Troubleshooters Podcast Oasis Partners

Brendan Green has been running his company for 18 years, and along with these two directors has built GCG into one of the leading independent health, safety, and hygiene companies in Australia and they are not done yet. This growing business is reinventing the way the industry delivers its services through tech enabled innovation. GCG is a great example of what happens when talented people get together and play the long game.

Episode Description:
Mark Holloway is a working class guy from Birmingham in England, who is not just football crazy, but is himself a very decent centre-forward. His life changes direction when Sydney Croatia spots him and bring him to Australia to play semi-professional football. At that point, this cryogenics engineer switches to sales and becomes a very effective troubleshooter, nicknamed Mr. EBIT, for his consistent ability to make profit! He then gets to work on building a very successful eyewear company. He is currently the owner and director of Shades of Pale-sourcing antiques for over 20 years in France, Belgium, Sweden & beyond.

About Mark:
Mark Holloway is the owner and director of Shades of Pale- Sourcing antiques for over 20 years in France, Belgium, Sweden & beyond.
They specialise in French antiques, homewares, interiors, architectural & garden pieces. Follow them @shadesofpalestore on Instagram.
Contact Mark: markholloway@shadesofpale.com.au

Points of interest:
Life journey from football to eyewear entrepreneurship. (0:10)
Upbringing, sports, and business success. (1:21)
Career progression from engineering to sales management to business ownership. (3:16)
Leadership and company issues. (7:43)
Liquidation and survival in the fashion industry. (11:50)
Overcoming business challenges in the eyewear industry. (16:35)
Selling a business to a supplier. (21:13)
Business ownership and sale. (25:37)
Selling a business and transitioning to a new role. (31:17)
Turnarounds, brands, and entrepreneurship. (36:33)

Episode Description:
Mat Stillone started his first business Protein Supplies in his garage! So successful was it, that it eventually took over the whole house. This bold startup initiative, in the ‘better for you food’ sector, followed a period of deep reflection by Mat, who had suffered from anxiety in his late teens and early 20s. Mat felt he needed to express himself and do more of what mattered to him. Since then, he has started three more companies, all of which have become successful. Listen to this inspiring story of how Mat overcame adversity, built strong resilience, and found what really matters in life.

About Mat:
Mat is the Managing Director of Integrity Food Co, Protein Supplies Australia, Botanika Blends & Flexible Foods.
He was the Business News Australia’s Young Entrepreneur Awards Winner - Manufacturing, Wholesale & Distribution in 2021!

Contact Mat: LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/mathew-stillone-b4797a41/

Points of Interest:
The “AHA” moment for Mat. (0:30)
Food industry, entrepreneurship, and product quality. (3:35)
Starting and growing a supplement business, quality control issues, and manufacturing products. (7:38)
Starting a contract manufacturing business and creating a brand. (12:09)
Entrepreneurship, innovation, and plant-based nutrition. (16:36)
Managing stress and purpose in business ownership. (23:29)
Entrepreneurship, resilience, and relationships. (31:52)

Episode Description:
Straight from the ready fire aim to school of hard knocks, Mick Spencer started his first business at age 22. On-the-go, a sports branded apparel business started literally in his garage and became a multi-million-dollar business challenging the status quo in a traditional market.
Just when he thought he cracked it, COVID appeared and put pay to his plans of world domination, rather painfully, Mick had to call in the liquidator. Yet, even after all that he managed to get back on the horse in true troubleshooter fashion and started his latest venture Gravity Seltzer, a company which is thriving.

Points of Interest:
Getting started at age 21 2:09
The role of Tech 8:41
Shark Tank 9:25
Next steps & scaling up 11:47
Covid ramifications 14:30
Survival long term amid rising tensions 17:12
Difficult but amazing long-term learnings 18:24
Being a sole founder is lonely 23:49
Writing a book-start before you’re ready 24:33
Bouncing back 26:10
Why I am not the CEO of Gravity Seltzer 30:00
Taking a family break 36:00
What’s next? 37:00

About Mick:
Mick Spencer is the Co-Founder & Chairman of high growth Seltzer brand Gravity Seltzer Co. He is also author of best seller Start Before You're Ready!
Get in touch with Mick:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mickspencer247/
Gravity Seltzer: https://www.gravityseltzer.com/

Mike sits down with Kelly Jamieson, the co- founder, and MD of Edible Blooms for a chat about their 18 yearlong success story alongside her sister Abbey. Their online gifting business that delivers delicious bouquets of chocolate, among other things to homes and offices (every 2 minutes) is the #1 gift delivery business in Australia.

Points of Interest:
When your business partner is your sister 1:30   
Country girl at heart-lessons from your mum! 2:40
An online business in 2005! 4:15
Start a business or buy a house? 6:00
Raising money as a startup 9:14
Making mistakes is gold! 10:42
Fast paced business world-trial and error 12:45
The Blackberry, iPhone, and Google 15:24
The Telstra Business Awards-there’s no way a little start up, 4 years in can win it? 18:00
Female entrepreneurs-the ups and downs of navigating business 19:30
Edible Blooms and Sustainability 24:00
The future of Edible Blooms 27:50

About Kelly:
Kelly is the co-founder and Managing Director of Edible Blooms. She started the company with her sister in 2005 and they have won numerous awards including, 2022 Canstar #1 Online Gift Delivery Company for Australia, Telstra Business of the Year for Australia and SA Businesswoman of the Year!

Connect with Kelly:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelly-jamieson-871aa73/
Website: www.edibleblooms.com.au

Episode Description:
The Deal Doer's Deal Doer
Mike sits down with John Willcox-Jones, founder of Oasis Europe for a chat about all things deal-doing. John has been responsible for literally hundreds of transactions, mainly acting for business owners seeking a successful exit from what is often their life's work.

About John:
John has worked in industry since 1972 holding management positions in sectors as diverse as building products, retail furnishing and horticultural machinery. During the early 1980s he was actively involved in the City advising companies on behalf of several stockbrokers and issuing houses in connection with stock market flotations and on the board of several public companies. He relinquished these appointments in 1984 to specialise in mergers and acquisitions work. He regularly lectures on Corporate Finance matters throughout the UK as well as in Europe and North America.

Contact John- john@oasiseurope.com
Website: www.oasiseurope.com

Points of Interest:
Introduction to John’s story-0:10
How to market to a wider audience-5:47
How to sell your business-11:23
Highs and lows of the process-16:03
Be forthright and straight up with the advice-22:49
The importance of diversity of interest in business-25:34
John’s advice to other investors-37:00
What do you like to do outside of work-44:00