Grow A Small Business Podcast

In this week's Quick Fire Friday episode, Rob interviews Jessica Kriegel based in Sacrameto, California, United States. Jessica is a Chief Scientist of Workplace Culture at Culture Partners, leading research and strategy on best practices in workplace culture. Managing a firm without the best participation of your own staff may be challenging; here is where culture can become beneficial and should be addressed. Jessica helps company owners execute their own strategy and purpose for business transformation, such as recognizing the necessary activities, beliefs to apply, and experiences to generate. Jessica has demonstrated via strategy and purpose that having a meaningful and quantifiable culture can add glitter to the business's image and help them obtain the greatest outcomes from the services they provided. She feels that culture is the finest tool we have for shaping our views for a better future. This Cast Covers: Who is Jessica Kriegel Expert in culture and managing people. Leading research and strategy around workplace culture. Helps organizations of all sizes across all verticals across the globe Having a fortune 10 company client. Helping clients in a three-year cultural journey. Understanding the impact of the business in the community. Helping the organization achieve its goals and understand the context in which decisions are getting made. Building a business with a good purpose. Come in with a framework that helps people align culture to their customized strategy. Links: Jessica's Linkedin Additional Resources: Culture Partners Quotes: "If people are blank enough, then culture is usually the answer to that problem." "Everything is driven through purpose and strategy." "Whatever it is you're trying to achieve, all of these things can be accomplished through culture." —Jessica Kriegel "Culture is the experience that we have, that shape our beliefs." —Jessica Kriegel "Understand the needed actions, what beliefs needs to have, and what experiences need to create."

In this episode, I interview Greg Ramsay, the Founder, and CEO of The NZ Whisky Collection based in Hobart, Australia. Greg has set up his own business together with his two business partners to flourish the Whisky industry around the country. With over 10 years of golfing experience and a keen interest in whisky, Greg has decided to build a ready-made whisky business to share its history to people and develop his passion and happiness. The NZ Whisky Collection was established in 2011 and has been running for over 11 years. Growing 67% a year in sales for the first few years with over 3 FTEs. Greg has said that growing a small business requires resilience and thick skin in order to help make more progress in growing a small business. So he says "I couldn't have done anything but the mind businessman I just wouldn't be good in a nine-to-five job, and but a lot of other people you're going into business you've got to resilience." This Cast Covers: He worked in consulting firms like golf, whisky, and tourism projects and businesses for 11 years together with Troy Trewin. Expert in visionary leadership and management. Buying a cashflow-ready whisky product. Reinventing the brands and opening up a lot more sales channels around the world. 10 years of exporting products in 300 stores abroad. Qualified as a single malt master class barman. Got a job with a Golf Management Company and worked in 26 states. Growing 67% a year in sales for the first few years. Got 360 fabulous investors that joined along the journey of building a distillery. Flourishing the Whisky industry around the country. Links: Greg's Linkedin Greg' Facebook Additional Resources: The NZ Whisky Collection The E Myth Revisited by Michael Gerber Quotes: "Success is a sense of peace and harmony." —Greg Ramsay "Don't get too fussy with money coming inside the door but get fussy when you're putting it out." —Greg Ramsay "You can never control your income, you can just do your best at it." —Greg Ramsay "Put the right people behind visions to avoid misconceptions. —Greg Ramsay "Make sure that everything is visible around and you don't lock yourself away." —Greg Ramsay

In this GASB Podcast episode, Troy interviews George Liu, founder of Gym Pillars, he's based in Los Angeles, United States of America, but he was born in Japan and raised in China. Then moving to the U.S. at the age of 10. Growing up George had a hard time looking at himself in the mirror, he had issues with his self-esteem. That's what led him to design – Health Marketing Entrepreneurship, his college major. The concept of fitness, self-improvement, and disciple was heavily embedded in George's mind, he bravely started his company bootstrapped; Gym Pillars, empowering gym owners and changing lives through health and fitness. Although he was temporarily hindered by the impact of the pandemic, it didn't stop him. Making a comeback in April of 2022, hitting the $100,000-a-month mark. In George's fast business growth journey, he recommends "double down and build a strong foundation and focus on word of mouth." Because of the power of word of mouth or in simple words, referrals; It functions with or without you putting effort into it, giving you sales without chasing the new shiny customer, a powerful marketing feature that most small-medium business owners neglect. This Cast Covers: George's different life experiences that led him to fitness. Starting Gym Pillars and how it makes money. Ikigai, Japanese for a reason of being. Building a strong foundation and focusing on the power of word of mouth. Overcoming the frustration of learning to do something for the first time. Marketing the product is the most important in business. Focusing on one thing and one thing only. Fulfilling your end of the terms when hiring a person. Having a clear understanding of whom you're hiring. The vitality of a leader's self-awareness. Links: George's Linkedin George's Facebook George's Website Additional Resources: DotCom Secrets: The Underground Playbook for Growing Your Company Online by Russell Brunson Quotes: "What success means is this … doing what you love, what you're good at, what you can get paid for, and also doing something that you believe the world needs." — George Liu. "Double down and build a strong foundation and focus on word of mouth." — George Liu. "Learning how to do something for the first time, … the frustration that came along with it, it was extremely painful." — George Liu. "You need to nail down the product you needed to develop. You need to build better results, and you have to show people how much you care." — George Liu. "The business is a reflection of you, for you to assume ownership and be willing to look in the mirror. That's one of the most effective ways for you to grow your business." — George Liu. Music from https://filmmusic.io "Cold Funk" by Kevin MacLeod https://incompetech.com. License: CC by http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

In this week's Quick Fire Friday episode, Michael interviews David Dilger. David is a specialized employment and safety lawyer in Edge Legal's newly formed Employment & Safety practice and is based in Hobart, Australia. David's role is to assist managers in becoming effective managers. Growing a business requires knowledge to become accountable, and applying a process approach to something fundamentally a people game is putting the wagon before the horse. David has developed a people-first mindset that he can apply to everything he does. Such as self-awareness on how you manage people. Through proper observation and dealing with different personalities, David has mastered managing conflicts with people and becoming a good manager. For he believes that If you don't understand people, you don't understand business. This Cast Covers: Who is David Dilger? Discussing the importance of understanding people. Known mutual people over many years and working together with Michael. Spending a lot of time training managers on how to manage people. Been a lawyer by trade. Did an MBA program with an emphasis on human resource management. Worked for an employer rep for the TCCI. Became a state winner and national finalist of a franchise network. Sharing the people-first mentality that you can use in all you do. Changed away from being pure legal advisers to managing people and assisting businesses. Links: David's Linkedin Additional Resources: Edge Legal Quotes: "Growing a business requires knowledge to become accountable." —David Dilger "Once you know how they behave, what basically floats their boat, you will become a more effective manager." —David Dilger "When you have unnecessary or unmanaged conflict, you need to break the shackles." —David Dilger "If you don't understand people, you don't understand business." —David Dilger "A focus has got to be tailored, the focus has to be tailored, or otherwise, you're just wasting your time." —David Dilger Music from https://filmmusic.io "Cold Funk" by Kevin MacLeod https://incompetech.com License: CC by http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

In this GASB episode, Troy interviews Jodie Nevid, the founder of The Seven Effect. She's based in Adelaide, Australia. Jodie had a humble beginning doing business in their family's driveway at the age of 10 selling her old toys and show bags. She was in the corporate world for a while, but shortly after she went back to doing business because it's her passion. In 2014, she launched The Seven Effect, a coaching, and education company. Specializing in helping working women, assisting them in the leap from employee to entrepreneur. The Seven Effect is composed of a team with 10 people, 6 of whom are FTEs. They're earning $550,000 a year and are on track to a million by the end of next year. Of course, her success story wasn't all smooth-sailing. She faced obstacles and complications. Jodie read and studied the 80/20 principle, which asserts that a minority of causes should lead to a majority of results; a good reminder for small-business owners to simplify things and not overwork themselves. This Cast Covers: The Seven Effect is a coaching and education company. Jodie's different businesses before The Seven Effect. Jodie's passion for business. The Seven Effect's growth. The 80/20 principle. The freedom that growing a small business brings. Planning and goal setting, are what every business owner should develop. Building a kickass culture with the four fundamentals. Handling a business partner exiting. Business owners remind themselves to have fun. Links: Jodie's Linkedin Jodie's Company Jodie's Twitter Additional Resources: Building a StoryBrand by Donald Miller What Is the Pareto Principle—aka the Pareto Rule or 80/20 Rule? Quotes: "The big lesson is in your greatest losses." — Jodie Nevid "Often they're riddled with fear or overwhelmed or confused about how to make their first six figures." — Jodie Nevid. "The hardest part is hiring employees who wanted a job, not a career." — Jodie Nevid. "Not just reading, but truly studying the 80/20 principle and implementing it into your life." — Jodie Nevid. "Every business owner should have a life plan as well as a business plan. Because if you don't, your business becomes your life." — Jodie Nevid. Music from https://filmmusic.io "Cold Funk" by Kevin MacLeod https://incompetech.com. License: CC by http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

In this episode, Troy interviews Jye Smith, founder of DOUBLE STAR CO. He's based in Sydney, Australia. Jye has a background in communications and was working as a PwC for less than 18 months, and currently the president of Vibewire, a non-profit org. Acting on his realization to build his own advertising agency thinking he could do it better himself. Jye Smith founded DOUBLE STAR CO, a unique brand and design agency, that gives brands a voice, a style, and an identity. Earning over $1.2 million last year with 7 FTEs, an increase of 66% in growth, and 20% in margin. As per Jye, building a sustainable and kickass culture to help grow the business is understanding how to assemble your team. Meditating on what is needed to kickstart the team such as understanding each other's communication styles. To gain the desired result for your business. This Cast Covers: The identity of Jye Smith. Having experience working in a progressive accounting firm. How Troy and Jye knew each other. Key numbers that illustrate DOUBLESTAR CO's growth. Focusing more on improving margins, rather than growing the top line and team. What foundation should culture be built on. The importance of autonomy in a business especially in your staff. Adapting to the ever-changing standard of a fast-growing business. Hiring people who think like you. Understanding how to assemble your team together. Links: Jye's Linkedin Jye's Twitter Jye's Company Additional Resources: The McKinsey Way by Ethan Rasiel Quotes: "If you can't see your way out, then the best thing you can always do is to ask for advice." — Jye Smith. "But the worst thing they can do is not think about things themselves." — Jye Smith. "Try to work out where you want to be in six months and think about what you can do today to make sure that happens." — Jye Smith. "Don't get caught up in being reactive. Don't be caught up in being emotional." — Jye Smith. "Help everyone understand communication styles because everyone reads things wrong these days." — Jye Smith. Music from https://filmmusic.io "Cold Funk" by Kevin MacLeod https://incompetech.com. License: CC by http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

In this week's QFF episode, Michael interviews Hamish McKenzie, co-founder of McKenzie Pitch Partners. He's based in Toronto, Canada, however, Hamish's a proud Aussie from Tasmania. He studied accounting at a university, then went into corporate banking. Gathering experience and wisdom, paving the way to what he is now, a sought-after pitch consultant. As Hamish defines it, pitching is the effort to win a piece of business. It is the final nail in the coffin to entice investors. This is why it's critical to understand and to be efficient with what you're pitching; Hamish McKenzie specializes in this field. He helps small-medium business owners develop and refine their pitching and presentation skills. As Hamish quotes what famous American William Edwards Deming says, "If you can't describe what you do, as a process, you don't know what you're doing." Very well said. This Cast Covers: The concept of pitching. Who is Hamish McKenzie? How Michael and Hamish knew each other. Hamish's career before becoming a renowned pitch consultant. How the term pitch should be defined. The real reason behind people buying things. Involvement of psychology in pitching. The importance of initiating a relationship before pitching. Criticalness of small-medium business owners' understanding of what they're pitching. Listening attentively to clients. Links: Hamish's Linkedin Hamish's Website Hamish's Twitter Additional Resources: Pitch: What you're not doing makes all the difference by Hamish McKenzie Why People Don't Listen? by Hugh Mackay Quotes: "We define pitch as the effort that goes into winning a piece of business." — Hamish McKenzie. "People buy things for two reasons, the right reason and the real reason … But the real reason is emotional." — Hamish McKenzie. "Discipline is more important than talent." — Hamish McKenzie. "As famous American William Edwards Deming says, 'If you can't describe what you do, as a process, you don't know what you're doing.'" — Hamish McKenzie. "The more you listen, the more you get to understand the client, and the more you're going to be able to develop a solution." — Hamish McKenzie. Music from https://filmmusic.io "Cold Funk" by Kevin MacLeod https://incompetech.com. License: CC by http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

In this episode, I interview Michelle Kvello, Managing Director and CFO of Lantern Partners based in Sydney, Australia. Michelle has set up her own CFO advisory business, working with founders and CEOs of startups and scale-ups by providing commercial and strategic financial advice to help them grow. From working on the corporate side of commercial finance for years, Michelle decided to leave the corporate world to pursue more exciting opportunities. She established Lantern Partners in 2011 and it has now been running for over 11 years. They grew 50% in revenue over the previous year with over 5 FTEs. Michelle has stated that building a small business involves discipline as well as adaptability. So she says, "In every business, some key things make a difference. And so you need to know what they are. And then once you identify what they are, work out how you measure them." This Cast Covers: Running a virtual CFO advisory business that provides commercial and strategic financial advice. Trained with PwC back in the UK many years ago. Grew 30% in revenue in the last year and 50% in the previous year Giving creative employment opportunities to amazing, talented, intelligent, ambitious women underserved in traditional corporate roles Works with her whole team flexibly, both in terms of time and location, and 80% female staffed. One of the Top 50 women in Accounting and Top 50 Small Business Leaders. Understanding the benefits and drawbacks of in-person and virtual communication. Sharing the significance of making your team members feel like they are a part of and valuable to the team. The importance of mutual respect between the client and the firm serving. Investing time in relationship building. Links: Michelle's LinkedIn Michelle's Instagram Additional Resources: Lantern Partners The Mindful High Performer by Chelsea Pottenger Quotes: "People just need to get creative, and they need to figure out better, quicker, smarter ways of doing things." —Michelle Kvello "The business that you start on day one doesn't necessarily look like the business in a year, two years, five years, or 10." —Michelle Kvello "One of the massive benefits in starting your own business is that you can shape both the business and the people you bring into that business." —Michelle Kvello "There must be a rethinking about how we work." —Michelle Kvello "There has to be something that brings us all together and makes us feel like a team." —Michelle Kvello Music from https://filmmusic.io "Cold Funk" by Kevin MacLeod https://incompetech.com. License: CC by http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

In this episode, I interview Jen Potter the Founder, and CEO of Mamas & Babysitters, based in New Bedford, United States. Jen has set up her own business to provide an exceptional full-service babysitting and nannying experience. From working full-time at a corporate job as an analyst, Jen has decided to run her own business for her to get additional needed services for her other business during her pregnancy. Mamas & Babysitters was established in 2020 and has been running for over 2 years. Growing with over a quarter million dollars in the first two years and 200 FTEs. Jen has said that growing a small business requires repetition, if it doesn't work, stop and do something else. So she says, "We go through multiple interviews, and multiple steps of how we're going to do something. And that's how we're going to hire a person, that process has stayed true for all of the companies I have continued to work with and grow. So find something that works and keep doing it over and over and over." This Cast Covers: Own several businesses. Running a professional babysitting and nanny agency. Launching business during pregnancy. Currently managing 4 businesses. Having a goal of 47 businesses by 2047. Earned a quarter million dollars in the first two years for the babysitting company. Successfully running businesses despite having heart disease. Importance of learning balance personalities. Focusing on being proactive rather than being reactive in business. Satisfaction in helping other people get opportunities. Links: Jen's Linkedin Jen's Facebook Jen's Instagram Additional Resources: Mamas and Babysitters Ultimate Sales Machine by Chet Holmes Quotes: "Success is continuing to help other people find their success." —Jen Potter "When you're marketing your business, you are marketing your people to buy you." —Jen Potter "Become proactive instead of being reactive in business." —Jen Potter "Learn to schedule and time block." —Jen Potter "If you're doing a process, make sure you're doing the best of that process." —Jen Potter Music from https://filmmusic.io "Cold Funk" by Kevin MacLeod https://incompetech.com. License: CC by http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

In this week's QFF episode, Michael interviews Jack Daly. Jack and Michael knew each other ten years ago at a workshop. Jack is based in San Claremont, California, USA. He was an accountant and a CPA with Arthur Andersen. Now, he is at the CEO level of several national companies, is an expert in sales and sales management, and is an author by design that has already published 10 books. Jack's newest book Jack Daly's Life By Design provides a behind-the-scenes look at how business owners can achieve a high level of personal success while their businesses are in growth mode. You do not have to have one without the other. The very best salespeople follow a process. As you scale and increase the number of salespeople, each of them operates differently, it ought to be run by best practices. Jack is helping small business owners and entrepreneurs scale in a very quick and profitable way through systems and processes to have consistent growth. According to Jack, systems and processes can maintain consistency across the business and your life. "I only do three things, I speak, I traveled where I speak, and I have fun", he said. He added that when you are planning to create your own business, you need to apply the big 3 methods including knowing what success is, key people in key spots, build a strong culture. This Cast Covers: Who is Jack Daly? How did Jack and Michael know each other? Expert in scaling companies in a very quick and profitable way. Specializes in sales and sales management. Helping people design and live their best lives. Wrote close to 500 items on his bucket list and completed 73% of them. Book recommendations for growth mindset people. 3 big methods to grow a successful business. Illustrating the importance of systems and processes. Benefits of working with the most important things in life. Links: Jack's Linkedin Jack's Website Jack's Twitter Additional Resources: Life By Design by Jack Daly The E-Myth Revisited by Michael Gerber Essentialism by Greg McKeown Quotes: "It's a matter of choosing what we want to do then we are when we decide." —Jack Daly "You can't get there unless you know what there is." —Jack Daly "The people that you start with may not be the people that you end with." —Jack Daly "If you don't have an assistant, you are an assistant." —Jack Daly "You get to choose either you're a growth mindset person or a fixed mindset person." —Jack Daly Music from https://filmmusic.io "Cold Funk" by Kevin MacLeod https://incompetech.com. License: CC by http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0