What do the original founders of Country Road, Saba, Le Specs, Catch and Deals Direct have in common?
These industry legends headlined Ragtrader's 'Breakfast of Big Ideas' on August 28 this year, sharing first-hand insights into how they built some of Australia's most successful brands. From negotiating lucrative exits worth over $1 billion to creating household brands that have stood the test of time, it was an event made for the history books.
Re-live the memories in the picture gallery above, and see the extraordinary line-up and program below.
Keynote speakers included Country Road founder Stephen Bennett, Saba founder Joe Saba, Catch founder Gabby Leibovich and Le Specs founder Jack Gance, who also joined Adore CXO Nicole Clement, The Volte CD Kellie Hush and Ragtrader publisher Assia Benmedjdoub on stage.
PROGRAM
7.30am Registration
8.00am - Opening Address
Ragtrader publisher Assia Benmedjdoub and Adore Beauty CXO Nicola Clement
8:10 am - The Entrepreneurs: Lessons in turning dreams into dollars
Catch founder Gabby Leibovich and Le Specs founder Jack Gance
One secured a $230 million exit. The other scaled an eyewear brand from one pharmacy to a national empire of accessories and cosmetics. How can entrepreneurs and designers turn their passion into a profitable enterprise? From humble beginnings in backyard garages to negotiating deals and scaling with limited capital, two leaders will reveal their roadmap to prominence and a lucrative exit. Catch founder Gabby Leibovich and Le Specs founder Jack Gance revisit their earlier business ventures to provide lessons on creating and extending strategic advantages, building long-term businesses and striking deals that turn dreams into reality.
8:35am - The Disruptors: Lessons in blazing a trail in tech
Industry legend Kellie Hush and Deals Direct founder Paul Greenberg
Australian households spend over $63 billion online each year, with over 5.6 million adding to cart each month. Renowned for founding and scaling one of the country’s first successful online retail platforms Deals Direct founder Paul Greenberg joins industry legend Kellie Hush to map out the next wave of eCommerce innovation, from high-growth startups to lucrative acquisition targets. Hush, part of a disruptive digital venture backed by global giant eBay, offers her insights into the B2C fashion playing field alongside the Godfather of Australian online retail.
9:05am Breakfast served.
9:35am - The Dealmakers: Lessons in the art of business development
Hotsprings co-founder Wassim Gazal and Briskin Investments founder David Briskin
M.J. Bale. P.E Nation. Sass & Bide. Rebecca Vallance. Between them, Hotsprings co-founder Wassim Gazal and Briskin Investments founder David Briskin have invested in some of the country’s most prominent fashion retailers, shaping the landscape of Australian retail and beyond. The two leaders will share their expertise in business development, offering lessons on balancing commercial outcomes with innovation and creativity. Leveraging decades of industry experience, the pair will also delve into the process of identifying and capitalising on market opportunities in a competitive environment.
10:00am - The Pioneers: Lessons in building a fashion legacy
Saba founder Joe Saba and Country Road founder Stephen Bennett
Discover how two visionaries navigated through decades of evolving consumer behaviour and industry dynamics to create Australia’s most iconic fashion brands. Country Road founder Stephen Bennett and Saba founder Joe Saba share their experiences of building enduring retail legacies, diving deep into the opportunities and challenges they faced along the way. This uplifting session will unearth insights into innovation, resilience and leadership through the story of how two creative minds went on to create Australian fashion history.
10:25am Closing address
10:30am Networking
Ragtrader would also love to thank all our sponsors of the event, including platinum sponsor Insider, alongside silver sponsors Afterpay, Apparel21, Brandscope, Checkpoint, Megantic, Newstore, Reload Media, and Searchspring.