A simple time framework that boosts profit

We’re almost at the finish line of what’s been a brutal year for business owners – and I want to acknowledge that before anything else.

I’ve spent most of 2025 helping people stay focused on what they can control, not the chaos around them. But let’s be clear – if you’re still standing, still trading, still showing up… that’s something to be proud of. You’ve weathered one of the toughest recessions in a generation.

This week’s newsletter leans into that theme: small shifts, clear thinking, and giving yourself room to breathe again.

Here’s what you’ll find below:

🧭 How to Get Your Time Back
A practical breakdown of why you’re busy but not progressing – and how one simple quadrant (Important but Not Urgent) quietly turns everything around.

🌏 The Auckland I Didn’t Expect
A story about perspective, place, and the value of getting out of your usual bubble – whether it’s across the city or across your business.

🎯 The 80/20 Rule for Learning
Workshops and development days are full of ideas. This is how to walk away with only the ones that actually move the needle – and how to turn them into action within 48 hours.

As you take a breather over the break, give yourself some credit. You’ve earned it.

Next year will still be challenging – but you’re going into it wiser, tougher, and far better prepared.

Take care, slow down for a moment, and reset for whatever’s next.

Merry Christmas,

Jon Randles

Want To Try The Bottleneck Scorecard? Click here

Most business owners don’t realise they’ve become the bottleneck… until they’re overwhelmed, disconnected from their team, and quietly resenting the business they built.

How to Get Your Time Back as a Business Owner

Most people have the same 24 hours, but very different outcomes. In this video, I break down the Eisenhower Matrix and the one quadrant that quietly drives the biggest results: important but not urgent. It’s where you build the systems, make the tweaks, and do the strategic work that changes your business long-term—yet it’s the easiest to ignore because nothing is “on fire.”

If you’re flat-out busy but not seeing the progress you want, this framework will help you reset your focus.

Watch the full video and learn how to turn this into a weekly routine.

The Auckland I Didn’t Expect

I grew up “hating Auckland and Aucklanders”.

Because I grew up in Tauranga and that attitude was as prevalent as Lion Red.

But when I moved here, I was like “what a great place. What nice people”.

I love the diversity.

Recently, I went east to East Tāmaki, south to Manukau, west to Avondale, then wrapped up on the Shore, with a quick reset at Takapuna Beach Café… Read More

Apply the 80/20 Rule to Learning

It’s time to turn learning into earning… 💰

Workshops are full of ideas. The trick is to leave with the right few.

Use the 80/20 rule: pick the one, two, or three takeaways that will give you an outsized return, and park the rest for later.

Then turn each one into a first step within 48 hours.

Calendar it. Tell someone. Do it.

Did you do it?