Your First Quarter Report Card
July, August, September – done and dusted, more or less. So how’s the new financial year actually going? Not “how busy have you been.” How’s it going?
Most business owners can rattle off exactly how flat out they’ve been since July; the jobs, the clients, the late nights. Fewer can tell you how profitable they’ve been over the same stretch. And that gap between “flat out” and “actually ahead”, is exactly where a quick quarter check-in earns its keep. It’s the difference between a business that feels busy and a business you can actually prove is moving forward.
Father’s Day and the Business Owner Who Can’t Switch Off
Happy Father’s Day to every business owner who “just needs to check one email” during the barbecue.
Here’s the bit nobody says out loud; if you genuinely can’t switch off for one Sunday, it’s not because you’re dedicated, it’s because something in the business is relying entirely on you being switched on, all the time. That’s not commitment. That’s a business that hasn’t had its systems built yet, quietly telling on itself every time your phone lights up at a family lunch.
R U OK? (The Question You Never Ask Yourself)
On September 10, most of Australia will be asking each other “R U OK?” Workplaces will run morning teas. There’ll be yellow everywhere. It’s a genuinely good day, and I’m glad it exists – it’s done a lot for getting these conversations out into the open where they belong, after years of them staying firmly behind closed doors.
But here’s the question I actually want to ask you, business owner to business owner… when’s the last time you asked yourself that?
Spring Clean Your Numbers (Not Just Your Garage)
Spring’s arrived, and everyone’s suddenly a productivity machine. The garage gets sorted. The wardrobe gets a donation pile. Even the fridge gets a wipe-down it hasn’t seen since Christmas. There’s something about the change of season that makes us want to open cupboards we’ve been quietly avoiding, throw open the windows, and start again with a clean slate.
How Do I Build a Business That Runs Without Me?
The biggest obstacle to growing your business might not be your team, your systems, or your customers. It might be you.
When I ask business owners why they started their business, the answers are usually very similar.
“I wanted more freedom.”
“I wanted to spend more time with my family.”
“I wanted to be my own boss.”
“I wanted to build something for myself.”
“I wanted more flexibility.”
It’s a dream shared by almost every entrepreneur.
The irony is that somewhere along the journey, many business owners created exactly the opposite.
Instead of building freedom, they build dependence.
Not dependence on customers.
Not dependence on suppliers.
Dependence on themselves.
Without even realising it, they become the person every decision revolves around.
Why Is Cashflow Always Tight?
The biggest reason small business owners struggle with money has nothing to do with how much they’re earning.
Have you ever looked at your bank account on a Friday afternoon and thought…
“Where has all the money gone?”
It’s one of the most common questions I hear from business owners.
How Healthy Is My Business? The 7 Warning Signs Every Small Business Owner Should Know
Most people wouldn’t drive their car for five years without having it serviced. We understand that regular maintenance prevents expensive breakdowns. Yet that’s exactly how many business owners run their businesses.
Why Isn’t My Business Making Money?
If you’ve ever sat in your office after another long week and thought…
“We’re busy… so why does it still feel like there’s never enough money?”
You’re not alone.
In fact, it’s one of the most common conversations I have with small business owners.
The Business Health Check I Wish Every Business Owner Would Take
Your Business Has a Pulse Too
Every business leaves clues.
Little signs. Signals. Indicators. Messages.
The challenge is that most business owners are too busy running the business to notice them.
The Dashboard Test: Could You Answer These 7 Questions Right Now?
Let me ask you a question…..
Without opening Xero.
Without asking your bookkeeper.
Without digging through spreadsheets.
Without checking your bank account.
Could you answer these 7 questions coming up about your business right now?
Not later. Not after you’ve looked it up. Right now?
If you can, fantastic. If you can’t, don’t panic.
So let’s put your business to the test.
When Did Your Business Stop Being Fun?
Very few business owners wake up one morning and suddenly decide they no longer enjoy their business.
It’s usually much more subtle than that.
The $50,000 Question Most Business Owners Never Ask
Imagine I walked into your business today and handed you a cheque for $50,000.
No strings attached.
No tax implications.
No catch.
Just an extra $50,000 sitting in your business account tomorrow morning.
What would you do with it?