Do You Drive with Fear or Ambition?
Fear has long been described as the strongest motivator of all. When survival is at stake, nothing mobilizes energy and focus faster. This is why fear sells so effectively. From life and health insurance to diet programs, security systems, retirement plans, safe cars, and even cosmetics, fear has been the foundation of countless marketing strategies. […]
Manufacture a Flow State
I recently listened to a podcast featuring David Heinemeier Hansson (DHH), the Denmark-born creator of the project management and team collaboration software Basecamp, as well as the author of Remote and Rework. During the conversation, he spoke about “manufacturing” a flow state as one of the key factors that allowed him and his co-founders to […]
Use or Lose the Gift We Inherited
As of July 4, 2025, it has been 248 years since Thomas Jefferson and 55 other freedom-loving Americans initiated the Declaration of Independence. This was not just a political statement—it was a bold act of defiance that came at a tremendous personal cost. Many of these leaders lost their property, their livelihoods, and in some […]
What Will Be Your Legacy?
“Legacy” isn’t the most important driver for most business owners looking to grow a business—but it’s damn close. It usually ranks just behind financial security, wealth creation, and personal freedom. I’ve always believed that building a successful business is one of the most straightforward, high-leverage ways to create a legacy that lives on well after […]
Bring in the Spiritual Dimension
This week, I interviewed the great Michael Gerber—author of The E-Myth Revisited—on my podcast. Michael is nearly 89 years old but still sharp as a samurai’s blade. He spoke about how important it is for an entrepreneur to cultivate their dream—to fuel their passion for the business. This “dream” then energizes all their personas: the […]
Why Deciding Can Be Tough
Do you ever get frustrated when people can’t make up their minds and leave you hanging? Sometimes a bad decision is better than no decision—at least you can pivot and course-correct. Yet people still hesitate. Why not just pull the trigger? Turns out, decision-making is hard work. It’s mentally taxing, whether we admit it or […]
Leadership Lessons from a Snakebite
One of my team members, Nel, went swimming with friends last week when he suddenly felt a sharp pain in his foot. At first, he thought he had stepped on a sea urchin, but when he looked down, he saw the black ink-like venom seeping from his wound—the mark of a lethal sea snake. Within […]
Entrepreneurial PTSD: Surviving & Thriving in Business
The Hidden Battle of Entrepreneurship Growing a business can be terrifying—not just because of the risks, but because of the emotional scars it leaves behind. Where I grew up, many believed entrepreneurship was either a scam or dumb luck. You made it to the top by bribing the right people, knowing someone powerful, or simply […]
Business Operating System #10: The 3HAG Way
Like Gino Wickman, Shannon Byrne Susko started as a member of Verne Harnish’s Gazelle program and she was inculcated in Rockefeller Habits and Scaling Up principles. Her system, documented in her books (The Metronome Effect (2014) and The 3HAG Way (2018)), evolved from Scaling Up’s toolset. However, there are some notable differences. Susko recognizes the […]
Business Operating System #9: OKRs
John Doerr was an electrical engineer who started at Andy Grove’s Intel, which he left to become one of the most successful venture capitalists in America. He has backed Amazon, AOL, Compaq, Google, Netscape, Twitter, Slack, and other successful tech businesses. Doerr took Andy Grove’s objectives and key results (OKRs) management tool with him and […]