Episodios

  • Ben Forman & Kat Lintott - From Wrestler to What’s Next

    Ben Forman & Kat Lintott - From Wrestler to What’s Next
    Jun 30 2025
    Kat Lintott and Ben Forman helped build Wrestler into one of Aotearoa’s most forward-thinking creative and production studios – fusing storytelling, technology and culture in work for brands like Allbirds, and pioneering bold new spaces like the Web3 project Soul Aether. After scaling the studio and building a vibrant creative community, they sold Wrestler to UFORodeo – a move that opened the door to a new phase, where they are still supporting projects.In this episode of Business is Boring, they join us to reflect on the full journey: what it takes to build a studio from scratch, the lessons learned through success and challenge, and what it means to evolve your identity and work while staying connected to your creative roots.Today, Ben is building Ongoing Theory, helping people and businesses reconnect with their natural rhythms and unlock better ways of working. Kat led Rewiring Aotearoa, and is now exploring business ideas aimed at solving problems in women’s health – particularly for those overlooked by traditional research and medicine.This conversation spans creativity, transition, responsibility and possibility – and offers a glimpse into what comes after “success”, when you’re ready to build something new again, on your own terms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    56 m
  • How Pals became Pals

    How Pals became Pals
    Jun 23 2025
    Pals is the pastel-coloured RTD that somehow made ready-to-drink drinks cool for the first time. But it wasn’t always assured to be a success, in fact, it started with a wine brand that was very hard to make a business from, a lot of learning, and a sense that there had to be a better way. This week on Business is Boring, we sit down with Nick Marshall and Mat Croad, two of the co-founders of Pals, to unpack how they turned an overlooked, over-sugared category into a cultural icon. We go deep on what it takes to build a brand people love, how they’ve resisted the typical “grow fast, sell out” script, and why category creation is the new brand advantage.From first sell-outs in the Mount, to Halloween costumes and B Corp ambitions—this one’s a masterclass in modern brand building, from two pals who just knew there had to be a better way. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    45 m
  • How timber innovation can protect old growth forests

    How timber innovation can protect old growth forests
    Jun 16 2025
    When you think of premium feature timber for cladding, decking or façades, your mind likely goes to cedar - that rich, beautiful wood loved by architects and homeowners. But there’s a cost. Cedar and other prized timbers are often harvested from ancient, irreplaceable forests. Logging them disrupts ecosystems, accelerates climate risk, and destroys biodiversity - all to meet demand for aesthetic and performance expectations from people who don’t often know the true cost of their choices. Daniel Gudsell saw the problem. And rather than telling people to stop using beautiful timber, he set out to build a better option. His company, Abodo, is pioneering a new category of rapidly renewable, high-performance wood - grown in sustainable forests, thermally modified to stand up to the elements, and positioned to win hearts as well as specs. It’s part science, part supply chain, and a lot of brand - building a better future for timber by changing not just the product, but how we perceive it. After more than 20 years in the space, Abodo is gaining global traction. But as Daniel shares in this episode, in many ways they’re just getting started. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    53 m
  • The virtual CFOs with very real results

    The virtual CFOs with very real results
    Jun 9 2025
    You’ve probably come across Oxygen Advisors if you’ve spent any time around Aotearoa’s startup scene. And if you haven’t, well - you’ve almost certainly heard of the companies they’ve helped grow. They’ve been behind the scenes with the likes of Tracksuit, Auror, Ideally and dozens more - helping them grow, operate best in class finance teams and raise capital - guiding them through the tough parts of building. With over 100 startups backed and a 97% survival rate, Matt Dold and Mike Mandis have built a track record that’s almost unheard of. In this episode, they join us to pull back the curtain - sharing the frameworks that work, the good habits to cultivate, and the mistakes they help founders avoid. They’re speaking more publicly now because they want more founders to succeed. And if you’re building something - or thinking about it - this conversation’s well worth a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    54 m
  • The compostable cling wrap winning big in the US

    The compostable cling wrap winning big in the US
    Jun 2 2025
    In a world drowning in plastic waste, Jon Reed of Compostic is pioneering a revolutionary approach to everyday kitchen products. Through sheer determination and innovative thinking, Jon transformed a personal frustration with single-use plastics into a thriving business that now sits on the shelves of major US retailers like Whole Foods and Target. His home compostable cling film and kitchen bags represent more than just a product - they're a bold challenge to the traditional plastics industry. He has expanded Compostic from a small New Zealand startup to a brand distributed across thousands of stores. 2025 has thrown a few tariff-shaped curveballs at founders like Jon - and the going has been tough - but he’s still dead-set on his goal of banishing single-use plastic. How is he navigating the chaos of today's international trade landscape? Listen now to find out. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    51 m
  • Changing the face of investment

    Changing the face of investment
    May 26 2025
    Finance, investment and better money habits have traditionally been areas mainly staffed by, led by and advocated by men. Boring men. Two friends, Sophie Hallwright and Victoria Harris, saw a need for interesting and relevant information, advice and community for women. They launched The Curve, a platform boasting an internationally popular podcast, investing club, courses and community. The Curve is now a fantastic example of how building community and providing value can be turned into a business that creates positive impact and profit. During a brief visit home to Aotearoa, co-founder Sophie Hallwright sat down with Simon Pound to discuss blazing a pathway for women in investment, before she headed back to London to continue the good work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    45 m
  • Why great operators can make for great venture capitalists

    Why great operators can make for great venture capitalists
    May 19 2025
    Venture capital is one of the most prominent types of capital out there. But it isn’t necessarily a great fit for every business. We’re joined by Barnaby Marshall, partner and investor at Icehouse Ventures, to talk VC, when it is good, when it is not helpful, and also to chat about his path into the space. Barnaby has invested in and supported great companies like Dawn Aerospace, Basis Tracksuit, and Ideally - and is part of Brand Fund - which is where host Simon Pound got to see him at work up close. But he is also an entrepreneur and active business grower. Before VC he was a co-owner at I Love Ugly and part of its incredible growth journey, and today he is also an owner at New Ground Coffee. We chat about how this experience helps him help spot great business and help great founders, and what kind of companies would benefit from venture capital partnership. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    53 m
  • How Keep the Change changes lives

    How Keep the Change changes lives
    May 12 2025
    Being good with money is not easy. The whole credit, consumer, and hedonistic world are built to try to get people to spend too much on things they don’t need, for short term gain. The actual tips for how to be better with money are quite simple. Spend less than you earn, save a good percentage even when you don’t earn a lot, stay away from expensive debt, invest in upskilling and invest for the long-term as compounding benefits are your friend. However simple these ideas might seem actually connecting with people and getting them to believe they can make the change can be the hardest thing. Luke Kemeys is one of the new breed of financial influencers who is able to make these messages connect by sharing his story, by making the content relevant and by turning up time and time again to land the messages and habits. His media brand Keep the Change educates, informs and entertains through podcasts, courses, events and his regular newsletter. His approach sees the free content deliver heaps of value, and this creates a pipeline of business for his accountancy practice. His work has helped countless people get out of debt and into good positions, and he joins the podcast to chat his approach to money, how he learnt to practice good habits and how sharing great content can lead to business success. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    46 m