This episode of Owner Insights features Danny Di Iorio from Aquamate - a business whose journey has been far from linear. A believer in the ‘seven-year itch’ and regularly shaking things up, Danny had a strong first chapter with Aquamate, helped by a large-scale drought in Australia that boosted demand for their steel water tanks. But when the drought broke and the GFC hit, turnover declined for almost a decade.

That downturn led Danny to rethink the business, but a move into the Oil and Gas industry didn’t go well. Many lessons were learnt, and a refocus on being the best in the world at something got the business back on track. The catalyst came from an unlikely source - a Texan goat farmer, prompting Aquamate to develop a flat-pack design that opened the US market.

Today, the US accounts for 30% of Aquamate’s $12 million revenue and is expected to overtake the Australian side, all still manufactured in Adelaide. Aquamate is now exploring a Big Science project in South America that could require up to 4,000 tanks - and with global demand rising, Danny is gearing up for the most ambitious chapter in the company’s history.

Imagine being 30 years old, leaving a secure career in investment banking, and with no job trying to raise $40 million to build a business from the ground up.

Fast forward a few years, now with a young family and in the middle of the GFC, feeling like you’re on a treadmill you can’t get off, with your house and everything else on the line.

That was the reality for Grant Wilckens in the early days of building what would become the G’day Group. Starting in 2004 with a blank sheet of paper and a handful of caravan parks in WA and Victoria, Grant set out to commercialise a traditional cottage industry, transforming Australian caravan parks into holiday parks and resorts.

Today, the group employs 2,600 people and includes 90 holiday parks and resorts under Discovery Parks, 330 licensed parks in the G’day Parks network, and tech platforms like WikiCamps and Bookeasy. In this episode, Grant shares how he rebuilt from those challenging early years, shifted the focus from simply owning assets to delivering exceptional customer experiences, and why digital innovation is shaping the next chapter.

In this episode of Owner Insights, we sit down with Meg Paech – founder of Yellow Door Care – whose quiet determination has built one of Adelaide’s most trusted in-home care providers.

Ten years ago, after 25 years as a nurse, Meg saw a gap in the market when her father-in-law needed care. What began as a deeply personal mission has grown into a business employing over 150 casual staff and delivering 3,000 hours of care every week to clients under the NDIS and Aged Care systems.

Meg is an incredibly humble entrepreneur – someone who dislikes selling, found early business meetings with bankers intimidating, but always knew she wanted her own business.

She shares how she’s grown Yellow Door while staying true to her values – keeping the business family-owned, resisting multiple offers to sell, and maintaining a personal touch in an increasingly complex industry. With all three of her kids working in the business and her twin sister Chris as Operations Manager, Yellow Door is a true family success story.

This is a refreshing conversation about doing business your own way – and staying grounded while making a big impact.

This episode features one of the most driven person you’ll ever meet.

Trudy MacDonald is a multi-time CEO, award-winning global speaker, former elite ballet performer, and founder of TalentCode HR - an HR consulting firm working across Australia with no offices and a fully remote team. She’s built and sold numerous businesses, and at just 25, moved to the US in search of opportunity, eventually leading a team of 150.

Returning to Australia, she spent three years commuting six hours a day (including a 4:30am train ride and yoga before work), all while raising young children.

These days, her 5:30am starts are on the water, training up to 12 times a week as part of the NSW Masters Rowing Team, which she recently represented at the Australian Championships.

In this episode, Trudy shares powerful insights, including:

• Why she’s so driven - and lessons for others
• How to lead a remote team that performs
• Why you should tear up job descriptions
• The three steps to building a high-performance culture

Don’t miss this fast-paced and inspiring conversation with someone who truly knows what it takes to build a great business - and a great life.

In this episode of Owner Insights, James Orchard sits down with Andrew Downs, founder of SAGE Group, to unpack one of Australia’s most compelling business success stories. What began in a back shed with humble aspirations became an international company with 750 employees and $230 million in turnover - and has now been sold for $150 million to a US-based company listed on the Nasdaq.

Recorded before the sale, Andrew shares how two pivotal events - being sued by his local council, nearly ending the business before it began, and the GFC, which put everything on the line - shaped his thinking around risk, growth, and leadership. From mowing lawns as a teen to becoming a relentless growth-focused entrepreneur, his journey is one of resilience, customer-first thinking, and strategic reinvention.

Andrew also shares hard-earned lessons on debt, the value of mentors, and the importance of surrounding yourself with the right people. Most notably, he reflects on letting go of control to allow SAGE to thrive beyond him and ultimately position it for a major international sale.

In this episode of Owner Insights, James Orchard speaks to Matthew McArthur, Executive Director of McArthur – one of Australia’s most respected recruitment and temporary staffing firms. What began in 1969 as a homegrown business founded by Matthew’s father, John, has grown into a national enterprise with six offices, over 200 internal staff, and more than 6,500 people employed each year.

This is a story about legacy, resilience, and quietly building a business that lasts. Matthew reflects on the early days of literally building the company from the ground up – assembling partition walls for interview rooms with his siblings – and on the incredible example set by his father, who only stepped down as Chairman at the age of 95. With a focus on sustainability and long-term relationships, McArthur was built to withstand change and challenge, including the global pandemic, with a cautious, steady approach that’s kept it recession resilient.

From navigating the challenges of working in a family business to the complexities of creating a truly national culture, Matthew shares valuable insights into leadership, succession, and staying relevant across decades. This episode is a masterclass in building not just a business – but a business that lasts.

In this episode of Owner Insights, James Orchard speaks to Stephen Evans, founder of Footsteps Dance Company, a global business teaching dance and drama in schools. From a competitive ballroom dancer with an Economics degree to running a thriving international enterprise, Stephen’s story is one of passion, timing, and entrepreneurial energy.

Footsteps began over 30 years ago, rapidly expanding to work with 50 schools in South Australia within its first year. Today, it operates in every Australian state, New Zealand, and the United States, with a successful online program launched during COVID – an extremely innovative approach to going global without a physical presence.

Stephen reflects on his challenges, from a failed franchise attempt and financial missteps to the importance of hiring the right people. Guided by his grandfather’s simple mantra, “Spend half and save half,” he built a debt-free business that thrives on seizing opportunities and learning from setbacks.

This episode is packed with insights on turning a passion into a global success story.

In this episode of Owner Insights, James Orchard speaks with Angus Sobels, a business owner whose journey embodies resilience, risk-taking, and purpose-driven wealth creation. From a childhood marked by his father’s sudden departure and his family’s loss of 100 years of generational wealth in the wine industry, Angus shares how these experiences shaped his philosophy on financial security and life’s priorities.

Angus reveals how he balances financial success with personal fulfilment, turning profits from a commercial landscaping business into building two further businesses, including a thriving property investment business, and stepping back from active work by 40. When tragedy struck in 2015, he leaned on the values instilled by his mother and the security his businesses provided.

This episode is packed with lessons on embracing uncertainty, taking risks, and backing the right people - proving that life’s true riches go far beyond money.