“You’re born with roughly 30,000 days to live. The best strategic planning I can give you is to think about that.”
That single sentence sets the tone for this episode of Hear Me RoAR.
In this conversation, Kate and Tobi sit down with Athan Didaskalou, Founder and Chief Strategy Officer of July, the modern luggage brand redefining how the world travels. What unfolds is not just a story about startups, products, or growth curves – it’s a sharp, grounded exploration of time, intention, and building things that actually matter.
Building July – A More Considered Way to Travel
July didn’t start as “another suitcase brand”. It started as a question.
Why does luggage feel outdated in a world that moves faster, travels smarter, and expects better design?
Rather than tweaking what already existed, Athan and his team designed their own case from the bottom up. Every detail was rethought – from materials and structure to functionality and aesthetics. The result is luggage that is beautiful, functional, and built for today’s travel habits, not yesterday’s retail playbook.
July also challenged how luggage is sold.
Instead of going through traditional distributors and retailers – each taking their margin along the way – July sells direct to customer. That single decision allows premium features without inflated prices. Fewer layers. More value. Cleaner experience.
Quite simply, it’s luggage done properly.
Genuine Product Love – No Script, No Sponsorship
This episode is not sponsored. There’s no affiliate link lurking in the background.
Kate and Tobi both travel with July suitcases – and they don’t travel light on opinions. Between them, their families are now fully kitted out in July cases too. That says more than any ad read ever could.
When founders use the product. When their families use the product. That’s signal, not noise.
Beyond July – An Entrepreneurial Throughline
July may be the headline act, but Athan’s entrepreneurial track record runs deeper.
He is also:
-
Founder of Thieves Coffee – Australia’s largest online coffee retailer, built on a subscription ecommerce model reaching over 70,000 people every month
-
Founder of Neighbourhood – quiet, creative cowork spaces designed for focus, intention, and meaningful work
-
Former strategist at Ogilvy/DT (WPP Group) – advising major brands including NAB, Google, Honda, Deakin University, Origin Energy, Officeworks, Myer, Suncorp, Simplot, and more
Across every venture, the pattern is consistent.
Taste over trend.
Strategy before scale.
Design with purpose.
Strategy, Without the Theatre
What makes this conversation compelling is Athan’s refusal to romanticise entrepreneurship.
There’s no hustle theatre here. No empty motivational noise.
Instead, Athan speaks to:
-
Designing brands that earn trust, not attention
-
Making long-term decisions in a short-term world
-
Respecting the finite nature of time – and building accordingly
-
Choosing restraint when excess is the easy option
This is brand strategy rooted in life strategy. The kind that compounds quietly, then shows up loudly over time.
Why This Episode Matters
If you’re building a business, a brand, or even just a clearer sense of direction, this episode lands with weight.
It’s a reminder that:
-
Growth is meaningless without intention
-
Design is strategy made visible
-
And time is the one asset you never get more of
You don’t need more hacks.
You need better questions.
Get ready to ROAR, Enjoy the Pod 🎧