She Lost Nearly $1 Million in 90 Days. Here's How She Survived with Sonya Corkery

Five days. That's how close Sonya Corkery came to losing everything.


After nearly two decades building multiple businesses in Australia—including a thriving electrical consulting company—Sonya and her husband watched three major clients fold in just three months during COVID. The damage? Nearly a million dollars in lost net profit. Gone. Overnight.


With only five days of operating funds left and suppliers waiting to be paid, most business owners would've filed bankruptcy and walked away. But Sonya made a different choice—one that would test every ounce of her financial expertise, resilience, and purpose.


In this raw and tactical episode, Sonya shares the exact 12-month strategy she used to claw her way back from the brink of business collapse—without filing bankruptcy, without destroying relationships, and without losing her integrity.


In this powerful conversation, you'll discover:

1. The one-day rule: How Sonya gave herself exactly 24 hours to grieve before taking action (and why this mindset saved her business)
2. The supplier conversation: What she said to creditors to get extended payment terms when she had nothing left
3. The overdraft strategy: How she used a term deposit as security to bridge cashflow gaps while earning interest to offset costs
4. The Profit First system: Why having multiple bank accounts structured correctly saved her business when disaster struck
5. Pre-disaster planning: The financial safety nets you should have in place NOW before you need them (because banks won't help when you're in crisis)
6. The vetting process: How Sonya now screens every potential client before even submitting a tender—including credit checks, entity structure analysis, and director background checks
7. The insurance layer: How to protect 90% of your project value against client bankruptcy (yes, this exists)
8. The deeper why question: Why nearly losing everything forced Sonya to ask "what's beyond this business?" and completely transformed her life vision
9. The nomadic dream: How she and her husband are building a life that allows them to split time between Italy, Thailand, and Australia
10. The exit strategy reality check: Why what you think your business is worth and what someone will pay might be devastatingly different


But here's what makes this episode truly special: Sonya doesn't just share her survival story. She breaks down the exact systems, mindsets, and financial strategies that business owners need BEFORE disaster strikes—because when you're drowning, it's too late to learn to swim.


From cash flow forecasting down to the dollar, to building wealth outside your business so the sale becomes a bonus instead of a necessity, to creating layers of financial protection you hope to never use—this is the episode every business owner needs to hear.


Fair warning: If you're not good with numbers, Sonya's going to challenge you. Because whether you like spreadsheets or not, your business survival depends on understanding them. The good news? She makes it make sense.


The bottom line: Most businesses fail within the first three years in Australia (85%). Sonya not only survived but thrived through one of the worst financial crises a business can face. Now she's teaching other business owners how to build unshakeable financial foundations so they never have to face what she did.


Ready to bulletproof your business finances? Connect with Sonya at clearplanconsulting.com.au (https://clearplanconsulting.com.au) for a free 20-minute strategy session.


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Have a burning question? Leave a message for Lindsay and she will turn it into an episode with an answer. Use the link below to record.


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