Written by Jared Dawson, Brainiact Founder and Brainiact Hoxton Park business coach
When I created the Million Dollar Tradie Program, the goal was simple: to give trade business owners everything they need to scale sustainably, lead confidently, and build a business that works without them. It’s not a theory-heavy course or a motivational seminar. It’s hands-on coaching, real frameworks, and meaningful conversations that shift mindsets and drive serious growth.
As part of the program, I bring in guest mentors – not to hype people up, but to share grounded lessons from leaders who’ve led under real pressure and delivered real results.
One of those guests was Jon Brady, a professional football manager who led Northampton Town to promotion in the English Football League. From the outside, sport and small business can seem like different worlds. But Jon’s insights hit hard – because leading a football team is a lot like running a growing trade business.
Here are 10 powerful takeaways from Jon’s Million Dollar Tradie mentor session that every business owner can apply to grow, lead, and win:
1. Play to win – not just to avoid losing
Most business owners I meet are stuck in survival mode. They’re playing defence; always reacting, holding back, waiting for the perfect time. But growth doesn’t come from fear. It comes from courageous, decisive action.
Jon reminded us of this when he made the bold call to walk away from Northampton Town at the peak of his success – right after earning promotion and breaking records. From the outside, it looked insane. But Jon knew he’d outgrown the role. He chose growth over comfort, risk over routine.
Lesson for business owners: If you’re serious about scaling, stop waiting. Stop playing not to lose. Start playing to win. Back yourself.
2. Go all in – your team will feel it
Too many business owners want their staff to care, but they haven’t shown how much they care themselves.
Jon didn’t just manage from the sidelines. On day two, he joined the players in team-building exercises. Not because he had to, but because he wanted them to know he was all in. That energy became contagious.
Lesson for business owners: Your team reflects your commitment. Show up. Be present. Let them see you’re invested. Half-in leaders create half-hearted teams.
3. Connection builds culture
One of the most powerful takeaways was Jon’s “3 H’s” exercise: Hero, Heartache, Highlight. Every player was invited to share a personal story. Some were light-hearted. Others were deeply moving. One player opened up about a traumatic experience that no one on the team had known about and the room fell silent.
That level of vulnerability created something deeper than surface-level team talk. It created trust. It created safety.
Lesson for business owners: Loyalty doesn’t come from pay cheque alone. If you want a team that sticks with you through thick and thin, build real connection. Remember names. Ask about their lives. Make it safe to be human at work.
4. Grow leaders, not followers
One of the fastest ways to burn out as a business owner is to carry everything on your own shoulders. Many tradies I work with end up in that trap – they’re the boss, but also the estimator, the scheduler, the problem-solver, the firefighter. The real unlock is learning to step back and build leadership into your team.
Jon nailed this with his approach at Northampton Town. Instead of running everything top-down, he created a player steering group – a handful of senior players who helped shape decisions around training, food, travel, and even team morale. They weren’t just playing for the team; they were helping lead it.
Lesson for business owners: If you want people to own their role, give them ownership. Start small – invite them into a decision. Ask for their perspective. Build leaders, not just labour.
5. Put the team genuinely first
In business, it’s easy to say “people are our greatest asset”, but real leadership shows up in the small moments. I tell my clients: your team sees everything. How you treat the quietest person in the room tells them more than any values poster ever could.
Jon lived this out when he gave his “Manager of the Month” award to Adam, the club’s kit man, who has a learning disability. That gesture wasn’t for media or optics. It was a heartfelt recognition of Adam’s daily effort, and it told the entire club: every role matters here.
Lesson for business owners: If you want loyalty, give loyalty. Acknowledge your people. Celebrate the unseen work. The businesses with the strongest teams are built on respect, not just results.
6. Systems beat superheroes
Most tradie business owners I meet are still the “superhero” – the one person who knows everything, solves everything, and holds it all together. It works for a while, but eventually, that model breaks. You can’t scale if the whole thing depends on you.
Jon proved this by stepping back at half-time and letting his players lead the initial team talk. Why? Because they were out there living the game. He trusted the systems of preparation, communication, and leadership he’d already built.
Lesson for business owners: Don’t build a business that needs you 24/7. Build a business that runs because of strong systems, not strong personalities. If you disappeared for two weeks, would it fall apart or keep moving?
7. Growth comes from learning, not guessing
I often remind business owners that the answers to their biggest challenges already exist but they’re usually in someone else’s head. That’s why I push coaching, mentoring, and learning as non-negotiables if you want to grow.
Jon didn’t just rely on instinct. During his time at Brackley Town, he was mentored by Allan Leighton former Chairman of Co-op and Pandora. That relationship helped sharpen his thinking, lift his perspective, and make better decisions under pressure.
Lesson for business owners: Find someone who challenges your thinking. Whether it’s a coach, advisor, or peer – success leaves clues. Don’t learn everything the hard way.
8. Risk brings reward
Comfort kills momentum. I see it all the time – business owners who have steady income but no real growth, because they’re clinging to safety. But real breakthroughs always come with risk.
Jon’s story is proof. He worked for a newspaper, took a leap into sales, became the company’s top performer, and used that to fund his football comeback. Later, he walked away from secure coaching roles to chase new challenges. It was always scary. It was always worth it.
Lesson for business owners: If you’re not a little uncomfortable, you’re probably not growing. Take the meeting. Hire the person. Launch the offer. Risk is where the real wins are hiding.
9. Authenticity wins
One of the most consistent themes I see in great leaders is that they’re real. Not polished. Not pretending. They show up fully as themselves, and people buy in because of that.
Jon didn’t just ask his players to be vulnerable – he led the way. When he shared his own “3 H’s” story with the team, he broke down in tears. That moment set the tone. It gave others permission to be honest. And it made him more respected, not less.
Lesson for business owners: You don’t need to be bulletproof. You need to be real. Let your team see that you care, that you’re human, and that you’re in it with them.
10. Protect your energy
Business can be relentless, especially when you’re scaling. I’ve coached clients through 60-hour weeks, broken sleep, and constant stress. But one truth remains: you can’t lead on empty.
For Jon, managing an English football team meant 60+ games a season. The pressure was constant. But he made time to run, to reflect, to breathe – not as a luxury, but as a necessity. That self-care is what kept him clear, calm, and consistent.
Lesson for business owners: Burnout doesn’t build empires. Look after yourself so you can lead others. Your business grows at the pace of your personal energy.
The real work starts here
Every business owner talks about wanting a winning team, more time, less stress, or faster growth – but most aren’t willing to lead like it matters. What Jon reminded us is that leadership isn’t just strategy and spreadsheets. It’s energy, example, and emotional courage.
If you want to scale your business without burning out, it starts with how you show up, how you treat your team, and what you’re building behind the scenes when no one’s watching. These 10 lessons aren’t just theory – they’re the blueprint.
The question now is: will you apply them?
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Jared Dawson is the founder of Brainiact and business coach to Sydney’s most ambitious trade and service business owners. With 16 years of global B2B experience, he’s known for his straight-talking, tough-love approach that gets results. Jared helps business owners reclaim their time, scale sustainably, and build companies that don’t depend on them to survive.
When he’s not coaching, you’ll find him cheering on his kids at football or turning life lessons from sport into real-world business wins.
