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Small Business Sorted with Kay & Crystal: Practical Advice for Australian Small Businesses

Small Business Sorted with Kay & Crystal: Practical Advice for Australian Small Businesses

著者： Kay Godfrey & Crystal Petzer
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概要

Are you building a profitable one-person business or have you simply created an exhausting job for yourself?


More people are becoming solopreneurs, freelancers, consultants and self-employed business owners. Technology, contractors, virtual assistants and AI have made it possible to build a successful business without employing a large permanent team.


But staying small does not automatically mean staying profitable.

In this episode, business growth coach Crystal Petzer and bookkeeper Kay Godfrey explore how to create a profitable one-person business without working every hour of the day.


You’ll discover:

• The difference between owning a business and simply working for yourself
• How to price your services to cover tax, retirement contributions, leave and business expenses
• Why revenue and turnover are not the same as profit
• How to avoid becoming dependent on one major customer
• The systems every solo business owner needs
• How AI, automation and cloud software can save time
• What to outsource before employing permanent staff
• How to use contractors and virtual assistants effectively
• Ways to increase revenue through packages, retainers, minimum charges and value-based pricing
• What to do when you reach your personal capacity
• Why staying small can be an intentional and profitable business strategy


Crystal and Kay also discuss the less glamorous realities of working alone including isolation, procrastination, inconsistent marketing, late invoicing and keeping every business process in your head.


Whether you call yourself a solopreneur, sole trader, freelancer, consultant, independent contractor or one-person business owner, this episode offers practical advice for building a business that supports your income, lifestyle and long-term goals.


You don’t need a large team to build a successful business—but you do need the right pricing, systems, support and financial discipline.


Small Business Sorted with Kay and Crystal is an Australian business podcast sharing practical, straightforward advice for small business owners in Australia, New Zealand, the United States and beyond.


Follow the podcast and share this episode with someone who is building a business on their own.

© 2026 Small Business Sorted with Kay & Crystal: Practical Advice for Australian Small Businesses マネジメント マネジメント・リーダーシップ リーダーシップ 経済学
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  • Why Running a Small Business Feels So Hard Right Now and What to Do Next l Ep. 29

    Why Running a Small Business Feels So Hard Right Now and What to Do Next l Ep. 29
    2026/11/08
    Send us Fan MailWhy does running a small business feel so difficult right now?Costs are rising, customers are spending less, invoices are taking longer to be paid and profit margins are becoming tighter. At the same time, business owners are dealing with increasing compliance, staffing challenges, new technology and the pressure to keep up with AI.If you feel as though you are working harder but getting less in return, you are not alone.In this episode of Small Business Sorted, Kay Godfrey and Crystal Petzer have an honest conversation about the pressures facing small business owners in Australia and around the world.They explore why even a busy business can struggle with cash flow and profitability, how economic uncertainty affects business decisions and what owners can do to regain control.This is not an episode about blaming the economy or waiting for someone else to fix the problem. It is about understanding what is happening, focusing on what you can control and making practical changes to build a stronger and more resilient business.In this episode, you will discover:• Why running a small business feels harder right now• How rising fuel, wages, rent, insurance and material costs affect profitability• Why customers are taking longer to pay their invoices• How cost of living pressures are changing customer spending• Why strong sales do not always produce healthy cash flow• The difference between being busy and being profitable• Why your bank balance may not reflect the true health of your business• How poor pricing can leave you working harder for less money• Why understanding the profit on every job or sale is essential• How drawings and personal spending can affect business cash flow• Why invoicing quickly and following up overdue accounts matters• How increasing compliance and administration affect small business owners• Why AI can create both opportunities and additional pressure• How to decide whether an AI tool is saving money or simply adding another expense• Why your business may need better priced work rather than more customers• How to review your expenses, systems, pricing and customer base• Why relying on one source of leads can put your business at risk• How negative economic news can affect your confidence and decision making• Why this may be the right time to refresh or restructure your business• How networking, industry associations and other business owners can provide supportKay and Crystal also discuss the emotional weight of business ownership. When the economy slows, it is easy to feel as though you have failed, even when many of the pressures are outside your control.The important question is not whether business is difficult. The question is what you can do next.Your business cannot review its own pricing, collect outstanding invoices, improve its systems or find new customers. It relies on you to identify the problems, make decisions and take action.You do not need to fix everything in one weekend.Start by choosing one area of your business:• Check which products, services or jobs are genuinely profitable• Review your prices and profit margins• Send invoices as soon as the work is completed• Follow up overdue accounts• Examine your expenses and remove unnecessary costs• Update your cash flow forecast• Speak with your customers• Review where your leads are coming from• Improve one system or process• Ask for help before the pressure becomes unmanageableDifficult economic conditions can expose weaknesses that were hidden during stronger times. They can also create an opportunity to improve your business, simplify your operations and prepare for the next period of growth.As Crystal explains, business moves through seasons. When business feels like winter, use the time to prepare the ground, strengthen the foundations and get ready for spring.Whether you are a small business owner, entrepreneur, tradesperson, retailer, consultant or service provider in Australia, New Zealand, the United States or elsewhere, this episode offers practical advice and reassurance to help you move forward.Listen now, then subscribe to Small Business Sorted for honest conversations, practical business advice and real world strategies to help you build a more profitable and manageable business.ABOUT SMALL BUSINESS SORTEDSmall Business Sorted with Kay and Crystal provides practical advice and straightforward conversations for small business owners in Australia, New Zealand, the United States and beyond.Crystal PetzerBusiness Growth Coachhttps://businessgrowthcoach.com.au/Kay GodfreyUp Up and Away Bookkeepinghttps://upupandaway.net.au/Listen to Small Business Sorted on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube and Buzzsprout.Radio Northern Beaches88.7 and 90.3 FMhttps://www.rnb.org.au/Emailradio@businessgrowthcoach.com.auFacebookhttps://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61590811295505Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/small_business_sorted/If this episode ...
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    45 分
  • How to Get More Leads Without Wasting Money: Google Ads, SEO & AI Search | Rod Cunha (Ep 28) (audio)

    How to Get More Leads Without Wasting Money: Google Ads, SEO & AI Search | Rod Cunha (Ep 28) (audio)
    2026/11/02
    Send us Fan MailAre you spending money on marketing but still not getting enough customers?The problem may not be your Google Ads. It could be what happens after the lead arrives.In this episode of Small Business Sorted, Kay and Crystal speak with Rod Cunha, founder of Wize Marketing, about how small businesses can generate better leads through Google Ads, SEO, social media, YouTube and AI search and convert more of those enquiries into paying customers.Rod has worked with international advertising agencies including Ogilvy and M&C Saatchi. Today, he helps service businesses, trades, construction companies, removalists, buyer’s agents and professional firms create practical customer-acquisition systems that produce measurable results.Rod explains why Google Ads can work extremely well for some businesses and waste money for others. The right marketing platform depends on how your customers search, how quickly they make decisions and how much trust they need before buying.But generating the lead is only the beginning.Many businesses pay for leads, respond too slowly, fail to follow up and then blame their marketing. A referral may arrive already trusting you, but a lead from an advertisement is usually comparing you with several competitors. If you do not respond quickly and have a clear sales process, that opportunity may be gone within minutes.In this episode, you’ll discover:• How to choose between Google Ads, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube• Which types of businesses are best suited to Google Ads• Why Google Ads may not work as quickly for coaches, consultants and professional services• The difference between capturing customer intention and earning customer attention• Why referrals and paid leads need different sales approaches• How quickly you should respond to a new enquiry• Why paying for more leads will not fix a weak sales process• How a CRM and consistent follow-up can improve conversion rates• The difference between SEO, GEO and AI search optimisation• How to help your business appear in ChatGPT and other AI-generated search results• Why your website, Google Business Profile, reviews and social media presence all matter• Why human-created content may become more valuable as AI content increases• How YouTube builds familiarity, authority and trust• The difference between a website and a landing page• Why sending paid advertising traffic to a focused landing page can produce better results• How split testing can improve your marketing conversion rate• When to invest money in marketing and when to invest your own time• Why new businesses should begin with networking, partnerships and referrals• The marketing mistake that can amplify weaknesses inside your businessRod also shares his remarkable journey from Brazil to Australia, beginning again as a waiter with limited English, rebuilding his advertising career in New Zealand and Sydney, and eventually leaving agency life to establish his own business.His central message is simple: marketing is not magic.Before spending more money on advertising, make sure you have:• A service people genuinely want• A clear offer• The capacity to handle new enquiries• A fast response process• A reliable follow-up system• A way to track leads, sales and return on investmentIf you are a small business owner, tradesperson, home-service provider, consultant or professional trying to generate more leads and turn more enquiries into customers, this episode could save you from wasting thousands of dollars on the wrong marketing.Listen now, then subscribe to Small Business Sorted for practical, straightforward conversations about growing a more profitable and manageable business.ABOUT OUR GUESTRod Cunha is the founder of Wize Marketing, a customer-acquisition and digital marketing agency helping businesses attract more of the right customers.Wize Marketing:https://wizemarketing.com.au/Connect with Rod on LinkedIn:https://au.linkedin.com/in/rod-cunha-a2309745#SmallBusinessMarketing #LeadGeneration #GoogleAds #SEO #AISearch #SmallBusinessGrowth #SmallBusinessSortedABOUT SMALL BUSINESS SORTEDSmall Business Sorted with Kay and Crystal provides practical advice, honest conversations and real-world strategies for small business owners in Australia, New Zealand, the United States and beyond.Crystal Petzer – Business Growth Coachhttps://businessgrowthcoach.com.au/Kay Godfrey – Up Up and Away Bookkeepinghttps://upupandaway.net.au/Listen to Small Business Sorted on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube and Buzzsprout.Radio Northern Beaches – 88.7 and 90.3 FMhttps://www.rnb.org.au/Email: radio@businessgrowthcoach.com.auFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61590811295505Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/small_business_sorted/If this episode helped you, subscribe to the podcast, leave a review and share it with a business owner who is spending money on marketing without seeing enough results.Connect with...
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    1 時間 10 分
  • LIVE Panel - What Small Business Owners Must Focus on Over the Next 90 Days | (Ep 27)

    LIVE Panel - What Small Business Owners Must Focus on Over the Next 90 Days | (Ep 27)
    2026/10/25

    Send us Fan Mail

    The economy is changing quickly, and small business owners are facing rising costs, cautious customers, tighter cash flow and continued uncertainty. So, what should you focus on during the next 90 days?

    Recorded live during NSW Small Business Month, this special episode of Small Business Sorted Live brings together an experienced panel to discuss the current economy, the challenges facing small businesses and the practical actions owners can take now.

    Meet the panel

    • Michael Miller – Director of Mediation Services at the NSW Small Business Commission
    • Wendy Lloyd Curley – Executive Director of BNI Sydney North East and an experienced business owner, professional speaker and networking specialist
    • Andrew Lawrence – Owner of The Alternative Board for Sydney’s Upper North Shore and Hornsby, business coach and fractional CEO
    • Hosted by Crystal Petzer and Kay Godfrey from Small Business Sorted Live

    The panel’s central message is clear: we cannot control the economy, but we can control how we manage our businesses, respond to change and prepare for what lies ahead.

    In this episode, we discuss:

    • What the current economic conditions mean for small businesses
    • Why the next 90 days are particularly important
    • How to prepare for Christmas and the quieter January period
    • Why cash flow should be reviewed every week
    • The benefits of creating a 13-week cash-flow forecast
    • Why business owners should follow up outstanding accounts before Christmas
    • How to protect your pricing by adding value instead of discounting
    • What changing customer behaviour means for your sales process
    • Why sales are taking longer and customers are spending more carefully
    • How to identify opportunities during difficult economic conditions
    • Why good employees may be more available in the current market
    • How AI and automation can reduce repetitive work and operating costs
    • The importance of having trusted advisers, mentors and fellow business owners around you
    • Why networking, partnerships and community become even more valuable in uncertain times
    • How to protect your own wellbeing and support your team
    • The assistance available through the NSW Small Business Commission
    • How mediation can help resolve commercial and retail lease disputes

    The panel also discusses the importance of being realistic without becoming paralysed by negative news. Some businesses will struggle, some will close and others will emerge or find new opportunities. Your ability to manage cash, protect your margins and make timely decisions will be critical.

    The live audience completed a practical exercise to identify:

    • Three recent business wins
    • One opportunity to pursue
    • One potential threat
    • The most important action to take during the next 90 days

    This episode is not about creating another complicated business plan. It is about understanding your present position, deciding what you can control and taking focused action.

    Whether you are a sole trader, service provider, consultant, tradesperson or growing business owner, this conversation will help you approach the next 90 days with greater clarity, confidence and support.

    You cannot control the economic weather—but you can control how you steer the boat.

    Connect with us:
    Crystal Petzer - https://businessgrowthcoach.com.au/
    Kay Godfrey - https://upupandaway.net.au/

    Radio Northern Beaches 88.7 or 90.3 FM - https://www.rnb.org.au/
    Email us - radio@businessgrowthcoach.com.au

    Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61590811295505
    Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/small_business_sorted/

    If this episode hits home, share it with a business owner who needs to hear it.
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    40 分
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