Best-selling author Mike Michalowicz returns to explore what sits beneath financial systems: psychology, habits, and the personal behaviours that drive money stress. Mike explains why successful entrepreneurs often struggle with money despite strong businesses, highlighting the tension between business and personal finances. 

He discusses lifestyle inflation, the myth that growth fixes everything, and why true financial control comes from clarity, intentional habits, and conscious decision-making – allowing business owners to lead calmly, sustainably, and with confidence. 

Takeaways 
Money stress comes from habits and psychology not income or intelligence alone. 
More revenue amplifies existing behaviours, rather than fixing broken financial systems habits. 
True financial control comes from clarity, intentionality and conscious daily money decisions. 
Lifestyle creep quietly erodes profitability even as businesses appear successful externally outside. 
Separating personal and business finances is essential for sustainable leadership and focus. 
Growth without discipline creates fragility stress and constant reactionary decision making cycles. 
Profit first reveals underlying problems forcing better pricing cost control and priorities. 
Financial security allows owners to lead calmly serve clients and think long. 

Follow Mike Michalowicz 
https://mikemotorbike.com/ 
https://mikemichalowicz.com/ 

Mike’s books 
The Money Habit: The Worry-Free Way to Financial Independence https://amzn.to/3NrTB2c
Profit First https://amzn.to/46hE4JB
Clockwork https://amzn.to/46g8ImC 
All In: How Great Leaders Build Unstoppable Teams https://amzn.to/3TSTnRE 
The Pumpkin Plan https://amzn.to/4kN1ZE7
Get Different: Marketing That Can't Be Ignored!   https://amzn.to/3IXfYtN
Surge: Time the Marketplace, Ride the Wave of Consumer Demand, and Become Your Industry's Big Kahuna https://amzn.to/4kSgneC
Fix This Next https://amzn.to/417zJ8e
The Toilet Paper Entrepreneur https://amzn.to/3TTnsAr
The Recession Response https://amzn.to/40xAGqm 

Books recommended on this episode 
LAST TIME EP66 Reset: How to change what’s not working by Dan Heath https://amzn.to/4lFr8Ss 

Watch the episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheEvolutionPartners

Newsletter – each week I share interesting insights, articles and ideas you can use. Join other leaders and subscribe to The Evolution Partners newsletter https://evolutionpartners.com.au/subscribe/ 

Books – Learn more about our books https://evolutionpartners.com.au/books/ 
Made to Thrive: The practical, prescriptive guide on how to be a great CEO 
Onboarded: How to bring new hires to the points where they are more effective faster. A business case for leaders on why you should commit to an effective onboarded process. 
Onboarded for Managers: Helping managers bring new hires to the point where they are more effective faster. 
Bigger isn’t Better, Better is Better: Avoiding the pressure of endless growth to build a better business (and better life) 

Follow me: 
on https://au.linkedin.com/in/bradleygiles
on https://twitter.com/Evolution_Perth

Enjoying the show? Leave a review 

Best-selling author Mike Michalowicz returns to explore what sits beneath financial systems: psychology, habits, and the personal behaviours that drive money stress. Mike explains why successful entrepreneurs often struggle with money despite strong businesses, highlighting the tension between business and personal finances.&nbsp;
He discusses lifestyle inflation, the myth that growth fixes everything, and why true financial control comes from clarity, intentional habits, and conscious decision-making &ndash; allowing business owners to lead calmly, sustainably, and with confidence.&nbsp;
Takeaways&nbsp;
<ul>
<li>Money stress comes from habits and psychology not income or intelligence alone.&nbsp;</li>
<li>More revenue amplifies existing behaviours, rather than fixing broken financial systems habits.&nbsp;</li>
<li>True financial control comes from clarity, intentionality and conscious daily money decisions.&nbsp;</li>
<li>Lifestyle creep quietly erodes profitability even as businesses appear successful externally outside.&nbsp;</li>
<li>Separating personal and business finances is essential for sustainable leadership and focus.&nbsp;</li>
<li>Growth without discipline creates fragility stress and constant reactionary decision making cycles.&nbsp;</li>
<li>Profit first reveals underlying problems forcing better pricing cost control and priorities.&nbsp;</li>
<li>Financial security allows owners to lead calmly serve clients and think long.&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
Follow Mike Michalowicz&nbsp; <a href="https://mikemotorbike.com/">https://mikemotorbike.com/</a>&nbsp; <a href="https://mikemichalowicz.com/">https://mikemichalowicz.com/</a>&nbsp;
Mike&rsquo;s books The Money Habit: The Worry-Free Way to Financial Independence <a href="https://amzn.to/3NrTB2c">https://amzn.to/3NrTB2c</a> Profit First&nbsp;<a href="https://amzn.to/46hE4JB">https://amzn.to/46hE4JB</a> Clockwork <a href="https://amzn.to/46g8ImC">https://amzn.to/46g8ImC</a>&nbsp; All In: How Great Leaders Build Unstoppable Teams &nbsp;<a href="https://amzn.to/3TSTnRE">https://amzn.to/3TSTnRE</a>&nbsp; The Pumpkin Plan <a href="https://amzn.to/4kN1ZE7">https://amzn.to/4kN1ZE7</a> Get Different: Marketing That Can't Be Ignored!&nbsp;&nbsp; <a href="https://amzn.to/3IXfYtN">https://amzn.to/3IXfYtN</a> Surge: Time the Marketplace, Ride the Wave of Consumer Demand, and Become Your Industry's Big Kahuna <a href="https://amzn.to/4kSgneC">https://amzn.to/4kSgneC</a> Fix This Next <a href="https://amzn.to/417zJ8e">https://amzn.to/417zJ8e</a> The Toilet Paper Entrepreneur&nbsp;<a href="https://amzn.to/3TTnsAr">https://amzn.to/3TTnsAr</a> The Recession Response&nbsp;<a href="https://amzn.to/40xAGqm">https://amzn.to/40xAGqm</a>&nbsp;
Books recommended on this episode LAST TIME EP66 Reset: How to change what&rsquo;s not working by Dan Heath <a href="https://amzn.to/4lFr8Ss">https://amzn.to/4lFr8Ss</a>&nbsp;
Watch the episode on YouTube:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/@TheEvolutionPartners">https://www.youtube.com/@TheEvolutionPartners</a>
Newsletter &ndash; each week I share interesting insights, articles and ideas you can use. Join other leaders and subscribe to The Evolution Partners newsletter&nbsp;<a href="https://evolutionpartners.com.au/subscribe/">https://evolutionpartners.com.au/subscribe/</a>&nbsp;
Books &ndash; Learn more about our books&nbsp;<a href="https://evolutionpartners.com.au/books/">https://evolutionpartners.com.au/books/</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://evolutionpartners.com.au/made-to-thrive/"> Made to Thrive:</a> The practical, prescriptive guide on how to be a great CEO <a href="https://evolutionpartners.com.au/onboarded/">Onboarded:&nbsp;</a>How to bring new hires to the points where they are more effective faster. A business case for leaders on why you should commit to an effective onboarded process.&nbsp; <a href="https://evolutionpartners.com.au/onboarded-for-managers-book/">Onboarded for Managers:</a> Helping managers bring new hires to the point where they are more effective faster.&nbsp; <a href="https://evolutionpartners.com.au/bigger-isnt-better/">Bigger isn&rsquo;t Better, Better is Better:</a> Avoiding the pressure of endless growth to build a better business (and better life)&nbsp;
Follow me: on <a href="https://au.linkedin.com/in/bradleygiles">https://au.linkedin.com/in/bradleygiles</a> on <a href="https://twitter.com/Evolution_Perth">https://twitter.com/Evolution_Perth</a>
Enjoying the show? Leave a review&nbsp;

A place for the world’s leading thinkers, planners and doers.

The Evolution Partners is a weekly podcast hosted by Brad Giles. Join Brad as he engages in conversations with some of the world’s sharpest minds, learning a bit more about them and delving into what makes them tick.

A place for the world’s leading thinkers, planners and doers.
The Evolution Partners is a weekly podcast hosted by Brad Giles. Join Brad as he engages in conversations with some of the world’s sharpest minds, learning a bit more about them and delving into what makes them tick.

The Evolution Partners

Each week Brad Giles talks with the world’s leading thinkers, planners and doers who are helping to build great companies in their own way.

We learn how the work they’re doing is creating an impact and get to know a little bit more about them, and what makes them tick.

Each week Brad Giles talks with the world’s leading thinkers, planners and doers who are helping to build great companies in their own way.
We learn how the work they’re doing is creating an impact and get to know a little bit more about them, and what makes them tick.