Flying Solo

If you’re ready to make the shift from procrastinator to productive force to be reckoned with, listen up. Sam Tornatore is a performance coach, neuro change practitioner and productivity expert who has been helping business owners and professionals overcome procrastination and achieve their biggest goals for 20 years.In this episode, Sam unpacks the causes of procrastination, from common fears to outdated belief systems, and shares his best advice to overcome them. He reveals his top tips for reaching peak productivity and the power of investing in yourself to create the success you wish for.Tune in to find out how to identify your own causes for procrastination and the steps to take to kick procrastination to the kerb.Topics covered in this podcast episode:1. Identifying procrastination Procrastination robs us of our right to be excellent Awareness to action - the keys to overcoming procrastination Reasons we procrastinate and signs to watch out for Common fears and stepping out of the comfort zones they create Overcoming our inability to take action, making excuses and blaming others. 2. The power of investing in yourself and pursuing passions Putting yourself first is necessary for success – treat yourself like a VIP and others will too Building self-awareness, taking responsibility and changing your narrative The importance aligning goals to your core values - Passion cannot be imposed on us by others How to identify and eliminate limiting belief systems and fears 3. Goal-setting and productivity The power of rewards for consistent action - not just achievements Avoid setting overwhelming goals - how do you eat an elephant? Guarding your time - setting conditions for uninterrupted work increases productivity How to create a distraction-free environment to achieve maximum productivity Episode timestamps [02:45] Procrastination root causes – what’s stopping you from taking action? [06:52] Awareness stops procrastination; excuses are warning signs. [09:08] Common fears that cause procrastination. [12:32] Changing the narrative and challenging childhood belief systems. [17:36] Identifying your passion is imperative to caring about goals. [20:57] The power of breaking down goals + rewards for consistent action. [25:26] Creating a fortress around time is key for productivity. [28:43] Struggling to disconnect and focus? You might be a control freak. [32:22] Setting the right conditions for peak productivity. [36:06] Invest in yourself: the final piece of the procrastination puzzle. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Could your customer service culture use a boost? Monique Richardson is the author of They Serve Like We Lead and a service expert who has spent decades helping businesses big and small deliver exemplary customer service.On this episode, Monique reveals the alarming increase in customer abuse and aggression since COVID and shares the importance of having clearly defined policies to address it. She also discusses how organisations can improve their service levels and the practical application of servant leadership to drive success. We touch on the role of service leaders in organisations, the importance of making customer service a part of the culture, and how to recognise and motivate team members to deliver excellent customer service.Tune in to get valuable insights on how to improve your organisation's customer service and leadership.Topics covered in this podcast episode:1: Handling customer aggression- 400% increase in customer abuse/aggression during and since COVID.- Clearly defined unacceptable customer conduct policy should be in place and communicated to customers and team members.- Safety and wellbeing of team members should be the top priority, and they should never be left wondering what to do- Induction training in an organisation should include an element of customer service.2: Improving service levels in organisations- Mediocre service needs to be examined to understand why it is happening.- Poor service can be caused by factors such as lack of technology, training, standards or behaviours.- Understanding the reasons for low service levels and identifying solutions to elevate the service experience.- The servant leadership philosophy - serving first and leading second.- Organisations that have adopted servant leadership have shown profitability and business success.- The practical application of servant leadership can have positive impacts on people, organisations, culture and customer experience.3: Characteristics of successful service leaders- The importance of self-awareness and the ability to identify strengths and weaknesses.- Service leadership involves both mindset and skills such as coaching, recognising good work, and providing feedback.- Leading by example is a crucial aspect of their leadership style and they have clear standards and expectations for their team.- Great service leaders are highly visible and provide coaching, feedback, recognition, and reinforcement to their team.- To provide the best customer experience, leaders should provide training and development opportunities, such as interpersonal skills or managing difficult customer behaviour.4: Integrating customer service into organisational culture- Customer service should be integrated into daily team meetings and catch-ups, rather than being a one-off topic.- A culture of taking care of customers and employees is key to success.- The commitment to excellence and a focus on customers and employees must be unrelenting every single day to achieve desired outcomes.- The importance of collecting compliments and sharing positive feedback with the team to recognise good work and boost motivation.- Encouraging teams to share their own ideas on how to improve the customer experience, especially those on the front line who interact directly with customers.Episode notes [02:09] High tech, high touch plus empathy – the customer service holy grail. [04:17] Why leadership's impact on customer experience is crucial. [07:12] Practical roadmap for service leaders' and team improvement. [11:14] Customer service audit tips - analysing problems and pain points. [14:29] Complaint handling tips to improve your team’s confidence. [16:16] Increasing customer aggression since pandemic – keeping staff safe. [22:05] Improving customer service - capture complaints, share compliments. [23:53] The power of servant leadership: serving first, leading second. [26:34] Building a customer-first culture into day-to-day business. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are you tired of wasting money on marketing that doesn’t work? You’re not alone. Fortunately, this week’s guest, Amy Miocevich, has the answer. Amy is a sought-after marketing expert, founder of Lumos Agency and the author of The Very Good Marketing Guide. On this episode, Amy shares her advice on building your marketing strategy, turning strangers into loyal superfans, and identifying and overcoming bottlenecks in your business. She reveals the importance of prioritising consistency and relationship-building to maximise the value of customers, and also explains why you should always position the customer as the hero. Tune in to learn how to apply these easy marketing strategies to your own business. Episode notes: [02:24] The biggest marketing mistake small businesses make [04:42] Understanding the linear journey from stranger to superfan [08:06] Building your marketing strategy into day-to-day business [10:42] Choosing the right marketing professional – questions to ask [13:46] Measuring marketing success – it’s NOT all about sales [17:52] How much of your budget should you spend on marketing? [20:12] Identifying bottlenecks that are letting your marketing down [23:54] Consistency over exceptional: The key to success [28:00] The power of positioning your customer as the hero [32:52] Strategies for turning strangers into superfans Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you want to crack seven figures and beyond, then having a strategy for growth is imperative, and today’s guest knows all about that.Jenny Stilwell is the author of The 7% Club: How to be one of the 7% of businesses that make it beyond $2M in turnover and she has helped hundreds of business owners through the challenges of growth. As a mentor to CEOs and as CEO of her own and others’ companies, she knows first-hand what it takes to grow a business. In this episode Jenny reveals the secrets to a sustainable business, her top tips for managing risk, and the role of culture and leadership in business success. Plus the blockers that might be inhibiting your growth!Episode notes:In this episode, Jenny unpacks: 2:30 – The bumpy road to burnout: How letting go can be the catalyst for change 7:00 – Honouring the value of your time to create a business you love 11:20 – How to avoid stalling at the million-dollar mark 15:20 – Quality over quantity – are all of your customers or clients worth it? 20:40 – “Go different, not harder”: How to grow beyond $2 million 25:30 – Empowering your people: Culture is the key to business growth 29:30 – Steps to cracking your first million-dollar profit Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jacqui Clarke is a seasoned business executive and personal wealth expert. With over three decades of experience helping high-net-worth individuals and business owners build and preserve their wealth, Jacqui joins us today, before launching her new book Stop Worrying About Money to share her insights on a range of financial topics.From practical advice on avoiding common money traps to tips on managing cash flow, reducing cost bases, and dealing with scope creep for small business owners, this episode offers valuable insights and actionable tips for listeners.Whether you're an individual looking to make smarter financial decisions or a small business owner looking to grow and thrive, Jacqui's expertise and experience can help guide you on your journey to financial success.Episode notes 02:39 - Learning about money at a young age 04:18 - 3 big money mistakes to avoid now 08:49 - Identifying behaviours: The key to saving and investing 10:07 - How scope creep and expense creep differ 12:56 - Supplementing income: Side hustles and saving goals 15:14 - The importance of building a financial network 18:45 - Blended families' unique relationship with money 23:57 - Managing financial realities for young adults 25:54 - Aligning payment cycles and strategic planning tips 27:28 - Record high business insolvencies in first quarter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of Flying Solo, we dive into the world of innovation and how it is crucial for businesses to embed innovation into their culture to succeed long term. Today's guest, Zoe Aitken, is an innovation and customer engagement expert with decades of experience. Zoe unpacks the importance of customer engagement, and prioritising customer needs as a platform for achieving business innovation.Join us as we explore the key habits, cultural aspects and processes involved in successful innovation and how you too can use an innovation mindset to see your business take flight.Episode notes:In this episode, Zoe explains: 01:27 - Why customer-centricity is the key to profitability and innovation 05:10 - How a curiosity mindset solves customer problems better 10:17 - The simple definition of innovation: Change that adds value 12:43 - Implementing everyday innovation in your business 15:23 - The power of quick customer feedback loops for building your business 17:37 - Why leadership alignment is crucial for innovation success 19:20 - Lessons learned from COVID-accelerated business innovation 22:51 - Real innovation requires habitual practice and customer conversations 25:31 – Data can only get you so far - why you need to experiment, test and learn Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s guest is Lauren Stokoe. Lauren is a Director at IP Australia. She’s an experienced product manager working across public and private sectors on digital transformations and the implementation of new products. She’s also the Venture Manager for Trade Mark ™ Checker.If you’ve ever considered trademarking your business IP, TM Checker is an AI-assisted tool created by IP Australia that makes it simple for small businesses to check trade mark availability and complete the application process in literally minutes.If you're curious about the ins and outs of Intellectual Property and trade marks and want to know more about how they can protect your business from competitors, then this episode is for you.Episode notesIn this episode, Lauren unpacks: 1:10 – What is intellectual property and why it’s important to protect it 5:30 – Types of IP and trade mark protection for small businesses 6:55 – How to check a trade mark’s availability using IP Australia’s TM Checker 10:00 – How to apply for a trade mark with IP Australia 14:05 – Why have only 4% of Australian businesses registered a trade mark? 16:30 – Why would you need to trade mark your business? 18:00 – What you need to know about the patents process 19:15 – Enforcing a trade mark – disputes and examples 22:40 – What can be trade marked? 23:55 – Top tips for small businesses on registering trade marks and intellectual property 26:00 – Intellectual property in overseas markets – the Madrid Protocol 28:55 – The costs of trade marking your business *This podcast is intended to provide general information regarding intellectual property and does not constitute legal or professional advice. It is not intended to take the place of legal or professional advice and should not be relied upon as such. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kate Toon is an award-winning entrepreneur, digital educator, SEO and copywriting consultant, coach, speaker, podcaster AND the best-selling author of Confessions of a Misfit Entrepreneur.She’s crafted a career as a digital mastermind while working from home and raising her son as a single mum. She about to jet off to Europe for a series of speaking engagements – she really is living the good life! But before she does she’s joining us to chat about her new book, Six Figures in School Hours – which is chock-full of valuable advice for how you can get over parent guilt, run a business and live a great life!Episode notes: 1:05 – Introduction to the new book, Six Figures in School Hours 3:20 – Starting a business and a family at the same time 7:04 – The 5 basics of running a business as a parent 10:45 – The power of mindset to eradicate parent guilt 14:30 – Why you shouldn’t compare yourself to others 18:10 – It takes a village to raise a child – and a business 19:30 – Getting your kids involved in your business 22:50 – Breaking out of inbuilt money mindsets 26:30 – Understanding your numbers + billable hours to reach money goals 30:20 – Understanding the value of your time – what are your priorities right now? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Milton Collins a man of many talents. He’s the former CEO of Federation Square, where he spent his days running the Transport Hotel Group. He’s headed up an importing and distribution business, and even spent time as the owner of a horse and cattle stud.He’s renowned for his business nous and is a sought-after and award-winning business coach and CX expert. Most recently he’s turned his hand to writing – and his new book, Delight, Disrupt Deliver, is chock-full of great advice for small business owners looking to create a great customer experience to attract more sales.Episode notesIn this episode, Milton unpacks: 1:08 – Why customer experience is so important to business success 3:00 – First steps to a great customer experience 6:15 – Important customer service tips for eCommerce businesses 9:45 – Training your staff to be great at customer service 12:45 – Milton’s extensive business experience – what he’s learned 15:20 – How to utilise chatbots for customer interactions 17:35 – How to personalise the customer journey and convert first-time visitors 20:30 – Building strong customer/client relationships 23:05 – Practical examples for taking customer service to the next level 26:15 – Dealing with negative reviews and learning from mistakes 28:50 – How emotional intelligence training boosts customer experience 30:05 – Appreciating + rewarding repeat customers/clients 31:55 – Benefits of a customer relationship management system (CRM) 32:50 – Building the ‘wow’ factor into your customer interactions 34:00 – Why customer experience is all about trust 37:50 – Creating a customisable, personalised experience for each customer 40:35 – How solopreneurs can build customer loyalty and word of mouth referrals Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Money! How to manage it, how to make the most of it, and how to attract more of it, are questions we’d all like answered and this week’s guest, Clare Wood, has some practical solutions. Clare is a sought-after money mentor, author, speaker and CPA-qualified accountant who helps service-based businesses to scale. She also runs The Profit Academy, an online school created to help business owners increase their profits exponentially.When it comes to money management, Clare knows just what it takes to help business owners make more money and create a life of financial freedom and fun.Episode notesIn this episode, Clare unpacks: 1:00 - From 2nd-gen numbers nerd to corporate finance 4:03 – Why helping small businesses make more money is her passion 8:44 – The basics of small business finance + key metrics to know 11:50 – The difference between profit and loss, cash flow + budget 13:55 – Cash flow tracking: Excel vs accounting software 17:40 – How to keep reaching your profit goals 19:10 – Why you DON’T have to tell your customers why you’re raising prices 22:20 – Understanding your money mindset – and how to change it 28:05 – The power of a growth mindset for entrepreneurs 29:05 – Sales strategies – growing your existing clients/customers 31:40 – Unlocking your money dreams and desires Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices