
Happy New Years
Happy New Year. Today was a brilliant sunny day in Wales … warm enough to take a nice walk while still needing to bundle up
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Happy New Year. Today was a brilliant sunny day in Wales … warm enough to take a nice walk while still needing to bundle up

Well… this is it. The last day of the year. Thank you — to my clients, partners, friends, colleagues, and everyone who let me into

Not long ago, Salesforce proudly announced it had slashed roughly 4,000 customer service jobs, handing the workload over to AI bots instead. The message was

One of my favourite stories is the Barefoot winery acquisition I shared before. Where the seller closed a deal to sell his wine business that

The Christmas story has a dark chapter to it. When Herod saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, he was infuriated, and

Adeste fideles, laeti triumphantes, Venite, venite in Bethlehem. Natum videte, Regem angelorum: Venite adoremus, venite adoremus, Venite adoremus… Dominum. When I was a kid

One more sleep shouted my girls as they tear apart the last box on their advent calendars. One more sleep until Christmas Watching their joy

We woke up early our first day in London. “Let’s go show the kids the Christmas Decorations in Harrod’s windows.” I proposed. They would love

This week you would have noticed a pattern. Many businesses don’t fail just because of competition, the economy or the markets. They failed long before

“Winterwonderland!? Get ready to get ripped off” Admission – Cha Ching Unlimited Ride Pass for kids – Cha Ching Meals – Cha Ching Rides for

One by one the University of Chicago MBAs lined up to meet the older man who accompanied the young female Goldman FX trader who was

“Growing sales killed my business.” It was sad.. resigned.. And his voice has been in my head since the event.. John had followed the

Friday night was one of those perfect Dubai evenings. Good wine at happy hour. Then a short walk to a neighbouring restaurant where alcohol wasn’t

This week had one theme: Owners sabotaging themselves — not from stupidity, but from the illusions that sound smart. Let’s review the carnage… MONDAY —

Yesterday I shared the story of Jason Weaver — the young Simba voice actor who chose $100,000 plus lifetime royalties over a $2 million upfront

“Poor man wanna be rich… rich man wanna be king…and a king ain’t satisfied until rules everything”-Bruce Springsteen “Badlands” Bruce wasn’t talking about business owners.

Last month, A Business owner “Sam” pulled me aside to tell me about his ex-employee – a brilliant operations manager — Sarah — who walked

“But always will our whole nation remember the character of the onslaught against us. No matter how long it may take us to overcome

This week I had one theme: Business owners who fail because of the beliefs that run their business. Four stories. Four different owners. Four ways

He was looking to sell his business and wanted to get the best price. His high-priced consultant told him… “It needs to be bigger.. now”

“You know you need to fire her.. right?” “But she’s nearly half my revenue…” “True and she’s killing you and your business by a thousand

I’m back at the outdoor café on a perfect 25°C morning — the same place the PigeonWaffe dive-bombed me last week. This time I made

If you could go back in time, what would you tell your 18-year-old self? Most people say things like: “Don’t be so stupid.” “Grow up.”

This week was about one thing: How otherwise smart business owners slowly — and often proudly — destroy the very thing they spent years building.

“Sarah Connor?” (Insert heavy Arnold Austrian accent.) “Yes…” That moment in The Terminator when you realise this machine will do anything — absolutely anything —

I told you about my trip to Greece Every restaurant in Greece used to end your meal with a complimentary fruit platter. Fresh watermelon. Perfect

November in Dubai is when we finally “spread our wings” and sit outside again after six months of being slow-roasted alive. So there I was,

$20 for a litre of orange juice. At my daughter’s 6th birthday party venue. “Do we at least get an open bar?” I asked my

Four business owners. Four different industries. Four ways to fumble the gold already in their hands. This week wasn’t about motivation. It was about mirrors.

My friend runs music festivals — 50,000 people per day. Sounds massive, right? Except after paying venues, artists, vendors, security, insurance… he’s left holding crumbs.

It wasn’t the numbers that killed the deal.
It wasn’t the valuation, the brand, or the market potential.
It was the team.
An investor walked away from a million-dollar deal—not because the business was bad, but because the management team was a train wreck.
If you think your biggest risks are only revenue or profit, think again.
Here’s the brutal truth about what buyers look at—and where it can all fall apart.

What if I told you there’s one thing sitting right in front of you…
That silently reveals whether your business will give you freedom—or burn you out slowly?
It’s not your revenue.
It’s not your brand.
And it’s definitely not the hustle.
It’s something most founders overlook.
Even though it tells the truth—every single time.
Here’s what it is…
And what it might already be telling you.

What happens when you build your business like you’ll sell it—even if you won’t?
You get your time back.
You get freedom.
And sometimes… you 50x your revenue in 36 months.
That’s exactly what one founder did without ever stepping foot in his office.
No hustle porn. No VC. No consultants.
Just the right structure, the right people, and a business built to run without him.
Here’s what that looks like…

What do you get when John Carlton, Brian Kurtz, and Bond Halbert drop into a casual book club?
Not a pitch.
Not a product launch.
Just a room built right—by people who lead with value and play the long game.
This wasn’t a flex.
It was a masterclass in how real relationships attract the right people.
And why the best opportunities come when you stop selling… and start serving.
Here’s what happened

When you bring the right people into the right room, something changes.
It’s not about small talk.
It’s not about swapping business cards.
It’s about real conversations that open doors—and the opportunities that follow when hands are grasped with real intent.
Here’s a glimpse inside a gathering where growth wasn’t just talked about. It started.

One leak.
Two missed calls.
Three years of customer loyalty—gone.
That’s all it took.
-Not because of pricing.
-Not because of competition.
But because of a simple failure to show up, follow through, and solve the actual problem.
Bad customer experience isn’t just annoying.
It’s what turns profitable businesses into unsellable liabilities.
Here’s what happened—and why you need to look at your own business through the same lens.

They said a wave of business exits was coming.
Retiring baby boomers. Millions of dollars changing hands.
The so-called “Silver Tsunami.”
But… where is it?
Most owners didn’t sell.
Many didn’t retire.
And a frightening number are still grinding—burnt out, stuck, and quietly hoping for a buyer that never comes.
This post breaks down what’s really happening…
And what it means for every founder still waiting for the perfect time.

Today’s not just another Tuesday.
It’s St. George’s Day—the story of a man who stood his ground, defied the empire, and became a legend.
Most people remember the dragon.
They forget the courage.
And that’s exactly what most founders forget too.
The businesses that lead? They stand for something.
The ones that fold? They tried to please everyone.
Here’s why standing your ground might be the most valuable move you make.