First Cheque

How a founder-led podcast became a growth engine for two emerging investor brands

Overview

Cheryl and Maxine wanted to elevate their visibility and credibility in the Australian startup and angel investing ecosystem.

Both were already respected founders and early-stage investors — but their networks, deal flow, and influence were limited by time and geography.

They needed a content vehicle that could:

Build trust and recognition among founders and co-investors
Showcase their insight and values as investors
Create a repeatable platform to attract deal flow and speaking opportunities

Our Role

Day One developed and produces First Cheque, a podcast that explores how investors and founders connect at the earliest stages.

Our work includes:

🎙️ Full production – editing, audio mastering, and publishing

🧭 Show strategy – audience positioning, episode framing, and guest pipeline

📈 Growth enablement – repurposing clips and snippets for LinkedIn and investor audiences

🗓️ Consistency management – ensuring cadence, quality, and delivery across episodes

Strategy

We positioned First Cheque as a founder-facing show about early-stage investing, not another investor podcast.

This framing positioned Cheryl and Maxine as accessible, high-signal investors rather than gatekeepers.

Each episode blends founder stories, investment frameworks, and candid discussions on risk, conviction, and bias — highlighting the hosts’ authenticity and judgment.

Client Impact

✅ Personal Brand Lift

Cheryl and Maxine's voices grew in reach and credibility.
Each host’s social media following and engagement grew measurably after the first season.

✅ Investor Credibility

Their perspectives on founder–investor alignment built authority beyond transactional investing.
First Cheque differentiated them from peers by showcasing emotional intelligence and on-the-ground experience.

✅ Ecosystem Reach

Amplified through founder guests and cross-promotion on other startup podcasts and newsletters.
Helped normalise angel investing as a collaborative, founder-friendly practice.

Results

🚀 Brand Reach	Significant follower growth across LinkedIn and X (Twitter)
💬 Engagement	Consistent comment and share activity from founders, angels, and VCs
🗣️ Perception Shift	Hosts further cemented their reputations as go-to early-stage voices in the Australian startup ecosystem
🔁 Opportunity Flow	Increase in inbound deal flow and collaboration invitations

Summary

First Cheque demonstrates how a podcast can operate as a personal brand accelerator for investors. By pairing professional production with authentic storytelling, Day One helped Cheryl and Maxine turn their perspectives into a scalable asset. One that drives recognition, credibility, and community trust.

Testimonial

I owe a lot of that to Adam and the team at W2D1, they have made it easy for my co-host and I to do our best work on the show and not have to worry about the production.

Cheryl Mack, Founder, Aussie Angels