Business Benchmark Group Podcast

This week’s podcast explores the good, the bad and the ugly of business partnerships. The idea of going into business with a partner can often appear to be a great idea - whether that’s a husband and wife team, a trio of siblings or just a couple of mates who planned their business on the back of a beer coaster! But as the wise often say ‘all my problems today started out as a good idea’! Every partnership is different and it depends on the business and the personalities involved. It’s vitally important to do the groundwork first, otherwise not only will the business fail, but any personal relationships will be strained. Stefan delves into the list of questions you must ask before starting a business partnership, and discusses the strategies you must employ to make sure the partnership works for all stakeholders in the business, and ultimately for the business to succeed. All this and more in this week’s episode. - - - - - - - Are you coming to “Your Profit Blueprint” on Tuesday 31st July? If y

As we enter a new financial year, it's time to take stock of your business and ensure you are continuing to be brilliant at the basics - that's where the diamonds are found after all. In this episode, Stefan strips it all back to discuss the basics of building and running a successful business. Stefan's golden advice includes the need for business owners to continuously focus on your core business, your core product, your core target market and your core lead generation strategy. Focus on constantly improve in every area, build momentum and see it through. While there is always a need to innovate and explore the potential to expand, you always need to be brilliant at the basics first. ANNOUNCEMENTS: YOUR PROFIT BLUEPRINT Come to "Ýour Profit Blueprint" on Tuesday July 31, 2018. A full-day strategic planning session for business owners. More info: http://businessbenchmarkgroup.com.au/events/your-profit-blueprint/ BOARD OF DIRECTORS 12: Want to join Board of Directors 12? Get in touch, or find o

In this special episode, Melbourne Storm's Football Manager, Frank Ponissi, shares his views on leadership and crisis management. Ponissi is certainly no stranger to crisis management. In 2010, Melbourne Storm was found to have breached the NRL's salary cap over a period of 5 years, resulting in punishments including the stripping of Melbourne's 2007 and 2009 premierships, fines of almost $1.7 million and the team being stripped of all premiership points in 2010. Ponissi shares how this affected all levels of the club, how he and his leadership team dealt with it, and how others at the club also stepped up to lead the club out of crisis. Ponissi shares how the Melbourne Storm were able to come out the other side a stronger, better club (including winning Premierships in 2012 and 2017). He discusses how the strong team culture, with a focus on accountability, has set them up for continued and sustained success. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Need a business coach? Visit businessben

In this episode, Stefan shares more of his famous "Stefanisms" - key advice on how to constantly improve, and ultimately succeed, in achieving and executing your vision for your business. Key to this is a need to develop outcome-based thinking. Always ask 3 key questions: 1. What's working? 2. What's not working? 3. What will we do about it? Stefan also discusses the need to always see things from an optimistic perspective, how to prioritize work so that you always get your most valuable tasks done, and how to stay focused on the most important aspects of your business. - - - - For more information about Business Benchmark Group's coaching and training programs:" Visit businessbenchmarkgroup.com.au: Call 03 90010878. Email info@businessbenchmarkgroup.com.au - - - - - - Find this Podcast & Subscribe: iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/business-benchmark-group-podcast/id1372652118?mt=2 SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/businessbenchmarkgroup iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-

If you aren't leading, nobody's following. This short episode explores the need for business owners to schedule time every week, dedicated to thinking strategically about their business. Stefan delivers key advice about taking advantage of every opportunity in your business and in life. Be deliberate with your strategy. Leverage your team, your peers, relationships, technology and systems and use them all to your advantage. But it's utterly important to keep your focus local, on your core, on your reputation and on your clients. Because you can't go global, until you've got local right.

If you don't have something driving you to be your Personal Best, then chances are each day, each week and each month you are going to be spending more time in mediocrity. But if you are clear about your opportunties, your strategic planning, and your use of time and money, you can make the decision that you can be your Personal Best. You will be able to make 1% improvements each day. You can revolutionise and transform your business and yourself if you have the attitude of doing whatever it takes. To ensure you're doing the right things and consistently raising the bar - take ownership, be accountable and be responsible. The data never lies. - - - - For more information about Business Benchmark Group's coaching and training programs, visit businessbenchmarkgroup.com.au, or call 03 90010878. If you like this podcast, please rate it on iTunes, Stitcher or Soundcloud, and leave some feedback as well.

In this special episode of our podcast, Brendan Dover from The Drain Man shares the story of his business, it's enormous growth since becoming a client with Business Benchmark Group in 2007, and offers tremendous insight into the decisions he's made on his business journey. Brendan gives his unique perspective on a number of key topics: - The difference between running and growing a business - Business structure - The importance of developing the right people - Marketing - and the importance of test & measure - Finance and knowing the numbers - Targeting a specific niche - Strategy, planning, and the future of his business - Q&A session with the audience

Do you lead or manage for success? The leader provides direction, encouragement and inspiration to motivate a team to achieve business success. A manager coordinates the efforts of the team and the allocation of resources to maximise efficiency in achieving individual goals. Both these roles operate hand in hand and both are especially so during times of crisis or a choke point. As a leader and manager, it is most important that you “walk your talk”. Stay focused on the issues that are most important– the critical few, not the trivial many. Be brutally honest about what’s working versus what’s not working in your business, in your industry and in the mirror and take action. Again – “walk your talk” Business isn’t easy, but it doesn’t have to be hard and when you get through a crisis celebrate it! All this and more in this week’s podcast. Do you have a question for Stefan to answer in an upcoming episode? Submit your questions in the comments, via email to stefan@businessbenchmarkgroup.com.au or get

Why do we hear the term 'back to basics' so frequently? Because it works! Regardless of what you are doing, going 'back to basics' is something everyone understands. Being "brilliant at the basics" is where diamonds are found! In this week’s episode, Stefan Kazakis delivers a key lesson in how to develop a competitive advantage in your business. First and foremost, it is about attitude. To be able to create a competitive advantage is not about having the cheapest price, or working harder. It’s about being effective and efficient. That’s where the money is. It’s about having the right business education and understanding to focus on the right things in your business to build better leverage. Stefan explains the three diamonds needed to create leverage - OPT, OPM and OPN. Other people’s time, other people’s money and other people’s networks. All this and more in this week’s podcast. ASK STEFAN: Do you have a question for Stefan to answer in an upcoming episode? Submit your questions in the comment

As business owners, we are bridge builders, taking target clients from a point of a problem, frustration and challenge to a place of solutions, problems being solved and freedom. The bricks with which you build your bridge are all inspired by “re” words: Relationships, results, reputation, reengagement, reactivation, reliability, retention, referrals. It’s obvious that people will do business with people they like, and most importantly, trust. So it’s integral that the fusion of traditional and digital is all about having the ability to build high-tech systems that supports high-touch, which is all about being personable and building trust. There are three vital principles in creating a high-tech system. 1. It must be scalable. 2. It must be growing and relevant 3. Most importantly, it must have saleability today. All this and more is discussed in this week’s podcast.

As you market your product or service, be sure to share your success stories. Marketing is something that happens every day, so it’s vital that you get better at telling your story. Genuinely believe in who you are and what you stand for – your core values – and demonstrate trust and genuine authenticity. Learn how to deliver your “elevator pitch”. The “rule of threes” gives you just 3 seconds to buy the right for 30 seconds. 3 minutes to get 30 minutes. 30 minutes to get 3 hours. How do you make the most of these few moments to stand out from your competitors and establish your unique selling proposition to your chosen target market? How do you reach a point where your community speaks far louder than you about what you do and what you stand for? All this and more is discussed in this week’s podcast. MORE INFO? For more information about Business Benchmark Group's coaching and training programs, visit businessbenchmarkgroup.com.au, or call 03 90010878. If you like this podcast, please rate it on iTun

Welcome to the Business Benchmark Group podcast, where you will learn how to think strategically about your business and discover that whilst business ownership is not always easy, it doesn't need to be hard. With over 20 years' experience in turning stalling businesses into thriving enterprises, here is your host, Stefan Kazakis. In our second episode, Stefan discusses why choosing how you structure your business is very important. Tune in today to hear: - How to build structures for growth and predictable profits. - Why strategic critical thinking is necessary for success. - The six pillars to exceptional growth. This podcast is about the fundamentals of business, it's about being brilliant at the basics. For more information about Business Benchmark Group's coaching and training programs, visit businessbenchmarkgroup.com.au, or call 03 90010878. If you like this podcast, please rate it on iTunes, Stitcher or Soundcloud, and leave some feedback as well. Thank you for listening.

Welcome to the Business Benchmark Group podcast, where you will learn how to think strategically about your business and discover that whilst business ownership is not always easy, it doesn't need to be hard. With over 20 years' experience in turning stalling businesses into thriving enterprises, here is your host, Stefan Kazakis. In our first episode we ask can you improve by 220% in one year? If you did improve by 220% in one year, what would that mean for you and your business? 220% may sound a lot but how about if you only had to improve 1% every day. Does that seem manageable? With 220 working days in a year - indeed it does. Listen in to hear Stefan Kazakis share why it is important to strive for this each day, each week and each month and how being at your personal best should be non-negotiable for both you and your team. For more information about Business Benchmark Group's coaching and training programs, visit businessbenchmarkgroup.com.au, or call 03 90010878. If you like this podcast, please r