What's in front of you?

This month doesn’t need a reinvention. It needs execution. And sometimes the best way forward… is already in front of you.

The goal isn’t to do more. It’s to do what works — better.

Is New The Answer?

 

Years ago, I thought the secret to success was more new ideas. New deals. New projects. New directions.

It felt productive. It looked exciting. It gave me something to chase.

But eventually, I realized I wasn’t building anything. I was just busy.

What actually moved the needle? Refining what already worked. Tightening systems. Doubling down on proven leverage.

Are you giving yourself subsconscious permission to delay success?

You can usually tell in minutes if someone's really on the path to success... or headed straight for a brick wall. Just from the words they use about their life and goals, like...

"I'm trying..."

"I hope this works..."

"I might do this..."

"I'm thinking about it.."

These aren't harmless catch phrases.

Every time you talk like that, you give yourself subconscious permission to delay success. You're letting fear and indecision take over. And your business will never be able to outperform the standards you set with your own words.

Your brain has millions of thoughts and ideas every day. Ideas don't matter. DECISIONS are what the brain acts on.

And there's nothing decisive going on when you use weak words.

Your success requires powerful language that identifies your clear end goal.

I'll make you a challenge right now that'll change your business forever, if you take it seriously:

Record yourself talking to someone about your business. Play it back and be brutally honest at what you hear. (And don't deliberately try to sound different. Talk how you normally do.)

If you speak with powerful, action-filled words and have a clear goal... congratulations. You're part of the minority and already on the path to success.

But if you're like most and your business needs more cashflow to allow your business to grow, then let's hop on a 10-minute call and go over some details.

People listen to how you speak.

Weak language builds weak businesses.

Period.

You don’t drift into success.

You decide into it.

When your language is foggy, your actions will be too.

Your team listens to how you speak.

So does your subconscious.

The way you talk about your business becomes the way you build it.

 “Try” is a shield for people who don’t want to be held accountable.

I don’t use it. Neither should you.

The most successful people speak with clarity, not confusion.

They don’t “hope.” They plan.

Every time you catch yourdelf self using soft language, it shows you where you are avoiding something.

The way you talk about your business becomes the way you build it.

"The words you speak become the house you live in." — Hafiz

If you’re wondering why your business isn’t moving…start by listening to yourself. Because success doesn’t come from what you say. It comes from how you say it.

Before you ever ask a business owner about revenue, margins, or their offer…

Listen to how they speak.

Because their words tell you everything.

"I’ll try..."

"I’m thinking about it..."

"I hope this works..."

They don’t realize it — but they’re already making excuses for failure.

You don’t grow when your language is soft.

You grow when your words reflect decisions.

CFOs are suddenly feeling very confident.

CFO confidence climbed to a four-year high in Q4 of 2025, according to Deloitte’s released CFO Signals report. The latest confidence score, 6.6 on a scale of 1–10, was “substantially higher than the Q3 reading of 5.7,” and not much lower than the record score, 7.2, from Q3 2021, placing it “squarely in high confidence territory,” according to the report’s authors.

And just like anyone who’s listened to the aforementioned power pop breakup anthem playlist and then gone on an ill-advised date: CFOs are also feeling risky.

Nearly six out of 10 CFOs think it’s a good time to take more risk, a steep climb from just 36% who said the same in Q3. The report covers survey responses from 200 CFOs at North American companies with at least $1 billion in annual revenue, though you’d think it was a poll of extremely self-assured teenagers from the confidence results.

So, what gives? Short answer

Visibility by switching to male profiles?

Women on LinkedIn are reporting view increases of up to 400% after switching their profiles to male pronouns and using more assertive language, according to reports on the platform. 

Users suspected the algorithm was suppressing women's content and formed a campaign group called Fairness in the Feed demanding transparency.

LinkedIn denies using gender as a ranking signal, attributing reduced visibility to increased competition as posts climb 15% year-over-year. 

Women self-promote 28% less than men on social media, partly due to cultural conditioning and fear of negative reactions, it was reported. 

For business owners relying on LinkedIn to attract clients, reduced visibility could directly impact their ability to compete and generate revenue.

Does Your Success Feel Off?

Yes, you’re stacking revenue.

Hiring team members.

Getting attention.

Growing fast.

But it still feels unstable.

Cash is moving, but not flowing.

Decisions feel rushed.

You’re reacting instead of leading.

And deep down, you know something’s off, even if the spreadsheets say you're crushing it.

That feeling isn’t fear, but rather you're business is missing something.

It’s awareness.

Success without structure isn’t success.

It’s a ticking clock.

There's nothing we can do at this point!!

Ever heard that from your CPA?

Usually comes around February or March, when you ask about your business tax bill.

And technically, they're right.

By the time you're filing, most strategies are off the table.

But here's the question nobody asks –Why didn't we do something when there was still time?

The answer is that nobody was planning to reduce your biggest business expense – taxes..

Your CPA was waiting for your documents. 

You were waiting for your CPA to call. 

And the year ended without anyone taking action.

This is the cycle that keeps business owners overpaying year after year.

Stryde breaks that cycle.

We work with you throughout the year — when there's still time to make moves — not in April when it's too late.

When things get quiet it tests people's dedication more than anything else.

Contracts slow down. Orders take a hit. No one's responding to your paid ads or interacting on your social posts.

It'll mess with your mind and make you doubt your abilities.

Doubt causes you to make irrational snap-decisions. Usually bad ones.

Bad decisions lead to lost money and bigger messes... and more frustration.

Stop. Breathe. And listen to me when I say you need to learn how to use this time to build your confidence and reignite your drive.

My anxiety still shoots through the roof when I can't control the exact timeline of what I want to happen. When things don't work out they way they 'should' have.

But in most cases, they end up working out. Or my initial plans blow up and get replaced with something better. In other cases I learn what NOT to do.

And guess what?

Pretty soon the next 'down time' is coming. It's part of life in this game. Just be prepared to ride the wave.

And never confuse quiet times with 'time to quit.'

Why doesn't my CPA mention most tax strategies?

It's not because they're hiding something.

It's because they're paid to prepare your return — not to reduce taxes.

Tax preparation and tax planning are two completely different services.

Preparation – "Here's what you owe based on what happened."

Planning – "Here's how to change what happens to owe less."

Most CPAs are excellent at preparation.

They're trained for it.
They're efficient at it.
It's what they sell.

But tax planning? That requires a different skillset, a different mindset, and different tools.

Stryde was explicitly built for tax planning.

Our team analyses your business against 30+ tax incentives to find what you're missing.

Your CPA can still file your return. But Stryde makes sure you're not overpaying!!

Living with grit.

Grit is “the combination of passion and perseverance for long-term goals.”

I’m not just talking about being tough or grinding through. But standing for something you believe in despite the struggle. 

It's the CEO choosing to work with ethical labor standards, even when pressured by shareholders to chase higher profits.

It's the mom pursuing a classroom that includes her child with special needs, even though she might get labeled "too much” by some parents.

It's my teammates at Stryde who stay in the fight against rising business cost day after day even after seeing some business' fail.

I think Churchill was spot on.

We must stand for what's right. 

Even if some might say you’re wrong.
Even if progress might take years.
Even if it might cost you. 

Sometimes it's good to have enemies!!

 

We recently came across this quote:

"If you have enemies, good. It means you stood for something at least once in your life." — Winston Churchill

At first I thought, “How can it be good to have enemies?”

But look what happened to Churchill.

British generals questioned him.
Americans doubted his competence.
His own government nearly voted him out.

But he stood by his convictions.

By the end of his life, the same people who once criticized eventually came to respect him. Not because he softened his stance, but because he held to it.

As someone who can be a bit of a people pleaser, that really convicted me.

Use these magic words, if you're like my brother who likes to yell at people on the phone!!

 

Say you’re calling customer service because you need help. Maybe your bill is wrong, your service is down or you want a refund. Instead of a person, a cheerful AI voice answers and drops you into an endless loop of menus and misunderstood prompts. Now what?

That’s not an accident. Many companies use what insiders call “frustration AI.” The system is specifically designed to exhaust you until you hang up and walk away. You want a human. For starters, don’t explain your issue. That’s the trap. You need words the AI has been programmed to treat differently. Nuclear phrases: When the AI bot asks why you’re calling, say, “I need to cancel my service” or “I am returning a call.” The word cancel sets off alarms and often sends you straight to the customer retention team. Saying you’re returning a call signals an existing issue the bot cannot track. I used that last weekend when my internet went down and bam, I had a human. Power words: When the system starts listing options, clearly say one word. “Supervisor.” If that doesn’t work, say, “I need to file a formal complaint.” Most systems are not programmed to deal with complaints or supervisors. They escalate fast. Technical bypass: Asked to enter your account number? Press the pound key (#) instead of numbers. Many older systems treat unexpected input as an error and default to a human If direct commands fail with AI, be a confused human. The Frustration Act: When the AI bot asks a question, pause. Wait 10 seconds before answering. These systems are built for fast, clean responses. Long pauses often break the flow and send your call to a human. The Unintelligible Bypass: Stuck in a loop? Act like your phone connection is terrible. Say garbled words or nonsense. After the system says, “I’m having trouble understanding you” three times, many bots automatically transfer you to a live agent. The Language Barrier Trick: If the company offers multiple languages, choose one that’s not your primary language or does not match your accent. The AI often gives up quickly and routes you to a human trained to handle language issues. Use these tricks when you need help. You are calling for service, not an AI bot.

The more valuable it becomes long-term.

 

If your calendar controls your company, your company owns you.

Your team mirrors your standards. If they’re sloppy, distracted, or waiting… ask where they learned that.

Micromanaging feels like leadership, but it’s actually insecurity in action.

The less your business needs you daily, the more valuable it becomes long-term.

Replacing yourself doesn’t mean you’re lazy.

People don’t rise to the level of your expectations.

They rise to the level of your systems.

Replacing yourself doesn’t mean you’re lazy.

It means you're building something bigger than you.

If you’re the answer to every problem, you're also the bottleneck.

A real business doesn’t ask you for permission.

It shows you results.

"Success is not just about what you accomplish in your life, it’s about what you inspire others to do." — Unknown

Leadership or Babysitting?

Your time is too valuable to spend putting out the same fires every week.

Build systems.

Train killers.

And stop calling babysitting "leadership."

Your business will thank you later.

As Zig Ziglar said: “You don’t build a business. You build people. Then people build the business.”

They buy what they want.

People don't buy what they need. They buy what they want. Once they're in your world, that's when you give them what they need.

You already earned their trust. They like you and listen to you, otherwise they wouldn't have pulled out their wallet for you.

But after that first sale is where most of us (maybe even you) just let them drift away.

Meanwhile the smart biz owners build simple no-brainer monthly offers around the wants their customers already told them about… and deliver the needs that actually fix the real problems.

Once you really understand that, recurring revenue stops being some complicated mystery and becomes the easiest money in your business.

So here's my gut-check question for you:

If you went through your list of customers, could you build a recurring offer in under 48 hours based on what they wanted from you?

If the answer is yes but you still haven't done it... there's your leak.

Recurring revenue

If someone paid you once, they’ll pay you again

If you stay in the conversation, they’ll stay in your world.

Recurring revenue isn’t advanced, it’s overlooked

Most people don’t need more tools. They need better follow-up.

You’re already doing the hard part

Acquiring customers is the toughest game. Serving them again is where it gets simple.

People buy what they want — not what they need

Sell them what they want. Deliver what they need. That’s how you keep them.