I’ve been thinking about the best half dozen business people I know. These are people who will never share their success secrets on LinkedIn, or appear in the business media.

They just run successful, fast-growing, absurdly profitable businesses with motivated staff who rarely leave.

And run rings around most of their competitors.

I’ve realised the one thing they all have in common.

I'm a big fan of being supportive with suppliers. It's good for your business. But sometimes they cross the line.

This week, we look at the signs that it's time to bring the hammer down and find new suppliers.

AirBNB doesn't have to be any sort of competitor to you.

But bit by bit, it can strangle your business.

Here's how, and how to avoid them getting you.

Are you in management? There's management, then there's Capital-M management.
Capital-M managers are super-annoying to your staff and clients.
You haven't read about them in Harvard Business Review yet but stay ahead of the curve with this week's story.

Here's the Chesterton's Fence story I refer to

There’s a cliched view of charm and persuasiveness as being ‘silver-tongued’. It is the opposite of that.

Charm is mostly shutting up, listening and observing.

And you'll be much more charming if you don't use two words that people love to use, thinking they're helping.

This week, a deep dive on those two words.

I’m not a literal grandparent, but I like the sound of those moments grandparents speak of. Having a great time with the grandkids without being responsible for every damn detail of their lives 24/7.

That’s where our business is at now, metaphorically, and it is a sweet feeling.

Sure you're making no money under massive stress but also those early years of your business are great.

Don't forget to enjoy it.

Beware of advice from tool guys. Too much focus on the tools leads to disrespect of other, softer skills that you need to beat your competitors.

This week: why AI art is trash, an explanation for Facebook's diabolical emojis, and why a good business plan is art.

The links you need:

The crypto-bro who got Chat-GPT to set up a business and how that's going

Tom Goodwin's newsletter

Kelly Slater surfs a coffee table

Stephen Seagal guitar solo

This week, fascinating client research on why people win and lose sales in the B2B world. The reason every salesperson gives as an excuse? That one doesn't even make the top 10.

Warning: includes the worst tender horror story I've ever heard. If I'd done this, I would have just moved to a hut in the forest for the rest of my life. Welcome to the Fuck-Up Hall Of Fame.

This week, one of the most awful conversations I've ever had to have with a business partner.

And the conversations you should have with your dad, seeing as it's Fathers Day on Sunday, at least where I live.