The Lazy CEO Podcast with Jane Lu

Most people think being CEO means having all the answers. James Thornton would say it means knowing when to shut up and listen.

James is the CEO of Intrepid Travel – the world’s largest adventure travel company and a certified B Corp that’s been walking the talk for decades – but he didn’t start at the top. Nearly 20 years ago, he applied for a job at Intrepid, got rejected, and eventually got his foot in the door as a sales rep...

This week on Help My Small Business, Jane is joined by Sophie Hood, founder of Seoul Tonic, to review Glydelle—an anti-chafing brand created by Kristy.

Right now, Kristy's content is resonating more with other small business owners than with the customers she's actually trying to reach. Jane and Sophie dive into how she can shift gears and build a community that buys, not just supports.

They unpack the importance of brand equ...

Sometimes being naive is the superpower. Just ask Sophie Hood.

This week on The Lazy CEO, Sophie—founder of Seoul Tonic—shares how she turned a side hustle into one of Australia’s most innovative beverage brands, now stocked in Woolies, BWS, Dan Murphy’s, and over 2,000 independents—all without a single full-time employee.

With a background in finance and strategy at EY, LVMH, and Red Bull, Sophie had the big-brand ...

Ever wonder how to build a strong, engaged community—without showing your face or having a big following? You’re not alone.

In this Help My Small Business episode, Jane is joined by Chebbo, founder of Chebbo’s Burgers, to offer advice to Bec, the founder of The Food Design Studio, a creative studio that helps food brands stand out.

Bec’s challenge? She wants to grow her audience and build a genuine communi...

In this episode, Chebbo, the founder of Chebbo’s Burgers, shares how a viral TikTok series took him from a backyard BBQ setup to a booming burger business with a cult following.

Chebbo dives into the power of content—how being consistent, building a community, and leaning into storytelling helped him create a brand that people don’t just love, but line up for. He opens up about his early missteps, including an underestimation of...

Ever feel like you're just winging it, even when your business is thriving? You're not alone.

In this Help My Small Business episode, Jane and Anaita Sarkar dive into the all-too-common feeling of imposter syndrome among founders. The conversation kicks off with the story of Cindy Lim, founder of Koko & Kush, who made the bold decision to sell her house and move in with her parents to fund her hemp-based skincare brand durin...

Anaita Sarkar—founder of Hero Packaging and the voice behind Sell Anything Online—joins Jane to talk about what’s working in marketing right now, how she’s handling unexpected US tariffs, and the real, not-so-glam side of running a business.

They get personal about the stuff people don’t usually say out loud—like the loneliness that can come with being a founder and the pressure to always look like you’ve got it together.Th...

This week on The Lazy CEO, Jane is joined by Adam Schwab, founder of Luxury Escapes, one of the world’s most trusted travel brands. They chat about how service businesses can position themselves as the go-to experts in their space, justify premium pricing during tough economic times, and build loyalty that keeps customers coming back.

They also dive into Julia’s business, Highlight Brows and Beauty—a cosmetic tattooing studio ba...

In this episode, Adam Schwab, co-founder of Luxury Escapes, shares powerful insights on building a successful business. He explains how combining brand and scale is a company’s superpower, and why having a “cornered resource” — like exclusive hotel deals — gives you a major competitive advantage.

Adam also dives into the importance of building switching costs into your brand to keep customers loyal, especially when facing m...

This week on The Lazy CEO, we’re joined by Corbin Halliday, the genius behind Three Warriors, to explore how to convert web traffic into sales.

In our Help My Small Business segment, we take a deep dive into Glam Theory, a sought-after makeup brush company. We discuss actionable ways to track web traffic, website usability, and how your product price point might be deterring that final sale or affecting baske...

Welcome back to The Lazy CEO! Today, we’re diving into the incredible story of Corbin Halliday, the accidental entrepreneur behind Three Warriors—the world’s leading certified organic, non-toxic sunless tanning brand.

Corbin never set out to build a business. Struggling with chronic health issues, he created a clean self-tanner for himself, not realising it would spark a movement. While still bedridden, word-of-mouth spread...

This week on The Lazy CEO, we’re joined by hospitality powerhouse Ibby Moubadder to answer a burning Help My Small Business question—how can a growing business streamline its booking system and engage prospective customers?

We take a deep dive into Sophie’s Slime Factory, a business expanding fast and looking for ways to refine its processes. Ibby shares expert insights on optimising bookings, using data to boost customer retent...

Hey Poddy Fam! Welcome back to The Lazy CEO!

In today’s episode, we’re sitting down with the incredible Ibby Moubadder, the Co-Founder and Creative Director of ESCA Group! From initially moving to Australia to study nursing to now leading one of the country’s most innovative restaurant groups, Ibby’s story is one of bold decisions, resilience, and trusting his intuition.

Ibby is the genius behind some of Sydney's most loved v...

We made it—100 episodes of The Lazy CEO! And to celebrate, we’re shaking things up. My good friend Jude Batrac is flipping the script and putting me in the hot seat.

In Part 1, we dived into shaking up the industry, the importance of cash flow (because let’s be real, it can make or break a business), and took a trip down memory lane where I shared my biggest fuck-ups and best successes.

Now, in Part 2, we’re keeping the conve...

We made it—100 episodes of The Lazy CEO! And to celebrate, we’re shaking things up. My good friend Jude Batrac is flipping the script and putting me in the hot seat.

Last week, I asked you all to send in your burning business questions, and wow, you delivered. In this episode, we dive into shaking up the industry, the importance of cash flow (because let’s be real, it can make or break a business), and take a trip down memory la...

This week on The Lazy CEO, we’re joined by Kyle Hunt from HCPA to explore how to get a seat at the table when launching a new brand.

We also dive into Help My Small Business, where we review Awaange Label, a DIY eyelash extension product, offering advice on how to stand out in a saturated market and build an emotional connection with future customers.

We’d love to feature your business on the podcast! Send us a 30-90 second v...

Hey Poddy Fam!!

This week on The Lazy CEO, we’re joined by Kyle Hunt, the founder of HCPA, a leader in the healthcare and funding space.Kyle’s journey is nothing short of inspiring.

Growing up in foster care, he faced numerous challenges, but his determination to make a difference led him to build a company that has secured over $2 billion in funding for healthcare businesses and vulnerable individuals.

In t...

This week on The Lazy CEO, we’re joined by Dani Atkins & Alex Babich, the couple behind Kulani Kinis, to explore how to drive organic traffic to your website as a newly established brand.

We also dive into Help My Small Business, where we review Cuddl. Bub, a stylish toddler carrier for the Velcro baby, offering advice on how to build momentum and grow visibility.

We’d love to feature your business on the podcast! Send u...

Hey Poddy Fam!!

This week on The Lazy CEO, we’re joined by Dani Atkins & Alex Babich, the couple behind Kulani Kinis, one of Australia’s most in-demand swimwear brands.

Back in 2015, Dani (an emergency psychologist) and Alex (a corporate accountant at EY) had zero experience in fashion, manufacturing, or e-commerce. But when a Hawaiian holiday exposed a gap in the market, they didn’t overthink it—they just went for i...