Grow A Small Business Podcast

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

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

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

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

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

In 1984 as a young, naive cafe worker in Hobart Rod took the leap to run his own small cafe more than 200km away in Launceston, Tasmania. Investing heavily in the team and culture, they now have two award-winning restaurants and recently added 7 premium accommodation rooms above one of them on the Tamar River. Listen to Rod speak about his small business journey and how adapting to the marketing and finding the right people to get on the busy, especially three young, key business partners to further the passion and lead the dedicated team. This cast covers: Started a cafe in 1984, expanded in 2000 to a restaurant and added a second high-end restaurant in 2008; In 2019 Rod built seven premium apartments above the restaurant and added accommodation to the business mix; A lot of new team members come from referrals of existing and past team members; Shared equity in both businesses with three junior business partners to share the growth and success, letting them focus on the kitchen, wine and service and HR and operations; Managing your numbers and finances are key to success; Hasn't taken on investment or bank finance, funded growth though cash flow though recently ; Recommends to talk and work with others in your industry, and grow at a decent rate - not too aggressive; Highly values marketing and brand; Hardest thing in small business is managing finances and adapting to change; and Advice he'd give himself on day one is think a bit further than a few months and do realistic numbers. Music from https://filmmusic.io "Cold Funk" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com). License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Above a little cafe in Hobart in 2015 James and one of his brothers spent a year testing and arguing about business ideas to pursue. Biteable was one of the first they thought of but being analytical, they wanted to exhaust the list before circling back and getting serious. Six months into it they brought on the third co-founder, a good friend, and raised $1.1m investment. A genuine SaaS (Software as a Service) business, Biteable allows people to create videos for ads, presentations and training on websites. Using a Freemium subscription model, paid plans start at $29 USD a month. This cast covers: From 10,000 customers to now 5 million in 5 years; Doubled customers every year; Have raised $3.4m AUD investment to date, all from Australia and now talking with US investors; James worked for Moo.com and BigCommerce, where he learnt will need capital to grow something large; Went with their hunch in 2015 that video was going to grow massively, tested many ideas and models before settling on Biteable; As the business grows roles change, need to keep ego in-check (yours and your co-founders); Org structure and job descriptions are super-important in fast-growth; Moved the three founders at the top of the org chart sharing day-to-day responsibility, to James being CEO and solely responsible to the Board for the performance of the business; Fundraising has been interesting, get honest feedback from potential investors then go back and fix those parts of the business for 6 months and back; Worked with a good mentor for two years who co-founded BigCommerce, he was able to help James change his perspective on what he can do; Had to work most on leadership and people stuff, but also had the most impact; Habit he recommends building as the leader is giving candid, direct feedback early and often; Most people don't want to give feedback because it may hurt the receivers' feelings, but most people want feedback and are very receptive; Hardest thing in business is navigating the uncertainty. Need to get comfortable with that and let go of opportunities a lot sooner; Number one tool to grow your business is Google AdWords. Set up first ad, went to bed and had 200 sales the next morning; and Would tell himself on day one is - all you are doing is solving a customers' problems, so the only thing that matters is the customer. Music from https://filmmusic.io "Cold Funk" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com). License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

In mid-2013, using $1,000 start-up capital, Tim and his wife Bec founded Flat Tummy Tea (FTT). The online-only business sells a tea which helps 18 - 35 year old women reduce bloating. After Bec tried some competing products at the time, none worked and were more aimed at helping weight-loss - not digestion and bloating. This cast has many great lessons on why marketing, according to the late Peter Drucker, is one of only two things that create value in a business (the other is innovation). Upon launching FTT they repositioned, or created a sub-cateory of tea, to one for digestion and bloating. Tim also speaks a lot about discovering influencer marketing in late 2013 and double-downing on it, years before it became one of the key online marketing methods. Working with influencers like all the Kardashians, this marketing decision added millions to their exit price. This cast covers: sold in 2016, for $10m to a Canadian company, 2.5 - 3 years after starting; 700% annual sales growth; Australia was the launch market, USA is now the majority of sales; very big profit margins and great cash flows; started with $1k, no bank finance or other investors just the husband-and-wife founders; launched within three months of idea, which came from Bec experiencing the problem they ended up solving for hundreds of thousands of customers; main stress was flat-lining growth over some months; biggest stress was selling the business, but not much he would do differently; advice on doing a big exit, make sure all parties are winning; worked hard on getting the right team and in the right seats, and the right culture; going against his gut, didn't spread themselves on too many marketing methods - focused hard on influencers marketing; 1.7m Instagram followers now; mindset shift was to be less conservative, more aggressive; habit he recommends building is to work ON the business, not IN it ; focus on what's working and not, and what customers want; invested heavily in mentors and networking; professional development invests an hour a day on podcasts in idle / dead time; hardest thing in business is the management of people - the bigger the business gets and faster growth, the more important management and culture is; he would tell himself on day one to know your 'Why', your vision and the number you are happy to exit with. Music from https://filmmusic.io "Cold Funk" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com). License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

A few months ago Brendan stepped down as General Manager (GM) of Hobart Brewing Co. (HBC), but remains a Director and shareholder. He knew the next chapter of growth the business needed was going to require different skills and experience to what he had, and some fresh blood. In late 2014 Brendan met co-founder and Head Brewer, then they brought on-board three other founding shareholders to set up a brewery and bar near the beautiful Hobart waterfront. Being the first tenant at the government-owned land under massive redevelopment over the next 10 - 20 years, Macquarie Point, has been great for the business but also provided challenges. Punters not knowing HBC is located in a rusty old abandoned rail yard behind a large hotel meant a solid marketing plan, and great execution, was needed to fuel their amazing growth. HBC sells its award-winning beers around Tasmania, a little in Melbourne and a lot at the bar - especially when live music, comedy and other events are on. This cast covers: the challenges of running a fast-growing and complex business that operates 7 days a week, has multiple sales channels and operates a production space on the edge of their bar; left delegation and focus a little too late; putting your ego aside and knowing when you have taken your role as far as you can, and what is best for the business; importance of marketing, especially when your bar is in a challenging location; how around five hours a week of professional development helped grow in the diverse role of general management; the importance of changing your leadership and management style to get more from your team. Music from https://filmmusic.io "Cold Funk" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com). License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

In a humble interview Matthew shares how he was kicked out of university, after some time off in the Tasmanian wilderness got back then took 6.5 years to complete a four year degree to become a pharmacist. In 2005 he started working in a pharmacy in Launceston, Tasmania and soon after was invited to buy-in. Taking on considerable personal debt to do so, Matthew and his three business partners then grew the pharmacy from $800k to $21m in annual sales with 25 team members, before selling out in 2017. This cast covers: how leveraging expert coaches and advisors added millions in value to the business; the old chestnut of a small business owner finding it hard to delegate early-on, then wakes up; how to pivot and tackle a fierce, savvy, new competitor entering your market; the importance of continual learning - keeping your own professional development up; using mentors and your own informal network to seek advice from; why knowing your numbers, and only a handful, to truly monitor are key to growth; one thing they would do differently if they were selling again; and staying focused and positive is crucial during such phenomenal fast growth. Music from https://filmmusic.io "Cold Funk" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com). License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)