When the stack of cards falls like dominoes

Every business owner knows the feeling of the long hours, the endless juggling, the constant drive to keep everything upright. You’re so deep in the trenches that you barely notice the cracks forming until the stack of cards falls like dominoes. At The Engine, we’ve seen this scenario play out time and time again. A trusted staff member quietly adds unworked hours to payroll. A manager manipulates expenses. A business leans too heavily on a single client. Each time, the fallout can be devastating; emotionally, financially, and reputationally. But recovery is possible.

Over the years, we’ve helped business owners navigate through these moments — recovering stolen funds, re-establishing financial integrity, and rebuilding trust within their teams. What’s most important is doing it without creating PR damage or employment disputes that can compound the pain. It takes precision, experience, and a calm, structured response — all of which we provide at The Engine.

A Lesson from Experience

In 2007, I learned this lesson the hard way. Fifty percent of one of my businesses was stolen by an employee I trusted. I pursued and won a restraint of trade, but the greater victory came in reflection. I had to ask myself where my blind spots were, and how I could prevent this from ever happening again.

A year later, in 2008, I secured the international merchandise rights for Rugby World Cup 2011 – a major milestone for a kiwi company. But even in that moment of success, I knew I needed to plan for life beyond 2011. Without that forward planning, I would’ve been right back in the same vulnerable position as 2007.

Those years taught me that business isn’t just about managing growth; t’s about managing risk. Because when something shifts, whether it’s a key client, a trusted employee, or even your own role as a working director, you need to know your structure won’t collapse.
The Wake-Up Call: GrabOne

The recent GrabOne liquidation has been another wake-up call for many business owners. Dozens of businesses have contacted The Engine in the past week alone, anxious about what could happen if they lost their biggest client or main source of income. The reality is, you don’t need to be in trouble for trouble to find you.

Life and business can turn upside down at any moment — and having the right people beside you is as critical as having the right structure in place.

The Business Warrant of Fitness Audit

That’s why now is the perfect time to take a closer look under the bonnet of your business. At The Engine, our Business Warrant of Fitness Audit gives you an independent, expert view of how your business is truly performing — beyond the surface-level numbers your accountant reviews. This audit is a practical, hands-on assessment that identifies your business’s strengths, weaknesses, and risks. We analyse your people, processes, systems, financial alignment, leadership capability, and future strategy. You’ll receive a clear, actionable plan outlining the steps needed to strengthen and future-proof your business. It’s not just a document — it’s a roadmap for business resilience. As the year draws to a close, make the last thing you do for your business this year the one that matters most — book your Business Warrant of Fitness Audit. It could be the single most important investment you make before the year ends. Because when the unexpected happens — and it will — you’ll want to know your business isn’t built on a shaky foundation.Let’s make sure your house of cards stands strong.

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Change starts with YOU:
Why business owners must commit to True Transformation

Every business owner we meet has, at some point, said the words “I want things to change.” Maybe it’s about growing sales, building a stronger team, creating more balance, or adapting to shifting markets. But here’s the hard truth: wanting change and committing to change are two very different things. Too often, business owners hope for a different result while continuing to operate in the same way. They want their staff to step up, their market to improve, or their processes to magically become efficient—without recognising that the shift has to begin with them.

The Ownership of Change
As a business owner, you are the cultural driver, the pace-setter, and the decision-maker. If you aren’t prepared to step into the discomfort of change, neither will your team. Your staff won’t suddenly innovate if you resist new ideas. Your clients won’t see growth in value if you refuse to refine your approach. Change requires more than words—it demands action, consistency, and the willingness to let go of old habits that no longer serve your vision.

Saying vs. Doing
Saying “I want to delegate more” is easy. Actually trusting your team with responsibility, resisting the urge to micromanage, and supporting them when mistakes happen—that’s commitment.
Saying “I want better results” is easy. Implementing new strategies, tracking performance, and holding yourself accountable when things slip—that’s commitment.
Saying “I want work-life balance” is easy. Setting boundaries, learning to say no, and restructuring your time—that’s commitment.

Change is not a passive wish list. It’s an active process.

Change Starts With You
When you, as the business owner, lead by example, everything else follows. If you embrace change with openness and consistency, your people and processes will align. If you resist, your business stalls.

The question is not: “Do you want change?”
The real question is: “Are you willing to change?”
Because transformation doesn’t start with the market, your staff, or external circumstances. It starts with you.

Did you know you could be eligible as a business owner for funding up to $5000 for our business coaching services? Email:- businessadvice@theengine.biz to find out more.

? Start here and let’s make these critical months count —together.

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Save thousands of dollars by avoiding simple but often-overlooked business mistakes with our monthly advisory newsletter.

Strong finish to 2026. Stronger start to 2027.

Navigating the critical months ahead – to not take action will leave your business on the hamster wheel

Last month’s newsletter sparked plenty of conversations, calls and action around The Engine’s Business Warrant of Fitness – a true pulse check for where your business stands today. But as we move further into 2025, the conversation must shift to what’s next.

The critical few months ahead are about more than just ticking boxes. It’s about taking a deliberate pause to review your tax position, cashflow, sales pipeline, people, and overall strategy – ensuring you not only finish the 2026 fiscal year with strength, but also create a solid continuum heading into 2027. These reviews may also raise an even bigger question: are you sitting in the right seat? Some business owners realise it’s time to transition to a GM or CEO, while others may simply want to step back a little – perhaps taking a break, or even carving out a day or two each week to recharge. With the support of The Engine’s experienced interim CEOs, these options are possible without compromising performance.

In recent last quarter planning sessions with our clients, we’ve worked through cashflow forecasting that has uncovered hidden drains on resources, identified untapped sales opportunities that have quickly converted into new revenue, and designed people strategies that have reignited energy and accountability within teams. We’ve helped owners build structures where the business no longer depends solely on them – freeing up time and creating resilience. For others, it’s been about making the tough but necessary calls around expenses, growth priorities, and succession planning.

These sessions aren’t just theoretical. They’re practical, hands-on and forward-looking, giving you both clarity and actionable steps. Whether it’s strengthening your financial foundations, sharpening your customer engagement, or putting the right people in the right roles, we sit in the co-pilot seat with you – ensuring you’re not navigating turbulence on your own. And with funding options available to support business owners, there has never been a better time to invest in forward planning.

Ready to Plan? Now is the moment to act. Don’t wait until the end of the year to discover cracks in your plan or missed opportunities. Secure your planning session with The Engine today and set yourself up for a strong finish to 2026 – and unstoppable momentum into 2027. With co-funding of up to $5,000 available, there’s no better time to take the wheel with us in your co-pilot seat.

Start here and let’s make these critical months count —together.

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Save thousands of dollars by avoiding simple but often-overlooked business mistakes with our monthly advisory newsletter.

Is your business really fit for the road ahead?

Would you pass a business warrant of fitness?

With many companies falling over and equally many more barely with a pulse, having a business warrant of fitness completed by The Engine Limited could not be more relevant and necessary.

As business owners, you’re constantly moving and more often deep in the trenches—juggling sales, team management, client needs, and keeping the wheels turning. But how often do you actually stop and take a good look under the hood of our business?

That’s exactly what The Engine Business Warrant of Fitness (WOF) Audit is all about.

It’s not a test you pass or fail—it’s a necessary health check and finding the blind spots to help you understand what’s working, what needs tuning, and what’s missing altogether (the opportunities).

At The Engine, we’ve sat alongside hundreds of business owners from all walks of life. And one thing we know for sure? No matter what industry you’re in, you can’t fix what you can’t see. As mentioned above too often business owners are buried deep in the trenches or reliant on others, that there is never a peer review of what is going on. This audit gives you the visibility and clarity you need to make real progress—fast.

Whether you’re feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or ready for the next level of growth, the WOF gives you a tailored report across eight critical areas of business, including:

• Strategy
• Leadership
• Finance
• Sales & Marketing
• Systems & Processes
• HR & Culture
• Legal Compliance
• Succession Planning

This is a practical, no-fluff tool designed to identify gaps and opportunities. And you don’t go it alone—we’re right there with you, swimming in the pool, not shouting from the side.

We’re not here to judge—we’re here to help you course-correct, strengthen what you’ve built, and continue the course for long-term success. Ready to find out if your business is fit for the future?

Let’s get you booked in for your Business WOF. ? Start here and let’s get under the hood—together.

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Save thousands of dollars by avoiding simple but often-overlooked business mistakes with our monthly advisory newsletter.

What’s my endgame?

The one question business owners often forget to ask when starting out

When you start a business, it’s usually about the idea, the opportunity, or simply the urgency of needing to make a living. You jump in, energised by possibility, fuelled by vision and more often blinded to the long game. What’s rarely considered at the start is where this is all meant to lead. Not just in terms of profit, but in terms of the life you’re building, the values you’re embedding, and the people you’re inviting along for the ride.

We often meet business owners who’ve spent years sprinting, only to look up and wonder what all the running was for and more importantly how do I get out.

What kind of life are they actually living? What kind of mark are they leaving behind? And who’s still with them, growing alongside them? When we ask them what they want their days to look like, what time they’d like to finish work, how they’d like to spend their weekends, who they want to empower and what impact they want to have, it’s as if no one’s ever given them permission to think that far ahead. But that’s where the magic happens.

Your business is not just a vehicle for income. It’s the framework for your freedom, your contribution, and your influence. It’s not just about getting out of bed and ticking off tasks; it’s about designing a future that includes rest, purpose, and people. It’s about creating the systems that support you, rather than systems you become trapped in. Some businesses are built to exit, others to hand over, and some to carry the heartbeat of a founder’s mission for generations. The difference lies in knowing—early on—what kind of life you want to lead, what difference you want to make, and who you’re bringing along with you.

As holistic business coaches at The Engine Limited, we spend time helping owners step back from the urgent to focus on the important. We help map a journey that aligns with a lifestyle that feels right and a footprint that feels worth leaving. The reality is this: a clear destination doesn’t just help you get there faster—it helps you avoid places you never meant to end up.

Without clarity, you can find yourself with investors who don’t align with your values, staff you never intended to manage, or worse—waking up at 60, burnt out and wondering how to exit a business that has become your entire identity. One thing we know for certain in the work we do is that with a roadmap, a destination, and a commitment to building with intention, you’re far more likely to enjoy the journey and be proud of where you land.

If you haven’t yet asked yourself, where is this all really going? – then you need to talk with us. And if you are starting out in business, knowing the finish line and what that looks like is essential to achieving your success.

Subscribe to  The Engine Business Coach.

Save thousands of dollars by avoiding simple but often-overlooked business mistakes with our monthly advisory newsletter.