Embracing Change, Celebrating Growth: A Personal Journey Through Brainiact's 2023

Reflecting on the year Natalie (my beautiful wife and business partner) and I had at Brainiact , it's been nothing short of an exciting rollercoaster ride. A year packed with highs, a few challenges, and loads of learning. I wanted to take a moment to share some of the highlights and how they've shaped us.

Being an entrepreneur is not for the faint-hearted. I've realised this year that in order to make it work and keep pushing towards your goals, you really have to have a "there is no Plan B" mindset".

When I founded Brainiact in July 2021, I had the ambitious goal of assisting 10,000 business owners by 2030. To be fair, in hindsight, I had little idea around the actual way in which I was going to do that, but that was always the goal from day one. I have been put on this earth to help people. Connecting those who need assistance (our clients) to those that can offer assistance (our franchise partners) through the system (the Brainiact business coaching system) which I developed through trial and error over a long period of time.

We hit the ground running in January, diving headfirst into preparing for our very first franchise partner training in Parramatta, Sydney. The nights were long, the coffee strong, and the sense of anticipation palpable. It was a lot of work getting all of the materials ready for the training. But it wasn't just about setting up a program; it was about building a future. Getting accepted into the Franchise Council of Australia as a member was like the cherry on top – a real 'we've made it' moment.

Come February, we were all systems go for our inaugural training in Sydney. It felt surreal having Roger Jowett , my former Motion CEO, join us as a franchise partner. It’s one of those full-circle moments you hear about but never really expect to happen to you. It was definitely a "pinch me I'm dreaming" moment. Angel Cea also joined us as our Business Operations Specialist helping our franchise partners set up their operations software so they can focus on helping business owners.

In March, we welcomed Roger, who started trading as Brainiact Mascot, and seeing the plan come to life with actual clients was incredible. It felt like we were onto something big, something that could really make a difference. Roger hit the ground running with six clients of day one of his business which was a great feeling seeing him achieve this. We also welcomed Jill as our Content Manager who has done an amazing job generating content to promote our business and assist our clients.

April brought new faces and new ideas. Darlee joined us as our graphic designer, adding a fresh burst of creativity. Launching the 'Better Business Books' series felt like we were stepping up our game, reaching out to help business owners far and wide.

May was a mix of buzzing around at the Franchise Council conference and some serious back-patting when our new website went live. It was a labour of love, largely driven by my wife, Natalie, and our brilliant team. Getting recognised in the Liverpool Local Business Awards was the icing on the cake, a real proud moment for all of us.

Mid-year was family time. Watching my son in his cross-country championship and our road trip to Townsville and Cairns were the breathers I needed. It’s these moments that remind you what you’re working hard for.

The second half of the year was all about growing and branching out. The second franchise partner training in Melbourne, new franchise locations starting up (Davinia Upshall , Mornington Central; and Andrew Summerton , Blacktown Central), Rori Kokken commencing as Head of Franchise Recruitment, and a once-in-a-lifetime family trip across Europe and the UK – it was as if we were living in fast forward.

October’s partnership with Millwall Football Club was a milestone. It’s not every day you get to align with a name like that. Celebrating two years with BNI Invictus was another moment that made me realise how far we’ve come. Marianne joined us as our Project Officer too - bringing a very high-level of detail and support that we definitely needed. Emma Maher commenced as our Customer Success Manager ensuring our clients are successful in their Brainiact experience.

November saw us conduct our third franchise partner training welcoming Paul Wilkey into the Brainiact family as Brainiact Golden Grove. Hiring our bookkeeper in November and running my first marathon in December were personal wins. The marathon, in particular, was a beast, but crossing that finish line just before turning 40 was something else. It was a testament to setting goals and working hard in secret, behind the scenes, to work towards them.

This year hasn't just been about business growth; it's been about personal growth too. From running regularly and trying to get eight hours sleep a night to making big business decisions, it's been about laying the groundwork for our bigger mission – helping 10,000 business owners by 2030.

The feedback from our clients and partners has been the real reward. Hearing how we've impacted their lives and businesses makes all the late nights and early mornings worth it.

None of this would've been possible without our team, partners, and my family. They’re the real superstars behind Brainiact. Their dedication and belief in our vision have been the driving force behind everything we’ve achieved.

Looking ahead, we’ve set our sights on 30 franchise partners by the end of 2024. It's ambitious, but we're not here to play it safe. We’re here to make a real difference. There are so many business owners out there that need resources and support to empower their growth!

So, that’s our year in a nutshell. It’s been one exciting rollercoaster ride, and we’re just getting started. If you want to join us on this journey, check out our website or tune into our Leader Talk podcast (we're going to crack 100 episodes in 2024!). Let’s make 2024 even more remarkable. Here's to building a community where every business owner we touch, thrives. Cheers to the future!