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[Voiceover]: Welcome to the Checkout. We catch up with previous add to cut guests and ask them five quick questions to get to know them better and leave you with a little extra inspiration to get through your Friday.
[Ad]: Here's your host Bushy Today's checkout features Justin Ryan, co founder of Glo Capital Partners, a growth equity firm investing in high growth brands and businesses in Australia and New Zealand. Having led 22 private equity investments and being a big fan of partnering with innovative entrepreneurs and founders, Justin started Glow Capital in 2021 alongside Kate Morris of Adore Beauty. Earlier this year they secured their first major investment cargo crew.
Nathan Bush: Justin, welcome to the Checkout. Thank you for joining us. We had a great chat around all things private equity, some of your recent investments and your historical investments and what you look for in a founder and also an e commerce business was really, really enlightening. We're here to learn a little bit more about you. Five quick questions. Number one what's the weirdest thing that you've ever bought online?
Justin Ryan: It's not wildly weird, but I bought I do sleep every night with a cushion in between my legs. It stops me sort of turning over too far in my sleep. So that is like equivalent become the equivalent of my blankie. And I didn't really even know that I needed it until it turned out online in an ad and I ordered it and it's changed my life.
Nathan Bush: When you travel, do you have to put a special request to the hotel for a special in between the legs pillow?
Justin Ryan: Look, it's either a combination of finding a cushion around the place or just going, going, going old school with nothing.
Nathan Bush: So there are dedicated pillows that you buy online for that purpose?
Justin Ryan: Yes. Yeah, it's a sort of carved out thing that fits between your legs I mean, I don't want to get into it in too much detail, Nathan, because the territory is becoming a little dangerous.
[Ad]: We've learned a lot about you, actually.
Nathan Bush: That plus the European shoes. We're getting a good picture of you here, Justin. All right, number two, who is your favorite retailer at the moment?
Justin Ryan: I'm just loving watching the lskd rollout and I'm loving watching the July rollout. And I'm just. For me, I love ordering online. I'm not necessarily one of these people that loves the retail experience as such, but I think it's just so great to see some of the great brands, great emerging e commerce brands in this country, then converting that brand story into a retail format, bricks and mortar format. So I think they're both doing a
Nathan Bush: super job and I'm loving it and really exciting. I think that the sights aren't just set on Australia launching stores here, but then also putting the odd store overseas as well to test those markets 100%.
Justin Ryan: I mean, those two are determined to build great global brands. And, you know, I'm. I'm following that, following their journey and enjoying it very much. Yeah, great, great founders.
Nathan Bush: Very great founders. We've had both of them on. I'd love to have them back soon, actually, because so much changes so quickly with them. Number three, which e commerce practice do you wish was history?
Justin Ryan: Probably just the pop up when you go to the site. I mean, sometimes I can't even see the site because the pop up is so big for the 10% discount. Sometimes I can't work out which button to press to get rid of it. I mean, I recognize it's got its uses, but I just feel that that pop up's a little bit overdone. What do you think, Nathan?
Nathan Bush: Oh, I think unsustainable packaging. I just think there's no excuse for it anymore. There are so many alternatives out there for it. I've got one sitting here on my desk right now. I won't name who the retailer is, but they call themselves a sustainable retailer. It's a cardboard box, recyclable cardboard box, but they've got just sticky tape all over it. I'm like, there are alternatives to that.
Justin Ryan: That's terrible.
Nathan Bush: It's a simple fix. Can you recommend a book or a podcast that our listeners should immediately get into?
Justin Ryan: Look, Nathan, I. I've been consumed by podcasts. I mean, I, I used to listen to books online, but now I've never got any time because I'm just trying to get between all the podcasts. Now, apart from your wonderful podcast, which takes first priority, which everyone would say, I, I have, I am loving and have continued to love the acquired podcast and there's been a couple of great ones there recently. It was Walmart most recently, but there's a Super1 on LVMH in there. And I love the founders podcast as well. And look, there's a bunch of those. I mean, you said.
Nathan Bush: Which is.
Justin Ryan: I mean, I've got a bunch of them. Invest like the Best is another great one. And then actually for sort of the weekly update, I do love all in, which is very American and there are sort of like three sort of billionaires. And then there's another one called My First Million that I've just started listening to and that's the sort of smaller time version of All In. So I got a lot to listen to and so much to learn. So much to learn. So I love it. I love. I'm a podcast junkie.
Nathan Bush: What speed do you listen to your podcast on?
Justin Ryan: One and a half.
Nathan Bush: Yeah, that's my.
Justin Ryan: What about you?
Nathan Bush: Yeah, I'm One and a half.
Justin Ryan: Except yours.
Nathan Bush: Yeah. Point five. I can't get enough of my own voice, honestly. Do you have any podcasts that you go to to stay up to date with, say, business news or trends?
Justin Ryan: Well, that All In I find is sort of. It's a lot of American politics, but it discusses sort of probably mainly American, but possibly global sort of big issues of the day. So whatever's on, they'll be talking about it. I mean, there's another one called the Pivot by with Scott Galloway, which is similar, but I like all in better now. It's a bit of an acquired taste. So without wanting to have a play on words on the other one, I like.
Nathan Bush: All right, good recommendation. Thank you very much. Finish this sentence. The future of retail is, I think it's brand.
Justin Ryan: I think brand is trust, whether it's socially or quality. And I think if you're not building a brand, you're not building something that's going to endure.
Nathan Bush: Yeah, that's great to hear from an investment perspective. I know a lot of founders who are pumping a lot of time, effort, care into their brand will be heartened to hear that.
Justin Ryan: Look, I think branding is everything and yeah, we really believe in it and value it.
Nathan Bush: Justin, thank you for joining us on the checkout.
Justin Ryan: Pleasure. Nathan.
[Ad]: To hear more from Justin, jump back into episode four, 354, where Justin shares the benefits of having an experienced grassroots founder like Kate Morris at the head of the company he also delves into the detail of attractive unit economics, and we hear the red flags he looks out for when investing in businesses. Thanks for listening, and until next time, keep adding to cartoon.
