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Mick Spencer — From learning difficulties to Olympic team contractor

34 minutes

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How to overcome challenges you were born and instead reap benefits you create

Despite being born with severe short-sightedness, learning difficulties and multiple heart conditions, Mick Spencer founded the most successful sportswear apparel company in Australia when he was still at university and had just $150 to his name. ONTHEGO now produces uniforms for teams in the AFL, NRL and Cricket Australia, and is on track to be worth $100 million by 2020. He also appeared in the first series of Shark Tank, completed an Ironman challenge, and released his first book, Start Before You're Ready in 2018.

This episode is jam packed with everything from finding the right problem, to optimising user experience, to simplifying outdated industry processes and more. He explores perspectives that not many people hold on raising capital and disruption in big businesses that you may just agree with. Overall, Mick will lead you down his journey of immense resilience and passion to innovating an entire industry on this episode of The Make It Happen Show.

4. Mick Spencer promotional image for The Make It Happen Show

"Sometimes when you say no to things, you open yourself up to saying yes to the right things."

— Mick Spencer

In this episode, you will learn:

  • 1:59 - Booking an Olympic team as a client (Cape Verde)
  • 4:09 - The process to simplifying an outdated industry-standard production process
  • 10:42 - The types of people Mick hired in his tech team
  • 14:59 - Mick’s experience in raising capital
  • 18:08 - Turning down his own pitch on Shark Tank
  • 19:54 - His biggest deal with Wesfarmers
  • 23:04 - The process of writing his book ‘Start Before You’re Ready’
  • 32:12 - Make It Happen In A Minute

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Great insight for business owners and super practical takeaways!

Bruce Casanovic

Amazing guests, great insights into their journey and what has helped make their businesses successful. Great to hear how some of the guests have navigated challenge as well. Loads of good practice takeaways.

Perfect for the Monday commute

innov8me

Great to listen to on the commute to work on Monday mornings. Great content, well delivered and plenty of insights from industry leaders in a variety of fields. Good to see the entourage getting out there with a podcast series

Top-shelf guests. Top-shelf conversations.

podcast_junkie_18

This is so awesome, so helpful, and so fresh. Right from the get-go, the team at The Entourage have brought out the big names in the Aussie entrepreneur and business space to have conversations that every business owner should listen to. I can't wait to see who they bring on next.

Amazing guests

Komesy

Loved the episode with Tim Fung, Airtasker CEO! You guys are getting some awesome guests in! Thank you!

Entourage on point again!

Adz Rodger

Great content again from The Entourage! Particularly like the 1st episode and the points Tim Fung made about making sure you make time to map out the future and don't get stuck on day to day 'work', as well as the observation that you really need to be strategic about your people management and not just try to save money. Two awesome take homes I have already taken action on!

For entrepreneurs and non-trepeneurs alike

kylie_73

Well this was one of the best things I’ve heard in a while. I’m by no means the target demographic, having zero business or entrepreneurial experience at all. Luckily the advice given for business growth and success is remarkably applicable to personal growth and success. Loved the conversational style, by the end of the podcast I felt like I knew both Tims personally, which is a great mark of engagement. And I loved hearing about the humble beginnings of Airtasker from the founder himself. Give this a listen if you’re craving a bit of personal or professional inspiration.

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