Axons Unleashed Podcast: WHEN THE BUSINESS GREW UP - THE DAY THE TRAINING WHEELS CAME OFF
Axons are part of the neuro-transmission system in the brain… they carry the spark between the neurons to fire the body into action!
The Axons Unleashed Podcast will get your Axons fired up by our hosts Robbie, Tamara, Dan and Dane as they uncover the untold truths of what it really takes to successfully transition from the ADF, how to build a multi-million-dollar property portfolio, how to start a business as a veteran entrepreneur and how to more effectively communicate with your partner… while optimising your personal performance in every aspect of your life.
For this episode, the team looks back at the period when Axon began making the transition from a small, founder-led operation into a more structured and established business.
Moving from a residential rental property into a commercial office was one very visible sign that Axon was growing up, but plenty was changing behind the scenes too. The team was introducing more structured planning, defining its values, setting longer-term goals and learning how to build a business that didn’t depend on Robbie and Tamara being involved in every decision.
It was the period when the training wheels really started to come off – culminating in a team planning trip to Hawaii that helped set the direction for Axon’s next stage of growth.
Here's Where You Can Listen:
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From Start-Up to a Structured, Growing Business
Growth meant Axon needed more than ambition and a willingness to work hard. As more people joined the team, Robbie and Tamara realised they needed a clearer vision for where the business was heading, defined values everyone could contribute to, and a planning process that turned longer-term goals into practical quarterly and weekly priorities.
One of the biggest milestones came unexpectedly. While Robbie and Tamara were in Hawaii, Robbie lost his phone – cutting off the connection he had expected to maintain with the team back in Australia. Instead of everything grinding to a halt, the team continued working with clients and making decisions without him. It became an important realisation: if the right people were trained, trusted and working towards the same goals, the business didn’t need its founders involved in every conversation.
In this episode, the team discusses:
- Why business coaching and external perspectives became important as Axon grew.
- The introduction of more structured business planning and longer-term goals.
- Why having a clear vision became increasingly important as new team members joined.
- How the team collectively developed the values that would guide the business.
- The importance of turning company values into everyday behaviours rather than leaving them as words on a wall.
- How weekly planning and communication helped different areas of the business work together.
- Why leaders eventually need to step away from day-to-day tasks and trust their team.
- The unexpected Hawaii moment that showed Robbie the business could operate without him being involved in every client conversation.
- Moving from a residential property into Axon’s first commercial office.
- How team planning helped translate ambitious goals into practical actions and responsibilities.
- The value of client feedback and continually improving processes.
- How skills developed in the ADF, particularly planning, adaptability and implementation, transferred into building a civilian business.
By the end of this period, Axon looked very different from the business that had started only a few years earlier. There was a larger team, a dedicated commercial office, clearer systems and values, and a shared understanding of where the business was heading.
For Robbie, Tamara and the team, one of the biggest lessons was the power of planning. Setting a direction, breaking larger goals into achievable steps and giving the right people responsibility helped Axon move beyond its start-up phase and prepare for its next stage of growth.