At 19, I was earning $200 an hour running a business with my dad. I thought I’d made it. Then the economy shifted, and it all disappeared overnight.

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I didn’t understand why it worked in the first place, so I couldn’t repeat it. That failure was painful—but it shaped everything I do today. It forced me to study what makes businesses successful at their core and how to create systems that scale.

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Here’s what I learned.

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A Framework for 2025

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As we step into the new year, I want to share a framework for success that’s been forged in the trenches of both failure and growth. It’s built on lessons I’ve learned through decades of experience—lessons you can use to make 2025 your most successful year yet.

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Lesson 1: Overcoming Failure Through Systems

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At 19, losing that $200/hour business was devastating. But it taught me a critical truth: success isn’t about luck or timing. It’s about creating repeatable, sustainable systems rooted in fundamental principles—value creation, marketing, and execution.

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Action Step: Identify one area of your business where you’re relying on tactics instead of principles. Design a system that works even when external factors change.

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Lesson 2: Mastering Fundamentals

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When I ran my ad agency, we specialized in Facebook and Google Ads. These platforms change constantly, and many advertisers get wiped out when the rules shift. But I focused on timeless principles of human behavior and psychology—not hacks or features.

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One Black Friday, while others struggled with new updates, we spent a little over $2,000 to make $40,000.

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Action Step: Review your marketing efforts. Are you optimizing for platform features or for the psychology of your customers? Shift to the latter.

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Lesson 3: Learning Through Feedback

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One of my agency clients once said, “Your remarketing campaigns aren’t as strong as they could be.” I felt frustrated and defensive at first, but I stepped back and realized they were right. That feedback led to a breakthrough in my advertising system—what I now call the “engine” of my marketing flywheel.

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Action Step: Actively seek feedback from clients, customers, or peers. Identify one area where you could improve and take action on it this week.

Lesson 4: The Cost of Distraction

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When I first got into business acquisition, I spread myself too thin. I thought having multiple companies would insulate me from risk, but the opposite happened. Problems arose simultaneously, forcing me to fight fires in every direction.

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I realized it was better to own a few great companies than many mediocre ones. Less is more.

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Action Step: Audit your commitments. What can you eliminate, delegate, or deprioritize to focus on what truly matters?

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Lesson 5: Automation for Freedom

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At one point, I oversaw over 50 employees across multiple companies. We ran a time audit and automated every task we could, saving tens of thousands of dollars and making operations more efficient.

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Years later, I personally experienced the power of automation after a severe concussion left me unable to work. I focused on automating critical tasks, freeing up mental energy to recover while still achieving results.

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Action Step: Identify one repetitive task in your business or personal life. Research tools or systems to automate it this week.

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Make 2025 Your Year

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These lessons didn’t come easy—but they’re why I’ve been able to rebuild, scale, and thrive. As you head into 2025, ask yourself:

• Which of these principles could change everything for me?
• How can I start applying them today?

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Choose one. Start there.

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2025 won’t be won by doing more. It’ll be won by doing better—by focusing on what truly matters and committing to first principles. Let’s make it your best year yet.

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