Small talk sabotage: Why banter is killing your pitch

Small talk has long been touted as the gateway to building social connections, breaking the ice, and creating a sense of camaraderie. It’s the bridge we traverse to navigate unfamiliar social waters, the glue that binds us in everyday interactions. But what if I told you that when it comes to pitching, small talk could be your Achilles’ heel?

‘When Lachlan calls, you answer’: Inside this Murdoch-backed luggage giant

Athan Didaskalou and Richard Li, the co-founders of prestige luggage brand, July, started the business after tossing up a number of product ideas in categories primed for a shake-up. Five years later, July – the premium, design and innovation-focused luggage brand – is one of the fastest growing companies in a category that up until five years ago, was an outdated, dying category.