Kirk Neal is best known for helping tradespeople transition from working “IN” their business—being on the tools—to working “ON” their business in a more operational role.
“Great businesses aren’t born; they’re built, brick by brick, decision by decision.” Kirk Neal, the Head Business Coach at UpScale Business Coaching, lives and breathes this philosophy. Starting his career as an electrician and later navigating the challenges of operations management, Kirk discovered his true calling in coaching—redefining what it means to empower trade and service-based entrepreneurs.
At UpScale, Kirk is more than a coach; he is a trusted partner helping business owners shift from working “IN” their businesses to working “ON” them. His approach combines hands-on mentoring, practical tools, and a focus on what truly matters—profitability, sustainability, and freedom for his clients.
“In business — especially in trades — your relationship with risk often determines not just your level of success but the freedom and fulfillment you experience along the way,” says Kirk.
Read on to discover how Kirk Neal is turning business coaching into a catalyst for lasting success.
Business APAC: Your career journey has been quite diverse and inspiring. What inspired your transition from being an electrician to becoming a business coach?
Kirk: My journey began after college when I started an apprenticeship as an electrician. Once I qualified, I was fortunate to step into an operations manager role, which gave me my first taste of running a business. Those years were invaluable—they taught me how to manage teams, streamline operations, and focus on delivering exceptional customer service.
While I enjoyed the operational side, I felt a strong pull toward helping others in the industry. This led me to coaching, where I discovered my true passion—guiding trade business owners through the challenges of running and growing their businesses.
I started coaching in 2019 with Tradies Success Academy in Perth, where I worked closely with trade business owners to refine their strategies and systems. Over the years, I’ve learned that every business is unique, but many challenges are universal—sales, leadership, and mindset.
Now, as a coach with UpScale Business Coaching based in Byron Bay, I focus on helping clients automate and systemize their operations. My passion lies in seeing the transformations—not just in their businesses but in their lives. When a client tells me they’ve reclaimed time to spend with their family or finally feel in control of their business, it’s gratifying.
Business APAC: Tell us about UpScale Business Coaching. What specific challenges do you address for your clients, and what makes your approach unique?
Kirk: At Upscale, we specialize in helping trade and service-based business owners transition from working “on the tools” to adopting an operator model. From there, we guide them toward automating their businesses or preparing for a successful sale. We pride ourselves on offering a full suite of mentoring, coaching, and consulting.
Typically, we see most coaching organizations transition to large-group coaching. While we certainly have a large group component in our offering, we pride ourselves on building a model that retains a more intimate one-on-one or two-on-one experience. Each client works closely with a head coach who understands their unique circumstances. Fortnightly meetings with that coach help them stay focused on priorities and hold them accountable for taking the necessary action to achieve their goals.
Business APAC: How do you ensure consistent quality and support as your client base grows?
Kirk: We’ve designed a model that ensures every client receives the highest level of support, regardless of our growth. We observe strict coach-to-client ratios so that as the business grows, the quality of our product and service is maintained.
Moreover, we truly believe in practicing what we preach, so many of the frameworks we use to help our clients grow are the same frameworks we use in-house. This alignment strengthens our credibility and ensures we stay innovative and effective in our methods.
Business APAC: Could you share some of the key areas you focus on with clients during their business journey?
Kirk: Our process covers the full spectrum of the business journey. It starts with establishing clear, achievable goals using SMART frameworks and then moves into creating actionable plans for growth. For example, we help clients develop multi-layered lead-generation strategies to boost their pipelines.
From there, we focus on team management and building a strong, positive company culture. Finally, we guide clients through advanced stages, whether it’s automating processes for efficiency or preparing the business for sale.
Business APAC: As a Head Business Coach, what are your primary responsibilities, and how do you address leadership development with your clients?
Kirk: As a Head Business Coach, my primary role is to work directly with clients to develop an implementation plan to accelerate their business growth. I provide fortnightly action steps and accountability to ensure their efforts are focused on the key priorities for moving their business forward.
Leadership is a crucial skill. An organization will only grow to the limitations of its leadership. By working with business owners throughout their journey, from start-up to automation, we witness this development firsthand.
The key leadership metrics we focus on are:
- Staff retention: This is the second biggest killer of business growth behind cash flow.
- Onboarding/onramping time: How quickly a new employee achieves operational effectiveness.
- Innovation implementation: I call this “business agility,” or how well a team responds to changes and shifts.
Business APAC: You’re known for helping tradespeople transition their roles within their businesses. Can you share some of the most rewarding outcomes you’ve witnessed?
Kirk: I’m probably best known for helping tradespeople transition from working “IN” their business—being on the tools—to working “ON” their business in a more operational role. We consistently help businesses achieve record months, quarters, and years in both revenue and profit.
For me, some of the most meaningful success stories are when I receive messages like, “You saved my business. Without your help, I was destined for failure and being forced to go back and work for someone else.”
Business APAC: What challenges did you face in your career journey? How did you tackle them?
Kirk: Like a lot of coaches, the early days were filled with battling “imposter syndrome.” You have to prove it to yourself before you can believe in yourself, and you need to believe in yourself if you want others to believe in you, too.
More recently, the COVID pandemic presented an intense and pressurized challenge. Most of my clients were unsure if they could go to work, what they were going to do with their teams, or how they would make ends meet, all while the landscape was changing almost daily.
However, providing support and guidance through that time was a massive privilege. And thankfully, many of our clients navigated through it and found great success in the post-COVID economy.
Business APAC: What are your plans for 2025 and beyond, both personally and for UpScale Business Coaching?
Kirk: On a personal level, 2025 will be a big year, with a focus on stage presentations and live events. I love the impact that can be created when working with a live audience. We have a national tour planned across Australia to reach and help more people.
As for the future as a whole, the modern AI world opens many exciting opportunities for our clients and the coaching arena. I see the biggest impact for our clients is in the consumer psychology space, enabling them to analyze large consumer buying datasets to understand what products and services different client avatars are buying right now, ensuring they always have a strong “product-market fit.”
Business APAC: How do you approach work-life balance?
Kirk: Work-life balance is always difficult to manage. For me, balance comes from effective communication—having open discussions with my family about my work commitments in different seasons. Similarly, I’m open with our team about what matters most to me and my family so that I can create a high-energy impact in both areas of life.
Business APAC: What key advice would you give to aspiring business leaders and entrepreneurs?
Kirk: My advice is to focus on three skill sets that can always be improved upon. The moment you neglect development in these areas, you’ll find yourself stagnating and sliding backward.
- Sales: It doesn’t matter what industry you’re in or what role you hold—everyone is in sales. People with the best sales skills will always achieve the greatest success.
- Leadership: This skill transcends all aspects of life, from getting the most out of your team to raising children and having fulfilling relationships.
- Mindset: Mindset is everything. The person you speak to most is yourself, so be kind to yourself. Understanding yourself and knowing how to protect your mental space is critical to navigating the challenges that life and business will throw at you.
Quote
“It doesn’t matter what industry you’re in or what role you hold—everyone is in sales.”
Also Read: The Top Five Most Remarkable Business Coaches of 2025
