In this powerful and inspiring episode, host Dustin Serviss sits down with Australian entrepreneur and accounting firm founder Meryl Johnston to unpack the realities of balancing entrepreneurship, parenting, and health. Meryl shares her candid journey from starting a tennis coaching business in her 20s to building Bean Ninjas, an international, productized accounting service now running largely without her.

They explore:

• How Meryl balances being a mom of two, a business leader, and a surfer.
• The transition from corporate accounting to launching a scalable, recurring revenue business.
• The health challenge that changed her perspective: a breast cancer diagnosis at 40, and how recovery reshaped her mindset on work, rest, and life priorities.
• Her experimentation phase post-sabbatical: investing, coaching, recruitment ventures, and redefining her next purpose.
• The evolution of the accounting industry, burnout trends, and how modern accountants are finding freedom through intentional business models.
• Advice on starting a side hustle, building lean, and avoiding “no man’s land” when scaling a business.
• Meryl’s views on parenting, traveling with kids, and the myth of perfect work-life balance.

Whether you're an accountant, parent, entrepreneur, or someone navigating life pivots, this episode is full of wisdom on building a life that aligns with your values—not just your title.

• Bean Ninjas – Productized Bookkeeping Services
• TeamUp – Accounting Recruitment from the Philippines
• Connect with Meryl Johnston on LinkedIn

01:38 Balancing Family and Professional Life

03:28 Meryl's Early Business Ventures

05:25 Building a Scalable Business Model

08:01 Health Challenges and Recovery

12:28 Insights on the Accounting Industry

24:02 Work-Life Balance and Personal Philosophy

In this inspiring and thought-provoking episode, Dustin welcomes Lucia Knight, founder of 'Midlife Unstuck', for a meaningful conversation about one of the most overlooked success factors in life and work.

They unpack powerful questions like:

What if everything you’ve worked so hard for still leaves you unfulfilled?

How do you redefine success when you’ve already “made it” by the world’s standards?

And how do you design work that energizes you—without taking unnecessary risks or starting over from scratch?

Lucia shares insights from her research with over 3,500 executives and deep coaching work with mid-career professionals who found the courage to redesign their lives. She introduces her simple but transformational “Joyful Work Formula”—a Venn diagram of your superpowers, purpose, and lifestyle goals—and provides practical tools for identifying what truly lights you up.

You’ll hear relatable stories of clients who let go of draining work, started purpose-driven businesses, and reclaimed their time and energy without sacrificing income or success.

01:09 - Defining Joy in the Workplace

01:23 - Challenges and Questions About Joy at Work

03:00 - Midlife Reflections and Triggers

04:50 - Redefining Success and Finding Purpose

07:36 - Discovering and Utilizing Superpowers

10:31 - Real-Life Examples and Success Stories

14:08 - Risk Aversion and Financial Planning

18:27 - Long-Term Goals and Lifestyle Design