Smart Business Growth with Nicky Miklós

Hosted by Nicky Miklós

Business Entrepreneurship

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Episodes

136

Latest episode

Aug 2026

Language

EN-AU

About the show

The Smart Business Growth podcast is your go-to for real talk and real strategy – grounded in over two decades of sales and leadership expertise. Hosted by sales growth expert and TEDx speaker Nicky Miklós, this show is for ambitious business owners and sales leaders who are scaling businesses – and refuse to choose between high performance and having a life. Expect pragmatic conversations, proven frameworks, and practical tools to shift your sales culture from reactive to revenue-driving. From systematising sales to developing your next generation of confident leaders, Nicky shares the thinking and strategies that help you build momentum that lasts. You’ll also hear powerful insights on redefining success, breaking up with burnout, and finding your own version of healthy hustle – that sweet spot of growth without the relentless grind. It’s time to lead smarter, sell stronger, and grow without losing yourself in the process. Welcome to Smart Business Growth. Wherever you listen to podcasts, Nicky's waiting to welcome you.

Listen to episodes

60 recent

September 3, 20264 min

How to Build a Genuine Speak Up Culture

Do You Actually Want a Speak-Up Culture? Every leader says they want their team to speak up . Fewer actually build the conditions for it, and fewer still notice when their own reactions are shutting it down. In this Quick Win from Nicky's conversation with communication expert Leah Mether, they break down why "just speak up" doesn't work for most people, a simple technique for drawing out honest feedback, and the real test of whether your team actually has permission to disagree with you. This is a Quick Win, a short, practical clip from a full Smart Business Growth Podcast episode. Want the whole conversation? Listen to "Steer Through the Storm: Sales Leadership" with Leah Mether, wherever you get your podcasts. Connect with Leah Mether on LinkedIn, or find her free resources and "Ask Leah Anything" videos at her website. Tags leadership, sales leadership, psychological safety, speak up culture, feedback culture, business growth, communication skills, team culture, Leah Mether, Nicky Miklós, Smart Business Growth Podcast, Quick Wins Learn more about Nicky at nickymiklos.com Grab The Growth Code™ here! Get your a copy of Healthy Hustle: The New Blueprint to Thrive in Business & Life at www.healthyhustle.com.au Connect: LinkedIn | Instagram Contact: 0403 191 404 | hello@nickymiklos.com Music by Jules Miklos-Woodley

August 25, 202616 min

Sales Leadership Is Evolving, Are You?

Episode 28: Sales Leadership Is Evolving, Are You? For a long time, sales leadership has meant one thing: hit the target, chase the number, move on to the next one. In this solo episode, Nicky makes the case for why that approach is putting businesses at risk, and what it actually looks like to evolve from sales leadership into commercial leadership. In this episode, Nicky covers: The danger of staying in a transactional, single lens approach to sales leadership, and why it leaves businesses exposed when results rely on just a handful of high performers. The three pillars of commercial leadership: building a high performing, high vibing sales culture, upskilling leaders to become great coaches, and taking a holistic view of performance management that goes beyond the KPIs. Some eye opening stats from a recent Salesforce State of Sales report on just how few salespeople are getting regular one on ones, coaching, or role play practice, even though the majority say it directly helps them hit target. Whether you're leading a team of salespeople, leading other leaders, or you're the one closing deals every day, this episode will help you spot where you might be stuck in a single lens, transactional mindset, and what one small shift could look like. Want to know where your business sits across the three levers of commercial leadership? Take the free Business Growth Audit, it takes about 5 minutes and you'll get your results straight away: https://smart-growth-audit.replit.app/ Mentioned in this episode, How to Have Tough Conversations: https://youtu.be/yk96ezzzS8Q?si=I0pwRTR6rnKee3KG Got a question, or want to work with Nicky? Get in touch any time: hello@nickymiklos.com If this episode helped, the best thing you can do is share it with a leader who needs to hear it, and leave a rating or review, it really does help the show reach more people. Learn more about Nicky at nickymiklos.com Grab The Growth Code™ here! Get your a copy of Healthy Hustle: The New Blueprint to Thrive in Business & Life at www.healthyhustle.com.au Connect: LinkedIn | Instagram Contact: 0403 191 404 | hello@nickymiklos.com Music by Jules Miklos-Woodley

August 23, 20261 min

Preview: Sales Leadership Is Evolving, Are You? (Ep 28, out 26 Aug)

Coming 26th August 2026: Episode 28, "Sales Leadership Is Evolving, Are You?" Sales performance isn't about skill, it never has been. In this preview clip from the upcoming Smart Business Growth ep, Nicky Miklós makes the case for why what shows up in your numbers is actually a downstream result of what's happening in your team, confidence, clarity of role, and whether the tough conversations are being had at all. The full episode drops 26th August 2026, subscribe now so you don't miss it. Curious where your own team sits? Take the free Business Growth Audit, it takes about 5 minutes and gives you a score across the three levers of commercial leadership straight away: https://smart-growth-audit.replit.app/ About Smart Business Growth Podcast Smart Business Growth Podcast is hosted by Nicky Miklós, sharing real conversations that help business owners and sales leaders grow smarter and more sustainably. Each episode digs into what it actually takes to build a high performing sales team and commercially minded leadership, covering everything from sales coaching and performance management to culture, mindset, and the conversations most leaders avoid having. New episodes land fortnightly on Wednesdays, with Quick Wins, bite sized pieces of wisdom for when you're short on time, dropping fortnightly on Fridays in between. Want more behind the scenes insight into Nicky's work with real businesses? Head over to the YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@NickyMiklos Learn more about Nicky at nickymiklos.com Grab The Growth Code™ here! Get your a copy of Healthy Hustle: The New Blueprint to Thrive in Business & Life at www.healthyhustle.com.au Connect: LinkedIn | Instagram Contact: 0403 191 404 | hello@nickymiklos.com Music by Jules Miklos-Woodley

August 20, 20264 min

Are You a Steamroller, a Shirker, or a Steerer?

When change hits a team, most leaders fall into one of three camps. The steamroller who bulldozes ahead and wonders why no one's following. The shirker who avoids the hard conversation and hopes it sorts itself out. Or the steerer who does the harder work of bringing people with them. In this Quick Win from her conversation with Nicky Miklós, communication expert Leah Mether breaks down all three, and what it actually takes to be the leader people choose to follow through uncertainty and change. This is a Quick Win, a short, practical clip from a full Smart Business Growth Podcast episode. Want the whole conversation? Listen to "Steer Through the Storm: Sales Leadership" with Leah Mether, wherever you get your podcasts. Connect with Leah Mether on LinkedIn, or find her free resources and "Ask Leah Anything" videos at her website. Tags leadership, sales leadership, change management, business growth, communication skills, team culture, Leah Mether, Nicky Miklós, Smart Business Growth Podcast, Quick Wins Learn more about Nicky at nickymiklos.com Grab The Growth Code™ here! Get your a copy of Healthy Hustle: The New Blueprint to Thrive in Business & Life at www.healthyhustle.com.au Connect: LinkedIn | Instagram Contact: 0403 191 404 | hello@nickymiklos.com Music by Jules Miklos-Woodley

August 11, 20264 min

What do you say to your team when you don't have the answers?

What do you say to your team when you don't have the answers? In this Quick Win, communication and soft skills specialist Leah Mether shares a practical four step framework for leading through uncertainty: what we know, what we're doing about it, what we don't know, and my commitment to you. Because trust doesn't come from having all the answers. It comes from honesty, and from being the steady presence your team can rely on when everything feels wobbly. This conversation is from the full Smart Business Growth Podcast episode "Steer Through the Storm: Sales Leadership" with Nicky Miklós. Find the full episode in this feed or check out Nicky's YouTube channel and watch the full ep https://youtu.be/VgZ5HRgxV8A and so much more! Leah is a speaker, trainer and author of Soft is the New Hard and Steer Through the Storm. Find her books, free resources and Ask Leah videos at leahmether.com.au Ready to build smart business growth? Take the free Smart Business Growth Audit at nickymiklos.com or reach out at hello@nickymiklos.com Learn more about Nicky at nickymiklos.com Grab The Growth Code™ here! Get your a copy of Healthy Hustle: The New Blueprint to Thrive in Business & Life at www.healthyhustle.com.au Connect: LinkedIn | Instagram Contact: 0403 191 404 | hello@nickymiklos.com Music by Jules Miklos-Woodley

July 28, 202623 min

How to Overcome Sales Objections Without the Icky Feeling: 5 Tips That Work

"It's too expensive." "I don't have time." "It seems too complicated." If you've heard these before, this episode is for you. Nicky gets tactical with her top five tips for overcoming sales objections without that icky, pushy feeling. She covers why every objection is simply a belief, the "defend or defeat" response most of us fall into, how to spot the objection patterns in your industry, the questions to ask early in discovery so objections surface before you present, and the LAER framework (Listen, Acknowledge, Explore, Respond) that keeps the conversation human. Perfect for business owners, sales leaders and sales teams who want objection conversations to feel like genuine curiosity, not conflict. Got an objection you'd love to workshop? Send Nicky a message or voice note on LinkedIn or email hello@nickymiklos.com Take the free Smart Business Growth Audit at nickymiklos.com Buzzsprout tags: sales objections, overcoming objections, sales training, sales techniques, sales coaching, business growth, sales leadership, discovery calls, sales conversations, LAER framework Learn more about Nicky at nickymiklos.com Grab The Growth Code™ here! Get your a copy of Healthy Hustle: The New Blueprint to Thrive in Business & Life at www.healthyhustle.com.au Connect: LinkedIn | Instagram Contact: 0403 191 404 | hello@nickymiklos.com Music by Jules Miklos-Woodley

July 23, 20263 min

Is Your Team in Sales, or Just Taking Orders | Nicky Miklos & Janine Garner

Your sales team might not actually be selling. If they're waiting for orders to come through, they're order takers. And that's pushing revenue away. In this Quick Win, host Nicky Miklós and VIP guest, Janine Garner, best-selling author of It's Who You Know, unpack why the role of salespeople has fundamentally changed and how to shift your team from order takers to relationship creators. You'll learn: The story of the highly paid sales team that wasn't hitting budget Why buyers know your product before they ever speak to your team, and what that changes "Thought hoarders" vs relationship creators: the shift that turns salespeople into revenue creators Janine's "magic pills": what to give a client while your proposal is being considered ⚡ Big ideas. Small time investment. Quick Wins are bite-sized cuts from the Smart Business Growth Podcast, built for business owners and sales leaders who need insights fast. Want more? Listen to the full conversation with Janine for the Core Four framework and the Network 10 daily habit. Find Janine on LinkedIn or at janinegarner.com.au Take the free Smart Business Growth Audit at nickymiklos.com Buzzsprout tags: sales team, order taker, sales leadership, janine garner, nicky miklos, relationship selling, sales strategy, business growth, smart business growth, sales mindset Learn more about Nicky at nickymiklos.com Grab The Growth Code™ here! Get your a copy of Healthy Hustle: The New Blueprint to Thrive in Business & Life at www.healthyhustle.com.au Connect: LinkedIn | Instagram Contact: 0403 191 404 | hello@nickymiklos.com Music by Jules Miklos-Woodley

July 14, 202615 min

Whose Definition of Success Are You Chasing? The Outrageous Opposites Exercise

What's your definition of success? Not the one you inherited, borrowed, or absorbed from a 5am club post. Yours. In this episode of the Smart Business Growth Podcast, Nicky Miklós challenges business owners, sales leaders and managers to pause and ask whether their day-to-day habits are actually serving them, or whether they're running on outdated definitions of what success looks like. Nicky walks you through Outrageous Opposites, a practical exercise straight from her book Healthy Hustle (page 43 if you're playing along at home). You'll build two lists: your current definitions of success, and the outrageous opposites that challenge them. Then you'll pick the one change that would make the biggest holistic impact for you, your family and your team. In this episode: The trap of running someone else's definition of success Why the 5am club works for some and sabotages others Working with your optimal energy instead of against it The Outrageous Opposites exercise, step by step Why only 43% of business owners take four weeks of annual leave (and why that matters) Real success = commercial results AND human sustainability How to pick the one change that makes the biggest impact Grab the book or download chapter one free at healthyhustle.com.au Got a question or want to share something from your Outrageous Opposites list? Connect with Nicky on LinkedIn or visit nickymiklos.com _________________ smart business growth, business success, sales leadership, business owner, healthy hustle, leadership development, work life balance, TEDx Speaker, Author, business coach, sales management, defining success, energy management, Nicky Miklos Learn more about Nicky at nickymiklos.com Grab The Growth Code™ here! Get your a copy of Healthy Hustle: The New Blueprint to Thrive in Business & Life at www.healthyhustle.com.au Connect: LinkedIn | Instagram Contact: 0403 191 404 | hello@nickymiklos.com Music by Jules Miklos-Woodley

July 9, 20264 min

The Core Four: Who You Actually Need in Your Network | Janine Garner & Nicky Miklos

Big ideas. Small time investment. Welcome the latest "Quick Wins" episode! Bite-sized cuts from the Smart Business Growth Podcast — built for business owners and sales leaders who need insights fast. Networking isn't a numbers game — and if it feels icky, you've been taught it wrong. In this Quick Win, Janine Garner - international speaker and best-selling author of It's Who You Know - breaks down the Core Four: the four types of people every business owner and sales leader needs in their network. You'll learn: - Why transactional networking is broken and what to do instead - The Core Four: Promoters, Pit Crew, Teachers and Butt Kickers - The question every leader should ask their team: "What role do you need me to be for you right now?" - Janine's annual January network review for staying intentional with her time and energy Want more? Listen to the full conversation with Janine for applying the Core Four to your top clients, the Network 10 daily habit, and her "Thank You For" process. Find Janine on LinkedIn or at janinegarner.com.au Take the free Smart Business Growth Audit at nickymiklos.com Buzzsprout tags (plain keywords): networking, sales leadership, business growth, janine garner, core four, business networking, sales strategy, client relationships, smart business growth, business owner Learn more about Nicky at nickymiklos.com Grab The Growth Code™ here! Get your a copy of Healthy Hustle: The New Blueprint to Thrive in Business & Life at www.healthyhustle.com.au Connect: LinkedIn | Instagram Contact: 0403 191 404 | hello@nickymiklos.com Music by Jules Miklos-Woodley

July 6, 20268 min

The 10-Minute Daily Habit That Grows Your Business | Nicky Miklós with Janine Garner

What if 10 minutes a day could transform your pipeline? No cold calls, no networking events, no icky tactics. Just two people a day and a genuine reason to connect. In the final Quick Win Ep from this conversation, host Nicky Miklós is joined by Janine Garner, best-selling author of It's Who You Know, break down two habits you can start today: the Network 10 daily practice and the "Thank You For" process. You'll learn: Network 10: the 10-minute, two-people-a-day habit that adds up to 40 meaningful touchpoints a month Why you should start with your top 20% of clients, and the light touch messages that take seconds How one sales team flipped their Monday meetings from "how many sales?" to "who are we nurturing?" and shifted their business model The TAD process: Thank you for, Ask, Do something Why networking is a transfer of humanity, not a transfer of information ⚡ Big ideas. Small time investment. Quick Wins are bite-sized cuts from the Smart Business Growth Podcast, built for business owners and sales leaders who need insights fast. Want more? Listen to the full conversation with Janine for the Core Four framework and how to stop your team being order takers. Find Janine on LinkedIn or at janinegarner.com.au Take the free Smart Business Growth Audit at nickymiklos.com Buzzsprout tags: networking, network 10, Janine Garner, Nicky Miklos, sales habits, client nurture, business growth, relationship selling, smart business growth, sales leadership, business mentor Learn more about Nicky at nickymiklos.com Grab The Growth Code™ here! Get your a copy of Healthy Hustle: The New Blueprint to Thrive in Business & Life at www.healthyhustle.com.au Connect: LinkedIn | Instagram Contact: 0403 191 404 | hello@nickymiklos.com Music by Jules Miklos-Woodley