The Startups Drive is a podcast built on real, unscripted conversations with people from the startup and business world. Hosted by Kieran Longhurst, every episode is an open, unfiltered discussion with founders, entrepreneurs, operators, and business leaders — no scripts, no agendas, just honest conversations about what it actually takes to build and grow in today's business landscape. From early-stage startup founders to seasoned corporate professionals, we talk about the real experiences, challenges, and lessons that don't always make it into the highlight reel. Topics we've explore so far: - Startup founding and early-stage growth - Business strategy and scaling - Sales, leadership, and team building - Entrepreneurship and career journeys - Career transitions and entrepreneurship - Leadership, accountability, and team building - The Australian startup and business ecosystem and more. In season 3 we are bringing you more founder stories, more business leaders conversations, more entrepreneurs and operators insights — the raw, unfiltered journeys of people building companies from the ground up. If you're a founder, entrepreneur, or someone navigating the business world — pull up a seat. (Formerly Depth Exchange)
On this episode of The Startups Drive, I sat down with best-selling authors Adem Manderovic and George Coudounaris to talk about their newly released book Closed Circuit Selling and the system behind it.
Adem and George break down what Closed Circuit Selling actually is, the core pillars that drive it, and why it’s becoming one of the most effective approaches to sales today. We dive into how this method helps create stronger relati...
On this episode of The Startups Drive, I welcomed back Stephanie Nguyen — construction professional and founder of Threefold Strategy, a business focused on helping people set meaningful goals and actually follow through on them.
Stephanie and I sat down to unpack accountability — why it matters, what it really looks like in practice, and why holding yourself accountable is often harder than it sounds. We talked about the role other...
On this episode of The Startups Drive, I welcomed back Natalie Tran — a business and transition coach and former accountant and finance executive — who helps people navigate career change and business growth through her work at Transition With Purpose.
As we head into the countdown to the end of 2025, Natalie and I sat down to talk about when it’s actually the right time to make a career transition, how to build real confidence, and...
In this episode of The Startups Drive, I sit down with Robyn Clark — a Media and Communications student with a focus on Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Robyn is an emerging talent, eager to learn and build her path in the startup and business world.
We talk about her journey through university — why she chose her degree, how her studies are shaping her perspective, and the real pros and cons of formal education versus hands-on expe...
In this episode of The Startups Drive, I sit down with May Ku — founder of Reev, the upcoming dating app designed to move past swipes and algorithms. May talks about her background growing up in Korea, her path to Australia, and how she made the uncommon leap from a career in market research to entrepreneurship.
We get into the realities of modern dating apps — from their focus on superficial swipes to their reliance on algorithms ...
In this episode of The Startups Drive, I sit down with Matt Ainsworth — a startup mentor with years of experience in Asia’s innovation scene. Having lived in Japan for nearly a decade, Matt brings unique insight into the country’s startup culture, its rapid pace of development, and what Australia can learn from one of the world’s most advanced ecosystems.
We explore Matt’s journey to Japan, the cutting-edge prototypes and ideas emer...
In this episode of The Startups Drive, I sit down with David Kenney — a legend of Australia’s startup scene, mentor, investor, and author of the best-selling book Epic Execution.
We dig into David’s journey and the story behind his book, as he shares insights on founder mindset, building the right team, and truly understanding your market and customer. We also tackle key questions every founder should ask — like what to know before ...
In this episode of The Startups Drive, I’m joined again by Nathan Linsley — CEO and Founder of NadoCo Interactive — who recently shifted into the music industry, building tools to solve real problems artists and creators face.
Nathan shares insights from his time exploring the startup ecosystems in South Korea and Japan, offering a unique perspective on how they differ from Australia’s startup scene, and what Aussie founders can lea...
In this episode, I sit down with Natalie Tran — a business and transition coach and former accountant and finance executive — who helps people navigate their career changes and business growth through her business, Transition With Purpose. With a unique blend of strategy, practical experience and thoughtful coaching, Natalie empowers individuals to make intentional, fulfilling shifts in their lives.
We cover everything from recognis...
In this episode, I sit down with Stephanie Nguyen—construction professional and founder of Master of Achievement, a business dedicated to helping others reach their goals.
We explore a wide range of topics, including the value of having a mentor, how to find the right one for you, and the power of building meaningful connections through networking. At the heart of our conversation is a key takeaway: the more you understand yourself,...
In this episode, I sit down with Peter Do, a nurse turned consultant at Oracle and an entrepreneur passionate about the intersection of health, technology, and fitness. We dive into his journey from the medical field to the startup world, the power of meaningful conversations, and what you can learn just by listening. Peter also shares insights on his journey into his first accelerator program that kickstarted his journey into heal...
Gunnar Habitz, is a man who moved to Australia from Europe almost 8 years ago. He is an accomplished author who works in partnerships and knows how to build strong relationships with customers and clients. He is also an authority when it comes to email marketing and the power of email marketing.
Today Gunnar and I sat down and spoke about building relationships and the power of building those relationships, the power of email mark...
Nathan Linsley is a Senior Full Stack Engineer and the CEO & Founder of NadoCo Interactive. NadoCo works exclusively with startups to help them reach their full potential in the tech space and create any kind of SaaS, Mobile App or Platform that they can imagine.
Today Nathan and I sat down and spoke about what it's like being in the start-up space, finding the right co-founder as well as ways to help startups and learn fro...
Raghav Ravisankar is a software engineer at Superhero, community organizer and AI researcher. In this conversation, Raghav and I spoke about the future of AI; building a community called Open Coffee Sydney; growing your network; A great and insightful conversation showing the power of both AI and Networking, This podcast is a must listen.
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Just a quick update on the podcast and the future with the revamping of it.
Firstly, i want to say thank you to everyone who has listened to the podcast up and until this moment. It means a lot to me. The podcast is going to be changing with a revamp new look and new name going forward where i will be stilling down with people and having conversations with them but in a slight shift towards startups and business also. I a...
Isaac Adams is not only a man who has served his country, he is also a man who has committed his life to horses. He has been riding and training horses for a nearly a decade and has turned this passion into a way of helping people overcome personal challenges. Today, Isaac and I had the privilege of sitting down to discuss how interactions with horses can help people with trauma and overcoming adversity, as well as the deep bonds f...
Christian Valenzuela is a man who has worked in film, videography and editing for nearly a decade. He is a man who loves films and passionate about films and editing. Christian and I sat down and spoke about the film industry, the growth of it and what the future holds for it with the impact of AI. We also spoke about a lot more topics and had both an insightful and fun conversation.
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Doctor Alexander Roper has been in the education system for over 30 years, with two decades working in the higher education sector. He has been Dean at numerous institutions and makes it his goal to do what is best to help his students succeed in study and life. Alexander and I sat down and spoke about the education system - the good and bad - and going to education later in life compared to earlier in life. We also spoke about fin...
Jerome Buck has been coaching at grassroots level for over 30 years. He has seen the changes in coaching over his time and the effects it has had on coaches, Players, Parents and Clubs. In today's episode Jerome and I spoke about the changes in coaching over the years and difference and the impact that it has had on not only players but also coaches as well as also talking about coaching in a time of social media and letting k...
Chris Barton is not only a successful entrepreneur he is a man on mission. A mission of Building Resilience and raising awareness of mental health one step at a time. Chris has done many charity walks to help raise awareness and make a difference. In todays episode Chris and i talk about his movement Step Into Action and ways of building resilience in a time where mental health and suicide rates are rising. And its Chris mission to...
Hey Jonas! The official Jonas Brothers podcast. Hosted by Kevin, Joe, and Nick Jonas. It’s the Jonas Brothers you know... musicians, actors, and well, yes, brothers. Now, they’re sharing another side of themselves in the playful, intimate, and irreverent way only they can. Spend time with the Jonas Brothers here and stay a little bit longer for deep conversations like never before.
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by Audiochuck Media Company.
The World's Most Dangerous Morning Show, The Breakfast Club, With DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, And Charlamagne Tha God!
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.