Business Value
7 Stories… One Reality Check
If You’ve Been Reading me over the last few days…. Then you’ve seen it. The thread running through every story we’ve shared lately: The business
September 26, 2025
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If You’ve Been Reading me over the last few days…. Then you’ve seen it. The thread running through every story we’ve shared lately: The business
Last week, I sat across from a business owner over lunch. He leaned in, lowered his voice and said: “I thought I was the only
Well, I’m here to tell you now, each and every mother’s son You’d better learn it fast, you’d better learn it young ‘Cause someday never
“Forgive them Father, for they know not what they do.” Those were Jesus’ words on the cross — and last weekend, they were echoed by
Bad service and hidden pricing turned 9 loyal customers into ex-customers. Here’s the true cost of playing games with trust — and what every founder must learn.
Martyrdom has no place in business. If you’re sacrificing yourself daily and calling it noble, you’re building a prison — not a legacy. Learn how to shift from burnout to real ownership
Are you burning out in your business by acting like an employee — grinding instead of growing? Learn how one simple mindset shift can move you from burnout to business freedom.
My daughters had a complete meltdown during their swim lesson.
A year ago, I would’ve snapped.
Today? I sat on the pool bench… calm.
No yelling. No panic. No pressure to fix everything.
Not because I’ve become some Zen master.
But because my business isn’t bleeding me dry anymore.
If your business still explodes through you like a landmine during life’s chaos…
You already know something needs to change.
“I didn’t like who I’d become. I wasn’t a good father, a good husband… hell, I wasn’t even good company.”
Scott wasn’t talking about addiction.
He was talking about his business.
It was profitable — but it was slowly killing him.
His wife was afraid to go to bed beside him because of his rage-fueled business nightmares.
And the worst part?
He kept telling himself it would all be worth it “someday.”
Until the day he stopped lying to himself — and changed everything.
Is your Business blind…. Or is it you?
We all love pointing out the “specks” in other people’s operations.
Pricing’s too low. Team’s a mess. Offer’s unclear.
But you know what’s harder?
Spotting the plank in your own business.
The one costing you time, freedom, and money every single day.
Here’s how to finally see it — and fix it — before your business becomes a job no one wants to own or a legacy none of your children want to inherit.
30 Days in 2001.
In August, I stood on top of the World Trade Center, unwinding with teammates after a long day.
In September, I stood at Ground Zero — alone, just hours before it was roped off for visitors and tourists to come and pay respects.
That month left a mark.
Not just because of what I saw… and smelled…but because of what it taught me about value, purpose, and what we choose to build — or protect.
And it all came rushing back when I watched a documentary about a little church that stood its ground next to giants.
Too many business owners bleed cash by attracting the wrong clients. Here’s how one owner fired the dead weight, rebuilt his business, and got his life back — starting with better margins.
In part 2 we meet more with Earl, who nearly killed his business… by chasing the wrong customers.
More sales ≠ more money — especially when your prices are bleeding out to match bottom-feeders.
Today we look at how Earl realised more volume wasn’t the answer — and tomorrow….what he did instead to stop the bleeding and rebuild real profit.
“People just want it cheap…”
That’s what he told me after blowing 5-figures on marketing to get more customers — while his margins dropped 25%.
But more customers wasn’t the problem.
The real issue?
He was discounting to chase the wrong people — the ones who’d always leave, complain, or demand more for less.
So we sat down and started fixing the real problem.
The first question I asked him made him stop cold.
Full story here
Your business was supposed to fulfil your dreams in why you started it in the first place.
So why does it feel like a job with more stress and fewer control?
If you’re ready to stop feeling trapped inside what you built — this is for you.
One fall. Three seconds. Eight years lost.
That’s how my father’s final chapter began.
Here’s why I’m sharing it — and what every founder needs to hear if they’re stuck waiting for “someday” to enjoy their business.
Ever feel like Mike Corleone is talking about you in your business?
When Clients reappear with new fires.
Teams drop the ball when you’re gone for a day.
To-do lists multiply like souped up cats.
You’re not broken.
But the business is on its way to breaking you… unless….
In Q4, we’re helping founders escape that trap and finally build the company they thought they were creating in the first place.
She built a profitable business. And then she said she hated it.
17 years without ever being able to relax.
One holiday destroyed in 3 weeks.
15 months to recover.
Mary’s business made money —
but cost her her time, energy, peace of mind… and almost her family.
And she’s not alone.
If your business drains you more than it fuels you, it’s time to fix that.
We’re doing just that in Q4. Stay tuned.
Many entrepreneurs dream of passing down their business. But if it’s burning you out — your kids won’t want it. Discover how to turn your business into a valuable asset they’d be proud to own
If you had the same amount of cash in the bank as your business is worth — would you buy it again?
If not, why are you still giving it your time, energy, and life?
You don’t need more features.
You need more freedom.
As Robert Skrob pointed out in an email he sent out this morning…
What clients really buy — and what founders really want —
Is transformation.
Here’s what that looks like in your business…
And how to make it happen before Q4 ends.
The mall was dead today.
First day of school — but no parents, no buzz, no business.
Why?
The parking fees went up.
Now everyone’s gone.
One tiny short-term decision is destroying long-term value.
Are you doing the same in your business?.
Most founders overcomplicate their business and chase low-value customers. Discover how to simplify, systemize, and scale your business for profit, positioning, and exit — even if you’re stuck in the grind today
“Just pick a dress!”
That’s me this morning — negotiating like a hostage negotiator with a 4-year-old who couldn’t decide what to wear.
What would have worked much better? A uniform. A hard system (which she will be required to wear starting next week Tuesday).
And that’s when it hit me —
Most founders don’t have uniforms in their business.
They’ve got chaos, decisions, firefighting… every single day.
Here’s the wake-up call (and the solution)
“Why are you grabbing their shoes?”
My wife wasn’t wrong — and her comment hit harder than I expected.
Because I’ve seen too many business owners make the exact same mistake — and stay stuck for years because of it.
Read on and see if this common life and business killer looks familiar and what you can do about it.
“I didn’t want the business. I just wanted my dad.”
A reader sent me that after my last post — and it remined me of the song Cat in the Cradle.
His father built a profitable company from nothing.
But it took everything from him.
Time. Health. Connection. Life.
When he finally offered it to his son —
the answer was no.
Not because the business didn’t make money.
But because no one else could survive it.
Founders, if you’re building something no one wants to inherit…
Maybe it’s time to change what you’re building
He built it for his son.
His son didn’t want it.
And now the business is gone.
Founders — your legacy only matters if someone actually wants it.
Let me show you how to make sure it’s worth passing on — or selling for millions.
I haven’t trimmed my beard in two weeks.
Not because I’m lazy.
Because the only guy I trust is out of town — and I’d rather look like a werewolf than let the wrong hands touch my face.
That’s loyalty.
And if your business doesn’t have customers who feel that way about you — you’re leaving a goldmine untapped.
Let me tell you why the best clients are the “wolfmen”…
(And why you never, ever let them go.)
I saw a restaurant commit business suicide.
I watched a project lose its sponsor and still gain value.
And I spent 7 weeks away — not because I’m rich.
But because I built for control.
Most entrepreneurs build themselves a cage.
Q4 is about unlocking the door — and stepping into open roads and open skies.
If you want real control over your time, money, and relationships…
Stay tuned.
What if the client you’re afraid to lose… is actually the one suffocating your business?
I’ve fired clients before.
Some readers hated me for saying that.
Some unsubscribed.
But what happened next was a lesson in revenue, sanity, and scaling.
Blindly believing that the “client is always right” can be a recipe for killing your business margins and your family life.
You’ve sacrificed.
Pushed through setbacks.
Bled for the business.
But when it’s time to walk away—will it live on without you?
Or will it die the second you step back?
Most business owners don’t have an exit.
They have a slow death.
This week brought a powerful reminder of what real triumph looks like—
And what happens when you don’t build for it.
When I was 12, I snuck a pocket radio into church so I could listen to the Cubs game during Holy Thursday service.
My mom busted me.
I sat through the whole thing—and didn’t understand a word of it.
Now? I don’t miss a second.
And somewhere in that shift…
There’s a powerful lesson most business owners are still missing.
Your business is profitable.
Maybe even 7 or 8 figures.
But here’s a tough question:
What happens if you disappear for 30 days?
Does the business keep growing?
Or does it fall apart?
There’s a simple test I call Freedom Math—and most founders don’t like their score.
If you’re thinking about selling your business “someday,”
This is the equation you need to solve first.
You’ve built a 7- or 8-figure business.
Profitable. Growing.
But when it’s time to exit?
Most owners don’t get the deal they want.
Many don’t get a deal at all.
Not because the business isn’t successful…
But because it doesn’t work without them.
If you’re banking on a future sale—this is your wake-up call.
The #1 question buyers ask isn’t about your story.
It’s about their risk.
His company hit $10M in revenue.
And then… a car accident.
In one moment, it was all gone.
Not because the business failed.
But because it couldn’t survive without him.
This isn’t a dramatic story. It’s a common one.
And the lesson he learned the hard way?
I’m giving it to you right here.
If your business still depends on you…
You need to read this.
She came to the event knowing no one there could help her.
She showed up anyway.
Another guy skipped it because “only 5 people” were attending.
Guess who walked away with a powerful new connection?
This isn’t a post about networking.
It’s about what really creates leverage in business—
and why some people miss it entirely.
I break it down here.
He’s planning to attend a networking event.
But find out only 5 people will be there.
Meanwhile, he’s packing 100 business cards, ready to hand them out.
Is this event a total waste of time…
or the room that changes everything?
Most people would skip it, scanning the web for a “better” event.
But what if what you really needed was already in the room?
Not more people.
Just the right ones.
His daughter graduated.
His wife smiled.
But something felt… off.
There was no fight. No bitterness.
Just silence.
And when the message came in—
“Call me. We’ve got a problem…”
He said the same words he always did:
“I’ll be right back.”
Except this time…She didn’t wait.
This isn’t about one missed dinner.
It’s about what happens when the life you built… forgets to include you.
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