The 5 Minute Business Boost®

In this episode, Sam offers a personal and practical perspective on how drought and the new Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund (ESVF) are impacting Victorian farmers and rural communities.

She unpacks the changes to the fire levy, set to take effect in July 2025, and explains what these reforms mean for primary producers already managing the challenges of low rainfall, rising costs, and increased financial pressures.

Sam also highlights the tough decisions being made by regional families and businesses and calls for a greater understanding of the real pressures facing Victoria’s agricultural sector.

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If you love the episode… subscribe, share, like, or let me know about a future topic.

Head over to the website, samhicks.com.au and sign up for the 5-minute business boost newsletter.

Or see how we can work together to reach your small business goals; whether via mentoring, attending a workshop or a small 1-hour course.

Follow me on social media (@samhickscomau) and remember, anything is possible in business.

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With the help of AI, Sam has reviewed a wide range of sources see transcript.

Understanding Law in Everyday Life – with Katie from Mal Ryan & Glen

In this episode, I’m joined by Katie from Mal Ryan & Glen, Mansfield’s oldest law firm—serving the region since 1921.

With deep community roots and offices in Mansfield and Alexandra, the firm is known for practical legal advice that supports locals through life, family, property, and business matters.

Katie shares what Victorian Law Week is all about and how small business owners—and everyday people—can use it to better understand their rights, responsibilities, and where to get help when the law intersects with life.

Learn more at viclawweek.org.au.

There are events statewide.

Thanks to Katie Lockey from https://www.malryanglen.com.au/

for being my guest and chatting about Law week 2025.

In this episode Sam is diving into marketing plans, even the ones scribbled on the back of a napkin.

Because here’s the truth: any plan, no matter how simple or messy, is better than no plan at all.

Why does it matter?

A marketing plan gives you direction and focus. It stops you from spinning your wheels, guessing what to do next, or feeling overwhelmed by all the marketing options out there. The golden rule? Done is better than perfect.

Start where you are, with whatever you have, a napkin, a note on your phone, or a quick sketch on paper.

If you love the episode… subscribe, share, like, or let me know about a future topic.

Head over to the website, samhicks.com.au and sign up for the 5-minute business boost newsletter.

Or see how we can work together to reach your small business goals; whether via mentoring, attending a workshop or a small 1-hour course.

Follow me on social media (@samhickscomau) and remember, anything is possible in business.

SHOW NOTES

Marketing Plan Templates and Tools

Business Victoria Marketing Plan Template – A free, detailed Word template to help you create and update your marketing plan step-by-step

DIY Digital Marketing Plan Template – A practical 5-page template designed for Australian small businesses, including goal setting and financial basics

The Marketing Planner – An intuitive tool to organise your marketing goals and projects throughout the year

ClickUp – A cloud-based project management tool ideal for planning and tracking marketing tasks.

Additional Resources – Check local government and business advisory sites for workshops and support tailored to Victorian small businesses.

www.samhicks.com.au - Looking for a no-fuss one-page plan? Check out the art of crafting one.

Phil East’s last episode ( ep91 ) was one of our most listened to—and he’s back to dive deeper in the second part of a three-part series for 2025.

In this episode Phil chats to Sam about Sales Optimization & Client Retention.

These strategies focus on extracting more value from existing customers and networks, which is often the fastest way to grow profits.

Phil discusses how to maximize every customer interaction with four strategies.

• Upselling & cross-selling increase transaction size.
• Down-selling ensures you don’t lose customers who hesitate.
• Alliances & joint ventures generate new business for free.
• Additional services create recurring revenue and deeper relationships.

The Profit Acceleration Simulator that Phil speaks about is available at

https://bit.ly/BizBoostProfitSim.

It’s a free tool that shows how small changes in each area can lead to massive profit growth.

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Make sure you hit the Subscribe button and tune in for Part 3: Advanced Scaling Strategies right here on The 5 Minute Business Boost ® Podcast

If you love the episode… subscribe, share, like, or let me know about a future topic.

Head over to the website, samhicks.com.au and sign up for the 5-minute business boost newsletter.

Or see how we can work together to reach your small business goals; whether via mentoring, attending a workshop or a small 1-hour course.

Follow me on social media (@samhickscomau) and remember, anything is possible in business.

In this milestone 100th episode, Sam Hicks turns the mic on herself for a somewhat unscripted, somewhat scripted conversation about the journey so far.

From starting her first business as a teenager to helping over 3,000 small businesses across Victoria, Sam shares personal stories, lessons learned, challenges faced, and what continues to drive her work today.

It’s honest, reflective, and packed with insights for anyone on their small business path.

NOTE - thank you to all my listeners for listening/ tuning in, downloading or referring episodes to friends and clients.

And thanks to my current clients and fam bam that support me. <3

And to my amazing guests - THANK YOU!

If you love the episode… subscribe, share, like, or let me know about a future topic.

Head over to the website, samhicks.com.au and sign up for the 5-minute business boost newsletter.

Or see how we can work together to reach your small business goals; whether via mentoring, attending a workshop or a small 1-hour course.

Follow me on social media (@samhickscomau) and remember, anything is possible in business.

In this episode, Sam chats about when in business, it’s easy to focus on the daily grind—quoting jobs, servicing clients, following up on sales, suppliers, cleaning, chasing invoices, juggling life and those pesky socials.

But when was the last time you paused to celebrate a milestone?

Whether it’s your first birthday, your hundredth sale, or winning an award, these are moments worth shouting about.

And guess what?

Celebrating them online isn’t just feel-good—it’s smart business too.

Show note links;

Industry data on poddies -

https://riverside.fm/blog/podcast-statistics?utm_source=chatgpt.com

https://thesocialshepherd.com/blog/podcast-statistics

Brazil stat - https://www.canva.com/canva-create/

If you love the episode… subscribe, share, like, or let me know about a future topic.

Head over to the website, samhicks.com.au and sign up for the 5-minute business boost newsletter.

Or see how we can work together to reach your small business goals; whether via mentoring, attending a workshop or a small 1-hour course.

Follow me on social media (@samhickscomau) and remember, anything is possible in business.

Back by popular demand! Phil East’s last episode ( ep91 ) was one of our most listened to—and he’s back to dive deeper.

In this episode ( 1st of a series of 3 ), Phil shares four powerful strategies to accelerate profit without increasing your marketing spend.

Learn how to craft a million-dollar message, attract high-quality leads, use bundling to boost sales, and create compelling offers that convert.

The Profit Acceleration Simulator that Phil speaks about is available at

https://bit.ly/BizBoostProfitSim.

It’s a free tool that shows how small changes in each area can lead to massive profit growth.

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Make sure you hit the Subscribe button and tune in for Part 2: Sales Optimization & Client Retention right here on The 5 Minute Business Boost ® Podcast

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If you love the episode… subscribe, share, like, or let me know about a future topic.

Head over to the website, samhicks.com.au and sign up for the 5-minute business boost newsletter.

Or see how we can work together to reach your small business goals; whether via mentoring, attending a workshop or a small 1-hour course.

Follow me on social media (@samhickscomau) and remember, anything is possible in business.

If you’ve ever been told to “write a business case” or “you should have a business plan”—but weren’t exactly sure which one you needed or why—this episode is for you.

In today’s episode, Sam is breaking down the difference between a business case and a business plan, and how small business owners like you can use both to make smarter decisions and grow with confidence.

Grab a free business plan ( and a one-page action plan ) from Business Victoria

Reach out directly to me at [email protected], and I can assist with a one-page business plan - takes about an hour and yes, there is a cost.

Direct link here

If you love the episode… subscribe, share, like, or let me know about a future topic.

Head over to the website, samhicks.com.au and sign up for the 5-minute business boost newsletter.

Or see how we can work together to reach your small business goals, whether via mentoring, attending a workshop, or a one-hour course.

Follow me on social media (@samhickscomau) and remember, anything is possible in business.

In today's episode, Sam is speaking about how you are more than just a logo

Branding is often reduced to a logo, a colour scheme, or a well-designed website. But real branding goes deeper—it’s how you conduct yourself, how people experience you, and how they feel after an interaction with you.

As a small business owner, you are your brand. Whether you’re at work, attending an event, engaging online, or simply out in the community, your actions shape how people perceive you and your business.

If you love the episode… subscribe, share, like, or let me know about a future topic.

Head over to the website, samhicks.com.au and sign up for the 5-minute business boost newsletter.

Or see how we can work together to reach your small business goals; whether via mentoring, attending a workshop or a small 1-hour course.

Follow me on social media (@samhickscomau) and remember, anything is possible in business.

In this episode Sam is discussing "What happens to your social media and devices when you die?"

We rarely think about it, but our social media accounts and devices often outlive us.

If you run a business, your online presence—whether on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, or other platforms—can become a question mark when you’re no longer here to manage it. The same applies to smartphones, tablets, and computers, many of which hold important business and personal data.

An early disclaimer, this episode Sam talks about death based on personal experiences both with loved ones, clients and friends.

So if this is not for you at this time, you may find another episode that will work for you this week.

If you love the episode… subscribe, share, like, or let me know about a future topic.

Head over to the website, samhicks.com.au and sign up for the 5-minute business boost newsletter.

Or see how we can work together to reach your small business goals; whether via mentoring, attending a workshop or a small 1-hour course.

Follow me on social media (@samhickscomau) and remember, anything is possible in business.