Business Unlocked with Marcus Kroek

AI isn't something you need to master - it's something you're already using, and there's a lot more of it available to you right now inside the tools you're already paying for.

In this episode, I walk through the practical ways I use AI every day in my business coaching practice - from searching emails and transcribing client meetings to analysing financials and researching competitors. The point isn't to become an AI expert. It's t...

It's Episode 50 — and we're marking the milestone with a full year-in-review using the Business Unlocked Wheel of Success.

In this episode, we cut through the noise and ask one powerful question across every area of your business: what's the 20% that gives you 80% of your results?

We also kick things off with a practical, no-hype breakdown of AI tools you can start using in your business today — no expertise required.

In t...

Your business often grows to the level of who you decide to become, not just what you decide to do.

In this episode, Marcus shares three real client stories: Steve, who went from late nights to regular holidays, Adele, who stepped from CFO to CEO as the business grew from $7.5M to $46M, and Tony, who moved from $600K on the tools to running an $8M business from an office.

Three different people. Three different businesses. One cataly...

Working harder is not always the answer. For many business owners, the real problem is not effort. It's structure.

In this episode, Marcus breaks down the Business Unlocked Wheel of Success and explains how foundations, growth and scale need to work together if you want a business that delivers real profit, more time, and less chaos.

You'll hear the three common traps that keep owners stuck: the expensive hobby, the bottleneck, and t...

Growth gets the attention, but operations and leadership are what hold a business together.

In this episode, Marcus Kroek unpacks two of the most overlooked parts of building a business that actually works: how you consistently deliver on what you sell, and how you create a team culture that supports the way your business needs to run.

Marcus breaks down why simple systems matter, how consistency shapes the customer experience, and w...

To build a business that'll stand the test of time, you've gotta have a solid model. I'm likening it to building a house, and today we're laying down some crucial foundations.

In Ep45, I talked about getting your financial model right. Now, we're moving to the other end of the organisational chart: marketing and sales. They're often spoken about as one, but they're actually two distinct ideas.

I'm shar...

Building a house is one of the most exciting things you can do, but most people spend all their time picking out kitchen benches while ignoring the slab. I've noticed business owners do the exact same thing. We fall in love with the "sexy" parts (like marketing and branding) but we don't spend enough time on the foundations that actually keep the building standing.

In this episode, I'm breaking down the essenti...

As your business grows, so do the meetings. More people. More discussion. More time. And often… less productivity.

In this episode, Marcus shares seven practical lessons from over 20 years of coaching and leadership that will immediately improve your meetings. Whether you’re running a management meeting, financial review, marketing session or one-to-one, these principles ensure everyone leaves clear, committed, and accountable.

<...

I've been in the coaching world since 2005 (back when I had to explain to people what a business coach even was) and I've seen the industry change a lot. Nowadays, everyone calls themselves a coach, but most of them are actually doing something else entirely. If you're looking for an outcome in your business, you've got to know exactly what kind of help you're paying for.

In this episode, I'm breaking down the four distinct areas of...

Running a seven-figure business? Thinking a bookkeeper is enough might be holding you back.

In this episode, Marcus Kroek is joined by Nadia Vendetti to explore the hidden gaps in bookkeeping that can quietly limit growth. From payroll and BAS to reconciliations and accounts management, we dive into what full-service bookkeeping really looks like — and why it matters.

Are your numbers giving you clarity or just more questions? What r...

I've noticed a recurring problem for seven and eight figure business owners. They have a bookkeeper, but they don't have clarity.

Most people think bookkeeping is just about data entry and staying compliant with the government, but that's only the tip of the iceberg. If you're only getting reports at the end of the month, you're looking at history instead of shaping your future.

In this episode, I break down the ...

Sales often feels “fine” in growing businesses — but fine isn’t scalable.

In this episode, Marcus Kroek breaks down a seven-step sales meeting system designed to help business owners inspect, train, and scale sales without relying on instinct or individual talent. Learn where sales conversations quietly leak opportunity, why most teams miss a critical step, and how structure in sales creates leverage, clarity, and freedom.

If you...

In today's episode, I sit down with Nathan Rigney (Principal of NGR Accounting) to discuss a question that every business owner needs to ask: Does your accountant actually care about you? Nathan's built his entire practice on the idea that they should. He's even got a banner that asks (pretty bluntly) if your accountant gives a s#!t about your success.

(I have to censor that so the algorithm will keep showing the episod...

If you've ever felt like your business is stuck despite all your hard work, it's likely because you're focusing on the wrong part of the equation. In this episode, I'm breaking down two fundamental frameworks that determine whether you'll actually hit your goals this year (the Be-Do-Have formula and the Formula for Change).

I cover why most business owners start with what they want to "have" but fail be...

We all complain that we don't have enough time, but the truth is we all have exactly the same amount. The real difference lies in how we use it to build a life we actually enjoy. In this episode, I explain how small, consistent changes (the Kaizen principle) can compound into massive results for your business and personal life over just 90 days.

I also break down the concept of the "Default Diary" or "Ideal Week.&...

It's the start of 2026, and it's the perfect time to get serious about what lies ahead. I'm joined again by my business partners (Nadia and Felicity) to look at the critical difference between hoping for an outcome and actually planning for it. Most people rely on willpower, but that usually fades by February.

In this episode, I explain why you need emotional leverage (pain and pleasure) to make changes stick. We discuss...

It's time to review the year, so we can understand where we are, what worked - and what we could do better. In this episode, my business partners (Felicity and Nadia) and I discuss the highs and lows of the last 12 months. We look at personal wins and the reality of launching Business Unlocked from scratch.

We cover the importance of saying no to the wrong people to protect your business culture, and we break down our financial ...

Today, I sit down with Kim MacDonald, a money and mindset mentor who I met during our Profit First Mastery days. We look at why logic and strategy only account for 80% of your success and why the other 20% (your mindset) is actually the most critical part.

Kim explains why work-life balance is a myth and describes it more as a "dance" where you constantly shift focus. We also look at the "money stories" we inherit from our parents (...

Our logo and our brand are often confused as being the same thing. To clear this up, I am joined by professional graphic designer Amanda Hargraves from Creative Cause. She explains why a logo is merely a trigger while the brand is the actual experience your customer feels.

We discuss the psychology behind colour selection (why accounting firms use blue and fast food chains use red) and why picking colours just because they look nice...