Starting a business can feel overwhelming, particularly when you are moving into an industry you know little about. In this episode of The Business Behind Your Business, Paul Sweeney speaks with Shelly Kul, founder of Kashkiya, about leaving a successful 20-year corporate IT career to create Australia’s first dedicated mother-and-daughter clothing brand. Her story shows why taking the first step, listening to customers and learning as you go can be more valuable than waiting until you have everything figured out.

What You’ll Learn:

• How Shelly Kul identified a gap in the market and turned a personal idea into a business
• Why too much research and overthinking can prevent you from getting started
• How pop-up shops helped validate the product and provide valuable customer feedback
• Why a great product will not sell unless people know it exists
• Why stock management, marketing, supply and operations must work together
• How incorrect pricing can produce sales without producing profit

Shelly Kul’s journey is an honest reminder that successful businesses are not built by having all the answers from day one. They are built by taking action, learning from mistakes and making changes quickly. If you have been sitting on an idea or waiting for the perfect time to begin, this episode will encourage you to test the opportunity, understand your market and take the first step.

Shelly Kul is a Mum of 2 and the founder of Australian fashion brand, Kashkiya. Inspired by her two daughters who always wanted to match with her, Kashkiya offers high-quality matching dresses for Mums and their daughters with the hope of turning every day moments into precious memories.

www.kashkiya.com.au

This episode is supported by the Business Planning Operating System. My 9-module course is built from 30 years of experience as an accountant, giving business owners a simple, one-page 90-day plan they'll actually use. Learn more at thebusinessbehindyourbusiness.com/focus

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What happens when your biggest customer leaves, your leads dry up, or the platform driving your sales changes the rules overnight? For many business owners, those moments expose just how vulnerable their business really is.

In this episode, Paul Sweeney sits down with entrepreneur Jellaine Dee, who grew her business from a weekend market stall in Brisbane to an international beauty brand generating more than $10 million in annual revenue before selling to private equity. Along the way, she deliberately built multiple revenue streams, expanded into international markets, and created a business that didn't depend on her being involved in every decision.

If you're worried about relying too heavily on one customer, one product, one marketing channel, or even yourself, this conversation offers practical insights into creating a more resilient and valuable business.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why relying on a single source of revenue can put your business at risk
• How Jellaine turned a simple market stall into a global brand
• The importance of testing ideas and multiplying what works
• Why diversification should extend beyond products to customers, markets, and sales channels
• How building systems helped remove owner dependency
• The role cash flow plays in funding growth opportunities
• Why private equity values diversified businesses more highly
• How to create a business that provides freedom instead of becoming a prison
• What makes a business attractive to buyers
• Why bigger customers can sometimes be more valuable than more customers

Jellaine's story is a reminder that successful businesses are rarely built on a single product, customer, or channel. By creating multiple paths to revenue, putting systems in place, and thinking strategically about growth, business owners can build stronger, more valuable businesses that provide opportunities instead of limitations. Whether you're looking to scale, improve profitability, or eventually exit, this episode offers practical lessons from someone who has successfully done all three.

Jellaine Dee is a global retail strategist, entrepreneur and founder of Mogul Methods. After building Cherry Blooms into a beauty brand generating more than $10 million in revenue and expanding into eight countries, she now helps product-based businesses secure ranging with leading retailers, scale through wholesale and expand into international markets.

www.mogulmethods.com.au

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This episode is supported by the Business Planning Operating System. My 9-module course is built from 30 years of experience as an accountant, giving business owners a simple, one-page 90-day plan they'll actually use. Learn more at thebusinessbehindyourbusiness.com/focus

Support the show

https://thebusinessbehindyourbusiness.com/

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Most business owners dream of building a business that can thrive without them, but very few achieve it. In this episode, Paul Sweeney sits down with Dr Michael Filosi, who transformed a rundown dental practice that had possums living in the walls into one of Adelaide's largest dental clinics before selling it in just 81 days. This conversation is packed with practical lessons about leadership, growth, culture, delegation, and creating a business that has genuine value beyond its owner.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• Why successful business owners see opportunity where others only see risk
• How small "quick wins" can create momentum and drive major change
• The importance of building a coalition of supporters within your team
• Why business owners must stop being the bottleneck
• How to transition from technician to true business owner
• The role of systems, leadership and delegation in business growth
• Why your best employees may be better than you at certain aspects of the business
• What makes a business attractive to buyers
• How Michael built a business that was ready to sell long before he decided to sell it

If you've ever wondered how to move from being the person doing all the work to being the leader of a valuable business, this episode is a must-listen. Michael's story proves that business success rarely comes from one big breakthrough. It comes from making smart decisions consistently over time and building something that can succeed without you.

Books mentioned in the episode:

The Checklist Manifesto by Atul Gawande

Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara

Built to Sell by John Warrillow

The E Myth Revisited by Michael Gerber

Want to know if your business is ready to sell? Check out our free tool:

How valuable is your business? Get your score!

Dr Michael Filosi is a dentist, exited founder, entrepreneur and self-confessed business nerd. Ten years ago Michael bought a worn out dental practice with possums in the walls that nobody thought had a future and successfully scaled it into the biggest dental practice in Adelaide. Last year Michael sold his business to private equity, overseeing the process himself and receiving offers from four different private equity firms in the process.

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Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

This episode is supported by the Business Planning Operating System. My 9-module course is built from 30 years of experience as an accountant, giving business owners a simple, one-page 90-day plan they'll actually use. Learn more at thebusinessbehindyourbusiness.com/focus

Support the show

https://thebusinessbehindyourbusiness.com/

Connect with us:
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