Thinking of starting a business, but everyone says you'll fail? That might be the best thing that ever happens to you.

In this episode, we unpack how Ben Handler went from being made redundant in a corporate job to building one of Australia's most innovative real estate businesses - and later scaling an online education empire.

This episode explores Ben Handler's remarkable journey from corporate redundancy to co-founding Cohen Handler, Australia's pioneering buyer's agency, which revolutionised how property is purchased.

Despite having no sales training and every real estate agent telling him buyers would never pay for representation, Ben helped build a 70-person company across multiple offices, before exiting to create his current venture - an online education business helping people transition careers and become successful buyer's agents.

You'll hear firsthand how Ben tackled starting a buyer's agency in a market that barely knew what it was - scaling it with zero marketing experience, and building the foundational skills needed to succeed as a founder in Australia.

We explore the critical mindset shifts required for entrepreneurial success, stress management frameworks for founders, and why most people fail at transforming their careers.

Whether you're interested in starting a buyer’s agency, building an online coaching business, or growing a recruitment company with a one-to-many model - this episode is packed with practical advice, inspiration, and tactical lessons for real-world entrepreneurship.

Key moments:

00:03:30 The "wrong vehicle" concept and leaving corporate
00:08:00 Starting despite everyone saying you'll fail
00:16:10 Partnership challenges and growing apart
00:21:50 Transitioning from workaholic to lifestyle focus
00:29:00 Why people fail at career transformation
00:32:50 Building teams and the art of delegation
00:42:40 Moving from service business to scalable products
00:48:30 The stress filter system for founders
00:57:10 Trusting your gut on big decisions

We also dive into topics like scaling service-based businesses, achieving work-life balance as a founder, and creating digital leverage so you can build income and impact without burning out.

This is a must-listen for anyone in real estate, recruitment, or considering a career change in Australia.

-

👉Connect with Ben Handler

https://buyersagentinstitute.com.au/
https://www.instagram.com/benjaminhandler

-

👉Connect with us

https://www.instagram.com/twoblokesonebusiness
https://www.linkedin.com/company/two-blokes-one-business-podcast

-

Adam Powell & Harvey Rivers are the founders of the specialist recruitment agency, Harwell Consulting.

Harwell Consulting are renowned for finding the top talent within the Construction, Accountancy & Finance & Labour Hire sectors.

Their award-winning concierge approach is helping companies attract exceptional talent to their team.

👉Want help finding exceptional talent for your business?

Get in touch with Adam, Harvey, and the team at Harwell Consulting: https://www.harwellconsulting.com.au/

Starting a career that pays $53,000 in commission for just four weeks of work might sound impossible - but in recruitment, it's absolutely achievable when you know what you're doing.

This episode dives deep into the world of recruitment with Adam and Harvey, who've built multiple seven-figure recruitment agencies from scratch.

Whether you're considering a career change or wondering if recruitment is a good career, this episode gives you everything you need to decide if it's for you.

You'll discover why recruitment is about more than just filling jobs - it's about changing lives, building businesses, and creating genuine impact for both job seekers and employers.

From understanding the difference between permanent and temporary recruitment to learning why the industry is shifting toward boutique recruitment specialists - this conversation reveals the insider secrets of a profession that can offer unlimited earning potential.

The discussion covers practical elements like the recruitment commission structure that can generate life-changing income, and why having industry experience before entering recruitment can be your golden ticket to building a successful recruitment business.

Plus, the lads unpack real stories that show how recruiters change lives - not only through helping people find new roles, but by creating financial freedom and opportunity for themselves and others.

Key Points

00:01:00 What is recruitment and why it exists
00:08:00 Different types of recruitment explained
00:15:30 Retained vs contingent recruitment models
00:22:20 Why recruitment isn't HR
00:27:00 Personal transformation through recruitment
00:37:30 The adrenaline rush of successful placements
00:47:00 Feeling like an expert in your field
00:51:40 Essential traits for recruitment success
00:59:00 Commission structures and earning potential

Ready to discover if recruitment could be your path to financial freedom and career fulfilment? This episode reveals everything you need to know about entering one of the most rewarding yet misunderstood professions.

-

👉Connect with us

https://www.instagram.com/twoblokesonebusiness
https://www.linkedin.com/company/two-blokes-one-business-podcast

-

Adam Powell & Harvey Rivers are the founders of the specialist recruitment agency, Harwell Consulting.

Harwell Consulting are renowned for finding the top talent within the Construction, Accountancy & Finance & Labour Hire sectors.

Their award-winning concierge approach is helping companies attract exceptional talent to their team.

👉Want help finding exceptional talent for your business?

Get in touch with Adam, Harvey, and the team at Harwell Consulting: https://www.harwellconsulting.com.au/

Former NRL Titans player Matt Srama joins us on Two Blokes One Business to share critical mindset shifts and high-performance habits for entrepreneurs.

These tips helped him transition from professional sports star to a successful entrepreneur on the Gold Coast.

Matt reveals how his background as an elite athlete gave him the discipline, resilience, and consistency needed to build and scale The Srama Group.

And he also shares practical strategies for business success, including:

✅Managing energy as a business owner (instead of just time)

✅The importance of outsourcing low-dollar productive tasks to buy back your time

✅ Creating systems and processes that allow for scalable business operations

✅The psychological challenges of shifting identities from athlete to entrepreneur

This episode is loaded with actionable advice for founders and solopreneurs - from someone who successfully navigated the transition from athlete to entrepreneur.

Key moments:

00:02:00 Managing energy in business
00:03:40 Intensity versus long hours
00:05:20 Time blocking
00:08:10 Business as the infinite game versus sport
00:11:20 Investing in an executive assistant and house manager
00:15:00 Overcoming working-class guilt
00:19:20 Identify energy-sapping tasks
00:25:30 Lessons from professional sport
00:30:00 Handle harsh feedback
00:33:00 Building discipline and resilience
00:40:10 Detaching personal identity
00:47:40 Structure gives freedom
00:52:40 Three keys to scaling a business

Whether you're an entrepreneur looking to scale, a business owner seeking work-life integration, or simply want to manage your energy better to avoid burnout - Matt's insights are a game-changer for building a sustainable and high-performance business.

-

👉Connect With Matt Srama

https://www.instagram.com/matt_srama/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-srama-b8647b1ba

https://www.thesramagroup.com/

-

👉Connect with us

https://www.instagram.com/twoblokesonebusiness
https://www.linkedin.com/company/two-blokes-one-business-podcast

-

Adam Powell & Harvey Rivers are the founders of the specialist recruitment agency, Harwell Consulting.

Harwell Consulting are renowned for finding the top talent within the Construction, Accountancy & Finance & Labour Hire sectors.

Their award-winning concierge approach is helping companies attract exceptional talent to their team.

👉Want help finding exceptional talent for your business?

Get in touch with Adam, Harvey, and the team at Harwell Consulting: https://www.harwellconsulting.com.au/