Go Beyond Busy: The Small Business Growth Podcast

What changes when you turn a product you love into a real business?

In this episode of Go Beyond Busy: The Small Business Growth Podcast, Christine Abela talks with Monika Bliesze, New Zealand distributor for Heat It, a device that helps reduce itching and pain from insect bites using heat.

Monika shares the shift from being a fan of a product to selling it professionally. Customer reactions change, expectations rise, and clear commu...

Monique Bradley joins Christine Abela to talk about how communication shapes every part of a business, from confidence and leadership through to sales and visibility.

Monique shares her journey from performing arts into keynote speaking and coaching, and why learning to back yourself can change the direction of your business. The conversation looks at how many business owners drift into work they can do, rather than what they do bes...

Many business owners are very good at what they do, but still struggle to explain it clearly. That gap often comes down to marketing message clarity.

In this episode of Go Beyond Busy: The Small Business Growth Podcast, Christine Abela speaks with Adam Nassor about why expertise alone doesn’t bring in clients, and how unclear messaging can quietly hold a business back.

They discuss the “curse of knowledge”, why outsourcing earlier ca...

What if the real challenge in your business is not strategy, but self-awareness?

In this episode of Go Beyond Busy, Christine Abela speaks with Anni Eza of Seeds of Bliss about how understanding yourself more deeply can change how you run your business.

They discuss intuition as a practical decision-making tool, why constant effort can be a sign you are heading in the wrong direction, and how hidden patterns like self-doubt and compa...

In this episode of Go Beyond Busy – The Small Business Growth Podcast, Christine Abela speaks with Robert Campbell from Aspire Media in Northern Ireland.

Robert shares how his team supports a wide range of organisations including charities, retailers, childcare providers, fitness professionals, and local food businesses. The conversation looks at how digital marketing can help organisations build stronger connections with their comm...

Being busy does not always mean your business is growing.

In this episode of Go Beyond Busy: The Small Business Growth Podcast, Christine Abela speaks with Kathy Hadizadeh from Heart Mind Tuning about why many entrepreneurs feel overwhelmed even when they are working constantly.

They discuss the difference between activity and real progress, the role of focus in business productivity, and why having a clear vision and purpose can hel...

Lean Process Improvement is not just for large manufacturing companies. In this episode of Go Beyond Busy, Christine Abela speaks with Tim Niewand from Informed Lean Solutions about eliminating business waste and improving operational efficiency in real-world businesses.

Tim explains the Lean methodology, the TIMWOODS framework, and how continuous improvement through Kaizen can transform the way a business operates. From reducing wa...

Branding is more than a logo.

In this episode of Go Beyond Busy, Christine Abela speaks with Katie Smetherman, founder of Brand Studio Creative in Dallas, Texas, about what business owners often misunderstand about branding.

Contact Katie: https://www.brandstudiocreative.com/

Katie shares why asking for help early in business can prevent costly mistakes, especially around financial foundations. She explains what she means by “heart pu...

Commercial cleaning staff training is often informal, inconsistent, and delivered to people working alone at night.

In this episode of Go Beyond Busy, Christine Abela speaks with Clifford Wilson, a commercial cleaner based in Hawke's Bay, New Zealand. With more than 10 years of experience, Clifford shares what training really looks like in practice.

The conversation covers:

• Working night shifts between 5pm and 6am
• The isola...

In this episode of Go Beyond Busy, Christine Abela sits down with Dan Lewis from Financial Wellness Group to talk about how values, habits, and relationships shape better business decisions.

The conversation centres on Dan’s practical “life triangle” approach, where values sit at the core, supported by habits and discipline, and strengthened through intentional relationships. The discussion examines how this framework applies to bus...

John Anderton has spent more than 25 years building and scaling businesses across manufacturing, software, and global team models. In this episode of Go Beyond Busy, he shares what he wishes he had understood earlier about running a business without carrying everything himself.

The conversation looks at the balance between working in the business and stepping back to put structure in place. John explains how offshore teams can suppo...

In this episode of Go Beyond Busy, Christine Abela speaks with James McGovern, founder of Candoo Property Services.

James reflects on more than twenty years in business and shares what he wishes he had understood earlier, particularly around systems, structure, and focus. The conversation examines why unfocused meetings slow progress, how long-term goals translate into practical weekly action, and what changes when a business puts c...

Client attraction often breaks down when business owners feel they need to convince, chase, or over explain. The result is plenty of activity, but too many conversations that feel uncomfortable or misaligned.

In this episode of Go Beyond Busy, Christine Abela speaks with Tommi Murshed-Parrish from Convert More, Chase Less about why confidence changes how clients respond, and how real client stories do far more than traditional sales...

Cash flow issues often appear later than expected, even in businesses that look well organised on paper.

In this episode of Go Beyond Busy, Christine Abela speaks with Nick Hau from Moneta Insurance in Christchurch about what running his own business taught him the hard way. The conversation covers why annual forecasts are not enough, how weekly cash flow tracking changed decision-making, and what business owners often miss when pla...

Running a small business is hard enough without the stress of messy accounts. In this episode of Go Beyond Busy, Christine Abela chats with Corinna Bogenrieder from CB Solutions https://CBSolutions.nz , a New Zealand-based bookkeeper who brings a rare blend of structure, empathy, and experience to the numbers side of business.Corinna shares how she supports tradespeople, retailers, and professionals with everything from GST returns...

James and Angela Mitchell from Love Intentionally work with married entrepreneur couples to help them grow stronger relationships and stronger businesses.

In this episode of Go Beyond Busy, they share what they wish they had known earlier, the power of marriage meetings, and why a solid home life is good business strategy.Listen now or go to https://GoBeyondBusy.com to get your free Business Strategy Session with Christine Abel...

In this episode of Go Beyond Busy, Christine chats with Mari Wuellner, founder of The Crew and owner of a successful insurance agency, she’s learned to step away from. Mari shares what it really means to trust your team, embrace the messy side of business, and build a company that supports your lifestyle.They discuss leadership, letting go of perfection, and what happens when you disconnect from social media to reconnect with your ...

In this episode of Go Beyond Busy, host Christine Abela talks with Alston D'Silva, founder of 42Voice in Auckland, New Zealand. Alston shares how small businesses can use AI-powered voice assistants to handle incoming and outgoing calls, improve response times, and reduce stress for busy teams.From tradies and doctors to property managers and car rentals, 42Voice provides tailored, human-like automation that sounds friendly, wo...

In this episode of Go Beyond Busy, Christine Abela interviews Lukas Liedtke, co-founder of Heat It, the innovative medical device that uses heat to stop the itch and pain from insect bites.

Lukas explains how Heat It started as a university project and grew into a product now sold across Europe, the United States, and New Zealand. He shares the science behind the device, the challenges of producing a Class 2a medical device, and...