The SME Advantage

Hosted by adapt

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Jun 2026

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About the show

This podcast is for the owners who actually carry this country — the SMEs driving innovation, employment and GDP. The SME Advantage is here to spread a bit of optimism, a bit of gratitude, and a lot of momentum. We hear from people across the country helping owners harness what makes them powerful. You've got the advantage. Time to use it.

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17 recent

June 10, 202633 min

Navigating the redundancy decision

Are you facing redundancy decisions in your SME? We talk to HR expert, business owner and veteran coach Brendan Forwood from People Squared on how to navigate these tricky waters.In today’s climate, many business owners are grappling with the reality of workforce adjustments. It’s a tough conversation, but with the right approach, you can manage it with integrity.The key? Understanding your critical numbers and planning ahead. Too often, businesses react to financial pressures without a clear strategy. By regularly assessing your wages, leave liabilities, and overall financial health, you can make informed decisions that prioritise both your business and your team.Connect with Brendan:https://www.peoplesquared.com.au/Thanks to https://www.coffeecommune.com.au/ for hosting us.

June 1, 202631 min

The goldmine you already own

Most small businesses get 80% of revenue from their existing base without lifting a finger — until a downturn quietly shrinks it. James Smith (Smith Brothers Media) joins Gabe and Kane on why owning your data, leading with value, and being willing to sell — not chasing AI hype — is what keeps an SME alive.Subscribe:Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/the-sme-advantage/id1738995409Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6uxaYAlciu70Dl07WTayvUYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLnT8h-EugmKyOeW3M_lIre9KLqc3T4wkGOther Links:https://www.unreasonablehospitality.com/bookshttps://www.sigparser.com/

May 25, 2026Episode 1532 min

A shot in the arm

The adapt podcast is evolving into 'The SME Advantage' with my co-host Kane Leersen joining in. Kane is the founder of Regional Prosperity - a financial advice firm in regional Victoria - and a passionate Succession Thinker. Kane and I became tired of the doom and gloom that's out there. SMEs are the back bone of this country and it's time the amazing people who own and operate them get some cheers and support. Owning your own business is bloody hard work. But it's also an incredible opportunity and we will drive the conversation around how to take advantage of that. We are looking for any owners or any SME advisers who gives a sh!t about the work they do and want to cheer other owners on. Reach out to myself (Gabe) at connect@theadaptway.com or Kane at kane@regionalprosperity.au.

May 8, 2024Episode 61 hr 12 min

Latency, DonkOps, and Ownership vs. Leadership w. Hamish & Tania from Mechanical Rock

There's complexity in the nuance of doing Ownership work vs. Organisational Leadership work. Hamish (Founder) and Tania (Organisational Leader) generously let us in on their perspectives when it comes to the dance of doing ownership and leadership and having empathy for the other role.. We spend time unpacking: The benefits of nicking off for a surf, mid work day. Doing the hard yards to deliver on your vision. Building a tech driven economy by uplifting the community. Excellence in software development. What is DonkOps. Learning to let go when you're the owner but you're fixing the wi-fi. Learning to have empathy for the owner when you're leading. Tania and Hamish takes a fun and lighthearted approach to many big topics that effect the owners and leaders of small and medium businesses. Bill talking about 'stepping out' vs 'handing over'

March 10, 202456 min

The power of mindset and the courage to innovate in a crowded market w. Mikaela Greene, Co-founder of MyTab

When others think you're taking on 'Nuclear Warfare' in a crowded market but you see clearly the road to a far better experience for the customer. This conversation is an exercise in invigoration. Listening to the mindset and drive Mikaela, along with her with her co-founder and sister Eliza, bring to the table of innovating in the hospitality space will put a fire in your belly. We spend time unpacking: The mindset to innovate when you can see a better way. The discipline and work ethic it takes and how that was modelled by their mother. Working well with family. Staying super close to the product / customer interface to ensure the best outcome. Picking the right team to build your technology. Getting a handle on IP if you plan to scale. So much more. Mikaela demonstrates a wisdom and an entrepreneurial knack far beyond her years and has tons of valuable lessons to pass on to other founders.

July 28, 2024Episode 111 hr 26 min

Empathy is a leadership super power

Today we chat with Mo Daya from SQ Squared about the power that exists in leading with empathy. From immigrating on his own and seeking a safe and secure journey, to taking big risks in service of a vision, Mo shares his fascinating story that led to the founding of SQ Squared. We talk about: 1️⃣ Cognitive bias and how it presents in the entrepreneurial journey. 2️⃣ Transferrable skills from policing and counter terrorism work into leadership coaching and development. 3️⃣ The difficulty of leading with genuine empathy. 4️⃣ The power that exists when you get this right. 5️⃣ How family factors into big decision making.

July 23, 2024Episode 111 hr 6 min

Influencing high-risk industries by building Australia's largest safety and emergency training business

Today we chat with Shane Addis, the entrepreneurial leader behind the impressive team building Australia's largest safety and emergency training organisation for hight risk industries. ERGT Australia is a 200+ person organisation which doubled in size in the last 5 or so years. Shane generously share with us the journey from inception through incredible growth, and what it means to have built a business that celebrated 30 years this year. We cover: 1️⃣ The importance of creating a sustainable organization that can thrive beyond its founders 2️⃣ The crucial role of hiring the right people and cultivating a positive culture 3️⃣ The importance of a clear, simple business strategy 4️⃣ The need to develop strategic thinking capabilities within your team 5️⃣ The importance of facing reality, and being resilient in the face of challenges

March 10, 20241 hr 11 min

Getting real about resilience and the hard road of entrepreneurship w. Alex Dunmow, Co-founder of Ninja Syndicate

Have you ever listened to ANOTHER startup story hearing 'it was hard but look at our 20x growth now' and wondered why that feels so far removed from what your journey looks like? In the episode with Alex, he is as real as it gets about starting from scratch and walking the hard and lonely road of entrepreneurship. We spend time on topics like: Building a business from the ground up around commitment to your customer and your people. Experiencing rapid growth and the challenge of building team at that pace. The massive challenges that come on the entrepreneurship journey. Walking the lonely road of funding a company. Showing resilience when it all goes to S#!t and you still have to lead through that turning point. This humble and honest conversation with Alex is incredibly refreshing and will leave you with some valuable truths to serve you well on your own journey.

October 30, 2024Episode 1354 min

The Power of Play on Performance & Success

In this episode, we chat with Josh Pullman, founder of The Conditioning Co. Josh shares his journey from semi-professional footballer, to personal trainer, then business owner and how his experience with sport shapes his approach to business, and life in general. We cover: Flexible leadership and choosing the right leadership style for the situation Prioritising play for as long as possible, at all stages of life Getting to know your clients and learning the ‘why’ behind their goals Finding new tools to help declutter your mind and keep you focused 🔗 https://www.theconditioningco.com.au/ 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/josh-pullman-69929839/ 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/gabe-enslin/

July 9, 2024Episode 91 hr 0 min

10 years of growth marketing with AMMO

We get to have the 'Weird Growth' podcast veterans on the other side of the mic this time. What a great chat with Cam Sinclair and Jack Hallam from AMMO Marketing about a decade of small business ownership. We dive into 10 years of growth marketing and working with start up founders. They also share on their journey through leadership handover as the business evolves. This episode is chock full of wisdom: 1️⃣ What's priority in marketing when starting out 2️⃣ What should you NOT do 3️⃣ How to be close to your customer 4️⃣ Behaviours that set each other up for success 5️⃣ Doubling down on your culture 🔗 Weird Growth Podcast 🎙️ 🔗 The AMMO Newsletter 🔗 Cam Sinclair 🔗 Jack Hallam 🔗 Gabe Enslin