Kaplan Community Podcast
Listen for free to the personal stories of alumni from Kaplan Business School. Join host Kieran Howard, as we share stories about life as a student, life after graduation, future plans, and staying connected. Get involved with us on our KBS Alumni LinkedIn group at https://www.linkedin.com/groups/6567849/, and with Kaplan Business School at www.kbs.edu.au.
Kaplan Community Podcast
S2 Ep 9 Rafael Alves, building communities for international students
Rafael Alves is an entrepreneur and founder of The Landlord. Significant stressors for international students are finding a place to live and making new friends, especially when English is a second language. Rafael assists international students in Melbourne to locate and settle into suitable housing in safe neighbourhoods. Once settled, Rafael hosts social events that introduce students to each other, to living in Melbourne, and to experience multiculturalism in Australia.
Rafael shares his experiences as an entrepreneur in Brazil and Australia. He discusses how to raise start-up capital and the risk of servicing debt. Listen to his strategy to manage the challenges of international border closures during the COVID-19 pandemic.
TIMELINE
0:48 The Landlord housing business venture
1:52 Serving the international student community
2:30 Connecting with international student groups in Melbourne
4:29 Combatting loneliness
6:32 Integrated services in Landlord Housing
9:01 Digital entrepreneurship and marketing
10:44 Entrepreneur's curse and crowdfunding for resources
13:04 Bravery of entrepreneurship
14:51 How to raise money for a start-up
17:08 Ease of start-ups in Australia vs Latin America
18:47 Advice to start your own business in Australia
19:38 Dilemma of growing the business or a career!
23:38 Rafael's experience in KBS MBA course
25:25 Memorable contributions of MBA subjects
27:15 Rafael's continuous learning objectives
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The Kaplin Community podcast is a platform
for the wider Kaplin community
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to share ideas and insights
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that can guide us on our professional
and academic development.
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It's easy to listen
to tackle some hard hitting issues,
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and we think it's a great way
to appreciate diverse perspectives
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on life learning and careers.
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Hello. My name is Rafael.
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Today, we're happy
to have one of our alumni,
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Rafael Alves, who graduated
last year with an MBA.
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How are you doing, Rafael?
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Oh, good guys about yourselves.
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Everything good that
with the lockdown's over there. Good.
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Be as good as well as can be expected
during a lockdown.
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I hope all is well with you.
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And thanks for having me,
guys, by the way.
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Thank you for being here.
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You're an entrepreneur
and you've founded the landlord. Amazing.
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Can you just tell us about your business?
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So the landlord housing was a business
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that I started in 2016
when I came to Australia.
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Entrepreneurship is a big passion for me.
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So it wasn't different in Australia.
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I came here. You don't
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find the opportunities that I wanted,
so it just created them.
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The landlord housing was
the idea was to create a community
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of international students
linked to one of the challenges we face
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here, that is housing, finding
housing in Melbourne's rehospitalized.
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Majority of the owners don't like to rent
for international students.
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I think also there is a lot of paperwork
that sometimes we cannot provide.
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So the idea was to create something easier
for international students
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or a place to stay on stable, clean,
and that no bureaucracy at all.
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So just coming in. You're welcome.
That was the idea.
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And that we saw any excellent.
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I'm particularly glad that you're opening
up to the international community.
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I'm curious, how many different
nationalities do you actually have?
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It varies a lot.
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There is a lot. Historically,
I would say it's mostly Brazilians,
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people from Philippines as well,
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a lot of Europeans from France easily.
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It's a big mix. But I would say, like
historically, most of them are Brazilians.
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It's great to hear that you've got a mix.
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And it does make sense, of course,
dealing with international students,
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any business there.
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You have to figure out
how to connect culturally.
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Do you have plans
or do you sort of strategize about
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how to connect with other student groups
like the main nationality student groups
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in Melbourne, I believe would be Indian
subcontinent Chinese.
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So do you approach these groups
from your business as well?
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We don't have like this
fake nationality to target ISIS.
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We believe like we want
everybody to come in.
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We try not to specialize
in any specific culture.
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We learn by experience.
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So when someone comes
in, we learn something.
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We try to play a little bit more of
just like we do a lot of marketing around,
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try to convince people
that we understand about them.
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We I believe, like
not only convince us to prove them,
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we understand them,
but we don't target anything specific.
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What we have done so far
is like we have some
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some programs, but some events
to try to put a room together.
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So we have the yoga classes also.
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Once in a while I used to drop
by the different styles.
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Just say, guys, get some pizza for us,
let's have a chat.
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Things like that.
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And this is the way I found
whatever everyone connected.
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And that was quite interesting
within their departments.
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We could feel sometimes like Japanese,
sometimes a bit more shy.
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And Pruessing is extremely extrovert.
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So like that moment
when I was going there and speak to
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the guys was a moment to say, guys,
everybody here together.
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A man slowly, gradually,
we started like breaking those walls.
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Some can do that by themselves.
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It happens quite often as well.
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So and different approach
is to bring those communities together,
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but always within the company outside.
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So there would be different.
We try to be equal.
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I'm particularly interested
in that aspect of the company,
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because you're bringing in
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different people and you're actually
having a social connection.
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And we know that loneliness is
a huge thing for international students.
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Really, any migrant.
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So when you're getting together,
what kinds of things do you talk about?
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What do you what do people tell you
are the pressures that they're feeling and
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where you can help out?
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I would say the first
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to start students
are looking for a place to stay.
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This actually was the biggest Modise
for me to start the company.
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We come to Australia
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and we start feeling anxious
because we cannot find a place to stay.
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So we don't feel safe to the other.
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We don't know much people.
So we also feel lonely.
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So it's a little bit challenging as well.
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And of course, like the pressure
to get a new job, to pay the rent,
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all those stuff like that,
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I would say that's pretty
much with long list is to like
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and sometimes it's up to us about it.
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It was a big time
to have a close conversation
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with Bennets about this topic.
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Anxiety, like always.
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They're always there in a way.
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I think that's. See it like. Did
I answer your question, Richard?
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Yeah, because I'm thinking about
when I first got to Australia,
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so I did find my own chair accommodation,
but then I had to get to know
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a set of flatmates.
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And I found that to be difficult
because I didn't know
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I didn't have a common thing
to talk to him about.
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So to have a service like what
you're providing with the landlord housing
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and just coming by and socializing
and helping me to get to know
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people would have been terrific
when I came to Australia.
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And Karen, you probably had the same
experience as well, I would think.
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Yeah. Yeah. Well,
you know, it's always a journey
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and it has challenges
when you're navigating a new city.
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A new country, actually, Rafael.
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I looked through your marketing a bit,
and I'll say when it comes to
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sort of support and well being
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your Instagram, I think that may be
one of your main communication channels.
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When I looked at your instr,
I just felt like relief.
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That was one of the main
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sort of things that feelings
that came to me from looking at it.
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You've got different services
of government support for students.
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You've got people who have won
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grants, you've got like meditation
days, stuff like that.
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So it seems like you have integrated that
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into part of your value proposition
wellbeing. Exactly.
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We have very customer
based customer focus.
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So everything we do,
we do for our customers,
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our tenants seems to understand
those those factors around wellbeing.
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Then again, I will mention, Govi,
we have to help our community.
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That's just basic logic.
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If I don't help them, I don't have them.
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I don't have my revenue disparity,
of course, like it's
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something that I enjoy
doing helping people.
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But I have to see from the perspective
of the business as well,
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I have to maintain
those kind of approach to keep my my
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my international students well,
even with those habits.
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You mentioned the rental eved helping
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people with rental leave,
if that was a big step for us as well.
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So we decided, like we saw that
international students were scrambling.
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We straight away gave our introduction
for all of our tenants.
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No exclusion. Everybody received that.
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Nobody has had to ask us.
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It's amazing. Well done.
Thanks, Ben. Thanks.
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And that just straight away, we saw that
government, the Victorian government
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announcing the rent relief rent
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and that we know people
just like sometimes get lost.
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The language is a big barrier
as well for international students.
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So majority of our Devastator
know how to apply for the grants.
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So we created the guides. We publish that.
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And we didn't expect
but we had like a lot of downloads
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from on our tenants, people from outside,
and the people calling us out
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asking for help, like how did you apply
and like just follow the guide.
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So it was a pretty what was pleasant
actually helping everybody.
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And Senor's well, everybody going through
this is this pandemic staying with us.
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I know that you're
doing the marketing and the
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and getting out this message, particularly
with the written relief grant.
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I understand that it was downloaded
by 22000 people.
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Is that correct?
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Yes, that is what a success.
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So my question is,
how can you get the message out
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even further from thousand
now to, you know, 100000 in the future?
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How can you get that message out through,
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you know, your digital
entrepreneurship and marketing?
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I think the the main street
they use strategy
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for us is always focusing
on the generations to them.
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So we believe, Evgeniya,
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a close relationship with them
and helping them, supporting them.
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They automatically multiply
every communication we have.
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Apart from that, we also invest
a lot of our on our own networks.
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So shtoom agencies around
us, immigrant agencies,
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schools, anyone part of the international
the international students community.
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We try to use it to use like
but to influence a little bit.
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And once they see the benefits,
just shery, it's pretty, pretty easy.
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And that's our strategy.
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Talking specifically
about the Tour de France.
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We don't expect it to to go much further,
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because every time someone sees our names,
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they call us, they try to get in touch.
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And these we get a B portion of people
like a lot of people get in touch with us.
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We can just provide them.
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And this is something
that we are very concerned all the time.
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We must supply everybody and train plows.
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So that's why we are trying not to spread
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to to roll out the guides for the.
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But anyway, our strategy is always,
as I was saying, is always focusing
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on our students,
expecting them to multiply everything
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we say to them, to
multiply our business ideas.
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Well, you know, I've heard that problem
when people try to call you
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because you get well known
and then people want to contact you
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and then you're under pressure to respond
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when you really don't
have the capacity or the time.
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I've heard that called
the entrepreneur's curse.
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So you're growing and that success
is your own downfall, so to speak.
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So now I guess we're getting into that
topic of funding, crowdfunding, and
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how are you going to get more resources
in to grow the business?
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What's your experience
with crowdfunding and clav and collecting
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that kind of funds?
You need to grow the business.
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So it was a pretty
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interesting journey, actually,
something that I very much enjoyed.
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I invested all my money on it,
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so when I was 16,
I had like maybe, I don't know,
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like five percent of the money
I needed to to run a business to business.
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And I started getting touch with people
around myself like friends, family.
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I remember like learning that in Kaplow,
like all these, I think
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three Fs, something
like that. Friends, family.
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And so I went around
those people, had a chat with them,
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explaining to them
what business was about.
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Before doing that.
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I had the first version,
let's say I rented one apartment,
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I rent a kind of trial.
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So in my home, I was doing everything
to learn from experience.
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You know what I I needed to have what
I needed to do to get it working nicely.
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And I offered up afterwards just for look,
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I have a business already
running my home right now.
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I want to expand that.
So I need that money.
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So I come in and
those few people just accept it.
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And I used that base from Sony, which
means they put the money in every month.
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I was paying kind of interest to them.
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It's pretty much like a loan.
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And after in 2019,
we paid everything else.
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So all the money they gave us, we return
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each of them and blustery
all the time between 2016 and nineteen.
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We kept paying them some interest
and the worked pretty well.
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We raised a hundred thirty
eight thousand at that time.
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That was enough to break
the landlord policy.
224
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You know, I really admire entrepreneurs
225
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because I consider it
a very brave thing to do.
226
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It's taking on quite a bit of risk.
227
00:13:13,320 --> 00:13:16,720
And when you say, I mean, she's one
hundred thirty eight thousand and that's
228
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one hundred thirty eight thousand of debt
and you paid it off.
229
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I think many people admire entrepreneurs.
230
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You've got creativity, determination,
but it's not always easy.
231
00:13:28,600 --> 00:13:31,960
So what has been a main challenge
232
00:13:32,040 --> 00:13:35,240
that you've had in starting your business
and getting it to this point?
233
00:13:35,680 --> 00:13:39,640
You know, try to say I'm
majoring in Australia
234
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because I have that training resume
as well, which was completely different.
235
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But in Australia, I would say
236
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the language was the main challenge
and also some controlled areas.
237
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So a lot of people, just like I said at
the beginning, they didn't trust me much.
238
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But I think the secret is just like going
like you're receiving no text.
239
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No. Next, no. Next. Once you get a yes.
240
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A pass from bats. Let me see.
241
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There are several reasons.
242
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Just don't think about it.
Just just do it.
243
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That's a secret.
Don't don't think too much. Just do it.
244
00:14:13,680 --> 00:14:17,800
If you feel your G is good,
you have also like you have tried
245
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your business as indeed as a small size,
246
00:14:22,560 --> 00:14:25,440
all 18, I think MVP business. Right.
247
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So try to be if everything is working
well, just jouyet.
248
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Don't think twice.
249
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I think it took a lot of courage.
250
00:14:32,800 --> 00:14:35,400
And I'm kind of going on
with what Kiran mentioned earlier.
251
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I think it takes a lot of courage.
252
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To do the three, three F's, sorry,
that's for folks and family.
253
00:14:42,160 --> 00:14:44,840
So my question really is
and I'm very curious,
254
00:14:44,840 --> 00:14:48,160
you maintain those stakeholder
relationships. You paid back
255
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the money and you've obviously got good
relationships with them.
256
00:14:51,440 --> 00:14:53,720
What advice would you give to
a new entrepreneur
257
00:14:53,720 --> 00:14:56,200
who has never raised money before?
258
00:14:56,200 --> 00:14:58,520
First, see their options like they are.
259
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A bunch of options like banks
260
00:15:02,000 --> 00:15:05,440
can give you some money from funding
is always an option.
261
00:15:05,760 --> 00:15:09,320
It also those days websites
that can help us with that.
262
00:15:09,880 --> 00:15:13,400
And they have a lot
of other other choices for us.
263
00:15:13,960 --> 00:15:17,440
But I would say, like the main advice
would be be honest with yourself
264
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and with all of us.
265
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Oh, sometimes just like we create
a scenario, not very realistic.
266
00:15:25,400 --> 00:15:28,640
And then we start believing
that so as to care
267
00:15:28,640 --> 00:15:33,800
for a business that because once you let's
say you say to your potential investor,
268
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then you can make them
a million dollars in one day.
269
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Why not be achievable?
270
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You're going to lose the guy
after one month.
271
00:15:41,960 --> 00:15:45,040
So be honest with yourself
this year you would,
272
00:15:45,320 --> 00:15:48,560
but also be honest with the investors
when you say everything to them,
273
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make sure they understand the risks.
274
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As we know, any business,
that bunch of risks.
275
00:15:55,400 --> 00:15:59,080
So make clear. Make
every single information clear with them.
276
00:15:59,400 --> 00:16:04,680
As you said already, keep a close,
close conversation with them as well.
277
00:16:05,280 --> 00:16:10,480
Otherwise, investors can start
feeling a bit like unsure about things.
278
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So keep a close conversation.
279
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Close the numbers.
280
00:16:14,480 --> 00:16:17,520
Make sure that the road map
281
00:16:17,880 --> 00:16:23,880
is also even translated them
the way they can understand and that try.
282
00:16:24,960 --> 00:16:28,520
But the base is the basic thing,
I would say is honest.
283
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Be honest about everything you do.
284
00:16:32,400 --> 00:16:36,920
It's interesting, your experience
as an international entrepreneur and you
285
00:16:36,920 --> 00:16:41,840
know, right before coming to Australia,
I was an entrepreneur in Brazil.
286
00:16:42,400 --> 00:16:46,520
So, yeah, in in Salvador and in Rio.
287
00:16:47,040 --> 00:16:49,760
So I'm interested in your experience.
288
00:16:49,760 --> 00:16:53,400
You said, you know, completely different
here, and I can agree with that.
289
00:16:53,400 --> 00:16:56,760
I started a company
in California, pretty much
290
00:16:56,760 --> 00:16:59,680
copied the business model,
and it worked really well in Brazil.
291
00:16:59,960 --> 00:17:01,320
But then when I tried to do
292
00:17:01,320 --> 00:17:05,840
the same thing here in Sydney,
it just totally bombed for a few reasons.
293
00:17:06,000 --> 00:17:08,040
Just you could not do the same thing.
294
00:17:08,360 --> 00:17:12,000
So what do you find to be
the main differences for, say,
295
00:17:12,000 --> 00:17:16,080
starting a company in Australia
versus Latin America?
296
00:17:17,120 --> 00:17:20,360
Paperwork in the red states
Stratis Pretty's.
297
00:17:20,840 --> 00:17:23,800
Just go to a SEC website.
298
00:17:24,000 --> 00:17:27,040
Register your business name. Get a B.A..
299
00:17:27,320 --> 00:17:30,320
If you have to get on the stand
as well, everything's
300
00:17:30,320 --> 00:17:34,160
pretty straightforward
and there is some trust.
301
00:17:34,240 --> 00:17:38,480
I feel that as well in Brazil will have to
prove everything you're saying.
302
00:17:38,520 --> 00:17:42,840
So if you have a business account
and you're going to open your
303
00:17:42,840 --> 00:17:46,400
your ABN, for example,
you have to mention everything.
304
00:17:46,400 --> 00:17:48,480
You have to give the proof
that you have the account
305
00:17:48,720 --> 00:17:50,760
and be able to open the business
306
00:17:51,160 --> 00:17:54,360
and that you know, that you just marked
a check on the application.
307
00:17:54,800 --> 00:17:57,800
I declare that I have these
and then everything is done that.
308
00:17:58,200 --> 00:17:59,960
Very easy. Very quick.
309
00:17:59,960 --> 00:18:02,360
So that was the main
difference, I would say.
310
00:18:02,720 --> 00:18:05,160
Yeah, I think that that's the main one.
311
00:18:05,520 --> 00:18:08,560
I mean, parts of
the bureaucracy is completely.
312
00:18:08,760 --> 00:18:10,640
There's no work or. Right, Ryan.
313
00:18:10,640 --> 00:18:14,640
We have to do a lot of stuff before
and is spending a lot of money as well
314
00:18:14,920 --> 00:18:16,280
or start the business.
315
00:18:17,800 --> 00:18:19,560
It's true in Australia,
316
00:18:19,560 --> 00:18:22,120
if you've got a good idea
and you're really sort of,
317
00:18:22,120 --> 00:18:23,520
oh, I want to start a company,
318
00:18:23,520 --> 00:18:25,720
you can pretty much do it tomorrow
because it's pretty
319
00:18:26,040 --> 00:18:29,200
you can go and get yourself an ABN
and the company bank account
320
00:18:29,200 --> 00:18:30,760
that those parts are pretty simple.
321
00:18:30,760 --> 00:18:35,320
But what would you say if you somebody
who's got a good idea, they're considering
322
00:18:35,560 --> 00:18:39,280
starting a company, what would you say
to them about your advice?
323
00:18:41,280 --> 00:18:45,160
You mean like the difference is they
should open in Brazil or in Australia?
324
00:18:45,760 --> 00:18:49,280
No, I just mean somebody say
a CBIA student or a fellow
325
00:18:49,280 --> 00:18:52,560
alumnus who's got a good idea,
they're here in Australia
326
00:18:52,840 --> 00:18:57,680
and they're considering,
should I start a company and what do I do?
327
00:18:57,720 --> 00:18:59,920
What would your advice to them be?
328
00:18:59,920 --> 00:19:04,640
I would say realname the ismo, just try
329
00:19:04,720 --> 00:19:07,680
your version of your business if it works.
330
00:19:08,040 --> 00:19:09,560
Go to the next step.
331
00:19:09,560 --> 00:19:13,200
Don't don't get burned out by several onse
like how it's going
332
00:19:13,200 --> 00:19:15,000
to be how I'm going to pay
333
00:19:16,480 --> 00:19:18,240
my employees my bills.
334
00:19:18,240 --> 00:19:19,200
Don't think too much.
335
00:19:19,200 --> 00:19:22,040
Just run and defeat and see how it goes.
336
00:19:22,080 --> 00:19:25,320
Learn from it and try to escalate
the business afterwards.
337
00:19:26,320 --> 00:19:29,320
You know, my experience,
I came from the United States
338
00:19:29,320 --> 00:19:30,920
and I was I was a management
339
00:19:30,920 --> 00:19:33,720
consultant in the United States,
and then I came to Australia
340
00:19:34,440 --> 00:19:37,760
and I too, started my own company
and tried consulting.
341
00:19:38,560 --> 00:19:41,720
The big benefit that I got out of starting
that company in Australia
342
00:19:41,720 --> 00:19:44,560
was that I learned how to be self-reliant
343
00:19:45,520 --> 00:19:48,160
so few times in and out of my career.
344
00:19:48,160 --> 00:19:51,400
I've gone back into self employment
and come out, get a job,
345
00:19:51,680 --> 00:19:54,880
go back into self employment.
And I've really grown my career that way.
346
00:19:54,880 --> 00:19:59,520
So I'm curious. Is there
would there be a time when you either
347
00:19:59,720 --> 00:20:02,560
step aside from the landlord housing
348
00:20:02,960 --> 00:20:05,960
or would you grow it
and take on a different role?
349
00:20:06,360 --> 00:20:08,680
What's your plan for
for the future of the company?
350
00:20:09,640 --> 00:20:13,040
I've just done exactly what you mentioned.
351
00:20:13,040 --> 00:20:15,080
Right now, I'm also working for them.
352
00:20:15,840 --> 00:20:18,280
I don't know if you knew that.
353
00:20:18,280 --> 00:20:22,440
Yeah, I've heard about mentioning that
I'm working with compliance right now.
354
00:20:22,480 --> 00:20:23,960
Well done. Well done.
355
00:20:23,960 --> 00:20:26,240
Yeah. Congrats. Welcome to the team.
356
00:20:26,240 --> 00:20:28,200
Thank you very much.
357
00:20:28,400 --> 00:20:30,320
And they had to choose.
358
00:20:30,320 --> 00:20:32,240
I think we'd say the English
step back, isn't it?
359
00:20:32,240 --> 00:20:32,880
Like, oh, gee, it
360
00:20:34,800 --> 00:20:36,840
was really harsh for us.
361
00:20:36,840 --> 00:20:42,240
Just like we lost six to nine
percent of the company about six days.
362
00:20:42,800 --> 00:20:48,560
So right now, we are trying to review
that. This moment, they had no choice
363
00:20:48,560 --> 00:20:54,720
but to go back to to the industry,
working for somebody in a way to just like
364
00:20:54,720 --> 00:21:00,640
get some stronger, a little bit
like after 40 months fighting Covid.
365
00:21:01,040 --> 00:21:06,360
It's just like we need to to get some
some power before going to the next step.
366
00:21:06,840 --> 00:21:10,960
And for the future of the landlord
to return to the same lands
367
00:21:10,960 --> 00:21:14,800
as to the same, like just
we keep expanding on demand.
368
00:21:14,800 --> 00:21:19,240
So we get more students,
we expand one more accommodation.
369
00:21:19,520 --> 00:21:24,480
We keep on going that way
in the same way we have less students.
370
00:21:24,480 --> 00:21:26,640
We also decrease, we train to gain.
371
00:21:27,600 --> 00:21:28,920
So it's pretty flexible.
372
00:21:28,920 --> 00:21:31,400
And that has been our strategy.
373
00:21:31,400 --> 00:21:33,760
So these borders are closed.
374
00:21:33,760 --> 00:21:37,560
We're trying to be
more conservative right now.
375
00:21:37,760 --> 00:21:43,400
Like with every single step going
very slowly understanding that
376
00:21:43,680 --> 00:21:46,960
the scenario not you create new problems.
377
00:21:47,400 --> 00:21:51,720
I don't have years to say to you
about expansion, about the future.
378
00:21:52,000 --> 00:21:56,880
We still look for our our way out of it.
379
00:21:56,960 --> 00:21:58,920
We don't know what's
going on in Australia.
380
00:21:58,920 --> 00:22:02,880
So at the same time, I don't know
what's going on in the business right now.
381
00:22:02,880 --> 00:22:07,480
We have new lockdowns in a way,
going slowly day by day.
382
00:22:07,600 --> 00:22:10,520
That's how I answer at this moment.
383
00:22:10,520 --> 00:22:15,000
The thing your story that you've just
mentioned rings true for your resilience,
384
00:22:15,000 --> 00:22:18,920
as well as your optimism,
which I think is both key for success in
385
00:22:18,920 --> 00:22:22,080
anything you do,
particularly with entrepreneurship,
386
00:22:22,080 --> 00:22:25,480
where it is sometimes ups and downs
and you can't control the downs.
387
00:22:25,920 --> 00:22:29,520
So you need to figure out, like you
said, you need to back away and and work
388
00:22:29,520 --> 00:22:30,880
with KB's and compliance.
389
00:22:30,880 --> 00:22:34,960
So congratulations on being a team member,
but also keeping your your eye
390
00:22:34,960 --> 00:22:37,320
on the vision of the landlord housing.
391
00:22:38,040 --> 00:22:41,160
We'll call it a project in a company, both
because as generation.
392
00:22:41,640 --> 00:22:45,680
Yeah. One thing that I should mention
in research is that we create
393
00:22:45,800 --> 00:22:51,400
that impression that entrepreneurs
has to be strong and time. And we are not.
394
00:22:51,400 --> 00:22:53,160
We are just human beings.
395
00:22:53,160 --> 00:22:57,240
But as I as I think like what
you are wrong right there.
396
00:22:57,280 --> 00:22:59,880
Don't cry in front of
strapline. If they cry that
397
00:23:01,160 --> 00:23:02,880
you're going to find one solution.
398
00:23:02,880 --> 00:23:04,640
Just takes a while sometimes.
399
00:23:04,640 --> 00:23:07,160
And Covid has been
for two months, a long time.
400
00:23:07,440 --> 00:23:10,200
I'm not 14 months.
I'm sorry. Well, very well.
401
00:23:10,200 --> 00:23:11,720
That's you're much more than a year.
402
00:23:11,720 --> 00:23:14,200
And that but take our time.
403
00:23:14,200 --> 00:23:16,480
But when you're in front of your team,
404
00:23:16,680 --> 00:23:20,160
you're in front of others,
just try to be positive.
405
00:23:20,280 --> 00:23:22,280
That's that's the most important.
406
00:23:22,280 --> 00:23:23,760
One answer will come up.
407
00:23:23,760 --> 00:23:25,840
Just just have to be patient.
408
00:23:25,840 --> 00:23:28,960
And that that's the
that's something that I learned from
409
00:23:28,960 --> 00:23:31,560
all the actually just the patient.
410
00:23:32,160 --> 00:23:33,440
So I'm interested.
411
00:23:33,440 --> 00:23:37,560
Rafael now you're a Kaplan employee
and you're an alumnus.
412
00:23:38,320 --> 00:23:41,560
I'd love to know more
about your KB's experience
413
00:23:41,760 --> 00:23:44,240
because you came and did an MBA.
414
00:23:44,840 --> 00:23:46,360
How do you feel like that?
415
00:23:46,360 --> 00:23:50,320
I feel like MBAs are just so
well suited for entrepreneurs.
416
00:23:50,800 --> 00:23:53,160
I don't know if it's designed
for entrepreneurs, but
417
00:23:53,920 --> 00:23:56,200
do you think that it helped
you on that journey
418
00:23:56,200 --> 00:23:59,520
or what was something that you took
away from the experience?
419
00:24:00,480 --> 00:24:04,160
Now, not lots, but
first with the discipline,
420
00:24:04,720 --> 00:24:07,280
I always think that I can improve the way
421
00:24:07,280 --> 00:24:13,560
how I commit to things like usually it's
a lot of things going on at the same time,
422
00:24:13,560 --> 00:24:18,440
we just have to take in way
any any direction and go deal.
423
00:24:18,640 --> 00:24:21,040
Go back and manage everything again.
424
00:24:21,080 --> 00:24:26,120
And sometimes, like discipline
helps us organize our time, our tasks.
425
00:24:26,360 --> 00:24:27,280
This is pretty important.
426
00:24:27,280 --> 00:24:31,320
And for sure, my experience
doing the master's
427
00:24:31,920 --> 00:24:34,160
tapes helped me with that.
428
00:24:34,600 --> 00:24:38,880
The other side would be the management
side of the learning,
429
00:24:38,880 --> 00:24:42,920
a little bit more about managing people,
managing numbers, numbers
430
00:24:43,880 --> 00:24:45,920
a little bit easier for me
because I have I.T.
431
00:24:46,000 --> 00:24:50,400
background, but I've been learning
that since at least 18.
432
00:24:50,920 --> 00:24:54,040
So being specific
in those kind of knowledge
433
00:24:54,400 --> 00:24:58,120
and Kaplan just like expand
everything just changed.
434
00:24:58,120 --> 00:25:01,360
Like I she had much more experience.
435
00:25:01,360 --> 00:25:05,040
I was speaking to a lecturer
that had a lot to share with me as well.
436
00:25:05,320 --> 00:25:10,080
Not only that, the academic thing
and the experiences where we were sharing.
437
00:25:10,400 --> 00:25:16,000
So I'd say those points was really
important, were really important for me.
438
00:25:16,520 --> 00:25:21,880
I learned very much to get
a better discipline and also to know
439
00:25:21,880 --> 00:25:24,680
better how to manage my business,
how to manage my life.
440
00:25:25,360 --> 00:25:28,680
What were they, the subjects in the MBA
that you found most valuable
441
00:25:28,680 --> 00:25:31,080
for starting up your business
and giving you that
442
00:25:31,080 --> 00:25:34,240
discipline, that confidence
that is keeping you going today?
443
00:25:35,040 --> 00:25:39,080
I would say every single subject
was pretty important for me.
444
00:25:39,520 --> 00:25:42,960
But anything related to people,
445
00:25:42,960 --> 00:25:45,800
the average psychology,
I think, helped them a little bit more
446
00:25:46,200 --> 00:25:50,520
understanding the shooting
cycle like that.
447
00:25:50,680 --> 00:25:54,520
When we talk about consumer behavior
and marketing psychology,
448
00:25:55,080 --> 00:25:59,920
when we talk about business psychology
as well, just real people.
449
00:25:59,920 --> 00:26:01,280
So when we understand
450
00:26:01,280 --> 00:26:05,720
how our brain works is much easier
to deal with us, with ourselves.
451
00:26:06,320 --> 00:26:11,560
We become better leaders,
better sellers or sellers.
452
00:26:12,040 --> 00:26:16,640
So I would say that
any subject related to the average
453
00:26:16,680 --> 00:26:20,800
psychology was the one
that mostly taught me, let's say.
454
00:26:21,120 --> 00:26:24,800
But it very much enjoyed as well
that analysis, which gave me another
455
00:26:25,000 --> 00:26:29,880
another changed a little bit
the strategy of the company before.
456
00:26:29,880 --> 00:26:33,360
We used to have a lot of Beckers
leaving with us,
457
00:26:33,760 --> 00:26:37,360
and which I enjoyed,
to be very honest when.
458
00:26:37,360 --> 00:26:39,920
But when we checked the data, backpacker's
459
00:26:40,400 --> 00:26:43,920
was a stay at least two months,
the last generation of students,
460
00:26:44,200 --> 00:26:47,760
which means we had to spend more money
to lease properties.
461
00:26:48,000 --> 00:26:49,200
So we changed the strategy.
462
00:26:49,200 --> 00:26:52,920
Later, we start focusing
in the international students
463
00:26:53,200 --> 00:26:56,280
to get them staying with us for longer
464
00:26:57,400 --> 00:27:00,640
and longer term, meaning less cost for us.
465
00:27:01,040 --> 00:27:04,400
So was also that an understanding
that it would be cheaper?
466
00:27:04,400 --> 00:27:06,480
That analysis was really important for us.
467
00:27:07,160 --> 00:27:11,440
So I would stick with that like consumer
behavior, business psychology.
468
00:27:11,440 --> 00:27:14,880
And that analysis might have been
my favorite subjects.
469
00:27:15,360 --> 00:27:18,000
Are there any areas
that you think you want
470
00:27:18,000 --> 00:27:21,920
to keep on learning or you plan
to develop yourself in the future?
471
00:27:22,920 --> 00:27:27,400
Either shoot and you don't have like
a specific subject talking about that.
472
00:27:27,560 --> 00:27:32,200
But when dealing with people in COACHER,
when dealing with
473
00:27:32,200 --> 00:27:35,840
business, psychology
is just a bunch of interesting things.
474
00:27:36,040 --> 00:27:39,080
I think I want you to go a little bit
deeper management.
475
00:27:39,120 --> 00:27:40,680
To be honest, I don't.
476
00:27:40,680 --> 00:27:42,240
That's not what I.
477
00:27:42,240 --> 00:27:45,040
I know how to do. I do enough.
478
00:27:45,560 --> 00:27:47,160
And I want you to learn new things.
479
00:27:47,160 --> 00:27:51,400
I think that's a big,
big basket of knowledge to learn.
480
00:27:52,320 --> 00:27:55,120
You mentioned leadership as being
really important to entrepreneurship.
481
00:27:55,120 --> 00:27:57,720
And then you mentioned
that you don't like management.
482
00:27:57,720 --> 00:27:59,560
And I know exactly what you mean.
483
00:27:59,560 --> 00:28:03,080
And I just wanted to kind of clarify
for our audience. Leadership
484
00:28:03,080 --> 00:28:06,640
is about setting goals, directions
and that entrepreneurial spirit.
485
00:28:07,120 --> 00:28:12,240
And management is setting the analysis,
the KPIs and performance in general.
486
00:28:12,960 --> 00:28:15,360
So I just would like your
your thoughts on that, that
487
00:28:15,960 --> 00:28:21,240
because you value the human psychology
aspect, you're valuing leadership.
488
00:28:21,400 --> 00:28:25,040
And the data analysis
is only just important for for management.
489
00:28:26,040 --> 00:28:30,680
Look, I think the leadership is
when you create the movement.
490
00:28:31,600 --> 00:28:33,800
And that's the most pleasant part
491
00:28:33,800 --> 00:28:36,840
of the business, I think, right,
dealing with people, talking to them,
492
00:28:37,080 --> 00:28:40,080
understanding them,
finding solutions for them.
493
00:28:40,640 --> 00:28:45,240
Why are the management parties
just like just, again, paperwork?
494
00:28:45,880 --> 00:28:49,080
I personally feel like I could be doing
495
00:28:49,080 --> 00:28:52,840
something more important or more relevant
that is dealing with people.
496
00:28:53,400 --> 00:28:57,040
Also, since I'm a systems analyst,
497
00:28:57,240 --> 00:29:01,040
I believe that people ought to be done
by systems and the mean why
498
00:29:01,040 --> 00:29:04,520
we invest our time dealing with people,
talking to each other.
499
00:29:05,120 --> 00:29:07,280
But since you said about the importance
500
00:29:07,640 --> 00:29:11,840
of leadership, again, you saw the movement
starts and management.
501
00:29:11,840 --> 00:29:16,120
I see how we keep these movements,
how we manage these movements, make sure
502
00:29:16,840 --> 00:29:19,200
we get the best performance we can.
503
00:29:19,840 --> 00:29:22,960
And we have to remember that
a great leader also thinks
504
00:29:22,960 --> 00:29:24,000
about the management side.
505
00:29:24,000 --> 00:29:29,480
So, you know, everything's
right on their toes, but also important.
506
00:29:30,040 --> 00:29:31,680
But for me, at least,
507
00:29:31,680 --> 00:29:35,920
the leadership is the most pleasant part
and the weather changes really happen.
508
00:29:37,200 --> 00:29:39,480
That's really great analysis there.
509
00:29:39,520 --> 00:29:43,280
I think Rafael and I know
I've learned a lot.
510
00:29:44,040 --> 00:29:48,000
I'm excited to see your entrepreneurial
journey continue.
511
00:29:48,440 --> 00:29:52,800
Watch the landlord housing
as it continues to grow.
512
00:29:52,840 --> 00:29:55,280
I'm sure there's a great rebound
in the future there.
513
00:29:55,920 --> 00:29:59,400
And so thank you very much for coming
and being on the show with us.
514
00:29:59,760 --> 00:30:01,840
Thank you very much, guys.
Thank you, Rafael.
515
00:30:01,840 --> 00:30:04,840
If you're feeling unwell
or in need of help, reach out
516
00:30:04,840 --> 00:30:08,520
to anyone in Australia
can get immediate mental health support
517
00:30:08,640 --> 00:30:14,160
by calling the national lifeline
on 13, 11, 14 and beyond.
518
00:30:14,160 --> 00:30:18,400
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519
00:30:18,800 --> 00:30:24,120
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520
00:30:24,680 --> 00:30:27,320
Our Access Free Counseling CBIA
521
00:30:27,320 --> 00:30:30,640
students have access to your free
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522
00:30:30,840 --> 00:30:35,720
Safety and support services such as Sonder
reach out to your campus student
523
00:30:35,720 --> 00:30:39,480
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