The 5-Minute Strategist

Important Update: The 5-Minute Strategist Is Evolving After 100 quick strategic questions designed to help you think differently, I'm launching something new. Introducing The reModel — conversations with experienced founders and operators who've actually executed the strategic and operational shifts you've been thinking about. Why the change? The 5-Minute Strategist helped you ask better questions...

If all you want to do once you hit that big revenue goal you're chasing is shut the business down, that doesn't seem like the best use of the time, money, and energy it will take for you to get there. Takeaways: Building a sustainable business requires balancing financial success with personal fulfillment and energy. Recognizing personal motivations for starting a business is crucial for long-term...

In the words of Inigo Montoya, "You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means." When you realize your CRM is a system, not a software, it becomes infinitely more valuable. Takeaways: A CRM should encompass the entire customer journey, not just email marketing. It's essential to track all connections with potential leads, regardless of source. Many businesses overlook th...

SMART goals might be key to achieving results but they can also make you play small by limiting you to what feels attainable in a year. As you head for 2025, it's time to dream big before you set smaller goals. Takeaways: Setting a long-term vision for your business is crucial for motivating your team. Focus on expansive thinking for long-term success rather than just short-term revenue. Your visi...

It's easy to get lost in the chase for your next business goal, only to reach it and wake up to find yourself feeling unfulfilled because you forgot to allow for personal growth alongside the business growth. Takeaways: It's essential to align your daily actions with your long-term vision and personal goals. Personal development should not be a neglected item on your to-do list; prioritize it. Col...

We know we make an impact with our clients, but how can we make a bigger impact with our business even if we don't have the financial means right now? Takeaways: As entrepreneurs, we must consider how our core values influence our business impact. Finding a balance between financial success and making a positive impact is essential. We can create an impact without solely relying on financial contr...

If we all became our own bosses to make our own rules and if we all know rest is essential to our performance, why is it so hard for us to escape the need to push or push through? And Q4 is this feeling on steroids! Takeaways: Taking a break can often lead to unexpected workload, as seen during my hiatus. Many self-imposed deadlines in small businesses can create unnecessary pressure to perform. I...

In a marketplace full of funnels, the business that thinks about what happens beyond the funnel wins the repeat business and raving fans competition.

You bank account is not an indicator of how much available cash you have in your business. Treating as such is going to have scary consqeuences down the line. Takeaways: Keep a close eye on your cash flow, especially during the high-spending Q4 season. Understand your current cash flow situation to ensure you can cover essential expenses. Plan for both personal and business expenses during the hol...

Takeaways: Effective leadership involves empowering your team to make decisions and take risks without constant oversight. Self-assessment of your leadership style can reveal strengths and weaknesses, particularly under stress. Creating a safe environment for your team encourages experimentation and innovation, fostering resilience. Communication of the reasons behind changes is crucial for team b...

Marketing feels like an all-or-nothing kind of game for a small business. The reality it's an effectiveness game and the only way to win is to know your numbers. Takeaways: In marketing, it's crucial to focus on specific strategies rather than trying to do everything at once. Determine clear marketing goals, such as brand awareness or lead generation, to guide your efforts. Use data-driven insight...

Your exit strategy touches every part of your business and every decision you make. Still, so many entrepreneurs ignore it to build how they feel in the moment not realizing that their opportunities are limited by this lack of planning. Takeaways: The podcast emphasizes the importance of having a clear exit strategy for your business. It's crucial to decide on your exit plan early, as it affects y...

It's a bit of a business chicken and egg - you need revenue to have profit and you need profit to be able to invest to generate more revenue. But you also need to prioritize or you'll lose out on both.

Much liker gamers can lose entire days to chasing the next level, business owners can waste time, money and energy chasing a level they were never ready for to begin with.

When you feel off track in your business, you need to change course quickly and effectively before we've gone too far. But in the swirl of panic or the blahs of burnout, it can be hard to figure out how.

Chasing squirrels is fine as long as you don't chase on into a dead end or a disaster. So how do you measure your success as a squirrel hunter?

Our brains would explode if we had to deeply analyze every decision we need to make daily so we create little short cut to help us get there more quickly and with less energy. But sometimes those shortcuts are leading you up the garden path.

Online business has become its own little bubble and it can be easy to forget there's a whole world out there that impacts us. And that can lead to some less than fun surprises you might not be prepared for.

Without looking at your competitors, you have no information about your current market position to inform your pricing strategy. That's a data point that is readily available and you're wasting it

There is nothing new in the world but there can be different. Let's expand our definition of creativity in business.

We're an industry that prides ourselves on our sales and marketing metrics but that is only half the picture. If you're not measuring your operations, all that revenue could be dripping out the door and you're left with nothing in your pocket at the end of the day.

Just because you have the best idea for the thing your people really need, doesn't mean they'll want it and if they don't want it they won't buy.

Summer is a classic time for entrepreneur brains, free of the day to day grind, to come up with a miliion new small ideas. Imagine if you used that mental capacity to come up with one really big one instead.

Being able to assess where you have a skills gap or an attitude problem is a key skill for a small business leader. As your business grows, skills gaps are to be expected but attitude problems cannot be tolerated.

While Plan B might have felt like a lack of commitment when you were starting, not thinking through the risk in your established business is just irresponsible.