#146 - The Contrarian Bet on Japan That Most Investors Are Missing (James Halse)

The Med School Dropout Rebuilding Women's Healthcare In Australia (Grace Toombs)

In episode #153 of Sweat Capital, we sit down with Grace Toombs [https://www.instagram.com/gracetoombs/], Founder of Hey June [https://heyjune.com.au/], to unpack why she walked away from a hard-won place in medical school to rebuild women's healthcare in Australia. After ten years of chronic pain being dismissed by doctors, Grace was finally diagnosed with stage three endometriosis while studying medicine. During that surgery, her gynaecologist performed a cervical screening test and it returned high-grade pre-cancerous cells. She'd only caught it because of her proximity to the healthcare system, and she couldn't stop asking: what happens to the women who don't have that access? That frustration became Hey June, a Medicare-backed platform turning the most shame-filled experience in women's healthcare, STI testing and cervical screening, into care women actually want to use, now reaching thousands of women in every state and territory in Australia. We dive into the early days of cold-calling and door-knocking pathology labs as a med school dropout with no piece of paper, landing $120k through the Startmate Accelerator when June had been in market for barely six weeks, the Forbes 30 Under 30 cover that suddenly got her emails answered, and why she's turned down VC after VC while holding out for mission-aligned, patient capital. We also explore the state of women's health in Australia, why women weren't included in Australian clinical trials until 2010, the toxic wellness culture flooding social feeds with advice that isn't evidence-based, why diagnostics (including a new saliva test for endometriosis) are racing ahead of continuity of care, and what it will take to reach women in rural, remote and Indigenous communities. For founders, clinicians, or anyone who's ever been told "there's nothing wrong with you", this episode is a lesson in turning rage into your unfair advantage. *** This episode was recorded on 13 July 2026. Follow us on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/sweatcapitalpodcast/] & LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/sweatcapitalpod/]. We'll see you in the next one, Keep playing the long game.

#152 - Oliver Allis (Yo-Chi): The Brand Builder Behind Australia's Favourite Frozen Yoghurt

In this episode of Sweat Capital, we sit down with Oliver Allis, Chief Brand Officer at Yo-Chi, to unpack how a frozen yoghurt brand became one of the most talked-about businesses in the country. Oliver was 23, fresh off a year of travelling when his family made a bet on the future of frozen yoghurt. At the time it was four stores, the frozen yoghurt craze was flickering out, and COVID was about to shut Victoria down. Six years on, Yo-Chi has expanded to 74 venues, including internationally. This growth has led Oliver to describe his own as a transition to being the brand's guardian. For anyone building a brand, thinking about how businesses stay relevant, or wondering whether saying yes to the uncertain thing at 23 is worth it, this is a rare look at how taste, conviction and a genuine obsession with the details can turn a plateauing business into a movement. *** This episode was recorded on 9 July 2026. Follow us on Instagram & LinkedIn. We'll see you in the next one, Keep playing the long game. *** Shoutout to Strategic Advisor to the show, Richard Weinberg, for hosting us in his Boardroom!

#151 - Tahlia Kennedy: How To Escape "200 View Jail" & Grow An Audience From Scratch

This week, we sit down with Tahlia Kennedy [https://www.instagram.com/tahlia.kennedy/], Head of Content at Kinso [https://www.instagram.com/kinso.app/], for a masterclass on building an online audience from scratch. Tahlia's path here was far from linear. She rushed into a degree, walked away from it, and started an ice bath business off Facebook Marketplace that cost her thousands. But instead of chasing another product, she made a different bet: go and learn the game of business by working directly under founders. A year on, and she's built the content engine behind Australia's most viral startup. We unpack: * The daily system behind her content: morning ideation, batch filming, and batch editing * The difference between building a personal brand and a business brand * Her content funnel: entertaining skits up top, storytelling in the middle, product demos at the bottom, all feeding one flywheel * Why you don't actually need a niche anymore, and how to grow fast by studying the outliers * Build In Public, the done-for-you founder brand business she's building with her partner Charlie * The one piece of advice she'd give her 18-year-old self For anyone trying to grow an audience, market a business without a marketing budget, or just work out why their videos keep flopping, this one's for you. *** This episode was recorded on 30 June 2026 at The Daily Aus [https://www.instagram.com/thedailyaus/]' awesome studio here in Sydney. Follow us on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/sweatcapitalpodcast/] & LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/sweatcapitalpod/]. We'll see you in the next one, Keep playing the long game.

#150 - Nick Palumbo: The Gelato Messina Story & Why Specialisation Matters

In this week's episode, we are joined by Nick Palumbo (Founder - Gelato Messina) to discuss his journey over more than 20 years of operating Australia's most recognised gelatisserie. In the discussion, we unpack: Why keeping it simple has served Nick and his business partners well? Messinanomics - the secret behind Gelato/ice cream and its rough nexus to the macroeconomy, some of the patterns and trends discussed may surprise you... The one thing that Nick could not live without His advice for other young entrepreneurs and business owners of all kinds A rare insight into the brainchild of Messina's approach to succeeding in a notoriously challenging industry. *** This episode was recorded on 25 June 2026. Follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instragram [https://www.instagram.com/sweatcapitalpodcast/] & ⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn. [https://au.linkedin.com/company/sweatcapitalpod] We'll see you in the next one, Keep playing the long game.

#149 - Best of 2026 So Far: Job Interviews, Cybersecurity, Consulting Wealth Management (Part 2)

We're just about halfway through 2026 with 26 episodes in the bag, so we wanted to look back at some of our favourite moments from the show so far this year. In Part 2, we revisit four conversations that stuck with us – from the art of ethical hacking and protecting Australia's largest companies from cyber threats, to lessons from Australia's highest ranked wealth adviser, to how to nail your next job interview or pitch. In this episode: 00:00–09:05 Assadi Youssef (IBM) on the art of ethical hacking and protecting Australia's biggest companies from cyber threats [⁠⁠Episode #139 [https://youtu.be/iFL8zx3qUiA?si=D-sxCiEj_QSLLaif]⁠⁠] 09:05–22:03 Jonathan Pease (Winning The Room) on how to nail your next job interview or pitch [⁠⁠Episode #145 [https://youtu.be/cnWLJQ-dmRM?si=uemEQ2SH50wwWefX]⁠⁠] 22:03–33:36 Dr. Stephanie Allen (Kearney) on going from solving bus timetables to advising global healthcare giants [⁠⁠Episode #137 [https://youtu.be/sX3p6RDhoL0?si=3DXVk3wgX8bZ7olO]⁠⁠] 33:36–52:24 Charlie Viola (Viola Private Wealth) on going from a bank teller to Australia's highest ranked wealth adviser [⁠⁠Episode #141⁠⁠ [https://youtu.be/ZaCgVNMmg2A?si=il__kvelfTB7Zs1b]] *** Follow us on ⁠Instagram⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/sweatcapitalpodcast/] & ⁠LinkedIn⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/company/sweatcapitalpod/]. Enjoying the show? Share this episode with a friend who's playing the long game in whatever they're doing. We'll see you in the next one.