Caroline Lepron (Aguesse)

What's the biggest risk you've ever taken? I often hear this answer when I interview potential founders for Antler residency: "Left my life as I knew it, packed my bag, and moved to Australia without any prior connections or job secured." This resonates deeply with me. As a migrant myself, I took the leap to move to this country a couple of years ago. It felt like a risk, but also an exciting door to new opportunities. It's scary, it's exciting, and it's a constant juggle of rebuilding yourself and your life. It becomes much easier when you find the right place and the right support system to achieve your dreams. For aspiring entrepreneurs, Antler is one of those support systems. With our presence in ~20 markets globally, we're here to support diverse founders from all over the world, from day zero. Hear more on how, and join us next Tuesday, 5pm for an Ask-Me-Anything session with two of our very own founders who have ventured beyond borders – the legends Swetha Meenal Ananthapadmanaban from Dark Patterns Lab and Syed Hussan from Migrova. Register here: https://lnkd.in/gceefKdU

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This month's Aussie Founders Club meet up on Community Building is one you don't want to miss!! Date of Event: Thursday the 15th of August! Building a community can be a huge driver in differentiating your startup from the others in the mix. It can be the joy of your founder life to pull together passionate advocates, connected by the purpose of your business, and the reason it becomes clear to investors that your business could achieve 10x / $100 million dollar status. SO, I've pulled together some of the best community builders in the Ecosystem to share their wisdom with us. Let me introduce the panel: Alan Crabbe co-founder of Birchal & pozible. These are some of the original platforms that saw Australian Founders bypass traditional investors to allow their communities to directly support AU Startups and Businesses in their raise. And now he's back to work building Frontcover - a platform we personally use to centralise our community and recently secured funding from Antler!! 🎉🎉🎉 Paz Pisarski co-founder of The Community Collective, a community for community builders in the startup space. The CC runs THE community cohort that has been behind leveling up some of Australia's best community builders. They have just opened applications for Cohort 5 and if you haven't already seen, Paz has managed to secure Seth Godin as a speaker!! Frances Goh, Head of Community of One Roof, go-to business community for women entrepreneurs. If you're a female entrepreneur in Victoria, you'd be hardpressed to not have heard of One Roof. With Frances at the helm of the community front, One Roof has built a space for Women to connect, learn, and grow together - something we are looking to emulate with the wider Founder Community in Melbourne. I'm looking forward to hearing our panels insights on the role Community can play in the growth of Startups and Businesses alike. If you are too, secure your seat via our event on Luma or Meetup! Also, if you think I pulled this panel together so I could learn from them myself, no I didn't... 😂 Rick Giner EverestEngineering Tom Webster Craig Brown

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Here's my 2024 LinkedIn Rewind, by Coauthor: From tough-faced agbero to fintech storyteller—the streets prepared me for the boardroom in ways no MBA could. Some tales worth telling from 2024: → Bringing street wisdom to fintech → Turned payment narratives into stories that resonate from Balogun Market to Victoria Island → Learned to smile without losing edge (still a work in progress, but we move) Three posts that hit different: "I Am Learning to Smile" - On trading my toll-collector stern face for corporate charm "Life got better, things got better. Left my job as a toll-tout for marketing comms, the stern face followed me to my corporate rebirth." https://lnkd.in/dreU5nHU "Finding Happiness in Lagos" - How FX mallams taught me about customer experience "They make me feel wanted, needed, and even loved" https://lnkd.in/dW5pzDWJ "The Streets Have Your Brand's Report Card" - "That small sachet detergent you designed for one wash. A hawker has figured out how to stretch it to three." https://lnkd.in/dF-NtFTc 2025: More stories that bridge the gap between corporate corridors and Lagos streets. More smiles too, small steps. To every hustler trying to find their voice in corporate spaces—you don't need to change your essence, just your delivery. The streets taught us well. #LinkedInRewind #Coauthor #2024wrapped -- Get your 2024 LinkedIn Rewind! Go to coauthor [dot] studio in your browser

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How I measure design success for my clients? (I serve a diverse clientele) Every client needs a different version of me. For an Aussie founder: - More free time for family and kids For a solopreneur consultant: - More focus on the business vs in the business For a B2B SaaS Copywriter: - Leveraging my 5+ years of design experience For an agency owner: - My creative direction for their full-time hires I give my best. They love it. For every client I make sure to: * Overdeliver * Create an easy process * Be clear on what they need Good design creates a smile in the mind. To me, every smile matters. Every design matters.

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Innovations coming out of Australian Founders that noone knows about: 1. A platform that connects cafes and stores within shopping centres. If you're getting your hair coloured, watching kids at a playground or cannot leave the store as an employee and need food, scan a QR code and the selected Cafe will bring you your meal. Convenience made simple. 2. Technology that can convert radioactive materials into safe building materials. A solution never been found in the past globally. 3. Certification and regulatory body that can hold companies accountable to oxegenised plastic, keeping our planet safe for the future. 4. Export of pharmaceuticals and supplements into India from Australia. Helping other countries access Western medicine and supplements. 5. Platform that can keep all passwords, information and wishes of an individual safe until death, which will then pass onto your next of kin with all the information that person would need to deal with estate, banks and government. 6. One of the most elite audio systems installer, wizard and mechanic for supercars in Australia. 7. Multi discipline Allied health and Holistic health professional who will be expanding across Australia These Founders are simply incredible, inspirational and I do what I do to support them. Big things coming. Watch this space

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Are you an aspiring female business owner ready to transform your dreams into reality?   Fishburners in partnership with Westpac Group are running a 6-week program designed to help female founders kickstart their entrepreneurial journey, supported by a community of like-minded individuals (and I can attest to the fact that Fishburners are brilliant at community curation!).   In this program, you will: Use critical tools to discover, define, validate and solve a problem successfully Complete a Design Sprint & build a business case Leverage User-Centered Design, Design Thinking & Lean Startup methods Explore the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and define broader areas of interest Develop and test a value proposition with potential customers Design and test an initial business model with end-users Build and pitch your idea for Demo Day Who should apply? The Incubator warmly welcomes: Idea-stage startups or aspiring entrepreneurs (if you don’t have a startup but want to become a founder, please apply!) Individuals looking to test and validate their ideas, which will form the basis of their new startup Those seeking an opportunity to join a team of fellow aspiring or early-stage entrepreneurs It's programmes like these that I wish were around when I was founding my first company. Take advantage of them! Apply/details in link below. Majella Campbell Martin Karafilis Clive Mayhew Sam Martin-Williams FAICD FGIA David Jones Rod Bishop Bilyana Smith https://lnkd.in/g9UNRcCM

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Unlock Digital Marketing Secrets with Accentuate – FOR FREE At Accentuate Web Design & Marketing, we’re passionate about empowering businesses to succeed online. That’s why we’ve created The Lab Dashboard, a hub filled with FREE resources to help you master your digital marketing strategy. Whether you're looking to enhance your SEO, streamline your social media efforts, or refine your overall marketing approach, these resources are designed to give you an edge in the digital space. Why join The Lab Dashboard? 🚀Access exclusive tips and tricks to maximise your online presence 🚀Learn from industry experts and stay ahead of digital trends 🚀Gain actionable insights to grow your business 🔗 If you haven’t already, make sure you join The Lab Dashboard to access all the free resources and transform your digital marketing game. Join Now: https://lnkd.in/gCPXrXpJ

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Download the BigCommerce 2024 ANZ Online Shopping Report. Get the latest data insights on preferred payments, delivery expectations, social media’s impact, and more trends impacting the state of ANZ commerce. In this report you’ll learn: - What consumers are buying online - Which payment methods shoppers are using - What conveniences shoppers find most important - Why consumers are abandoning their carts Available within link below. https://lnkd.in/dY7GA-pm

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Download the BigCommerce 2024 ANZ Online Shopping Report. Get the latest data insights on preferred payments, delivery expectations, social media’s impact, and more trends impacting the state of ANZ commerce. In this report you’ll learn: - What consumers are buying online - Which payment methods shoppers are using - What conveniences shoppers find most important - Why consumers are abandoning their carts https://lnkd.in/dY7GA-pm

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🤔 What’s driving Australians' trust in new retail technologies? The 2024 TRUST TREND report, led by Dr. Nadine Ostern, Cisco Chair in Trusted Retail, reveals key insights into what consumers need to feel confident in adopting innovations like self-driving stores and in-store tech: 🔎 Data transparency triples willingness to share health and fitness data when retailers clearly explain how it will be used. 📍 Enhanced personalisation doubles location sharing, as Australians are more open to sharing data when it improves their shopping experience. 🛍️ Tangible benefits boost trust, with customers more likely to share their shopping history when they see real value in return. However, trust isn’t without its challenges. Australians still have concerns about privacy, data breaches, and loss of human interaction, and retailers must address these to close the gap between tech innovation and customer adoption. Want to dig deeper into these trends and explore the future of retail technology? Download the full 2024 TRUST TREND report here: https://bit.ly/3ZLwHqE And don't miss the official report launch on October 23 at QUT (Queensland University of Technology)! Join leading researchers and industry experts as they dive into Australians' ‘techspectations’ and share forward-thinking insights on building trust in retail tech: https://bit.ly/3ZQuji2 Dr Shannon Colville Dr Scott Murray, AFHEA Amanda Gudmundsson Cameron Newton Reg Johnson James Stewart Terry Weber Gemma Alker GAICD ♾ Michael Rosemann Kevin Desouza Bree Johnstone Graeme Hughes Ben Youl Andre Korte Stephanie Martin Vibhor Pandey Crystal Cooke Laura Hurtado Lopez

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Are we too scared to find love?   I had a chat with Sindre Kaupang recently, the co-founder of Procubate (building businesses through a 9-step method that guarantees success). Being single and dating, he had a few interesting insights to share, for example: people are finding it hard these days to approach strangers IRL 💡   Making eye contact, smiling, saying hi, starting a conversation.   There are opportunities everywhere – grocery shopping, on public transport, waiting in line for our coffee.   Making contact should be the most natural thing in the world for us social creatures, and it is dating 101!   ❗ But not any more in 2024, it seems. Spending a lot of time online, we've become used to observing people from the shadows and venturing out in very small steps. Always retreating into a safe space the moment things get uncomfortable. Avoiding the awkward ums and ahs that happen in a real-life chat when we don’t know what to say, avoiding direct confrontation and rejection. Approaching someone directly can now feel like it's too much, too intense, too risky.   👉 In dating (and in relationships in general), this is an issue. We can only really get to know someone by facing them directly, by meeting them in person and by showing who we are.   Initiating contact and making ourselves vulnerable – these are skills that we lose if we don’t practise them – and in fact, we need to be really good at this to go through the numbers and find the one for life. ❓ Do you agree? How good are you at talking to random strangers?   Fun fact: I met my 2nd husband at speed-dating, which was new and a little awkward for both of us. Since then, we've had 8 years of many more new and awkward moments 😉

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In this video, we dive into a crucial topic: the impact of family dynamics on the future of Australia's youth and the broader implications for our society. As a content creator with a growing following, He has intentionally shifted away from showcasing material wealth. Instead, he focus on financial literacy and investment to achieve true freedom. The real issue isn’t just fixing these problems but preventing them. Our education system needs to evolve to teach practical skills like financial management rather than just academic performance. Australia’s future depends on addressing these issues internally and ensuring that future generations are prepared not just academically, but financially and emotionally. #FinancialLiteracy #FamilyDynamics #YouthDevelopment #Australia #Society #FutureGenerations #devsingh #devsinghaus #devsinghperth #Australia #perth

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Have constrained resources impacted your digital strategy for 2025? Achievability doesn't mean scaled down ambition. A digital strategy that prioritises achievable outcomes ensures that your digital transformation, and your business, are sustainable. Learn more here: https://lnkd.in/gNPK-ivG

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A $2B Unicorn or a Donkey with a Carrot on it's Head? ... You decide. I'm our final weekly wrap for this year, 💼🧚‍♂️ Vinisha and I are back together on The Growth Cartel diving into the highs, lows and everything in between across Australia’s startup ecosystem. From the innovation and connection to tough conversations about workplace culture, this episode brings it all.

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Founders generating over $50K per year – this one's for you! 😉 Our 14 Nov Business Strategy Workshop is designed exclusively for entrepreneurs like you: ready to reflect on 2024 and chart a course for an even more successful 2025. ✅ What you’ll gain: ✅ - A review of your current performance - Aligned goals for 2025 - Key insights into your target niche - Simplified marketing & sales strategies - Mindset techniques for sustainable growth 📅 Date: 14 Nov, 06:00pm onwards 📍 Venue: Trehaus, East Forum 👩‍💻 It’s hands-on, so bring your laptops, notebooks, and ideas! 🔗 Seats are limited to 40, so don’t miss out! Link in bio to secure your spot. #LaunchpadSG #FounderWorkshop #2025Strategy #EntrepreneurGoals #GrowthMindset #BusinessStrategy

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Trail Blazers ✨is the first initiative of Ballarat's Community Leaders Lab. What's the Community Leaders Lab? Here's our Manifesto... We, the Community Leaders Lab, believe in the power of collaborative action to drive positive change in Ballarat. We are committed to nurturing a diverse network of passionate individuals, community organisations, and businesses dedicated to shaping a brighter future for our city. We champion innovative thinking, inclusivity, and lifelong learning as the cornerstones of effective community leadership. We aspire to cultivate an ecosystem of connected and empowered leaders who work together to address pressing local challenges and seize opportunities for social impact. In the spirit of creating meaningful change, we will start small, listen attentively, experiment fearlessly, and explore new horizons. Through our programs and partnerships, we will equip leaders with the skills, knowledge, and resources necessary to catalyse meaningful change in Ballarat and beyond. As a community-driven social enterprise, we pledge to remain accountable and transparent in achieving sustainable and equitable outcomes for all. Together, we will build a thriving Ballarat—a city where everyone has the chance to grow, contribute, and lead. Join us in our mission to unlock the full potential of community leadership and transform our region, one collaborative effort at a time. Want to get involved? If you're a woman, a leader and this 👆 speaks to you, join your fellow Trail Blazers from October 15. Register here - https://lnkd.in/gvBGfTwZ

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Ladeez ... learn how to sell like a superwoman ... wahoo!! Join us on the Gold Coast on Wednesday, July 17th, for breakfast, connections, and solid sales learning from the legendary Alison Wheeler!! Learn How to Sell Like a Superwoman Join us and take all the "ick" out of selling. Learn how to embrace sales and become powerful in the process. 3 main outcomes/learnings: > Dissolve your ideas about icky sales to sales as a superpower > Identify the mindset and skills required to have this superpower and why you need it - in business and life > Walk away with strategies you can use today to create more revenue in your business and a plan to keep it going Alison Wheeler Marnie Ryan Rosemary Hocknell Dean Keating #thepowerofconnection District32 | The Power of Connection

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"The first person on the Post Growth Australia Podcast who is working towards change from within the business sector." That's me. What an honor :-) In the episode, we talk about: · Mine and Oscar's journey from agency to Post Growth Guide · Our handbook "Setting Limits to Growth"; why we wrote it, what you can learn in the handbook, and what we have learned from publishing it · Business cases: Why no one is perfect, some come close, and a few specific examples of businesses we can learn from · My Top 4 for worst excuses for sustainability non-action: And how to counter one of them · Why I believe it makes sense to work from within the business sector (Post Growth Guide's theory of change) Listen here (and if you have any questions after listening, let me know): https://lnkd.in/gfqwMdzs

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Our latest market update has arrived, and you won't want to miss it. Why 2025 is the ideal time to purchase a business in New Zealand and explore insights into the thriving business market, tips for smooth business integration, and expert advice on post-sale actions. Don't hesitate—read the full update now and take the first step on your entrepreneurial journey! Link in bio #marketupdate #june

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