The Growth Equation

Aaron Witnish runs Content Only, a content creation system built around one simple idea: one monthly interview, weeks of content, zero social media stress. It's a long way from where he started, and the path to get there was anything but straight.

In this episode we get into the real story. Business exits, team cuts, a partner's cancer diagnosis, and the accidental Zoom call with a bricklayer that changed everything about how Aaron thinks about content.

Key topics:

1. From digital products to agency work to a content system that actually scales
2. What selling a business taught Aaron about terms over price
3. How personal crisis forced better business decisions
4. The Zoom call that cracked open a whole new model
5. Building a life on your own goal plan, not someone else's

Resources & Links:

1. Aaron Witnish – Connect with Aaron and access free resources
2. Content Only – Innovative content system for business owners

Connect with Aaron Witnish:

1. LinkedIn
2. Twitter

I’m joined this week by Cameron Watt for a refreshingly honest conversation about what happens when you decide to "burn the boats" and go all-in on a dream. Cameron is an Australian–English film producer and director whose debut film, Project Impossible, hit cinemas globally in 2024. As the founder of Skie Video, he has built a reputation for producing premium, story-driven content for everyone from hungry startups to major enterprises. But the road to turning passion into profit wasn't a straight line; Cam literally sold his house and car to start a production company without even knowing how to turn on a professional camera.

Throughout the episode, Cam and I dive into the reality of scaling a team to eight staff and the humbling experience of pivoting back to a leaner model when the economy and business partnerships shifted. We explore the "Creator Economy" and why so many entrepreneurs struggle to bridge the gap between being a "creative" and a "business owner." We also discuss the "two-week holiday test"—a brutal but necessary metric to determine if you actually own a scalable business or just a high-pressure job. Whether you are a creative or a service-based founder, Cam’s insights on hiring for grit, finding the right "tribe," and seeking mentorship to uncover your blind spots are invaluable. We also touch on a powerful personal moment where a health scare refocused Cam’s perspective on what truly matters: people and presence.

To see Cam’s work or collaborate on your next project, you can connect with him here:

Website: Skievideo.com

LinkedIn: Cameron Watt

Email: [email protected]

Instagram: @camcamwatt

Instagram (Business): @skievideo

YouTube: @camcamwatt

This episode features Katherine Tuominen, founder of Catalyst Brand Strategy — a boutique PR and communications agency working with impact-driven founders in wellness, health, and purpose-led industries. With over a decade in the game, Katherine helps brands turn complex ideas into clear positioning, credible media visibility, and long-term authority, blending data-driven strategy with human-centred storytelling.

Her path to Catalyst is anything but linear: born in Finland, raised in Australia, now living as a digital nomad (currently Brazil), running an Australian-registered business with a remote team spread across the US, the Philippines, and Europe.

We get into the real mechanics behind making that model work — async workflows, “zone of genius” roles, tight approvals, and why she treats project delivery like baking a cake (no ripping ingredients back out halfway through). Katherine also shares hard-earned founder lessons on contracts, runway, client loss, cashflow delays across borders, and using AI to save serious time without trashing brand voice.

If you’re building a service business and want growth without burnout, this one’s a practical listen.

Connect with Katherine on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katherine-tuominen/

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Evolve To Grow: https://m.mtrbio.com/evolve-to-grow

In this episode, I sit down with Maria Kathopoulis, Co-Founder and Chief Marketing Officer of UNTMD Media.

Maria didn’t start in marketing. She studied political and international studies in the US before moving to Australia and co-founding a football training app with her husband, a former professional footballer. After burning between $50,000 and $150,000 on agencies that couldn’t produce clarity or results, she jumped into Meta Ads herself.

What changed? She understood the numbers.

By focusing on cost per acquisition and commercial viability, she outperformed the agencies and helped scale the app to 180,000 subscribers in its first year. That shift became the foundation of what is now UNTMD Media.

Today, Maria is a performance marketer and growth strategist who has scaled brands like EAORON and EZZ to eight-figure revenues. She leads strategy and execution across paid media, SEO, web and performance campaigns, engineering marketing ecosystems built around commercial outcomes — not vanity metrics.

We unpack the pressure of running a performance-based agency, hard client conversations, fractional marketing models, boundaries, six-figure campaign days, and why clarity and communication drive long-term growth.

If you’re an agency owner, SaaS founder or eCommerce operator, this episode is a practical look at what scaling actually demands.

Connect with Maria and her company:

Website: https://untmd.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/untmdmarketing/

Instagram: @untmdmarketing

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maria-kath-7016b020b/

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Evolve To Grow: https://m.mtrbio.com/evolve-to-grow

In this episode of The Growth Equation, Brendan Ellich joins me to unpack how a “why not?” freelance experiment during COVID evolved into BluFire, a Melbourne-based paid media agency now partnering with 7–8 figure service businesses. We walk through the whole journey: starting with almost no capital, juggling random client work, making the call to stop freelancing and build a real business, and then growing a tight local team that works together in-office four days a week. Brendan is refreshingly candid about the parts most founders gloss over—the times cash flow was tight, the pressure of payroll, the clients that left unexpectedly, and the days where it felt easier to walk away than to keep fronting up.​

We go deep into how BluFire makes paid media actually pay. Brendan explains how he links marketing, sales, and finance so every dollar of ad spend is judged on revenue and margin, not “cheap clicks” or noisy dashboards. He breaks down their retainer model and ad spend tiers, how they think about lead targets, and why his team talks to clients weekly to stay ahead of lead quality and volume issues instead of waiting for a nasty surprise at the end of the month. We also dig into why breakfast networking nearly became a full-time job, what changed when he pivoted to building a proper acquisition system for his own agency, and how he’s thinking about AI, smaller-budget campaigns, and the future of agencies that don’t perform. If you’re in that messy middle of running an agency or service business—hiring, dealing with client churn, and trying to keep profit intact—this episode gives you a grounded look at what it takes to build something durable.

Connect with Brendan Ellich

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brendan-ellich/

Company Website: https://www.blumedia.com/

Brendan Ellich’s Company Socials

https://www.instagram.com/blufire.digital/

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Evolve To Grow: https://m.mtrbio.com/evolve-to-grow

In this episode of The Growth Equation, Tristan Wright sits down with agency owner Maxim Claes to unpack what really happens when you hit burnout, get stuck in information overload, and decide to rebuild your business with more intention. As the founder of boutique marketing agency Media Waffle, Maxim now helps beauty and aesthetic clinics generate consistent enquiries and booked appointments using simple, reliable lead generation systems.​

Maxim shares how he went from managing “a bit of everything” in digital marketing to niching down exclusively into beauty and aesthetics, and why that decision gave him back his focus, energy, and confidence. He breaks down how cycles of momentum, complacency and rebuilding showed him the importance of habits, structure, and clarity—not just more hustle or more information.​

Across the conversation, Tristan and Maxim dig into the real value of mentors, the danger of chasing too many programs and gurus, and the simple way to decide what you actually want from your business and life. They also explore how AI is reshaping marketing for clinics, why brand and personality matter more than ever, and how owners can use automation without losing the human element that clients trust.​

If you run a service business or agency—especially in the beauty or aesthetic space—and you feel like you’re juggling too much, this episode will give you practical ideas to niche down, tighten your systems, and rebuild around habits that actually support long-term growth. Links and tools mentioned include Media Waffle’s lead generation system for clinics and emerging AI tools for compliance and content support in regulated industries.

Connect with Maxim Claes

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mediawaffle

LinkedIn: 

Company Website: www.mediawaffle.com

IG: https://www.instagram.com/media_waffle/

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Evolve To Grow: https://m.mtrbio.com/evolve-to-grow 

This episode of The Growth Equation features Simon John Phillips, a true veteran who has been building Shopify brands since 2011. Working across the full e-commerce spectrum as a brand owner, agency operator, coach, 3PL founder, and fractional exec, Simon has spent 14 years inside the evolution of social-driven e-com. That experience now powers The Ecommerce Accelerator 5.0, a real-time operating system for brands serious about scaling.

Despite his deep expertise, Simon shares a powerful and honest story about the realities of entrepreneurship. His experience moves from early success in e-commerce to the hard reality of hitting rock bottom, then finding renewed focus and direction through the support of true mentorship and a clearer mindset.

Simon openly describes the challenges he faced, including the emotional impact of failure and how important it is to learn how to recover. He explores how second chances come from a genuine willingness to reflect, learn, and rebuild. The conversation highlights why having the right mentors—people who understand both business struggles and personal challenges—is crucial in staying grounded during difficult times.

The conversation goes beyond business mechanics to explore themes of personal growth, resilience, and honesty when facing setbacks. Simon also discusses his business approach with The E-Commerce Accelerator and how that reflects his commitment to transparency and meaningful work.

Simon’s story isn't just about hope. It’s about resilience. It provides the realistic insight and clarity you need to stop spinning your wheels and start moving forward.

Connect with Simon John Phillips

Facebook: facebook.com/simonjohnphillips

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sjpnz/

Company Website: https://www.theecommerceaccelerator.com

IG: @simonjohnphillips

TikTok – @simonjohnphillips

Website: https://www.theecommerceaccelerator.com/

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Evolve To Grow: https://m.mtrbio.com/evolve-to-grow 

This episode of The Growth Equation features Chris Hogan, founder of MeMedia Marketing Agency, reflecting on over two decades of experience in the marketing industry. Chris shares a candid account of the realities that come with building and growing a business—ranging from the excitement of successful projects to the tough challenges of mental health struggles and burnout. He stresses the significance of focus in business, famously saying, “you can’t ride two horses with one ass,” highlighting the importance of clarity and prioritising what truly matters to avoid spreading yourself too thin.

Chris opens up about the difficult periods marked by overwork and feelings of being stuck in “infinite loops,” and how he found small but meaningful sparks of progress that helped him regain momentum and stay committed. The conversation explores the vital role that culture and purpose play as the true foundation for effective business strategy, rather than just being buzzwords.

He also shares practical insights on technology choices, particularly his preference for Shopify over WordPress when it comes to serious e-commerce growth. Furthermore, Chris discusses the origins of Wecom, a venture born from decades of hands-on experience in e-commerce and conversion optimisation.

This episode offers authentic and grounded reflections for entrepreneurs and small business owners. It provides valuable perspectives on resilience, the power of focus, and how aligning culture and values with business goals can lead to sustainable growth over time. It’s a refreshing and insightful listen for anyone navigating the complexities of business ownership.

Connect with Chris Hogan

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrishoges/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chrishoges

Company Website: https://www.memedia.com.au/our-agency 

Chris Hogan’s Company Socials

https://www.instagram.com/wecomm.au/

https://www.facebook.com/wecomm.au

https://www.youtube.com/c/MeMediaAu

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Evolve To Grow: https://m.mtrbio.com/evolve-to-grow 

Connect with Lex Stanley:

Website: https://vastly.com.au 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vastlydigital

Instagram: https://instagram.com/vastlydigital

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Evolve To Grow: https://m.mtrbio.com/evolve-to-grow 

In this insightful episode, Tristan engages with Adrian Stewart, co-founder of Scale Messaging, to explore his entrepreneurial journey—from freelancing in Berlin to building a company that significantly enhances e-commerce conversion rates. Adrian shares the challenges and triumphs of growing a business from the ground up, emphasising the importance of strategic planning, adaptability, and understanding human behaviour in an ever-evolving digital landscape. As co-founder of Scale Messaging, a CRO agency specialising in elevating conversions through precise, customer-centric messaging, Adrian helps companies cut through noise, clarify their value, and create experiences that convert. Outside of work, he writes and makes music, fuelled by a deep interest in storytelling and the psychological forces behind why people do what they do.

Adrian discusses the complexities of managing a remote team spread across various time zones, emphasizing the need for effective communication and robust processes. He shares his experiences in leveraging AI to drive business growth, offering a glimpse into the future of e-commerce and the potential of technology to transform industries. The dialogue underscores the critical role of financial planning in sustaining business operations and achieving long-term success.

Beyond business, the episode touches on personal growth through travel and the pursuit of freedom and flexibility in life. Adrian reflects on how his global experiences have shaped his perspective and contributed to his professional development. The conversation is a testament to the power of embracing change and the value of aligning business goals with personal aspirations, offering listeners valuable insights into balancing work and life in a meaningful way.

Connect with Adrian Stewart:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adrianjstewart/ 

Website: www.scalemessaging.com 

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Evolve To Grow: https://m.mtrbio.com/evolve-to-grow