Most business owners have heard that “the money is in the list.” But building an email list is only the beginning. The real challenge is staying in touch with prospects and clients without sounding pushy, salesy, or becoming the business everyone unsubscribes from. In this episode, Paul Sweeney sits down with email marketing strategist Ely […]
Most business owners work hard, grow their revenue, and build something valuable—but still feel uncertain about their numbers. Pricing feels like guesswork, cash flow is unpredictable, and when it comes to valuing the business, there’s no real clarity. In this episode, Paul Sweeney sits down with Jeff Glick to unpack why this happens and, more […]
When your business feels overwhelming, it’s easy to assume you need more discipline, more motivation, or bigger goals. But what if the real solution is the opposite? In this episode, Paul Sweeney speaks with Dr Christiane Schroeter about how small, repeatable actions—not big bursts of effort—are the key to restoring clarity, reducing burnout, and building […]
There comes a point in every business where working harder isn’t the answer anymore—something needs to change. In this episode, Paul Sweeney is joined by Ron James, a fractional Chief Operating Officer (COO) who helps growing businesses move out of constant firefighting and into structured, scalable operations. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, stuck in the day-to-day, […]
If you’ve ever found yourself frustrated by what feels like a disconnect between generations in your team—especially when working with Gen Z—this episode will shift your perspective. Rather than blaming younger employees for a lack of accountability or work ethic, this conversation with Trudy MacDonald reframes the issue: it’s not about effort, it’s about expectations, […]
Most business owners don’t fail because of a crisis. They fail because they never built the foundation that would protect them when a crisis arrives. In this episode, Paul Sweeney connects the dots from two powerful conversations with turnaround experts and reveals a simple but critical insight: everything that gets rebuilt in a business crisis […]
Most business owners start out chasing freedom — more time, more flexibility, and control over their life. But somewhere along the way, that freedom often disappears, replaced by long hours, constant pressure, and a business that feels like it owns you. In this episode, Paul Sweeney is joined by Chris Papin to unpack why that […]
If you’ve ever felt like your advertising is a gamble — spending money without knowing what’s going to work — this episode will change the way you think about marketing. In this conversation, Paul sits down with Skip Wilson to show how business owners can move away from guesswork and start using data to make better, […]
If you’ve ever felt like your team culture is “off” or that you’re carrying too much of the load as a business owner, this episode will give you a practical, grounded way to fix it. In this conversation, Paul sits down with Lisa Even to break down how culture is always happening (whether you’re managing […]
If you’ve ever struggled to attract the right clients—or found yourself wasting time on enquiries that go nowhere—this episode is for you. In this conversation with documentary filmmaker and storyteller Chris Baron, you’ll learn how to use storytelling as a practical business tool to connect with better-fit customers, communicate your value clearly, and stand out in an […]
Most business owners know they should have a plan—but too often, that plan ends up as a long document that’s created once and never used again. In this episode, Paul Sweeney breaks down why traditional business plans fail and what small business owners actually need instead. Drawing on 30 years of real-world experience, he shares […]
Marketing often feels overwhelming for business owners — a constant cycle of trying new tactics, getting inconsistent results, and questioning what actually works. In this episode, Paul Sweeney sits down with Kae Wagner to cut through the noise and get back to what truly drives effective marketing. You’ll learn how to simplify your marketing approach […]
Personal Goals play a valuable part in defining your business goals and the specific actions you need to take. A major cause of stress and anxiety for business owners is the failure of their business to enable their personal goals to be met. In this episode we explore why personal goals are very important in […]
It’s important to have contingency plans as part of your risk management strategy. What plans do you have in place, right now, to deal with scenarios where your business isn’t able to function for a period of time? From there, it is then essential to think about how your insurance can help you make these […]
We are hearing from business owners about opportunities that now exist. Many are planning on how they will capitalise on these opportunities. “Creating opportunity is about more than just thriving in an unstable, sometimes scary world. It’s about becoming the best version of yourself, and creating the life where you have all the opportunities you […]
Rita Morar from Keystone Business Advisory explains the five pillars of success. In Part 1 of this two part discussion Rita discusses the first and most important pillar of success which is our primary motivation. A foundation of success is to identify and utilize your primary motivators. Find out how understanding your primary motivators can […]
Rita Morar from Keystone Business Advisory provides Part 2 of our discussion of the five pillars of success. In Part 1 (Last Episode) we dived deeply into this discussion of what is a primary motivator and why people need to understand what motivates them to have a really successful personal life and business life. In […]
Employers now have a new issue that has come to the forefront that’s to do with a case concerning casual employment, and it has the potential to significantly change the way that employers look at casual employment. Before we actually look at this issue, it’s important to understand what is meant by casual employment and […]
Jason Smith, from Capital Plus Finance, shares his lessons learned from creating and successfully selling his business Cash Flow Advantage. Jason didn’t start his business with a plan of selling. But the decisions he made and the systems he implemented transformed his business into a profitable business that ran independently of him. When the time […]
Every business has risks. Identifying the cost to your business from losing one of your key people is the first step in protecting your business from loss. Jim Mills from Merit Wealth identifies the major risks to your business from losing a key person. How do you identify the impact? How do you create a […]
When processes and procedures aren’t documented… A customer’s issue may be handled incorrectly Customer service won’t meet customer expectations Errors will be made How much time is wasted by other employees learning how to do someone else’s job (badly) on the fly? How much of their own work do they not get done while they […]
Sandra Zalud shares some of the lessons learned from her experience of starting a business and provides some key advice for anyone getting started in business. Even with 25 years’ experience with lending and assisting a mortgage broker, there were lessons to be learnt when Sandra started her own mortgage broking business. Resources mentioned in […]
What are the traps businesses fall into with digital marketing? Where does your website fit in with your marketing strategy? Claire Wendell from Click Click Media discusses the problems many businesses face when trying to get started with digital marketing. Claire states, “You really want to try with your online marketing to showcase who you […]
With the end of Jobkeeper approaching in March for those businesses still meeting eligibility criteria, and other tax concessions being phased out, business owners need to look beyond March. The COVID-19 crisis has provided some indirect beneficial outcomes. It has in many ways been a catalyst for businesses to closely examine how they operate, who […]
When it comes to cyber security, the weakest link is the user – the actual human being behind the computer. You could have the best systems in the world doing what they do best, but if someone clicks on something or does something at a user level, then you can potentially compromise a lot of […]
In this episode, we’re going to delve into some of the practical steps that you can take to reduce your exposure to cyber crime. Luke Iacovelli (UNITECH Solutions) returns to help your business identify some of the practical steps you can take to reduce your cyber security risk and exposure. Many businesses are experiencing the […]
Is your business appropriately protected from cyber crime? Do you have specific cyber insurance coverage? Many small and medium businesses don’t understand the issues involved and are at risk of costly cyber attacks. In the past, it was the mega companies that were being hacked and they had teams of cyber loss control staff trying […]
PART 2 of our look at cyber security and the insurance you need to protect your business. In this episode, we look at what happens if there’s a cyber attack and I have to make a claim? What’s the process? Join Dave Ferris (Davelcorp Insurance Brokers) and Luke Iacovelli (UNITECH Solutions) as they dive into […]
Have you thought about trying networking but not sure where to start? Maybe you’re not sure what you’ll get out of it or if it will be worthwhile? Sandra Zalud from Liberty Network Services shares her experiences with business networking as a small business owner. Sandra found one important benefit that she received from business […]
Are you struggling to engage your employees who are working from home? Do you want better ways to support your remote team? Find out more about emotional intelligence and how a greater understanding of this skill can affect your business and help you all work as a cohesive team. Managing remote workforces has its challenges. […]
What is unfair dismissal? Who can apply for it? How does the Commission consider cases before it? For many employers, unfair dismissal can be a roadblock that prevents them from hiring because they don’t have a good understanding of unfair dismissal and it’s associated risks. It’s useful for businesses to understand which employees can apply […]
The Australian economy’s recovery from COVID-19 is well underway. The Federal Budget is focused on securing Australia’s recovery and rebuilding. It is a plan to invest rather than reform. Many have argued that it is a bland budget, missing the opportunity to deliver more tax cuts to help business owners. So how do the measures […]
Tax planning is a legitimate strategy all business owners can take advantage of to minimise tax. Tax planning is not just for big business. Every business can take advantage of some simple strategies to reduce tax this financial year. Paul Sweeney, Chartered Accountant and Registered Tax Agent, explains some simple strategies to reduce tax this […]
What is RegTech? How does it affect my business? What should I be doing? According to Deloitte, “RegTech (Regulatory Technology) is more than a buzzword, it is a very real movement that is already having an impact on regulatory compliance.” Deborah Young, CEO of the RegTech Association explains what RegTech is, and how RegTech is […]
Landing pages are often dismissed as a cheap alternative to websites. Phil Wendell from Click Click Media explains how every business can use landing pages as part of their marketing strategy to target new customers. By using landing pages, you can quickly and easily test your market and get feedback. How much did I invest […]
When selecting a business structure for a small business, there is a cheap way and an expensive way. The cheap way is to do it right first time – by getting advice from an experienced professional. But the expensive way is commonly disguised as the ‘low-cost’ method. Make sure you consider the real costs of setting a […]
