Subscribe/Follow and click here for further information and the downloadable resources:

https://www.criticalfewactions.com.au/podcast/Michael-Johns-Aquila-corporate

Please let me know if I’m on the right track with the podcast. It means the world to me to know I’m adding value.

? Do you feel like you’re growing, but your bank account doesn’t show it?

? Are you putting off major investments because your bank keeps saying “no”?

? Do you know how to structure debt without risking your house, your business, or both?

In this episode, I sit down with Michael Johns, commercial finance expert and long-time advisor to mid-sized businesses, to uncover why CEOs of growing businesses must rethink how they approach debt.

With over 20 years’ experience helping business owners access smart, flexible funding, Michael brings a no-nonsense view on what’s wrong with the traditional bank-first approach and what to do instead. If you’ve ever felt stuck between your bank’s limitations and your business’s growth ambitions, this conversation is your roadmap.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why profitable growth can still break your business; if cashflow isn’t aligned
• The difference between growth and scale, and why it matters to lenders
• What banks won’t tell you; and how second-tier lenders are changing the game
• How to prepare your business and story before you approach any lender

⏱ Highlights

00:00 Challenges in Business Financing

01:58 Client Example: Navigating Debt Finance

06:40 Understanding Bank Limitations

09:36 Exploring Secondary Lenders

12:53 Preparing for Debt Financing

27:46 The Application Process

37:03 Understanding Transactional Work and Capital Facilities

37:42 The Importance of Directors' Guarantees

41:01 Navigating Due Diligence and Indicative Term Sheets

43:33 The Role of Credit Checks in Business Lending

53:29 Bank vs. Non-Bank Lenders: Pros and Cons

56:33 The Growing Private Credit Space

57:53 The Complexity of Finding the Right Lender

01:03:57 The #CriticalFewActions™ to get started on right now

✅ The #CriticalFewActions™ You Can Do Today:

• Prepare a finance-ready pack with two years’ financials and a clear funding purpose

• Shortlist lenders based on your actual needs; not just your existing bank relationship

If you found this conversation valuable, please Subscribe / Follow this channel, leave a comment, and share this episode with your peer business leaders to let them know you are thinking of them. Your support helps us reach more CEOs who want to improve their organisation's performance and value, and it keeps the conversation going.

📩 Stay in the loop with show updates and exclusive content:

https://www.criticalfewactions.com.au/podcast/

🎓 Sponsor: The CEO Masterclass in Strategic Planning and Implementation

Are you a business owner or CEO striving to elevate your business to new heights? But right now… you’re not hitting the targets or objectives your business needs to achieve. Or maybe you’ve hit a roadblock you can’t move past, a major challenge with no clear solution; and there’s no one in your world you can talk to about it.

This isn’t another generic leadership course. It’s a highly focused, small-group programme where you’ll work alongside your peers, on your business, break through barriers, and implement real-world strategies; not just to solve the problems holding your business back, but to...

Please, let me know if I’m on the right track with the podcast by hitting Subscribe/Follow and then, download the Blog Summary & Josh’s contact details: https://criticalfewactionspodcast.com.au/JoshuaMorseEpisodePage

It means the world to me and helps me know I’m adding value.

If your net profit margin hovers around 4–5%, you’re not alone. But what if that return isn’t worth the stress, the sleepless nights-or the risk to your house and future?

In this episode of the #criticalfewactions, John Downes sits down with long-time business advisor and accounting partner Joshua Morse of Sarwood Dawson, to unpack the truth about SME profitability, strategic costs, and the risks too many CEOs ignore.

Together, they explore why smart businesses aim for 15%+ net profit, how to stop bleeding money below the gross profit line, and what to do now to protect your margin and your cashflow.

What You’ll Learn

Why 5% net profit might be too low - and how to benchmark what’s realistic

= How to distinguish strategic investments from admin overheads

= The #1 habit of profitable businesses (hint: it’s not revenue-related)

= What a 3-way forecast is and why it’s a game changer for cashflow control

= When to stop doing $30/hr tasks as a $500/hr CEO

⏱️ Highlights

00:00 Meet Joshua Morse: Business Excellence Judge

01:03 Understanding Business Profitability

02:05 Operational Costs and Strategic Spending

08:03 The Importance of Cash Flow Management

08:43 Investing in Technology: Timing and Strategy

14:14 Governance and Outsourcing for Growth

20:52 Case Study: Optimizing IT Systems

30:44 Finance, Borrowing, and Strategic Asset Management

33:47 Taxation and Compliance Costs

37:17 Tools and Strategies for Better Profitability

42:10 The #CriticalFewActions™ for Founders and CEOs

Take Action: What You Can Do Today

✅ Benchmark your net profit against industry averages

✅ Reclassify your operating costs: essential vs. investment vs. waste

✅ Build a 3-way forecast and review it monthly

Let’s Stay Connected

If this episode challenged your thinking, subscribe to the channel and share it with a fellow business leader. Leave a comment: What’s your net profit target-and is it enough for the risk you’re carrying?

Sponsor

The CEO Masterclass in Strategic Planning & Implementation – helping founders and CEOs of mid-sized businesses turn ambition into action. https://criticalfewactionspodcast.com.au/JoshuaMorseBAC

Final Thought

• You didn’t build your business to break even.
• You built it to create value, freedom and security.
• This episode might be the push you need to raise your standards; and take action.

#ceomasterclass #profitability #smeleadership #businessstrategy #NetProfit #Cashflow #ThreeWayForecast #StrategicPlanning #BusinessMentor #AustralianBusiness #JohnDownes

Please help me know if I’m on the right track with this podcast by hitting Follow and then Download the Blog Summary & Anabela’s Contact Details: https://www.criticalfewactions.com.au/podcast/Anabela-Correia-Inner-Maven/

It means the world to me and helps me know I’m adding value.

Raising capital is one of the most daunting and misunderstood parts of the founder journey-especially in the health tech space. In this episode of the #CriticalFewActions™ to Improve Your Business podcast, I speak with Anabela Correia, a health tech capital raising expert with deep experience guiding both investors and innovators.

This conversation is essential listening for any founder considering a capital raise. We explore the steps, the mindset, and the missteps that can make or break your growth journey.

What You’ll Learn:

= How to Validate Your Market: Why it’s the starting point for any serious investor conversation.

= Avoidable Mistakes Founders Make: Especially around timing, valuation, and investor readiness.

= Team Dynamics Matter: Why who you bring to the table is as critical as what you're selling.

= Valuation Strategy: How to strike the right balance between ambition and realism.

= Governance and Execution: What happens after the money lands in your account, and how to avoid post-funding drift.

Highlights:

00:00 – Anabela’s Health Tech journey

03:23 – What investors look for in health tech

07:16 – How to approach a capital raise

09:10 – Validating your market early

12:47 – Commercialisation hurdles

14:40 – Knowing your customer

18:57 – Valuation and funding rounds

23:32 – Founder roles and team structure

29:03 – Moving from innovation to market

30:15 – Challenges of the founder path

33:35 – Top capital raising pitfalls

35:36 – Valuation and investor expectations

43:26 – Life after funding: execution

45:45 – Governance done right

51:19 – Supporting founders to thrive

57:16 – Resources founders should know

59:21 – #CriticalFewActions™ you should take now

Where to Take Action?

% Revisit your market validation strategy. Are you genuinely solving a pain point?

% Review your team composition. Can you show investors you’ve got the right mix?

% Start early. Build investor relationships long before your raise.

Liked the episode? Subscribe/Follow. Please let me know by leaving a comment, share with a founder you know, or hit subscribe to keep these practical insights coming.

Episode Sponsor:

The CEO Masterclass in Strategic Planning & Implementation – helping founders and CEOs of mid-sized businesses turn ambition into action. https://www.criticalfewactions.com.au/ceo-masterclass/

Final Thought:

Anabela’s insights serve as a reminder: capital doesn’t solve your business problems; it amplifies whatever’s already working or broken. Get your foundations right before you hit “raise.”

#criticalfewactions #CEOMasterclass #startupfunding #HealthTech #CapitalRaising #FounderAdvice #ScaleUp #StrategyExecution #Governance #BusinessGrowth #Valuation #MarketValidation