Every entrepreneur begins with a dream. Some want freedom. Some want impact. Others want to build something meaningful from nothing.
But somewhere along the way, the pressures of growth can dilute that energy. The long hours, unexpected challenges, people issues and the constant need to put out spot fires can make progress feel slow or uncertain.
Jason T Smith founded the Back In Motion Health Group from his garage in 1999. At its peak, he led a team of more than 700 professionals in over 140 locations across Australia and New Zealand. At the November 2025 Business Blueprint Conference, he shared what really made the difference on his path to building and eventually selling his company for $120 million. What stood out most was how grounded, honest and human his lessons were, and how they came from setbacks just as much as wins.
Take a look at the 12 lessons that shaped Jason’s journey, then download our free Dreambiz100 Checklist, which will help you identify where the roadblocks are in your path to your ideal business.
12 Lessons Learnt Building A Business & Selling it for $120M
1. Start With A Painful Problem
Jason began with a simple truth. Big businesses grow from significant problems. His inspiration came from watching customers struggle with a challenge that had become normal in his industry but was far from acceptable. That frustration became his opportunity.
He reminded the audience that passion appears when you are solving something that genuinely matters.
2. Be Ten Times Better, Not Ten Per cent
Jason refused to enter the market unless he could fundamentally change the experience. Incremental improvements did not excite him or customers. He aimed to be unmistakably better, so he invested heavily in user experience, customer support and backend systems long before it was comfortable to do so. Those decisions became the foundation of his competitive advantage.
3. Begin Before You Feel Ready
You can’t wait for confidence; it will never come. “Success rewards action”, is the reminder that clarity comes from movement, not standing still.
Jason encouraged Business Blueprint members to start with what they have rather than waiting for everything to be perfect, because perfection is often just procrastination in disguise.
4. Know Your Numbers, Own Your Future
Jason talked openly about the early years when he made decisions based on instinct, only to realise instincts without data can be dangerous. Understanding the numbers changed everything.
He focused on essential metrics, including:
- Customer lifetime value
- Cost of acquiring a customer
- Profit per product or service
With financial clarity came better decisions, greater confidence, and more predictable growth.
Read more: 10 Lessons from 10 Years of Starting, Growing and Selling a Business
5. Treat Hiring As Your Greatest Leverage
Hiring is one of the most complex parts of any business owner’s journey. Jason made mistakes early on, often choosing speed over alignment. But once he shifted to a structured, deliberate hiring approach, everything changed.
He described moments when the right hire shifted entire divisions, improved culture and gave him the breathing space to think strategically. People became the turning point.
6. Build Leaders, Not Dependence
The other huge challenge of entrepreneurship comes from feeling chained to the business because everything still relies on you. The breakthrough for Jason came when he began building leaders who took responsibility and owned their decisions.
He learnt that when leaders grow, the business grows with them. It is the only way to achieve sustainable scale.
7. Systemise Everything That Matters
In the early days, Jason realised his business was too reliant on information stored in people’s heads. They would explain things and hope everyone remembered. That approach caused errors and inconsistency.
Replacing verbal instructions with documented systems for the parts of the business that mattered most is essential. This includes:
- Onboarding
- Sales
- Delivery
- Reporting
Systems created freedom, consistency and eventually, a higher business valuation.
8. Make Accountability A Daily Habit
Accountability relies on clarity, visibility and mutual respect. Jason described how his team began reviewing key measures daily rather than just monthly. This rhythm helped people stay aligned and confident while also accelerating results.
An energy shift happens when people take ownership, rather than waiting to be pushed.
9. Lean Into Discomfort
Big leaps often come packaged in uncomfortable decisions. Whether this is increasing prices, entering new markets or trusting senior leaders with new responsibilities, discomfort became a signal of growth.
“Fear is not something to avoid. It’s something to walk through.”
10. Focus On What Truly Moves The Needle
Being busy may feel good, but if you’re not getting returns, your efforts aren’t worthwhile. It is important to identify the small handful of activities that directly contribute to growth and customer value.
Everything else can be automated, delegated or removed.
This shift will let you conserve energy for the work that matters most and give your business far more momentum.
11. Build Your Business As If a Buyer Is Watching
Jason did not wait until the end to prepare for the sale of his organisation. He made decisions as if a potential buyer were evaluating the business every day. This mindset changed how he viewed reporting, leadership, systems and financial discipline.
By the time buyers appeared, the business was already structured, strong, and attractive. Preparation had created opportunity.
12. Play The Long Game
There’s no way around it: significant success takes time.
Consistency compounds.
Relationships matter.
Incremental improvements matter. And so does the willingness to persist through seasons of issues of uncertainty.
As Jason concluded, “The long game is where the real rewards are.”
About Business Blueprint
The World’s #1 Business Program
Business Blueprint brings members the latest techniques and strategies to take control of their marketing, build better foundations and achieve the growth they are dreaming of.
If you’re tired of the business owner hamster wheel and sick of spending every day putting out spot fires, sign up for personal support, group accountability and access to the strategies that will maximise your profits and free you from the daily grind.
Membership includes:
- In-person conferences
- Weekly workshops (including AI news and training)
- Access to a library of over 1000 training videos (check out some samples here)
- Accountability groups
- One-on-one coaching calls
Want to know more? Book a call with a member of our team today.
