Straight Talk with Mark Bouris

Steve Baxter is a former Shark Tank investor, ex-Army guided weapons technician, and founder of Beaten Zone Venture Partners, a fund backing Australian defence startups and pushing them into the US market where the real money is.
In this conversation, Steve takes us from growing up in outback Queensland and joining the army at 15, through building and selling one of Australia's biggest dial-up internet providers, to why he believes private capital — not government grants — is the key to Australia's sovereign defence capability.
We get into cardboard drones that took out Russian aircraft in Kursk, robot dogs armed for the battlefield, a hypersonic aircraft built in Brisbane, and why 83% of Australia's super funds won't touch defence investment because of ESG. Steve also gives his blunt take on the Iran war, why he thinks deterrence beats conflict every time, and what he'd say to anyone about investing in the business of war.
Subscribe to the Mentored newsletter here: https://the-mentored-platform-pty-ltd.myklpages.com/l/WWJGc5
Join my exclusive Mentored+ community: https://mentored.com.au/become-a-member/
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gerard Rennick, founder of the People First Party and former Queensland senator, joined me to discuss his journey from rural Queensland to politics and why he believes Australia needs more leaders with real-world experience.
Drawing on his background in finance and a Master’s in Tax Law, Rennick shared his views on the economy, housing, taxation, productivity and capital markets. He has since built his own party from the ground up around five policies he believes could fundamentally reshape how Australia handles money, tax, superannuation and infrastructure.
Subscribe to the Mentored newsletter here: https://the-mentored-platform-pty-ltd.myklpages.com/l/WWJGc5
Join my exclusive Mentored+ community: https://mentored.com.au/become-a-member/
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr Nick Coatsworth joins me for a wide-ranging conversation on leadership, healthcare, and the future of Australia.
Drawing on his experiences in humanitarian medicine, the COVID pandemic, and the health system, Dr Coatsworth shares his perspectives on public policy, economic challenges, and what Australia needs to do to build a stronger future. It’s a thoughtful discussion on resilience, responsibility, and the lessons that shape better decision-making
Subscribe to the Mentored newsletter here: https://the-mentored-platform-pty-ltd.myklpages.com/l/WWJGc5
Join my exclusive Mentored+ community: https://mentored.com.au/become-a-member/
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Most people think self-doubt is the problem. Dr. Shadé Zahrai says it's not... it's what's underneath it.
In this episode we sit down with communication expert and PhD researcher Dr. Shadé Zahrai to unpack the four psychological drivers that either fuel your self-doubt or build what she calls "Big Trust." This isn't therapy-speak, it's research-backed, practical, and built for people who are already doing the work but can't figure out why they keep getting in their own way.
Subscribe to the Mentored newsletter here: https://the-mentored-platform-pty-ltd.myklpages.com/l/WWJGc5
Join my exclusive Mentored+ community: https://mentored.com.au/become-a-member/
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr Stacy Sims is one of the world's leading exercise physiologists specialising in women's health, and she joins Project 100 to explain why the science women have been given is largely based on male data and what that means for how women should actually train, eat, and protect their healthspan.
From the cellular differences between the sexes, to perimenopause, creatine, protein timing, Alzheimer's risk, and why sleep beats everything else. This is a conversation every woman (and the people who love them) need to hear.
Subscribe to the Mentored newsletter here: https://the-mentored-platform-pty-ltd.myklpages.com/l/WWJGc5
Join my exclusive Mentored+ community: https://mentored.com.au/become-a-member/
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.