In this episode we take you inside our real end of year reflection process. We talk through our wins from 2025, the challenges that stretched us, and how we are setting goals for 2026 as parents and business owners.

We unpack the big things that happened this year, like acquisitions, launching our own private equity firm, expanding into Vietnam, client wins and awards, as well as the hard parts, like failed hires, cash flow hits, six figure losses and mum guilt while building Frmefest.

We also share the reflection framework we actually use. Listing small and big wins, pairing every challenge with a learning, then setting bold goals and breaking them down into realistic steps with our mentors.

If you are wrapping up your own year and planning the next one, this conversation gives you a practical way to review, reset and dream a bit bigger.

Connect with us

Julia Truong IG: @juliatruong.official | juliatruong.com

Victor Tran IG: @victortran.official | victortran.com.au

Elevate Podcast IG: @elevatepodcast_official

This episode breaks down the exact process we use to take an idea and turn it into a purposeful, profitable event. We talk about why every event starts with a clear why, how we design the full guest journey across all five senses, and the role values play in shaping the experience.

We cover budgets, options, buffers, creative activations that drive real engagement, and how tech and AI help us support community building.

If you run events or want to build community through experiences, this episode gives you a simple and practical framework to follow.

Connect with us

Julia Truong IG: @juliatruong.official | juliatruong.com

Victor Tran IG: @victortran.official | victortran.com.au

Elevate Podcast IG: @elevatepodcast_official

This episode takes you inside our month of travel across Vietnam, Japan and Dubai with our entire family, two toddlers and a full load of business commitments. It was equal parts incredible and chaotic.

We share what really happened behind the scenes. The sick kids, the 3am hospital visits in a foreign country, the meetings we still had to show up for, the Vietnam roadshow, the pitch taken from a tiny Tokyo cafe and the moments that tested our mindset more than ever.

We also dive into the lessons. How to plan travel when you’re mixing family and work. What we would never do again. What surprised us. And why this trip shifted our perspective on business, opportunity and designing the life we want.

If you’re building a business and raising a family, or dreaming about working while travelling, this episode gives you a real and honest look at what it actually feels like.

Listen here https://elevatewithvicandjuls.podbean.com/ Connect with us Julia Truong IG: https://www.instagram.com/juliatruong.official | Website: https://juliatruong.com

Victor Tran IG: https://www.instagram.com/victortran.official | Website: https://victortran.com.au

Elevate Podcast IG: https://www.instagram.com/elevatepodcast_official

Before running multiple businesses and raising two kids under three, we were teenagers flipping burgers and making bubble tea. Those early jobs taught us lessons in leadership, resilience and communication that shaped how we work today.

We talk about how customer service builds trust, why communication still matters in every career, and how staying calm under pressure can change the way you lead.

We unpack: • Real skills your first job teaches about teamwork and leadership • Why every young person should experience retail or hospitality work • How to handle pressure and difficult customers • The value of empathy, communication and self-leadership

Watch the full episode on YouTube or listen on your favourite podcast platform. Link in bio.

Julia Truong IG: @juliatruong.official |Website: juliatruong.com Victor Tran IG: @victortran.official |Website: victortran.com.au Elevate Podcast IG: @elevatepodcast_official

In our early days we did every part of recruitment ourselves. We rushed a hire, skipped reference checks, and learned the hard way that the wrong culture fit can cost time, money, and momentum. Those mistakes forced us to rethink how we hire, lead, and protect the business.

We break down the playbook we use now: clear position descriptions, capability frameworks, and real feedback cycles. How to track time and performance so projects stay profitable. Why culture and values need to lead every hire. What to lock into your contracts to protect your IP and team. When to bring in HR, legal, and industry recruiters. Plus how to interview for leadership by hiring people smarter than you, and what candidates can do to stand out for the right reasons.

Watch the full episode on YouTube or listen on your favorite podcast platform.

Julia Truong - IG: @juliatruong.official | LinkedIn | Website: juliatruong.com Victor Tran - IG: @victortran.official | LinkedIn | Website: victortran.com.au Elevate Podcast - IG: @elevatepodcast_official

What happens when your baby arrives a month early during the busiest events season of the year? For Juls and Vic, it meant opening a laptop in the hospital, pushing through on adrenaline, and realising their business couldn’t run without them.

In this episode, they share the unfiltered truth about burnout, the moment they explored selling the company, and the mentors who helped them see a smarter way forward.

You’ll hear how they reframed maternity as an accelerator, why they believe balance is a myth, and the exact leadership moves that freed them to grow both their family and their businesses. From considering an exit to creating an empire, this is the raw story of how Juls and Vic rebuilt with clarity, structure and purpose.

What happens when your co-founder is also your partner in life? For Juls and Vic, eight years of working side by side has meant shared wins, tough lessons and plenty of growth.

In this episode, they open up about the realities of building a business empire as husband and wife. From giving feedback without turning it into a fight, to the cost of hiring mistakes, to raising two kids while running multiple companies, this is the unfiltered version of what it takes to grow together in every sense.

You will hear about the “mindset” that helps them turn setbacks into opportunities, the weekly rituals that keep them aligned, and why they believe balance is a myth. Instead, they lean into a work and life blend that makes space for both ambition and family.

This episode is a behind the scenes look at how to strengthen a partnership, set clear roles, and build resilience when business and love are part of the same journey.

In the beginning, it was theatre shows, profit-share gigs, and long nights of networking. The first year of JT Production Management felt like pure gig economy, uncertain and unpredictable.

By year two, everything changed. Securing a major contract with the University of Melbourne transformed side hustles into a sustainable business. In this episode, Juls and Vic share the early struggles of pricing, hustling for clients, recruitment mistakes, and the hard lessons of learning how to step back and let their team thrive. It’s a raw look at how a passion project grew into a company under full management.

This episode is your behind-the-scenes guide to turning uncertainty into growth, knowing your worth, and learning when to let go so your business can truly scale.