Honest, practical advice — while keeping you accountable.
Book A Free No-Obligation ChatThe bloke behind the brand
Yes, that’s mine — the McLaren 600LT. Business has been good to me, and I’m not shy about enjoying it.
For those of you who don’t already know me, my name is Robert (Rob), and business is my life. I’ve owned four businesses so far, two of them now sold, and I have no plans of slowing down any time soon.
Across 27+ years working in IT and 15+ years in digital marketing and e-commerce, I have seen it all. From mates hiring mates as a cheap shortcut, to dodgy dealings and thoroughly confused business plans, there is no shortage of ways a business can bring on its own demise. But for every poor decision and half-baked strategy, I have also seen how the right choices bring on immeasurable success.
I’ve helped drag businesses out of the dumps with a few savvy calls, and I’m not shy about being tough when a person or a company needs to be put back in their place. I’m rough, brash and bold when it’s needed. I’m also kind, caring and respectful to the people I work with. Where I can see a successful result, I will always push you to chase your idea, and I never shy away from a challenge unless the end looks genuinely fruitless.
That attitude has driven success in everything I do, and I carry it with me into every business owner I work with.
Perhaps you have already tried other business coaches, or sat through the usual breakfast networking groups where everyone swaps cards and nobody swaps truth. My business networking club was built as the antidote to that. Either way, I invite you to see exactly why I am different.
Contact Rob For A Free No-Obligation DiscussionReceipts, not theory
2025–Present
Black Lantern is a managed services provider that also delivers cyber security for small and medium businesses.
By understanding your systems and your current IT headaches, Black Lantern maps the future landscape of your business so you end up with IT that is both reliable and secure. The model is proactive management rather than waiting for something to break — prevention beats cure every time.
Visit Black Lantern
2014–Present
GetSocked is an e-commerce business selling socks on a monthly subscription. The socks are made from bamboo, which is comfortable and absorbs moisture, and the business has collected more than 1,000 reviews at $9.87 per month including shipping.
I still own GetSocked — although for the most part the business now runs itself, which is exactly the point of building the right systems.
Visit GetSocked
2006–2021
ITtelligent was a managed services provider delivering outsourced IT support to small businesses nationally and internationally.
With revenue of $5+ million, 24+ staff and 160+ clients, ITtelligent was one of the fastest growing IT companies in Australia two years running, and won the Australian Achiever Award for customer service.
ITtelligent was my baby. I negotiated a deal that let me exit the business with no earnout — which is close to unheard of in that industry.
Visit ITtelligent
2006–2014
TopRankings was a search engine optimisation agency that did SEO and nothing else, and represented only one client from each sector — after all, you can’t have two clients at number one.
That experience is why I can now teach you SEO and digital marketing in an hour instead of billing you for it every month.
Visit TopRankingsHow I work
There are many business coaches out there, but I can pretty much guarantee there is none quite like me. You will either love me or hate me — there is no in between. With 25+ years in IT and digital marketing behind me, I offer a lot more than most coaches can. Don’t believe me? Let’s have a chat, and if by the end of it you haven’t learned something you didn’t already know, don’t sign up. There is no pressure. I want you to see the value before we decide to work together.
Together we will go through your website and I will show you exactly what to do for the best online visibility. I believe in showing you rather than doing it for you. If you would rather I did it, I will do it at cost — but it is far more beneficial for you to learn it. What you will discover is that nothing here is hard; most of it is quite easy. We will audit the site — the same process I use in my SEO website audit services — and get it as close to 100% as possible. Then we sit down, work out where you need help, and I give you honest feedback and solutions.
You won’t get a fancy report you will never read. You will get a real understanding of what you need to do, or organise to have done, to fix your problems. I will open up about my own experiences, introduce you to the services you actually need, and tell you which companies and solutions to stay well away from.
On this journey we will laugh and we will occasionally cry, but we will be a team, and you will come out of it stronger, wiser and better for it. If that sounds like the arrangement you want, read why owners choose me as their business coach. I challenge you.
Contact RobSome of our amazing clients
Small business coaching Melbourne
Roberts service is exceptional; not good, EXCEPTIONAL when it comes to action and communication. He created a new website for me and although I will not know for a little while if it does everything we want, I am convinced and believe it will. No BS with Robert is accurate and I look forward to having Robert work on more projects into the future. Thank you Robert.
The best! Rob commits to what he says and really is the No BS coach a business needs. Always finding and encouraging new technologies, a great soundboard and motivator to push ahead. Would highly recommend Rob to anyone who needs to step into the next stage of business.
I’ve worked with Rob across several of my businesses over the years, and I can’t recommend him highly enough. He’s one of the true pioneers of the SEO industry, having been involved since the early days of websites and search engine optimisation. That depth of experience really shows in the results he delivers. Rob has helped improve the Google rankings and overall search engine visibility for multiple companies I’ve owned, leading to increased traffic, stronger online presence, and more enquiries. He’s incredibly knowledgeable, stays passionate about what he does, and is always focused on achieving long-term, sustainable results rather than quick fixes.
Came upon Rob while at a crossroads in business - since have been able to step away from the day-to-day and allow the team to flourish more in my absence. Really appreciate all the prompt communication & follow ups, and Rob’s ability to do the hard technical stuff when things feel overwhelming, so I can just execute the plan I have in mind without worrying about ‘how’. Full of good advice, our business ‘big bro’. Thanks Rob, we appreciate you!
Top business coach! Rob is a professional in every aspect of business development, he has implemented structure and a clear path in the success of my business. He is direct and evaluates everything as it should be! As a business entrepreneur developing my tech company he has built a foundation for future success — for anyone who wants success without the fluff, to hear the truth, Rob is highly valued.
Real, raw and relatable! I recently attended an incredibly honest and insightful SEO masterclass with Rob. He was real, raw and relatable. His advice and easy to follow tips made the entire experience feel easy and achievable. I’m excited to put all my new knowledge into practice and watch my website boom! Thank you Rob.
Why the No Bullshit Coach
Starting a business is tough. I will show you how to grow one without fluffy marketing materials or cold calling. I will make it so clients are desperate to call you, not the other way around. Here is what we work on together:
Straight answers
Rob is the founder of The No Bullshit Business Coach and a Melbourne business owner of more than two decades. He has founded four businesses and exited two of them, including an IT managed services provider with $5+ million in revenue, 24+ staff and 160+ clients.
He has spent 27+ years in IT and 15+ years in digital marketing and e-commerce, and has been coaching other owners since 2006.
Yes. Black Lantern and GetSocked are both still trading. Rob coaches from the seat you are sitting in, not from a textbook.
It also means the advice you get has been tested this year, not in a course he did a decade ago.
Rob negotiated a full exit with no earnout — the cash settled and the future performance of the business was no longer his problem. In the IT services industry that outcome is rare.
If selling is on your horizon, that is exactly the sort of deal structure we will work backwards from.
Both, and the label matters less than the outcome. A coach holds you accountable to the plan; a mentor tells you what happened when they tried the same thing.
There is more detail on the business mentor Melbourne page.
Owners who actually want to hear the truth. If you want someone to agree with you for an hour a month, I am the wrong person.
Size matters less than attitude. I work with sole traders through to companies with dozens of staff across a wide range of sectors.
The office is at Level 35, 477 Collins St, Melbourne VIC 3000, and monthly meetings are held onsite at your business.
Rob makes regular trips to Sydney and Brisbane, and travel time is never charged back to you.
Because it is honest advertising. The name sets the expectation before you ever pick up the phone: you will get straight answers, including the ones you would rather not hear.
The language is direct, the advice is practical, and nothing is dressed up to protect anyone’s feelings — least of all mine.
Book a free 30-minute chat. We talk about where your business is at, what is keeping you awake, and whether I can genuinely add value.
If I don’t think I can help, I will tell you so on that call. If I can, you get one flat monthly fee and no contract to sign.
Let’s chat business
Enter your details to book your one-on-one consultation — the first one’s on me.
Real business coaching client testimonials
