Welcome to this weeks’ episode of The Australian Small Business Show!

Today we are talking about the support networks we have around us as small business owners with Dr Leanne Faulkner from Fortitude at Work.

A little about Leanne:

Many people in the business community might know me as “the soap lady” or the “goat lady”. Our youngest son had suffered with eczema from birth and in an effort to ease his discomfort I learned how to make goat’s milk soap as a gentle protective skin care alternative. In 2004, Billie Goat Soap began.

It was a humble affair initially and started in my kitchen. By 2010 we had grown to employ over 20 people and sold the products in over 2000 outlets around the country. Billie Goat Soap was the NSW Business Chamber Business of the Year in 2010 and the Myer Supplier of the Year (general cosmetics) at around the same time. I sold Billie Goat in 2012. The challenges that came with growing a small business came at a cost to my mental health. Needing support, I was shocked to learn that there was nothing available specifically for me – a small business owner. There were resources available for employees and the general public, but nothing for entrepreneurs and business owners. That put me on a path to lobby for change…

Today, I work at the intersection of small business ownership and mental health. It’s quite a unique position. It means I know the realities that come with small business ownership and I am able to link that to our understanding of workplace mental health support strategies. I think it’s fair to say I am obsessed with supporting the mental health and wellbeing of small business owners.

To connect with Leanne you can go to: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leannefaulkner/

Or her website: https://fortitudeatwork.com.au/

Connect with Us: If you're an Australian Small Business Owner, we'd love to connect with you on socials. You can give our Facebook Page a like here: https://www.facebook.com/theaustraliansmallbusinessshow

Or follow us on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/aussmallbizshow/

Exciting news: our website is live – check it out at: https://www.theaustraliansmallbusinessshow.com.au/

* Disclaimer: The information shared on The Australian Small Business Show is general in nature and does not constitute professional advice, legal or otherwise. We recommend consulting with your advisors on your specific circumstances.

Welcome to this weeks’ episode of The Australian Small Business Show!

Today we are tackling the challenging topic of mental health and wellness as an Australian Small Business Owner.

Let’s be real – being a small business owner is at times tough, stressful and can feel overwhelming. It’s difficult some days, weeks and months.

October is Mental Health Month here in Australia, so we thought this was the perfect time to have a discussion about this.

Matt and Kristy-Lee share their experiences on the impact running a small business has had on their mental health over the years, and some of the strategies they have put in place to try and protect their mental wellness.

If you need support, there are many options available, including calling Lifeline: 131114

Connect with Us: If you're an Australian Small Business Owner, we'd love to connect with you on socials. You can give our Facebook Page a like here: https://www.facebook.com/theaustraliansmallbusinessshow

Or follow us on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/aussmallbizshow/

Exciting news: our website is live – check it out at: https://www.theaustraliansmallbusinessshow.com.au/

* Disclaimer: The information shared on The Australian Small Business Show is general in nature and does not constitute professional advice, legal or otherwise. We recommend consulting with your advisors on your specific circumstances.

Welcome to this weeks’ episode of The Australian Small Business Show!

This week we are having a follow up discussion from last weeks chat with Amey Lee from Heart Content about Authentic Intelligence.

In this episode we discuss how we’re using AI in our businesses, but keeping it real and authentic at the same time.

We discuss the current challenges of using AI, and what we are seeing in the industries we work in, service and support when it comes to using AI really effectively.

How are you using AI? And how are you balancing not using your true voice in the process? We’d love to hear from you.

Connect with Us: If you're an Australian Small Business Owner, we'd love to connect with you on socials. You can give our Facebook Page a like here: https://www.facebook.com/theaustraliansmallbusinessshow

Or follow us on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/aussmallbizshow/

Exciting news: our website is live – check it out at: https://www.theaustraliansmallbusinessshow.com.au/

* Disclaimer: The information shared on The Australian Small Business Show is general in nature and does not constitute professional advice, legal or otherwise. We recommend consulting with your advisors on your specific circumstances.

Welcome to this weeks’ episode of The Australian Small Business Show!

Today we are joined by special guest Amey Lee from Heart Content.

With years of experience helping brands bring together story, strategy, and content, Amey shows business owners how to increase their impact, streamline their marketing, amplify their message and attract their tribe by harnessing the power of brand story.

Her career in brand and marketing spans more than 20 years and includes clients such as Fernwood Fitness, Guild Insurance, Atherton and a role at the BBC where she helped deliver a learning campaign and broke a world record in the process.

Amey’s creative brain can turn out winning ideas and brilliant copy, whilst her strategic half is an expert in finding your difference, establishing your value, identifying your audience and translating these ideas into tangible goals that help to grow your business.

In this episode we aren’t talking about Brand Strategy though – we’re talking about the other AI – Authentic Intelligence.

Amey shares her brilliant thoughts on how to integrate your own authentic intelligence into your content and messaging, in a world where we are all using AI every day.

If you’d like to contact Amey you can reach her:

At her website: https://www.heartcontent.com.au/

On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ameylee/

On Instagram: @heartcontentau

On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heartcontentau

Connect with Us: If you're an Australian Small Business Owner, we'd love to connect with you on socials. You can give our Facebook Page a like here: https://www.facebook.com/theaustraliansmallbusinessshow

Or follow us on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/aussmallbizshow/

Exciting news: our website is live – check it out at: https://www.theaustraliansmallbusinessshow.com.au/

* Disclaimer: The information shared on The Australian Small Business Show is general in nature and does not constitute professional advice, legal or otherwise. We recommend consulting with your advisors on your specific circumstances.

Welcome to this weeks’ episode of The Australian Small Business Show!

Today we’re talking about dealing with difficult people – because let’s face it, if you’re in business, you’ll need to deal with difficult people at some point or another. Whether it’s a customer, client, supplier, even the ATO. It’s not a maybe, it’s a guarantee.

As business owners there are different types of difficult people we might encounter.

Customers or clients is one type. This might be the complainers, the slow payers, the ones who “know better” or the boundary breakers.

Then there are suppliers, ones who provide unreliable deliveries, shifting terms, or ghost you when things go wrong.

We also have Referral Partners, perhaps they promise too much and underdeliver, or send you nightmare clients.

Then of course there is staff – but that’s for a whole other episode.

We then share some practical strategies to help you deal with difficult people:

Set Boundaries Early

• Contracts, clear payment terms, upfront expectations.
• Don’t let “just this once” become the norm.

Stay Calm, Stay Professional

• Don’t mirror aggression or emotion — it escalates.
• Script for customers: “I hear your concern. Here’s what we can do.”

Know When to Walk Away

• Fire a client/referral partner if they’re draining your business.
• Red flag: If they cost more than they bring in (time, energy, money).

Document Everything

• Especially with suppliers and regulators. Email > phone call.
• Keeps emotion out, creates a paper trail.

Connect with Us: If you're an Australian Small Business Owner, we'd love to connect with you on socials. You can give our Facebook Page a like here: https://www.facebook.com/theaustraliansmallbusinessshow

Or follow us on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/aussmallbizshow/

Exciting news: our website is live – check it out at: https://www.theaustraliansmallbusinessshow.com.au/

* Disclaimer: The information shared on The Australian Small Business Show is general in nature and does not constitute professional advice, legal or otherwise. We recommend consulting with your advisors on your specific circumstances.

Welcome to this weeks’ episode of The Australian Small Business Show!

Today we are talking about surviving your first firing! When you start hiring staff, you don’t exactly think about how you might fire them, but at some point in your small business journey, terminating the employment of one of your team will be a reality, and let’s be honest, it won’t be fun.

In this discussion we look at the emotional toll firing might have on you, and why this causes so many of us to put it off way longer than we should.

Kristy-Lee also shares her expertise in the technical legal and compliance side of terminating staff, both within probation and beyond.

We then look at what to do after the firing, both when it comes to the individual involved and the team.

Connect with Us: If you're an Australian Small Business Owner, we'd love to connect with you on socials. You can give our Facebook Page a like here: https://www.facebook.com/theaustraliansmallbusinessshow

Or follow us on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/aussmallbizshow/

Exciting news: our website is live – check it out at: https://www.theaustraliansmallbusinessshow.com.au/

* Disclaimer: The information shared on The Australian Small Business Show is general in nature and does not constitute professional advice, legal or otherwise. We recommend consulting with your advisors on your specific circumstances.

Welcome to this weeks’ episode of The Australian Small Business Show!

Today we are joined by Shandra Moran from The Transit Lounge to chat about the rise of the service based side business.

The Transit Lounge helps Women grow a service-based Side Business to support them in the future – so they can earn great money, doing work they love, without burning out.

Before creating the Transit Lounge, Shandra had an eclectic career as…

• A national multi-award winning Promotions & Marketing Director in the dynamic Radio industry

• Talent Manager for the Merrick & Rosso Show on Foxtel

• Head of People & Operations at a human performance consultancy

– including managing one of the largest organisational culture change programs ever undertaken in Australia

She is also a qualified Executive, Business and Results coach, has completed the Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction [MBSR] program, is an accredited international Money Breakthrough Coach, Podcast Host and co author of international best selling book Elevate Your Success.

Shandra believes in lifelong learning, applying what I learn and sharing it with others so they can apply it too.

I want to help as many people as possible to earn great money doing what they love, without burning out on the way.

Shandra wants to help as many people as possible to create that world, by helping them to earn great money, doing what they love, without burning out on the way.

If you’d like to connect with Shandra, you can visit her website here: https://thetransitlounge.com/

You can connect with her on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shandramoran/

Or on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/thetransitlounge

Connect with Us: If you're an Australian Small Business Owner, we'd love to connect with you on socials. You can give our Facebook Page a like here: https://www.facebook.com/theaustraliansmallbusinessshow

Or follow us on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/aussmallbizshow/

Exciting news: our website is live – check it out at: https://www.theaustraliansmallbusinessshow.com.au/

* Disclaimer: The information shared on The Australian Small Business Show is general in nature and does not constitute professional advice, legal or otherwise. We recommend consulting with your advisors on your specific circumstances.

Welcome to this weeks’ episode of The Australian Small Business Show!

Today we are unpacking the results of a recent report produced by Xero called ‘It’s Your Business – How Entrepreneurs are Redefining Their Success in Today’s World’.

There are 2.6m small businesses in Australia, making up 97% of all businesses, contributing $590bn to GDP and employing 5.4m people.

Xero surveyed 500 Australian small business owners for this survey and the findings were really interesting. We really enjoyed unpacking some of the key concepts and findings in this discussion.

Entrepreneur Archetypes

The research identifies three main archetypes:

Lifestyle Entrepreneurs (47%)

Motivated by freedom, work-life balance, and doing work they enjoy. Success= time with family, flexibility, and meaningful work.

Ambitious Achievers (30%)

Motivated by growth, brand-building, and financial independence. Success = scaling fast, creating legacies, building household names.

Situational Founders (23%)

Motivated by circumstance (redundancy, migration, lack of jobs). Success = stability, independence, and serving their communities.

Success, Goals & Gaps

Most entrepreneurs feel successful (96% say they are or on the way), but:

Only 31% have an endgame (succession or exit strategy).

Nearly half (49%) lack long-term goals beyond 3 years.

43% don’t have a succession plan – leaving future continuity at risk.

Power of Advisory & Support Networks

86% of entrepreneurs use an advisor (accountant, bookkeeper, coach). Those who do: 62% reported revenue growth (vs 37% without) and 74% feel confident running their business (vs 53% without).

Advisors influence more than compliance – trust, emotional support, strategy, tech adoption, and HR guidance.

Beyond advisors, owners rely on Google, peers, and family/friends for advice – not always reliable.

Connect with Us: If you're an Australian Small Business Owner, we'd love to connect with you on socials. You can give our Facebook Page a like here: https://www.facebook.com/theaustraliansmallbusinessshow

Or follow us on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/aussmallbizshow/

Exciting news: our website is live –check it out at: https://www.theaustraliansmallbusinessshow.com.au/

* Disclaimer: The information shared on The Australian Small Business Show is general in nature and does not constitute professional advice, legal or otherwise. We recommend consulting with your advisors on your specific circumstances.