Your Next Step with Mahdieh Rassafiani

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 re...

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...

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 ref...

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 a...

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 trusti...

In this episode, I sit down with May Ku , founder of Reev , a dating app built to bring depth and real conversation back into modern dating. We talk about her journey growing up in a highly competitive environment in Korea, struggling with identity, and how that shaped the woman and founder she is today.  What I loved about this conversation is that it’s not just about building a tech product, it’...

In this episode, I sit down with Vithyaa Thavapalan to unpack the thinking and discipline behind her journey as an entrepreneur, fire investigator, community builder, and mother. We talk about leadership under pressure, building confidence when the stakes are high, and why boundaries are essential for sustainable growth. Vithyaa shares how motherhood reshaped her priorities and leadership style, f...

In this conversation, I sit down with Parth Galati, co-founder of Gather Wealth, to unpack the journey, mindset, and decisions that shaped his path from India to Australia. We explore what long-term success really looks like - beyond revenue and titles - and how relationships, creative thinking, and multidisciplinary experience become a founder’s unfair advantage. Parth breaks down the thinking be...

In this episode, I sit down with Jessica Martin for a real conversation about the parts of growth and entrepreneurship that rarely get spoken about. We talk about how her upbringing shaped a relentless work ethic, the pressure that came with it, and what happens when ambition starts to override emotional and physical health. Jessica shares her journey from a pre-med path into marketing, the financ...

Summary In this reflective bonus episode, I share my thoughts on turning 28, the importance of self-reflection, and the life-changing decision I made two years ago to stop drinking. I talk about how choosing an alcohol-free lifestyle has transformed my mental health, social life, and personal growth, and I reflect on the wisdom from friends that has shaped me along the way. As I step into my next...

In this conversation, Stephanie and I dive deep into the messy, magical journey of growth, both personal and professional. Stephanie talks about what it really feels like to back yourself, to step away from the safety of a corporate job, and to build something that feels true to who you are. We explore the courage it takes to choose authenticity over expectation, the fear that comes with being see...

In this debut episode of Your Next Step , Mahdieh Rassafiani opens up with honesty, vulnerability, and intention. She shares the story behind the podcast - a space built for founders, dreamers, and anyone navigating the messy middle of their journey. Mahdieh reflects on her upbringing in Iran, migrating to Australia, the cultural and educational challenges she overcame, and how each chapter shaped...