crucial go/no-go decisions, and knowing when it's time to gracefully exit one venture to birth the next.

From his early startup wins and losses to the lessons now powering MyGigsters, Benjemen reveals how every "failure" became a building block for something bigger. This is about turning your scars into wisdom - and your wisdom into your next breakthrough.

About Benjemin Elengovan:

Linkedin: https://au.linkedin.com/in/benjemenelengovan

Website: https://www.mygigsters.com.au/

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The Bootstrap is a production of Hieland Road for The Product Bus. It was developed by Scotty Allen and Declan Magee. Our producer is Sammy Perryman with assistance from Portia McEwan.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Founder Friday with Elleesha King from Pulsatile Innovations

Thu, 11 Sep 2025 22:00:00 GMT

In this Founder Friday episode, we’re talking to Elleesha King, founder of Pulsatile Innovations.

Elleesha is an experienced ambulance paramedic and registered nurse who saw opportunities for improved patient care using innovative medical devices. Elleesha started Pulsatile Innovations, a startup aimed to develop products that empower rescuers and improve patient outcomes, with a focus on the emergency setting. Her platform technology, Pulse Tile, is set to revolutionise the approach to cardiac arrest and save lives across the world.

About Elleesha King:

Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/elleesha-king-831b732ab

Website: thepulsetile.com

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The Bootstrap is a production of Hieland Road for The Product Bus. It was developed by Scotty Allen and Declan Magee. Our producer is Sammy Perryman with assistance from Portia McEwan.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Building Startup Teams and Employer Brand with Megan Luttrell

Sun, 07 Sep 2025 21:00:00 GMT

Until AI replaces the need for humans completely, building a team remains a crucial part of building a startup, and the need for other humans to help get things off the ground often comes before the budget to hire them, so some clever thinking is required. Megan Luttrell - founder of Kairos Recruitment and Aussie Founders Club - joins Scotty this week for a conversation to work out what's smart, and what's not, when it comes to startup recruitment.

About Megan Luttrell:

Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/meganluttrell

Website: https://www.kairosrecruitment.com.au/

Aussie Founders Club: https://www.aussiefoundersclub.com/

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The Bootstrap is a production of Hieland Road for The Product Bus. It was developed by Scotty Allen and Declan Magee. Our producer is Sammy Perryman with assistance from Portia McEwan.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Founder Friday with Nicole Bouchier of SklChat

Thu, 04 Sep 2025 22:00:00 GMT

In this Founder Friday episode, we’re talking to Nicole Bouchier, founder of SklChat

In this chat, we talk about Nicole’s experience of building and exiting her first company and the steps that led her to jumping back on the startup rollercoaster to develop SklChat. She shares a number of great learnings as a second time founder and the things she’s doing differently this time around thanks to her previous experience.

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The Bootstrap is a production of Hieland Road for The Product Bus. It was developed by Scotty Allen and Declan Magee. Our producer is Sammy Perryman with assistance from Portia McEwan.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fractional Growth with Andrew Sharpe

Sun, 31 Aug 2025 22:00:00 GMT

Fractional leadership roles are becoming more common in startups and scaleups. We’re more familiar with a fractional CFO or CTO - but what about business development?

In this discussion with experienced enterprise leader Andrew Sharpe, we look at the ways that larger companies are embracing fractional leadership in the growth arena - be is sales, product, etc, how it applies to the startup world, and what mindset is required both the founder and the fractional leader when approaching this strategy in the startup space.

About Andrew Shape:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/a-sharpe/

Website: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sharpepts

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The Bootstrap is a production of Hieland Road for The Product Bus. It was developed by Scotty Allen and Declan Magee. Our producer is Sammy Perryman with assistance from Portia McEwan.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Founder Friday with Mari Robert from Inflamed

Thu, 28 Aug 2025 22:00:00 GMT

In this Founder Friday episode, we’re talking to Mari Robert, founder of Inflamed.

In this chat, we talk about the very personal experience that led Mari to the creation of Inflamed, the challenges of generalising a solution to a problem you’ve experienced to make it a commercially viable product, and all of Mari’s learnings from the Inflamed journey to date.

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The Bootstrap is a production of Hieland Road for The Product Bus. It was developed by Scotty Allen and Declan Magee. Our producer is Sammy Perryman with assistance from Portia McEwan.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Common AI Misconceptions with Dr Sam Donegan

Sun, 24 Aug 2025 21:30:00 GMT

AI is everywhere. Depending on where you are at on the continuum, it's probably the thing that is either exciting you the most, confusing you the most, or scaring you the most at the moment - maybe a combination of all three.

The market is struggling with its own confusion, concerns, and fear around AI, and that makes it critical that founders challenge their own biases and misconceptions in order to effectively position products for customers in this current landscape.

Our guest for this episode is Dr Sam Donegan. Sam is the co-founder of Support Sorted and the Vice President of MLAI. You can learn more at:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samueldonegan/

MLAI: https://mlai.au/

Support Sorted: https://www.supportsorted.com/

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The Bootstrap is a production of Hieland Road for The Product Bus. It was developed by Scotty Allen and Declan Magee. Our producer is Sammy Perryman with assistance from Portia McEwan. Original sound design by Rob Clarke.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Founder Friday with Andrew Murphy from Tech Leaders Launchpad

Thu, 21 Aug 2025 22:00:00 GMT

In our first Founder Friday episode, we’re talking to Andrew Murphy, founder of Tech Leaders Launchpad.

In this chat, we talk about what inspired Andrew to create TLL, his learnings along the way, and the advice he’d give brand new founders based on the experience.

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The Bootstrap is a production of Hieland Road for The Product Bus. It was developed by Scotty Allen and Declan Magee. Our producer is Sammy Perryman with assistance from Portia McEwan.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lovable Shipped Learnings with Brenton Andersen

Mon, 18 Aug 2025 01:09:01 GMT

The Bootstrap is back for 2025, and we’re kicking off with a great conversation with Brenton Anderson from Lovable about the learnings and success stories from the recent Lovable Shipped program.

We also have a wider discussion about the impact of AI tools like Lovable on validation and commercialisation - it’s definitely worth a listen!

Also, we now have a website! You can check out thebootstrap.tech for all current and past episodes of the show - watch this space as we take some of our most impactful episodes and turn them in to resources you’ll love.

Brenton Andersen looks after Community Engagement for startup rocketship Lovable. He started as a Lovable user and now heads up community outreach, including the recent Loveable Shipped program.

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The Bootstrap is a production of Hieland Road for The Product Bus. It was developed by Scotty Allen and Declan Magee. Our producer is Sammy Perryman with assistance from Portia McEwan.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Keeping up (or not) with AI with Gavin Reddrop

Mon, 09 Sep 2024 01:57:49 GMT

If you work in tech and or with startups and you haven’t heard a dozen people say a version of “we need to add AI” or “I’m building an AI product”, then we've been in different meetings. It can feel like a mess of talk and buzzwords, and honestly a lot of it is, so how does the average founder navigate all the noise and work out what we really should be focusing on when it comes to AI?

Gavin Reddrop is here to help try to answer that question. Gavin is the founder of Tactic AI and the developer of the Airtok AI Token.

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The Bootstrap is a production of Swivol Media and The Product Bus. It was developed by Scotty Allen, and Declan Magee. This episode was produced and edited by Sammy Perryman. Original sound design by Rob Clarke. Executive Producers are Natalie Ellis and Scotty Allen for Hieland Road.

If you’re an early stage founder looking for resources and practical help, check out theproductbus.com and get in touch

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The HowdyGo Bootstrapping Journey with Tom Bruining

Fri, 30 Aug 2024 05:40:34 GMT

What influences the decision to bootstrap a startup as opposed to going down the fundeaising route, and if you decide to go that waty, how do you do it? My guest for this episode, Tom Bruining, stepped out of a long histopry of working in funded startups and decided to do just that. Along with his co-founders, Tom started HowdyGo, a product that allows you to easyilu Capture real, interactive product demos

To share that journey and help us learn from it, Tom joins us now.

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If you’re an early stage founder looking for resources and practical help, check out theproductbus.com and get in touch

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transitioning from Founder Led Sales with Gavin Tye

Wed, 21 Aug 2024 03:56:19 GMT

Most founders don’t see themselves as sales people, and many either try to avoid taking on that role altogether, or offloading it as soon as possible. What is the best way for founders to approach sales when its not a comfortable pair of shoes, how do you know when it’s time to transition away from founder-led sales, and how do you do it?

To help me unpack this host Scotty Allen is joined by Gavin Tye. Gavin is the founder of sales market fit where he helps founders, and their teams create a repeatable sales framework that delivers real results for their business.

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If you’re an early stage founder looking for resources and practical help, check out theproductbus.com and get in touch

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Crowdfunding for your Startup with Kane Jackson from Maslow

Mon, 01 Jul 2024 20:00:38 GMT

When you hear the word crowdfunding you might think about that Kickstarter you backed for that groovy new gadget that you may or may not have ever received, or the GoFundMe that you donated to help someone going through something terrible, but until recently you may not think of it as viable option for funding your startup.

One person who done much more than think about it is Kane Jackson, Kane is the cofounder and CEO of Maslow. A new fintech that is aiming to create a majority customer owned financial instution that serves and represents customers rather than profiting from them, and Maslow has just completed a very successful crowdfunding campaign.

So, how does crowdfunding for startups work, who should try it, and what should you watch out for? We discuss this and more.

You can find Kane Jackson on LinkedIn and Maslow at Maslow.com.au

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The Bootstrap is a production of Swivol Media and The Product Bus. It was developed by Scotty Allen, and Declan Magee. This episode was produced and written by Declan Magee and edited by Sammy Perryman. Original sound design by Rob Clarke. Executive Producers are Tiffany Ashdown and Scotty Allen for Hieland Road.

If you’re an early stage founder looking for resources and practical help, check out theproductbus.com and get in touch

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How does bootstrapping make you a better founder? with Yaniv Bernstein

Mon, 10 Jun 2024 23:47:42 GMT

At the start, every business is a bootstrapped business. Founders inject their own capital and/or sweat to get things rolling, and then work out what funding model or models is most likely to work for their idea.

It’s easy to want to skip through the hard bits and get to the moment where cash is raining down from the sky, but there are things about bootstrapping that give you insights into building businesses that you don’t get anywhere else.

To talk about the ways that bootstrapping can make you a better founder, we're joined by Yaniv Bernstein. Yaniv has had long tenures at Google and Airtasker and is co-host of The Startup Podcast which focuses on building Silicon-Valley style startups.

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If you’re an early stage founder looking for resources and practical help, check out theproductbus.com and get in touch

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Building a Startup in Today's Landscape with Jo Agresta from Abodey

Fri, 10 May 2024 01:25:13 GMT

Bootstrapping a startup is not for the faint of heart. If you really commit to the journey, there are plenty of lows and setbacks to face before you reach a high - if you ever do.

We know the success stories, but not always the pivots and failures that came before them. So what is building a startup really like in 2024?

Our guest for this episode is right in the thick of it. Jo Agresta is the CEO and Founder of Abodey, the Ultimate AI Home Buyer's agent.

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If you’re an early stage founder looking for resources and practical help, check out theproductbus.com and get in touch

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tackling SaaS as a Startup Founder with Kirk Drage of LeapSheep

Sun, 05 May 2024 22:38:16 GMT

Software as a service, or SaaS, has been responsible for much of the explosive growth of tech as we know it. What is it like to found and build in the world of SaaS startups? How does your approach as a founder have to change if you know you’re going to be entering the world of Software as a Service?

To help us unpack this we're joined by Kirk Drage, tech veteran and founder and CEO of LeapSheep.

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If you’re an early stage founder looking for resources and practical help, check out theproductbus.com and get in touch

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Impact Startups with Annette Rose of Kids Get Money

Tue, 26 Mar 2024 04:29:30 GMT

You may have heard the term "Impact Startup" and wondered what it really means. In broad terms, an impact startup is a business that is designed to solve major societal problems, But what does that look like in reality? What are some examples of impact startups and how do you start?

To help us unpack this, we're joined by Annette Rose, founder of the Impact Startup

Kids Get Money is a fun, easy to use online program that gives kids money skills for life. Annette joins us to share her journey and what impact startups mean in general.

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If you’re an early stage founder looking for resources and practical help, check out theproductbus.com and get in touch

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What startups need to know about the law with Talt Anast from Allied Legal

Sat, 16 Mar 2024 11:01:14 GMT

Getting a startup up and running seems to come with an endless to do list, and while some things are exciting, others are just plain necessary.

Knowing when you need to formalise the legal structure of your business, what to choose and how to do it can be overwhelming, so we’ve invited Talt Anast from Allied Legal to help us work out w2hat is what

Allied Legal is a Melbourne-base firm that focuses legal solutions and advice to innovative businesses and entrepreneurial minds.

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If you’re an early stage founder looking for resources and practical help, check out theproductbus.com and get in touch

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Startup Operations with Tiffany Ashdown from The Product Bus

Thu, 07 Mar 2024 19:00:00 GMT

There's no end to the list of things a founder needs to think about at the start of the startup journey. Operations might be seen as something that comes later, but laying the groundwork in the early days, without overdoing it, can lead to a much easier path to scale.

Tiffany Ashdown, experienced Operations Manager and Co-Founder / COO of The Product Bus, joins us to discuss.

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If you’re an early stage founder looking for resources and practical help, check out theproductbus.com and get in touch

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Do Startups Have an Ageism Problem? - with Kirstin Hunter from Techstars

Wed, 28 Feb 2024 19:00:00 GMT

Do Startups have an Ageism Problem?

We recorded our discussion with Kirstin Hunter prior to the WGEA gender pay gap report release, but the discussion couldn’t be more timely.

One element of the WGEA report showed that the pay gap for women increases by age range. While you might look at that stat and say it shows the gap is closing generationally, it’s a stark reminder of the additional barriers that older women face in the workforce.

Kirstin Hunter the Managing Director (NSW) at Techstars - a longtime mentor for Black bird giants and Startmate, and one of the creators of Grapevine, the platform created earlier this year that empowers individuals in Australia's tech scene by spotlighting personal stories and insights.

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If you’re an early stage founder looking for resources and practical help, check out theproductbus.com and get in touch

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Talent Aquisition for Startups with Steve Grace from The Nudge Group

Wed, 21 Feb 2024 19:00:03 GMT

Building the right team is an essential part of early stage startups. Finding a balance of skills, experience, and personalities can truly be a make or break factor.

To discuss the best ways to approach talent acquisition when you’re bootstrapping, I’m joined by Steve Grace, founder and CEO of The Nudge Group, a specialist recruitment company focusing on the startup space.

If you’re an early stage founder looking for resources and practical help, check out theproductbus.com and get in touch

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What you don't know about being a funded startup with Nick Chang

Wed, 14 Feb 2024 19:00:00 GMT

From the outside, achieving investment in your startup feels like a peak achievement, but the reality is its the start of a much steeper climb that has its upsides and its downs. Someone who knows this journey very well is Nick Chang, who has founded and successfully exited more than one company, and this episode he joins us to help shed some light on what you mightn't know about being funded,.

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If you’re an early stage founder looking for resources and practical help, check out theproductbus.com and get in touch

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Market Positioning with Michelle Picoto from Deepstar Strategic

Wed, 07 Feb 2024 19:00:00 GMT

As a product focused startup podcast, it’s impossible to spend too much time talking about market positioning. What is it and what simple and affordable strategies can bootstrapping founders use to find it, reassess it, and find it again?

To unpack that I’m joined by Michelle Picoto, Michelle is the Co-Founder of Deepstar Strategic. She's spent the last 17 years driving business growth through positioning, messaging, and go-to-market strategies, across tech startups, agencies, and enterprises in Europe and Australia.

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If you’re an early stage founder looking for resources and practical help, check out theproductbus.com and get in touch

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Founder Wellbeing and Growth with Kim Kerton from Unemployed and Afraid

Mon, 29 Jan 2024 19:00:06 GMT

On this episode, we're joined by Kim Kerton from Good Side of The Bed - and the host, creator, and producer of Unemployed & Afraid - a small business podcast for the brave self-employed with 100 episodes.

Kim is also a creative and commercially minded podcast strategist, helping brands and business owners build themselves big podcasts.

There’s a lot to learn from Kim’s entrepreneurial journey, which started at the age of 21, and we're going to cover it all, with a lot for early stage founders to consider and learn from on the topic of Founder Wellbeing and Growth.

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If you’re an early stage founder looking for resources and practical help, check out theproductbus.com and get in touch

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Taking the Entrepreneurial Leap with Jane Del Rosso of The Business of Food

Wed, 24 Jan 2024 19:00:17 GMT

We're back for 2024 with brand new episodes starting this week! In our first show of 2024, we're joined by Jane Del Rosso of The Business of Food to talk about "Taking the Entrepreneurial Leap".

When do you know it’s time to take the lead and follow your entrepreneurial dream? Can you leave it too late? What are the pitfalls to look out for? We talk about this and much more. We also look at how so much of the product mindset and strategy is the same across both digital and physical products.

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Summer Series: Lisa Reiner and the Curvature Clothing Story

Thu, 04 Jan 2024 19:01:40 GMT

While The Bootstrap is on a production break,we're bringing you select episodes of another podcast we produce - Starting Line.

Starting Line episodes are founder journey stories, and we've chosen six episodes from that series that exemplify the bootstrapping journey in a range of industries.

This episode, we talk to Lisa Reiner of Curvature Clothing about her pathway to entrepreneurship and her mission to bring inclusively sized slow fashion to the market.

You can find Starting Line in its own feed to listen to other episodes. The Bootstrap will be back with new episodes on 16 January 2024.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Summer Series: Anthony Kwok and the Zilio Story

Thu, 04 Jan 2024 19:00:46 GMT

While The Bootstrap is on a production break,we're bringing you select episodes of another podcast we produce - Starting Line.

Starting Line episodes are founder journey stories, and we've chosen six episodes from that series that exemplify the bootstrapping journey in a range of industries.

This episode, we talk to Anthony Kwok - Co-Founder of Zilio - about his experience in bringing a revolutionary idea in virtual clothes fitting to life - and to market,

You can find Starting Line in its own feed to listen to other episodes. The Bootstrap will be back with new episodes on 16 January 2024.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Summer Series: Tania Stacey and the East Forged Story

Wed, 27 Dec 2023 19:00:37 GMT

While The Bootstrap is on a production break,we're bringing you select episodes of another podcast we produce - Starting Line.

Starting Line episodes are founder journey stories, and we've chosen six episodes from that series that exemplify the bootstrapping journey in a range of industries.

This episode, we talk to Tania Stacey - Co-Founder of East Forged, about her entrepreneurial journey and her mission to bring Nitro Iced Tea to the Australian Market.

You can find Starting Line in its own feed to listen to other episodes. The Bootstrap will be back with new episodes on 16 January 2024.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Summer Series: Jeremy Fleming and the Stagekings Story

Mon, 25 Dec 2023 19:00:50 GMT

While The Bootstrap is on a production break,we're bringing you select episodes of another podcast we produce - Starting Line.

Starting Line episodes are founder journey stories, and we've chosen six episodes from that series that exemplify the bootstrapping journey in a range of industries.

This episode, we talk to Jeremy Fleming of Stagekings about his business journey, and navigating the Covid pandemic when events ground to a halt.

You can find Starting Line in its own feed to listen to other episodes. The Bootstrap will be back with new episodes on 16 January 2024.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Developing an Engaging Brand with Garry Williams of Tractor Ventures

Wed, 20 Dec 2023 19:00:00 GMT

With new startups popping up every other minute standing out is important. Beyond a memorable brand identify is the experience that your prospects and customers have with your business.

In this episode we're joined by Garry Williams, the Director of Engagement at Tractor Ventures. Over the last three years Tractor Ventures has built a recognisable brand and voice as the premier alt-capital funding solution for Australian and New Zealand Startups, and Garry has had a pivotal role in shaping the brand and the customer experience.

We're going to unpack that experience, as well as cover the basics of revenue based funding, and most likely Lego is going to get a mention as well!

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If you’re an early stage founder looking for resources and practical help, check out theproductbus.com and get in touch

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How a Project Mindset Can Kill Your Startup

Mon, 18 Dec 2023 19:00:00 GMT

Do you know the difference between a product mindset and a project mindset? Which one you apply to your startup can have a major impact on your chances of success.

On this Bootstrap Bites, we're discussion "How a project mindset can kill your startup". What's the difference between product / project mindset, how can you use the strengths of each at the right times in the startup journey, and what are the traps to avoid? We have the answers!

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If you’re an early stage founder looking for resources and practical help, check out theproductbus.com and get in touch

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Basics of Venture Capital with Sramana Mitra

Thu, 14 Dec 2023 00:29:23 GMT

The venture capital space is a world unto its own, and when founders misunderstand what it is and isn’t the results can be disastrous.

What are the basics you need to know, and how should a bootstrapping founder navigate it? To unpack we're joined by Sramana Mitra. Sramana is the founder and CEO of the global virtual incubator and accelerator One Million by One Million, and a highly regarded Silicon Valley entrepreneur and strategist.

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If you’re an early stage founder looking for resources and practical help, check out theproductbus.com and get in touch

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bootstrap Bites: Startup Pitch Red Flags

Mon, 11 Dec 2023 19:00:34 GMT

Does the language you use in your startup pitch communicate what you intend, or does it send the wrong message altogether?

On this Bootstrap Bites, we talk through five of the biggest red flags that our host Scotty Allen keeps an ear out when listening to startup ideas. Are you guilty of any of these? Listen to find out, and discover better things to say instead!

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If you’re an early stage founder looking for resources and practical help, check out theproductbus.com and get in touch

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Cracking the Code of Total Addressable Market with Alex Urquhart

Thu, 07 Dec 2023 19:00:47 GMT

Total Addressable Market, or TAM, is an important validation metric that is often misunderstood and misused, so how do you navigate TAM without getting lost in the numbers, and how relevant is TAM to bootstrapping founders?

To unpack this, we're joined by Alex Urquhart - a growth and product marketing specialist and the founder of Market Science, helping businesses understand, prioritise & action the next steps in growing their business.

The Bootstrap is your twice-weekly source of news and discussion for the wider startup community, focusing on building startups from scratch.

Each week we look at startup news and discussion that goes beyond the latest fund raises by taking a more analytical look at the world of startups, and discussed practical, actionable strategies that any founder and startup can use to start or further their founder journey.

If you’re an early stage founder looking for resources and practical help, check out theproductbus.com and get in touch

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bootstrap Bites: Q&A with Scotty Allen - Founder of The Product Bus

Tue, 05 Dec 2023 06:22:04 GMT

Welcome to The Bootstrap, your new weekly source of news and discussion for the wider startup community, focusing on building startups from scratch.

The Bootstrap is now coming to you twice a week! Our Thursday episodes will follow the format we’ve been using so far, with startup news and a discussion topic with a guest, but on Tuesdays we’ll be releasing what we’re calling “Bootstrap Bites”.

These episodes will be a bit more informal, and they are going to include our producer, Declan Magee, and from time to members of The Product Bus team to break down some key tips for founders from a product manager’s viewpoint.

To kick this off, producer Declan put our host Scotty Allen in the hot seat, so if you’ve every wondered how a Disney Kid turned educator turned product manager became a startup coach, this one is for you!

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If you’re an early stage founder looking for resources and practical help, check out theproductbus.com and get in touch

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Being a First Time Founder with Roann Junio-Hartmann of Cobber

Wed, 29 Nov 2023 19:00:00 GMT

Welcome to The Bootstrap, your new weekly source of news and discussion for the wider startup community, focusing on building startups from scratch.

This episode, we're joined by Roann Junio-Hartmann of Cobber to share her inspiring first-time founder story, which has plenty of tips for boostrapping founders.

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If you’re an early stage founder looking for resources and practical help, check out theproductbus.com and get in touch

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Selling Without a Product with Andrew Sharpe

Thu, 23 Nov 2023 19:00:00 GMT

Welcome to The Bootstrap, your new weekly source of news and discussion for the wider startup community, focusing on building startups from scratch.

This episode, we're joined by Andrew Sharpe - Tech and Scaleup Advisor / Early Stage Investor - to discuss "Selling without a product"

How much of a product do you need before you start selling? Some startups spend too long in development without testing the waters of the market, while some over promise and underdeliver, if all. How do you strike the balance?

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If you’re an early stage founder looking for resources and practical help, check out theproductbus.com and get in touch

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Market Positioning for Bootstrapped Startups with Erin Clark

Wed, 15 Nov 2023 19:00:08 GMT

Welcome to The Bootstrap, your new weekly source of news and discussion for the wider startup community, focusing on building startups from scratch.

This episode, we're joined by Erin Clark from The Exchange Collective to look at Market Positioning for Bootstrapped Startups.

Market Fit, or Positioning, is the first key milestone on the startup journey, and for bootstrapping founders it’s an incredibly important and challenging undertaking. With a limited budget for research and testing and shorter runways, many of the examples from the venture capital world simply don’t fit the brief, so how does a bootstrapping founder approach finding market fit while navigating the wider startup ecosystem?

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If you’re an early stage founder looking for resources and practical help, check out theproductbus.com and get in touch

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Bridging the Startup Gender Gap with Kirstin Hunter and Nikki Tugano

Mon, 13 Nov 2023 19:00:00 GMT

Welcome to The Bootstrap, your new weekly source of news and discussion for the wider startup community, focusing on building startups from scratch.

This episode, we're joined by Kirstin Hunter of Techstars and Nikki Tugano of SeenCulture to discuss the impact of the Startup Muster Report and Sam Joel's LinkedIn attacks on women in Australia's tech industry. What does it say about the state of the Australian Startup Ecosystem, and what can we do about it?

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If you’re an early stage founder looking for resources and practical help, check out theproductbus.com and get in touch

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Finding Your First Customers with Sean Grealy

Wed, 08 Nov 2023 19:00:00 GMT

Welcome to The Bootstrap, your new weekly source of news and discussion for the wider startup community, focusing on building startups from scratch.

This episode, we're joined by Sean Grealy of Sell Anything to discuss Finding Your First Customers.

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If you’re an early stage founder looking for resources and practical help, check out theproductbus.com and get in touch

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Can you Bootstrap a Unicorn? - with Yaniv Bernstein

Thu, 02 Nov 2023 19:00:00 GMT

Welcome to The Bootstrap, your new weekly source of news and discussion for the wider startup community, focusing on building startups from scratch.

This episode, Founder, Tech Executive and Podcaster Yaniv Bernstein joins host Scotty Allen to ask - Can you Bootstrap a Unicorn?

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If you’re an early stage founder looking for resources and practical help, check out theproductbus.com and get in touch

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What is a Founder Mindset? - with Preethi Mohan

Mon, 30 Oct 2023 19:00:47 GMT

Welcome to The Bootstrap, your new weekly source of news and discussion for the wider startup community, focusing on building startups from scratch.

Founder, Advisor, and Podcaster Preethi Mohan joins host Scotty Allen to ask - What is a Founder Mindset?

Find out more about Preethi Mohan at https://www.linkedin.com/in/preethzzz/

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If you’re an early stage founder looking for resources and practical help, check out theproductbus.com and get in touch

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Navigating the Competition with Jason Jestin

Wed, 25 Oct 2023 20:00:53 GMT

Welcome to The Bootstrap, your new weekly source of news and discussion for the wider startup community, focusing on building startups from scratch.

Transformation Consultant and Coach Jason Jestin joins host Scotty Allen to look at the right timing and strategies to use when considering your startup competitor analysis

Find out more about Jason Jestin at https://career-clarity-coaching.com/

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If you’re an early stage founder looking for resources and practical help, check out theproductbus.com and get in touch

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Problem with Problems - with Amanda Walker

Tue, 24 Oct 2023 09:47:25 GMT

Welcome to The Bootstrap, your new weekly source of news and discussion for the wider startup community, focusing on building startups from scratch.

Amanda Walker (Aussie Holiday Stays) joins host Scotty Allen to unpack the challenge of finding the right problem to solve in the right way, using her experience building a two-way marketplace as an example.

Find out more about Amanda and Aussie Holiday Stays at https://aussieholidaystays.com.au/

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If you’re an early stage founder looking for resources and practical help, check out theproductbus.com and get in touch

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Idea Validation Dos and Donts with Matt Ainsworth

Wed, 18 Oct 2023 19:00:00 GMT

Welcome to The Bootstrap, your new weekly source of news and discussion for the wider startup community, focusing on building startups from scratch.

Matt Ainsworth (Startup Founder Mindset) joins host Scotty Allen to look at the main reasons startups fail - not finding product market fit, and how good strategies in idea validation can help.

Each week we'll look at startup news and discussion that goes beyond the latest fund raises by taking a more analytical look at the world of startups, and discussed practical, actionable strategies that any founder and startup can use to start or further their founder journey.

Find out more about Matt and Startup Founder Mindset at https://sfmindset.com

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The Bootstrap is a production of Swivol Media and The Product Bus. It was developed by Scotty Allen, and Declan Magee. This episode was produced by Declan Magee with assistance from Sammy Perryman. Sound design and mix by Rob Clarke

If you’re an early stage founder looking for resources and practical help, check out theproductbus.com and get in touch

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bootstrapping Basics with Gavin Reddrop

Wed, 11 Oct 2023 21:18:16 GMT

Welcome to The Bootstrap, your new weekly source of news and discussion for the wider startup community, focusing on building startups from scratch.

In our first episode, host Scotty Allen joined by business innovation expert, founder, and author Gavin Reddrop to unpack what bootstrapping a startup really means, and whether or not it’s for you.

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If you’re an early stage founder looking for resources and practical help, check out theproductbus.com and get in touch

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Coming Soon: The Bootstrap - Building Startups from Scratch

Mon, 02 Oct 2023 05:38:32 GMT

Coming soon from Swivol Media and The Product Bus - The Bootstrap: Building Startups from Scratch Podcast. The Bootstrap is your new weekly source of news and resources for early stage startups and founders. Host Scotty Alllen introduces the show in this short trailer preview. Subscribe to The Bootstrap now wherever you listen. First episodes drop very soon!

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