
Owner To Owner Podcast
Owner to Owner is the boldest business podcast for Australia’s SMEs. Host Michael Kerr gets raw and real, talking to business owners like you. Exploring the everyday struggles they face and the different pathways they tread to success. Forget the slick stories of tech titans and out-of-reach solutions from people who’ve never put their hopes and livelihood on the line. Owner to Owner dives into the wins and losses, pitfalls, luck and moments that made a difference.
You’ll find grit, laughs, maybe a few tears and hard-won lessons only available from others who’ve been where you are—whatever your stage of ownership.
Every business owner has a compelling story to share. Join us to listen and learn.
Latest episodes

Mar 7, 2023 • 28min
Matt Davis on why leaving Paris to buy the Bookshop at Queenscliff was the right family move.
Matt Davis, Jayne (his wife) and daughter left Paris to buy a book shop in Queenscliff Victoria @BookshopatQueenscliff It was a hell of a move! Matt shares the background on why coming back to Australia made sense, seeing a @facebook ad for a #businessforsale and his experience in the process of #buyingabusinessMatt and Jayne had lived in Paris a long time and their daughter. Matt made music, Jayne wrote and both worked in #advertising & #copywriting (English for French brands) which enabled them both to do their creative work. But they weren't such lovers of the school system and came to see Paris as a city built for adults. They all decided it was time to move back. They saw the ad of Facebook, bought the business while still in Paris and then made the big move back to a new life and business in late 2019. In our discussion we cover;finding meaning in a businesscrafting a livingthe attractions of a #bookshop #small #humble #oldschoolthe upside of a #treechange or #seachangehow #smallbusinesses are so vital for the vibrancy of #regionalcommunitieshis financial criteria for buying the businessunderstanding your personal financial needs from a businessthe bookshop as an important institution in the townbuying the business 3 months prior to the #globalpandemicthe upside being that it gave them a chance to sort of figure out how to run itthe reality of buying myself a job but with real meaning for me, for our family and for the townthe 3 years sincewhy he truly believes in books and how magic books can change your lifeplacing a really high value on meaningwww.facebook.com/bookshopqueenscliff/www.instagram.com/thebookshopatqueenscliff/www.kerrcapital.com.au
Thanks for listening. Visit the Owner To Owner Podcast website to subscribe, listen back, or check out any resources or information mentioned on the show.Search @ownertoownerpodcast on your favourite podcast player to subscribe and listen to the episodes.Reach out to Michael Kerr via the website if you need personal assistance or advice for your small business.michael.kerr@kerrcapital.com.auwww.ownertoownerpodcast.com.au

Feb 23, 2023 • 28min
PART 2 - Andy Gowers, succession planning expert, on the best way for families to stay together while tackling the complexities of managing generational wealth.
@andygowers is a #successionplanning and #wealthmanagement expert. He's got a business marketing degree and financial planning diploma . His professional background includes;playing #AFL with @hawthornfc for 12 years (including a premiership at Hawthorn in 1991)senior #financialplanning roles @anz founding and selling his own wealth management businessHe's launched a new business in Succession Planning (with David Naphtali) and was recently appointed #president Hawthorn Football Club.This is part 1 of 2 episodes. Over the 2 episodes we talk a lot about succession planning and #exitplanning for private and family businesses, and cover;what he learned growing up in a family #smallbusiness;living in an environment which was on reflection high-stress, where a lot of things that weren't said caused more problems than the things that were said,and how this led to his fascination in succession planning, and helping as many families and businesses that he can to address these issueswhat he learned when working in the wealth management area of #ANZbank during the #GFCthe #pyschologyofInvestingthe #startup of his own wealth management business with a partner and selling that after 11 yearswhy the financial planning discussion was really important to get the the management of people's wealth right but recognising bigger picture to be drawn was #successionhis mission to help #families (and avoid the potential downsides of wealth)#financialgreed why #communication is so vital#entitlement and expanding familiesthe mechanics of succession or exit planningthe critical role of an independent expert to guide discussionsthe #nuclearbutton that can trigger when some sibling or a family member says well bugger you I don't care about the rest of you I'm doing this ......why you need honesty but you need #sensitivehonesty#founder #purposesuccession in the #royalfamily #farmingfamiliesthe importance of ensuring your #shareholdersagreement is up-to-date#businesspartners#insurableexits and #uninsurableexitsthe special role of the #trustedadvisorsetting #rulesofengagementthe reality of true succession planning that not everybody's going to cut it@kerrcapital@Michael Kerr
Thanks for listening. Visit the Owner To Owner Podcast website to subscribe, listen back, or check out any resources or information mentioned on the show.Search @ownertoownerpodcast on your favourite podcast player to subscribe and listen to the episodes.Reach out to Michael Kerr via the website if you need personal assistance or advice for your small business.michael.kerr@kerrcapital.com.auwww.ownertoownerpodcast.com.au

Feb 23, 2023 • 28min
PART 1 - Andy Gowers, succession planning expert, on the best way for families to stay together while tackling the complexities of managing generational wealth.
@andygowers is a #successionplanning and #wealthmanagement expert. He's got a business marketing degree and financial planning diploma . His professional background includes;playing #AFL with @hawthornfc for 12 years (including a premiership at Hawthorn in 1991)senior #financialplanning roles @anz founding and selling his own wealth management businessHe's launched a new business in Succession Planning (with David Naphtali) and was recently appointed #president Hawthorn Football Club.This is part 1 of 2 episodes. Over the 2 episodes we talk a lot about succession planning and #exitplanning for private and family businesses, and cover;what he learned growing up in a family #smallbusiness;living in an environment which was on reflection high-stress, where a lot of things that weren't said caused more problems than the things that were said,and how this led to his fascination in succession planning, and helping as many families and businesses that he can to address these issueswhat he learned when working in the wealth management area of #ANZbank during the #GFCthe #pyschologyofInvestingthe #startup of his own wealth management business with a partner and selling that after 11 yearswhy the financial planning discussion was really important to get the the management of people's wealth right but recognising bigger picture to be drawn was #successionhis mission to help #families (and avoid the potential downsides of wealth)#financialgreed why #communication is so vital#entitlement and expanding familiesthe mechanics of succession or exit planningthe critical role of an independent expert to guide discussionsthe #nuclearbutton that can trigger when some sibling or a family member says well bugger you I don't care about the rest of you I'm doing this ......why you need honesty but you need #sensitivehonesty#founder #purposesuccession in the #royalfamily #farmingfamiliesthe importance of ensuring your #shareholdersagreement is up-to-date#businesspartners#insurableexits and #uninsurableexitsthe special role of the #trustedadvisorsetting #rulesofengagementthe reality of true succession planning that not everybody's going to cut it@kerrcapital@Michael Kerr
Thanks for listening. Visit the Owner To Owner Podcast website to subscribe, listen back, or check out any resources or information mentioned on the show.Search @ownertoownerpodcast on your favourite podcast player to subscribe and listen to the episodes.Reach out to Michael Kerr via the website if you need personal assistance or advice for your small business.michael.kerr@kerrcapital.com.auwww.ownertoownerpodcast.com.au

Feb 7, 2023 • 28min
Ron Gauci from 24 Hour Business Plan talks about ways to overcome typical barriers to planning that unfortunately often lead to business failure.
@RonGauci has a rich experience base including as a #CEO #Director #Chair and #Adviser. As a #CEO he has overseen major transformations of organisations like @fedsquare @melbournepolytechnic and @melbournestormAnother of his roles is as a senior adviser @24HRBP (24 Hour Business Plan).In this discussion we talk widely about why #smeowners should plan, how they can plan more easily and what the real cost is when you don't. We cover;why #now is the time to start (whether it's the beginning, the middle or the end of the year)how to get the most from your business planningthe core elements of business planning and the #24hourbusinessplanthe founder @AndrewBaxter who developed the methodology behind the whole 24-hour business plan approacha plan on a pagethe importance #industrytrends and #marketresearchunderstanding your #business, #market, #objectives, #vision, and #purpose - and how they drive the #strategicplanplanning and then #implementingthe major problem with #smes - working in the business instead of on the businesswhy it's so important to take time out to work on the business to a strategic plan, andto bring in a new set of #fresheyes and ears (with a good understanding of your industry)avoiding losing sight of why you got into the business in the first placerememebring what you want out of itthe #2simplechoicesplandon't planplanning to find new and better ways of doing business, and keep and find new customersdifferentiating yourselfwhy just working harder doesn't make sensethe importance of going back to your #purpose and the reasons why you set up the business in the beginningusing a #businessplan when you go to a #financier, or are looking to #sellyourbusinessthe three types of peoplethose that actually go out and make things happen (#disruptors)those that have things happen to them (#disrupted)those who just watch things happen (#passengers)reaching out to #trustedadvisors #coaches #mentors #advisoryboardsthe common objections to not planningwe already have a plandon't have time or have the moneythe resulting cost is the business failing @kerrcapital @michaelkerr
Thanks for listening. Visit the Owner To Owner Podcast website to subscribe, listen back, or check out any resources or information mentioned on the show.Search @ownertoownerpodcast on your favourite podcast player to subscribe and listen to the episodes.Reach out to Michael Kerr via the website if you need personal assistance or advice for your small business.michael.kerr@kerrcapital.com.auwww.ownertoownerpodcast.com.au

Feb 7, 2023 • 28min
Brian Shrowder from Mediacraft Communications explains how small business owners can easily use PR to improve their marketing success.
@BrianShrowder is a #mediatrainer and #communications #publicrelations industry expert at his own consultancy @mediacraftcomms.After dabbling in student radio at the University of Adelaide he had stints in #newsreporting and #journalism at the @ABC and @channel10.Mid career he jumped across to public relations (his second career).In his own consulting he specialises in #crisiscommunication but in this episode he unpicks public relations for the benefit of #smallbusinessowners. We talk about;why PR isn't just for #bigbusinesswhat PR is and who it impacts that are associated with your business how small business owners can take advantage by getting visibility in the first place the importance of building and maintaining relationships with the people who matter to you as an organization or a business e.g staff, customers, communities #reputationmanagement - what am I going to be known for? how it's different to #marketingHow do I build a positive image and positive reputation? how and why @princeharry had 2 goals when doing his recent round of media promotions for his new bookwhere to find public relations agencies how to think about and use media that actually reaches your target audiencehow journalists are trained to easily detect bad PR that is really advertising in disguisehow to be creative with your #PR - it has to be something that makes a new story genuinely new or will directly benefit people in the audiencethe expanding range of media #podcasts #webcasts and #onlinepublications do-it-yourself (#DIY) options for PRusing PR communications to offset some significant potential damage@kerrcapital @michaelkerr
Thanks for listening. Visit the Owner To Owner Podcast website to subscribe, listen back, or check out any resources or information mentioned on the show.Search @ownertoownerpodcast on your favourite podcast player to subscribe and listen to the episodes.Reach out to Michael Kerr via the website if you need personal assistance or advice for your small business.michael.kerr@kerrcapital.com.auwww.ownertoownerpodcast.com.au

Jan 31, 2023 • 28min
PART 2 - Jill Weeks, author and educator, from where2now.net on new and different ways to think about and 'do' retirement.
@JillWeeks has travelled widely across Australian and spoken with hundreds of people about #retirement. Where to retire? How to retire? What to do in retirement? Drawing on these stories from inspiring people Jill shares her tips on different ways to think about and 'do' retirement. In our discussion we cover;how retirement has changed in the last 20-30 years, and how this has opened up more optionshow the development of technology has allowed for retirement to involve a;#profitablehobby#homebasedbusiness, or #freelanceworkpersonal planning for life after businesshow business owners can find themsleves with little to do after they #sellabusiness to #retire the impact of selling your business and retiring on a #businessowners the need to rethink your approach to retirement to maintain #purposethe knowledge a #semiretired person can bring to another #smallbusinesstaking a break from your businessrethinking how to use your 40 work hours when you don't have a job or a businesthe importance of “protecting your brain” during retirement to ensure you are continually challenging yourself
Thanks for listening. Visit the Owner To Owner Podcast website to subscribe, listen back, or check out any resources or information mentioned on the show.Search @ownertoownerpodcast on your favourite podcast player to subscribe and listen to the episodes.Reach out to Michael Kerr via the website if you need personal assistance or advice for your small business.michael.kerr@kerrcapital.com.auwww.ownertoownerpodcast.com.au

Jan 31, 2023 • 28min
PART 1 - Jill Weeks, author and educator, from where2now.net on new and different ways to think about and 'do' retirement.
@JillWeeks has travelled widely across Australian and spoken with hundreds of people about #retirement. Where to retire? How to retire? What to do in retirement? Drawing on these stories from inspiring people Jill shares her tips on different ways to think about and 'do' retirement. In our discussion we cover;how retirement has changed in the last 20-30 years, and how this has opened up more optionshow the development of technology has allowed for retirement to involve a;#profitablehobby#homebasedbusiness, or #freelanceworkpersonal planning for life after businesshow business owners can find themsleves with little to do after they #sellabusiness to #retire the impact of selling your business and retiring on a #businessowners the need to rethink your approach to retirement to maintain #purposethe knowledge a #semiretired person can bring to another #smallbusinesstaking a break from your businessrethinking how to use your 40 work hours when you don't have a job or a businesthe importance of “protecting your brain” during retirement to ensure you are continually challenging yourself
Thanks for listening. Visit the Owner To Owner Podcast website to subscribe, listen back, or check out any resources or information mentioned on the show.Search @ownertoownerpodcast on your favourite podcast player to subscribe and listen to the episodes.Reach out to Michael Kerr via the website if you need personal assistance or advice for your small business.michael.kerr@kerrcapital.com.auwww.ownertoownerpodcast.com.au

Jan 30, 2023 • 28min
PART 2 - Lloyd Polkinghorne on how integral buying and running the local community newspaper was in his physical and emotional recovery from a traumatic injury sustained while working on his farm.
@LloydPolkinghorne was a #ricefarmer upuntil a #traumaticbraininjury caused by a mis-firing shotgun. After years of struggling physically and emotionally he needed to 'get back on the horse'. He did this by buying his local community newspaper www.thebridgenews.com.au . It was a bold and brave step. He made it with full support of family and an internal sense that he had to do something, knowing full well farming still wasn't an option. In our discussion we cover;the importance of having something meangingful to do #Smallbusiness as a vehicle for physical and emotional recoveryhow a business becomes a part of an #owners #identitythe impact on an in individual when work is removed from their life #purpose how the opportunity to buy the local #communitynewspaper brought purpose and the opportunity to represent the community he had grown up inassessing the opportunity to take over the a business how Lloyd’s #farming background taught him to be adaptable and think outside of the square which is what he had to do after his move into another professionwhat Lloyd learnt during the process of buying; in particular the process of being tapped on the shoulder to take over the newspaperthe importance of having a good advisor during the processthe role small businesses, including the local newspaper, play in a community and how the paper gives community members something to enjoy that is incredibly important to their routine how the local newspaper has become a key advocate for #ruralcommunities when it comes to state governments and electoratesaddressing the challenges that can arise running a rural newspaper due to differing views across the communitybalancing the #247newscycle that comes with running a newspaper and your personal lifehow small businesses fit into #ruraleconomies and the impact on #localtourism can havethe impact COVID-19 has had on rural and regional towns, their economies, population and consequently small businessesexploring the idea of moving into a #cooperativemodel of business for the newspaperacknowledging when time frames arise naturally and making the decision to then move on from a businesswhat approach Lloyd is taking to advertise and start the process of moving on from the newspaperAlong the way Lloyd also founded www.facebook.com/Lloydswalkforwater
Thanks for listening. Visit the Owner To Owner Podcast website to subscribe, listen back, or check out any resources or information mentioned on the show.Search @ownertoownerpodcast on your favourite podcast player to subscribe and listen to the episodes.Reach out to Michael Kerr via the website if you need personal assistance or advice for your small business.michael.kerr@kerrcapital.com.auwww.ownertoownerpodcast.com.au

Jan 30, 2023 • 28min
PART 1 - Lloyd Polkinghorne on how integral buying and running the local community newspaper was in his physical and emotional recovery from a traumatic injury sustained while working on his farm.
@LloydPolkinghorne was a #ricefarmer upuntil a #traumaticbraininjury caused by a mis-firing shotgun. After years of struggling physically and emotionally he needed to 'get back on the horse'. He did this by buying his local community newspaper www.thebridgenews.com.au . It was a bold and brave step. He made it with full support of family and an internal sense that he had to do something, knowing full well farming still wasn't an option. In our discussion we cover;the importance of having something meangingful to do #Smallbusiness as a vehicle for physical and emotional recoveryhow a business becomes a part of an #owners #identitythe impact on an in individual when work is removed from their life #purpose how the opportunity to buy the local #communitynewspaper brought purpose and the opportunity to represent the community he had grown up inassessing the opportunity to take over the a business how Lloyd’s #farming background taught him to be adaptable and think outside of the square which is what he had to do after his move into another professionwhat Lloyd learnt during the process of buying; in particular the process of being tapped on the shoulder to take over the newspaperthe importance of having a good advisor during the processthe role small businesses, including the local newspaper, play in a community and how the paper gives community members something to enjoy that is incredibly important to their routine how the local newspaper has become a key advocate for #ruralcommunities when it comes to state governments and electoratesaddressing the challenges that can arise running a rural newspaper due to differing views across the communitybalancing the #247newscycle that comes with running a newspaper and your personal lifehow small businesses fit into #ruraleconomies and the impact on #localtourism can havethe impact COVID-19 has had on rural and regional towns, their economies, population and consequently small businessesexploring the idea of moving into a #cooperativemodel of business for the newspaperacknowledging when time frames arise naturally and making the decision to then move on from a businesswhat approach Lloyd is taking to advertise and start the process of moving on from the newspaperAlong the way Lloyd also founded www.facebook.com/Lloydswalkforwater
Thanks for listening. Visit the Owner To Owner Podcast website to subscribe, listen back, or check out any resources or information mentioned on the show.Search @ownertoownerpodcast on your favourite podcast player to subscribe and listen to the episodes.Reach out to Michael Kerr via the website if you need personal assistance or advice for your small business.michael.kerr@kerrcapital.com.auwww.ownertoownerpodcast.com.au

Jan 9, 2023 • 28min
PART 3 - Norman Hall from Exit By Design makes a compelling case for why business owners need an Exit Plan.
@NormanHall has a diverse background including business, corporate and private banking. He's also been through the process of selling a family business that his wife founded. Now he's a specialist #exitplanner and draws on all this experience to help #businessowners protect the value they have built up in their business, and then when the time is right, plan and execute a more successful #businessexit. In our discussion we cover;the importance of having a ‘ringmaster’ for your businesses exitthe reasons business owners put off exit planning and the consequences of thisthe challenging discussions that can arise in family businesses that have not considered an exit planthe timelines that are involved in exit planninghow Norman breaks down the process of exit planning for owners into something worthy and compelling for the time and effort involvedwhy business owners should see value in exit planning as an #investmentwhy the very old mantra of "failing to plan = planning to fail" unfortunately still applies to many owners the importance of staged exit planning because “you cannot do it all at once”working with the new business owner after selling how Norman drew on his own experience and the experience of his wife and business partner to get their business ready to sell the importance of having all your external experts taking the same approachwhy it is important for exit planning to involve #successionplanning, #businessplanning, and structuring for tax purposes as well as management purposesbreaking down the assumptions that surround exit planningwhy problems with terminology have misled owners about exit planning, what it involves and why it is so importantCONTRIBUTORSNorman HallMichael KerrKEYWORDSexitbydesignfamilybusinessbusinessownershipsmallbusinessexitplanningbusinessexit
Thanks for listening. Visit the Owner To Owner Podcast website to subscribe, listen back, or check out any resources or information mentioned on the show.Search @ownertoownerpodcast on your favourite podcast player to subscribe and listen to the episodes.Reach out to Michael Kerr via the website if you need personal assistance or advice for your small business.michael.kerr@kerrcapital.com.auwww.ownertoownerpodcast.com.au