Smart Business Growth with Nicky Miklós

Hosted by Nicky Miklós

Business Entrepreneurship

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Episodes

127

Latest episode

Jun 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

June 30, 202612 min

Th 6 Emotional States of a Sale

Most sales don't fall over because of price — they fall over because one emotional state never got activated.In this solo episode, Nicky breaks down the Six Emotional States of a Sale: a framework she's been using and teaching for over 10 years, drawn from real client conversations and sales coaching sessions. Whether you're in a direct sales conversation, trying to close a deal, or working to get buy-in from your team, understanding these six states will show you exactly where things go sideways — and what to do instead.The six emotional states:Curiosity — how to create it, and why "are you interested?" is the wrong questionEmpowered — making sure the right decision maker is in the room from the startTrust & Possibility — where most of the work happens, and why it pays offUrgency — the emotional state most often skipped before presenting a solutionValue — why this is not the same as priceCertainty — the often-missed final step that turns a yes into a confident commitmentNicky also shares a subtle but powerful language shift: swapping the word "interested" for "curious" in your sales conversations — and why it makes a genuine difference.Your action from this episode: Think of a recent sale or conversation where you didn't get the outcome you wanted. Walk back through these six states and find the gap.📋 Take the free Smart Business Growth Audit at nickymiklos.com 📅 Book a complimentary Discovery Session at nickymiklos.comNicky Miklós — Performance with Purpose · Smart Business Growth PodcastLearn more about Nicky at nickymiklos.comGrab The Growth Code™ here!Get your a copy of Healthy Hustle: The New Blueprint to Thrive in Business & Life at www.healthyhustle.com.auConnect: LinkedIn | InstagramContact: 0403 191 404 | hello@nickymiklos.com Music by Jules Miklos-Woodley

June 16, 202611 min

Why Your Sales Training isn't Working

Why Your Sales Training Isn't Working (And How Coaching Fixes It)Here's a confronting truth — most sales training doesn't stick. Not because the training is bad, but because of what happens (or doesn't happen) after it.In this episode, Nicky unpacks the forgetting curve and why up to 70% of what your team learns can disappear within 24 hours. The fix isn't more training — it's smarter follow-up, better questions, and building real coaching habits into your leadership rhythm.You'll hear why so many leaders think they're coaching when they're actually mentoring, advising, or just having a chat — and the difference it makes when you shift that. Nicky also shares a quick five-question self-audit so you can check right now whether your conversations are actually coaching conversations.In this episode:The forgetting curve — and what it means for your training investmentWhy "how was the training?" is the wrong follow-up questionCommon barriers stopping leaders from coaching consistentlyThe difference between a coaching conversation, a KPI chat, and a chit chatFive yes/no questions to check if you're actually coachingOne simple action you can start using todayLearn more about Nicky at nickymiklos.comGrab The Growth Code™ here!Get your a copy of Healthy Hustle: The New Blueprint to Thrive in Business & Life at www.healthyhustle.com.auConnect: LinkedIn | InstagramContact: 0403 191 404 | hello@nickymiklos.com Music by Jules Miklos-Woodley

June 2, 202652 min

Lessons from the Front Line: Building a High Performance Sales Team

What does it actually take to build a sales team that doesn't need you?Nick and Jeni Clift spent over 20 years building DWM Solutions — a managed IT services business they successfully exited in 2022. For the better part of those years, Nick was the business's entire sales engine. Sound familiar?In this episode, Nick and Jeni join Nicky to share the real story behind their transformation — from an owner-led sales model to a fully autonomous, high-performing team. They talk about the ego, the sabotage, the thermometer on the wall, and the moment they came back from a five-week holiday to find the team had not only hit target — but smashed it.They cover what actually stopped them from letting go, why great salespeople don't always make great sales leaders, and the surprisingly simple things that made the biggest difference.If you're the person holding all the deals together in your business, this one's for you.Connect with Nick and Jeni:LinkedIn — Jeni Clift | Nick CliftWebsite — tenasia.comPodcast — mspmasteryblog.comResources mentioned in this episode:→ How to Have Tough Conversations — https://youtu.be/yk96ezzzS8Q?si=NtXTUb2vRUgUzNha → Smart Business Growth Audit — nickymiklos.comLearn more about Nicky at nickymiklos.comGrab The Growth Code™ here!Get your a copy of Healthy Hustle: The New Blueprint to Thrive in Business & Life at www.healthyhustle.com.auConnect: LinkedIn | InstagramContact: 0403 191 404 | hello@nickymiklos.com Music by Jules Miklos-Woodley

May 19, 202618 min

3 Levers to STOP Reactive Growth in Your Business

Is your business growing — or just reacting? There's a big difference, and in this episode, Nicky Miklós breaks down exactly what smart, sustainable business growth looks like under the hood.If you're relying on a handful of high performers to carry your results, running on scattered processes, or leading a team that's constantly in reactive mode — this one is for you.Nicky unpacks the three key levers every business needs to pull to move from chaos to clarity:1. Commercial Leadership — going beyond managing a sales team to actually building a sales engine. This means cultivating a high-performance sales culture, developing real coaching skills in your leaders, and following through on performance management.2. Streamlined Methodologies — ditching the cowboy culture by putting a documented sales process in place, building a playbook that brings it to life, and investing in your team's capability to execute it.3. Rhythm for Momentum — the piece that ties it all together. A clear roadmap, meaningful benchmarks of success, and consistent coaching and team checkpoints that actually happen.Plus, Nicky shares a free Sales Resilience Check — a five-minute audit that scores your business across four key areas and tells you exactly where to focus next.Learn more about Nicky at nickymiklos.comGrab The Growth Code™ here!Get your a copy of Healthy Hustle: The New Blueprint to Thrive in Business & Life at www.healthyhustle.com.auConnect: LinkedIn | InstagramContact: 0403 191 404 | hello@nickymiklos.com Music by Jules Miklos-Woodley

April 28, 202612 min

Find Your Awe: Sustainable Motivation for High Performers

What if the secret to sustained high performance had nothing to do with grinding harder?In this episode, Nicky is coming to you live from Melbourne — and what started as watching hot air balloons drift across the city skyline turned into a powerful mindset shift that every business owner and sales leader needs to hear.Inspired by a live event with Mel Robbins and grounded in the framework from Nicky's own TEDx talk, this episode tackles one of the biggest invisible performance killers in business: relying on the wrong kind of motivation.You'll discover why "live every day like it's your last" is actually working against you, and what to do instead to create the kind of drive that doesn't burn out — it builds.In this episode you'll learn:The Pain vs Pleasure Motivator framework and why high performers need both to sustain resultsWhy urgency alone is rocket fuel that runs out — and what creates lasting momentumThe science-backed concept of awe and how finding it in everyday moments can transform your performance and leadershipThe one thinking habit that is keeping you — and your team — stuckTwo powerful questions from Mel Robbins that will shift how you think about time and opportunityThis isn't your typical business podcast episode. It's a reminder that the most sustainable competitive advantage you have as a leader isn't your strategy, your systems, or your sales process — it's your mindset.Whether you're leading a sales team, scaling your business, or simply feeling the pressure of not doing enough, this episode will leave you feeling both energised and grounded.Because here's the truth: you have more time, more opportunity, and more capacity than you think. It's time to use it.Learn more about Nicky at nickymiklos.comGrab The Growth Code™ here!Get your a copy of Healthy Hustle: The New Blueprint to Thrive in Business & Life at www.healthyhustle.com.auConnect: LinkedIn | InstagramContact: 0403 191 404 | hello@nickymiklos.com Music by Jules Miklos-Woodley

March 24, 202618 min

How to Have Tough Conversations

What if the conversation you (or your leaders) have been dreading is actually the one your team member needs most?Tough conversations don't have to be confrontational, damaging, or something you lie awake thinking about the night before. But left unaddressed, they carry a real cost — for the individual, for the team, and for you as a leader.In this episode, Nicky unpacks the real reasons we avoid difficult conversations (hint: it's different for every personality style), the hidden risks that come with staying silent, and a simple framework called PACE that will change the way you approach accountability and behaviour conversations for good.Whether you're a business owner stepping into tougher leadership conversations, or you're building a team of leaders who need to have them consistently, this episode gives you the tools, the language, and the confidence to make it happen.Learn more about Nicky at nickymiklos.comGrab The Growth Code™ here!Get your a copy of Healthy Hustle: The New Blueprint to Thrive in Business & Life at www.healthyhustle.com.auConnect: LinkedIn | InstagramContact: 0403 191 404 | hello@nickymiklos.com Music by Jules Miklos-Woodley

March 10, 2026Episode 1911 min

Let's Talk KPI's (Yes, really!)

Are your team members crystal clear on what success looks like in their role or are they just showing up and hoping for the best? In this episode, Nicky Miklós cuts through the fear and confusion around KPIs and Benchmarks of Success, and makes the case for why transparent, measurable performance standards are the backbone of every high-performing team. Whether you've been avoiding the KPI conversation or you've had one in place for years, this episode will challenge you to take a hard look at whether your numbers are actually moving the dial. It's time to stop guessing and start measuring. Learn more about Nicky at nickymiklos.comGrab The Growth Code™ here!Get your a copy of Healthy Hustle: The New Blueprint to Thrive in Business & Life at www.healthyhustle.com.auConnect: LinkedIn | InstagramContact: 0403 191 404 | hello@nickymiklos.com Music by Jules Miklos-Woodley

February 24, 202617 min

Effective Questioning in Sales Conversations

What’s the real backbone of an effective sales conversation?It’s not the pitch, not the presentation and it’s definitely not dropping the price early.In this episode, Nicky breaks down the one skill that can potentially increase your conversions by up to 23 percent.If you’ve ever felt like you’re doing “all the right things” in sales but still not converting at the rate you want, this conversation may just shift your approach. Nicky shares why most business owners and sales teams aren’t asking enough of the right questions, and how that’s quietly costing them revenue.Nicky chats about...• Why strategic and targeted questions outperform presentations and pitches • The 30–70 rule that changes the power dynamic in a conversation • How to uncover the gap between current reality and future ideal • Why talking about price too early kills trust • How to avoid sounding like you’re interrogating your prospect • The simple “permission point” technique that increases your chances of getting a yesNicky introduces her practical, easy to remember CLASP framework, a step by step structure that helps you stay curious, intentional, and in control of your sales conversations without feeling pushy.If you want stronger trust, clearer positioning, and more consistent conversions, this episode will show you how to make the close easy by doing the work in the middle.Press play and start asking better questions.Learn more about Nicky at nickymiklos.comGrab The Growth Code™ here!Get your a copy of Healthy Hustle: The New Blueprint to Thrive in Business & Life at www.healthyhustle.com.auConnect: LinkedIn | InstagramContact: 0403 191 404 | hello@nickymiklos.com Music by Jules Miklos-Woodley

February 17, 2026Episode 1759 min

Steer Through the Storm - Sales Leadership

In this episode, Nicky Miklós and Leah Mether explore the evolving landscape of leadership, particularly in the context of rapid change and uncertainty. They discuss the importance of human skills, emotional intelligence, and effective communication in navigating challenges, especially with the rise of AI. Leah emphasizes the need for leaders to model desired behaviours, create a speak-up culture, and set clear expectations with their teams. The discussion also highlights the significance of building trust and psychological safety within teams, as well as the necessity of consistent communication during times of uncertainty. Ultimately, the conversation serves as a guide for leaders to steer their teams through the storm of change while fostering a positive and productive work environment.Check out Leah's work here - https://www.leahmether.com.au/Leah's YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@leahmetherspeakerConnect on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/leahmetherspeaker/Previous episodes with Leah - Bringing Humanity to Leadership with Leah MetherRed Brick Thinking episode - Let's Red Brick It! Cutting Through the Clutter with Donna McGeorgeLearn more about Nicky at nickymiklos.comGrab The Growth Code™ here!Get your a copy of Healthy Hustle: The New Blueprint to Thrive in Business & Life at www.healthyhustle.com.auConnect: LinkedIn | InstagramContact: 0403 191 404 | hello@nickymiklos.com Music by Jules Miklos-Woodley

February 10, 202612 min

Role of Sales in 2026

Sales has changed, and if your conversations still focus on features, pricing, and pressure tactics, you may already be falling behind. Today’s buyers are more informed, more cautious, and more overwhelmed with choice than ever before. Winning deals now is less about pushing harder and more about building trust, reducing friction, and helping buyers feel confident in their decisions.In this episode, Nicky Miklós explores what is really driving modern sales conversations. She shares how AI, increased buyer transparency, and changing buyer psychology are reshaping sales leadership in 2026 and beyond. The discussion focuses on what top-performing sales teams are doing differently, and why many traditional approaches no longer work.At the center of the episode is the TEC Framework: Trust, Ease, and Confidence. Nicky explains how this simple but powerful model helps sales teams close deals faster, even in uncertain markets. You will learn why trust has become one of the biggest factors in whether a deal moves forward or stalls, how to make the buying process easier for clients who are already overloaded, and why confidence matters more than persuasion.The conversation also looks at why feature-led selling has lost its impact and how meaningful, human conversations now create stronger relationships and better long-term results. Nicky shares real-world lessons from leading sales teams through challenging periods like the GFC and COVID, offering practical insights into what works when markets are unpredictable and buyer confidence is low.Technology plays a role too. This episode breaks down how tools like AI can support better coaching and smarter sales conversations when used intentionally. Referencing research from HubSpot showing that nearly 30 percent of deals fall apart due to a lack of trust, the discussion highlights the real cost of overlooking the emotional side of selling.This episode is also a call to action for sales leaders. The role has shifted from enforcing scripts and chasing numbers to creating clarity, coaching with intention, and helping buyers feel safe making decisions. When trust is present, deals move faster and relationships last longer. When it is missing, even strong solutions struggle to gain traction.If you are a sales leader, entrepreneur, or decision-maker looking to future-proof your team and close smarter, more sustainable deals, this episode offers practical ideas you can start using right away. Tune in to learn how to turn everyday sales conversations into trust-building moments that convert.www.nickymiklos.com Learn more about Nicky at nickymiklos.comGrab The Growth Code™ here!Get your a copy of Healthy Hustle: The New Blueprint to Thrive in Business & Life at www.healthyhustle.com.auConnect: LinkedIn | InstagramContact: 0403 191 404 | hello@nickymiklos.com Music by Jules Miklos-Woodley