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Caleb Maru is the Head of Programs at EntryLevel- an edtech startup up-skilling students and young professionals through cohort-based courses. Caleb also invests in early-stage startups as the General Partner at Proximity Ventures.  Caleb studied a Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Laws at the University of Adelaide.  During his time at university, Caleb co-founded a social enterprise Humanitee that works with marginalised communities to co-design T-shirts. Hear Caleb's experience building EntryLevel, funding startups through Proximity Ventures and how you can expand your surface area of luck. Timestamps: [1:01]- Who Caleb wanted to be when he grew up [1:48]- Founding a social enterprise in university    [5:50]- Caleb's career journey [7:39]- How Caleb builds programs at EntryLevel [10:45]- The importance of cohort-based learning [12:35]- Having skin in the game as an investor  [14:30]- Barriers to entry to raising capital as a fund vs. startup [16:50]- Industries Caleb is interested in investing in [19:13]- How investing in Africa motivated Caleb to create impact at scale [25:07]- Investing in teams vs. Investing in products [26:10]- Diversity & Inclusion in startups [28:27]- The benefits of taking the leap by joining or building a startup [30:18]- Caleb's experience working as both an operator and investor [32:37]- How Caleb manages his time and prioritises deep work [34:45]- Books and podcasts that have shaped Caleb's thought process [37:35]- Caleb's experiences with failure and the power of saying 'no' [38:55]- Expanding your surface area of luck by understanding systems and questioning conventional wisdom References  EntryLevel Humanitee All-In Podcast My First Million Podcast Fooled by Randomness: The Hidden Role of Chance in Life and in the Markets The Black Swan: The Impact Of The Highly Improbable 

James Alexander is the co-founder and Partner at  Galileo Ventures– an Aussie VC firm backing emerging founders looking to change the world. James studied Computer Science at Usyd, before starting the Incubate Startup Program in 2012, where he helped over 100 startups launch and grow. In 2020, he closed a $10 million tranche of Galileo’s first fund with co-founder Hugh. I chatted with James about starting Incubate, why and how he’s backing emerging founders at Galileo and why Australia can become a global leader in technology.   Timestamps: [1:08]- Who James wanted to be when he grew up [2:41]- How James learned about business through his dad [4:19]- James’ career journey [8:50]- Working at Atlassian in the early days [12:30]- The process of starting Incubate [16:26]- Do founders have common backgrounds? [18:39]-Why the name Galileo? [21:19]- The Galileo model [24:05]- How do you develop the conviction to invest in early-stage startups? [26:32]- Why do traditional VCs overlook emerging founders? [27:48]- What does the accelerator look like? [29:20]- What support do coaches provide? [31:42]- Galileo’s unique investment process [33:23]- What’s the long term vision for Galileo? [34:35]- Can Australia become a global tech powerhouse? [36:51]- Government regulation that is holding Australia back [38:15]- Is technology a bipartisan issue overseas? [39:36]- Exciting tech trends [41:35]- Discussing Galileo’s portfolio  [44:04]- James’ perspective on failure [47:06]- Advice for students looking to start a company References: Galileo Ventures Relevance AI Huey the Bookbot Space Services Ally Assist Incubate

This is a special episode of Launch Codes from one of Textbook Ventures' events earlier this year.  In this episode, Max Marchione interviews Kylie Frazer from Flying Fox Ventures, Rayn Ong from Ong Heng Investments and Marvin Liao from GAMEGROOVE capital on their experiences as angel investors.

Deepesh Banerji is Senior Vice President of Technology at Deputy – a workforce management software for shift-based businesses.  Deepesh has worked across many firms and industries, starting as a product manager at Everyday Health Group in New York and rising to VP Product as the business scaled from startup to IPO. He also worked in senior product roles at ViacomCBS and Beem It before joining Deputy in 2019. I chatted with Deepesh about launching Beem It, dealing with the pandemic at Deputy and what skills you need to work in product management.  Enjoy! Timestamps: [1:06]- Who Deepesh wanted to be when he grew up [1:36]- Deepesh’s founder journey in college [2:48]-Deepesh’s career journey [5:22]- Was it a challenge jumping between industries? [7:28]- What skills are needed in any industry you are in? [9:26]- Deepesh’s experience launching Beem It  [13:20]- Was there ever a conflict between the banks behind Beem It? [14:02]-Handling the pandemic at Deputy [17:10]- What does product at a startup involve? [21:01]-Traits that good junior PMs display [22:45]- How to learn these traits  [24:24]-How to align people to a unified mission in a large company [27:10]- Is it more difficult to talk to your customers in a larger company? [30:40]- What’s the best investment Deepesh has made in his personal life? [32:15]- Deepesh’s perspective on failure [33:45]- Advice for students References: Deepesh's LinkedIn and Twitter Deputy Everyday Health Group Beem It The Hard Thing About Hard Things Working Backwards Inspired: How to Build Tech Products Customers Love  

Abhi Maran is an Investment Analyst at Folklore- an Aussie venture capital fund focused on investments in the seed stage.  Abhi studied applied finance at Macquarie University. After uni, he worked at Cambridge Associates, working with foundations and endowments to build their investment portfolios. He then jumped into startup land in an ops role at share rewards company Upstreet, before recently starting his role as a VC.  I chatted with Abhi about what separates good companies from great companies, why he’s excited about the metaverse and why you shouldn’t get caught up in comparing yourself to others. Enjoy! Timestamps: [1:08]- Who Abhi wanted to be when he grew up [2:33]- Abhi’s career journey [7:12]- What was Abhi’s mindset moving into the startup world? [8:23]- Operating experience at Upstreet [9:53]- Abhi’s role at Folklore  [10:34]- Future career goals [11:26]- What makes Folklore unique? [12:57]-Team dynamic at Folklore [14:04]- Trends in tech that Abhi is interested in [16:05]- What is the metaverse? [18:30]- Motivations in starting a Substack [20:44]- What separates good companies from great companies? [23:19]- What Abhi is currently reading [23:58]- Abhi’s food waste habit [24:38]-  Most impactful purchase under $100 [25:10]- Abhi’s billboard that millions of people would see [26:28]- Abhi’s perspective on failure [29:42]- Advice for students References: Superfluid Substack Folklore Cambridge Associates Upstreet Synthesis Not Boring Substack The Generalist Substack Stratechery The Contrarian

Jenny Chu is Head of Product at Eucalytpus. Eucalyptus is a healthcare tech company and one of Australia’s hottest startups. They have four brands: pilot for men’s telehealth, kin for women’s fertility, software for skincare and normal for sexual wellness   Jenny studied a Bachelor of Information Systems at UNSW and was also a previous GM at Textbook Ventures. After uni she started as a product manager grad at Atlassian where she worked for over 2 years before joining Eucalyptus. I chatted with Jenny about leading product at Eucalyptus, the challenges of scaling rapidly and the differences between a startup and a large corporate. Enjoy! Timestamps: [1:08]- Who Jenny wanted to be when she grew up [2:04]- What Jenny studied at uni [4:01]- Jenny’s career journey [8:27]- Jenny’s time at Atlassian [9:53]-Her motivation in moving to Eucalyptus  [11:54]- What does Eucalyptus do? [13:00]- Was the house of brands always the goal? [14:07]-Is there a lot of regulation in the healthcare space? [15:50]- More on Eucalyptus’ Series B raising [18:49]- Challenges in reaching healthcare professionals [20:00]- Challenges of scaling rapidly [22:10]- What does Jenny’s role as Head of Product involve? [23:36]- Advice for people looking for roles in product management [24:53]- The highlight of Jenny’s role [26:30]-  Jenny’s tips for students tossing up between startups and larger companies [28:35]- Long term goals for Eucalyptus [30:04]- The best investment Jenny has made in her personal life [32:00]- Jenny’s perspective on failure [37:10]- Advice for students References: Eucalyptus Atlassian Eucalyptus Series B

Nick Couvret is an investment associate at Equitise. Equitise is an equity crowdfunding platform that allows Aussies to invest in exciting early-stage companies. Nick is also the co-founder of Lazy Wombat- a sand-free towel company. Nick studied commerce at the University of Sydney and landed an internship at Equitise through the Industry Placement Program.  I chatted with Nick about how crowdfunding works and what makes it different from other early-stage capital, how he vets businesses for the platform and his tips for starting and growing a side hustle. Enjoy! Timestamps: [1:08]- Who Nick wanted to be when he grew up [2:10]- Nick’s career journey [4:38]- What does Equitise do? [7:08]- Regulation on crowdfunding [8:58]- How does crowdfunding differ from other early-stage capital  [12:50]- The marketing benefits of crowdfunding [13:28]- Examples of companies on the platform [16:18]- Nick’s role at Equitise [18:08]- How to vet businesses for the platform [21:50]-Risk that is acceptable versus risk that is unacceptable? [24:12]- The best part of Nick’s role [25:30]-The journey starting Lazy Wombat [28:46]- Handling manufacturing and distribution [29:40]- Strategies to grow the brand [33:00]- Advice for starting a side hustle [35:28]- The best investment Nick has made in his personal life [37:30]- Nick’s perspective on failure [39:15]- Advice for students   References: Equitise Rhinohide tbh Skincare Xinja SOFI Spritz Batch Brewing Co. Spinifex Brewing Co. Your Food Collective Lazy Wombat

Vicky Lee is the Growth Manager at women’s health brand Ovira. Their flagship product is the Noha- a device that uses electrical nerve stimulation to provide period pain relief. At the same time, Vicky is completing an Economics degree at Usyd. And before joining Ovira she worked at live music ticketing startup GiggedIn. I chatted with Vicky about what’s involved in her growth role, how recruiting works at a startup and the importance of seeing the tangible impact of her work on the women who use Ovira. Timestamps: [1:13]- Who Vicky wanted to be when she grew up [2:12]- Motivations for studying Economics and Law at uni [3:22]- Taking a break from uni and working at GiggedIn [5:30]- What is Ovira and Vicky’s role there? [7:56]- How Vicky landed her role [9:40]- The Noha device and how it works [11:30]- Balancing full-time work and study [15:05]- What does a day in the life as a growth manager look like? [17:34]- How recruiting works at Ovira [21:21]- Strategies used in growth to scale the business [24:10]- Seeing the impact that Ovira is having on its customers [25:50]- What advice does Vicky have for people looking to get into growth? [27:50]- What’s the long term vision for Ovira? [29:15]- How to build an effective community [32:44]- Working at a startup over a corporate [36:17]- Vicky’s perspective on failure [37:57]- What advice Vicky would give her younger self References: Ovira GiggedIn  

Hannah Parton-Cyr is a venture analyst at Black Sheep Capital. Black Sheep is a leading early-stage VC in Australia, with a portfolio including Airtasker, sendle, go1 and amber. Hannah studied chemical engineering at the University of Southern California, before making the jump to Australia and working at rail company Aurizon. After completing a masters in international economics and finance at UQ, she joined Black Sheep in August 2020. I chatted with Hannah about how she thinks about risk, the gender gap in VC funding and how a background in science helps her as an investor.  Timestamps: [1:08]- Who Hannah wanted to be when she grew up [1:57]- Hannah’s college and career journey [4:40]- Comparing the corporate environment of Aurizon to startups [7:37]- Hannah’s experience at Black Sheep so far [9:42]- How Hannah’s background in chemical engineering helps her as an investor  [11:15]- What metrics do you look at in early-stage investing? [13:40]- Companies in the Black Sheep portfolio [14:32]- What’s surprised Hannah about the role? [16:28]- The collegiate nature of Aussie VC [17:41]- How does Hannah think about risk? [20:45]- How Black Sheep works through different opinions on a company [22:20]- What keeps Hannah up at night? [23:36]- Favourite books [25:00]- Black Sheep’s investment in Milestone Pay [27:40]- Tackling the gender gap in venture funding [33:03]- The best investment Hannah has made in her personal life [35:20]- How a failure to get into consulting opened up other doors for Hannah [38:58]- Hannah’s advice for students References: Black Sheep Capital MilestonePay A Promised Land by Barack Obama Becoming by Michelle Obama The real reason female entrepreneurs get less funding- Dana Kanze

Pasha Ryan is the co-founder and CTO of Forage. Forage is a digital platform offering free virtual work experience programs from top companies like Citibank, BCG and General Electric.   Pasha studied commerce, philosophy, and computer science at UNSW. After uni, he worked as a management consultant at KPMG as well as a product manager at Freelancer.com before starting Forage in April 2017. I chatted with Pasha about the process of starting Forage, his experience in YCombinator and what the role of a CTO involves. Enjoy! Timestamps: [1:08]- Who Pasha wanted to be when he grew up [3:44]- Pasha’s career journey [4:58]- Studying a combination of commerce, philosophy and computer science [5:53]- Where the idea for Forage came from? [11:09]- When did Pasha realise that the virtual work experience model was the right one?  [14:03]- Going through Y Combinator [17:42]- Was there competition with the other companies in the accelerator? [19:33]- What are the strategies Forage has used to scale? [21:07]- Has it been hard to find the right talent? [22:34]- What does the role of a CTO involve? [24:28]- The impact of COVID [29:00]- What was the Series A fundraising process like? [31:30]- Rebranding from InsideSherpa to Forage [35:12]- The long term vision for Forage [37:58]- Pasha’s tips for those looking to starting their own business [39:12]- The best investment Pasha has made in his personal life [41:04]- Advice for students References: Forage Y Combinator My Life & Work- Henry Ford

Max Kausman is an investor at Tidal Ventures- an Australian venture capital firm that focuses on investments in the seed phase.  Max studied commerce and law at Monash University, and also worked at corporate advisory firm Vesparum Capital during his studies. He then jumped into the world of consulting at Bain and Company before joining Tidal in November 2020. I chatted with Max about how venture capital works, trends in the Australian startup ecosystem and the importance of building strong relationships during your career. Enjoy! Timestamps: [1:05]- Who Max wanted to be when he grew up [1:55]- Max’s career journey [5:10]- How Max’s interest in investing started [7:14]- Highlights of working at Bain and Company [9:12]- Is consulting a good training ground for those interested in startups and tech? [11:48]- Tidal Ventures Explainer [14:53]- What are the different stages of VC funding? [17:09]- What metrics do you look at the seed phase? [20:10]- What are the mechanics of a VC fund? [24:08]- Hurdle rates at a seed-stage fund [25:31]- Surprises of working at Tidal. [27:27]- What makes a great founder? [31:52]- Trends in the startup and VC industry [34:20]- Are there any sectors that Max is interested in? [36:32]- Carted explainer [41:20]- The best investment Max has made in his personal life [44:42]- Advice for students References: Tidal Ventures Vesparum Capital The Seed Stage- Georgie Turner- Principal at Tidal Ventures TheLoops PredictHQ Carted

Anna Podolsky is the cofounder and CEO of Lyka Pet Food. Lyka, named after Anna’s border collie, is a dog food subscription company that delivers fresh, healthy meals for your pup to your door. Anna studied finance and maths at UQ before starting her career as a management consultant at Bain and Company. Here, she had the opportunity to work across Australia, the US and Chile. I chatted with Anna about how she started Lyka while still at Bain, the fundraising process for a startup and why you shouldn’t only focus on getting brand names on your resume. Timestamps: [1:06]- Who Anna wanted to be when she grew up [2:25]- Anna’s career journey [3:20]- Highlights of working at Bain [4:50]- Where the idea for Lyka Pet Food came from [9:30]- Balancing working full-time with starting a company [11:08]- What did the first iteration of Lyka look like? [11:57]- Customer stories from Lyka [13:45]- How Anna thinks about recruitment and talent acquisition [15:45]- Crafting the Lyka brand [16:45]- The long-term vision for Lyka [18:10]- Challenges around maintaining manufacturing in-house [19:40]- What does the fundraising process for a startup look like? [22:02]-How did Anna learn how to pitch her company? [23:03]- The best investment Anna has made in her personal life [26:55]- How Anna thinks about failure [28:55]- Advice for uni students References: Lyka Pet Food