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.

Mentioned in this episode:

HR Made Simple - Free Webinar

Free Webinar: HR Made Simple - The 6 Part System Every Small Business Needs Most small business owners waste time winging it or throw money at HR software they don’t need. In this free training, I’ll show you the simple HR system that stops the constant chasing, removes the second guessing and gives you confidence in every people decision - even if you're busy, overwhelmed and exhausted. Join this free webinar on the 23rd September and find out more: https://www.peoplepoweredbusiness.com.au/simple

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.

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

Today we are taking a look at the recently implemented Right to Disconnect Laws which came into place for small businesses on the 26th August 2025.

In this episode we unpack what the right to disconnect is and what it actually means, we discuss the implementation, pathway and why this matters for small business now and we take a look at what will it actually mean for your businesses in practical terms.

I also share some real life examples of what I am seeing play out with the clients I am working with and how they are implementing the right to disconnect.

If you need support with the Right to Disconnect, I’d love to invite you to the People Powered HR community – you can get all the details and join us here: https://www.peoplepoweredbusiness.com.au/pphr

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.

Mentioned in this episode:

HR Made Simple - Free Webinar

Free Webinar: HR Made Simple - The 6 Part System Every Small Business Needs Most small business owners waste time winging it or throw money at HR software they don’t need. In this free training, I’ll show you the simple HR system that stops the constant chasing, removes the second guessing and gives you confidence in every people decision - even if you're busy, overwhelmed and exhausted. Join this free webinar on the 23rd September and find out more: https://www.peoplepoweredbusiness.com.au/simple

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

Today we are welcoming back returning guest Ryan Griffin from Chunky Duck.

Like many of us entrepreneurs, Ryan’s journey to his current business has not been a straight line. Initially a professional baseball player, he returned to Australia ready to start his career in digital marketing. He worked for many years in marketing agency before turning to scuba diving and juggling freelancing. As Covid hit he went all in on his own digital agency – now known as Chunky Duck.

In today’s discussion Ryan talks to us about engaging a creative, digital or full service agency – like Chunky Duck for your small business. In this discussion we unpack:

• What an agency can do for your small business
• When to outsource to an agency
• Why specialist help might be the right move
• Why doing it yourself is (often) not the best answer.

If you’d like to connect with Ryan you can find him on LinkedIn here, or head over to Chunky Duck to check out their work.

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!

In today’s episode we are chatting about your zone of genius, and asking you how much time you’re spending there…

This concept comes from a great book, called The Big Leap by author Gay Hendricks (you can pick it up at your favourite book store).

In the book the author explores the premise that there are 4 distinct ‘zones’ that we can work in, and that many of us spend our live (both work and personal) not doing things that are aligned with our zone of genius – which is where we can have the biggest impact on the world, and those around us.

The 4 zones as we unpack them are:

The Zone of Incompetence: doing things you’re not good at and are better done by someone else

The Zone of Competence: doing things you’re good, but not great at. Doing the ‘busy’ work rather than the important work.

The Zone of Excellent: doing things you’re great at, and get paid well for, often what you’ve built a career from. But the things that ultimately don’t light you up, that make you feel burnt out and can become bored of.

The Zone of Genius: where things flow, feel easy and time seems to disappear. Doing work here is where you can have the biggest impact and create the most value.

With this in mind, where are you spending your time? Let us know on our socials.

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.