Whatever It Takes - Jeremy Ames
Would you drive for Uber to save your business?| Jeremy Ames
Starting a business can feel overwhelming. With so many decisions, tasks, and unknowns, it’s no wonder aspiring entrepreneurs often say they’ll start a business “in three to five years.” It’s a safe timeline – far enough away that there’s no immediate action required, but close enough to keep the dream alive. But here’s the truth: the […]| Jeremy Ames
Buying a business for someone else is a mistake I won’t make again. If you’re the one driving the process, you’ll be the one driving the business. I learned this the hard way. We once bought a business, thinking a family member could run it. She absolutely could have, but she didn’t want to, and […]| Jeremy Ames
Most business owners make their financial plan backward. That’s why they struggle to stay profitable. They plan expenses first and then scramble to earn enough to cover them. That’s what happened to Duncan and Rachel Richardson. They built a thriving business, but tax season hit like a gut punch every year. They’d get a massive […]| Jeremy Ames
The best validation for your business idea isn’t a plan, a bank loan, or an investor check. It’s this: One paying customer. Levi Roots didn’t start with a pitch deck. He started with a folding table at a street festival. He sold his homemade hot sauce one bottle at a time. He got real feedback. […]| Jeremy Ames
Kevin Clarke thought the brand was the biggest advantage of the franchise he was buying. He was wrong. When he purchased his sporting goods franchise, he expected the franchisor to guide him through the challenges ahead. But the corporate playbook had no easy answers when sales started sliding and inventory piled up. So, he made […]| Jeremy Ames
The biggest risk in buying a brick-and-mortar business might not be the business itself. I had a heart-wrenching conversation with one of the most thoughtful business searchers I’ve met. Russ Broome planned his business purchase meticulously: Then, he bought the oldest bottle house in the Raleigh area where he lived. Two months later, his landlord […]| Jeremy Ames
Three failed businesses. Hundreds of thousands lost. James Kellas should have quit. That’s what most people would have told him. Cut your losses. Play it safe. Get a job. But he didn’t. James always wanted to own a business. He tried tech startups. They both flopped because he wasn’t great at sales. He bought a […]| Jeremy Ames
Before you quit your job to start your own business, consider this: Your first customer might already be paying you. Ken Brown had been running a handyman business on the side. It started as extra income, but it became overwhelming. Working two full-time jobs wasn’t sustainable, so he gave his notice. Then his boss surprised […]| Jeremy Ames
Pressure is a privilege. Billie Jean King told Lindsay Davenport that before the 2000 Fed Cup final with victory for the US team on the line. King’s advice wasn’t a pep talk. It was a reminder from someone who had faced far greater stakes. In 1973, King stepped onto the court for the “Battle of […]| Jeremy Ames
