Episode #236 features Matteo Franceschetti, Co-Founder & CEO of Eight Sleep — the category-defining sleep fitness company trusted by Elon Musk, Lewis Hamilton, NFL quarterbacks and Olympic champions, and backed by Khosla Ventures, Founders Fund and Y Combinator.

Note: This is a replay of Episode 159, originally released in March 2024 — one of our most loved classics.

In conversation with Vidit Agarwal, Matteo shares his journey from a small town near Venice to building a global category-defining sleep company. He reflects on learning English in his mid-20s, starting his career as a lawyer, losing his father early, and walking away from a “safe” path to bet on entrepreneurship.

Matteo unpacks Eight Sleep’s real origin story — early prototypes, repeated YC rejections, the insight that temperature control beat sleep tracking, and the hard realities of building a durable hardware business. He also shares his philosophy on performance, health, leadership and why success comes down to one idea: chop wood, carry water.‍

It’s time to explore your curiosity — please enjoy.

________

To support this podcast, check out our some of our sponsors & get discounts:

→ $1,000 off Vanta: Your compliance superpower — vanta.com/high [http://vanta.com/high]

If you're keen to discuss sponsorship and partnering with us or recommend future guests, email us at contact@curiositycentre.com today!

Join our stable of commercial partners including the Australian Government, Google, KPMG, University of Melbourne and more.

________

CLICK HERE [http://www.curiositycentre.com/the-high-flyers-podcast/ep-236-matteo-franceschetti-eight-sleep] to read show notes from this conversation. Please enjoy!

________

Follow us on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/thehighflyerspodcast], LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/thehighflyers] or Twitter [https://twitter.com/vidags10]

Get in touch with our Founder and Host, Vidit Agarwal directly here [https://www.viditagarwal.org/]

Contact us via our website [https://www.curiositycentre.com/#wf-form-Contact-Form] to discuss sponsorship opportunities, recommend future guests or share feedback, we love hearing how to improve! 

Thank you for rating / reviewing this podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, it helps others find us and convince guests to come on the show! 

________

The High Flyers Podcast [https://www.thehighflyerspodcast.com/]is described as a "meticulously researched biography" that uncovers the untold stories of remarkable people and companies -- redefining the "high flyer". Launched in 2020, we have ranked in the global top ten podcasts for past two years, with listeners in 27 countries and over 200 episodes released. Excerpts of the podcast have been featured in Forbes, AFR, Daily Telegraph, and showcased at SXSW.

200+ guests have joined host, Vidit Agarwal [https://www.viditagarwal.org/] on the show from 15+ countries. Prominent guests include Malcolm Turnbull (Prime Minister of Australia), Anil Sabharwal (VP, Product for Google Chrome, Photos and Drive), Andy Penn (CEO, Telstra), Stevie Case (Chief Revenue Officer, Vanta), Brad Banducci (CEO, Woolworths), Jean-Michel Lemieux (CTO, Shopify + Atlassian), Jillian Broadbent (Board Member, Macquarie Capital), Sweta Mehra (EGM, NAB; ex CMO, ANZ), Bowen Pan (Creator, Facebook Marketplace), Sam Sicilia (Chief Investment Officer, Hostplus), Craig Tiley (CEO, Tennis Australia), Niki Scevak (Co-Founder, Blackbird Ventures), Mike Schneider (CEO, Bunnings), Trent Cotchin (3x Premiership Winning Captain, Richmond FC), Jason Collins (Head of Australasia, BlackRock), Peter Va

#236 Matteo Franceschetti: Eight Sleep's Founder on Helping Elon Musk Sleep Better, Learning English at 20 & more

Episode #235 features Steve Hind — Co-Founder & CEO of Lorikeet, one of the fastest-growing AI companies backed by QED Investors, Square Peg, Blackbird and the founders of Canva.

In this conversation, Steve traces his journey from growing up in regional Queensland to competitive debating, and then an unconventional path across BCG, Bridgewater, BuzzFeed, Stripe, Watershed and a Harvard MBA.Steve shares the lessons that shaped him: the discipline and thick skin he built through debating; the customer-first mindset he learned at Stripe and why he left; the performance culture and feedback systems he absorbed at Bridgewater; and the downsides of having strong opinions in environments that demand alignment.

He also breaks down Lorikeet’s early pivot, how the team found real product–market fit after painful false starts, and the company’s rapid rise to US$75M+ raised in under 12 months.

He explains why Lorikeet backs high-accuracy AI agents over copilots, how he thinks about safety and evaluation, and what he’s learned about building product, culture, ambition and customer trust while scaling globally.

It’s time to explore your curiosity — please enjoy.

________

To support this podcast, check out our some of our sponsors & get discounts:

→ $1,000 off Vanta: Your compliance superpower — vanta.com/high [http://vanta.com/high]

→ Find out more about the Law Firm Allens and how they can help your company today at www.allens.com.au [https://www.allens.com.au/]

If you're keen to discuss sponsorship and partnering with us or recommend future guests, email us at contact@curiositycentre.com today!

Join our stable of commercial partners including the Australian Government, Google, KPMG, University of Melbourne and more.

________

CLICK HERE [http://www.curiositycentre.com/the-high-flyers-podcast/ep-235-steve-hind-co-founder-ceo-lorikeet] to read show notes from this conversation. Please enjoy!

________

Follow us on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/thehighflyerspodcast], LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/thehighflyers] or Twitter [https://twitter.com/vidags10]

Get in touch with our Founder and Host, Vidit Agarwal directly here [https://www.viditagarwal.org/]

Contact us via our website [https://www.curiositycentre.com/#wf-form-Contact-Form] to discuss sponsorship opportunities, recommend future guests or share feedback, we love hearing how to improve! 

Thank you for rating / reviewing this podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, it helps others find us and convince guests to come on the show! 

________

The High Flyers Podcast [https://www.thehighflyerspodcast.com/]is described as a "meticulously researched biography" that uncovers the untold stories of remarkable people and companies -- redefining the "high flyer". Launched in 2020, we have ranked in the global top ten podcasts for past two years, with listeners in 27 countries and over 200 episodes released. Excerpts of the podcast have been featured in Forbes, AFR, Daily Telegraph, and showcased at SXSW.

200+ guests have joined host, Vidit Agarwal [https://www.viditagarwal.org/] on the show from 15+ countries. Prominent guests include Malcolm Turnbull (Prime Minister of Australia), Anil Sabharwal (VP, Product for Google Chrome, Photos and Drive), Andy Penn (CEO, Telstra), Stevie Case (Chief Revenue Officer, Vanta), Brad Banducci (CEO, Woolworths), Jean-Michel Lemieux (CTO, Shopify + Atlassian), Jillian Broadbent (Board Member, Macquarie Capital), Sweta Mehra (EGM, NAB; ex CMO, ANZ), Bowen Pan (Creator, Facebook Marketplace), Sam Sicilia (Chief Investme

#235 Steve Hind: The Founder Engineering Lorikeet’s Breakthrough—From Debating, Bridgewater & Stripe to Transforming Customer Support with AI

Episode #234 features John Haddock — Chief Business Officer at Harvey, the fast-growing US$700M+ AI startup backed by Sequoia, OpenAI’s Startup Fund, Kleiner Perkins and Elad Gil.

In this conversation with host Vidit Agarwal, John reflects on his childhood in Phoenix, lessons from a decade at Stripe: working closely with the Collison brothers, leading across sales, product and global risk, and helping build foundational products like card issuing — and why he ultimately jumped to Harvey at a pivotal moment in AI.

John also unpacks how he builds credibility, develops teams, stays close to customers, and manages the speed, trust and complexity required to scale enterprise AI globally, including Harvey’s early growth in Australia and the UK.

It’s time to explore your curiosity — please enjoy.

________

To support this podcast, check out our some of our sponsors & get discounts:

→ $1,000 off Vanta: Your compliance superpower — vanta.com/high [http://vanta.com/high]

If you're keen to discuss sponsorship and partnering with us or recommend future guests, email us at contact@curiositycentre.com today!

Join our stable of commercial partners including the Australian Government, Google, KPMG, University of Melbourne and more.

________

CLICK HERE [https://www.curiositycentre.com/the-high-flyers-podcast/ep-234-john-haddock-chief-business-officer-harvey-stripe-veteran] to read show notes from this conversation. Please enjoy!

________

Follow us on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/thehighflyerspodcast], LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/thehighflyers] or Twitter [https://twitter.com/vidags10]

Get in touch with our Founder and Host, Vidit Agarwal directly here [https://www.viditagarwal.org/]

Contact us via our website [https://www.curiositycentre.com/#wf-form-Contact-Form] to discuss sponsorship opportunities, recommend future guests or share feedback, we love hearing how to improve! 

Thank you for rating / reviewing this podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, it helps others find us and convince guests to come on the show! 

________

The High Flyers Podcast [https://www.thehighflyerspodcast.com/]is described as a "meticulously researched biography" that uncovers the untold stories of remarkable people and companies -- redefining the "high flyer". Launched in 2020, we have ranked in the global top ten podcasts for past two years, with listeners in 27 countries and over 200 episodes released. Excerpts of the podcast have been featured in Forbes, AFR, Daily Telegraph, and showcased at SXSW.

200+ guests have joined host, Vidit Agarwal [https://www.viditagarwal.org/] on the show from 15+ countries. Prominent guests include Malcolm Turnbull (Prime Minister of Australia), Anil Sabharwal (VP, Product for Google Chrome, Photos and Drive), Andy Penn (CEO, Telstra), Stevie Case (Chief Revenue Officer, Vanta), Brad Banducci (CEO, Woolworths), Jillian Broadbent (Board Member, Macquarie Capital), Sweta Mehra (EGM, NAB; ex CMO, ANZ), Bowen Pan (Creator, Facebook Marketplace), Sam Sicilia (Chief Investment Officer, Hostplus), Niki Scevak (Co-Founder, Blackbird Ventures), Mike Schneider (CEO, Bunnings), Trent Cotchin (3x Premiership Winning Captain, Richmond Football Club), Jason Collins (Head of Australasia, BlackRock), Peter Varghese (Former Chief of Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs + Australia's High Comissioner to India) and many more. 

Our parent company, Curiosity Centre [http://curiositycentre.com/]is your on-demand intelligence hub for knowledge, connections and growth to

#234 John Haddock: From Phoenix’s desert trails to leading Harvey’s AI rise after a decade scaling Stripe’s hyper-growth

Episode #233 features Peter Varghese — widely regarded as one of Australia’s most influential architects of foreign policy. He currently serves as Chancellor of the University of Queensland and previously held two of the Australian Government’s most senior diplomatic roles: Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and Australia’s High Commissioner to India.

Born in Kenya and arriving in Australia in the 1960's under the White Australia Policy, Peter rose from “accidental public servant” to one of the nation’s most influential foreign policy leaders — advising Prime Ministers, running Australia’s peak intelligence agency, shaping DFAT, crafting the India strategy, and now driving UQ’s global and Australia–India partnerships.

In this conversation with Vidit Agarwal, Peter reflects on his identity, diplomacy, the craft of clear thinking, Australia-India relations and the lessons from a career defined by courage, conviction and national impact.

It’s time to explore your curiosity — please enjoy.

________

To support this podcast, check out our some of our sponsors & get discounts:

→ $1,000 off Vanta: Your compliance superpower — vanta.com/high [http://vanta.com/high]

If you're keen to discuss sponsorship and partnering with us or recommend future guests, email us at contact@curiositycentre.com today!

Join our stable of commercial partners including the Australian Government, Google, KPMG, University of Melbourne and more.

________

CLICK HERE [https://www.curiositycentre.com/the-high-flyers-podcast/ep-233-peter-varghese-chancellor-uq-dfat-secretary-australia-highcomissioner-india]to read show notes from this conversation. Please enjoy!

________

Follow us on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/thehighflyerspodcast], LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/thehighflyers] or Twitter [https://twitter.com/vidags10]

Get in touch with our Founder and Host, Vidit Agarwal directly here [https://www.viditagarwal.org/]

Contact us via our website [https://www.curiositycentre.com/#wf-form-Contact-Form] to discuss sponsorship opportunities, recommend future guests or share feedback, we love hearing how to improve! 

Thank you for rating / reviewing this podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, it helps others find us and convince guests to come on the show! 

________

This is the fourth episode in this special series with the Australian Government and their Centre for Australia–India Relations, highlighting the deepening ties between Australia and India across technology, business, media, culture and sport. With nearly one million people of Indian heritage now calling Australia home—the country’s fastest-growing large diaspora—this series brings to light the untold stories of change makers shaping the future of both nations.

________

The High Flyers Podcast [https://www.thehighflyerspodcast.com/]is described as a "meticulously researched biography" that uncovers the untold stories of remarkable people and companies -- redefining the "high flyer". Launched in 2020, we have ranked in the global top ten podcasts for past two years, with listeners in 27 countries and over 200 episodes released. Excerpts of the podcast have been featured in Forbes, AFR, Daily Telegraph, and showcased at SXSW.

200+ guests have joined host, Vidit Agarwal [https://www.viditagarwal.org/] on the show from 15+ countries. Prominent guests include Malcolm Turnbull (Prime Minister of Australia), Anil Sabharwal (VP, Product for Google Chrome, Photos and Drive), Andy Penn (CEO, Telstra), Stevie Case (Chief Revenue Officer, Vanta), Brad Banducci (CEO, Woolworth

#233 Peter Varghese: Chancellor of UQ; Fmr DFAT Secretary & Australia’s High Commissioner to India (special series with the Australian Government)

Episode #232 of The High Flyers Podcast features Jason Collins — Head of BlackRock Australasia and board director for the world’s largest Asset Management Firm, BlackRock in Australia and New Zealand.

In this conversation, Jason reflects on his competitive upbringing on Sydney’s Northern Beaches, the resilience built through early career setbacks, and the formative years he spent living abroad. He also shares lessons from journalism into finance, working closely with Australia’s multi-billion dollar super (retirement savings) funds, and how mentorship and the influence of his wife shape his leadership today.

It’s time to explore your curiosity — please enjoy.

________

To support this podcast, check out our some of our sponsors & get discounts:

→ $1,000 off Vanta: Your compliance superpower — vanta.com/high [http://vanta.com/high]

If you're keen to discuss sponsorship and partnering with us or recommend future guests, email us at contact@curiositycentre.com today!

Join our stable of commercial partners including the Australian Government, Google, KPMG, University of Melbourne and more.

________

CLICK HERE [https://www.curiositycentre.com/the-high-flyers-podcast/ep-232-jason-collins-head-of-blackrock-australasia] to read show notes from this conversation. Please enjoy!

________

Follow us on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/thehighflyerspodcast], LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/thehighflyers] or Twitter [https://twitter.com/vidags10]

Get in touch with our Founder and Host, Vidit Agarwal directly here [https://www.viditagarwal.org/]

Contact us via our website [https://www.curiositycentre.com/#wf-form-Contact-Form] to discuss sponsorship opportunities, recommend future guests or share feedback, we love hearing how to improve! 

Thank you for rating / reviewing this podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, it helps others find us and convince guests to come on the show! 

________

The High Flyers Podcast [https://www.thehighflyerspodcast.com/]is described as a "meticulously researched biography" that uncovers the untold stories of remarkable people and companies -- redefining the "high flyer". Launched in 2020, we have ranked in the global top ten podcasts for past two years, with listeners in 27 countries and over 200 episodes released. Excerpts of the podcast have been featured in Forbes, AFR, Daily Telegraph, and showcased at SXSW.

200+ guests have joined host, Vidit Agarwal [https://www.viditagarwal.org/] on the show from 15+ countries, Some of the notable guests on the show include: Anil Sabharwal (He built/led Google Photos, Google Chrome and Google Drive), Malcolm Turnbull (Prime Minister of Australia),
Holly Kramer (Board Director at Woolworths and ANZ), Brad Banducci (CEO of Woolworths), Jack Zhang (Airwallex CEO and Co-Founder), Craig Tiley (Tennis Australia CEO), Elena Verna (Head of Growth at Lovable), Andrew Penn (Telstra CEO), Sweta Mehra (EGM at NAB, Ex-CMO at ANZ), Sam Sicilia (Hostplus CIO), Niki Scevak (Blackbird Partner), Paul Bassat (Square Peg Partner), Andrey Kushid (Miro CEO) and more.

Our parent company, Curiosity Centre [http://curiositycentre.com/]is your on-demand intelligence hub for knowledge, connections and growth to achieve your potential, everyday. Join 200,000+ Investors, Founders, Functional Leaders, CEOs and Emerging Leaders. Learn with the world's best and be 1% better everyday at https://curiositycentre.com

#232 Jason Collins: Professional tennis dreams to Journalism to how he’s leading BlackRock Australasia with empathy first

Episode #231 of The High Flyers Podcast features Sweta Mehra — Executive General Manager at National Australia Bank (NAB) and Former Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) at ANZ. 

Born in Agra, India, Sweta’s journey spans Procter & Gamble, ANZ and NAB. At P&G, she rose to Brand Director, leading global consumer brands across Asia. At ANZ, she became Chief Marketing Officer (CMO), driving transformation, financial wellbeing, and digital growth across 34 markets. Today at NAB, she serves as Executive General Manager, Personal Everyday Banking, leading teams shaping the future of banking in Australia.

In this conversation, Sweta reflects on growing up with 14 cousins in a lively household, learning resilience from her father, navigating the leap from India to Australia, and the lessons from changing industries, building diverse teams and leading with empathy and curiosity.

It’s time to explore your curiosity — please enjoy.

________

To support this podcast, check out our some of our sponsors & get discounts:

→ $1,000 off Vanta: Your compliance superpower — vanta.com/high [http://vanta.com/high]

If you're keen to discuss sponsorship and partnering with us or recommend future guests, email us at contact@curiositycentre.com today!

Join our stable of commercial partners including the Australian Government, Google, KPMG, University of Melbourne and more.

________

CLICK HERE [https://www.curiositycentre.com/the-high-flyers-podcast/ep-231-sweta-mehra-egm-nab] to read show notes from this conversation. Please enjoy!

________

Follow us on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/thehighflyerspodcast], LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/thehighflyers] or Twitter [https://twitter.com/vidags10]

Get in touch with our Founder and Host, Vidit Agarwal directly here [https://www.viditagarwal.org/]

Contact us via our website [https://www.curiositycentre.com/#wf-form-Contact-Form] to discuss sponsorship opportunities, recommend future guests or share feedback, we love hearing how to improve! 

Thank you for rating / reviewing this podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, it helps others find us and convince guests to come on the show! 

________

This is the fourth episode in this special series with the Australian Government and their Centre for Australia–India Relations, highlighting the deepening ties between Australia and India across technology, business, media, culture and sport. With nearly one million people of Indian heritage now calling Australia home—the country’s fastest-growing large diaspora—this series brings to light the untold stories of change makers shaping the future of both nations.

________

The High Flyers Podcast [https://www.thehighflyerspodcast.com/]is described as a "meticulously researched biography" that uncovers the untold stories of remarkable people and companies -- redefining the "high flyer". Launched in 2020, we have ranked in the global top ten podcasts for past two years, with listeners in 27 countries and over 200 episodes released. Excerpts of the podcast have been featured in Forbes, AFR, Daily Telegraph, and showcased at SXSW.

200+ guests have joined host, Vidit Agarwal [https://www.viditagarwal.org/] on the show from 15+ countries. Prominent guests include Malcolm Turnbull (Prime Minister of Australia), Anil Sabharwal (VP, Product for Google Chrome, Photos and Drive), Andy Penn (CEO, Telstra), Stevie Case (Chief Revenue Officer, Vanta), Brad Banducci (CEO, Woolworths), Jillian Broadbent (Board Member, Macquarie Capital), Sweta Mehra (EGM, NAB; ex CMO, ANZ), Bowen Pan (Creator, Facebook Marketplace), Sam Sicilia (C

#231 Sweta Mehra: The leader people love to work with (EGM at NAB, ex-CMO ANZ, Brand Director P&G)

Episode #230 of The High Flyers Podcast features Bowen Pan, who led the creation of Facebook Marketplace and held product leadership roles at Trade Me, Meta, Stripe, and Common Room. He now advises startups and serves on boards including NZME and the Auckland University Business School.

Born in China and raised in New Zealand, Bowen shares how learnt English at age nine, how he built Facebook Marketplace from a hackathon, worked directly with Mark Zuckerberg, and led global teams across Silicon Valley. He reflects on lessons in execution, leadership, and returning home to help build the next generation of world-class companies from Australia and New Zealand.

It’s time to explore your curiosity. Please enjoy.

________

To support this podcast, check out our some of our sponsors & get discounts:

→ $1,000 off Vanta: Your compliance superpower — vanta.com/high [http://vanta.com/high]

→ Get up to 6 months of Notion’s Business plan for free with Notion AI included (worth $12K): Go to - https://ntn.so/highflyers & click “Apply Now”

If you're keen to discuss sponsorship and partnering with us or recommend future guests, email us at contact@curiositycentre.com today!

Join our stable of commercial partners including the Australian Government, Google, KPMG, University of Melbourne and more.

________

CLICK HERE [https://www.curiositycentre.com/the-high-flyers-podcast/ep-230-bowen-pan-creator-of-facebook-marketplace-ex-product-leader-at-stripe-common-room] to read show notes from this conversation. Please enjoy!

________

Follow us on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/thehighflyerspodcast], LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/thehighflyers] or Twitter [https://twitter.com/vidags10]

Get in touch with our Founder and Host, Vidit Agarwal directly here [https://www.viditagarwal.org/]

Contact us via our website [https://www.curiositycentre.com/#wf-form-Contact-Form] to discuss sponsorship opportunities, recommend future guests or share feedback, we love hearing how to improve! 

Thank you for rating / reviewing this podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, it helps others find us and convince guests to come on the show! 

________

The High Flyers Podcast [https://www.thehighflyerspodcast.com/]is described as a "meticulously researched biography" that uncovers the untold stories of remarkable people and companies -- redefining the "high flyer". Launched in 2020, we have ranked in the global top ten podcasts for past two years, with listeners in 27 countries and over 200 episodes released. Excerpts of the podcast have been featured in Forbes, AFR, Daily Telegraph, and showcased at SXSW.

200+ guests have joined host, Vidit Agarwal [https://www.viditagarwal.org/] on the show from 15+ countries, including The CEO's of multi-billion dollar companies like Telstra, Bunnings, Australia Post, Woolworths, Airwallex, Eucalyptus, Tennis Australia etc; Board Members at Macquarie Bank, ANZ, Reserve Bank etc; Former Prime Minister of Australia; Globally renowned Tech CEO's from Google, Microsoft, Xero etc, Successful Venture Capital and Family Office Investors; CIO's at the world's biggest superannuation funds; Leading Entertainers; Olympic Gold Medal Winning Athletes and interesting minds you wouldn't have heard of that are changing the world. 

Our parent company, Curiosity Centre [http://curiositycentre.com/]is your on-demand intelligence hub for knowledge, connections and growth to achieve your potential, everyday. Join 200,000+ Investors,

#230 Bowen Pan: Lessons from creating Facebook Marketplace, working with Mark Zuckerberg, and unpacking product leadership

Episode #229 of The High Flyers Podcast features Jack Zhang, Co-Founder and CEO of Airwallex, one of the world’s fastest-growing fintech companies valued at over $5 billion. Born in rural Shandong, China, Jack moved to Melbourne at 15, juggling multiple jobs while studying computer science before launching Airwallex in 2015. A former engineer and trader turned global founder, he’s known for his relentless drive, humility, and vision — building a company that powers payments for businesses in over 190 countries.

Note: This is a replay of Episode 157, originally released in February 2024 — one of our most loved classics.

In this conversation, Jack reflects on his humble upbringing in China, moving to Australia as a teenager with little English, and the years of bartending, coding, and side hustles that shaped his discipline. He shares the early failures and pivots that defined Airwallex’s journey, what it took to convince banks and investors to believe in a startup from Melbourne, and how he rebuilt the business three times before global success.

We go deep into founder psychology, hiring intuition, and leadership under pressure, as Jack opens up about stress, sacrifice, and resilience — from anxiety attacks to moments of clarity that shaped his philosophy that “wealth is fluid, but time is not.”

It’s time to explore your curiosity, please enjoy.

________

To support this podcast, check out our some of our sponsors & get discounts:

→ $1,000 off Vanta: Your compliance superpower — vanta.com/high [http://vanta.com/high]

→ Get up to 6 months of Notion’s Business plan for free with Notion AI included (worth $12K): Go to - https://ntn.so/highflyers & click “Apply Now”

If you're keen to discuss sponsorship and partnering with us or recommend future guests, email us at contact@curiositycentre.com today!

Join our stable of commercial partners including the Australian Government, Google, KPMG, University of Melbourne and more.

________

Follow us on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/thehighflyerspodcast], LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/thehighflyers] or Twitter [https://twitter.com/vidags10]

Get in touch with our Founder and Host, Vidit Agarwal directly here [https://www.viditagarwal.org/]

Contact us via our website [https://www.curiositycentre.com/#wf-form-Contact-Form] to discuss sponsorship opportunities, recommend future guests or share feedback, we love hearing how to improve! 

Thank you for rating / reviewing this podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, it helps others find us and convince guests to come on the show! 

________

The High Flyers Podcast [https://www.thehighflyerspodcast.com/]is described as a "meticulously researched biography" that uncovers the untold stories of remarkable people and companies -- redefining the "high flyer". Launched in 2020, we have ranked in the global top ten podcasts for past two years, with listeners in 27 countries and over 200 episodes released. Excerpts of the podcast have been featured in Forbes, AFR, Daily Telegraph, and showcased at SXSW.

200+ guests have joined host, Vidit Agarwal [https://www.viditagarwal.org/] on the show from 15+ countries, including The CEO's of multi-billion dollar companies like Telstra, Bunnings, Australia Post, Woolworths, Airwallex, Eucalyptus, Tennis Australia etc; Board Members at Macquarie Bank, ANZ, Reserve Bank etc; Former Prime Minister of Australia; Globally renowned Tech CEO's from Google, Microsoft, Xero etc, Successful Venture Capital and Family Office Investors; CIO's at the world's biggest superannuation funds; Leading En

#229 Jack Zhang: The Relentless Founder of Airwallex — From Rural China to Melbourne Bartender to Building a $5B Powerhouse

Episode #228 of The High Flyers Podcast features Sam Wong, General Partner at Blackbird Ventures, one of the leading Venture Capital firms and the first investor in Canva. Born in Perth to Malaysian-Chinese and British-Indian parents, Sam went from packing Sound Blaster boxes to building Blackbird’s New Zealand fund while five months pregnant. A former lawyer turned founder turned investor, she’s known for her humility, conviction, and sharp judgment backing bold founders across Australia and New Zealand.

Note - This is a replay of episode 129 that originally released in May 2023. Since so many of you loved that episode over two years ago, we're re-releasing it today since it's a classic.

In this conversation, Sam Wong reflects on her multicultural childhood in Perth, growing up in an entrepreneurial family where dinner-table talk was all business, and how feeling like an outsider shaped her worldview. She shares her journey from law to startups to venture capital, and the pivotal lessons that helped her transition into investing — including the “2 out of 10” feedback from Blackbird co-founder Niki Scevak that changed her career.

We go deep into building Blackbird’s New Zealand fund while five months pregnant, the early challenges of launching a firm from scratch in a new country, and how she defines courage, success, and integrity in venture. Sam also opens up about identity, bias, and belonging, the balance of being a partner, parent, and leader, and the philosophies that guide her — from her annual “fire yourself and reapply” reflection to Barack Obama’s timeless quote, “Keep it about the work.”

It’s time to explore your curiosity. Please enjoy.

________

To support this podcast, check out our some of our sponsors & get discounts:

→ $1,000 off Vanta: Your compliance superpower — vanta.com/high [http://vanta.com/high]

→ Get up to 6 months of Notion’s Business plan for free with Notion AI included (worth $12K): Go to - https://ntn.so/highflyers & click “Apply Now”

If you're keen to discuss sponsorship and partnering with us or recommend future guests, email us at contact@curiositycentre.com today!

Join our stable of commercial partners including the Australian Government, Google, KPMG, University of Melbourne and more.

________

Follow us on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/thehighflyerspodcast], LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/thehighflyers] or Twitter [https://twitter.com/vidags10]

Get in touch with our Founder and Host, Vidit Agarwal directly here [https://www.viditagarwal.org/]

Contact us via our website [https://www.curiositycentre.com/#wf-form-Contact-Form] to discuss sponsorship opportunities, recommend future guests or share feedback, we love hearing how to improve! 

Thank you for rating / reviewing this podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, it helps others find us and convince guests to come on the show! 

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The High Flyers Podcast [https://www.thehighflyerspodcast.com/]is described as a "meticulously researched biography" that uncovers the untold stories of remarkable people and companies -- redefining the "high flyer". Launched in 2020, we have ranked in the global top ten podcasts for past two years, with listeners in 27 countries and over 200 episodes released. Excerpts of the podcast have been featured in Forbes, AFR, Daily Telegraph, and showcased at SXSW.

200+ guests have joined host, Vidit Agarwal [https://www.viditagarwal.org/] on the show from 15+ countries, including The CEO's of multi-billion dollar companies like Telstra, Bunnings, Australia Post, Wo

#228 Sam Wong: The Blackbird Partner Redefining VC — Lessons on Identity, Courage and Building a Venture Fund While Pregnant

Episode #227 of The High Flyers Podcast features Richard Joffe, three-time successful founder and now Executive Chair of Honey Insurance. Previously, he built and exited startups in parking tech and HR software across New York and San Francisco.

In this conversation, Richard opens up on growing up in South Africa and Canada in an entrepreneurial family, why he walked away from McKinsey, Morgan Stanley, and Harvard Business School offers to start companies from scratch, and how rejection and restlessness became his fuel. We go deep into how he built Honey Insurance in Australia post-divorce and during COVID with no local network—raising $130M, signing national partners, and scaling to $50M ARR—plus the mental toll, the near-death moments, and his biggest lessons on building teams, co-founder dynamics, emotional plasticity, and founder psychology. He also shares what he’s now searching for after stepping back as CEO.

It’s time to explore your curiosity. Please enjoy.

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To support this podcast, check out our some of our sponsors & get discounts:

→ $1,000 off Vanta: Your compliance superpower — vanta.com/high [http://vanta.com/high]

→ Get up to 6 months of Notion’s Business plan for free with Notion AI included (worth $12K): Go to - https://ntn.so/highflyers & click “Apply Now”

If you're keen to discuss sponsorship and partnering with us or recommend future guests, email us at contact@curiositycentre.com today!

Join our stable of commercial partners including the Australian Government, Google, KPMG, University of Melbourne and more. 

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CLICK HERE [https://www.curiositycentre.com/the-high-flyers-podcast/ep-227-richard-joffe-executive-chair-founder-honey-insurance] to read show notes from this conversation. Please enjoy!

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Follow us on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/thehighflyerspodcast], LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/thehighflyers] or Twitter [https://twitter.com/vidags10]

Get in touch with our Founder and Host, Vidit Agarwal directly here [https://www.viditagarwal.org/]

Contact us via our website [https://www.curiositycentre.com/#wf-form-Contact-Form] to discuss sponsorship opportunities, recommend future guests or share feedback, we love hearing how to improve! 

Thank you for rating / reviewing this podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, it helps others find us and convince guests to come on the show! 

________

The High Flyers Podcast [https://www.thehighflyerspodcast.com/]is described as a "meticulously researched biography" that uncovers the untold stories of remarkable people and companies -- redefining the "high flyer". Launched in 2020, we have ranked in the global top ten podcasts for past two years, with listeners in 27 countries and over 200 episodes released. Excerpts of the podcast have been featured in Forbes, AFR, Daily Telegraph, and showcased at SXSW.

200+ guests have joined host, Vidit Agarwal [https://www.viditagarwal.org/] on the show from 15+ countries, including The CEO's of multi-billion dollar companies like Telstra, Bunnings, Australia Post, Woolworths, Airwallex, Eucalyptus, Tennis Australia etc; Board Members at Macquarie Bank, ANZ, Reserve Bank etc; Former Prime Minister of Australia; Globally renowned Tech CEO's from Google, Microsoft, Xero etc, Successful Venture Capital and Family Office Investors; CIO's at the world's biggest superannuation funds; Leading Entertainers; Olympic Gold Medal Winning Athletes and interesting minds you wouldn't have heard of that are changing the world. 

Our parent company, <

#227 Richard Joffe: The Founder Who Wouldn’t Quit — 3 Startups, 300 Rejections, a Divorce, and a $1B+ Legacy

Thanks to you, we rank in the top 10% most shared podcasts globally, with listeners in 27 countries. With host Vidit Agarwal, re-imagine the traditional high flyer and celebrate relatable role models, and their journeys from their sunrise to today, across 40+ walks of life around the world! Contact us anytime via: Website: www.curiositycenter.xyz/podcast Twitter: https://twitter.com/vidags10 Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/viditag/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/thehighflyerspodcast/

Vidit Agarwal

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