In this week’s episode of Better Business, Better Life, Debra Chantry-Taylor challenges the annual ritual of New Year’s resolutions and explains why most of them quietly collapse by February.

Debra unpacks the three big illusions that keep entrepreneurs stuck. The belief in a magical fresh start, the short-lived energy of January, and the assumption that wanting change is the same as committing to it. She shares a loving truth many leaders need to hear. You are not lazy or undisciplined, you are overloaded and unsupported by structure.

Rather than chasing motivation, Debra offers a simpler, more sustainable approach. Choosing just two non-negotiable anchors for the year, one personal and one business, and building a consistent weekly rhythm that makes progress unavoidable. She explores how creating friction for old habits, setting firm boundaries, and planning energy into the calendar are essential for real change.

The episode also highlights a crucial but often ignored factor in personal follow-through. Your team. Debra explains why individual willpower is not enough, and how tenacious, accountable teams make long-term change possible.

If you are tired of setting goals you do not keep and ready to build a year that actually sticks, this episode will help you replace resolutions with systems and start the year with clarity, compassion, and traction.

CONNECT WITH DEBRA:        
___________________________________________        
►Debra Chantry-Taylor is a Certified EOS Implementer | Entrepreneurial Leadership & Business Coach | Business Owner

►Connect with Debra: ⁠debra@businessaction.com.au ⁠

►See how she can help you: https://businessaction.co.nz/
►Claim Your Free E-Book: https://www.businessaction.co.nz/free-e-book/

Episode 253 Chapters:  

00:00 – Introduction

00:33 – New Year’s Resolutions and Structural Failures

01:54 – Three January Illusions

02:51 – Loving Truths and Overloading

04:49 – The Three-Week Slump

06:40 – Setting Goals and Building Systems

07:13 – Creating Friction and Setting Boundaries

09:04 – Treating Yourself with Compassion

10:19 – The Role of Tenacious Teams

In this holiday episode of Better Business, Better Life, Debra Chantry-Taylor tackles a familiar but rarely confronted reality for entrepreneurs: most don’t truly rest over the Christmas break, they simply pause while staying mentally tethered to work.

Debra unpacks the subtle behaviours that sabotage real downtime, from “just checking emails” to quietly solving work problems in your head and explains why these habits prevent genuine recovery. She shares why true rest isn’t indulgent or irresponsible, but essential for clear thinking, strong leadership, and sustainable businesses.

Through her signature lens of fierce clarity and loving truth, Debra outlines five practical steps for a healthy Christmas break, choosing presence, resting without guilt, reflecting lightly, reconnecting with who you are beyond the business, and letting go of martyr behaviour. She also explores why family businesses often struggle at Christmas, and how blurred boundaries can quietly undermine both rest and relationships.

The episode closes with Debra sharing her own plans for switching off properly, offering a grounded reminder that a business strong enough to survive your absence is a sign of leadership done well.

So if you’re heading into the festive season exhausted, distracted, or secretly planning to “just check in,” this episode is your permission slip, and your plan, to truly rest.

CONNECT WITH DEBRA:        
___________________________________________        
►Debra Chantry-Taylor is a Certified EOS Implementer | Entrepreneurial Leadership & Business Coach | Business Owner

►Connect with Debra: ⁠debra@businessaction.com.au ⁠

►See how she can help you: https://businessaction.co.nz/
►Claim Your Free E-Book: https://www.businessaction.co.nz/free-e-book/

Episode 252 Chapters:  

00:00 – Introduction

00:38 – Christmas Break Realities for Entrepreneurs

02:32 – The Truth About Entrepreneurs’ Christmas Breaks

04:23 – The Importance of Rest for Entrepreneurs

05:20 – Family Businesses and Christmas

08:50 – Preparing Your Business for a Proper Break

11:26 – Debra’s Personal Christmas Plans

In this week’s episode of Better Business, Better Life, Debra Chantry-Taylor is joined by Kerry Boulton, an experienced exit planner, business coach, and investor, for a candid conversation about what really happens when business owners don’t plan their exit.

Drawing on decades of lived experience, Kerry shares her journey from running a major division in the 1980s to owning, exiting, and reinvesting in multiple businesses. She unpacks a confronting statistic from the Exit Planning Institute: 73% of business owners regret selling their business, largely because they failed to plan both the exit itself and what comes next.

Together, Debra and Kerry explore what it truly means to be exit-ready, from strong financials, systems, and succession planning, to reducing owner dependency and thinking deeply about purpose beyond the business. The conversation also dives into family business succession, the emotional realities of exiting, and why starting at least three years early can make all the difference.

This episode is a powerful reminder that exiting a business isn’t a single transaction, it’s a transition. And done well, it can set you up not just for financial security, but for a meaningful and intentional next chapter of life.

CONNECT WITH DEBRA:        

___________________________________________        

►Debra Chantry-Taylor is a Certified EOS Implementer | Entrepreneurial Leadership & Business Coach | Business Owner

►Connect with Debra: ⁠debra@businessaction.com.au ⁠

►See how she can help you: https://businessaction.co.nz/

►Claim Your Free E-Book: https://www.businessaction.co.nz/free-e-book/

___________________________________________

GUESTS DETAILS:

► Kerry Boulton – LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/businessvaluebuildermelbourne/

► Get Her Complimentary Valuation Assessment: https://theexitstrategygroup.com.au/value-builder-questionnaire/

► Get Her Book, The Uncensored Truth about Exit Strategies: https://freeexitstrategybook.com.au/

Episode 251 Chapters:  

0:00 – Kerry’s Introduction and Background in Exit Planning

2:29 – The Journey to Business Ownership and Initial Challenges

7:33 – Implementing TQM and Attracting International Buyers

11:25 – The Importance of Exit Planning for Baby Boomers

14:35 – The Impact of Not Having an Exit Strategy

19:53 – Financial Considerations and the Role of Professionals

25:38 – Family Business Succession Planning

32:58 – The Importance of Systems and Financial Health

36:48 – The Role of Earn-Outs and Private Equity

40:22 – Top Tips for Exit Planning