Grow A Small Business Podcast

In 1966 started in a servo, bought a truck, built a fuel distribution business, poor exit with business partner, with new partner grew defunct distributor from 1 to 30 FTE, $0 to $80m sales & 100m litres pa 2001 sold for 5x profit (John Trewin)

Aug 30, 2020

In this episode, I interview John Trewin, the previous co-owner of Advanced Petroleum. At the age of 29 in 1966, John got his first job off the farm in a petrol station, bought a truck, grew the fuel distribution company, and added a business partner (which didn't end well a few years later) While he was taking...

Invented a world-leading shoe for horses, sells in Europe, USA, Canada, NZ, and Australia through 500+ stockists. Growing the team from 2 to 11 FTE since starting in 2015. With only 5 competitors, sales have grown 25%-125% p.a. (Annette Kaitinis)

Aug 23, 2020

In this episode, I interview Annette Kaitinis, the Co-founder and Director of Scoot Boots Pty Ltd, Australia’s only manufacturer of equine hoof boots for barefoot horses. In 2015, she formed a business partnership with her ex-farrier, Dave MacDonald, who in invented a shoe for horses. After patenting and eventually...

They took over a yoga studio with 35 members, in a year got that to 300 then added another 100 online members during COVID. Increased prices, offered Pilates, improved the value to members and doubled recurring revenue to $360k (Kate Cashman)

Aug 16, 2020

In this episode, I interview Kate Cashman, the co-founder of Mana Movement Studio in Hobart, Tasmania. In early 2019, they took over the lease of one of the oldest yoga studios in Tasmania, increased prices, added Pilates, and pivoted to a membership model. They took it from 35 members to 300 in just over a year and...

When her ex-husband got too sick to run the business Kate took the helm in 2009, now Tasmania’s largest conveyancing firm. Grew from $350k to $2m in sales, and 2 FTE to 12. Key is using experts hiring well and great culture (Kate Goodman)

Aug 9, 2020

In this episode, I interview Kate Goodman, the owner of Goodman Conveyancing and a licensed conveyancer. Her ex-husband and best friend started a legal firm in Hobart in 2001. After he became too unwell due to MS, Kate stepped in to run the conveyancing business, now the largest in Tasmania. Taking the helm in 2009,...

With a single 300L still at home in 2007 made an Irish-style, triple distilled whisky - merged, moved to a 4,500L and 2 other stills, launched an award-winning gin then sold out to return to distilling from home on a 700L still (Damian Mackey)

Aug 2, 2020

In this episode, I interview Damian Mackey, a master distiller of whisky and gin and the founder of New Town Distillery in Hobart, Tasmania. In 2005, he started building a small distillery (Mackey’s Distillery) in his backyard in Hobart, and in 2007, filled their first cask with triple distilled Irish style single...