Better Business, Better Life

In this episode of Better Business, Better Life, Debra Chantry-Taylor sits down with Darryl Dillon-Shallard, Chief Growth Officer at Butterfly, to explore how AI is making custom software affordable again. Drawing on nearly two decades of experience in the digital industry, Darryl shares his journey from graphic designer to digital strategist, including the development of the My Stable app for horse trainers and his work helping organisations build custom digital solutions that solve real business problems. The conversation explores how AI is fundamentally changing software development. Darryl explains that artificial intelligence is dramatically reducing the time and cost required to prototype new ideas, making custom-built applications more accessible than ever before. Rather than forcing businesses to adapt their processes to off-the-shelf software, organisations can increasingly develop solutions tailored to the way they already operate. While AI presents exciting opportunities, Darryl cautions against rushing into development without proper planning. He explains why investing time in discovery, understanding user needs, creating a detailed project brief, and choosing the right development partner are all essential to delivering scalable, maintainable solutions that provide long-term value. The episode also looks at the evolution of digital technology, from the early days of Flash websites and mobile apps to today's cloud-based web applications powered by artificial intelligence. Darryl shares why many organisations are shifting towards browser-based applications that streamline internal workflows, improve productivity, and solve operational challenges more effectively than traditional mobile apps. Whether you're considering a custom application, exploring AI opportunities, or simply trying to understand where technology is heading, this conversation offers practical insights into how businesses can innovate with confidence while avoiding costly mistakes.       CONNECT WITH DEBRA:     ___________________________________________          ►Debra Chantry-Taylor is a Certified EOS Implementer | Entrepreneurial Leadership & Business Coach | Business Owner ►Connect with Debra: [email protected]  ►See how she can help you: https://businessaction.co.nz/  ►Claim Your Free E-Book: https://www.businessaction.co.nz/free-e-book/  ___________________________________________        GUEST’S DETAILS:   ► Darryl Dillon-Shallard – LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/darryl-dillon-shallard/ ► Website – Butterfly: https://www.butterfly.com.au/         Episode 278 Chapters:    00:00 – Introduction   00:38 – Introduction and Overview of Digital Transformation  05:36 – Evolution of Web and App Development  09:51 – Challenges and Pitfalls in Digital Development  18:04 – Comparing Quotes and Making Informed Decisions  18:24 – Examples of Successful Projects  25:42 – Future Trends in Digital Development  26:29 – Final Thoughts and Tips for Listeners

Sara is on a quest to help owners get what they want from their family business and build lasting legacies. As the former director of the nationally recognized Family Business Center at the University of Saint Thomas, a Certified EOS Implementer™ and the founder of The Sage Pages she helps her clients get real, simple results.In this podcast Sara shares many real-life stories & tips from working with hundreds of family businesses.As her name suggests, Sara knows how to B Stern with her family clients to ensure that they get the next from their business & their life & she has had many successes in this area.Sara's top 3 tips are based on the Harvard Business School's Three-Circle Model of the Family Business System.She recommends getting clarity on the Vision for each the 3 points:OwnershipFamilyBusiness

In this episode of Better Business, Better Life, Debra Chantry-Taylor sits down with Brendan Lee, founder of Conversions Today, to uncover one of the biggest marketing mistake business owners make: building marketing around what they like, instead of what their customers actually need. Brendan shares his journey from corporate life to building a specialist marketing agency that helps businesses in complex industries such as law, accounting & medical technology generate measurable growth. Along the way, he discovered that successful marketing is not just about creativity. It is about understanding people, tracking the right data & making decisions based on evidence rather than assumptions. A key theme throughout the conversation is the danger of vanity metrics. Brendan explains why likes, clicks & impressions can create a false sense of success when they are not connected to real business outcomes. Instead, he advocates for tracking the full customer journey, including offline activity such as phone calls, direct mail campaigns & letterbox drops. Debra & Brendan also explore the growing role of AI in marketing, including how it can improve efficiency, speed up content creation & support smarter decision-making, while still needing a clear plan behind it. Listeners will learn why effective marketing requires consistency, patience & a structured approach. Brendan also shares practical insights into ROI reverse engineering, helping businesses understand the true value of a customer before deciding how much to invest in acquisition. This episode is packed with practical advice for business owners who want to stop guessing, avoid costly marketing mistakes & build a marketing system that consistently supports long-term business growth        CONNECT WITH DEBRA:     ___________________________________________          ►Debra Chantry-Taylor is a Certified EOS Implementer | Entrepreneurial Leadership & Business Coach | Business Owner ►Connect with Debra: [email protected]  ►See how she can help you: https://businessaction.co.nz/  ►Claim Your Free E-Book: https://www.businessaction.co.nz/free-e-book/  ___________________________________________        GUEST’S DETAILS:   ► Brendan Lee – LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bdanlee/ ► Website – Conversion Today: https://conversions.today/       Episode 277 Chapters:     00:00 – Introduction   00:35 – Marketing Strategy and Introduction to Brendan Lee   27:26 – Brendan’s Agency and Marketing Approach   27:53 – Effective Marketing Strategies and Mistakes to Avoid   29:11 – The Role of Data and AI in Marketing   41:50 – Practical Tips for Improving Marketing Effectiveness   

Ryan Goodwin is the founder of Mode Group, an award winning renovation and new home custom builders in Melbourne, Australia.Ryan has been an entrepreneur since the age of 14 years old, mowing lawns and all the usual stuff that teenagers do.He started his business, Mode Group, about 13 years, but he only really stepped back into it about five years ago with no guarantees that it was going to work out but his most important driving factor was about creating something that was right for his family.He blended coaching, performance management and consulting with his current skills and decided to take on some larger roles.Five years later, they're now a multi-award-winning builder in Melbourne, they have a fantastic showroom and interior designers on staff.He has the mantra of doing what you are passionate about & doing what you love with people you love - the EOS Life!In this episode, Ryan discusses the balance he created between work and family. How he enjoys life, delegating and trusting his staff with all the responsibilities assigned to them and also the challenges they faced.

In this episode of Better Business, Better Life, Debra Chantry-Taylor & Adam Harris explore why Visionaries can become bottlenecks, and what leaders can do to break free from the behaviours that hold their businesses back. Drawing on their experience as EOS® Implementers, Debra & Adam unpack the powerful relationship between Visionary & Integrator leadership styles, including why clarity, trust, self-awareness & healthy conflict are essential for long-term business growth. They discuss one of the most common challenges entrepreneurs face: letting go. Many Visionaries know they need to step back from day-to-day operations, but fear, control, past experiences or a love of chaos can keep them involved in areas where they no longer add the most value. The conversation explores why Visionaries need a strong sounding board, how the “golden penny” problem pulls leaders away from priorities, and why a clear vision is very different from simply having lots of ideas. Listeners will also gain practical insights into strengthening Visionary & Integrator partnerships, improving leadership alignment, and creating a business that can grow without being dependent on one person. CONNECT WITH DEBRA:    ___________________________________________         ►Debra Chantry-Taylor is a Certified EOS Implementer | Entrepreneurial Leadership & Business Coach | Business Owner ►Connect with Debra: [email protected] ►See how she can help you: https://businessaction.co.nz/ ___________________________________________       GUEST’S DETAILS: ► Adam Harris – LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/adam-harris-eos/ ► Website – EOS Worldwide: https://www.eosworldwide.com/adam-harris Episode 276 Chapters:   00:00 – Introduction 00:34 – Understanding the Visionary and Integrator Roles 05:30 – Defining the Visionary and Integrator Roles 11:18 – Challenges of Being a Visionary 27:15 – Balancing Visionary and Integrator Roles 30:07 – Identifying Great Ideas vs Distractions 41:40 – Overcoming Common Pitfalls 41:58 – Building a Strong Visionary–Integrator Relationship 51:24 – Addressing Relationship Issues 53:55 – Tools and Resources for Visionaries

In this episode of Better Business, Better Life, Debra Chantry-Taylor sits down with Rajesh Nagjee to explore the connection between the business you build and the life you ultimately create. Rajesh, founder of the CEO Business Growth Programme and creator of the CEO Freedom Operating System, shares his remarkable journey from working in his family business to building a 450-bed trauma care hospital that transformed healthcare outcomes in his region. Along the way, he discovered that business success is not simply about strategy, systems, or execution. It is about aligning the inner game and outer game of leadership. Throughout the conversation, Rajesh explains that while frameworks such as EOS and Rockefeller Habits can produce exceptional business results, sustainable success requires leaders to develop the mindset, self-awareness, and emotional resilience needed to drive those systems effectively. Without this inner work, many founders achieve external success while sacrificing personal fulfilment, relationships, and wellbeing. Drawing on lessons from healthcare, entrepreneurship, and decades of coaching business owners, Rajesh highlights the importance of time-criticality, intentional leadership, and creating businesses that are aligned with personal values. He shares how fear, doubt, anxiety, and limiting beliefs can quietly undermine performance, even when a business appears successful on the surface. The discussion also explores the difference between the fruits of success and the experience of success. Rajesh challenges founders to think beyond revenue, growth, and achievement, and consider whether the business they build is actually creating the life they want to live. Rajesh introduces the CEO Freedom Operating System, a framework designed to help entrepreneurs align personal purpose with business outcomes, creating both commercial success and personal fulfilment. He explains how focusing on the inner game allows leaders to make better decisions, build stronger teams, and create lasting impact. This episode is a powerful reminder that the business you build should not come at the expense of your relationships, health, or happiness. Instead, it should become a vehicle for creating freedom, fulfilment, and a meaningful legacy both inside and outside the business. CONNECT WITH DEBRA:   ___________________________________________        ►Debra Chantry-Taylor is a Certified EOS Implementer | Entrepreneurial Leadership & Business Coach | Business Owner►Connect with Debra: [email protected] ►See how she can help you: https://businessaction.co.nz/►Claim Your Free E-Book: https://www.businessaction.co.nz/free-e-book/___________________________________________      GUEST’S DETAILS: ► Rajesh Nagjee – LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rajeshnagjee/► Website: LevelUp Management Consultancy: https://www.levelupmentor.ae Episode 274 Chapters:   00:00 – Introduction00:37 – Purpose of the Podcast02:47 – Rajesh Najee’s Background and Early Career06:05 – Lessons from Running a Hospital14:31 – The Inner Game of Business18:07 – Case Study: American Express Saudi Arabia23:13 – Identifying Stuck Founders25:27 – The CEO Freedom Operating System28:05 – Advice for Founders and CEOs28:50 – Conclusion and Contact Information

Greg Lipschitz is founder & CEO of Summit Internet, a telecommunications company that owns and manages their national network. Through innovation & customer-oriented service, they’re challenging the way their competitors do business - as a result, Summit Internet is one of Australia’s fastest growing internet providers. Greg has been a business owner for over 22 years and he is most proud of growing & maintaining a high performing team. He loves seeing his team succeed & completely trusts them, knowing that he can step out of the business and they will continue to strive & achieve amazing things. Earlier this year, he actually had to take 6 weeks off due to a broken collarbone & didn't have to do a thing. He could & did walk away knowing full well that everything would run exactly as it should. In this episode, Greg shares insider tips & tricks to points hacking – being smart about where & how you spend your money to get some extra perks. “We all work so damn hard as business owners and we sometimes forget about the things that we can take out of the business that might not be financial. It might just be being able to travel in style.” So one of the things he’s focused on over the last 22 years is how he can points hack through business and get that extra value & additional benefits to enjoy life even more. And one of these benefits can be travelling up at the pointy end of the plane! He shares the differences between points and status & how you can leverage both to your advantage. Not only that, you can use these points to reward amazing staff – for example, picking up their flight costs when they go on holiday. Listen to the full episode to find out how you can change your spending habits to get you the biggest rewards. It may be something as simple as changing where you put petrol in your car! 

In this episode of Better Business, Better Life, Debra Chantry-Taylor and Adam Harris explore AI & its implication for businesses, leadership teams, and the future of EOS. The conversation dives into how AI is rapidly moving from being a “future issue” to something businesses must actively integrate into their daily operations. Debra and Adam discuss the growing role AI can play in productivity, accountability, communication, and leadership support, while also acknowledging the risks and limitations that come with it. Debra shares her personal experiences using tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini, explaining how AI can dramatically improve efficiency when used properly. At the same time, she highlights the importance of human oversight, noting that AI still lacks the empathy, emotional intelligence, and human connection required for many leadership and people-focused roles. Throughout the episode, Debra and Adam explore whether AI could ever replace EOS implementers, leadership teams, or integrators. While they believe AI will continue transforming workflows and automating repetitive tasks, they argue that trust, empathy, coaching, and difficult conversations still require human interaction. The discussion also touches on the fears many employees and leaders have around AI replacing jobs. Debra emphasizes that AI should be viewed as a tool to augment people, not remove them, freeing teams from repetitive work so they can focus on higher-value thinking, creativity, and leadership. Adam and Debra also discuss the importance of businesses integrating AI intentionally, rather than simply chasing trends. They highlight the need for training, communication, experimentation, and involving the whole organization in the AI journey to avoid resistance and confusion. This episode is a thought-provoking conversation about the future of work, leadership, and EOS, and how businesses can thoughtfully integrate AI in a way that improves efficiency while still protecting the human connection that great businesses are built on. CONNECT WITH DEBRA:    ___________________________________________         ►Debra Chantry-Taylor is a Certified EOS Implementer | Entrepreneurial Leadership & Business Coach | Business Owner ►Connect with Debra: [email protected] ►See how she can help you: https://businessaction.co.nz/ ►Claim Your Free E-Book: https://www.businessaction.co.nz/free-e-book/ ___________________________________________       GUEST’S DETAILS: ► Adam Harris – LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/adam-harris-eos/ ► Website – EOS Worldwide: https://www.eosworldwide.com/adam-harris Episode 273 Chapters:   00:00 – Introduction to AI and EOS Implementation 03:49 – Debra’s AI Tools and Initial Insights 08:10 – Human Connection and AI’s Limitations 09:24 – AI’s Role in EOS Implementation 22:00 – Challenges and Opportunities with AI 31:26 – AI’s Impact on Business Culture and People 34:57 – Future of AI in Business 39:58 – Conclusion and Next Steps

Adam Harris is Frank and Fearless. As a leadership coach, consultant and facilitator, he applies this approach in all areas of his professional and personal life.In this episode, he discusses why so many great companies miss out on their potential and shares the important questions all business owners must ask themselves. He stresses the importance of having difficult conversations - avoiding them is a disservice to everyone involved. Despite the discomfort, disagreement and uncertainty then creates opportunity.His mission is to create the space to have the right conversations, at the right time, with the right people. Having worked with 25 businesses to implement EOS, he also tells us his favourite EOS tools and how they’ve transformed his clients.Find out how leaning into being frank and fearless has taken him to incredible and challenging new heights, both figuratively and literally!

In this episode of Better Business, Better Life, Debra Chantry-Taylor explores the power of EOS and AI Together with guests Peter and Philipp from Success.co. After scaling a software company to more than $40 million, Peter and Philipp share how discovering EOS completely changed the way they operated their business. Before EOS, their company was growing rapidly but felt chaotic, with leadership spending more time reacting than creating clarity and alignment. Everything shifted when they implemented EOS properly. The structure, accountability, and discipline helped them organize the business, improve communication, and scale far more effectively. But along the way, they became frustrated with the existing EOS software options, finding them clunky, outdated, and lacking the integrations modern businesses needed. That frustration led them to build Success.co, an EOS-focused platform designed to combine the simplicity and purity of EOS with the power of modern technology and AI. Throughout the conversation, Peter and Philipp discuss the importance of staying true to EOS principles while using AI to enhance execution, visibility, and accountability. They explain how their software includes features like real-time updates, mobile accessibility, AI-generated insights, and automation to help leadership teams make better decisions faster. Debra, Peter, and Philipp also explore the future of AI in business, discussing how AI can augment leadership thinking, automate repetitive tasks, improve meetings, and provide deeper operational insights. Rather than replacing people, they believe AI becomes a powerful tool for helping teams work smarter and stay aligned. The episode also highlights the importance of having an EOS implementer, trusting the EOS process fully, and separating facilitation from participation so leadership teams can focus on solving real issues instead of managing meetings. This episode is a must-listen for entrepreneurs interested in the future of business operations, leadership alignment, and how combining EOS and AI together can create more efficient, scalable, and accountable businesses. CONNECT WITH DEBRA:    ___________________________________________         ►Debra Chantry-Taylor is a Certified EOS Implementer | Entrepreneurial Leadership & Business Coach | Business Owner ►Connect with Debra: [email protected] ►See how she can help you: https://businessaction.co.nz/ ►Claim Your Free E-Book: https://www.businessaction.co.nz/free-e-book/ ___________________________________________       GUEST’S DETAILS: ► Philipp Maucher – LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/philipp-maucher-42747798/ ► Website – Success.co: https://www.success.co/ ► Peter Coppinger – LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/petercoppinger/ ► Website – Success.co: https://www.success.co/ Episode 272 Chapters:   00:00 – Introduction 00:39 – Introduction and Overview of AI and EOS 02:21 – Peter’s Journey and Initial Challenges 03:47 – Transition to Success.co and Philip’s Role 07:34 – Implementing EOS and the Role of an Implementer 10:52 – Challenges with Existing EOS Software 11:17 – Developing the Success.co Software 19:33 – Benefits of Using EOS Software 32:52 – AI and the Future of EOS Software 40:38 – Final Thoughts and Tips for Implementing EOS

You will know CocoVinny from Shark Tank and The Profit - his passion for his company Coco Taps is contagious! CocoVinny Zaldivar has been an entrepreneur since 16 years old. Through his experiences, he narrowed down his three non-negotiables. Whatever he did next needed to be good for people, good for the planet, and it had to be fun. With Coco Taps he found his life-long passion, building something of value that continues to create value. In this episode, he shares his ups and downs through the pandemic and how he's never had an exit strategy. Despite the uncertainty and losing several million dollars revenue in the lockdown, CocoVinny used this time to focus on what was really important for the future of his business and stepped on the gas. He went full steam ahead on the development of a new machine, reached out to potential investors and got creative with marketing strategies. He shares that EOS helped Coco Taps respond to COVID with agility. "It's probably one of the best things that happened to us during COVID. We did everything remote, but it was still helpful to go through these processes and still learn how to pivot and learn how to adapt."Fortunately, he was able to keep all his staff. The lockdown helped his team focus and re-focus. With all their future planning, they were able to bring ideas forward and use this difficult time as an opportunity to innovate. He also shares that the way Coco Taps is run is so tied to their core values that they don't have to fire people, they just self-select out if they're not in alignment.Listen to the full episode to find out how CocoVinny approaches business, life and the beautiful future of Coco Taps! 

In this episode of Better Business, Better Life, Debra Chantry-Taylor explores why having your best year in business can actually become one of the most dangerous moments for a leadership team.  Drawing on both her experience working with entrepreneurs and the research from Jim Collins, Debra explains how success often creates complacency, weakens discipline, and slowly introduces the behaviours that eventually lead businesses into decline.  She walks through the five stages that many businesses experience after a major period of success. From arrogance built on past wins, to chasing growth without focus, explaining away problems, searching for a saviour, and eventually giving up quietly, Debra highlights how decline is rarely sudden. Instead, it happens gradually when leadership teams stop asking hard questions and start avoiding uncomfortable truths.  Throughout the episode, Debra shares why the businesses that continue scaling successfully are the ones that stay humble, disciplined, and curious, even after major wins. She explains how leadership teams often begin to lose traction when meetings become too polite, scorecards are ignored, and difficult conversations stop happening.  Debra also discusses the dangers of relying on “saviour hires” to fix deeper systemic issues, and why true growth comes from maintaining strong leadership discipline, accountability, and honest communication across the business.  This episode is a powerful reminder that success should never reduce focus or discipline. The businesses that continue to grow after their best year are the ones willing to stay honest, challenge themselves, and keep evolving long after the celebrations are over.         CONNECT WITH DEBRA:    ___________________________________________          ►Debra Chantry-Taylor is a Certified EOS Implementer | Entrepreneurial Leadership & Business Coach | Business Owner ►Connect with Debra: [email protected]  ►See how she can help you: https://businessaction.co.nz/  ►Claim Your Free E-Book: https://www.businessaction.co.nz/free-e-book/        Episode 271 Chapters:     00:00 – Introduction 00:39 – The Danger of Success in Business   02:24 – Stages of Decline After Success   05:16 – Preventing Decline After Success   06:09 – Ad Lib Questions and Answers   10:22 – Spotting Early Signs of Decline   12:12 – Final Advice for CEOs   

Mel Rowsell is a leadership coach & facilitator, as well as co-founder of Vend, a tech startup with rapid growth. Affectionately known as camp mother, she managed People & Culture as Vend grew from 0 to 250 employees.  In this episode, Mel discusses the constant feeling of imposter syndrome while wearing the many, many hats founders & entrepreneurs are required to wear. After leaving day-to-day operations to start her coaching practice, she was surprised at her own resilience and resourcefulness. She shares how she overcame imposter syndrome and the ups & downs of a founder's journey.An expert at human connection in the workplace, she also shares tried and true advice on creating a curious & empathetic workplace culture. Find out if you're inadvertently rewarding behaviour that's harming your company and how to lead in the Fourth Imagination Age.

In this episode of Better Business, Better Life, Debra Chantry-Taylor tackles one of the biggest barriers to scaling: the conversations leadership teams avoid that could unlock growth.  Debra exposes the “polite meeting trap,” where teams stay comfortable, avoid conflict, and leave meetings with no real decisions or progress. While it may feel safe, this behaviour quietly stalls growth and erodes accountability. She makes it clear that politeness does not build great businesses, effectiveness does.  The episode dives into why leaders avoid hard conversations in the first place. Fear of conflict, protecting relationships, and power dynamics all play a role. When the most senior leader avoids tough topics, the entire team follows, leading to side conversations, misalignment, and slow execution.  Debra explains how EOS provides the structure needed to make these conversations easier and more productive. With clear roles, accountability, and objective data, teams can separate people from problems and focus on solving real issues without emotion taking over.  She also shares practical strategies to shift from avoidance to action, including eliminating sidebar conversations, bringing issues into the room, and regularly assessing whether team members are aligned with core values and truly fit their roles. If your leadership team feels stuck, overly polite, or avoids the real issues, this episode is a direct call to step up, have the conversations that matter, and create the clarity needed to grow.         CONNECT WITH DEBRA:    ___________________________________________          ►Debra Chantry-Taylor is a Certified EOS Implementer | Entrepreneurial Leadership & Business Coach | Business Owner ►Connect with Debra: [email protected]  ►See how she can help you: https://businessaction.co.nz/  ►Claim Your Free E-Book: https://www.businessaction.co.nz/free-e-book/          Episode 270 Chapters:     00:00 – Introduction 00:55 – EOS Thinking and the Importance of Honest Conversations  02:46 – The Polite Meeting Trap  04:17 – The Founder and Power Dynamic Problem  05:58 – The Role of Structure in Facilitating Hard Conversations  06:49 – Ad Lib Questions and Answers  11:44 – The Real Cost of Polite Meetings  13:59 – Structures That Make Hard Conversations Safer  15:43 – The Importance of Regular Reflection and Conversations 

In this episode of Better Business, Better Life, Debra Chantry-Taylor sits down with Amanda Barkey to explore the difference between using EOS vs running a business on EOS, and why that distinction changes everything.  Amanda shares her journey from self-implementing EOS in her Soccer Shots franchise business to becoming a certified EOS implementer. Starting with limited support and plenty of early struggles, she and her husband turned their business around by applying EOS tools and disciplines, eventually scaling and successfully selling multiple franchises.  A key insight from Amanda is that simply using EOS tools is not enough. Real transformation happens when you fully commit to running your business on EOS with consistency, discipline, and accountability. She highlights how tools like the Level 10 Meeting, People Analyzer, and clear compartmentalisation improved communication, strengthened team health, and drove results.  The conversation also dives into the importance of the visionary and integrator relationship. Amanda credits having a strong integrator as a major factor in their success, helping maintain structure and execution while the visionary focused on growth and direction.  Beyond business, Amanda shares how she applies EOS principles in her family life, using tools like a family VTO and core values to create alignment and reduce conflict. She also discusses her nonprofit work in Cameroon, funded by her business success, demonstrating how EOS can support not just better businesses, but better lives.  If you are currently “using” EOS but not seeing full results, this episode will challenge you to step up into truly running your business on EOS.       CONNECT WITH DEBRA:    ___________________________________________          ►Debra Chantry-Taylor is a Certified EOS Implementer | Entrepreneurial Leadership & Business Coach | Business Owner ►Connect with Debra: [email protected]  ►See how she can help you: https://businessaction.co.nz/  ►Claim Your Free E-Book: https://www.businessaction.co.nz/free-e-book/  ___________________________________________        GUEST’S DETAILS:   ► Amanda Barkey – LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanda-barkey-409908107/ ► Website – EOS Worldwide: https://implementer.eosworldwide.com/amanda-barkey/      Episode 269 Chapters:     00:00 – Introduction 00:35 – Amanda Barkey’s Entrepreneurial Journey and EOS Implementation  02:21 – Amanda Barkey’s Background and Business Journey  12:36 – Challenges and Successes with EOS Implementation  15:10 – The Role of an Integrator and Implementer  34:20 – EOS in Family Life  47:18 – Amanda’s Future Plans and Nonprofit Work  47:30 – The Power of EOS Tools  47:43 – Final Thoughts and Advice for Entrepreneurs 

Emily is the owner of SideMark, which she started 7 years ago. It is a highly successful company & she puts its success down to implementing EOS (The Entrepreneurial Operating System) into the business.Apart from the successful business, Emily is living her dream career life which she has crafted intentionally over time. She has just recently written a. book called Growth Junkies Unite – A Simple Guide to Invigorate your Journey.In this episode, she shares with us what being a growth junkie really is & how she has created a multi-faceted career, as co-owner of the business, a Professional EOS Coach & Business Coach, a published Author & a peer-group facilitator, as well as enjoying a full life outside of business.After implementing EOS to help them run their business 5 years ago and seeing tremendous success, Emily launched her EOS coaching practice to help other entrepreneurs and leadership teams get more of what they want from their business.She describes herself as the poster girl for EOS as she has run a business without EOS & with EOS. And she wishes she had found it earlier."When I first got into entrepreneurship, I didn't know what I was doing. It's not like I went to school and learn how to run a business. And at the time, I found this business was in need of a turnaround situation, it was a $13 million office furniture dealership down in the southwest part of the United States. And it was just so much fun to dig into. And yet I could have done it better now that I know what I know, it would have been easier and faster. And so when I moved into the opportunity to buy in as third owner of a $15 million office furniture dealership, my two partners and I quickly realized that we really wanted to come together and figure out our vision for where we wanted to take the company. And so luckily, at that time, I was a part of a peer group. And in that group, I heard about EOS, which is the entrepreneurial operating system. It's a way of operating and running a business more effectively and efficiently so that you can get more out of the business and actually enjoy the business more."Emily shares her journey to bring EOS into the business & how it changed not only the business but her life too.

In this episode of Better Business, Better Life, Debra Chantry-Taylor and Adam Harris go deeper into what it really takes to get a business unstuck, moving beyond surface-level fixes to uncover the root causes holding companies back.They explore why so many businesses face the same issues again and again, and why most teams jump to solutions too quickly without properly identifying the real problem. Using tools like the EOS Issue Solving Track (IDS) and simple but powerful W questions (Who, What, When, Where, Why), they explain how to dig deeper and solve issues properly the first time.A major theme in this conversation is clarity. Without it, teams become reactive, communication breaks down, and founders feel increasingly overwhelmed as the business grows. Debra and Adam highlight how lack of clarity around roles, expectations, and outcomes leads directly to stagnation.They also discuss the importance of accountability, structured meetings, and consistent practice. High-performing teams don’t just talk about issues, they build the muscle to solve them through repetition, trust, and open, honest conversations.The episode also tackles tough topics like having the wrong people in key roles, unproductive meetings, and early warning signs that a business is losing traction. Founders are encouraged to step back, take a clarity break, and seek external support such as coaches, mentors, or peer groups to gain perspective and momentum.If your business feels stuck in cycles of the same problems, this episode provides practical tools and mindset shifts to help you regain clarity, fix root causes, and move forward with confidence. CONNECT WITH DEBRA:    ___________________________________________         ►Debra Chantry-Taylor is a Certified EOS Implementer | Entrepreneurial Leadership & Business Coach | Business Owner►Connect with Debra: [email protected]  ►See how she can help you: https://businessaction.co.nz/  ►Claim Your Free E-Book: https://www.businessaction.co.nz/free-e-book/  ___________________________________________       GUEST’S DETAILS:   ► Adam Harris – LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/adam-harris-eos/  ► Website – EOS Worldwide: https://www.eosworldwide.com/adam-harris Episode 268 Chapters:   00:00 – Introduction 00:36 – Why Businesses Get Stuck: Introduction and Initial Thoughts  02:48 – Exploring the Root Causes of Repeated Issues  13:35 – The Importance of Teamwork and Practice  18:47 – Identifying the Wrong People in Key Roles  23:47 – Unproductive Meetings in Growing Companies  35:58 – Communication Breakdown and Reactive vs Proactive Behaviour  38:53 – Overwhelm Among Founders and Lack of Clarity  41:27 – Early Warning Signs of Businesses Losing Traction  41:39 – The Role of Lack of Clarity in Business Stagnation  44:28 – First Steps for Founders to Take When Recognising Symptoms