Kane Tyler Smith

Growth Isn’t Always Success
What happens when a business grows fast, turns over more than $30 million and employs 140 people, but still struggles to pay the bills?
In this episode of The Experts Podcast, Nic Hayes sits down with trades entrepreneur Kane Tyler Smith for a refreshingly open conversation about growth, profit, cash flow and learning some very expensive lessons.
Kane started his apprenticeship in Year 10 and went on to build a substantial trades business. From the outside, the numbers looked impressive. But Kane admits he became caught up in the vanity metrics of revenue and staff numbers without paying enough attention to margins and cash flow.
At one point, the business lost $2.2 million in a single year, forcing Kane to rethink what business success actually looked like.
Today, he operates with a leaner team of around 30 people, targeting $15 million in revenue and a 10% profit margin. His focus has shifted from being bigger to being better, profitable and sustainable.
Nic and Kane discuss the dangers of rapid growth, managing cash flow, building wealth outside the business, balancing family and work, and why sometimes taking a step back is the smartest move you can make.
They also explore Kane’s move into podcasting and why sharing mistakes can be just as valuable as sharing success.
A candid conversation about ambition, resilience and the difference between building a big business and building a good one.