If you’re a business owner, one day you will exit your business — whether by choice or circumstance. But here’s the uncomfortable truth: most business owners are not ready when that moment arrives. And that lack of preparation could cost you the biggest payday of your life.

In this episode, host Paul Sweeney is joined by investment banker and exit strategist Cameron Bishop, who has been on both sides of the table — acquiring more than 50 businesses for private equity firms before switching focus to helping owners maximise their sale value. Cameron reveals the key factors buyers look for, the most costly mistakes sellers make, and what you should start doing now, even if selling feels years away.

You’ll learn:

• Why preparing years in advance creates dramatically higher business value
• The importance of accurate accounting (especially accrual-based reporting)
• How owner dependency sabotages valuation — and what succession planning really means
• How customer concentration or vendor reliance can make a business unsellable
• Why professional advice isn’t a cost — it’s an investment that often returns millions

Whether you’re planning to sell soon or simply want a stronger, more resilient business, this episode will reshape how you think about value — and what it takes to unlock it.

Cameron Bishop is a seasoned executive and entrepreneur with a proven track record of driving exceptional growth and transformation across diverse industries. He began his career in publishing, culminating in his leadership of Intertec Publishing, where he scaled the company from a small business to a $400 million enterprise with a global footprint. Subsequently, he co-founded Ascend Media, a high-growth media company, demonstrating his entrepreneurial acumen and ability to build successful organizations from the ground up.

Beyond his corporate successes, Cameron has dedicated himself to advising and mentoring business owners. His experience spans various roles, including CEO of SkillPath Seminars, where he spearheaded a company-wide transformation, and his work with Capitus, guiding businesses through strategic transitions and maximizing their value. Cameron is passionate about empowering business leaders to achieve their full potential and continues to leverage his deep expertise to help entrepreneurs navigate challenges, unlock new opportunities, and achieve lasting success.

www.raincatcher.com

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Running a business often comes with the constant pressure to reduce expenses and improve profit. But what if cost cutting alone isn’t the right answer? What if the real opportunity lies in rethinking how you resource, structure, and invest in your business rather than simply slashing spending?

In this episode, host Paul Sweeney sits down with entrepreneur and Navitas Consulting founder Michael Haskell to unpack the smart side of cost management—one that doesn’t sacrifice quality, capability, or growth. Whether you're scaling, restructuring, or trying to improve margins, this episode will help you recognise the difference between cutting costs and optimising them.

Michael shares practical strategies including how to:

• Identify hidden inefficiencies eating into profit
• Decide which roles must remain local and which can be outsourced or made remote
• Use alternate staffing models (salary, contract, offshore talent) to protect cashflow and capability
• Improve margins without compromising service or output
• Shift thinking from “spend less” to “invest smarter”

Listeners will walk away with a clearer, more confident approach to costs—one that strengthens operational discipline and business value rather than weakening it.

Michael Haskell is a seasoned entrepreneur and investor with over 20 years of experience helping businesses grow smarter and faster. He’s taken companies public and now serves as the managing partner of Navitas Consulting, a firm that helps businesses scale by placing top finance talent - remotely and cost-effectively.

Michael has worked across New Zealand, Singapore, and the U.S., and is passionate about building businesses that are both profitable and impactful. He’s also a dynamic speaker who shares real-world advice on growth strategy, cost management, and leadership.

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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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