Annie Nguyen arrived in Australia with a background in finance and business, but couldn’t land a job as a barista. So she spent less than $200 setting up a tiny market stall selling Vietnamese iced coffee instead. That stall became ANNEES, now a beloved and growing chain of coffee shops popping up across Queensland. In this episode, Annie shares how she turned genuine human connection into an actual customer-service system, what Shark Tank taught her about backing your own vision, and why starting a business might require far less money, polish and certainty than you think.

On today’s episode, you’ll learn:

• How Annie turned “great customer service” into a repeatable system her team could actually learn, without making it feel scripted. (They remember every customer by name!)
• What Annie learned from pitching ANNEES on Shark Tank while six months pregnant, being questioned about whether motherhood would slow her business down, and walking away without a deal but a plan instead.
• How to know when growth requires you to stop doing everything yourself, trust your team and “get out of the way.”
• How Annie learned aspiring founders can “start embarrassingly small” instead of waiting for the money, infrastructure or perfect grand plan.

THE END BITS

Support independent women's media.

Got a work life dilemma? Send us all the questions you definitely can't ask your boss - send us a voice note or email us at [email protected]. You can remain anon! 

HOST: Lisa Lie 

GUEST: Annie Nguyen 

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Courtney Ammenhauser

SENIOR CREATIVE PRODUCER: Thom Lion

ASSISTANT PRODUCER: Sasha Tannock

Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Anaita Sarkar is the co-founder and CEO of Hero Packaging, author of How To Sell Anything Online and her authenticity shines through to her MASSIVE TikTok following.

But in this episode, she’s not here to give you the polished founder story. Anaita shares the mistakes that left Hero Packaging staring down a $600,000 inventory bill she didn’t know was coming, the moment she questioned whether she was actually a good business owner, and what it took to fight her way back. She also shares some of the most practical advice we’ve heard on BIZ, including the simple experiment she used to test whether there was actually a market for Hero Packaging before betting on the idea.

On today’s episode, you’ll learn:

• How Anaita tested demand for Hero Packaging with a landing page and a $20-a-day Google Ad before properly launching.

• Why 50, 100 or 200 people actively showing interest in your idea could represent a much bigger potential market.

• How a growing business can look successful while dangerous financial problems are building underneath it.

• Why blindly handing your finances to an expert can be a costly mistake, and what Anaita learned from discovering a $600,000 inventory bill had been missed.

THE END BITS

READ OR LISTEN to Anaita's book "How To Sell Anything Online"

Support independent women's media.

Got a work life dilemma? Send us all the questions you definitely can't ask your boss - send us a voice note or email us at [email protected]. You can remain anon! 

HOST: Lisa Lie 

GUEST: Anaita Sarkar - Hero Packaging

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Courtney Ammenhauser

SENIOR CREATIVE PRODUCER: Thom Lion

ASSISTANT PRODUCER: Sasha Tannock

Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We're constantly told to earn more, save more and somehow become better at money. But what if feeling financially secure isn't just about the numbers?

In this episode of Biz, Lisa Lie and Em Vernam sit down with financial educator Jess Brady to unpack the emotional side of money, and how the way we think about it can shape the choices we make.

Jess explains what your "money monster" is, and how to stop it quietly sabotaging your financial goals.

We also get practical: how to automate your money so you can stop wasting time online banking, what a "fruit tree" goal is and why having one can change the way you think about your financial future.

In this episode you'll learn

• How childhood experiences around money can create "money monsters" which subconsciously sabotage your relationship with money
• How to eliminate those emotional barriers to create financial freedom
• How to automate your finances and stop constantly checking your bank account
• What a "fruit tree" goal is and why you need one

THE END BITS

READ OR LISTEN to Jessica's Book "Get Growing: A No-Nonsense Guide to Cultivating Wealth and Financial Freedom"

Support independent women's media.
Got a work life dilemma? Send us all the questions you definitely can't ask your boss for our Biz Inbox episodes - send us a voice note or email us at [email protected]. You can remain anon! 

HOSTS: Lisa Lie and Em Vernem

GUEST: Jessica Brady - Money Educator 

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Courtney Ammenhauser

SENIOR PRODUCER: Thom Lion
VIDEO PRODUCER: Marlena Cacciotti

Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Everyone loves the idea of being their own boss. But what happens when your side gig becomes a real business?

In this episode of Biz, Lisa Lie chats with Cherie Clonan, CEO of The Digital Picnic, about what it actually takes to make the leap from employee or freelancer to business owner.

Cherie gets brutally honest about the reality of building a business with bub in tow: three years without a salary, the pressure of making payroll, the temptation to quit, and why business ownership isn't necessarily the freedom fantasy we're sold.

She explains how she knew The Digital Picnic had "legs", what changes when you go from selling your own time to building a team, and why the biggest leap might actually come after becoming a freelancer.

Plus, Cherie shares her simple "horizons of growth" framework to balance the day-to-day work of keeping a business alive with the bigger ideas that drove you to start it all.

In this episode you'll also learn:

• How to tell if your side hustle actually has legs
• Why you don't necessarily need to quit your job to start a business
• The reality of going years without paying yourself
• The moment Cherie realised she had become the bottleneck in her own business
• What changes when you hire your first employees

THE END BITS

Support independent women's media.
Got a work life dilemma? Send us all the questions you definitely can't ask your boss for our Biz Inbox episodes - send us a voice note or email us at [email protected]. You can remain anon! 

HOST: Lisa Lie

GUEST: Cherie Clonan - The Digital Picnic 

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Courtney Ammenhauser

SENIOR PRODUCER: Thom Lion
VIDEO PRODUCER: Marlena Cacciotti

Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What does it actually take to spot the next big business before everyone else? 

In this episode of Biz, Lisa Lie sits down with Phoebe Pincus, CEO of Startmate, who spends her days surrounded by founders, investors and a LOT of startup ideas.

Start up investing may sound intimidating, but Phoebe walks us through how to actually begin, where to find the right startups and what you need to know before putting your money behind them.

We get into the reality of how many startups fail for every success story, how investors can account for that when spreading their bets, and why investing in founders whose vision creates a future you actually want to be part of can become a powerful motivator.

In this episode you'll learn:

• The power law principle and why startup investing is fundamentally different from traditional investing
• Why getting a read on the founder trumps any other data points
• How to spot the patterns that keep appearing in successful startups
• The people skills that actually matter, and why successful startups are a much longer journey than they look from the outside
• How to invest in a future you actually want to help create
• Where to start if you've never invested in a startup before
• How to find and gain access to the right startups

THE END BITS

Support independent women's media.
Got a work life dilemma? Send us all the questions you definitely can't ask your boss for our Biz Inbox episodes - send us a voice note or email us at [email protected]. You can remain anon! 

HOST: Lisa Lie

GUEST: Pheobe Pincus - Startmate

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Courtney Ammenhauser
SENIOR PRODUCER: Thom Lion
VIDEO PRODUCER: Marlena Cacciotti

Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There aren't many certainties in life... but tax is one of them. And look, on the surface it doesn't come across as the sexiest of topics, but burying your head in the sand is a surefire way to create unnecessary stress in your life. The sooner you get your head around tax, the less you'll have to think about it.

In this episode of BIZ, Lisa and Em chat to the Managing Director of HNRY to unpack the misconceptions many people have about tax and how understanding it is essential, especially if you're a business owner, sole trader or make extra income outside of your regular employment. 

In this episode you'll learn:

• What you can actually claim as a work expense
• The pros and cons of different business structures when it comes to tax
• The tax incentives for superannuation contributions 
• Why a tax refund might not be a good thing
• How to manage your taxes when you're self-employed

THE END BITS

Support independent women's media.
Got a work life dilemma? Send us all the questions you definitely can't ask your boss for our Biz Inbox episodes - send us a voice note or email us at [email protected]. You can remain anon! 

HOSTS: Lisa Lie and Em Vernem

GUEST: Karan Anand - Managing Director & Chief Strategy Officer at HNRY (Check them out if you're a sole trader and want to automate your tax!)

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Courtney Ammenhauser

SENIOR PRODUCER: Thom Lion
VIDEO PRODUCER: Marlena Cacciotti

Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Everyone seems to have an opinion about the "right" way to work.

Get a secure job.
Start a business.
Build a side hustle.
Work remotely.
Be your own boss.

But once you strip away the Instagram reels and LinkedIn success stories... which path actually leads to more freedom, more money and less stress?

In this episode of Biz, Lisa Lie and Em Vernem unpack the biggest myths about modern work with with a peek behind the curtain to see how Australians on either side of the ledger feel about employment, freelancing and self-employment.

Together, they explore the trade-offs that rarely make it into the conversation, from flexibility and financial security to purpose, pressure and everything in between.

Whether you're climbing the corporate ladder, thinking about starting a side hustle or wondering if self-employment is really worth it, this episode will help you think more clearly about the career that's right for you.

In this episode you'll learn:

• Why social media has distorted the way we think about work.
• The biggest myths about being your own boss.
• What employees secretly envy about sole traders... and vice versa.
• Whether flexibility really leads to greater happiness.
• The hidden costs and hidden benefits of working for yourself.
• Practical questions to ask before making your next career move.

If you're standing at a career crossroads, this episode is the reality check you've been looking for.

THE END BITS

Support independent women's media.
Got a work life dilemma? Send us all the questions you definitely can't ask your boss for our Biz Inbox episodes - send us a voice note or email us at [email protected]. You can remain anon! 

HOSTS: Lisa Lie and Em Vernem

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Courtney Ammenhauser

SENIOR PRODUCER: Thom Lion
VIDEO PRODUCER: Marlena Cacciotti

Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Asking for more money at work isn't everyone's idea of fun. But in most cases if you don't ask you'll stay exactly where you are - so it's an imperative skill if you want to be the one rewarded. 

In this episode, hosts Lisa and Em discuss how to effectively negotiate a pay rise with your manager and share anecdotes on how they've successfully asked for more money at work. From starting your campaign months before your next review cycle to what actually to say to your boss in the meeting, and how to balance the push with undeniable evidence. This episode will help you build the script and the confidence to ask for what you want. 

What you'll learn:

- The four points you can use to structure your pay rise conversation with your manager

- How to prepare before the meeting (including what not to say)

- The non-cash items you can also negotiate

- How to create an ongoing dialogue to leverage at the right moment, regardless of if it's "performance review" time. 

RECCO'S: 

Salary comparison website Glassdoor

Learn The FBI's negotiation techniques in Never Split The Difference by Chris Voss

Check out 'Confidently negotiating your salary' in Here in Learna.

THE END BITS

Support independent women's media.
Got a work life dilemma? Send us all the questions you definitely can't ask your boss for our Biz Inbox episodes - send us a voice note or email us at [email protected]. You can remain anon! 

HOSTS: Lisa Lie and Em Vernem

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Courtney Ammenhauser

SENIOR PRODUCER: Thom Lion
VIDEO PRODUCER: Marlena Cacciotti

Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Making your job your whole personality is risky business. Because what happens to your sense of self if you lose your job... or eventually decide to move on from it?

In this episode of BIZ, hosts Em and Lisa are joined by author, optimist and Junkee Media founder, Tim Duggan to help you figure out who you are without your job title. 

Our BIZ hosts are Lisa Lie - a former Head of People & Culture and Organisational Coach - and Mamamia’s Em Vernem.

If you want to build skills fast check out Learna

Sign up to the BIZ newsletter here

THE END BITS
Support independent women's media.
Got a work life dilemma? Send us all the questions you definitely can't ask your boss for our Biz Inbox episodes - send us a voice note or email us at [email protected]. You can remain anon! 

HOSTS: Lisa Lie and Em Vernem

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Courtney Ammenhauser

SENIOR PRODUCER: Thom Lion
VIDEO PRODUCER: Marlena Cacciotti

Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pivoting careers can seem like a daunting prospect. But changing course doesn't have to happen all at once. Sometimes professional pivots happen slowly over time. In this episode, Em and Lisa unpack their own career pivots, sharing the different approaches they took to change direction.

From applying for jobs you might not feel 100% qualified for, to identifying a market gap and building your own business, Em and Lisa share the challenges, fears and steps they took to pivot professionally.

Career coaches:
- Kate Richardson
- Claire Seeber

Our BIZ hosts are Lisa Lie - a former Head of People & Culture and Organisational Coach - and Mamamia’s Em Vernem.

If you want to build skills fast check out Learna

Sign up to the BIZ newsletter here

THE END BITS
Support independent women's media.
Got a work life dilemma? Send us all the questions you definitely can't ask your boss for our Biz Inbox episodes - send us a voice note or email us at [email protected]. You can remain anon! 

HOSTS: Lisa Lie and Em Vernem

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Courtney Ammenhauser

SENIOR PRODUCER: Thom Lion
VIDEO PRODUCER: Marlena Cacciotti

Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What if changing careers didn't have to feel like jumping off a cliff while risking that sweet comfort you already enjoy? In this episode, career coach Kate Richardson shares a practical roadmap for making a career change with less fear and more confidence.

From working out whether your new passion could actually become a viable career, to navigating a change when you're already running on empty, Kate shares the questions, frameworks and small experiments that can help you move forward without risking everything.

Career Coach recommendation: Kate Richardson

More on this topic from one of our eps in last season...
5 Steps To Make A Career Pivot That Actually Works 

Our BIZ hosts are Lisa Lie - a former Head of People & Culture and Organisational Coach - and Mamamia’s Em Vernem.

If you want to build skills fast check out Learna

Sign up to the BIZ newsletter here

THE END BITS
Support independent women's media.
Got a work life dilemma? Send us all the questions you definitely can't ask your boss for our Biz Inbox episodes - send us a voice note or email us at [email protected]. You can remain anon! 

HOSTS: Lisa Lie and Em Vernem

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Courtney Ammenhauser

SENIOR PRODUCER: Thom Lion
VIDEO PRODUCER: Marlena Cacciotti

Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.