Category: Business

Who Really Owns Your Business?

If someone else controls your money, customers, suppliers, technology or ability to deliver, how much of the business do you truly own? — YNOT!   How to Control What You Build, Create a Moat and Survive the Next Wave of Change Ask an entrepreneur who owns the business, and the answer will usually be immediate: “I do.” Perhaps that is legally correct. Their name may appear on the incorporation documents, bank accounts and tax returns. They may own all the company’s stock. But legal ownership and practical control are not always the same thing. If your company has substantial … Continue readingWho Really Owns Your Business?

Can Brightline Survive?

Brightline may be a good railroad, a popular service and a terrible investment—all at the same time. — YNOT! Florida’s most impressive passenger train may be a transportation success trapped inside a financial disaster Brightline has accomplished something that many people said could not be done in America. It created a modern passenger rail service connecting Miami, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach and Orlando. The trains are clean, comfortable and generally reliable. The stations feel more like airports than traditional American train depots. Passengers can travel between South Florida and Central Florida without driving for hours on Interstate 95 … Continue readingCan Brightline Survive?

Control the High Ground: What Cats Know That Most CEOs Don’t

One thing you learn from cats is this: control the high ground. See first, decide first, and move before you are forced to move. Survival isn’t about size—it’s about awareness. — YNOT The older I get, the more I realize that cats understand something many business owners never do. They understand the value of the high ground. A cat doesn’t climb to the top of a shelf because it’s lazy or because it wants attention. It climbs because elevation gives it information. It can see threats coming, spot opportunities, identify exits, and react before anyone else. Sun Tzu understood this … Continue readingControl the High Ground: What Cats Know That Most CEOs Don’t

The Future of Work Belongs to People Who Master AI

The future is not being written by artificial intelligence. It is being written by people who know how to use it. — YNOT! Every few generations, a tool comes along that changes the rules of the game. The steam engine multiplied muscle. The tractor multiplied the farmer. The computer multiplied calculation. And now AI is multiplying thought. Some people are terrified of this. They worry that AI is coming for their jobs. They imagine a future where machines sit behind every desk while humans sit at home wondering what happened.  That is not what history suggests. The blacksmith did not disappear … Continue readingThe Future of Work Belongs to People Who Master AI

The People’s Waffle House

The planners had theories.  Joe had waffles.  — YNOT!   Every few years someone comes along and says, “Socialism will work this time.” Fine. Let’s run a little experiment. Take a Waffle House and turn it into a worker-owned collective in the glorious Socialist Communist City of Dreamlandia. At first everyone is excited. There are meetings about equality. Meetings about inclusion. Meetings about meetings. Then reality arrives. Someone eats half the waffles before they ever reach a customer. Someone else helps themselves to the cash register because, after all, private property is oppression. Nobody cleans the bathrooms because cleaning … Continue readingThe People’s Waffle House

How to Use Partnerships to Make Real Wealth

Diversifying is admitting you’re smart enough to invest… and humble enough to know you can still be wrong. –YNOT! Most people think wealth is built by a lone genius sitting in a garage with a laptop and caffeine addiction. That story gets told because it sounds romantic. The truth is usually less glamorous and a whole lot more profitable. Most serious wealth in history was built through partnerships. Banks. Law firms. Real estate empires. Insurance companies. Construction firms. Investment groups. Shipping companies. Private equity. Even organized crime figured this out before half the internet influencers did. One person brings … Continue readingHow to Use Partnerships to Make Real Wealth

Where Did “Jump the Shark” Come From… and Why Did It Stick So Well?

You mean you want me to jump over a shark? “Ayyyy!” – FONZIE The funny thing about famous phrases is this: they usually don’t sound important when they’re born. Nobody stands up and says, “Gentlemen, we are about to create a cultural landmark.” No, it usually happens by accident—often because somebody did something just strange enough to make people stop and say, well… that can’t be good. And that’s exactly how “jump the shark” came into the world. Back in 1977, Happy Days was riding high. It was one of the most popular shows on television. People loved the … Continue readingWhere Did “Jump the Shark” Come From… and Why Did It Stick So Well?

Is 996 a Waste of Your Life Time?

“996 isn’t ambition — it’s your life rented to a spreadsheet, with the profits paid to someone else.” — YNOT!   There are two kinds of people in this world: The ones who think “996” is a work schedule. The ones who have done it. The first group calls it “hustle.”  The second group calls it “Tuesday.” Now, “996” — 9am to 9pm, six days a week — is marketed like a sacred ritual. A monk’s vow. A heroic march toward destiny. In reality, it’s a very simple arrangement: You donate your youth to a spreadsheet, and the spreadsheet … Continue readingIs 996 a Waste of Your Life Time?

🥋What If the Best Business Strategy Is to Have No Strategy at All? Burn the Playbook and Start From Zero

“Clear thinking builds a plan. Flexible action wins the day.” — YNOT! Most businesses don’t fail because they lack effort. Most people don’t lose because they’re lazy. They lose because they inherited a script. A business model someone else built.A career path someone else approved.A belief system someone else applauded. And they defend it like it’s sacred. They fail because they’re loyal. Loyal to a plan. Loyal to a model. Loyal to an identity that worked five years ago. And loyalty, in business, can be expensive. That’s exactly what Bruce Lee rejected when he created Jeet Kune Do. He … Continue reading🥋What If the Best Business Strategy Is to Have No Strategy at All? Burn the Playbook and Start From Zero

What happens when Business Decide the Rearview Mirror is a Strategy

“Coulda, woulda, shoulda is how businesses explain failure after the market has already moved on.”– YNOT! For most of corporate history, finance/accounting has behaved like a historian with a calculator—brilliant at explaining what already went wrong, and strangely quiet about what’s coming next. If you crashed the car yesterday, finance can tell you the speed, the angle, and the exact cost of the guardrail. What it couldn’t do—until now—was grab the wheel before the turn. The Old Finance Model Is Exhausted Traditional finance isn’t wrong—it’s late. Manual journal entries, siloed data, endless reconciliations… all noble work, but about as … Continue readingWhat happens when Business Decide the Rearview Mirror is a Strategy

Fly With Glide Options: Why Every Leader Needs a Plan B

“It is always better to lose an opportunity than to lose capital. Opportunities return; capital does not. Smart planning and hedging allow you to seek growth without endangering survival.” — YNOT! When you learn to fly an airplane, one of the first things you’re taught—before you ever take off—is to think about Plan B. What happens if the engine quits? How far will momentum and your wings carry you? Where can you land safely without power? Pilots don’t ask these questions because they expect failure. They ask them because failure is possible, and preparation turns risk into survivability. Business … Continue readingFly With Glide Options: Why Every Leader Needs a Plan B

Winning in Business Is Not About Fancy Moves — It’s About Surviving the Chaos Long Enough to Win

Defense keeps you from losing. It never makes you win. Cost-cutting alone won’t save a dying company. Playing not to fail is just a slower form of failure. At some point, you have to move first — launch, pivot, acquire, or walk away — and force the market to react to you. Always be on Offense! -YNOT   I watched a Navy SEAL teach a grown man how not to get stabbed, and somewhere between the electric knife and the obstacle course, it dawned on me: this wasn’t about fighting at all. It was a masterclass in business. Because … Continue readingWinning in Business Is Not About Fancy Moves — It’s About Surviving the Chaos Long Enough to Win

How to Communicate With Clarity and Confidence

When you slow your voice, the truth has room to breathe — and people have room to understand and they think you are smarter. — YNOT! Most people think communication is about talking. But talking is cheap — you can get plenty of that for free on any street corner or office meeting. Real communication, the useful kind, is when your words actually arrive where you intended, instead of wandering off like a distracted tourist. The first rule is simple: know what you’re trying to say before your mouth starts moving. A surprising number of folks discover their message … Continue readingHow to Communicate With Clarity and Confidence

THE DEBT GAME: HOW THE WEALTHY DODGE THE TAXMAN UNTIL THE VERY END

Debt turns your wealth into spendable money and leaves the IRS waving from shore. That’s the system — get over it and learn to play the game. — Some guy on yacht somewhere. Most folks go through life believing the financial system is like gravity — it pulls on everyone the same way. But once you get close enough to the engine room, you learn a funny little truth: there are two sets of rules. One for people who work for money… and one for the people who figured out it’s easier to let money work for them. And … Continue readingTHE DEBT GAME: HOW THE WEALTHY DODGE THE TAXMAN UNTIL THE VERY END

How to Lose a Customer Before You Say Hello

You know, folks love to argue about the Cybertruck—whether it’s genius or junk, spacecraft or stainless-steel headache. But that’s not even the point. The real comedy starts when the home-remodeling guy rolls up to your house in one of those things. Because the moment he steps out looking like he’s here to deliver drywall and colonize Mars, every normal customer has the same quiet thought: “Well… I guess I’m about to pay for that.” That’s the trouble with driving your dream around town when your job depends on other people’s checkbooks. It’s like wearing a diamond watch to ask … Continue readingHow to Lose a Customer Before You Say Hello

🏛️ 10 Stoic Rules for a Better Life: Wisdom That Still Works in the Modern World

“Life is a storm. The Stoics just learned how to stand still in the rain.” — YNOT  A Calm Mind in a Loud World Mark Twain once said, “I’ve had a lot of worries in my life, most of which never happened.” That might as well have been carved above the Stoic school gate. Two thousand years before self-help books filled airport shelves, men like Marcus Aurelius, Seneca, and Epictetus were quietly reminding the world that peace isn’t something you buy — it’s something you build, moment by moment, thought by thought. Their lessons were written in candlelight, but … Continue reading🏛️ 10 Stoic Rules for a Better Life: Wisdom That Still Works in the Modern World

Yesterday’s Success Can Be Today’s Trap – Complacency

“There’s nothing more dangerous than yesterday’s success.” – Carl Eschenbach, You know the funny thing about success? It’s sneaky. It pats you on the back, tells you you’ve made it, and while you’re smiling for the cameras, it quietly starts digging your grave. Complacency creeps into love, friendship, war, finance or any human connection that once burned bright and then slowly went dim without anyone noticing. In business, complacency creeps in wearing the mask of comfort. You win a few contracts, close a few deals, and suddenly you stop listening as closely. You stop learning as fast. The hunger … Continue readingYesterday’s Success Can Be Today’s Trap – Complacency

🚀 The Four Approaches to Problem-Solving (Enterprise Edition)

“Risk is our business.” 🚀 Kirk, Spock, McCoy, and the Art of Decision-Making When I was a kid, I’d come home from school, drop my backpack, and turn on Star Trek. Little did I know that I wasn’t just watching science fiction — I was getting an education in the future. Everything from cell phones to computers, robots to AI — it was all there, decades ahead of its time. But what really stuck with me weren’t the gadgets. It was the management lessons. Years later, in university, one of my professors asked the class, “So — are you … Continue reading🚀 The Four Approaches to Problem-Solving (Enterprise Edition)

The Hidden Cost of Wearing Too Many Hats – Multi-Role Personnel

Progress these days looks a lot like juggling knives while riding a unicycle. Companies cut staff, slap an “AI-powered” sticker on the door, and declare victory. But what actually happens is the accounts payable clerk suddenly chasing overdue invoices, the IT guy moonlighting as a cybersecurity officer, and the accountant pounding phones like a debt collector. It’s not efficiency, it’s desperation dressed up as strategy. And while the boardroom applauds the payroll savings, the cracks are already forming under the surface. The Business Point Why It Happens Cost pressures: Companies see payroll as the biggest expense to trim. AI … Continue readingThe Hidden Cost of Wearing Too Many Hats – Multi-Role Personnel

The Fed – Neither Federal, Nor Reserve, Nor a Bank –

When I was a boy, I thought the “Federal Reserve Bank” was a mighty vault buried under Washington, full of gold coins guarded by men in uniforms. Later I learned it was neither federal, nor much of a reserve, nor a bank in the way you or I know a bank. It was more like a magician’s hat: call it whatever you like, and the trick still works. The name was chosen the way a snake oil salesman chooses a label — not to tell the truth, but to sell the bottle. So what would be a better name? … Continue readingThe Fed – Neither Federal, Nor Reserve, Nor a Bank –

Why Your Ears Burn When You Do Taxes

A friend of mine is studying to be an accountant. I found her yesterday pulling her hair out, tangled up in the United States tax system. She asked me for help, so I said, “It’s easy, I’ve been doing taxes for decades.” But the moment I began explaining, I realized this wasn’t going to be a quick lesson—it was going to be a whole sermon. Ten minutes later, I could practically see smoke curling out of her ears. She finally asked the question every sane person asks: “Why is all this necessary?” And I gave her the truth: It … Continue readingWhy Your Ears Burn When You Do Taxes

Against the Wind: Starting a Business with Little or No Money – but Worth it!

Starting a business is like setting out to sea in a rowboat — some folks won’t leave shore because they fear the waves, and others insist on bringing a deck chair and a waiter before they’ll dip an oar. The truth is, the most seaworthy captains I’ve met didn’t wait for the tide to be perfect or the ship to be grand. They shoved off with nothing but a leaky boat, a patched sail, and more grit than sense — and they made it work because quitting would’ve been more painful than rowing.” The folks who make it are … Continue readingAgainst the Wind: Starting a Business with Little or No Money – but Worth it!

AI Is Here. Are You Ready, or Will You Be Left Behind?

AI Is Here! Billions of dollars are flooding into artificial intelligence right now. The pace of AI development is staggering, and like every technological revolution before it, there will be clear winners — and painful losers. The truth? We may be in an AI bubble. Not every company throwing money at AI will survive. Think 1999 internet boom — for every Google, there was a pets.com. But the winners? They’re going to define the next era of business. Here’s the thing: AI will absolutely transform the economy — it just won’t happen all at once. It takes time for … Continue readingAI Is Here. Are You Ready, or Will You Be Left Behind?

The Art of the Fake Deal

Everybody lies. — Dr. House — TV Show “HOUSE” When I was young and a little too eager for my own good, I’d wander into open houses like a stray dog looking for a new home. I’d find a place I liked, talk to the real estate agent, and—like clockwork—they’d hit me with the line: “We’ve already got a full-price offer,” or “Someone’s coming in this afternoon with a cash bid, so if you’re serious, you’d better come in strong.” And like a fool with a checkbook and a dream, I believed them. I didn’t know then what I … Continue readingThe Art of the Fake Deal

Chasing Unicorns: The Myth, the Magic, and the Mindset

Now, I ain’t one to go chasing fairy tales—unless, of course, they’re prancing around with a horn on their head and a billion-dollar valuation on their back. These days, folks don’t dream of white picket fences or a good retirement plan. No sir, they’re out hunting unicorns. In love, in business, in life—everybody wants the rare, the perfect, the impossible. Trouble is, most wouldn’t recognize one if it danced a jig on their front lawn. And if they did, they’d probably try to monetize it, date it, or put it on LinkedIn. So here’s the rub: chasing unicorns might … Continue readingChasing Unicorns: The Myth, the Magic, and the Mindset

One Cut and You’re Done: The Brutal Truth About Business

Now, I’ve always said that the biggest lies in life wear the prettiest costumes—especially when they’re wearing a three-piece suit or swinging a sword on a green screen. If you learn about battle from the movies, you’ll think sword fights are slow dances and business is a TED Talk with espresso shots. But the real thing? It don’t come with background music or applause. It comes fast, sharp, and without warning—like a drunk rooster with a grudge. And yet here we are, strutting into boardrooms and startups like we’re auditioning for a movie instead of stepping into a duel. … Continue readingOne Cut and You’re Done: The Brutal Truth About Business

The Truth About Software: The Asset Nobody Wants You to Own

I’m going to tell you a story of technology that no one wants to tell you. It’s the story of software as an asset. You see, somewhere along the way—while we were all gawking at shiny apps and clicking “I agree” faster than we read cereal boxes—we forgot something important: software isn’t just a tool. It’s not just “there” like air or free Wi-Fi. It’s capital. Real capital. Once upon a time, assets meant land, gold, or steel. Tangible things. But today, the most powerful companies in the world—Amazon, Google, Microsoft—don’t own oil fields. They own code. Software is … Continue readingThe Truth About Software: The Asset Nobody Wants You to Own

The Future Is Coming Fast— And Ray Dalio Says These Are the 5 Forces Steering It

When you’ve got engine trouble, you don’t call a plumber—you call a mechanic, and hopefully one who knows their way around an engine block. Likewise, if your pipes are leaking, you don’t ask your car guy—unless he was a plumber in a past life. Same goes for the economy. If you want to know where it’s headed, don’t just listen to some guy you met online—not even me. You gather different sources, dig into the facts, and then decide who you trust. It doesn’t matter if you like them or not. Truth doesn’t care about feelings. Let me tell … Continue readingThe Future Is Coming Fast— And Ray Dalio Says These Are the 5 Forces Steering It

Trump’s Tariff Power Play: The Deal of the Century or NOT!

THE GOOD: Donald Trump just Shook the world—and the tariff plan is not what you think. Understanding the Tariffs I love these tariffs, but no one seems to understand them. To understand what Trump is doing, you just need to read The Art of the Deal. It’s all spelled out in there. So what is he doing? What’s this tariff plan really? It’s a bluff—but also, it’s not. Let’s go over the basics quickly. A tariff is simply a tax on imported goods, usually to persuade people to buy domestic alternatives. For instance, Japan has a 778% tariff on … Continue readingTrump’s Tariff Power Play: The Deal of the Century or NOT!

The Soda That Sank a Fleet – A True Story of Cola, Cold War, and Corporate Chess

Now, I’ve seen some peculiar things in my day—nothing—quite prepares you for the tale of the soda pop company that damn near became a superpower. You see, back in the days when men with thick mustaches argued about nukes and nations played chicken with missiles, Pepsi decided it was thirsty for more than market share. It wanted the Soviet Union. And somehow—through vodka, backroom handshakes, and more audacity than sense—it got it. This ain’t fiction, folks. This is a true history. Goggle it if you still know how. The kind so strange it must be true And so it … Continue readingThe Soda That Sank a Fleet – A True Story of Cola, Cold War, and Corporate Chess

Beyond Small Talk: How to Have Conversations That Expand the Soul

You ever notice how people can talk for hours without saying a darn thing? It’s a real talent, like juggling but with words that don’t mean much. We spend half our lives discussing the weather like we’re all amateur meteorologists and the other half asking questions we don’t really care to hear the answers to. “How’s work?” “Busy.” “How about you?” “Busy too.” Well, ain’t that a revelation! Now, I ain’t saying we should start every conversation by debating the meaning of life or confessing our deepest fears to the cashier at the grocery store. But somewhere between “Nice … Continue readingBeyond Small Talk: How to Have Conversations That Expand the Soul

Your Own Business – The American Dream – and TAXES

As I lean back in me chair, and tell you that the only things certain in life are death, taxes, and the never-ending itch of a man wanting to be his own boss, most people know what I am going to tell you but will never do anything about it. The land of opportunity has always been fertile ground for the ambitious, the risk-takers, and the downright stubborn. No one ever got rich working for someone else—well, except maybe in Silicon Valley, but we’ll get to that later. It’s the great American Dream, after all. Many dream of owning … Continue readingYour Own Business – The American Dream – and TAXES

STOP WASTING TIME – MAKE A MONEY MACHINE INSTEAD

Picture yourself knee-deep in a drawer full of mismatched screws—some stripped, some rusty, none fit for the job. That’s your business, your inbox, your day: turning chaos into productivity. With equal parts wit and wisdom, this post offers a remedy—not a sermon—on how to stop spinning your wheels and build a real, dependable “Money Machine.” Think of it as less longing for overnight magic and more about rolling up your sleeves, tidying up your systems, and letting smart routines do the heavy lifting. So here’s the plain truth: time’s the only thing you’ll never get more of. Quit sowing … Continue readingSTOP WASTING TIME – MAKE A MONEY MACHINE INSTEAD

The Unforgiving Table: A Masterclass in Negotiation and the Hard Lessons of Power

If there’s one thing folks ought to learn before they sit down at a table with their so-called enemies, it’s this: The truth’s got nothing to do with it. What matters is who’s holding the bigger stick and how tired their arm is from holding it. Negotiation’s not some Sunday school lesson on right and wrong. It’s a poker game with blood in the pot. The man who thinks his righteousness will carry the day will lose to the man who knows exactly how much of his own skin he’s willing to sell off to walk away breathing. The … Continue readingThe Unforgiving Table: A Masterclass in Negotiation and the Hard Lessons of Power

How to be Reluctant Entrepreneur

“The secret of getting ahead is getting started.” But what if you don’t know where to start? You’re staring into the great unknown, searching for a business idea like a prospector panning for gold—sifting through dirt, hoping to strike something shiny. The world is full of opportunities, yet none seem to land squarely in your lap. Maybe you’ve convinced yourself that all the good ideas are taken, or that you need some divine revelation to begin. But let me tell you a secret: the best entrepreneurs don’t wait for inspiration to strike like a bolt of lightning. They roll … Continue readingHow to be Reluctant Entrepreneur

A Culture of Bad Leadership

Imagine a ship’s captain so obsessed with adjusting the sails himself that he never looks at the horizon. The crew? They spend more time bracing for his outbursts than steering the vessel. That, my friends, is bad leadership in a nutshell. A company with poor leadership isn’t just inefficient—it’s a slow-moving disaster, eroding morale and productivity one micromanaged email at a time. If you want to spot a workplace where the bosses are more interested in covering their own hides than leading, look for these five toxic signs. Just don’t be surprised if you recognize them in a place … Continue readingA Culture of Bad Leadership

How to Use AI to Plan Your Business or Side Gig

  In an age where the horse has been replaced by the automobile, the candle by the electric bulb, and the humble town gossip by the Internet, it is only fitting that the entrepreneurial spirit should find its latest muse in artificial intelligence. Once, a man might have stood on the riverbanks and dreamed of piloting a mighty steamboat. Today, he sits before a glowing screen, fingers poised over a keyboard, pondering the launch of his grand enterprise. If you, dear reader, have ever found yourself in such a predicament—stricken by ambition yet stymied by uncertainty—allow me to introduce … Continue readingHow to Use AI to Plan Your Business or Side Gig

No One is a Prophet in Their Own Town: Why Leaving Can Be the Key to Growth

There’s an age-old saying that “No one is a prophet in their own hometown,” meaning people who know your humble beginnings often struggle to see beyond them. Trust me, I’ve roamed from bustling companies to one-horse towns, and if there’s one inescapable conclusion, it’s this: folks aren’t too keen on genius that grows up in their own backyard. It’s a bit like trying to sell a brand-new lens to people who’ve spent decades squinting at the sun—you’re apt to be greeted with more suspicion than applause. Why, you could be the brightest luminary from here to the Big Apple, … Continue readingNo One is a Prophet in Their Own Town: Why Leaving Can Be the Key to Growth

How to be a Prince by Machiavelli

Well now, folks, it seems the world hasn’t changed much since old Machiavelli took up his pen and started handing out advice on power and persuasion. People still want respect, still fear getting taken for a fool, and still hesitate when it’s time to take a leap toward something grand. But, as the saying goes, fortune favors the bold—so why not learn from a man who understood just how to wrestle fortune into submission? Now, I won’t pretend Machiavelli’s words are gentle, nor will I say he’d be invited to Sunday dinner in polite company. But if you can … Continue readingHow to be a Prince by Machiavelli

AI – the JOB DOZER

Ladies and gentlemen, gather around and lend an ear to a most peculiar spectacle of our era: artificial intelligence—an invention so cunningly contrived. It’s cutting a trail through offices and courtrooms faster than a runaway stagecoach, rustling up jobs and redistributing them like poker chips at a floating  card table. AI is going for your business. There are businesses that are going to be made obsolete or substantially hampered by AI. It’s not going to be the plumber or the waitress, but it might be the lawyer or definitely a reduction in staff and diagnostics in the hospital or … Continue readingAI – the JOB DOZER

The Dark Side of Job Hunting

If I were a criminal and wanted to steal your identity, your financial information, and basically your entire life, I wouldn’t hack into your accounts—I’d make you hand everything over willingly. And the easiest way to do that? A fake job website. Here’s how it works: I’d send you an email saying my company is hiring people just like you. You’d click the link to my website, which looks professional and legitimate. You’d register, upload your resume, and create a username and password. But here’s the thing—most people use the same password for everything, including their email. If you … Continue readingThe Dark Side of Job Hunting

Alliances, Allies, Allies and more damn Allies – the Illusion of Loyalty

The Game of Business: Allies, Enemies, and the Illusion of Loyalty You see, a man in business is a lot like a politician and a guy crossing the Amazon in a canoe. He knows the rocks are there, he knows the current is strong, and he expects the occasional alligator to take a snap at him. That’s the competition—the honest, respectable danger. The problem is, more often than not, the real trouble doesn’t come from the water. It comes from the fella sitting right next to him on the raft, smiling, sharing his whiskey, all while whittling away at … Continue readingAlliances, Allies, Allies and more damn Allies – the Illusion of Loyalty

Cross-Training: Building Resiliency and Agility

In the submarine service, the concept of everyone being required to learn and perform all emergency procedures is rooted in the unique and high-stakes environment of operating underwater. Unlike surface ships or other military units, a submarine operates in an environment where a single failure or misstep can have catastrophic consequences. This is why every crew member, regardless of their specific job or rank, is trained to handle all potential emergency scenarios because fire and sinking submarines don’t care about rank or seniority. Imagine running a business where only one person knows how to process payroll, fix the network, … Continue readingCross-Training: Building Resiliency and Agility

P/E Ratios: The Good, The Bad, and The Downright Ugly – How to Spot a Smart Lemonade Stand

Now, let me tell you about something called the P/E Ratio, which folks on Wall Street act like is the gospel truth for picking stocks, though it ain’t quite that simple but a good starting point.. What in Tarnation is a P/E Ratio? Picture this: You got a lemonade stand, and each cup you sell makes you a dollar in profit. Now, imagine someone wants to buy a share in your stand—meaning they want a piece of your lemonade fortune. If they offer you 10 bucks for every dollar your stand earns each year, your Price-to-Earnings (P/E) Ratio would … Continue readingP/E Ratios: The Good, The Bad, and The Downright Ugly – How to Spot a Smart Lemonade Stand

The Art of the Deal – Not Trump

This isn’t about Donald Trump as a president, a nice guy, or someone you’d want as a friend. He might be the worlds best bull crap tosser. It’s about his raw, ruthless ability to negotiate and get what he wants. He knows how to get under people’s skin, push their buttons, and exploit their vulnerabilities. You don’t want to be on the other side of a negotiating table with him. Most of the techniques he uses, I wouldn’t—but if my life depended on it, if I needed someone to negotiate me out of a dire situation, I’d call him … Continue readingThe Art of the Deal – Not Trump

Life, Investing, and Baseball: Winning by Avoiding Mistakes

It’s a curious thing, this life we lead—whether you’re swinging a bat, building a fortune, or building a family, the rules don’t change much. You can aim for glory with a mighty swing or chip away patiently with smaller steps. Either way, you’ll get where you’re going. But the real trouble comes when you fumble the ball—when you make mistakes that let the other fellow, or life itself, get the better of you. You see, success isn’t just about hitting the mark. It’s about not missing it altogether. Investing, for instance, is a lot like baseball. You can try … Continue readingLife, Investing, and Baseball: Winning by Avoiding Mistakes

Why the World still Studies Sun Tzu

Introduction: Why the World Studies Sun Tzu he Art of War is a guide written by Sun Tzu, a master strategist and philosopher who walked the path of wisdom during China’s Warring States period. His teachings arose not merely from the need to triumph in battle but from an understanding that true mastery lies in outmaneuvering conflict altogether. Sun Tzu was not merely a general; he was a student of human nature. Through his writings, he offered more than strategies for warfare—he revealed principles for navigating the complexities of life itself. The Art of War is not a book … Continue readingWhy the World still Studies Sun Tzu

Rise Above: Defy Acceptable Decline

We will not go quietly into the night. We will not stand by and watch as the world around us settles for mediocrity, for decline, or for defeat. We will fight for a better world—a world where our families can thrive, where businesses flourish with bold ideas, and where governments serve the people with integrity and strength. This is not a fight for just survival; it is a fight to create something greater, something lasting—a fight to lead, to innovate, and to win. -YNOT! 2025 Life has a peculiar way of testing our resolve. It doesn’t send you a … Continue readingRise Above: Defy Acceptable Decline

Authenticity: Finding Your Voice in a Noisy World

They say finding your authentic voice is like finding a needle in a haystack—except the needle is moving, and so is the haystack. Life, after all, is a noisy affair, full of people hollering advice at you like it’s a national pastime. But here’s the secret: your voice isn’t hiding; it’s just waiting for you to stop pretending to be someone else long enough to listen to it.  The saying goes, “The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find your voice.” The following tips will help you uncover … Continue readingAuthenticity: Finding Your Voice in a Noisy World

The Honest Machinery of Business

The job of every person in a casino, without a doubt, is to separate you from your money. Same thing happens in the stock market. The whole point of the stock market is not to make you money, but so that you lose so somebody else can make money, and that the intermediaries make their commissions and their spreads. Now, let’s be plain about it—there ain’t no charity in the gears of industry, no soft-hearted saint behind the corporate curtain. A company,  at its core, the purpose of a company is to generate profit. Every department, from sales to … Continue readingThe Honest Machinery of Business