800-465-4656 [email protected]

How to Build and Sustain a Business in an Unstable World

by | Jun 12, 2026 | Business Tips, Cash Flow, Systems, Uncategorized

Does the world feel a bit unstable right now?

A bit?

Tariffs. War in the Middle East. Rising prices. A sluggish economy. High taxes. Governments that make you shake your head.

Of course, in times past, everything rolled along quite nicely, right?

Let’s take a little trip back. Just 100 years or so.

The 1920s gave us The Great Crash. The 1930s handed us The Great Depression — unemployment hitting 25%, banks failing, families devastated for a full decade. The 1940s? A World War that consumed the entire planet. The 1950s brought the Korean War, the Cold War, and the very real daily anxiety of nuclear annihilation. Duck and cover, kids.

The 1960s? Vietnam. The assassinations of JFK, RFK, and Martin Luther King. Cities burning. A society tearing itself apart in real time. The 1970s served up stagflation, oil embargoes, and interest rates that climbed to 20%. Twenty percent. Businesses were crushed by the simple act of borrowing money. The 1980s collapsed the Savings and Loan industry — a $130 billion taxpayer bailout to clean up the mess.

The 1990s? The Gulf War, the Asian Financial Crisis, and a Dot-Com bubble inflating to dangerous, absurd levels. The 2000s opened with 9/11 — a single morning that reshaped the entire world — and closed with the 2008 Housing Collapse that nearly took the global financial system down with it. The 2010s brought European Debt Crisis, Brexit chaos, and trade wars quietly beginning to simmer. And the 2020s? COVID shut down the global economy overnight. Then came inflation, supply chain collapse, and wars in Ukraine and the Middle East.

So. Still dreaming of those stable, peaceful good old days?

I am sorry to have dragged you through all of that with such relentless cheerfulness.

But here is the point — and it is an important one.

There has not been a single calm, stable, uneventful decade in 100 years.

Not one.

And yet — businesses were built. Families were fed. Companies grew, adapted, and thrived. Through all of it.

Oh, But Wait — The 2030s Will Fix Everything

No inflation. No tariffs. Supply chains humming beautifully. Global trade expanding. Employees thriving. Businesses prospering. Peace and goodwill washing over the entire planet.

Right?

Yeah. Do not hold your breath.

The storm is not a temporary detour from normal. The storm is normal. The sooner we accept that as business owners, the sooner we can get on with the real work.

So What Do We Actually Control?

Quite a lot, as it turns out.

First — keep your fixed costs lean. Fixed costs are the enemy in volatile times. The lower your overhead, the more agile you are. When the next crisis hits — and it will — a lean cost structure lets you pivot, absorb, and survive while your bloated competitors are gasping for air. Review every fixed cost. Ask the hard question: do I truly need this right now?

Second — obsess over your customers. Here is the one thread that runs consistently through every single decade of chaos listed above. The businesses that survived and thrived were the ones that were kind, responsive, reliable, and genuinely caring. Every time. Soft skills, it turns out, are remarkably resilient in the face of wars, recessions, and pandemics. Weird, right? Be on time. Answer the phone. Do what you say you will do. Care — genuinely care — about the people who do business with you. That never goes out of style, regardless of what the economy is doing.

Third — build systems that adapt. A business without solid systems is fragile by design. When external chaos hits, your internal systems are what keep you steady. Document how you do things. Build processes that do not depend entirely on one person. Create a financial dashboard so you always know where you stand — weekly, not monthly. You cannot navigate a storm without instruments.

Fourth — always be adding value. Price increases, tariffs, and rising costs are much easier to absorb — for both you and your customers — when you are relentlessly focused on delivering value. The businesses that get squeezed hardest in tough times are the ones competing on price alone. Do not be that business.

The Bottom Line

The world has always been unstable. It always will be.

The businesses thriving right now are not the ones that predicted the chaos. They are the ones that were built to absorb it — lean, customer-focused, systemized, and clear-eyed about what they can and cannot control.

Focus on what is inside your four walls. Keep your costs tight. Love your customers. Build great systems. Add value every single day.

The storm will pass. It always does.

And the businesses still standing when it does? They were ready.

Thanks for reading…

Are You Tired of the AI Firehose? Me Too. Here’s What Actually Works.

by | May 29, 2026 | Business Tips, Systems

Are you a little sick and tired of being fire-hosed with the latest and greatest on AI? Yeah, me too.

And yet… I am also genuinely fascinated with what it can do.

So, let me share what I have been learning – practically, on the ground, with my Team – about working with AI effectively. No hype. Just what is working.

Step One – Pick One or Two Tools and Stick With Them

First things first. Beware of shiny object syndrome.

There is a new AI tool launching every single week. It is tempting to jump from one to the next, sampling each one like a buffet. Resist that urge.

Right now, I am highly focused on Claude. I have a Teams account and have enrolled most of my Team in using it. Why Claude? Because I have gone deep with it. Depth beats breadth every time.

Before you dive in, ask yourself – what do I actually want to accomplish with this? Start there. Then pick your tool and commit.

What Can It Actually Do? More Than You Think.

Start simple. Here are a few easy wins to get going:

  • Reformatting emails so they sound clear and professional
  • Writing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) from scratch
  • Summarizing long documents in seconds

But go a little further and it gets impressive fast.

Claude’s design work is stunning. I used it to create a standard look and feel for our Controller’s Reports across all of our clients. Clean, consistent, professional.

It maneuvers through Excel like Circ’ de Soleil. Seriously.

And now? It connects directly to our accounting software – Xero and QuickBooks Online.

A Real-Life Example That Blew My Mind

One of our Team members recently asked me if Claude could update hundreds of contacts in Xero for currency settings.

Manually, this was a painful, repetitive task. Open a contact. Scroll to the currency field. Click the dropdown. Choose USD or CAD. Save. Close. Repeat. Hundreds of times.

Claude could not write directly to the contacts because Xero only provides read-only access. But then it asked – “Would you like me to build a program?”

I said sure – for fun!

Using the Xero API, Claude built a custom software interface. In minutes, it updated hundreds of contacts – with one click of a button.

That is not just impressive. That is a game-changer for productivity.

Think of Yourself as the Director – Not the Programmer

Here is a mental shift that changed everything for me.

Do not think of AI as just computer code. Think of it like you are the human director on a movie set. AI is an improvisational actor, ready to play any role you give it.

The sky is the limit with the roles you assign. Try something like this – “You are a PhD-level scientist who has studied weather patterns in sub-Saharan Africa for 90 years.”

You get the idea. The more specific and vivid the role, the better the performance you will get.

And Here’s the Part That Might Surprise You – Be Polite

In using Claude, I am super polite and friendly. Please. Thank you. That sort of thing.

Is that a bit over the top? Perhaps. Yet I genuinely believe I get much better responses as a result.

Think about it this way. If AI functions more like an actor – or a series of actors, depending on what you need – then wouldn’t it make sense to coax out the very best performance possible?

I cannot prove it scientifically. But I feel it works better with kindness.

Just like your Team does.

In Summary

Here are the key takeaways to get the most out of AI in your business:

  • Pick one or two tools and go deep. Avoid shiny object syndrome.
  • Start with simple tasks – emails, SOPs, formatting – and build from there.
  • Think like a director, not a programmer. Give it a vivid role to play.
  • Be specific about what you want it to accomplish.
  • Be kind. You may be surprised at the results.

Thanks for reading…

Customer Service Is Everything—And One Company Proved It

by | May 8, 2026 | Business Tips, Selling Tips, Systems

I marvel at how little most businesses understand about customer service.

It is the single greatest differentiator available to any business—big or small. It compensates for product failures. It softens the blow when things go sideways. And when it is done right, it transforms a frustrated customer into a raving fan.

The problem? Most businesses treat customer service as a cost centre. A necessary evil. A complaint-handling department staffed by people who are chained to a rulebook written by someone who has never spoken to an actual customer.

Let me tell you about a company that gets it completely right.

The Screen That Died—and the Company That Didn’t

A few months ago, I bought a dual-screen extender from a company called Blackview on Amazon. Clever little device—two extra screens slide over your laptop, giving you a total of three screens. Sounds like a productivity dream, right?

After about three weeks, the left screen went dark. Black screen of death. I tried everything—rebooting, reconnecting, re-signalling. Nothing. And by then, I was past Amazon’s 30-day return window.

Now, here is where most people groan and write it off as a loss. Because we all know what usually happens next: the soul-destroying experience of contacting customer “service” with a big company. I use the word “service” very loosely.

For laughs—and with zero expectations—I reached out to Blackview through the Amazon website.

The First Good Sign: Someone Actually Responded

They heard back right away. Immediately, I sat up a little straighter.

A professional and polite representative named Liz walked me through a few technical troubleshooting steps. No canned responses. No “please allow 5–7 business days.” Just genuine, helpful engagement.

When the fixes did not work, Liz offered to send me a brand-new replacement package—and here is the kicker—she offered to pay for the shipping. Something she said they do not normally do.

First brownie point earned. But the story gets better.

Going Off-Script—and Still Saying Yes

Here is the honest truth: by this point, I had lost interest in the dual-screen setup entirely. Three screens turned out to be too much for me—too much on display, too little focus. So I asked Liz if they could send me a single replacement screen instead of the full double.

She said that was not possible. I understood. Fair enough.

A few days later, I came back with another ask: could they credit me 55% of the purchase price—about $150 USD—and I would keep the unit as-is?

Liz’s response was quick, warm, and extraordinary. She said—and I’m paraphrasing—“Normally we do not do this, but as long as you would be willing to leave us a positive review, we will make an exception.”

I left the review. She credited me the $150 USD.

At no point did I feel like Liz was running upstairs to check with a supervisor. She was empowered to act. And that empowerment is everything.

And Then—A Free Laptop

If the story ended there, I would already be telling everyone I know about Blackview.

But it did not end there.

A few days later, Liz emailed again—out of the blue—to invite me to join a product-testing program. The deal? I purchase one of their brand-new laptop models, write an honest review, and they refund me the full purchase price.

I signed up immediately.

So let’s tally this up: a failed screen became a $150 USD credit plus a free laptop. And a company that could have easily stonewalled me behind a 30-day return policy has earned a customer—and a LinkedIn blog post—for life.

The Real Test of Your Business

Here is what I want every business owner reading this to take away:

The true mettle of your business is revealed not when everything goes right—but when something goes wrong.

Are your front-line people empowered to act on behalf of the customer? Or are they handcuffed by rigid policies, waiting for sign-off from someone three levels up who has never met the customer?

Liz did not need a committee. She had the authority, the confidence, and—clearly—the training to handle a difficult situation with grace and creativity. That is not an accident. That is culture. That is leadership.

And it costs a fraction of what a lost customer—and their network—would have cost Blackview.

Three Questions to Ask Yourself Today
  1. Are your people empowered—truly empowered—to solve problems on the spot?
  2. Do your systems and policies exist to serve your customers, or to protect your business from them?
  3. When was the last time a breakdown in your business became a breakthrough for a customer relationship?

Customer service is not a department. It is not a policy manual. It is a mindset—and it starts at the top.

Get it right, and your customers will do your marketing for you.

Thanks for reading…

You Only Need 3 Numbers

by | Apr 3, 2026 | Business Tips, Cash Flow, Systems

Tracking profit in your business is not enough.

Why? Because profit is a result. It is too late to change what went into creating that result.

So, what do you track? The tendency for many business owners is to track too many numbers. It becomes overwhelming, and when you are overwhelmed do you act?

If you are like most business owners, overwhelm leads to inaction.

Which may lead to the opposite – tracking nothing.

Both lead to the same outcome – no decisions.

Most Dashboards are Built for Comfort, Not Decisions

Owners ask for more data because they feel uncertain. KPIs, charts, segments, ratios, comparisons, divisional results get added.

What they get is a beautiful picture of confusion.

The issue isn’t lack of data. It’s lack of focus.

And the more numbers you add, the easier it becomes to avoid making a decision.

You think you understand more about your business, yet fail to make a decision that impacts growth.

First-Principles First

There are only two things you’re trying to manage:

  • Long-term Survival (cash)
  • Momentum (sales behavior)

Everything else is downstream. The question becomes:

What are the fewest numbers that tell you if those two are healthy or breaking?

Most dashboards mix:

  • Results (too late to change)
  • Activities (too detailed to act on)
  • Noise (irrelevant data)

You need something in between.

The 3-number Dashboard

If I walk into a $5M–$20M business and the owner wants clarity fast, I start here:

  1. Cash Available (Today + Near-Term)

Not accounting cash.

Usable cash.

  • Cash in bank
  • Plus receivables likely to collect
  • Minus payables coming due

This is your breathing room.

If this number is tight, nothing else matters.

Most businesses that “look profitable” fail here because they ignore timing.

Next, I will look at two things inside the receivables – Are they collectible? And, how fast do the customers pay, on average.

  1. Net New Customers (or Jobs)

This tells you if the business is growing, flat, or shrinking.

Not total customers.

Net change.

  • New customers gained
  • Less customers lost

This cuts through the noise immediately.

You can have great revenue and still be slowly dying if this number trends down.

  1. Average Revenue per Customer (Trend)

This is where margin hides.

  • Are customers spending more?
  • Are you discounting?
  • Is value increasing or eroding?

Most owners never track this cleanly.

But this one number tells you:

  • Pricing strength
  • Service depth
  • Customer quality

It’s one of the clearest indicators of whether you’re getting stronger or weaker over time.

Why These Three Work

Because they map directly to the only levers that matter:

  • Cash → Can we survive?
  • Customers → Are we growing?
  • Revenue per customer → Are we improving quality of growth?

That’s it.

Everything else is a sub-metric.

You don’t ignore other numbers—but you don’t lead with them.

What This Replaces

Instead of:

  • 17 KPIs
  • Department dashboards
  • Monthly report packages no one reads

You get:

  • A 60-second check on reality
  • Clear direction on where to act

It aligns closely with what actually drives sales:

  • Number of customers
  • Frequency
  • Average spend

Most dashboards bury that. This one exposes it.

A Grounded Example

Let’s say a business owner feels “things are off.”

Here’s what the 3 numbers show:

  • Cash is getting tighter
  • Net new customers are on a slight decline
  • Avg revenue per customer is increasing

What’s actually happening?

They’re raising prices or selling more per client…but quietly losing customers.

Without this view, they might celebrate higher revenue.

With this view, they see the trade-off immediately.

The 3 numbers will not tell them exactly what to do, but they will tell the owner where to look for the problem.

In this example, the decline in net customers means that the pricing increases are not connected to value. Perhaps, the quality of delivery of the products/services is off.

Customers could be leaving because of one of 3 things has declined:

  1. Service
  2. Timing
  3. Quality

Once the root cause is discovered, different decisions follow.

The Cost of Getting This Wrong

When you don’t have this clarity:

  • You chase revenue instead of fixing retention
  • You cut costs when the real issue is pricing
  • You feel busy, but not in control

And the worst one:

You delay decisions because the picture isn’t clean.

Most owners don’t fail from lack of effort.

They fail from blurred signals.

In Closing

You don’t need better dashboards.

You need fewer numbers that actually force a decision.

If those three are clear, most problems become obvious.

If they’re not, no amount of reporting will save you.

Thanks for reading…

 

ChatGPT Is Not a Search Engine. It’s Leverage.

by | Feb 20, 2026 | Accounting Software, Business Tips, Cloud-based Accounting, Systems

Most owners are using ChatGPT like a toy.

 

If You’re Not Happy With Enough, Growth Won’t Fix That

by | Jan 23, 2026 | Business Tips, Cash Flow, Systems

If you are not happy with the money and the things you have now, getting more will not change that.

Most owners assume growth will eventually deliver balance. More revenue, more profit, more scale—and then, finally, more time and peace.

That sequence almost never works.

If you’re not content with enough today, growth won’t fix that later. It will usually magnify the dissatisfaction.

Before asking whether your business should grow, there’s a more basic question that gets skipped.

Do you already have enough money and enough time? If the answer is yes, then you’re already wealthy in the only way that matters.

And that changes the entire conversation about growth.

Money and Time Are Separate Variables

Owners often treat money as the primary constraint. It usually isn’t. Time is.

You can have strong margins and healthy cash flow while still being exhausted, unavailable, and mentally crowded. That isn’t success. That’s just a well-funded form of stress.

From a first-principles standpoint:

  • Money is an output of systems, pricing, and demand.
  • Time is an output of leverage, delegation, and focus.

They don’t automatically move together.

Plenty of businesses make more money every year while the owner’s time shrinks. That’s not a growth problem. That’s a design problem.

If you already earn enough to live well, travel, invest, and sleep at night, then more money has diminishing returns. At that point, time becomes the scarce asset.

And no amount of additional revenue will buy it back if the business isn’t built correctly.

If Growth Isn’t for Money, What Is It For?

This is where things get uncomfortable.

If you already have enough money, then growth is no longer about security. It’s about something else.

Usually one of three things:

  1. Challenge
    The intellectual and operational challenge of building something better, cleaner, or more durable.
  2. Stewardship
    Creating opportunity, stability, and pride for the people who rely on the business.
  3. Momentum
    Preventing decay. Businesses that coast quietly start to erode long before the numbers show it.

If you’re growing purely because you think more money will make you happier, you’re chasing the wrong lever.

Money solves money problems. It does not solve meaning, satisfaction, or restlessness.

The Hidden Cost of Growth Nobody Talks About

Growth always asks for something in return.

More complexity
More coordination
More decision fatigue
More people issues
More systems
More exposure to error

That cost shows up first in the owner’s calendar and headspace.

The question isn’t “Can the business grow?” It’s “Is the trade-off worth it for you?”

Only you can answer that.

There is no moral superiority in growing to $30M versus staying at $8M. There is only fit—or misfit—with your life.

And pretending otherwise is how owners end up successful on paper and quietly resentful in real life.

Your Team Changes the Equation

Here’s the part many owners underestimate.

Even if you are satisfied with the financial status quo, your team often isn’t.

Good people want to be part of something that’s alive. Growing. Improving. Moving forward.

A business that is purely coasting—even if profitable—tends to lose its edge:

  • High performers get bored
  • Innovation slows
  • Standards soften
  • Energy leaks out quietly

Worse, fixed costs don’t care about your lifestyle preferences.

Shrink past a certain point and the math turns against you. Overhead becomes heavier. Optional investments become impossible. One bad quarter suddenly matters a lot.

Businesses don’t really stand still. They either reinvest and adapt—or they begin a slow decline.

Like riding a bike: slow down too much, and you wobble. Slow down more, and you fall.

Growth With No Ego Attached

The real answer isn’t “grow” or “don’t grow.”

It’s find the rhythm.

Growth that fits your life, not growth that consumes it.

That means being intentional about how you grow:

  • Replace yourself before you expand
  • Build systems before volume
  • Trade control for leverage
  • Let go of tasks long before you feel ready

The milestone isn’t revenue. The milestone is optional time.

When the business runs well without your constant presence, growth becomes a choice—not a trap.

At that point, you can push forward because you want to, not because you’re chasing something you think you’re missing.

The Obvious Truth Most Owners Miss

If you’re unhappy with what you have now, you won’t be happy with what you get later.

That applies to money.
It applies to status.
It applies to scale.

Growth only amplifies who you already are and how your business is already designed.

So get clear first.

Enough money.
Enough time.
Enough life.

Then grow—carefully, deliberately, and without confusing motion for progress.

Thanks for reading…