In this final episode of the Max Your Business Podcast, hosts Ben Fewtrell and David Carlin put on their coaching hats to guide you through the transition from the "silly season" into a powerful new year.

It's been a cracking year, and as we race towards Christmas, it's easy to get caught up in the momentum and forget to stop, breathe, and reflect. Ben and David unpack why dwelling on the negatives of the past 12 months creates a "white worm" of negativity in your brain, and how shifting your focus to your wins can change your entire trajectory for 2026.

They break down the essential formulas for success (Be x Do = Have), why you need to design your business like an architect designs a building, and how to set "Big Hairy Audacious Goals" by thinking like an 8-year-old with no limitations.

If you want to hit the ground running when the doors open in 2026, this episode is your blueprint.

Episode Highlights:

00:00 – Welcome to the Max Your Business Podcast

03:45 – The power of listing your wins to create positive momentum

07:00 – The essential question: "What did I achieve that I am most proud of?"

10:14 – Setting your Reticular Activating System (RAS) for a successful 2026

12:16 – Three critical questions to review your year effectively

14:40 – Unpacking the "Be x Do = Have" success formula

20:18 – How changing your Response changes the Outcome (E + R = O)

24:45 – Using "childlike thinking" to remove limitations from your goals

27:00 – Why you must plan your profit and holidays before the work

39:50 – 2025 Wrap up and 2026 return dates

Key Takeaways:

• Audit Your Wins: Your brain needs evidence of success; list what went right to build energy for next year.

• Stop Tolerating: Identify the bad clients, poor behaviour, or excuses that you will leave behind in 2025.

• Be x Do = Have: Success starts with who you are "being" (your beliefs and identity), not just the tasks you do.

• Design First, Build Second: Define your ideal profit and lifestyle numbers before you create the operational plan.

• Feed the Hungry Crowd: Be the energetic innovator in your industry who pushes boundaries and creates trends.

• Every Problem Has a Solution: Pre-empt your 2026 hurdles now and ask "How can I overcome this?" rather than "I can't."

🚀 See You in 2026! The Max Your Business Podcast will be taking a short break over the summer holidays. We will be back in your ears on Thursday, February 5th, 2026.

Have a safe and happy Christmas, and keep building the business you imagined.

In this episode of the Max Your Business Podcast, hosts Ben Fewtrell and David Carlin dive deep into one of the biggest challenges business owners face: building a team that actually helps you grow, rather than just adding to your workload.

As we head towards the end of the year, it's the perfect time to review not just where your business has been, but where your team is heading. Ben and David unpack why the old excuse of "it's hard to find good people" is often a reflection of the business owner's mindset, not the market. They discuss the critical shift from a "worker mindset" to a "business owner mindset," the dangers of building an organisational chart around specific people rather than outcomes, and why hiring for skills alone is a recipe for disaster.

If you're ready to stop meddling in every task and start building a high-performance culture that attracts talent to you, this episode is a must-listen.

Episode Highlights:

00:00 – Welcome to the Max Your Business Podcast

06:44 – The First Step: Why you need a "Mindset for Growth" before you hire anyone

09:05 – Worker Mindset vs. Business Owner Mindset: Are you trading time for money or building an asset?

14:50 – Overcoming the psychological blocker of needing to "know it all" as a leader

20:15 – Structuring Your Business: Why you must design the role for outcomes, not for the person

25:20 – The Chef Analogy: Why hiring for skills without considering personality can ruin your culture

28:40 – Moving from "Job Ads" to "Attraction": How to get great staff coming to you

32:36 – Your Next Steps & A Special Offer

Key Takeaways:

• Mindset is Everything: Your beliefs dictate your reality. Stop saying it's "hard to find staff" and shift your focus to attraction.

• Structure for Outcomes: Build your org chart around the functions your business needs, not the people you currently have.

• Clarify the Role First: Define the KPIs, accountabilities, and outcomes before you ever write a job ad.

• Hire for Attitude, Train for Skill: You can teach processes, but you can't teach culture fit.

• Be an Attractive Employer: Showcase your culture on socials to pull in talent—even those who aren't actively looking.

🚀 Special Offer: Ready to master the art of recruitment and leadership? Ben and David are offering 50% off their comprehensive "Building Your Team" course for a limited time.

Go to maxmyprofit.com.au/byt and use the promo code MAXEDBYT at checkout.

Tune in to learn how to structure your business for freedom and profit. Don't miss this episode—and don't forget to subscribe for more practical insights every week.

In this episode of the Max Your Business Podcast, hosts Ben Fewtrell and David Carlin tackle a massive issue for many business owners. That is the obsession with getting more leads while ignoring the ones they already have.

If you are thinking about spending more money on marketing to grow your business, you might want to listen to this first. Ben and David explain why increasing your conversion rate is far more profitable (and cheaper) than chasing new traffic. They unpack the psychology behind why people buy, why "convincing" customers is the wrong approach, and how a solid, repeatable sales process can transform your bottom line.

Whether you love sales or it makes you cringe, this episode is packed with practical strategies. You will learn to help communicate better, reduce buyer resistance, and close more deals without being "salesy."

Episode Highlights:

00:00 – Welcome to the Max Your Business Podcast

04:28 – The maths of sales: Stop spending on marketing and focus on conversion

05:54 – The "Test, Adjust, Measure" approach: You can't fix sales without the numbers

07:15 – Flipping the script: Helping people decide instead of convincing them

09:23 – The power of a boring process: Why your sales routine shouldn't change

14:00 – Communication skills: Why talking too much kills sales

16:03 – A tactile case study: How a "Santa Sack" of products doubled conversions

19:15 – Selling the hole, not the drill: Focus on the customer's transformation

26:15 – A special Christmas offer: Get 50% off the "Building Your Sales" course

30:35 – The Kirby Vacuum story: Selling $3,000 vacuums by sticking to the process

Key Takeaways:

• Fix Conversion Before Marketing: Before you spend another cent on ads, look at your conversion rate. A small increase there can halve your customer acquisition cost and double your profitability.

• Stop Convincing, Start Qualifying: A good sales process isn't about tricking people into buying. It is about qualifying leads quickly so you are only talking to people who actually have a problem you can solve.

• Routine is Reliable: Great salespeople don't wing it. They follow a documented, step-by-step process that allows them to measure what works and what doesn't.

• Adapt Your Communication: Everyone buys differently. Whether it is visual, auditory, or hands-on, you need to adapt your style to match your prospect. Tools like DISC profiling can be a game changer here.

• Sell the Transformation: Your customer doesn't want your product. They want the result your product gives them. Focus on the "after" state rather than the features.

• Measure Everything: You need to know your numbers. If you don't know your current conversion rate or average dollar sale, you are flying blind.

🚀 Ready to overhaul your sales process? Get 50% off the Building Your Sales (BYS) course for a limited time. Go to maxmyprofit.com.au/bys and use the promo code MAXEDBYS at checkout.

Tune in to learn how to stop leaving money on the table. Don't miss this episode and don't forget to subscribe for more practical insights every week.

In this episode of the Max Your Business Podcast, hosts Ben Fewtrell and David Carlin unpack why working harder is rarely the answer to scaling a successful business. If the thought of doubling your customers makes you panic because you'd just be working twice as hard, then your business structure needs a rethink.

Ben and David use a great fishing analogy to explain why technique beats brute strength every time. They introduce a game changing concept called the "Four Machines" framework. This is all about moving away from people based job descriptions and moving towards function based outputs. It is a shift that allows you to step back, systemise, and finally build a business that works without you constantly turning the gears.

If you feel like you are the bottleneck in your own business, this episode will give you the clarity you need to restructure for real freedom.

Episode Highlights:

00:00 – Welcome to the Max Your Business Podcast

02:47 – The fishing analogy: Why technique matters more than muscle in business

06:30 – Introduction to the "Building Your Business" module

08:50 – Why traditional job descriptions often fail and how to think about "roles" instead

12:50 – The Four Machines Framework: Lead Gen, Conversion, Client Fulfillment, and Business

16:15 – Shifting your mindset from managing people to managing machines

19:00 – The importance of "Output" over activity

21:20 – A real world example: Where does an estimator actually fit in your structure?

26:45 – How to systemise your sales process by cloning your top performer

32:40 – Details on the "Building Your Business" course and a special 50% off offer

Key Takeaways:

Technique Over Effort: Just like sport fishing with light gear, running a growing business requires better technique, not just heavier lines and more effort.

Think in Machines, Not People: Stop building roles around specific people. instead, view your business as four distinct machines (Lead Gen, Conversion, Client Fulfillment, Business) and define what each machine needs to produce.

Focus on Output: It doesn't matter how your team achieves a result as long as the system is followed and the required output is met. This removes the micromanagement of daily tasks.

Structure Before Hiring: Before you hire another staff member, define the functional role within the machine. This ensures you are hiring for a specific outcome, not just a list of tasks.

Systemise for Consistency: Whether it is answering the phone or closing a sale, document the process your best performer uses so the rest of the team can replicate that success.

🚀 Special Offer: Ready to implement this structure? Get the full "Building Your Business" course (13 guided modules) at maxmyprofit.com.au/byb.

Use the promo code MAXEDBYB for a massive 50% discount.

Tune in to learn how to stop being the busiest person in your business. Don't miss this episode and don't forget to subscribe for more practical insights every week.

In this episode of the Max Your Business Podcast, hosts Ben Fewtrell and David Carlin tackle the single biggest reason business owners stay stuck: a lack of solid foundations.

Ben kicks things off with a story from his recent diving holiday. While he was completely switched off, another business owner on the same trip was stuck taking calls. The difference? It isn't luck; it's a decision to build systems that allow for true freedom. Ben and David unpack the common excuses ("no one can do it like me" or "it's too hard to train someone") that keep you trapped.

If you're tired of being the bottleneck, working in your business instead of on it, and dreaming of a holiday where you don't have to check your email, this episode is your starting point.

Episode Highlights:

00:00 – Welcome to the Max Your Business Podcast

02:44 – Ben's holiday story: The difference between a "lucky" owner and a "stuck" owner

08:08 – It's not luck, it's a decision to build your business differently

10:26 – What are foundations? (The skyscraper analogy)

13:36 – The very first step: Making the decision (The Mindset Piece)

18:18 – Disabler #1: "I don't have time" (and how to find it)

19:44 – Disabler #2: "I don't have the money" (getting control of your cashflow)

20:40 – Disabler #3: Not having a written plan

22:38 – The vital question: "If you couldn't do your job tomorrow, what would happen?"

26:10 – Introducing the "Building Your Foundations" course

33:30 – The transformation: What happens when you get this right

37:12 – Get your special 50% off discount and promo code

Key Takeaways:

• Freedom is a Decision, Not Luck: The business owners who have freedom (like taking a real holiday) chose to build their business that way.

• Stop Being the Bottleneck: The belief that "no one can do it like you" is the very thing holding your business back from scaling.

• Control Your Time: You do have the time (about an hour a day); you just need a system to find it and dedicate it to working on the business, not just in it.

• Cashflow Control = Peace of Mind: Knowing your numbers, like your break-even point and cashflow forecast, removes financial stress and allows for better sleep and strategic decisions.

• A Plan Isn't a Plan Until It's Written Down: You need a documented plan to stay focused and strategic, rather than constantly being reactive.

• You Must Go Back to Go Forward: Most businesses skip the foundation stage to chase revenue. To truly scale and get your life back, you have to go back and build it properly.

🚀 Ready to build your foundations? Get 50% OFF the Building Your Foundations course for a limited time. Visit maxmyprofit.com.au/BYF and use the promo code: MAXEDBYF

Tune in to get the step-by-step guide to finally getting out of your own way. Don't miss this episode, and don't forget to subscribe for more practical insights every week.

In this episode of the Max Your Business Podcast, hosts Ben Fewtrell and David Carlin challenge the "busy" trap. If you're constantly feeling like there aren't enough hours in the day, working after dinner, or stuck on tasks you know you shouldn't be doing, this episode is for you.

Mastering delegation is essential to building a business that doesn't rely on you. Ben and David unpack why it's so hard to let go (hint: it's a habit), the critical difference between delegating and abdicating, and how to use systems to confidently hand over responsibilities. They explain how to delegate to systems, AI, and your team to finally get your time back.

Episode Highlights:

00:00 – Welcome to the Max Your Business Podcast

02:42 – The number one reason you don't have time (and why it's a trap)

04:06 – Why we hold on to tasks we shouldn't be doing

06:22 – The $250k opportunity cost of spending 5 hours a week on emails

08:17 – The key to successful delegation: Systemize it first

08:45 – Warning: Are you delegating or abdicating?

09:40 – The challenge of separating your role as Owner vs. General Manager

12:33 – Focus on outcomes, not on how "busy" your team looks

18:56 – Delegating to systems and AI (not just people)

20:34 – How to beat "decision fatigue"

21:44 – Download the free workbook: The 4 steps to delegation

Key Takeaways:

• Busyness is a Habit: Feeling "busy" is often a sign you haven't learned to free up your time. To change it, you must first make a decision to delegate.

• Calculate Your Opportunity Cost: What is your time really worth? Doing low-value tasks (like sorting emails) could be costing you hundreds of thousands in lost opportunity.

• Systemize First, Then Delegate: The key to delegating with confidence is to systemize the task first. This gives you (and your team) trust in the process.

• Don't Abdicate: Never just "dump" a task on someone. Effective delegation is a step-by-step process that requires checking and training.

• Delegate to Systems, Not Just People: You can delegate tasks to technology, tools like Trello, or AI to reduce your mental load and fight decision fatigue.

🚀 Get your free workbook, "Gain Control and Feel Confident to Delegate," at maxmyprofit.com.au/delegate.

Tune in to discover how to master delegation—and don't forget to subscribe for more practical insights every week.

In this episode of the Max Your Business Podcast, hosts Ben Fewtrell and David Carlin dive into one of the biggest topics in business right now: Artificial Intelligence. Fresh back from a tech conference in the US, they unpack how AI is already saving business owners a stack of time and why ignoring it is a massive risk to your competitive advantage.

Ben and David share real-world case studies on how AI "employees" are already answering phones, freeing up teams, and creating better customer experiences. If you think AI is just a gimmick, a robot, or something that won't affect your industry, this episode is a must-listen.

Episode Highlights:

00:00 – Welcome to the Max Your Business Podcast

03:03 – The high cost of ignoring AI (and why your competitors won't)

04:48 – Debunking the myth: You're already using AI every day (e.g., Google, cruise control)

08:10 – How AI augments your team, not just replaces them

10:01 – Using AI to finally build systems and structure in your business

11:03 – Case Study: How a smash repairer handled 671 calls with an AI employee

13:56 – The 15-minute cost of a single interruption (and how AI solves it)

17:15 – Beyond chatbots: Building your own custom AI "Fishing Coach"

22:17 – A critical warning from Google about AI and your website content

24:15 – Why customers are happier talking to AI (the 99% positive sentiment)

29:03 – Your next steps to get started with AI

Key Takeaways:

• You're Already Behind: If you aren't using AI, your competitors who are will overtake you and go way faster.

• It's Not a Robot: AI is already in your life, from Google to your car's adaptive cruise control and your microwave's auto-defrost.

• Augment, Don't Replace: AI is not about replacing jobs ; it's about helping people do a better job and freeing them up for high-value tasks they "don't get to".

• Structure Through Tech: Implementing AI forces you to systemise and structure your business processes.

• Better Customer Experience: A voice AI employee can answer hundreds of calls , triage them, and give your team summarised updates , so the customer gets a faster, better answer.

🚀 Ready to see how AI can streamline your business? Learn more about the AI-driven platform we use at digisyncro.com.

Tune in to discover how AI can give you and your team back a stack of time. Don't miss this episode—and don't forget to subscribe for more practical insights every week.

In this episode of the Max Your Business Podcast, hosts Ben Fewtrell and David Carlin reveal a simple mathematical formula that has the power to completely transform your business. They unpack the concept of leverage and show you exactly where to focus your time and energy for the biggest possible return. If you feel like you're working hard but the numbers aren't reflecting your effort, it's likely you're focusing on the wrong things. Ben and David break down the five critical KPIs that actually drive growth. Forget vague goals like "more customers" or "more revenue." This episode gives you a proven framework to increase your turnover by 46% and your profit by a massive 61% just by making small, consistent improvements.

Episode Highlights: 00:00 – Welcome to the Max Your Business Podcast 03:55 – What is business leverage? A simple spanner and pipe analogy. 05:50 – Unpacking the five key performance indicators (KPIs) you must measure. 07:27 – The five KPIs defined: leads, conversion rate, average spend, spending frequency, and profit margins. 08:32 – Why focusing on "more customers" is the wrong approach. 14:06 – How to start measuring your KPIs today, even if you think it's too complicated. 17:15 – The two lowest-risk, highest-impact areas to work on first (and why it isn't marketing). 19:28 – The danger of doubling your sales when you aren't profitable. 23:22 – The critical mindset shift: moving from working in your business to working on it. 28:02 – How to get the free workbook with 50 practical strategies.

Key Takeaways: Focus on the Levers, Not the Outcomes: You cannot directly influence revenue or profit. Instead, you must focus on the five inputs you can control: leads, conversion rate, average spend, spending frequency, and profit margins. Start with Profitability First: Before you spend another dollar on marketing, work on increasing your profit margins and your average sale value. This ensures every new customer you bring in is as profitable as possible. What Gets Measured Gets Managed: The first step to improvement is measurement. Start tracking your five KPIs consistently to understand what's really happening in your business. Small Changes Create Compounding Results: You don't need a massive breakthrough. Small, 10% improvements in each of the five key areas combine to create exponential growth in your bottom line. Your Mindset is the Ultimate Lever: The most crucial shift is moving from being the "doer" to being the strategic owner who manages the business by its numbers. 🚀 Ready to unlock hidden profit in your business? Get your free Leverage Workbook with 50 strategies at maxmyprofit.com.au/leverage. Tune in to discover the formula that will change the way you look at your business forever. Don't miss this episode, and be sure to subscribe for more expert advice every week.

In this episode of the Max Your Business Podcast, hosts Ben Fewtrell and David Carlin dive into one of the most critical, yet often overwhelming, parts of building a scalable business: systems. They unpack the true meaning of S.Y.S.T.E.M. which stands for Save Yourself Time, Energy, and Money, and explain why it's the key to getting off the hamster wheel for good. Tired of answering the same questions over and over? Feel like everything depends on you? Ben and David share practical, modern strategies for creating simple, effective systems for everything from answering the phone to delivering your product. They cut through the complexity and give you the tools and mindset shifts needed to start building a well-oiled machine that works without you. If you're ready to stop being the bottleneck in your own business and start building an asset that has real value, this episode is your blueprint. Episode Highlights: 00:00 – Welcome to the Max Your Business Podcast 04:32 – The acronym revealed: What S.Y.S.T.E.M. really stands for. 08:49 – The McDonald's principle: How systems create powerful consistency. 10:56 – Feeling overwhelmed? Where to start with building your first systems. 12:47 – The golden rule: "Systemise the routine, humanise the exception." 13:50 – The simplest system you can implement today: a phone script. 17:16 – A powerful leadership hack: How to stop being the answer machine for your team. 22:04 – The financial payoff: How systems dramatically increase the sale value of your business. 23:02 – If you get asked the same question twice, it's time to build a system. 30:16– The best way to create a system: Document a task while you're doing it. 36:37 – Your Next Steps and the free workbook.

Key Takeaways: Start with the Annoying Stuff: Begin by systemising the simple, repetitive, low-skill tasks that drain your time and energy. Document As You Go: The most efficient way to build a system is to record the steps (via text, video, or audio) while you are actually performing the task. Use the Tools You Already Have: Your smartphone is a powerful system-building tool. Use its camera and voice recorder to create easy-to-follow video and audio guides. Systems Create Freedom and Value: A business that runs on proven systems doesn't rely on you, making it more scalable, less stressful, and far more valuable to a potential buyer. Stop Answering Questions: If a team member asks a question that a system can answer, guide them to the system. This trains them to be self-sufficient and reinforces the process. Consistency Builds Trust: Systems ensure every customer gets the same great experience, every time, no matter who on your team serves them. 🚀 Ready to build your well-oiled machine? Get your free Systems Workbook at maxmyprofit.com.au/systems and start saving yourself time, energy, and money. Tune in to get the practical steps you need to make it happen. Don't miss this episode and be sure to subscribe for more expert advice every week.

In this episode of the Max Your Business Podcast, hosts Ben Fewtrell and David Carlin get straight to the point: revenue is just a vanity metric. The real measure of a successful business is how much profit it generates and how much value it holds for the future. Ben and David unpack why so many owners fall into the trap of building a low-profit business that relies entirely on them. They discuss the critical mindset shifts needed to move from being an employee in your own company to a true business owner and investor. If you're working flat out but not seeing the rewards, or if you've never really thought about your business's end game, this episode is a must-listen. Episode Highlights: 00:00 – Welcome to the Max Your Business Podcast 02:43 – Why focusing only on revenue is a recipe for disaster. 04:58 – What's your end game? Defining the real purpose of your business (to sell, to run under management, or just to close down). 09:32 – Why most business owners have never considered an exit strategy and why you need one now. 13:57– The crucial mistake owners make: not paying themselves a proper market-rate salary (and why your "profit" might not be profit at all). 19:18 – The Mindset Ladder: Are you thinking like a Manager, an Owner, or an Investor? 22:29 – How to think about your business valuation and the difference between a 3x and 10x multiple. 24:38 – Your next steps and the free Business Value Workbook.

Key Takeaways: Profit is the Real Scorecard: High turnover means nothing if there's no money left at the end of the day. A profitable business gives you lifestyle options and a valuable asset. Begin with the End in Mind: Whether you plan to sell in five years or thirty, building a business with a clear succession plan makes it more systemised, profitable, and attractive. Pay Yourself Properly: Your business must be profitable after paying a market-rate salary for the role you perform. If it isn't, you're just propping up a failing model. Build an Asset, Not a Job: An investor wants to buy a business that runs without its owner. The less it relies on you, the more valuable it becomes. Think Like an Investor: Shift your focus from managing day-to-day tasks to getting the best possible return on your investment of time and money. 🚀 It's time to build a business that truly serves you. Get your free Business Value Workbook at maxmyprofit.com.au/value. Tune in to discover how to build a more profitable and valuable business today. Don't miss this episode, and remember to subscribe for more practical insights!