Better Business, Better Life

Financial wellbeing is one of the single biggest causes of stress for Kiwis. And money is a very emotional thing.Having forged a career as a tax specialist, business owner and Chartered Accountant, Jono Bredin is the proud CEO of Enable.Me - a business whose core purpose is to change the financial lives of hardworking New Zealanders.Enable Me has been around for the last 14-15 years and is the brainchild of Hannah McQueen, an amazing human who revolutionised the way Kiwis think about their finances. Jono shares how Hannah is a Visionary, with all the incredible ideas at rapid pace. He stepped in to run alongside her & help her with some of the heavy lifting, so that she could focus on what she is best at.That's what really brought EOS to the front of his mind as a tool that could take Enable Me to that next level - being able to harness the absolute best of Hannah in an organised way. He shares how they started implementing with 15 people on their leadership team, and through EOS introducing more rigor and accountability to these roles, they now have a leadership team of 6.Not only is Jono the CEO & Integrator, he is also a customer of Enable.Me."What sticks with me, as I went through my journey, was that I thought I was good with money. I was an accountant. But when you actually turn up the dial, what are you frittering away each week? And how could we be using that to get you ahead faster?For people who've got family, how do we help them achieve the goals that they've got for their children and for the next generation?We are ultimately trying to build out a personal or a family's cash surplus, that's the first stage of the journey. Then it's how do we put that surplus to work? How can it be multiplied by doing things in a certain way?"Every person in New Zealand can use financial literacy and financial accountability to get ahead faster. Even those people who think they are good with money, Jono included, can benefit from a layer of accountability that Enable Me provides.In his spare time, Jono is a National Rugby Referee, having also officiated Netball to the highest international level. Jono's biggest challenge is being the proud Dad of three kids 5 years old and under!

In this episode of Better Business, Better Life, Debra Chantry-Taylor explores why another year on the Scorecard should never be treated as just another set of numbers. Instead, it can be an opportunity to recognise progress, strengthen culture & understand what is helping a business succeed. Debra challenges the tendency for leadership teams to focus almost exclusively on what is going wrong. Red numbers, missed targets & Rocks that have fallen off track naturally attract attention, but when leaders only notice failure, they can unintentionally teach their teams that problems get recognised while consistent success simply becomes expected. As her own business approaches its 21st anniversary, Debra reflects on the years of decisions, challenges, mistakes, relationships & achievements that build a business over time. She explores why celebrating success does not mean lowering standards or handing out praise for the sake of it. Genuine recognition is about noticing meaningful results, incremental improvements, courageous behaviours & people living the organisation’s Core Values. The conversation also looks at how leaders can use their Scorecard differently. Instead of treating it purely as an exception report for problems, Debra encourages teams to examine what is going well & ask why. When a person or team consistently delivers strong results, understanding what they are doing differently can help turn individual success into a repeatable system that others can learn from. Debra also explores what success looks like in family businesses, where commercial results are only one part of the picture. Healthy succession conversations, clearer boundaries between family & business, and next-generation family members earning their roles through merit can all represent significant wins that deserve recognition. At the heart of the episode is Debra’s idea of carefrontational leadership. Great leaders need the courage to address underperformance, but they also need the awareness to acknowledge excellence. By asking questions such as “What are we proud of from the last 90 days?” & “What are we doing now that we used to find difficult?”, leadership teams can create a culture where progress is noticed as well as problems. This episode is a reminder that another year on the Scorecard is more than a collection of targets & results. It is a story of what the business has learned, what its people have achieved & what can be celebrated as it continues 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/  ___________________________________________                   Ep 286 Chapters: 00:00 – Introduction 01:23 – The Importance of Noticing Success 05:00 – Lessons from Twenty-One Years 06:50 – Defining Genuine Recognition 08:19 – Using the Scorecard Effectively 12:41 – Building Culture Through Values 14:03 – Success in Family Businesses 16:36 – Implementing Better Leadership Habits

In 2009, while battling breast cancer, Kim Sorrelle's love, Steve, received a pancreatic cancer diagnosis. After six great weeks together, Kim held Steve as he took his last breath. Her first book, Cry Until You Laugh, chronicles that journey through laughter and tears and laughter again.The back-to-back cancer diagnosis led her youngest son, Noah, to change his trajectory and earn a Ph.D. as a cancer researcher. With a focus on breast cancer, Noah has made significant discoveries that have already helped with other research and continue to move the needle on the survivor rate.Kim's second book, Love Is, came from a desire to know the true meaning of love. Love Is, chronicles her year-long quest to discover the true meaning of love, a sometimes funny, sometimes scary, always enlightening journey that led to life-changing discoveries found mostly on the streets of Haiti.Today, Kim lives in her hometown of Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA, a regular radio, television, and podcast guest, Kim speaks to audiences all over the world. Inspirational and educational, Kim entertains CEOs, industry leaders, company staff members, educators, parents, women's groups, and more.With first-hand experience, Kim also speaks for The American Cancer Society and Susan G. Koman.A coach is always a coach and Kim is no different. Working with individuals and teams, Kim helps people succeed not only in business and family life but in every aspect of life, leading to greater fulfillment and happiness while teaching the secrets to working less and playing more.When she is not writing, broadcasting, coaching, speaking, or serving, Kim enjoys her life-long and newer friendships, hanging out with the grandkids, reading, playing tennis and pickleball, painting (she's no Bob Ross!), traveling, meeting new people, and an occasional stick of black licorice.HOST'S DETAILS:___________________________________________►Debra Chantry-Taylor is a Professional EOS Implementer | Entrepreneurial Leadership & Business Coach | Business Owner►See how she can help you: https://www.businessaction.com.au/____________________________________________GUESTS DETAILS:____________________________________________►Book: https://www.amazon.com/Love-Yearlong-Experiment-Living-Corinthians/dp/0825446740/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=love+is+kim+sorrelle&qid=1629861751&sr=8-1►Website: https://www.kimsorrelle.com/

Wyndi (Rodokal) Tagi is a Visionary who is passionate about enhancing the mana of Māori and Pacifica People, with a vision to impact the lives of 10 million.Wyndi took an idea, convinced her husband to start a business and things were going well. Then they were told by one of the big 4 accounting firms that they should stop spending so much time & money with their community & with their family - that their culture didn't differentiate them. It was demoralising but also a big turning point for Wyndi & her husband Eli.Hear how they took this, what it prompted in them & how they built this into a purpose-led business across several countries.Wyndi is now one of my EOS clients. We connected on LinkedIn initially and just chewed the fat over a walk & talk. Later on, she contacted me having read the EOS books & wanted to talk to me to see if I could help them. She shares what EOS has done for the business & their family, how they went from 47 goals down to 6 & how they manage to employ family in the business without any issues.More about Wyndi:On her mother's side, she is from Ati-Hau-Nui-A-Paparangi, on her dad's side, she is of NZ European descent from England and Greece.After her first breast cancer diagnosis in 2017, she decided that she wanted to ensure she lived her best life and she wasn’t interested in dying with regret. So she's been living into her purpose, which is to better the statistics of Māori and Pacifica people. WE Accounting is one of the many vehicles she drives for doing just that."At WE, WE don’t just believe in a better future, WE are building it. Our Accounting Practice provides support, guidance and opens growth opportunities to small and medium-sized NZ businesses. WE know that SME’s are the backbone of the economy and when they thrive, so too do families, communities and our economy."

In this episode of Better Business, Better Life, Debra Chantry-Taylor is joined by Dr Michael Filosi, former owner of Fullarton Park Dental, to explore his remarkable journey from doing everything to almost nothing in the business he built.Michael began his career as a dentist after graduating from Adelaide University in 2006. For years, he was deeply involved in the clinical side of the practice, personally generating around 40% of its revenue. But as his interest in business, strategy & leadership grew, he began asking an important question: how could he build a successful business that no longer depended on him?That question led Michael on an intensive journey of business education. He read around 100 business books in three years, including Traction by Gino Wickman, & began applying what he learned to his practice. Over time, he reduced his clinical contribution from 40% of revenue to just 0.6%, creating a business that could operate successfully without relying on any single person.Michael shares how clear expectations, strong recruitment, accountability & the right Visionary/Integrator relationship helped him build a more scalable & dependable organisation. With a strong leadership team around him, he was able to move away from doing everything himself & focus instead on vision, growth & the bigger picture.Debra & Michael also explore some of the harder realities of business ownership, including dealing with underperforming team members, maintaining high standards, learning from mistakes & creating a culture where people feel comfortable giving honest feedback. Michael explains why reducing key-person dependency is one of the most important things any owner can do to protect the long-term value of their business.The conversation also dives into financial resilience. Michael shares why business owners need to prepare for difficult periods while things are going well, from maintaining a rainy-day fund to understanding cash flow & making thoughtful long-term investments. Having experienced economic uncertainty firsthand, he explains why planning for the unexpected is essential for both financial security & peace of mind.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:► Dr. Michael Filosi – LinkedIn: https://au.linkedin.com/in/michaelfilosi► Website – Fullarton Park Dental : https://www.fullartondental.com.au/Ep 284 Chapters:00:00 – Introduction03:29 – The Importance of Business Education and Planning06:57 – Building a Scalable and Dependable Business08:06 – Challenges and Lessons in Business Ownership08:37 – The Role of Leadership and Team Dynamics08:49 – The Impact of Business Ownership on Personal Life09:32 – The Journey to Success and the Importance of Resilience11:32 – Preparing for the Worst54:38 – Top Tips for Business Success

Jack Martin is the Co-founder of 52TEN, a proud U.S. Army Veteran, Father & Husband.In this episode, he talks us through how he founded 52Ten, 6 years ago & has built it up to over 25 people. He share the challenges he has faced & how he overcame them, plus where that name come from.But most importantly he shares with us how he keeps his family 7 children & particularly his wife happy & how he brings Andrea on the EOS Journey.Jack's top 3 tips:1. Read the book Traction, before you buy or start a business. And find yourself an EOS Implementer2. Stay in your superpower 80% of the time3. Learn how to let go

In this episode of Better Business, Better Life, Debra Chantry-Taylor is joined by Nathan James, Creative Director at The Attention Seeker, to share his honest story on the EOS® system that changed a creative agency, & the lessons every entrepreneur can learn from failure, resilience & growth.Nathan’s career began in London’s creative industry in 1995, where he worked with some of the world’s leading advertising agencies, including Mother & R/GA, before taking his expertise across Stockholm, New York, Amsterdam & eventually Auckland. Along the way, he built an impressive career creating campaigns for global brands & later launched his own content production & advertising business.Despite his creative success, Nathan’s business ultimately failed. Poor financial management, inconsistent cash flow & the absence of a reliable sales pipeline led to bankruptcy. Rather than allowing the experience to define him, Nathan chose to learn from it. He openly shares the hard lessons he discovered about cash flow, networking, business strategy & the importance of separating creative talent from sound business management.Nathan eventually joined The Attention Seeker, where implementing EOS® transformed the way the business operates. With clear accountability, structured Level 10 Meeting® rhythms, transparent communication & defined roles through The Accountability Chart®, the agency reduced politics, strengthened collaboration & built a more profitable, stable business. Nathan explains why structure does not limit creativity. It creates the freedom for creative people to do their best work.Debra & Nathan also explore the importance of company culture & core values, discussing how transparency, daily recognition of team members & hiring based on shared values have helped create a high-performing team. Nathan shares why reporting to someone younger than himself became a valuable lesson in humility, proving that great businesses are built on merit, not hierarchy or ego.Throughout the conversation, Nathan offers honest advice for entrepreneurs who are facing setbacks. He encourages business owners to never stop learning, let go of ego & remember that material possessions do not define success. Instead, lasting success comes from building a healthy business, maintaining strong relationships & creating a life that is fulfilling both professionally & personally. 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: ► Nathan James – LinkedIn: https://nz.linkedin.com/in/nathanjames-cooper ► Website – attn:seeker : https://www.attnseeker.com Ep 283 Chapters: 00:00 – Introduction 00:38 – Nate’s Background and Early Career 09:17 – Transition to Digital and Freelancing 17:27 – Joining The Attention Seeker 21:41 – Impact of EOS® on Business Structure 34:33 – Cultural Values and Team Dynamics 39:22 – Reducing Ego and Embracing Structure 47:37 – Lessons Learned from Business Failures 47:46 – Advice for Entrepreneurs

Per Sjöfors is the Founder and CEO of Sjöfors & Partners Inc, Los Angeles. He used pricing as the lever to turn around several European and US companies in his 25 years of executive management experience. Per believes that what business schools teach about pricing is too abstract for executives to act on and has made it his life’s work to make pricing practical and actionable.Per has a unique appreciation for the importance of optimal pricing and brings with him his international experience of pricing practices from a global perspective. He has helped over 600 clients substantially increase sales and profits by bringing understanding of how pricing affects sales volume, adding billions to their bottom line.HOST'S DETAILS:___________________________________________►Debra Chantry-Taylor is a Professional EOS Implementer | Entrepreneurial Leadership & Business Coach | Business Owner►See how she can help you: https://www.businessaction.com.au/____________________________________________GUESTS DETAILS:____________________________________________►Website:https://www.persjofors.com/►Books:1. The Price Whisperer: A Holistic Approach to Pricing Power: https://www.amazon.com/Price-Whisperer-Holistic-Approach-Pricing/dp/16373511782. 7 Easy Steps To Successfully Increase Prices: ...And Keep Your Customers Happy: https://www.amazon.com/Easy-Steps-Successfully-Increase-Prices-ebook/dp/B015GOOMJY/ref=sr_1_2?qid=1663298761&refinements=p_27%3APer+Sjofors&s=books&sr=1-2&text=Per+Sjofors

In this episode of Better Business, Better Life, Debra Chantry-Taylor is joined by Certified EOS Implementer® Jeff Starin to share the remarkable story of how he grew his business by 484% after implementing EOS® & transforming the way he led his company. Jeff’s entrepreneurial journey is anything but ordinary. After leaving college to become a professional pool player, he started an auto parts business with the simple goal of earning enough money to one day open a pool hall. Over the years, he built the company into a successful business, but after reaching around $5 million in revenue, growth completely stalled. For four consecutive years, sales remained virtually unchanged, leaving Jeff searching for a better way forward. Everything changed when Jeff discovered the Entrepreneurial Operating System®. Like many business owners, he initially chose to self-implement after reading Traction. While the tools helped, he quickly realised that trying to facilitate the process himself limited the results. Bringing in an experienced EOS® Implementer became the turning point, giving his leadership team the accountability, structure & objective guidance they needed to gain real Traction®. One of the biggest breakthroughs came through redesigning The Accountability Chart® & clearly defining the Visionary & Integrator roles. Jeff explains how understanding his natural strengths as a Visionary & finding the right Integrator to drive execution allowed him to stop being the bottleneck in the business. By learning to delegate effectively & empowering others to lead, the company experienced dramatic improvements in both performance & culture. Debra & Jeff also discuss the power of EOS® tools such as Level 10 Meeting® & IDS®. Jeff shares why helping leadership teams identify the real issue, instead of treating symptoms, transforms the quality of conversations, accelerates decision-making & creates a stronger culture of accountability. They also explore why difficult conversations become much easier when leadership teams have clear data, defined expectations & a proven framework for solving problems. Throughout the episode, Jeff shares practical leadership lessons that extend beyond EOS®, including why businesses move at the speed of their decisions, the importance of understanding what customers are truly paying for, & why happiness often lies on the other side of the difficult conversations leaders avoid. This episode is essential listening for entrepreneurs who want to grow their business, overcome the plateau many companies experience, & discover how EOS® can help build a stronger leadership team, create greater accountability & unlock sustainable long-term 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: ► Jeff Starin – LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffstarineosimplementer ► Website – Entrepreneurs Organization - Los Angeles Valley: https://eolavalley.com Ep 282 Chapters: 00:00 – Introduction 00:57 – Building a Business by Accident02:02 – Discovering EOS and Achieving 484% Growth06:03 – Visionary vs Integrator: Finding the Missing Piece08:02 – The Difference Between Visionaries and Integrators22:20 – Helping Businesses Grow Is the Greatest Reward44:34 – Jeff's Top Three Business Lessons

"Being an excellent husband, father, friend & entrepreneur is a choice. Easy to say, hard to do." That's how Corey describes himself on his LinkedIn Profile & when you listen to this podcast you'll understand how he achieves all of these.Corey works as the Co-Owner & President of All Volleyball Inc - a family-owned business that has been running for many years.Just 2 years ago, after trying to implement many other business systems, the family business decided to go with EOS & use a professional implementer to help them.In that time they have survived & thrived throughout a pandemic & grown the business to 5x its revenue. However, it hasn't been without its challenges.Find out why they chose to go with EOS, what it has done for the business & how they went from 5 family members on the leadership team down to just one but how they still all get along & love each other.Their story is VERY inspiring & if you're a family business owner or part of a family business, you will take a lot from this episode.

In this episode of Better Business, Better Life, Debra Chantry-Taylor is joined by Kris Snyder, Chief Advocate at Ninety.io, to explore how EOS® Powered by AI is helping leadership teams work smarter, run better meetings & build scalable businesses.Kris shares his journey from building five software companies & surviving the dot-com crash to becoming an EOS® Implementer & one of the driving forces behind Ninety.io. Today, the platform supports more than 18,000 companies & over 300,000 users, while staying grounded in the core principles of EOS®.A major focus of the conversation is how AI is transforming the way businesses use EOS®. Kris explains that AI is not replacing the EOS® process or the role of the EOS® Implementer. Instead, it removes administrative work, surfaces insights & helps leadership teams spend more time solving real business issues.Debra & Kris discuss how AI-powered tools within Ninety.io can improve meeting preparation, identify patterns, provide visibility into team performance & help leaders ask better questions. They also explore how Ninety.io is balancing innovation with the simplicity that makes EOS® so effective.Beyond technology, Kris shares why exit planning should begin long before a business owner is ready to sell. He explains how EOS® helps businesses become less dependent on the founder by building stronger leadership teams, clearer accountability & systems that allow the business to thrive independently.Throughout the episode, Debra & Kris reinforce that while AI can improve productivity & efficiency, lasting business success still depends on clear leadership, disciplined execution & meaningful human relationships.This episode is essential listening for entrepreneurs & leadership teams who want to understand how EOS® Powered by AI can improve meetings, strengthen accountability, simplify operations & build a business ready for the future. 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: ► Kris Snyder – LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/krissnyder/► Website – Kris Snyder: https://krissnyder.com/ Ep 281 Chapters:00:00 – Introduction47:04 – Transition to EOS and Ninety.io47:19 – Changes in Ninety.io and EOS Purity47:33 – Impact of AI on EOS and Ninety.io47:47 – Challenges and Opportunities in EOS Implementation50:11 – Planning for Exit and Personal Growth50:44 – Advocacy and Community Building53:26 – Final Thoughts and Tips

Do you have an exit strategy?Because guess what, we are all going to exit our businesses one day, simply because we are human. That's the bottom line.Most people don't think about who the most important investor is in their business, which of course is themselves. Even if they're 100%, shareholder, they are the most important investor in the business. So thinking about somewhere down the track, how you're going to move on from that business is essential.Kerry Boulton is a professional EOS Implementer, a certified exit planner and a certified value builder. In this episode, she discusses the necessity of having an exit strategy, even if you're planning on staying in the business for decades to come. She shares the 5 questions you must ask yourself to put an exit strategy in place and why it's important to think about these things to be in control.Listen to find out how you can strategise now to exit on your terms, in your timeframe.

In this episode of Better Business, Better Life, Debra Chantry-Taylor is joined by Niki Wilson, founder of Snapline Systems & Certified EOS Implementer®, to explore the realities of self-implementing EOS® & the lessons every entrepreneur can learn from the experience.Niki shares her journey of introducing EOS® into her own software company, where the business was growing quickly, but clarity around roles, priorities & accountability was becoming increasingly difficult.Like many business owners, she initially chose to self-implement EOS®, believing the team could learn & apply the tools themselves.While self-implementing EOS® created significant improvements, Niki explains that it also revealed its limitations. Leadership time that should have been focused on growing the business was instead spent facilitating sessions, learning the process & keeping everyone aligned.Eventually, she realised that having an objective EOS Implementer® accelerated progress, challenged assumptions & allowed the leadership team to focus on leading rather than facilitating.A major theme throughout the conversation is the power of The Accountability Chart®. Niki describes it as one of the most transformational EOS® tools because it creates clarity around roles, responsibilities & expectations. Rather than organising people around job titles, The Accountability Chart® helps leadership teams build the structure the business actually needs to achieve its vision.The discussion also covers the impact of Level 10 Meeting®, the EOS Proven Process™ & why consistent execution is far more valuable than trying to customise or shortcut the system. Throughout the episode, Niki emphasises that EOS® is not simply a collection of business tools. It is a complete operating system that delivers the greatest results when followed as designed.This episode is essential listening for entrepreneurs considering self-implementing EOS®, leadership teams looking to create greater clarity & accountability, & business owners who want to understand when bringing in an experienced EOS Implementer® can dramatically accelerate their journey toward Vision, Traction® & Healthy. 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: ► Niki Wilson – LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/niki-t-wilson/ ► Website – EOS Worldwide: Niki Wilson, EOS Implementer, New Orleans | EOS Implementer | EOS Worldwide Ep 280 Chapters: 00:00 – Introduction00:51 – Nikki Wilson’s Background and EOS® Journey 03:22 – Challenges of Self-Implementing EOS® 03:36 – The Role of the Accountability Chart® 05:22 – The Impact of EOS® Tools and Meetings 10:55 – Focus Day and the EOS® Proven Process 18:59 – The Role of an EOS® Implementer 21:39 – The Visionary–Integrator Dynamic 27:36 – The Power of the Issues Solving Track (IDS) 31:33 – Top Tips and Tools for Success

Liam Forde is the founder & CEO of The Zone, which empowers people to integrate their head and their heart, unlock their whole person and unleash the collective intelligence of their organisations and teams. In this podcast, we talk about the lessons he has learned from building his own company up to 600 staff & $30 million revenue as well as the lessons he has worked with some of the largest companies around the world.Who am I?What do I stand for (or against)?Where am I going?What is my mission/purpose?Leadership, culture and sustainability are defined by your answers to these questions. Life is a balance between your inner world and your outer world.How you define yourself is one of the most important tasks you will ever undertake because this directs how you will interact with the world, with others, your family, friends and work colleagues.As a leader, we create big ripples. We create ripples as much by how we are being as what we are doing. What legacy do you want to leave?Do you want to be a net Giver or a net Taker?This is how Liam introduces himself on his LinkedIn Profile. He has worked in over 35 countries in dozens of different settings from Africa to Australia, Asia to America, the Middle East to Europe....in mud huts and in corporate towers.His mission is to show leaders how to be masters of their own destiny, and to pay that forward.By making organisations more human, they unlock performance, talent, value, and happiness. Be better, do better. Make your organisation more human. Make the world more sustainable.

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