In this episode, I interview David Wise, a Co-founder, and Director at SFM Environmental Solutions Pty Ltd, a professional forestry business that provides forest management and consultancy services to a range of clients in Australia and New Zealand. David and his 2 partners started SFM back in 2001 when he was only 25. They were having a beer at the Uni bar and they decided to start a business instead of getting real jobs. With financial support from friends and family, and almost 20 years later, they have a team of 25 full-time employees, and 100 sub-contractors, and an annual turnover of $20 Million (projected to reach $30 Million in 2020).  The company has two offices in Tasmania, one in Queensland and another in New Zealand. Two years after starting SFM, the three launched a risky but innovative subsidiary business called Hydrowood, a wholly-owned subsidiary of SFM that salvages Tasmanian specialty timbers standing underwater for decades in man-made hydro-lakes and creates timber products for bespoke joinery, furniture, and high-end architectural applications. They have one customer on the mainland that buys 95% of that unique product. The state government provided a $250,000 grant to test the Hydrowood idea and the Australian government a further $5 Million to take the venture to reality.  The founders guard recruiting carefully with a no dick head policy and put their culture first (Hire smart, like-minded people as you can train them). David believes the hardest thing in growing a small business is, “Have the courage to do it, get financial management under control, and make sure you have something people wanna buy. The advice he would give himself on day one is, “Work hard, don’t give up, and focus. Don’t diversify, Specify” It’s going to be a super insightful episode you won’t wanna miss as David shares some of his business ownership wisdom. This Cast Covers: Starting SFM and coming up with the innovative idea for HydroWood. Pulling old trees out of dams and lakes to process them. Bootstrapping and growing the business organically for the last 20 years to reach $20 Million in annual turnover with a projected $30 Million turnover in 2020. From 3 full-time employees to 25 full-time employees and 100 sub-contractors. The business ownership success in being able to pay yourself and hire a team. Getting funding from the government, the three Fs, and holding stock. The fun and excitement of innovating and doing something that no one has done and made it work. Becoming a leading brand in the architecture/wood space, surviving through the global financial crisis, and doing well during the COVID-19 pandemic. Some of the most stressful points they had when they were starting HydroWood. Adopting some patience and learning not to micromanage people. The importance and challenges of keeping on top of logistics and financial management. Focusing on culture when hiring people and how it helps new hires fit into the company. Learning about discipline and decision making from taking a lot of aviation-related professional development. Taking a company directorship course and the valuable learnings of holding a chairmanship role. Growing your business by surrounding yourself with people who are smarter than you. The power of focusing on one thing that you’re good at.  Additional Resources: Losing My Virginity By Richard Branson Small Business Big Marketing Podcast Music from https://filmmusic.io "Cold Funk" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com). License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Grow A Small Business Podcast

022: Over a beer at uni 3 friends started a forest management business in 2001, now with 125 FTE and $20m - $30m in sales. Diversified into value-adding wood products they now also harvest trees from the depths of a lake in Tasmania (David Wise)

In this episode, I interview Darren Lange, the founder and managing director of the Tasmanian Cask Co., one of the leading suppliers of casks to the Australian whisky industry. His entrepreneurial journey started in 2010 after 20 years in the wine industry and aged 41. He decided to go out on his own and form a company called Master Cask, which was on-selling casks coopered overseas solely to the wine industry in Australia. A cooperage manufactures the wooden casks or barrels that wines or spirits are aged in. A 3000+ year craft, it is still a very manual process to date.  Starting out with one full-time employee, his mum soon joined him to help with the business administration and now his three businesses have a team of around 30, with just over 20 of those being expert coopers. In 2014, he formed the Tasmania Cask Company and a few years later acquired a customary competitor in South Australia now named Australian Coopers. He got money to fund his business from the 3Fs (Friends, Family, and Fools) until an investor bought into the business in 2015. That investment helped propel sales from 80 casks in 2012 to more than 20,000 in 2019, with 90% of those sold in the spirits industry.  Darren admits that excellent communication, a kick-ass team, and an investment in R&D and innovation are at the heart of managing the three businesses’ success. He believes the hardest thing in growing a small business is cashing in on people, and the advice he would give himself on day one is, “Not to be hard on yourself. Take the time to celebrate the wins and celebrate them with the people around you. Remember when starting out, the bigger opportunity, the harder it will be.”   This Cast Covers: The first whisky in the Southern hemisphere to win the Best Single Malt whisky in the world and the impact that had. From representing coopers from around the world to owning his own cooperage producing barrels for various distillers of wine, whisky, and more. The age factor in starting his own business and his business ownership backstory. The cyclic nature of the wine industry, the challenge it presented for cash flow, and how he overcame that. Their current cask output: Growing from 80 barrels a year to over 20,000 barrels just for spirits. Investing and committing to continuous innovation in order to add a huge amount of value to the industry. Funding the business through support from family, friends, trade credit, and investors. Working with distillers to provide just the right application of oak in the maturation process to produce a great and effective product. The challenge of investing in oak in terms of holding up capital for long periods of time. Building the cooperage skill set in modern Australia and how the spirits industry helped in that. The importance of communicating with the staff on how the business is doing and making sure they share in the dream. Cash flow: The one thing that Darren enjoys the least about managing fast growth. Understanding the numbers and not being too hard on yourself. Darren’s hiring tips and advice on how to build a kick-ass culture. Music from https://filmmusic.io "Cold Funk" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com). License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

0021: Quit 20 years in the wine industry in 2010 with 1 FTE, now across 3 cask businesses has a team of 30, with 20 of those coopers. Grew from 80 casks initially to 20,000+ in FY19, while pivoting from 100% wine to now 90% spirit customers (Darren Lange)

In this episode, I interview Cameron Sorsby, the CEO at Discover Praxis, an online career boot camp business that offers content, weekly meetups, mentoring, and project-based learning to entrepreneurial young professionals that Cameron started in 2014. Starting off with 14 participants, the boot camp has always focused on soft skills and mindset (not education for any specific role or industry) that expose them to most corners of the business so they can find and then hone their professional passion. At the end of the course, they’re placed in fast-growing companies seeking talented young people with what they have coined as “Forward tilt” (Young professionals who want to add real value, have initiative, and a sense of urgency)  At age 24, Cameron helped found the business, growing it from 4 full-time employees to 11 full-time employees within 6 years. With $12,000 for the 6-Month course, first-year revenue grew from $30,000 to around $1.5 Million in 2020. Since 2017, they’ve had over 100 participants a year and maintained a 90% graduation rate. The next stage of growth for them is ramping up their marketing while maintaining higher product quality aiming at reaching the 500 participants a year mark. Their funding was from bootstrapping for the first year and a half after which they took on $500,000 in investment in 2015. Cameron believes the hardest thing in growing a small business is persistence; the longer you go, the more likely you will survive and thrive. The advice he would give himself on day one is, practice patience. Stay tuned for more of his business growth insights.  This Cast Covers: Helping young professionals become ninjas in their workplaces. The skills and mindsets that enable participants to become entrepreneurial employees. Working with companies that are willing to take a chance on young talent. Their multimodal course structure and delivering it online, through an alumni network and meetups. The number of fees they charge per participant and where the original idea for Discover Praxis came from. From 14 participants in year one to 100+ participants in 2017, and a projected 500 participants in 2020. Fine-tuning their offering and maintaining the quality while building on their marketing and sales. The importance of having the right talent and strategies for the business stage one is in. Focusing more on learning so they can have a tighter game plan. Constantly looking for the next challenge instead of getting caught up on the level of success. Falling in love with the day to day processes of everything and the great outcomes that can come from that. Getting a $500,000 seed round funding from small family offices. Dialing in on their customer service to create more value for participants. The most stressful point in his small business growth journey. Cameron’s biggest mindset shift and how it helped him grow the business exponentially. The value in a small business owner having strong team management skills. Valuing and pursuing professional development. Additional Resources: Zero to One By Peter Thiel My First Million Podcast Music from https://filmmusic.io "Cold Funk" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com). License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

0020: Aged 24 he grew the team from 4 FTE in 2014 to now 11, sales from $50k to $2.3M AUD per annum with an online 6-month professional boot camp for young people. Participants have climbed from 14 in the first year to now 100+ annually (Cameron Sorsby)

In this episode, I interview David Vitale, the founder, and director of sales and marketing at New World Whiskey Distillery Pty Ltd (previously Starward Distillery), the makers of Starward whiskey. David left a distilling career in Tasmania and started the business in Melbourne around 2007 amidst the global financial crisis. Breaking many traditions in the nascent 15-year-old craft distilling industry, it took him three years to raise all the funds he needed to set up the distillery and get production underway.  It was clear the business model was for a quality sub-100 dollar bottle of whiskey that lives in the sharing cabinet of a whiskey drinker, and it launched at $75 in 2013 when all Australian whiskeys were double the price. In that first year they sold less than 2,700 bottles and in 2020 will move more than 120,000 bottles. With enough stock going into casks each year, they have a close to $22 Million excise tax bill per annum. David moved the business from 1 full-time employee in 2007 to now 35, and with production capacity about to expand again, David highly values the key team members he brought along the journey starting with his first hire who is still there ten years after production began. Funding from investors and selling whiskey investment casks helped get the business through fast growth, tough times, and be well-positioned for the world’s largest alcohol company with 18,000 sales reps in the US alone, to invest in late 2015. That bluechip investment helped them move to larger premises, increase production ten-fold, and get serious about export. David believes the hardest thing in growing a small business is letting go, and the advice he would give himself on day one is, “Keep going. It’s going to take a lot longer than you think, but you should still do it” This Cast Covers: Learning whiskey distilling from the godfather of Australian whiskey. Raising the first round of capital and how their whiskey took off globally. The absurdity of doing a great quality sub-100 dollar whiskey. Starting the distillery and waiting 3 years to start selling. 30 days away from insolvency and getting support from Distill Ventures. Moving to a new upgraded location and scaling up to ten times their original volume. The value of not having to worry about payroll and becoming the best craft distilled spirit in the world. Advocating for building relevance for Australian whiskey outside Australia. Relationship management at the distributor level and the importance of working on the ground. The challenge of shifting from maker’s world to drinker’s world. From 443 cases of whiskey in 2013 to 20,000 cases in 2020. What all around success looks like for David and the amazing awards their whiskey has won so far against some of the best in the world. Starting out with one full-time employee to grow over the last 10 years to 35 full-time employees. The diverse forms of funding that Starward has had.  Losing his dad, having a baby, launching a brand, and overcoming stressful challenges with the business. Making hard decisions for successful cash flow management. The most fruitful way of creating value and the power of meditation. Recruitment wins and losses, and the valuable lessons learned. Onboarding new employees into the company culture within 60 days. The regret of selling his previous e-learning business and the most valuable course David ever took. Having a coach who is ex-military/ex-Microsoft and how he helps him develop in his professional and personal life. Learning more about leadership and work ethic from a podcast than from any book he’s ever read. Additional Resources: Good to Great By Jim Collins Built to Last By Jim Collins The Moment Podcast By Brian Koppelman The E-Myth By Michael Gerber  Music from https://filmmusic.io "Cold Funk" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com). License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

0019: 3 years to raise funds to set up a distillery in Melbourne, started in 2010 with 3 FTE and 2,700 bottles in 1st year sales to 35 FTE and 120,000 bottles sold in 2020, after the world’s largest alcohol company invested in late 2015 (David Vitale)

In this episode, I interview Phaedon Stough, the Co-Founder of Innovation Bay, the longest-running networking group for tech founders, startups, and investors in Australia. He’s also the founder and non-executive director of MitchelLake Global Executive Search and Talent Acquisition, an executive recruitment firm he started back in 2001 with a fellow university friend, focusing on the tech startup space. Surviving a tech crack within their first year and the global financial crisis in 2008, it was the second global recession which formed the foundation for their fast growth. From 2 full-time employees in 2001 to more than 90 within fifteen years, and $80 Million in annual revenues across six cities in Australia, UK, Singapore, and the USA, Phaedon admits that they grew their number of international offices too quickly. Apart from an investor’s $50,000 then another small injection for growth from their new chairperson, they have so far grown organically from profits. Phaedon exited the business operationally a few years ago but he’s still a shareholder. They had a big focus on mental and professional development, helping them learn corners of the business they weren’t strong in. He says he wouldn’t go back into the industry or any other service-based business, and would instead begin a recurring revenue model like a software as a service (SaaS) product. Phaedon believes the hardest thing in growing a small business is finding product-market fit, and the advice he would give himself on day one is, “Keep it simple”, and pricing before anything else. Stay tuned to find out more about his fascinating entrepreneurial journey. This Cast Covers: Starting and growing MitchelLake global executive search and talent acquisition. How focusing on their core clients helped them navigate the tech wreck in 2001-2002. From two full-time employees to 90 within a fifteen-year period, and 6 offices in different geographical locations. Making money, building a team, and getting approached by clients.  Being able to pick projects to do and receiving referral clients from the top five VC firms. How they raised startup funding and achieved organic financial growth. Avoiding service businesses and going more into a SaaS business. The stresses of having to downsize the business and focus on cash during the 2008 global financial crisis. Their quick expansion into different international markets and how he would have done it differently. The interesting challenge of managing people and his struggles with financials. The importance of an entrepreneur understanding why they want to go into a certain business. The impact of keeping really close to the customer and working with them. The difficulty for recruitment companies in recruiting their own staff. Building a kickass culture for all their six locations. The golden rule of startup businesses and how Phaedon invested in his own personal development. How he exited the business and the advice he would give anyone who is looking to exit their business. The value in using a project management platform and keeping it simple when starting a small business. Additional Resources: eBoys By Randall E. Stross Profit First By Mike Michalowicz Small Giants By Bo Burlingham Principles By Ray Dalio Music from https://filmmusic.io "Cold Funk" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com). License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

0018: Executive recruitment firm in the tech space launched in 2001 as the tech-wreck hit, from 2 FTE grew to 90 across 4 countries with $18m in revenue and minimal capital investment (Phaedon Stough)

In this episode, I interview John Groom, the founder and previous CEO of Acrodata. In 2006, aged 39 and a year after getting married, John jumped from senior corporate life and started his first business which specializes in document security and management in the small market of Tasmania, Australia. A year later, their first of three children arrived, and a year after that, the global financial crisis hit, causing his business to lose a new and large government contract.  They however pivoted quickly to find new customer segments and recovered within three months, growing from 2 full-time employees to 9 when he exited the business nine years later, and at over $1 Million in annual sales. The business still continues to grow and be profitable to date. He admits that in the beginning he underestimated the size of the market for their services locally and would do a lot of things differently if he could redo it.  John believes the hardest thing in growing a small business is funding and managing people, and the advice he would give himself on day one is, “Strap yourself in. Be ready. Build your resistance. Look after yourself. Stay healthy. Expect bumps in the road and expect to make mistakes.” Stay tuned to learn from his incredible entrepreneurial journey. This Cast Covers: An amalgamation of things he learned in senior positions at different businesses. Introducing digital workflow into government entities, businesses, organizations. Transitioning from a corporate career into entrepreneurship. There’s no roadmap that’s 100% in business ownership, one has to experience it hands-on. Running a business and taking care of a young family simultaneously. Being agile and innovative for a business to survive during a crisis. Creating the business ready for growth and achieving $1 Million in revenue and 9 full-time employees. The importance of a business founder paying themselves a cost-effective salary to allow for the business to grow from internal funds. The value of being a risk taker and having some self-belief while also taking the advice of more experienced advisors. The pride of achieving great milestones with the business and what success looks like. A business owner has to be totally involved and focused on their business. Taking on investment funds from friends and family, and no government funding. The most stressful moment in his small business growth journey. The challenges of entering business for the first time and proper cash flow management 101. Taking on an equity partner and how it can help take a business farther. Having a mindset of making tasks easier and more efficient no matter what the task is. Character versus technical skills when it comes to productivity and adding people to the team. Leading in creating a fun, decent, and tolerant culture that delivers excellent customer service at a profit. Networking, taking formal personal development, always having an open mind to learning, and surrounding himself with people smarter than him. John’s experience and advice on successfully exiting a business. The hurdles of self-funding a business and the benefits of seeking funding externally. The power of proprietary software, Excel, and Salesforce in growing a small business.   Additional Resources: No AssHole Rule By Robert I. Sutton The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck By Mark Manson The Alchemist By Paulo Coelho Music from https://filmmusic.io "Cold Funk" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com). License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

0017: With 2 FTE, Launched in 2006 Just Before The GFC, They Grew to 9 FTE and $1M in Annual Sales with Many Bumps in the Road and Lessons Learned Before Selling Out 10 Years Later (John Groom)

In this episode, I interview Stephen Chetcuti, the CEO and Managing Director of Protegic, an Australian-owned independent project management delivery and management consulting company. He has more than 20 years of experience in small and medium enterprises, and his work has involved strategy formulation, commercial negotiations, corporate advisory, business development, and project management. His ability to define competitive advantages in new ways is unique, and he works with clients in a cooperative and collaborative fashion that enables them to implement the strategic insights. Back in 2006, he spotted two great middleware engineers who wanted to close down their company, and he became the third full time employee and shareholder by just leveraging sweat equity. With 17 mergers and acquisitions under his belt, his early decision to strongly focus the company on specializing in one niche in middleware really paid off. By late 2011, after five and a half years of solid growth, they had 88 full time employees, $14 Million in annual sales, 16% or $2.2 Million profit, and were listed on ASX at a valuation of $27 Million.  Slicing off 20% of EBIT each year into profit share for their team and giving most of them shares, coupled with a big focus on culture and KPIs helped push sales to $20 Million per annum seven months after listing, when the founders’ earn out was completed. Stephen believes the hardest thing in growing a small business is mixing cash investment against your own aspirations, and the advice he would give himself on day one is, “Believe in yourself and stay the course”. Stay tuned to gain value from his valuable insights on small business ownership and growth. This Cast Covers: The Vanguard Integration backstory, doing mergers and acquisitions, growing companies, and turning them around. How the business made money and the impact the 2008 financial crisis had on it. Managing employees like a sports team and creating a great culture. Overcoming challenges in 2010 and holding on to all their team members despite a 60% staff utilization. How the idea for the IPO came about, the processes they set up in advance to make it a success, and how it all came together. The moment he felt they had succeeded from both a CEO point of view and commercial point of view. Buying out the initial shareholders, financing the business’ growth, and giving some equity to the staff. What he would do if he was in an ideal scenario of being a startup with plenty of funding. Losing 25 billable units in 2010 and not being an advocate for sacking people. Working on himself so he could add value to the business. Working out how to pay wages on every 15th of the month despite some clients paying in 90 days. The mindset shift of valuing the success of others as a team leader. The importance of a small business owner knowing their numbers and metrics. How to leverage the power of networks in having good people bring good people in. Getting his MBA before they took them out of cornflakes packets and investing in coaching courses. The hardship of a small business owner mixing cash investments against their own aspirations. Excel: Stephen’s number one tool for growing a small business. Thriving in business no matter the challenges by believing in oneself and staying the course. Additional Resources: Porter’s Five Forces Start with Why By Simon Sinek Music from https://filmmusic.io "Cold Funk" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com). License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

0016: No Investment Into A 3 FTE Software Company In 2006 Grew To 88 FTE, $12M Sales, $2.2M Profit And Listed On The ASX With A $27M Valuation (Stephen Chetcuti)

In this episode, I interview Bill Welter, the owner/operator at Journeyman Distillery, a business that he was propelled to start by his passion for golf, not to mention the country of Scotland and a young entrepreneur from Australia. His business owner journey began after high school graduation when he and his father took a trip to Scotland. They traveled the country and played its famous golf courses. Welter, an accomplished golfer, was about to start a full-ride scholarship in the sport at Missouri State. His love of Scotland continued after college so much that he chose to return with an overseas work visa and find employment in a restaurant during the evening while playing golf during the day. That was when he fell in love with the age spirit and a few years later ventured to Tasmania, Australia to work and study world-class distilleries in the Island south of Melbourne. Returning to the USA, he found an old factory and bought, after which he and his wife opened a distillery there (one of 250 in the US back then. 10 years later there are more than 3,000 of them) With 4 full-time employees, Bill literally chased cars down the road to get customers to come in, 80% of whom would then ask, “What beer do you sell here?” Now in 2020, they have 95 full-time employees with a total team of 150 in the peak season which is 15% of the small 1,000 person town they’re located at.  In 2019, they saw 200,000 visitors come through their doors, hosted 110 weddings, have a successful restaurant, 11 rooms of accommodation, and a 30,000-foot padding green out the back paying homage to Bill’s continued passion for golf. With their products sold through most states in the US, and some export markets, they’re looking to add one or two more sites somewhere in the USA. Bill believes the hardest thing in growing a small business is access to capital and the advice he would give himself on day one is, “Don’t be so hard on yourself” It’s going to be quite a resourceful episode if you’re for some motivation to keep you going in your small business ownership journey, so don’t miss out! This Cast Covers: How he developed and combined his passion for whiskey and golf. Starting out in 2010 and focusing on quality (making the best product they could) and production processes. How craft distilling became a viable industry and how they had an unexpected growth in the industry. Growing up and working in the family banking business and how it influences how he runs his distillery. Learning a lot from the best distilleries in Tasmania and applying the knowledge in setting up his own distillery in the US. The impact that educating people on beer and distilling had on their growth. From chasing customers down the road and 4 employees to 200,000 visitors and 150 employees. Always looking forward, never backward despite his success so far. Growing the business with the idea of opening other locations and being a good partner to the community. Working on the business 15 hours a day every day for one year to bootstrap it to its current success. Letting go and not being involved in every aspect of the business, and how challenging it is. The importance of working on the “people” (employees) and always hiring the very best. Bill’s biggest mindset shift in his small business growth journey. The number one habit a small business owner should develop and maintain. Making hiring people easier through a suitable vetting process The value of spending a few minutes a week with the key employees. Networking to build beneficial relationships and how capital presents a challenge for small business owners who are starting out. Growing a small business by encouraging open conversations of ideas among the senior management.  Additional Resources: Principles By Ray Dalio Music from https://filmmusic.io "Cold Funk" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com). License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

0015: From 4 FTE in 2010, and literally chasing cars down the street of a small town in Michigan, to the current 95 FTE with 150 in the summer peak and 200,000 people through its doors (Bill Welter)

In this episode, I’ll have a conversation with Ed Davis, a trusted advisor on SAP security matters and a director at Turnkey Consulting, the Australian branch of a specialist SAP consultant business with sister offices in the UK, Singapore, Germany, USA, and Malaysia. After 10 years in London, Ed moved back to Australia in 2009, left his consulting career and opened Turnkey.  He started with himself and a great business partner, and then gradually built their team to the current 32 full-time employees, with 20 of them being based in Malaysia focusing on back-office tasks for Australian clients. The company’s revenues have grown more than tenfold in the last 11 years, and has been funded organically from profits. They have a good commitment to culture, especially for the two offices split between Melbourne and Sydney, and the group of 6 country offices meets up regularly.  During their recruitment, they have a strict no dickhead policy that ensures that they get the best team members. Ed believes that the hardest thing in growing a small business is switching off because there is always something to be done. The advice he would give himself from day one of starting his business is, “Don’t go it alone. Having a partner to bounce ideas off of and back each other up makes a world of difference.” Listen in, enjoy, learn, and go implement in your business.  This Cast Covers: What Turnkey Consulting is all about and how they make money. Headquartered in the UK, running their managed services through Malaysia, and present in 6 countries. Growing the company ten-fold within the last 11 years and working with the government and some of Australia’s largest retailers. The success in being able to sleep well at night, providing job security for self and others, and getting great feedback from clients. Applying a success based salary model and other financial measures to grow the business organically. Opportunities in the cybersecurity industry. The challenges their company and companies worldwide are facing during the current Coronavirus pandemic. Maturing their governance processes and holding themselves accountable for achieving their targets. What he has enjoyed the least about managing the company’s fast growth. Shifting his mindset towards working on the business and not in the business. Looking out for new business opportunities, having a great culture, building a close-knit team, and their no dick head policy. How they have managed to always nurture their global team.   Investing in his personal development by taking an executive coaching course and other courses. The difficulty of switching off for small business owners. Growing a small business by using CRMs to track leads, contacts, and sales. The value of having a business partner versus being a sole proprietor. Additional Resources: Managing the Professional Services Firm By David Maister Let’s Talk Coaching Podcast with Heiner Karst Music from https://filmmusic.io "Cold Funk" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com). License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

0014: In 2009 started with a business partner, the 2 of them now have 32 FTE team members with 12 in Australia and 20 in Malaysia, as part of an elite SAP Consulting business with offices also in UK, Singapore, Germany, USA (Ed Davis)

In this episode, I’ll have a conversation with Dan Kozaris, the owner of KPD4⨉4, a successful Australian four-wheel drive (4WD) accessories company. At age 26 in 2008 as the global financial crisis hit, Dan decided to pivot from the safe job of school teacher to become a marketer of four-wheel drive (4WD) accessories online for someone else. In 18 months, he helped grow that business from $3 Million to $5 Million in annual sales.  Soon after, the owner took a chunk of money out of the business and left it to collapse, leaving Dan owed a lot. Vowing he could grow the same online business, but manage its finances better, first-year sales were $250,000. After four years working on his own, a six-week bike ride through Siberia with a mate, with barely any internet access, was the catalyst for Dan honing his first team member, and growth really took off from there.  Now at five full time and one part-time team members, and sales growing between 30% and 60% per annum over the last ten years, they now have a multiple seven-figure business. Growth has been funded from profits with no debt or investors needed. Dan believes the hardest thing in growing a small business is identifying the most important tasks which make a difference to your growth and actually getting them done. It’s going to be a super insightful episode for any small business owner, so don’t miss out.   This Cast Covers: The two main functions at KPD industries and how they make money. The challenge of managing the business remotely to get more time and lifestyle freedom. His journey from education teacher to marketer and business owner. The gold rush era of the online four-wheel drive (4WD) market. Starting the business from home as an online business to diversifying into manufacturing. Doing $250,000 a year in revenues in 2010 and growing at 25% to 45% per year on average to reach multiple 7 figure revenues. Getting 70% of their revenues from their own branded products. The moment when Dan felt he had succeeded and what success looks like to him. The Coronavirus lockdown and the value of working online. Funding the business internally despite starting from a negative financial position. The headache he had with bookkeeping and accounting as the business grew. Building confidence in their brand by getting the product right and making sure their customers were extremely well serviced. Bringing in software to help them manage the increasing customer inquiries. The challenges of managing people, and keeping them productive and focused. Understanding the actual potential of the business in the future. The importance of a small business owner making sure the tasks they’re engaged in are making a net positive growth difference in the business. How he brought on team members to increase the business’ overall capacity and the hiring mistakes he made. The value of maintaining a regular open line of communication with employees. Investing in personal development and how it impacts him as a business owner and leader of his team of employees. Identifying the most important tasks which will make a difference to a business’ growth and actually getting them done. Aiming high and how it can help a small business owner do everything they have to to make things happen. Additional Resources: The Vision Traction Organizer Become a Key Person of Influence By Daniel Priestley Traction By Gino Wickman   Music from https://filmmusic.io "Cold Funk" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com). License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

0013: From Quitting His Teaching Job To Market 4WD Accessories Online, Growing the Business And The Business Collapsing, To Pivoting it Again, Starting His Own Online Business, and Turning it into a Multiple Seven Figures Company (Dan Kozaris)

In this episode, I’ll have a conversation with Kris Miles, the co-owner of the Winston Ale House and The Winston Brewery, both in North Hobart, Tasmania. When Kris and his wife Caroline’s local pub went up for sale, they couldn’t pass on the opportunity to snap it up. After working in hospitality for many years, the desire to open their own venue could no longer be ignored. Combining Caroline’s yearning for American comfort food with Kris’ vision to open a brewery, the duo embarked on their first venue. They found a name in Winston, their beloved pet dog whose friendly and sociable nature set the tone for what they wanted the venue to become. The couple purchased the spot and transformed it into an art-deco space, imbuing it with a warm and casual atmosphere. They started by opening the Eatery, offering a fantastic American menu and 12 rotating taps. In 2016 they expanded the offering with the addition of the Winston Brewing Company, allowing Kris to indulge his wildest beer-related fantasies and serve brews that can’t be found elsewhere. At the brewery, Kris experiments with hoppy styles, using Tasmanian hops and barrel-aging techniques.  In 2020, they are opening a dry food and craft bottle shop to their very busy bar and moving the brewery within a  few hundred meters with a taproom. With around 13 full-time team members they grew around 20% each year, and sales have been growing steadily in recent years. They have funded the business solely from savings and putting profits back into the business. The bar is always busy and a testament to how one can turn around a dead venue with nothing but a good vision, great team, training, and offering something different to the market. Tune in to hear how sticking to your model, being open and honest about what you want to do and offer the market, and not overthinking things can help you grow your business. This Cast Covers: How Kris and his wife took the plunge to stop working for other people and start the Alehouse and brewery. Their North American inspired foods and craft beers from all over the world. Working in the business as a couple and how that helps them in separating their personal and business lives. Sustaining a 20% growth rate by working a lot of hours to keep the wage cost down and have money to keep reinvesting. The foolproof bootstrapping strategy that enabled them to avoid debt and external funding. How opening the brewery became the most stressful point in his small business growth journey. Enabling the employees to feel invested in the business by educating them and taking them on craft brewery tours. The unpredictability of managing the growth of the business and how difficult it was to plan for it. Getting better at managing their money and being more financially organized. The number one habit Kris thinks a small business owner should develop and maintain. How they added people to their team and the lessons they learned. Discouraging toxicity among employees to build a great culture. Investing in professional development by learning something new every day. The detriment of overthinking things to the growth of a small business.  The power of having a good accountant and the long term value it offers in terms of business growth.  Additional Resources: Beyond the Pale: The Story of Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. By Ken Grossman Craft Beer and Brewing Podcast The Sour Hour   Music from https://filmmusic.io "Cold Funk" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com). License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

0012: In 2013 Took Over a Dead Bar Venue, Turned it into a Thriving Craft Beer and American-style Food Pub Initially Growing 20% Each Year and Now With 13 FTE, Added a Small Brewery and Soon Opening a Craft Beer Bottle Shop (Kris Miles)

In this episode, I’ll have a conversation with James Cuda, CEO, Co-Founder and Creative Director of Savage Interactive, the company behind the hugely successful iPad app, Procreate. The multi-award-winning art app is designed to free creatives from their desks and encompasses a powerful suite of tools for illustrators and designers at any skill level, and contains everything one needs to create inspiring sketches, gorgeous paintings, and stylish illustrations.  James came up with the idea for Procreate in 2009, but it wasn’t until 2011 that he got serious with it. He has to first shut down his fairly thriving branding and web development agency and pivot it all into building Procreate into being the number one paid creative app on the Apple app store. Currently, with 40 staff and generating more than $30 Million in annual revenues, the only investors in the business are James and his wife, who’s in charge of the company’s strategy and finances.  Their funding has all been from cash flow even during the early transitional years when they were moving from an agency model to one app. Down to their last $20,000 in the bank, they invested heavily in culture and only hiring A the best which worked wonders for them. James believes the hardest thing in growing a small business is the mindset of money versus services or products. He believes one should focus everything they’ve got into making the most exquisite product they can. Tune in as he shares the incredible Procreate story and his tons of wisdom for every small business owner who’s looking to win big with their business.  This Cast Covers: The thriving Hobart tech scene and how James came up with the idea for Procreate. The pricing conundrum when they launched on the Apple app store and how they overcame it. The start of something ambitious with Procreate. The experience James had with shutting down his previous business. Turning over $30+ Million a year with 40 employees and millions of customers worldwide. How app stores make money from listing apps and Apple’s $2 Billion revenue from its app store. Starting a software company with only $20,000 in cash and bootstrapping to success. Trying to change an industry with the best products in the world. Growing the company in Hobart despite no government support. The importance of anticipating fast growth and planning for it. Maintaining tenacity even when things in business are bad. Viewing employees as the biggest asset and making sure they have everything they need to do their job as best as possible. Hiring 101: Getting the A players on the bus Building a growth-oriented company culture and the best personal development a small business owner can get. Creating an amazing product before focusing on the revenue generation. Growing a small business with a humble spreadsheet. Incorporating influencer marketing as the core of their marketing strategy.  Additional Resources: The No Asshole Rule By Robert I. Sutton Built to Last By James C. Collins and Jerry I. Porras The Magic of Thinking Big By David J. Schwartz   Music from https://filmmusic.io "Cold Funk" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com). License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

0011: Doing $30m+ in Sales with 40 Team Members, in 2011 Shut-down a Successful Digital Agency to Back an iPad Idea and Push Through the Hard Transition Times When They Were Down to Their Last Few Dollars in the Bank (James Cuda)

In this episode, I’ll have a conversation with Ben Crowley, the founder of online supplements retailer Bulk Nutrients. While teaching English in Japan, Ben saw a gap in the market with Australian customers paying so much more for protein powders and other fitness products. He launched his first business in Tasmania and quickly lost his entire $10,000 savings in a supply order. Almost giving up, he went to work for the government for a few years while he cashed back up and built a business, adding part timers until he quit and went full-time in 2011. Now with $27 Million in annual sales and 55 team members, Ben and his team have a strong focus on producing quality products in Tasmania instead of offshore, and have a fanatical focus on outstanding customer service. For many years they have been Australia Post’s number one customer in Tasmania and now the top 10 nationally for Express Post. Bringing his wife, brother, and sister-in-law into the business in key roles has helped the business manage its fast growth and fend off the need for investors. Apart from a bank loan to buy the main warehouse they have been in since 2012 (and paying the loan off shortly after), funding has been from cash flow. Ben believes that the hardest thing in growing a small business is that with a  family business, one has to ensure they maintain good relationships inside and outside the business. Stay tuned and enjoy as he reveals how he went from bagging up raw protein powder in his home to running a $27 million Tasmanian success story by undercutting mainstream brands by up to 50 per cent. This Cast Covers: How Ben started Bulk Nutrients, how it makes money, and what the future looks like. Serving people’s needs by creating a brand which focuses on very pure products. The value of investing extra in a great quality product and the best customer service. Bulk Nutrients’ range of products and what Ben picked from the 4-Hour Work Week.  How important it is for Ben that they produce the highest quality supplements from Tasmania. The key numbers that illustrate the business’ growth. From $4 Million to $27 Million in annual turnover, 2 to 55 team members, and sustaining a 5 to 10% annual growth rate. Building money up in stock and using turnover to fund the business. The great leadership at Bulk and the contribution it has made to overall growth. Uncovering a competitor who was cheating customers severely. Ben’s amazing professional journey and his preference for a more casual honest approach to running things versus a corporate lifestyle. Realizing that the product is far more than a physical product. Connecting with customers and promoting the brand in a genuine way. The number one habit a small business owner should develop and maintain. Being attached to the staff and building a great company culture to facilitate growth. Things you want to learn about versus things you should be learning. Getting a lot of motivation from managing the whole product development experience. Maintaining good relationships in and out of the business when it’s a family business. Continuous learning and investing in employees all the time. Additional Resources: 4-Hour Work Week By Tim Ferriss Influence By Robert Cialdini Find Your Why By David Mead, Peter Docker, and Simon Sinek The Power of Habit By Charles Duhigg Built to Last By James C. Collins and Jerry I. Porras   Music from https://filmmusic.io "Cold Funk" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com). License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ …………. Quotes:   “When you pay less for service or product, the customer service is often equally as bad” - Ben Crowley “The more professional your competition, the more input you need from people with a lot of business experience” - Ben Crowley “You don’t have to be a big fan of marketing to market your company well” - Ben Crowley

0010: From 8 employees and $4 Million in annual turnover to 55 employees and $27 Million in annual turnover

 In this episode, I’ll have a conversation with Ben De Jong, the co-founder of The Cut, a digital-first agency with well established creative branding skills that helps people create great Shopify websites. The Cut is actually Perth's only Shopify Plus partner and Shopify expert partner. Ben and his business partner started the agency back in 2009 after they both moved back from London. Over a 6 year period, they have grown the agency from the original two founders to a team of more than 10 full-time employees, and have bootstrapped it purely on cash flow to achieve a consistent $1 Million in annual revenues. One of their biggest mistakes was starting a second online business in 2011 because it took time, resources, and most importantly focus away from their core business. Ben’s advice for any startup owner is to implement simple business systems within the first twelve months, and to not be tempted by opportunities that will affect the business. Stay tuned, learn and go implement as he talks about that and so much more. This Cast Covers: From 2 to 14 employees within 5 to 6 years and a consistent $1 Million annually in revenues. Starting a successful online marketing platform for new home builders. The diversity and complexity of what a small business owner has to put into the business. Focusing on partnership programs, marketing, sales, and building relationships to add the greatest value to the business. The biggest mindset shift for Ben in their business growth journey. New Business: The number one habit a small business owner needs to develop and maintain. How they added people to their team and the lessons they’ve learned. Building a sustainable culture to help with business growth. On-site versus remote employees: The changing landscape of the workforce  Investing more in professional development. The challenge of maintaining the focus required to grow a small business. The importance of finding an easy to use program to systemise/organise a business from the get-go. Additional Resources: The Cut Shopify The Shopify Dropify Podcast Music from https://filmmusic.io "Cold Funk" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com). License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ …………. Quotes: “You’re always having mindset shifts if you’re running a small business” - Ben de Jong “Do not settle to fill a gap” - Ben de Jong “When you are recruiting, you have to look long and hard to find quality people” - Ben de Jong “If it’s boring, it’s probably running pretty smoothly” - Ben de Jong   

0009: $1m+ annual revenue with a team of 10 within 6 years - all bootstrapped, this digital agency focuses on creating Shopify sites for clients (Ben De Jong)

In this episode, I’ll have a conversation with Sam Reid, the co-founder of Willie Smith’s Cider. Willie Smith’s is a partnership between himself and Andrew Smith, a fourth-generation apple farmer in the Huon Valley. When the two met, Sam had been working at Diageo, one of the largest drinks business in the world, and was looking to do something different. While Andrew had some excess juicing apples that he was looking to do something with. Launching in 2012 as Australia’s first organic cider, the two founders have grown the business to 25 full-time team members, and their cider sales are all around Tasmania and mainland Australia through direct trade accounts, distributors and the Dan Murphy liquor chain. Soon after starting they bought an old apple museum near their production facility and converted it into the Apple Shed where they host weddings, events, and a mid-winter festival which grew from 4,500 people to over 20,000 people over four years. Funding the business’ growth mostly by themselves, they have also had some asset and bank financing, as well as around $750,000 in matched government grants. Sam will share some really great and actionable insights on how to grow a small business. This Cast Covers: How the idea for Willie Smith’s was hatched and brought to life. The cider market gap in Australia that they exploited to win big. The Willie Smith national distribution strategy and their amazing apple shed. Hosting the mid-winter festival and the key growth numbers of the multifaceted business. Focusing on bootstrapping and doing things effectively to ensure sustainable operations. The most stressful points in their small business growth journey. The areas in business he worked on the most to add the greatest value to the business. The least enjoyable thing for Sam about managing fast growth. The biggest mindset shift he had to make along the way of growing a small business. The number one habit a small business owner needs to develop and maintain. Building and leading an effective team that believes in the business’ vision. How to create a sustainable and kick-ass corporate culture to help with business growth. The professional development he invested in himself. Leveraging on the business networks he had built from his previous corporate career. The hardest thing in growing a small business and the one tool Sam would recommend to help grow a small business. Additional Resources: The Hard Thing About Hard Things By Ben Horowitz Leadership and Self-Deception By the Arbinger Institute Small Business Big Marketing with Tim Reid Great By Choice By James C. Collins Music from https://filmmusic.io "Cold Funk" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com). License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

0008: Establishing Australia's 1st organic cider brand from 2 to 25 FTE team members after 8 years (Sam Reid)

Our 20 to 30 minute podcast helps you, a small business owner with 5 to 30 team members, take your company to the next level. The Grow A Small Business community, weekly cast, blog and leadership email supports leaders get through the pain of growth. With insights, lessons learned, books and tools as well as habits these experienced small business owners suggest you develop, our interviews unearth tremendous value for anyone wanting to grow their business with less stress.

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