Welcome to Origin to Ambition Bytes, where we revisit our archives to bring you a concentrated dose of wisdom from our most impactful conversations.

This week, we're diving back into our fascinating chat with author and elite coach, Cody Royle. What if you could design your personal brand with the same precision as a tech product for 5 million daily users? And what if the secret to chasing massive goals was admitting you have a "screw loose"?

In this concentrated dose of wisdom, Cody explains how his background in UX design gave him a unique advantage, allowing him to "productize" himself and find his "smallest viable audience." He gets brutally honest about the difference between real coaching and what is often just "repackaged management," and shares the entrepreneurial mistake that caused him the most stress. This is a masterclass in strategic thinking, the mindset required for high achievement, and finding your unique path.

In This Byte Episode, We Cover:

The Critical Difference Between Real Coaching & "Repackaged Management": Why so much of what is called coaching in the corporate world misses the point entirely.

The Art of Productizing Yourself: How Cody used his experience in tech to separate "Cody Royle the person" from "Cody Royle the brand" to build a focused and effective business.

Finding Your "Smallest Viable Audience": The Seth Godin-inspired principle that helped him niche down from "coaches" to "elite-level head coaches" to serve a market he deeply understood.

The Founder's Blind Spot: Cody's biggest regret and the one area he neglected that created unnecessary stress and impacted the quality of his work.

The Power of an "Insurmountable" Goal: Why having a big, scary vision is essential for building the determination and stamina required to "stay in the game."

The "Screw Loose" Theory of Entrepreneurship: Cody's candid take on the unique, almost irrational mindset needed to chase the highest levels of success.

The Supportive Employer: The rare and powerful story of a corporate culture that actively encouraged his side hustle, restoring his faith in leadership.

The Ultimate Payoff: The profound, "magical" feeling of impacting the lives of people you've never even met through your work.

Memorable Quotes:

"To be an entrepreneur, I think there needs to be a screw loose."

"I think it's called coaching [in corporate], but it's still just management repackaged."

"I separated Cody Royle the person from Cody Royle the brand... and designed the business like we would a tech product."

"Success in what we are doing is most of it is staying in the game... you never know how close you really were to cracking what you were working on."

"To be able to impact people like that just through written word, I think is magic."

Resources Mentioned:

Cody Royle's Book: Second Set of Eyes

Website: codyroyle.com

Connect with the Host, Sean Dunne:

Website: dominiumcapital.com.au

Thank you for tuning in to Origin to Ambition!

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen. It helps us reach more aspiring entrepreneurs just like you.

Welcome to Origin to Ambition Bytes, where we revisit the archives to bring you a concentrated dose of wisdom from our most impactful conversations.

This week, we're diving back into our chat with the incredible Andy Gowers. If you've ever felt like you have a great business but no real way to track your progress, this episode is your playbook. Andy tackles one of the biggest weak spots in small business: the lack of measurability.

Drawing powerful parallels from his career in elite sport, he explains why every business needs a "scoreboard" and how to move from "wishy-washy" goals to concrete commitments. He provides a practical, step-by-step guide to setting up an accountability partnership and shares an unforgettable lesson on true commitment involving a chicken and a pig. Finally, he reveals the game-changing "E-Myth" principle that will forever change how you view the purpose of your business.

In This Byte Episode, We Cover:

The Problem with "Wishy-Washy" Goals: Andy's hilarious but effective method for turning a vague intention ("one day I'd like to...") into a committed action.

The Two Parts of Achievement: Why setting the goal is only half the battle, and how being held accountable is the critical second step.

A Practical Guide to Accountability: A breakdown of Andy's own weekly accountability partnership, including the cadence, commitments, and the role of the "drill sergeant."

The Scoreboard Principle: What business can learn from elite sport's use of a scoreboard, featuring the brilliant Pepsi vs. Coke wars example.

The Chicken vs. The Pig: An old coach’s unforgettable and humorous lesson on the profound difference between being involved and being truly committed.

The 'E-Myth' Epiphany: The single, game-changing reason to own a business, according to Michael Gerber, and how it reframes the difference between a business and a job.

Memorable Quotes:

"The only reason to own a business is so that you can sell it. If you can't sell your business, you don't own one. You own a job."

"The average human is built for comfort, not for success. You need other people to help you hold yourself to account."

"When you're next sitting down for your bacon and eggs, just have a think about who's more committed, the chicken or the pig. The pig's given his life. The chicken's just laid an egg. You guys have got to be committed."

"I think that's the most wishy-washy goal I've ever heard. 'One day in your lifetime you'd like to.' You're never gonna do it."

Resources Mentioned:

Andy Gowers' Website: andygowers.com

Book: The E-Myth by Michael Gerber

Connect with the Host, Sean Dunne:

Website: dominiumcapital.com.au

Thank you for tuning in to Origin to Ambition!

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen. It helps us reach more aspiring entrepreneurs just like you.

What if the most important question for your business's success was the one you couldn't answer? That was the reality for Peter Mercuri, a seasoned chartered accountant, when he was asked a simple question: "Why do you do what you do?" It took him two weeks to find the answer, and that process of discovery changed everything.

In this deeply honest and reflective conversation, Sean Dunne sits down with Peter to explore his 15-year journey as a founder. Peter shares the raw challenges of the early days—the naivety of a 27-year-old entrepreneur, the sacrifice of not taking a salary for four years, and how the "arrogance was smashed out of him" by the realities of building a business.

This episode is a masterclass in the foundational elements of a successful enterprise. Peter makes a powerful case for why creating a clear vision is not a "wishy-washy" cliché but the essential anchor for your business, and shares the profound lesson that a business plan is meaningless if you don't have a plan for your own life.

What we discussed:

[02:15] The "Forced" Entrepreneur: How a move back from the UK became the "push he needed" to start a business with his brother.

[04:30] The Brutal Realities of Starting Out: The arrogance of a young founder and the immense, unseen challenges of infrastructure and client acquisition.

[06:00] The Four-Year Grind: The personal sacrifice of not taking a salary from the business for the first four years to reinvest every dollar back into growth.

[09:30] The Cliché That Isn't: Why creating a clear "Why" and "Vision" is the most important—and most difficult—thing a founder can do.

[12:30] A powerful real-world example of a family business with four different visions for the future and why alignment is non-negotiable.

[15:00] The CO's Core Values: Being "Humbly Confident," "Authentically Fun," and building a business on relationships, not transactions.

[22:00] The Founder's Blind Spot: The critical importance of being coachable and learning not to be afraid to ask for help from the right people.

[26:00] The Most Overlooked Plan: Why every entrepreneur needs a personal plan for their own life, not just a business plan.

[28:30] Owning a Job vs. Owning a Business: The necessity of building your business to be "exit-ready," even if you never plan to sell.

[33:00] Peter's key advice for new founders: Don't wait for perfection, surround yourself with the right people, and understand your numbers.

Memorable Quotes:

"It probably took me two weeks to try and actually articulate that specific answer... If I had my time again, it would be to create your 'why,' create your vision, and stick to it."

"You kind of go into the office and you're like, 'Great, we're starting'... and there's so much infrastructure that needs to go into it... and then you've got to find the clients."

"Don't worry about the dollars. The dollars will come... People know when you've supported them and you're doing things for the right reason."

"What's the point of having a great business if on a personal level you haven't got a plan? There's no difference."

"One of my clients said it once, which was the best thing I've ever heard: 'The best part is, we'll grow old together.'"

Resources Mentioned:

The CO Accountants & Business Advisors: theco.com.au

Connect with Our Guest:

Connect with Peter Mercuri on LinkedIn: https://au.linkedin.com/in/peter-mercuri-58a42613

Connect with the Host, Sean Dunne:

Website: https://dominiumcapital.com.au/

LinkedIn: https://au.linkedin.com/in/sean-dunne-76067429

Thank you for tuning in to Orig

What happens when you write a book so honest that your readers demand you turn it into a business? That's the unique entrepreneurial journey of Cody Royle. After the gut-wrenching experience of his AFL draft dream ending, Cody "fell into" coaching and began a meandering 18-year search for his next great passion.

In this fascinating conversation, Sean Dunne sits down with Cody to explore how years spent "inadvertently" acquiring skills in corporate HR, sales, and even IT product design gave him the perfect toolkit for entrepreneurship without him even realizing it. The tipping point came after he published his second book, "The Tough Stuff," a raw look at the emotional toll of being a head coach. He was so inundated with messages from coaches around the world saying, "I need to talk to you," that his business was essentially born from audience demand.

This episode is a masterclass in building an audience through authenticity, finding your "smallest viable audience," and the powerful, overarching mission to "rehumanize coaching."

What we discussed:

[01:45] The Origin Story: The painful experience of not being drafted into the AFL and how it led to him falling out of love with the game.

[04:00] The "Tap on the Shoulder": How a perceptive coach saw his potential and pulled him into the world of coaching.

[06:30] The "Inadvertent" Entrepreneur: How years in corporate roles unknowingly prepared him for his own business.

[09:20] The Tipping Point: How his second book resonated so deeply that his audience essentially forced him to become an entrepreneur.

[13:15] The rare and supportive corporate job that actively encouraged him to build his side hustle.

[18:30] The critical difference between authentic coaching and what is often just "repackaged management."

[23:45] The Power of Product Thinking: How his background in UX design helped him separate the person from the brand and find his "smallest viable audience."

[27:00] His biggest entrepreneurial mistake: Neglecting the financial backend and the mental stress it creates.

[34:30] A different perspective: Starting a business to get balance, rather than trying to find it in the chaos.

[38:00] His big, scary, and deeply personal mission: To "Rehumanize Coaching."

[44:30] The two non-negotiable traits for any entrepreneur: Determination and stamina.

Memorable Quotes:

"My audience found me... it was really a plea from my own audience to go into business."

"I was inadvertently acquiring the skills of an entrepreneur without knowing it."

"Success... most of it is staying in the game. If you don't have a big vision or a big goal attached to that, I think it's easy to drop out."

"To be an entrepreneur, I think there needs to be a screw loose."

"To be able to impact people like that just through the written word, I think is magic."

Resources Mentioned:

Cody Royle's Books: Where Others Won't, The Tough Stuff, Second Set of Eyes

Website: codyroyle.com

Connect with Our Guest:

Connect with Cody Royle on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/codyroyle/

Connect with the Host, Sean Dunne:

Website: https://dominiumcapital.com.au/

LinkedIn: https://au.linkedin.com/in/sean-dunne-76067429

Thank you for tuning in to Origin to Ambition!

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen. It helps us reach more aspiring entrepreneurs just like you.

What does it take for a single mother, after years out of the industry, to build a 7-figure hairdressing salon from the ground up in a "disgusting and dirty" old milk bar? The answer is a simple, powerful, and non-negotiable mindset: failure is not an option.

In this inspiring episode, Sean Dunne sits down with Felicity Mace, the creative force behind Salon Mace. Felicity shares her incredible journey from a country town art student to learning the ropes in the glitz and glamour of Sydney's most exclusive salons. She gets brutally honest about the fear and stress of starting her own business from scratch with no clients, and the ingenious "bums on seats" strategy she used to create a buzz from day one.

This conversation is a masterclass in grit, creative marketing, and the relentless drive required to succeed against the odds. It’s a powerful story about finding your motivation, the importance of understanding the numbers behind your business, and learning to love the entrepreneurial "roller coaster."

What we discussed:

[02:15] The pivot from a Fine Arts degree to a high-end hairdressing apprenticeship in Sydney's most exclusive salons.

[06:00] Her first taste of business ownership and the invaluable lessons learned running a large, fast-paced salon.

[08:15] The Core Mindset: Why "failure is not an option" is the only way to approach entrepreneurship, especially as a single parent.

[10:15] The gritty origin story of Salon Mace: transforming an old milk bar into a high-end salon with zero clients.

[12:20] The "Bums on Seats" Strategy: A brilliant, low-cost marketing hack to make your new business look busy and generate instant word-of-mouth.

[16:20] The "Why": How her children, her staff, and the joy of making people feel good are the ultimate drivers of her success.

[20:10] The Biggest Mistake to Avoid: The critical importance of understanding the "back end" of your business—your financials—and not just your bank account balance.

[25:30] The Value of the Right Advice: Why a growth-focused business advisor provides a different kind of value than a traditional accountant.

[31:00] Planning for the Future: Navigating capacity constraints and the strategic decisions around expansion.

[36:00] Her #1 Piece of Advice for New Founders: You have to be 100% "all in." There is no room for doubt.

Memorable Quotes:

"There was never an inkling in my head that what happens if it doesn't work? It just had to work."

"Don't devalue your service. But in the beginning, when I didn't have clients, better to do something uncomplimentary than not do anyone at all."

"I used to just look at my bank account. If my bank account was good, I was good. Not realizing all these other things need to be paid out."

"Failure is not an option. You have to really want to succeed and you've also got to want to be a business owner."

"Business evolves and you have to... You can't go, 'Oh, I'm too old or I don't know anything about it.' You have to go, 'Okay, I'm going to learn.'"

Resources Mentioned:

Salon Mace: salonmace.com (or relevant site)

Follow Salon Mace on Instagram: @salonmace

Connect with the Host, Sean Dunne:

Website: https://dominiumcapital.com.au/dominium/

LinkedIn: https://au.linkedin.com/in/sean-dunne-76067429

Thank you for tuning in to Origin to Ambition!

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen. It helps us reach more aspiring ent

Paul Veldman never intended to be an entrepreneur. A 20-year veteran of the Victoria Police, his life was on a clear path until a devastating knee injury took him out of action. Bored and going stir-crazy, he made a seemingly small decision to help out at his local karate club. That decision sparked an "accidental" journey that would lead to the creation of the Kando Martial Arts empire, now spanning seven locations and thousands of students.

In this powerful conversation, Sean Dunne sits down with Paul to uncover a story of true grit and resilience. Paul shares the hilarious and painful lessons from his early days, including the failure of his "build it and they will come" model that racked up a $10,000 overdraft, and the high-stakes gamble he took on a mentor against his wife's direct advice—a decision that tripled his business in just 12 months.

This episode is a masterclass in the power of mentorship, the necessity of scalable systems, and the profound mindset shifts required to go from a passionate technician to a true business owner with a real exit strategy.

What We Discussed:

[01:25] The Accidental Start: How a career-threatening knee injury in the police force led to the birth of his first dojo.

[03:45] "How Hard Can It Be?": The honest and humorous story of his early failures, racking up a $10k overdraft with his "build it and they will come" strategy.

[07:45] The Side Hustle Dilemma: The pros and cons of keeping your day job while building a business, and the trap of letting your lifestyle absorb both incomes.

[12:20] The Cortez Mindset: The critical importance of having a business plan and why a goal without one is just a wish.

[21:15] The High-Stakes Gamble: The story of investing in an expensive mentor he couldn't afford, against his wife's advice, and the immense pressure to make it work.

[24:00] The Incredible Payoff: How that single investment in mentorship tripled his student base from 100 to 300 in just one year.

[26:30] The Second Critical Pivot: The "aha" moment when he realized he trained police instructors for a living but had no system for training his own staff.

[32:15] The Kando Core Values: Humility, Effort, Loyalty, Patience, and the unwavering importance of integrity and reputation.

[35:00] From Income to Asset: The crucial role of financial advice in shifting his mindset from just running a business to building a valuable asset with a real exit strategy.

[44:00] Paul's #1 Piece of Advice for New Founders: You have to be prepared to "do the work."

[45:40] His Biggest Regret: The painful but vital lesson of not sacrificing your family for your business in the early days.

Memorable Quotes:

"If there was a way to do it wrong, we did it wrong. I was working on the 'build it and they will come' model. And they didn't."

"Somehow or other you have to pay. You could pay in your time or you can pay... in dollars. But there is always a payment for anything you do."

"A goal without a plan is just a wish."

"Why reinvent what's out there? When you have a mentor... you're paying money but you're saving so much time. And honestly, you're probably saving a lot of money too."

Resources Mentioned:

Kando Martial Arts: kandomartialarts.com.au

Connect with Our Guest:

Connect with Paul Veldman on LinkedIn: https://au.linkedin.com/in/paul-veldman-400a8140

Connect with the Host, Sean Dunne:

Website: http://dominiumcapital.com.au/

LinkedIn: https://au.linkedin.com/in/sean-dunne-76067429

Thank you for tuning in to Origin to Ambition!

What if your business's "exit plan" was simply the freedom to beg for a job if it all went wrong? That was the refreshingly honest and low-risk mentality that launched T.M. Collins Law, one of the fastest-growing law firms in the country.

In this episode, Sean Dunne sits down with co-founder & partner at TM Collins Law, John Mapleston to unpack a story of explosive growth built on a simple premise: fixing the two things everyone hates about lawyers. By committing to being affordable and incredibly responsive, John and his partner tapped into a massive market frustration, forcing them to scale from two founders working from home to a team of 15 in just three years.

John shares a brilliant, practical playbook for any service-based entrepreneur, including the sub-contracting "safety net" that provided income from day one, why your biggest clients might actually be your competitors, and the #1 hiring mistake almost every new founder makes.

Highlights:

[02:15] The "What have we got to lose?" moment that sparked the business, and the "beg for a job" exit plan that made it feel possible.

[04:45] The two massive problems with the legal industry they set out to solve: being too expensive and too slow.

[07:00] The rapid growth that forced them to scale and hire within the first six months.

[09:30] The Founder's Safety Net: A brilliant hack for using sub-contracting work to generate income while you build your own client base.

[14:00] How to turn your competitors into your biggest source of referrals.

[15:45] The profound reward of building a team and the shift from practitioner to mentor.

[18:00] The core ethos: Being a problem solver, not a problem creator, to save clients stress and money.

[22:45] Why building genuine relationships is a far more powerful strategy than traditional "networking."

[28:15] The critical hiring mistake most startups make and why your first hire should probably be your most expensive.

[30:00] The non-negotiable need for a good accountant and bookkeeper from the very beginning to avoid growth chaos.

[32:15] The 5-Year Plan: The strategic goal of working on the business, not just in it.

[38:30] The entrepreneurial journey in one sentence: A "love-hate relationship" on a roller coaster you have to enjoy riding.

Memorable Quotes From John Mapleston:

"What people generally complain about lawyers is, one, they're too bloody expensive, and two, they're really slow... So what we set out to do was to solve those two problems."

"Worse comes to worse, if it doesn't work after six months, we can always beg someone else for a job."

"You're better off biting the bullet and hiring someone with four or five years' experience, because as a startup, you're not going to have the time to put in years of training."

"Our job is as a problem solver... trying to make their life easier, not harder."

"It's a roller coaster and sometimes it can be a love-hate relationship... Some days you're thinking, 'Why on earth did I do this?'"

Resources Mentioned:

T.M. Collins Law: tmcollinslaw.com.au

Connect with Our Guest:

Connect with John Mapleston : https://www.tmcollins.com.au/john-mapleston

Connect with the Host, Sean Dunne:

Website: http://dominiumcapital.com.au/

LinkedIn: https://au.linkedin.com/in/sean-dunne-76067429

Thank you for tuning in to Origin to Ambition!

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen. It helps us reach more aspiring entrepreneurs jus

Imagine launching your dream business, pouring your heart and soul into it, only to be hit by a "full-blown tsunami" just four months later. That was the reality for Maggie McPherson, a 4'11" powerhouse in the martial arts world, when the COVID-19 pandemic shut her brand-new dojo down.

In this deeply inspiring conversation, Sean Dunne sits down with Maggie to explore a journey that began not with a business plan, but by simply tagging along with her brother to a martial arts class to stop him from being bullied. She fell in love with the art, was mentored by one of the industry's legends, and eventually took the courageous leap to build a school that reflected her own values and vision.

This episode is a masterclass in resilience, adaptability, and the power of a strong team. Maggie shares how she pivoted her in-person school to an online model overnight, the importance of building a future leadership "bench," and why her ultimate measure of success is the confidence she sees blossoming in her students.

What we discussed:

1. The Worst-Case Scenario Happened...
Her dream business was hit by a "full-blown tsunami" just four months after opening. What was the rapid pivot she made overnight that allowed her to survive when so many established businesses failed?

2. The 4'11" Founder's Secret Weapon...
In an industry that often values size and strength, how did Maggie turn her biggest perceived weakness into her most powerful and unexpected advantage as a leader?

3. The "Lotto Test" Every Founder Must Pass…
Maggie has built a business so fulfilling that a lottery win wouldn't make her quit. What is the one question she answers "yes" to that reveals if your passion is powerful enough to fuel a business through the toughest times?

4. The Procrastinator's Paradox...
Her number one piece of advice is that waiting until you're "ready" is the biggest mistake you can make. Why does she believe that today, with all its chaos and uncertainty, is always easier than tomorrow?

5. The Hidden Time-Vampire in Your Business…
Maggie reveals the one "money-saving" task that most new founders do themselves, but she argues it’s the single biggest waste of their most valuable asset. What is it, and are you doing it right now?

SELECTED LINKS FROM THE EPISODE

Connect with Sean Dunne: Website | Instagram | LinkedIn |

Connect with Maggie McPherson: Website

Dominium Capital