Notes From the Messy Middle

Strategic thinking for Stage II owners. The growth phase no one warns you about.

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Mindset & Resilience, Strategy & Planning

“What in the Sam Hill are the Minuses & Equals Doing in Your Business?”

That was the line delivered by a petite woman with big Texas hair and a matching southern drawl that brought

Ownership & Entrepreneurship

Mattel’s announcement of Entrepreneur Barbie delighted and disturbed me. As little girls, we were mesmerized by the countless fantasies created

Mindset & Resilience

Stress! There isn’t an entrepreneur alive that hasn’t experienced it — along with its ill effects. Some stress is good.

Ownership & Entrepreneurship

Although rare days exist when I wonder if Starbucks is hiring, there’s nothing more rewarding and fulfilling than being an

Mindset & Resilience

Fear of failure is familiar territory for many small business owners. Perhaps that’s why many willingly stay there. It’s well-known

Mindset & Resilience, Strategy & Planning

Small business owners are famous for juggling. Even though we juggle everything from bookkeeping to bill collections to business development,

Strategy & Planning

For centuries, philosophers have contemplated the nagging causality dilemma, “which comes first, the chicken or the egg.” Equally perplexing for

Growth & Scaling, Strategy & Planning

When things aren’t working as well as one hope or plans, it’s natural to push harder. Whether our push is

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Strategy is easier with someone who has seen this stretch before. Let’s talk about where your business is headed.