Blog & Article Categories
Take a Day Off. Make More Money.
Think you can’t afford a day off? Stepping away from your business could be exactly what it needs. Learn how time off can improve your decisions, reveal what needs fixing, and help your team step up.
The Most Important Person in Your Business Is Not You
The most important person in your business might not be you. Discover why the people quietly keeping everything running are your real competitive advantage.
Is a Business Analysis Worth It for a $1.5M Business?
Is a business analysis worth the cost for a $1.5M business? Here’s the maths on improving your profit margin, what the research says, when an analysis can pay for itself, and the situations where you should not bother.
Business Coach, Accountant or Consultant: Who Fixes What
Not sure whether your business needs a bookkeeper, accountant, business coach or consultant? Here’s what each professional actually does, what they typically cost a $1.5M business, and how to work out who you need first.
How Much Does a Business Consultant Cost in Australia?
Wondering how much a business consultant costs in Australia? Here are the real 2026 rates for hourly, monthly and project-based consulting, what drives the price difference, and what you should expect to get for your money.
Every business has a number it is not looking at
More sales do not always mean more profit. Sarah Colgate explains how understanding your profit per customer, pricing and work mix can uncover money already sitting inside your business.
What Is a Business Analysis and How Long Does It Take?
A Business Analysis is a structured review of your operations, finances, sales, marketing, and customer feedback to uncover what's driving performance and where profit is leaking. Discover what the process involves, why it typically takes two to six weeks, and how it helps businesses prioritise the changes that deliver the biggest financial impact.
When Should a Business Owner Hire Their First Operations Manager?
Knowing when to hire your first operations manager can determine whether your business scales or stalls. Learn the warning signs you've become the bottleneck, why your first operations hire may need to be a doer rather than a manager, and how the right operational support frees you to focus on strategy, growth and profitability.
How to Calculate Your Customer Lifetime Value
Customer Lifetime Value (CLV) helps you understand what a customer is truly worth to your business, not just in revenue, but in profit. Learn the formula, see a worked example, and discover why referrals and retention are the real drivers of long-term growth, especially for businesses where customers only buy once.
What Is a Healthy Net Profit Margin for a $1.5M Business?
A healthy net profit margin for most established businesses sits between 10% and 20%, but the right target depends on your industry. In this guide, Sarah Colgate explains what a good net margin looks like, using real benchmark data and practical examples for a $1.5 million business. You'll learn why revenue alone doesn't measure success, how different industries compare, and the key drivers that improve profitability. If you're busy but wondering where the money is going, understanding your net profit margin is one of the fastest ways to assess the true health of your business.
What a Veteran Broadcaster Taught Me About Owning Your Mistakes
Mistakes happen in every business. What matters is what you do next. Inspired by veteran broadcaster Virginia Trioli and lessons from running Aquaduck on the Gold Coast, this article explores why owning mistakes, apologising quickly, and fixing the process behind them builds stronger teams, happier customers, and a more resilient tourism business.
How to Run a Weekly Team Meeting That Actually Drives Results
Most weekly team meetings waste time because they lack structure, accountability and clear outcomes. Discover a proven meeting format that keeps your team aligned, improves engagement and ensures everyone leaves knowing exactly what they need to do next.
Market Competition and Demand Pressures: What Small Business Owners Need to Know in 2026
Competition is no longer background noise for SMEs - it’s a daily pressure shaping sales, pricing, and profitability. As demand becomes more cautious in 2026, small businesses must adapt by focusing on clarity, customer loyalty, value-based pricing, and operational efficiency. This guide explores how to stay resilient and profitable in a tougher, more competitive landscape.
Why Time Management is the Foundation of Every Successful Business
Time management is really self-management. Without proper systems, business owners become overwhelmed, reactive, and stuck working in the business instead of on it, leading to stress, inefficiency, and missed growth opportunities.
Your Team is Watching What You Do To Yourself
Your team is always watching what you do. This article reveals how a leader’s self-care and behaviour set the standard for workplace culture, and why looking after yourself is essential for building a healthy, high-performing team.
Give First. Lead Better. Build a More Profitable Business.
Many business owners feel like they’re constantly pushing, pushing their team, pushing customers, pushing the business forward. But often the real problem isn’t strategy or effort. It’s reciprocity. When leaders give clarity, trust, and value first, teams engage more, customers stay longer, and businesses grow with far less friction.
How to Use a Virtual Assistant to Secure More Sales in 2026
Many business owners use a Virtual Assistant for admin tasks, but the real value lies in sales leverage. In this article, Sarah Colgate explains how a VA can qualify prospects, filter enquiries, and help you focus only on high-value sales conversations.
Is Cash Flow Keeping You Awake at Night? Here’s the Fix
Sales are up but your bank account says otherwise? You’re not alone. Cash flow, not profit, is the number one reason businesses fail. This practical guide shows business owners how to forecast weekly, build a buffer, get paid faster, and grow without blowing up the bank account.
Marketing in a Tough Market: How Business Owners Can Offset Competition and Weak Demand in 2026
Competition is stronger and demand is softer in 2026. If your marketing hasn’t adapted, sales cycles lengthen, price resistance increases, and margins erode. This article breaks down how business owners can market smarter, with clear positioning, ideal client focus, retention strategies, and disciplined measurement, to protect profit and stay competitive in a changing market.
Stop Competing on Price: How to Win in Business Without the Race to the Bottom
Feeling pressured to discount because competitors keep undercutting you? This guide breaks down the practical moves that help business owners stop racing to the bottom, using real data, clearer positioning, stronger offers, tighter sales processes, and smarter customer retention. If you’re ready to protect your margins and build a business competitors can’t copy, start here.