The Lazy CEO Podcast with Jane Lu

This week on The Lazy CEO, Jane Lu is joined by Meagan Pate, co-founder of STRAAND and COO and co-owner of Three Warriors , to unpack one of the biggest questions every founder faces: how do you know if your business idea is actually any good? In this episode, they get into: How to spot a genuine gap in the market versus a product nobody actually wants. How much validation you need before investing serious money into an idea. The difference between product-market fit and good marketing. Knowing when to keep going and when it’s time to kill an idea. If you haven't listened to Meagan's founder story yet, it's well worth a listen! She's got a wealth of knowledge when it comes to building consumer brands, so grab a pen and paper. Listen here: How Meagan Pate Is Building Brands That Make It Onto Global Shelves Free your team from time-consuming procurement tasks. Discover smart business buying, where unmatched selection meets AI-driven tools to simplify complex processes so you can focus on what matters most. Learn more at Amazon.com.au/thelazyceo Connect with us: Follow The Lazy CEO podcast: @thelazyceo_podcast | @thelazyceopod Stay updated with Jane Lu: @thelazyceo Connect with Meagan: @meagan_pate _ See what Three Warriors is up to: @threewarriors Check in on STRAAND: @straand.scalpcare See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on The Lazy CEO, I’m joined by Meagan Pate, co-founder of STRAAND and COO and co-owner of Three Warriors . Meagan knows what it takes to turn a gap in the market into a global beauty brand. She’s helped scale Three Warriors into a multi-million-dollar business and co-founded STRAAND, which is rethinking the scalp care category entirely. From raising millions in capital to getting products onto the shelves of major global retailers, Meagan has plenty of lessons to share about what it actually takes to build and scale a consumer brand. In this episode, we get into: How to spot gaps in the market and turn them into products people actually want. What it takes to get your products onto the shelves of major global retailers and take an Australian brand international. The realities of raising $6M and building a venture-backed business. The differences between scaling a bootstrapped brand and a venture-backed business. Free your team from time-consuming procurement tasks. Discover smart business buying, where unmatched selection meets AI-driven tools to simplify complex processes so you can focus on what matters most. Learn more at Amazon.com.au/thelazyceo Connect with us: Follow The Lazy CEO podcast: @thelazyceo_podcast @thelazyceopod Stay updated with Jane Lu: @thelazyceo Connect with Meagan: @meagan_pate_ See what Three Warriors is up to: @threewarriors Check in on STRAAND: @straand.scalpcare See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Help My Small Business , Jane is joined by Elysia Krstevski, founder of Meke Baby , to review Lisa’s travel company, Crooked Compass . Crooked Compass offers unique journeys and experiences you won’t find with traditional travel companies. So how can Lisa turn what makes her business different into marketing that makes people want to book? Jane and Elysia unpack how to make the brand stand out, use Lisa’s expertise to bring the experiences to life and help her step out of the operational weeds so she can focus on growing the business. Free your team from time-consuming procurement tasks. Discover smart business buying, where unmatched selection meets AI-driven tools to simplify complex processes so you can focus on what matters most. Learn more at Amazon.com.au/thelazyceo Connect with us: Follow The Lazy CEO podcast: @thelazyceo_podcast Stay updated with Jane Lu: @thelazyceo Connect with Elysia: @elysiakrs See what Mekė Baby is up to: @mekebaby.au See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on The Lazy CEO, Jane is joined again by the founder of Hairification , Jordan Mylius, for part two of their conversation. Last time, they talked about everything Jordan got right to grow Hairification to $20 million in sales in just two years. This time, they're flipping the conversation to the mistakes they've made along the way. In this episode, we get into: Why positive feedback doesn't always translate into actual sales. How over-ordering stock can tie up cash and put pressure on your business. The people decisions founders can get wrong, and the role fear plays in those choices. Listen to part one of our chat with Jordan - Hairification: How to Get on Shelves AND Stay There Free your team from time-consuming procurement tasks. Discover smart business buying, where unmatched selection meets AI-driven tools to simplify complex processes so you can focus on what matters most. Learn more at Amazon.com.au/thelazyceo Connect with us: Follow The Lazy CEO podcast on Instagram: @thelazyceo_podcast Stay updated with Jane Lu: @thelazyceo Stay updated with Jordan: @mistermylius Follow Hairification! @hairification_haircare See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on The Lazy CEO podcast, Jane is joined by Elysia Krstevski, founder of Mekė Baby . Elysia came up with the idea after battling mastitis as a new mum and realising there was no easy way to safely warm expressed breast milk while out with her baby. With no product development experience, she decided to create the solution herself. Three years later, Mekė Baby has sold out seven times and landed on the shelves of Baby Bunting. In this episode, they get into: How Elysia turned a personal problem into a product, then built an entirely new category around it. How she convinced Baby Bunting to back a category that barely existed, and why she turned down international distribution opportunities early on. How Elysia has dealt with copycats. Whether you're building a product from scratch or trying to take your business into retail, Elysia's story is a great reminder that some of the best business ideas start with a problem you can't believe hasn't already been solved. Connect with us: Follow The Lazy CEO podcast: @thelazyceo_podcast @thelazyceopod Stay updated with Jane Lu: @thelazyceo Connect with Elysia: @elysiakrs See what Mekė Baby is up to: @mekebaby.au See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Help My Small Business , Jane and Ethan Yong, founder of UmamiPapi , review Neon Goat , a natural deodorant brand for tween and teenage boys. The challenge? Boys are the consumers, but Mum is the one buying it. Jane and Ethan unpack how Neon Goat can appeal to both audiences, from branding and social to building trust with parents without losing its cool factor with kids. By the end of this episode, you'll learn: How to build for both the buyer and the consumer How to make a brand feel cool while still building trust How to market to two very different audiences Connect with us: Follow The Lazy CEO podcast on Instagram: @thelazyceo_podcast Stay updated with Jane Lu: @thelazyceo Stay updated with Ethan: @flavourenhancer621 Follow UmamiPapi!: @itsumamipapi See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on The Lazy CEO, I’m joined by Ethan Yong, founder of UmamiPapi. Ethan started making chilli oil during COVID while working his first job as a graduate, spending his weekends cooking and packing orders before and after work. A few years later, UmamiPapi is a 7-figure business, stocked in thousands of retailers including every Coles store nationally, exporting to Malaysia and the UAE. And if that wasn’t enough, Gordon Ramsay tasted the chilli oil and gave it his very own verdict: “absolutely fucking delicious.” In this episode, we get into: What it was actually like building a food business from scratch while working a full-time job. The biggest mistakes Ethan made while scaling a bootstrapped business. How to build a brand that stands out in such a competitive category. What it was really like appearing on Gordon Ramsay’s Food Stars. Connect with us: Follow The Lazy CEO podcast on Instagram: @thelazyceo_podcast Stay updated with Jane Lu: @thelazyceo Stay updated with Ethan: @flavourenhancer621 Follow UmamiPapi!: @itsumamipapi See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on The Lazy CEO, Jane is joined by the founder of Hairification, Jordan Mylius. Hairification has hit $20 million in turnover in just three years and expanded into some of the biggest retailers across Australia and overseas. But getting onto retail shelves is only half the battle. The real challenge is proving your product works, staying ranged and turning that first retail opportunity into serious growth. In this episode, we get into: What retailers actually look at once your product is on the shelves, and what good sell-through really looks like. How quickly retailers decide whether a product is working and what can make or break your relationship with them. The hidden costs of major retail that founders often don't see coming. Listen to Jordan's founder story - Hairification: How Jordan Mylius Sold His Brand Nationwide Before Having a Product Connect with us: Follow The Lazy CEO podcast on Instagram: @thelazyceo_podcast Stay updated with Jane Lu: @thelazyceo Stay updated with Jordan: @mistermylius Follow Hairification! @hairification_haircare See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on The Lazy CEO, Jane is joined by Renata Black, co-founder and CEO of EBY, the performance intimates brand that's grown from $10 million to $75 million in revenue in just 3 years, while competing against some of the biggest names in the industry. What makes Renata's story so compelling is that this wasn't an overnight success. She spent years refining the business, received 436 investor nos, nearly lost the company, and even put her family's life savings on the line before everything finally clicked. In this episode, we get into: Why the founders who make it aren't always the smartest, but the ones who can endure the most pain. How Renata built a category-defining product by obsessing over customer problems. Why she believes innovation is what separates market leaders from everyone else. The storytelling behind EBY's sold-out launches and the marketing strategy that's helped the brand stand out in a crowded category. Connect with us: Follow The Lazy CEO podcast: @thelazyceo_podcast @thelazyceopod Stay updated with Jane Lu: @thelazyceo Connect with Renata: @renatamblack Check out EBY: @joineby See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Help My Small Business , Jane is joined by Gabrielle Requena, founder of Wrinkles Schminkles, to review Shay’s family-run Sydney salon, Blossom Hair and Beauty . After rebranding from The Bridal Bar, Shay wants to attract more customers beyond the bridal market - but she’s struggling to shift how locals see the business. Jane and Gabrielle unpack how to make Blossom stand out, attract more busy mums and get the business in front of the right customers online. Connect with us: Follow The Lazy CEO podcast: @thelazyceo_podcast @thelazyceopod Stay updated with Jane Lu: @thelazyceo Connect with Gabrielle: @gabriellereq Check out Wrinkles Schminkles: @wrinklesschminkles Follow Blossom Hair & Beauty: @blossomhairandbeautyco See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week's episode is a proper debrief with Jane on everything that's been happening lately, both in business and behind the scenes. Jane goes down memory lane, reflecting on where Showpo started, how far the business has come and what it feels like to now be sitting in her 11th office. She also chats through her new social strategy, what's changing about the way she's approaching content and why she's thinking differently about her personal brand. And on the personal side, Jane gets into what's next for her, what growth looks like on the other side of 40 and the things she's thinking about as she heads into this next chapter. Episodes mentioned: #141 Dr. Mathen’s Health Playbook for High Performers and What Most CEOs Get Wrong Connect with us: Follow The Lazy CEO podcast: @thelazyceo_podcast @thelazyceopod Stay updated with Jane Lu: @thelazyceo See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on The Lazy CEO, Jane is joined by Gabrielle Requena, founder of Wrinkles Schminkles, the beauty brand behind the reusable medical-grade silicone wrinkle patches that pioneered an entirely new skincare category. Gabrielle launched the business in 2014 with one hero product, bootstrapped it from day one, grew it to $20 million in annual revenue, expanded into 22 countries, and after 12 years, successfully exited the business. In this episode, we get into: What it was really like to be on Shark Tank, and the rejection that followed. The TikTok that generated $11M in sales! The actual cost of selling your business: the physical, mental and emotional toll. What life is like post-exit. Connect with us: Follow The Lazy CEO podcast: @thelazyceo_podcast @thelazyceopod Stay updated with Jane Lu: @thelazyceo Connect with Gabrielle: @gabriellereq Check out Wrinkles Schminkles: @wrinklesschminkles See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on The Lazy CEO podcast, Jane is joined again by Grace Garrick, founder of Movement Agency. After years of advising founders on how to build brands and show up publicly, Grace is back to break down the difference between building in public and founder-led branding, and how to know which is right for your business. In this episode, we get into: The risks and rewards of becoming the face of your brand, and what happens when you eventually want to step away. How to build a personal brand that cuts through without chasing virality. Whether you're building your personal brand or figuring out how much of yourself should sit at the centre of your business, Grace breaks down how to make it work for you. If you haven't listened to Grace's first episode, catch up on The PR Playbook: What Will Actually Shift the Needle and Grow Your Business ft. Grace Garrick. Connect with us: Follow The Lazy CEO podcast: @thelazyceo_podcast @thelazyceopod Stay updated with Jane Lu: @thelazyceo Connect with Grace: @gracegarrick See what Movement Agency is up to: @mvmnt_agency See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Help My Small Business , Jane is joined by Kia Buckley, founder of Kikiva Collection , to review Wanda's business, Estetika , a beauty accessories brand known for its premium makeup bags. After landing Nordstrom, Wanda's facing the realities of wholesale growth: pressure to expand her product range, trademark issues in the US, and whether wholesale is accelerating her business or distracting from it. Jane and Kia unpack the realities of wholesale growth, why landing big retailers isn't always the win it seems, and how to scale without losing sight of your brand. By the end of this episode, you'll learn: How to know if your business is actually ready for wholesale Why you shouldn't let retailers dictate your product strategy Why more stockists doesn't always mean a stronger business Connect with us: Follow The Lazy CEO podcast: @thelazyceo_podcast @thelazyceopod Stay updated with Jane Lu: @thelazyceo Connect with Kia: @kia_buckley See what Kikiva is up to: @kikiva.collection See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on The Lazy CEO podcast, I'm joined by Kia Buckley, founder and CEO of Kikiva Collection. Kia started the brand at 19 from her apartment garage with $10,000 she'd saved working three jobs. Four years later, Kikiva has become an eight-figure activewear brand, built alongside the loyal community she's grown by sharing the journey on TikTok. In this episode, we get into: How Kia built an eight-figure brand before turning 24, and whether starting young was actually her biggest advantage. The cash flow realities of scaling fast, selling out launches, and growing a product business. Why documenting the journey on TikTok helped Kikiva build a genuine community, not just an audience. Whether you're starting out or scaling a brand, Kia's story is a reminder that there's no perfect time to start, and the messy parts are often where the biggest lessons come from. Connect with us: Follow The Lazy CEO podcast: @thelazyceo_podcast @thelazyceopod Stay updated with Jane Lu: @thelazyceo Connect with Kia: @kia_buckley See what Kikiva is up to: @kikiva.collection See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week's episode is all about the people red flags that can quietly cost you money, time, energy and sometimes your sanity. Jane is joined once again by her best friend Jude Batrac, a workplace culture and leadership expert with two decades of experience across Google, Coca-Cola and News Corp. Together, they unpack the five biggest people red flags they've seen in business partners, investors, senior hires, employees and even friends in business, bringing both a founder's perspective and an HR leader's lens. They dive into why misaligned values, poor communication, ego over outcome, a lack of accountability, and ignoring your founder instinct can become some of the most expensive mistakes you'll make in business. They also share the green flags worth looking for, and the qualities of the people who make businesses stronger, not harder. Whether you're hiring your first employee, building out your leadership team or deciding who deserves a seat at the table, this episode will help you become more discerning about the people you build with. Connect with us: Follow The Lazy CEO podcast: @thelazyceo_podcast @thelazyceopod Stay updated with Jane Lu: @thelazyceo Connect with Jude: @jude_batrac_mc See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on The Lazy CEO podcast, we're opening up the PR playbook with the person who lives and breathes it, and fair warning, this episode will crack everything you thought you knew about PR, have you re-evaluating your next six months, and set you up to do it better. Grace Garrick founded Movement Agency at 24, entirely self-funded. Seven years on, it's one of Australia's most respected creative comms agencies, the one the biggest names in fashion, beauty and lifestyle call when they need to cut through. She built the business on the belief that attention is earned through ideas, not just exposure, and she knows exactly what gets a journalist's attention and exactly what brands are wasting their budget on. In this episode, we get into: Why old-school PR alone no longer gets your brand noticed, and what to do instead. The biggest misconceptions founders have about PR, press, influencers, gifting and paid partnerships. How to make your brand PR-ready: the founder stories, thought leadership and counterintuitive angles journalists actually chase. Why authenticity, original experiences and real opinions are worth more than ever in the age of AI. This is the modern PR playbook for founders who want to shift the needle, build real credibility and build a brand people can't stop talking about. Connect with us: Follow The Lazy CEO podcast: @thelazyceo_podcast @thelazyceopod Stay updated with Jane Lu: @thelazyceo Connect with Grace: @gracegarrick See what Movement Agency is up to: @mvmnt_agency See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week's episode is a very special one! Jane is marking a big milestone, her 40th birthday, with a tell-all letter to her younger self: the anxious version, the ambitious version, the broke version, the one who cared way too much about what people thought. Joining her is her best friend Jude Batrac, a workplace culture and employee experience leader with experience across Coca-Cola, Google and News Corp. Jude has coached hundreds of leaders and brings a sharp lens on what actually shapes confidence, decision-making and resilience, both in life and at work. They talk about why you don't need everyone to understand your decisions, how a lot of anxiety disappears after you make that one tough call, and why outgrowing people doesn't make you a bad person. They also get into why the life you're jealous of often comes with trade-offs you wouldn't choose, and the idea that your 20s are for trying things while your 30s are for figuring out what actually matters. Links mentioned! 40 Lessons I'd Tell My 20-Year-Old Self Listen - Bali Buddies: Karlie Cummins on Creating the Ultimate Lifestyle Business Connect with us: Follow The Lazy CEO podcast: @thelazyceo_podcast @thelazyceopod Stay updated with Jane Lu: @thelazyceo Connect with Jude: @jude_batrac_mc See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Help My Small Business, Jane is joined by Natassia Nicolao, founder of Conserving Beauty, the science-backed skincare brand she scaled to eight figures. With her experience building and growing a brand from the ground up, Natassia brings that hands-on expertise to review Amelia's business, Dulese , a natural refillable deodorant brought over from New Zealand to launch into the Australian market. By the end of this episode, you'll learn: The costly mistake founders make treating Australia and New Zealand as one market How to build genuine relationships with influencers and media without a big budget Why a small, loyal audience always beats chasing reach Connect with us: Follow The Lazy CEO podcast: @thelazyceo_podcast @thelazyceopod Stay updated with Jane Lu: @thelazyceo Connect with Natassia: @natasssia @natassia__ Follow Conserving Beauty: @conservingbeauty @conservingbeauty See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on The Lazy CEO Podcast, Jane is back with Linda Hammond, co-founder of Quay Australia and founder of OTRA Eyewear, for part two of their conversation. If you haven't listened to PART 1 yet, start there - it's a MUST LISTEN. In this episode, they get into the chapters most founders never talk about. Linda opens up about what it actually felt like to sell a nine-figure business to private equity, why the exit wasn't the finish line she expected, and how she's channelling everything she learned at Quay into building OTRA Eyewear. In this episode, she dives into: The truth about selling a nine-figure business to private equity, and why it's more complicated than it looks from the outside. How the industry has shifted since 1999, and how she's approaching marketing and team building differently with OTRA. What it's really like to build a business with your partner. Connect with us: Follow The Lazy CEO podcast: @thelazyceo_podcast @thelazyceopod Stay updated with Jane Lu: @thelazyceo Connect with Linda: @lindamhammond Follow OTRA Eyewear: @otraeyewear See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.