Give It A Nudge

In this episode of Give It A Nudge, Steve sits down with David Pysden, Co-Founder of Chiron Global Tech, the company behind a revolutionary full-body protective armor system called the Chiron X1. David shares the seven-year journey of bringing the X1 to life, including five grueling years of research, development, and testing with Tier 1 Special Forces, military units, and law enforcement. Inspired by a co-founder training with elite forces in Bangkok, the suit solves a massive training flaw, instead of slowing down strikes or avoiding vital areas like the head and throat, operators can train at full speed with real weapons strikes. David walks Steve through the incredible engineering behind the patented head and neck protection, which distributes concussive forces down into the chest cavity, allowing a user to take a full-force blow from a baseball bat or rifle butt to the head without injury. They discuss how a defense composite expert with a background in designing stunt and movie armor helped optimize the carbon fiber plate structure, balancing absolute mobility with total protection. From being invited onto classified military black sites to testing the gear against point-blank shotgun blasts, this episode gives you a look inside the future of protective defense tech. Timestamps Chapters 00:00:00 Shotguns and bats: Testing the extreme limits of the Chiron X1 armor 00:00:58 Intro and the relief of talking about a physical product instead of software 00:01:36 The five-year R&D journey and linking product branding back to Achilles 00:02:42 Gaps in traditional protective gear and training with real weapons in Bangkok 00:03:54 Eliminating bad muscle memory by allowing full-force head and throat strikes 00:04:12 The patented head and neck protection distributing concussive forces away from the spine 00:05:34 How a movie stunt armor designer helped optimize fluid plate movement 00:06:34 Redesigning the chest plate so law enforcement can draw pistols smoothly 00:07:25 The multi-layer material breakdown including Kevlar, elastomeric foam, and cooling tech 00:08:21 Carbon fiber strength-to-weight ratios and Formula One crash cage comparisons 00:09:17 Point-blank shotgun testing and shooting at the suit with training munitions 00:11:01 Weight distribution and moving freely enough to do a cartwheel in 14.5 kilos of gear 00:11:42 Pitching the U.S. Army Rangers and landing an paratrooper instructor to jump in the suit 00:12:10 Meeting a Vodafone executive at lunch and jumping into a massive market gap 00:13:09 Raising $2.5M to mass produce low-cost injection-molded training and riot control versions 00:14:32 Reducing officer panic, de-escalating threats, and lowering litigation risks in riots 00:16:08 Testing with the UK National Tactical Response Group during real prison riot training 00:18:10 Getting peppered with non-lethal rounds without a single bruise or cut skin 00:19:20 Using a 30x manufacturing capacity boost to target 400,000 U.S. corrections officers 00:21:19 Getting invited to test armor on classified, top-secret Special Forces bases 00:22:14 Navigating the fundraising roller coaster and building an optimal customer feedback loop 00:24:30 Flying on an empty plane during Covid to run an East Coast U.S. roadshow 00:25:51 Geopolitical tailwinds driving the global need for next-gen protective equipment #ChironX1 #MilitaryTechnology #BodyArmor #DefenseTechnology #SpecialForces #LawEnforcement #MilitaryTraining #TacticalGear #Innovation #DefenseIndustry #GiveItANudge #Podcast

In this episode, Steve Grace sits down with Albert Patajo, VP Strategy & Operations at Nexl, to unpack one of the rarest outcomes in Australian tech right now: a local startup hitting Series B, and what it actually takes to get there.Albert shares his non-founder path into the operator seat, from Deloitte to early-stage startups to capital raise advisory, before joining Nexl with one urgent mandate: raise money and build a more capital-efficient business in a market that had tightened overnight. He breaks down why focus beats ambition, how Nexl went deep in the US Northeast instead of trying to launch everywhere, and what changed when top US investors started coming inbound with term sheets.They also dig into the founder-operator partnership: trust, low ego, and working like co-founders without the title. Plus why Albert thinks AI’s biggest immediate impact in legal won’t be the practice of law, but everything around it, relationships, BD, and operations.Timestamps:0:00 – Intro: Nexl and the Series B milestone0:40 – Darwin to Canberra to Sydney (and the culture shock)3:20 – Why consulting is startup training in disguise6:30 – First startup lessons: being employee #6 and doing everything9:15 – Capital raise advisory in the 2020–21 boom10:45 – How Albert met Phil (Nexl’s founder) and why the role existed12:25 – Why Series B is "escape velocity"13:55 – The first six months: raising with limited runway15:30 – Capital efficiency: small bets, incremental hires16:20 – The focus move: winning the US Northeast (not launching the US)18:45 – What Nexl does: relationship-first CRM for law firms20:35 – Inbound term sheets and testing the waters for Series B22:00 – Bringing in the "dream" investor and why it was worth it23:05 – Founder-operator dynamic: low ego, high trust26:55 – Australia as the timezone bridge for US and Europe teams28:50 – Post-Series B: hiring leaders who’ve "seen the movie"33:25 – The big ambition: category leadership and deep penetration35:10 – AI in legal: where it actually changes firms firstLinks:Connect with Albert → https://www.linkedin.com/in/albertpatajo/Connect with Steve → https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevegrace/The Nudge Group → https://thenudgegroup.com/Give It A Nudge Podcast → https://www.youtube.com/@giveitanudge/The Trouble With People → https://thetroublewithpeople.substack.com/

In this episode, Steve Grace sits down with Arjun — founder of inaam — to unpack how a tragic loss of his father's life savings fueled a mission to disrupt the Australian financial system, and why he believes the local VC ecosystem is fundamentally broken due to a crippling lack of risk tolerance.Arjun breaks down the dangerous myth that "impact investing" means sacrificing returns (proving it with a portfolio that outperformed the market), why he famously believes the tagline for Australian venture firms should be "F*ck off," and how he is gamifying financial literacy to help young Australians build wealth without compromising their values.They also dive into:The "Oligopoly" problem: Why having only three major VCs is stifling Australian innovationThe reality of building a fintech as a migrant founder and facing racism on the streets of MelbourneThe irony of being an award-winning innovator who still doesn't qualify for a National Innovation VisaHow inaam combines education with execution to bridge the wealth gapWhy email is a terrible leadership tool and the power of the "Communication Triangle"The "Non-Linear" career path: From investment banking to losing it all, to building a unicorn contenderTimestamps: 0:00 From investment banking to startup founder 6:45 Arriving in Melbourne 3 weeks before lockdown 10:27 The "F*ck Off" critique of Australian VCs 11:04 Why Australia has capital but zero risk tolerance 15:22 The Origin Story: Losing his father's life savings 17:20 Debunking the myth: Impact Investing vs. High Returns 23:30 The reality of racism and the migrant founder experience 28:16 The struggle to get a National Innovation Visa 36:00 Why email kills culture: The Communication Triangle 43:10 How to start investing with just $10Links: inaam → https://www.inaam.me/Connect with Arjun → https://www.linkedin.com/in/arjunagarwal1996/The Nudge Group → https://thenudgegroup.com/Give It A Nudge Podcast → https://www.youtube.com/@giveitanudge/Steve on LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevegrace/The Trouble With People → https://thetroublewithpeople.substack.com/

In this episode, Steve Grace sits down with Tiana Manticos — founder of TX Method — to unpack how her career across airports, QSR franchises, luxury yachts, and global retail brands turned into a repeatable scaling framework now used by founders looking to grow with intention, not chaos.Tiana breaks down the four-part TX Method framework (Truth, Translation, Transmission, Tempo), why founders should stop obsessing over content execution and start with clarity, and how personal brand can create competitive advantage — without trying to be an influencer.They also dive into:What she learned managing 250+ franchise operatorsWhy some brands scale and some burn outThe difference between perception economy and manufactured hypeThe rise of events and in-person connection post-content fatigueHow authenticity creates trust faster than perfectionWhy founders need to build brand before they need itTimestamps:0:21 What TX Method is1:55 The system behind scaling brands4:35 Lessons from franchising and customer behaviour7:48 Trend-chasing vs long-term growth10:55 Moving into the luxury sector and Ahoy Club15:20 Branding founders without turning them into influencers19:02 The Perception Economy explained24:57 Personal brand vs vanity metrics29:21 The TX Method framework33:12 Content, attention, and the role of events38:50 Starting vs perfecting43:40 The reality of becoming a founder47:53 Final advice: Start with truth, not tacticsLinks:TX Method → https://www.txmethod.com/Connect with Tiana → https://www.linkedin.com/in/tiana-manticos/The Nudge Group → https://thenudgegroup.com/Give It A Nudge Podcast → https://www.youtube.com/@giveitanudge/Steve on LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevegrace/The Trouble With People → https://thetroublewithpeople.substack.com/

Host: Steve GraceGuest: Christie Jenkins — 3-sport pro athlete (ex-AUS #1), Managing Director at Techstars Sydney, investor (Athletic Ventures; ex-Blackbird), keynote speaker & performance coach.Christie unpacks how an elite-athlete mindset translates to venture and leadership: covering her leap to the U.S., buying European football clubs, and returning to run Techstars Sydney.What we cover:Packing up life in a week and landing in the U.S. with one introNetworking that compounds (and why Aussies under-index on intros)Building FC32: raising ~US$8M and buying 3 football clubs (Ireland, Austria, Italy)How soccer’s unique player-trading economics workWhat Christie learned meeting ~200 U.S. VC fundsWhy consistency beats “chasing gold medals”Carry 101: how VC incentives really workWhy founders need coaches (belief + trust) as much as athletesInside Techstars Sydney: 565 applications → 12 startups, retreat, mentors, and lifelong supportLinks:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christiejenkins/Newsletter: https://christiejenkins.substack.com/Website: https://www.christiejenkins.com.au/

In this episode of Give It A Nudge, Steve chats with Tom Waterhouse, a well-known name in Australian bookmaking and online betting. Tom opens up about his fascinating journey, from growing up in a family of bookmakers to launching his own online betting business, TomWaterhouse.com, in 2009. He shares how he went from being an on-course bookie to building a business that grew from 100 to a quarter of a million customers in just 18 months! After selling to William Hill in 2013, Tom became the CEO of William Hill Australia, overseeing a massive $2.5 billion turnover. But Tom wasn’t done yet—he’s now focused on a new adventure: his own venture fund, investing in tech suppliers for the gambling industry. He explains his unique option strategy and how he’s building a global portfolio.Timestamps:00:18 – Meet Tom Waterhouse and a quick intro to his background01:07 – From on-course bookie to launching TomWaterhouse.com02:26 – Growing the online business and selling to William Hill05:45 – Tom’s time as CEO of William Hill Australia11:15 – Starting his venture fund and focusing on gambling tech suppliers16:55 – The option strategy and finding the next big thing19:30 – Diversification and expanding globally27:00 – Why execution is everything when it comes to startup success31:10 – What’s next for Tom and his fundDon't forget to subscribe to Give It A Nudge for more fun and insightful chats with founders and industry leaders shaking things up!Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/give-it-a-nudge--4623437/support.

In this episode of Give It A Nudge, Steve sits down with Ben Ford, a fintech expert who’s been shaping Australia’s fintech landscape for over a decade. Ben shares his journey from corporate roles to becoming a key player in fintech, proptech, and logistics, recounting his early days with industry pioneers like Afterpay and Acorns. Beyond business, Ben opens up about his latest project—the Vanessa Ford Foundation, a new initiative inspired by personal loss and focused on mental health support for high-achieving professionals. Timestamps:00:18 – Introduction to Ben Ford and his fintech journey01:20 – Early days with Afterpay, Acorns, and fintech in Australia06:14 – The evolution of fintech and Ben’s insights on the sector’s future10:03 – Challenges in open banking and new fintech opportunities16:25 – Proptech and logistics: Ben’s latest ventures in tech19:00 – Launching the Vanessa Ford Foundation and its mission23:15 – Remembering Vanessa and the motivation behind the foundation26:00 – Future goals for the foundation and mental health advocacy30:12 – Ben’s thoughts on upcoming tech trends and the next wave of startupsDon’t forget to subscribe to Give It A Nudge for more inspiring conversations with founders and innovators who are making an impact!Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/give-it-a-nudge--4623437/support.

In this episode of Give It A Nudge, Steve welcomes back Jessica Baird Walsh, who has made big changes since her last appearance. Formerly the founder of Remote Social, Jessica now plays a key role in KPMG Futures, where she drives innovation, venture partnerships, and strategic collaborations with startups. Jessica shares insights on her new role, how KPMG is staying ahead in tech, and what it's like working with early-stage founders from the corporate side. She also dives into her personal life—raising three kids and running every day for two years straight!Timestamps:00:18 - Jessica’s return: Big changes since Remote Social01:02 - Jessica’s role at KPMG Futures explained02:16 - Working with early-stage startups in a corporate setting03:50 - Why KPMG continues to invest in innovation06:23 - Jessica’s journey from Remote Social to KPMG08:25 - Balancing startup and corporate cultures09:48 - The resources and flexibility at KPMG11:08 - How having three kids shapes Jessica’s work-life balance13:32 - Jessica’s daily habit: Running for over 760 days straight!18:20 - Launching her passion project, Capital X24:37 - How Capital X is helping female founders find investors27:16 - The future of work and AI: What’s next for Jessica?Don't forget to subscribe for more inspiring interviews with founders, innovators, and business leaders!Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/give-it-a-nudge--4623437/support.