On Air with Aaron Byerlee

He took a business from zero to $40 million in eight years. Then the exit nearly cost him everything, including his will to keep going.

In the first episode of On Air with Aaron Byerlee, Aaron sits down with Ben Wright, founder of 11.11 Studios in Noosa. Ben started out as a milkman, built a solar and LED lighting business to 286 staff and subcontractors, and sold it to a large corporate buyer. The buyout turned into a fight for the business, his health and his integrity.

Ben tells the full story: the breakdown of trust, the pressure tactics, the moment his daughter pulled him back, and the decision about who he would be when the easy option was on the table.

Whether you’re building, scaling or planning an exit, here’s what you’ll walk away with:

• Protect your exit: How to vet partners and buyers before you sell, because when trust breaks down, the money follows
• Hold your line: How Ben kept his “true north” under extreme pressure, and why knowing what you stand for is worth more than any deal
• Sell faster: Ben’s Core 3 sales framework (speed, value and process) and why speed beats everything
• Hustle smart: When to test a side hustle, when to go all in, and his three side hustle ideas for 2026, including how to use AI and human connection to stand out
• Start from zero: Exactly what Ben would do if he lost everything tomorrow and had to rebuild from scratch

Connect with Ben Wright: https://strongersalesteams.com/

Connect with Aaron Byerlee: https://www.onairwithaaronbyerlee.com/

If this episode hit a nerve, hit subscribe to On Air with Aaron Byerlee so you’re first in line for Episode 2. Then send it to the mate who’s grinding in a job that’s draining them, or the founder staring down an exit. Leave a rating and review while you’re at it, because it’s the fastest way to put this show in front of more people ready to build something of their own.