Founders Before 9am

India Hindmarsh turned a love of movement into one of Sydney's most loved Pilates brands — built on a simple idea: luxury, whilst getting sweaty. As founder and head trainer of Core Culture Pilates, India built more than a workout. She built a community, a philosophy, and a brand that lives in people's bodies, not just their feeds. In this episode, she shares the gap she saw in the market...

You can have the most beautiful brand in the room — but if the commercial side of your business isn't built right, none of it will matter when you walk into that retailer meeting. Thu Nguyen spent years as a Fashion Buyer at Myer, sitting on the side of the table that most founders are desperately trying to reach. Now, as the founder of Unhinged Business, she helps fashion, beauty and consumer...

She's curated superyacht experiences for some of the world's most recognisable names — including a certain Leonardo DiCaprio — but Joey Dunleavy will be the first to tell you her mornings are anything but glamorous. Joey is the co-founder of The Yacht Life Australia, Sydney's leading luxury yacht charter and events agency. Before building her own business, she spent years as a stewarde...

Kirsten Scott—co-founder of BOA (a networking platform for the new generation of entrepreneurs)—joins me to unpack how BOA blends product + IRL to build real relationships (not just business cards). We cover her morning non-negotiables, the origin story, designing events that actually move the needle, BOA Chapters, the BOA Bus mentor tour, and her identity shift from employee to co-founder. You’ll...

Before the pink boxes and corporate orders came the  pre-dawn grind  and very real sacrifice. In this Before 9AM conversation,  Kristy Valentine  traces the arc of  Dr Dough —from lonely founder days and 4AM starts, to a pandemic pivot that reframed donuts as  gifting , to the emotions and lessons of  selling her “baby”  and moving into a portfolio of new ventures. You’ll hear: The calm  morning r...

Ten quiet minutes changed everything. Rosy shares how meditation turned her from reactive to steady—reshaping how she leads people and makes hard calls. She traces the spark for IV League Drips back to a trip across the U.S., where seeing IV wellness everywhere inspired a studio-plus-mobile model at home. And she’s honest about the falls—scale tests that didn’t work—and the mindset that treats eac...

Most artists go mobile—Elyse built a studio-first brand where looking polished is effortless any day of the week. In this chat, she shares how Up Make turns luxury into convenience with repeatable systems and a calm, client-first experience. We cover: Morning rituals and staying in peak state on back-to-back days Studio vs. mobile: quality control, capacity, and brand power The client journey: pre...

What happens when a self‑taught designer turns a side hustle into 700+ projects, three decorating books, and a thriving studio? Emma Blomfield—founder of EB Studio and author of the brand‑new guide Style Your Home—joins Candice for a 45‑minute, before‑sunrise chat about:- Morning momentum: dog walks, get ready, and the tidy‑bed rule that sets her day.- From GFC to EB Studio: how a marketing grad p...

She went from cattle-farm kid to Miss Universe Australia 2022, and now she’s whisking vibrant green tea into a fast-growing wellness brand. In this episode, Candice sits down with Monique Riley, model, actress, and founder of Mrs Matcha. They dive into: 1.Life after the crown — what pageant boot camp really taught her about grit, public scrutiny, and pitching a business. 2.Morning rituals that sti...

What happens when a new mom builds one of the most innovative tech platforms in luxury fashion? In this episode, I sit down with Lauren Kennedy — tech co-founder of HIGH END, the AI-powered platform redefining how we buy and sell pre-loved luxury. We talk about the bold bet she made to leave a stable job, how she built trust into a market flooded with counterfeits, and what it’s really like to rai...

In this episode, we sit down with Sophie Hood, the powerhouse founder and CEO of  Seoul Tonic , a disruptive wellness beverage brand inspired by her love for Korean culture. From navigating the early days of entrepreneurship while juggling a full-time job, to being ripped off before she even launched, Sophie’s journey is one of resilience, bold storytelling, and unapologetic confidence. She opens...

What does it take to build unshakable confidence and turn risks into rewards? In this episode, Amy Castano reveals how growing up as an only child shaped her calm energy and mental resilience. She shares her unique perspective on setbacks—seeing them as mere moments, not roadblocks—and how this mindset has fueled her journey through life’s highs and lows. Amy also unpacks the power of word-of-mout...

Ever wonder how top professionals stay unshakable in high-stakes situations? In this empowering episode, recruitment powerhouse  Alex Montrezor —founder and visionary Recruitment Consultant—reveals her transformative morning ritual to conquer chaos before the day begins. Join us as Alex shares her battle-tested routine of  self-talk, affirmations, and visualization , honed through years of navigat...