The Mentor with Mark Bouris

We’re currently revamping The Mentor podcast with a new studio and a new structure to bring you even better conversations. In the meantime, check out my podcast with one of the top podcast voices of 2025, Dan Bova.

Dan Bova, co-founder of The Yard Gym, leads a franchise network of over 50 locations in Australia, ...

An alarming 6,200 NSW businesses went insolvent in 2025.

My latest guest on The Mentor was one of the business owners who had to shut down his business in 2025.

In this episode, Dean reflects on the journey of building Living Timber Co from $26 and a garage into a business delivering national projects, before the difficult decision to place the company int...

Disclaimer: This episode was first released on 25th August 2025. 

This week I sit down with Paul Grosmann, CEO of R.M.Williams, to talk about one of Australia’s most iconic and enduring brands. We go back to 1932 and the story of founder Reginald Murray Williams, and how a bloke with no formal training built a business that became a global name. Paul shares what makes the boots and jack...

It’s been another big year on The Mentor. We’ve had some brilliant guests sharing incredible business insight. Who stood out to you, and who should we bring on next?

Here are some highlights of the standout episodes of the year.

00:00-8:52 (Hyro co-founders Steve & Taylor Chapman)

8:52-23:13 (R.M. Williams CEO Paul Grosmann)

23:14 - 33:36 (Dominique Gill)

33:37- 39:46 (Britt & Taz)

39:47- 48:08 (Mike Christidis)

It’s been another big year on The Mentor. We’ve had some brilliant guests sharing incredible business insight. Who stood out to you, and who should we bring on next?

Here are some highlights of the standout episodes of the year.

00:00-9:49 (Sam Kelly)

9:50-20:02 (Tracy Sheen)

20:03 - 27:33 (Jason Titman)

27:34- 32:03 (Little Rickshaw)

32:04- 39:13 (Zafferano)

Listen to the full podcast via the links below.

1. #478 Sam...

​​Nick Cogger is the CEO and co-founder of Better Beer, one of Australia’s fastest-growing beer brands. With a background spanning venues, alcohol, and drinks innovation, Nick’s journey has been anything but overnight.

In this episode, Nick breaks down how a chance Instagram scroll led him to The Inspired Unemployed, why influencer marketing only works when ambition matches audience, and how a “reverse pitch&rdquo...

At 28, Ari Kaklamanis has already reshaped how Australians consume real estate. He founded Million Dollar Listing Sydney (MDLS) at 17, building the country’s first social-media-driven real estate platform. What began as a small Instagram page is now Sydney’s most-viewed property portal, pulling in more than 21 million views a month.

In this episode, Ar...

In this episode, Candy Berger, CEO of Lox in a Box, talks through the journey from the early vision to the challenges that shaped the business. She explains how she navigated setbacks, built resilience and scaled what started as a small takeaway bagel shop in Bondi into three thriving locations in Coogee, Bondi and Marrickville, along with a retail line, baked goods and a fast-growing brand.

Michael Christidis is a 31 year old Melbourne entrepreneur and the Co Founder and Managing Director of Untitled Group, one of Australia’s leading independent live music and events companies. He started young, running uni events and selling tickets before co founding Untitled Group in 2014, now home to festivals like Beyond the Valley, Pitch Music and Arts, Wildlands and Ability Fest.

Every small business owner wants to know the same thing — how do I execute?
How do I take the idea in my head and turn it into something that actually works?

In this conversation with David Kenney, we break down the real fundamentals of execution — not the theory, but the stuff that actually moves the needle.

Chris Lucas is one of Australia’s most successful and influential restaurateurs — the visionary behind some of the country’s most culturally defining venues, including Chin Chin, Grill Americano (Melbourne & Sydney), Society, Maison Bâtard, Yakimono, Kisumé and Baby Pizza.

In this conversation, we discuss his newest venture, Gri...

Best friends Di Edwards and Nicola Dale turned their backyard chats into Over the Back Fence — a growing movement built on connection, courage and purpose. From honest conversations about life to empowering women in business, they’ve created a platform that uplifts and inspires through every episode.

Through th...

Mark Humphries is a journalist, author, and commentator known for his deep dives into some of Australia’s most fascinating corporate and cultural stories. In this episode, Mark sits down with him to discuss his new podcast series Skase: Fall of a Tycoon, exploring the rise and fall of Christopher Skase and the empire he built with ambition, charm, and a willingness to bend the rules.

They talk about Skase’s journey from...

Luke Altschwager is the Managing Director at Palm Valley, and he’s partnered with Mick Fanning to build the Gold Coast’s first wave pool.

In this episode, Mark sits down with Luke to unpack the massive transformation of Parkwood Village — a project that fuses sport, business, and entertainment into one of the most ambitious developments in Queen...

In this episode, Holly Fowler, founder of Wable, joins us to share how she’s building the world’s first dating app designed specifically for the neurodivergent community.

Inspired after watching Lo...

In this episode, The Block 2025 contestants Britt and Taz sit down to share their full story — the stuff you didn’t see on TV.

They kick things off by talking about their background as police officers and how their unique bond helped them take on the high-pressure world of reality renovation. Then, they break down t...

Paul Scully is a 51-year-old lifelong Wollongong local and the current NSW Minister for Planning and Public Spaces, serving as the Member for Wollongong since 2016.

In this episode, we dive into his family heritage and education, the political background and dynamics that shaped his career, and his perspective on raising the standard of living and government resp...

Dominique Gill is the Founder and Managing Director of Urban Core, a multi award-winning construction company generating $80 million in annual revenue, with offices in New South Wales, Victoria, and Queensland. A pioneer in diversity and inclusion, Dominique leads one of Australia’s few female-led building firms, with women making up 50% of the Urban Core workforce.

The housing crisis is hitting everyone, especially first home buyers. Empower Money is changing the game by helping Aussies buy a home with zero deposit. Founder Peter Khoury shares his journey from startup struggles to building an innovative funding model that’s making home ownership possible for more people than ever before.