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Maxwell Nee of Score App: From Burning the Boats with No Plan to 7M ARR - Unconventional Business Growth Strategies, the Importance of Self-Awareness & the Hardest Part of Scaling Your Small Business. (Episode 650 - Maxwell Nee)

Grow A Small Business Podcast

Release Date: 03/30/2025

How Karl Schwantes, Founder of Reputable, Built a Six-Figure Reputation Marketing Business and Scaled His Family Jewelry Brand, Xenox Diamonds, Over 30 Years to Become a Leading Name in Engagement and Wedding Rings. (Episode 662 - Karl Schwantes) show art How Karl Schwantes, Founder of Reputable, Built a Six-Figure Reputation Marketing Business and Scaled His Family Jewelry Brand, Xenox Diamonds, Over 30 Years to Become a Leading Name in Engagement and Wedding Rings. (Episode 662 - Karl Schwantes)

Grow A Small Business Podcast

In this episode of Grow a Small Business, host Troy Trewin interviews , Founder of and Managing Director of Xenox Diamonds. Karl shares how he built a six-figure reputation marketing business through the power of Google reviews. He also dives into growing Xenox Diamonds over three decades into a leading jewelry brand. Karl reveals key strategies on creating an outstanding client experience and scaling sustainably. Tune in to learn how you can build a million-dollar lead machine without spending a dollar on ads! Other Resources: Why would you wait any longer to start living the...

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Grow A Small Business Podcast

QFF: Quick Fire Friday – Your 20-Minute Growth Powerhouse!   Welcome to Quick Fire Friday, the Grow A Small Business podcast series that is designed to deliver simple, focused and actionable insights and key takeaways in less than 20 minutes a week.   Every Friday, we bring you business owners and experts who share their top strategies for growing yourself, your team and your small business. Get ready for a dose of inspiration, one action you can implement and quotable quotes that will stick with you long after the episode ends!   In this episode of Quick Fire Friday, host...

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Margeaux Thomas of Thomas Law: From Kitchen Table to Leading Business Divorce Firm – Discover How She Navigated Partnership Disputes, Achieved 9 Years of Growth to Nine Team Members, and Built a Recognised Practice. (Episode 660 - Margeaux Thomas)  show art Margeaux Thomas of Thomas Law: From Kitchen Table to Leading Business Divorce Firm – Discover How She Navigated Partnership Disputes, Achieved 9 Years of Growth to Nine Team Members, and Built a Recognised Practice. (Episode 660 - Margeaux Thomas)

Grow A Small Business Podcast

In this episode of Grow a Small Business, host Troy Trewin interviews from , who shared her entrepreneurial journey of growing her law firm specialising in "business divorces". Starting from her kitchen table in 2016 with a single client, her firm has grown to a team of nine members over nine years. Thomas discussed the transition to a niche practice, the demand she experienced, particularly during COVID, and the various aspects of building and scaling her business, including the challenges of hiring and the importance of marketing in a non-recurring service industry. Why would you wait any...

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Jason Kramer on Growing Cultivize 30% YoY, Scaling to 6 Staff, Selling His First Biz, Using CRM to Uncover Hidden ROI & Boost Sales, Plus How the 15-Min Lead Response Rule Helped Skyrocket Conversions and Client Trust. (Episode 659 - Jason Kramer) show art Jason Kramer on Growing Cultivize 30% YoY, Scaling to 6 Staff, Selling His First Biz, Using CRM to Uncover Hidden ROI & Boost Sales, Plus How the 15-Min Lead Response Rule Helped Skyrocket Conversions and Client Trust. (Episode 659 - Jason Kramer)

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In this episode of Grow a Small Business, host Troy Trewin interviews from Cultivize discusses his entrepreneurial journey, starting with a graphic design business before founding his current CRM strategy consultancy. He highlights the impressive growth of Cultivize, averaging 15 to 30% annually and expanding his team. Jason shares valuable insights into CRM strategy for nurturing leads and demonstrating marketing ROI, emphasising the importance of understanding your target audience. He also offers advice on key aspects of business growth, including hiring, the significance of work-life...

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Master Legal Success with Theo Kapodistrias: Australia Top Lawyer & Founder of Theo Kapodistrias Speaking & Coaching shares expert tips to safeguard your brand, dodge pitfalls & help small businesses grow with confidence. (Episode 658 - Theo Kapodistrias) show art Master Legal Success with Theo Kapodistrias: Australia Top Lawyer & Founder of Theo Kapodistrias Speaking & Coaching shares expert tips to safeguard your brand, dodge pitfalls & help small businesses grow with confidence. (Episode 658 - Theo Kapodistrias)

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QFF: Quick Fire Friday – Your 20-Minute Growth Powerhouse!   Welcome to Quick Fire Friday, the Grow A Small Business podcast series that is designed to deliver simple, focused and actionable insights and key takeaways in less than 20 minutes a week.   Every Friday, we bring you business owners and experts who share their top strategies for growing yourself, your team and your small business. Get ready for a dose of inspiration, one action you can implement and quotable quotes that will stick with you long after the episode ends!   In this episode of Quick Fire Friday, host...

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Grow A Small Business Podcast

In this episode of Grow a Small Business, host Troy Trewin interviews from . Kira Leskew shares her impressive journey of owning seven businesses, with five successful exits and three reaching seven figures. A particularly notable achievement was growing one business from five to fifty employees in just two and a half years. Currently, at The Eagle Institute, Kira teaches intuition development for CEOs and meditation techniques to manage stress. She emphasises the importance of discipline, consistency, and developing a strong mindset for business success, drawing lessons from her experiences...

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From Bankruptcy to Triumph: Eric Jorgenson’s Journey Reviving Scribe Media, Growing Revenue from $6M to $9M with 25 Staff, Leading Non-Traditional Publishing for Entrepreneurs While Writing Bestsellers and Driving Impact. (Episode 656 - Eric Jorgenson) show art From Bankruptcy to Triumph: Eric Jorgenson’s Journey Reviving Scribe Media, Growing Revenue from $6M to $9M with 25 Staff, Leading Non-Traditional Publishing for Entrepreneurs While Writing Bestsellers and Driving Impact. (Episode 656 - Eric Jorgenson)

Grow A Small Business Podcast

In this episode of Grow a Small Business, host Troy Trewin interviews from , who shares his remarkable journey from author to CEO after the company faced bankruptcy. Eric successfully rallied investors to acquire Scribe Media and is now leading its impressive turnaround, projecting growth from $6 million to $9 million. Beyond his leadership at Scribe Media, Eric is also a successful author with over 1.5 million books sold. This conversation delves into his strategies for business revival and leadership insights at Scribe Media. Other Resources: Why would you wait any longer...

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QFF: How Julie Holmes, Founder of Smarter HQ, Empowers Small Business Owners to Scale Fast with AI—From Smarter Processes & Personalized Experiences to Her 20-60-20 Framework & Treating AI Like an Intern. (Episode 655 - Julie Holmes) show art QFF: How Julie Holmes, Founder of Smarter HQ, Empowers Small Business Owners to Scale Fast with AI—From Smarter Processes & Personalized Experiences to Her 20-60-20 Framework & Treating AI Like an Intern. (Episode 655 - Julie Holmes)

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QFF: Quick Fire Friday – Your 20-Minute Growth Powerhouse! Welcome to Quick Fire Friday, the Grow A Small Business podcast series that is designed to deliver simple, focused and actionable insights and key takeaways in less than 20 minutes a week. Every Friday, we bring you business owners and experts who share their top strategies for growing yourself, your team and your small business. Get ready for a dose of inspiration, one action you can implement and quotable quotes that will stick with you long after the episode ends! In this episode of Quick Fire Friday, host Michael Denehey...

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In this episode of Grow a Small Business, host Troy Trewin interviews , founder of , specializes in helping business owners and sales teams enhance their sales performance by mastering revenue-generating conversations. She launched the business part-time nine years ago, growing it into a thriving enterprise with a team of five and multiple six-figure revenues. Dr. Bellinger also brings a wealth of entrepreneurial experience, including successfully exiting a tech company. In this discussion, she shares her journey, the challenges she faced as a woman and a person of color, the critical role of...

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In this episode of Grow a Small Business, host Troy Trewin interviews from . Stefan discussed the phenomenal growth of his limoncello brand, including more than doubling sales and expanding into New Zealand. He shared insights into the challenges of starting solo and the importance of team building. The conversation also touched upon key marketing strategies like "liquid on lips" and the complexities of funding rapid growth in the FMCG industry. Stefan offered valuable lessons learned during his entrepreneurial journey. Why would you wait any longer to start living the lifestyle you signed...

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More Episodes

In this episode of Grow a Small Business, host Troy Trewin interviews Maxwell Nee, the mastermind behind ScoreApp, a platform revolutionizing lead generation for small businesses. Maxwell shares innovative strategies to boost customer engagement and drive growth. Discover how ScoreApp helps businesses gain unmatched insights into their audience, turning data into actionable results. Tune in to learn game-changing approaches to thrive in today’s competitive market!

Why would you wait any longer to start living the lifestyle you signed up for? Balance your health, wealth, relationships and business growth. And focus your time and energy and make the most of this year. Let’s get into it by clicking here.

 

Troy delves into our guest's startup journey, their perception of success, industry reconsideration, and the pivotal stress point during business expansion. They discuss the joys of small business growth, vital entrepreneurial habits, and strategies for team building, encompassing wins, blunders, and invaluable advice.

 

And a snapshot of the final five Grow A Small Business Questions:

  1. What do you think is the hardest thing in growing a small business?

    According to Maxwell Nee, the hardest thing in growing a small business is finding the right people. He illustrates this by pointing to well-known success stories, noting that these achievements were often the result of small, effective teams or "pods". He gives examples like Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak of Apple, Sergey Brin and Larry Page of Google, and Eduardo Saverin and Mark Zuckerberg as the initial forces behind Facebook. While acknowledging that some individuals within these teams might have been more influential than others, Maxwell emphasizes that the contribution of two, three, or four individuals working together was crucial to realizing their success.

  2. What's your favourite business book that has helped you the most?

    Maxwell Nee credited two transformative books for shaping his entrepreneurial approach: "OverSUBSCRIBED" by Daniel Priestley, which revolutionized his mindset on creating unstoppable demand by making businesses "must-haves," and "The Outsiders" by William N. Thorndike, which revealed how unconventional CEOs achieved outsized returns through radical capital discipline and independent thinking.

  3. Are there any great podcasts or online learning resources you'd recommend to help grow a small business?

    Maxwell Nee mentioned that he doesn't really have specific great podcasts or online learning tools to recommend for professional development. While he listens to podcasts like "Diary of a CEO" and the one he was being interviewed on, his preferred approach is to become deeply engaged with specific individuals who align with his learning objectives at a particular time. He typically spends around three months focusing on one person, thoroughly reading their books and listening to their podcasts multiple times before moving on to someone else.

  4. What tool or resource would you recommend to grow a small business?

    Maxwell Nee suggests that small business owners can benefit from using time blocking to manage their many responsibilities more effectively by pre-planning their schedules. He also highlights Score App, a lead generation software that uses quiz marketing to gamify the process and significantly increase conversion rates while filtering out unsuitable leads, as a valuable resource. In terms of professional development, Maxwell prefers to deeply immerse himself in the work of specific individuals for extended periods rather than broadly following podcasts or online learning. Two influential books he recommends are Oversubscribe by Daniel Priestley and Outsiders, which offers insights from unconventional CEOs.

  5. What advice would you give yourself on day one of starting out in business?

    Maxwell Nee would tell his younger self on day one of starting out to have a deliberate conversation about the learning curve . He wishes he had the awareness to work for free with someone he admired in a cool industry for about six months to "sponge it all up". He believes this approach would have been faster than his initial self-funded journey, where he paid for his own learning and personal expenses

Book a 20-minute Growth Chat with Troy Trewin to see if you qualify for our upcoming course. Don't miss out on this opportunity to take your small business to new heights!

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Quotable quotes from our special Grow A Small Business podcast guest:

Success isn’t about working harder; it’s about working smarter with the right people – Maxwell Nee

Entrepreneurship is a mindset—adapt, innovate, and keep moving forward – Maxwell Nee

Growth happens when you stop thinking small and start acting bold – Maxwell Nee