Griff's Thoughts
The Blog
Short notes on entrepreneurship, business, and the joys of being a founder.
- 6 jams sold 10x better than 246 jams sold 10x better than 24. A lesson every founder should know. The study Researchers set up a jam tasting booth in an upscale grocery…
- Tension in your business is a lot like a rubber band...there's 2Tension in your business is a lot like a rubber band...there's 2 wrongs and a right. -Too little and nothing moves. No energy, no momentum,…
- Do you realize SpaceX just launched a rocket the size of aDo you realize SpaceX just launched a rocket the size of a skyscraper that drops satellites the size of airplanes into orbit that soon will…
- My employee would be so great"My employee would be so great… if only they were different." Every founder has had that conversation in their head. -If only my…
- Every time you see Jensen Huang, he's wearing the same blackEvery time you see Jensen Huang, he's wearing the same black leather jacket. Keynote. Earnings call. Product launch. Same jacket. I get it.…
- Satchel Paige was 42 when he made his Major League debut in 1948.Satchel Paige was 42 when he made his Major League debut in 1948. He had spent about two decades dominating the Negro Leagues while the…
- The bigger a business gets, the more it loses one of its bestThe bigger a business gets, the more it loses one of its best advantages - and you can use that to your advantage if you're a small…
- One of the best signs that you’ve built an A+ team is prettyOne of the best signs that you’ve built an A+ team is pretty simple: you learn something from them nearly every time you work together. I…
- If you can’t outspend your competitor, out weird them." Weird is free.“If you can’t outspend your competitor, out weird them." Weird is free. I love this idea. Most businesses spend a lot of time looking at…
- You don't learn how to drive a car by reading about how to drive a"You don't learn how to drive a car by reading about how to drive a car. Business is no different. Investing is no different. Real estate…
- Your best early hire might be your biggest bottleneck right nowYour best early hire might be your biggest bottleneck right now, and here's why... It's not because you made the wrong hire. The Peter…
- Is everything ok?"Is everything ok? When you told us how the quarter went, even though it was all good news I saw you had a concerned look." Your team knows…
- Most success happens in businesses that follow these 3 rulesMost success happens in businesses that follow these 3 rules: -You're in an expanding market. There are almost no bad ideas in a good…
- Why are you still maintaining 47 products when 3 of them areWhy are you still maintaining 47 products when 3 of them are bringing in almost all of your revenue? Domino's doesn't sell salads to sell…
- You made a hire, and nothing came off your plate.You made a hire, and nothing came off your plate. Again. 1 simple fix could solve it... That issue is normally one of two things: a role…
- Your "top performer" might actually be your most expensiveYour "top performer" might actually be your most expensive employee, but NOT because of their salary. Because of the tax they charge…
- Most successful people are doing something to inspire new ideasMost successful people are doing something to inspire new ideas that you aren't... Most entrepreneurs try to get new ideas sitting in their…
- Good Fortune Burger in Toronto renamed their menu items as officerGood Fortune Burger in Toronto renamed their menu items as officer supplies so customers could expense them. Sometimes great ideas come…
- Your employees and your customers can tell when your voice isn'tYour employees and your customers can tell when your voice isn't really you. Oscar Wilde captured it best: "Be yourself; everyone else is…
- Getting out of the day-to-day does not mean staying out of theGetting out of the day-to-day does not mean staying out of the loop, and most founder's don't know the difference. That confusion is…
- A business coach did cold outreach to me with this graphic.A business coach did cold outreach to me with this graphic. Does anyone know what this means? Wrong answers only... I have looked at it for…
- Entrepreneurs - do you ever think about your market?Entrepreneurs - do you ever think about your market? Try mapping your revenue to your market size over time, you might be shocked at the…
- Most founders I meet are busy becoming someone else.Most founders I meet are busy becoming someone else. Here's what I mean: They copy a competitor’s pricing, they hire the way a founder on a…
- People don't leave their jobs, they leave their managers.People don't leave their jobs, they leave their managers. Here's one main reason why: Founders often stay quiet when their frustrated with…
- THE MARKET - the most overlooked variable of why businesses grow.THE MARKET - the most overlooked variable of why businesses grow. Does your business feel stuck even when you're doing everything right? 4…
- This kid is going to fill that container right around the time youThis kid is going to fill that container right around the time you finish hiring your team. Building a team can feel exactly like this. You…
- Your team is behind on the work, and they say they need to hireYour team is behind on the work, and they say they need to hire more people, so you hire three more people. And somehow…they are now more…
- Some of the best positioning advice I’ve ever read came from aSome of the best positioning advice I’ve ever read came from a comment on Y Combinator's Hacker News. People only every buy 4 things: time,…
- This famous video with 16M views from 2009 still holds one of theThis famous video with 16M views from 2009 still holds one of the golden keys to business... "People don't buy what you do; they buy why…
- We don't sell salads to sell salads."We don't sell salads to sell salads. We sell salads to sell pizzas." -Domino's Exec Sometimes your biggest competitor is something…
- Founders love process TOO much.Founders love process TOO much. Here's how 3 sentences can guide a company longer than 300 pages of SOPs. We try to document every step,…
- New ideas are one of the best, and dangerous, moves that companiesNew ideas are one of the best, and dangerous, moves that companies make. That's why you need a framework - I call it CCV. Ideas create…
- Today, I turn 44.Today, I turn 44. And I absolutely refuse to work on my birthday. Here's why I started that tradition: A client yelled at me. Software…
- Sometimes the company outgrows its people far before the founder"Sometimes the company outgrows its people far before the founder is willing to admit it." That line hits hard because most founders…
- The hardest thing I ask founders to give up is the part they'reThe hardest thing I ask founders to give up is the part they're proudest of. Most founders got to $3M by being the best operator in the…
- New ideas, side projects, and side hustles are often setup forNew ideas, side projects, and side hustles are often setup for failure from the start. Because it's not our full-time focus, it only gets a…
- When I joined EO Philadelphia, I thought I had a revenue problem.When I joined EO Philadelphia, I thought I had a revenue problem. I was looking for strategies to grow the business. Instead, I realized…
- I have a rule when I run: the more I complain, the harder I make it.I have a rule when I run: the more I complain, the harder I make it. I increase the speed. I make complaining expensive. I’m training for…
- You probably would have thought it was sci-fi.You probably would have thought it was sci-fi. Now, imagine an ad 10 years from now…
- AI today has revolutionized what happens in your digital world.AI today has revolutionized what happens in your digital world. Humanoid robots will revolutionize what happens in your physical world. The…
- Founders treat culture like a cost.Founders treat culture like a cost. It is closer to a revenue lever. I used to hear "we'll work on our culture once we hit our revenue…
- When did you last stop and actually celebrate a win with your team?When did you last stop and actually celebrate a win with your team? Not "we hit our goal, but...". Not say "of course we won, that's the…
- Every founder I work with has done it at least once: someone greatEvery founder I work with has done it at least once: someone great resigns, and the first instinct is offer more money to retain them. But…
- Your top performer may be destroying your culture.Your top performer may be destroying your culture. They break every rule. Ignore the values. But they make it rain, so you look the other…
- Proud to serve on the EO Philly board in my 3rd role, and 12th year!Proud to serve on the EO Philly board in my 3rd role, and 12th year! Leading leaders is one of the most fulfilling ways to use the…
- Why is that?Why is that? "When people talk about traveling to the past, they worry about radically changing the present by doing something small... but…
- The business will take everything you give it and then ask for more.The business will take everything you give it and then ask for more. Have a great holiday weekend - don't forget to close the laptop and…
- Entrepreneurs: core value posters, or nah?Entrepreneurs: core value posters, or nah?
- A company can achieve more than just business goals.A company can achieve more than just business goals. In 2024, our team partnered with Bringing Hope Home, packing "Bags of Hope" for…
- Choosing coaches who understand foundersIf your business coach never sat in the seat you're in right now, they probably aren't speaking your language. I'm not the billion-dollar…
- A 15-year-old emailed me last week and asked a question I wish IA 15-year-old emailed me last week and asked a question I wish I had thought to ask at 15: “If you were 15 again, what would you spend the…
- Perfection holds a lot of founders back.Perfection holds a lot of founders back. Waiting for the perfect moment, delaying until the product is free of bugs, rewriting a plan that…
- So I talk about culture being a superpower and people ask, wellSo I talk about culture being a superpower and people ask, well, what does that mean? I'll give you an example... We had just over 24…
- Entrepreneurs, do you agree?Entrepreneurs, do you agree? So here's the scariest part about a culture. When I say you need to live it, I mean you need to live it. You…
- So in 2008, I opened Photoshop and made myself a résumé.So in 2008, I opened Photoshop and made myself a résumé. I never sent it to anyone though. This is our "rock bottom" story. Our startup,…
- We spent years trying to build an award winning culture.We spent years trying to build an award winning culture. Then one word changed everything. At Mobile Outfitters, winning a Best Places to…
- People often ask me what I look for when hiring.People often ask me what I look for when hiring. Of course, experience, a proven history, and technical skills all matter. But that doesn't…
- Most founders don't have a discipline problem, but they do haveMost founders don't have a discipline problem, but they do have trouble forming new habits for one very real reason. You block your…
- Why are you still waiting for more data before you launch?Why are you still waiting for more data before you launch? You don't need 100% certainty. You need 80% — and the courage to let the market…
- Which one of these coaches are you hiring first?Which one of these coaches are you hiring first? Credit: Brian Harrelson Have a good weekend ✌️
- Why does your great new idea always die by day four in your company?Why does your great new idea always die by day four in your company? You come back from that workshop all fired up. Your team nods in…
- Most business problems are mislabeled.𝗠𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗺𝗶𝘀𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗱. This might be an unpopular opinion... A sales issue probably doesn't start in sales. A marketing…
- I typically only coach founders running $3M+ businesses.I typically only coach founders running $3M+ businesses. But I remember how hard it was to get there. So I’m opening one free 30-minute…
- Most people hear “no” and they give up.Most people hear “no” and they give up. To be a successful entrepreneur, you need to have just the right amount of delusion.
- If you're still the bottleneck for big decisions, your companyIf you're still the bottleneck for big decisions, your company isn't scaling as fast as it could...(a personal story ->) Every time I tried…
- Every business runs on a plan.Every business runs on a plan. The question is whether it’s written down or just floating around in your head. Mine lives where I can’t…
- For 19 years, I woke up every morning and put on a MobileFor 19 years, I woke up every morning and put on a Mobile Outfitters t-shirt. That’s why today feels a little strange… After more than 25…
- If you've got Philly in your blood, "No One Died" is an absoluteIf you've got Philly in your blood, "No One Died" is an absolute must watch documentary on the Wing Bowl, by master story teller Pat Taggart
- Morning rituals matter more than we think.Morning rituals matter more than we think. Mine is making two cappuccinos first thing in the morning and sitting down to drink them with my…
- When you have a big vision, some days it can feel like you're tooWhen you have a big vision, some days it can feel like you're too small to ever achieve it, or a company much larger than you is going to…
- If you're looking for a new, must-see event for your companyIf you're looking for a new, must-see event for your company, business community, or entrepreneurial organization 🚨 See what others are…
- People say things like..."You built a great company.People say things like..."You built a great company." The truth? I didn't. Thousands of people did. A company isn't just built by their…
- In the mid-1990s, two researchers ran a now-famous experimentIn the mid-1990s, two researchers ran a now-famous experiment inside an upscale grocery store that every entrepreneur should know… They set…
- At one point, adding features turns convenience into inconvenienceAt one point, adding features turns convenience into inconvenience... While every option made sense on its own, together they make a simple…
- If you're telling yourself "I'm doing this for my family" it mayIf you're telling yourself "I'm doing this for my family" it may be doing more harm than good. How do you manage work like harmony?…
- Most founders don’t have a master plan, and the ones who do oftenMost founders don’t have a master plan, and the ones who do often have the same flaws. Here’s mine, plus the traps I see founders fall into…