Startup Theatre Podcast

Building a startup isn’t what most people think.In this episode of Startup Theatre, Adrienne & Serge sit down with Martyn Bain to talk about the reality of building a global company from New Zealand — and the moments that nearly break you.From leaving corporate after a defining moment at home, to chasing international deals, to being days away from signing something that could have changed everything… only for it to fall apart.We get into:• the moment that pushed Martyn to leave corporate• why early customers say yes… but don’t commit• the brutal reality of enterprise sales• why “signed contracts” don’t mean what you think• how deals fall over at the last minute• what it actually takes to build and scale globally from NZThis is a raw look at the pressure, setbacks, and persistence behind building a real company.If you’re a founder, operator, or thinking about starting something, this episode will give you a far more honest picture of the journey.Startup Theatre explores the real stories behind startups — not just the wins, but everything in between.

AI is changing how startups are built.In this episode of Startup Theatre, Troy Hammond sits down with Toby Cox, founder of Geodde and former Partner & CTO of Paloma (Dovetail), to talk about why he walked away from leading large engineering teams to build an AI startup completely solo.After years scaling companies and managing teams of more than 100 engineers, Toby is now running an experiment: building a company with almost no team and using AI agents to do much of the work.We discuss:• Why experienced CTOs are leaving leadership roles to build with AI• How AI coding agents are replacing the work of junior engineers• Whether “solo unicorn” companies are now possible• How startups can influence what ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini say about their business• Why venture capital may not be required to start a company anymoreToby also shares the thinking behind Geodde, a platform helping companies monitor and shape how their brand appears inside AI tools.If you're a founder, builder, investor, or curious about where startups are heading next, this conversation explores how AI may reshape how companies are built.Startup Theatre explores the real stories behind startups, founders, and the evolving tech ecosystem.

John Mitchell didn’t start in tech. He started with a sewing machine in his parents’ basement.In this episode of Startup Theatre, the Arlo founder shares the full journey from bootstrapped beginnings in Wellington to building a global SaaS platform operating in 70 countries and processing over half a billion dollars in training transactions each year.John talks openly about:• Raising his first $1M and then closing just one deal in three months• Hiring mistakes that nearly stalled growth• How Arlo survived when COVID shut down face-to-face training overnight• Why “being found” beat outbound sales• Building a team strong enough to step out of the CEO seat• What AI and vibe coding mean for the next generation of foundersThis is a practical, honest conversation about scaling SaaS from New Zealand to the world, navigating pressure after funding, and knowing when to evolve as a founder.If you're building, raising, pivoting, or questioning your next move, this episode is for you.

Alexander Fala is the kind of leader who has seen the best and worst of startup life up close, and learned how to keep moving anyway.In this episode of Startup Theatre, Troy Hammond sits down with Alex, former Vend CEO, Rhodes Scholar, ex McKinsey, and a trusted coach to CEOs across Aotearoa. They unpack what happens when the stakes get real: a capital raise nearly collapsing, lawsuits landing mid deal, revenue shocks that threaten liquidation, and the loneliness that comes with being the person ultimately accountable.Alex shares hard-earned lessons on board dynamics, making the “right decision not the easy one”, building talent density, sharpening strategy after product-market fit, and why writing is still one of the most underrated leadership tools. They also talk about purpose, identity, and how we tell a better story about tech so more Māori and Pacific talent can see themselves in it.If you’re building, scaling, raising, or simply trying to lead with clarity under pressure, this one’s for you.

Before the 100th episode of Startup Theatre with Rod Drury, we brought the community together in Queenstown for a live fireside series with founders, operators, investors, and ecosystem builders from across New Zealand.In front of a live audience, we explored what really happens behind the scenes of building companies – from validating an idea and surviving early mistakes, to scaling teams, raising capital, hiring well, and knowing when to step aside as a founder.You’ll hear from founders at different stages, SaaS and non-SaaS alike, alongside the people who quietly support the ecosystem every day – investors, advisors, operators, and community leaders.This episode captures the honesty, humour, and reality of startup life, complete with live reactions, tough lessons, and practical insights for anyone building, backing, or thinking about starting a company.Moderated by our own Adrienne Muir & Troy HammondFireside chat panel (Founders):Rob Stirling – ScannableMelissa Jenner – ACTVOHeidi Farren – Tourism Innovation Group (TIG)Stuart McLean – EverCommerceEcosystem supporters panel:Peter Fullerton-Smith – Mountain ClubAlison Meredith – Startup Queenstown LakesAnand Reddy – PwC New ZealandKimberley Gilmour – Sprinklr NZProudly supported by PwC, long-standing champions of New Zealand’s tech and startup ecosystem.Want a free discovery session with PwC? Head to 👉🏻 https://www.pwc.co.nz/services/private-business/startup-theatre.htmlSpecial thanks to our supporter sponsor in Startup Queenstown Lakes⁠

A New Zealand insuretech startup thought they’d cracked the US market, until a Fortune 500 incumbent sued them “out of the blue”.In this episode of Startup Theatre, Serge Van Damme speaks with former Montoux co-CEOs Shelley Cox and Klaas Stijnen about what it’s like to be hit with major IP allegations in the US, how quickly litigation can choke a startup’s ability to sell or raise, and why their realistic options became: fight, sell, or liquidate. They share the moment they discovered the filing, the impact on customers and staff, the decision to appoint a liquidator in New Zealand, and what’s happening now in the High Court, including the dispute over whether the liquidator can sell assets while proceedings continue.You’ll also hear practical lessons for founders going into litigious markets: understanding incumbent behaviour, thinking about legal risk as a board-level issue, and why insurance and jurisdiction matter more than most startups assume.You will hear:The moment Shelley found out through an email offering representation, nearly marked it as spam, then googled and saw “FIS versus Montoux” had been filedWhy a US lawsuit is an incredibly effective way to stifle a startup, regardless of motivation, because defence costs and commercial impact hit at the same timeWhat Montoux actually built for life insurers, why actuarial models matter, and what it felt like when they believed they had “cracked it” with major customer momentumThe three brutal options they had: fight, sell, or liquidate, and why “fight” became financially non-viable fastHow staff reacted to being implicitly accused of wrongdoing, and what it is like to have no playbook for something this seriousWhat liquidation actually means, what a liquidator is required to do, and why the timeline moved so quicklyThe NZ High Court injunction hearing over whether the liquidator can sell assets while the case continues, and why it felt so cold and detached from the humans behind the businessHard lessons for founders entering litigious markets: treating legal risk as a board-level topic, reviewing insurance properly, and researching an incumbent’s litigation posture before you enter their spaceStartups in the Spotlight: three Kiwi insuretechs going global, PolicyCheck, Simfuni, and Javln.Sponsor: This episode is brought to you by Vanta. If you are starting or scaling your security programme, Vanta automates compliance for ISO 27001, SOC 2, and more.Get USD $1,000 off at: ⁠vanta.com/startuptheater⁠This episode discusses allegations and an ongoing legal dispute. We’re sharing the guest’s perspective and our commentary. Any claims mentioned are allegations only, not findings of fact. Nothing in this episode is legal advice, and we’ll avoid speculating on matters before the courts.

In our 100th episode of Startup Theatre, we went live in Queenstown for a milestone fireside chat with Rod Drury, founder of Xero.Rod unpacks the behind-the-scenes reality of building a global SaaS company from Wellington: why they IPO’d early, what raising capital actually takes, and how to build teams that can scale without losing pace. We also get into founder PR, working on the business vs in it, what “A-players” really are, and why culture (and proximity) still matters.Then Rod goes beyond Xero and talks about New Zealand’s next chapter: digital identity, open banking, “sovereign” infrastructure, and the practical risks of global platforms extracting value from tourism and payments. If you care about startups, high performance, or the future of NZ tech, this one is essential listening.Topics include:Early-stage IPOs, capital strategy, and “raise when you don’t need it”Building founder-led urgency and accelerating decision-makingHiring A-players and the real cost of compromiseFounder comms, media strategy, and long-term relationship buildingNZ innovation: digital identity, tourism platforms, and procurementAI’s impact on jobs and the “no new hires” mindsetStartup Theatre is produced by Empire Films, and this episode was proudly supported by PwC.

Goodnature CEO Dave Shoemack has had one of the more unusual startup careers you will hear about. From big beer at Heineken HQ, to helping turn VanMoof into the “Tesla of e-bikes” in Amsterdam, to leading Wellington trap-maker Goodnature and living with a founder at home through natural perfume brand Abel.In this episode of Startup Theatre, Troy and Serge sit down with Dave to talk about building global hardware companies from tiny teams, dealing with bankruptcy and rebirth, and why focus and courage matter more than almost anything else.You will hear:The inside story of VanMoof’s rise, the brave anti-car ad that was banned in France, and what it felt like to watch the company go bankrupt after he leftHow Dave walked away from a cushy global role at Heineken, battled crippling imposter syndrome, and learned to love “lobster moments” where growth only comes from discomfortWhy VanMoof eventually doubled down on one bike, one audience, and one moment, and how that extreme focus translated directly into brand powerThe move back to Wellington, joining Goodnature’s board then stepping up as CEO, and what it is really like to manufacture smart, humane traps 100 metres from the Basin Reserve and ship them to the worldDinner-table startup life with his wife Frances, founder of natural perfume house Abel, and the difference between pioneers who start things and settlers who grow themHow Goodnature keeps “founder chaos” alive in a 20-year-old company, and why Kiwi companies should stop selling out too earlyIn a new “Behind the Curtain” explainer segment, Serge also breaks down ESOPs and share options:What ESOP and options actually are, and why most employees do not receive real shares up frontHow vesting, cliffs, good leaver and bad leaver provisions work in New ZealandWhat happens to your options if the company sells early, or you leaveWhen tax hits, how net settlement usually works, and whether ESOP is really “worth it”Practical advice on negotiating salary first, then treating options as upside rather than your base payFinally, Troy and Serge answer audience questions, talk through the new Behind the Curtain segment, and explain how you can be in the draw for a $1,000 Prezi card as they work towards the 100th episode.Sponsor:This episode is brought to you by Vanta. If you are starting or scaling your security programme, Vanta automates compliance for ISO 27001, SOC 2, and more.Get USD $1,000 off at: vanta.com/startuptheaterLinks from this episode:Goodnature: https://goodnature.co.nzVanMoof: https://www.vanmoof.comAbel fragrance: https://abelodor.com

David Booth, a community architect and partner at Andreessen Horowitz, shares insights from his journey in connecting founders. He discusses how On Deck evolved into a powerful network that supports over 1,000 startups. David emphasizes the importance of building community for startup success and explains the nuanced shift from operator to investor. He also highlights the value of authenticity in pitching investors and advises Kiwis on balancing local ambitions with global aspirations, all while fostering meaningful relationships in Silicon Valley.

In this episode of Startup Theatre, host Troy Hammond sits down with serial founder and engineer Nimo Naamani—a man who’s lived through the chaos of founding blockchain companies, building developer tools, getting acqui-hired by Twitter, and now taking on one of the hardest industries of all: healthcare.Nimo shares wild stories—from building Horizon State, to selling his startup to Twitter, to launching Propagator, a platform aiming to connect every health transaction in New Zealand. Along the way, we unpack the mindset of a “zero to one” founder, what makes a 10x engineer (or a 100x one), and why he thinks clarity is more important than speed.Plus, you’ll hear about:Building tech under Jack Dorsey and Elon MuskWhy he believes every system leaks and how Propagator builds around thatThe surprising cult-like spirit inside TwitterThe infamous swamp origin story (yes, it involves a cowboy costume and actual sh*t)If you’re a startup builder, healthtech nerd, or just love hearing from people who do the hard stuff, this is one for the queue.🎧 Tune in now – and take notes. Nimo knows how to build a product and scale. 🔑 Topics CoveredThe swampy origin story that shaped Nimo’s love of chaos and hard problemsWhat happens inside a Twitter acqui-hire — and why they paid top dollar for his teamHow Propagator is fixing healthcare by doing the hardest thing first and not storing your dataWhy most startups fail at integration — and what it actually takes to connect legacy systemsThe messy truth about co-founders, clarity, and leading when you're not a natural CEO🔥 SoundbitesSpeed without clarity is just noise.I don’t want to store your data. I want to move it — fast and safely.I’ve been surrounded by bullsh!t since I was four. I’m used to chaos.I never wanted to be CEO. I just want to fix things.You don’t need a cult to build a great company. You need adults.A startup is not a family. I’ve got kids — I don’t need more at work.I’ll take the swamp every time. That’s where the real work is.Most people start with the easy. We started with the hard.The best founders aren’t the loudest. They’re the most convicted.Every system leaks. So prepare, don’t panic.This podcast was brought to you by our amazing sponsor in ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Vanta⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🙌🏻Get USD $1000 off ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Vanta⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ using the link ⁠⁠https://www.vanta.com/startup⁠