Most founders grow their companies with a simple formula: More Revenue = More Offers + More People + More Effort This works initially—until it doesn’t. Soon, growth feels heavy. The complexity multiplies, your time disappears, and each new hire or service line drains your energy and resources. I’ve lived this pain. Twice. In both my
What if everything you’ve been taught about scaling a business is backwards? The Myth: More People = More Success In my last two companies, I built large teams. One was a 30-person fitness business. The other, a 200-person tech company. They both scaled well. I exited from both. But they also taught me a critical
I Built a 200-Person Company. My New One Has 0 Employees (Here’s Why) Read More »
![Why Your Ideas Stay Stuck in Your Head [+ Tip of the Week]](https://surabhishenoy.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/NL39-1024x536.png)
In the last two weeks, I wrote about creating irresistible offers and building your own market monopoly. The goal was simple: to push you to move from being just another option in your clients’ minds… to becoming the only choice for solving their specific problem. Because when you do this well, your business stops competing
Why Your Ideas Stay Stuck in Your Head [+ Tip of the Week] Read More »
After my last exit, I found myself drawn to coaching. I wanted to help founders avoid the struggles I’d faced while building my businesses. But there was a problem. Every time I introduced myself as a coach, I saw that look – “Oh, one more coach.” I was being lumped in with many others. And
Most founders have a solid product. But they can’t seem to close deals fast enough. The problem isn’t the product. It’s the offer. The $100k Question Would you pay $10K today if I guaranteed you $100K in 90 days? You’d say yes in a heartbeat, right? That’s an irresistible offer in its purest form. Your
Clients ghosted Jay until he changed these 5 words Read More »
“We need you to stay for a year after acquisition.” That sentence is every founder’s exit nightmare. When I sold my tech company, I heard those exact words. Buyers were nervous—what if my business collapsed without me? But something unexpected happened. During 80 days of intense due diligence, my post-sale commitment shrank from 1 year
My acquirer slashed my post-sale commitment from 12 months to 30 days. Here’s why. Read More »
In 2011, JCPenney made a bold move. They hired Ron Johnson, the mastermind behind Apple’s retail success. JCPenney, a 120-year-old American retail chain with over 800 stores, was struggling with declining sales and an outdated brand. Shoppers saw it as a discount retailer, dependent on coupons and sales to drive foot traffic. Meanwhile, Ron had
Why great hires fail in startups — and how to prevent it. Read More »
Last week, I wrote about the biggest trap founders find themselves in: Waiting for more time. The responses I received were overwhelming – this challenge clearly struck a chord with many of you. Turns out, the real problem isn’t time. It’s staying trapped “in” the business. Trapped in My Own Business If you’re feeling trapped
Just last month, three different founders came to me. Each had everything needed for growth: Clear vision. Great potential. Ready to invest. But they all ended our conversations the same way: “I’ll come back when I have more time.” After hundreds of conversations with founders, here’s the painful truth I’ve discovered: These talented entrepreneurs are
📌 Note: This is Part 3 of our Operating Model series. For best results, read Part 1 and Part 2 first. They lay the foundation for this implementation guide. Over the last two weeks, we explored: Why org charts can’t keep work flowing (Part 1) The 4 elements that make up an Operating Model (Part
[Part3] The 6-week guide to implementing your Operating Model Read More »
Last week, we explored why work gets stuck even with a perfect org chart (read Part 1 here). If you did the exercise, you probably noticed that the same bottlenecks appears across your company. I have been here. As my company grew, I found myself in endless meetings, constantly being pulled into decisions, and feeling
[Part 2] The system that saved my sanity (and my company) Read More »