A Business That Makes You Happy
Are You Building a Business That Actually Makes You Happy? What Marcus Aurelius Knew About Success That Most Entrepreneurs Ignore You started your business for a reason. Maybe it was freedom—freedom to work on your own terms, choose the projects that excite you, or spend more time with family. Maybe it was financial security, the […]
The One Thing That’s Always in Your Control
The One Thing That’s Always in Your Control What Marcus Aurelius Knew About Success That Most Entrepreneurs Ignore Two business owners face the same problem: their biggest client suddenly leaves. One panics. They scramble to replace the lost revenue, making rushed decisions that weaken their business even more. They cut prices, chase any client they […]
Acting with Intention
Acting with Intention What Marcus Aurelius Knew About Success That Most Entrepreneurs Ignore Most business owners think they will always have more time. Time to scale (eventually). Time to launch the next thing (maybe next year). Time to figure it all out (once things slow down). But they don’t. If there’s one truth that separates […]
Win by Focusing
Win by Focusing “And if I concentrate while he divides, I can use my entire strength to attack a fraction of his.” — Sun Tzu Spreading Yourself Too Thin Is a Losing Strategy You start a business, eager to serve as many customers as possible. At first, it seems like a smart move—after all, more […]
Win Where Others Aren’t Competing
Win Where Others Aren’t Competing “Go into emptiness, strike voids, bypass what he defends, hit him where he does not expect you. To be certain to take what you attack is to attack a place the enemy does not protect.” — Sun Tzu You lower your prices, but customers still choose the bigger brand. You […]
Leverage Changes Everything
Leverage Changes Everything “Thus one need use but little strength to achieve much… one must take advantage of the situation exactly as if he were setting a ball in motion on a steep slope. The force applied is minute but the results are enormous.” — Sun Tzu Running a small business can feel like an […]
Delegation Done Right
Delegation Done Right “Do not charge people to do what they cannot do. Select them and give them responsibilities commensurate with their abilities.” — Sun Tzu Running a small business often feels like juggling a hundred tasks at once. You know you should delegate more, but it’s hard—whether it’s guilt about adding to your team’s […]
Managing Teams Through Constructive Conflict
Managing Teams Through Constructive Conflict “He will win who knows when to fight and when not to fight.” — Sun Tzu Imagine walking into your business and sensing an unspoken tension. Two team members are barely speaking, tasks are slipping through the cracks, and the mood feels off. You hope it’ll blow over, but the […]
Building Unstoppable Momentum
Building Unstoppable Momentum “When torrential water tosses boulders, it is because of its momentum.” — Sun Tzu Have you ever faced a challenge in your business that felt impossible to overcome? Maybe it was trying to boost sales in a slow season, dealing with empty tables during the week, or finding the energy to keep […]
Every Move Matters
Every Move Matters “In planning, never a useless move; in strategy, no step taken in vain.” — Sun Tzu If you’re like most small business owners I know, you’re busy almost all the time. The problem is that being busy doesn’t always mean being productive. Days get filled with tasks that feel urgent but don’t […]
Finding Opportunity in Chaos
Finding Opportunity in Chaos This morning, as I was reading The Art of War, I came across this quote: “In the midst of chaos, there is also opportunity.” It made me think about the wild and rapid changes artificial intelligence is bringing to nearly every industry. For small businesses, AI is shaking up the way […]
Visionary Leadership
Visionary Leadership “To foresee a victory which the ordinary man can foresee is not the acme of skill.” — Sun Tzu This morning, I was reading The Art of War, Chapter 4, and came across the story of Han Hsin. His strategy seemed absurd—his own generals doubted him, and the Chao army mocked him for […]
