MYB119: Business Planning 2026: How to Design a Life-First Business
Release Date: 02/05/2026
MYB119: Business Planning 2026: How to Design a Life-First Business
Max Your Business
In this first episode for 2026, hosts Ben Fewtrell and David Carlin kick off the new year by challenging the way business owners typically approach their planning. Instead of filling your calendar with work and squeezing life into the gaps, they argue for flipping the script entirely. Ben and David discuss why traditional resolutions often fail and introduce a more robust framework for success. They cover the importance of setting a "Big Hairy Audacious Goal" (BHAG), identifying the "energy leaks" that held you back last year,...
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MYB118: 2026 Business Planning: How to Review Your Year and Reset for Growth
Max Your Business
In this final episode of the Max Your Business Podcast, hosts Ben Fewtrell and David Carlin put on their coaching hats to guide you through the transition from the "silly season" into a powerful new year. It’s been a cracking year, and as we race towards Christmas, it’s easy to get caught up in the momentum and forget to stop, breathe, and reflect. Ben and David unpack why dwelling on the negatives of the past 12 months creates a "white worm" of negativity in your brain, and how shifting your focus to your wins can change your entire trajectory for 2026. They break down...
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MYB117: How to Structure Your Business for Growth: Building a High-Performance Team
Max Your Business
In this episode of the Max Your Business Podcast, hosts Ben Fewtrell and David Carlin dive deep into one of the biggest challenges business owners face: building a team that actually helps you grow, rather than just adding to your workload. As we head towards the end of the year, it’s the perfect time to review not just where your business has been, but where your team is heading. Ben and David unpack why the old excuse of "it's hard to find good people" is often a reflection of the business owner's mindset, not the market. They discuss the critical shift from a "worker mindset"...
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MYB116: 116: Turn More Enquiries into Customers - The Maths of High-Converting Sales
Max Your Business
In this episode of the Max Your Business Podcast, hosts Ben Fewtrell and David Carlin tackle a massive issue for many business owners. That is the obsession with getting more leads while ignoring the ones they already have. If you are thinking about spending more money on marketing to grow your business, you might want to listen to this first. Ben and David explain why increasing your conversion rate is far more profitable (and cheaper) than chasing new traffic. They unpack the psychology behind why people buy, why "convincing" customers is the wrong approach, and how a solid,...
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MYB115: Stop Working Harder - How to Structure Your Business to Run Without You
Max Your Business
In this episode of the Max Your Business Podcast, hosts Ben Fewtrell and David Carlin unpack why working harder is rarely the answer to scaling a successful business. If the thought of doubling your customers makes you panic because you'd just be working twice as hard, then your business structure needs a rethink. Ben and David use a great fishing analogy to explain why technique beats brute strength every time. They introduce a game changing concept called the "Four Machines" framework. This is all about moving away from people based job descriptions and moving towards function...
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MYB114: How to Stop Working In Your Business (And Finally Get Free)
Max Your Business
In this episode of the Max Your Business Podcast, hosts Ben Fewtrell and David Carlin tackle the single biggest reason business owners stay stuck: a lack of solid foundations. Ben kicks things off with a story from his recent diving holiday. While he was completely switched off, another business owner on the same trip was stuck taking calls. The difference? It isn't luck; it's a decision to build systems that allow for true freedom. Ben and David unpack the common excuses ("no one can do it like me" or "it's too hard to train someone") that keep you trapped. If you're tired...
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MYB113: Stuck in the "Doing"? How to Systemise and Reclaim Your Time
Max Your Business
In this episode of the Max Your Business Podcast, hosts Ben Fewtrell and David Carlin challenge the "busy" trap. If you're constantly feeling like there aren't enough hours in the day, working after dinner, or stuck on tasks you know you shouldn't be doing, this episode is for you. Mastering delegation is essential to building a business that doesn't rely on you. Ben and David unpack why it's so hard to let go (hint: it's a habit), the critical difference between delegating and abdicating, and how to use systems to confidently hand over responsibilities. They explain how to delegate...
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MYB112: More Than a Robot – How to Use AI to Systemise Your Business
Max Your Business
In this episode of the Max Your Business Podcast, hosts Ben Fewtrell and David Carlin dive into one of the biggest topics in business right now: Artificial Intelligence. Fresh back from a tech conference in the US, they unpack how AI is already saving business owners a stack of time and why ignoring it is a massive risk to your competitive advantage. Ben and David share real-world case studies on how AI "employees" are already answering phones, freeing up teams, and creating better customer experiences. If you think AI is just a gimmick, a robot, or something that won't affect your...
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MYB111: The 5 Levers That Drive 61% More Profit
Max Your Business
In this episode of the Max Your Business Podcast, hosts Ben Fewtrell and David Carlin reveal a simple mathematical formula that has the power to completely transform your business. They unpack the concept of leverage and show you exactly where to focus your time and energy for the biggest possible return. If you feel like you're working hard but the numbers aren't reflecting your effort, it's likely you're focusing on the wrong things. Ben and David break down the five critical KPIs that actually drive growth. Forget vague goals like "more customers" or "more revenue." This episode gives...
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MYB110: The S.Y.S.T.E.M. That Will Save You Time, Energy, and Money
Max Your Business
In this episode of the Max Your Business Podcast, hosts Ben Fewtrell and David Carlin dive into one of the most critical, yet often overwhelming, parts of building a scalable business: systems. They unpack the true meaning of S.Y.S.T.E.M. which stands for Save Yourself Time, Energy, and Money, and explain why it’s the key to getting off the hamster wheel for good. Tired of answering the same questions over and over? Feel like everything depends on you? Ben and David share practical, modern strategies for creating simple, effective systems for everything from answering the phone to delivering...
info_outlineIn this first episode for 2026, hosts Ben Fewtrell and David Carlin kick off the new year by challenging the way business owners typically approach their planning. Instead of filling your calendar with work and squeezing life into the gaps, they argue for flipping the script entirely.
Ben and David discuss why traditional resolutions often fail and introduce a more robust framework for success. They cover the importance of setting a "Big Hairy Audacious Goal" (BHAG), identifying the "energy leaks" that held you back last year, and picking a central theme to guide your decisions.
If you want to ensure you don't reach December wondering where the year went, this episode provides the blueprint for designing a business that serves your life, rather than the other way around.
Episode Highlights:
00:00 – Welcome to the Max Your Business Podcast
02:30 – Making 2026 a year to remember for the right reasons
04:12 – Defining your BHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Goal)
06:00 – The three critical areas to set goals in: Business, Life, and Self
08:28 – The "Self-First" approach: Why you should plan your personal growth before your business growth
10:15 – The Rule of Three: Why focusing on too many things ensures nothing gets done
12:10 – How to restructure your diary by locking in non-negotiables and "life stuff" first
15:00 – Breaking your annual vision down into manageable quarterly outcomes
16:30 – Identifying "energy leaks" from 2025 and how to plug them
19:00 – Choosing a "Theme" for the year to act as your decision-making anchor
26:20 – A lesson on vision and success from the new Sydney Fish Markets
27:40 – Your Next Steps
Key Takeaways:
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Flip Your Planning Priority: Most business owners fill their diary with work and hope life fits around it. To build a sustainable business, you must schedule your life, rest, and non-negotiables first, then fit the business in what remains.
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Set a Theme for the Year: Pick a single word or phrase (like "Leverage" or "Simplicity") to act as your guiding light. If a new opportunity or task doesn't align with your theme, it makes it much easier to say no.
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Identify Energy Leaks: Look back at 2025 and identify the tasks or situations that drained you. Whether it's being the default problem solver or dealing with repetitive admin, make it a goal to systemise or delegate these zappers in 2026.
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The Power of Three: If everything matters, nothing does. Limit yourself to three key goals in each area (Business, Life, Self) to maintain focus and actually achieve mastery.
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Reverse Engineer Your Quarters: Don't plan forward from where you are now, as you will only see obstacles. Start with the end result in mind and work backward to define your quarterly outcomes.
🚀 Ready to build the business you imagined? Head to maxmyprofit.com.au to download our enrolment pack or chat with the team about how coaching can help you stay accountable in 2026.
Tune in to get your year started on the right track. Don't miss this episode, and don't forget to subscribe for more practical insights every week.