Grow A Small Business Podcast

In this episode, I interview Damian Mackey, a master distiller of whisky and gin and the founder of New Town Distillery in Hobart, Tasmania. In 2005, he started building a small distillery (Mackey's Distillery) in his backyard in Hobart, and in 2007, filled their first cask with triple distilled Irish style single malt whisky, which was matured five years later. In 2014, he partnered with Sheena state, moved, launched an award-winning Gin, took on investment, and went from using a single 300 litre still at home to a 4,500 litre and two small stills. The distillery grew from laying down 400 litres to around 100,000 litres, and recently sold out of a large business to return to distilling at home where he is now doing about 8,000 litres a year. Damian recommends investing 10% to 20% of sales into marketing, and finding an expert to work with. He went from 1 full time employee to 6, then back to 1. He insists that business and financial planning using KPIs, ensuring you're well funded, and getting and keeping mentors are crucial to success. He believes the hardest thing in growing a small business is, "Balancing the resources you pile back into the business". The advice he would give himself on day one of starting in business is, "Make sure you're doing something you're passionate about, is unique, and has a point of difference" Stay tuned for more on Damian's entrepreneurial journey. This Cast Covers: Moving from distilling as a hobby to being the only commercial scale distiller doing triple distilled single malt whisky in Australia. From a 300 litre still to a 700 litre still: Damian's whiskey-making back story. Their move back to smaller scale distilling and their current phase of laying down barrels. Developing and launching their award-winning Poltergeist gin. Being the only distillery doing pot still whisky and encouraging others to try it out. Learning a lot from doing 100,000 litres a year to the current 8,000 litres a year. The importance of getting down a marketing plan and working with an expert in the area. Making things easier and ensuring sustainable growth by automating production processes. Funding the business from their own savings and how they benefited from a state government grant. How plenty of funding would help in building a large distillery. The challenge of leaving Shene Distillery to go back out on his own. How a small business owner can get their head around their startup business through business planning. Continuous measuring of real-life results against results projected during business planning. Ensuring employees are passionate about their work and always on the same page as a team. The value of online courses: Reading a lot about making whisky. The extra effort that has to be put in when a business is owned by partners. The challenge of balancing the resources that are piled back into a business. Starting businesses that we are passionate about so we can courageously face the challenges that come with it. Additional Resources: The Irish Whiskey Podcast 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 Christina Bellis, the CEO of Thankyou Payroll. The company was founded in 2010 and to date they've processed over two billion pays or 3.5 million payslips to charities and small businesses in New Zealand. From NZD7,000 in year one to now NZD2.7 Million in annual sales, they are profitable and just paid their first dividend. They are one of the first social enterprises/businesses that raised funds through equity crowdfunding in New Zealand to do so. By their separate charitable trust they have donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to communities in Dunedin, Wellington, and Christchurch, and have a genius way to pick the next grant recipients. They provide these services to registered charities for free, saving them over one million dollars over the decade. And if that wasn't socially and purpose driven enough, they are carbon positive. The business took off in 2013 when the first CEO started, adding 192 customers that year, 3,000 the following year, then since financial year 2015, more than doubling every year. Christina started as CEO in 2015 and grew the business from 5 full-time employees to now 18.5. They have a board of five directors and they're all female. Funding has been through cash flow, a small overdraft, and in 2017, an equity crowdfundraising of NZD500,000, and picking up 165 shareholders who are brand ambassadors. She believes the hardest thing in growing a small business is managing work-life balance. The advice she would give herself on day one is, "Stay true to your vision. There's a lot of noise out there, so keep focus on your own track" Stay tuned for more on her small business growth journey. Enjoy! This Cast Covers: Thankyou Payroll: A company that offers crowd based payroll intermediary services. Running a charitable trust, an exciting innovative way to give out grants and minimizing the hoops people need to jump through. Building community resilience and strengthening connections through charitable trusts. Growing from a 7000 turnover in year one to 2.7 million turnover over a period of ten years. Adopting a purpose driven approach to business by using a product or service to do good and make a positive impact on the world. Being the first crowdfunded entity to return a dividend in New Zealand. Equity crowdfunding and giving the community an opportunity to take part in a purpose driven business. Using crowdfunding as a good marketing opportunity and how they raised NZD 500,000 from 165 shareholders through it. What you need to know when thinking about using crowdfunding as a way to fundraise and grow. Advantages of having employees with trained skills and working capacity in more than one aspect of the business. Adapting to change and having an "I Can Do It" attitude in business. Managing people, making them feel valued and keeping their spirits up when running a small business. Mentoring management teams, building capabilities and inspiring change. Creating a to do list, breaking it into bigger tasks and smaller tasks to help you in managing your time and priorities. Creating a team of people that fits perfectly into your business as they are both your biggest asset and your biggest cost. Being transparent on the big picture, adapting an open door policy for your team, and showing them that their contributions are valuable. The value of being open to feedback and learning how to process it. Managing a team that's spread out across different locations. Constantly learning by investing in different forms of professional development. Having a female only board of five directors with expertise across a number of areas. The difficulties in managing work-life balance when one is a small business owner. Additional Resources: Are You Ready to Succeed By Srikumar Rao 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 Patrick Maguire, the Master Distiller for Sullivans Cove Distillery in Hobart, Tasmania, and the Chairman of the Tasmanian Whisky Producers Association in 2012. Sullivans Cove was one of the first craft distilleries of commercial scale in Australia founded in 1996, sold in 1999, and went into liquidation in 2003 when Patrick and a few investors salvaged it. Closing the cellar door in Central Hobart and moving the distillery twenty minutes out of town into an industrial park, they invested heavily in production with a big focus on quality spirit and then marketing. In 2014, they won Best Single Malt Whiskey in the world, the first distillery to do so outside whisky's traditional homes of Scotland, Ireland, and Japan. A year later, they opened the cellar door and a year after that, the business was sold again to the current owners, and Patrick left the business in late 2019. The business grew from a handful of full-time employees to nine, down to just two after liquidation, and now twenty-three. He believes the hardest thing in growing a small business is keeping an eye on cash flow. The advice he would give himself on day one of starting in business is, "Back yourself. Have a plan. Stick to the plan. You'll go through times where you hate yourself for doing what you're doing, but it will all work out" Stay tuned for more on Patrick's inspiring small business growth journey. This Cast Covers: His business backstory and how everything led him into the distilling business. The uphill task of getting Australians and the world to buy Tasmanian whisky at a time when it was not so popular. Overcoming the initial production nightmare by moving to a better location and improving on marketing to increase sales. The patience all the partners had to master until the business was cash-flow positive. Educating Australians about whisky and scotch, and the support they got from the Tasmanian state government. Valuable feedback they got from Asian importers, distributors, and retailers about their scotch and how it helped them improve their branding. The value of investing in proper marketing and ensuring that the production and marketing teams are always on the same page. Taking time to allow their spirit to mature and get credibility for their whisky. Getting published in the whisky bible and achieving three liquid gold awards. Learning a lot from how different markets determine what product is worth buying. Becoming the first distillery outside of Scotland, Japan, or Ireland (And the first one in the Southern Hemisphere) to win Best Single Malt. The three reasons why 90% of their sales went overseas. Defying warnings from wholesalers to sell their annual stocks through Dan Murphy's. Losing 25% to 30% of their margin to get funding to cover their tax bill. The real game-changer that had them bottling every single day. Growing the team from 12 full-time employees to 22 and their casks to their current five warehouses. Their moment of success: Winning different awards, setting things up properly, having a great crew, becoming a top brand, and selling the business. The frustrations they went through trying to sell in the Australian market. The importance of the people a business owner employs and setting up a dynamic within the team. How managing the massive business growth led him farther and farther away from the team. The difference in how a business operates once their brand becomes successful. Having a business plan from the very start and sticking to it. HR Tips: Don't bring on relatives unless they have some value that they can offer. Having board directors based in the US, UK, and Spain, and the importance of constant and transparent communication. Cash is king: Keeping an eye on cash flow, sticking to the business plan, and not spending beyond your needs 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 Craig Haltom, President of Oliphant Golf Management (OGM). He is an active golf course architect and builder, and has a growing portfolio of high profile golf renovation work in the Midwest. As the lead at OGM, he is very much hands-on and in the field, with a talented team of managers based in Central Wisconsin. He started out on a tractor in 2001 and then in 2013 became 50% owner. Now he owns almost the entire company after buy-out financing from his business partner Mike, who founded the company in 1996. The company provides golf course management, construction, design, and renovation. When the Global Financial Crisis hit in 2008, they went from $40 Million in annual sales to none overnight, with only one of the large golf course and real estate construction projects eventually being completed. In 2009, they built a bridge through the crisis, pivoted and started managing golf courses, now with 12 on their books. Craig's vision was to build a world class golf course in the rare sand dunes of Wisconsin, and right after the crisis, they started building Sand Valley, two 18 hole courses and a put three. With 130 full time employees stretching up to 400 in peak summer season and revenues climbing to around $40 Million a year, they grew organically through profits. He believes the hardest thing in growing a small business is, "Managing time. There's never enough" and the advice he would give himself on day one of starting in business would be to believe in himself no matter what. Stay tuned for more on Craig's super inspirational small business ownership journey. This Cast Covers: Building the biggest putting green in the world that's not attached to an actual golf course. Touching a lot of areas in the golfing industry since 1996 and doing very well. Managing 12+ golf courses in the Midwest, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Pennsylvania. Building Sand Valley while simultaneously starting a golf management company. Transitioning from running a tractor as an employee to owning most of the company. Generating revenues from straight fees, lease/shared revenue deals, and maintenance only contracts. The success in moving from managing everything personally to delegating some of the core tasks to employees. Improving on their marketing activities by hiring a dedicated marketing expert and how it led to the company's growth and success. The difficulty in getting enough time as a business owner to do a lot and do it well. Getting better at guiding against the downside: Standing where the homeruns are versus the risks. The power of systems, team leadership 101, and how they deliver value to their clients. The importance of building a company culture of people knowing each other. Overcoming the business challenges that you go through by always believing in yourself. Additional Resources: How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big Scott Adams 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 Toni Kibbey, a subject matter expert on marketing. With over 25 years in marketing, especially in small business, Toni strongly believes if you don't have a customer, you don't have a business. And that's where your marketing should be built around. Marketing is more than a logo or advertising, it's a diverse range of elements, from pricing, people, copy, packaging, and a quality product or service. For small business owners, sometimes a passion can overrule the commerciality or viability of something because you believe in it so much. You must listen to your customers before you start running into the forest looking for trees. In her experience, the biggest thing owners of fast-growth small businesses do poorly in marketing is focus. Which is where your strength (or your why) comes into play. She believes the hardest thing in growing a small business when it comes to marketing is knowledge, time, and budget. The advice she would give a small business owner about marketing on day one is, "Customer: Know who you are creating a service or product for, and who you are going to talk to. Understand who they are, what motivates them, what drives them, and why they're going to choose you" This Cast Covers: Coaching small businesses and startups in their marketing and understanding their consumers. The importance of marketing when growing a small business. Getting the optimal price point so you maximize your gross profits. Developing both your brand strategy and marketing strategy, and how powerful marketing can be for your business. The one thing small business owners focused on growth do really well. How passion and innovation can sometimes get in the way of focus. Joining a networking group to gain access to tons of resources and create a voice in your industry. Knowledge, time, and budget: The hardest thing in marketing a small business. The role of strategy and knowing your customer in ensuring success in fast growth. The magic in finding out 20 reasons why your customers choose you. Additional Resources: Toni's email - toni@elementco.com.au The Brand Gap By Marty Neumeier Start with Why By Simon Sinek Seth Godin Gary Vaynerchuk 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 Mat Weir, a tech entrepreneur and the founder of international table booking service, First Table, the only company in the world focused on helping restaurants get their first customer for the night. Mat got the idea to start the company after seeing a sign in a local French restaurant in Queenstown, New Zealand. First Table charges the customer $10 per booking and the customer gets 50% off their food at the venue. After selling his software development company in 2014, aged 29, he built the website, opened with ten restaurants in Queenstown and is now in 60 cities across 8 countries and 1400 restaurants with a goal to hit 10,000. The company has grown from one full-time employee, himself, to now 22 based in New Zealand, Australia, Canada, UK, and the Philippines. They're looking to expand their product into North America, and Europe soon. Funding has been from sweat equity and the growing profits from a very scalable business model. Mat says when building your board of directors or advisors, start with a great chair and build a board around them. He believes the hardest thing in growing a small business is, decision making fatigue (Making a lot of decisions on the fly as you go). The advice he would give himself on day one is, "Mate, you're in for a shitload of work, but it will be worthwhile". Stay tuned and enjoy. This Cast Covers: First Table: The only company in the world that specializes in getting people into restaurants at the beginning of the evening How First Table helps restaurants get diners and create a great atmosphere. The unique business model they use to make money from having 1400 restaurants in 8 countries on their platform. Being a tech entrepreneur from a young age and thriving on several tech-oriented businesses. Starting out 6 years ago as a solo founder with 6 restaurants signed up and growing to 1400 restaurants across 60 cities in 8 countries and 22 full-time employees. Working hard to build their platform and having some of the best restaurants signing up. Building a globally recognized brand that is the only one in the world doing what they do. Bootstrapping from day one and funding the business solely from cash flow. Launching in other countries in North America, the UK, and other markets. The challenges of starting out in business and the worth that comes from forging on towards the core goal. The importance of having persistence and a plan B just in case. How being a developer has helped him grow the business. The value of automation in ensuring effective processes and employee productivity. The challenges of trying to scale up and make things more efficient on the platform. Shifting from being just a developer and a one man band to learn sales. The power of time management and optimizing your output to time. Committing to bringing on business development experts and how it helped in achieving hiring successes. The value of monitoring employee happiness and engagement levels in building a great culture. Plans to launch in Manilla and how their local presence there will help in building out a sales and marketing team. Consulting mentors who can give valuable business management and growth advice based on their years of experience. Decision-making fatigue: The exhaustion that comes with making so many decisions every day as a small business owner. The power of Facebook ads in growing a business. Additional Resources: Blitzscaling By Reid Hoffman and Chris Yeh www.Medium.com 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 Mark Fennell who in late 1999, from his bedroom in Sydney, started a developer code-sharing website and the now-defunct, Flash Animation Technology. Three months later, he approached Internet.com, a NASDAQ listed company asking if they would like to buy his one-person company. From their positive response, he scrambled to partner with a tech company in Tasmania to not only look bigger to his suitor but also bulk up the team and support the fast growth needed to maximize his exit. Only three months after that cheeky email and six months after his start, Internet.com acquired the business with a twelve-month earn-out paid on active users in twelve months' time. Mark and his team of 15 full-time employees grew active users from 3,000 to 3 Million a month only a year later. Two months after the payout, the 2001 tech wreck happened. Mark was able to travel the world for a few years having sold his very fast-growing tech company within 18 months of starting it in his bedroom. He believes the hardest thing in growing a small business is managing time, and balancing with friends, partners, and your kids. The advice he would give himself on day one is legal advice, "Make sure you read contracts and understand them, and stay away from Crypto trading like Bitcoin" Stay tuned for more of his amazing small business journey. This Cast Covers: Starting a web design company and trying to teach people what the internet was. How FlashKit came about and the value it offered to the market at the time. Being in a growth mindset and the cheeky approach to Internet.com that worked out perfectly. Starting with 3,000 unique visitors per month and growing to 3 Million unique visitors per month and 600,000 active users on their forum. Seeing the monthly incremental growth of their traffic and the impact of having the opportunity to innovate. Knowing when to exit the company just before the DotCom bubble burst. What success looks like for Mark and how he enjoys working in the game development industry. Funding the business through structured deals and the current opportunities in the tech space. Being the idea person and the preference of working with people who are good at running a business. The time consumption that comes with a business's fast growth and how to deal with that. Understanding how to work towards a successful exit The importance of a small business owner learning how to maintain balance. The mistake of hiring out of desperation and how to build a kick-ass culture by listening to the employees and leading by example. Learning how to sell yourself as a business owner and some of the tools Mark uses to ensure he stays efficient and productive. Reading and understanding contracts before you sign them and the importance of consulting a professional where you don't understand. Additional Resources: The 4-Hour Work Week By Tim Ferris 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 Kylee Scott, a director, and the studio manager at Cumulus Studio. After leaving a leading architectural firm to work for a large engineering company, Kylee saw how profitable a well run professional services company can be, so she convinced her partner in Hobart and a best friend to quit their architectural jobs and in late 2011 started Cumulus studios, a national and international award-winning firm. Starting with 4 full-time employees and two of the founders working other jobs to pay the bills, they quickly grew to 18 with more than half of those females. Adding an office in Melbourne and working around southeast Asia and Australia, revenue exploded from $55,000 in 2012 to now $3 Million. In 2020, Cumulus was named one of Ten Small Architecture Firms To Watch from a leading New York architecture magazine. They have continually funded their growth from their initial savings and now profits. Kylee invests a lot in professional development and their culture, and she believes the hardest thing in growing a small business is maintaining work-life balance especially when working with your life partner. The advice she would give herself on day one is, "Don't try and work everything out on your own. Get mentors" Stay tuned for more on her amazing business ownership journey and the insights she has to share. This Cast Covers: Creating unique buildings, master plans, and spaces within a team of architects, project coordinators, and designers. Their specialization in creating and delivering unique projects instead of specializing in one sector, and how that has aided in their growth. How she learned the operational dynamics of running a professional services company to later on start Cumulus Studio with her partner. From one full time employee to 24 and $55,000 to $3 Million in sales within an 8 year period. Experiencing the feeling of success by visiting one of their completed projects after all their combined hard work. Gaining international recognition for their amazing projects and being named one of the 10 small architectural firms to watch in 2020. Bootstrapping: Working other jobs and using their savings to start the business and currently running solely on cash flow. Ensuring the office culture is not too friendly and giving priority to personal mental and physical wellness. The importance of having efficient cloud-based systems and assistants in place and delegating. The excitement that comes with fast growth and the pain of finding affordable and flexible office space. Going through a branding update process and how it's enabled the founders to embrace each other's differences. The significance of a business owner developing a habit of keeping a really good eye on the cash flow and forecasting. Setting high standards for their employees and extending their probationary period for new hires from 3 to 6 months. Consuming relevant podcasts and gaining from partly studying three units in an MBA setting. Maintaining a work-life balance when one's business partner is also their life partner. Additional Resources: Clockwork By Mike Michalowicz Freakonomics Podcast Radiolab Podcast Without Fail Podcast Cautionary Tales 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 Jon Stagg, the Founder/Owner of Atlas Cafe, The Stagg, and Hobart Mountain Bike Tours, all based in beautiful Hobart, Tasmania. After years working in banking and IT, in a blanket in the Wimbledon Common in London, where the Wimbles live, Jon and his wife decided to move back to Tasmania for more space and a better lifestyle soon after their first child arrived. In 2002, aged 32, they bought a small cafe restaurant in Hobart and sold it five years later. After a couple of years back working for the man, they got the small business itch again and in 2009 set up Atlas Cafe, and then in 2016, The Stagg, a successful cafe. With both cafes running smoothly and needing little of their time, Jon decided to start Hobart Mountain Bike Tours, which has had mixed success. Their funding was solely from their own savings initially, then a small bank loan for Atlas Cafe later on. Starting with 5 full-time employees in 2002, they now have around 20 in the team, and over $2 Million in annual sales, with most of that coming from the two cafes. Jon says a business owner should use a new employee's probation period to ensure they are a good fit, especially culturally, and employ the no dickhead policy. He admits that that has dramatically changed the way he manages people. He believes the hardest thing in growing a small business is, "Staff, Staff, Staff" and the advice he would give himself on day one is, "Dont be scared, jump in with your boots on. You're going to make mistakes. Don't be scared to make mistakes. Believe in yourself. Do it". Listen in as Jon shares his years of experience in small business ownership, and I promise you you will leave wiser as you seek to grow your own small business. Enjoy! This Cast Covers: Leaving the IT and banking industry to venture into small business ownership. Succeeding in an industry that is tough to run well and make money from. Starting the mountain bike tour business and the extreme challenges they're currently facing. From turning over $300 when they started The Stagg, to the current weekly turnover of $20,000. Building a team of 20 full-time employees spread across their three businesses over the years they've been in business. The analogy of paddling in front of the wave and how it applies to business ownership. Gaining time freedom by successfully detaching from the daily operations of the businesses through setting up effective systems. Grappling with the low margins, dealing with a usually young staff, and the terrible staff retention rates in the industry. Bootstrapping at the startup stage, getting a small bank loan later on, and currently getting interest free funding from the government to set up a third (catering) business. The vision: Working on setting up a mountain biking lodge. Communication issues and the pain of letting employees down as a business owner. Investing in proper accounting and bookkeeping to add the greatest value to the business. The beauty of running a business in the hospitality industry for Jon. Learning to be more accommodating and understanding of his staff and how that has benefitted his business in the long run. The importance of keeping an eye on the numbers and having a probation period for every new hire. Getting the Guinness Book of World Records win for the most number of cappuccinos made within an hour. Attending coffee events and conferences to network in the industry and learn different techniques. The regret of spending too much time in the business focusing too much on the money. How to build a hospitality business and be able to get out of the day to day operations. Believing in yourself, not fearing mistakes, and going all-in on your dream business. Additional Resources: Setting the Table Podcast By Danny Meyer The Renegade Server By Tim Kirkland Winning Every Day By Lou Holtz Talking Tourism Freakonomics Small Business Big Marketing By Tim Reid 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 Christopher Stenhouse, the Co-Founder and former CEO of Switch Media, one of the world leaders in OTT (internet) content streaming. Switch Media designs, develops and delivers tailored IP video solutions for a diverse range of industries Christopher started the company back in 2006 when he was 43 with two other founders, just after quitting a mid-level management role at Telstra. Some of their 30 clients include Foxtel, The Australian Government (Including helping two Prime Ministers create videos for their campaigns), and AVC Media, who they built the original video platform for. 14 years on, they now have a team of 90, $15 Million in annual revenue, a growth of 20% to 30% per annum, and 4 offices across Australia, New Zealand, Sweden, and the UK. He undertook professional development through negotiation training at INSEAD MBA, the number one business school in Europe. Before stepping down as CEO in 2018, he put a heavy focus on sales leadership, especially since the other founders had those skills. He emphasizes the need for communication in every business and recommends hiring people one likes over people with more skills because nice people can be trained. He believes the hardest thing in growing a small business is, "When you're small, you're nimble and quick to pivot, but as you get bigger, you need processes and structures. Find a way to handle your larger distributed team without losing your nimbleness." The advice he would give himself on day one is, "Focusing on what is important, not urgent, and stay alert to what's changing in your broader market. Be ready to pivot in case it does, and it almost definitely will." Stay tuned for more of his actionable advice on how to grow a small business into a hugely successful and profitable giant. This Cast Covers: Starting a worldwide successful online video B2B SaaS business. From mid-level manager at Telstra to taking on a lifelong interest and thriving at it. How their business survived during the global financial crisis. Growing the company from nothing to $15 Million in revenues over a ten year period. Expanding into international markets and establishing offices in those locations. Helping Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard create YouTube-style campaign videos and seeing a million dollars for the first time. Success in having a profitable business and a team that loves what they do. The efficiency in self-funding the business through personal savings and investments from family members. What Christopher would have done if he had a huge chunk of funding when starting out in business. The most stressful point in their small business growth journey. The importance of having a shareholders' agreement before starting out in a partnership business. Demonstrating consistency as a business owner and the impact that has on employees. Improving on his sales skills to contribute more to the company's overall success and the learning experience that it was. How a business owner loses contact with their team members when their business grows bigger. The difference between the business that a business owner starts and the one that they end up running. The value in recognizing the difference between an urgent task and an important one. Top HR Tip: Growing from zero to 90 staff by employing people they like. The role of communication in building a sustainable and kickass culture. Getting an MBA in France and being able to successfully apply it in business. The invaluable nature of having an independent board of advisors. The process of stepping out of the CEO role while still staying on as a shareholder. The power of a robust cashflow forecast in growing a small business. Focusing on the important tasks, staying alert to what's happening in the broader market, and being ready to pivot the business if the wind changes. Additional Resources: Negotiation Evolved By Filip Hron The Best in Corporate Negotiation Training INSEAD MBA Music from https://filmmusic.io "Cold Funk" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com). License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/