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The Real Biz Life Chronicles
Unedited stories of Business, Branding and Life.
Banish boring as Tracy Fryer and her guests take a ride on the rollercoaster of being a business owner - or of simply being human! Get ready to learn exactly what it takes to grow with distinction and show mediocrity the middle finger. In this podcast Tracy interview’s authentic business owners, who share their story of building a successful business, their strategies behind their success and leading the way.
RAW. Honest. Unedited.
The Real Biz Life Chronicles
#098 Dave Meney: Failing Forward After 30 Years in Business
What happens when your biggest business milestone almost doesn’t happen at all?
Dave Meney was meant to be celebrating 30 years of Yenem Engineering. Instead, he was navigating redundancies, restructuring, and the raw reality of nearly closing his doors.
Founder of Yenem Engineering and creator of AltConnect, Dave’s quiet tenacity has shaped some of WA’s most complex mining structures, and mentored the next generation along the way.
In this episode, we talk about resilience, ownership, and the brutal honesty needed to lead through a downturn. It’s not a highlight reel, but it’s the kind of conversation that shows what business is truly made of.
Mentioned in This Episode:
(03:54) From cabinetmaking to engineering
(06:00) The Yenem name and its mispronunciations
(07:07) Cycling, mindset and mental health
(12:45) The hardest lesson business taught Dave
(19:45) Mentoring young engineers
(24:32) When the business nearly folded, and what saved it
(32:58) Dave’s biggest advice: Know your numbers
(36:11) Why business can feel isolating
(43:34) AltConnect: The radical R&D project
(53:12) What really matters after 30 years
About Dave Meney
Dave Meney is the Founder and Managing Director of Yenem Engineering Services, a structural engineering firm trusted by WA’s mining and heavy industries for over 30 years. Known for pairing technical precision with a people-first approach, he’s built a business that delivers under pressure and nurtures a lasting culture.
Nicknamed the “Lean, Mean Structural Machine” early in his career, Dave’s greatest pride lies in the engineers he’s mentored. He also leads AltConnect, a bold R&D initiative using friction-based connections to cut construction time in half and rethink how we build.
A lifelong learner and passionate cyclist, Dave brings the same discipline to climbing mountains as he does to leading through crisis.
Connect: yenem.com.au | LinkedIn
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About Tracy:
Tracy Fryer is a branding powerhouse, speaker, and founder of Design Studio Perth and Trace Designs Bespoke. She’s dedicated to helping business owners and creatives build brands that truly reflect their values, passions, and long-term vision. As the host of The Real Biz Life Chronicles, Tracy brings raw, insightful conversations that push entrepreneurs to embrace bold growth, develop strategic branding, and lead with unapologetic confidence. Her approach is refreshingly real—blending deep expertise with a passion for authenticity, creative excellence, and business success.
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