Stuart Lord joined me on the podcast this week to discuss building his company Lockelec.

When Stuart first walked into the family engineering and design business, he knew things were bad. Not one to shy from a challenge, he rolled up his sleeves, pounded the pavement, drummed up business and took on jobs he didn’t know how to do. He did basically anything that would bring in money for the company.

But imagine this, you find the work, do the job and collect payment only to have money disappear from your bank account due to unpaid bills and other hidden liabilities. Stuart’s predicament lasted for over 4 years.

Today, he has a growing business and services some of Australia’s biggest and most well-known company’s including Metro, Siemens, the Government of South Australia, Ambulance Victoria and Coles.

Coles is one of Australia’s biggest supermarket chains and Stuart along with the team at Lockelec have just won the 2017 Coles Supplier of the Year Award.

We discussed:

• dealing with constant set backs
• the moment it all turned around
• the importance of forming good relationships
• landing big clients, and 
• being interviewed on the TV program 60 minutes.

If you’d like to know more about Stuart, you can find him at his website lockelec.com.au.

To get every episode of Trench Talk on release please remember to hit the subscribe button in your chosen podcast player.

Enjoy Trench Talk Episode #016 with Stuart Lord…

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Show notes and links for this episode can be found at xrm.com.au/podcast.

Feel free to email me with any suggestions or feedback to [email protected].

You can find Matt Reynolds on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and on LinkedIn.

Dave Bradley joined me on the podcast this week to talk property development.

Dave began his property investing career in Ballarat with his then business partner Steve McKnight (Trench Talk guest, episode #009). As accountants, they accumulated hundreds of positive cash flowing rental homes and apartment blocks in their quest to replace their accounting practice income.

Today, Dave’s focus is property development, his current system for growing his own wealth includes holding close to zero rental properties. We talked about his change in strategy including how he is now using land subdivision and town house development to make money faster.

We also covered:

• evaluating risk
• out sourcing
• how to find development deals to purchase, and
• much, much, more.

If you'd like to know more about Dave you can find him at bradleypropertygroup.com.au.

To get every episode of Trench Talk on release please remember to hit the subscribe button in your chosen podcast player.

Enjoy Trench Talk episode #015 with Dave Bradley…

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Show notes and links for this episode can be found at xrm.com.au/podcast.

Feel free to email me with any suggestions or feedback to [email protected].

You can find Matt Reynolds on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and on LinkedIn.

Stefan Kazakis (@stefankazakis) is the founding Principal of Business Benchmark Group and has spent more than two decades at the forefront of business including 25 years as an owner across multiple industries.

He has earned a reputation as a leading business strategist for small business owners, many of whom he has coached to extreme profit growth, award-winning success and a greater quality of life.

Stefan has also worked with industry leaders such as Telstra, Westfield and the NAB.

He has authored two books titled “From Deadwood to Diamonds” and “How to Grow a Business” in addition to being a regular contributor to national publications such as the Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, Franchise Council Australia, BRW, Australian Women’s Weekly and The Accountant.

We discussed:

• strategies for growing businesses
• why many business owners fail to scale their operation
• how he manages his own diary
• rebuilding his family’s textiles business back from the brink of collapse to 70+ employees
• becoming a major supplier to Nike, and
• designing the hooded racing suit Cathy Freeman used to win the gold medal at the Sydney Olympic Games.

If you'd like to know more about Stefan and his work you can find him at stefankazakis.com and businessbenchmarkgroup.com.au.

To get every episode of Trench Talk on release please remember to hit the subscribe button in your chosen podcast player.

Enjoy Trench Talk Episode #014 with Stefan Kazakis…

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Show notes and links for this episode can be found at xrm.com.au/podcast.

Feel free to email me with any suggestions or feedback to [email protected].

You can find Matt Reynolds on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and on LinkedIn.

Brendan Nichols joins me on the podcast this week to talk business and making money.

Brendon built a successful business early in his career marketing real estate in the Sydney CBD before becoming a bestselling author published by the industry giant Harper Collins. He has appeared in the media dozens of times and about a million people tuned in to watch the ABC Television documentary on him.

Today, Brendon’s business is training people on how to get out of the rat race which has included thousands across 3 continents. His specialty is teaching business owners how to raise their income while simultaneously reclaiming control of their time.

We discussed:

• his definition of success and avoiding the common traps
• learning strategies and structures
• being a no-star, 5-star guy
• using meditation and getting clear in your own mind
• making decisions
• getting repeat business, and
• the first thing you need to do each and every day to help make sure your business remains profitable.

If you'd like to know more about Brendan and what he does, you can find him at brendannichols.com.

To get every episode of Trench Talk on release please remember to hit the subscribe button in your chosen podcast player.

Enjoy Trench Talk Episode #013 with Brendan Nichols…

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Show notes and links for this episode can be found at xrm.com.au/podcast.

Feel free to email me with any suggestions or feedback to [email protected].

You can find Matt Reynolds on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and on LinkedIn.

Steve Richards (@steve_richo) is a 4 time Bathurst 1000 Champion.

Steve began his racing career in karts at 15 and went on to become the Australian Formula Ford Champion in 1994. His racing achievements are many including, to date, being the only driver who has won back-to-back Bathurst Championships diving for different car manufacturers.

After stepping away from the V8 series as a full-time driver, Steve began working through the transition from elite sportsman to that of a successful business owner. He started his own team to race the Australian Carrera Cup in 2011, a series he went on to win in 2014.

Steve has now partnered with BMW and is competing in the Australian GT Championship Series.

We discussed:

• growing up in a famous racing family
• preparing for and winning Bathurst
• the business and future of motorsport
• running his own team including finding sponsorship and developing revenue streams
• the cost of crashing
• his plans to work with the next generation of racers, and
• his favourite car

If you'd like to know more about Steve, his company and future projects both on and off the track you can connect with him on Facebook.

To get every episode of Trench Talk on release please remember to hit the subscribe button in your chosen podcast player.

Enjoy Trench Talk Episode #012 Steve Richards…

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Show notes and links for this episode can be found at xrm.com.au/podcast.

Feel free to email me with any suggestions or feedback to [email protected].

You can find Matt Reynolds on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and on LinkedIn.

Jade Ingleby (choklits.com.au) and Hayley Bishop (@hayleybishop) were brave enough to have a chat for this episode of Trench Talk. I asked them on because aside from being high-achievers and great friends, they both had the wisdom to marry plumbers so it seemed like the perfect fit!

Jade left her senior management position with the NAB after she had her first children (twins) and purchased a child care business called Choklits. She’s currently in the process of extending her centre.

Hayley recently left a global marketing position at Jacobs Creek to join the beauty brand Palmer’s as Marketing Manager across Australia and Asia Pacific. Her current role includes building a strong digital marketing presence for the company.

This episode is super practical, on the ground, everyday stuff. We cover many of the challenges families face in the quest to remain highly productive including juggling children, international work travel, running businesses and building careers. As you’ll hear, it can be tough to remain sane through the process of working to provide an exciting and balanced future for your family.

We discussed-

• avoiding the feeling of anxiety and planning for productive days
• how motherhood has helped them at work
• achieving the selfish v selfless balance
• marrying tradesmen
• taking risks, and
• the importance of keeping things fun

You can find Jade at the choklits.com.au and Hayley on Instagram.

To get every episode of trench Talk on release please remember to hit the subscribe button in your chosen podcast player!

Enjoy Trench Talk Episode #011 with Jade and Hayley…

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Show notes and links for this episode can be found at xrm.com.au/podcast.

Feel free to email me with any suggestions or feedback to [email protected].

You can find Matt Reynolds on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and on LinkedIn.

Walt Collins (@walt_collins), in just two years, has stamped his name into the TV landscape as a busy host who is on air 43 weekends of the year.

He’s also a career-long producer and his company BSTV produces many of the TV shows he hosts which include Healthy Homes Australia and Animal Extra both seen on Network Ten. Walt has just announced he’s also producing and co-hosting a new series for the Seven Network called Stay at Home Mum based on the blog of Jody Allen.

From England, Walt’s career began at fourteen years old. Having begged his mum for a video camera, it wasn’t long until the inquisitive and tech-savvy Walt worked out that by boosting a small transmitter, connecting it to a wok and positioning it over the neighbourhood, he was able to broadcast a TV signal from his bedroom. His very own pirate TV station was born.

We discussed-

• the early years including the day he was caught broadcasting illegally
• the carpentry apprenticeship he is currently completing
• producing TV shows and selling them to the big networks
• inspiring others, and
• the life events that changed the way he now looks at his own goals

You can find Walt on Instagram and at waltcollins.com.au

If you like this episode, please remember to hit the subscribe button in your chosen podcast player to get all future episodes of Trench Talk.

Enjoy Trench Talk Episode #010 with Walt Collins…

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Show notes and links for this episode can be found at xrm.com.au/podcast.

Feel free to email me with any suggestions or feedback to [email protected].

You can find Matt Reynolds on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and on LinkedIn.

Steve McKnight (@ProperInvesting) is recognised as one of Australia’s foremost authorities on property investment as a means of creating personal wealth.

Steve holds a Bachelor of Business (Accounting), is a chartered accountant and began his career working in Audit at Deloitte, before starting his own accounting practice in 1999.

His plan was simple, use property investing to replace his accounting income. So, in that same year, 1999, he purchased his first place in Ballarat, about a 1.5-hour drive out of Melbourne.

Since then, on average, Steve has bought or sold a property every 9 or so days.

He co-founded propertyinvesting.com (a property education website) and his first book “From 0-130 Properties in 3.5 Years” remains Australia’s all time #1 best-selling business book by an Australian author.

He’s developed his own property along the way and is now the Chairman a managed in investment fund that owns commercial property in the USA. You can out more at passiveincomefund.com.

We discussed-

• his property investing and business journey
• some of his key thoughts on money management
• using different property investing techniques in changing markets
• investing $150 million in property internationally
• strategies he uses to keep his own ego in check, and
• how he puts together business partnerships to ensure the best chance of success.

You can find out more about Steve including his investment philosophies at propertyinvesting.com.

Enjoy Trench Talk Episode #009 with Steve McKnight...

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Show notes and links for this episode can be found at xrm.com.au/podcast.

Feel free to email me with any suggestions or feedback to [email protected].

You can find Matt Reynolds on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and on LinkedIn.

Anthony Koutoufides (@anthonykouta) is an AFL premiership player and former captain of the Carlton Football Club.

“Kouta” is known as one of the most athletic players to ever play the game and was famous for his incredible ability to mark and control the football one-handed.

He played 278 games, won the 5th season of Dancing with the Stars, was “Kouta the Greek God” in Gladiators and has been inducted into the AFL Hall of Fame.

Following his stellar career, Kouta admits, he struggled to find his feet as he learned to deal with life after football and found himself with health concerns in 2010.

It wasn’t until one of his friends introduced him to the Herbalife range of nutritional products that things began to turn around. Today, Kouta has found his niche helping other people improve their own lives in his work with the same company.

He’s about to launch The Kouta Fit Program, an online training platform based on his own experience as a professional athlete.

We discussed his playing career and the lessons he’s now incorporating from football into his business life.

You can find Kouta at anthonykoutoufides.com, on Twitter, Facebook and on Instagram.

Enjoy Trench Talk Episode #008 with Anthony Koutoufides...

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Show notes and links for this episode can be found at xrm.com.au/podcast.

Feel free to email me with any suggestions or feedback to [email protected].

You can find Matt Reynolds on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and on LinkedIn.

Ben Sofowora (@bensofowora) is one of the most interesting people I’ve ever met.

I know Ben as a yoga teacher and a healer but he’s also an actor, a dancer, a painter and generally an all-around creative guy. I recently saw him on stage in the Melbourne Theatre Company’s production of “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest”.

Ben has also had roles in the TV shows Kath & Kim, Halifax FP and the miniseries Molly (based on Molly Meldrum’s life).

He’s also modeled for Ralph Lauren and been on the cover of Vogue magazine.

We discuss the evolution of yoga and Ben’s personal journey with the practice, his own teaching philosophy and techniques before we venture a lot deeper to cover death, past lives, the reincarnation of our souls and the regression work Ben does.

This episode is definitely not for the faint-hearted or anyone who’s unwilling to challenge conventional thinking.

You can find Ben at bensofowora.com and on Instagram.

Enjoy Trench Talk episode #007 with Ben Sofowora...

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Show notes and links for this episode can be found at xrm.com.au/podcast.

Feel free to email me with any suggestions or feedback to [email protected].

You can find Matt Reynolds on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and on LinkedIn.