Consistent, reliable, and pragmatic. These are words I strive to associate with until it comes to Startup Events. My thirst for adventure takes over and the child within comes out. If you’re in the game, you’ll likely attend a West Tech Fest, Southstart, Sunrise, Tropical Innovation Fest, Pause Awards, or Startup Network event at some point because it’s fun, and you get to meet others on this crazy road.
This month, venture capital firm Blackbird put on one of the biggest events in the southern hemisphere. Rivalling Australia’s first SXSW, this event covered many corners of ANZ’s startup community. Having received feedback from the community on “Where were you at Southstart?” I knew it was time to pull the trigger and give in to some positive peer pressure.
Before I dive into the takeaways and the people, give me a moment to fill you in on how it all came about. Last year, in October I went to SXSW in Sydney to join some of my new connections from The Community Collective. An eight-week intensive course, network, and community of community builders in the Startup Ecosystem. Little did I know that this humble community would change the way I navigate these events in the future and hook me into the group responsible for all the major conferences I listed above and more in ANZ startups.
Co-Founder of the Community Collective, Paz Pisarski, joined forces with Liz Van Zyl (StudioSpace), and Alan Crabbe (Birchal, Frontcover) to create a WhatsApp group called the “Fomo Killer Society” or FKS for short. Paz and Liz have also recently added Jess Walker to The Community Collective team to head up programs, coming from a strong background at Airtree managing its investor programs.
Micro-communities are not new for startups. Subreddits, newsletters, accelerators, and meetups are happening right now around the country. However, selecting Community Managers as the core group to build community was a stroke of genius because it leverages network effects and pulls the strings of those already pulling the strings in our startup ecosystem. This is what both The Community Collective and FKS have in common. Momentum is now growing for FKS evidenced by the takeover of a local coffee shop in Newtown.
Sunrise is a productive playground for startups. The deliberate design from Joel Conolly, Melia Rayner, and Blackbird Co-Founder Rick Baker facilitates what they call “collisions”. Clusters of conversations and connections throughout the event that challenge the way we operate as an ecosystem and bring us all up to do better. It doesn’t matter if you are a Founder, Investor, or Operator, value was delivered.
Here are some of the talks that stood out for me.
Joe Brumm — Founder of Studio Joho and Bluey
Joe Brumm, Founder of Studio Joho and Bluey — From Backyard Games to Global Phenomenon: Secrets of Bluey’s Success, is the most streamed show globally right now and puts Australia on the map. Who would have thought it? If you watched any episode of Bluey you’ll notice how from the heart it is.
Three key lessons from Joe:
- On leadership — It’s like Christmas; you go to Christmas and then it comes time to host Christmas.
- On resilience — “I was on a knife-edge with pain running down my arm, little did I know I was on the edge of a three billion dollar idea, but something in me kept me going.”
- On work — Here’s a list of non-negotiables on what we create. Every company needs these.
Life Is An Experiment
May Samali, Human Leadership Lab — Life Is An Experiment: Embracing the Adventure of Experimentation. Truly powerful and inspiring. May asks powerful questions that really challenge how you live your life. The best part is when you are faced with the big questions — What to do next? Who should I date? Where should I live? You have data and you can run experiments on your life. Even the smallest things can get you insights into working out what you want.
You Need a Career Strategy
Lucy Wark, Normal & Fuzzy — You Need a Career Strategy. Honest reflections on a modern career. Lucy highlighted how the future is often Fuzzy (also the name of her company, check it out). She didn’t just prove the point, she gave us some frameworks and ten methods to help with career navigation.
Know thyself
Greta Bradman, the Compass – Know thyself: Discover your personal values and grow into your power. Values are needs-based. With that, recognise what’s important to you and how you can use them as a compass. Greta has also created a product to help you along the way — thecompass.ai.
A Safer Ecosystem
Grapevine — A Safer Ecosystem: Grapevine Tackle Harassment & Bullying Stories Pre-Shared By Sunrise Attendees. Incredible women in the startup ecosystem have created a movement that is Grapevine. Vinemakers collect stories from the ecosystem so that they can be heard for all to reflect on. More importantly, those at the centre of abuse can access support. We all have the obligation to create a safe space in our ecosystem and it was great to see many from Sunrise show up for the challenging conversation.
Startmate Demo Day
Finally Startmate Demo Day S24. After attending the Demo Day at SXSW, I thought, “how could it get any bigger?” Well, it did and on the last night, the stage and streets were packed with startup talent. Ten companies took the stage, gave it their all, and got a warm welcome to the community. If anyone can help build a Startup Nation, it’s this crew. Go subscribe to their newsletter to get the full breakdown and join the nation.
Over the years, showing up to these events has resulted in Ammo hires, partnerships, content, and community growth. There’s a good reason the state government and companies alike continue to invest in this event format because it works. The startup journey is not just a physical adventure but an emotional one. Gather those around you that will help you go the distance.
