Recap of this week’s stories and what they reveal about building a business that gives you your life back.
This week, we didn’t talk about “growth hacks” or the latest shiny AI tool.
We focused on something deeper.
Something every business owner eventually has to face:
Are you building a business you love — or one that’s quietly burning you out?
Here are the 4 key stories we covered this week… and the hard-earned lessons they carry.
- The $80,000 Whiskey
A casual whiskey tasting led to a business relationship worth over $80,000.
No pitch decks. No funnels. Just trust built in the right room, with the right people.
Lesson: Opportunities don’t come from transactions — they come from environments.
Put yourself in the room with the right people and the results follow.
- Business Fog Lifts in the Right Rooms
If you’re constantly surrounded by people chasing quick wins and vanity metrics, your vision gets foggy.
Clarity comes when you’re with those who value relationships, outcomes, and real business growth.
Lesson: Street walkers chase Johns. Hairdressers build long-term relationships.
What kind of business are you actually building?
- Time Is Your Most Revealing Investment
I ran into someone from an old networking group — the kind where metrics matter more than momentum.
Since leaving that group, my business took off. Why?
Because I joined rooms where people lived out real values — not empty slogans.
Lesson: Where you invest your time reveals what you’re building.
Shiny-object rooms produce burnout. Value-driven rooms build legacies.
- Thriving by Being the “Dumbest” in the Room
I met a tech sales rep who couldn’t explain what her company did — because the marketing collateral was an unreadable mess.
Written by engineers, not customers.
And no one around the owner had the guts (or clarity) to challenge it.
Lesson: If you’re always the smartest one in the room, your growth is capped.
Humility and exposure to sharper minds will save you years of wasted effort and millions in lost opportunity.
So what’s next?
It’s simple:
You can read about these lessons all day.
Or you can act on them.
That’s what our upcoming Q4 event is all about.
Not “learning” — but building.
Not burnout — but breakthrough.
And most importantly, building a business that gives you the life you promised yourself when you started this journey.