In Real Time with Millie

What if the smartest thing you could do for your business was stop chasing what looks successful and start listening to what genuinely feels right? In this episode of In Real Time with Millie, Millie sits down with actress, entrepreneur and Pass Around the Smile founder Cleo Massey for an honest conversation about building a business through authenticity, intuition and genuine human connection. Cleo shares how she moved beyond the identity and pressures of the acting industry, followed the unexpected pull toward spirituality and transformed a personal blog into the thriving Pass Around the Smile community. Together, Millie and Cleo explore the realities of comparison, people-pleasing, scaling a purpose-led business and learning to prioritise peace without abandoning your financial goals. They also unpack why community cannot be manufactured, how to distinguish intuition from fear and why chasing the wrong audience, partnership or version of success will only take you further away from yourself. In this episode: Why Cleo walked away from the identity she had held since childhood Building a loyal community through consistency and real connection The danger of chasing “cool” customers, brands and opportunities Choosing heart over money without undervaluing your business Setting boundaries when your personal brand relies on access to you Navigating comparison, rejection and self-doubt How to tell the difference between intuition and fear Why loosening your grip can create better opportunities Building and scaling a business without sacrificing its soul If you’ve been second-guessing your next move, forcing a strategy that doesn’t feel right or measuring your progress against somebody else’s business, this conversation is your permission to pause and come back to yourself. ✨ Connect with Cleo ✨ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cleomassey Website: https://www.cleomassey.com/ Pass Around the Smile: https://passaroundthesmile.com/ ✨ Connect with Kaarme ✨ Käärme Jewels: https://www.instagram.com/kaarmejewels In Real Time with Millie, the podcast: https://www.instagram.com/inrealtimewithmillie Millie: https://www.instagram.com/millie.kaarmejewels/ ✨ Wanting to scale your brand? ✨ Ecommerce Equation is where its at: https://ecommerceequation.com.au/inrealtimewithmillie

Alli and Heath didn’t have a website, a business plan or even a separate bank account. What they did have was a leather bag people couldn’t stop buying. In this episode of In Real Time with Millie, I sit down with the founders of Sesa Studios to unpack how an unexpected Christmas sell-out became a fast-growing Australian fashion brand. We get into the realities nobody glamorises: manufacturing delays, cash flow, setting launch dates before the stock exists, reinvesting every dollar, learning Meta ads and building a business while working full-time. Alli and Heath also share what it’s really like building a brand as a couple, with Alli leading the creative direction and Heath bringing the structure, data and strategy. Plus, we talk about why creative founders get bored with their bestselling products far too quickly, what it takes to prepare for genuine growth and the question every founder needs to ask: if Beyoncé posted your product tomorrow, could your business actually handle it? An honest, hilarious and refreshingly real conversation about starting before you feel ready, navigating the inevitable breakdowns and continuing to back the product that’s already working. ✨ Connect with Sesa Studios ✨ Sesa Studios Instagram: @sesa.studios Website: sesastudios.com.au ✨ Connect with Kaarme ✨ Käärme Jewels: https://www.instagram.com/kaarmejewels In Real Time with Millie, the podcast: https://www.instagram.com/inrealtimewithmillie Millie: https://www.instagram.com/millie.kaarmejewels/ ✨ Wanting to scale your brand? ✨ Ecommerce Equation is where its at: https://ecommerceequation.com.au/inrealtimewithmillie

I’m back with a solo episode, queens, and we have a LOT to catch up on. I’m sharing the honest reality of building Kaarme through a season of huge growth, constant change and a little bit of founder burnout. We’re talking about protecting your creativity, putting the right people and systems in place, learning to delegate, and accepting that a business can be successful and still feel fucking hard. I’m also answering your questions about paid influencers, product launches that flop, comparison, reinvesting in your business, becoming a boss, dating while building a brand, whether I would ever sell Kaarme, and where I see this beautiful beast in five years. This is business in real time. No polished success story. Just the lessons, chaos, big dreams and honest conversations happening while I’m still in the middle of it. If you loved this episode, follow the podcast, leave a review and share it with a queen who needs to hear that she is not the only one finding business hard right now. ✨ Connect with Kaarme ✨ Käärme Jewels: https://www.instagram.com/kaarmejewels In Real Time with Millie, the podcast: https://www.instagram.com/inrealtimewithmillie Millie: https://www.instagram.com/millie.kaarmejewels/ ✨ Wanting to scale your brand? ✨ Ecommerce Equation is where its at: https://ecommerceequation.com.au/inrealtimewithmillie

What’s the difference between using a trend strategically and simply copying what every other brand is doing? This week, Millie sits down with fashion trend, colour and design strategist Rachel Ussher for a raw, gin-fuelled chat about fashion, creativity and building a brand people can recognise without even seeing the label. With more than 20 years of experience across fashion design, brand ownership, Cotton On Group and trend strategy, Rachel knows how to cut through the noise and turn global trends into products that actually make sense for your brand and your customer. They unpack why blindly following trends is one of the fastest ways to lose your brand identity, how to use data without killing your creativity, and why every decision should be filtered through your brand DNA. Rachel also shares what’s coming next in fashion, from ’80s-inspired silhouettes and unexpected colour combinations to the return of craftsmanship, artistry and intentional design. Plus, Millie gets honest about Kaarme’s wins, flops and the products she knew in her gut weren’t quite right. If you’re a founder, designer or creative trying to build something distinctive in a sea of sameness, this episode will remind you that your greatest advantage is your own creative fingerprint. ✨ Connect with Rachel ✨ Rachel Ussher: @rachel.ussher Website: https://www.rachelussher.com/ ✨ Connect with Kaarme ✨ Käärme Jewels: https://www.instagram.com/kaarmejewels In Real Time with Millie, the podcast: https://www.instagram.com/inrealtimewithmillie Millie: https://www.instagram.com/millie.kaarmejewels/ ✨ Wanting to scale your brand? ✨ Ecommerce Equation is where its at: https://ecommerceequation.com.au/inrealtimewithmillie Love the episode? Follow In Real Time, share it with a founder who needs to stop chasing every shiny new trend, and leave a review so we can keep bringing you more unfiltered conversations with incredible guests!

Millie finally gets her longtime friend and unofficial marketing oracle, Taren Anderson, behind the mic. With more than a decade of experience marketing some of Australia’s biggest beauty brands, Taren is usually the woman behind the scenes helping brands grow, rebrand and figure out what the fuck they’re actually doing. Over a bottle of chilled red, they unpack what makes great marketing work, from balancing data with gut instinct to setting realistic revenue goals and creating a Black Friday strategy that doesn’t destroy your profit margin. They also get into knowing your numbers, building a team that can operate without everything living inside the founder’s head, why brands need to stop throwing their entire budget at Meta, and the power of strong storytelling, creative differentiation and genuine customer connection. Whether you’re planning your next launch, preparing for Black Friday or wondering why your marketing isn’t hitting like it used to, this episode is packed with honest insights you can actually use. No gatekeeping or polished marketing bull. Just two gals talking business, beauty and what it really takes to build a brand people give a shit about. ✨ Connect with Taren ✨ Tren Anderson: @tarenanderson ✨ Connect with Kaarme ✨ Käärme Jewels: https://www.instagram.com/kaarmejewels In Real Time with Millie, the podcast: https://www.instagram.com/inrealtimewithmillie Millie: https://www.instagram.com/millie.kaarmejewels/ ✨ Wanting to scale your brand? ✨ Ecommerce Equation is where its at: https://ecommerceequation.com.au/inrealtimewithmillie

In this episode of In Real Time, Millie sits down with Tahni, founder of Chilli & Charli, one of Australia’s fastest-growing bamboo sleepwear brands. Tahni launched the business in late 2024 after struggling to find sleepwear she genuinely loved as a new mum. With four children under four, including eight-month-old twins, zero fashion experience and a full-time corporate job, she somehow decided it was the perfect time to build a brand from scratch. Tahni shares the unfiltered reality behind Chilli & Charli’s incredible growth, from ordering hundreds of units before knowing what would sell to navigating unpredictable sales cycles, backing her gut and eventually leaving her corporate career to go all in, baby! Then the tables turn as Tahni asks Millie the questions she’s currently facing in business. They get honest about knowing when to hire, building a team before you feel ready, creating content that actually connects, handling copycats and staying focused on your own lane as the brand grows. This episode is freakin' packed with honest founder lessons, practical advice and the kind of conversations normally happening behind closed doors. If you’re building a brand, sitting in the messy middle or wondering whether anyone else is riding the same emotional business rollercoaster, this one is for you. ✨ Connect with Chilli & Charlie ✨ Käärme Jewels: https://www.instagram.com/chilliandcharli_sleep ✨ Connect with Kaarme ✨ Käärme Jewels: https://www.instagram.com/kaarmejewels In Real Time with Millie, the podcast: https://www.instagram.com/inrealtimewithmillie Millie: https://www.instagram.com/millie.kaarmejewels/ ✨ Wanting to scale your brand? ✨ Ecommerce Equation is where its at: https://ecommerceequation.com.au/inrealtimewithmillie

What does it really take to launch a beauty brand, sell out within 12 weeks and keep growing when everything behind the scenes is far from polished? In this episode of In Real Time, Millie sits down with Phoebe, co-founder of Balmee Beauty, to unpack the founder journey behind one of Australia’s most exciting emerging lip care brands. Phoebe shares how she & co-founder Ali Beck spent two years developing a completely custom, microbiome-focused lip balm, why they chose to enter an already saturated beauty market & how their combined experience in social media, branding & beauty helped Balmy launch with serious momentum. They get honest about the realities of product development, family investment, angel investment, high manufacturing costs, selling out, delayed pre-orders & the packaging fault that forced the founders to inspect thousands of tubes by hand. Phoebe also opens up about building a business while navigating new motherhood, managing a long-distance co-founder relationship & learning when to switch off. From direct-to-consumer marketing & influencer strategy to retail expansion, customer feedback, future product launches & the possibility of a Balmee Beauty subscription, this conversation is packed with honest lessons for founders, beauty entrepreneurs & anyone building a product-based business. In this episode we cover: 💋 Creating a strong point of difference in a saturated beauty industry 💋 Developing a custom microbiome-friendly lip balm in Australia 💋 Funding a product-based startup through personal and family investment 💋 Selling out within 12 weeks and using pre-orders to maintain cash flow 💋 Building trust through founder-led content, customer reviews and social proof 💋 Managing manufacturing faults, inventory delays and customer expectations 💋 Preparing for retail expansion, wholesale partnerships and global growth 💋 Bringing an angel investor into the business for more than just capital 💋 Balancing motherhood, relationships and the demands of entrepreneurship 💋 Building a healthy, honest and sustainable co-founder relationship This is a refreshingly real conversation about rapid business growth, beauty brand development and what happens after the exciting launch moment, when the pressure, decisions & unexpected challenges begin. ✨ Connect with Balmee Beauty ✨ Shop Balmee Beauty: https://balmeebeauty.com Balmee Beauty on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/balmeebeauty Balmee Beauty on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@balmeebeauty Balmee Beauty on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/balmee-beauty Follow co-founder Phoebe Perring: https://www.instagram.com/phoebeperring Follow co-founder Ali Beeck: https://www.instagram.com/alibeeck ✨ Connect with Kaarme ✨ Käärme Jewels: https://www.instagram.com/kaarmejewels In Real Time with Millie, the podcast: https://www.instagram.com/inrealtimewithmillie Millie: https://www.instagram.com/millie.kaarmejewels/ ✨ Wanting to scale your brand? ✨ Ecommerce Equation is where its at: https://ecommerceequation.com.au/inrealtimewithmillie

This week on In Real Time, I'm joined by fellow Gold Coast founder and the woman behind one of Australia's fastest-growing jewellery care brands, Layla Morris from Doctor Diamond. ✨ We chat about the micro moments that change everything from missing her engagement ring before her bridal shower to spotting a gap in the market that would become Doctor Diamond. We dive into building momentum, handling virality, trusting your intuition in business and why your product always has to come first. Layla shares the story behind the viral Hailey Bieber moment, quitting her job to go all in on her business, navigating growth, protecting your brand and building something people genuinely connect with. If you've ever wondered whether to back yourself, follow the gut feeling or make the scary move this episode is your sign. We cover: Building a brand from an untapped market Turning viral moments into long-term growth The power of founder intuition Product development and creating something people love Handling comparison and protecting your brand Why momentum isn't something you chase it's something you build This conversation felt like sitting down with a friend who just gets what it means to build something from nothing, and I know you're going to love Layla as much as I do. 💎

Deep dive NYC, EOFY sale issues, Scaling and growth strategies for Kaarme! Solo episode deep diving all things business with Millie!

Sophie is the founder of Seoul Tonic an eastern-inspired wellness brand built on Korean ginseng and pear extracts that she co-created with Mr. Park, a Korean producer in Jeonju, using his grandfather's extraction method. What started as a silver pouch in the Australian beverage fridge has grown into a global brand stocked in beauty stores, hotels, delis, recovery facilities, and — most recently a boutique in the Hamptons that led to a sell-out Bethany Frankel video. In this episode, Sophie and Millie sit down in New York to talk about what it actually takes to bootstrap a physical product brand across three markets simultaneously, why she's been able to go where competitors haven't by thinking of Seoul Tonic as a fashion accessory rather than a drink, and how she spent 18 months relentlessly chasing the W Hotel before they finally said yes. They get into the messy realities of international freight, navigating tariffs and Trump's administration as a foreign founder, and why she and her fiancé showed up in New York with no jobs and no plan and made it work anyway.

Lily is an Adelaide-born beauty industry insider who cold-emailed her way into Sydney, built a market research agency while finishing a computer science degree, and then turned a two-week business trip to New York into a full life pivot. Now she's four months into building Unfiltered a beauty social platform and app described as "Letterboxed for beauty" and she's raising her first real round in Manhattan. In this episode, Lily and Kaarme get into the wild, unfiltered reality of being a first-time female founder in the US venture world, why fundraising is literally just dating, and what happens when you delete your entire codebase in week four of your accelerator. They talk about the beauty industry's data problem, why big brands win on distribution not innovation, and how a viral TikTok about blush hex codes led to 100 women in a WhatsApp group which led to a complete pivot.

Zara is a marketing powerhouse who went from teaching singing lessons in Ballarat, to running her own music school, to climbing the agency world and then cold-emailing Stephen Bartlett and landing a role managing his personal brand in London. In this episode, she and host Kame sit down (in London!) for one of the most honest, high-energy conversations about what it actually takes to build a career and a brand with intention. They cover the messy reality of chasing big opportunities (hint: it involves living in a Harry Potter attic with no air con), why culture is never "set and forget," the difference between community and belonging, and why saves and shares are the metrics you should actually care about. Plus: a masterclass on T-shaped careers, paid ads for founders, and why being called a "try hard" is the highest compliment.

A deep dive into growing a major fashion brand in Australia. A founders dream in a podcast! Instagram - Sabbi_thestore

@Kaarmejewels_

A deep dive with Millie - Founder of Kaarme Jewels answering all your burning questions!

In this episode, I sit down with Hannah, the founder of Socially Sands a business built from the ground up with one clear mission: helping others grow, scale, and show up powerfully online. We dive into what it really takes to build a brand in today’s digital world beyond the aesthetics. From growing social platforms with intention, to navigating the pressure of being “always on,” Hannah shares the honest, behind-the-scenes reality of building a business centred around social media. If you’re a founder, creator, or someone trying to grow online, this episode will give you both the strategy and the mindset shifts you actually need.

n this episode of IN REAL TIME, I sit down with Laura, brand and web designer to break down what actually makes a brand convert. We talk about the real impact of branding (beyond just looking “cute”), how your website could be costing you sales without you realising, and the small shifts that make a huge difference in eCommerce. If you’re building a brand, this is the kind of conversation you need to hear.

In this episode of IN REAL TIME, I sit down with Simone Rae, founder of Salt and Ripple, a swim and activewear brand that’s scaled from $30K months to $200K+ months, serving over 30,000 customers. We get into what it actually looks like to build a product-based business from the ground up, from funding your first collection with your own money, to navigating cash flow, manufacturing, and the realities of scaling in fashion. This conversation is raw, honest, and packed with the kind of insights most founders don’t talk about.