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
They had Bin Laden in their sights.
A thousand men ready to finish the job.
And the operation was called off—because of ego and turf wars.
This isn’t just history.
It’s a warning to every founder who aims to let go… but does so to the wrong person
Spend more time with family. Earn more while working less. Fire bad clients. Buy back your time.”
You’ve heard all the promises.
You’ve probably even paid for them.
But if they’re so common, why do so few actually live them?
This one’s for the business owner who knows the script… but hasn’t seen the ending.
Let’s find out why. And fix it.
You’re up late. You’re up early. And even when you’re out, you’re still “in.”
The phone buzzes. The inbox explodes. Your team can’t breathe without your approval.
It’s not just stress.
It’s business-induced sleep deprivation.
You built this company for freedom — so why does it feel like a trap?
Especially if you’re pushing 7 figures and feeling stuck in the grind..
You ever been stuck in the mud?
I mean really stuck—wheels spinning, engine revving, mud flying everywhere… and going nowhere.
That was me at a Boston concert in ’86.
It’s also most business owners I meet today.
They’re busy. Covered in stress.
But progress? Zero.
This post isn’t about music or mud.
It’s about the silent killer of your business valuation—and how to spot it before it buries you.
You gave it everything.
Time. Energy. Sacrifice.
And now, just when you thought you’d step back…
The wind hits harder.
The exit you imagined feels further away.
This one’s for the business owners still sprinting through the storm — not because they want to, but because they have to.
If the finish line feels like it keeps moving…
It might be that you’re just running the wrong way …. against the wind.
What does your business do when you leave the building?
Many owners dream of a real vacation—one without guilt, panic, or inbox chaos.
But too many can’t step away without something breaking.
They’re not weak. They’ve just built the business wrong.
If your holidays feel more like landmines than getaways…
You’re not alone.
But you can fix it.
Here’s a 60-second gut check worth taking
“I want to finally step away from the day-to-day… and still have the business grow.”
It’s the dream.
But most owners build a business that does the exact opposite.
One that can’t grow without them.
One that dies the second they step back.
The business you’re building right now —
Will it run without you?
Or does it trap you?
Take 60 seconds to find out.
An investor asked for 36 months of revenue.
Simple request.
What he got?
Confusion.
Contradictions.
Spreadsheet gymnastics worthy of Cirque du Soleil.
He didn’t have time to play detective.
So he moved on.
And the seller — after years of sweat and sacrifice — walked away with a lowball offer.
Why?
Because confusion kills deals.
And risk? It gets priced in.
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