Marama Carmichael: When Everything Burns Down

Marama Carmichael: When Everything Burns Down

When Everything Burns Down From Ashes To Intention Some people build businesses to escape their lives. Others rebuild their lives after a fire takes everything. In this episode of Internal Momentum, Ben sits down with Marama Carmichael, founder of Oracle Tree, to unpack what happens when a house fire forces you to rethink not just where you live, but what you have been telling yourself about success, work, and the kind of business worth building in the first place. Marama shares the moment in 2009 when she stood in the cold and the rain, watching everything she owned burn, with her young daughter beside her in a taekwondo uniform. She talks about the natural therapy centre she walked away from with thirty days notice, the stories she had been telling herself about what a real business owner looked like, and the surprising sense of gratitude that came through one of the most disorienting moments of her life. Ben and Marama explore the cost of running on autopilot as a founder, why so many business owners build companies that consume them, and the difference between strategic discomfort and just grinding. They get into the marketing tree philosophy at the heart of Oracle Tree, why strategy has to come before tactics, and how AI is changing the way agencies operate without changing the fundamentals of human connection. The deeper thread is about intention. The choices that shape culture. The flexibility owners offer their team but refuse to give themselves. The clients you say yes to and the ones you walk away from. And the quiet question underneath it all: what are you actually building, and is it the business you want, or the business you think you should have? If you have ever felt like your business is running you instead of the other way around, this episode will give you a clearer way to look at what you are doing and why. About the Guest Marama Carmichael is the founder and CEO of Oracle Tree, a strategy-first marketing agency working with established small and medium businesses across Australia, New Zealand, and the US. She is the author of the Amazon bestselling book Fixing Frankenstein and has spent over fifteen years building a fully virtual agency designed around the belief that business should support the owner's life, not consume it. Connect with Marama: Website: oracletree.com.au LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/maramacarmichael Instagram: @oracletree Facebook: Oracle Tree Chapters: 00:00 Rebuilding After the Fire 03:19 Finding Purpose and Clarity 10:42 The Power of Community and Gratitude 15:37 Creating a Business with Intention 18:55 Flexibility and Work-Life Balance 24:14 The Ripple Effect of Business 25:13 Founder's Vision and Business Strategy 27:07 Succession Planning and Business Evolution 28:34 Balancing Tactics and Strategy 30:21 The Marketing Tree Analogy 34:22 Finding the Right Market Pond 38:41 Navigating Client Relationships and Agency Dynamics 53:08 The Role of AI in Marketing 01:02:40 Building a Business Beyond the Founder

Ryll Burgin-Doyle: What You Want Is Possible

What You Want Is Possible Most people want a mentor who supports them. Very few can handle one who actually holds them to it. In this episode of Internal Momentum, Ben sits down with Ryll Burgin-Doyle, high-performance business strategist, fractional CEO, investor, and co-founder of 90Degrees Global, the organisation behind the iconic Money and You program in Australia and New Zealand. Together they unpack what it truly takes to lead, to grow, and to build a business that delivers what you actually want. Ryll shares the philosophy behind her approach to leadership and strategy, and what three decades of working with founders and entrepreneurs from startups to nine-figure businesses has taught her about why most people stay stuck. She opens up about her own journey, including losing everything in a business, rebuilding from scratch, and how she came to hold the rights to one of the most transformational business programs in the world entirely by accident. Ben and Ryll explore integrity as a structural force rather than a moral label, the concept of procession and why staying in motion matters more than finding the perfect direction, and why sales solves more problems than most business owners are willing to admit. They also get into what it means to be provokable, and why the inability to have difficult conversations quietly kills businesses and relationships alike. Beneath all of it is a deeper thread: the idea that your business is a direct reflection of who you are, and that real growth asks something of the person, not just the strategy. This episode also marks something personal. Ben and Ryll have a real mentoring relationship, and that trust is audible throughout. If you have ever felt stuck between the business you have and the business you actually want, this episode will show you what it looks like to close that gap with intention. About the Guest Ryll Burgin-Doyle is a business growth strategist, fractional CEO, investor, and co-founder of 90Degrees Global, the organisation that delivers the Money and You program across Australia and New Zealand. She started her first business at 23 with $1,100 to her name and has spent more than three decades growing businesses from startups to billion-dollar enterprises across multiple countries and industries. She is a Telstra Business Woman of the Year finalist and the author of Businesses Getting Results. Connect with Ryll: Website (personal): https://ryllburgindoyle.com Website (agency): https://burginanddoyle.com Website (90Degrees Global): https://90degreesglobal.com LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/ryll-burgin-doyle-business-planning-strategy Instagram: https://instagram.com/ryllbd Facebook: https://facebook.com/ryllburgindoyle Chapters: 00:00 Introduction to Leadership and Mentorship 03:00 The Essence of Leadership 05:37 The Journey of Leadership Development 08:17 Empowering Teams and Accountability 11:08 Integrity in Business 13:38 Understanding Integrity 16:24 The Impact of Money & You Program 19:00 The Concept of Precession 29:51 The Power of Staying in Motion 35:48 Understanding Precession and Its Impact 42:33 Sales as the Lifeblood of Business 49:28 Transformative Moments in Personal Growth

Ewen Ryley: Made To Last

Made To Last DESCRIPTION Made To Last Most people spend more time planning the proposal than they do thinking about the marriage. And most people have no idea how much of the jewellery industry is built on mythology. In this episode of Internal Momentum, Ben sits down with Ewen Ryley, Creative Director of Ryley Jewellery Creations, to explore what 23 years of making custom pieces for couples actually teaches you about love, status, and commitment. Ewen also happens to be the man who made the ring Ben put on Jane's finger. Ewen shares what he has witnessed across decades of consultations, including the shift in how couples make decisions together, the proposals that go sideways, and the quiet moments where you just sense a relationship is not going to make it. He opens up about his own marriage approaching 15 years, what getting too comfortable costs you, and why growing together at different rates is one of the most underestimated challenges any couple faces. Ben and Ewen dig into the jewellery industry itself, including the diamond myth that De Beers built from nothing, the markups commercial jewellers quietly rely on, and why the three month salary rule was almost certainly invented by a marketing team. They also talk about what it means to have something made specifically for a person versus handing over something off a shelf, and why that difference matters more than most people realise. The conversation then moves into business and creativity. Ewen reflects on the trap of chasing a bigger operation when what actually makes the work meaningful is being the one doing it, and why letting go of an ego-driven definition of success can be the most clarifying decision a business owner ever makes. If you have ever wondered whether a ring means something beyond the price tag, or found yourself questioning what success in business and life is actually supposed to look like, this episode will give you a perspective worth sitting with. About the Guest Ewen Ryley is the Creative Director of Ryley Jewellery Creations, a multi-award-winning bespoke jewellery studio in Toowoomba, Queensland. With 23 years in the trade and a background that spans gemology, international award-winning design, and industry leadership, he specialises in handcrafted custom pieces that are built to last generations. He is also the founder of JEM Society, a membership community for jewellery enthusiasts. Connect with Ewen: Website: www.ryleyjc.com.au [http://www.ryleyjc.com.au] Instagram: @ryleycreations Facebook: www.facebook.com/ryleyjewellerycreations [http://www.facebook.com/ryleyjewellerycreations] JEM Society: www.jemsociety.com [http://www.jemsociety.com] Chapter List: 00:00 Introduction to Ewan Riley and Jewelry Creations 03:06 High-Stakes Jewelry Deals 05:31 The Evolution of Engagement Ring Trends 07:56 The Meaning Behind Engagement Rings 10:42 The Proposal Process and Relationship Dynamics 13:22 The Pressure of Proposals vs. Readiness for Marriage 15:54 The Jewelry Industry's Myths and Realities 17:59 The Craftsmanship Behind Custom Jewelry 20:44 Balancing Creativity and Business in Jewelry Making 23:03 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Adrian Ramsay: The Emotional Floor Plan

The Emotional Floor Plan A house can look perfect on paper and still feel completely wrong. What people are really searching for is rarely just a better building. In this episode of Internal Momentum, Ben sits down with Adrian Ramsay, Adrian Design Director at 22 International, to unpack the deeper emotional logic behind the spaces people long for and the stories they are really trying to live inside. Adrian shares how his work goes far beyond rooms, budgets, and finishes. He explains how memory, safety, identity, childhood experiences, and even the feeling of the land itself shape the homes people are drawn to, often before they can explain why. Ben and Adrian explore emotional floor plans, land whispering, masculine and feminine priorities in design, the objects and spaces people attach meaning to, and why a dream home is often less about status than it is about comfort, belonging, and the quiet stories people want to carry forward. The deeper layer is what gets revealed when someone starts talking about what they love. This conversation moves into memory, trauma, nostalgia, identity, and the surprising truth that the spaces we crave are often tied to needs we have never fully named. If you have ever walked into a place and felt something you could not explain, this episode will help you understand why certain spaces stay with you and what they might be saying about you. About the Guest Adrian Ramsay is Adrian Design Director at 22 International. A designer, connector, and adventurer, he is known for bringing emotional depth into the design process through ideas like the Emotional Floorplan and Land Whispering. His work blends creativity, story, land, and human experience to shape homes that feel deeply personal. Connect with Adrian Ramsay: Email: ar@ardesignhouse.com [ar@ardesignhouse.com] Instagram: Adrian Ramsay LinkedIn: Adrian Ramsay Facebook: Adrian Ramsay Chapter: 00:00 The Journey of Design and Identity 03:29 Understanding Dyslexia and Its Impact on Design 05:47 Land Whispering: Connecting with Nature 08:17 The Emotional Connection to Home 10:57 Designing for Emotions and Personal Stories 20:42 Masculine and Feminine Energies in Design 30:20 The Importance of Personal Touch in Home Design 36:31 Understanding Emotional Value in Design 41:25 Nostalgia and Memory in Home Design 47:24 The Shift in Wealth and Home Ownership 55:18 Balancing Life's Plates: Career and Personal Growth 01:05:38 The Joy of Connection Through Design 01:09:58 Introduction.mp4

Kim Kent: The Cost Of Proving Yourself

The Cost Of Proving Yourself You can build the life you once dreamed of and still feel like it is not enough. Sometimes the hardest thing to face is not lack, it is the story driving the chase. In this episode of Internal Momentum, Ben sits down with Kim Kent, Money Coach and creator of Wealthy As F*ck, to unpack the psychology behind money, self-worth, scarcity, and the hidden beliefs that keep people stuck. Kim shares why money struggles are rarely just about numbers. She explains how childhood beliefs around greed, goodness, hard work, and worthiness quietly shape the way adults earn, spend, receive, and sabotage money, often without even realising it. Ben and Kim explore the link between money and identity, the need to prove yourself through work, the emotional patterns behind overspending, and why some people stay trapped in hustle even after they have created enough. They also unpack money leaks, receiving, guilt, duty, and the difference between financial pressure and financial delusion. The deeper layer is what happens when the money problem is no longer the real problem. This conversation gets into purpose, time, rest, and the uncomfortable truth that many people do not just fear being broke, they fear being seen, supported, and finally having no excuse left to hide behind. If you have ever worked harder and harder hoping it would finally make you feel secure, this episode will help you see what is really driving the chase and what it might take to live with more peace. About the Guest Kim Kent is a Money Coach and the creator of Wealthy As F*ck. She helps high-earning families have more money left at the end of the month so they can buy the house, take the holiday, and spend guilt free. Her work combines mindset change, energetic embodiment, and practical wealth principles to help people organise finances and grow real wealth. Connect with Kim Kent: Website: kimkent.net [http://kimkent.net] Instagram: @kimkent__ Free Money Leaks Training: kimkent.net/newyearnoleaks [http://kimkent.net/newyearnoleaks] Money Leaks Calculator: kimkent.net/moneyleaks [http://kimkent.net/moneyleaks] Chapter List: 00:00 Understanding Money Psychology 02:59 The Impact of Childhood Beliefs on Money 05:58 The Dichotomy of Money and Self-Worth 08:39 Reframing Greed and Generosity 11:21 The Role of Conditioning in Financial Beliefs 14:15 Self-Sabotage and Financial Patterns 17:01 The Importance of Self-Care and Responsibility 19:52 Mindset vs. Financial Reality 22:50 Clarity and Responsibility in Financial Management 37:23 The Pursuit of Financial Freedom 39:57 Reverse Engineering Financial Goals 42:20 Understanding Money Allocation 44:20 Breaking the Cycle of Hustle 46:56 Childhood Conditioning and Money Beliefs 49:48 Time vs. Money: The True Wealth 51:46 Identifying Money Leaks 59:31 Facing Life Beyond Money Problems 01:08:19 Introduction.mp4