Simplified. By Tobias Dahlberg

Let’s get real for a second: not all clients are created equal. Some are a joy to work with—they respect your expertise, pay your fees without flinching, and actually get the value you bring to the table. Others… well, let’s just say they make you question your life choices. If you’ve ever found yourself dreading a client call, you know exactly what I’m talking about. So here’s my argument, plain...

The traditional agency model does not scale. Or to be specific, as you grow, the only thing that scales are all the problems. Check out the link below to learn the shifts you need to make to make your agency predictably profitable, scalable, and exitable. We can help you make this change. Our transformation programs are built on these ideas. Go to thesimplecompany.com for more.  Or set up a call a...

How do you position a professional service firm? My view is that you need to get specific. Much more specific. Clients are asking "Why Should I Choose You?" In this episode, I talk about how positioning of professional services can use more specificity. To engage with me, set up a free account at members.thesimplecompany.com And check out my content at thesimplecompany.com/content For free resourc...

Good excuses are hard to come by these days! As the owner of a service business, there are no viable excuses for not productizing, so I wanted to be a good sport and share some evergreen excuses you can use to prevent your service business from scaling. If you want to join the Beta™, go to www.thesimplecompany.com/beta then book a call, or email me at hello[a]thesimplecompany.com For free resource...

This one might hurt, but you need to hear it. If you'd like to exit your consultancy, agency, or other professional service business..and you have built it like 99% of entrepreneurs in this space... It probably won't happen. Or, you'll get a low price with terrible terms. Why? The way most professional service businesses are built and managed goes against what buyers are looking for. It's because...

I have worked with hundreds of entrepreneurs in the last few years, and here are the ten most common ideas I help clients achieve.   Hope you enjoy it.   If you want help, go to thesimplecompany.com/meeting and let's talk. For free resources and to check out our offerings, go to thesimplecompany.com

Most professional service firms stop growing at a couple of million (or a few million) in annual revenue. There is a logical reason for it, and to solve the problem, you need to think about your business model, and what kind of business you want. There are two main models to choose between:  1. A customized business.  2. A standardized business. There are benefits (and cons) to both, however I'll...

Happy New Year! You want to grow this year, and I know it. So do I. But, not so fast. Before you go for "more", make sure you don't grow the parts of your business that are not healthy and profitable. First, analyse your business, then simplify it. Then scale it. Do it by understanding the core geometry of your business. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QySeOekYg8c&t=270s Hope you enjoy the episode...

The Process For Simplifying To Scale 1. Simplify Most businesses lose focus on their most impactful activities over time. Adding “more” can allow complexity to creep in, and this is the silent killer of profitability and growth. Complexity leads to mediocrity, and mediocrity will eventually kill a business. Simplifying creates leverage. It’s about two key activities: focus and design. Focus: Ident...

In this episode which I recorded for The Boundless Consultant (which is too important not to share here), I share three meta-level business models that you can leverage for more income, time, and freedom as a solo consultant or freelancer. For a video version of it fo to (and subscribe) https://youtu.be/ht6E6_OIuxI If you want to work with me, send an email to: hello@originalminds.co   For free re...

Entrepreneurs are a special breed. That's why we are not understood by "normal" people around us. We're the crazy ones. The dreamers. There is a special energy about entrepreneurs, isn't there? That's why we need to find our tribe and stick to it.   Joining a community or mastermind group (like Original Minds) can be game-changing. In this episode, I share why.   To learn more and apply for Origin...

It's been 16 years since I gave up my monthly salary as an employee. And it was a good salary too. But entrepreneurship chose me, and I just tried to resist it. But it came knocking, and I surrendered. In this episode, I share four key meta-level lessons that I have learned from my years in the game. If I had to start all over, I would not negotiate these...I hope you get value from them.  You can...

There is a simple equation that can help you drive growth. QUANTITY X QUALITY = RESULTS To improve quality, for more quantity. In this episode, I explain what I mean. If you have not already subscribed to The Original Minds podcast, please do.  I am splitting my podcasting between three podcasts going forward: Simplified Small business growth, scale, and exit.  The Original Minds Podcast A busines...

More and more people come into the space of brand consulting and brand strategy. More and more people teach and train brand consultants, most of whom have never been in the deep trenches. In this episode, I discuss the problems of the industry, how people fail to make brand consulting work, and how Original Minds is solving the problem by providing an environment where people can thrive together b...

Sure, it's almost four months until the new year. But if you start executing 2025 in 2025, you will not achieve your goals (if they are ambitious). In this episode, I share why now is the time to fix what needs to be fixed for 2025, and how to look at five core areas of your business specifically.   I walk through a self-assessment you can make that relates to the following areas:   1. PSYCHOLOGY...

In this episode, I revisit the very core principles of simplicity and how it can provide exponential growth in your business. I share examples of how to get started, from simplifying your client base to your offerings. I explain why and how simplicity works in any business.   I also share updates on Original Minds™ the collective. If you are interested, reach out to me at tobias@thesimplecompany.c...

Growing a business is hard enough when you go at it alone. I used to think I needed to build everything myself, and that took so much time while also including risk, money, and other resources. As entrepreneurs, we're conditioned to exploit our own time and resources for profit. But what if there is another way, one that gives you more leverage and a faster path to growth? Partnerships are that pa...

I recorded this episode for all you independent consultants struggling to break the 15k/mo barrier. As you'll hear, there is a reason you might not consistently make more, and I'll explain why. I'll also explain how to get more leverage so you can grow your consulting business. You can also find this episode on my Youtube channel: For free resources and to check out our offerings, go to thesimplec...

Are you interested in creating a lifetime of wealth in 1-3 years? The biggest missed opportunity for business owners is that most never exit or don't get close to the potential exit value. In this episode, I share the simple equation for growing the value of your business exponentially and getting millions more for it (if you're making at least 500k in profits).   I also share the 10 most importan...

What is success? What is success for an entrepreneur? Is is money? Is it having an impact?   Or...is it having the quality of life you want?   For many entrepreneurs, it's all the above. We want it all. But there's a chance you are sacrificing your most precious years without actually living your life...   That's what this episode is about.   Also check out www.thesimplecompany.com/mastermind   Th...

In this episode I share what I would do to help you grow your business exponentially in 2024. I first share the process, then I go through the 10 Paths To Exponential Growth.   The great thing about these paths is that they compound. Even the smallest of improvements here and there turn into gigantic results.   Here they are: 1. Change Your Strategy 2. Change Your Business Model 3. Create A Better...

In this episode, I share three common problems that owners of agencies and consultancies make, and how to overcome them. Having worked with hundreds of entrepreneurs in the consulting and agency space, and having recently revied more than 2000 websites, I know these are problems that the large majority deal with. I hope some of these ideas set you on a path of making better strategic choices for 2...

In this episode, I share one of my favorite topics (obsessions), which is to figure out Why customers should choose a specific brand and offering and how that brand/offering can become so relevant and valuable that it leads to "onlyness" (being seen as the only viable choice).   To see the model I reference, check this article I wrote on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activit...

In this episode, I share three levers that you can pull to achieve an exit of more than $10 million dollars, even if your earnings are under $1 million. In fact, these levers work at any level, but in this episode, I show how a company doing $500k in earnings (EBITDA or SDE) could achieve an exit at a 20x multiple in as little as 2-3 years. I'm talking about: Valuation x Growth x Arbitrage If you...

If you want to scale your agency or consultancy, you have to productize. Trying to satisfy the ever-changing needs and wants of clients is a good idea, but it is not usually a profitable, sustainable, and scalable business model. Why? Because you're likely shifting your "assembly line" all the time. You need to standardize and systematize. I am opening my productization program Beta™  for new clie...