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In the wild world of business, staying still is like wearing concrete boots in quicksand. It’s only a matter of time before you’re stuck, sinking, and surpassed by faster, more agile competitors. Legacy thinking, the practice of sticking with outdated methods just because they used to work, is the T. rex of the corporate world:…
“Growth is never by mere chance; it is the result of forces working together.”— James Cash Penney, Founder of J.C. Penney I once advised a tech company that had just crossed $50 million in annual recurring revenue. On the surface, everything looked stellar. Investors were satisfied, customers were renewing, and the team was expanding. But…
“The most valuable currency in business isn’t money—it’s trust. And the most valuable business model is one that lets you monetize that trust across an entire ecosystem.” Across the professional services landscape, from wealth advisors to business consultants, from CPAs to law firms, a quiet revolution is taking place. The most forward-thinking advisory firms are…
Over time, reviewing tax outcomes reveals a fairly consistent pattern. Discussions tend to focus on the final calculation, what was earned, what was deducted, and which rates applied. But looking at enough returns makes something else clear: by the time that calculation is performed, the range of possible outcomes has already been shaped by decisions…
If you have ever felt a little awkward about charging for an endorsed referral, you are not alone. Most professionals have been trained, socially and emotionally, to treat introductions like a favor. A kindness. A networking gesture. Something you do “because you are a good person,” not because it is an asset with measurable business…
In the world of business, the stakes are always high when it comes to choosing strategic partners and vendors. A wrong decision can lead to significant financial losses, operational inefficiencies, and reputational damage. But what happens when the fear of making the wrong choice becomes so overwhelming that business owners and decision-makers find themselves frozen,…
Field Note 01: When plans look confident, I look underneath. I’ve spent close to 30 years working inside marketing, sales, product, partnerships, customer retention, revenue systems, and executive decision-making. Scary to write that number down (and also rude of time, if I’m honest). Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about the patterns I’ve seen. The…
“Success is where preparation and opportunity meet.” Bobby Unser, 3x Indy 500 Champ I work with personal injury firms that want to grow through volume. More cases, more matters, more predictable inflow. That instinct is right. Volume matters. Where firms get into trouble is not wanting more leads, but assuming volume alone will fix what’s already…
As business owners, we all know the value of a robust sales pipeline. But what happens when the leads filling that pipeline aren’t the right ones? What happens when you invest in lead providers who promise the world, only to deliver poor-quality contacts, wasted time, and lost revenue? Lead generation is a critical aspect of business…
“Burnout is what happens when you try to avoid being human for too long.” — Michael Gungor Let me paint a picture. A fast-scaling consulting firm out of Chicago hit $20 million in revenue in record time. But in the fourth quarter of last year, something odd happened. Projects began slipping. Client satisfaction scores dipped. Two senior…
