Across The Table With David Melse

EP228: Important Podcast Update! Mid year recap | David Melse

For episode 228, David and Buddy go to the pub!

EP227: The Future of NZ Finance: The insurance Trifecta (Lucas Yeung / Invicta financial)

For episode 227, we sit down with Lucas Yeung, the co-founder of Invicta Financial, for a deep dive into his journey from being "young, dumb, and broke" to leading one of New Zealand’s fastest-growing financial services firms. Recorded on-site at their Christchurch office, this conversation marks Lucas’s first appearance on the podcast and explores the story of his career. Lucas recounts the humble beginnings of Invicta, which he started alongside his co-founder Tom just five years ago. Operating from a kitchen table in a small townhouse, the pair built the foundation of what has now become a multi-city operation. The business has since expanded rapidly into Auckland and Wellington, with Lucas sharing exciting updates on their brand new Queen Street office currently under renovation to accommodate their growing team. A major theme of the episode is Lucas’s vision for a "one-stop shop" in the financial sector. He explains why Invicta is moving away from the traditional niche model of financial advice to create a seamless experience where clients can manage mortgages, insurance, and KiwiSaver all under one roof. He provides a fascinating breakdown of the synergy between insurance and KiwiSaver, detailing how they use insurance for immediate protection while building a client's KiwiSaver balance to a point where it can eventually "take over" the risk as premiums naturally rise with age. The conversation also touches on the realities of scaling a service-based business. Lucas reflects on the pivotal decision to grow beyond a two-man operation, highlighting the success of their first employee, Jared, who joined at age 20 and has since become a cornerstone of their management team. Looking toward the future, Lucas doesn't hold back on his ambitions, discussing the goal of dominating the New Zealand "trifecta" of major cities and the long-term dream of potentially taking the company public—a rare feat in the local financial industry. Finally, Lucas pulls back the curtain on the world of lead generation and marketing. He describes the mechanics of buying leads for insurance comparisons and why Invicta is shifting its strategy this year to focus on building a household brand name. Whether you're interested in the inner workings of the New Zealand financial landscape or the grit required to scale a startup from a kitchen table to a national presence, this episode offers a transparent and inspiring look at modern entrepreneurship.  Check out Invicta Financial here: www.invictafinancial.co.nz ___________________ We’d like to thank our sponsor for this episode, Rosefern Homes. Check them out here: www.rosefernhomes.co.nz ___________________ Produced by Buddy Booth

EP226: Redefining Quality in Modern Townhouse Design (Paul Szybiak / ROSEFERN)

For episode 226, we met up with Paul Szybiak to check out 3 different building sites across Christchurch, documenting each stage of the building process for a ROSEFERN home. We see a freshly demolished site, to a construction site, to a newly completed townhouse. At each new location we get to hear about the challenges and wins of developing during the Christchurch development boom, and what the future of ROSEFERN HOMES looks like.  We’d like to thank our sponsor for this episode, Rosefern Homes. Check them out here: https://www.rosefernhomes.co.nz/ ___________________ Produced by Buddy Booth

EP225: Why Private Credit is the Ultimate "Boring" Wealth Builder (Simon Rolland/ZURIX)

For episode 225, we sat down with Simon Rolland for an exclusive interview about the new secret brand he has been building, ZURIX.CO.NZ [http://zurix.co.nz]. In his most personal conversation yet, Simon explains how this business aligns with a childhood dream of his, how his own son inspired the company name, and how mountaineering in his 20s shaped the new logo. After starting, scaling, and selling multiple businesses, Simon has a new approach to running this business, with a key focus on NOT scaling, and instead building for the next 30 years. Simon talks about his shift away from the high-velocity startup environment toward a more stable and sustainable legacy. He explains his philosophy of finding value in companies that are often overlooked because they appear analog or outdated, and he shares the specific steps he took to rebrand Fifo Capital into Zurix. This process wasn't just about a name change though, it was about modernizing systems to unlock hidden potential and turn a standard business into a high-yielding machine. Simon warns listeners about the dangers of buying into an industry where you don't possess the fundamental skills to step in and ‘save the day’ if things go wrong. He also details a pivotal moment in his career involving a private credit deal that generated $23,000 a month with minimal maintenance, which completely reshaped his view on how to effectively place capital. Finally, Simon and David discuss the importance of finding a growth sweet spot rather than chasing scale for its own sake. Simon explains his goal of a balanced business model that maximizes both professional profit and personal freedom, rather than scaling and changing the company completely. Whether you are interested in private credit, looking to acquire your first company, or simply want to learn how to move from working for your business to making your capital work for you, this episode provides a masterclass in strategic thinking.   Check out ZURIX here: www.ZURIX.co.nz ___________________ We’d like to thank our sponsor for this episode, Rosefern Homes. Check them out here: https://www.rosefernhomes.co.nz/ ___________________ Produced by Buddy Booth

EP224: The Green Gold Rush: How Puro is Scaling NZ’s Cannabis Industry (Tim Aldridge)

For episode 224, we met up with Tim Aldridge in Marlborough to tour PURO, the biggest cannabis farm in New Zealand. With over 60,000 plants, it’s something you have to see (and smell) to believe! In this mini episode of the podcast we hear the story of how Tim, Sank and Tom founded PURO, how it broke the NZ crowdfunding record on PledgeMe, how difficult it’s been to get started, and how fast the operation has been scaling. Tim predicts that Marlborough could be one of the best places in the world to grow medicinal cannabis, and explains how despite their massive success in markets such as Australia, Germany and the UK, how kiwis are unable to buy the product for themselves. This is a really unique business story that you won't find anywhere else!    Check out PURO here: www.puro.nz ___________________ We’d like to thank our sponsor for this episode, Rosefern Homes. Check them out here: https://www.rosefernhomes.co.nz/ ___________________ Produced by Buddy Booth