My Migrant Soul | Episode 09 - Richard Cozzella
The Size of Your Belief
Richard Cozzella on Mindset, Faith, and Business Growth
Richard Cozzella was 19 when he opened his first business, a tanning studio in Geelong. He'd put everything into it, brought on investors, and had no real idea what he was doing. Twelve months later, the business had made no money. It wasn't the story he expected to tell on this episode of My Migrant Soul, but it's the one that shaped everything after it.
In this conversation with host Imran Abul Kashem, Richard traces the path from that near-failure to a career that now spans property development, NDIS disability housing, and insurance, with a hair-product import business and a tea company somewhere in between. He calls himself a serial entrepreneur, and the label fits — but what stands out more is how he talks about the setbacks along the way. "We don't say there's no failure," he tells Imran, "either we win or we learn." It's a line he clearly lives by, not just says. The tanning studio taught him a lesson he still applies today: count the cost of losing before you get swept up in what winning might look like.
Watch the Episode 09 on YouTube
The 20-Meter Vision
Richard's approach to big decisions is summed up in a metaphor he returns to more than once: driving at night, where your headlights only show you 20 meters ahead. You don't need to see the whole road to start moving, you just need to trust that the next 20 meters will show up once you get there. It's a simple way of explaining a mindset that's carried him through half a dozen ventures, and it echoes something he heard years ago that stuck with him: the size of your success is determined by the size of your belief. When your mindset gets distracted, he says, or you start feeling like something's working against you, that's when the dream gets shattered — so the dream has to be built bigger than any obstacle in front of it.
Building on People, Not Tactics
That belief gets tested in practical ways too. Richard walks through a stretch early in his NDIS business when the numbers weren't working — new participants weren't coming in fast enough to cover what the business owed its people. Rather than assume the model was broken, he traced the problem back to one thing: he didn't have the right person connecting with participants in an industry where trust is everything. Bringing in the right CEO for that role, and marketing that person properly, turned the business around. It's a small case study in a bigger idea Richard keeps coming back to — that growth usually starts with people, not tactics.
Chopped Into a Thousand Pieces
The conversation also goes somewhere more personal. Richard talks about starting a charity ride after his niece was diagnosed with a brain tumor at 25, pulling together 17 people to raise funds for her treatment, and what that experience showed him about the pull of thinking beyond yourself. He's candid, too, about the toll of running multiple businesses while being a father and a husband — describing himself as "chopped up into a thousand pieces every day" — and how his faith and a consistent gym routine are what keep him from burning out. "Our peace gets lost a lot," he says of business life, and for him, protecting it isn't optional.
The Trust Equation
On personal branding, Richard and Imran land on a shared framework: authority and expertise, results and proof, and authenticity and trust. In a world where information moves at "100 miles an hour," Richard argues that trust is the piece that actually closes the sale — people want to do business with someone they can research and verify, not just someone who's loud.
What You'll Hear in This Episode
Why Richard's first business nearly failed within its first year, and what it taught him about counting the cost before chasing the win
The "20 meters of headlights" approach Richard uses to make big decisions without needing to see the whole path
How a family health scare led Richard to start a charity, and what that experience showed him about purpose
The moment Richard realized his NDIS business needed the right people in place before it could grow
Richard's three pillars of personal branding: authority, results, and trust
How faith, fitness, and routine help Richard stay grounded as a father, husband, and business owner
Why Richard's 10-year vision is built around mentorship, not retirement
Key Takeaway
"The size of your success is determined by the size of your belief." - Richard Cozzella
About the Host - Imran Abul Kashem
Imran Abul Kashem is the founder of Westend Business Hub, Westend Photography, Westend Digital, Westend Podcast, and Wyndham Entrepreneur Connect. An award-winning photographer and serial entrepreneur, Imran brings ideas to life at the intersection of creativity and business. As an author, investor, business advocate, and cultural ambassador, he is passionate about building platforms that empower communities and spark meaningful conversations.
About the Guest - Richard Cozzella
Richard Cozzella is an entrepreneur, business consultant, and community-driven leader based in Melbourne, known for his focus on relationship-building, leadership, and business growth. Across a career spanning healthcare, property, NDIS services, and insurance, Richard has built a reputation for helping businesses and professionals grow through authentic connection, collaboration, and people-first leadership. He's passionate about mentorship and believes trust, consistency, and relationships remain at the center of sustainable business success.
If this story resonated with you, share it with someone who needs the reminder: you don't need to see the whole road, just the next 20 meters.
Special Thanks to Our Partners
This podcast is proudly supported by our incredible partner businesses, whose ongoing support helps bring these conversations to life:
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