Felipe Gama is the franchise owner of Sushi Sushi in Dunsborough, Western Australia, with a second store soon to open in Margaret River. Originally from Brazil, Felipe moved to Australia in 2018 to study cookery and built his career working in kitchens across Melbourne and regional WA.

With years of experience as a chef, he developed a passion for fresh, high-quality food but also recognised the challenges of long hours and demanding shifts. When planning for a family, Felipe sought a business opportunity that aligned with his skills while allowing more balance and lifestyle flexibility.

Discovering Sushi Sushi provided the perfect fit. The franchise model offered structure, training, and support while giving him the chance to run his own business in a growing regional community. From overcoming early challenges with team building to engaging with locals through sponsorships and community ties, Felipe has embraced the role of business owner with enthusiasm.

Now preparing to expand into multi-store ownership, Felipe continues to combine his passion for food with the drive to build sustainable businesses rooted in both family and community.

0:00 Introduction

0:45 Felipe's franchise journey beginnings — from Brazil to Australia

2:12 Studying cookery in Australia and gaining qualifications

3:56 Facing and overcoming early language barriers

4:34 Favorite cuisine to cook and personal passion for Italian food

5:46 Career progression after qualification and early experiences in Australian kitchens

6:48 The transition from Victoria to Western Australia

8:51 Working as a chef after relocating and running a kitchen for over two years

9:18 Shifting from chef life to business ownership to align with family goals

11:03 Discovering a gap in the market and finding the right franchise opportunity with sushi sushi

13:49 Addressing stereotypes in sushi franchising and why passion matters more than background

15:27 Overcoming the biggest challenges of starting a franchise business

16:36 Deciding to expand with a second store

18:04 Building management teams to balance growth and lifestyle

19:37 Opportunities and challenges in regional markets

20:56 Keys to local success with Sushi Sushi

22:33 Wrap up

Podcast Produced by: www.franchisebusinesshub.com.au

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Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/2kb8t6xb

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YouTube: https://youtu.be/p_9t7i9e8eI

Jim and Rose Stoupas are the founders of Walkers Doughnuts, a brand built on family heritage, food innovation, and a passion for creating memorable customer experiences.

With a long family history in baking and a strong connection to nostalgic Australian culture, they transformed childhood memories of donuts and milk bars into a thriving franchise model. From the beginning, their vision was clear to combine authentic products, a unique environment, and strong franchise systems to stand out in the market.

Key milestones in their journey include moving production offsite to ensure quality and consistency, expanding interstate with dedicated area developers, and keeping product innovation at the heart of the brand.

Today, Jim and Rose continue to grow Walkers Doughnuts nationally while staying true to their philosophy: create products people love, design stores that feel special, and leave every customer just a little happier than when they walked in.

0:00 Introduction

0:38 Origin story of Walker's Doughnuts

3:59 How the store environment shapes the Walkers experience

5:26 Maintaining the Walkers environment through franchisee training and store immersion

7:22 The role of offsite manufacturing in Walkers’ growth and efficiency

9:31 Expansion into Queensland through an area developer model

12:22 Commitment to product quality and uniqueness as a cornerstone of growth

14:41 Blending brand passion with food technology where art meets science

16:03 - The significance of trademarking and why it mattered for Walkers

17:10 Wrap up

Podcast Produced by: www.franchisebusinesshub.com.au

Listen or Watch On;

Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/mtvp3s35 Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/2n3r55wc Amazon Music: https://tinyurl.com/mvn4hjjt YouTube: https://youtu.be/JsKSI9qHC9A

Varun Ashok is the founder of Mobile Experts, one of Australia’s fastest-growing mobile repair and accessory retailers.

Growing up in India, he spent his teenage years working in the family business before moving to Australia in 2007 to pursue a Masters in International Business. His early days saw him balancing studies with jobs at Pizza Hut and Vodafone, with no set plan beyond working hard and embracing new opportunities.

In 2013, Varun opened his first store in Wetherill Park, overcoming challenges with landlords and fit-outs to establish a strong customer base. His focus on providing the right product at the right price with genuine customer service set him apart and led to early profitability.

From a single store, Varun quickly scaled to 12 locations in Sydney, and over the years, expanded to more than 60 stores nationwide. Along the way, he shifted from instinctive, ‘seat-of-the-pants’ decision-making to building systems, training teams, and developing a long-term vision for growth.

Today, Mobile Experts continues to expand under his leadership, built on a foundation of innovation, people management, and customer focus with Varun shaping not only the business, but also the future of franchising in the mobile services industry.

0:00 Introduction

0:41 What Mobile Experts does

1:38 Varun’s personal background and life back in India

3:37 Varun’s family business in India

7:25 Transition after school and progression in the family business before moving to Australia

14:35 Arrival in Australia and first job experience

16:25 Early plans in Australia, studies, first jobs, and future expectations

19:07 Progression from early jobs to discovering entrepreneurial drive

27:29 Overcoming landlord challenges during kiosk fit-out

28:45 Opening the Wetherill Park kiosk and differences in trading between India and Australia

31:36 Standing out early and achieving profitability faster than expected

33:03 Expanding beyond the first store and the vision for adding more locations

40:20 Scaling from 12 stores in Sydney to 60+ nationwide through strong team management

41:55 Growing to 25 stores without a set plan and continuing expansion after partnership changes

45:27 Decision-making process on future growth and long-term planning

51:56 Wrap Up

Podcast Produced by: www.franchisebusinesshub.com.au

Listen or Watch on;

Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/2nb3ec8k

Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/yv43zf5k

Amazon Music: https://tinyurl.com/nh2w7v94

YouTube: https://youtu.be/0xPB8cbCTg4