The adapt podcast

The key to a thriving long term business is not just in the daily grind. It’s about cultivating a team of leaders who can carry the vision forward. The catch is it doesn’t happen overnight. It requires commitment, time, and a willingness to let go. When you invest in developing your team, you're building independence and a legacy. Kane and Gabe talks through some of the traps and opportunities aro...

If you've been following the Anthropic Mythos Fable 5 saga and wondering what it actually means for your business, this episode is worth your time. Pete and Andy, co-founders of Other Stuff Studio, joined Gabe and Kane to talk about something most AI conversations skip: who actually owns the intelligence inside your business? Because if the answer is "a subscription to a US tech company," that's c...

Are you facing redundancy decisions in your SME? We talk to HR expert, business owner and veteran coach Brendan Forwood from People Squared on how to navigate these tricky waters. In today’s climate, many business owners are grappling with the reality of workforce adjustments. It’s a tough conversation, but with the right approach, you can manage it with integrity. The key? Understanding your crit...

Most small businesses get 80% of revenue from their existing base without lifting a finger — until a downturn quietly shrinks it. James Smith ( Smith Brothers Media ) joins Gabe and Kane on why owning your data, leading with value, and being willing to sell — not chasing AI hype — is what keeps an SME alive. Subscribe: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/the-sme-advantage/id17389...

The adapt podcast is evolving into 'The SME Advantage' with my co-host Kane Leersen joining in. Kane is the founder of Regional Prosperity - a financial advice firm in regional Victoria - and a passionate Succession Thinker. Kane and I became tired of the doom and gloom that's out there. SMEs are the back bone of this country and it's time the amazing people who own and operate them get some cheer...

In this episode, we chat with Josh Pullman, founder of The Conditioning Co. Josh shares his journey from semi-professional footballer, to personal trainer, then business owner and how his experience with sport shapes his approach to business, and life in general. We cover:  Flexible leadership and choosing the right leadership style for the situation Prioritising play for as long as possible, at a...

In this episode, Sophie Stott shares her journey of taking over her family business, Quickmail . She shared how she navigated the rapidly changing technological landscape, shifting her business from traditional mailing services successfully into e-commerce fulfilment.  We cover:  The importance of experimenting with new business strategies to evolve.  The ability to learn from the failed ones, but...

Today we chat with Mo Daya from SQ Squared about the power that exists in leading with empathy. From immigrating on his own and seeking a safe and secure journey, to taking big risks in service of a vision, Mo shares his fascinating story that led to the founding of SQ Squared. We talk about: 1️⃣ Cognitive bias and how it presents in the entrepreneurial journey. 2️⃣ Transferrable skills from polic...

Today we chat with Shane Addis , the entrepreneurial leader behind the impressive team building Australia's largest safety and emergency training organisation for hight risk industries. ERGT Australia is a 200+ person organisation which doubled in size in the last 5 or so years. Shane generously share with us the journey from inception through incredible growth, and what it means to have built a b...

We get to have the 'Weird Growth' podcast veterans on the other side of the mic this time. What a great chat with Cam Sinclair and Jack Hallam from AMMO Marketing about a decade of small business ownership. We dive into 10 years of growth marketing and working with start up founders. They also share on their journey through leadership handover as the business evolves. This episode is chock full of...

Gabe sits down with Pete Winn and Andy David from Other Stuff Studio . Two guys with as much passion for helping small and medium businesses be resilient, as we have at adapt . Their thesis, business owners understand the crux of what their business does best. But it's the other stuff that can trip you up. And this is where they like to play. Start by getting your margin up through increasing the...

If you are thinking about a merger or acquisition in order to grow, listen to this first! We're privileged to hear from Jason about his founding journey alongside co-founder Jesse Hill, as they built Horizon Digital and ultimately merged with Blue Sky Digital. We unpack topics like: Why merge? The power balance in teams as you do. The complexity of merging two cultures. How to lead a large team th...

There's complexity in the nuance of doing Ownership work vs. Organisational Leadership work. Hamish (Founder) and Tania (Organisational Leader) generously let us in on their perspectives when it comes to the dance of doing ownership and leadership and having empathy for the other role.. We spend time unpacking: The benefits of nicking off for a surf, mid work day. Doing the hard yards to deliver o...

When others think you're taking on 'Nuclear Warfare' in a crowded market but you see clearly the road to a far better experience for the customer. This conversation is an exercise in invigoration. Listening to the mindset and drive Mikaela, along with her with her co-founder and sister Eliza, bring to the table of innovating in the hospitality space will put a fire in your belly. We spend time unp...

Have you ever listened to ANOTHER startup story hearing 'it was hard but look at our 20x growth now' and wondered why that feels so far removed from what your journey looks like? In the episode with Alex, he is as real as it gets about starting from scratch and walking the hard and lonely road of entrepreneurship. We spend time on topics like: Building a business from the ground up around commitme...

How often do you hear the warts and all truths about building real and lasting culture across hundreds of people? In this belter of a chat with Michelle Chin, we get real about the work it takes to build trust, psychological safety and accountability in a business with over 200 people. From stewarding the cultural legacy that came with over 30 years of service, to driving a philosophy of 'striving...

If you're leading, or developing leadership beyond yourself then there's tons of value and truths to discover in this chat with Ben Charlton, Founder of Unveil Development Partners. We go very deep in a wide range of ideas including: Being a leader, and then learning to build leadership beyond yourself. How Founders often become the restriction in their own business. How to deal with disappointmen...

We talk to three time founder and the original thinker behind the concept of 'Succession Thinking', Bill Withers. He shares his founding story behind adapt and the big events that led to his approach for building resilient businesses.  In this episode we unpack what it really takes to build a vision driven business. We cover topics including: Role clarity in a small and medium business, especially...

If you're a small or medium business owner building a sustainable and scalable business then this podcast is for you.  Join me, Gabe Enslin, co-founder and leader of adapt as I chat with many amazing business operators aiming to do things differently.  We’ll explore the stories of how they are learning from their epic fails, adapting in business, building for resilience, and solving challenges cre...