The Sounds of the Baskerville

119. Not Every Job is a Nail

In this episode of The Sounds of the Baskerville, Chris Baskerville and James Flaherty go head-to-head on one of the most important decisions a distressed business can face. Both tools exist to restructure and preserve viable companies, but they are not interchangeable, and choosing the wrong one could cost you dearly.  Chris breaks down the key differences: who stays in control, what the eligibility thresholds really mean, why unpaid super can be a dealbreaker, and why voluntary administration offers flexibility that SBR simply can't. He also explains the compelling maths behind SBR, how a director contributing $200,000 can wipe out $1 million in debt, and when that equation no longer makes sense.

118. Drugs, Diamonds & Divorce

In this episode of The Sounds of the Baskerville, Chris Baskerville and Pierce Carstensen are back — and this time the gloves are off. Pierce delivers two jaw-dropping war stories that bring the family law and insolvency crossover to vivid life: a diamond merchant framed on death row, and a debtor who tried to hide everything behind a conveniently timed divorce. But beneath the remarkable storytelling lies a serious message for creditors, directors, and insolvency practitioners. Pierce reveals why the family court can actually be a more powerful forum to recover assets than the state courts — and why failing to intervene in family law proceedings could mean walking away empty-handed. If Episode 117 was the theory, Episode 118 is where it gets real.

117. When Business and Marriage Both Fall Apart

In this episode of The Sounds of the Baskerville, Chris Baskerville is joined by James Flaherty and family law specialist Pierce Carstensen for a fascinating deep-dive into one of the most overlooked intersections in the insolvency world — where family law and insolvency law meet head-on. Pierce reveals why insolvency practitioners routinely leave money on the table when a family law element enters the picture, and why that needs to change. From spouses quietly transferring assets to defeat creditors, to the Family Law Act's little-known power to tear apart those very agreements, to the complex dance between trustees in bankruptcy and the family court — this episode pulls back the curtain on a space that most practitioners avoid but can't afford to.

116. You Can't Sell More Time

In this episode of The Sounds of the Baskerville, Chris Baskerville and James Flaherty tackle one of the most common and quietly dangerous traps facing Australian businesses right now: the labour and margin squeeze.  When you can't hire enough people to meet demand, and rising costs are eating into what little margin you have left, the ceiling on what your business can earn becomes very real, very fast. Chris and James explore what business owners can actually do about it, from smart pricing strategy (you can lose 20% of customers and still come out ahead) to the role of automation, offshoring, and knowing when a business model has simply run its course.

115. When the Storm Hits

In this episode of The Sounds of the Baskerville, Chris Baskerville and James Flaherty take a candid, unscripted look at the economic storm clouds gathering over Australia. From the cascading effects of global conflict on fuel prices, to the squeeze on household disposable incomes, to tightening credit across second-tier lenders, the conditions for a wave of business distress are quietly falling into place.  Chris unpacks the concept of externalities, the economic shocks no business owner can plan for and what history tells us about the insolvency cycle that follows. With recession talk returning and the cost of living biting harder than ever, this episode is a timely reality check.