Ep 8: Storyteller. Poet. Healing, Connection, and the Courage to Live Fully || Andrew Riis

Ep 10: This Is What It Actually Takes To Go All In || Olly Williams

Everyone romanticises walking away from the safe path. Olly actually did it. director title, nice car, the income he chased since his twenties. Then he hit rock bottom, got sober, and gave it all up to bootstrap a health and wellness brand he knew nothing about. In this episode Olly (founder of Sunday Salt) and I talk about what success really means once money stops being the answer, the brutal reality of building sunday salt from ground zero, burning through 90k pre-revenue, and how documenting the messy founder journey openly pulled in a whole network of people providing valuable advice.  This one is for anyone standing at the edge of a big decision, wondering if they have the courage to start over. WHAT WE COVER: * Redefining success after you get everything you thought you wanted. * Hitting rock bottom and rebuilding piece by piece.  * Why the skill curve is always steeper than you think, and so is your ability to learn.  * Managing future stress by living the worst case once, then moving on. * Building brand and community before you even have a product. * Documenting the journey as an underrated arbitrage. * How complementary co-founders cover each other's blind spots. * Balance as a discipline, not a default. TIMESTAMPS 00:00 — Cold open: the night that changed everything 01:35 — Who is Olly: from Bathurst basketball obsession to real estate director to founder 04:19 — Redefining success: from money and status to fulfillment and freedom 06:26 — Rock bottom: waking up with no memory and getting sober 16:05 — The brutal first 30 days: hating his own content and starting from zero 23:15 — Why gels and electrolytes: the ingredient gap nobody else was solving 30:10 — The real cost of building a product: a $250K packaging call and a hidden expense 34:02 — Going public with the numbers: the $6300k bill that brought in free mentors 39:43 — Angel investors vs. bootstrapping: what Olly actually wants in a partner 52:47 — What's next: building community before the product even exists CONNECT WITH OLLY WILLIAMS INSTAGRAM — https://www.instagram.com/ollywynnwilliams/ [https://www.instagram.com/ollywynnwilliams/] LINKEDIN — https://www.linkedin.com/in/oliver-williams-688432241/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/oliver-williams-688432241/]  TIKTOK — https://www.tiktok.com/@oliverwilliams952 [https://www.tiktok.com/@oliverwilliams952]  INFORMATION ON SUNDAY SALT WEBSITE — https://www.sundaysalt.com.au/?srsltid=AfmBOornzD9gpp3mvqd-JdVIphvruZtA7qxBEj_JopBQOVNsCfd0QMuM [https://www.sundaysalt.com.au/?srsltid=AfmBOornzD9gpp3mvqd-JdVIphvruZtA7qxBEj_JopBQOVNsCfd0QMuM]  INSTAGRAM — https://www.instagram.com/sundaysaltau/ [https://www.instagram.com/sundaysaltau/]  LINKEDIN — https://www.linkedin.com/company/sunday-salt/posts/?feedView=all [https://www.linkedin.com/company/sunday-salt/posts/?feedView=all]  TIKTOK — https://www.tiktok.com/@sundaysaltau [https://www.tiktok.com/@sundaysaltau]  CONNECT WITH MAHDIEH INSTAGRAM — https://www.instagram.com/mahdieh.rassafiani/ [https://www.instagram.com/mahdieh.rassafiani/] FOLLOW YOUR NEXT STEP PODCAST INSTAGRAM — https://www.instagram.com/yournextstep.pod/ [https://www.instagram.com/yournextstep.pod/] TIKTOK — https://www.tiktok.com/@yournextstep.pod [https://www.tiktok.com/@yournextstep.pod] YOUTUBE — https://www.youtube.com/@YourNextStepPodcast [https://www.youtube.com/@YourNextStepPodcast]

Ep 9: Rewriting the Rules of the Beauty Industry || Sophie Sin Yu Auyeung

Sophie Sin Yu Auyeung is the founder of MYRRAR your AI-powered beauty bestie, the app helping every woman understand her skin, her undertone, and what actually works for her own unique face. But here's the thing... she's not technical. She pitched this idea in a room full of 70 tech bros. And she's had managing directors look her dead in the face and tell her Myrrar "isn't a real business." And instead of letting any of that break her... she used it. Every single NO became fuel. We got into the stuff I think we don't talk about enough: what rejection actually does to you, why failing isn't the end (she's walked away from two businesses before this one), what it means to build something in public when you have no idea what you're doing yet, and why she's not building a product... she's building a movement. This one's for anyone who's ever felt like they don't fit the mold. Sophie's proof you can just go build your own. WHAT WE COVER * The shower thought during COVID that became MYRRAR (and why it took 5 years to feel right). * The real problem with beauty... it's not the makeup, it's who gets left out. * Why AI can do what influencers and sales assistants never could. * How she handles doubt when the people doubting her run accelerators. * Why building publicly on TikTok was one of her smartest moves. * How to know when to quit something vs. when to keep pushing. * What school gets so wrong about failure and fitting in. * The mindset shift that changed everything: done is better than perfect. TIMESTAMPS 00:00 — Sophie introduces herself: funny, sassy, strong, and "borderline stubborn" 02:07 — The origin of MYRRAR: from a shower thought during COVID to pitching in front of 70 tech bros 07:11 — The real problem in the beauty industry (and why it is bigger than you think) 14:30 — Facing doubt: when investors and managing directors tell you to your face it is not a real business 20:43 — Why Sophie chose to build Mirror publicly from day one 25:11 — What entrepreneurship actually means: impact, identity, and building something that is all yours 31:25 — Knowing when to quit: why exiting is sometimes the smarter, braver move 35:10 — What the education system gets wrong about failure, uniqueness, and preparing people for real life 47:56 — What success really looks like for Mirror (it is a movement, not just an app) 49:13 — Advice for anyone who has an idea sitting in their notes app right now CONNECT WITH SOPHIE LINKEDIN — https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophie-sin-yu-auyeung-aba898186/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophie-sin-yu-auyeung-aba898186/]  INSTAGRAM — https://www.instagram.com/_myrrar/ TIKTOK — https://www.tiktok.com/@sophie_myrrar?lang=en [https://www.tiktok.com/@sophie_myrrar?lang=en]  DETAILS ABOUT MYRRAR WEBSITE — https://www.myrrar.com/ [https://www.myrrar.com/]  INSTAGRAM — https://www.instagram.com/_myrrar/ [https://www.instagram.com/_myrrar/]  TIKTOK — https://www.tiktok.com/@_myrrar?lang=en [https://www.tiktok.com/@_myrrar?lang=en]  CONNECT WITH MAHDIEH INSTAGRAM — https://www.instagram.com/mahdieh.rassafiani/ FOLLOW YOUR NEXT STEP PODCAST INSTAGRAM — https://www.instagram.com/yournextstep.pod/  TIKTOK — https://www.tiktok.com/@yournextstep.pod  YOUTUBE — https://www.youtube.com/@YourNextStepPodcast

Ep 8: Storyteller. Poet. Healing, Connection, and the Courage to Live Fully || Andrew Riis

Most people spend their whole lives running from the dark. Andrew ran toward it. A poet, storyteller, and farm kid from Canada, Andrew has walked through grief, darkness, and seasons of life that would break most people. And instead of rushing past them, he learned to sit in them. Trust them. Let them change him. In this episode, he shares a philosophy rooted in nature, ancestry, and a radical refusal to live with a closed heart. The kind of conversation that makes you want to slow down, breathe, and actually feel your life again. This one's going to stay with you. WHAT WE COVER * The muddy river on a Canadian farm that shaped everything Andrew believes about being alive * Why feeling empty despite having everything traces back to one thing: our relationship with death * Why connection isn't something to create. It's something to return to * What nature actually teaches us about rest, grief, and trusting the dark seasons of our lives * The tidal river moment that redefined faith and resilience for Andrew * Simple practices to come back to yourself when the darkness feels like it won't lift * Why Andrew is finally ready to tell his own story and the one line that called him out: "Stop being willfully blind to your own truth" TIMESTAMPS 00:00 — Andrew and Mahdieh open: green energy, farm life, and who Andrew really is 01:19 — “A soul so in love with the sacred opportunity to be alive” 03:14 — Why staying soul-connected matters: ancestors, war, and peace as a birthright 06:01 — The root cause of modern disconnection: our relationship with death and control 09:23 — How consumer culture invented the self and sold us safety 10:03 — Connection is something to return to, not create (the leaf analogy) 11:32 — Why Andrew looks to nature: trees, rivers, and what’s stood the test of time 13:45 — The leaf that’s always red and orange — what nature teaches us about hope 15:08 — Rest as the missing piece of becoming: learning to honour the winter 16:26 — The tidal river: trusting that the ocean will come to you 20:21 — How a decade of telling others the world is friendly was actually Andrew convincing himself 25:03 — What to do when you want to heal but don’t know where to start 27:44 — Breathwork, nature walks, and the five-things practice 29:21 — Stop colonising your own emotions — meet your feelings with curiosity 34:00 — When you face the mirror, magic starts: synchronicities, the stranger named Peter 37:39 — Beyond overcoming: what’s possible when you stop defining yourself by your trauma 41:06 — What season Andrew is in now and why spring is finally arriving 44:19 — “Stop willfully blind to your own truth”: the moment he chose storytelling over another agency 46:28 — “I don’t want to die with my song unsung” CONNECT WITH ANDREW RIIS LINKEDIN — https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewpriis/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewpriis/]  INSTAGRAM — https://www.instagram.com/andrew.riis/ [https://www.instagram.com/andrew.riis/] CONNECT WITH MAHDIEH INSTAGRAM — https://www.instagram.com/mahdieh.rassafiani/ [https://www.instagram.com/mahdieh.rassafiani/] FOLLOW YOUR NEXT STEP PODCAST INSTAGRAM — https://www.instagram.com/yournextstep.pod/ [https://www.instagram.com/yournextstep.pod/] TIKTOK — https://www.tiktok.com/@yournextstep.pod [https://www.tiktok.com/@yournextstep.pod] YOUTUBE — https://www.youtube.com/@YourNextStepPodcast [https://www.youtube.com/@YourNextStepPodcast]

Ep 7: She Left Everything. Twice. Here's What She Learned || Behnaz Sahaf

This one's personal. This week I sat down with the most requested guest amongst my friends - my mum (Behnaz). She grew up in a small town in Iran, lived through the Islamic Revolution and the Iran-Iraq War, became a doctor, raised two kids, and then immigrated to Australia with no job, limited English, and no family around her. She did it once. Then she went back to Iran and did it all over again. It took her eight years to get her fellowship as a GP in Australia. She started from scratch twice, at an age when most people are thinking about slowing down. This conversation covers resilience, identity, what it means to be authentic, and why she believes life is far simpler than we make it. One of the most honest, emotional episodes I've recorded. I hope it stays with you. KEY TAKEAWAYS * Your why has to be bigger than the goal. Title and status won't carry you through hard seasons. Purpose will. * Failure only exists when you're attached to one outcome. Reframe the setback as part of the path. * Support systems are everything. Accepting help is a strength, not a weakness. * You can start over at any age. She began her Australian registration when her peers back home were retiring. * Authenticity is about values, not status. She never wanted the car or the clothes. She'd rather give the money away. Help without expecting anything back. The thing she's most proud of is help no one even knew she gave. * Don't judge your past self by your present wisdom. You did the best you could with what you had. * Life is simple. Be a good person. Do your best. That's enough. TIME STAMPS: 00:00 - Introduction 02:52 - Growing up through the Islamic Revolution and the Iran-Iraq War 05:33 - Leaving Iran, studying medicine, and immigrating to Australia 09:41 - Starting over, a master's degree without knowing how to use a computer 17:05 - What people misunderstand about her 21:26 - The season of life that almost broke her 25:28 - Her relationship with failure and why she reframed everything 33:06 - Was there a time you were worried about me but said nothing? 40:41 - Her advice for anyone who feels lost right now 43:37 - Where she sees her future going CONNECT WITH MAHDIEH INSTAGRAM — https://www.instagram.com/mahdieh.rassafiani/ FOLLOW YOUR NEXT STEP PODCAST INSTAGRAM — https://www.instagram.com/yournextstep.pod/  TIKTOK — https://www.tiktok.com/@yournextstep.pod  YOUTUBE — https://www.youtube.com/@YourNextStepPodcast

Ep 6: Why Being ‘Weird’ Might Be Your Biggest Advantage || Braith Leung

Everyone says "be authentic."  Very few actually show you what that looks like. In this episode I sit down with Braith who has built across startups, content, and music and one thing stands out - he doesn't wait.  He follows curiosity, takes action, and isn't afraid to look a little "weird" doing it. This isn't about having it figured out. It's about trusting the process while you do. This isn’t a conversation about having it all figured out.  It’s about trusting the process.  If things don't fully make sense yet this one's for you. WHAT WE COVER: * Why curiosity is your biggest unfair advantage * Standing out with zero experience or social proof * Using AI without sounding like everyone else * Why giving value for free early changes everything * Building a personal brand that converts, not just gets views * Letting go of advice that no longer serves you * Rejection as redirection TIME STAMPS: 02:10 - Curiosity as a growth engine  04:45 - Why giving value early in your career pays off  07:15 - Outreach strategies and building social proof  10:05 - Overcoming age and experience doubts in startups 13:30 - AI: automation vs. authenticity  17:00 - How social media levels the playing field for young founders  20:40 - Getting started with personal brand and content  24:05 - Why consistency beats motivation  27:30 - Using AI ethically without losing your voice  31:00 - Music as therapy and brand extension  34:10 - Owning your "weirdness" as a differentiator  37:20 - Unlearning outdated advice  40:15 - Handling skepticism about youth and credibility  43:30 - What's next: Kinso, personal brand, and music  47:20 - Rejection as a filter, not a failure  50:00 - Identity, perseverance, and staying true to yourself CONNECT WITH BRAITH: * LINKEDIN - https://www.linkedin.com/in/braith-leung/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/braith-leung/] * INSTAGRAM - https://www.instagram.com/braith.mp4/ [https://www.instagram.com/braith.mp4/] * TIKTOK - https://www.tiktok.com/@br.ai.th [https://www.tiktok.com/@br.ai.th] FOLLOW EX-VICARIOUS WEBSITE: https://ex-vicarious.com/ [https://ex-vicarious.com/] FOLLOW EX-VICARIOUS: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ex-vicarious/ [https://www.linkedin.com/company/ex-vicarious/] FOLLOW KINSO ON INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/kinso.app/ [https://www.instagram.com/kinso.app/] JOIN KINSO WAITING LIST: https://www.kinso.ai/?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQMMjU2MjgxMDQwNTU4AAGnZDMKnHvF45_2dfXwTDm_d6eiHOf52s8fFxsRF5h2LU4P9Wl1Nzh-yNVWe88_aem_zY8EOUBpV15akD_g0brlmg [https://www.kinso.ai/?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQMMjU2MjgxMDQwNTU4AAGnZDMKnHvF45_2dfXwTDm_d6eiHOf52s8fFxsRF5h2LU4P9Wl1Nzh-yNVWe88_aem_zY8EOUBpV15akD_g0brlmg] CONNECT WITH MAHDIEH ON INSTAGRAM - https://www.instagram.com/mahdieh.rassafiani/ [https://www.instagram.com/mahdieh.rassafiani/] FOLLOW YOUR NEXT STEP PODCAST SOCIALS * INSTAGRAM https://www.instagram.com/yournextstep.pod/ [https://www.instagram.com/yournextstep.pod/] * TIKTOK - https://www.tiktok.com/@yournextstep.pod [https://www.tiktok.com/@yournextstep.pod] * YOUTUBE - https://www.youtube.com/@YourNextStepPodcast [https://www.youtube.com/@YourNextStepPodcast]