IT is rarely top of the list for small business owners — until something goes wrong.

In this episode of the Buddez podcast, we sit down with Brendan Stenner from Particle IT to unpack the real IT and security risks facing small businesses today, and what you can do to reduce them without becoming an accidental IT manager yourself .

From access control and cyber scams to hardware upgrades, data protection, and AI boundaries, this conversation is a must-listen for any business owner relying on tech to run their day-to-day operations.

In this episode, James shares:

• Why small businesses are not “too small” to be targeted by cyber scams
• The most common IT security gaps he sees in growing businesses
• How poor offboarding and access control can put your IP at risk
• Practical ways to reduce risk without overcomplicating your systems
• What hardware lifecycles business owners should actually be planning for
• How AI tools like Copilot and ChatGPT can help — and where boundaries matter
• Why regular IT audits save money, time, and stress in the long run

👉 Join the Buddez community to access Brendan’s workshop and get the latest insights from real small biz owners doing big things.

CREDITS:

🔗 Guest: Brendan Stenner

🏢 Business: Particle IT

📍 Based in: Australia

🌐 Website: https://particle.au

📧 Email: hey@particle.au

📞 Call: 1300 147 642

💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brendan-stenner-ba2a76179/

If you’ve ever stared at your phone thinking, “Surely I’ve used every content idea in existence…” this episode is your new creative recharge.

For the first time ever, all three Buddez founders — Sophie, Rosita and Pete — sit down together to share their best real-world strategies for creating content consistently, even when your inspiration tank is empty.

From the power of simple educational snippets, to the magic of trending audio, to Pete’s love affair with that American wood-chopping guy on TikTok… we cover it all.

And yes — here’s the axing guy:

htts://www.tiktok.com/@northernwoodcutter/video/7544863169487916318?_r=1&_t=ZS-91ZxciNucgK

Whether you’re a tradie, an eCommerce brand, a service provider, or just getting your socials off the ground, this episode gives you practical tips you can implement today.

In this episode, the team shares:

✨ Rosita’s 4-part content framework

• Educate
• Sell & promote (with a strong hook)
• Social/behind the scenes
• Nurture (and the secret power of 4.1 – feedback loops)

✨ Sophie’s content strategies

• Why “obvious to you” is gold to your audience
• Why you should look outside your industry
• Clever hooks that stop the scroll
• The easiest content ever: trending audio + a simple clip
• Why storytelling while doing an unrelated action works (makeup… carpentry… smoothies… same same)
  
  
  

✨ Pete’s favourite content ideas

• Ask your customers what made them buy
• Ethically “spying” on competitors
• Origin stories (and why your passion is your best sales tool)
• Collaborating with complementary brands
• Trending topics: what Taylor Swift + Travis Kelce can teach marketers
• Tell people about mistakes — and what you learned
• Bonus tip: Use your comments section as a content generator
  
  
  

✨ Plus, the unexplainable universal appeal of…

• Wood-chopping TikToks
• Time lapses
• Before/after transformations
• Dogs on beach walks
• And why Pete still doesn’t understand makeup tutorials

👉 Join the Buddez community and get the latest insights from real small biz owners doing big things.

CREDITS:

🔗 Guests:

Sophie Siclari – Buddez Co-Founder & Marketing Specialist

Rosita Rose – Buddez Co-Founder & Social Media Specialist

Peter Anthony – Buddez Co-Founder & Executive Coach

🏢 Business: Buddez

📍 Based in: Australia

🌐 Website: www.buddez.com

📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/buddezcommunity

▶️ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/buddez_/

💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/buddez/

▶️ YouTube: youtube.com/@Buddez

his episode is a beautiful look at what happens when purpose, grit and genuine care collide.

James Clendining, co-founder of Firefly HR, shares how he and his wife Barbi built a niche recruitment and training business in the OSHC and early learning space — one grounded in child-safeguarding, community, and deep sector knowledge.

From Barbi’s personal story that shaped the heart of their mission, to James’ jump from the ASX into the unknown, this conversation covers the pivots, the pressures, and the power of backing yourself even when the path gets messy.

You’ll hear how Firefly HR built authority through webinars and education, what it really costs to build an app (spoiler: a lot), how the pandemic forced a full business reset, and the practical ways James maintains strong relationships with centres and educators.

This episode is especially powerful for founders who are juggling growth, purpose, and burnout — and anyone needing a reminder to trust themselves a little more.

In this episode, James shares:

The childhood event that inspired Barbi to dedicate her life to helping kids feel safe and seen
Why OSHC is one of the most misunderstood (and undervalued) sectors in education
The leap from the ASX into small-business life — and why timing matters less than passion
How COVID completely wiped their revenue and forced a pivot into education and webinars
The real cost (and complexity) of building an app-based recruitment platform
Why reputation and genuine care still matter more than aggressive sales tactics
Practical ways he builds and maintains centre relationships (hint: pick up the phone)
The one piece of advice he wishes he took earlier in his business journey
How to tune out the noise of too many mentors and trust your own expertise

👉 Join the Buddez community to access James’ workshop and get the latest insights from real small biz owners doing big things.


CREDITS:
🔗 Guest: James Clendining
🏢 Business: Firefly HR — Recruitment + Consulting for ECE & OSHC
📍 Based in: Australia
🌐 Website: www.fireflyhr.com.au
👥 Co-founded with wife, Barbi

📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fireflyhrOSHC/
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fireflyhr
▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbq6P2fQ3N8FNXsKA_HTG7w