Beyond Billables

It's our last podcast episode of the current season!

This week, we're joined by Dan Mackay and Michael Chapman from Melbourne-based firm Mackay Chapman. Mackay Chapman are high-stakes regulatory, financial services, insolvency and complex disputes lawyers – and they also happen to be two of our long-term, ongoing clients (and friends in business).

Specialists at what they do and with 25 years of shared experience, Dan and Michael's work is focussed on understanding how key players in client matters think, feel and act, to provide the strategies and confidence needed to protect their interests.On today's episode, we discuss the journey of building an expert legal services firm while being comfortable in your points of difference.

We also analyse the 'on the tools' vs working on your business question; and the realities of managing the lawyer/business/family juggle.

Brad Turville is a strategic advisor who works with business owners to better manage, grow and exit their business – something he successfully did himself before showing others how to do the same.Recently, his work has a specific focus on strategic planning and financial management consulting.

Brad’s portfolio is impressive, with experience in running workshops and group accountability programs. He can often be found speaking at conferences, strategy days, and virtual events with a focus on profit and cash flow improvement.

On today’s episode, we take a look at Brad’s story; growing his own accounting and advisory firm and successfully exciting. He explains key financial issues for professional businesses, strategic decision making, and the importance of implementing the right tools and technology to help run your business.

Tyrone is an expert in Australian estate planning and wealth protection. He founded firm Empire Law with the goal of helping Australians protect their businesses and secure their wealth so that they may leave a legacy behind for their families. His passion for estate planning and belief that tailored estate planning isn’t exclusively for the rich and famous – but for every Australian – is admirable. Tyrone has a talent for translating complicated and daunting legal jargon into plain language that can be understood, and more importantly, easily related to.

Join us for a discussion around the importance of protecting your legacy, growing a business as a solo-preneur, evolving your skills and growing over time, taking advantage of the opportunities given to you and trying to make the most of them

Andrew Goldstein is Managing Director and Founder of Goldstein Legal, a boutique legal practice advising and supporting financial services businesses.

Andrew’s legal background includes several years in private practice with mid and top tier firms, and several years a senior in-house practitioner with Macquarie, Challenger, Australian Ethical and Ardea.

Now, his focus is on the legal needs of investment managers, platforms and other regulated investors along with their adjacent counterparties and service providers.

On the show we had a great discussion about the role of GC's, the financial services industry as a whole and how Andrew has developed a strong business having ventured out on his own.

Chris Kondou works alongside driven & passionate CEO's to build financial strategies and unlock business growth. He has lend his guiding hand across a wide range of industries, from professional services, to manufacturing & wholesale.

Chris has recently embarked on his biggest challenge as founder of his own CFO Advisory firm, finding a new passion for business development & entrepreneurship.

On the show, we discuss the importance of challenging ourselves both in business and life, how to build a new business from scratch in your 50's, and even get a peak into Chris’ marathon training and his view on embracing forced discomfort.

On the show this week, we welcome Tim Whybourne, Managing Partner at Emanuel, Whybourne and Loehr, an investment advisory firm with offices in Sydney and Brisbane.

EW&L have also been an ongoing Beyond Billables client for the last eighteen months.

On the show we discussed Tim's career, how he and the team have grown EW&L, and the challenges all professional services firms face. We also discussed markets broadly and Tim's strategy

Tim has more than 15 years’ experience at the sharp end of financial services and planning. His experience has been garnered from more than a decade in financial services including CommSec, FP Markets, UBS Wealth, and Morgan Stanley.

Aside from investments, we also discuss building strong client relationships, and tailoring to high net-worth clients.

Obviously, nothing discussed in the show should be taken as financial advice at all and all discussions were general in nature.

Stefanie Costi is a speaker, writer and lawyer whose true passion lies in advocating for a safer and more inclusive future of work.

After an experience with bullying left Stef with workplace PTSD, she decided to share her story to help make a real difference.

Stef has delivered keynotes on workplace bullying, psychological safety at work and mental health at the National Press Club of Australia, the University of Technology, Sydney and Canva. She has also been a guest speaker at The College of Law Australia.

In this episode, we discuss navigating workplace bullying, creating a safe workplace for all, and of course reflect on Stef's personal journey.

In this week's Beyond Billables podcast I sat down with Devan King, founder of Ikigai Wealth. Devan has a fantastic story and shared his insights on business and life over the course of what was a very enjoyable show. Devan has a great philosophy that drives his business which I know will resonate with a lot of our listeners.

Devan is a financial planner with over 15 years of industry experience. His career is marked by a significant achievement in building and subsequently exiting a successful wealth management business in South Africa.In 2016, relocating to Australia, and now doing it all again (but even better) with Ikigai Wealth.

His extensive experience spans across various facets of the industry; including roles in corporate wealth management entities and boutique firms. This diverse background has equipped him with the skills to cater to a wide range of clients, from high net-worth individuals to ambitious young professionals and business owners.

In this episode, we discuss the importance of setting financial goals that will actually make you happy and pay off long term – and how to unlock those kinds of opportunities.

On the show this week, we welcomed back the always outstanding James d'Apice, founder of Gravamen, and 'Coffee and a Case Note'. Today, we answer one fundamental question I get a lot - can social media help you grow a real business?

For James, the answer is "absolutely"! As one of Australia's most prolific professional services content creators, James has been building a personal brand across social media for the last 5 years, and this ultimately has given him the ability to recently launch his law firm, Gravamen.

We discuss his motivations for launching the firm, what he hopes to achieve professionally and personally, and what he has learned in the first 6 months in business.

James spills many insights on social media for lawyers, and what he would do if he was starting out in 2024.

Aside from business, we also discuss our motivations as parents, trying to create businesses that fit with our family lives, and how the 'juggle' is a constant WIP.

In this episode of Beyond Billables, Mike engages in a candid conversation with Claire Styles, founder of C Legal and Co. Claire shares her journey of building a successful legal services business over the past two and a half years. The discussion delves into the key elements of her business development strategy, encompassing branding, social media, content creation, and marketing. As a solo entrepreneur specializing in asset protection and tax minimization for high-net-worth individuals and business owners, Claire provides valuable insights into the evolution of her brand and the lessons learned along the way.

The episode explores the importance of networking and relationship-building in the legal profession, with Claire emphasizing the significance of strategic connections over sheer quantity. The conversation also touches on Claire's transition to working from home and how it influenced the refocusing of her business. Listeners gain valuable advice on the delicate balance between personal fulfillment and business success, with Claire encouraging aspiring legal entrepreneurs to align their professional pursuits with their true passions. The episode concludes with a glimpse into Claire's exciting future plans and upcoming guests for Beyond Billables in 2024.