Think & Grow

Director Growth & Partnerships APJ

At Think & Grow, we are your global growth partners 🚀 We empower founders, leaders and executives across the globe to develop their businesses.

How we help founders of fast-growth tech companies: 

Workshops: Identify and close the gaps in your business to gain clarity on your leadership, team and strategy.

Growth: Have the support and expertise to scale sustainably and successfully locally and overseas.

Hire: Attract the change-leaders and advisors you need to accelerate your business.

Advisory: Create a scalable culture to empower your people to push boundaries and propel growth.

Head of Sales APAC

River City Labs

Startup Mentor

Startupbootcamp

SCALERR

As the Global Head of Consulting, I hold a dual role in driving the development and execution of global growth strategies for startups and scaleups, while also leading the consulting practice and strategic partnerships on a global scale. With a comprehensive understanding of sales, partnerships, business development, and strategic planning, I provide expert guidance and innovative solutions to startups worldwide, empowering them to navigate the complexities of scaling and achieve sustainable growth.


Key focusses of my role:

•	Drive Revenue Growth and Market Expansion: Identify new business opportunities and strategic partnerships globally, enhancing client revenue and market reach.
•	Expand Strategic Partnerships: Build and leverage a network of C-suite executives, venture capital funds, ecosystem builders, and government entities to drive growth.
•	Execute Go-to-Market Strategies: Orchestrate global go-to-market strategies for clients, to achieve significant revenue growth, market share expansion, and customer acquisition.
•	Develop and Lead Sale Functions: Built end-to-end sales functions for clients, providing strategic sales advice.
•	Implement Scalable Sales Playbooks: Create tailored sales playbooks, optimize resource allocation, increasing efficiency, and accelerating time-to-market.
•	Advise on Capital Raising: Guide clients on capital raising strategies, offering pitch coaching, deal guidance, and investor outreach strategies

Global Head of Consulting

Scale Facilitation® 

Access New York™ facilitates global revenue stage, small to medium size companies to access the US market. Our core mission is to commercialize and scale the latest technology and innovations into the market.

This means we provide a comprehensive ecosystem to our portfolio companies, far beyond just sourcing capital in exchange for equity. Our experienced team, located in Australia and the United States, provide targeted guidance and management across all aspects of commercialization and scaling.

Role Overview:
Conceptualized and Launched 'Access New York': Established a leading investment program for
tech businesses expanding to the US, with investment sizes of $1M-$10M USD.
• Pioneered Tailored Investment Strategies: Developed customized approaches that maximized
global entrepreneurial opportunities, resulting in a diverse, high-performing portfolio.
• Identified High-Potential Tech Companies: Conducted market assessments, competitor analysis,
financial analysis, and due diligence to evaluate companies for US market success.
• Led High-Performing Investment Team: Directed a team in strategic investment decisions and
provided guidance to the investment committee.
• Expanded Strategic Relationships: Cultivated new and existing relationships, driving revenue
growth and business expansion with government partners, enterprises, venture capital firms, and
community organizations.
• Developed Partner Strategy: Implemented strategies to identify new partners, generate revenue,
and align with business goals.
• Mentored Portfolio Companies: Advised on global go-to-market strategies with a focus on US
expansion, enhancing market entry and growth.
• Streamlined Investment Lifecycle Management: Built scalable workflows supporting internal
teams, founders, and stakeholders throughout the investment lifecycle.

Investment Fund Lead Australia & New Zealand - Access New York

RunwayHQ

Runway is a regional not-for-profit startup ecosystem aimed at supporting entrepreneurs in their entire startup journey. From coming up with a business idea through to launching and scaling their business.

OVERVIEW
•	Cultivated Key Relationships: Built strong working relationships with stakeholders, mentors, coaches, and partners within the Runway and Australian startup ecosystems.
•	Identified Partnership Opportunities: Strategically targeted prospective organizations and government departments to establish valuable partnerships.
•	Led Corporate Opportunity Discovery: Unearthed corporate opportunities and managed the tender process for relevant government-focused applications. Successfully winning a $300k government tender.
•	Drove Business Development: Identified and pursued new business development opportunities, leading initiatives that expanded market reach and increased revenue.
•	Managed Sales Pipeline: Oversaw the sales pipeline process, converting opportunities to ensure a robust and continuous revenue stream.
•	Acted as Brand Ambassador: Represented Runway at local and national levels, enhancing brand presence and engagement within the ecosystem.
•	Directed Marketing Strategy: Managed and executed marketing strategies in alignment with overall business goals, driving brand visibility and growth.
•	Senior Leadership: Managed team performance and behaviours to optimize their contributions towards achieving business objectives.
•	Advised and Mentored Startups: Acted as a strategic advisor and mentor, focusing on sales, business development, and go-to-market strategies for startups and businesses within the Runway ecosystem.

Head Of Sales & Partnerships

Trigger Group

Trigger Group are a go-to-market sales acquisition start up specialising in B2B SaaS. We're a start up representing scaleups in the technology SMB space! We represent some of the biggest global hospitality and logistics businesses: DoorDash, Wish.com, Lightspeed, and Hubster/Otter.

OVERVIEW
•	Managed International Sales Operations: Led and executed inbound and outbound sales strategies for SMB and enterprise SaaS clients in hospitality and logistics, including DoorDash, Wish.com, and Lightspeed Commerce.
•	Built Organizational Structure: Played a key role in scaling the business from 20 to 150+ employees, developing internal structures and processes for effective growth.
•	Scaled and Deployed Sales Teams: Aligned sales teams with business priorities and objectives, ensuring optimal deployment and performance.
•	Advised on Go-to-Market Strategies: Collaborated closely with clients to develop and implement successful go-to-market strategies for new markets.
•	Implemented Sales Planning and Performance Management: Directed planning, target setting, performance management, and execution of key sales activities.
•	Provided Senior Leadership: Led and coached a global workforce of 150+ staff, directly managing 4 Regional Sales Managers, a Learning & Development Manager, and 3 Sales Operations Executives.
•	Fostered High-Performance Culture: Cultivated a positive and high-performing workplace environment.
•	Managed Financials and KPIs: Oversaw P&L, KPIs, sales budgets, and forecasting, collaborating with internal stakeholders to drive profitable growth.
•	Nurtured Executive Relationships: Built and maintained executive-level relationships with clients, navigating pre-sales processes and conducting needs analysis.
•	Led Market Development and Negotiations: Identified new market opportunities and spearheaded commercial negotiations with prospective clients.

Imperium Tourism Holdings

Imperium Group are a private equity group that own a number of youth focused tourism brands. The umbrella company is Travel Freedom Group, which has over 50 retail locations in ANZ operating under the brands PeterPans, Backpackers World Travel, StudentUni Travel, Travel Freedom, and The Travel Project

The role included:

•	Design and implement effective customer-centric Sales, Product, and Business Development Strategies across five separate retail (55 retail locations), Contact Centre, and online businesses 
•	Plan, implement, and control the marketing strategy for key AU & NZ markets, in-line with sales, marketing, business plan objectives and targets for increased revenue and market-share position
•	Actively provide leadership, mentorship, and guidance to Regional Sales Managers, eCommerce Manager, Contact Centre Manager, and Training & Development Manager on direct sales strategy, people management, marketing activity, and performance management
•	Create and maintain strong relationships with key stakeholders
•	Recruit, coach, and develop high performing sales and customer service teams across the organization
•	Enhance team performance through incentives, rewards, and recognition
•	Use data to forecast sales and manage budgeting process and expenditure 
•	Report weekly on business performance to the Group General Manager, Managing Director, and Board, in line with company guidelines and expectations 
•	Lead and develop people and people strategy working in partnership with HR to ensure continuous improvement, talent development, and staff engagement initiatives are in place and actioned 
•	Monitor competitors’ products and sales strategy
•	Business Development - Manage key partner relationships, contract negotiations, sales, and logistics with current and prospective partners to collaborate on healthy growth initiatives to deliver strong commercials

Head Of Sales Australia & New Zealand

STA Travel

•	Oversee the operations and sales of every retail site within the Region
•	Provide leadership, guidance, and coaching to sales management team
•	Develop Regional and retail site business strategies to protect revenue and hold sales teams accountable to deliver expected results. 
•	Lead and influence sales team to conceptualize, plan, drive, and manage all Regional sales initiatives to achieve the targeted sales growth
•	Recruit, coach, and develop high performing sales and customer service teams across the Region
•	Build a strong sales and staff culture that creates winning mentality along with staff loyalty
•	Collaborate with, and influence the Product and Marketing teams to help support regional initiatives especially surrounding local market activities
•	Building and maintaining strong relationships with key stakeholders 
•	Deliver weekly reports on Region results to Senior Leadership as well as deliver presentations at key product events

Regional Sales Manager - Victoria & South Australia

•	Provide leadership, guidance, and coaching to 6 sales consultants 
•	Managing all aspects of retail stores business environment and operations
•	Maintaining customer service quality and standards of the team 
•	Implementing and adhering to daily, weekly, and monthly activities
•	Develop and implement local marketing strategies 
•	Driving financial results and KPI’s and holding team accountable

Retail Store Manager

•	Mastered service and sales processes to maximise productivity and profitability 
•	Developed loyal clientele base due to in-depth knowledge and ability to match customers’ needs
•	Be an integral part of the team to help achieve store objectives
•	Customer service and sales to consistently achieve expected company KPI’s
•	Recognised top 10% performing sales consultant in United Kingdom

Senior Sales Consultant

Travel Consultant

Experienced Senior Sales Leader, Growth Strategist, Mentor, and Advisor

Extensive background in tech startups/Scaleups, B2B SaaS, travel, ecomm, and retail, spanning UK, APAC, and US markets.

I help some of the world's most innovative tech companies scale, both locally, and globally.

With a extensive career in sales, business development, and consulting, I have a proven track record of delivering remarkable go-to-market success and capital raising outcomes for startups and scaleups across various domains and regions. I leverage my deep expertise in global markets, sales, partnerships, and people-focused strategies to empower and inspire my clients and teams to achieve their full potential.

Paul Mitchinson

Teamified

In my role of Partnerships at teamified, it's all about adding value to a network of awesome partners who share a common goal for growing Aussie businesses fast, competitively and profitably.  We take the pain and anxiety out of running an off-shore team, so that you can focus on building your business quicker, more profitably and with some serious fun along the way.

Head of Partnerships

TorchT Productions

Welcome to TorchT productions, a production company with a difference! I started this business to harness my 25 years of entertainment, film, television, music and startup experience to better serve businesses and brands looking to explode online and build a massive audience. This is so much fun and I am truly blessed to have amazing mentors, co-founders and clients who make this the best job in the world!

Co-Founder & Creative Director

Investment Firm

- Implemented a complete end to end engagement strategy to attract
investors, founders and stakeholders across the start-up ecosystem.

- Grew a team of 10 sales associates to deliver over $10mill in investment.

- Conducted business development initiatives spanning Investor breakfast
event series, live webinars and expert panels, investor workshops and client
activity days.

- Attracted investor interest across verticals such as Ag-tech, Fin-tech, Health-
tech and smart cities.

National Head of Engagement

Birchal

As a member of the crowd, I am super excited to now have the ability to invest in this amazing business, brand and people.  A leader in their space and a genuinely viable way to help Founders on their funding journey.
Check out my interview with the Co-Founder Matt Vitale here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_iZJ06uBufQ

Investor

Runway Virtual

As part of our passion and work at Runway HQ, we have since beta launched our very own online platform and community for regional and remote entrepreneurs to provide them with better access to mentors, support, coaching, capital, groups and all round community engagement.  The platform is literally flying with unheralded levels of engagement and user uptake.  We are on a mission to become Australia's first and the world's best online platform for entrepreneurs!  Check us out here:  runwayvirtual.co

Head of Growth

In my role of Head of Community at RunwayHQ I am tasked with building, engaging and growing the community comprised of start-ups, local businesses, ambassadors, Angel Investors, community organisations and government departments.  It's a pleasure to be serving in this role and giving back to the community of Geelong and surrounds, as I was born and raised here and have built many long-lasting relationships within the community.
In my day to day, you will find me engaging with early stage start-ups, local businesses, government organisations and Venture Capitalists to create a cohesive environment for all to benefit.
Headed by our Chairman and Angel Investor Nick Stanley and CEO Peter Dostis, we believe in creating accelerated communities for business at Runway across regional centres in Victoria.  We are one of Australia's fastest growing incubators and now have a presence across Geelong, Melbourne, Ballarat and the South Coast as well as online with Runway Virtual.

Head of Community

ACASE

I had the pleasure of collaborating with the City of Melbourne and ACASE to host their inaugural Nexstar competition and program.  Alongside guest judges and budding entrepreneurs, we conducted an a fun filled event celebrating the achievement of students and entrepreneurs alike.

Program Host & Ambassador

City of Melbourne

I had the pleasure of being selected to travel with the Lord Mayor of Melbourne Sally Capp OAM and 15 startups as part of the 40 year Sister city Anniversary with The City of Melbourne and the City of Nanjing.  On this trip I played the role of Mentor to Wes Ward of Trusted Food Group who was successful in placing in the Pitch competition as has since travelled back to Nanjing, China to expand his blockchain business.

On this trip I was able to form long-lasting connections with colleagues and partners both locally and abroad and develop a deeper understanding of the Chinese business culture.  I also has the pleasure of working closely with the organisation ACASE.

Startup Mentor - Ambassadorial role

Startup Gippsland

Mentor

Enterprise Monkey

As the Head of Growth and National Sales & Marketing at Enterprise Monkey, my role was to work alongside our clients to realise their fullest potential when it comes to delivering an amazing App and navigating their start-up journey.  My role included heading up the growth of our sales, partnerships and marketing.  In this role my day would involve on-boarding new sales across enterprise level clients to small business, conducting marketing activities across online platforms such as linkedin, facebook, instagram and creating regular content for both YouTube and Apple podcasts.

Achievements
- Successfully doubled the monthly sales revenue over 12 months, by improving the sales process and introducing new recurring products
- Attended regular networking events to meet and attract blue chip clients to the organisation.
- Successfully grew the client base to an enterprise level and to include larger spending clients with the introduction of recurring revenue products such as our mobile app care plans and hosting packages
- Successfully executed digital marketing campaigns across social-media and search engines to generate high quality leads with the creation of regular video content and implementation of click funnels
- Conducted a YouTube and Apple podcast show with guests and educational items on building an app to drive referral sales
- Managed and led a sales&marketing team across Australia and India to deliver on monthly and quarterly sales targets
- Refined the project management process to ensure a clear flow of communication between our off-shore team, our local team and the client.

Head Of Growth & Marketing

Welcome to my LinkedIn Profile and to my network!  Here you will see the content, activity and community that I have successfully built and continue to deliver high value to.  I want to take this opportunity to encourage you to get in touch, collaborate and get to know me and my values.

I have worked extensively in sales, marketing, digital, start up and corporate environments.  I have built and grown several businesses both as an employee and as the owner/founder.  Entrepreneurship is in my blood and with that comes the successes and more importantly the failures that help to shape us and push us to learn quickly and propel into future opportunity.

I have been truly blessed to work with some amazing people who have collaborated and taught me some important lessons both within Australia and abroad.

P.S. My favourite book is "Think and Grow Rich" - Napoleon Hill :)

Brandon Burns

🎄🏀 Announcing our first ever Basketball and Business Christmas Party 🏀🎄
If you have ever joined us on court, shared a laugh, made a new connection or found real value in this community, this one is for you. 👇 

For years we have run these sessions to help founders, business leaders and good people connect in a different way. Many of you have told us this is your favourite networking space. So it is time we finally did what we should have done long ago… host our own Christmas Party.

This is our way of giving back to you.

🟡 Two hours of food and drinks.
🟡 Networking with the people who have been in the arena with you all year.
🟡 Some very fun and very real awards for the legends who showed up and kept this community alive.
🟡 The perfect end to 2025 and a launchpad into 2026

A huge thank you to our mate Mahamoud (Bubs) Fahour and the team at The George On Collins for hosting us. Could not have asked for a better partner or venue.

And this absolutely could not have happened without our amazing sponsors who support the community and help us bring people together:

⭐ Tom Simic Simic Financial
⭐ Gagan Gupta Turn Left For Less
⭐ Tom Woods Jack Howell Woods & Co
⭐ Billy H. KAVIRA IT
⭐ Nishane Karunaratne pay.com.au
⭐ Nigel Walton Backable
⭐ Rob Chappell Switching, Made Simple (SMS)
⭐ Russell Mogilevsky Nexus Point
⭐ Delia MacKenzie Profitmaster Global Outsourcing
 ⭐Brooke Smith Club Gambit

This is your Christmas party if:
 ⭐ You are in a small business
 ⭐ You are a solo founder
 ⭐ You want to celebrate with people who get what this year took
 ⭐ You want to start 2026 with momentum

🎟 Tickets are capped at 100 and will go fast.

 👉 Ticket link is in the comments.

Let us finish the year strong. Let us honour the effort. And let us do what this group does best. Connect, elevate and have a lot of fun doing it.

See you there. 💛

Brandon

Head of Growth I Partnerships I Husband I Father I Under 7’s 🏀⚽️ Coach

🎄🏀 Getting close now to our Basketball & Business Christmas Party Extravaganza. Last week we pulled together a small group of our sponsors for a lunch at Friends of Fire with Mahamoud (Bubs) Fahour 👇 

We said thank you, shot some fun 60 second videos and got everyone ready for the big night.

None of this would be possible without this crew who have backed the community and are each sponsoring an award on the night:

🏀 Tom Simic from Simic Financial sponsoring The Human LinkedIn Pass Award
 ✈️ Gagan Gupta from  Turn Left For Less sponsoring Captain Fantastic Award
 🏙️ Tom Woods from Woods & Co sponsoring The Crossover Award
 💻 Billy H. from KAVIRA IT sponsoring The Hustle Play Award
 💳 Nishane Karunaratne from pay.com.au sponsoring The 3 Point Pivot Award
 🧊 Nigel Walton from Backable sponsoring The Showed Up Every Damn Time Award
🕺 Jenna Paulin from Now Actually sponsoring the Floor time medal
 🔌 Rob Chappell Switching, Made Simple (SMS) sponsoring The Fast-Break Founder Award
 🌐 Russell Mogilevsky from Nexus Point sponsoring The Full-Court Connector Award
 📊 Delia MacKenzie from Profitmaster Global Outsourcing sponsoring The Cool-Under-Pressure Award
 🏆 Brooke Smith from Club Gambit sponsoring The MVP Most Valuable Player Award

It was brilliant to get a small group together ahead of time and there will be more to come soon as we share their individual stories and why they support this community.

If you want to be in the room for the xmas party, connect, celebrate the year and build momentum into 2026, come and join us at the Christmas party.

👉 Ticket link and event details in the first comment.

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Paul Mitchinson

Brandon Burns

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taplio

The Battle

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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);}Brandon Burns's LinkedIn Performance

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