Catching Up With CUB

Daniel catches up with Nolan Keenan, Founder of Aveline Investments. Working in leadership positions at some of the world's largest corporations such as Salesforce & NAB for 25 years, Nolan decided to turn his side hustle & passion of property development into a full time gig at age 50. With multiple national projects already under his belt, Aveline Property Development now focuses on the coastal...

Daniel catches up with Bruce Morrison, Founder & CEO of Motor Active. Serving the automotive aftermarket for over 33 years and turning over $40 Million + annually, Bruce shares the journey of starting the B2B2C business with no capital to transforming it into the national powerhouse it is today. Daniel and Bruce discuss how to leverage grass roots marketing and the importance of building relations...

Daniel catches up with Lawrence Micalizzi, Founder of SolBox. Being recognised for his outstanding sales skills in his early 20s, Lawrence took the decision to put his expertise towards his own business. Now, his SaaS company SolBox is growing 80-100% a year, helping businesses with last-mile delivery automation, GPS fleet management and driver apps, ultimately saving them tens of thousands a year...

Daniel catches up with Sheilah Hogan, Founder of BX Collective. Starting her first business in NYC at the age of 30 & scaling it to 150 staff across the US & UK, Sheilah exited the company after 10 years to move to Australia with her family. With her wealth of business experience in both America and Australia, Sheilah now supports founders and leaders of entrepreneurial organisations to strengthen...

Daniel catches up with Courtney Joyce, Co-Founder of Virtual Spotter. After realising a life in the mines wasn't enough for him, Courtney decided to take a leap by starting his own cleaning company, scaling it to 50 staff in just 3 years. Now, Courtney & his brother own four F45 gyms and provide admin support to health businesses through Virtual Spotter, employing 100+ staff. Leaving his secure mi...

Daniel catches up with Andrew Robertson, CEO of FIX-A-TAP. Founded in 1972 by Andrew's father Ken, FIX-A-TAP is one of Australia's leading manufacturers & suppliers of top quality plumbing parts and accessories nation-wide. Celebrating over 50 years in business, Andrew, alongside his father, has experienced a vast array of challenges that business owners encounter regularly. In this episode, Danie...

Daniel catches up with Avi Efrat, Founder of Fantastic Framing. After retiring from the Israeli special forces as a Lieutenant, Avi migrated to Australia to begin a new life. Starting with selling artwork door-to-door, Avi's business is now 10 stores and 60 staff strong, with an incredible 5,000 5-star reviews on Google. On this episode Daniel and Avi discuss the problem-solving nature of business...

Catching up with CUB host Daniel is back and catches up with Calvin Chilchik, Head of CUB Sydney and more recently, the guest host of Catching Up With CUB. On this episode, Daniel and Calvin talk about the reasons behind Daniel's recent break from the podcast and work in general, exploring the cyclical nature of life and business. The conversation extends to the significance of company culture, st...

Our guest host Calvin catches up with John Chan, owner and MD of global design agency Berge Farrell for APAC. With over two decades of deep design expertise across 15 industry verticals, John has worked for some of the worlds largest corporations, including Coca-Cola, SABMiller, AB-Inbev, Nestle, BUPA, Unilever, Estee Lauder and Kraft.   The discussion delves into John's journey of growing up in S...

Our guest host Calvin catches up with Michael Buford, Managing Director of general engineering company Urban Pulse, and Co-Founder of a holdings and management company with holdings in the hospitality industry, fitness, construction and more. Mike's latest project is the planning of smart cities, creating a blue print for community inspired living. Calvin and Mike talk about how Mike started his f...

Our guest host Calvin catches up with Martin Dineen, Founder and Managing Director of MJD Recruitment.   MJD are Australia's largest office support recruitment specialists servicing clients and candidates with offices in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. On this episode, Calvin and Martin delve into Martin's entrepreneurial voyage and his transformative journey to sobriety at the age of 35, and disc...

Our guest host Calvin catches up with Dr. Patrick Aouad, Founder and CEO of CU Health, Australia's first virtual healthcare practice & leading wellbeing solution provider for businesses. When Patrick finished his neurology training, he was the youngest Neurologist in the country, but besides practicing medicine "Dr. Pat" is also a family man and a serial entrepreneur, founding businesses in medica...

Our guest host Calvin catches up with Michelle Young, Founder of POP UP Cosmetics. After identifying a substantial gap between American and Australian cosmetic prices, Michelle founded The Cosmetic Department & POP UP Cosmetics in a bid to make brand products more affordable for Australians.  Calvin and Michelle talk about the story & business model of POP UP, and the adversities she encountered w...

Calvin catches up with Sam Roby, Co-Founder of Pure Capital Finance. Since starting his business at just 21 years old, Sam and his team have helped over 4000 clients with their financing needs, purely off referrals and repeat customer work. Calvin and Sam delve into Sam's remarkable path as a young business owner and assess the current financial landscape in light of recent global developments. Th...

Daniel catches up with Aaron Smith, Founder of KX Pilates. KX is the Australian leader in Reformer Pilates, with more than 100 studios in Australia and globally.   Having faced challenging battles with mental health in his teens, Aaron discovered his passion for fitness, nutrition, and embracing life to its fullest during his early twenties. His journey led him to explore the globe, delve into the...

Daniel catches up with Kady O Connell, Founder of Kady Creative. After realising working as an employee would never give her the freedom she desired, Kady quit her job and travelled the world, freelancing for 6 months before returning to Australia. Here, Kady Creative was born, a business dedicated to helping online brands thrive and grow.   Daniel and Kady discuss the key to creating a thriving b...

Daniel catches up with Mona Zia, Founding Director of Avant Tech. After moving to Australia in 2003, and an outstanding 17-year career in communications and payments, Mona started her tech development business in 2020. Since then, Mona's business has gone from strength to strength, growing her team of expert IT creators in Melbourne and Pakistan.  Daniel and Mona discuss the profound courage it ta...

Daniel catches up with Yasser Zaki, founder of Tender Loving Care Disability Services and recipient of the APAC CEO of The Year Award in 2023.   Yasser's transformation from corporate professional to dedicated support worker stemmed from a simple act of kindness – assisting an elderly traveller with their luggage, leading to a meaningful connection. 6 years later, Yasser's businesses support peopl...

Daniel catches up with Gemma Manning, Founder & CEO of Manning & Co, Gemstar and YoungGems. Gemma is a serial entrepreneur and dedicated international business leader with over 20 years of experience in strategic marketing communications.     On this episode, Daniel and Gemma discuss her entrepreneurial journey following the birth of her first child, her experience spending a week with Richard Bra...

Daniel catches up with Mikey Taylor, Founder of Lionize and GoodSpace Gum. Successfully running the premium advertising agency Lionize for two decades, Mikey now reveals how a small side-project evolved into an exciting new venture. GoodSpace Gum represents an innovative mission aimed at globally reducing stress and anxiety.   Daniel and Mikey speak about the difference between being stressed and...

Daniel Catches up with Pauline Nguyen , Co-owner of Red Lantern , the most awarded Vietnamese restaurant in the world. Working in her family business from the age of 7, it was always clear to Pauline that entrepreneurship was her destiny. Today, Pauline is a two-time award winning author, international speaker and recognised as one of the Top 50 Most Influential Female Entrepreneurs in Australia....

Daniel catches up with Stella Gianotto, Founder of Brand for Brands. With over 25 years in the industry, Stella stands as one of the nation's most seasoned brand marketers. Her portfolio boasts an impressive 1000 global brands, and her efforts have earned her numerous awards throughout her journey. On this episode, Daniel and Stella discuss the essence of a strong and enduring brand, along with st...

Daniel catches up with Colin Evans, Managing Director of The Asset Finance Shop. Colin's career began with diverse experiences as a sawman in an abattoir and a truck driver before moving to Sydney and founding the Asset Finance Shop in 2016. Colin's company specialises in assisting Australian businesses in obtaining funding for various capital equipment, including trucks, trailers, heavy machinery...

Daniel catches up with Joseph Daoud, Founder of It's Simple Finance. Starting his entrepreneurial career as a personal trainer, Joseph founded It's Simple in 2019 to cut through the red tape of personal finance and make wealth attainable for all Australians during their lifetime. Daniel and Joseph discuss the importance of authenticity, they explore Joseph's inspirational path from being a struggl...

Daniel catches up with Raj Narayan, the Founder and CEO of Emajin Golf. After arriving in Australia to pursue her studies, Raj entered her 15 year banking career, including her role as COO at Westpac Private Bank. However, her true passion had always been Golf, leading her to earn the esteemed title of Women's Captain at the NSW Golf Club. After recognising an opportunity to systemise the correlat...