The Growth & Banter Podcast

In this episode of Growth & Banter, Blake Micola sits down with sales powerhouse Adam McCaughey to unpack one of the most unconventional journeys in business. From getting expelled at 15… to working in world-class kitchens like Rockpool… to living on a superyacht… and eventually closing $20M+ in sales. Adam's story is anything but typical. But this episode isn't just about the journey, it's a deep dive into what actually drives growth in today's market. They break down: Why conviction beats skill in sales The biggest mistake founders make when trying to scale How to identify the real bottleneck in your business The shift from product-led to founder-led growth Why are most people consuming information… but failing at execution How AI is reshaping teams, roles, and the future of business Plus, they unpack the concept of the "growth engine" and why building systems before scaling could be the difference between stagnation and exponential growth. If you're a founder, marketer, or operator trying to scale smarter (not just harder), this episode will challenge how you think about sales, leadership, and building a business in 2026. Tune in to rethink everything you thought you knew about growth.

In this episode, I had a chance to sit down with Jeremy Cabral, co-founder of Finder.com, to unpack what it really takes to scale from scrappy experiments to a global machine. Jeremy shares the inside story of Finder's journey, from generating a few thousand dollars in revenue to building and supporting a 600-person team operating across multiple countries. He breaks down how Finder built a scalable content and acquisition engine, why most companies misunderstand how Google actually works, and how intent, user engagement, and disciplined execution matter far more than shortcuts or hacks. This is a candid look at growth as a system, not a trick. Our conversation goes deep into leadership at scale: hiring and retaining top operators, building a culture that actually sticks, and why systems consistently outperform "great talent" once a business grows past the early stages. Jeremy explains how Finder protected its internal playbooks, built execution pods, and maintained loyalty in a highly competitive market. We explore what it takes to move from $10m to $100m, including isolating the right growth levers, installing repeatable engines, and knowing when founders must step back or re-enter the weeds. Jeremy shares his current work helping brands scale past eight figures, drawing on pattern recognition from hundreds of companies. This episode closes with a practical take on AI and technology. Less hype, more infrastructure. Jeremy explains how to break work into steps, remove grunt work through automation, and use AI as an amplifier rather than a replacement. If you're building a business and want clarity on growth, systems, leadership, and the future of scale, this episode delivers real insight without the noise

Miss Universe Australia 2022 turned entrepreneur. In this episode, we sit down with Monique Riley, founder of Mrs Matcha, to explore how she transformed a chance opportunity into a global platform and built a business that's redefining how Australians enjoy matcha. Monique takes us behind the scenes of her ten-month journey to winning Miss Universe Australia, her unexpected leap into entrepreneurship, and what it really takes to turn a personal brand into a thriving business. She opens up about the discipline, rejection, and self-belief that shaped her path, the challenges of launching Mrs Matcha, from supply shortages to price shocks, and the lessons learned building an authentic brand now stocked in over 50 cafés across Sydney and expanding internationally. Get her raw insights on the reality behind the glamour, and hear her vision for growing Mrs Matcha globally while staying true to health, quality, and integrity. 🎧 Tune in and share your biggest takeaway from this episode.

From building an iPhone app that hit #1 in five countries at just 19, to scaling Jack Nimble into Australia's Production Company of the Year, this is the story of a founder who's made every second count. In this episode, we unpack the journey of creating and selling one of Australia's top content studios, producing viral campaigns for Netflix, Spotify and eBay, scaling a 35-person team, and navigating a three-year earn-out post-acquisition. We dive into the "secret sauce" of great partnerships, the future of production in a creator-led world, and the identity shift that comes after exiting the company you built. But the story doesn't stop there. We explore what it means to start again with SUB3, a performance fuel brand born from a love of running, all while embracing fatherhood and training for a sub-3 marathon in Sydney, raising $12,000 for dementia research in honour of his dad. With reflections on leadership, resilience, and spotting market gaps, this conversation blends business insights with personal lessons on growth, grit, and making time matter.

In this episode, I sat down with Leo, Jayden, and Taki—co-founders of Pool Party, one of Australia's fastest-growing creative production agencies. What started as a humble passion project has grown into a multi-faceted brand spanning video, photo, events, and music. The boys share the wild ride, from grassroots beginnings running a local run club, to scaling a full-service creative agency trusted by global brands. We get into the highs and lows of building something from scratch: the lessons they've learned about branding and rebranding, navigating client briefs, managing team dynamics, and showing up consistently, even when things aren't going to plan. There's also plenty of candid conversation around personal growth, the power of storytelling, and how creativity—done right—builds trust that turns into long-term business. And yes, we even talk about how throwing a party can sometimes land your biggest client. It's raw, hilarious, and packed with insights for creatives, entrepreneurs, and anyone chasing something bigger than themselves. Tune in now—whether you're building a brand, leading a team, or just need a reminder that it can all start from a simple idea and the right crew around you.

Episode #23: Sam Gordon – How to Build a 130+ Property Portfolio In this episode, I sit down with Sam Gordon, founder of Australian Property Scout and one of Australia's most accomplished property investors and educators. With over 130 properties under his belt before the age of 34 and a rapidly growing education platform, School of Property, Sam is reshaping what's possible in the property game. We dive deep into Sam's journey, from humble beginnings to becoming Buyer's Agent of the Year in 2024. He opens up about the misconceptions around building large portfolios, navigating market shifts like rising interest rates, and the strategies that set his team apart in a competitive space. We also get personal, chatting about the importance of mindset, culture, and building a trusted team to fuel growth at both APS and SOP. Sam shares how he leverages personal branding, social media, and strategic marketing (including our work together at GMS) to scale impact and trust online. You'll learn: - How Sam built a 130+ property portfolio starting in his early 20s - ⁠The pros and cons of renting vs. owning as an investor - ⁠Key investment hotspots Sam believes will outperform in the next 3–5 years - ⁠The biggest lessons and challenges he's faced in his career - ⁠Why having a strong network and mentor circle is essential to success Sam's story is a masterclass in mindset, strategy, and scale. Whether you're starting out or already in the game, there's something here for every investor.

In this third sit-down, I'm joined again by my good friend Daniel Hakim, founder and CEO of Club of United Business (CUB), Australia's largest network for business owners and entrepreneurs. I've personally been a member since 2016, and I can wholeheartedly say that I credit a lot of my own entrepreneurial journey and success with GMS Media Group (and other ventures in the works) due to the network I've built within CUB. From gaining lifelong friends, clients, mentors, and partnerships, CUB has given me the toolkit to tap into the brightest minds across all facets of industries and skills in Australia. Daniel is a true champion of founder-led growth, and he's built CUB on the core values of community, trust, and meaningful connection. What started as a bold vision has now grown into Australia's largest and most influential business network, with 4 clubhouses in 🏠 Sydney 🏠 Parramatta 🏠 Melbourne 🏠 Brisbane With further rapid national expansion on the horizon, and also the recent launch of the Boa app for early-stage business owners with high-profile stakeholders, including Mark Bouris. We dive into his journey, the power of authentic business relationships, and how CUB is transforming the way entrepreneurs connect and grow. As the old saying goes, "your network is your networth". 🎧 Tune in now to hear how Daniel is redefining networking in Australia.

In this episode, I'm joined by Theo Chambers, co-founder and CEO of Shore Financial, Australia's No.1 independent brokerage. Under his leadership, Shore has grown from writing $5 million to over $300 million in home loans each month, picking up major awards along the way, including Champion Brokerage of the Year seven years in a row. Theo's story started at just 19, door-knocking to sell Foxtel. A chance run-in with a CBA manager led him into banking. But after using a broker to buy his first property, he realised he was on the wrong side of the game and made the leap into broking. Fast forward to today, and Shore Financial is a powerhouse in the industry. Some of the accolades achieved by Shore Financial include: 6 brokers named in AFG's Top 50 Brokers of 2024 Finalist for Customer Service of the Year (Office) – Australian Broking Awards 2023 MPA Rising Star 2025 In this episode, Theo dives into: How soaring interest rates have shaken up borrowing power The tech and team structure fueling Shore's explosive growth Why media hype and buyer sentiment can swing the market What it takes to build a winning team and keep clients coming back Tune in for an inside look at what it really takes to scale a top-performing brokerage in today's fast-paced market and why a strong personal brand and streamlined systems make all the difference.

In this episode, we are joined by Richard Bell, a prominent Australian entrepreneur known for his leadership in the early childhood education sector and his ventures in business investment. He currently serves as the CEO of Little Zak's Academy, a leading early childhood education and care provider in Australia. Under his leadership, the academy has expanded to employ over 1,800 staff members and operates multiple centers across the country. His leadership has driven the academy's commitment to a play-based curriculum, high-quality child care, exceptional extracurricular programs, and a strong operational framework—all aligned with the National Quality Framework. Beyond his role in education, Richard is also the founder of Business Leaderz Group, a boutique investment and advisory firm dedicated to helping businesses scale, strategize, and succeed. His entrepreneurial excellence was recognized in 2020 when he was honored with Sydney's Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award in the Finance category. Through his ventures and thought leadership, Richard Bell continues to shape Australia's business landscape, particularly in education and investment. Tune in to gain insights from his journey and learn how strategic leadership can drive success!

Episode 15 with Jane Lu aka "The Lazy CEO" Founder & Owner of ShowPo and Shark on Shark Tank Australia What started with a laptop and two shelves of clothing in her parent's garage in Sydney in 2010 is now a $100M+ global fashion empire, offering thousands of trend-driven styles to 120+ countries. In March 2023, Jane's expertise and entrepreneurial spirit earned her a spot on Shark Tank on Network 10 as one of the esteemed "sharks." Jane's incredible journey has been recognised with numerous accolades such as: 🏆 2015: Named Cosmopolitan Entrepreneur of the Year. 🏆 2016: Included in the Forbes Asia "30 Under 30" list. 🏆 2016 & 2017: Featured in Smart Company's "Hot 30 Under 30" list. 🏆 2017: Ranked among the most-viewed fashion professionals on LinkedIn. 🏆 2017: Debuted on The Australian Financial Review "Young Rich List." 🏆 2018: Online retailer of the year, Excellence in International fulfillment, and top social retailer 🏆 And the list goes on! Jane shares her inspiring journey of transforming an idea into a global success and what it takes to continue to innovate with fast paced market demands. She also reveals the challenges she overcame during startup and most recently during the COVID lockdowns, the lessons she learned, and her secrets to building a global business empire. She also talks about juggling family life, now being a mother of 2 whilst still living life to the fullest. Don't miss this chance to learn valuable insights and tips from one of Australia's top female entrepreneurs.

Episode 13 features Alexander Phillips, partner at PPD and recognised as the top sales agent in Australia for an impressive 9 consecutive years from 2016 to 2024. With over 200 sales each year and having sold $1 billion of property in 2023 within his core team, Alex maintains the same high level of service and dedication, whether a property sells in one day or takes three months. Since 2016, his listings have averaged just 21 days on the market—less than half the Sydney average—with nearly 50% sold to buyers from his database. By utilising targeted campaigns and engaging marketing strategies, along with his negotiation skills and ability to instill confidence, Alex has established himself as Australia's premier real estate agent. Alex shares his insights on personal growth and discusses the upcoming trends in the property market over the next 3-5 years. This podcast is perfect for anyone eager to gain insights and strategies on how to lead a successful full-rounded career and life. Tune in and enjoy the episode!

Taryn Williams is a multi-award-winning founder & CEO, and over the course of 20+ years has earned a reputation as one of Australia's most prolific entrepreneurs at the intersection of talent, media, and technology. Her latest project is #Gifted, a Shopify plug-in enabling brands to manage their influencer contra gifting at scale, which is already being used by some of Australia's biggest brands including Accor Hotels, PE Nation, Estee Lauder, and Panasonic. Co-founded with early-stage Canva and Atlassian employee, James Dumay, this SaaS business launched in 2023. Among numerous awards & accolades – 2018 Mumbrella Award for Innovation, 2017 B&T Women in Media Tech Leader, B&T Hot 30 under 30, & SmartCompany 30 under 30 to name a few – Taryn has also been named as a finalist for leading national awards including Female Entrepreneur of the Year Award, Women's Agenda Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year, and AIM Young Entrepreneur of the Year. Taryn is a sought-after commentator on tech, entrepreneurship, and business disruption. In this session, she will share her entrepreneurial journey and valuable insights on how you can leverage influencers to make your brand go viral online!

Join us for an inspiring conversation with Australian Fashion Authority, Pip Edwards, the incredible Founder and Creative Director of PE Nation. 🙌 Pip will take us on her journey of turning a dream into a thriving business, sharing the ups, downs, and everything in between. Plus, she'll dive into the exciting rebrand of PE Nation, revealing the strategies and lessons she's learned along the way. Don't miss this chance to learn from one of the best in fashion and business.