Brad Eisenhuth on Motivation, Safety, and Team Performance

How I Went From $1,500 to $75 Million | Gary Brown's Wealth Blueprint

In this episode of the Find Your Influence podcast, host Anton Guinea interviews chartered accountant and wealth strategist Gary Brown about money, influence, and financial freedom. Gary shares his journey from arriving in Melbourne at 18 with $1,500 to building a net worth of about $75 million, emphasizing hard work, integrity, and learning from both his own and clients’ financial decisions. They explore how financial stress drives relationship breakdowns, the importance of shared financial transparency in couples, and Gary’s concept of “play money” so both partners can spend guilt‑free within an agreed structure. Gary defines influence as helping people make the right choices for the right reasons, contrasts it with manipulation, and explains how poor, consumption‑driven habits versus investing behaviors shape long‑term outcomes. He also discusses looming tax and structural changes for small businesses, concerns about government policy impacts on housing and investment, and his philosophy of becoming financially free so you can do what you want, when you want, with whom you want.   Takeaways: 1. Financial transparency + play money = healthier relationships Gary strongly advocates for couples pooling income into a joint account for shared bills, then giving each partner personal “play money” to spend guilt‑free. This reduces conflict, guilt, and secrecy around money and supports trust. 2. Influence is helping people choose what’s right for them He defines influence as helping someone make the right choice for the right reasons, contrasted with manipulation (getting them to choose for the wrong reasons). His work is largely about presenting clear choices and guiding clients toward decisions that support their long‑term goals. 3. Wealth comes from knowing the rules and investing early, not just working hard Gary’s journey from $1,500 to ~$75M highlights that the difference between “rich” and “poor” behavior is often how money is used: * Poor mindset: primarily consuming (cars, houses, lifestyle). * Wealth mindset: consistently investing (shares, property, assets that grow). He stresses starting early, being consistent, and understanding how tax and policy rules shape your strategy.   Quotes   1. On what influence really is “Influence, the way I would think about influence is, it's helping someone to make the right choice for the right reasons, because you know you have influence, and then you have manipulation, and manipulation is for the wrong reasons.” — Gary Brown 2. On financial freedom and choice “If you become financially free, you have the choices to do whatever you want, whenever you want, with who you want, and that's something that's pretty special.” — Gary Brown 3. On the difference between rich and poor mindsets “Most people consume, and that's the poor mindset. The rich mindset is to also invest… First, become financially free, invest your time and energy into building that passive income, getting yourself in the right position. Then do whatever you want to do.” — Gary Brown   Timestamps:   00:00 – Gary on knowing “where all the money is” and the idea of joint accounts plus personal “play money” 00:58 – Anton introduces the Find Your Influence podcast and today’s guest, Gary Brown 01:48 – Anton’s intro of Gary’s background, qualifications, and business achievements 03:00 – Story of HNB Accounting rebranding to Hatcher Advisory to enable scaling 03:55 – Gary’s journey: from $1,500 and a $14k start-up to ~$75M net worth, long hours, and keeping promises 06:21 – Integrity in business: “We say what we do, and we do what we say” and frustration with flaky service providers 07:28 – Critique of some tradies’ billing practices and how short‑term thinking hurts business 08:37 – Transition to the topic of influence 08:47 – Gary defines influence vs manipulation; example of warning a client not to buy a Porsche with ATO debts 10:15 – His “why”: helping people make better financial decisions, shaped by his parents’ mistakes 11:15 – Financial stress, money arguments, and high divorce rates linked to finances 12:40 – What accountants see: hidden spending, vices, and marriages breaking down 14:23 – Communication, trust, and why spouses should have full access to finances 15:15 – Discussion of women’s and partners’ agency in money; everyone should know their financial position 16:12 – Gary’s system: both partners must understand strategy; joint account plus personal “play money” 18:35 – “Play money” rules, guilt‑free spending, and avoiding blow‑ups over small purchases 20:34 – Splitting roles: one partner focusing on income, the other on growing wealth (e.g., SMSF) 21:25 – Positive influence from his mum: early maths, Monopoly, Rich Dad Poor Dad, seminars 23:02 – Good intentions vs poor execution; how repeated micro‑decisions shape outcomes 24:23 – White‑out vs paper‑and‑tape story as an analogy for scarcity thinking 25:20 – Breaking cycles of welfare and low income; environment and choices over time 26:52 – Scarcity vs generosity; how financial hardship can change giving behavior 27:13 – Federal budget discussion begins; concerns for small business owners 28:07 – Anticipated need for costly restructures and hard client conversations 30:21 – Macro view: fear, reduced investing, fewer dwellings, continued migration 32:12 – Impact on rents, housing affordability, and why some policies help investors but hurt the country 34:26 – How people “learn the rules” of new government schemes (e.g., NDIS) and profit from them 36:30 – Why current tax changes may discourage investing and slow economic growth 38:21 – How high future capital gains tax can change saving and investing behavior for young people 40:05 – Risk of creating “modern day slavery” through policy that keeps people stuck in 9–5 with no upside 40:57 – Housing supply, social housing pressure, and taxes feeding a cycle towards more state control 41:30 – What Gary is most proud of: clients and team members buying their first investments 42:31 – Helping people “get out of the rat race” (Cashflow game analogy) 43:06 – Anton’s family examples: first house, kids’ property choices, and starting points 43:46 – Knowing what you know now vs then; hindsight on interest rates and asset choices 45:38 – Family member example: lifestyle debt vs being almost debt‑free and ready to invest 46:18 – Keeping up with the Joneses, friendship groups, and lifestyle arms races 47:05 – Wealthy behavior vs poor behavior: more money in investments than lifestyle assets 47:42 – People reaching 50–60 with no saleable business and insufficient retirement assets 48:10 – Gary’s current work habits: early starts, obsession, and scheduling choices because he can 49:00 – Obsession as a choice; effort, focus, strategy toward success 49:56 – Anton’s hesitation implementing Gary’s advice due to income dip and fear 50:52 – How Gary built a multi‑million‑dollar share portfolio: investing a fixed percentage of revenue 51:10 – Sticking to an investment rule even when the business struggled (e.g., COVID lockdowns) 52:23 – Personal targets: wanting to pay $1M in tax (legally minimized) as a success metric 52:50 – His rule for buying a Ferrari: be able to afford it twice in cash and not care 53:26 – Additional rule: own more in shares of the car company than the car is worth 55:26 – Consumer mindset vs investor mindset; the iPhone/Apple stock example 56:09 – Most people consume, the rich also invest; starting with 10% of income for financial freedom 00:20 – Teaching his daughter maths and money concepts early, inspired by his mum 02:28 – Final message: financial freedom requires action, not talk 02:50 – “If you become financially free, you have the choices to do whatever you want, whenever you want, with who you want…” 03:30+ – Closing reflections, gratitude, and recap of key ideas around influence, choices, and money   Conclusion: Gary Brown brings together money, influence, and personal responsibility into one clear message: your financial future is built on the choices you make today. From his journey starting with $1,500 to building substantial wealth, Gary shows that financial freedom doesn’t come from luck or income alone, but from understanding the rules, communicating openly about money, and consistently investing rather than just consuming. His ideas on joint accounts, guilt‑free “play money,” and starting early with simple, disciplined investing give listeners a practical roadmap to reduce stress, strengthen relationships, and create the freedom to do what you want, when you want, with the people you choose.

From Failed Startup to Businesses in 6 Countries | Jeff Burke

Jeff (Jeffrey) Burke, a Pilbara-based civil construction operator and international entrepreneur. Jeff describes how a failed motorcycle-brand idea in Vietnam led to the creation and rapid growth of Onya Bike Adventures, now operating in six countries, as well as a paint manufacturing company, Revolution Paint. He reflects on Vietnam’s appeal, its rawness, family-centered culture, and homestay experiences, and how the business began as a “hobby” that unexpectedly exploded. Shifting to the core theme of influence, Jeff explains that for him, influence is about the “center of influence”, the people you surround yourself with. Throughout his career, from early days as an apprentice working for a successful Canberra builder who helped him buy his first block of land, to his time at Rio Tinto, to learning from billionaires and experts (including time on Necker Island with Richard Branson), Jeff has deliberately sought out capable, values-aligned people, asked them lots of questions, and modeled their thinking. He emphasizes constant learning through mentors, self-development (e.g., Tony Robbins programs), and voracious reading as the engine behind his business growth and personal development.   Takeaways: * Influence = proximity to the right people Jeff sees influence as the “center of influence” around you—deliberately choosing to be near experts, high performers, and people who think bigger, then learning by asking lots of questions. * Apprentice mindset never stops From his early days with a wealthy Canberra builder who helped him into land development to modern-day billionaires and business leaders, Jeff consistently approaches others as a learner, not as “the expert.” * Turn setbacks into new ventures His original motorcycle brand in Vietnam failed, but that exposure opened the door to adventure motorcycle touring and Revolution Paint, which then grew far beyond the original “hobby” idea.   Quotes: 1. On influence and proximity “For me, influence is really about the center of influence – the people around you at the time. I’m always looking for who’s the expert, who’s done well, then I get around them and ask a lot of questions.” – Jeff Burke 2. On learning and self-development “I’m constantly reading and listening. I don’t waste time with radio or TV – I’ve always got a book or audio on. You might read something and think there’s not much in it, then six months later one piece pops up and changes how you handle an opportunity.” – Jeff Burke 3. On work, luck, and opportunity “Yeah, there’s luck in success, but you’ve still got to get up every day and earn the luck. Constant education and being open to opportunity – that’s what lets you move when something like COVID or a crash hits.” – Jeff Burke   Timestamps: 01:00 – Anton introduces the Find Your Influence podcast and Jeff Burke’s background across WA civil construction and Vietnam ventures 04:00 – Jeff explains going to Vietnam, the failed motorcycle brand, and how adventure bike tours and Revolution Paint began 06:43 – Jeff describes Vietnam homestays, village life, and how the “hobby” bike tour business grew into six countries 08:07 – Jeff defines influence as his “center of influence” and the importance of surrounding himself with experts 11:35 – Jeff discusses diversification, building nine companies, and learning from high-level entrepreneurs on Necker Island 17:39 – Jeff talks about early influencers, a Canberra builder who helped him buy land, and his heavy focus on self-development and audiobooks 19:10 – Jeff and Anton dive into learning M&A with JT Fox, Dennis, and Adam Coffey, and buying companies instead of only building from scratch 21:50 – Jeff shares how Adam Coffey shifted his focus to culture, A-players, and working on the business, not in it 25:35 – Discussion of discipline, daily training, and how endurance events and the gym support performance in business 30:00 – Jeff reflects on who he’s most proud of: his younger self, his kids, and the people he’s developed in his businesses 32:50 – Jeff talks about his Vietnamese wife, elevating women in the family, and creating a stable home life that supports his work 39:01 – Jeff and Anton connect dots between coaching, JT’s events, Adam Coffey, and the power of saying yes to big opportunities 43:21 – Jeff explains how a Tony Robbins event during the GFC led to a Defense Housing deal that saved his business 46:32 – Conversation on “luck,” preparation, recovering from setbacks, and the idea that the harder you work, the luckier you get 51:00 – Jeff’s closing focus on legacy, contribution, and building businesses that support future generations, not just money   Conclusion: Jeff Burke’s journey leaves us with a powerful blueprint: put yourself in the right rooms, stay endlessly curious, and be prepared to reinvent when things don’t go to plan. From an apprentice chippy learning property from a local builder to international ventures in Vietnam to scaling multiple companies and playing in the M&A space, Jeff shows that success isn’t a single breakthrough—it’s the compound effect of who you surround yourself with, what you’re willing to learn, and how hard you’re prepared to work. And now, with his focus firmly on health, leadership, and legacy, Jeff reminds us that the real game is building something that outlives us while enjoying the process along the way. If this conversation resonated with you, share it with someone who needs a nudge to level up their own center of influence—and start choosing your “hard” a little more intentionally from today.

Why Most Leaders Fail to Create Real Change with Patrick Fordyce

What do you actually see when you walk onto a worksite? Do you see a hazard, or do you see the human consequence? In this powerful episode of the Find Your Influence podcast, Anton Guinea sits down with Patrick (Pat) Fordyce, COO of Berg Engineering and Author of 'The Stability Cycle', to look at what it truly takes to drive operational discipline and human-centred leadership. Anton shares a life-changing story from a safety walk he did with Pat years ago. While Anton saw a physical hazard, Pat saw the real-world consequence: an injury, an ambulance turning up, a devastating phone call to parents, and a family disrupted. This conversation dives deep into the foresight leaders need to build true psychological safety and protect their teams. We also explore: • The 4 pillars of operational discipline: Systems, Symbols, Behaviour, and Structure. • Patrick Lencioni’s 'Five Dysfunctions of a Team'—how to move an executive team from healthy conflict to convergence and total commitment. • Strategic leadership alignment: Why Pat placed Anton into a tough, technical commissioning role to leverage his high-influence energy and lift an entire workforce. • Shifting from unconscious habits to conscious change, and why great leaders "expect people to fail" during a transition so they can support them through it. Leadership work is hard, complex, and sometimes lonely—but the results are entirely worth it. Tune in for an hour of pure executive coaching. If you enjoyed this conversation, please be one of the 10% of legendary viewers who hit that subscribe button, like the video, and drop a comment below! 👉 Want to sponsor the podcast or suggest our next guest? Reach out to us directly! #FindYourInfluence #LeadershipDevelopment #CultureChange #SystemsLeadership #PsychologicalSafety #PatrickFordyce #TheStabilityCycle #SafetyCulture #OperationalDiscipline #HumanCentredLeadership

From Failed Deals To Billion‑Dollar M&A: Craig Keegan On Influence, Accountability & Execution

Craig Keegan—a Melbourne-based M&A and roll-up operator focused on dental practice consolidation—shares key lessons from his entrepreneurial journey. He emphasizes the importance of owning your own product, system, and IP after being burned by failed partnerships and unethical operators, which led him to always build his own platforms and processes. Craig outlines his four rules for relationships and partnerships (know what you can and can’t do, never lie, never ignore) and stresses that business is fundamentally about relationships and trust. He explains his view of influence as what people say about you when you’re not in the room (or even in the same country), describing how consistent content creation—80 podcasts and 200 LinkedIn articles in 12 months—has attracted global interest in his Dental Exit Cooperative model. Craig also reflects on his personal evolution from a troubled, rebellious student with a violent upbringing to “version five” of himself, deeply influenced by mentor JT Fox, whose knowledge, care, and similar background earned Craig’s respect and reshaped his approach to learning, mentoring, and adding tangible value in every interaction.   Takeaways:   1. Own the IP and stay in control Craig’s biggest business lesson is to control your own product, systems, and strategy. When he relied on others’ platforms or integrity (the failed internet business and property education scheme), everything could disappear overnight and he had no control. Building your own system keeps both the upside and the responsibility with you. 2. Relationships and integrity are the core of influence His four rules for working with people (be clear on what you can/can’t do, never lie, never ignore) show that long-term success in M&A, teams, and partnerships is built on trust and reliability. Influence, to him, is what people say about you when you’re not in the room—even on another continent—which comes from consistently adding real value in every interaction. 3. Content and execution create opportunities By producing 80 podcasts and 200 LinkedIn articles in 12 months, Craig made his Dental Exit Cooperative model visible, attracting partners from places like Auckland, London, Houston, and Dallas. He pairs this with a bias for execution—being the person who steps in when “the steam train has no brakes” and making billion‑dollar deals actually work in practice, not just on paper.   Quotes:   1. On relationships and integrity in business “Every time I deal with someone, I always go through my four rules. Rule number one, tell me what you can do. Rule number two, tell me what you can't do… Rule number three: never lie to me or my customer. Rule number four: never ignore me or my customer.” - Craig Keegan 2. On what real influence means “Your reputation is what people say when you're not in the room… I'm not even in the country. What are they saying about me?” - Craig Keegan 3. On the importance of accountability “Accountability is the key… If you're not accountable, you are not getting stuff done, and you can't be accountable to yourself. You can't coach yourself. If you coach yourself, you're a fool.” - Craig Keegan   Timestamps: 00:00 – Anton opens the Find Your Influence podcast and introduces guest Craig Keegan and the topic of influence. 01:01 – Craig’s background in M&A, roll-ups, dental consolidation, and prior exits including AI and recycling businesses. 03:06 – Biggest lesson: always control your own product, service, and IP. 04:24 – Stories of failed internet and property ventures that taught Craig to build his own systems and tech. 06:07 – Craig’s four rules for working with people and partners. 08:52 – “Make it easy to buy” and why this mindset applies to every relationship. 09:26 – How a coach pushed Craig to start a podcast and build influence through content. 10:30 – 80 podcasts and 200 LinkedIn articles leading to global inbound interest in his Dental Exit Cooperative model. 11:45 – Influence as what people say about you when you’re not in the room or even in the same country. 12:50 – Adding tangible value in every meeting and spotting credibility gaps like broken LinkedIn links. 14:40 – Positive word-of-mouth about Anton and a light moment about their matching vest and tie. 16:26 – Craig’s son as a key source of accountability and moral compass. 17:06 – Tough upbringing, running away at 15, living in a refuge, and becoming “version five” of Craig. 20:13 – Why mentor JT Fox was the first person Craig truly respected and related to. 22:10 – Government help desk story and building a team that could solve issues on the first call. 25:27 – Outsiders calling the help desk because of Craig’s reputation for fixing problems. 27:30 – Leadership now: drop the ego, work together, and do whatever is needed to get the job done. 29:49 – Most important leadership trait: be upfront about what you can and can’t do. 31:39 – 87 percent of M&A deals fail due to poor execution; Craig as the fixer when all hell breaks loose. 32:58 – Billion-dollar Australian deal likened to a runaway train that he stabilised at the last minute. 34:00 – Accountability as the key to results and why you can’t effectively coach yourself. 35:43 – Creating a mastermind group to drive implementation and real deal-making. 37:43 – Examples of introductions that lead to seven- and potential nine-figure deals. 39:10 – Using specialists for exits and matching the right skills to the right roles. 39:34 – Building great teams using AI, profiling, recorded interviews, and transcript analysis for culture fit. 41:20 – Anton’s wrap-up on influence, accountability, leadership, and an invitation to subscribe and follow.   Conclusion: Craig shows that real influence is built at the intersection of control, integrity, and accountability. Craig’s journey—from failed ventures and a tough upbringing to leading complex M&A roll-ups and the Dental Exit Cooperative—highlights why you must own your IP and systems, choose partners by clear principles, and relentlessly add value so your reputation works for you when you’re not in the room. His stories of rescuing billion-dollar deals, transforming teams, and engineering high-value introductions all reinforce a simple truth: ideas and content only matter when they’re backed by execution and external accountability, supported today by smarter tools like AI and robust team profiling.

From Single Mum to Global Speaker: Lee Campbell's Manifestation Journey

Lee Campbell, a Gold Coast-based manifestation trainer and women’s empowerment mentor. Lee explains her core archetypes (Warrior/Wonder Woman, Lover, Magician, Queen) and how women can consciously “call in” different identities to support self-leadership, resilience, and growth. Using the Wizard of Oz and Wonder Woman as metaphors, she describes the idea of taking continual “two-millimeter shifts” on the path to one’s “Emerald City” life, supported by tools like vision boards, embodiment (posture, anchors, props like a wand), and powerful mentors. She shares how mentors such as Lauren Lahav and the Tony Robbins ecosystem helped her move from corporate IT and single motherhood into a life of global travel, speaking (including on stage in a Wonder Woman outfit), and running masterminds, and how she aims to pass this level of self-leadership, adventure, and possibility on to her children and clients.   Takeaways: * Archetypes as self-leadership tools Lee uses intentional archetypes—Warrior/Wonder Woman, Lover (Aphrodite), Queen (Arata), and Magician (Dorothy)—to step into different versions of herself. Naming and “calling in” these identities helps her access specific qualities like courage, softness, wisdom, or creativity on demand. * “Two millimeter shifts” toward your Emerald City Personal transformation doesn’t have to be a giant leap. Lee frames growth as tiny, consistent 2 mm shifts—new beliefs, small actions, or daily habits—that cumulatively redirect your life path toward your own “Emerald City” (your ideal life and goals). * Vision boards as focus and manifestation tools Lee treats vision boards as focus boards: what you see often is what you focus on, and what you focus on is what you attract. She uses images, symbols, and even AI-generated pictures of herself (e.g., Wonder Woman in a canyon) to align her inner world with her outer reality, supporting big manifestations like international travel, speaking on stage, and life experiences with her kids. Quotes:   * You are only like, if you just shift two millimeters, you will go on a totally different course in your life, whether that's a new belief, a new action, something new that you do at the gym, something that you do in your career or in finance, everything's a two millimeter shift." — Lee Campbell * "To me, that's what self-leadership is. It's being able to lead yourself first, but sometimes we can't do that unless we've got a little bit of help. So, these have been my little bit of guidance in helping me along the path every day to go, come on, like, who is this next 2.0 version of you that needs to get to that goal?" — Lee Campbell * "Sometimes people aren't always going to be aligned on your dream, but just keep staying true to you and your beliefs, and you know what you really truly stand for, and you can show people the path, but not everybody's gonna follow the same path as you." — Lee Campbell   Timeline: 0:00 – Multiple archetypes and calling in “Wonder Woman” energy 0:54 – Anton opens the Find Your Influence podcast and introduces Lee 2:55 – Lee reacts to the intro, and Anton credits his researcher, Debbie 3:14 – The Wizard of Oz, the yellow brick road, and “two millimeter shifts.” 5:46 – “Who do you need to become?” and looking beyond your immediate circle 7:42 – Wonder Woman’s creator and why the warrior archetype gets tired 9:55 – Lee’s four archetypes: Warrior, Lover, Magician, and Queen 12:13 – Can you be all these archetypes in one day? 13:48 – Anchors, a magician’s wand, and the power of visual triggers 15:13 – Vision boards as focus boards: what you focus on, you attract 18:03 – Manifesting a dream house and real-life proof of vision boards 19:09 – Lee’s mentor Lauren Lahav and the Tony Robbins connection 22:10 – From corporate IT and single mum to global travel and speaking 24:45 – Writing down “impossible” goals and the Wonder Woman stage story 27:52 – Why Lee’s proudest influence is on her two teenage sons 30:33 – Monument Valley, Wonder Woman photos, and staying true to your dreams 32:11 – Raising boys, wild experiences, and focusing on four dreams at a time 33:56 – Anton’s journey to becoming a five-figure speaker 36:15 – Wrap-up: archetypes, self-leadership, and finding your influence   Conclusion: Lee weaves together archetypes, micro-shifts, and vision boards into a practical framework for self-leadership and influence. Lee shows how intentionally stepping into identities such as Wonder Woman, Lover, Magician, and Queen can help us access the courage, softness, wisdom, and creativity required at different moments in life. Through the metaphor of the yellow brick road and “two millimeter shifts,” she reframes transformation as a series of small, conscious choices that ultimately lead to our personal “Emerald City.” Supported by mentors like Lauren Lahav and the Tony Robbins community, Lee’s own journey—from corporate IT and single motherhood to global speaking and masterminds—illustrates how clear vision, aligned action, and powerful influences can reshape a life. Her story ultimately reinforces that influence starts with how we lead ourselves, the dreams we dare to put on our boards, and the person we are willing to become to make those dreams real.