Stone & Chalk

Stone & Chalk is the largest innovation community in Australia.

Our mission is to transform Australia into a sustainable technology driven economy. We are not-for-profit, purpose-driven and sustainable.

We support startups, scaleups, corporations and government, at every and any stage of their innovation journey.

We foster a community of founders, mentors, experts, corporates, partners, collaborators, and more to help entrepreneurs and businesses build, grow, and commercialise ideas, ensuring they have everything they need to adapt and thrive in an age of technological disruption.

We are the spark that powers emerging tech innovation.

To be part of the largest innovation community in Australia, visit https://www.stoneandchalk.com.au/.

Startup Success & Community Manager - Melbourne Hub

Stone & Chalk is Australasia's leading independent, not-for-profit innovation hub. They foster and accelerate the development of world-leading technology startups and provide a mature innovation ecosystem. Most prominent industry verticals are FinTech, MediTech and AgriTech.

I was approached in July 2019 to join the mentor-match program for their early and mid-stage startup cohort. This is a pro-bono position.

Startup Mentor

Kuboom10X - Resources for Tech Founders

Providing resources to help first-time tech founders start and build successful startups.

Hi, my name is Graham McCorkill.

Over the past four decades, I’ve been in business. From working in the family company to founding or co-founding 8 successful startups.

On this journey spanning multiple industries, I’ve experienced both huge success and sole destroying failure. I understand the challenges and uncertainty that come with starting from scratch, without any guarantee of success.

For the past 12 years, I have been working with first-time tech founders to help fast-track the path from idea to commercialisation. 

During this time, I've delved deep into design thinking, lean methodology, lean startup, and exponential growth strategy, among others. And had the opportunity to hang out with a bunch of successful founders, extracting their insights about what it takes.

I found that tech product success does not just rely on a great idea… Execution is key!

There are several fundamental steps at each stage of business growth that must be addressed to have any chance at commercial success.

Leveraging all this experience, I been able to personally guide over 30 first-time tech founders through the tricky early stages of the startup process.
 
Now, I've established Kuboom10X to create and publish articles, newsletters and resources focused on helping you build your tech idea from zero to traction and beyond, avoiding the mistakes made by most first-time founders. 

Find out more at the Kuboom website... (Link in the profile)

E: graham@kuboom.com.au
W: https://kuboom.com.au
M: 0417 955 913

Founder, Tech Startup Specialist 

RUNWAY BUY

RUNWAY BUY is a new state-of-the-art Mobile & Web Platform for Designer Fashion. We’re giving our users unrestricted access to international runway events, in-house shows, showrooms and designer brand boutiques streamed live. 

I am working with the Runway Buy Team to inject a combination of innovative thinking, market understanding and Strategy Execution. Specifically, my entrepreneurial and start-up expertise along with my understanding and experience in the successful implementation of mobile technology to solve real world problems is key to having this new platform up and running successfully. 

I have been been brought into the project by Marc Palmer (co-founder) to ensure the successful development of the initial commercial product and to manage the growth of the business to cash-flow positive and beyond. 

Our mission is to bring this unique online marketplace to ALL fashion designers worldwide. From large established brands to small emerging designers and everyone in between, RUNWAY BUY is creating a level playing field to more effectively market their collections.  

Our technology will allow customers to select items from the feed and buy new fashion collections direct from the runway or video release in real time. It’s the first TRUE See-Now-Buy-Now system. 

RUNWAY BUY is bringing Fashion Designers and customers closer together in a way not previously available… This now means:

- Established Designers, Emerging Designers,  ethical brands and more can monetise their collections immediately, direct from a runway, showroom or boutique event

- Emerging Designers have open access to new international markets

- Designers and Retail Buyers can easily connect anywhere in the world  

- Fashionistas worldwide, can shop the runway, showrooms, boutiques and new designer collections like never before with early access to new fashion, exclusive deals and special fashion notifications.

RUNWAY BUY is scheduled for initial release mid 2019. 

https://runwaybuy.com

Member Board of Advisors - Technology / Business Innovation & Development

Buzinga App Development

Buzinga was an award-winning app development and innovation consultancy, helping startups and SMEs commercialise ideas and implement mobile-first strategies.

I co-founded Buzinga in 2012. The Buzinga Team focused on designing intuitive ways to transform basic human interaction with the modern world using technology, including: smartphones, tablets, wearables, smart TVs, augmented reality, artificial intelligence and IOT. 

We produced some of Australia’s most popular apps including SteelDrive for BlueScope, That Sugar App for Madman Entertainment and Foodswitch for The George Institute of Global Health and Bupa. 

We launched more than 150 mobile apps... 4 have been #1 on the App Store.

Our company was recognised by BRW as a Top 100 Australian Fast Starter in 2015, by JobAdvisor as among the Top 10 Coolest Companies in 2014, 2015 & 2016. 

We also won Anthill’s Coolest Company Award for Mobile Business in 2015, and several other accolades for products and company culture. We employed 26 staff in Australia across UI/UX, user engagement, consulting, engineering and mobile-first strategy. 

By designing and building high impact, positive mobile experiences that make people’s lives better, Buzinga’s clients often gain key outcomes such as: increased revenue & efficiencies, better engagement with external & internal users, better data and competitive advantage.

My responsibilities included Business Development, Growth Strategy, Innovation and Operations. Key achievements included:
 
 - Average of 89% year-on-year revenue growth since 2012
 - Over 300 clients in 5 years
 - Over 150 Mobile/Web App Projects completed with 4 #1 Apps on the App Store
 - Over 10 industry awards for Fast Growth, Culture and User Experience Design

Mid 2017, I negotiated the sale of the Buzinga team to Butterfly. Butterfly were web-focused and wanted to add mobile know-how to their team. I stayed with Butterfly until mid-November 2017 to oversee much of the Buzinga transition.

Co-Founder & Director - Business Development, Innovation and Operations

Miiy Pty Ltd - miiySearch

The miiy Group was 51% owned by Sofcom Ltd and specialises in next generation digital marketing including; websites, QR Codes, coupon & ticketing systems, SEO, online shopping, mobile stores, mobile/local search optimisation and more. 

My role was to establish and manage the development process of the miiySearch product. 

Responsibilities/Achievements:
 - Developed new One-Stop Registration Service for Mobile Search.
 - Developed initial design & content for miiySearch website.
 - Developed all sales & marketing collateral both electronic & physical.
 - Developed staged client registration process.
 - Developed sales and re-seller sales processes & scripts.
 - Established re-seller and email marketing strategy.
 - Engaged & trained face to face & call centre B2B re-seller teams for product validation

All aspects of the One-Stop Registration Service were fully functional and generating revenue when I finished.

miiySearch Product Owner (Contract)

SISS Business Systems Ltd

SISS Business Systems is a non-listed public company, established in 1999. It developed the web based Uglii Systems. Uglii stands for 'Unique geographic listing for industry' and incorporates a new business, product & services search engine that features a spacial search & unique and powerful marketplace platform.

My role was to manage the implementation of the support resources for Global, National & Affiliate Partners and input into the functionality and User Interface of the primary Uglii System modules. 

Responsibilities/Achievements:
 - Support for Global & National Re-seller Partners.
 - In-house marketing expertise to Partner Network & SISS divisions.
 - Support content for Partner Website including How-Tos & FAQs.
 - Developed electronic & physical sales & marketing collateral for Partner/SISS use.
 - Reviewed all new systems for usability, experience & retention.
 - UAT for system features - Recommended interface and screen-flow improvements
 - Created all help & how-to pages for new and existing systems

Global Manager - Partner Support / Advisor - User Interface Design & Marketing

SISS developed the web based Uglii Systems. To market the Systems, SISS was establishing up to 10 independent or wholly owned organisations as Global Partners, each of which was tasked with establishing their own network of National Re-Seller Partners internationally for their economic zone. Bizmio was the first wholly owned Global Partner. My role was to establish this subsidiary from scratch for SISS. 

Responsibilities/Achievements:
 - Established offices, business systems, business plan, budget, staff requirements.
 - Designed & managed development of company website including all content.
 - Created electronic & physical marketing collateral - videos, revenue calculators, brochures, etc.
 - Established support & training systems for National Partner / Re-Seller network.

When seconded to Melbourne to take up a position with the parent company, Bizmio had an established network of over 25 National Re-Seller Partners covering Australia, NZ, Chile and territories in USA, Europe and Asia which had begun to generate revenue.

CEO - Bizmio Services Pty Ltd 

Kendco - Urban Furniture

While running Urban Chilli Stores, I established a factory in Central Java in conjunction with an Indonesian associate to manufacture furniture designed by me for Urban Chilli. This allowed Urban Chilli to offer a point of difference in design, better quality control, a price advantage and the ability to offer a custom design service for domestic and commercial clients. 

This factory reached a monthly capacity of 4 x 40' HC containers delivered after 3 years. In addition to supplying our own company (Urban Chilli Furniture), we were able to supply many container loads of furniture to other customers (Australian and international) on a wholesale basis.

Co-Founder / Furniture Designer (Concurrent)

Prime Renovation

In September 2008, after being asked to fill the position of CEO for Bizmio commencing in July 2009, I established Prime Renovation for 9 months until the start of the Bizmio Role. Prime focused on small domestic renovations of up to $100,000. 

Responsibilities/Achievements:
 - Initial marketing of business’s expertise. (5/6 projects came via word-of-mouth recommendations)
 - Design & specification of all renovation work
 - Detailed quote preparation
 - Engaged and briefed all sub-contractors
 - Project managed all renovations
 - Some between trades work

Prime successfully completed 4 small projects under $25K and 2 projects of around $100K in this period.

General Manager / Project Manager

Urban Chilli Furniture

Urban Chilli – Furniture & Homewares was very successful in Perth marketing a range of imported and locally sourced product. Primarily retail, it also serviced many interior design & commercial clients. 

Established by my wife & I in late 1999 (originally named Serendipity), the first store was 120 sq mtr. 3 further stores of between 500 to 800 sq mtr each were established. In September 2001 we sold the small store to enable expansion of the furniture component of the business. 

Responsibilities/Achievements:
 - Managed sales, sales training & corporate sales / Set and monitored KPIs.
 - Developed all advertising & marketing including TV, press, magazine, advertorial, online and signage.
 - Managed company operations, store management, business strategy and planning.
 - Established computerised stock control, POS & accounting systems.
 - Developed store designs, décor & layout. Project managed all store fit-outs.
 - Designed the Urban Chilli range of solid wood furniture & managed quality control.
 - Managed all international & domestic furniture buying, furniture importing and stock control.
 - Consulted with clients for Interior Design / Styling & custom furniture design – Domestic & Commercial.
 - Managed and controlled the capital and operational budget and expenditure with P&L responsibility.

Achieved YoY growth of over 105% for first 4 years & above budget growth to 2007. Sold the business in early 2008 and remained as consultant to October that year.

Managing Director / Business Development

Graham McCorkill & Associates / Prime Property - Construction & Renovations

Various Roles

Founder & Tech Startup Specialist / Startup Success & Community Manager @ Stone & Chalk 🚀

Are you in the early stages of creating an innovative new mobile app, web app, SaaS platform, or any other tech product?

I HELP FOUNDERS LIKE YOU, ACCELERATE THE JOURNEY FROM IDEA TO SUCCESSFUL RELEASE AND BEYOND. 

So, why would you seek help?

When you’re creating a tech product startup, there are many unique challenges that can derail the whole venture, even before it gets off the ground.

The fact is… 91% of all first-time tech founders fail.

Here's the good news… These mistakes are easily avoided and you can 10X your chance of success if you have a proven ‘roadmap’ to guide you.

My goal is to help you defy the odds and become one of the star founders who turn their startup dream into reality.


Let me share a little of my experience.

Over the past four decades, I've been in business. From working in the family company to founding or co-founding over 8 successful startups… Conventional and tech based.

In 2012, I co-founded Buzinga Apps, a small app development company based in Melbourne.

We grew Buzinga to one of the fastest-growing development agencies in Australia, until late 2017 when we sold.

During this period, sadly I witnessed numerous clients fail to achieve commercial success… Many, for reasons I thought were totally avoidable (in retrospect).

This sparked my obsession with success systems for tech startups.

I delved deep into design thinking, lean methodology, lean startup, and exponential growth strategy, among others. And had the opportunity to hang out with a bunch of successful founders, gaining their insights about what it takes.

There are several fundamental steps at each stage of tech business growth that must be completed to have any chance at commercial success.

In the past five years I have coached five tech startups to successful outcomes and impacted more than 120 with advice, guides and training.

If you're a first-time tech founder and could use some help... simply follow me here on LinkedIn.

AND, subscribe to my '10X Founders Edge' newsletter.

Head to my website for more information and resources:  kuboom.com.au

--------

In 2024, I’ve taken on a new challenge. I’ve joined the passionate team at Stone and Chalk’s Melbourne Hub as ‘Startup Success and Community Manager’.

Stone and Chalk are the largest innovation community in Australia.

If you're the founder of an Emerging Tech Startup and are experiencing some initial traction, be sure to reach out to me…

Let’s explore how we can help you accelerate success and connect you with mentors, customers, investors and other founders in our community.

Graham McCorkill

I CAN’T BELIEVE 2025 IS ALMOST DONE… 

BUT... before we ride off into the sunset, we’re throwing one last, giant, boots-and-all celebration for the entire Victorian Startup Community!

🎉 The Community Collective X Stone & Chalk End-of-Year Party – WILD WEST STYLE! 🪕

This is our biggest party of the year... and trust me, it’s going to be a cracker!

Think:
 🍔  Yummy snacks
 🥂  Sparkling beverages
 🧠  Big ideas
 🐎  Even bigger personalities

All year long we’ve backed bold founders, sparked wild conversations and created spaces where ideas take off. Now it’s time to round up your crew, raise a glass and celebrate the people and achievements that made 2025 legendary. 🍻 

🗓️  Thursday November 27th from 5:30pm
📍  Stone & Chalk Melbourne – 121 King Street
💜  Drinks, bites & big ideas included

🎟️  Grab your spot here: https://lnkd.in/gTnKDvau

Expect conversations that spark new possibilities—and a night that sends 2025 off with a bang.

Hope to see you there 🤠

Melissa Despotellis Imtiaz Aziz Paz Pisarski 🏵 Ines Schuber Janenie Mohgan Alex Shiell Pavi Iyer ✨ Samantha "Venia" Logan Natalie Badawy 💻 Blake Francis Eike Zeller Annie Le Cavalier Liz van Zyl Desmond John Robert Gallup Peter Gatt Megan Luttrell 🤝 Josh Lipscombe 🌈 Elle Phillips Sherin Breuer ⚡️⚡️Dave McManus⚡️⚡️ Callum Holt Dr Sam Donegan Xavier Andueza

Tech Startup Specialist / Head of Ecosystem @ Stone & Chalk Melbourne 🚀

The Community Collective and Stone & Chalk End of year party

ONLY A FEW TICKETS LEFT... DON'T MISS OUT!

The Community Collective X Stone & Chalk End-of-Year Party – WILD WEST STYLE! 🪕

This is our biggest party of the year... 

Think:
 🍔 Yummy snacks
 🥂 Sparkling beverages
 🧠 Big ideas
 🐎 Even bigger personalities

If you haven't already, round up your posse, grab your tickets and let's raise a glass and celebrate with the people that made 2025 legendary. 🍻 

🗓️ TONIGHT (Nov 27th) from 5pm
📍 Stone & Chalk Melbourne – 121 King Street
💜 Drinks, bites & big ideas included

🎟️ Grab your tickets here: https://lnkd.in/gTnKDvau

Expect conversations that spark new possibilities—and a night that sends 2025 off with a bang... AND LOTS OF PHOTOS!

Hope to see you there 🤠

Melissa Despotellis Imtiaz Aziz Paz Pisarski Ines Schuber Alex Shiell Pavi Iyer Eike Zeller Liz van Zyl Desmond John Robert Gallup Megan Luttrell Sherin Breuer Callum Holt Dr Sam Donegan Xavier Andueza Kate Pollard Dane McFarlane Olivia Grandjean-Thomsen Paulette Parker Lucinda Batey

Chief Commercial Officer @ Andromeda Robotics

📣Hiring -> Marketing & Content Manager 💡🚀🎨  
(Humanoid Robotics)

At Andromeda we're doing something amazing. We're changing peoples lives for the better by developing empathetic humanoid robotics for complex care settings.

Our mission is a simple but incredible one, to replace a Billion hours of loneliness with companionship for those who need it the most.

We're searching for a passionate 'Marketing & Content Manager' to join our growing team. If you or someone you know would like to apply we'd love to hear from you, click here to learn more: 👉  https://lnkd.in/gtbaWSEP

GrowthX

Board Member

Pantech Digital

🚀 The journey from 0 to 1 is much tougher than 1 to 100. Whether launching new products, entering new markets, or reaching fresh customer segments, the 0 to 1 path is full of hurdles—and only 1% of these initiatives survive the first year.

🎯 We know the struggle—because we've been there too.

As Smarketers, we’ve helped drive $100M+ in incremental revenue for Unicorns and Super Unicorns looking to scale, innovate, and boost revenue. With Pantech, marketing isn’t just an expense—it's a Sales engine fueling revenues and profits.

💡 Our secret? A world-class team of specialists in performance and influencer marketing. We've partnered with powerhouse brands like TikTok Shop, Temu, Shein, Ulike, and Mobile Legends, helping them crush their growth KPIs and dominate the market.

⚡ It’s not easy. There are challenges at every turn. But we thrive in the hustle—and we absolutely love what we do!

Managing Director and CEO

As an investor and board member, I offered strategic guidance during the early stages of the organization's development, helping the core team establish foundational processes, infrastructure, and delivery capabilities.

Investor / Board Member

Quickads

Over the past decade, I've had the privilege of working with industry giants like Google, Disney+, TikTok, and more. In doing so, it became abundantly clear that our reliance on ad creatives was a fundamental pillar of any successful Go-To-Market strategy. Yet, it often felt like millions of marketing dollars were left on the table, affecting agencies, publishers, and marketers worldwide.

I always yearned for a straightforward, scalable solution—one that could be effortlessly implemented by countless clients. It was during a casual conversation over coffee with Nitin Mahajan that my decade-long aspiration finally found its purpose. Our mission? To create ads with a single click in just 30 seconds!

The utilization of generative AI to automate ad creation is poised to revolutionize the marketing landscape. I'm eagerly anticipating the opportunity to collaborate with the Quickads team, and together, we aim to make a profound impact for global SMBs and agencies.

Onward and upward! 🚀🚀

Advisor

Insight

Investor / Advisor

ByteDance

► Role Summary: As Category head - drove Growth and Marketing for Key Clients across categories.
► Impact: Setup and Grew Banking, Financial Services, Insurance and Auto Category P&L to $100k+ within 2 quarters
▪ Growth Marketing: Drove growth marketing for key clients along with full-funnel activations:
▪ Upper and Mid Funnel: Branding, awareness and engagement through innovative solutions like Hashtag Challenges, 
Brand Takeovers and Impact properties on Tiktok and Helo.
▪ Lower funnel solutions: Performance marketing solutions to deliver on lower funnel goals:
✓ Shallow Goals: Optimized campaigns to enhance CTR (click-through-rate), CPC (cost-per-click) and C2V 
(click to visit) 
✓ Deep Goals: Used advanced AI/ML (artificial intelligence/machine learning) and predictive models to 
optimize for deep goal KPI’s like CPI (cost-per-install), CPR (cost-per-registration), CPFD (cost-per-first-deposit) etc.

Vertical Head <> Revenue Growth and Monetization

Disney+ Hotstar

► Role Summary: As client partner - managed trusted relationships with Key Clients across Mobile Handsets, Consumer Durables & IT.
► Impact: Drove Revenue and Growth for the Vertical through Focused Initiatives, Custom Solutions and Innovation.
▪ Entertainment: Sponsorships and Inventory Deals across Genres - English (Koffee with Karan, Ted Talks), Hindi (Nach Baliye, 
Bigg Boss), GEC’s, Movies > 10X uplift in Revenue to ~$1Mn/Quarter.
▪ Sports: >$Multi Million Revenue across IPL, World Cup, EPL, PKL etc.
▪ Innovation: Innovative Solutions to Drive Growth & Engagement -> Live Streaming, In-show Integrations, Content Solutions etc.

Vertical Manager <> Revenue Growth

Lava International Limited

►Role Summary: Led the Digital Vertical at Lava Mobiles.
► GTM and Product Launches: Conceptualized and launched campaigns across Search, GDN, FB to drive Awareness, Preference & Sales.
▪ Moneyback Challenge: PAN India campaign with over 300M impressions >3X uplift in Brand Searches, 1.6X uplift in sales).
▪ 2 Years Warranty: First of its kind program launched across India with over 100M impressions >1.5X uplift in sales, <1% return.

Head <> Digital Marketing and Revenue Growth

Max Healthcare

►Role Summary: Led the Digital Team - drove Digital Transformation, Performance and Revenue.
► Digital Revenue Channel: Setup and grew the channel to ₹50cr+.
▪ Lead generation: Organic (SEO) & Paid (Search, GDN & FB) >CPA: < ₹1k, LTV: >₹30k.
▪ Sales: Setup the sales team for lead management and conversion >Lead Conversion: 10%+.
▪ Attribution: Integrated analytics & multiple systems (CRM, HMS) for tracking Customer Journey and Revenue.
► SEO, Social Media and Asset Management.
▪ Website Launch: Launched responsive & adaptive website (April ’16) in Drupal.
▪ SEO and content marketing: Optimized 8k+ KW’s, added 400 blogs/infographics & 250 videos.

Lead <> Digital Marketing and Revenue Growth

Google

►Role Summary: 3 Years of experience in Client Management, Business Development & Consultative Sales.
► Key Client Management: Managed trusted relationships with a Multi-million $ portfolio.
	Conceptualized, implemented & optimized Campaigns on Search, Display & YouTube.
	Tailored strategies for PC’s, Tablets and Mobiles (Mobile first, multi-device campaigns).
► Performance Marketing
	Optimized campaigns for higher ROI >4X uplift in optimizations, 5X uplift in adoptions.
	Enhanced Campaigns Migration Lead: 250 Accounts migrated in 2 weeks (EC’s allow multi-device campaign management).
	Success Story: Optimization for an ecommerce client >5X CPA reduction, 40X conversion uplift, 10X budget uplift.
► Success Metrics
	 Global #1 in multiple metrics for 3 quarters with over 120% attainment of targets in a 200+ strong sales organization.
	 Fastest Promotion in Sales Team within a year by exceeding expectations, driving innovation & leadership initiatives.

► Left Google: After completing three truly amazing years at Google, joined the PG. Program at the Indian School of Business (Hyd.)

Senior Account Manager <> Australia - New Zealand

[𝐒𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐏𝐄𝐏 𝐇𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐫] ▶️𝗖𝗠𝗢@𝗣𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗰𝗵> Delivered 𝟭𝗕𝗻+ Impressions @ 𝟮.𝟱𝗫 𝗥𝗢𝗜 with Integrated 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗹𝘂𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗿 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 Campaigns🚀🚀▶️ISB'15 ▶️Ex Google/Disney+/Bytedance

✅ Still treating marketing like a cost center?
You're not alone.
But the best in the game? 

They know better.

Marketing that doesn't convert isn't marketing.
It's a silent leak —
Draining your growth, your team’s energy, and your budget.

That’s why we do things differently.
We blend Sales + Marketing into a single growth machine.
We call it  𝐒𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 — and it’s not just a buzzword.
It’s how we helped brands like  𝗦𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗻, 𝗔𝗹𝗶𝗯𝗮𝗯𝗮, 𝗧𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗚𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘀, 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗲, 𝗟𝗮𝘇𝗮𝗱𝗮 etc. drive 𝗨𝗦$ 𝟮𝗕𝗡+ 𝐢𝐧 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐮e with 4-6x ROAS.

We’ve got boots on the ground in Singapore, Hong Kong, India, China, and the US,
And hearts set on building performance systems that don’t just scale, they stick.

🌱We don’t chase growth.
We engineer it.
Across borders. Across product lines. Across customer journeys.
And yes, we have a damn good time doing it.

💬 Curious what your marketing could do if it actually worked like a business engine?
Let’s have a real conversation: 
https://calendly.com/sam-pant

Sam Pant

You know that heavy feeling in your chest?
The one that makes you question everything?

I know it well.

My journey started with two big dreams: IIT and IIM. I got a "no" from both.

Then came the job interviews. One rejection after another. Even my dream company, Bytedance, said no.

Each "no" felt like a door slamming shut. I started to wonder if I was on the wrong path entirely.

But life has a funny way of working out.

Today, I run an agency that does millions in revenue. We work with amazing brands I once only admired from afar. And the most beautiful part?

I get to provide employment to a wonderful team.

Looking back, I see it clearly now: every single rejection was a redirection.

If I had gotten any of those "yeses," I wouldn't be here. I wouldn't have this business, this team, or this purpose.

The "perfect plan" I had for my life was actually too small. The universe had something bigger in store, but it had to close those doors to guide me to the right one.

So if you're hearing "no" right now, please remember:

Your worth is not defined by a rejection. It’s defined by your courage to keep going.

Trust the timing of your life. Sometimes the most beautiful stories begin with a chapter of "no's."

What rejection set you on a better path? I’m listening.

#Rejection #Resilience #CareerJourney #Entrepreneurship #PersonalGrowth

💲🅰️Ⓜ️     / /   The Smarketer aka Sametravels 🌍✈️

💰💰 $5B+ in Revenue for Global Brands like SHEIN, Alibaba, Shopee & more! ➡️➡️ CPA • CPS • REV-SHARE Campaigns ➡️➡️ Premium • Direct • High-Quality Traffic ➡️➡️ DM for Growth 🚀🚀

I Thought I Was Building a Business. I Was Actually Building a Coffin.


5 years ago, my "office" was a door on sawhorses. I had the plan, the fire, the dream. What I didn’t have was armor for the soul-crushing silence and 3 AM panic attacks.

The Hard Truth Nobody Tells You: Your "Why" is Your Only Lifeline.

Your idea is not your "why." Your product is not your "why." Your "why" is the deep, emotional, non-negotiable reason you are willing to suffer for this. 

In 2025, with AI churning out business plans and automation handling grunt work, your "why" is the only thing that can't be replicated or automated.

I didn't start my agency to "leverage creator economies." I started it because I saw talented creators being exploited by big brands, and I believed there was a more human, ethical way. 

On the days I wanted to quit, and there were many, it was the thought of fighting for those creators that got me out of bed. 

Your "why" is your oxygen mask. Put it on before you help anyone else.

The Drama Isn't Funding, It's Fueling.

Forget hustle porn. Audit your three fuels quarterly:

1. Financial: Is a revenue stream growing predictably?
2. Emotional: What work made you feel alive? Do more of that.
3. Creative: What new tool or strategy did you master? If you aren’t learning, you’re dying.

Hire the Human, Not the Resume.

My worst hire had a glittering MBA. My best was a former retail manager with immense empathy. Your first hires define your company's soul. Hire for integrity and resilience. Skills can be taught.

I keep a "Crisis Kit": a thank-you note from a creator, a screenshot of my first terrible website. It reminds me of my "why" and how far I’ve come.

This journey breaks and rebuilds you. But if your "why" is strong, the person you become will be someone you can finally be proud of.

And one day, you’ll be sitting in a real office, with a real team, and you’ll get a message from a stranger starting out. And you’ll have the chance to tell them the truth you wish you’d known.

That’s the real success.

#HardTruths #FounderStruggle #StartupStruggle #BuildingInPublic #MentalHealth #EntrepreneurLife #NoFilter

I’m Attending Affiliate World Asia 2025, Bangkok! 

Excited to share that I’ll be at Affiliate World Conferences Asia in Bangkok on 3–4 December 2025.

If you’re attending as well, I would love to catch up, exchange ideas, and explore opportunities to work together.

We’re scaling fast across performance marketing, influencer growth, native, and AdTech, and are always open to connecting with great partners.

 Feel free to DM me or email me at: sp@pantech.digital

If you’d like to lock in a time in advance, just ping me and we’ll set up a slot during the event.

Looking forward to meeting founders, media buyers, networks, advertisers, publishers, and anyone building cool things in the performance ecosystem.

See you in Bangkok! 
— Sam

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐝𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐢𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐥𝐬𝐨 𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐩.
And for most, it costs them their fortune.

Warren Buffett shared a profound truth: you don’t need to be a genius to build wealth.
In fact, making just one great decision every two years is enough.
He points out that someone who bought Berkshire Hathaway 50 years ago only had to make one decision.

The problem isn't a lack of opportunity.
It's the illusion of constant action.

We can trade stocks with a click. They’re liquid, cheap to move, and always available.
This should be an advantage.
But for most, it becomes a crippling disadvantage.

Why?
Because we treat our portfolios like a social media feed, constantly checking, refreshing, and reacting.

We feel the need to do something, just because we can.
And each "do something" incurs a cost: a commission, a spread, and most importantly, the cost of a potential mistake.

We would never do this with a farm or an apartment building we owned.
We’d buy it, tend to it, and hold it for years.

But with stocks, the daily noise tricks us into being speculators instead of owners.

Here’s what I learned from his wisdom:
💡 Wealth is built through inaction, not constant reaction.
💡 Your best investment is often the one you forget you have.
💡 Liquidity is a test of patience, not an invitation to trade.

The goal isn't to have more activity.
It's to have more clarity.

To buy a wonderful business and simply hold on.
To let compounding do the heavy lifting while you live your life.

𝐀𝐬𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟:
Are you building a portfolio, or are you just keeping your broker busy?

If this resonates, take a step back.
Turn off the screen.
The most powerful move you can make today might be no move at all.

Because in the pursuit of wealth, patience isn't just a virtue, it's a strategy.

#Investing #WarrenBuffett #LongTermThinking #WealthBuilding #StockMarket #Compounding #FinancialFreedom

✦ Everyone talks about what they did right to build a business.
Let me tell you the 3 things I did wrong — and what I’ll never repeat when building a billion-dollar company.

✦ For the first 5 years of my journey, I wasn’t “failing forward.”
I was simply failing… because of myself.

➞ I hired fast because I was impatient.
➞ I scaled fast because I was insecure.
➞ I agreed to bad deals because I wanted validation.

✦ The world will tell you:
“Failure is good. Failure teaches you.”
Here’s the truth nobody likes saying out loud:

➞ Most failures are avoidable.
➞ Most failures come from ego, not effort.
➞ Most failures set you back years, not weeks.

✦ Failure isn’t a badge of honour.
It’s a bill you pay — with time, money, mental health.

✦ But here’s the snapback:
After burning years and making stupid decisions…
I realised something I wish someone told me earlier:

➞ You don’t need to fail big to win big.
You just need to correct fast.

✦ Today, with sharper judgment, better people around me, and brutal honesty with myself, I’m rewriting the playbook.

And if you’ve been failing recently — just remember:
You’re not broken.
You’re just mid-pivot.

👉 Follow Sam Pant
For founder mindsets, scaling lessons & hard-earned truths.

#Entrepreneurship #FounderMindset #ContrarianWisdom #Startups #Growth

✦ Somewhere along the way, we turned burnout into a status symbol.
Long hours became a personality.
Exhaustion became a flex.
“Look how tired I am.”
quietly replaced
“Look how effective I am.”

✦ You’re not “hustling.”
You’re not “built different.”
You’re not “on the grind.”
You’re just terrified of slowing down
because you don’t know who you are
without the chaos.

✦ Let’s be real:
➞ Skipping meals isn’t discipline.
➞ Answering emails at 1 AM isn’t commitment.
➞ Feeling dead every weekend isn’t ambition.
That’s not high performance.
That’s self-harm with a LinkedIn caption.

✦ I’m not preaching from a pedestal.
I used to be that clown too.
I wore eye-bags like trophies.
I thought being the most drained person in the room
meant I was the most driven.
I told myself I was “doing it for the future.”
In reality, I was doing it for validation.

✦ Here’s the part nobody likes hearing:
Burnout isn’t caused by work alone.
It’s caused by needing to prove you’re never enough.
That’s not ambition.
That’s insecurity with a productivity filter.

✦ And the cruel joke?
The world doesn’t reward you for burning out.
It just replaces you.

Quietly.
Quickly.
Effortlessly.

✦ So here’s the snapback:
Real power is not in showing how much you can suffer.
Real power is doing exceptional work
without setting yourself on fire to impress people
who won’t even remember your name in 3 years.
If this stings a bit, good.
That’s your body and your brain asking for a different strategy.

👉 Follow me for uncomfortable truths about growth, work & ambition.

#Growth #Burnout #SustainableDevelopment

China America: A Brave New World!
Part1

#china #america #trade #jobs #future

Your next interview might feel more like a puzzle than a Q&A.
And that’s exactly how companies are seeing through resumes made perfect by AI.

These days, AI can make anyone look perfect on paper.
But a resume can't show the real you.
It can't show your grit, your creativity, or how you collaborate when things get tough.

That’s why companies are trying something new.
Imagine you’re asked to solve a puzzle or build a virtual ecosystem.
No right or wrong answers. Just you, navigating a challenge.

This isn’t about being the best gamer.
It’s about showing who you are when no one is watching.
Your approach. Your judgment. Your potential.

Why I believe in this shift:

It’s Fairer. It gives everyone a true shot—no matter your school, background, or resume gaps. Your skills do the talking.

It’s Real. You can’t rehearse your way through it. It shows how you actually think, not just what you say you think.

It Finds Potential. It uncovers raw talent that a traditional interview might miss. The kind of talent every company needs.

For me, this is the future of hiring.
It’s less about your polished story and more about your raw potential.
It’s about seeing a person, not just a profile.

What do you think? Would you welcome an interview that felt more like a challenge than a test?

#Hiring #FutureOfWork #Recruitment #HumanPotential #FairChance

✦ People worship “yeses.” Let me tell you how every bad yes I chased would’ve ruined my life — and how the “no’s” I hated saved me.

✦ For years, I thought the world was unfair.
 IIT said no.
 IIM said no.
 Bytedance said no.
 A dozen other interviews said no.
Back then, I thought rejection was a verdict.
 Now I realise it was protection.

✦ Here’s the uncomfortable truth nobody tells you:
 A “yes” at the wrong time is far more dangerous than a “no” at the right time.
If IIT had said yes, I would’ve walked someone else’s path.
 If IIM had said yes, I would’ve built someone else’s dreams.
 If Bytedance had said yes, I would’ve been just another employee — not a founder.

✦ The universe wasn’t blocking me.
 It was editing my script.
Every “no” forced me to confront myself.
 Forced me to learn.
 Forced me to build.
 Forced me to stop playing small.

✦ Today I run a multi-million dollar agency.
 I work with brands I used to admire from a distance.
 And the best part?
 I get to create jobs for people — something none of those “dream yeses” would’ve given me.
So here’s the snapback:
 Rejection is not humiliation.
 Rejection is direction.

✦ If you’re drowning in “no’s” right now, don’t romanticize them…
 Just understand them.
A “no” is the universe quietly saying:
 Not this. Not yet. Not here.
 Because something bigger needs space to arrive.

👉 What rejection pushed you onto a better path? I’d love to hear your story.

#Rejection #FounderMindset #ContrarianWisdom #Growth #LifeLessons

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Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Graham McCorkill's LinkedIn Performance

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