Booked Out and Stuck - How to Build the Business When You’re Drowning in Work

Booked Out and Stuck - How to Build the Business When You’re Drowning in Work

From Business & Investing Playbook by Luke Moroney

January 29, 2026 · 15 min · Episode 10

About this episode

Claire Holmes discusses how to build a business while being overwhelmed with work, emphasizing role clarity and practical scaling strategies.

Booked Out and Stuck: How to Build the Business When You’re Drowning in Work features Luke Moroney in conversation with Claire Holmes, who went from employee to co-owner and helped grow a regional WA electrical services business into a commercial operator serving major clients (including Telstra and government work). Claire breaks down the real problem behind being “busy”: when you are six weeks booked out, you are trapped delivering, not designing the business. She shares the shift that unlocked momentum: role clarity (Claire as CEO, Dave as COO) so decisions move fast and the team executes without confusion. You’ll also hear Claire’s practical approach to scaling: trust but verify when hiring, using AI as a tool to train better thinking (going “vertical” to get the right answer, not the first answer), and building growth through relationships and community presence. The episode closes with Claire’s 90-day execution advice (set a scary goal, stay consistent, pick a “rottweiler” accountability partner) and her legacy word: purpose, backed by a real-world story of supporting the community during a major blackout.

People in this episode

Host: Luke Moroney

Guest: Claire Holmes

Topics covered

  • business growth
  • role clarity
  • scaling
  • community presence
  • accountability

Keywords

  • busy
  • CEO
  • COO
  • AI
  • 90-day execution

Mentioned in this episode

Products: AI tools

Books & works: Booked Out and Stuck, Booked Out and

Places: WA

More episodes of Business & Investing Playbook

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Business & Investing Playbook podcast page.