Mike asks: "We've used our own cash reserves for deals, but we're contemplating using other people's money—not because we need it, but to deploy our capital elsewhere. We've been debt-averse but see value in this if done correctly. How would you view this?"

In this episode, Scott breaks down the decision using the Investor Priority Pyramid, explains why capital is foundational (use it first), when debt makes sense (only when levered and proven), and shares a cautionary tale about six-figure credit card bills that worked—until revenue shifted. You'll learn why debt is fine until it's not, and why you should never take on debt without a proven model.

The bottom line: Use your capital first. Take debt only when you KNOW it returns more than it costs.

Got a business question? Ask Scott here: https://scotttodd.net/ask

Brett asks: "I've been focusing on lower dollar properties, but I'm hearing I should go after higher priced ones. Lower price sells constantly but requires nonstop marketing. Premium sounds great but feels risky. How do you decide which model builds sustainability versus just keeps you busy?"

In this episode, Scott calls out Brett's real problem (the word "hustling" reveals he has no team), explains why strategy is about what you WON'T do, and shares examples of business owners who built for lifestyle instead of peer pressure. You'll learn the difference between having a business and having a job, why Southwest Airlines lost its edge by abandoning its strategy, and why the low-vs-high question answers itself once you define the lifestyle you want.

The bottom line: The answer isn't low dollar vs. high dollar. The answer is: what lifestyle do you want, and do you have people to support it?

Got a business question? Ask Scott here: https://scotttodd.net/ask

Stephanie asks: "I've got my website up. I'm posting on social media. I even run some ads, but my phone barely rings. I average about eight calls a month, and only one or two are actual buyers. It feels like I'm shouting into the void. Help."

In this episode, Scott diagnoses Stephanie's real problem (she hasn't found her people yet), breaks down the three stages of awareness (marketing to everyone, tapping a market, finding YOUR market), and shares the restaurant story that proves same location + different approach = completely different results. You'll learn how to use AI to compare your winning ads vs. your losers, why children are the best negotiators on the planet (hint: they study their subject obsessively), and why becoming a student of your audience is the only way out of the visibility trap.

The bottom line: You're not shouting into the void—you're shouting at the wrong people. Find your people, learn their language, and watch your phone start ringing.

Got a business question? Ask Scott here: https://scotttodd.net/ask

Marcus asks: "My business is good right now. Maybe too good. I've got more deal flow than I can handle. I talked to a guy last Tuesday and still haven't followed up. I know I'm losing business, but I can't just ignore new leads either. I feel like I'm playing whack-a-mole and losing. How do I get ahead without hiring someone I can't afford yet?"

In this episode, Scott calls out Marcus's false narrative ("I can't afford to hire" is an excuse, not a fact), reveals the two reasons you hire (capability vs. capacity), and challenges Marcus to flip the question from "I can't afford this" to "How CAN I afford this?" You'll learn the Uber model for hiring (pay for finished products, not hours), discover the real reason Marcus is stuck (control issues and fear of letting go), and understand why every time Scott hires someone—even when scared—the business grows.

The bottom line: You're not stuck because you can't afford help. You're stuck because you're afraid to let go. Name the fear, hire smart, get out of the way, and let magic happen.

Got a business question? Ask Scott here: scotttodd.net/ask

Maya asks: "The market I work in is doing well, but my peers are making more sales in other areas. I want to grow fast, but I worry I'll stretch my team too thin and screw up what's already working. My peers talk about scaling like it's the goal. But is there real value in going deeper where you're already winning? How do you know when expansion is smart versus just a distraction?"

In this episode, Scott reveals the critical difference between a working system (functions in one place) and a scalable system (proven in multiple markets), shares his own expansion failure story (opening a second location that required a completely custom playbook), and gives Maya permission to ignore peer pressure and go deep instead of wide. You'll learn how to test if your playbook is truly scalable, when to use separate teams for new markets, and why building for your desired lifestyle beats chasing peers' growth metrics.

The bottom line: Go deep before you go wide. Extract every bit of gold from your current market before chasing the next one. And if scaling isn't in your heart, don't let peer pressure force you into it.

Got a business question? Ask Scott here: https://scotttodd.net/ask

Jordan asks: "I've built a small investment team, but everything still runs through me. Pricing, customer service, weekly emails—they all find their way back to me. I thought hiring would give me leverage, but instead it feels like I just created more people waiting on my decision. I don't want to lose control, but I also don't want to be the reason the company stalls. How do you design a business where people can act confidently without asking permission?"

In this episode, Scott calls Jordan out on the real problem ("I don't want to lose control"—your team feels that mindset), reveals the three-part delegation framework (train what winning looks like, teach how to think, empower to act), and shares his own refund policy story about letting go of control. You'll learn the one question that reveals bottlenecks ("What's preventing you from doing this without me?") and understand why the business only grows to the leader's capacity—meaning if you're the bottleneck, that's your ceiling.

The bottom line: Train outcomes, not steps. Teach thinking, not tasks. Empower action, not permission-seeking. Then get out of the way and watch what happens.

Got a business question? Ask Scott here: https://scotttodd.net/ask

Alex asks: "I'm getting leads, but it only works if I'm constantly chasing people. If I take my foot off the gas for even a few days, everything slows down. I didn't start this business to live inside my inbox. How do you build a follow-up system that doesn't feel cold or robotic, but also doesn't require me to personally remember every conversation?"

In this episode, Scott reveals why Alex's real problem isn't follow-up automation—it's that he's still the salesperson and the business bottleneck. You'll learn the Braided River system for combining humans and automation (humans for active leads, automation for dead leads, humans again when they raise their hand), hear Scott's sports team consulting story about fixing low contact rates, and understand why the business will only grow to Alex's capabilities as long as he's stuck in the inbox.

The bottom line: Build the system. Get yourself out of it. The braided river works—but only if you're not the one personally doing all the rowing.

Got a business question? Ask Scott here: scotttodd.net/ask

Jessica asks: "I've been hovering around $10,000 a month for a very long time now, and it's starting to mess with my head. Every month I tell myself, this is the month it finally moves. And then I look at the numbers and it's basically the same again. I'm working all the time. If I step back even a little, things slow down. If I stay fully involved, we hit $10,000 again. Is this the upper limit of my business?"

In this episode, Scott reveals why revenue plateaus aren't ceilings—they're capacity constraints in your systems, how to use the "weakest link" framework to diagnose where you're stuck, and why adding more people or leads is the wrong answer. You'll hear Scott's own bottleneck discovery (26% more website traffic but zero lead growth), learn how to walk through your business step-by-step to find constraints, and understand why doing more with what you have beats adding more resources every time.

The bottom line: Your business isn't at its ceiling. Your systems are. Find the bottleneck, remove it, watch revenue flow to the next constraint, then repeat. That's plateau busting mode.

Got a business question? Ask Scott here: https://scotttodd.net/ask

David asks: "I started my business 11 months ago and it's still losing money. I'm sure it's just the startup stage—my sales haven't caught up to my expenses yet. I feel like I just need more sales, but I'm bleeding cash. I think I'm lean. You'll tell me to cut expenses, but I don't want to cut marketing, VAs, or technology. If I cut those, I've wasted my time."

In this episode, Scott reveals why "I just need more sales" is rarely the right answer when you're bleeding cash, how to distinguish between investments (marketing that returns multiples) and expenses (overhead that doesn't), and why protecting sunk costs will kill your business faster than cutting them. You'll hear Scott's own lean startup story about managing leads with index cards, learn how to think about VAs correctly (per-task, not per-month), and face the stark choice every bootstrap founder must make: lose your time investment or lose your business.

The bottom line: Cut expenses now. Protect the dream, not the automations. You can always rebuild systems—you can't rebuild a dead business.

Got a business question? Ask Scott here: scotttodd.net/ask

In this episode of Fix My Business, Scott Todd tackles a fear that keeps many business owners stuck in the "messy middle": the fear of raising prices. Responding to a question from Robert, a landlord with 12 units who is terrified to increase rent for long-term tenants, Scott reveals why "playing nice" with your pricing is actually a recipe for business failure and a disservice to the very customers you’re trying to protect.

1. The Margin Hell Trap: Why stagnant pricing leads to unhealthy margins that prevent you from reinvesting in your business.
2. The "Injustice" of Low Prices: How failing to raise rates leads to deferred maintenance and a lower quality of service (or living) for your clients.
3. The Market Shock Factor: Why small, incremental increases are actually kinder to customers than waiting years and hitting them with a massive "catch-up" hike.
4. Universal Application: Why this isn't just for real estate—it applies to car detailing, lawn care, land investing, and professional services.

1. [00:00] – The Question: "I'm terrified to raise rents because I don't want my tenants to leave."
2. [01:15] – Why every customer/tenant is replaceable and the danger of "Margin Hell."
3. [02:30] – The hidden cost of "below market" rates: Deferred maintenance and crumbling assets.
4. [03:45] – The Research: 4,800 listings that prove landlords are leaving money on the table.
5. [04:30] – Why the next owner of your business will raise rates instantly (and why you should do it first).
6. [05:50] – Final Advice: Don't be "super nice"—be a professional business owner.

1. Book: Fix This Next for Real Estate Investors by Scott Todd.
2. Submit Your Question: ScottTodd.net/ask

"You’re not doing them any justice by protecting them. Keep moving your feet." — Scott Todd