The High Ground

Chloe Buntin & Derek Buntin
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The High Ground is a podcast for founders, operators, and senior leaders who are building companies that scale and want to understand the systems, decisions, and infrastructure behind businesses that do it with structure and intention. Hosted by Chloe and Derek Buntin, co-founders of Boderia, each episode covers B2B growth, revenue operations, commercial infrastructure, and the leadership decisions that determine whether a company scales or stalls. The conversations that belong on the high ground. www.boderia.io - commercial infrastructure for scaling B2B companies.

  1. 5d ago

    Shark Tank's Steve Baxter: Why Most Businesses Blow Themselves Up

    Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode! Steve Baxter has backed more than 100 Australian startups, and he says most businesses don't lose to their competitors. They blow themselves up from the inside. Steve was one of the original sharks on Shark Tank Australia and co-founded PIPE Networks, which sold for $370 million. He and Chloe cover: Why businesses rarely die from competitionHow great service drove 90% of new customers through referralsThe "never make a customer repeat themselves" ruleWhy your gut is the wrong tool for business decisionsWhat Steve looks for in the people he backsHow to pitch when an investor's job is to say no If this episode was useful, leave The High Ground a rating on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. It helps other business owners find the show. Connect with Steve: Beaten Zone: https://www.beatenzone.vc/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-baxter-021448/ Chapters: 00:00 Meet Steve Baxter 00:49 From the army to his first internet business 04:40 Why business risk never really changes 12:34 What makes a business last 15:00 Timing, luck and the Maxwell MRI story 23:54 How he won his first customers 30:01 The decisions that took him from small to large 34:32 What Steve looks for when backing a business 39:50 What wins Steve over in a pitch 44:16 Life as a shark on Shark Tank 51:17 Tax, housing and founders leaving Australia 1:02:17 Steve's #1 advice Revenue Maturity Assessment: see where your business's revenue engine is leaking value, free: https://www.boderia.io/revenue-system-maturity-assessment

    Shark Tank's Steve Baxter: Why Most Businesses Blow Themselves Up

  2. Oct 22

    Would You Hire Yourself? The Test Most Founders Fail | ft. Blake Thompson

    Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode! If you had to hire yourself into your own business, would you? Blake Thompson on the ego and discipline gaps that quietly cap a founder's growth. Blake is the CEO and co-founder of Xrecruiter, which helps recruiters launch and run their own agencies, from solo operators to teams turning over $20 million a year. He and Chloe cover: The "would you hire yourself?" test every founder should takeWhy ego is the biggest destroyer of businessesThe 20-year veteran who refused advice and closed without a single dealHow to prepare for the downturn while business is going wellWhether you're building an asset or a high-paying jobWhy luck is really just volume Connect with Blake: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/startarecruitmentagency/ Xrecruiter: https://xrecruiter.io Chapters: 00:00 Meet Blake Thompson 00:38 The question that started his business 09:26 Should everyone become a founder? 17:50 What nobody warns you about 20:47 How you handle pressure decides your success 22:29 The 20-year veteran who never did a deal 27:54 Building an asset vs a high-paying job 30:28 Would you hire yourself? 34:15 Ego, overthinking and the tax bill shock 36:40 How Xrecruiter started 45:56 Why luck is just volume 49:29 Blake's #1 advice Revenue Maturity Assessment: see where your business's revenue engine is leaking value, free: https://www.boderia.io/revenue-system-maturity-assessment

    Would You Hire Yourself? The Test Most Founders Fail | ft. Blake Thompson

  3. Oct 15

    Why Business Owners Waste 20% Of Their Ad Spend | ft. Jason Le

    Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode! Most ad accounts could cut 20-30% of their budget and still get the same result. Jason Le shows where that money is quietly leaking. Jason is the founder and managing director of JRNY Digital and has managed more than $40 million in ad spend across 200 businesses. He and Chloe cover: How a business doubled to $10M, then cut the channel responsibleThe "fact or opinion?" test for marketing decisionsWhy most small businesses don't need more leadsThe rule of one for testing ad creativeWhen to cut an ad using your break-even costWhether billboards and radio are worth itHow to brief an agency so you get the right leads Connect with Jason: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-le1 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jason_le1996/ JRNY Digital: https://jrnydigital.com.au/ Chapters: 00:00 Meet Jason Le 00:35 Where ad spend quietly leaks 02:30 The attribution mistake 07:14 Why you might not need more leads 09:27 The rule of one for ad creative 12:23 When to cut an ad 16:15 What works in B2B ads 22:54 Jason's story 33:22 Billboards and radio 42:42 Marketing and sales working apart 48:43 Why agencies fail 1:04:39 Jason's #1 advice Revenue Maturity Assessment: see where your business's revenue engine is leaking value, free: https://www.boderia.io/revenue-system-maturity-assessment

    Why Business Owners Waste 20% Of Their Ad Spend | ft. Jason Le

  4. Oct 8

    Why Your Senior Hires Keep Failing (And How to Fix It) | ft. Daniel Moussa

    Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode! A wrong senior hire can cost a founder-led business 3–5x that person's salary. Daniel Moussa explains how to get it right the first time. Daniel is the founder of Third Way Advisory, an executive search firm working exclusively with founder-led businesses across Australia and Asia. He and Chloe cover: Why a founder-led CEO role is a different job to a corporate CEOThe "pre-season" hiring process Dan borrows from elite sportHow to headhunt senior talent who aren't actively lookingWhy senior hires take six months, and how to start earlyHow founders stop being the bottleneck in their own businessOptions when you can't yet afford a full-time executive Connect With Dan: Third Way Advisory: https://www.thirdwayadvisory.com.au/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-moussa-thirdway Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/danmoussa_thirdwayadvisory/ Chapters: 00:00 Meet Daniel Moussa 00:29 Founder-led CEO vs corporate CEO 03:05 The real cost of a wrong hire 04:41 The "pre-season" hiring process 07:50 Fake CVs and volume recruiting 12:28 Stop being the bottleneck 15:49 Headhunting people who aren't looking 25:48 Why senior hires take 6 months 31:13 Interims and fractional executives 35:12 Dan's founder story 41:21 Dan's #1 advice: no plan B Revenue Maturity Assessment: see where your business's revenue engine is leaking value, free: https://www.boderia.io/revenue-system-maturity-assessment

    Why Your Senior Hires Keep Failing (And How to Fix It) | ft. Daniel Moussa

  5. Sep 24

    Don't Chase Money, Chase Reputation | Investor John Jia-Ren Lee

    Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode! Chasing money is how most founders stall. Investor and property developer John Jia-Ren Lee explains why reputation is what actually scales a business. John is a business mentor, property developer and movie executive producer who backs businesses across very different industries, from drone shows to perfume vending. He and Chloe talk about how he picks what to back, what makes him walk away from a pitch and why he builds strong foundations before he scales anything. In this episode: How John chooses which businesses to backThe pitch red flags that make him say noHow rebranding fixed a struggling perfume machine businessWhy he scales for quality before speedAngel investing vs Shark Tank-style dealsHow to cold DM and pitch a busy investorHow to handle a venture that's sinkingThe Rule of 5 for the people around youWhy SOPs come before scalingConnect with John: John Jia-Ren Lee: https://linktr.ee/jiarenl Chapters: 00:00 Intro 01:13 Meet John Lee 04:01 How John chooses what businesses to back 07:27 Pitch red flags: why respect and synergy come first 11:45 Fixing the problem: rebranding the perfume machine 13:37 Scaling smart: quality over rapid expansion 15:01 Don't chase money, chase reputation 19:27 Mindset and staying open-minded 22:02 Angel investing vs Shark Tank deals 23:59 How to cold DM and pitch busy investors 28:13 Managing multiple companies 32:08 How to handle a sinking venture 40:47 The overnight success myth 43:37 The Rule of 5: cutting off toxic friends 52:03 Strong foundations and SOPs before scaling 56:08 Scaling into Australian property development 1:05:02 John's #1 advice for new entrepreneurs 1:07:41 Where to follow John If this episode was useful, leave The High Ground a rating on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. It helps other business owners find the show. Watch the full episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/AecP14OFl6k Revenue Maturity Assessment: see where your business's revenue engine is leaking value, free: https://www.boderia.io/revenue-system-maturity-assessment

    Don't Chase Money, Chase Reputation | Investor John Jia-Ren Lee

  6. Sep 17

    Why Your Sales Funnel Is Not Working

    Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode! Most businesses think the funnel ends when someone buys. But the sale isn't the finish line. It's the beginning of the customer relationship. In this episode of The High Ground, Chloe and Derek break down why the traditional linear funnel no longer reflects how people actually buy, especially in B2B. Customers research, leave, return, compare alternatives, ask questions, and may take months before they are ready to buy. 🌐 Build your own high-performance Revenue System 👉🏽 www.boderia.io The conversation explores why businesses need to move beyond a fragmented funnel and build a connected revenue system that attracts, converts, delivers and delights customers. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 🔍 In this episode, you'll learn: Why the traditional sales funnel doesn't reflect the modern buyer journeyWhy customers rarely move from awareness to purchase in a straight lineWhy the sale should be treated as the start of the customer relationshipHow disconnected marketing, sales and customer success teams create frictionWhy referrals and customer experience can become powerful growth driversHow content keeps your business visible while prospects researchWhy you need to meet buyers where they are in their buying journeyHow the flywheel can replace the traditional funnel mindsetWhy retention, referrals and expansion matter for long-term growthHow a single revenue system can connect the entire customer journey-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 🌐 Build your own high-performance Revenue System 👉🏽 www.boderia.io SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST & NEVER MISS AN EPISODE! ⬇️ 🎧 Listen on your preferred platform: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube | Castbox | Podcast Addict Resources & Tools: Learning Centre Follow Boderia Socials: LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook | X | Youtube | Tiktok

    Why Your Sales Funnel Is Not Working

  7. Sep 10

    How to Make Your Business Stand Out

    Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode! Most businesses want to stand out, but end up looking exactly like everyone else. They copy their competitors’ websites, messaging, offers and positioning, creating what we call a “sea of sameness”. The problem is, when customers can't see a clear difference between you and your competitors, you end up competing on price rather than value. 🌐 Build your own high-performance Revenue System 👉🏽 www.boderia.io In this episode of The High Ground, Chloe and Derek explore what it really takes to differentiate your business. From defining your ideal customer and developing a clear point of view to creating your own frameworks, methods and messaging, the conversation breaks down how to become the obvious choice for someone specific. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 🔍 In this episode, you'll learn: Why copying your competitors makes it harder to stand outHow to escape the “sea of sameness”Why competing on price can be a result of poor differentiationHow to define your ideal customer profileWhy trying to appeal to everyone makes your business forgettableHow to communicate outcomes instead of generic featuresWhy thought leadership and having a point of view matterHow creating your own framework or method can differentiate your businessWhy your website needs to clearly communicate who you help and howWhy social proof and case studies matterWhy being different for the sake of being different doesn't workHow to become the obvious choice for a specific customer-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 🌐 Build your own high-performance Revenue System 👉🏽 www.boderia.io SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST & NEVER MISS AN EPISODE! ⬇️ 🎧 Listen on your preferred platform: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube | Castbox | Podcast Addict Resources & Tools: Learning Centre Follow Boderia Socials: LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook | X | Youtube | Tiktok

    How to Make Your Business Stand Out

  8. Sep 3

    Revenue Is Growing But You're Still Broke? Here's Why.

    Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode! You can be the busiest person you've ever been and still have less money in the bank than you did a year ago. Everyone's flat out. The calendar looks full. The top line looks great. Yet there's no money. In this episode of The High Ground, we break down why revenue growth doesn't automatically lead to profit and how rising costs, underpricing, unnecessary expenses and inefficient systems can leave businesses working harder without actually becoming more profitable. We explore why businesses need to understand their value, price accordingly and build a revenue system that supports sustainable growth rather than simply chasing more sales. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In this episode you'll learn Why growing revenue doesn't automatically mean growing profitHow rising costs can reduce profitability as your business growsWhy many businesses unknowingly underprice their servicesHow to price based on the value you provide, not just your timeWhy increasing your prices can lead to fewer customers but better profitabilityHow unnecessary expenses can consume the revenue you're generatingWhy businesses need to understand their numbers and where their money is goingWhy a website alone won't move the needle without a bigger revenue systemHow AI and technology can help businesses work faster and improve profitabilityWhy selling your way out of a cash-flow problem can make things worseWhy cutting costs to the bone isn't always the right solutionHow building a systemised revenue model can support more predictable growth-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 🌐 Build your own high-performance Revenue System 👉🏽 www.boderia.io SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST & NEVER MISS AN EPISODE! ⬇️ 🎧 Listen on your preferred platform: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube | Castbox | Podcast Addict Resources & Tools: Learning Centre Follow Boderia Socials: LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook | X | Youtube | Tiktok

    Revenue Is Growing But You're Still Broke? Here's Why.
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About

The High Ground is a podcast for founders, operators, and senior leaders who are building companies that scale and want to understand the systems, decisions, and infrastructure behind businesses that do it with structure and intention. Hosted by Chloe and Derek Buntin, co-founders of Boderia, each episode covers B2B growth, revenue operations, commercial infrastructure, and the leadership decisions that determine whether a company scales or stalls. The conversations that belong on the high ground. www.boderia.io - commercial infrastructure for scaling B2B companies.

Information

  • Creator
    Chloe Buntin & Derek Buntin
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    85
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Boderia 2026
  • Show Website
    The High Ground