Does business growth actually require more effort, or better decisions?

Quite often, it’s not about doing more. It’s about choosing better.

In this episode of the Mastermind for Business Podcast, Mark and Caroline break down the three core levers that drive business growth, and why most small business owners get stuck by trying to pull all of them at once.

If growth has started to feel heavy, scattered, or harder than it should be, this conversation will help you simplify your thinking and refocus on what actually moves revenue. Rather than chasing more marketing or constantly looking for new clients, Mark explains how to identify the one growth lever that will deliver the biggest return right now, without adding pressure or longer hours.

You’ll hear why increasing prices is often the fastest way to improve profit, why existing clients are your most overlooked growth opportunity, and how referrals and relationships can outperform expensive advertising when done properly.

This episode is a reminder that simplicity builds confidence.

Pick one lever. Get clear. Execute consistently.

And grow your business in a way that protects your time, energy, and freedom.

In today's podcast you’ll discover:

1. 00:59 – The three core levers that drive business revenue growth
2. 01:32 – Why focusing on one growth lever at a time prevents dilution and wasted effort
3. 03:03 – How to choose the lowest-effort, highest-return growth lever
4. 03:57 – Why leading with value makes price increases easier and more sustainable
5. 06:30 – Why selling more to existing clients beats chasing new leads
6. 07:28 – How simple systems make referrals feel natural instead of awkward
7. 10:28 – How to grow through relationships and concentric circles
8. 11:11 – The fastest way to increase your business bottom line
9. 14:21 – Why choosing a growth strategy you’re comfortable executing leads to better results

Get in touch with Mark Creedon

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-creedon/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/markcreedoncoach/
• Business Accelerator Mastermind: https://investor.metropole.com.au/business-mastermind/

Most business owners don’t struggle because they lack ambition or discipline. They struggle because they’re planning forward instead of leading from the future.

In this episode, Mark and Caroline unpack what it really means to think like a CEO, even if you run a small business, a partnership, or a family operation, and why leadership thinking matters far more than hustle.

You’ll learn how to reverse-engineer your year so your goals, time, energy, and decisions actually align. Instead of reacting, overcommitting, or mistaking busy for progress, this conversation shows you how to plan with intention, protect your non-negotiables, and build a business that supports your life rather than consuming it.

If you want 2026 to feel calmer, clearer, and more in control, it doesn’t start with a better plan. It starts with better leadership.

Listen now and start leading from where you want to end up.

In today's podcast you’ll discover:

1. 2:20 – Why most annual plans fail before they start
2. 3:25 – The danger of busy success
3. 4:13 – Why reverse-engineering your year changes everything
4. 5:50 – Thinking like a CEO instead of operating by default
5. 6:36 – Aligning roles with strengths to unlock leverage
6. 8:09 – The hidden cost of doing everything yourself
7. 9:52 – Defining your non-negotiables before you plan anything else
8. 10:53 – Why time management is the wrong problem
9. 13:39 – Why one bad month doesn’t define your year
10. 14:50 – How overcommitting quietly sabotages your plans
11. 16:22 – Planning for leadership, not hustle

Get in touch with Mark Creedon

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-creedon/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/markcreedoncoach/
• Business Accelerator Mastermind: https://investor.metropole.com.au/business-mastermind/

Your team doesn’t stay because of pizza. They stay because of how they’re treated.

Want better clients? Start with a better team experience.

In this snapshot, Mark Creedon breaks down why happy teams create better customers, stronger results, and healthier profits and why culture always starts at the top. You’ll hear why “stakeholders first” thinking quietly erodes trust, how leading by example builds real buy-in (not compliance), and why respect is the foundation every strong culture is built on.

Mark also shares the simple, everyday standards that shape culture when no one’s watching, from the “give and give” principle to taking a genuine interest in your people. You’ll learn why real values aren’t what you say in interviews, but how your team experiences leadership day to day, and how those small decisions determine whether good people stay… or walk.

1. Why putting your team first creates better customers and stronger results and how “stakeholders first” quietly undermines culture and performance
2. How real culture is built through leadership behaviour, not slogans on a wall
3. The “give and give” principle and why it naturally filters out people who don’t belong
4. What real values look like in day to day decisions, not just interview talk
5. The small daily standards that earn respect, build loyalty, and keep your best people

Culture isn’t what you say in interviews. It’s what your team experiences when no one’s watching. It’s the behaviours you tolerate, the standards you set, and the example you live.

Lead it properly, and the business gets lighter, stronger, and a whole lot easier to grow.

Listen to the full episode here

Apple - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cutting-through-the-culture-bs/id1683205897?i=1000645872114

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/episode/3O3Go7mrboGgOXpQzwkJiV

Get in touch with Mark Creedon

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-creedon/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/markcreedoncoach/
• Business Accelerator Mastermind: https://investor.metropole.com.au/business-mastermind/