From Mum and Dad Business to a Proper Company

By Hugh Bowman / December 18, 2025

As a business coach who works exclusively with tradies, I often meet owners who know they have something special, but feel stuck. Sue and Ian from Ponds of Melbourne are a great example of this. After 25 years in business, they had reached a point where progress had stalled. Cash flow pressure, tax stress, and the feeling of going backwards had taken its toll. They knew their business had potential, but they also knew they could not unlock it on their own. One of the biggest turning points for Sue and Ian was recognising their own capability. Through structured coaching, they gained clarity around their numbers, confidence in their pricing, and systems that supported payment on the day. Simple changes, like introducing a capability statement and standardising how the business ran, shifted how they saw themselves, and how clients saw them. Most importantly, they moved away from the “next job, … Read more

Celebrating Excellence at December GrowthCLUB: Our 2025 Award Winners

By Hugh Bowman / December 3, 2025

At yesterday’s December GrowthCLUB, we celebrated the incredible progress, commitment, and achievements of our clients over the past year. These awards recognise the tradies and business owners who have stepped up, taken action, and created real change in their businesses and lives. Each category had multiple nominations and we can tell you some where a hard decision! The winners were presented with their awards over lunch at The Sawyers Arms in Geelong. Congratulations to all. Below are the five award categories, what each award represents, and the well deserving 2025 winners. Wealthy Tradie Award Winner: Liam Begg from L.J. Begg Electrical This award recognises the individual who has fully embraced the Wealthy Tradie principles, put in the work, made meaningful changes, and achieved a significant increase in net wealth. Liam has demonstrated strong discipline, smart decision making, and genuine commitment to building both business and personal wealth. *** Turnaround Award … Read more