What if the most valuable business advice you could receive wasn't a list of things to do, but a clear guide on what to avoid? This is the powerful philosophy of Colin Wilson, a founder whose journey was forged over 22 years of cold-calling the streets of Melbourne.

In this episode, Sean Dunne sits down with Colin for an incredible deep-dive into the grit, resilience, and strategic thinking required to build a business that lasts. Colin shares the ingenious "paper box" system he used to collect a lifetime of business lessons before he even started his own company, and the story of making the "stupidest decision of all time" — launching his business with two young kids and a huge mortgage.

He also reveals how the COVID-19 crisis, which wiped out half a million dollars of revenue overnight, became the unlikely catalyst for his company’s greatest growth phase. This conversation is a masterclass for any entrepreneur who wants to move from "good to great" and build a business designed for the future.

Episode Highlights:

1. The Question That Changes Everything... and why asking your advisor "What should I do?" is the biggest mistake you can make. What is the one counter-intuitive question that unlocks a level of advice most entrepreneurs never get?
2. The $500,000 Disaster That Built a Lead Machine... When COVID wiped out half a million dollars of his business overnight, Colin launched a simple strategy that generated over 800 new leads. What was the free pivot he made that turned his biggest crisis into his greatest opportunity?
3. The Five Empty Paper Boxes... that became a 17-year business playbook. What was the simple, analogue system Colin used for years to collect priceless business wisdom before he even launched his company?
4. The Moment Your Business Owns You... and the mindset shift required to take back control. Every founder hits a point where their dream becomes a prison. What is the fundamental change in thinking you must make to go from working in your business to owning it?
5. The Secret That Turns Passion into an Enterprise... Are entrepreneurs born or made? Colin’s surprising answer will give hope to anyone who has a deep passion but a fear of the risk. What is the one ingredient you can learn that makes entrepreneurship possible for anyone?

SELECTED LINKS FROM THE EPISODE
Connect with Sean Dunne: Website | Instagram | LinkedIn |
Connect with Colin Wilson: Website |LinkedIn

Dominium Capital