Running a business becomes overwhelming when your data, systems, and processes slip into chaos—making it harder to make smart decisions, stay profitable, and plan for the future. In this episode, you’ll learn exactly how to clean up your business data, streamline your systems, and set up a structure that gives you clarity, confidence, and control. If you’ve ever felt stuck, disorganised, or unsure about what’s really going on in your business, this conversation will show you how to turn your mess into meaningful insights that help you grow.

In this episode, host Paul Sweeney sits down with Sonya Corkery from Clear Plans Consulting—an expert in business systems, operations and strategic planning. Sonya shares why business owners become overwhelmed with data and systems, the biggest risks of messy or outdated information, and the powerful role data plays in decision-making and long-term planning. She breaks down what “cleaning up your business” really means—from choosing the right software to setting up systems properly, creating meaningful dashboards, and using both data and intuition to steer your business forward.

Sonya also explains the importance of engaging specialists, building a strong advisory team, and structuring your operations so you can scale safely and profitably. Whether you’re a sole trader, a fast-growing trade business, or a larger organisation managing complex projects, you’ll walk away with clear steps to regain control, reduce stress, and set your business up for sustainable success.

Get the Profit First book here – Profit First: Transform Your Business from a Cash-Eating Monster to a Money-Making Machine by Mike Michalowicz

Sonya Corkery has worked in business operations and data management for many years, and offers listeners practical solutions to streamline their business operations and achieve their goals. Sonya offers actionable strategies to 'clean up' their businesses and gain clarity on their trajectories. She is a business owner, wife, and mother that helps to empower fellow business owners to take control of their enterprises and design the lives they desire.

www.clearplanconsulting.com.au

Get 1:1 support cleaning up and understanding the overall health of your business. De-code your business health in 20 minutes with a friendly obligation-free chat.

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If you’ve ever wondered how to scale your business from a solo operation to a multimillion-dollar enterprise — without outside investors — this episode is for you. Bryan Clayton, CEO and co-founder of GreenPal, joins host Paul Sweeney to share his journey from mowing lawns to building a $30 million tech company serving over 300,000 customers.

Bryan reveals the hard-earned lessons behind bootstrapping growth — from hiring his first employees and scrambling to meet payrolls to mastering sales, building systems, and creating sustainable growth without debt or shortcuts. He breaks down the mindset shifts every business owner must make to move from doing all the work themselves to building a team that drives the business forward.

Listeners will learn:

• How to grow from a one-person business to a thriving, scalable company
• Why learning each part of your business before delegating is crucial
• The right (and wrong) ways to use debt when growing
• How listening to your customers can guide product and service innovation
• Why overnight success is a myth — and what real, long-term growth looks like

Whether you’re running a service business or building a start-up, Bryan’s insights on leadership, growth, and resilience will inspire you to think bigger — and execute smarter.

Bryan Clayton has been recognised as one of Inc. Magazine's "Top Entrepreneurs" and has built GreenPal to over 300,000 customers and $30 million a year in revenue. He is a serial entrepreneur with 22 years of experience in the lawn, landscaping, and garden industry. Before GreenPal, he built Peachtree Inc. to over $10 million a year before selling it. Bryan is a thought leader in the green industry, often sharing his insights through various media outlets and speaking engagements.

www.yourgreenpal.com

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What if your business could run smoothly—even grow—without you being the one to make every decision, solve every problem, or put out every fire? It’s not a fantasy. It’s completely possible. In this episode of The Business Behind Your Business, host Paul Sweeney chats with Ryan Cassin, founder of Superpowers HQ, about how entrepreneurs can finally escape the bottleneck trap and build a business that thrives independently.

Ryan reveals how to design systems that capture your judgment, not just your tasks, empowering your team to think and act with your values and intent. He breaks down how to move from doing everything yourself to leading a self-managing company where your people make smart decisions—even when you’re not in the room.

You’ll learn how to:

• Turn your systems into tools for thinking, not just checklists for doing
• Empower your team with frameworks like the approval matrix to build confidence and accountability
• Shift from “delegating down” to delegating up, seeing your team as investments rather than expenses
• Protect your golden hours so you can focus on your highest-value, most creative work
• Use automation strategically while keeping the human judgment that makes your business special

If you’ve ever thought your business can’t run without you, this episode will change your mind. Learn how to reclaim your time, scale sustainably, and keep the magic alive while your business grows beyond you.

Get Ryan's book here: Superpowered: The Secret That Helps Every Entrepreneur Eliminate the Suck, 10X Their Impact, and Have More Fun in Work and Life

Ryan Cassin is passionate about entrepreneurship, having launched and sold multiple businesses. He co-founded Superpowers, which helps entrepreneurs hire and train their right-fi t executive assistant. Cassin is also a co-founder of Here Homes, a real estate investment platform which owns and manages over 100 rental properties across Dallas.

www.superpowershq.com

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If you’ve ever struggled to find funding for your start-up or early-stage business, this episode is for you. Many founders assume that capital raising is only for big corporations or venture-backed tech firms—but as Dr David Cunic reveals, small business owners can access funding too, if they know where to look and how to prepare.

In this episode, Dr David Cunic—entrepreneur, investor, and founder of UCS Advisors—shares practical, real-world advice on how to raise capital even when you’re pre-revenue or under five years old. He explains why clarity of purpose matters, how to avoid the most common fundraising mistakes, and what investors really look for before writing a cheque. You’ll learn the concept of “Dr David's Green Nuggets”—small, actionable insights that can polish your pitch and prepare you for investment success.

From planning your funding tranches to identifying the right investor profile, David offers a refreshingly transparent view of how to turn your business idea into reality. Whether you’re just starting out or ready to scale, this episode will equip you with the mindset, structure, and tools to secure the capital your business deserves.

Dr David Cunic serves as the CEO of UCS Advisors and is recognized nationally as an expert in investor relations, networking, and professional investment strategy. Leveraging over 18 years of industry experience, Dr Cunic has guided hundreds of founders in raising capital, refining their presentations, offering actionable business insights, and establishing investor-ready pipelines.

He has successfully founded more than ten companies, achieved multiple exits, and led teams exceeding 300 members across sectors including healthcare, science, agriculture, and start-up operations. An Alfred P. Sloan Award recipient, Dr Cunic—known as the “Triple Headed Dragon”—is respected for his extensive expertise in operations, public speaking, and capital acquisition.

As a frequent national speaker and investor judge, Dr Cunic maintains a robust network within both the start-up and investment communities. He is often consulted in high-stakes scenarios with demanding timelines.

A strong advocate for organizational culture, Dr Cunic promotes Positive Mental Attitude as a core operational principle, exemplified by UCS’s PMA Pin initiative—hundreds of which have been distributed among founders, investors, and community leaders. His guiding philosophy, “Always be willing to achieve your greatness,” reflects his commitment to preparation, resilience, and fostering investor-readiness.

www.ucsgreatness.com

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What if your business was built to outlast you? In this inspiring episode, Dave Munson, founder of Saddleback Leather Company, shares how he turned a simple idea for a long-lasting leather bag into a global brand known for its craftsmanship, purpose, and impact.

Listeners will learn how to create a purpose-driven business that combines quality, sustainability, and authenticity—one that leaves a true legacy. Dave reveals why he refuses to compromise on quality, how a clear mission attracts the right employees and customers, and why caring for people and the planet leads to lasting success.

From building a company with a 100-year warranty to funding education and community initiatives in Africa, Dave’s story shows that business success is about much more than profit—it’s about creating something worth fighting over, even after you’re gone.

Tune in to discover how to design your business to endure, inspire, and give back for generations to come.

Order Dave's book, They'll Fight Over It When You're Dead to hear the rest of his story!

BARNES & NOBLE

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Dave Munson is the founder of Saddleback Leather Co., a globally recognized brand known for crafting over-engineered leather bags built to last 100 years. His journey began in a small leather shop in Mexico with one goal: “Make it so tough my grandkids fight over it when I’m dead.” Since then, he’s survived jungle treks, car crashes, and even an assassin — all with his trusty leather bag in tow.

Today, Dave leads Saddleback alongside his wife, Suzette, creating world-class products while giving back through their sister brand Love 41 and outreach initiatives in Rwanda, Mexico, and Texas. With partnerships including Toyota, the Texas Rangers, and Martin Guitar, Dave continues to build with purpose — using business as a vehicle to love people and lift communities.

www.saddlebackleather.com

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Are you treating your LinkedIn profile like just another digital résumé? If so, you’re missing one of the most powerful business tools available. In this episode of The Business Behind Your Business, host Paul Sweeney sits down with Al Kushner—LinkedIn strategist, keynote speaker, and author of The AI LinkedIn Advantage—to uncover how business owners can use LinkedIn and AI to authentically build their personal brand and attract new opportunities.

Al shares practical, time-saving strategies to help you optimize your profile, stand out from competitors, and create content that resonates with your audience. You’ll learn how to use AI tools like ChatGPT to write engaging posts, leverage LinkedIn newsletters to expand your reach, and maintain authenticity in an AI-driven world. Whether your profile needs a total overhaul or a simple refresh, this episode gives you the actionable steps to start turning your LinkedIn presence into a growth engine for your business.

Get Al's free LinkedIn profile optimization checklist www.linkedvantage.com/audit

Al Kushner is an award-winning author and sought-after LinkedIn Growth Strategist, renowned for his innovative approach to digital networking. His groundbreaking book, The A.I. LinkedIn Advantage, has transformed how professionals and businesses leverage artificial intelligence to optimize their LinkedIn presence, grow networks, and drive meaningful engagement. Al’s expertise in blending AI-driven strategies with actionable insights has made him a trusted advisor and thought leader, empowering countless individuals to achieve measurable results on the platform.

www.linkedvantage.com

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If you think ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) only applies to big corporations, think again. In this episode of The Business Behind Your Business, host Paul Sweeney welcomes back author and small business champion Bronwyn Reid to explain why ESG matters for SMEs.

Bronwyn shows how ESG isn’t just box-ticking—it’s about building resilient businesses that attract customers, employees, and funding. You’ll hear why ESG is a competitive advantage, what practical steps you can take without being overwhelmed, and how to leverage what you’re already doing in your community and operations.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

• Why ESG is no longer optional for small businesses.
• How ESG drives loyalty, talent, and funding opportunities.
• Simple, low-cost steps SMEs can start with today.
• How to turn existing practices into an ESG story.
• Why ESG is ultimately just good business.

Get Bronwyn's book here: Small Business - Big Impact: Why ESG Won't Save You But Smart Strategy And Real Action Will

Bronwyn Reid is a successful business owner, bestselling author of three books, and winner of multiple business awards. Her books have been dubbed THE text books for small company – big business relationships. Now, as organisations become more aware of their ESG obligations, Bronwyn’s expertise and experience are critical to business success.

Bronwyn and her companies have spent a lifetime being smaller suppliers to big organisations. Her environmental consultancy counts giants BHP, Rio Tinto and Glencore amongst their client base, as well as international research organisations and all levels of Government. She has also been on the other side of the big company/small business transaction, having worked in Corporate for many years – both within Australia and overseas. She understands, and fixes, the issues that prevent more valuable, profitable and long-lasting commercial relationships between the big and small end of town.

Bronwyn is the “Google Translate” app for small business – big company relationships. She writes regularly for several SME publications including First 5000 (Medium-size business market), Kochies Business Builders and Inside Small Business. She is a regular conference speaker, for both corporate and SME audiences, and appears regularly on radio and business-related podcasts. She has been a member of BHP’s Local Buying Program Advisory Committee for 10 years.

Bronwyn’s training programs

Bronwyn’s other books:
Small Company Big Business: How to find, keep and win big customers
Small Company, Big Crisis

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Building a business that lasts isn’t about luck, start-up capital, or chasing every new trend—it’s about discipline, structure, and creating harmony between your work and personal life. In this episode of The Business Behind Your Business, host Paul Sweeney speaks with serial entrepreneur Lance Cayko, co-founder of F9 Productions and host of the Inside the Firm podcast.

Lance shares how he scaled from a two-person start-up into a thriving group of vertically integrated businesses, including architecture, construction, real estate development, education, and even a nonprofit. Listeners will discover how discipline creates freedom, why mindset matters more than money, and how to use systems and vertical integration to stabilize and grow your business.

You’ll also learn:

• How to structure your day for maximum productivity (and less stress).
• Why “work-life harmony” is better than chasing work-life balance.
• How to keep business challenges from overwhelming your personal life.
• The role of systems, communication, and financial discipline in sustainable growth.
• Why vertical integration can give your business resilience and create new revenue streams.

If you’ve ever wondered how some entrepreneurs manage multiple businesses while staying calm, focused, and in control, this conversation with Lance will give you practical tools and mindset shifts to apply right away.

Lance Cayko is a serial entrepreneur and the co-founder of wildly successful architecture and construction firms in Northern Colorado. His career in the architecture, engineering, and construction industry spans over two decades and includes several design awards including the international Architizer A+ Award for Architecture + Living Small in 2016.

He co-founded F9 Productions, his architecture firm, in 2009 with his business partner Alex Gore after being laid off from a boutique firm in Boulder during the Great Recession. Since its inception, the partners have grown F9 from two employees grossing less than six figures to a team of 11.

Throughout his now seasoned career, Lance has also served his community by managing a community garden in Longmont which he is now turning into a formal non-profit. He also teaches part-time at the University of Colorado Boulder and North Dakota State and co-hosts one of the top five architecture and business podcasts in the world, Inside the Firm.

When he is not doing any of the above Lance is usually spending time with his family, fishing or editing his outdoor adventures for his YouTube channel, Fishing with Lance. When he's not fishing in Colorado he's back in North Dakota chasing Walleye and giant Paddlefish with his brother Lucas.

www.insidethefirmpodcast.com

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