Episode Details

In this first episode for 2026, hosts Ben Fewtrell and David Carlin kick off the new year by challenging the way business owners typically approach their planning. Instead of filling your calendar with work and squeezing life into the gaps, they argue for flipping the script entirely.

Ben and David discuss why traditional resolutions often fail and introduce a more robust framework for success. They cover the importance of setting a "Big Hairy Audacious Goal" (BHAG), identifying the "energy leaks" that held you back last year, and picking a central theme to guide your decisions.

If you want to ensure you don't reach December wondering where the year went, this episode provides the blueprint for designing a business that serves your life, rather than the other way around.

Episode Highlights:

00:00 – Welcome to the Max Your Business Podcast

02:30 – Making 2026 a year to remember for the right reasons

04:12 – Defining your BHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Goal)

06:00 – The three critical areas to set goals in: Business, Life, and Self

08:28 – The "Self-First" approach: Why you should plan your personal growth before your business growth

10:15 – The Rule of Three: Why focusing on too many things ensures nothing gets done

12:10 – How to restructure your diary by locking in non-negotiables and "life stuff" first

15:00 – Breaking your annual vision down into manageable quarterly outcomes

16:30 – Identifying "energy leaks" from 2025 and how to plug them

19:00 – Choosing a "Theme" for the year to act as your decision-making anchor

26:20 – A lesson on vision and success from the new Sydney Fish Markets

27:40 – Your Next Steps

Key Takeaways:

• Flip Your Planning Priority: Most business owners fill their diary with work and hope life fits around it. To build a sustainable business, you must schedule your life, rest, and non-negotiables first, then fit the business in what remains.

• Set a Theme for the Year: Pick a single word or phrase (like "Leverage" or "Simplicity") to act as your guiding light. If a new opportunity or task doesn't align with your theme, it makes it much easier to say no.