Catching Up With CUB

Hosted by Daniel Hakim

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296

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Aug 2026

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About the show

A Podcast by Daniel Hakim, CEO of the Club of United Business (CUB). Daniel catches up with the best in Australian business, to provide you with the knowledge and entertainment you need to kick ass in today's business world. Catching Up with CUB is more than a business podcast.

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August 17, 2026Episode 3001 hr 14 min

#300 Mark Bouris - The State of Australia Part One

For the special 300th episode of Catching Up with CUB, Daniel catches up with Mark Bouris to discuss the state of Australia, where the country is heading and the economic pressures facing business owners. Mark shares why he believes Australia is heading towards a recession, including his concerns around inflation, interest rates, unemployment and the growing divide between the public and private sectors. The conversation also tackles housing affordability, taxation, government spending, migration and Australia's increasingly divided political landscape, before exploring practical ideas to help younger Australians enter the property market and encourage developers to build more housing. Mark also opens up about why Australia is becoming an increasingly expensive place to do business and why more entrepreneurs are considering investing and operating overseas. From the risk of recession to the future of Australian business, Episode #300 asks what needs to change to put prosperity and the private sector back at the centre of Australia's economic future.

August 2, 2026Episode 29952 min

#299 Tim Wilson – Is the Australian Dream Still Within Reach?

In this episode, Daniel sits down with Australia's Shadow Treasurer, Tim Wilson, for an exclusive conversation on the Federal Budget, Australia's economic future and what he believes needs to change to restore opportunity for ambitious Australians. From the Federal Government's proposed tax changes and housing affordability to productivity, migration and small business, Tim shares why he believes the latest budget could make it harder for Australians to get ahead, and outlines the Opposition's approach to supporting investment, entrepreneurship and economic growth. Daniel and Tim also discuss the role entrepreneurs play in growing the economy, why some business owners are considering expanding overseas, and provide an inside perspective on the ideas, challenges and policy debates shaping Australia's economic future. Whether you're building a business, buying your first home or simply interested in where Australia is heading, this episode provides a unique perspective on some of the biggest economic and policy decisions shaping the country's future.

July 26, 2026Episode 29846 min

#298 Ashlea Roach - How Great Founders Build Great Teams

Daniel catches up with Ashlea Roach, Founder and Managing Director of People Co., to discuss what it really takes to build a high-performing team and why people and culture are one of the biggest drivers of business growth. After spending her career helping startups, scaleups and SMEs navigate the challenges of hiring, leadership and workplace culture, Ashlea founded People Co. to give growing businesses practical, commercially focused people advice that goes far beyond traditional HR. Today, she works with founders to build stronger leaders, more accountable teams and cultures that scale alongside the business. Daniel and Ashlea discuss hiring, performance management, difficult conversations, leadership development, retaining great employees, building culture as your business grows and the practical strategies every founder can use to build a stronger team.

July 12, 2026Episode 2971 hr 5 min

#297 Justin Khoury – Why Great Businesses Put Their Team First

Daniel catches up with Justin Khoury, co-founder of Unbound Minds, to discuss why the best businesses are built from the inside out and what founders can learn from putting their people first. After helping launch DoorDash Australia, Justin and his wife Monica founded Unbound Minds with a different approach to healthcare. By building the business around practitioners rather than patients, they've grown to more than 32 practitioners across two Sydney clinics and are now helping organisations create healthier workplaces through their newest venture, Unbound Work. Daniel and Justin discuss founder mental health, leadership, hiring, workplace culture, Australia's changing psychosocial safety laws, the challenges facing the NDIS and the lessons every business owner can apply to build stronger, more resilient teams.

June 29, 2026Episode 2961 hr 8 min

#296 Julian Fayad – What The Budget Means for Business

Daniel catches up with Julian Fayad, founder and CEO of LoanOptions.ai, to discuss the Federal Government's proposed tax changes and why he believes they could have lasting consequences for Australian entrepreneurs, investors and future business owners. After nearly a decade in the finance industry, Julian built LoanOptions.ai into an eight-figure business with almost 40 staff and over 3,000 partners. More recently, he became the face of the viral "Albo 47%" campaign, sparking a national conversation around capital gains tax, entrepreneurship and Australia's economic future. Daniel and Julian discuss the proposed budget changes, housing affordability, taxation, entrepreneurship, business growth, Australia's productivity problem and what they believe needs to change to restore opportunity for the next generation.

June 14, 202648 min

#295 Jon Tyson – A New Way to Build Property Wealth

Daniel catches up with Jon Tyson, co-founder of Dominion Property, to explore an innovative property model helping investors build wealth while addressing Australia's housing shortage. From co-living developments and positive cash flow to property development and long-term investing, John shares how his team has created hundreds of homes through a strategy that's challenging traditional approaches to property ownership. Daniel and John discuss housing affordability, investor opportunities, development risk and the future of property investing.

May 31, 202652 min

#294 Alex Roberts - 15 Years, 4+ Businesses, 1 Lesson

Daniel is catching up with Alex Roberts, founder and director of multiple businesses across digital marketing, technology, and professional services, including Agency Stack, Admosis, and TeleMediDexy. Alex shares what he's learned from building and scaling multiple companies over the past 15 years, leading global teams, and raising three children while growing a portfolio of businesses. Daniel and Alex break down systems, leadership, company culture, AI, business partnerships, and the mindset required to build companies that stand the test of time.

May 17, 202650 min

#293 Ryan Nelson - Landing Google Pre-Launch

*]:pointer-events-auto R6Vx5W_threadScrollVars scroll-mb-[calc(var(--scroll-root-safe-area-inset-bottom,0px)+var(--thread-response-height))] scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]" dir="auto" data-turn-id= "request-697fd00c-0624-8323-9f2c-43247d24b874-0" data-turn-id-container= "request-697fd00c-0624-8323-9f2c-43247d24b874-0" data-testid= "conversation-turn-94" data-scroll-anchor="false" data-turn= "assistant"> Daniel is catching up with Ryan Nelson, founder of Refilled - the Australian hardware startup disrupting the global beverage industry with smart drink dispensers that eliminate single-use plastic waste. Ryan shares the brutal reality of building a hardware company from scratch: bootstrapping a prototype with duct tape and zip ties, landing Google before the product even existed, and scaling into companies like Netflix, Uber, Atlassian, and JP Morgan. Daniel and Ryan break down enterprise sales, raising capital, startup culture, and why hardware might be the next great opportunity founders are overlooking.

April 26, 202651 min

#292 Jason Varone - How to Beat the Car Dealers

Daniel is catching up with Jason Varone, CEO of Private Fleet Group - one of Australia's leading car buying agencies, purchasing over 200 cars a month by getting dealers to compete for every deal. Jason breaks down how the car industry really works: why most Australians overpay, how dealers make money, and the simple strategies you can use to get a better price. From timing your purchase to creating real competition, this is a no-BS guide to buying your next car properly. Your Free CUB Subscription Subscribe free to CUB for monthly invites to Australia's best business events, full access to Mark Bouris' private CUB interview, and practical lessons from leading Aussie entrepreneurs at cub.club/subscribe .

April 12, 202650 min

#291 Calvin Chilchik - From Network to Opportunity

Daniel is catching up with Calvin Chilchik, former Head of CUB Sydney, as he leaves to fulfil a lifelong dream: co-founding a business in the US and taking his family business into its next phase of growth. Calvin shares how seven years inside CUB built the confidence, network, and sales skillset to make the leap - from overcoming imposter syndrome to thinking like a founder. They break down the real lessons behind sales, leadership, and building relationships that actually drive opportunity, and how surrounding yourself with the right people can completely change your trajectory. Exclusive Offer for our Listeners Get free access to Ari Galper's Selling With Trust app, built around his trust-based approach to improving conversion and removing the need to chase leads. Access it here: www.AriGalper.com/Free Your Free CUB Subscription Subscribe free to CUB for monthly invites to Australia's best business events, full access to Mark Bouris' private CUB interview, and practical lessons from leading Aussie entrepreneurs at cub.club/subscribe .