Richly Told

Ever felt so frozen by fear or indecision that you physically can't move forward? This episode is a good place to find some perspective. Richard and Lee look at the difference between making a conscious choice to wait - and simply being paralysed by the situation. Richard shares a terrifying story from his childhood involving a pirate ship ride at the Melbourne Show, which explains why he stil...

If you feel like you're continually racing against the clock but never actually getting ahead, this episode is a great listen. Richard and Lee look at why the "hustle" might actually be the thing holding you back. The topic came up after a funny experience with a new car that refused to let them speed (and the surprising peace it eventually brought). They compare this to a karate pra...

If you've ever felt the sudden gut punch of losing a job or a business you poured everything into, this conversation is the reassurance you need right now. It's a heavy topic, but Richard and Lee handle it with the kind of honesty that only comes from experience. They look at a recent situation with a close friend that mirrors their own crisis from 15 years ago (getting let go on New Year&...

Are you at a crossroads in your business? Facing a big, scary decision? It's a feeling most founders know well, and it's at the heart of this fan mail episode. A listener asked: What's the biggest risk you've ever taken in business? For Richard and Lee, the answer isn't simple. They look at the two different ways they approach risk. Richard talks about their strategy of "p...

Do you feel like you're constantly chasing your tail? Maybe you make lists but forget them, or you feel a knot of stress in your stomach thinking about the week ahead? If you're the 'ideas person' who struggles with implementation, this conversation is a great listen! Richard and Lee look at the reality of being organised (or not). Lee talks openly about the frustration of being th...

Do you feel like you're sacrificing your health for your business? Always thinking 'I don't have time' to exercise or eat properly? It's a trap we can all fall into. You prioritise the work, the family, the clients... and put yourself last, thinking it's the right thing to do. Richard and Lee know this feeling well. They spent years in that cycle, and it wasn't until th...

If you find it impossible to really switch off on holiday, this is for you. Lee shares a controversial opinion: as a business owner, you probably can't ever fully disconnect. But that doesn't mean you can't take a proper family break. Richard and Lee look at the practical ways they make it work (from satellite internet on a camping trip to planning drives around quiet times). They also...

Ever have one of those days where a single problem spirals into total chaos, leaving you stressed and fighting with your business partner? It's a feeling most founders know all too well. After returning from a much-needed camping trip, Richard and Lee walked straight into a series of unfortunate events (including power outages, no internet, and a string of urgent appointments). Years ago, this...

Does it ever feel like your business (or your partner's) is pulling your relationship apart at the seams? It's a tough balancing act, especially when long hours and travel are involved. Richard has just come back from two weeks away in the US, which prompted a conversation about how he and Lee have managed to keep their partnership strong over 14 years of business, travel, and raising a fa...

Generally, the Richly Told podcast is a great place to find advice and simple tips around small business. In this episode, Richard is away, so Lee is joined by two special guests: their kids, Tom (9) and Grace (13) - and they do an amazing job!! They talk about what adults tend to overcomplicate in business, including 'beating around the bush' when giving feedback and why you should stop c...

Ever felt that knot in your stomach when a big invoice is overdue? Or the awkwardness of realising you've missed paying one of your own bills? Cash flow is a universal stress for small business owners. It creates a ripple effect where one late payment means someone else can't pay their bills on time. This cycle can cause a lot of stress, frustration, and even embarrassment. If you're t...

Knowing when to walk away from a client is one of the hardest but most important decisions a business owner can make. But how do you know when that time has come? A challenging client situation pushes Richard and Lee to this exact breaking point. After a two-year journey with a business that repeatedly shows it isn't ready to commit, they are forced to confront the issue head-on. The client's inab...

It's easy to get caught up in the day-to-day of running a business. The targets, the to-do lists, the constant pressure to grow. But have you ever stopped to ask yourself if all that work is actually building the life you want? For a lot of founders, the business plan and the life plan are two separate things. But what if they shouldn't be? In this conversation, Richard and Lee look back a...

Ever feel like you're on the fast track to burning out? It's that classic dilemma for business owners (and parents) where you feel guilty for taking even a moment for yourself. Last week, Richard and Lee had to make a tough call and be selfish, which meant missing an episode. The experience got them talking about why our social programming tells us selfishness is a negative thing, when in...

Ever had one of those days where one bad thing happens, and then the whole day just seems to spiral? Your mood tanks, your productivity disappears, and every little task feels twice as hard. If you work with a partner (in business or in life), this can be even tougher. It's so easy to take their bad mood personally, which can lead to arguments that derail the entire day for both of you. In thi...

Do you ever feel like you're juggling way too much? That pressure to keep pushing, to never give up, can be immense. But what happens when a project, even one that brings in money, is causing more stress than it's worth? This is a topic that came up for Richard and Lee this week in a big way. After a chaotic few days (that literally ended with one of them stranded on the side of the road),...

Do you ever feel like a fraud, even when you have the qualifications and experience to back you up? It's a feeling that many business owners know well, but it isn't just a personal failing—it can be a sign of a much bigger issue in your workplace culture. In this candid conversation, Richard and Lee continue their chat about imposter syndrome. They look at how to identify it, not just in y...

Do you ever feel like you don't belong in the room, even when you've earned your seat at the table? That little voice in your head telling you you're a fraud and you're about to be found out? That's imposter syndrome, and it affects a lot of business owners and high-achievers. In the first of a two-part chat, Richard and Lee look at this from two sides: the perspective of someone who experiences i...

Being a business owner can be a lonely job. There's always that temptation to vent to your staff, to treat them like a confidant, but it's a trap that can create real instability in your business. So what does real leadership look like? It's not about having a manager title or barking orders. And it's definitely not what you see from a lot of the 'business influencers' onli...

As a business owner, it’s easy to feel like you're on an island. When you think about 'relationships', you probably think about clients, suppliers, and social media followers. But what if the most important connections are the ones you build with your peers? If you've ever felt isolated in your entrepreneurial journey, this episode is for you. It looks at how your network is the tr...

This episode is all about mental wellness, a topic that goes hand in hand with the pressures of running a business. Richard and Lee talk about how burnout shows up for each of them, from feeling frantic and overwhelmed, to becoming withdrawn and unmotivated. The conversation explores the difficult cycle many entrepreneurs face (the guilt of taking time for themselves versus the resentment they fee...

What does work life balance really mean when you run your own business? In this episode of Richly Told , Richard and Lee share their honest experiences trying to follow the so-called rules of balance and how it nearly derailed their business. From switching off phones at 5pm to resenting clients who called outside hours, they talk about the pressures, the myths, and how they finally found their ow...

When has anything ever gone exactly to plan? In this first episode of Richly Told , Richard and Lee talk about why rigid business plans rarely survive the real world and how life’s curveballs often turn into the best stories. They share how sickness delayed this podcast launch, lessons from ventures that “failed” on paper but opened new doors, and why staying flexible always wins over being perfec...

Richly Told shares honest, messy and practical stories about life, work and the lessons learned along the way. Richard and Lee have built businesses around the world and know things rarely go as expected. Each episode brings real stories and insights from Lee’s book Once Upon a Time in Small Business - plus a few they left out. If you like true stories, useful takeaways and hearing how people hand...