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Business By Design
Business by Design is the podcast for owners who want to start, scale or exit a business. Each week, Stuart Wemyss and Mena Abraham unpack the four things every business must get right: value, engine, reach and team. Using the VERT flywheel, they show how these fit together to build a business that runs without you, and how the choices you make inside the business flow through to your personal wealth, lifestyle and exit options. Every episode is short and to the point, with no fluff and no sales pitches. Go to https://www.vertflywheel.com
Episodes
204 episodes
Ep 154: Redefining success: What does it really mean in business?
In this thought-provoking episode of The Holistic Accountant, Stuart and Mena challenge the traditional metrics of success in business. While financial milestones like profit, revenue, and market share have long been the gold standard,...
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Ep 153: When Partnerships Fall Apart: Why Some Business Collaborations Just Don’t Work
In this episode of The Holistic Accountant, Stuart and Mena dive into the complexities of business partnerships, why they’re formed, where they go wrong, and how to prevent them from falling apart. While many partnerships start with go...
Ep 152: The Synergy Effect – How Smart Integration drives business growth
In this episode, Stuart and Mena explore the powerful concept of synergy and how strategic integration can fuel sustainable business growth. They start by demystifying what synergy really means: intentional alignment, not accidental collaborati...
Ep 151: Don’t trust your accountant
In this episode, Stuart and Mena unpack the provocative, but crucial message behind the title “Don’t Trust Your Accountant.” It’s not about questioning your accountant’s integrity, but recognising the limits of what they can (and shoul...
Ep 150: Conducting a health check of your business
In this episode, Stuart and Mena explore why every business owner should conduct regular health checks, not just when things go wrong, but as a proactive strategy for long-term success. They break the health check process into six core areas, s...
Ep 149: 1%ers in business that can benefit your personal lifestyle
In this episode, Stuart and Mena explore the lesser-known “1%ers” in business—small, smart strategies that can make a big difference to your personal lifestyle when implemented correctly. While most business owners focus solely on income, emplo...
Ep 148: Young entrepreneurs and building wealth outside their core business
In this episode, Stuart and Mena shift the focus to young entrepreneurs, those building businesses but wondering how to build wealth beyond them. It’s easy to pour everything into your business when it feels like your best asset. But what happe...
Ep 147: Maximising your EV FBT Benefits as a business owner
In this episode, Stuart and Mena break down one of the most generous tax perks currently available to employees and employers alike: the Fringe Benefits Tax (FBT) exemption for electric vehicles. With so few genuine “free kicks” in the tax syst...
Ep 146: Common accounting errors to avoid
In this episode, Stuart and Mena uncover the most common accounting errors that can quietly cost business owners thousands in tax, compliance issues, or poor financial decisions. They begin by highlighting why your accountant plays a critical r...
Ep 145: Making money with small-scale property development: Risks and opportunities
In this episode, Stuart and Mena take a deep dive into the world of small-scale property development, highlighting both the potential rewards and the very real risks involved. Off the back of recent episodes about property spruikers selling une...
Ep 144: Sale Succession Strategy – Selling to an External Buyer
In this follow-up episode on succession planning, Stuart and Mena explore the second path: selling your business to an external buyer. Unlike a transition strategy, this approach involves a clean break, often preferred by owners seeking speed, ...
Ep 143: Transition Succession Strategy – Selling to Key Staff
In this episode, Stuart and Mena kick off their new series on succession planning by exploring the transition pathway, where ownership and leadership of a business are progressively handed over to internal staff or family members. Stuart begins...
Ep 142: 3 Pillars of Business: Profit margin, Distribution, and Demand
In this episode, Stuart and Mena unpack the three essential pillars of building a successful, scalable, and sustainable business: profit margin, distribution, and demand. They begin by breaking down profit margins, exploring what makes them sus...
Ep 141: Business Activity Statements 101
In this practical and info-packed episode, Stuart and Mena demystify Business Activity Statements (BAS) for business owners, sole traders, and anyone new to GST and tax reporting. They begin by explaining what a BAS is, who needs to lodge one, ...
Ep 140: How to tax effectively get money out of a company
In this episode, Stuart and Mena explore one of the most common and misunderstood questions business owners face: how to tax-effectively get money into and out of a company. Whether you’re starting a business, investing in one, or managing reta...
Ep 139: Strategies to minimise CGT
In this episode, Stuart and Mena take a deep dive into one of the biggest and often most misunderstood taxes investors face, Capital Gains Tax (CGT). Whether you're dealing with property, shares, or business assets, they explain why the smartes...
Ep 138: All you need to know about purchasing a franchise
In this episode, Mena and Stuart take a close look at the pros and cons of purchasing a franchise and whether it’s truly the right path for aspiring business owners. They break down why buying into an established brand can fast-track revenue, p...
Ep 137: Navigating the main residence 6-year rule CGT exemption.
In this episode, Mena and Stuart unpack the ins and outs of Australia’s often misunderstood 6-year CGT exemption rule for main residences. They explore how this powerful tax concession can help homeowners maximise profits when selling a propert...
Ep 136: Treasurer, Jim Chalmers calls for tax reform.
In this episode, Mena and Stuart dive into Australia’s complex tax system, using insights from a thought-provoking discussion paper by Matt Grudnoff of The Australia Institute. He examines how, when welfare and superannuation are factored in, A...
Ep 135: Digitising, streamlining and automating your tax affairs
In this episode, Mena and Stuart share practical strategies to streamline tax administration and reduce headaches for individuals and investors. They begin by discussing the value of using Xero, even for non-trading entities, as a powerful tool...
Ep 134: Tax changes for 2025-26 financial year
In this episode, Mena and Stuart unpack the latest tax updates for the 2025–26 financial year, helping listeners navigate changes that could impact their personal finances and business planning. They kick off with the Super Guarantee (SG) incre...
Ep 133: Should you be considering a super contribution strategy as a tax planning measure in your 30s and 40s?
In this episode, Mena and Stuart explore whether making additional super contributions in your 30s and 40s is a smart tax planning move or a potential limitation on your financial flexibility. They break down the compelling benefits of contribu...
Ep 132: Considerations for your business when creating your Will
In this episode, Mena and Stuart delve into the critical considerations for Australian business owners when creating a will. They unpack how your business structure, whether sole trader, partnership, company, or trust, determines what can be pa...
Ep 131: What to consider when establishing a corporate beneficiary?
Using a corporate beneficiary, commonly called a bucket company, is a smart move for many trust structures, particularly when tax efficiency and asset protection are key goals. But as Stuart and Mena explain in this episode, setting on...
Ep 130: Lessons from a quarter of a century in business
This week, the mic flips! Mena takes the lead and interviews Stuart about the biggest lessons he’s learned in nearly 25 years of running a business. From the importance of focusing on internal resilience rather than external noise, to the three...