High Agency - with Sharon McClafferty

Sharon McClafferty
  • 5.0 (3)
  • ENTREPRENEURSHIP

High Agency is a show about ownership of your business, your decisions, and your life. Hosted by Sharon McClafferty, Founder and CEO of Slipstream Group, this show is built on decades of experience working with accounting and financial advice businesses, and a deep obsession with what actually drives outcomes.Expect commercial clarity, real numbers, honest stories, and the kind of insights that help you make better decisions, faster.If you believe your business should be a vehicle, not a trap, you’re in the right place. Welcome to High Agency - with Sharon McClafferty.

Episodes

  1. Never Need The Deal

    4 DAYS AGO

    Never Need The Deal

    What if the most powerful position in business… is not needing anything? This episode is about power, leverage, and optionality — and how to build it long before you need it. Sharon breaks down the concept of BATNA (Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement), originally introduced in Getting to Yes, and explains why it’s not just a negotiation tactic… it’s a way to live. When you have strong alternatives, everything changes: How you show up What you tolerate What you say yes (and no) to  What You’ll Learn 1. Why BATNA = real power 2. The danger of having only one path 3. The concept of “F@ck You Money” (and why it matters) 4. The two ways people lose their power 5. How to build your BATNA in real life   A person with strong leverage: Has assets outside their business Doesn’t rely on one outcome or transaction Lives within their means (by choice, not restriction) Builds a business they actually enjoy Knows their numbers and their value Prioritises health and energy ⚡ Key Moments “If you’re not prepared to walk away, it’s not a negotiation.” “The reality is, you need us more than we need you.” “The most valuable asset… is the one you do not need to sell.” “When you have options, you are no one’s prisoner.”  The Big Idea This isn’t about delayed gratification. Building your BATNA: Makes your life better today Reduces stress and dependency Increases clarity and confidence And when the moment comes — the deal, the decision, the exit —  you don’t scramble. You choose. Practical Takeaways Build 12 months of runway (cash or accessible assets)  Diversify beyond your business Design a business you don’t want to escape from Invest in skills that make you employable anywhere Protect your health — it’s part of your leverage  A Question to Sit With Where in your life are you operating without a real alternative? And are you… quietly removing your own options? Share This Episode If someone came to mind while listening — send it to them. Because this episode isn’t just about business. It’s about helping the people around you: Have more choice More control And a better life 🔗 About the Show High Agency with Sharon McClafferty Real insights for business owners who want better results — and a better life — sooner than they thought possible.   If you'd like to know more about Sharon's company Slipstream Group and the results their clients achieve, visit https://slipstreamgroup.com.au

    45 min
  2. Don’t Assume the Buyer’s Priorities

    25 MAR

    Don’t Assume the Buyer’s Priorities

    In the last episode, Sharon McClafferty explored the time–cost–result triangle from the buyer’s perspective. In this episode of High Agency, she flips the triangle around. Because one of the most common mistakes in business happens when sellers assume which corner of the triangle matters most to their client. And once you assume the priority, you usually start solving the wrong problem.  Through a series of stories, including a Mercedes dealership that lost a six-figure sale, a high-stakes accounting engagement, and a financial advice client seeking peace of mind, Sharon explains why the most effective sellers focus less on pitching solutions and more on discovering priorities. Because people rarely buy the cheapest option. They buy the option that solves the problem that matters most to them. In this episode Why assuming price sensitivity is one of the biggest mistakes in professional servicesThe van dealership story that perfectly illustrates lost sales through assumptionHow one accounting firm turned a $12,000 job into a $75,000 engagementWhy urgency and outcome can matter far more than costMichael Spinks’ rule: “The fee you charge is proportional to the problem you solve.”Why some financial advice clients are buying peace of mind, not financial strategyThe simple discovery questions that make selling easierKey Insight Most deals don’t fall apart because of price. They fall apart because the seller misunderstood what mattered to the buyer. When you understand the buyer’s priorities, pricing becomes much easier — because the value of solving the problem becomes clear. The Three Things Every Seller Should Discover Before proposing a solution, understand: 1️⃣ The result they actually want What would success look like? 2️⃣ The timing pressure How urgent is the problem? 3️⃣ The consequences of getting it wrong What happens if this doesn’t work? Once those three things are clear, the right solution — and the right price — usually becomes obvious. A Question to Reflect On Where in your business are you assuming what your client values? And what might change if you simply asked instead of guessed? Coming Next In the next episode, Sharon explores a concept professional negotiators rely on constantly: BATNA — your best alternative to a negotiated agreement. Understanding it might completely change the way you approach deals, pricing, and leverage. About High Agency High Agency is a show for owners of accounting and financial planning businesses who want more clarity, more courage, and a better life. Hosted by Sharon McClafferty, the podcast explores the decisions and insights that help business owners create a better business — and a better life — years sooner than they thought possible. If you'd like to know more about Sharon's company Slipstream Group and the results their clients achieve, visit https://slipstreamgroup.com.au

    22 min
  3. Fast. Cheap. Good. Pick Two.

    11 MAR

    Fast. Cheap. Good. Pick Two.

    There’s a simple framework used in many industries: Fast. Cheap. Good. Pick two. But what Sharon McClafferty is increasingly seeing is something far worse: people entering situations that deliver none of the three. No clear result. No defined timeline. No real understanding of cost. In this episode of High Agency, Sharon explores why this happens and how high-agency thinkers approach decisions differently. After more than two decades working with accounting and financial planning firms, Sharon has developed strong pattern recognition for situations where effort will be high and outcomes disappointing, not because people lack capability, but because no one paused to decide what actually mattered most.  Through a series of stories, including a family law consultation, a clever real estate negotiation, and a Brisbane architect who forces clients to prioritise trade-offs,  Sharon illustrates how clarity around time, cost and result can transform the decisions we make. Because every important decision sits somewhere inside that triangle. The problem isn’t that trade-offs exist. The problem is when no one names them. In this episode: The Fast / Cheap / Good framework and why it shows up everywhereWhy people accidentally enter “zero-for-three” agreementsA real example of how family law can become an undefined cost + time trapA brilliant negotiation strategy from entrepreneur Guy MankeyHow architects use structured trade-offs to avoid project conflictWhy clarity around priorities removes most decision frictionThe real definition of high agencyKey Insight Every meaningful decision involves three variables: Time  Cost  Result One will always matter most — whether you acknowledge it or not. High agency simply means pausing to decide which one it is, and behaving accordingly. A Question to Reflect On Where in your life are you moving forward without clarity? Where are you entering agreements where no one has named the priority? Coming Next In the next episode, Sharon flips the triangle around and explores how sellers make the exact same mistake — by assuming what matters most to buyers instead of asking. About High Agency High Agency is a show for owners of accounting and financial planning businesses who want more clarity, more courage, and a better life. Hosted by Sharon McClafferty, the podcast explores the decisions, behaviours and patterns that separate reactive business owners from those who actively design better businesses and lives.   If you'd like to know more about Sharon's company Slipstream Group and the results their clients achieve, visit https://slipstreamgroup.com.au

    18 min
  4. Commercial Insights

    20 JAN

    Commercial Insights

    This is High Agency. A show for owners of accounting and financial advice businesses who want more clarity, more courage, and a better life.    Episode 3 recap: Most business owners don't lack effort. They lack commercial insight, the kind that lets you finally see the decisions that have often been available to you for years. Commercial insight isn't data and it's not a dashboard. It's often the moment something clicks when you suddenly see an elegant, sometimes obvious solution you somehow didn't see for years. But once you see it, you can't unsee it.  Hosted by Sharon McClafferty, Founder and CEO of Slipstream Group, the show is built on decades of real-world experience working with accounting and financial advice businesses, as a strategist who understands what drives outcomes.  Sharon is known for cutting through noise, translating commercial reality, and helping owners make better decisions, faster. If you'd like to know more about Sharon's company Slipstream Group and the results their clients achieve, visit https://slipstreamgroup.com.au

    22 min
  5. What are you optimising for?

    20 JAN

    What are you optimising for?

    This is High Agency. A show for owners of accounting and financial advice businesses who want more clarity, more courage, and a better life.    Episode 2 recap: If you've been avoiding the hard things in your business or in your life, you're possibly optimizing for comfort and comfort can be expensive. We look at some examples to answer a very important question: What are you optimising for? Hosted by Sharon McClafferty, Founder and CEO of Slipstream Group, the show is built on decades of real-world experience working with accounting and financial advice businesses, as a strategist who understands what drives outcomes.  Sharon is known for cutting through noise, translating commercial reality, and helping owners make better decisions, faster. If you'd like to know more about Sharon's company Slipstream Group and the results their clients achieve, visit https://slipstreamgroup.com.au

    23 min
  6. Your future is not a mystery

    20 JAN

    Your future is not a mystery

    This is High Agency. A show for owners of accounting and financial advice businesses who want more clarity, more courage, and a better life.    Episode 1 recap: Most business owners underestimate how much control they actually have. Your future is not fate, and it's not luck. And it's definitely not "one day". Your future is a series of decisions, and the sooner you own that, the sooner everything changes. Hosted by Sharon McClafferty, Founder and CEO of Slipstream Group, the show is built on decades of real-world experience working with accounting and financial advice businesses, as a strategist who understands what drives outcomes.  Sharon is known for cutting through noise, translating commercial reality, and helping owners make better decisions, faster. If you'd like to know more about Sharon's company Slipstream Group and the results their clients achieve, visit https://slipstreamgroup.com.au

    12 min
  • 6 Episodes

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

High Agency is a show about ownership of your business, your decisions, and your life. Hosted by Sharon McClafferty, Founder and CEO of Slipstream Group, this show is built on decades of experience working with accounting and financial advice businesses, and a deep obsession with what actually drives outcomes.Expect commercial clarity, real numbers, honest stories, and the kind of insights that help you make better decisions, faster.If you believe your business should be a vehicle, not a trap, you’re in the right place. Welcome to High Agency - with Sharon McClafferty.

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