From podcasts to live stages, Maxine doesn’t just talk about business, she translates 30 years of chaos, wins, and war stories into tools your audience can use.
Maxine Horne turned a $5,000 credit card and a single Gold Coast storefront into Vita Group: 2,500+ staff, $875M+ in revenue, and one of Australia’s most awarded retail success stories.
With over 30 years of experience in business, Maxine has countless stories to tell, of bold decisions, big risks, and even bigger lessons.
Since founding Fone Zone in 1995, she has:
In 2024, Maxine hit prime time as a Shark on Channel 10’s Shark Tank Australia. She sliced through the jargon,
grilled founders on customer obsession, and invested in ventures spanning tech, beauty, and e‑commerce.
Her no-BS feedback and dry humor made her a crowd favorite and mentor to a new wave of Aussie entrepreneurs.
With real-world experience and a no-nonsense style, Maxine inspires teams to
think bigger and lead smarter.
30+ years of in‑the‑trenches experience
not just theory.
Delivers actionable tactics audiences
can deploy the next morning.
Always lights a fire under any room
boardroom suits or startup hoodies.
Proven record of mentoring women to smash ceilings
and boost profits.
Speaks with the candour of a best mate and the authority
of a board chair.
Maxine Horne was born on Struggle Street in the UK and now lives on Millionaire’s Row in Australia. Along the way, she learnt the lessons to build a successful business. Through smart thinking and hard running, she built the ASX-listed Vita Group, which operates 100+ Telstra stores. In Think Smart Run Hard, penned by journalist Madonna King, Maxine shares how to turn an idea into a thriving business, from escaping a tough childhood to building a property portfolio and living the life she once dreamed of.
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