Rephonic
Artwork for The Critical Few Actions

The Critical Few Actions

John Downes
Artificial Intelligence
Intellectual Property
Business Case Development
Australia
ERP
Tri-Tech
Australian Government Grants
Ibisworld
Negotiation
Site Location Strategy
Government Procurement
Melbourne
Offshoring
The Four Aces
Mount Zero Olives
Trademarks
Crisis Leadership
Medium-Sized Businesses
Tendering Process
DIFOT

Overwhelmed by trying to do it all? Focus on the criticalfewactions™ that will have the biggest impact on your business's success. In this podcast, host John Downes, a seasoned business advisor with extensive experience in Big Consulting, successful entrepreneurship, and mentoring, helps you defeat the overwhelm. Through real stories from business leaders, experts insights, and John’s own experien... more

PublishesTwice monthlyEpisodes71Founded2 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
ManagementBusinessEntrepreneurship

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for The Critical Few Actions

Latest Episodes

Ready to build a stronger business?

If this episode has you thinking differently about leadership, growth, and building a business beyond a great product, we'd love to help.

Join one of our free Strategic Planning Webinars and discover the practica... more

YouTube

WANT Paris’ checklist and Business Ready Checklist? www.criticalfewactions.com.au/podcast/Paris-Singer-Fluid-Branding

Please Subscribe/Follow here www.criticalfewactions.com.au/podcast/Subscribe-Me

Not All Revenue Is Good Revenue: S... more

YouTube

Subscribe/Follow and click here for further information and the eBook of resources:

www.criticalfewactions.com.au/podcast/

Please let me know if I’m on the right track with the podcast. It means the world to me to know I’m adding value.

Ar... more

YouTube

Subscribe/Follow and click here for further information and the eBook of resources:

www.criticalfewactions.com.au/podcast/

Have you ever completed a strategy offsite and wondered why nothing changed afterwards?

Does your leadership team st... more

YouTube

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Accepts Sponsors
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

Recent Guests

Richard Seymour
CEO and founder of Mount Zero Olives
Mount Zero Olives
Episode: A Good Product Is Not The Same As A Strong Business
Paris Singer
CEO of Fluid Branding
Fluid Branding
Episode: Not All Revenue Is Good Revenue: Strategic Lessons for Founders with Paris Singer
Fiona Holland
CEO of Tri-Tech
Tri-Tech
Episode: Fiona Holland: How to transition from Founder to CEO and Chair and Avoid ‘Tissue Rejection’
Carmen McKinney
Chief Commercial and Product Officer at IBISWorld
IBISWorld
Episode: Carmen McKinney: How to beat AI Slop With Numbers You Can Trust
Grant Lingwood-Smith
Finance leader, CFO expert with experience at PECSA, MYOB, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Pack Dunn, etc.
Former CFO/Finance Leader at PECSA, MYOB, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Pack Dunn
Episode: Grant Lingwood-Smith on the Four Habits of High-Performing CFOs
David Sanders
CEO of Bestrane, expert in activity-based costing, logistics modeling, and supply chain optimization
Bestrane (and related ventures)
Episode: David Sanders: Why Getting Product/Service Costing Right Is the Key to Growing Performance and Value
Ben Verney
Specialist in restructuring healthy and distressed businesses
Greyhouse Partners
Episode: Ben Verney: How to Restructure a Business in Distress, Before It’s Too Late
Fiona Hansen
Valuation expert specializing in intellectual property
Episode: Fiona Hansen: How to Put a Price on Your Brand Before Someone Else Does
Rachel Delaney
Legal advisor focusing on startup and exit-readiness, with experience in fractional general counsel models
Episode: Rachel Delaney: From Startup to Sale-The Hidden Legal Traps That Can Derail A Business Exit

Host

John Downes
Host of The Critical Few Actions, The Critical Few Actions To Improve Your Business, and related programs

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 24 ratings
  • A series of no BS interviews with business owners and advisers who deal with the key issues and share the lessons they learned along the way.

    Podchaser
    5
    John Downes
    a year ago
  • Fantastic insightful podcast

    Fantastic Podcast, a must-listen for business leaders and entrepreneurs! John brings incredible insights and conversations with top industry experts, breaking down complex strategies into actionable steps. Every episode is packed with value—highly recommend tuning in!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    tlspookflower
    Australiaa year ago
  • Great info presented well

    This podcast simplifies and distils a huge amount of information. It has impacted me to reflect more deeply on my business and how to build and grow.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Carrot288
    Australia2 years ago
  • Such useful business knowledge

    John Downes ui a great host. Not only knowledgeable but his authenticity shines through. This is a must-listen podcast for anyone wanting strategy with a good dose of business sense

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    86433356663224566
    Australia2 years ago
  • Critical Listening

    Listened to the first two podcasts and enjoyed them immensely. Interesting stories and messages from the interviewees drawn out expertly by John. Lessons about business improvement that can be utilised in various profit and non profit organisations. Makes me curious about the masterclass! Looking forward to more…

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    avid 234
    Australia2 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Listeners praise concise, practical guidance and actionable steps.
High-quality guests and thoughtful discussions on strategy and execution.
The host's interviews are engaging and full of real-world examples.
Positive feedback on clear, no-nonsense delivery and useful frameworks.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Diem Huynh: How to Win Government Tenders Without Wasting Time or Money
Q: Why is contract management so critical after awarding a contract?
Because the contract's SLAs and KPIs determine future opportunities; poor management can ruin long-term relationships and undermine credibility with government buyers.
Diem Huynh: How to Win Government Tenders Without Wasting Time or Money
Q: How do BAFOs work and what should you consider before submitting one?
BAFOs are Best and Final Offers; you should come in with a firm, strategically considered price, understanding that the contract duration can be several years, so you must balance margins with long-term value and risk.
Diem Huynh: How to Win Government Tenders Without Wasting Time or Money
Q: What should a medium business do once a procurement document is released?
Read the documents closely, focus on the mandatory requirements, and decide early whether to bid; if you pass the first gate, tailor your response to the evaluation criteria and be mindful of word limits and required policies.
Damien Lacey: Why Your Organisation Can Do More Without Working Harder
Q: To start, what should founders focus on in adopting continuous improvement?
Begin with a clear view of what you want the organization to look like, perform a gap analysis, and then plan a multi-year program focusing on one or two fundamentals at a time, such as visual performance management and workplace organization.
Elise Margow: The Hidden Cost of Poor Negotiation and How To Avoid Them
Q: Elise, what are the top five key principles and skills a business leader needs to master for successful negotiation?
The five principles are: (1) thorough preparation to persuade, (2) long-term strategic thinking, (3) involving and considering the impact on the team and stakeholders, (4) learning the art of persuasion by understanding the other party's interests, and (5) tailoring the approach while keeping the final outcome clear and well-documented to avoid detours.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About The Critical Few Actions

What is The Critical Few Actions about and what kind of topics does it cover?

The program centers on practical, action-oriented business guidance for founders and leaders. Episodes routinely explore strategy execution, governance, finance, and operational excellence through interviews with seasoned professionals and practitioners. Topics range from brand strategy, AI's impact on decision making, and cost-driven decision making to crisis leadership, ERP optimization, and government grants, all framed around actionable “critical few actions” that deliver tangible improvements. The show stands out for its emphasis on governance, pragmatism, and turning high-level concepts into repeatable steps that can be applied in mid‑market and growing businesses.

Where can I find podcast stats for The Critical Few Actions?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for The Critical Few Actions. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to The Critical Few Actions and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does The Critical Few Actions get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for The Critical Few Actions, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for The Critical Few Actions?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for The Critical Few Actions, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does The Critical Few Actions have?

To see how many followers or subscribers The Critical Few Actions has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to The Critical Few Actions?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Critical Few Actions:

1. A Bit of Optimism
2. Late Night Live — Full program podcast

How many episodes of The Critical Few Actions are there?

The Critical Few Actions launched 2 years ago and published 71 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact The Critical Few Actions?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for The Critical Few Actions?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for The Critical Few Actions from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for The Critical Few Actions?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of The Critical Few Actions. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on The Critical Few Actions?

Recent guests on The Critical Few Actions include:

1. Richard Seymour
2. Paris Singer
3. Fiona Holland
4. Carmen McKinney
5. Grant Lingwood-Smith
6. David Sanders
7. Ben Verney
8. Fiona Hansen

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days