What happens when the cheap option doesn’t sell? In the first Operators episode of the Australian Business Podcast, Owen Rask speaks with Navarre Trousselot, founder of investment software business Navexa, about building a product, finding customers and learning which growth channels actually pay for themselves.
Navarre began building a portfolio analytics tool to answer his own investing questions. A side project became a business after others wanted to use it, but the first paid launch delivered a bruising lesson: people who liked a free product did not necessarily want to pay. Competing on price did not solve the harder problem of showing customers the value of accurate performance tracking and tax reporting.
Owen and Navarre unpack why paid ads that worked for one business made less sense for a subscription product with slower cash payback. They discuss how spreadsheets, accountants and established software compete for customers’ attention, and why educating everyone can be less effective than reaching people who already know they have the problem.
Navarre also shares how a previous podcast appearance helped Navexa find an audience once the product was ready, why YouTube has become a promising customer channel, and how a small team keeps its work focused with one weekly meeting. The conversation closes on AI, product development and the choices behind scaling without losing what makes the business worth building.
If you run a business, this is a practical conversation about pricing for value, watching cash flow and making sure your product can deliver when your marketing finally works.
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