Exploring the wins, challenges, & lessons from startups. Honest conversations, real insights, and everything in between.
Troy Hammond & Serge van Dam, with deep...
Lowry Gladwell: The secrets of SaaS revenue growth
Lowry Gladwell has been at the forefront of some of New Zealand’s most iconic companies, from law to payments, tech partnerships to sales. Playing a key role in Vend’s journey through to their successful exit in 2021 and leading Xero’s embedded finance strategy and execution, Lowry knows his domain well. Now, as Head of New Zealand at Airwallex—an Australian unicorn transforming banking and financial service, Lowry is focused on building the local team and introducing Airwallex’s game-changing product to the New Zealand market.In this episode, we discuss all things revenue and channel partner growth, and how you should build a function and hire a team. If you are a product company looking to go global, this one is not to be missed.
--------
1:37:37
Rowan Simpson: The Man Behind NZ’s Most Successful Startups
Rowan Simpson has been at the heart of New Zealand's most successful technology companies. As a founding team member at Trade Me and Xero, he witnessed firsthand how great companies are built through consistent execution. His subsequent investments and hands-on work with ventures like Vend and Timely have helped shape a generation of high-growth companies.If you’re the kind of person who hates being wrong (let’s be honest, that’s most of us), then How to Be Wrong is a game-changer. It completely flips the script on failure, showing that being wrong isn’t something to fear—it’s something to embrace. The book and ultimately this podcast is packed with real-world wisdom, practical advice, and a refreshing perspective on how to navigate uncertainty without letting your ego get in the way.
--------
2:06:30
PAM, My AI product takes care of your mental load 🤖🫶🏻
Nicole Retter is the sole Founder and CEO of PAM.
🤖 PAM stands for "Personal Admin Manager" and is your Family's own Digital PA
👩🏽💻 Nicole has been a marketer for 20 years, working in big ad agencies, and digital agencies delivering festivals, and guiding sole traders.
🚀 Her specialty is supporting Start-ups and SME’s, and due to your limited resources, we get to be creative in our approach and make a big impact fast.
🧑🧑🧒🧒 Nicole is the proud Founder of PAM, an app currently under construction to support busy families to thrive by reducing/sharing all the family admin crap we’re drowning under. She will be its first customer.
💁🏻♂️ In this episode, Nicole goes deep into the PAM story and the lessons she has learned to bring this product to the world!
👀 Please check out our sponsor in Talent Army who are NZ's best tech startup recruiters.
--------
1:07:35
How Beastie Boys lead me to co-founding Xero and now Upstock 🚀
Philip Fierlinger co-founded Xero, playing a major role as Head of Design, leading Xero to become a disruptive platform and an iconic global brand.
Now he is the co-founder of Upstock, a B2B e-commerce & logistics platform transforming the food & beverage industry.
His early career highlights include work for Beastie Boys and General Magic.
In this episode Philip goes deep on the Xero story and the lessons he has learned to make Upstoack a 🦄 also.
Please check out our sponsor in Talent Army who are NZ's best tech startup recruiters.
--------
1:28:55
My tech will get you into your first home faster 🏠
In this episode, we chat with Derek Handley
Derek is an entrepreneur known for co-founding alongside Sir Richard Branson The B Team - a global collective advocating economic systems change to protect our natural environment and secure a safe, sustainable, and equitable future for all
Before The B Team, Derek was one of the first young Kiwi entrepreneurs to build a global start-up, The Hyperfactory, an early pioneer driving the transition from the PC world to the mobile world. He started it out of University and took from a balcony in Anzac Ave Auckland to offices across the world from New York to India and almost 200 people, before selling to a 100 year old NYSE-listed giant Meredith Corporation.
Have served on the Board of Sky TV, sustainability board of Air New Zealand, as Adjunct Professor at AUT; Innovator in Residence at Wharton University of Pennsylvania and as campaign Chair for Prince Harry Duke of Sussex for his sustainable travel initiative “Travalyst”.
Founder of Aera VC, a global climate-tech seed fund investing in transformative technologies to radically reverse climate change. Our 25+ portfolio companies have gone on to raise over $2b NZD.
Personal angel investor in over 50 start-ups, still actively backing 2-4 companies a year - most recently examples x.Ai Series B and Tracksuit.
Awarded Young Entrepreneur of the Year, Sir Peter Blake Leader, and Victoria University Distinguished Alumni awards
He is now building his latest company in Aera.
Aera is a new Kiwi fintech start-up helping first-home buyers build a deposit in half the time.
Exploring the wins, challenges, & lessons from startups. Honest conversations, real insights, and everything in between.
Troy Hammond & Serge van Dam, with deep roots in the startup ecosystem in New Zealand and beyond, explore the world of startups, tech, markets, and media. They break down industry trends, uncover the realities of scaling companies, and share expert insights through candid conversations. Each episode features top founders, operators, investors, and innovators, offering lessons, perspectives, and stories from the frontlines of business and technology.
New Zealand