Across The Table With David Melse

For episode 235, we sat down with Harrison Strickland at YTG to talk about everything that's happened in the last 12 months. We discuss merging his two businesses into one, building a personal brand, and what it really feels like to reach some of the biggest goals you've been working towards. We also get into AI, the future of content and 3D rendering, sales, cold calling and why keeping things simple can be more effective. Harrison shares what he's learned about getting out of the day to day, dealing with the ups and downs of running a business and why having someone to talk to can make such a difference when you're building something of your own. Finally, we talk about what comes next, including Harrison's goals around travel, buying a super car, and building a more location independent business that gives him more freedom. We also discuss the reality of working from overseas, the appeal of building a business around the life you actually want and what the next 12 months could look like.   Check out Revolution Studio here: www.revolutionstudio.co.nz ___________________ Shot on location at YTG thanks to Liam Mehlhopt! Check out YTG here www.ytg.co/nz  Produced by Buddy Booth

For episode 234, we sat down with Lou Heller, a Christchurch based personal stylist who helps clients step into their authentic selves by transforming the way they approach their wardrobes. Throughout the episode, Lou dives deep into the emotional and psychological aspects of clothing, revealing how our daily outfit choices influence our internal calm, energy, and overall confidence. She breaks down why so many people get trapped by store displays and fast fashion trends, offering a fresh perspective on how to view clothing as a tool for self expression rather than just a protective layer. Lou shares actionable strategies for organizing your closet, teaching us how to audit existing wardrobes, curb impulsive overconsumption, and build a personalized system where dressing well becomes completely effortless. We also unpack her famous three word style framework and discuss how uncovering childhood preferences can unlock a more playful, authentic approach to modern dressing. Beyond practical styling advice, Lou opens up about her personal journey, from growing up on a farm to navigating career pivots, life changes, and eventually combining intuitive counseling with personal styling. We also talk about the power of social media, brand collaborations, and emerging trends within fashion.      Check out Lou here: www.louheller.com ___________________ Produced by Buddy Booth

For episode 233, we take the podcast on the road for a quick recap to share the power of daily tracking. We briefly talk about everything going on behind the scenes at ALT, all while we pick up some furniture for the new office. This one is short and sweet, but full of great information!    Check out ALT here: www.Altco.nz ___________________ Produced by Buddy Booth

For episode 232, we sat down with Jayden Smith, founder of Empire Chicken. Building a brand in the hospitality industry is rarely a smooth journey, and Jayden brings an incredible level of honesty to the table about the real challenges his business is currently facing. We dive deep into the gritty details of running a chicken empire when the economic landscape shifts and the realities of the market set in. This conversation strips away the glamour of entrepreneurship to focus on the hard metrics of survival and strategy. We explore the tough decisions required when managing overhead costs, rethinking store footprint, and navigating the heavy complexities of debt and operations. Jayden shares exactly what it takes to keep the doors open and why adapting your playbook is the only way to survive when the numbers stop adding up easily. We also discuss the unvarnished truth behind handling one star Google reviews, the complexities of managing landlords, and the future of artificial intelligence in hospitality. Whether you are running a local retail shop or trying to build a massive enterprise, this episode is packed with crucial lessons for any business owner.   Check out Empire Chicken here: www.empirechicken.nz ___________________ Produced by Buddy Booth

For episode 231, we sat down at Bessie Steakhouse with Brad Fraser, Co-Founder of Agentic Intelligence to catch up over some incredible food and dive into the future of tech. Brad shares exactly how his company managed to scale rapidly from just 4 staff 18 months ago, to 44 staff today. He walks us through his unorthodox fifteen minute hiring playbook that ditches resumes for pure trust, explains why high agency teams will absolutely chew up and spit out average performers, and warns why getting too comfortable is the quickest way to kill your creative edge. Brad breaks down the biggest flaw of modern AI, which is the looming compute shortage. We also speak about what sovereign AI really means for the local industry, and we look closely at the painful reality that access to top tier tech is about to get way more expensive for businesses trying to keep pace. We also dive into the rise of vibe coding and how the entire landscape of software development is being turned on its head. Brad explains how the barrier to entry for building tech is shifting rapidly, changing the way engineering teams function and forcing founders to completely rethink how they deploy software in a fast moving market. We round things out by looking at how to solve massive business headaches by stripping away the corporate fluff and using first principles thinking. And then, towards the end things get completely off the rails and we talk about cars, travel, adventure, UFOs, and living to 100. Thank you to the incredible team at Bessie for the wonderful experience.  Check out Agentic Intelligence here: www.agenticintelligence.co.nz ___________________ We’d like to thank Bessie steakhouse for hosting us for this episode. Check them out here: www.bessie.co.nz ___________________ Produced by Buddy Booth

For episode 230, we sat down with Dr Tom Cawood, a remarkable Christchurch based serial entrepreneur and medical specialist who is leveraging e commerce growth to fund a massive environmental rescue mission. In this episode, Dr. Tom reveals the fascinating journey behind his latest venture, a science based nail strengthening product born out of his own frustration as a classical guitarist needing durable fingernails. He shares the brilliant direct to consumer business strategy that allowed the company to completely bypass traditional retail pharmacy margins, keep operations entirely online, and achieve explosive month over month sales growth. We dive deep into his incredibly diverse entrepreneurial background, exploring how he previously built and scaled prominent IT systems, managed medical conferences, and navigated complex financial advisory landscapes. Dr. Tom opens up about the harsh realities of doctor burnout, discussing his current search for ultimate career clarity inside and outside of hospital medicine to ensure long term longevity. He provides rare transparency into the mechanics of building highly profitable businesses not just for the sake of wealth, but as engines to fuel a much grander purpose. The core of Dr. Tom's ultimate life mission is the "Didymo" passion project, a multi million dollar, 20 year environmental initiative aimed at eradicating the invasive "rock snot" alga suffocating New Zealand’s South Island rivers. Instead of using destructive chemical solutions, he explains his groundbreaking scientific approach to deploy targeted RNA based technology to safely deactivate the alga's sludge production. To wrap up, Dr. Tom lays out his bold, public one year accountability goals, challenging himself to scale his e commerce brand to 100 sales a day, publish a critical viral study, and dramatically drop his golf handicap Check out Dr Tom Nailcare here: www.drtomnailcare.com ___________________ We’d like to thank our sponsor for this episode, Rosefern Homes. Check them out here: www.rosefernhomes.co.nz ___________________ Produced by Buddy Booth

For episode 229, we sat down with Curtis Fairweather, founder of Primal Pantry, to map out an absolute masterclass in online business scaling and relentless execution. We chart the incredible journey Curtis took from a single bone broth stall at local markets in late 2024 to a massive direct to consumer brand serving over 100,000 customers by Q2 2026. He shares the raw reality of walking away from a six year full time career to go all in on his business, revealing the exact frameworks that allowed him to quickly scale from a single rough product to a diverse lineup of 40 separate items, including a newly launched premium face care line. We unpack the high speed testing grounds of physical markets and Facebook Marketplace, showing how early customer conversations can help you perfectly nail your pricing and offer before spending massive capital. Curtis explains how he watched people interact with his products in real time, noting their hesitation over prices or their specific reasons for buying. This direct feedback loop is what allowed him to realize his market wanted a solution for dry or irritated skin rather than a standard beauty product, fundamentally shifting his entire business strategy before he ever built a massive website. Curtis details how he systematically aligned digital advertising with high impact email campaigns to create deep brand trust and predictable revenue spikes. He breaks down the fascinating mechanics of how an email blast can actually drive customer engagement and comments on active social media ads, boosting the overall efficiency of his marketing ecosystem. We also dive into the economics of managing 40 separate product variations, discussing how core winning products can subsidize the exploration of new ideas and how a business can maintain an affordable price point for its community while continuing to grow rapidly. Finally, we discuss the mental barriers that hold most entrepreneurs back from scaling. Curtis emphasizes the importance of taking volume action rather than trying to perfect a business model in a vacuum. He also explains his mission driven framework, illustrating how establishing a clear north star goal to help as many people as possible with skin conditions acts as the ultimate filter for making major corporate decisions. Check out Primal Pantry here: www.Primalpantry.co.nz ___________________ We’d like to thank our sponsor for this episode, Rosefern Homes. Check them out here: www.rosefernhomes.co.nz ___________________ Produced by Buddy Booth

For episode 228, David and Buddy go to the pub!

For episode 227, we sit down with Lucas Yeung, the co-founder of Invicta Financial, for a deep dive into his journey from being "young, dumb, and broke" to leading one of New Zealand’s fastest-growing financial services firms. Recorded on-site at their Christchurch office, this conversation marks Lucas’s first appearance on the podcast and explores the story of his career. Lucas recounts the humble beginnings of Invicta, which he started alongside his co-founder Tom just five years ago. Operating from a kitchen table in a small townhouse, the pair built the foundation of what has now become a multi-city operation. The business has since expanded rapidly into Auckland and Wellington, with Lucas sharing exciting updates on their brand new Queen Street office currently under renovation to accommodate their growing team. A major theme of the episode is Lucas’s vision for a "one-stop shop" in the financial sector. He explains why Invicta is moving away from the traditional niche model of financial advice to create a seamless experience where clients can manage mortgages, insurance, and KiwiSaver all under one roof. He provides a fascinating breakdown of the synergy between insurance and KiwiSaver, detailing how they use insurance for immediate protection while building a client's KiwiSaver balance to a point where it can eventually "take over" the risk as premiums naturally rise with age. The conversation also touches on the realities of scaling a service-based business. Lucas reflects on the pivotal decision to grow beyond a two-man operation, highlighting the success of their first employee, Jared, who joined at age 20 and has since become a cornerstone of their management team. Looking toward the future, Lucas doesn't hold back on his ambitions, discussing the goal of dominating the New Zealand "trifecta" of major cities and the long-term dream of potentially taking the company public—a rare feat in the local financial industry. Finally, Lucas pulls back the curtain on the world of lead generation and marketing. He describes the mechanics of buying leads for insurance comparisons and why Invicta is shifting its strategy this year to focus on building a household brand name. Whether you're interested in the inner workings of the New Zealand financial landscape or the grit required to scale a startup from a kitchen table to a national presence, this episode offers a transparent and inspiring look at modern entrepreneurship.  Check out Invicta Financial here: www.invictafinancial.co.nz ___________________ We’d like to thank our sponsor for this episode, Rosefern Homes. Check them out here: www.rosefernhomes.co.nz ___________________ Produced by Buddy Booth

For episode 226, we met up with Paul Szybiak to check out 3 different building sites across Christchurch, documenting each stage of the building process for a ROSEFERN home. We see a freshly demolished site, to a construction site, to a newly completed townhouse. At each new location we get to hear about the challenges and wins of developing during the Christchurch development boom, and what the future of ROSEFERN HOMES looks like.  We’d like to thank our sponsor for this episode, Rosefern Homes. Check them out here: https://www.rosefernhomes.co.nz/ ___________________ Produced by Buddy Booth