Podcast
Hard Mode
Hosted by Tractor Ventures · EN
This startup caper is HARD WORK!
This is the startup founder reality - the struggles and setbacks on the path to creating a future state they can control.
Join us, as we host conversations with founders, investors, operators and outliers with anecdotes of the path towards sustainable growth.
Hosted and Produced by the team at Tractor Ventures - this is Hard Mode
10episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Tipping Point with Seedooh
Dec 6, 202200:37:10Tap to summarizeWelcome to this episode of Hard Mode featuring Seedooh Founder & CEO Tom Richter in conversation with Tractor Ventures Co-Founder and Co-CEO Matt Allen.Seedooh is a fully automated, data-led Independent Verification Platform for public space advertising campaign reporting - the first of its kind. They’re committed to helping Australia develop a new industry standard in campaign playout reporting and they’re actively scaling into other highly-developed global markets.Discussed in this episode is Advertising Technology trends, taking a sector-wide approach to big data, the changing face of advertising attribution and how Seedooh evolved in the early days from consultancy to a platform.Talking points:Scaling an ad verification platformThe solution for advertisers and advertising agencies, globallyTaking a sector-wide approach to big dataTransitioning from consultancy to platformDividing a line between known and unknownThe changing face of advertising attributionThe future of integration and connectivityLinks:SeedoohAWS for StartupsOnline: www.seedooh.comTwitter: @SeedoohPlatformFollow Tractor Ventures on Twitter: @tractorventuresThis episode was hosted by Tractor Ventures Co-Founder & Co-CEO Matt Allen: @mattallen
Transcribe →
Macro Trends with Social Media College
Nov 29, 202200:52:36Tap to summarizeWelcome to Hard Mode with Social Media College Co-Founders & Co-CEO's Daniele Tanner & Jonathon Tanner in conversation with Tractor Ventures Entrepreneur in Residence, Noga Edelstein.Social Media College is the market leader for social media education. They work with the world's top social media experts who use all the social platforms every day to deliver real life education that helps people accelerate their business and career. They possess national accreditation for their Diploma of Social Media Marketing and engage with thousands of students and multiple universities. In 2014, Jonathon and Daniele were working in the consulting and advertising media industries & realised employers were struggling to find qualified social media managers and tertiary education providers were finding it impossible to keep up with the constantly evolving nature of social media marketing. This set in motion bringing the concept of Social Media College to market.Talking points:An online learning platform for social media marketingPiggybacking off macro trendsContinual involvement in entrepreneurial pursuitsThe mythology of the overnight successAn aligned vision as a couple running a startupLaunching a new platform to market…Funding the company from phase 1 to phase 2The power of EdTechGuiding Decision Making with Company ValuesTop tips for amplifying social media marketingLinks:Social Media CollegeA Cloud GuruCanvaChargebarForbes Top 50 Social Media Power Influencers ListOpen CollegesPluralsightSocial Media Marketing DiplomaOnline: www.socialmediacollege.comTwitter: @SMConnectInstagram: @socialmediacollegeYoutube: www.youtube.com/c/SocialMediaCollegeTV Follow Tractor Ventures on Twitter: @tractorventuresThis episode was hosted by Tractor Ventures Entrepreneur in Residence Noga Edelstein: @nogsE
Transcribe →
Validation & Discipline with Cartelux
Nov 22, 202200:40:20Tap to summarizeWelcome to Hard Mode with Joshua Williams, Founder & CEO of Cartelux. The Cartelux story is fascinating - they are shaping the future of retail marketing, empowering local area marketers to run digital campaigns in the most time efficient, cost efficient and brand compliant fashion possible, and have found particular product market fit within the automative industry.Discussed in this episode is Josh's approach to solving niche problems, the challenge and discipline required to pivot from a good, working business model to embrace risk in transitioning to a global tech company. Josh permanently moved from California to Australia and continues to grow Cartelux's global trajectory. Great chat!Talking points:The beginnings as a digital video agencyLeveraging the power of motion picture, onlineMoving into a specific niche problem to solveMoving from Southern California to AustraliaThe transition from filmmaker to entrepreneurShutting down a good business to go all in on a global tech playA globally distributed teamThe hard part about hard thingsCreating a team-wide culture of convictionLeaning heavily into automotive industryLinks:CarteluxAston MartinAudiBMW GroupFordGoogleKristin HarderMGNissanPatrick DobleRaoul PicelloRenaultStarcomToyotaOnline: https://cartelux.com/Twitter: @CarteluxFollow Tractor Ventures on Twitter: @tractorventuresThis episode was hosted by Tractor Ventures Entrepreneur in Residence Noga Edelstein: @nogsE
Transcribe →
Network Effect with Syncio
Nov 16, 202200:49:03Tap to summarizeWelcome to this episode of Hard Mode with Syncio Founder Jimmy Zhong in conversation with Tractor Ventures Co-CEO Matt Allen. Jimmy and Matt talk about the bootstrapped progression for Syncio, achieving network effect along the waySyncio is on a mission to take commerce to its next stage - Collaborative Commerce. This is a world where merchants can seamlessly partner with other merchants to cross-promote and sell each others products, where merchants can grow together.Syncio does this through real-time inventory, product, and order syncing across online stores. This reduces the immense time required to manage inventory across different shopfronts, ensuring all connected shopfronts have accurate stock levels to avoid overselling. 3000+ online stores use Syncio, syncing hundreds of millions of dollars in GMV on an annual basis.Talking points:Jimmy’s beginnings in fashionThe thing about marketplacesPivoting to ethical and sustainable lifestyle fashion focusCreating and leaning on the network effectShifting to full time focus on SyncioLaunching into accelerator programsTo go down VC path or to not go down VC path?The reality of the founder journey away from the shiny stuffHard ModeAn admiration for the growth of SingaporeCreating a category: Collaborative CommerceLinks:SyncioAkaguEthiKookaiLee Kuan YewMelbourne Accelerator ProgramModern SingaporePatagoniaStartmateShopifyOnline: www.syncio.cowww.tractorventures.comFollow Tractor Ventures on Twitter: @tractorventuresThis episode was hosted by Matt Allen: @mattallen
Transcribe →
Language & Business Growth with The English Farm
Aug 23, 202200:45:32Tap to summarizeWelcome to this episode of Hard Mode featuring The English Farm Founder Matthew Radich.The English Farm was created by teachers to be the best place on the Internet to learn English - They’re a community of more than 120 teachers, based all around the world, with Matthew himself residing in Auckland New Zealand.During the podcast chat with Tractor Head of Engagement Garry Williams, Matthew dives into the origins of starting The English Farm in Japan and Brazil, new Māori language focussed business streams and the importance of people, especially with a workforce based all around the world.Talking points:Beginning the business in one of the most difficult marketsA long history wth JapanThe challenges of dealing with a remote distributed teamBuilding trust with a large amount of staff all around the worldFactoring in seasonalityHard to find downtime!Down to the last $20…Make or Break timeLuck plays a part in building the businessThe gratification in building a businessTaking steps towards end goalsOnline:https://theenglishfarm.com/Facebook: @theenglishfarmwww.tractorventures.comFollow Tractor Ventures on Twitter: @tractorventuresThis episode was hosted by Garry Williams: @gwilliamsALTS
Transcribe →
Greener Tomorrow with Urban Plant Growers
Aug 16, 202200:56:42Tap to summarizeWelcome to this episode of Hard Mode featuring Urban Plant Growers Co-Founders Dilhan Wickremanayake & Peter Cole. Urban Plant Growers address the issue of food wastage and environmental degradation by selling indoor plant growing products to the average person.Much of the food we eat comes from industrial farms that rely heavily on fertilisers and pesticides that reduce the long term health of the soil they grow in. Furthermore the plants we commonly eat are those that are suited not to taste and freshness, but to being driven halfway across the country in a cold steel box to get to you.Hydroponics and indoor farming provides the opportunity for city dwellers to become self sustainable, allowing them to live healthier and more environmentally friendly lives.Dilhan and Peter chat to Garry Williams from Tractor about their backgrounds as engineers, launching an equity crowdfunding campaign to fund the next phase of life for UPG from the people and their importance on the team culture.Talking points:An interview in the middle of a fundraiseGrowing a holistic gardening company2 engineers meet at universityA COVID contribution to salesLaunching an equity crowdfunding campaignScaling up the ambition by hiring for needsAn eye to further overseas expansionRealities of shipping & supply chain logisticsPeople as an integral part of the businessA range of new products that enables people to grow food at the point of consumptionLinks:Urban Plant GrowersCostcoDavid JonesEden GardensEquitiseFlower PowerMarine TrafficOnline:https://www.urbanplantgrowers.com/Instagram: @urbanplantgrowerswww.tractorventures.comFollow Tractor Ventures on Twitter: @tractorventuresThis episode was hosted by Garry Williams: @gwilliamsALTS
Transcribe →
Digital Swiss Army Knife with Paperform
Aug 8, 202200:48:54Tap to summarizeWelcome to this episode of Hard Mode featuring Paperform Co-Founders Diony & Dean McPherson.Paperform is a flexible online form builder like no others. It combines beautiful design with serious digital smarts to create endless possibilities - you’ll hear the company referred to as a digital Swiss Army knife more than once in this episode.Payments, bookings, onboarding - all is possible in the Paperform experience, which is used by thousands of customers all around the world.Diony and Dean talk to us about running the business while running a family together, why optionality is important, building a great team culture for what’s important and getting very good at arguing well. We discuss their journey as a bootstrapped company, venturing into new enterprise offerings and how they feel about the term 'lifestyle business' particularly as it relates to the balance between the company and family.Talking points:The origins of the big visionHow do we feel about the perception of a lifestyle business?Building a great culture with family and community firstTo scale or not to hyper scale?A customer base predominantly overseas.Between optionality and end-gamesHard mode moments in the journeyGetting good at arguing wellMaking sure that responsibility and authority are matchedA background in arts/culture to a career in SaaSA-ha moment of where Paperform sits in the marketUtmost emphasis on customer successTurn on the tap with enterprise product offeringsLinks:Paperform37SignalsANUBasecampGoogle Arts & CultureMacquarie UniversityLinktreeZapierOnline:https://paperform.co/Twitter: @PaperformCowww.tractorventures.comFollow Tractor Ventures on Twitter: @tractorventuresThis episode was hosted by Matt Allen: @mattallen
Transcribe →
Large Scale Problem-Solving with Talisium
Aug 1, 202200:44:36Tap to summarizeWelcome to this episode of Hard Mode featuring Talisium Founder Tony Brennan. Talisium are reimagining global health education by providing a global focussed training platform that enables health employers and professionals to access thousands of health courses to upskill and stay current.During this conversation with Tractor Ventures Entrepreneur in Residence Noga Edelstein, Tony dives into his unbelievable career journey, and unpacks the motivations behind running this high impact business.Tony has a background in the Australian army, including time with the Parachute Surgical Team, where he trained in severe trauma medicine and aviation medicine. Tony completed a law degree and spent time practicing in the areas of corporate finance, corporate advisory and M&A. And as an academic, Tony was Australia’s youngest Adjunct Law Professor and has taught law and foreign direct investment across Australia and Asia.He has worked in corporate advisory across Asia, the Middle East and South America and more recently was the CEO for a medical and health services company where he developed training and medical projects in Afghanistan, the Middle East, USA, Africa and Haiti.Talking points:Providing Health Education with ImpactNow THAT is a career trajectorySolving problems on a big scaleA love of entrepreneurship as a careerFunding perspective for growing an impact focussed businessPinch-me moments in developing Talisium‘We make our own luck’High Praise for those who step into the unknownLinks:TalisiumClayton UtzNational University of SingaporeOnline:talisium.comwww.tractorventures.comFollow Tractor Ventures on Twitter: @tractorventuresThis episode was hosted by Noga Edelstein: @nogsE
Transcribe →
Transforming Boring Industries with Framefox
Jul 26, 202200:36:48Tap to summarizeWelcome to this episode of Hard Mode featuring Framefox Founder George Coltart. George helps people design simple, beautiful custom framing to easily frame any poster, print, or photo without leaving the house.Framefox have been a predominantly bootstrapped business that has benefitted from particular marketing techniques and word of mouth, which George attributes to the way that they are transforming a somewhat boring industry into something translatable into the digital focused world.In the conversation with Tractor Ventures General Partner (NZ) Lance Hodges, we dive into George's background in UX/UI design, transitioning the side-project to a full-time business and solving for a number of complexities along the way, including international expansion.Talking points:A background in digital design forming the origins of the Framefox storyTransitioning from side project to full businessA one-person operation (for a time)Solving for complexities by outsourcing rolesA predominant focus of outsourcing complex tech needs of the businessSeeing scaling marketing return resultsThe slow pace of bootstrapping gets word of mouth kicking inInternational expansionLinks:HausKubb BrothersNik SharmaOnline:www.framefox.com.auwww.framefox.co.nzFramefox on Instagram: @framefoxframeswww.tractorventures.comFollow Tractor Ventures on Twitter: @tractorventuresThis episode was hosted by Lance Hodges: @lancehodges
Transcribe →
Wealth Horizon with Dashdot
Jul 19, 202200:41:08Tap to summarizeWelcome to this episode of Hard Mode featuring Dashdot Co-Founder & CEO Goose McGrath. Goose & his Co-Founder Gabi Billing lead a team of ~70 people helping people to achieve their life and financial goals and with much less risk.Dashdot are Property Portfolio Growth Partners, on a mission to transform the way the world invests. They help their clients build prolific, profitable property portfolios, so they can achieve financial freedom faster, and live a life by design, not default. It’s Data and heart that sets them apart.In this conversation with Tractor Head of Engagement Garry Williams, Goose outlines the Dashdot approach to content and marketing, how you make people feel about branding, and making sure people understand that the team can be the biggest growth engine in your business (if you build that team right.)Talking points:Helping people to achieve their life and financial goals and with much less riskIdentifying the best property investment opportunities at the best timeProperty doubles every 7 years, right?A very unconventional path into investment focussed careersChanging the way people think about wealthBecoming a self-initiated content factoryHow you make people feel with brandingThe team can be the biggest growth engine in the businessOnline: dashdot.com.auDashdot on Instagram: @dashdotproperty www.tractorventures.comFollow Tractor Ventures on Twitter: @tractorventuresThis episode was hosted by Garry Williams: @gwilliamsALTS
Transcribe →