DevReady Podcast

Stuck in the 9–5? Here’s How to Pivot with Purpose | Ep 235 | DevReady Podcast

In this episode of the DevReady Podcast, host Anthony Sapountzis is joined by Natalie Tran, Founder of Transition With Purpose and a highly regarded Transition and Business Coach. Based in Melbourne, Natalie supports mid-career professionals to navigate pivotal career changes with clarity and confidence. With a background in finance and over nine years of coaching experience, she now focuses on guiding individuals from unfulfilling 9-to-5 roles into purpose-driven work, portfolio careers, or entrepreneurship. Natalie’s holistic approach combines mindset work, strategic planning, and practical financial considerations, empowering clients to redefine success and take meaningful steps forward.
Natalie opens up about her personal journey from chartered accounting to coaching, a shift catalysed by the sudden collapse of an international career opportunity following the events of 9/11. Raised in a Vietnamese refugee family, Natalie originally pursued a “safe” and stable career path, working at Deloitte and later in funds management. But despite lateral moves and professional milestones, she felt unfulfilled. A series of life events, including the birth of her children and the limitations of part-time work in finance, eventually pushed her to resign without a plan B. This turning point sparked the beginning of her coaching journey and serves as a powerful example of embracing uncertainty in pursuit of purpose.
Throughout the episode, Natalie identifies common themes that emerge in her work with clients, from a deep sense of misalignment to unfulfilled creativity and a longing to make meaningful impact. Many of her clients come from migrant backgrounds and wrestle with the burden of family expectations and financial responsibility. Natalie advocates for the concept of portfolio careers and flexible income streams as a way to de-risk career transitions. Drawing on her background in finance, she helps clients map out sustainable pathways, often starting with side projects and testing new ideas before making the leap into full-time entrepreneurship or consulting.
Natalie also explores the mindset barriers that keep people stuck, particularly the fear of starting, the fear of failure, and the belief that it’s too late to change. She stresses the importance of cultivating daily habits that build resilience, such as exercise, structure, and staying connected to community. These small but consistent actions help restore agency during periods of uncertainty. For Natalie, personal growth often begins not with major breakthroughs, but with showing up in the face of discomfort and reframing failure as learning.
Finally, Natalie shares how her first coaching clients weren’t from her previous finance network but from her time teaching yoga and working in the fitness industry. This unplanned pivot became foundational to her entrepreneurial journey. By leveraging her wellness background, she learned how to facilitate, profile clients, and run a freelance business, skills that seamlessly transferred to her coaching practice. Her story is a testament to starting where you are, using the resources you have, and being open to where the journey might take you.
#CareerChange #PivotWithPurpose #LifeAfter9to5 #MidCareerCoach #EntrepreneurMindset #CareerTransition #FindYourPurpose #DevReadyPodcast

From Pivot to Product-Market Fit: How Nobi Is Redefining AI in E-Commerce | Ep 234 | DevReady Podcast

In this episode of the DevReady Podcast, host Anthony Sapountzis is joined by Shanif Dhanani, founder of Nobi and a seasoned data scientist, software engineer, and AI strategist. Shanif shares his journey from building generalist AI tools to launching Nobi, a specialised e-commerce AI sales assistant designed to help online retailers drive conversions and enhance customer interactions. With a background spanning roles at Twitter and TapCommerce, and deep experience in both engineering and product strategy, Shanif offers rich insights into the evolution of AI tooling, startup pivots, and the realities of building meaningful, scalable tech solutions in today’s fast-paced environment.
The conversation begins with Shanif recounting the strategic pivot from his earlier venture, Locusive to Nobi. Although the original product was technically robust, it lacked a clear market fit. Shanif and his team made the difficult but essential decision to shift their focus entirely, eventually landing on e-commerce, a domain he was deeply familiar with from his work in predictive analytics and ad tech. This pivot, while not triggered by direct customer demand, was informed by a sharper understanding of industry pain points and the market’s readiness for AI-driven solutions. The narrower focus led to greater traction and engagement with clients who lacked the internal technical resources to implement advanced solutions themselves.
Throughout the episode, Shanif and Anthony reflect on the developer-founder journey, including the challenge of moving beyond code to embrace storytelling, marketing, and sales. They discuss the concept of "vibe coding", a tendency among non-technical founders to blindly copy and paste AI-generated code without truly understanding it. Shanif stresses that AI should be treated like a junior developer: incredibly helpful, but still in need of clear direction, review, and oversight. The duo also discuss the power and limitations of tools like GitHub Copilot, Claude, and Cursor, and how real productivity gains come only when these are paired with technical knowledge and thoughtful planning.
The discussion also explores the broader impact of AI on the SaaS landscape, including pricing models, startup costs, and investor expectations. Shanif explains how Nobi is navigating the shift from subscription-based models to usage-based pricing, particularly as API and infrastructure costs rise dramatically depending on the AI models used. He also notes the growing demand for self-hosted AI solutions from enterprise clients and shares his optimism for AI's role in amplifying—not replacing—human developers. Both founders underscore that, while AI is revolutionising product development, success still depends on the fundamentals: solving real problems, achieving product-market fit, and delivering measurable value.
Looking ahead, Shanif outlines Nobi’s ambitious roadmap. The team is working toward creating an integrated AI assistant capable of performing both sales and customer service functions within e-commerce platforms. As they gain traction with high-revenue clients, Shanif envisions a future where agents communicate and transact autonomously, drastically reducing human error and creating seamless shopping experiences. He also expresses excitement about emerging infrastructure like the Multi-Agent Collaboration Protocol (MCP) and hints at Nobi potentially becoming a key backend provider for agent-driven commerce. For now, Shanif is focused on scaling sustainably, bootstrapping where possible, generating revenue, and hiring strategically to meet growing demand.
#AIStartups #EcommerceInnovation #ProductMarketFit #StartupJourney #TechFounders #AITools #SaaSRevolution #DevReadyPodcast

How Small Businesses Are Beating Big Tech at Their Own Game with AI in 2025 | Ep 233 | DevReady Podcast

In this episode of the DevReady Podcast, Anthony Sapountzis welcomes back Gareth Rydon, Co-Founder of Friyay.ai, for his fourth appearance on what’s fast becoming a regular monthly AI catch-up. Gareth, a seasoned product strategist and startup advisor with a passion for practical AI adoption, brings his signature insight and candour to a wide-ranging discussion. From hands-on use cases with Claude’s Gmail and Calendar integration to big-picture reflections on education, disruption, and the future of work, this episode offers something for tech leaders, builders, and business owners navigating the evolving AI landscape.
The conversation kicks off with Gareth sharing a “discovering fire” moment using Claude’s integration with Gmail and Google Calendar. Despite its limitations, the tool’s ability to categorise emails, find calendar gaps, and prioritise tasks significantly enhanced his productivity. This led into a broader discussion on how businesses are moving away from rigid, custom-built systems in favour of exploring AI-native capabilities within existing platforms like ChatGPT. Gareth and Anthony both highlight the need for teams to simply spend time using these tools, discovering how features like web search integration or native assistant functionalities can streamline daily work.
They also dive into the rising importance of making digital content discoverable by AI agents. As Gareth explains, businesses must begin optimising their web presence not just for Google SEO, but for what he calls “agent search”, ensuring tools like ChatGPT, Claude, or Perplexity can extract, understand, and act on their content. Despite this being a clear gap in the digital marketing space, few agencies are actively tackling it. Anthony shares strategies around structured data and schema markup, reinforcing that the early adopters of agent optimisation will have a distinct advantage, at least before the landscape becomes monetised and competitive.
The episode then shifts to Model-Connected Plugins (MCPs) and how small businesses can tap into their potential without needing to code. Using examples like Shopify or Stripe integrations, Anthony explains how AI assistants can act on behalf of business owners by interacting directly with their tools. Gareth notes that this evolution in tech is empowering everyday people to take ideas further, faster; especially when combined with user-friendly automation tools like N8N. As he puts it, the time to get fluent with prompting and working alongside your digital assistant is now, not later.
In lighter but equally eye-opening moments, Gareth describes an experiment where he got different AI models: ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini—to critique each other’s writing. The resulting “prompt battle” showed just how rapidly these models are evolving and improving. From there, the conversation deepens into AI safety, with references to new guardrails in Claude, and even reports of companies preparing “AGI bunkers” to protect research teams. Both speakers agree that while we’re far from true Artificial General Intelligence (AGI), the trajectory is steep and public trust will hinge on how responsibly this tech is developed.
The discussion wraps with a thoughtful look at how AI is reshaping education, creativity, and economic opportunity. Referencing a post by Darren Coxon, Gareth questions the ROI of traditional degrees in an era where AI can teach and guide learners for a fraction of the cost. He and Anthony reflect on outdated university curricula, the skill of "learning to learn", and the future of work, from developers to labourers, facing increasing automation. With AI tools flooding the market and even Amazon capping eBook uploads due to AI content overload, Gareth ends with a grounded reminder: focus on what you can control today. Try one thing. Switch on an integration. Ask better questions. And above all, keep learning.
#AIforBusiness #SmallBizInnovation #FutureOfWork #ChatGPT #AgentOptimisation #TechDisruption #ProductivityTools #DevReadyPodcast

Why Most AI Projects Fail & How to Fix Them with Design Thinking | Ep 232 | DevReady Podcast

In this episode of the DevReady Podcast, host Anthony Sapountzis sits down with Sharbani Dhar, CEO of DotInfinity and a seasoned human-centred design expert with over two decades of experience. Sharbani shares her inspiring journey from a fulfilling corporate role at Australia Post to launching her own consultancy focused on strategic, design-led transformation. Motivated by a desire to truly own the problem-solving process, she stepped away from the security of a 9-to-5 role, driven by a passion for learning and a hunger for challenge. With support from her partner and mentors, she embraced the leap into entrepreneurship and has since built a business that thrives on delivering value through empathy, design thinking, and innovation.
Sharbani reflects on how her career has been guided by an unwavering commitment to learning. When work stops challenging her intellectually, it signals time for a change, something she encourages others to recognise in themselves. At DotInfinity, she’s created a space where learning is continuous and problem-solving is approached holistically. Rather than focusing on surface-level fixes, she champions end-to-end collaboration across teams to design solutions that align business goals with real human needs. She unpacks the essence of human-centred design as a way to solve the right problems by understanding the entire journey of both the customer and the internal stakeholders involved.
Through real-world examples, Sharbani illustrates how businesses often mistake symptoms for root causes. Drawing from her past experiences, she details how initiatives like reducing call centre volumes often miss the point by focusing on digital interfaces rather than underlying process failures and misaligned KPIs. True impact, she asserts, comes from empowering staff, aligning incentives, and redesigning systems from the ground up. Her insights reveal how thoughtful design leads to better outcomes for both employees and customers and ultimately, a healthier bottom line.
The conversation then shifts to the complexities of AI adoption. Sharbani highlights how many organisations rush into AI implementation without addressing data quality, infrastructure, or internal readiness. The result? Frustrating, low-impact solutions that rarely justify the investment. To combat this, she introduces the Responsible AI Canvas, a free, three-stage framework developed by DotInfinity to help businesses plan, assess, and govern AI projects responsibly. With guidance on data, ethics, stakeholder involvement, and human oversight, the tool ensures organisations don’t just adopt AI, but do it right.
Wrapping up, Sharbani outlines the foundational pillars of human-centred design: inclusion, empathy, iterative problem-solving, and the willingness to abandon ideas that no longer serve. She underscores the importance of external consultants who challenge assumptions rather than echoing them, serving as critical sounding boards rather than order-takers. By championing open collaboration and encouraging businesses to value outcomes over attachment to ideas, Sharbani leaves listeners with a powerful reminder: the best solutions are rarely the fastest, they’re the most human.
#AIReadiness #DesignThinking #HumanCentredDesign #TechLeadership #DigitalTransformation #InnovationStrategy #AIUX #StartupJourney

Stuck in Your Career? Miriam Wood Shares How to Get Unstuck | Ep 231 | DevReady Podcast

In this episode of the DevReady Podcast, host Anthony Sapountzis is joined by Miriam Wood, Men's Coach, Director at Miriam Wood Coaching, and Business Connector & Member Experience at BIO Australia. With a dynamic and eclectic career path spanning the fitness industry, events, tech, and coaching, Miriam brings a unique perspective on the intersection between technology, human connection, and personal growth. From supporting engineers during lockdown to helping midlife professionals rediscover purpose, Miriam's mission is to empower people with the tools to navigate life transitions and career change with clarity and confidence.
Miriam recounts her unconventional journey from managing nightclubs and working in the fitness world to marketing pharmacy software where she first fell in love with tech and the customer experience. Her curiosity led her to sit alongside developers to understand how products were built and how they ultimately served the wider community. That same drive to understand systems and people pushed her into coaching, a field where she could apply her interest in how people think, operate, and transform. During the pandemic, she was brought into a global managed services company not for her tech expertise, but to support engineers' wellbeing and performance, proving that empathy and insight are as critical to team success as any hard skill.
Transitioning into the tech space was not without its challenges. Miriam describes the difficulty of bridging communication gaps between herself and introverted, highly technical teams. However, this contrast became the catalyst for her passion: coaching men in midlife, many of whom were beginning to question what’s next after years of working in the same industry. Today, through her private coaching practice, Miriam helps clients navigate career and life changes by integrating wellbeing, mindset, and professional development. She highlights the importance of self-awareness and the role of major life events as powerful perspective shifters.
The conversation delves into common struggles faced by tech professionals moving into leadership or consulting roles, particularly the discomfort with communication, self-promotion, and sales. Miriam challenges the notion that sales is inherently “sleazy”, reframing it as helping people and solving problems through genuine conversations. She introduces frameworks like DISC profiling to help clients build emotional intelligence and adaptive communication skills. This, she argues, is the key to unlocking personal growth and leadership potential in a human-first tech culture.
In the final segment, Anthony and Miriam reflect on how small shifts in mindset can create profound change. Whether it's learning to speak up in meetings, overcoming imposter syndrome, or exploring a career pivot, they agree that progress starts with taking deliberate steps. Miriam encourages anyone feeling stuck to start with reflection, using AI tools, coaching, or even a trusted friend to map out values, blockers, and beliefs. From there, it’s about building a realistic, actionable plan that transforms confusion into clarity and momentum. As she puts it, no one climbs Everest in a day, but with the right plan and support, every mountain becomes scalable.
#CareerChange #TechLeadership #MindsetMatters #PersonalGrowth #MidlifeTransition #CoachingForMen #DevReadyPodcast

The Real Reason Your Business Isn’t Growing and How to Fix It | Ep 230 | DevReady Podcast

In this episode of the DevReady Podcast, host Anthony Sapountzis is joined by Aaron Crossin, , a seasoned Fractional General Manager with over 15 years of experience in business operations, growth strategy, and leadership across multiple industries. Aaron’s career began in hospitality, launching his first venture before finishing school. That hands-on experience, rooted in catering, kitchen management, and food service innovation—evolved into a passion for business strategy. His journey, shaped by mentorship from business coaches and scaling high-pressure hospitality operations, revealed the immense value of structured systems, cross-industry application, and people-centred leadership.
Aaron reflects on how practical, real-world challenges provided a richer learning experience than any formal MBA. One pivotal example was running over 30 catering events in a single weekend, a crash course in logistics, process, and performance under pressure. Today, he brings that same rigor and adaptability to his fractional GM roles, helping founders break through growth barriers without losing control of their core passion or culture. Unlike traditional coaches, Aaron embeds himself within the business, rolling up his sleeves to execute, not just advise, while developing systems that eventually make his role redundant.
He shares how his approach suits fast-paced environments and founder-led businesses looking to scale sustainably. With a strong bias towards action over red tape, Aaron focuses on building frameworks, optimising teams, and aligning strategic goals with daily operations. His engagements are highly tailored, ranging from light strategic check-ins to in-depth monthly support, depending on a business’s growth stage and operational maturity. He is highly selective in the clients he takes on, looking for those open to change, execution-focused, and committed to results.
Throughout the conversation, Aaron and Anthony explore the challenges faced by entrepreneurs, especially those transitioning from specialised corporate roles. While technically skilled, many founders struggle with the multifaceted demands of business: marketing, sales, hiring, and operations. Aaron offers a clear path forward, starting with diagnosing root issues: lack of strategic direction, unclear KPIs, inefficiencies, and ineffective marketing. His ability to identify low-hanging fruit and transform those into meaningful outcomes is what sets him apart, whether that’s repositioning a brand, streamlining delivery, or improving sales conversations.
Aaron also weighs in on the integration of AI into business operations. While acknowledging its potential, he warns against deploying AI without first establishing strong internal processes. AI is a tool, not a solution, and its success hinges on the foundations already in place. For Aaron, the most rewarding part of his work lies in transforming perceptions—winning over sceptical teams, empowering business owners, and ultimately freeing up time and energy so leaders can focus on what matters. Success, in Aaron’s view, isn’t just about profit, it’s about building a business that thrives holistically.
#FractionalGM #StartupGrowth #BusinessStrategy #FounderLife #ScaleYourBusiness #LeadershipMatters #EntrepreneurTips #DevReadyPodcast

This Will Change Everything – Philip Faraj on AI, Innovation and the Future of Work | Ep 229 | DevReady Podcast

In this episode of the DevReady Podcast, host Andrew Romeo is joined by Philip H. Faraj, Senior VP of Business Development at Endava. Based in Sydney, Philip brings a decade of experience in digital transformation, consulting, and strategic growth across global markets. Formerly with Accenture Interactive and Fjord, he has helped organisations evolve their product and platform strategies in step with rapidly shifting technologies. In this conversation, Andrew and Philip dive deep into the practical, philosophical, and disruptive impact of AI—from transforming product development cycles to redefining how businesses engage with customers. With AI no longer just a tool but a core part of modern strategy, this episode explores how businesses can adapt, survive, and thrive in the age of acceleration.
Philip shares how Endava is leveraging AI to modernise legacy systems and revolutionise software delivery. These tools can now map dependencies, extract business rules, and validate product ideas in a fraction of the time previously required, streamlining innovation while preserving strategic alignment. Both speakers reflect on how Agile has become bloated in large organisations, with AI offering a new path to efficiency. Rather than replace human input, Philip views AI as an “always-on” collaborator that augments product discovery and helps stakeholders ask better questions.
The conversation then turns philosophical, likening AI’s emergence to the leap from hand tools to industrial cranes. Andrew notes how AI is empowering organisations to innovate at speed, but Philip adds a crucial twist: we still don’t fully know what we’re building. Customer experiences are no longer static; they’re omnipresent, shaped by AI-driven interfaces and agents that respond to fluid, contextual needs. Drawing inspiration from the early days of the web and the bold leaps made by pioneers like the founder of Kazaa and Skype, Philip makes the case for courage in the face of uncertainty. It’s not just a technological shift—it’s a cultural one.
Philip also outlines how AI is reshaping industries like travel, turning form-based interactions into conversational, context-aware experiences. Imagine a traveller simply describing what they want: “warm weather, kid-friendly, near a beach”, and receiving intelligent itinerary suggestions. As consumer expectations evolve, businesses must rethink how they market, engage, and deliver. The same shift is occurring in product design, where scenario-based simulations powered by AI are replacing traditional 12-week discovery sprints. This democratisation of tools has lowered the barrier to innovation, though Andrew and Philip stress the continued importance of critical thinking amidst the convenience of automation.
In closing, the discussion explores the rise of agentic AI, autonomous agents that can act as developers, product managers, or solution architects. Philip explains how these AI agents are being deployed to modernise old tech stacks, reimagine platform strategy, and drive scalable, modular software development. Rather than simply “lift and shift” legacy systems, the focus is on building composable architectures that evolve with user needs and market conditions. As they reflect on the existential implications of these shifts, from job transformation to the uncertain future of education, both Andrew and Philip acknowledge that we’re in uncharted territory. Yet, the takeaway is clear: those who are willing to adapt, question, and build alongside technology will shape the next wave of progress.
#AIRevolution #FutureOfWork #TechInnovation #AgenticAI #DigitalTransformation #ProductStrategy #Endava #DevReadyPodcast

From Microsoft to Venture Capital: How Liz Ross is Powering the Next Wave of AI Startups | Ep 228 | DevReady Podcast

In this episode of the DevReady Podcast, host Andrew Romeo sits down with Liz Ross, Investor Relations at Tidal Ventures, to explore her journey from the world of financial services marketing, through her corporate tenure at Microsoft, to her hands-on experiences in startups and her current role in venture capital at Tidal Ventures. Liz shares how her exposure to structured go-to-market strategies and AI education initiatives at Microsoft informed her perspective on early-stage tech and investing. She discusses how Tidal Ventures is shifting its focus to support early-stage B2B AI companies, viewing AI as an evolutionary step in software rather than a passing trend. Liz also touches on Australia’s advantages as a hub for innovation and explains how Tidal balances its investments between Australia and the United States.
Reflecting on her leap from corporate life to startups, Liz candidly shares why she left Microsoft in search of more creative and strategic ownership. At Dovetail, she found a culture that encouraged everyone from marketing to engineering to wear multiple hats, collaborate deeply, and engage directly with customers. This environment cultivated not only empathy but also rapid execution and high accountability. From running marketing strategy to fielding customer support requests, Liz embraced the startup pace, finding fulfillment in the diversity and immediacy of her work.
Liz also unpacks the power of community and its integration with product-led growth at Dovetail. Through customer support rotations, Slack-based communities, and a “public by default” approach to internal and external knowledge sharing, the company built strong user relationships and scaled advocacy. By converting private customer interactions into public resources and leveraging thought leadership to foster brand authority, Dovetail created a high-trust ecosystem. Liz makes it clear that content, community, and customer service aren’t standalone efforts—they’re mutually reinforcing growth levers when done authentically.
Content strategy emerges as another cornerstone of Dovetail’s success. Liz stresses the importance of consistency over perfection, noting that it often takes 24 months to see real traction. Whether starting with video, written articles, or social snippets, she champions scalable, repurposable formats that meet users where they are. Founders, she argues, must be actively involved in the content and sales process, especially in the early days, to ensure authenticity and connect directly with their audience. Guest contributors, candid video, and founder-led storytelling all play a role in creating impactful, sustainable content engines.
In closing, Liz discusses how her product and customer-first mentality guided her move into venture capital. At Tidal Ventures, she was drawn to the operator-led model backed by professionals with first-hand startup experience, who bring practical support, not just funding. With a portfolio of 30+ companies, Tidal aims to act as a strategic partner across long time horizons, helping founders solve critical challenges. Liz believes Australia’s tech ecosystem, driven by capital efficiency, deep expertise, and cultural values shaped by companies like Atlassian and Canva, is uniquely positioned for global leadership in tech innovation.
#DevReadyPodcast #StartupGrowth #ProductLedGrowth #VentureCapital #Founders #GoToMarket #AIStartups #AerionTechnologies #TidalVentures

From Excel to AI: How Anita Patturajan Built a RiskTech Startup from Scratch | Ep 227 | DevReady Podcast

In this episode of the DevReady Podcast, host Andrew Romeo welcomes Anita Patturajan, the dynamic Founder and CEO of Anitech, and Co-Founder of Lahebo. The conversation traces Anita’s journey from compliance engineer to tech entrepreneur, uncovering how her early love for coding and technology, especially in Java during her engineering studies, shaped her path. A pivotal moment during an audit at CSR inspired her to launch Anitech, a business built on the vision of supporting underserved small and medium enterprises (SMEs) with compliance and tech-driven solutions. Anita shares how those formative years, working hands-on with SMEs, provided insights that later fuelled her ambition to productise risk management through Lahebo.
Anita delves into the shifting landscape of risk and compliance, shaped by evolving regulations and emerging technologies. Early in her career, risk management was often a manual process, limited by expensive enterprise software, but tools like Excel and VBA enabled her to deliver value. Fast forward to today, and the rise of low-code platforms and artificial intelligence has democratised access to data-driven solutions. Through Anitech, Anita now offers a comprehensive suite of services, from advisory and audits to AI consultancy, guiding businesses to navigate risk in real time. However, she notes the growing challenges SMEs face in responsibly adopting AI, particularly in areas of data security and intellectual property, reinforcing Anitech’s role in providing both technical and educational support.
As the discussion shifts, Anita shares how AI requests from clients, such as building custom Salesforce agents, inspired a broader move into product development. This led to the creation of Lahebo, a risk management SaaS platform aimed at making compliance easier and more affordable for SMEs. Initially hesitant to build from scratch, Anita explored partnerships and off-the-shelf options, only to find they were financially inaccessible or lacked the customisation needed. Determined to fill the gap, her team spent over a year planning and prototyping before launching Lahebo. The result is a platform that combines real-world risk insights with scalable technology, built to support business resilience.
The transition from service to SaaS, however, came with hard lessons. Anita and Andrew discuss the nuances of product–market fit versus message–market fit, as Lahebo’s initial customer base didn’t align with its strongest adopters. This sparked a strategic pivot towards highly regulated industries: finance, aviation, and consulting, where CEOs, not just compliance managers, were making purchasing decisions. Anita underscores the importance of assembling a “rockstar” team with expertise across software, finance, engagement, and marketing. These elements proved critical in positioning Lahebo not just as software, but as a smart investment for long-term operational sustainability.
In the final part of the episode, Anita outlines her vision for Lahebo’s future: a real-time, data-centric platform that supports risk and compliance across borders. She hopes to integrate environmental and safety monitoring, enabling businesses to act proactively before risks escalate into costly incidents. With expansion plans beyond Australian compliance to global jurisdictions, Lahebo is set to become a trusted tool for multinational organisations. At its core, the platform reflects Anita’s enduring mission to help businesses operate with confidence, clarity, and compliance in an increasingly complex world.
#AIforBusiness #StartupJourney #SaaSFounders #RiskManagement #WomenInTech #ComplianceSolutions #TechEntrepreneurship #DevReadyPodcast

How to Unlock $60 Billion in Aussie Grants for Your Business | Ep 226 | DevReady Podcast

In this episode of the DevReady Podcast, host Andrew Romeo welcomes Trent Scheirs, Co-Founder of Grant Help, a leading consultancy dedicated to helping Australian businesses navigate the complex world of government grants and R&D incentives. With a background in business development and strategic advisory, Trent brings deep insights into funding pathways for innovation, having worked closely with former government assessors and industry experts. Grant Help supports clients across three main pillars: the R&D Tax Incentive, the Export Market Development Grant (EMDG), and a wide range of competitive ad hoc grants. With more than 1,500 grant programmes and $60 billion in funding available across federal and state levels, Trent shares practical advice on how businesses can find and secure the right opportunities to support their growth journey.
Trent delves into the distinction between entitlement-based grants, such as the R&D Tax Incentive, and competitive grants, which comprise the bulk of available funding but are harder to secure due to their selective nature. He highlights how changes in government leadership, particularly shifts between Labor and Liberal parties, can affect the availability and priorities of grant programmes. While entitlement grants tend to remain stable, competitive and ad hoc funding is often influenced by policy shifts, such as the current focus on sustainability and green innovation. As a board member of the Export Consultants Association (ACCI), Trent provides behind-the-scenes insight into how grant policy is shaped and encourages businesses to stay informed and proactive when it comes to long-term planning.
One of the key themes in this episode is eligibility and compliance for the R&D Tax Incentive, especially within software development. Trent outlines the critical need for projects to be technically uncertain and built from the ground up, not simply modifications of existing platforms like WordPress or Wix. Claims must be backed by three essential elements: a technical description, associated expenses, and supporting documentation created contemporaneously. Without detailed records like timesheets, JIRA exports, and contracts that clearly link the R&D activities to the spend, claims are likely to fall short. Grant Help goes so far as to check in monthly with clients to ensure real-time tracking because, as Trent emphasises, retrospective justification won't hold up.
Beyond compliance, Trent and Andrew unpack the real heart of R&D: trial, error, and discovery. Documenting technical failures is just as important as celebrating successes, as failure signals genuine exploration and validates a project's eligibility. They also stress the need to align R&D with commercial outcomes—because innovation without a market is just wasted effort. Working with experienced dev partners can reduce risk and free up founders to focus on go-to-market activities like branding and customer validation. In today’s fast-evolving tech landscape, especially in the wake of AI advancements, building something useful and desirable is more important than building something novel.
To round out the episode, Trent introduces the Export Market Development Grant, which offers businesses up to $640,000 over eight years to fund global expansion efforts. From overseas travel and international marketing to hiring offshore reps and registering trademarks, the EMDG is designed to support businesses ready to scale beyond Australia. With global tariffs shifting, particularly between the US and China, Australian markets could soon be flooded with low-cost imports, making export planning a critical hedge for local businesses. Trent advises founders to solidify domestic sales first, and to begin planning early, with the next grant cycle opening in November 2025. Listeners are encouraged to reach out to Grant Help for a free discovery session and access to a competitive grants workbook packed with tips and tools.
#GovernmentGrants #RDTaxIncentive #ExportGrants #StartupFunding #AussieBusiness #ScaleWithGrants #InnovationSupport #GoGlobal #DevReadyPodcast