Crimson Walker

01/09/2026

Good businesses are designed, not just built.

You design your cattle yards for efficiency, capacity, safety & return on investment.

Every gate, trough & holding yard has a purpose. Together, they are designed to make the whole operation work better.

Why not take the same approach with your business?

Take a step back and think about how the key elements of your business could be designed to work better together.

The Finances- budgeting, debt structure & financial reporting.

Communication- family meetings & how important decisions are made.

Operations- workflow, daily work programs, roles & responsibilities.

Resources- where you invest your money, time & people.

Starting with a blank canvas gives you the ability to think about the future rather than defend the past.

You don’t have to change everything at once- but you do have to start somewhere.

A well designed business is easier to operate, easier to manage and better positioned for the future.

It’s never too late to redesign the way you do business.

-Helping family businesses make better decisions-

22/08/2026

Good Communication = Good Decisions

Just like the tea leaf is to a cup of tea, communication is probably the most important ingredient in a successful business.

Not the finances. Not the taxation or legal structure. Not the breed of cattle or the variety of crop. Effective communication.

Without it, none of the other elements can be properly implemented because they all require good decision making, which is the result of good communication.

Family businesses can be reluctant to hold family meetings to discuss what is on everybody’s mind.

When conversations are avoided, it leads to frustration, tension and strained relationships.

Here are three tips to help improve family meetings and communication:

1.) Start Early

Begin holding family meetings when your children are still school age. Get into the habit of holding them early. Explain what your business exists to do, why you started it and what role they might play one day.

2.) Keep the First Few Simple

No big decisions need to be made at the first few meetings. Don’t tackle the hard issues from the outset. As you do more of them, the bigger conversations become easier to approach.

3.) Prepare Yourself

Go into the meeting prepared to listen understand and respond thoughtfully. Getting triggered can turn a meeting into an argument. Conscious self discipline is the difference between a productive conversation and a wasted one.

So yes, do yourself, your family, and your business a favour. Take the pannikins off the rack, make a cup of tea, and sit around the kitchen table and have a chat.

You might be surprised what can get sorted over a cup of tea.

- Helping family businesses make better decisions -

09/08/2026

The sun sets on everyone’s time in business.

When the sun sets on your time in your family business, what do you hope to have built?

It’s a question worth taking the time to think about.

Do you want to build a business that provides for your family today, creates opportunities for the next generation, and is strong enough to be worth inheriting?

The decisions you make today - and the risks you’re prepared to take - will shape what your business looks like in the future.

Every successful family business has a purpose, a plan, and the discipline to stay focused and see it through.

It started with someone who was prepared to make sacrifices, take calculated risks, back themselves and continually look to improve how they run the business.

Building something worthwhile doesn’t happen by accident.

So, take some time to think about what you want your family business to become, where you want it to go, and what you’re prepared to do to get there.

Because one day, the sun will set on your time in the business.

What will you leave behind?

-Helping family businesses make better decisions-

28/07/2026

Sunrise over the magnificent Burnett River.
How beautiful is Australia 🇦🇺 🌅

25/07/2026

When did you last see the whole picture?

Sometimes you are that busy working in your business at ground level that you only ever see the bit that you are standing in.

The old saying “You can’t see the forest for the trees” rings true.

From the air, everything looks different. You can see how the paddocks connect, where the water flows, how the infrastructure supports the operation, and how the whole business fits together.

Stepping back from the day-to-day is much the same.

It gives you the benefit of an expansive view. It creates space to reflect, to identify opportunities and to vision a future worth working towards.

So, take the time to step back from the day to day. Review your business honestly, see what needs to change and map out a better way forward.

Because if you’re not setting the vision for your own business- who is?

-Helping family businesses make better decisions-

13/07/2026

Where are you leading your business?

Have you hit a real crossroads with what direction to take your business?

Perhaps you are considering expanding, improving profitability, entering new markets, or even consolidating your holdings and reducing debt.

It all comes down to effective decision making, which is ultimately achieved through good communication and thoughtful planning.

Too often, business owners carry these decisions around in their heads. Uncertainty can quickly lead to frustration and anxiousness, making it difficult to commit to a course of action.

The best antidote is to take action.

Get your thoughts down on paper. Talk openly with the people around you and run some scenarios to understand what the potential outcomes could look like.

Clarity and direction don’t happen by chance- they come by taking the time to think, communicate and plan.

The most successful business owners understand that the process is worth it.

If you are currently dwelling on a decision, now is a great time to start this.

30/06/2026

Start the financial year with a plan, not a guess.

Today is the first day of the new financial year.

Your business is like this freshly ploughed paddock- you get to decide what you are going to grow for the year.

Take some time to sit down and prepare a budget and a plan for the year. It will give you direction.

Make it a plan that you are committed to, one that challenges you, & one you can measure as you go.

Good decisions come from good communication & good planning.

You cannot hit what you cannot aim at. A budget and a plan give you a target. They replace guesswork with informed, deliberate decisions.

If you don’t have one yet, now is the perfect time to start.

22/01/2026

Central Queensland looking magnificent.

05/01/2026

Create a winning Business Plan.

Don’t wing it going into 2026. A meaningful business plan is an investment that can serve you well.

Get clarity on where you are, where you want to go & how you are going to go about it.

Most people have an idea of what they want but struggle to map it out in a way that it can be achieved.

A well articulated plan can help to generate ideas & give you something to aim at.

Whether you are a family business or an individual, let’s unscramble it all & put the pieces together.

You can either make it happen, or keep dwelling on it.

My name is Brett Young, and I founded Crimson Walker to work with businesses and their people, to help them become sustainable, prosperous and united.

30/11/2025

Today is the first day of the last month for 2025 😳

The heat has well & truly set in & no doubt everyone is looking forward to a break.

But they say that how you finish influences how you begin. Momentum is key.

So keep on trucking & finish 2025 with a strut.

2026 will thank you for it.