Nobody warns you about the quiet.

You get your website. You pick your products, set up your CRM, maybe order some business cards. You tell people what you’re doing now. And then you sit down to work and the phone doesn’t ring and the leads don’t respond and the pipeline is empty and the weekends and you have almost nothing to show for it.

And you think: is this normal? Or did I make a terrible mistake?

It’s normal. Completely, entirely, almost universally normal.

But nobody talks about it because the people who made it through don’t want to remember it and the people still in it are too embarrassed to say it out loud.

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Here’s what the first few weeks actually look like for most, underneath the version they post on social media.

A lot of calls that go nowhere. Conversations that felt promising and then evaporated. Quotes sent into the void. A referral that turned out to be a courtesy and not a real lead. A family member who said they’d definitely talk to you and has been mysteriously unavailable ever since.

And underneath all of that, a voice that starts asking questions you didn’t expect. Am I cut out for this? Is the market too saturated? Is my product too expensive? Is my pitch wrong? Is my personality wrong? Should I be doing something differently?

The questions are not useful. But they’re almost impossible to turn off when the activity isn’t producing results yet and you don’t have enough experience to know whether the silence means something or nothing.

It means nothing. The silence in the beginning is just the lag.

What’s Actually Happening

Sales has a time delay built into it that nobody adequately explains when you’re getting started.

The prospecting you do today doesn’t close today. It closes in three to six weeks if everything goes well. Which means in your first week of real activity, you’re building a pipeline that won’t produce results until week four or five at the earliest.

You’re not failing. You’re farming. And the first few weeks are all planting with no visible harvest yet.

Those who quit in week three quit right before the seeds they planted in week one were about to come up. They never got to see what they built because they stopped building before the timeline caught up with them.

What Actually Helps

Not motivation. Motivation is weather. It changes daily and you can’t depend on it.

What helps is activity. Specifically, keeping your outbound numbers up even when nothing feels like it’s working. Not because it feels good. Because the math works on a delay and the only thing that breaks the delay is consistent activity while you wait.

Call the people who didn’t answer. Follow up on the emails you sent. Send the re-engagement message to the lead who went quiet. Do the thing you know you’re supposed to do today even though last week’s version of that thing hasn’t produced anything visible yet.

The pipeline doesn’t know you’re discouraged. It just knows what you put into it.

The Thing Worth Remembering

Every person you look up to had a first few weeks that felt exactly like yours.

They didn’t know it was going to work either. They didn’t have some internal certainty you’re missing. They were uncomfortable and uncertain and questioning their decision just like you are right now.

The only difference is they kept going. Not because they were braver or more talented. Because they stayed in motion long enough for the math to catch up.

You’re not behind. You’re just earlier in the timeline than you realize.

Keep going. The quiet doesn’t last.

Where playing it safe is usually the riskiest move.

 

If you have been in business for any real amount of time, you already know this.

The moves that changed everything rarely looked safe at the time.

They looked aggressive. Uncomfortable. Sometimes even a little crazy to the people around you.

Friends question it. Family does not get it. People on the outside think you are making a mistake.

But they are not the ones in the arena.

They do not see what you see.

And they definitely do not feel what you feel when you know something is the right move.

Most people stay stuck because they listen to voices that are not qualified to give advice.

The ones who grow?

They take the shot anyway.

Email’s dead. It never worked for me

I understand where that comes from.

There was a time when email was incredibly effective. Inboxes weren’t as crowded, automation wasn’t everywhere, and you could send something fairly simple and still get a response. That was a different environment. Today, the average open rate across industries sits somewhere around 5–10%, which means most emails are ignored before they’re even read.

So it’s easy to look at that and assume the channel itself is broken.

But what’s actually happened is something different.

Email didn’t stop working. It just stopped rewarding lazy execution.

Most of what people receive now is automated, templated, and clearly trying to sell something without really understanding the person on the other end. After enough of that, people don’t reject email; they reject anything that feels irrelevant.

That’s where I think most get this wrong.

They approach email as if its job is to convert someone in a single touchpoint. So the message becomes a pitch, or a disguised pitch, and when it doesn’t land, the conclusion is that email doesn’t work.

But email isn’t meant to carry that kind of weight on its own.

When we look at what’s actually working, email is one piece of a larger system. It sits inside what we call the demand and conversion engine, and its role is much simpler than people make it.

It’s there to show how you think.
It’s there to deliver value.
And it’s there to keep you present.

When that’s the approach, the results look very different. Some consistently see open rates around 35%, which is meaningfully higher than the average. Not because they’ve found a trick, but because the emails feel aligned with everything else they’re already seeing from that person.

That’s the part that matters.

No one is deciding to work with you because of one email. They’re deciding because they’ve seen you multiple times, in multiple places, and each interaction reinforces the same message. Your content, your profile, your conversations, your follow-up. They all work together to build familiarity and trust.

Email is simply one of the ways that happens.

Even if someone doesn’t reply, even if they only skim what you wrote, your name showed up again. You stayed in their awareness. And when timing shifts, you’re not starting from scratch.

You’re already there.

That’s why I’ll always push back on the idea that email doesn’t work. In a market where attention is fragmented and decision-making happens over time, relying on a single channel is what actually creates inconsistency.

The people who are building real momentum right now aren’t doing one thing well. They’re creating multiple, consistent touchpoints that reinforce who they are and how they think.

Email is part of that and not because it’s perfect, but because relevance requires repetition.

Some opportunities (or people) do not come back around.

 

More Stuff Isn’t It

There comes a point where the game changes.

You hit numbers. You buy things. You upgrade your lifestyle.

And for a minute… it feels good.

Then it doesn’t.

Because more stuff does not equal more meaning.

The things that actually stick are not sitting in your garage or on your wrist.

They are the moments you almost put off.

The trips you almost delayed. The time you almost said “next year” to.

The truth is simple.

Some opportunities do not come back around.                                   #9

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Follow the best odds

 

1. WARM MARKET FIRST. These are the people who already know, like, and trust you — friends, family, former colleagues, neighbors, your church community. They don't need to be convinced you're credible. That work is already done. Start here every time. Keep it simple.
2. LOCAL MARKET NEXT. Once you've worked your warm market, expand locally. Business owners in your community, networking events, the chamber, local expos. Shared geography builds trust faster than cold outreach. Show up, be genuinely helpful, and let your proficiency do the talking.  

The biggest mistake people make is skipping the warm market entirely — burning energy on cold strangers before talking to the people who are more likely to say yes. Don't leave easier conversations on the table.

Fast Track Your Retirement with a Front Loaded Strategy

Smart business owners know it's not just about how much you earn—it's how strategically you grow it. 

The proprietary Stryde Retirement Program helps you build long-term wealth while keeping your eye on today’s goals. 

It’s a smarter path to a richer future built on strategy.

APPLE

In 1976, Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak were building computers out of a garage in Los Altos, California. Wozniak was the engineering genius. Jobs was the visionary. Together they had something genuinely revolutionary — a personal computer that regular people could actually use.

What they didn't have was money.

Jobs tried to get a loan from the bank. Rejected. He went to Atari, where he used to work. They passed. He called Hewlett-Packard. They told Wozniak his computer idea was interesting but not something they wanted to pursue.

Apple was running on fumes.

Then a former Intel executive named Mike Markkula heard about what they were building and how they were surviving only on fumes. 

He visited the garage, saw the vision, and wrote a personal check for $250,000. 

That one funded moment changed everything. The Apple II launched. The Mac followed. Then the iPod, the iPhone, the iPad. Today Apple is worth over $3 trillion.

All of it traces back to one person saying yes, when everyone else said no.

The idea was always great. The talent was always there. Funding is what turned the garage into a global empire.

Debt Isn’t the Problem

 

A lot of people hear the word debt and immediately think risk.

They avoid it. They fear it. They swear they will never use it.

But that is not the full picture.

Debt by itself is not good or bad.

It depends on what you are doing with it.

There is a big difference between using money to survive… and using money to expand.

One drains you.

The other multiplies you.

Generic outreach is often ignored.

Personalized outreach that feels thoughtful and relevant stands out immediately.

Benefits: Higher response rates, builds trust quickly, opens doors with decisionmakers and creates warmer sales conversations

Do it this way:

1. Research the person before messaging them.

2.  Mention something specific about their role, business, or content.

3.  Keep your message concise and professional.

4.  Focus on starting a conversation, not forcing a sale.

Big news for single-family rentals or cottages

 

Even for single family rentals/cottages, big news

Using LinkedIn’s Advanced Search to Find Ideal Clients or Partners

Too many users wait and hope the right people discover them. A far stronger approach is proactively identifying decisionmakers, industries, and locations that align with your goals.

This saves time by focusing only on relevant prospects, improves networking quality, increases chances of meaningful conversations and creates more predictable lead generation opportunities

Use filters such as industry, location, title, and company size, search for people who match your ideal client profile, save names and begin engaging with their content first and reach out with relevance rather than randomness.

Use a Lead Magnet and Promote It

Many people generate profile visits but lose the opportunity because there is no clear next step. A valuable lead magnet helps turn interest into enquiries.

Why? Converts attention into leads, builds authority and trust, grows your email/database list and creates ongoing follow-up opportunities.

How To Begin:

1. Create a checklist, guide, template, or mini training.

2. Solve one specific pain point your audience has.

3. Add it to your profile Featured section and banner.

4. Mention it in relevant posts and conversations.

Success on Linkedin

LinkedIn success rarely comes from random activity. It comes from strategic actions repeated consistently. When you combine better targeting, personalised outreach, lead capture systems, smarter prospecting tools, and valuable content, LinkedIn becomes far more than a social platform, it becomes a serious business growth asset.

Small improvements in the right areas often create major long-term results. 

Example: Posting often is not enough. The strongest content educates, builds trust, and guides people toward a next step.

Benefits:

✅ Positions you as an authority, attracts better quality leads, builds trust before sales conversations and increases inbound enquiries.

How to do it:

*Stay consistent with helpful, relevant content.

*Publish guides, newsletters, articles, or insights.

*Include a clear call to action where appropriate.

*Share practical tips that solve real problems.

Here’s What to Do Next If Filed Your Taxes.

 

Most people think tax season ends when the return gets filed… It isn’t.

Filing is NOT the finish line. It’s the starting point for smarter tax planning. Tax planning is different.  That’s the work you do throughout the year to legally lower your tax bill.

Build your community

 

Managing can be surprisingly isolating. You’re expected to support others, but you don’t always have a built-in space to work through your own challenges. Over time, that lack of outlet can make everything feel heavier and harder to navigate. That’s where having a strong community makes a difference. Peers, mentors, or even a small group of managers you trust can give you perspective, help you think through tough situations, and spark new ideas you might not reach on your own. Sometimes just talking something through is enough to get unstuck or see a clearer path forward. These relationships don’t just help you solve problems. They help refill your energy and keep your thinking fresh.

Key question: “Who are the people you can turn to when you need perspective, support, or a new way of thinking?”

It’s getting harder to be a leader right now!

The role itself has expanded. As a leader, you’re expected to think strategically, support your team’s well-being, roll up your sleeves and jump in, deliver results faster, navigate constant change, and stay on top of new tools and ways of working. On any given day, you might be switching between coaching, problem-solving, decision-making, and unblocking work, often without much time to reset in between. And it can take its toll. According to a survey, 75% of managers are burned out.

What makes leadership especially challenging is that the pressure can feel like progress. You might feel needed, responsive, and productive. But over time, that constant motion can start to replace more intentional thinking. Instead of leading with clarity, it’s easy to react in real time, making it harder to step back, prioritize what truly matters, and protect your own energy in the process.

So how can you stay effective and energized when so much is being asked of you?

Be more selective

When everything feels important, you feel the need to be involved in everything, which will likely become unsustainable. Instead, start being more deliberate about where your presence actually adds value. There are moments where your input will move things forward quickly, and others where your team can handle it without you. For example, you might choose to stay closely involved in early-stage planning or high-stakes decisions, but step back during the execution phase. Creating space doesn’t mean stepping back completely. It means choosing where to engage so you can show up with more focus and energy when it matters most.

Key question: “Where does your involvement truly make a difference, and where can you step back?”

Build small moments of recovery into your day

Most leaders think about rest as something that happens after work. But when your days are full and fast-moving, waiting until the end of the day to recharge isn’t enough. Look for small ways to reset throughout your day. That might mean taking a few minutes between meetings to step away, blocking short breaks to think without input, or simply avoiding back-to-back scheduling when possible. These moments won’t dramatically change your workload, but they will help you maintain a more consistent level of energy instead of running on empty.

Key question: “Where can you create small pockets of recovery in your day to maintain your energy?”

Focus on progress

When expectations are high, everything might feel urgent – an environment that creates a reactive mindset, where you’re constantly moving from one task to the next without a clear sense of progress. Here’s where you want to shift your mindset: regularly step back and identify what actually moved forward. What decisions were made? What problems were solved? What progress did your team make? Asking these retrospective questions helps you and your team stay grounded in outcomes rather than urgency. It also creates a sense of momentum, which is a key driver of motivation and energy over time.

Key question: “Are you measuring your days by how busy they feel, or by the progress that’s actually being made?”

If you want to be seen as the go-to in your niche, start here.

Your LinkedIn headline.

Because right now, most are getting this completely wrong.

Let's look at recruiters:

They’re using it like a job title.

“Recruiter in Manufacturing”
“Executive Recruiter | Finance & Accounting”
“Helping companies hire top talent”

“CEO of X Search”

None of that positions you.

It tells us what you do but it doesn’t tell me why we should care. And in a market where everyone sounds the same, that’s a problem.Because if your headline doesn’t immediately signal value, outcome, and specificity, you’re going to get ignored.

Here’s the shift:

Your headline should NOT be your title.
It should be a positioning statement.

And the simplest way to fix it is this:

Who you serve + the outcome you help them achieve

That’s it.

Not what you do.
Not your industry label.
Not “recruiter for X.”

Who you help and what changes because of you.

Here’s what that looks like in practice:

Example 1: Helping manufacturing leaders in the Carolinas make the right finance and operations hires- so they can protect margin, performance, and momentum

Example 2: Adding revenue-generating partners to AmLaw 200 firms with long-term strategic fit

Those are different.

They signal:
• Specific buyer
• Specific problem
• Specific outcome

And more importantly, they create recognition.

The right people read it and think, “That’s for me.”Everyone else moves on and THAT is hat’s the goal.

Because LinkedIn is no longer a people-first platform. It’s a relevance-first platform.

If your positioning isn’t clear, the algorithm doesn’t know who to show you to and neither does your market.

So if you want to become the go-to in your niche, don’t start with posting more.

Start with fixing the way you’re positioned.

Your headline is the first signal.

The fastest money you'll ever make online won’t come from social media.

It comes from something way more boring.

Email.

Back in 2007, Kelly was just figuring out what online marketing even was.

No agency.
No offers.
No funnel.

Just late nights teaching herself HTML and SEO and reading every marketing blog she could find.

One rule stuck:

The money is in the list.

Fast forward to 2026.

Kelly. Real businesses.

Same rule.

Social platforms are powerful.
But they’re rented land.

Your email list? That’s property.

When you hit send, it goes out.
No algorithm mood swings.
No praying for reach.

Use social media to attract.
Use content to build authority.
But move people somewhere you control.

I had no idea I was overpaying!!

 

I heard from a business owner recently who thought their taxes were "pretty optimized."

Their CPA was responsive. Their returns were filed on time. Everything seemed fine.

Then they went through a tax strategy review.

Here’s what they found:

They had been overpaying for years. Nobody was proactively looking for opportunities throughout the year.

The strategy work just wasn't happening.