“Don’t dream half the dream - dream the whole dream.” In this powerhouse episode, Karla Way-McPhail joins us from Yeppoon, Queensland to share how she grew from teacher to accidental entrepreneur leading 16 businesses under The Real Group and why her formula is simple: invest in people, not industries.

Karla opens up about the rituals and beliefs that fuel her resilience (yes, 4:30am calls, daily gratitude and her beloved morning bath), her people-first leadership playbook, and the bold bets that transformed a coastal town into a growing business hub. From logistics and training to salons and barges, Karla shows how clear values, empowered teams and radical optimism can scale anything.

She also tells the raw story of her husband’s sudden “widow-maker” heart attack, the months-long rebuild that followed and the perspective shift that reshaped their lives and companies. Expect goosebumps, straight talk, and a mic-drop message on belief, legacy and using business as a vehicle for good.

In this episode

• Go all-in: Why half-measures kill momentum - “have a go, go hard, and don’t shrink to fit.”
• People over products: Karla’s superpower is developing leaders who love coming to work and make great decisions in her absence.
• Purpose with teeth: How The Real Group formalised its giving through a charity that helps disadvantaged people - housing support, driving lessons, domestic violence assistance, prison-to-work pathways, and education for students expelled elsewhere.
• Build it where you are: The case for regional HQs - shortcommutes, community impact, and proving naysayers wrong by launching one of the largest face-to-face RTOs north of Brisbane.
• Mindset rituals: Gratitude bowls, future-vision checks, and surrendering the uncontrollable.
• Reinvention after crisis: Turning a life-altering health scare into a values reset (and a new chapter breeding Wagyu and Brahman cattle).
• No “yes-people”: Why candour beats consensus and how to keep “white noise” out of your orbit.
• Signature quote: “If you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right.”

Shout-out to our partner

Even the best ideas need backing. Westpac has committed $1B to support female entrepreneurs and offers the Startup Business Loan - apply with your business plan and budget projections for up to $50K unsecured. Learn more: search “Westpac supporting female founders.”
Eligibility, credit criteria, fees & charges, and T&Cs apply.General advice only.

Links & mentions

• The Real Group (Karla’s portfolio &philanthropy)
• Coach Carter quote (the “our deepest fear…”passage that Karla sends to her kids)

From police officer to reality TV trailblazer to product founder, Alisa Fraser has never been afraid of the long game. In this episode, the co-founder and CEO of al.ive body (with twin sister Lysandra) shares how grit, design obsession and values-first leadership turned a beach-scribbled idea into a brand that’s sold 2.2M+ products across 900+ stores in Australia and New Zealand.

Alisa opens up about the pressure-cooker lessons from winning The Block (17 weeks, three hours’ sleep a night), the reality behind “overnight success” (14 years in the making), and the fearless choices behind al.ive Body’s rise - from six months of underground R&D to selling a house to fund the first production run. She gets real about scaling pains (startup to scale-up), why category discipline and SKU rationalisation matter and how to protect your culture as the team grows.

We also go deep on authenticity and visibility: being an introvert in the public eye, handling trolls and nurturing a community that DMs daily with wins, questions, and product love. Plus, the rituals that keep her steady (F45 at dawn, quiet desk time before the team arrives), the “who not how” rule that changed her leadership, and the spiritual intuition she uses to read the room and herself.

In this episode

• Big swings, real stakes: How a property loss birthed a product company - and why Alisa and Lysandra put serious skin in the game.
• Naming it “al.ive”: A brand built to elevate everyday rituals and make people feel grounded, inspired, and – yes - alive.
• Scale with discipline: When to expand categories, when to rationalise SKUs, and how org structure must evolve with growth.
• People and culture: Hiring for values, empowering leadership beyond the founder, and avoiding the one “bad hire” culture dip.
• Public profile, private person: Staying genuine on social, engaging with community, and filtering unhelpful noise.
• Hard truths: It’s “99% hard and 99% rewarding” - cash is tied up in stock, pay yourself last, and play the long game.

Alisa’s takeaways

• Don’t dream half the dream. If you believe you can, you’re already halfway there.
• Who, not how. Bring in specialists who’ve “been there, done that” and learn from them.
• Choose your teachers wisely. Take advice from operators who’ve carried the risk.
• Protect your energy. Create routines (and boundaries) that keep you clear and effective.

Partner shout-out

Even the best ideas need backing. Westpac has committed $1B to support female entrepreneurs and offers the Startup Business Loan - apply with your business plan and budget projections for up to $50K unsecured. Learn more: search “Westpac supporting female founders.”
Eligibility, credit criteria, fees & charges, and T&Cs apply. General advice only.

Loved Alisa’s story? Follow the show, leave a quick review, and share this episode with a friend who’s building something bold. New episodes drop every second Tuesday.

From first steps to global scale, Episode Zero sets the tone for the Fearless Female Podcast : candid stories, practical tools, and big-hearted inspiration for women building, leading, and living bravely.

Co-hosts Anna Dimond (Palas Jewellery) and Kelly Jamieson (Edible Blooms) share the origin story of the show and the community that powers it - how a simple Wednesday morning walk turned into a national platform amplifying female founders and powerhouse CEOs. You’ll hear how networks open doors, why “it takes a village,” and how generosity (plus a few spreadsheets) can change the trajectory of a business. We also spotlight our partner Westpac, who “walk the talk” for women in business - doubling its female founder fund to $1B and backing our Fearless Innovator program, which recently awarded $160,000 in cash and prizes to emerging founders.

Along the way, Anna and Kelly swap stories from their own 20-year+ business journeys - sister-built startups, reinvention after loss, chocolate-dipped strawberry empires, and the very real juggle of family and boardrooms. Expect laughs (and a few “did that make the edit?” moments), plus the themes that keep surfacing across our Season 1 guests: human-first leadership, intuition you can trust, failing fast, and not quitting before the miracle.

What you’ll learn

• How community, mentors, and warm intros accelerate women-led ventures
• Funding & mindset: applying with a plan (not perfection) and backing yourself
• The honest path to “overnight success”: resilience, reflection, and support squads
• Why men are essential allies in building a more equitable business landscape

• The power of consistent habits (and walk-and-talk problem-solving)

Episode extras

• Fearless Innovators: our grant program for up-and-coming founders in SA (with national ambitions) and the village of donors, sponsors, and supporters bringing it to life.

• Release cadence: new episodes every second Tuesday—perfect for your morning stride or commute.

Listener love: if this uplifted you, please follow, rate, and share it with a friend who needs a boost.

Links & resources

1. Westpac – Supporting female founders & startups: Search “Westpac supporting female founders” to learn more. Eligibility, credit criteria, fees & charges, and T&Cs apply. General advice only.

2. Edible Blooms: Hampers & Dessert Boxes | Same Day Delivery | Edible Blooms

3. Palas Jewellery: Palas Jewellery | Collect, inspire and share

Special thanks & a little gift 🎁As a thank-you for being part of our launch, use code FEARLESS at Edible Blooms and Palas Jewellery for a special treat when you checkout.

Enjoying Episode Zero? Hit follow, drop a quick review, and join us every second Tuesday as we lift the hood on the wins, wobblies, and wisdom of the women shaping the future of business - so we can think fearlessly and go further, together.