One of the lessons I emphasise in Ready to Rise is that businesses rarely scale alone, they scale through the right partnerships.
The kind where each partner brings different strengths to the table, shares the same ambition for the future, and is prepared to do the work required to build something meaningful together.
This week we announced a partnership between ModnPods and McNab, two organisations coming together to accelerate the delivery of modular housing solutions.
You can read more about it here.
What I love about this partnership is that it reflects exactly what I talk about in the partnerships module inside Ready to Rise.
Great partnerships work because each party brings something different.
- McNab brings deep capability in construction delivery and large-scale project execution.
- ModnPods brings innovation in modular manufacturing and modern construction methods.
Together, they have the potential to move faster, deliver more housing, and help solve a real challenge facing Australia.
That’s the real power of partnerships. When they’re done well, they don’t just add capacity, they multiply impact.
Stuart and I have been investors in ModnPods for a number of years through our family office Arc31, alongside QIC, and founder John Christie. From the beginning we were attracted by the opportunity to contribute to solving one of Australia’s most pressing challenges - the growing need for high-quality, scalable, rapidly deployable housing solutions.
The importance of choosing the right partners has been a constant theme across every business Stuart and I have built. It was at the heart of the “Connect” value at Epic and Icon, and it’s why I dedicate an entire module to partnerships inside Ready to Rise.
Because the reality is simple: The right partners accelerate your growth, challenge your thinking, and show up when it counts.
When you’re working with partners who are values-aligned, clear on their roles, and share an aligned appetite for risk, something powerful happens. You move faster, make better decisions, and trust each other when the pressure is on.
As we’ve spent more time getting to know McNab founder Michael McNab and CEO Kunj Ganatra, it’s become clear this is exactly that kind of partnership. And importantly, it’s also one where we’ve all genuinely enjoyed spending time together while planning the shared vision ahead.
(Fun fact: during one of those early conversations we realised Stuart and I had actually met Kunj many years ago when he was part of the audit team at Pitcher Partners working on our pharmacy business audit!)
Now that the wider ModnPods and McNab teams have also had the chance to spend time together, it’s clear there’s a real meeting of minds - and a huge amount of mutual enthusiasm for what lies ahead.
With the lack of affordable housing now a daily news headline, we’re incredibly excited about what this partnership will enable us to deliver, particularly in the opportunity to help accelerate the supply of high-quality social and affordable housing across South East Queensland.
It’s exactly the kind of impact great partnerships should create.
I’d love to know what’s the most important factor you look for in a business partnership?
- Alignment of values?
- Complementary skills?
- Or shared appetite for risk?
Responses