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Thriving Business

Thriving Business

By: Dr Kate De Jong & Sam Morris
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THRIVING BUSINESS

Business Insights to Help You Grow Your Business with Ease

We’re two seasoned business owners — Sam Morris and Kate De Jong — sharing our nearly thirty-year combined experience of starting and growing service-based businesses from the ground up. We so many small businesses struggling or falling prey to expensive promises of quick fixes or silver bullets. Both of us know what it REALLY takes to start and grow a business, we've done it many times over and we've got the blisters to prove it! We’ve joined forces to share our knowledge and experience so you can find the easiest path to success, doing it your way, and most importantly — staying true to yourself.

© 2026 Thriving Business Economics Leadership Management & Leadership
Episodes
  • Ep #12 | Beyond the Sale: Designing a Remarkable Client Experience that Keeps Happy Customers Coming Back

    Ep #12 | Beyond the Sale: Designing a Remarkable Client Experience that Keeps Happy Customers Coming Back
    Jun 9 2026
    Send a question or message to Kate & SamWelcome to Episode 12 of the Roadmap to Business Success series, and our third episode in Quadrant 3: Grow Smart | Capacity!Most businesses pour their energy into acquiring new clients. The most successful businesses pay enough attention to what happens after the sale. Did you know that it costs five to seven times more to acquire a new client than to retain an existing one? And your best marketing is a client who won't stop talking about you and refers you to all their friends.In this episode, Kate and Sam get practical about how to design a client experience so consistently good that it turns happy customers into raving fans who refer others , and keep coming back themselves."Your best marketing is a client who won't stop talking about you. Design your experience to create those people."We cover:Why remarkable experiences don't happen by accident: Every great client experience is the result of intentional design and consistent systems, not luck or personalityThe client journey map: How to identify every touchpoint from first enquiry to final delivery, and why systemising each one is the foundation of consistent qualityOnboarding done right: Why what happens immediately after someone pays you sets the tone for the entire relationship, and the simple automations that eliminate no-shows and buyer's remorseHuman versus automated: Why you need to understand your client journey manually before you automate any part of it, and where technology enhances the experience versus where it undermines itFeedback as a growth tool: Why positive feedback tells you nothing useful, and how to ask questions that actually reveal where your client experience is falling shortThe Google review system: Why asking once rarely works, and why timing your request immediately after a win dramatically increases your conversion ratePost-engagement follow up: Why the relationship shouldn't end when the contract does, and how a simple check-in system keeps clients warm and generates referralsLiving up to the hype: Why it's always better to shrink your marketing promises and over-deliver on the experienceThe consistency formula: Systems create consistency. Consistency creates trust. Trust creates referrals. Referrals create growth.Kate and Sam also share real stories from the experience side, good and bad.They also discuss the exciting frontier of AI avatars that can deliver personalised video messages to new clients, and why the businesses that combine smart automation with genuine human warmth are the ones that will win long-term.Coming Up Next: Episode 13 Designing a business that doesn't break you. How to protect your energy, design for sustainability, and make sure that as your business grows, your life gets better, not worse.Join the Workshop: Kate and Sam are hosting their Grow Smart Workshop on Wednesday 24th June — bring your questions on business models, capacity, hiring, client experience and scaling and get coached live.👉 Register hereAnd save the date — Bali Business Retreat27 August – 1 September 2026. Secure your spot with a $200 deposit: https://katedejong.com/inspired-business-bali-retreat/Kate’s Blog: "10 Questions to Get Valuable Feedback" https://katedejong.com/how-to-get-great-testimonials-and-market-research-data/Don't let your clients fall into the "hole" of silence after they sign up. Tune in to learn how to build the systems that create trust, consistency, and ultimately, a thriving business.Connect with Your Hosts:Kate De Jong, PhD | Inspired Business 🌐 Website: https://katedejong.com/ 📱 Instagram: @katedejong.inspiredbusiness ✉️ Email: kate@katedejong.comSam Morris | The O8 🌐 Website: https://www.theo8.com/ 📱 Instagram: @the_o8crew ✉️ Email: sam@theo8.comThriving Business Podcast 🌐Website: https://www.thrivingbusinesspodcast.com/ JOIN OUR WORKSHOPS🌐 https://www.thrivingbusinesspodcast.com/workshopsCOME ON THE 2026 BALI RETREAT🌐 https://www.thrivingbusinesspodcast.com/baliretreat2026
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    45 mins
  • Ep #11 | To Hire or Not To Hire? When and How to Build a Team That Fuels Your Freedom

    Ep #11 | To Hire or Not To Hire? When and How to Build a Team That Fuels Your Freedom
    May 26 2026
    Send a question or message to Kate & SamWelcome to Episode 11 of the Roadmap to Business Success series, and our second episode in Quadrant 3: Grow Smart | Scale with Ease.Hiring is one of the scariest decisions a business owner can ever make. The compliance is complex, the stakes are high, and the fear of getting it wrong stops many people from doing it at all. But there's a compelling reason to build a team: the burnout rates of solopreneurs are significantly higher than business owners who build a team. In this episode, Kate and Sam get honest about both sides of the hiring equation, and give you a practical framework for doing it well."If you can't take four weeks off and leave your business running, you're a slave to your own business."In this episode, you will learn:Should you even hire? Why the answer depends entirely on the type of business you're running, what you want from it, and whether you actually enjoy managing people, because if you don't, there are other optionsThe maths of leverage: How hiring one person who takes 20 hours of work off your plate every week gives you 80 hours a month back, and why those hours should generate far more revenue than the salary you're payingSigns you're ready to hire: You're constantly turning away work, working unsustainable hours, tasks are falling through the cracks, or you're doing work someone else could do for less than your hourly rateSigns you're not ready: You don't have documented systems, you can't clearly articulate what the role involves, your revenue isn't consistent enough to support a salary, or you haven't identified what you're actually hiring forHire for your weaknesses, not your familiarity: Why hiring a mini-me is one of the most common and costly hiring mistakes, and how personality profiling tools like B.A.N.K, Harrison Assessment and Myers Briggs help you identify who will actually complement your teamUse AI in the hiring process: How Kate used Claude to analyse Harrison Assessment reports for multiple candidates simultaneously, and how it ranked them in order with reasons, picking up things that an hour of human analysis had missedHire slow, fire fast: Why desperation hiring almost always goes wrong — and why the cost of keeping the wrong person is almost always higher than the cost of starting the search againThe compliance minefield: Why navigating awards, Fair Work, workers' compensation and workplace health and safety is one of the biggest barriers to hiring in small business — and why even Fair Work won't tell you if you're interpreting an award correctlyIt's not just about the money: Why the research consistently shows that fulfilment, autonomy, flexibility and purpose drive performance far more than salary — and how to build those things into your hiring process and culture from day oneThe goal: A team that runs the ship when you're not there — so you can take a holiday, recharge, and come back betterKate and Sam also share real stories from the trenches — including a workers' comp situation that left them frustrated by the system, the bookkeeping firm with eight remote women who've built an extraordinary culture over 15 years, and why Sam has started including collaborative goals and personal development pathways in every staff contract.Coming Up Next: Episode 12 — how to deliver a remarkable client experience every time. Onboarding, communication, feedback loops, and turning clients into raving fans who refer others.Save the Date — Grow Smart Workshop: Kate and Sam are hosting their third live workshop on Wednesday 25 June — bring your hiring, team building, capacity and business model questions and get coached live.Details coming soon — keep an eye on thrivingbusinesspodcast.com/workshopsAnd save the date — Bali Business Retreat: 27 August – 1 September 2026. Secure your spot with a $200 deposit. Reach out directly to lock in your place.Connect with Your Hosts:Kate De Jong, PhD | Inspired Business 🌐 Website: https://katedejong.com/ 📱 Instagram: @katedejong.inspiredbusiness ✉️ Email: kate@katedejong.comSam Morris | The O8 🌐 Website: https://www.theo8.com/ 📱 Instagram: @the_o8crew ✉️ Email: sam@theo8.comThriving Business Podcast 🌐Website: https://www.thrivingbusinesspodcast.com/ JOIN OUR WORKSHOPS🌐 https://www.thrivingbusinesspodcast.com/workshopsCOME ON THE 2026 BALI RETREAT🌐 https://www.thrivingbusinesspodcast.com/baliretreat2026
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    59 mins
  • Ep #10 | Stop Winging It: How to Design a Business Model That Gives You Revenue, Freedom and a Life

    Ep #10 | Stop Winging It: How to Design a Business Model That Gives You Revenue, Freedom and a Life
    May 20 2026
    Send a question or message to Kate & SamWelcome to Episode 10 of the Roadmap to Business Success series, and the first episode of Quadrant 3: Grow Smart | Capacity!Most business owners start with a skill or a product, not a model. They figure it out as they go. And if you don't design your model intentionally, your business will design itself, and it usually designs itself into something that consumes your life.In this episode, Kate and Sam get honest about the difference between accidental growth and intentional design, and why getting clear on your business model is the single most important thing you can do to create sustainable revenue, freedom and a business you actually love running."If you don't design your model, the business will design itself, and it usually designs itself into something that consumes your life."In this episode, you will learn:Business model vs business plan vs business structure: Why these three terms are not interchangeable, and what each one actually means for your businessThe fragmented model trap: Why having multiple revenue streams that don't talk to each other creates chaos, exhaustion and a business that's almost impossible to scale, and how to fix itIntentional vs accidental growth: Why accidental businesses are usually chaotic and exhausting and the simple questions to ask yourself to design something that actually worksScale is a choice, not an obligation: Why 10x growth isn't the right goal for everyone, and how to design a business model around the lifestyle, freedom and revenue that actually lights you upReverse engineer your profit goal: How to start with the number you want in your pocket and work backwards to figure out exactly what your business model needs to look like to get you thereThe product spiral, not the product ladder: Why Sam has banned the term "product ladder" and why a spiral or loop model that keeps clients circling through your offerings is far more powerful than a linear funnel with a dead endRecurring revenue as a non-negotiable: Why the businesses that are valued the highest, and feel the most stable to run, are the ones with subscription, membership or retainer income baked into their modelThe Matt Church cluster methodology: How launching one cluster every three to six months, one market, one problem, one method of delivery, and assuming 50% will fail gives you the freedom to experiment without betting everything on one ideaZone of genius as a design parameter: Why your business model should be built around the work that puts you in your zone of genius, not just the work you can do or the work that pays wellBusiness should be boring: Why repeatability and predictability are the foundations of freedom, and why the excitement should come from your life, not your businessKate and Sam also share personal stories about the moments they realised they were operating outside their zone of genius, why the Revenue Breakthrough Workshop felt so energising compared to a day of back-to-back one-on-one sessions, and why the question "what is your end game?" is one of the most important questions every business owner needs to answer.Coming Up Next: Episode 11 To hire or not to hire? How to build a strong team, make smart hiring decisions, and create a business that doesn't depend entirely on you.Join the Workshop: Kate and Sam are hosting Grow Smart: Scale with Ease on Wednesday 24th June, 9–10:30am AWST | 11am–12:30pm AEST, What is it?90 minutes of live profitability coaching. Every participant walks away with a personalised report. Bring your business model questions, this workshop is the perfect place to get Kate and Sam's eyes on your model live.🐦 Early bird: $49 (until 10 June) | 🎟️ LIVE: $89 | 🎧 Replay: $49👉 Register hereAnd save the date! Bali Business Retreat: 27 August – 1 September 2026. Secure your spot with a $200 deposit. Reach out directly to lock in your place.00:00 Podcast Welcome01:57 Quadrant Three Begins02:36 Model Plan Structure04:55 Scattered Offers Trap10:34 Designing Intentional Growth14:04 Reverse Engineering Profit17:26 Evolving Zone Genius20:24 Joyful Work Choices23:13 Group Work Momentum24:12 Scaling Group Coaching25:23 Small Rooms Big Results26:12 Who Your Room Is For26:56 From Courses To Coaching27:57 Business Model Takeaways31:14 Boring Business Wins32:38 Predictability Beats Panic35:40 Growing Teams With Purpose40:15 Recurring Revenue Flywheel42:52 Clusters Not One Niche45:45 Workshop Invite And Topics47:02 Product Loop Not Ladder48:50 Wrap Up And Next StepsConnect with Your Hosts:Kate De Jong, PhD | Inspired Business 🌐 Website: https://katedejong.com/ 📱 Instagram: @katedejong.inspiredbusiness ✉️ Email: kate@katedejong.comSam Morris | The O8 🌐 Website: https://www.theo8.com/ 📱 Instagram: @the_o8crew ✉️ Email: sam@theo8.comThriving Business Podcast 🌐Website: https://www.thrivingbusinesspodcast.com/ JOIN OUR WORKSHOPS🌐 https://www.thrivingbusinesspodcast.com/workshopsCOME ...
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    49 mins
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