The Latest from Kristy-Lee

Hello and welcome to Episode 265 of the People Powered Business Podcast!

In this week's episode we are chatting about the Federal Governments recent Budget announcement around their plan to ban non-compete clauses in employment contracts.

Today we will break down what non-compete clauses actually are and what they do, what is the Government saying they plan to do and what this means for your business.

Put simply, non-compete clauses are clauses in employment contracts that prevent an employee from working in competition with the employer after they leave. Also referred to as non-poach or restraint of trade agreements, they are largely designed, or at least in part to protect an organisations Intellectual Property and aim to protect the livelihood of the business.

The Federal Government recently announced their plans to ban these clauses from sometime in 2027. They have suggested the ban will employ to employees who earn under the high income threshold, currently $175 000.

So what ...

As business owners, we often find ourselves spending our entire day dealing with people, managing their needs, and navigating the complexities of teamwork.

As a business owner we need to step into the role of ‘leader’ in our business. However, many entrepreneurs and managers find themselves reluctant leaders, struggling to embrace their role as "the boss."

Instead of providing direction and leadership, they fall into what can be called the "non-boss mindset"—a hands-off approach where they hope their team will figure things out independently. While autonomy is important, a lack of leadership can create confusion, inefficiency, and frustration among employees.

If you've ever avoided making decisions, shied away from conflict, or found yourself reluctant to manage your team, you might be operating in this non-boss space.

Overcoming the Fear of Leadership

When we started our journey into entrepreneurship or embarked on our careers, we may not have anticipated that managing people ...

Hello and welcome to Episode 264 of the People Powered Business Podcast!

Today I have a question for you: What if I told you that your business could completely change with just ONE key hire?

So often I see business owners feel stuck in the day-to-day grind instead of leading.

They’re answering every question, fixing every problem, putting out fires.

They think hiring more people will fix it, but somehow, they’re still overwhelmed.

If this is you, the truth is there is a missing piece on your team. You’ve got growing pains, you know that, but you don’t know who to hire to solve it.

You could duplicate a role, and add another member to a key team, and that might stop the bottleneck there and let you service more customers.

You could create a role, and add skills to your team to improve your customer experience and reduce the need to outsource.

But neither of those solutions solve the key problem: they won’t stop you being overwhelmed, spending 10 hours + per week managing people...

Hiring the right people is one of the most critical decisions a business owner or manager can make.

Yet, so often, interviews are filled with bad questions—the kind that don’t actually help assess a candidate’s suitability for the role.

If you’ve ever left an interview feeling like you didn’t get any real insights into an applicant, your questions might be to blame. Let’s explore the worst types of interview questions, why they fail, and how you can ask better ones to make smarter hiring decisions.

Why Interview Questions Matter

Many employers assume that candidates will volunteer all the important information they need to make a decision. But in reality:

• Candidates only answer what’s asked—if you don’t ask the right questions, you won’t get the right answers.
• A one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t work—questions should be tailored to the role and your business needs.
• Poor questions lead to poor hires—hiring mistakes are costly, time-consuming, and disruptive to your bu
...

Hello and welcome to Episode 263 of the People Powered Business Podcast!

Today we are joined by special guest James Brown from BizTech Guru to talk all things systems and processes in your business.

James is a Certified Master SYSTEMologist® | SME Technology Expert | Time-Saving Specialist | Business Systemisation Pro.

James stands at the forefront of business operation simplification, with a rich 20-year history spanning from manufacturing to tourism, currently specialising in construction and building trades.

Through his venture, BizTech Guru, he introduces business owners to SYSTEMology and works closely with David Jenyns, the founder of systemHUB and the SYSTEMology movement, diving deep into the methodology and building out course curriculums.

James has presented to over a thousand people about SYSTEMology and has worked directly with over a hundred business owners himself to implement this methodology.If you’d like to connect with James, you can find his website here: https:...

At the time of writing this, it’s Employee Appreciation Day!

Whilst this day is a great opportunity to acknowledge the hard work and dedication of your team (despite not being widely recognised in Australia), it’s not just about recognising your team on one day each year.

I thought this day was a great opportunity to discuss the value and importance of recognising our people more generally.

Taking the time to celebrate your employees can boost morale, improve engagement, and create a more positive workplace culture. Embedding gratitude and recognition into your daily leadership style will have a far greater impact than a single celebration.

Let’s explore why employee recognition is crucial, creative ways to celebrate Employee Appreciation Day, and how to foster a culture of appreciation year-round.

Why Employee Recognition Matters

It might seem like a small thing, but showing appreciation has a significant impact on workplace morale, engagement, and productivity.

Hello and welcome to Episode 262 of the People Powered Business Podcast!

Today I have a question for you: is fear holding you back as a leader within your small business?

Fear of hiring the wrong person;

Fear of having that difficult conversation;

Fear of failure;

Fear of change, and technology;

Fear of delegating;

Fear of staff doing the wrong thing.

When fear shows us for us as business owners it holds us back, our team back and our business back.

In this episode we look at where fear is showing up for you, the impact it is having and I share some strategies that you may want to consider if you’re stuck in fear.

Also mentioned in today’s episode is my Power Boss private mentoring – if you’d like to know more click here:

https://www.peoplepoweredbusiness.com.au/powerboss

An Invitation

Would you like to connect with other like-minded business owners, leaders and managers experiencing similar situations with their team? Join the discussion inside our free Facebook Group – T...

Hiring great employees can be time-consuming, challenging, and even overwhelming. But with the rise of artificial intelligence (AI), businesses can streamline the recruitment process, saving time and effort while improving hiring outcomes.

AI won’t replace human decision-making in hiring—it lacks intuition, emotional intelligence, and the ability to assess cultural fit. However, when used correctly, AI can speed up administrative tasks, enhance job ads, and help you find the right candidates more efficiently.

Here are five practical ways you can use AI to improve your hiring process.

1. Use AI to Write and Refine Job Descriptions

A well-crafted job description is the foundation of a successful hiring process. It sets expectations, attracts the right candidates, and filters out unqualified applicants.

How AI Helps:

• AI tools like ChatGPT can generate job descriptions based on specific role requirements, industry standards, and key skills.
• AI can suggest improvement
...

Hello and welcome to Episode 261 of the People Powered Business Podcast!

Today we are talking about employee appreciation, and the celebration of Employee Appreciation Day on the 7th March 2025.

In this episode we are discussing why appreciation is so important, some creative ways you might want to celebrate your people on Employee Appreciation Day and why it’s important to recognise and celebrate our people all year round.

An Invitation

Would you like to connect with other like-minded business owners, leaders and managers experiencing similar situations with their team?

Join the discussion inside our free Facebook Group – The People Powered Business Community. Click here to join us.

When an employee resigns, employers often face a critical decision: should they require the employee to work out their notice period or let them leave immediately?

While it may seem like a simple yes-or-no question, the reality is more complex. There are legal considerations, business needs, and the overall impact on the team to take into account.

While notice periods exist to ensure a smooth transition, the question remains: does keeping a resigning employee on board benefit the business, or is it sometimes better to part ways early? Let’s break down everything you need to consider when making this decision.

Understanding Notice Periods and When They Apply

A notice period is the time between when an employee resigns (or is terminated) and when their employment officially ends. For permanent employees—whether full-time or part-time—notice periods are typically outlined in their employment contract or the relevant Modern Award, or The Fair Work Act.

The length of notice...