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.

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