Better Business, Better Life

In this episode of Better Business, Better Life, Debra Chantry-Taylor explores why scaling a business is rarely a strategy problem. Instead, it is often a leadership evolution challenge. 
Debra explains that as businesses grow, the leadership team must grow with them. Behaviours that worked in a smaller business can quickly become bottlenecks in a larger one. Without clear decision rights, role clarity, and true accountability, leadership teams struggle to scale effectively. She discusses the common challenge where visionaries struggle to let go, unintentionally blocking their integrator and leadership team from stepping up. Debra highlights the importance of productive tension in leadership meetings, clear accountability charts, and decision-making authority that moves down as the business grows. 
The episode also explores the unique challenges faced by family-owned businesses, where family, ownership, and management roles can easily overlap and create emotional friction. Debra explains why separating these roles and clarifying decision rights is essential for healthy leadership dynamics and sustainable growth. 
If your business has hit a ceiling, this episode offers practical insights on how evolving leadership behaviours, improving accountability, and embracing healthy tension can unlock the next stage of scale and create a better business and a better life.     
 CONNECT WITH DEBRA:    
___________________________________________         
►Debra Chantry-Taylor is a Certified EOS Implementer | Entrepreneurial Leadership & Business Coach | Business Owner ►Connect with Debra: [email protected]  
►See how she can help you: https://businessaction.co.nz/ 
►Claim Your Free E-Book: https://www.businessaction.co.nz/free-e-book/ 
   Episode 263 Chapters:    00:00 – Introduction 
00:36 – Scaling Requires Clear Decision Rights and Leadership Evolution  
02:19 – Growth Reveals Leadership Problems  
03:46 – Role Clarity and Decision-Making  
06:10 – Accountability and Leadership Evolution  
07:25 – Scaling as a Leadership Upgrade  
08:01 – Early Signs of Leadership Team Outgrowing Current Operations  
09:08 – Distinguishing Growth Problems from Leadership Behaviour Issues  
09:22 – Role Clarity Problems in Businesses Hitting a Ceiling  
10:19 – Founder or Long-Tenure Behaviour Blocking Scale  
11:17 – Healthy Tension in Leadership Meetings  
12:16 – Confusing Busyness with Effectiveness  
13:06 – True Accountability for Growth  
14:25 – Leadership Dynamics in Family-Owned Businesses  
15:56 – Avoided Conversations in Leadership  
16:55 – Unlocking Scale with Open Conversations

Scott Rusnak is an accomplished business owner, having built & successfully exited 2 of his companies. 
He is now a Certified EOS Implementer whose passion is helping business owners and burgeoning entrepreneurs get what they want from their businesses so they can live the life they want.
Scott is also the author of 'The Entrepreneurs' field guide - Design your life before someone else does it for you!'
In this podcast, we talk about how success isn’t rocket science... It’s all about getting clear on what you want and focusing on it.
Scott shares his journey through building & exiting 2 businesses of his own, some of his client success stories, as well as his top 3 tips for helping you to design your best life.
We chose to go freestyle on this podcast, with Scott sitting outside on his balcony, next to his surfboard. The sound quality might not be the greatest, but it was a real, open, honest & fun conversation which I hope you'll enjoy!

In this episode of Better Business, Better Life, Debra Chantry-Taylor speaks with Haraya Del Rosario August about what it means to become an EOS Driven Entrepreneur. Haraya shares her journey from the corporate world into entrepreneurship and how implementing EOS helped her scale her business from 13 to more than 50 employees in just two years. She explains how clarity, accountability, and strong leadership structures transformed the way her company operated and allowed her to step out of the day-to-day operations. The conversation explores the power of the accountability chart, the challenge many founders face when transitioning from operational roles into strategic leadership, and why building strong leadership teams is essential for sustainable growth. Haraya also introduces her new book, The 90-Day Leadership Field Manual, designed to help first-time leaders build confidence, structure, and clarity in their roles. Haraya and Debra also discuss the importance of prioritising health, creating supportive leadership environments, and building communities that allow entrepreneurs and leadership teams to grow together. Haraya shares her vision for expanding EOS communities across Southeast Asia and supporting more leaders on their journey. If you want to understand what it truly means to operate as an EOS Driven Entrepreneur, this episode offers powerful insights on clarity, leadership development, and scaling a business with the right systems in place. CONNECT WITH DEBRA:    ___________________________________________         ►Debra Chantry-Taylor is a Certified EOS Implementer | Entrepreneurial Leadership & Business Coach | Business Owner ►Connect with Debra: [email protected] ►See how she can help you: https://businessaction.co.nz/ ►Claim Your Free E-Book: https://www.businessaction.co.nz/free-e-book/ ___________________________________________       GUEST’S DETAILS: ► Haraya Del Rosario – LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iadelrosario/ ► Website – Satori: https://teamsatori.asia/
Episode 262 Chapters:   00:00 – Introduction 00:42 – Journey to Entrepreneurship and EOS Implementation 10:26 – Discovering EOS and Scaling the Business 10:51 – The Impact of Accountability Charts 29:52 – Challenges and Growth in Leadership 35:05 – The Role of Visionaries and Strategy 37:40 – Personal Growth and Professional Fulfilment 37:51 – The Science of Scaling and Personal Development 39:58 – Supporting New Leaders and Building Communities 40:47 – The Importance of Clarity and Health First 44:41 – Future Plans and Exciting Announcements

Verity Craft is an entrepreneur, writer, consultant, speaker (and musical theatre nerd!) based in Auckland, New Zealand. Together with founder Christina Wedgwood, she’s built content agency Intelligent Ink into the experts on thought leadership content in New Zealand.
For Verity, there’s nothing better than working with people who are passionate about improving their corner of the world (and nothing worse than random capital letters in the middle of sentences!). Her career has seen her work with hundreds of businesses, brands, and champions of industry who also believe in better – developing and leveraging clients’ expertise into exceptional content that positions them as authorities in their industries.
“To me, better means leading the conversation; not just doing what’s always been done, or saying what’s already been said. Better means adding value for the people you’re here to serve – it means serving them up something extraordinary.”
In this podcast with Debra Chantry-Taylor (Professional EOS Implementer & Entrepreneurial Leadership & Business Coach), she talks about how you can use thought leadership to become a true authority. She gives examples of what to do & what not to do, as well as tips for how you start on your better-thinking journey.

Dan Wiliams started his entrepreneurial journey at age 10 earning money as a paperboy and local lawnmower kid.
The thrill of the enterprise always meant more to him than the money. 
He started building and selling computers at the age of 15 and became the go-to for all technology needs for all friends and family. 
He eventually had his first experience running and owning a business after joining a small IT business at the age of 21. 
He helped grow it to over $20M in revenue and replaced himself in it and exited. 
He has done about 5 mergers, sales and acquisitions throughout that time and started his own advisory in 2017 to share his experiences with other business owners. 
These days he is a director in a software company, a fulfillment company and has his own EOS practice.
In this episode, Dan shares with me his journey to exit & how it's important to elevate those around you in order to really let go!
The Formal BioDan is a Certified EOS® Implementer and has more than 20 years experience in the IT industry. He is the former CEO of Australian MSP and certified Great Place to Work, Powernet.
He has facilitated hundreds of sessions globally on leadership, growth, and culture. Dan is driven by his passion for helping others and lifting the tide across the IT industry. Dan is a facilitator in the IT Nation Evolve program and former peer group member.
Dan spends the majority of his time pursuing his purpose of connecting people with possibilities to unlock potential. As a lifelong entrepreneur himself, Dan now works with over 25 technology service providers across the APAC region as their EOS Implementer and Coach on their journey.

In this episode of Better Business, Better Life, Debra Chantry-Taylor unpacks what scaling really means and why most leadership teams get it wrong. 
Scaling is not about adding more projects, more people, or more hustle. It is about raising minimum standards, eliminating tolerated nonsense, and using time as a strategic tool. Drawing on Dr Benjamin Hardy’s book The Science of Scaling, Debra explains why reasonable goals protect the status quo while impossible goals force clarity, discipline, and structural change. 
She challenges leaders to stop confusing effort with progress and to start designing businesses that no longer tolerate “zombie work” such as unnecessary meetings, reports, and projects that quietly drain energy and capacity. Through practical examples and sharp insights, Debra outlines how impossible goals with clear timelines create focus, expose inefficiencies, and demand better leadership. 
If you want to scale without burning out your team or sacrificing quality, this episode will shift how you think about growth, standards, and execution.   

 CONNECT WITH DEBRA:    
___________________________________________         
►Debra Chantry-Taylor is a Certified EOS Implementer | Entrepreneurial Leadership & Business Coach | Business Owner ►Connect with Debra: ⁠[email protected] ⁠ 
►See how she can help you: https://businessaction.co.nz/ 
►Claim Your Free E-Book: https://www.businessaction.co.nz/free-e-book/ 
 
 


 Episode 261 Chapters:    00:00 – Introduction 00:42 – Scaling Businesses: The Science of Scaling  01:21 – Challenges in Scaling Businesses  03:15 – The Role of Impossible Goals in Scaling  04:13 – Practical Examples of Scaling  06:00 – The Frame-Floor-Focus Execution Ladder  08:36 – Eliminating Zombie Work  10:05 – The Real Science of Scaling  11:36 – Ad Lib Questions and Answers  20:43 – Conclusion and Contact Information

Nick and Jeni Clift are the owners & Directors of DWM Solutions, now merged with Milan Industries Group.  They have been working together in their own businesses for close to 25 years.
Nick is Director of MIG, and holds the role of Visionary.
Jeni is Head of People & Culture at MIG. She also has a consultancy business, Tenassia, working with her clients as an EOS Implementer and providing Business & Leadership Coaching.
DWM Solutions opened for business in February 2002. We provide proactive IT support services for Local Government, Water Authorities, Education and Health entities as well as small to medium Commercial organisations. In a nutshell, we think about your IT so you don’t have to!
Our clients are located across Victoria, we support them from our offices in Melbourne, Bendigo and Echuca, and in January 2017 we relocated our Geelong office to Torquay.  We currently employ 16 staff.
Prior to founding DWM Solutions, Nick held various roles within the computer and information technology industry. These included Director and General Manager of TriTech Computer Services; and Engineer, Service Manager and National Technical Services Manager over a 13-year career with Unisys.  Nick holds Certificate of Technology in Electronics and Certificate of Technology in Computer Servicing from RMIT.  These, coupled with his extensive industry and product certifications, highlights a wealth of knowledge and skills. More than 30 years of experience in the computer industry has given Nick a sound understanding of the important role technology plays in business. His ability to keep abreast of the ever-changing pace of information technology is second to none.
Jeni’s background is in Human Resources & Administration, she has worked with many of Australia’s best known brands, including Morgan & Banks, P&O, KPMG, NAB, Unisys and Phillips. Jeni is a Professional EOS Implementer and works as a Business Coach specialising in Leadership and Personal Development.  Jeni is a regular speaker at IT industry events and internationally, sharing her experiences in running a family business and managing the “people” side of a business.

In this episode, I am joined by Tony Falkenstein who will be sharing his experiences with the Topic of ‘Managing the People Issues’.
Tony was born in Auckland, and has a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Auckland. He is a also serial entrepreneur, who has started over 50 companies.
In 2003, Tony established New Zealand’s first Business High School, at Onehunga High School, with a view to include ‘business and entrepreneurship’ as a subject in the National Curriculum.
In 2011 this goal was attained, and he has assisted the Ministry of Education with establishing Business High Schools throughout the country.
In 2008, he was inducted into the New Zealand Business Hall of Fame.
In 2010, he was appointed as an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit (ONZM) for services to business.
In 2011, Tony received the Distinguished Alumni Award from the University of Auckland. In 2012, he received the World Class New Zealand Award for ‘New Thinking’.
Tony has been married to Heather for 39 years, and has one daughter.
In this episode we learn from Tony:

• Why he says if he was able to go back in time he probably wouldn't choose to be an Entrepreneur again
• How he took on swatch watches as his first business - with huge initial success & then spectacular failure
• Why sometimes you have to let people go - how to do it easily & fairly.

In this episode of Better Business, Better Life, host Debra Chantry-Taylor is joined by Keith Gillispie, co-founder of REI Automated, who shares his powerful journey from serving in the Marine Corps to building a multi-state real estate empire. 
Keith opens up about the discipline and systems mindset he developed in the military, and how that foundation shaped his approach to business. From investing in 34 states to raising over 10 million dollars and helping more than 400 students pursue financial freedom, Keith credits much of his success to one thing: simple, clear, documented systems. 
The conversation explores the critical role of Standard Operating Procedures in scaling a business, why clarity beats complexity, and how strong systems create both freedom and resilience. He also shares the reality of overcoming significant personal debt, the pressure of entrepreneurship, and how coaching and accountability helped him turn things around. 
This episode is a practical and inspiring look at how structure, principles, and leadership discipline can transform both business and life.
Keith also generously offers his real estate courses free to podcast listeners, making this an episode packed with both insight and opportunity.   

CONNECT WITH DEBRA:    
___________________________________________         
►Debra Chantry-Taylor is a Certified EOS Implementer | Entrepreneurial Leadership & Business Coach | Business Owner ►Connect with Debra: ⁠[email protected] ⁠ 
►See how she can help you: https://businessaction.co.nz/ 
►Claim Your Free E-Book: https://www.businessaction.co.nz/free-e-book/ 
___________________________________________        GUEST’s DETAILS:  ► LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/keith-gillispie/  ► Website: www.reiautomated.io      


Episode 260 Chapters:    00:00 – Keith Gillispie’s Journey from Marine Corps to Real Estate Empire   06:24 – Transition to Real Estate and Building Systems   12:17 – The Role of Systems in Personal and Business Life   24:23 – Challenges and Successes in Business Growth   29:32 – Implementing EOS and Principle-Based Decision Making   47:41 – Keith’s Free Real Estate Courses for Listeners

In this episode of Better Business, Better Life, Debra Chantry-Taylor is joined by Marisa Smith, EOS Implementer and co-author of the new book Rollout, to explore The Psychology Behind Successful EOS Adoption. 
While many leadership teams implement EOS tools, far fewer successfully embed them across the entire organisation. Marisa shares her journey from software entrepreneur to EOS Worldwide marketing director and now implementer, revealing why self-implementation often stalls and why context, patience, and repetition are essential for lasting traction. 
Together, Debra and Marisa unpack the four-phase rollout roadmap: prepare, launch, integrate, and sustain. They discuss why the accountability chart and Vision-Traction Organizer are foundational, how leaders must master the tools before teaching them, and why change management is more psychological than procedural. The conversation also dives into the neuroscience of change, the importance of repetition, and the leadership discipline required to reach 100% strong. 
If you have ever wondered why EOS works brilliantly in some organisations and fizzles in others, this episode explains the human side behind successful adoption.    CONNECT WITH DEBRA:         
___________________________________________         
►Debra Chantry-Taylor is a Certified EOS Implementer | Entrepreneurial Leadership & Business Coach | Business Owner ►Connect with Debra: [email protected]  
►See how she can help you: https://businessaction.co.nz/ 
►Claim Your Free E-Book: https://www.businessaction.co.nz/free-e-book/ 
___________________________________________        
► Marisa Smith – LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marisabsmith/   
► Website: https://www.marisa-smith.com/    Episode 259 Chapters:    00:00 – Introduction  02:02 – Marisa’s Entrepreneurial Journey   04:59 – Transition to EOS and Becoming an Implementer   07:19 – Challenges and Benefits of Rolling Out EOS   10:58 – The Importance of Context and Preparation   12:26 – Practical Tools and Tips for Rollout   12:43 – The Role of an Implementer   16:20 – The Psychology of EOS   25:17 – The Journey to 100% Strong   32:22 – Final Thoughts and Resources