The smart way to measure what’s working in your online marketing

Most business owners invest time, energy, and budget in digital marketing—often without knowing what's actually working. In this energising episode, Leanne O’Sullivan from Adventure Digital joins us to reveal the blind spots many businesses have and how to uncover the metrics that matter. Spoiler: it’s not all about likes and follows.

We unpack the four key areas of digital marketing, explain how to utilise your existing data more effectively, and walk you through how to track your customer journey more clearly. Whether you’re marketing a service or a product, this episode will help you stop guessing and start making more informed, confident decisions.

What we cover:

• Why social media ≠ your whole digital marketing strategy
• The four key digital marketing areas you should focus on
• How to use UTM tracking and Google Analytics more effectively
• The real role of email marketing and what to pay attention to
• Why segmentation improves client retention and ROI
• What not to do before reviewing your data

Action Step:
Download the free Google Data Studio template from the podcast page and connect your website analytics. Begin benchmarking where your traffic, leads, and sales are actually coming from so you can do more of what works. Visit this link to access the resource.

Guest Bio:
Leanne O’Sullivan is the founder and CEO of Adventure Digital, a marketing agency based in regional NSW that helps purpose-driven businesses thrive online. Known for her no-nonsense approach, Leanne specialises in simplifying digital marketing and helping clients understand what really drives leads and conversions. She’s a passionate advocate for data-informed decisions and smart, sustainable growth.

Less Than 15 is a show brought to you by leading Accountants and Business Advisors, DFK Australia New Zealand.

We help business owners make better decisions with our local knowledge, national connections and global reach.

Search for a firm here and have a conversation with us today!

What business owners need to know before managing their own super

For business owners, a self-managed super fund (SMSF) can offer flexibility, control, and some strategic benefits you might not have considered. But is it the right fit for you? In this episode, we chat with Daniel Shaw, Director and SMSF specialist at DFK Benjamin King Money in Melbourne, to explore when and why an SMSF might be a smart move—and the common traps to avoid.

Daniel explains the key benefits of SMSFs, who they’re best suited to, and the responsibilities that come with taking the DIY super path. If you’ve ever wondered whether you could (or should) rent your business premises from your own super fund, this one’s for you.

What we cover in this episode:

• What a self-managed super fund (SMSF) is and how it differs from industry funds
• Why SMSFs can suit business owners and when they’re not the right fit
• How SMSFs can hold and lease commercial property to your business
• Examples of surprising (but legal) SMSF investment options
• Common risks and misconceptions—and how to avoid costly mistakes
• Why early advice is essential, not optional

Action step:

Download our free checklist: The Lifecycle of a Self-Managed Super Fund and start thinking through whether this might be the right option for your business and retirement strategy. Then have a conversation with your accountant or licensed financial advisor.

Our Guest

Daniel Shaw is a Director at DFK Benjamin King Money in Melbourne and the firm’s in-house SMSF specialist. With deep experience in accounting, business strategy, and compliance, he helps clients utilise self-managed super funds strategically, balancing flexibility with smart risk management.

Less Than 15 is a show brought to you by leading Accountants and Business Advisors, DFK Australia New Zealand.

We help business owners make better decisions with our local knowledge, national connections and global reach.

Search for a firm here and have a conversation with us today!

As a business owner, you’ve likely considered what happens to your personal assets when you’re no longer here, but what about your business? In this important episode, we speak with Melissa Healy, Senior Manager at DFK Everalls and Director of Everalls Wealth, to explore what estate planning looks like when your business is your biggest asset.

Melissa demystifies the complexities of estate planning beyond the personal will, explains the importance of enduring powers of attorney, and highlights the necessity of having a business continuity file. Whether you're a sole trader, part of a partnership, or operate through a trust, this conversation will help you take the steps to ensure your business is protected, no matter what happens.

In This Episode:

• Why estate planning for business owners is more than just having a will
• The role of enduring powers of attorney and company powers of attorney
• What to include in your In Case of Emergency file
• Key documents to review: partnership agreements, buy-sell agreements, shareholder agreements
• Steps to take now to safeguard your business and your family

Guest Bio.

Melissa Healy is an Accountant, business adviser, and financial planner at DFK Everalls in Canberra. She's passionate about helping build better businesses and financial futures.

Resource:

Download the Business Estate Planning Checklist here.

Less Than 15 is a show brought to you by leading Accountants and Business Advisors, DFK Australia New Zealand.

We help business owners make better decisions with our local knowledge, national connections and global reach.

Search for a firm here and have a conversation with us today!

The benefits of People-centred Risk Management

In this episode of Less Than 15, we speak with Lisa Sisson, author of Risk Starts and Ends with People and the founder of the Unearth consultancy.

We explore a refreshing take on risk management, one that prioritises people, not just policies. Lisa shares why the traditional ‘tick-the-box’ compliance approach is no longer sufficient, how disengagement is one of the greatest hidden risks in business, and what practical actions leaders can take to create safer and more innovative workplaces.

Whether you’re leading a team or flying solo, this episode is a must-listen for anyone ready to rethink how they identify, mitigate, and turn risks into opportunities.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why risk management starts with mindset, not checklists
• The connection between disengagement and increased exposure to risk
• How your people can become your strongest ‘risk sensors’
• The two types of risk every business faces
• What it takes to build a “safe zone” where people speak up early
• How to turn early warning signs into strategic advantage

Action Step:
Start by creating space for your team to speak up without fear. A simple first step: ask your people what risks they see and how the business could respond better.

Guest Bio:
Lisa Sisson is the author of Risk Starts and Ends with People and the founder of Unearth. She works with leaders and organisations to humanise their approach to risk management, helping them reduce exposure while enhancing engagement, culture, and performance. Use special code Lessthan15 for an exclusive discount on book purchases.

Less Than 15 is a show brought to you by leading Accountants and Business Advisors, DFK Australia New Zealand.

We help business owners make better decisions with our local knowledge, national connections and global reach.

Search for a firm here and have a conversation with us today!

You’re profitable on paper, but your bank balance tells a different story. Why?

In this episode, we speak with Mike McNab, Partner at DFK Oswin Griffiths Carlton in Auckland, about the critical differences between profit and cash, and how too many business owners find out the hard way.

Mike breaks down five common cashflow killers, offers simple tactics to tighten your finances, and shares how to use tools like Xero and SYFT to stay ahead of the curve. This is a focused, practical chat to help you spot risks, boost cash, and make better decisions in any market conditions.

In this episode, we cover:

• Why profit doesn’t guarantee positive cashflow
• The 5 biggest cashflow killers to watch for
• How to spot patterns in customer payments
• Strategies to speed up cash collection
• Simple Xero tools to track cash and stay alert
• How tech can reduce surprises and support smarter decisions

Mike also mentioned the value of using SYFT, an AI-powered cloud software that can create reports, forecasts, dashboards, and consolidations.

Action Step
Take 10 minutes each day to review your cashflow. Ask: What’s due in? What’s due out? Any red flags? Start tracking patterns before they become problems.

Guest Bio
Mike McNab is a Partner at DFK Oswin Griffiths Carlton in Auckland. With deep expertise in business performance and advisory, he helps SMEs across New Zealand navigate the complex relationship between profitability, cashflow, and sustainability, often using tech tools to make smarter, faster decisions.

Less Than 15 is a show brought to you by leading Accountants and Business Advisors, DFK Australia New Zealand.

We help business owners make better decisions with our local knowledge, national connections and global reach.

Search for a firm here and have a conversation with us today!

How to stop doing everything and lead your business forward

Are you spending too much time on tasks that someone else could be doing? If you’re still stuck doing everything in your business, you’re not alone—and you may be carrying what today’s guest calls “the 30% burden.”

In this practical episode, Kristy Smith, the Founder of outsourcing specialists Virtual Elves, shares her method for identifying, systemising, and letting go of the time-consuming tasks that keep business owners out of their zone of genius. You’ll learn how to free up space to think, lead, and grow without losing control.

In this episode, we cover:

• What the “30% burden” looks like in a typical business
  
  
• The mindset shift required to let go of tasks
  
  
• The power of SAD: systemise, automate, delegate—or ditch
  
  
• Why ditching tasks can be just as powerful as delegating
  
  
• How to run a simple time-and-task audit in just 5 days
  
  
• Six categories that help you organise and identify your overwhelm

Action Step
Start tracking your time and tasks for five days—just jot down what you’re doing and when. It will give you a clear picture of what you can systemise, automate, delegate or ditch. Then use Kristy’s free downloadable list of “101 things a VA can do” to spark ideas.

Guest Bio

Kristy Smith is the founder of Virtual Elves, a business she launched in 2009 to help small business owners reclaim their time and scale with support. She is an expert in virtual assistance, delegation strategies, and business systems.

Less Than 15 is a show brought to you by leading Accountants and Business Advisors, DFK Australia New Zealand.

We help business owners make better decisions with our local knowledge, national connections and global reach.

Search for a firm here and have a conversation with us today!

Stay competitive, attract top talent, and secure funding by becoming ESG-ready.

ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) isn't just a corporate buzzword, it’s becoming a business reality for small and medium-sized enterprises. In this episode, CIB Audit Director Chaitanya Mawji explains why ESG is no longer just for the big end of town.

We explore how ESG frameworks can attract top talent, influence funding opportunities, and satisfy supply chain expectations, plus, why it’s smarter to view ESG as a strategic investment, not just a compliance burden.

Whether you're a business owner wanting to stay competitive, win more tenders, or future-proof your operations, this is the 15-minute insight you need.

In this episode, we cover:

• What ESG really means and why it applies to SMEs
• The dual pressure of compliance and strategic positioning
• How ESG can help unlock green loans and funding
• The influence of ESG on customer and hiring decisions
• Why ESG disclosures might hit your inbox even if you’re not legally required

Action Step
Google “ESG in [your industry]” to get a quick overview of emerging expectations, and start thinking about where ESG fits into your brand, operations, and future plans.

Guest Bio
Chaitanya Mawji is Audit Director at CIB Accountants and Advisors, our DFKANZ firm in Parramatta. With deep experience across assurance and compliance, he's passionate about helping businesses view ESG as an opportunity for growth and innovation, not just red tape.

Don't miss the ESG Webinar with Chaitanya

1pm AEST Thursday, July 3. More depth, and the opportunity to ask questions - register here

Less Then 15 is a show brought to you by leading Accountants and Business Advisors, DFK Australia New Zealand.

We help business owners make better decisions with our local knowledge, national connections and global reach.

Search for a firm here and have a conversation with us today!

AI can turbocharge your productivity, but without care, it can also erode the trust you’ve worked so hard to build with your audience. In this energising and practical conversation, Angela is joined by AI coach and speaker Leanne Shelton, CEO of Human Edge AI Training, to explore how business owners can harness AI for content creation without losing their human touch.

Leanne shares real-world examples, her “three commandments” for training your AI, and tips for prompt refinement that boost both quality and connection. Whether you’re using AI to write emails, blog posts, or proposals, this episode will help you amplify your voice, not erase it.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why saving time isn’t the only goal with AI—and how to avoid the “productivity trap”
  
  
• The 3 essential areas to train your AI tool on (brand, business, and customer)
  
  
• How to improve your prompt skills and build a collaborative relationship with your AI assistant
  
  
• What good AI content sounds like—and why the best AI outputs feel fully human
  
  

Bonus Resource
Download Leanne’s free Brand Voice Prompting Guide to start training your tool the right way.

Action Step:
Pick one key area of communication, like LinkedIn posts or proposals, and start training your AI tool today. Add examples, tweak the outputs, and watch the quality improve.

Less Than 15 is a show brought to you by leading Accountants and Business Advisors, DFK Australia New Zealand.

We help business owners make better decisions with our local knowledge, national connections and global reach.

Search for a firm here and have a conversation with us today!