116: How Macro Mike Built a $Multi-Million Vegan Protein Brand from $10K
In this powerhouse episode of Babes Talking Business, we sit down with Mike Kellett — Founder & CEO of Macro Mike, one of Australia’s fastest-growing, multi-award-winning health food companies.
What began in 2016 as protein brownies hand-mixed in his one-bedroom apartment has exploded into a 100+ SKU empire, stocked across 5,000+ retailers, including Coles, major supplement stores, and independent health food chains nationwide. With a thriving online community of 500,000+ customers and 35,000+ five-star reviews, Macro Mike has become a household name in plant-based wellness.
But behind every “overnight success” is nearly a decade of grit, hustle, heartbreak, reinvention — and a whole lot of crazy.
And this episode reveals all of it.
What We Dive Into:
✓ The wild early days:
From selling pub-crawl tickets on the streets of Vegas and Surfers Paradise, to hustling hotdogs out of a school backpack, Mike shares how his childhood entrepreneurial spirit shaped his resilience and sales genius.
✓ The Vegas disaster that changed everything:
Moving countries, couch-surfing with strangers, and the moment he almost gave up — before discovering the job that would change his life.
✓ Building a brand from scratch:
How a gluten + dairy intolerance led him to develop a peanut-protein formula no one else in the industry had considered… and why it became the foundation of a category-changing brand.
✓ From kitchen bench to 2,000 sqm warehouse:
The truth behind scaling Macro Mike to:
• 50+ staff
• 15,000kg weekly production
• a full in-house manufacturing facility
• thousands of daily orders
• nationwide distribution
✓ Finances, growth and the hard lessons:
The mistakes that cost him $60K overnight, the year his profits went backwards, and the financial literacy every business owner MUST master.
✓ High-performance leadership & self-belief:
Where his unstoppable drive comes from — and the trauma, legacy and family influence that shaped him.
✓ Iconic brand partnerships:
How Macro Mike secured game-changing collaborations including:
• Macro Mike x Golden Gaytime
• Macro Mike x Kellogg’s (Coco Pops, Froot Loops & Nutri-Grain)
… and the five-year strategy behind landing these global brand deals.
✓ Mental health, burnout & identity:
What being a founder really costs, the boom-and-bust cycles of high performers, and how Mike is learning to lead from wellbeing instead of depletion.
✓ Legacy, leadership & the long game:
Why he’s never quit (even when he wanted to), how fatherhood changed the way he leads, and the routines that hold him through the chaos.
Why You’ll Love This Episode
This conversation is REAL, raw, emotional and wildly inspiring.
It’s the episode every founder, creator, entrepreneur, and high-achieving woman needs to hear — especially if you’re in a season of rebuilding, reimagining, or questioning your own path.
Mike is proof that:
✨ resilience is a skill
✨ self-belief can be learned
✨ “hard seasons” are often the gateway to iconic success
✨ and passion fuels the long game when money, motivation, and momentum disappear
This is easily one of our most powerful founder episodes yet.
Connect with Macro Mike here:
Instagram Handle Macro Mike - https://www.instagram.com/macr0mike/
Linked in Mike Kellett - https://www.linkedin.com/in/macro-mike-kellett/
Macro Mike Website - https://macromike.com.au
Macro Mike community Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/macromikecommunity/
Links & Resources:
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📷Follow Us on Instagram: @babestalkingbusiness
🌐Join our Signature Program: Her Renaissance
Connect with Us Personally:
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📲DM Chani on Instagram: @chanipeach
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