Business Value
Next Huge Thing is ZZZ
“NEXT HUGE THING” “We’re looking for 500k to finish the MVP.. if we just get 1% of the market you will have made 10,000x the
October 20, 2026
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“NEXT HUGE THING” “We’re looking for 500k to finish the MVP.. if we just get 1% of the market you will have made 10,000x the
Jack’s saviour arrived four weeks before his cash ran out. It came as an email, accepting his proposal. Good terms, and a lifeline. Overnight, his
I knew better. But it was so convenient. Years ago I ran a different company, and I had a client who made up 75% of
“I have stepped back, just like you told me,” Mike said. “But you have Ron running everything now,” I replied. “Yes, but it is not
It is my birthday today. Not a particularly grand milestone. I am into my 56th year, or if you prefer, my 2,912th Tuesday on this
I met Danny at an event over the weekend. After being introduced and finding out what I do, he pulls me aside with a big
So the premium company wrote back, and their reply told me everything about how they see the world. Their position was simple. Here is our
Yesterday I left you with my AC dead, a CH04 error flashing, and a premium company booked to put it right. What I left out
You have heard me talk a lot about cheapskates, discount zombies, and clients who just want to rip you off or get you working for
Sam was a star. The iceman, the closer. He shut deals faster than anyone, and closed 20% more than the rest of the team. Management
In Dubai, working for free is almost a rite of passage for business owners. It has happened to me more than once, and never because
Once upon a time…. Carl walks into a beautiful clinic with serious chest pains. He is seen by Dr Sam, a heart specialist with more
A while back I watched a buyer walk away from a business he had spent weeks looking at. Good numbers, pretty profitable and the business
Most owners are about to waste AI, and it will have nothing to do with the AI. Here is why and it comes from a
Ever seen that reality show about the Pawn shop. Some guy hauls in his grandfather’s watch, dead certain it is worth a fortune. By his
“That’s How It’s Done Here” How often have you heard or believed those words? Perhaps in your industry there is something you follow as if
Colin took the family to Crete in June. By Wednesday he’d taken fourteen calls. Not one of them was a crisis. One was the wifi
So what is it you want to see? My client was asking me earnestly. I had just come with a dozen requests and he was
“I’d have got rid of Dean four years ago. I just can’t.” Rob runs an industrial packaging distribution company. Six million in revenue, thirty-one staff,
In my last post I told you about the scowling woman at the restaurant who put a deep flurry of clouds in the experience when
They say things happen in threes. I told you about my Grumps experience by the seaside. Well within 48 hours we stopped in the Gower
“She’s a bucket of sunshine” My wife Natalie exclaimed after our waitress rolled her eyes when we said we need a minute or two to
“That’s a palace?” my daughters exclaimed. Their eyes were declaring what their mouths were too polite to say. That’s complete ***t. So they weren’t impressed
“Wisdom is worth more than silver; it makes you much richer than gold. Wisdom is more valuable than precious jewels; nothing you want compares with
I have been out of touch for a week or so. Not because I am blowing you all off but just to step back and
Friday was fun. I organised an afternoon lunch and then happy hour with over a dozen business owners and service providers. We didn’t have an
“I learned more from a 3 minute record than I ever learned in school” Bruce Springsteen – “No Retreat, No Surrender” In the mid 80s
You know what’s funny about my business? The wide variety of industries and situations I get called into that differ significantly on the surface but
Last day of FAQ week. And this one is the question that separates the owners who end up with options from those who end up
Day 2 of FAQ week. Today’s question hits a nerve with almost every owner I talk to. “You talk about building a business that runs
You’re pushing harder, selling more, landing bigger clients…
But your margins are thinning. Your team’s burning out. And the business feels like it’s held together with duct tape and crossed fingers.
It’s not growth. It’s chaos disguised as progress.
If you’re a 7-figure business owner, you already know what I mean. The next big win won’t save you — it might bury you.
Want to stop the madness?
Ever walked into a room and instantly knew something stank?
That’s how a buyer sees your business—if it’s too reliant on you, a key client, or a fragile process.
I had my own “what’s that smell?” moment at the gym this morning.
It reminded me how blind owners can be to what’s festering in their business until it’s too late.
Here’s how to know where you stand—before the stink costs you everything.
One business owner I met is leaving Dubai this summer—for 3 months.
His only concern? The kids’ school calendar.
His business doesn’t need him.
Another owner? He’s starting over.
His last business collapsed because it relied on too few clients—and too much of him.
Both are focused on building real equity now.
How about you?
Will your business give you options… or excuses?
A bug in my own system.
That’s what I found this week—thanks to a friend in my corner.
It messed up results from my 60-Second Survey. And it reminded me of something powerful:
You can’t build a business of real value if you’re surrounded by yes-men or quiet bystanders.
You need people who’ll call out the bugs—especially the ones you can’t see.
Took me a bit of time to fix. Might take you just 60 seconds to start.
Most business owners say they want freedom.
Time. Peace. A business that doesn’t own them.
But saying you “want it” isn’t the same as doing what it takes.
This story is about a business owner working 16-hour days, ruining his marriage — and for what? Micromanaging his way into misery.
Wanting a sellable business is one thing.
Working for it — the right way — is another.
This one’s about the difference.
I’m not a tax consultant.
But I keep getting cold emails written like I am.
No research. No relevance. No unsubscribe link.
Just like the copy-paste advice that traps so many business owners in jobs they can’t quit.
If you’ve ever paid for “the answer” and got a mess that wasted your time instead…
You’ll get this.
This one’s for the 7-figure owner sick of templates and hungry for real traction.
Some teams are known for winning. Others… for ruining careers.
When the stakes are high and the spotlight is on, even the best talent dies in the wrong system.
So here’s the question:
If someone stepped into your business today—could they thrive without you?
Or would it bury them?
You may be running a machine… or a minefield.
Find out before it’s too late.
Take the 60-second Business Exit Readiness Survey
He was right there.
Cornered.
Surrounded.
One call would’ve ended the mission.
But the decision-maker… choked.
Not because of bad intel.
Not because of a surprise ambush.
But because of turf.
What does this have to do with you and your business?
A lot more than you think.
Because if you’ve ever handed the reins to someone who couldn’t finish the job —
You’re about to meet your Rumsfeld moment.
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