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.
At one of my Profit & Dine Dinner Masterminds, Bruce — owner of a cybersecurity company — was losing it. “Everyone wants something for free…”
“Because that’s not how it’s done.” Five words that have killed more businesses than any recession. Yesterday I shared how I gave away a million-dollar
Back in my Mideast FX days, I built something that—looking back—makes me shake my head. Using our trading volume and the pricing flows we saw
Yesterday I talked about that Aaron Rodgers Netflix special — the part where he breaks down how the same throw can have wildly different odds
I started watching a Netflix special on Aaron Rodgers the other night. What grabbed me wasn’t the drama. It was how he spoke about probability.
“Spoke to the VP at XYZ. He said no — the Chairman already has a charity they support, so they won’t be participating.” Boy… big
“I like your post directly sent to my attention. Lets see what time does hahahhah you are actually a funny man…” A blast from the
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.
It’s every founder’s dream:
More leads.
More sales.
More growth.
Until it becomes a nightmare.
Deadlines slip.
Customers walk.
Your team burns out — or you do.
The truth is, more business doesn’t always mean a better business.
If your systems, structure, and team can’t absorb the wave — it will drown you.
Here’s how to know if your business is built to scale… or barely treading water
“It hit me like a brick. Years of blood, sweat, and sacrifice — and when they presented me the number for my business, I had next to nothing to show for it.”
That’s the gut punch most founders don’t see coming.
Because the market doesn’t buy hustle.
It buys assets.
If your business collapses without you, you don’t have an asset — you have a job with stress.
He’s the boss.
He’s the owner.
He’s “free.”
Except… He’s not.
On vacation, He’s in the hotel business centre.
At dinner, He’s glued to his phone.
His kids know the top of his head better than his face.
Dysfunctional independence isn’t freedom — it’s a trap.
If you can’t fire yourself from your own business, you don’t own it…
It owns you.
Take 60 seconds to find out where you stand.
Many business owners pride themselves on being “their own boss.” It’s a matter of pride to know you went on your own and have been
The coach meant well.
No two-way players. Keep everyone safe. Play smart.
One problem:
The offensive line were giants.
The defensive line?
A 5-foot, 121-pound nose tackle.
The result?
We got crushed.
In business, it’s no different.
Good intentions can blind you to the brutal reality on the field — and by the time you see it, the clock’s almost out.
Here’s the hard question:
Are you even playing the right game?
At harvest time, there’s no time left to explain.
No time to point at the good patches.
No time to hide the weak spots.
The field gets sorted — wheat to the barn, weeds to the fire.
Your business will face its own harvest moment.
Call it exit. Call it succession. Call it the buyer’s due diligence.
The only question is:
Will you reap the reward — or watch it all burn?
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.
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