In discussion with Madi Stefanis - Founder 35mmCO

In discussion with Madi Stefanis - Founder 35mmCO

This week on In Real Time, I'm joined by Madi Stefanis, founder of 35mm Co, the brand bringing film photography back to a new generation. We dive into how Madi turned a nostalgic idea into a thriving business, the realities of building a consumer brand from the ground up, and what it really takes to create a brand people genuinely connect with. We chat about marketing, community, navigating the highs and lows of entrepreneurship, and the mindset shifts that come with growing as both a founder and a CEO. Whether you're building a business, dreaming of starting one, or simply love hearing honest founder stories, this episode is packed with practical insights and real conversations.   Instagram: @madistefanis 35mm Co: @35mm_co

In discussion - Sophie Founder Seoul Tonic. Everything you need to know about building!

Sophie is the founder of Seoul Tonic an eastern-inspired wellness brand built on Korean ginseng and pear extracts that she co-created with Mr. Park, a Korean producer in Jeonju, using his grandfather's extraction method. What started as a silver pouch in the Australian beverage fridge has grown into a global brand stocked in beauty stores, hotels, delis, recovery facilities, and — most recently a boutique in the Hamptons that led to a sell-out Bethany Frankel video. In this episode, Sophie and Millie sit down in New York to talk about what it actually takes to bootstrap a physical product brand across three markets simultaneously, why she's been able to go where competitors haven't by thinking of Seoul Tonic as a fashion accessory rather than a drink, and how she spent 18 months relentlessly chasing the W Hotel before they finally said yes. They get into the messy realities of international freight, navigating tariffs and Trump's administration as a foreign founder, and why she and her fiancé showed up in New York with no jobs and no plan and made it work anyway.

In discussion with Lily - VC raising? Breaking the beauty industry? NYC?

Lily is an Adelaide-born beauty industry insider who cold-emailed her way into Sydney, built a market research agency while finishing a computer science degree, and then turned a two-week business trip to New York into a full life pivot. Now she's four months into building Unfiltered a beauty social platform and app described as "Letterboxed for beauty" and she's raising her first real round in Manhattan. In this episode, Lily and Kaarme get into the wild, unfiltered reality of being a first-time female founder in the US venture world, why fundraising is literally just dating, and what happens when you delete your entire codebase in week four of your accelerator. They talk about the beauty industry's data problem, why big brands win on distribution not innovation, and how a viral TikTok about blush hex codes led to 100 women in a WhatsApp group which led to a complete pivot.

Shoot Your Shot: Building Ambition, Culture & Community with Zara Jarvis

Zara is a marketing powerhouse who went from teaching singing lessons in Ballarat, to running her own music school, to climbing the agency world and then cold-emailing Stephen Bartlett and landing a role managing his personal brand in London. In this episode, she and host Kame sit down (in London!) for one of the most honest, high-energy conversations about what it actually takes to build a career and a brand with intention. They cover the messy reality of chasing big opportunities (hint: it involves living in a Harry Potter attic with no air con), why culture is never "set and forget," the difference between community and belonging, and why saves and shares are the metrics you should actually care about. Plus: a masterclass on T-shaped careers, paid ads for founders, and why being called a "try hard" is the highest compliment.

Deep dive into Australias largest fashion brand - Sabbi the store

A deep dive into growing a major fashion brand in Australia. A founders dream in a podcast!  Instagram - Sabbi_thestore