The Numbers Game

Hosted by Nick Reilly, Jason Robinson

Business Entrepreneurship Education

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290

Latest episode

Aug 2026

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About the show

The Numbers Game — It’s finance, investment and business but not as you know it. Each week Jason Robinson (CPA Accountant), Nick Reilly (Planner) come together to bring you strategy and advice around the importance of knowing your numbers in life and business. Numbers really do tell a story so let us help you make it a good one.

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60 recent

August 16, 202629 min

How to Get Ahead in Your 20s | What We'd Do If We Had Our Time Again

The doom and gloom online is loud, but what never changes is young people wanting to get ahead. Today we're looking back on the choices we made in our 20s to see what we would do differently now. On this episode, we discuss: (00:00) Intro (01:00) What We'd Change at 25 Again (01:43) The One Property Choice Nick Would Undo (04:54) Why We Wasted Every Paycheck at 15 (06:23) How Jase Lost on Hills Hoist Shares (07:41) How $50 a Week Becomes $294K (10:10) Why Nick Started His Business at 25 (13:05) Failing at 27 Costs Less Than 45 (13:28) Your Network Is Your Net Worth (14:38) Why Every 25-Year-Old Needs a Mentor (16:44) Why We'd Skip Extra Super at 25 (18:01) When First Home Super Saver Works (19:04) Why We Wouldn't Rush HECS (21:20) The Second Job Tax Myth Explained (24:23) Why Insurance at 25 Costs 3x Less Check out the free resources from Inovayt here. Send us an email: hello@thenumbersgamepodcast.com.au The Numbers Game is brought to you by Future Advisory & Inovayt . Hosts: Nick Reilly Jason Robinson This podcast is produced by VIDPOD. Check out our new website thenumbersgamepodcast.com.au . Browse the full show catalogue, jump straight to specific moments on the topics you love, or leave us a voice note. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

August 9, 202625 min

Build or Buy a Business? | The Huge Opportunity in Australia Right Now

1.3 million Aussie small businesses are owned by baby boomers, and in the next few years we’ll see the biggest handover of small business ownership in a generation. For anyone thinking of starting one, today's ep looks at what it means to buy an existing business rather than build from scratch. On this episode, we discuss: (00:00) Intro (00:24) 1.3 Million Aussie Businesses Owned by Boomers (00:52) Why Boomers Haven't Planned Their Exit (01:51) Why Buying an Existing Business Wins (03:23) Why an Accountant Would Buy in 2026 (04:42) A Hairdressing Supplier Buys a Salon (05:47) How to Build a Sellable Business Asset (06:58) Why Banks Won't Fund Business Buyers (07:45) How the US Funds Business Buyers (10:18) How Government-Backed Loans Would Pay Off (13:06) $31 Billion Sent to US Business Buyers (14:45) Buying the Business You Already Work In (18:32) Why Business Sellers Take Less Than Expected Check out the free resources from Inovayt here. Send us an email: hello@thenumbersgamepodcast.com.au The Numbers Game is brought to you by Future Advisory & Inovayt . Hosts: Nick Reilly Jason Robinson This podcast is produced by VIDPOD. Check out our new website thenumbersgamepodcast.com.au . Browse the full show catalogue, jump straight to specific moments on the topics you love, or leave us a voice note. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

August 2, 202630 min

Why Australia Isn't as Broken as the Media Says

Nothing on the news feels like good news. Wages under pressure, taxes up, housing broken. But there's another story if you go looking for it. Today we lay out the bullish case for Australia in 2026: why we're still the third-richest country per household, and the business, property and tech plays going for anyone paying attention. On this episode, we discuss: (00:00) Intro (01:20) Voice Note From the Former Co-Host (04:23) Boomer Businesses Ripe for a Takeover (07:07) Tax Workarounds for Business Owners in 2026 (08:19) Third-Richest Country Per Household (10:33) Why the $4.4 Trillion Super Pool Matters (12:39) Why Homeownership Still Wins in Australia (14:34) Renters Buying With 10% of the Deposit (15:47) Why 147,000 New Jobs Beat the Headlines (19:10) Why We Won't See a Housing Crash (21:29) Buying Property Without Negative Gearing (23:47) $15,000 Per Aussie From Mining Exports Alone (27:40) Why Big Tech Is Building Data Centres In Australia Check out the free resources from Inovayt here. Send us an email: hello@thenumbersgamepodcast.com.au The Numbers Game is brought to you by Future Advisory & Inovayt . Hosts: Nick Reilly Jason Robinson This podcast is produced by VIDPOD. Check out our new website thenumbersgamepodcast.com.au . Browse the full show catalogue, jump straight to specific moments on the topics you love, or leave us a voice note. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

July 26, 202629 min

Should Australia Ditch Super?

Is there a case to ditch super in Australia? A clip doing the rounds by Senator Gerard Rennick says yes, and it turns out the argument is stronger than most people would think. Nick walks through why it stacks up on paper but breaks down in reality, from the fund returns and tax breaks people would give up, to what actually happens to money the second it lands in their pocket. On this episode, we discuss: (00:00) Intro (02:56) The Full 'Scrap Super' Clip Played (05:48) Why 40% Retire With a Mortgage (06:50) The $80K Earner's Super Squeeze (08:12) Why Most People Wouldn't Save the Money (10:57) What Small Business Debt Says About Habits (13:29) Why More Retirees Now Live Off Super (15:36) What KiwiSaver Shows About Voluntary Super (18:43) How Much Super Funds Actually Return (20:07) Why Super Taxes You Less Than Investing (21:24) Why the Wealthy Top Up Their Super (22:27) How One Couple Saved $90K in Tax (23:18) What Would Change if Super Went Voluntary (27:13) Why Super Should Stay Compulsory Check out the free resources from Inovayt here. Send us an email: hello@thenumbersgamepodcast.com.au The Numbers Game is brought to you by Future Advisory & Inovayt . Hosts: Nick Reilly Jason Robinson This podcast is produced by VIDPOD. Check out our new website thenumbersgamepodcast.com.au . Browse the full show catalogue, jump straight to specific moments on the topics you love, or leave us a voice note. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

July 19, 202623 min

Pokemon Cards vs Bitcoin, Gold and the ASX | A 25-Year Investment Comparison

Pokemon cards are being treated as a serious investment by some Aussies right now, with collectors sitting on multi-million dollar portfolios. But do the numbers actually stack up as a solid investment? Jase has run the comparison of investing $10k in a vintage Pokemon collection against the ASX, gold and Bitcoin over the last 25 years. On this episode, we discuss: (00:00) Intro (02:26) A Living Room Full Of Pokemon Cards (04:24) $10K In Pokemon Vs Gold And ASX (05:31) From $10K To $2.5 Million In Pokemon (06:56) The 10,000% Charizard Card Return (08:10) When COVID Sparked The Pokemon Hype (09:25) Bitcoin's 800% Return Since 2020 (11:11) The 9.7 Billion Card Print Problem (13:39) When $10K In Modern Pokemon Becomes $3K (15:23) Logan Paul's $16.5 Million Pokemon Sale (16:02) The Tax Side Of Pokemon Collectibles (16:57) The $500 Rule That Saves You Tax (19:25) Why Pokemon Losses Only Offset Pokemon Gains (22:15) Why You Should Take Wins And Diversify Check out the free resources from Inovayt here. Send us an email: hello@thenumbersgamepodcast.com.au The Numbers Game is brought to you by Future Advisory & Inovayt . Hosts: Nick Reilly Jason Robinson This podcast is produced by VIDPOD. Check out our new website thenumbersgamepodcast.com.au . Browse the full show catalogue, jump straight to specific moments on the topics you love, or leave us a voice note. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

July 12, 202621 min

Buying Commercial Property With Your Super in 2026 | What the Numbers Say

There's a resurgence of Aussies buying commercial property in Self-managed Super Funds. Nick's found a real-world example of a commercial shed in regional Victoria that could generate $133K a year, and he breaks down the numbers of what this would look like as an investment in 2026. On this episode, we discuss: (00:00) Intro (02:45) Inside The SMSF Resurgence (03:33) When Property Income Falls Short At Retirement (05:33) How Commercial Property Improves Cash Flow (07:30) Building A 25-Year Commercial Property Strategy (08:53) The $1.2 Million Shepparton Shed (09:42) What 3% Growth Could Look Like (10:39) How The Loan And Deposit Work for an SMSF (11:43) $35K a Year Covers the Loan Gap (15:06) What the Asset Could Look Like in 25 Years (16:30) Three Tax-Free Options At Retirement (18:54) Where to Start Check out the free resources from Inovayt here. Send us an email: hello@thenumbersgamepodcast.com.au The Numbers Game is brought to you by Future Advisory & Inovayt . Hosts: Nick Reilly Jason Robinson This podcast is produced by VIDPOD. Check out our new website thenumbersgamepodcast.com.au . Browse the full show catalogue, jump straight to specific moments on the topics you love, or leave us a voice note. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

July 5, 202632 min

The Most Expensive Day in Aussie Small Business History

1 July might be the most expensive day in Australian small business history. Jase has done the maths on a 10-person business and the cost is around $50,000 extra a year on the basics alone. If you're employing people in Australia, this is hitting you now, and he's mapped out a game plan to tackle it. On this episode, we discuss: (00:00) Intro (00:26) The Most Expensive Day In Small Business History (00:56) Everything Hitting Small Business On 1 July (03:03) Why 33,500 Businesses Disappeared (04:35) The Card Surcharge Ban Hitting 1 October (06:22) The Fuel And Wage Hit Of 1 July (07:36) How Payday Super Killed Quarterly Cash Flow (09:59) Why Power Bills Just Jumped 22.5% (13:19) The $50,000 Hit On 10 Staff (14:27) The Bendel Case Explained (19:03) The 30% Trust Tax Coming In 2028 (25:22) Why Selling Assets Just Got More Taxing (27:17) Why Foreign Investors Pay Less Tax Than You (29:11) Jase's 7-Step Game Plan Check out the free resources from Inovayt here. Send us an email: hello@thenumbersgamepodcast.com.au The Numbers Game is brought to you by Future Advisory & Inovayt . Hosts: Nick Reilly Jason Robinson This podcast is produced by VIDPOD. Check out our new website thenumbersgamepodcast.com.au . Browse the full show catalogue, jump straight to specific moments on the topics you love, or leave us a voice note. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

June 28, 202626 min

What Real Budget Reform for Young Australians Would Actually Look Like

The 2026 Budget was pitched as a fix for intergenerational unfairness. Nick's fired up and reckons none of it adds up, especially if you're a young Australian trying to get ahead. But you can't just criticise without bringing a solution, and he's got a few of his own. On this episode, we discuss: (00:00) Intro (01:17) The 2026 Budget's Reform Pitch and Where It Misses Young Australians (02:29) Bracket Creep and the 47% Tax Rate That Hits Young High Earners (05:35) The $1,000 ATO Deduction Is Less Than Most Australians Already Claim (06:29) The HELP Debt Indexation Problem That Costs Australians Thousands Every Year (08:55) Removing Negative Gearing on Existing Homes Won't Free Up Housing Supply (11:24) Rents Are Set to Rise as Negative Gearing Shifts to New Builds Only (11:55) CGT Changes Hit Startup Founders Hardest, Not Property Investors (14:00) The Property Marketers Set to Profit From the Negative Gearing Reforms (16:47) Cutting Income Tax and Lifting GST, the Real Reform Trade-Off (18:31) Top 10 Postcodes by Taxable Income from Portsea to Mossman (21:25) Australia's GST Has Been Stuck at 10% Since 2000 (25:30) One Nation's Rise and What It Says About Voter Frustration Check out the free resources from Inovayt here. Send us an email: hello@thenumbersgamepodcast.com.au The Numbers Game is brought to you by Future Advisory & Inovayt . Hosts: Nick Reilly Jason Robinson This podcast is produced by VIDPOD. Check out our new website thenumbersgamepodcast.com.au . Browse the full show catalogue, jump straight to specific moments on the topics you love, or leave us a voice note. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

June 21, 202623 min

The Business of Gift Cards | Why Most Get the Accounting Wrong

Australians waste $1.9 billion a year on gift cards they never use, and there's a whole business model built around hoping you don't show up. If your business sells gift cards, there's a good chance the accounting is wrong. It's one of the most common mistakes Jase sees with his clients, and this episode gets into how the accounting should actually work so you're not paying tax before you need to. On this episode, we discuss: (00:00) Intro (00:24) How Endota Spa's Gift Card Numbers Went Viral (03:43) $1.9 Billion in Unused Gift Cards Per Year in Australia (05:23) How Gift Cards Became 40% of Endota Spa's Revenue (05:59) How Endota Earns $13.5M From Gift Cards No One Uses (07:07) Why Gift Card Sales Aren't Revenue on Your Books (08:52) The 3-Year ACCC Expiry and When to Recognise Revenue (10:50) What the Endota Sale Means for the Incoming Buyer (12:46) Swap Platforms That Turn Unused Gift Cards Into Cash (14:58) Gifta and How to Make Sure Gift Cards Actually Get Used (19:27) Why Gift Cards in Your Digital Wallet Actually Get Used (21:23) Employee Gift Cards and Fringe Benefits Tax (23:01) Game Over Check out the free resources from Inovayt here. Send us an email: hello@thenumbersgamepodcast.com.au The Numbers Game is brought to you by Future Advisory & Inovayt . Hosts: Nick Reilly Jason Robinson This podcast is produced by VIDPOD. Check out our new website thenumbersgamepodcast.com.au . Browse the full show catalogue, jump straight to specific moments on the topics you love, or leave us a voice note. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

June 14, 202628 min

How to Know If Your Skills Transfer in an AI World

Over 9,000 Australian jobs have gone to AI this year and we're now second in the world for tech displacement. Nick reckons you don't need to be a tech expert to stay relevant. Your existing skills transfer to roles AI can't replace, you just need to know which ones and where. He's put together a 6-step playbook that walks you through assessing your own exposure, identifying what transfers, and making a move before your employer makes one for you. On this episode, we discuss: (00:00) Intro (00:19) AI Is Here and Jobs Are Changing in Australia (05:18) WiseTech, Telstra, Atlassian and 9,238 AI Job Losses (06:16) 1.3 Million Australians Changing Roles by 2030 (07:48) Why a Telemarketer Could Become an Account Manager (11:02) Which Jobs AI Can and Can't Do: 0.3% to 80% (13:06) How an Accounting Firm Is Rolling Out AI to Its Team (15:24) $10 Million Revenue with 30 Staff Instead of 50 (16:26) Why AI-Forward Companies Create More Opportunity (18:48) Capacity Is Why Clients Leave Their Accountant (21:01) Nick's 6-Step Playbook for Protecting Your Career (24:18) Don't Wait for Your Employer to Act (25:28) The Flywheel Effect When Teams Share AI Wins Check out the free resources from Inovayt here. Send us an email: hello@thenumbersgamepodcast.com.au The Numbers Game is brought to you by Future Advisory & Inovayt . Hosts: Nick Reilly Jason Robinson This podcast is produced by VIDPOD. Check out our new website thenumbersgamepodcast.com.au . Browse the full show catalogue, jump straight to specific moments on the topics you love, or leave us a voice note. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.