Trench Talk With Matt Reynolds

Andy Buerckner is a Director at Platinum Travel Corporation. Platinum Travel is a family owned and operated agency with offices in Australia and New Zealand, they won both the Travel Agency of the Year in 2018 and the Corporate Travel Agency of the Year in 2019. I wanted to talk to Andy for this episode after I watched an interview he did recently for the Sky Business channel where he spoke about the travel industry and how the current coronavirus pandemic has decimated almost the entire sector. Many providers in the travel space including not only travel agents, like Platinum, but airlines, hotels, tour companies, cruise ship operators etc. have all seen their revenue drop to virtual zero overnight. But it gets worse, and here’s the bit I hadn’t thought about until I watched the Sky Business interview. Not only did their revenue stop, they had to start the process of handing back past profits in the form of refunds as travellers began to ask for their money to be returned due to enforced travel restrictions.

Sarah Taylor is both the Chief Operations Officer and Chief Technical Officer at one of Melbourne’s hottest startups and a 21 x World Bodybuilding Champion. Classified obese at age 40, Sarah lost 25kg without dieting while getting fit to achieve a person goal of climbing a mountain. At that time, she was working a high-profile job, running 3 active blogs, trying to carve out a side hustle as a photographer and running a digital magazine. Her world crashed around her. She was diagnosed with depression, had many injuries from overtraining and underwent double shoulder surgery. She was completely burnt out emotionally, physical and mentally. Resolving to fix things herself she returned to the evidence based lifestyle strategies she’d developed to lose weight. She accidentally got into bodybuilding at age 42, and 10 weeks later competing at the state level won her 1st show before going on to clean sweep 11 of 11 amateur world titles by age 45 and another 8 professional world titles (+2 more amateur titles for goo

Gavin Routledge is Chief Back Officer at is practice Active X Backs in Edinburgh, Scotland. Gavin is an Osteopath with 30 years professional experience in lower back pain and sciatica. Gavin graduated in 1991 from the British School of Osteopathy as a Gold Medallist and is now a Vice Patron at the University College of Osteopathy. He co-authored the book “The Back Book” with Gavin Hastings OBE in 1996; and in 2017 he authored “Active X Backs – a long term solution to lower back pain”. He is a much sought-after public speaker on the topics of pain, health and physical activity. Gavin is passionate about helping to move people as far from illness and pain as possible and practises what he preaches including cycling, running, swimming, body-weight and free-weight training, practising yoga and meditation. Gavin leads his team to provide both in clinic care and online consultations to individuals, health and fitness professionals and organisations looking to provide their clients with online care. During this chat

John Vuong the Founder and President of Local SEO Search, an award winning SEO Company out of Toronto, Canada. John is a seasoned sales professional and Internet marketer with an exceptional track record helping companies grow their clientele and profits. Through 15 years of experience working with CEOs, business owners, and marketing leaders at some of Canada’s most successful corporations, John developed a deep understanding of local marketing dynamics and consumer behaviour. John’s entrepreneurial spirit and experience working with more than 5,000 local business owners inspired him to start his own company, Local SEO Search, in 2013. A graduate of the University of Western Ontario, John earned his Bachelor of Administrative and Commercial Studies (ACS) in 2003. His career began at Yellow Pages Group, where he was among the top 2% of sales representatives across Canada. Now a proud father, John enjoys coaching and mentoring new entrepreneurs, and runs an annual school supply campaign to help deserving young

Adam Sand of Roofing Business Partner and Sargeants Roofing joined me on the podcast for this episode to discuss his business and several ideas and strategies he's using to navigate the current COVID-19 pandemic period. Adam first appeared on Trench Talk for episode #047 which you can find at https://www.xrm.com.au/047-adam-sand-roofing-business-partner/  Find out more about Adam at https://www.roofingbusinesspartner.com If you enjoy Trench Talk, please remember to hit the subscribe button inside your chosen podcast player, more episodes can be found at xrm.com.au/podcast. Enjoy Trench Talk Episode #070 with Adam Sand…   ---- Show notes and links for this episode can be found at xrm.com.au/podcast. You can find Matt Reynolds on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and on LinkedIn.  

Judy Celmins is the Marketing Director and Eriks Celmins is the CEO of Engage4Insights, a New Zealand based research and innovation company which helps businesses engage with and to better understand their audiences (including their customers and employees) in order to drive better decisions and outcomes. Judy is a born marketer who loves building relationships with people and understanding why they buy. She has spent her career experimenting with different techniques to engage with customers, learn more about their unmet needs and how to serve them better. Judy learned the more she could add value, the more engaged they became. Eriks background is in radio as an on-air host so his job was too grab the audiences attention quickly and to keep them listening for as long as possible. In the radio business, listeners equals ad revenue and Eriks figured out pretty quickly that engaging with your audience is the best way to get to know them better, and the better you know them, the easier it is to keep them enterta

Irwin Hau is the Founder and Director of Chromatix, a web design and conversion agency that specialises in captivating user experiences that drive results utilising human behaviour psychology blended with web technology.   What does that mean you might ask? Irwin and his team are very good at designing and building websites that convert traffic into enquiries, leads, quoting opportunities, bookings, phone calls or whatever the intended goal for your website is.   Their job is to make your website the hardest working and best performing sales person on your team.   From web design to development, Irwin and his team have created over 50 award-winning designs for their clients which include the likes of Bowens Timber, John Sands, Light FM, Energy Networks Australia and Breadtop.   During this chat, we covered: design and functionality aspects that make great websites some of the common website mistakes which negatively impact performance the differences between website traffic and conversion (both commonly misu

Yoga teacher, healer and actor Ben Sofowora joined me on the podcast for this episode to discuss several ideas and strategies he's using to navigate the current COVID-19 pandemic period, from a health and wellbeing perspective.   Ben first appeared on Trench Talk for episode #007 which you can find at https://www.xrm.com.au/007-ben-sofowora/   Find out more about Ben at https://www.bensofowora.com   If you enjoy Trench Talk, please remember to hit the subscribe button inside your chosen podcast player, more episodes can be found at xrm.com.au/podcast.   Enjoy Trench Talk Episode #067 with Ben Sofowora…   ---- Show notes and links for this episode can be found at xrm.com.au/podcast.   You can find Matt Reynolds on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and on LinkedIn.  

Aqua Blu Plumbing Director Ben Walton-Healey joined me on the podcast for this episode to discuss his business and several ideas and strategies he's using to navigate the current COVID-19 pandemic period. Ben first appeared on Trench Talk for episode #017 which you can find at https://www.xrm.com.au/017-ben-walton-healey/ Find out more about Ben at https://www.aquablu.plumbing If you enjoy Trench Talk, please remember to hit the subscribe button inside your chosen podcast player, more episodes can be found at xrm.com.au/podcast. Enjoy Trench Talk Episode #066 with Ben Walton-Healey…   ---- Show notes and links for this episode can be found at xrm.com.au/podcast. You can find Matt Reynolds on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and on LinkedIn.  

Tommy Mello is the owner and operator of A1 Garage Door Service. He is also the host of the Home Service Expert podcast, and owner, partner, or investor in 14 other businesses ranging from Christmas lights and real estate to mobile apps. In 2010, Tommy became the sole owner and operator of a single Phoenix-based garage door service business, which came with $50,000 in debt. Today, A1Garage generates north of $50 million dollars in annual revenue, with over 250 employees in 12 states. Tommy is a regular contributor to Inc., Entrepreneur, and other business publications on the topic of entrepreneurship and small business as well as a sought after podcast, radio and television guest. During this chat, we covered: Tommy's journey building his company company manuals and why they are the foundation of a business how Tommy finds A+ players to join his team and the strategy he uses to attract people from outside his industry introducing performance-based pay finding the right customers and why you need to know your

Tessa Carroll is the Co-Founder of both the luxury accessories label Ahimsa Collective and The Common Good Company. Tessa was brought up to turn off the taps when brushing her teeth and to make sure lights weren’t left on unnecessarily, so she developed a keen interest in the environment early in life. That upbringing coupled with her interest in design and fashion has led to the creation of two unique and very impressive companies.  Ahimsa Collective is a luxury accessories label, intent on producing products with no harm. Their website, theahimsacollective.com, explains exactly who they are: We are part of a new generation of change agents and thinkers. We focus on both environmental and social responsibility. We operate as a luxury fashion label; while inciting change. We aim to not only reduce the fashion industry’s footprint, but attempt to reverse it.   Ahimsa Collective bags are made from pineapple leaves and recycled materials that would otherwise go to landfill. The Common Good Company uses recycle

Dr John Demartini is considered one of the world’s leading authorities on human behavior and personal development. He is the founder of the Demartini Institute, a private research and education organization with a curriculum of over 76 courses covering multiple aspects of human development. His father owned a plumbing supply store where Dr Demartini began working when he was just 4 years old. His trademarked methodologies in human development, the Demartini Method and the Demartini Value Determination are culminations of over 44 years of cross-disciplinary research and study, and utilized in all human development industries across the world. Dr Demartini travels 360 days a year to countries all over the globe where he shares his research and findings in all markets and sectors. He is the author of 40 books published in 36 different languages. He has produced over 70 CDs and DVDs and dozens of online programs covering subjects such as development in relationships, wealth, education and business. He has created

Gabriel Pinchev is the Founder and CEO of FieldPulse. FieldPulse is field service software that acts as the digital hub for running your entire contracting business from a single app. Gabe’s background is in the technology sector. After working with multiple contractors and seeing the amount of hand-written paperwork they were sending out (and not getting paid for), Gabe started FieldPulse to help contractors keep track of their businesses and get paid faster. Today he continues to talk to customers and prospective customers daily to keep up with the latest issues and trends in the contracting world. In March of 2019, FieldPulse announced they had raised $2.2M led by Capri Ventures and Apple Core Holdings, along with other notable investors. FieldPulse’s success includes high triple-digit user growth over the last year, significant additions to its service and product line, announcement of key partnerships with platforms like GPS Insight, and being named to Capterra’s list of the 20 Most Affordable Field Serv

John Akhoian is the Founder and CEO at Rooter Hero, a plumbing company based in California in the United States. John opened his doors in 2011 and now, a short 8 years later, has some 250 trucks on the road serving clients across 2 states. John has plans to go national and has even given thought to international expansion. John has a real people focus. His mission is to help others maximize their careers and live fulfilling, comfortable lives. His quest is to create 99 millionaires within his own business, a project he is already making significant progress on. He is the author of 3 books, titled “The Secret to Real Wealth”, “Creating 99 Millionaires” and “Values First. Principle Driven Leadership.” During this chat, we covered: the early days John spent working out of the back of his car saving money why plumbing should be your first career choice and not your plan B some of the early marketing strategies John used, how he got work and how he organised his day growing a business, without using debt or finan

James Newbury MP is the elected Liberal Member for Brighton, my hometown here in Melbourne, Australia. James was born in Melbourne and grew up in East Malvern. During high school, James did bookwork for his father’s dental practice, where he learned about the burden of over regulation and the challenges of running a small business. James has completed three university degrees, including a Juris Doctor and a Master’s Degree in Business Law. After completing a Master of Business (Law), James began working for the Howard Government, eventually moving to Canberra to work at the highest levels of Federal Government. During his time working in Canberra, James had responsibility for advising many Senior Ministers and Party leaders. After the election of the Abbott Government, James moved back to Brighton with his wife Suzanne and started their own family, they now have two young daughters. James worked as Senior Adviser to then Premier, Dr Denis Napthine, before moving into the private sector. James worked as a Grou

Brigham Dickinson is the President at Power Selling Pros, a customer service coaching business for the home services industry including trades such as plumbing and electrical amongst many others based out of Utah in the United States. His clients also include the likes of Mitsubishi Electric, Lennox, the Dwyer Group, Carrier, American Standard and The Electric & Gas Industries Association University. This conversation revolved around many of the teachings and lessons Brigham explores in his new book titled Patterned After Excellence: Pursuing Truth in Work and Life which is now available for purchase on Amazon. In addition to his title of President at Power Selling Pros, Brigham is also the Founder of the Power Certification Program, a call-handling training program that holds teams accountable to booking calls and creating Wow! experiences over the phone. Brigham started Power Selling Pros in 2009 when he saw that call handlers needed assistance consistently converting calls to bookings. As a result, Bri

This episode features Michael Armstrong, a Partner at Kay & Burton and their General Manager of Marketing, Justin Hodgson. The Kay & Burton name has been synonymous with luxury property in the Melbourne market, connecting buyers from around the globe with premium Melbourne and Mornington Peninsula real estate, for more than 80 years. This is a conversation about the changes within the property sector and an insight into the future of property as the first mainstream signs of the industry adopting technology and embracing digital solutions emerge. There’s no doubt, many efficiencies can be harnessed in the property sector using technology, but how to think about and when to move on different options has become very important. As we have seen, being to slow, or to fast can be disastrous. During this chat, we covered: both the good and the bad of real estate disruption technology strategies offline v online marketing, including social media customer experience opening new offices using WeChat to sell pr

Mark Pesce is a futurist, speaker, inventor, multiple award-winning author and podcaster, educator and entrepreneur. He is also a keynote speaker for the 2019 World Plumbing Conference. Mark has been at the forefront of the digital revolution for thirty-five years and is a sought-after keynote speaker for major conferences and leadership gatherings. Bringing clarity, understanding and insight. From virtual reality to education, finance, manufacturing, transportation and communication, Mark gives individuals and organisations the tools they need to think effectively about the future, its opportunities, and its disruptions. During this chat, we covered: what a futurist actually does robots, and why they aren’t coming for our jobs just yet understanding the qualities and differences between computers and humans and how they can best work together automation and where both the trade industry and most professions are headed next augmented reality and mapping our workspaces using wearable glasses cryptocurrencies

Rob Gell is a coastal geomorphologist by training; he taught Environmental Science and Physical Geography at Melbourne State College and Melbourne University, then for thirty-one years presented television weather. He is also a keynote speaker and the MC for the 2019 World Plumbing Conference. Rob has extensive experience in environmental communications and marketing, business strategy and sustainable development project design- responding to the need for business to be informed about new issues and actively develop new plans and programs to ensure an understanding of changing markets, the emerging green economy and the need for a positive and accountable contribution on behalf of all stakeholders. Rob is a Director at ReThink Sustainability and at water tank supply company GreenCo Water. He is also a published author and a photographer. Rob is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, an Inaugural Fellow of the Environment Institute of Australia and New Zealand and a member of the council of the Royal Soci

Tristan White is the Founder and CEO at The Physio Co, a unique healthcare business that, in 2014, ranked No. 1 on BRW’s list of Australia’s 50 Best Places to Work. The Physio Co has ranked as one of Australia’s 50 Best Places to Work for ten consecutive years (2009-2018) along with being one of the Best Workplaces in Asia from 2015-2018. In 2004, The Physio Co was born with just one team member, Tristan himself. Today in 2019, The Physio Co has over 150 employees which has been built on the back of Tristan’s obsession with company culture. His book “Culture is Everything” is a best seller on Amazon. His “Culture is Everything” blog has been listed multiple times by SmartCompany as one of Australia’s 20 best business blogs. And amongst many other awards, The Physio Co has been listed on BRW’s Fast 100 as one of Australia’s fastest growing SME’s. During this chat, we covered: how Tristan thinks about culture some of the secrets to a great culture, including the reasons why documentation is so important The Ph