Our Daily Blog

Scaling the Business
George Sotiropoulos

Stand Out

Ever wonder why you go to the restaurants you do?
Do you only go because you are hungry?
If that’s the case why go out and not just deliver?
What restaurant would you take a client to win a critical project?
How about 20 3-year-old children to a birthday party?
Pick the same place? If not.. why?

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Business Value
George Sotiropoulos

Discount from a Thief

Ever get a call from a company that only cares about price? it’s like a robber calling you to offer a discount on buying back what he just stole from your house.

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Business Value
George Sotiropoulos

When Budgeting is Just Plain Stupid

Budgets are necessary to control spending, but mindlessly following them is insane when it comes to scaling and growing your business beyond what the budget “allows”. You can be flexible and still grow smart as long as you look at key metrics for growth and allow them to supersede what some arbitratry budget measure says.

When and how do you balance growth while making sure you don’t go nuts on spend?

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Abstract Version of Mr. T.
Business Value
George Sotiropoulos

When I Threw “Mr. T” To The Mat

Have you ever felt really intimidated by an upcoming challenge? Like time I stepped onto a wrestling mat to face “Mr T.”* in the 1980s.

But then something amazing happened: when we got into the middle of the match, I realized he wasn’t so scary after all! In fact, if it hadn’t been for me being pysched out in the beginning and gave up points for nothing, I would have won.

This experience taught me an important lesson: don’t judge a situation by its cover. You never know what lies underneath. So be confident in yourself and take that leap of faith—you may surprise yourself!

*(P.S. It wasn’t the real Mr. T just in case you were wondering…)

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artistic rendition of the 46 defense sack
Dependency on Owner
George Sotiropoulos

The 46

As I posted this article on my Linkedin profile, I saw the date 26 January. It’s a coincidence, but it’s extremely relevant (and I’ll explain shortly).

Growing up in Chicago in the 1980s we witnessed one of the best NFL defenses to ever be on a field. It caputed a whole city and people went crazy.. even waiting in hundreds of thousands in 20 below zero to welcome them back after a championships.

Why do I bring them up? Because it’s a cautionary tale. How a system that brings you to the heights can also fail you when it outlives its time.

Like in business, and the system you used to launch can now destroy the value you built ..

As for the date? 26 January 1986 was the date they won the Super Bowl..

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A triangle with lightning behind it.
Business Value
George Sotiropoulos

The Triangle of Success

As a founder, especially if you were a solopreoneur, you had to do a bunch of things at once.

You had to hustle and find your customers, you had to onboard them, you had to service them, you had to bill them, and you had to collect from them all the while still trying to find new customers and working on the quality of your products and services.

And pay the bills, and deal with the government agencies, etc etc.

But when you are ready to scale and grow your business it’s best to keep in mind the Triangle of Success and the importance of being able to execute all areas simultaneously.

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Person at a Cross Roads...
Customer Experience
George Sotiropoulos

Do You Sell to Trade or Invest – Part 2

Investing in your customer relationships pays off!

Don’t get so wrapped up in making a sale that you miss the long-term benefits of providing great service and using that sale to build a relationship with the customer.

And whatever you do, don’t ‘rip them off’ or you’ll find yourself out of business before too long.

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Person at a Cross Roads...
Customer Experience
George Sotiropoulos

Do You Sell to Trade or Invest: Part 1

Are you in business to trade your product or service or invest in your customer base – as an asset to your business?
It’s investment versus transaction and sometimes, as the example from my FX days shows, it’s not so clear cut.

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Tiger climbing up a mountain and a main holding on to his back paw
Business Value

A Business Parable

A business parable of how an owner transformed a horrible culture to one that allowed him to grow the business and become free.

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Customer Experience
George Sotiropoulos

I’ll Get To It Tomorrow

Have you ever seen someone making a purchase and then changing their mind last second and leaving?

What can be more frustrating when someone is about to purchase from you, wants to purchase from you, but something is holding them back.

And what is holding them back might surprise you. But if you can figure it out, you can get the window shoppers to come in and the clients who would walk away.. take that deep breath and open your door.

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Bull sitting on toilet
Business Value
George Sotiropoulos

The Value of 2023 Predictions

With the New Year, many predictions come in, but they are mostly useless. You can see how useless it is by looking at the 2022 predictions and seeing what came true and what was not only wrong, but woefully so.

Even worse is the hero celebrity worship and blindly following even how they chew gum and walk at the same time.

Of course, thinking of the new year wouldn’t be complete without thinking of the two most annoying sales pitches we’ll have to hear repeatedly in the next 12 months…

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Picture of Two Dogs.. espree and maya. espree was smart white shephers.. maya is cute but dumb bichon poodle mix.
Scaling the Business
George Sotiropoulos

A Tale of Two Dogs Part 1

Ever consider dogs and what they can teach us about growing a business? And no, I’m not talking about going on the rug… or being so excited to see you as you walk in the office that they want to jump on your leg.

It’s about team.. it’s about fit..

and it’s about your freedom to grow your business without being stuck inside.

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Dependency on Owner
George Sotiropoulos

Home Run Delegation Part 2

It is easy to convince business owners about the value of delegation and mentoring. Showing them and training them how to do it is the challenge.
We do it by setting the correct example, imparting the beliefs, and passing the knowledge on to others patiently.
Set high expectations and be clear about what needs to be done and provide adequate support.
Do these and you gain a freedom and a business that is much more valuable than you can possibly imagine.

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cartoon of bal player running the bases
Dependency on Owner
George Sotiropoulos

Home Run Delegation Part 1

Fun story from my childhood about mentoring. I’m mentioning it because there are some lessons in there that you can apply when delegating.

Many of us delegate by throwing the cat into the deep pool and letting it swim technique… and of course the cat drowns…

There is a better way.. and many of us have already experienced it in our lives as I did in this instance… and it’s lessons we can pass on..

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Person running on hamster wheel
Business Value
George Sotiropoulos

3 Ways to Transform Your Experience of Owning a Business

We all want to live our lives and not be at the mercy of a boss, but owning a business and working for yourself often means having no free time. It feels like you’re always working, with obligations that take up your whole day from morning until night – even when you’re at home!

There is an easier way!

With these three steps, owning a business becomes more enjoyable, as we free up our time and build wealth on top of everything else…

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picasso type picture with one person trying to hear what other is saying
Customer Experience
George Sotiropoulos

Don’t Bother, I Can’t Hear You

Have you ever tried to explain yourself to someone who is hard of hearing and refuses to do anything about it? Do your customers feel that way when they speak with you?

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Owner walking home late at night
Dependency on Owner
George Sotiropoulos

5 Things That Really Suck When You’re The Big Boss

As a business owner, you wear a lot of hats. You’re the CEO, the CFO, the janitor, and everything in between. It’s a lot of work, and it can be frustrating at times. Here are the most common 5 frustrations I hear—and the solution that solves them all…

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rocket representing your business taking off in a sea of ruins representing touch economic times
Business Value
George Sotiropoulos

Invest in Service when the Economy Gets Tough

When the economy takes a turn for the worse, business owners’ first instinct is to cut costs. They’ll slash prices, fire staff, and skimp on quality to try and preserve their profits.
They think they can keep profits the same even with lower revenue by reducing costs and slashing prices to increase volume.
In almost every case, they’re wrong.

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waiter in tuxedo serving dog food
Customer Experience
George Sotiropoulos

Why Feed Your Customers Dog Food?

Too many companies nowadays treat customer service as an expense, not the investment it is. They’ll roll out the red carpet for you when they’re trying to sell you something, but once you’re a customer, they couldn’t care less about you.

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Dependency on Owner
George Sotiropoulos

Does Leaving Your Business For A Day Feel Like Leaving It With 17-Year-Old Party-Hungry Teenagers?

How do you go from Risky Business to a Business where you don’t have to be there every hour of the day?
As a business owner or CEO, you can’t be everywhere at once. You have to trust that your employees will do their jobs and not party like it’s 1999 (or 2022). But how do you make the leap from risky business to hands-off business? Here are four tips to get you started.

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Scaling the Business
George Sotiropoulos

How to Scale a Business on a Limited Budget

Do you hate turning away customers because you are just too busy to handle the ones you have? Would you like to scale but have a budget that is too tight to do so?

Some quick basic steps can help you start scaling and generate the cash flow you need to make the necessary investments to really take your business to the next level.

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Scaling the Business
George Sotiropoulos

Grow or Stretched too Thin?

Do you ever feel like you’re being pulled in a million different directions? That you can’t possibly take on any new business because you’re already stretched too thin?

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woman on motor bike flying through the air with jet fire streaming out of the back. She is exhilirated.
Scaling the Business
George Sotiropoulos

Step Back and Watch Your Business Fly

Ever felt trapped by the daily grind, unable to step back without fearing things might fall apart? Jane who owned a logistics company did too—until she leveraged data and a key metric to uncover her most profitable customer segments and empower her team. Now she’s free to explore business opportunities worldwide while her company thrives. Discover on Tuesday the 29th of October the key metric and data-driven approach that transformed her business, boosted its profits and freed her time.

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Me and group of relationship building networkers facing the camera.
Business Value
George Sotiropoulos

Actions Speak Louder than Words

Ever had someone in business question your value just because you’re no longer “officially” part of the group?
I had an eye-opening experience with a member I’ve known for years in a networking organisation that left me rethinking what it truly means to build lasting relationships in business.
The lesson I took away? It speaks volumes about how some people approach relationships and opportunity and where you should be investing your time and money.
Read on to find out more.

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Pilot confused and flying with lack of instruments
Business Value
George Sotiropoulos

Are you Flying the Business with out a Fuel Gauge

Are you chasing metrics such as ROAS without the full picture? I’ve seen so many business owners led down costly paths to optimise this and other metrics, but it’s often the wrong one to focus on without the full context.
At our upcoming Profit and Dine session on October 29th, we’ll give you the full context by diving into the key metric you really need to guide your investments—and boost your profits and cash flow.
Join us in Dubai or online to gain actionable insights that can transform your business

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George giving a presentation at In5 campus for Dubai Media City. He is showing a screen and participants are looking.
Business Value
George Sotiropoulos

Stop Wasting Time and Money Attracting the Wrong Customers – Do This Instead

Ever feel like you’re wasting time and money on things that don’t drive results? Jonathan did. He spent hours on a logo and “branding”, only to realize he wasn’t focusing on the deals that matter.
But a few months later, everything changed. He hadn’t spent more on marketing—but his profits soared. How?
By understanding one key metric about his customers.
Want the same clarity? Join us on October 29th at Stay Café in Dar Al Wasl Dubai or online

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point of view of nfl player who has a bunch of players running towards him
Business Value
George Sotiropoulos

Are You Being “Stuffed” in Your Business?

Are you running the same play over and over, wondering why you’re stuck? It doesn’t matter how hard you push—if your strategy isn’t right, the results are always predictable.
You might think it’s just a rough patch, but what if the problem is your playbook? If you’re ready to stop spinning your wheels and finally see progress, it’s time to rethink your approach.
Want to know how?

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George leading breakout disucssion during networking meeting
Business Value
George Sotiropoulos

10 Minutes to Save Years of Stress and Money

Sometimes networking events don’t go as planned—especially when you’re dealing with a noisy venue, a wandering toddler, and an impromptu pivot to something far more valuable.

What happened next in one unexpected 1:1 conversation completely shifted the day. It was all about systems, growth, and a game-changing mindset.

For a young entrepreneur, a roadmap she will never forget.

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