In this episode of the Max Your Business Podcast, hosts Ben Fewtrell and David Carlin tackle one of the biggest challenges for business owners: feeling constantly 'under the pump'. If your to-do list is never-ending and you're wearing 'busy' as a badge of honour, this one's for you. Ben and David argue that the solution isn't another productivity hack or time management tool. It's a fundamental mindset shift. They unpack the psychological reasons we feel guilty for not 'working' and how to break free from the ingrained habits that keep us trapped in the 'mud pit' of day-to-day tasks. Learn how to work on your business, not just in it, so you can finally build the business you imagined, one with more freedom and more profit. Episode Highlights: 00:00 – Welcome to the Max Your Business Podcast 02:57– The psychology of 'being busy' and why we're hardwired to work 04:20 – Why being busy feels like a badge of honour (and why it's not) 07:44 – The mindset shift: the number one thing stopping you from changing 12:07 – Why you have to get comfortable with being uncomfortable (hiring, delegating, and letting go) 15:38 – Valuing your time over your money to unlock true growth 19:16 – Eisenhower's Theory: Are you working in Demand, Distraction, Delusion, or where you should be? 25:35 – 10 quick-fire tips you can implement today to start freeing up your time 34:08 – Your next steps and the Time Management Workbook

Key Takeaways: Your Mindset is the Real Bottleneck: Before you can change your schedule, you have to change the way you think about work, value, and productivity. 'Hustle Culture' is a Trap: Working 18-hour days isn't sustainable or smart. The goal is to create impact and leverage, not just fill hours. Shift from Working In to Working On Your Business: True progress happens when you step out of the daily grind to think strategically, systemise, and plan for the future. Delegation is a Skill You Must Learn: To grow, you must learn to hire, delegate, and trust your team, even if you make mistakes along the way. Systems Create Freedom: Creating repeatable processes is the key to ensuring your business can run effectively, even when you're not there. Invest Your Time (or Money) to Create Leverage: If you have time but no money, invest your time. If you have money, invest it in hiring people to buy back your time. 🚀 Ready to stop being a slave to your business and start taking control of your time? Get your free Time Management Workbook at maxmyprofit.com.au/time. Tune in to learn how to master your mindset and reclaim your week. Don't miss this episode, and don't forget to subscribe for more practical insights!

In this episode of the Max Your Business Podcast, hosts Ben Fewtrell and David Carlin tackle one of the biggest challenges for business owners: finding and hiring great people. They explain why recruitment should be treated as a marketing function and walk you through a step-by-step process designed to save you time and improve the quality of your candidates. Learn how to save time and make better hiring decisions with a proven, practical system. Ben and David will walk you through a process that shifts the workload to the applicant, ensuring the most committed and suitable candidates naturally rise to the top. It's the key to building the high-performing team your business deserves. Episode Highlights: 0:00 - Welcome to the Max Your Business Podcast 5:35 - Why traditional recruiting methods are failing in the modern market. 11:41 - A mindset shift: Asking "What makes me a bad employer?" 13:00 - The core principle of the process: Letting candidates deselect themselves. 16:43 - Using initial filters like video submissions to gauge commitment. 19:15 - How to run a time-saving group interview to assess candidates collectively. 28:32- The final stage: A multi-step one-on-one interview process for top candidates. 33:41 - Resources to help: The free workbook and alternative recruitment services. 40:20 - Why you must treat recruitment as a marketing function.

Key Takeaways: Recruiting is Marketing: Your approach to finding new team members should be as strategic as finding new customers. To attract great people, your business must be an attractive place to work. Let Them Deselect: Build a process with multiple steps and hoops to jump through. The best candidates will rise to the challenge, while the rest will filter themselves out, saving you time. Hire for Attitude: Focus on a person's attributes, values, and cultural fit first. Skills can often be taught, but a bad attitude is much harder to fix. Group Interviews Save Time: Replace dozens of individual first-round interviews with a single, two-hour group session. It's efficient and reveals how candidates perform under pressure and with others. Involve Your Team: Get your existing team members involved in the scoring and selection process. It creates buy-in and helps ensure the new hire will be a great fit for the team. Don't Look at Resumes First: Hold off on reviewing resumes until the final stage. By then, you'll only be looking at the resumes of a few top-tier candidates who have proven they genuinely want the job. 🚀 Get your free Recruitment Workbook at maxmyprofit.com.au/recruit and start building a hiring process that attracts the best. Tune in to learn how to stop hiring and start attracting the talent that will help your business thrive. Don't miss this episode, and remember to subscribe for more practical insights every week.

In this episode of the Max Your Business Podcast, hosts Ben Fewtrell and David Carlin are here to help you get sorted for the final quarter of the year. With Christmas just around the corner, this isn't just another 90-day period—it's your last chance to hit this year's goals and set the tone for a cracking start to next year. Ben and David dive into why this quarter is one of the most important for planning, especially with the typical Aussie summer shutdown period. They discuss how to use the data you've gathered all year to fine-tune your strategy, what to do whether you're ahead of or behind your targets, and why now is the perfect time to get your business ready for the new year. If you want to hit the ground running in January instead of slowly warming up, this episode is packed with practical advice to help you finish the year with momentum. Episode Highlights: 0:00 - Welcome to the Max Your Business Podcast 3:33 - The importance of having a written plan, not just an idea. 6:05 - How finishing the year strong sets the tone for a successful new year. 8:16 - Using data from the past nine months to fine-tune your strategy. 9:40 - The crucial difference between working ON your business vs. IN it. 12:40 - Thinking ahead: planning team changes and recruitment for January. 14:17 - A client story on why your business focus might need to shift. 17:10 - How to approach Q4 planning if you've had a good year vs. a tough one. 21:25 - A checklist of key areas to focus on, from cash flow to marketing. 24:18 - The final, crucial step: the business owner's personal reset. 26:20 - Get your free workbook to get started on your Q4 plan.

Key Takeaways: Plan Your Sprint: Quarter Four is often shorter than you think due to the holiday period. A clear, focused plan is essential to make the most of it. Write It Down: An idea isn't a plan. The most successful business owners have a written plan they constantly review. Momentum is Everything: The way you finish this year directly impacts how you start the next. End on a high to hit the ground running in January. Work ON, Not Just IN: Use this time to step back, look at your business strategically, and decide where you want it to go. Focus is Key: You can't do everything. Pick one main focus for the next 90 days and commit to it. Learn from the Year: Use the last nine months of data to identify what's working and what's not, then fine-tune your approach for the final push. 🚀 Get your free Simple Planning Workbook at maxmyprofit.com/simple and start mapping out your strongest finish to the year yet. Tune in to get the guidance you need to make this final quarter your best one. 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 break down how to build a habit of testing, adjusting, and measuring so you can make better decisions and lift performance across the whole business. From lead gen and conversion rates to utilisation and rework, Ben and David show you what to track, how to start small, and why consistency matters more than perfection. If you've been spending on marketing, tools, or team without seeing clear returns, this one will help you get your numbers sorted and your focus locked in. Episode Highlights: 0:00 - Welcome to the Max Your Business Podcast 3:07 - Why many business owners spend on marketing without knowing returns 7:20 - Wedding photographer case study 9:20 - The right attitude towards measurement 11:26 - Beyond sales: tracking utilisation, revenue per employee, and ROI 16:45 - Process improvements in action: caravan sales funnel and preschool tour example 19:30 - Why fixing mistakes costs double and how to build a culture of test–adjust–measure 22:37 - Starting simple: choosing easy metrics first, using A/B testing, and adopting a Kaizen mindset 25:40 - Measurement alone drives better focus and outcomes.

Key Takeaways: Make testing a habit: It's not a one-off task, but a culture shift that improves results across the business. Start simple: Pick one or two easy numbers to track before adding more complexity. Consistency matters most: Don't chase perfect accuracy,focus on seeing trends over time. Measure ROI everywhere: From marketing to staff utilisation and equipment upgrades, know if your spend is paying off. Cut the guesswork: What gets measured gets managed—tracking alone improves focus and performance.

🚀 Get your free Test, Adjust and Measure to Grow Your Business worksheet at maxmyprofit.com.au/tam and set up your first simple metrics today. Tune in now to stop guessing and start learning from your numbers, and don't forget to subscribe for more practical, no-fluff business insights each week.

In this episode of the Max Your Business Podcast, hosts Ben Fewtrell and David Carlin dive into one of the simplest yet most overlooked ways to grow your business: getting your existing customers to buy from you more often. Many business owners put most of their energy into chasing new leads, but the real opportunity lies with the customers you already have. Ben and David share practical strategies for boosting "spending frequency," whether you run a high-frequency business like a gym or café, or a low-frequency business such as real estate, car sales, or even a funeral parlour. From building trust and relationships to introducing complementary products and creative engagement ideas, this conversation will spark fresh thinking about how to stay front of mind and increase revenue without starting from scratch. Episode Highlights: 00:00 – Welcome to the Max Your Business Podcast 03:17 – What "spending frequency" means and why it matters 04:44 – Examples of high- and low-frequency businesses 06:55 – Creative ways low-frequency businesses can generate repeat sales 08:10 – David's story: buying multiple cars but never getting a follow-up 10:44 – The power of staying connected with customers through social media 12:49 – Thinking beyond the original product: accessories, add-ons and services 16:42 – How events and demonstrations can encourage repeat purchases 18:59 – Why many businesses stopped doing VIP nights and how to bring them back 22:23 – The danger of being stuck in the day-to-day "mud pit" 25:43 – Lessons from retail: the BCF model for regular promotions 27:11 – Capturing customer details and using them wisely 28:30 – Get your free workbook with 7 ideas to increase spending frequency 29:25 – GPS Calibration: planning your one, three and five-year business journey

Key Takeaways: It is six times easier to get an existing customer to buy again than to win a new one. Spending frequency is not just about selling the same product, it is about offering complementary products, services or experiences. Businesses that stay top of mind with regular, valuable communication get the repeat sales. Low-frequency industries can still boost revenue by broadening their offer and deepening relationships. Simple gestures such as follow-ups, invitations or personalised contact can make a big difference. You can grow your business significantly without reinventing the wheel, simply by engaging your current customers more often. 🚀 Download your free 7 Ways to Increase Spending Frequency Workbook at maxmyprofit.com.au/buy

Tune in to discover how to get your customers buying more often, and remember to subscribe for more practical insights every week.

In this episode of the Max Your Business Podcast, Ben and David ask the question every business owner should be asking: is your marketing team actually delivering the leads your business needs? From the Yellow Pages era to today's AI-driven tools, lead generation has evolved fast, and the old one-person marketing team just doesn't cut it anymore. They unpack why brand awareness alone won't keep your sales pipeline flowing, and what it really takes to build a lead generation system that functions like a conveyor belt feeding your sales and operations teams with consistent, high-quality opportunities. Ben and David also explore how shifts in technology (like Apple's privacy updates and SMS marketing), specialist skills, and a well-integrated CRM can make or break your results. If you're still leaning on word of mouth or a jack-of-all-trades marketer, this episode will challenge your assumptions—and give you a blueprint to restructure your marketing for 2025 and beyond. Episode Highlights 0:00 - Welcome to the Max Your Business Podcast 3:54 - Why lead generation must be the first machine in your business conveyor belt. 6:45 - The risks of relying on word of mouth or shopping centre traffic. 8:52 - Ben's $3,470 Facebook ad campaign and the scalability of paid ads. 11:02 - Explaining the four business machines: lead generation, conversion, fulfilment, and operations. 15:19 - Old school marketing vs. today's fast-changing digital landscape. 16:44 - Apple's updates, AI, and the rise of SMS/DM marketing. 19:43 - The difference between a marketing coordinator and a marketing manager. 23:37 - Why modern marketing requires a team of specialists, not one person. 26:25 - Using data: acquisition costs, conversion rates, and lead quality. 27:17 - Ben's homebrew store example: clever automation and tailored SMS marketing. 29:11- The role of CRMs and automation in lead generation. 30:29 - Why most business owners delay marketing and the case for outsourcing. 35:37 - How to build a marketing machine and your next steps

Key Takeaways Lead Generation Is Machine #1 – Without leads, nothing else in your business runs.

Branding Isn't Enough – A logo won't grow your business. You need measurable, scalable lead flow.

One Person Can't Do It All – Effective marketing needs specialists: SEO, ads, copy, automation, and more.

Test and Measure Everything – "Set and forget" is dead. Modern marketing is about data, iteration, and improvement.

Let Automation Do the Heavy Lifting – The right CRM lets you nurture, follow up, and convert—without burning out your team.

🚀 Ready to see what a real marketing team can do for your business? Book a free strategy session with Ben at digitlc.com.au/strategy and start building a lead generation machine that delivers consistent, quality opportunities. Tune in now and make sure your marketing team is actually working for your business. Don't forget to subscribe for more practical, no-fluff insights every week.

In this episode of the Max Your Business Podcast, hosts Ben Fewtrell and David Carlin reveal a simple but often overlooked growth strategy: getting your existing customers to come back.

Too many business owners pour money and energy into chasing new leads, while ignoring the goldmine sitting right in front of them. Ben and David share practical stories—from car dealerships and broadband providers to Joe Girard, the world's most successful car salesman—showing why customer loyalty, repeat business, and referrals are the real secret weapons for sustainable growth.

If you've ever felt like you're stuck on the hamster wheel of always needing "more leads," this episode will show you how to slow down, refocus, and create a system that brings customers back time and time again.

Episode Highlights:

00:00 – Welcome to the Max Your Business Podcast

03:47 – Why repeat business is the #1 lead generation strategy most owners ignore

06:18 – Real stories: car sales follow-ups, referrals, and the power of customer experience

09:40 – Joe Girard's record-breaking success by building relationships with simple handwritten notes

15:15 – A massage therapist's case study: reactivating clients after five years of silence

17:28 – The importance of keeping a customer database and why most businesses miss this opportunity

20:10 – Using joint ventures, incentives, and loyalty rewards to engage existing customers

26:41 – Subscription models and creative ways to build repeat business (hairdressers, car repair, restaurants)

32:04 – Thinking differently: trade-ins, goodwill, and standing out with customer-focused initiatives

34:38 – The ABCD method for grading customers and focusing your energy where it counts

Key Takeaways:

• Repeat Business is Your Secret Weapon – It costs far less to bring an existing customer back than to win a brand-new one.

• Communication Builds Trust – Don't go quiet after the first sale. Consistent, thoughtful contact keeps you front of mind.

• Data Matters – Keep a database of every customer. It's one of the most valuable assets in your business.

• Reward Loyalty First – Don't just run special deals for new customers. Recognise and thank the ones who already buy from you.

• Think Creatively – Subscription models, loyalty offers, and even trade-ins can keep customers coming back.

• Focus Where It Counts – Grade your customers and put energy into the ones who bring the most value.

🚀 Want more practical ideas? Download the free workbook at maxmyprofit.com.au/Repeat and learn how to turn customers into raving fans.

Tune in now and start building a business that keeps people coming back. Don't forget to subscribe for more practical insights every week.

In this episode of the Max Your Business Podcast, Ben Fewtrell and David Carlin welcome special guest Anthony Perl—broadcaster turned podcast producer—to chat about how podcasting can drive growth, build trust and position you as the go-to expert in your field. From common pitfalls like "podfading" to real-world examples across industries, Anthony breaks down why podcasting isn't just for coaches or big brands. It's a powerful tool for any business that wants to connect with its audience in a more human way. And if you're time-poor or tech-shy, you'll love the model that lets you simply show up and speak while someone else takes care of the rest. Episode Highlights: 00:00 – Welcome to the Max Your Business Podcast 01:43 – How Anthony turned a radio career into a podcast business 03:07 – Why most podcasts fail after a few episodes 07:44 – Podcasting as a tool for client retention and staff engagement 09:01 – B2B, B2C, schools, and franchises who podcasting works for 16:24 – Why niche audiences matter more than big download numbers 20:09 – A look at global podcast stats—36 billion listens a month 22:50 – What "done for you" podcasting actually looks like 23:49 – David shares how this exact model works for him 24:19 – Two types of podcasts: fly-on-the-wall vs conversational 27:34 – The rise of AI-generated podcasts—and why they fall short 29:10 – How authenticity builds trust in a digital world 31:46 – Don't DIY your podcast—just like you wouldn't DIY a root canal 33:26 – Where to start if you're ready to launch

Key Takeaways: You don't have to do it all – Focus on your expertise and let someone else guide the conversation and manage production. Real conversations build real trust – Listeners spend time with your voice, which builds familiarity and authority. Podcasting suits more businesses than you think – From coaching to panel beating, it's about the stories you share. Your podcast becomes a content engine – One recording can fuel email, social media and website content. Human connection still wins – Authentic stories and shared conversations are what people connect with most. Thinking of launching a podcast? Visit podcastsdoneforyou.com.au to book a free 15-minute call with Anthony and see if it's the right fit for your business. Tune in now and subscribe for more weekly episodes that help you Max Your Business.

In this episode of the Max Your Business Podcast, Ben and David are celebrating a major milestone—100 episodes—and taking a step back to talk about something most business owners don't do enough of: celebrating the wins. Whether it's landing a new client, getting through a tough week, or just ticking everything off your to-do list, recognising the good stuff (big and small) isn't just feel-good fluff. It creates momentum, builds resilience, and helps keep you and your team energised for the long game. Ben and David reflect on their own journey and share simple, practical ways to create a culture of celebration in your business—without needing confetti cannons or champagne. From ringing the bell to daily huddles and win walls, this episode is packed with ideas to help you shift focus from what's going wrong to what's working. If you're caught in the grind or stuck in what they call "the mud pit," this conversation will help you look up, take a breath, and keep moving forward.

Episode Highlights 00:00 – Welcome to the Max Your Business Podcast 02:07 – How this podcast became 100 chapters of real business experience 05:47 – The "mud pit" mindset and how to climb out of it 07:28 – The power of small wins and how to recognise them 13:52 – Why celebrating doesn't need to be expensive—or even shared 20:31 – What we've learned from 3,000+ minutes of podcasting 23:34 – The role of mindset in seeing progress 27:47 – How to bring your team into the celebration culture

Key Takeaways Small wins matter – Catching up on email or holding a tough conversation counts.

Consistency is worth recognising – Habits built over time are cause for celebration.

Create rituals – Use huddles, team chats, or even a bell to spotlight wins.

Tie rewards to planning – Link your 90-day goals to personal rewards for extra motivation.

Don't wait for permission – Celebrating progress helps you stay positive, even when business gets tough.

Want more tools to help you build a business you love? 🚀 Explore our programs and resources at maxmyprofit.com.au Thanks for joining us for our 100th episode! Here's to recognising the wins—big, small, and everything in between. Subscribe now and keep building the business you imagined.