Kerry Packer on Law, minimising Taxes and Government Waste

One of my all time favourites with Kerry Packer annihilating a politician 

What’s a Brushcutter and Referron got in Common ?

Jim Penman From Jim’s Mowing shared how Jim’s group has grown to more than 5000 franchises - and keeps on growing - kickstarted from a tool he used for his business - the brush cutter - that gave him an edge. 

This is his story 

I owned one of Australia's first brush cutters and it changed my business overnight. 

I was still at uni, mowing lawns to get by.

One day, I walked into a mower shop and saw a strange tool from Japan.

It was a long pole with a spinning nylon cord at the end. Most people ignored it. I didn’t. I bought it on the spot.

That brush cutter let me do things no one else could:

→ Trim around trees and posts

→ Clean up lawn edges

→ Leave a job looking sharp, not just cut

Clients noticed the difference.

They started telling their neighbours.

My business grew—faster than I expected.

It wasn’t just the tool. It was the mindset:

→ Go above and beyond

→ Invest in better service

→ Do the job properly—even if no one else is.

That little machine became part of what built Jim’s Mowing.

Could #referron be a tool to help you grow your business?

I believe that if you use Referron to become more referrable , to activate your network and to connect , refer and track your activity - it can be the catalyst to help you grow your business! 

Give it a spin? 

💬 What’s one tool, habit or mindset shift that gave you an edge?

The Knowledge - Action Quadrant

• Lack of knowledge and action - is gambling
• Lack of knowledge and lack of action - is the sceptic - never wanting you to succeed - we all have them on our lives 
• Knowledge with inaction - is the dreamer - they do lotsa research - but will never take action
• Knowledge plus action will make u a star 

Blinq vs Referron Comparison

Blinq and Referron are both digital business card platforms, but they serve different core purposes and offer distinct features. Here’s a breakdown of their differences and similarities:

Digital Business card Blinq raises $25 million at a valuation of $200m

Founder Jarrod Webb  has raised a series A US$25m round Digital Card reader, Blinq after having raised $5m in December 2024 

This is an exciting time for me, as it validates the #referron model (which we have just launched) which enables you to become more referrable and easily connect,  refer and track your activity.

The Investors

The round was led by US-based Touring Capital with co-investors Blackbird Ventures, Square Peg Capital, and HubSpot Ventures. 

Herbert Smith Freehills’ venture capital team has

This new capital will be employed to fund the continued rapid growth and expansion of the company.

What it does 

Blinq is an Australian company that provides a digital business card platform and has over 2.5 million users across 500,000 companies. 

I’m excited to announce that Blinq has raised a US$25 million (AU $40 million) Series A, led by Touring Capital, alongside Blackbird, Square Peg, and HubSpot Ventures.

The backstory

Jarrod coded the first version of Blinq back in 2017 while he was at Uber - just a scrappy weekend project. What started as a simple business card tool turned into three years of late nights and quiet belief, before he finally went full-time.

When Jarrod left Uber in 2021, people dismissed it.

“It’s too simple.”

“A bigger player will clone it.”

“No chance a small Aussie startup would win globally.”

But he kept seeing something others didn’t: the longer people use Blinq, the more they share it. No marketing. Just real love for a product that makes them feel a little more prepared, a little more polished, in life’s high-stakes moments.

That gave him the courage to go all-in.

He didn’t pay myself for a year. Got rejected by Startmate. There were more no’s than he could count. But he kept building.

Then throughout 2021 and 2022, something clicked. Blinq hit a viral curve, all self-serve. 

People were sharing Blinq with their teams, their clients, their whole industries. 

That momentum helped them raise their seed round in five days.

At the time, they had 50K users. Fast forward to now, and they have:

• 2.5M users across 500,000 companies

• 7,500 business customers

• an A-grade team of 70, growing fast!

Despite all this progress, Jarrod still gets asked: “Isn’t it just a digital business card?”

Blinq and Referron is solving for an overlooked but powerful moment in a relationship - the first interaction. You get that right, and you earn the right to shape everything that follows.

The early seconds matter more than you think. 

And they deserve better tools.

As Jarod says :-

From one beginning to billions more - we’re just getting started.

https://blinq.me/author/jarrod-webb

 Below is my business card built on Referron. Create yours so I can easily refer you to my network. Cheers, Ivan Kaye  https://rfrn.link/ivank 

www .referron.com

Send your vCard and refer your network with www.referron.com

Business Foundations for the Entrepreneur

6 steps  to build a future-proof business with timeless principles and modern tools.

1. Vision & Clarity

• Define your purpose, mission, and long-term vision.
• Does this help solve a problem - are you building a painkiller or a vitamin ?
• Understand your “why” and align your business goals with it.
• Use goal-setting frameworks (e.g. SMART, OKRs) to plan your path.

2. Strategic Positioning

• Identify your ideal customer and niche. Build your avatar
• Develop a unique value proposition or point of difference. -that sets you apart. (UVP or PoD)
• Map out your market, competitors, and pricing strategy.

3. Systems & Processes

• Build repeatable systems for operations, marketing, and service.
• Introduce automation and tools (like CRMs, AI, Referron) to boost efficiency.
• Document processes to scale and delegate with confidence.

4. Financial Foundations

• Understand your business model, cash flow, and key metrics.
• Learn basic financial literacy: budgeting, forecasting, and margins.
• Establish strong financial controls and structures (e.g. trusts, advisory support).

5. Network & Referral Ecosystem

• Create and nurture high-value networks.
• Learn how to leverage referrals and strategic partnerships.
• Use tools like Referron to amplify visibility and make introductions easy.

6. Continuous Learning & Adaptation

• Embrace change: tech, customer needs, market trends.
• Invest in personal growth and team development.
• Build a learning culture that adapts and evolves.

The Starting Point to Referrals – Fundamentals

1. Become Referable

• Create a clear and compelling business card or profile (e.g. using Referron).
• Clarify what you do, who you help, and what makes you different.
• Make it easy for people to explain your value to others.

2. Build Trust and Credibility

• Show up consistently, deliver value, and be reliable.
• Testimonials, reviews, and social proof reinforce credibility.
• Referrals are powered by trust — invest in relationships, not just transactions.

3. Make It Easy to Refer You

• Use tools like Referron to simplify how others refer you.
• Provide simple scripts or prompts people can use to introduce you.
• Remove friction: no forms, no long emails — just a tap or share.

4. Focus on Value Exchange

• Givers get. Start by referring others without expecting immediate return.
• Be generous and proactive — it builds reciprocity.
• People refer people who contribute to their network.

5. Stay Top of Mind

• Stay visible and relevant. Share insights, wins, or helpful updates.
• Use digital cards, quick messages, and ongoing follow-ups.
• Out of sight = out of referral flow.