Intentional Success with Tom Stimson

The industry I love no longer makes sense. The language we use, the way we price, the way we think about what we do… it's all built on a foundation that crumbled years ago. We just haven't noticed. We're too comfortable with how we've always done it. What most of you do isn't rental, and it's not even close. https://www.trstimson.com/the-language-of-self-destruction/

There's a non-zero chance 2026 could devastate your business. There's also a chance it could be your best year ever. Why don't you know which one? Too many owners are smoking hopium, expecting things to "just work out." That's not a forecast. That's a fantasy. Listen to this week's episode and learn how I spotted trouble six months before 9/11, the three numbers that reveal your business's future,...

Last week, I explained the difference between clients and customers: Clients bring you all their work; customers make you earn it every time. This week, let's talk about the mechanics. How do we actually price and sell to each? Get your notepad out. https://www.trstimson.com/your-best-customer-doesnt-deserve-a-discount/

The road goes on forever, as the song says. I always figured I'd do this work until I couldn't anymore. But I've had time to think, and I've learned a lot along the way. In 2026, Jumpstart is retiring, Club is staying, and I'm making room for the life I've been putting off. Listen to this week's episode to hear what's changing, what's not, and why the last clients I take in my career might include...

You need to understand the difference between a customer and a client and never treat one like the other. I was working with a large organization making the transition to being more client-focused. Business development was doing its job, bringing in opportunities. Then came a chance to add a major university to their portfolio through a small event. They walked away from it because they felt they...

Have you ever said to a customer, "That's not what we agreed to"? If your customer is asking or demanding to alter the agreement — or remembering things incorrectly — it's your job to say so. https://www.trstimson.com/stop-letting-clients-control-your-projects/

Twenty years ago, I walked into a new client's office and found dead fish floating in a neglected tank and cubicles stuffed with trash bags. That's the power of a threshold. It's the moment someone steps into your space and decides whether you're legit. Listen to this week's episode and learn how to find your dead fish, get prospects across your threshold, and turn first impressions into your bigg...

Proposals should be routine in your business. You write them all the time because customers don't buy AV services over the phone. They need documentation. The problem? Most proposals are terrible. https://www.trstimson.com/proposal-template/

New year, same pricing habits? Still sending proposals without deadlines and itemizing every line like it's 2005? Your competitors have moved on. Your customers have seen the difference. In this episode, I'm covering what you should already be doing in 2026 and what you need to start trying. Packages that sell shows instead of gear. Cost-plus pricing that simplifies negotiation. Good-until dates t...

If an increasing number of buyers are revealing that they don't really understand what they need for their event or what you do, then listen to this week's Monday Morning Drive. https://www.trstimson.com/your-sales-team-is-speaking-the-wrong-language/

What's changing our industry? More women in leadership. A younger workforce that rejects hero culture and relationship selling. And a balance philosophy that keeps your best people off the show site so they can sell and plan the next project. These changes aren't coming. They're here. And the companies embracing them are winning faster than those clinging to old-school thinking. Listen to this wee...

I get calls every day from folks who want to talk about marketing. It was the number one topic in 2025. So, we chat. You tell me your plans. Then, I ask about your email list. https://www.trstimson.com/stop-culling-your-email-list/

As we head into 2026 with steady economic growth ahead, some companies will thrive while others quietly sink, propped up by subsidies they don't even know they're riding on. Your biggest challenge isn't the economy. It's whether your business will float when everyone else starts rising. Listen to this week's episode and learn why throwing labor at problems is a death spiral, how to win the talent...

This Monday Morning Drive isn't about how you price yourself. It's about the perception of value of someone who does someone else's shows for a living versus a company that gets their customer's show done for them. https://www.trstimson.com/best-people-to-do-shows-done/

Most companies think planning means putting out fires. It doesn't. Planning means building systems that work without you. Alford Media evolved from throwing cables in cardboard boxes to building repeatable systems. Every time we solved a problem, we turned that solution into a system. When planning works, your crew shows up with everything they need. You don't deal with surprises, late-night calls...

Words matter. So do numbers. Especially the numbers in your financial statements. When owners hire me, they always have questions. "Do I need to hire more people?" "Should I buy my own building?" My answer is always the same: "I don't know. Let's look at your numbers." https://www.trstimson.com/out-of-date-financial-analysis/

Most companies don't have a revenue problem. They have a forecasting problem. Without a proper forecast, you're flying blind. You can't staff strategically. You can't protect your margins. And you can't stop your team from walking out the door. Listen to this week's episode and learn why "we do events" isn't a line of business, how to separate clients from one-off customers, and why pickup busines...

I work with companies that have fabulous spreadsheets. They produce endless data and reports. They hold monthly management meetings where they analyze their numbers. But the analysis isn't actionable because it doesn't ask the right questions. https://www.trstimson.com/management-accounting/

Most owners think warehouse space is for storage and early prep. They're filling every inch of floor space a week before showtime, thinking they're ahead of the game. They're not. They're stuck. The real warehouse goal? Get inbound equipment QC'd and shelved fast. That's your top priority. Not prepping early. Not finding space for one more case. Getting returns done so your floor stays clear. List...

Time becomes emotional when we don't plan our time wisely. To quote Leonard Bernstein, "To achieve great things, two things are needed: a plan, and not quite enough time." This week's Monday Morning Drive reminds us that revenue, rising or falling, also triggers emotions that can be detrimental to running a successful business. https://www.trstimson.com/your-revenue-problem-is-emotional/

Most of you hate budgeting. I get it. It feels like busywork until you understand what it does for you. Right now, do you know where your year will end? Can you predict your revenue within a few percentage points? Do you know what you'll owe the IRS? If you had a budget, you'd know all of this. You'd stop the feast-and-famine cycle and quit making million-dollar equipment decisions based on gut fe...

Relationships don't close deals. They don't manage teams. They don't sell businesses. Relationships give you permission to control the narrative. That's the only reason they matter in business. The relationship is just the entry fee. What matters is what you do once you're in the door. https://www.trstimson.com/control-the-narrative-in-business/

Running out of people means running out of business. More than half your costs are people, and 100% of your future depends on them. Yet most of us wing staffing until we hit a wall. Sales loses confidence. You start selling on price. Quality drops. Your best talent burns out. Listen to this week's episode and learn how to build a deep bench, book further ahead than feels comfortable, and stop over...

Most AV business owners are accidental entrepreneurs. You know how to get shows done. You know how to buy lighting gear. You know how to solve technical problems. So you built a business doing what you know. Then you neglected everything you didn't know how to do. Before you chase growth strategies or try new ventures, master these three fundamentals. They'll reduce your risk and open doors you wa...

Some crews are a dream to work with. Others feel like organized chaos. The difference isn't talent. It's training. In this episode, I share lessons from my stagehand days that turned inexperienced students into the best local crew touring acts ever worked with. Five simple rules made the difference between six-hour load-ins and eight-hour disasters. These principles apply whether you're the hand o...