
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
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