The Q1 mistake that'll ruin you!!

We once had a bookkeeper brag she could save me $20K in Q1 by cutting marketing.

Needless to say she was fired soon thereafter. 

You don't cut the lifeblood of your business and expect the body to keep running.

For some reason, Q1 makes a lot of smart operators start doing dumb math. They skim their P&L and in a panic, they start subtracting.  

By that I mean they start slashing line items that were never expenses to begin with (like marketing.)

Marketing that produces deal flow is not a cost. People who create leverage are not a cost.  

When you actually have a plan, those are investments that return cash and control. Subtraction strangles growth, and in the end will ruin you.

If you read this and feel called out a little bit... well, good. 

You're probably successful on paper, but capped. You don't need more effort... you need proximity that cuts through noise and proven advice to help you make hard decisions in real time.

That's what happens in seconds.  

If you want to know more, see the magic now. There's still time to finish Q1 better than it's going.

The Game-Changer Every Business Owner Needs to Know

In today's digital age, business has evolved. The days of relying solely on local networking are over. Leveraging social proof is crucial to standing out in a global marketplace.

Why Social Proof Matters

• Builds Trust Quickly: Potential clients trust you more if they see others have had positive experiences.

• Differentiates You from Competitors: Highlights your unique value and past successes.

• Demonstrates Value: Shows how you've helped businesses improve their financial health and achieve goals.

  
  

Strategies to Leverage Social Proof

1. Showcase Testimonials and Case Studies: Display them on your website and LinkedIn profile.

2. Share Success Stories on Social Media: Regularly highlight recent successes and client testimonials.

3. Offer Value Upfront: Provide insights and strategies through blog posts, webinars, or free consultations.

4. Request Reviews and Referrals: Encourage clients to leave reviews and refer you to others.

To thrive, build a robust online presence and engage in online communities. Create and share valuable content addressing common challenges faced by your target audience.

Naps should be non-negotiable!

There’s a common misconception that taking a nap is somehow lazy or unproductive. That couldn’t be farther from the truth.

When you’re exhausted, your body and brain can’t function optimally, so you’re not doing yourself any favors trying to muscle through. A short nap can help get you back on track by:

	Boosting mental clarity and mood
	Enhancing focus and productivity (no caffeine required)
	Improving memory and immunity

If business feels harder than it should.

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how tough seasons in business feel. When things slow down, when deals stall, when it feels like you’re doing everything right but the results aren’t showing up as fast as you’d like, it’s easy to question yourself.

And it reminded me of a story.

There was once a blacksmith who wanted to create a sword that could never break. Every morning before the sun came up, he showed up at his forge. He hammered, shaped, and reheated the steel. And every time, it cracked.

The next day, he tried again. Same process. Same fire. Same result. Weeks passed, and the villagers started laughing. “You’ve made a hundred swords and none of them hold,” they said.

But the blacksmith didn’t stop. He’d whisper to himself, “The fire isn’t failing me. It’s forming me.”

Then one day, after what felt like endless failure, something shifted. He realized the sword wasn’t the real product. He was. The fire wasn’t just hardening the metal. It was hardening him.

When he finally pulled that perfect blade from the fire, he understood something deeper: every crack, every mistake, every setback was preparation.

Entrepreneurs, this is your forge. Every lost deal, every ghosted client, every slow month that tests your confidence, that’s your fire. The fire isn’t proof that you’re failing. It’s proof that you’re being formed.

Every conversation that doesn’t convert, every piece of content that doesn’t land, every tough season that makes you question if you’re cut out for this, it’s all part of the shaping.

Because one day, you’ll look back and realize something powerful. The systems, the brand, the content, the clients... those aren’t the product. You are.

So when the pressure hits, don’t step away from the fire. Lean into it. Let it shape your edge. Because steel only becomes unbreakable after it’s been through the heat enough times.

The fire isn’t failing you. It’s forming you.

Keep going. You’re being shaped for something greater.

If your cold email campaigns aren’t performing, it doesn’t mean you’re bad at outbound.

 

It just means you’re somewhere in the progression:

No replies → Fix deliverability and simplify your message. Only negative replies (no context) → You’re delivering, now test and gather data. Negative replies (with context) → You’re close. Use that context to improve targeting and positioning.

The goal isn’t to jump straight from silence to meetings booked.

The goal is to move one phase forward at a time.

Negative Replies (with context)

 

This is where things get fun.

Now your rejections sound more like:

“I’m not the right person.” “We already use X.” “We’re a small team and don’t feel that pain.”

You might still be getting “no’s,” but these replies give you data. And that tells you what you need to improve on.

If you’re hearing “I’m not the right person,” look for patterns in who is the right person.

Then update your targeting and go again.

If you’re hearing “We already use X,” then that’s a sign your message overlaps too closely with a competitor.

Start addressing it directly. Acknowledge they’re probably already using a competitor, and then reframe your message around what’s different or complementary about yours.

Or if you’re hearing “We’re too small,” that’s a qualification signal. You’re likely targeting too low on headcount or budget.

Every one of these replies tells you exactly where to focus next.

Only Negative Replies (with no context)?

 

This is when things start to move. You’re getting replies, but they all sound like:

“No thanks.” “Unsubscribe.” “Not interested.”

And while it might not feel like a positive sign, it actually is.

It tells you two important things:

Your emails are being delivered. Your message is getting read.

You’ve cleared the first major hurdle.

The problem now is you don’t have context for the rejection. You know they’re not interested, but you don’t know why.

That means you have no data to improve your message.

At this point, start breaking your email down into its three building blocks:

The problem you’re talking about The value proposition The offer/CTA

Now test variations of each piece until something lands.

You might test five different problem statements, or five different CTAs. The key is sending enough volume to get real signal.

For most, that’s usually around 500 emails per variation, but there’s no strict rule. The goal isn’t perfect data, it’s directional feedback you can act on.

Once you start seeing some context come back in replies, you’re ready for the next phase.