How to Reclaim Your Brain, Body, and Backbone
How to Reclaim Your Brain, Body, and Backbone
What impact can unresolved stress have on both business and personal relationships?
Deep down, my gut had been telling me for a long time that something was off. I just refused to listen because it was easier to chase after material things like cars. It would’ve been really hard to admit that the business I was building wasn’t right, my business partner wasn’t a good fit, I had no boundaries, and I was saying yes too often. Even my relationship with my wife wasn’t right for me. These are tough realizations.
The easier choice is to just keep going, to keep pushing without facing what’s really in front of you. But if you don't address it, a lot of men keep all this stress on their shoulders, in their chests, or in their heads. Eventually, we either explode or stay silent forever.
Why do business owners avoid hard tasks that drive growth?
Growth comes from doing the hard things we often avoid, whether consciously or subconsciously. For example, if there's a conversation you need to have with your business partner but have been avoiding for weeks, that's where growth happens. The same goes for conversations with your spouse that you've been putting off for days, weeks, or even months. That's where growth is.
A lot of entrepreneurs engage in what I call productive procrastination. They stay busy but avoid the real work. For instance, I check in with some guys, and they tell me they spent weeks building a new website, getting all the copy perfect. But when I ask how many sales came from it, the answer is none because it's not ready yet. In those weeks, they could’ve done the harder thing—knocked on doors or spoken to potential clients face-to-face—and made more money.
Most of the time, we know exactly what work needs to be done, but we avoid it. That’s where the growth lies.
How can business owners boost their profitability?
Simplify. Look at everything in the business and figure out what you can eliminate. Imagine a mountain, with the peak representing the pinnacle of our business. To climb it, especially when you're at the bottom or part way up, it’s tough if you're weighed down by unnecessary baggage—extra tools, equipment, or tasks.
I like the idea of a "cull to climb." What can you cull? It might be team members or products that don't generate profit. Maybe it’s a service or offer that adds confusion. Start by focusing on what brings in the most profit and ask, "What can we eliminate that doesn't?" and "What can we increase?"
How can business owners improve hiring and firing decisions?
Making bad hiring decisions, like choosing someone just because you have a good feeling about them, has cost me a lot in the long run. I’ve kept people around because I liked them, even when they weren’t performing, and I didn’t fire them when I should have. This is especially tough for new business owners who aren’t used to hiring and firing. It’s hard when you know your employees have families and bills to pay, so you give them another chance—and then another.
What I’ve learned is not to give too many chances. Deep down, you know if someone will perform or not, and you need to make that decision quickly. The old saying "hire slow, fire fast" has proven true for me.
What are the risks of keeping underperforming employees for too long?
I can think of several examples, but one in particular probably cost me close to half a million dollars. I kept her on the team about five months longer than I should have. We invested so much time into her, which took away from sales and growth. It wasn’t just a loss in revenue—it also impacted the rest of the team. The more experienced team members were questioning why she was still there, which hurt their trust in my leadership. It wasn’t until after the fact that I realized how much damage was done. I should have made the decision much earlier.
*This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.*
