Cory Blumenfeld

Here’s how to deal with difficult clients gracefully:

1️⃣ Stay Calm

Your reaction sets the tone.

⇢ Don’t match their energy
⇢ Don’t argue over emotion
⇢ Breathe, listen, and respond... not react

You can’t control how clients behave, but you can control how you show up.
Calm always wins.

2️⃣ Listen First

Even when they’re wrong, let them talk.

⇢ Most people just want to feel heard
⇢ Ask questions before defending yourself
⇢ Repeat back what they said to show you understand

Half of tension disappears when people feel acknowledged.

3️⃣ Set Boundaries

Grace doesn’t mean being a doormat.

⇢ Be firm about scope, timelines, and tone
⇢ Move convos out of DMs into official channels
⇢ Document everything

Respect starts when you make it clear what’s okay and what’s not.

4️⃣ Focus on Solutions

Don’t get stuck on who’s right.

⇢ Offer 2–3 options to move forward
⇢ Keep it simple and factual
⇢ Use “we” instead of “you” or “me”

Solutions end arguments faster than explanations ever will.

5️⃣ Know When to Walk Away

Some clients won’t change... and that’s okay.

⇢ End things politely and professionally
⇢ Protect your team’s energy
⇢ Leave doors open, not bridges burned

Not every client is worth the stress. Sometimes grace means letting go.

When clients see you handle tough moments calmly and clearly,
they start trusting you even more.
That’s what real professionalism looks like.

👊

What’s your approach to setting expectations with clients? 💬👇

---

♻️ Repost to help someone struggling with a tough client today.

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I’m on a mission to inspire 1M everyday people to start their own business and find their voice in the process.

Don't commit if you're not actually committed.
Seriously.

Your fake "yes" is worse than an honest "no"...
And everyone can see right through it.

⇢ You damage trust that takes years to rebuild
⇢ You overpromise knowing you can't deliver
⇢ You string people along with false hope
⇢ You waste everyone's time and energy

Here's what nobody wants to admit:

Half-committed people don't just fail quietly.
They create chaos for everyone counting on them.

⇢ Someone else has to deliver the bad news.
⇢ Someone else has to pick up the slack for you.
⇢ Someone else has to scramble to find your replacement.

And it's usually the people who believed in you.

So if you're not ready to follow through...
Just say no upfront.

The rest of us can plan accordingly.

But if you ARE ready to commit for real?

1️⃣ Be honest about your capacity
↳ Know your limits before you make promises.

2️⃣ Count the real cost
↳ Time. Energy. Other opportunities you'll miss.

3️⃣ Set realistic expectations upfront
↳ Better to underpromise than create false hope.

4️⃣ Communicate early if things change
↳ Life happens. Just don't leave people hanging.

5️⃣ Ask for help when you need it
↳ Smart people know when to raise their hand.

6️⃣ Own your decisions completely
↳ No excuses. No blame. Just accountability.

7️⃣ Show up consistently
↳ Small actions over time beat grand gestures that fizzle.

Your word is your currency.
Don't spend it carelessly.

👊

What's your take? Is it better to under-promise and over-deliver? 💬👇

---

♻️ Repost if you believe your word should mean something.

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15 Things Top Performers Do That Average Employees Don't.

Most people think success is about talent.

It's actually about daily habits.

Here's what separates the best from the rest:

1/ They show up early and stay focused.
↳ While others scroll their phones, they're already deep in work mode.

2/ They ask questions when they don't understand.
↳ Ego doesn't get in the way of learning.

3/ They volunteer for the hard projects.
↳ Everyone else runs from difficulty... they run toward it.

4/ They update their skills constantly.
↳ What got you here won't get you there.

5/ They network before they need to.
↳ Relationships aren't built when you're desperate.

6/ They document everything important.
↳ Good memory beats no memory but written records beat everything.

7/ They give credit and take responsibility.
↳ They lift others up when things go right and own it when things go wrong.

8/ They prepare obsessively for meetings.
↳ Average people wing it... top performers come ready.

9/ They follow up w/o being asked.
↳ Proactive beats reactive every single time.

10/ They say no to protect their priorities.
↳ Busy doesn't equal productive.

11/ They invest in their workspace and tools.
↳ Your environment shapes your performance.

12/ They track their wins and losses.
↳ You can't improve what you don't measure.

13/ They help others succeed.
↳ Rising tides lift all boats.

14/ They take breaks before they burn out.
↳ Rest is part of performance, not the enemy of it.

15/ They think like owners, not employees.
↳ They care about outcomes, not just paychecks.

The difference isn't talent.

It's intention.

👊

Which one are you going to start doing this week? 💬👇

---

♻️ Repost if you think small habits create big results.

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I’m on a mission to inspire 1M everyday people to start their own business and find their voice in the process.Z

Stop wasting my time.
If you schedule a meeting... show up.

Or at least let me know you can't make it.

But noooooo.
Instead I get excuses after the fact.

⇢ "Traffic was crazy"
⇢ "My last call ran over"
⇢ "Something came up"

Or worse... nothing.
Ghosted.

That spot you took could've actually been used by someone who needed it.

Or you could've given me time back for my life.

And look...
I get that stuff happens.

⇢ Kids get sick
⇢ Calls run long
⇢ Emergencies pop up

But here's what you're really telling me when you no-show:

⇢ My time doesn't matter to you.

And that says everything I need to know about working w/ you.

Want to actually show some respect?
Try this:

1️⃣ Don't make it a pattern
2️⃣ Set a reminder 15 mins before
3️⃣ Block travel time between meetings
4️⃣ Check your calendar the night before
5️⃣ If something comes up... text immediately

And when you do mess up...
own it:

1️⃣ Don't make it about you and your stress
2️⃣ Apologize without making excuses
3️⃣ Actually mean your apology
4️⃣ Reschedule immediately
5️⃣ Show up early next time

Because here's the thing...
Your calendar is a reflection of your character.
And people remember how you make them feel.

So stop treating other people's time like it doesn't matter.

Show up when you say you will.
Or don't schedule the meeting at all.

👊

What’s one calendar habit that keeps you on time? 💬👇

---

♻️ Repost to remind someone your time has value

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If you're not making work easier for your team…
you're not leading.

Here's what I see too often:

Leaders who think their job is to add "accountability" and "stretch goals."
They pile on complexity and call it growth.

Let me break this down:

The best leaders know their job isn't to add complexity.
It's to remove it.

⇢ They empower people instead of hoarding decisions
⇢ They kill processes instead of creating more friction
⇢ They protect focus time instead of adding meetings
⇢ They clear obstacles instead of piling on work

That's how you keep good people and build strong teams.

And let's be real...
Your team already knows if you're making their job harder or easier.

They feel it every single day.

So what does "making it easier" actually mean?

1️⃣ Kill pointless status meetings
↳ Replace weekly check-ins with async updates in Slack

2️⃣ Stop requiring approval for small stuff
↳ Let them order supplies under $100 without asking permission

3️⃣ Fix the little things that slow them down
↳ Upgrade their laptop, budget for the software upgrade, replace outdated equipment, streamline workflows

4️⃣ Say no to random requests from other teams
↳ "My team's already at capacity" becomes your default response

5️⃣ Simplify your processes
↳ Turn that 5-step approval process into 2 steps max

6️⃣ Give them work-from-home flexibility
↳ Trust them to get stuff done without watching over their shoulder

7️⃣ Handle the politics for them
↳ Deal with difficult stakeholders so they can focus on their work

8️⃣ Clear up confusing priorities
↳ Tell them what matters most instead of saying everything is urgent

Your job isn't to get other people to solve your problems.

It's to clear the path so they can solve theirs.
It's about making everyone else more effective.

👊

What's one thing you've removed to make work easier for your people? 💬👇

---

♻️ Repost to help a leader cut chaos and create clarity.

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I’m on a mission to inspire 1M everyday people to start their own business and find their voice in the process.

16 traits of a bad leader... 
Are you one of them?

Most leadership problems aren't about strategy.
They're about self-awareness.

Here's what toxic leadership actually looks like:

1/ They blame everyone but themselves.
↳ When things go wrong, it's always someone else's fault.

2/ They micromanage everything.
↳ Trust issues create more problems than they solve.

3/ They play favorites openly.
↳ Nothing kills team morale faster than obvious bias.

4/ They avoid difficult conversations.
↳ Problems don't disappear just b/c you ignore them.

5/ They take credit for team wins.
↳ "I did this" instead of "we did this" says everything.

6/ They throw people under the bus publicly.
↳ Humiliation isn't motivation.

7/ They change direction constantly.
↳ Confusion isn't the same as being agile.

8/ They don't communicate expectations clearly.
↳ Then get mad when people can't read their mind.

9/ They make promises they can't keep.
↳ Your word is your currency... spend it wisely.

10/ They dismiss feedback immediately.
↳ Defensive = dead end for growth.

11/ They create fear instead of respect.
↳ People perform better when they're inspired, not scared.

12/ They gossip about team members.
↳ If they talk about others to you, they talk about you to others.

13/ They never admit when they're wrong.
↳ Pride comes before the fall, every single time.

14/ They focus only on what's going wrong.
↳ Where's the recognition for what's going right?

15/ They make everything about them.
↳ Ego-driven decisions rarely benefit the team.

16/ They burn bridges w/ everyone who leaves.
↳ How you handle departures shows your true character.

Bad leadership isn't always obvious.
Sometimes it's just... absent.
The best leaders lead themselves first.

👊

What are traits that make up a good leader? 💬👇

---

♻ Repost if you think more leaders need this read this.

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I’m on a mission to inspire 1M everyday people to start their own business and find their voice in the process.

Growth happens when your natural talent and passion align.
Most people never find that sweet spot.

I've watched 1000s of people chase fulfillment,
I see the same pattern:

The ones who feel truly alive aren't just talented.
They've found their Zone of Genius.

Here's what each zone actually looks like:

Zone of Incompetence
⇢ You struggle w/ these activities
⇢ Others do this stuff wayyyy better than you
⇢ Energy gets drained fast

Zone of Mediocrity
⇢ You can do it... but so can everyone else
⇢ Nothing feels special about your contribution
⇢ Time passes but nothing really clicks

Zone of Competence
⇢ You're solid at these things
⇢ People count on you to handle them
⇢ But something still feels missing

Zone of Excellence
⇢ You're really good at this stuff
⇢ Others admire your abilities
⇢ Success follows... but joy doesn't always

Zone of Genius
⇢ Your natural talent meets what you love
⇢ Time disappears when you're doing it
⇢ Impact happens almost effortlessly

Here's what I've learned:

Most people get stuck in Excellence and call it enough.
But Excellence without passion is just polished emptiness.

Your Zone of Genius isn't about being perfect.
It's about being authentically you.

That thing that energizes you?
That skill that comes naturally?
That activity you'd do for free?

That's your compass pointing toward genius.

The breakthrough happens when you stop asking:
"What am I good at?"

And start asking:
"What am I good at that lights me up?"

Your zone of genius is already inside you.

Waiting.
Calling.
Ready to be lived.

The question isn't whether you have one.
It's whether you're brave enough to step into it.

👊

Do you believe everyone has a Zone of Genius… or just a lucky few? 💬 👇

---

♻️ Repost to help someone rediscover what lights them up

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You know what my biggest productivity killer is?


👉 It's not my boss.
👉 It's not endless meetings.
👉 It's not my workload.

IT'S MY PERFECTIONISM.

I'm the one holding myself back.

👉 I'm the one rewriting emails 5 times.
👉 I'm the one overthinking every decision.
👉 I'm the one waiting for the "perfect moment" to start.

And here's the thing... we love to blame our circumstances.

But if I'm being real?

👉 It's our standards.
👉 It's my need for everything to be flawless.
👉 It's your fear of putting out anything less than perfect.

The plot twist? Once we call ourselves out...

👉 We can catch ourselves in the act.
👉 We can set "good enough" deadlines.
👉 We can ship things before they're 100% polished.

For me, it's all about progress over perfection.

People always say, "Just get it done quickly..."

And I'm like... do you know my brain?

There's NO WAY I'm sending that email without checking it 3 times.

My perfectionist brain and "quick drafts" don't mix.

I hit send...
my brain... "Wait, did I spell their name right?"

But here's what I've figured out: I need to work WITH my brain, not against it.

I know I'm gonna overthink.
I know I need extra time.
I know my process.

And when you stop trying to be someone else...
when you stop fighting your natural tendencies...
and start designing systems that work for YOU...

that's when things actually get done.

So here's what works for me:

👉 Set earlier fake deadlines.
👉 Build in "perfectionist time."
👉 Ship at 80% instead of waiting for 100%.

And no... I'm not becoming a "rough draft" person anytime soon.

But a "good enough to ship" person?
Now THAT I can do.

DONE

👊

What tips and tricks do you have for beating perfectionism? 💬👇

---

♻️ Repost to remind someone that done is better than perfect

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The biggest leadership lie?
"Just get someone else to do it."

Delegation isn’t dumping tasks.
It’s multiplying trust.

Here’s what proper delegation actually looks like in 2025:

1️⃣ Define what “done” means

If your team keeps guessing… that’s on you.
Set clear outcomes, not vague ideas.
People can’t deliver what they don’t understand.

2️⃣ Build context before control

Don’t just say what to do.
Explain why it matters.
Context creates ownership.
Control just creates confusion.

3️⃣ Delegate outcomes, not actions

Micromanagement is still “doing the work,” just with someone else’s hands.
Give people the freedom to figure it out.
Then guide, don’t grab the wheel.

4️⃣ Model the behavior first

Want your team to communicate better?
Do it yourself.
Want faster turnarounds?
Show them what “fast” looks like.
Example beats instruction every time.

5️⃣ Follow-up ≠ hovering

Check-ins should build trust, not pressure.
Ask: “What’s blocking you?” instead of “Where are we on this?”
Your tone defines how safe people feel to deliver honest updates.

This isn’t about handing off tasks.
It’s about teaching people how to think.
That’s leadership.

When you delegate well,
You don’t lose control...
You gain time.

👊

What’s the hardest part of delegation for you right now? 💬👇

---

♻️ Repost to help a leader trust their team.

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Most people think small changes don't matter, but...
They've got it backwards.

If you're trying to…

🚫 Write a book this weekend
🚫 Run a marathon tomorrow
🚫 Learn coding in a week
🚫 Get ripped by summer

Guess what happens?
Yep... you quit.

Everyone keeps obsessing over big changes...
But forget the one thing that actually works:

The answer is clear:
1% 1% 1%

Tiny improvements.
Every single day.

Here's what 1% better actually looks like:

📚 Read one page
⇢ Not a whole book
⇢ Just one page before bed

🏃 Walk for 2 minutes
⇢ Don't worry about the gym yet
⇢ Walk around the block... that's it

💧 Drink one extra glass of water
⇢ Not a gallon
⇢ Just one more than yesterday

✍️ Write 50 words
⇢ Not the great american novel
⇢ A few sentences about your day

🧘 Take 3 deep breaths
⇢ Skip the hour-long meditation apps
⇢ Just breathe when you feel stressed

📱 Delete one app
⇢ Don't go cold turkey on everything
⇢ Remove the one that wastes most time

🛏️ Sleep 15 minutes earlier
⇢ Not a complete schedule overhaul
⇢ Just move bedtime back a tiny bit

Because small actions = real progress.
Real progress = lasting change.

Simple math.

Your future self is built from what you do today.

So if you're serious about change...
Start smaller.

👊

What’s your 1% habit right now? 💬👇

---

♻️ Repost if you believe in the power of 1%.

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I’m on a mission to inspire 1M everyday people to start their own business and find their voice in the process.

If there’s a problem, I trust my team enough to solve it.
Can you say the same?

If not…
you don’t have a people problem, you have a trust problem.

Micromanagement isn’t leadership.
Hovering over every decision only creates fear and slows progress.

Real leadership looks like stepping back
and giving your team the space to prove what they’re capable of.

Here’s how you know you actually trust your team:

✅ You delegate outcomes, not tasks
↳ You set direction, but let them decide how to get there.

✅ You let people fail and recover
↳ Mistakes are part of growth, not proof of weakness.

✅ You don’t chase updates
↳ You built systems that make progress visible without constant check-ins.

✅ You listen before you fix
↳ Trust means assuming competence, not control.

✅ You celebrate ownership
↳ When someone takes initiative, you don’t question it, you support it.

✅ You sleep well
↳ Because you know things are handled even when you’re not watching.

If you can’t step back, your team can’t step up.
And when your team can’t step up, your business will never outgrow your shadow.

Trust is the foundation.
Without it, even the smartest people start playing it safe.

If you can’t step back, your team can’t step up.

👊

How do you show your team you’ve got their back? 💬👇

---

♻️ Repost to help someone lead with trust, not control.

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I’m on a mission to inspire 1M everyday people to start their own business and find their voice in the process.

7 habits that make you look unprofessional...
Even if you’re not:

1. Talking more than you listen

↳Why: You miss what actually matters
↳Instead: Ask more, assume less
↳Example: "Tell me more about what you meant there"

2. Checking your phone mid-call

↳Why: It signals boredom or distraction
↳Instead: Be fully present
↳Example: Close tabs, silence notifications before meetings

3. Missing small deadlines

↳Why: People remember the one time you didn’t deliver
↳Instead: Underpromise, then exceed quietly
↳Example: "I’ll have this by Thursday" ... deliver Wednesday

4. Sending messages w/ typos or no context

↳Why: It looks rushed and careless
↳Instead: Reread once before hitting send
↳Example: "Attaching the doc we discussed. Let me know if this version works."

5. Speaking poorly about teammates or clients

↳Why: If you talk about them, you’ll talk about anyone
↳Instead: Keep respect steady, even when annoyed
↳Example: "Let’s find a better way to handle it next time."

6. Not following through on small things

↳Why: Trust is built in the tiny details
↳Instead: Treat every task like it’s your rep on the line
↳Example: "Sent that recap right after our call ... all set."

7. Making everything about you

↳Why: You stop being a teammate and start being noise
↳Instead: Shift the spotlight
↳Example: "Sarah handled this one ... crushed it."

The truth…
None of these mean you are unprofessional...
But they all make you look like it.

👊

Which one do you see most often at work? 💬👇

---

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Most managers think the hard part is hiring right...
It’s not.

The real challenge is how you set up your team for success.

Because the way you organize people shapes how they act.
And how they act shapes the results you get.

I’ve seen this over and over with founders and small biz owners.

Here are 6 common styles and the small biz lesson in each:

1️⃣ Amazon... clear pyramid

⇢ Tight rules and systems.
⇢ Lesson: build simple systems early so growth doesn’t crush you.

2️⃣ Google... creative chaos

⇢ Everyone connected, messy but full of ideas.
⇢ Lesson: let people share ideas... but set guardrails so work gets done.

3️⃣ Facebook... tangled web

⇢ Everyone touches everything. Fast but confusing.
⇢ Lesson: make it clear who owns what before chaos wins.

4️⃣ Microsoft... separate silos

⇢ Teams focus but don’t talk.
⇢ Lesson: pull everyone under one vision so they move together.

5️⃣ Apple... one vision

⇢ One leader decides it all.
⇢ Lesson: early on you’ll do it all... later, loosen control.

6️⃣ Oracle... legal-first

⇢ Decisions ruled by contracts.
⇢ Lesson: cover basics... but don’t let paperwork slow you down.

Notice the pattern?

No setup is perfect.
But if you set a few rules at the bottom... 
any model can work.

4 rules that always help:

1️⃣ Give clarity

⇢ People don’t fail b/c they’re lazy... they fail b/c they’re confused.
⇢ Make roles, goals, and deadlines clear.

2️⃣ Set standards, not micromanagement

⇢ Show what “good” looks like... then let them figure out the how.

3️⃣ Build trust with updates

⇢ Quick daily or weekly check-ins.
⇢ Progress before the deadline.
⇢ No surprises.

4️⃣ Coach, don’t control

⇢ When mistakes happen... don’t grab the wheel.
⇢ Ask: what’s your move? and let them learn.

The best leaders don’t avoid problems.
They build simple systems that help their teams win.

Choose your style... then keep it simple.

👊

What’s one rule you use to keep your team on track? 💬👇

---

♻️ Repost to help a leader bring more clarity.

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I’m on a mission to inspire 1M everyday people to start their own business and find their voice in the process.

If you don’t ask, the answer is already no.


Not because you weren’t good enough.
But because you never gave anyone the chance to say yes.

And I get it...
You don’t wanna annoy them.
You wanna figure it out yourself.
You’re scared.

So instead...
you stay quiet.
And wonder why things aren’t moving.

But here’s the thing:
Most people who got what they wanted?
They asked.

⇢ Even when it felt uncomfortable
⇢ Even when it might’ve been a no
⇢ Even when they didn’t feel “ready”

Not sure how to build the courage to ask?
Try this:

1. Pretend you’re asking for a friend
2. Focus on the outcome, not the fear
3. Write it out first and read it out loud
4. Do it before your brain talks you out of it
5. Remind yourself what not asking has cost you

And when you do ask...
do it right:

1. Respect their time, boundaries, and bandwidth
2. Say thank you, regardless of the outcome
3. Show them you’ve done your homework
4. Make it easy for them to say yes or no
5. Get to the point… be clear, not clever
6. Be cool if it’s not a fit… no guilt trips
7. Don’t expect a yes… earn it

And the truth is...
Most people aren’t waiting to say no.
They’re just waiting for you to ask.

Because the worst thing you’ll hear?
Is “no.”

And that’s still better than
never knowing what could’ve happened.

So stop waiting for the perfect moment.
Stand up and ask the damn question.

👊

What's one ask you've been sitting on for too long? 💬👇

---

♻️ Repost to help someone speak up today

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I'm on a mission to inspire 1M everyday people to start their own business and find their voice in the process.

"I'm just being realistic" is BS.
Here's why:

As uncomfortable as it sounds,
Most people use "being realistic" as an excuse
To avoid taking risks or trying new things.

They think staying pessimistic keeps them safe...
But it actually just keeps them stuck.

Here's what I've learned about people who actually get results:
They don't ignore problems or pretend everything's easy.
They just refuse to let doubt make their decisions for them.

Realistic optimism sounds like:

🚫 "I need to be realistic about my chances."
✅ "I'll prepare for challenges and go for it anyway."

🚫 "I don't want to get my hopes up."
✅ "I'll work hard and see what happens."

🚫 "Most people fail at this."
✅ "Some people succeed, why not me?"

🚫 "I'm just being practical."
✅ "I'm being strategic about my next move."

The difference isn't about ignoring facts...
It's about not letting fear disguise itself as wisdom.

"Being realistic" often means focusing on all the ways things could go wrong.

Real realism means acknowledging challenges AND believing you can handle them.

Your mindset literally determines what you notice,
what opportunities you pursue,
and how hard you're willing to work.

So maybe the most realistic thing you can do...
Is believe in your ability to figure it out.

👊

What’s something you tried even when it felt impossible? 💬👇

---

♻️ Repost to help someone believe in their dreams again

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I’m on a mission to inspire 1M everyday people to start their own business and find their voice in the process.

Entrepreneurship can be lonely...

You’re building something few understand.
You’re working late when everyone else clocks out.
You’re chasing a dream that only exists in your head.

And yeah... it can feel like no one gets it.

But that’s not the end of the story.
You don’t have to do it alone.

The smartest entrepreneurs don’t wait for connection.
They build it... intentionally.

Here’s how:

➊ Want real community?
↳ Talk to other builders, not just friends who don’t get it.
↳ Find people who are in the same trenches.

➋ Want better conversations?
↳ Be honest about what’s hard.
↳ Drop the “everything’s fine” act.

➌ Want more support?
↳ Invest in mentors, coaches, or mastermind groups.
↳ Don’t wait until you burn out to ask for help.

➍ Want inspiration?
↳ Collaborate instead of compete.
↳ Share what you know. Someone needs it.

➎ Want peace of mind?
↳ Disconnect sometimes.
↳ The world won’t end if you rest.

Entrepreneurship doesn’t have to feel lonely.
It only does when you try to carry everything yourself.

👊

How do you make entrepreneurship feel less lonely? 💬👇

---

♻️ Repost to remind an entrepreneur they’re not alone in this.

✚ Follow Cory Blumenfeld for more entrepreneurial insights and motivation.

I’m on a mission to inspire 1M everyday people to start their own business and find their voice in the process.

I built my client pipeline by being anti sales.

1. I stay consistent even when no one’s watching.
2. I don’t close deals. I open relationships.
3. I care more about proof than promises.
4. I don’t fake confidence. I build trust.
5. I don’t pitch. I show what I do.
6. I don’t promote. I post value.
7. I make honesty my strategy.
8. I let results do the talking.
9. I build brand, not hype.
10. I don’t chase. I attract.

Sales didn’t grow my business.
Trust did.

Be so good they want to buy without being sold.

👊

What helped trust grow faster than selling for you? 💬👇

---

♻️ Repost to remind someone that trust builds pipelines

✚ Follow Cory Blumenfeld for more entrepreneurial insights and motivation.

I'm on a mission to inspire 1M everyday people to start their own business and find their voice in the process.

Want more clients?
Be radically transparent.

Transparency isn’t a tactic.
It’s how trust is built.
And trust is what gets clients to stay, refer, and buy again.

Here’s how to actually practice radical transparency in your business:

1️⃣ Share the why behind your decisions

When clients understand your reasoning, they stop second guessing.
Walk them through why you made a choice, not just what you did.

2️⃣ Be upfront about limitations

If a project will take longer, costs more, or carries risks, say it early.
Honesty beats surprises every time.

3️⃣ Talk about what’s not working

Transparency means showing the full picture, not just the wins.
Lead with what’s underperforming, then share how you’ll fix it.

4️⃣ Explain your process

When clients see the thought and effort behind the work, they value it more.
Clarity builds confidence.

5️⃣ Ask for feedback often

Transparency is a two way street.
Invite honest input to build mutual respect.

6️⃣ Share pricing logic, not just numbers

Walk clients through how pricing is structured.
It shows fairness and eliminates hidden doubts.

7️⃣ Give visibility into timelines

Show your workflow and key milestones.
Clients don’t mind waiting if they can see progress.

8️⃣ Tell them what’s opinion vs fact

Be clear when something is your perspective, not universal truth.
Encourage them to take things with a grain of salt. What works for one client might not work for another.

9️⃣ Show you’ll put in the effort to find what’s right for them

You don’t need to have all the answers on day one.
What matters is proving you’ll dig, test, and refine until it fits their goals.

🔟 Share lessons learned

Every project teaches something.
When you share takeaways openly, clients see you as a partner, not a vendor.

Radical transparency isn’t about oversharing.
It’s about making trust the default.

Because when clients know you’ll tell them the truth...
They stop looking for someone else who will.

👊

How do you decide what to share vs what to hold back? 💬👇

---

♻️ Repost to help a leader be more transparent with their team.

✚ Follow Cory Blumenfeld for more entrepreneurial insights and motivation.

I’m on a mission to inspire 1M everyday people to start their own business and find their voice in the process.

Want more clients?
Stop selling. Start giving.

People remember the person who gives away free value.
Not the one who pitched them first.

And here's the thing...
Nobody remembers your sales message.
They remember how you made them feel.

So give first. Ask later.

Here's what you can give away for free that actually works:

⇢ A simple checklist for their biggest problem
⇢ A 5-minute loom video solving their issue
⇢ Access to a private community or group
⇢ A curated list of resources they'd love
⇢ Free audit of their website or LinkedIn
⇢ Early access to your new content
⇢ Your best template or framework

You're not losing money.
You're investing in trust.

And when someone thinks...
"Damn, they helped me before I even asked"

That's when they start paying attention.
That's when they remember your name.
That's when they tell their friends about you.

B/c people don't buy from strangers.
They buy from people who already gave them value.

👊

How do you balance giving vs. protecting your time? 💬👇

---

♻️ Repost to remind someone value speaks louder than any pitch

✚ Follow Cory Blumenfeld for more entrepreneurial insights and motivation.

I’m on a mission to inspire 1M everyday people to start their own business and find their voice in the process.

Every minute you spend IN your business...
Is a minute you're not growing it.

Working IN is doing the work yourself.
Working ON is training someone else to do it.

Working IN is answering every customer call.
Working ON is building a support system.

Working IN is being the bottleneck.
Working ON is removing bottlenecks.

Working IN is trading time for money.
Working ON is building assets that make money.

Working IN is doing tasks.
Working ON is designing processes.

Working IN is being irreplaceable.
Working ON is making yourself replaceable.

Working IN is putting out fires.
Working ON is preventing them.

Working IN is manual work.
Working ON is building automation.

Working IN is doing everything.
Working ON is delegating everything.

Working IN keeps you trapped.
Working ON sets you free.

Here's what I see happening everywhere...

Business owners get trapped doing allllll the daily stuff.

They answer emails...
handle customer issues...
manage every little detail...
but never step back to improve anything.

Meanwhile...
smart business owners spend time building better processes...
training their team...
automating what they can.

Guess who scales faster?

The person who works ON their business...
beats the person who just works IN it every single time.

You don't need to do everything yourself.
You just need to build something that works w/o you.

👊

What's one thing you could stop doing today to work ON your biz instead? 💬👇

---

♻️ Repost to help someone start delegating today

✚ Follow Cory Blumenfeld for more entrepreneurial insights and motivation.

I’m on a mission to inspire 1M everyday people to start their own business and find their voice in the process.

Most people think the client comes first.
They've got it backwards.

I used to obsess over every client request.

🔴 Thinking client happiness meant team sacrifice.
🔴 Skipping team check-ins for client calls.
🔴 Saying yes to impossible deadlines.
🔴 Pushing my people past their limits.
🔴 Believing I was being a good leader.

Then I noticed something...

My burned-out team?
⇢ They delivered mediocre work.

My stressed employees?
⇢ They made more mistakes.

My checked-out people?
⇢ Clients could feel the energy.

The clients weren't happy anyway.

Here's what actually drives client satisfaction:

A team that shows up energized.
⇢ They care about quality.

A team that feels supported.
⇢ They go the extra mile.

A team that trusts leadership.
⇢ They bring creative solutions.

When your people are thriving...
Your clients feel it immediately.

Happy teams deliver better work.
Better work creates happy clients.
Happy clients build a sustainable business.

It's not rocket science.

Team first doesn't mean clients don't matter.
It means understanding what actually makes clients stick around.

Your burnt-out team can't deliver the experience your clients deserve.

But your energized team...
They'll blow clients away without you asking.

👊

Which approach are you taking with your team right now? 💬👇

---

♻ Repost if you believe team comes first

✚ Follow Cory Blumenfeld for more entrepreneurial insights and motivation.

I’m on a mission to inspire 1M everyday people to start their own business and find their voice in the process.

Stop putting money before people.
Revenue goals without people goals fail.

Every. Single. Time.

For too long, we've been told that profit comes first:

"Revenue is everything"
"Team happiness is a luxury"
"Hit the numbers at any cost"

But this backwards thinking costs you:

⇢ High employee turnover
⇢ Poor customer experience
⇢ Stressed leadership teams
⇢ Damaged company reputation
⇢ Unsustainable growth patterns

You're not naive for caring about people.
You're not soft for prioritizing culture.

You're building something that lasts.
And that's exactly what the best leaders do.

They invest in their people first.
They create products that actually matter.
They understand that happy teams serve happy clients.

Because great product + happy team = happy clients = money.
And in a world full of quick fixes, real relationships are your competitive edge.

Let's flip the script.
Let's put people before profit.
Let's build businesses that work for everyone, not just shareholders.

This isn't idealism.
This is smart business.
Your bottom line will thank you.

👊

What’s one way you put people first in your business? 💬👇

---

♻️ Repost to remind leaders the team should always come first

✚ Follow Cory Blumenfeld for more entrepreneurial insights and motivation.

I’m on a mission to inspire 1M everyday people to start their own business and find their voice in the process.

Good enough never is.
Excellence always wins.

One of the biggest mistakes I see people make:

They settle for "good enough."

The problem is, good enough gets you mediocre results.
And mediocre results keep you stuck.

Because here's what I've learned after years in business...

Excellence isn't about being perfect.
It's about caring enough to go one step further.

When everyone else stops at 80%,
You push to 90%.

Here's what this looks like day to day:

🚫 Most people send the first draft.
✅ Excellent people review and refine.

🚫 Average workers show up on time.
✅ Top performers show up prepared.

🚫 Good enough means "it works."
✅ Excellence means "it works beautifully."

🚫 Most stop when the job is done.
✅ Winners ask "how can this be better?"

🚫 Settling means taking shortcuts.
✅ Excellence means doing it right.

The gap between good and great isn't huge.
It's just consistent small choices.

Because at the end of the day...
Your competition is settling for good enough.

While you're building something that lasts.

So next time you're tempted to say "this is fine,"
Ask yourself: is this my best work?

👊

How do you define excellence without chasing perfection? 💬👇

---

♻️ Repost to remind someone that details matter

✚ Follow Cory Blumenfeld for more entrepreneurial insights and motivation.

I’m on a mission to inspire 1M everyday people to start their own business and find their voice in the process.

Everyone wants to be seen as an expert...
But most people aren’t doing what it takes to become one.

Posting vague takes.
Quoting other people.
Waiting to "be discovered."

If you actually wanna build authority...
You need to show your work and talk to people who matter.

Here’s what that looks like:

⇢ Talk to people in your space
⇢ Start a podcast or be on one
⇢ DM your ICPs (or their friends)
⇢ Say yes to small speaking gigs
⇢ Build in public... even if it’s messy
⇢ Share original ideas, not recycled ones
⇢ Drop lead magnets people actually want
⇢ Collab w/ folks who already have attention
⇢ Co-create w/ people solving the same problem

Most people don’t do this.
Not cuz they’re lazy.
But cuz they don’t know where to start.
Or they feel like imposters.

But if you're starting out, guess what?

You better make time.
You have to.

Authority is earned through proximity.
Not pretending.

So if no one sees you as the expert yet...
Don’t stress.

Get visible.
Get useful.
Get invited into the rooms that matter.

That’s how it starts.

👊

If you had to start building authority from scratch today, what would you do first? 💬👇

---

♻️ Repost to help someone stop waiting and start showing up

✚ Follow Cory Blumenfeld for more entrepreneurial insights and motivation.

I'm on a mission to inspire 1M everyday people to start their own business and find their voice in the process.

Building a business is still hard as hell.
But AI just removed 90% of the technical barriers.

Charlie Hills and I went from idea to first sale in under 30 days.
No coding. Just prompts, persistence, and talking to real humans.

Here's the 8-week framework we used:

Week 1: Validate before you build
↳ ChatGPT for idea generation
↳ 5 real customer interviews (this part sucks but it's crucial)
↳ Pick the problem people will pay to solve

Week 2: Position yourself
↳ AI helps write landing page copy
↳ You still need to know your customer
↳ Get it live in 48 hours

Week 3: Build the ugly MVP
↳ Gemini for mockups
↳ Stripe for payments
↳ Ship something that solves ONE problem

Week 4: Find your first 100 leads
↳ Write LinkedIn posts (ChatGPT + your actual voice)
↳ Build email list with real value
↳ This takes daily consistency

We got our first sale here. Week 4.
Not Week 8.

Because when you solve a real problem, people buy fast.

Week 5: Beta test with real users
↳ 10 people will destroy your assumptions
↳ Google Forms for brutal feedback
↳ Fix what's actually broken

Week 6: Prepare to scale
↳ Record demos
↳ Schedule content
↳ Build momentum for growth

Week 7: Expand and hustle
↳ Open more payment options
↳ Personally DM your next 50 leads
↳ Goal: 10 paying customers

Week 8: Learn and optimize
↳ Track what converts
↳ Kill what doesn't
↳ Plan path to $1k MRR

The hard parts AI can't fix:

⇢ Talking to customers
⇢ Handling rejection
⇢ Staying consistent
⇢ Actually shipping

The parts AI makes easier:

⇢ Writing copy
⇢ Creating content
⇢ Building mockups
⇢ Research and validation

Charlie Hills and I didn't wait 8 weeks to make money.
We validated fast, built ugly, and sold early.

Starting is easier than ever.
But you still have to do the work.

👊

What business idea excites you most? 💬👇

---

♻️ Repost to help someone start their business journey

✚ Follow Cory Blumenfeld for more entrepreneurial insights and motivation.

I'm on a mission to inspire 1M everyday people to start their own business and find their voice in the process.

Want to work with Charlie Hills and me? Check out the comments for more info

The best business advice I ever got?
Ignore most business advice.

Sounds crazy, right?

But here's what nobody talks about...

Just because it worked for them doesn't mean it'll work for you.

I've watched founders burn out following someone else's playbook.

Copying strategies that don't fit their style.
Building businesses they hate because some influencer said "this is the way."

The entrepreneurship space is drowning in advice.

"Do this if you want to succeed"
"You have to hustle 24/7"
"Follow my blueprint exactly"

Every guru has the answer.
Every course has the formula.
Every post has the secret.

Everyone's selling certainty when the truth is messier:

⇢ The course says "scale to 7 figures fast." But you just want a stable 10K/month
⇢ LinkedIn gurus say "post daily or die." But you'd rather focus on doing great work
⇢ That morning routine that "changed everything"? Useless if you have kids waking up at random times
⇢ The "quit your job and go all in" advice? Reckless if you've got a mortgage and family to feed

So how do you know who to actually listen to?

Look for people who:

⇢ Teach principles, not just tactics
⇢ Share their failures, not just wins
⇢ Show you options, not just one path
⇢ Admit when they don't know something
⇢ Have done what you're trying to do (not just talked about it)

Skip anyone who:

⇢ Promises overnight success
⇢ Never mentions their struggles
⇢ Sells urgency over understanding
⇢ Makes you feel behind if you're not doing it their way

The real secret?

Take what serves you.
Leave what doesn't.
Build YOUR way.

Your business should fit your life.
Not the other way around.

👊

What's the worst entrepreneurship advice you followed before realizing it wasn't for you? 💬👇

---

♻️ Repost to help someone stop following the wrong blueprint

✚ Follow Cory Blumenfeld for more entrepreneurial insights and motivation.

I'm on a mission to inspire 1M everyday people to start their own business and find their voice in the process.

I remember how hard it was to get started.

No funding. 
No safety net.
No connections.

I looked at all my options:

↳ Bank Loans. Most don't qualify early on.
↳ Venture Capital. Most are too early for this.
↳ Bootstrapping. Slow, but you keep everything.
↳ Crowdfunding. Takes serious marketing effort.
↳ Angel Investors. Giving up equity before you even start.
↳ Friends & Family. Messy when money mixes with relationships.

None of them felt right for where I was.

Then I found pitch competitions and contests.

Free money. No equity. No strings attached.
Just a good story and the guts to tell it.

My first few businesses were all funded this way.
No equity given up. No loss of control.

And even when I didn't win?
I still walked away with something valuable.

People saw me. They heard my story.
That visibility compounded over time.

Your brand is your IP.
It travels with you for life.

That's why I wanted to share this:

Stan is giving away $100K to help one person go all-in on their dream.
Salary + cost of living covered for a full year.

Here's how to enter:

1️⃣ Sign up for Stanley (Your Content Coach) (free)
2️⃣ Post a video (2 mins or less), on Instagram or TikTok sharing your story, your dream, and how you plan to bring it to life.
↳ Use #standaretodream26 and tag @stan

3️⃣ Complete the Typeform on the Dare to Dream landing page

Anyone can enter: https://bit.ly/stanleycory

Win or lose, putting yourself out there builds something.

Take the shot.

👊

What's your dream? 💬👇

---

♻️ Repost to help someone take their shot

✚ Follow Cory Blumenfeld for more entrepreneurial insights and motivation.

I'm on a mission to inspire 1M everyday people to start their own business and find their voice in the process.

"Can you manage this person?"
"Is this person coachable?"

Those are the only two questions that matter.

Not whether you like them.
Not whether they're your friend.
Not whether they make you laugh at happy hour.

I learned this the hard way when I hired my college buddy.

Great guy.
Terrible employee.
Impossible conversation.

Because every feedback session turned into:
"Come on man, you know me."
"Why are you being so formal?"
"We're friends, right?"

Yeah, we were.
Until I had to fire him.

Here's the brutal truth about managing people:

1/ Likability ≠ coachability
↳ Your favorite person might be your worst performer

2/ Friends make terrible direct reports
↳ Boundaries get blurry when history exists

3/ The best employees aren't always the nicest
↳ They're the ones who take feedback and run with it

4/ You can't manage someone who won't be managed
↳ No amount of friendship fixes that

5/ Coachable beats talented every time
↳ Skills can be taught. Attitude can't.

So before you promote someone...
Before you hire that friend...
Before you build your team...

Ask yourself:

Can I have hard conversations with this person?
Will they take feedback without taking it personally?
Can they separate work from friendship?

If the answer's no...
You're not hiring an employee.
You're creating a future problem.

Management isn't about being liked.
It's about developing people.

And you can't develop someone who thinks they're above feedback because you grab beers together.

👊

What's the hardest lesson you've learned about mixing friendship with management? 💬👇

---

♻️ Repost if you've learned this lesson the hard way

✚ Follow Cory Blumenfeld for more entrepreneurial insights and motivation.

I'm on a mission to inspire 1M everyday people to start their own business and find their voice in the process.

You don’t get more until you prove you can handle it.

That’s how it actually works.

Everyone wants the next step...
A bigger role, louder title, more trust.

But wanting more doesn’t make you ready.
Doing the work does.

If you want people to trust you with more...
show them you already act like the person who deserves it.

Here’s what that looks like:

✅ You deliver what you promise.
✅ You solve problems before anyone asks.
✅ You share ideas that move things forward.
✅ You lift others while chasing your own goals.
✅ You make things easier for others, not heavier.

That’s how people notice.
That’s how you earn “more.”

Because responsibility isn’t assigned...
It’s transferred to the ones who’ve already proven they can carry it.

👊

How do you show people you’re ready for more responsibility? 💬👇

---

♻️ Repost to remind someone that trust is earned, not given

✚ Follow Cory Blumenfeld for more entrepreneurial insights and motivation.

I’m on a mission to inspire 1M everyday people to start their own business and find their voice in the process.

11 critical signs you're unfocused.
(And most of us check at least 7)

Focus isn't about doing more.
It's about doing less of the wrong stuff.

Here's what unfocused actually looks like:

1/ Your browser has 47 tabs open.
↳ Each tab is a decision you're avoiding.

2/ You check email every 10 minutes.
↳ Busy work feels productive. It's not.

3/ You start projects but never ship.
↳ 80% done means 0% useful.

4/ Your to-do list has 20+ items.
↳ That's not a plan. That's wishful thinking.

5/ You say yes to everything.
↳ Every yes is a no to something better.

6/ You multitask during meetings.
↳ Half-attention gets quarter-results.

7/ You work on urgent, not important.
↳ Fighting fires instead of preventing them.

8/ You switch tasks every 15 minutes.
↳ Context switching kills deep work.

9/ You have no morning routine.
↳ Reactive days start with your phone.

10/ You work late but accomplish little.
↳ Long hours ≠ productive hours.

11/ You can't remember your last win.
↳ Too scattered to celebrate progress.

The truth?

Unfocused isn't a personality trait.
It's a habit you can break.

Pick ONE thing that matters today.
Do it before you check anything else.

Focus compounds.
Distraction multiplies.

Choose wisely.

👊

Which one hits hardest for you? 💬👇

---

♻️ Repost if you needed this reminder today

✚ Follow Cory Blumenfeld for more entrepreneurial insights and motivation.

I'm on a mission to inspire 1M everyday people to start their own business and find their voice in the process.

How to actually get good at delegating
(and stop being the reason your team moves slow)

Most founders say they want to “delegate more.”
Few actually know what that means.

It’s not about dumping tasks...
It’s about creating ownership.

Here’s how to do it right:

1. Start with clarity

Explain why the task matters.
People can’t own what they don’t understand.

2. Hand over context, not chaos

Before you assign something, share background.
Who’s involved, what’s at stake, what success looks like.

3. Step back (for real)

Don’t hover.
Let them try, make mistakes, and learn how to fix them.

4. Focus on results, not your way

If it works and moves the goal forward... let it live.
Perfection slows teams down.

5. Stay close enough to support

Coaching > control.
You’re there to guide, not grab it back.

6. Give credit publicly

When your team wins, make noise about it.
That’s how trust grows.

7. Ask for help yourself

Delegation isn’t one-directional.
If you can’t ask for help, you’ll burn out.

At the end of the day...
Delegation isn’t about doing less.
It’s about creating space for others to do more.

👊

What’s one thing you could delegate today that would actually free up your time? 💬👇

---

♻️ Repost to help someone stop micromanaging

✚ Follow Cory Blumenfeld for more entrepreneurial insights and motivation.

I’m on a mission to inspire 1M everyday people to start their own business and find their voice in the process.

I stopped selling this last year.
I’m not going back.

⇢ No pitches.
⇢ No chasing.
⇢ No pressure.
⇢ No “quick calls.”

Just showing the work.
Letting results speak louder than I ever could.

Here’s what changed:

1. I stopped overthinking. I started overdelivering.
2. I stopped pushing offers. I started pulling interest.
3. I stopped following up. I started following through.
4. I stopped talking about what I can do. I showed what I did.
5. I stopped convincing people. I started connecting with them.

Sales didn’t disappear.
They got easier.

Because when you focus on doing great work...
you stop needing scripts and start building trust.

People don’t want to be sold to.
They want someone they can believe in.

That’s the real sales strategy.

👊

What changed when you stopped selling and started showing? 💬👇

---

♻️ Repost to remind someone that proof builds trust

✚ Follow Cory Blumenfeld for more entrepreneurial insights and motivation.

I'm on a mission to inspire 1M everyday people to start their own business and find their voice in the process.

Before you book another 30-min slot ask yourself this:
Does this convo really need a meeting?

That 30-min sync just stole 5 hours from your team.
(10 people x 30 mins = wasted afternoon)

Most meetings are time thieves disguised as collaboration.

Here's your cheat sheet to decide faster:

1. Status updates

⇢ Async

Post a short Loom or Slack note.
No one needs 10 people sitting through what they could read in 2 minutes.

2. Brainstorming sessions

⇢ Meeting

Ideas bounce faster when people react in real time.
Keep it short and appoint someone to summarize.

3. Project reviews

⇢ Mostly async

Share a Notion doc or deck.
Only meet if there's real debate or a decision to make.

Still reading? Good. These next ones surprise people:

4. Performance feedback

⇢ Meeting

Feedback lands better when it's human.
Eye contact > emojis.

5. Weekly team syncs

⇢ Depends

If it's just updates, move it async.
If it's for planning or alignment, keep it... but add structure and action steps.

6. Task clarification

⇢ Async

Record a Loom walking through what you need.
Saves everyone from another "Can you explain that again?" call.

7. Sharing new ideas or proposals

⇢ Async

Drop a Notion doc or deck.
Let people comment and react on their own time... better feedback that way.

8. Team celebrations or wins

⇢ Async (with a twist)

Post in Slack, tag folks, or share a quick video shoutout.
Doesn't always need a call... a public thank-you goes a long way.

The goal isn't to cancel everything.
It's to protect your team's focus.

Every unnecessary call drains energy from the work that actually moves the needle.

So next time your calendar fills up...
pause and ask: Am I about to waste people's time?

👊

How do you decide when a meeting is actually worth it? 💬👇

---

♻️ Repost to help someone reclaim their team's focus

✚ Follow Cory Blumenfeld for more entrepreneurial insights and motivation.

I'm on a mission to inspire 1M everyday people to start their own business and find their voice in the process.

Most people think talking about failure looks weak...
but they're wrong.

When leaders hide their failures...

🚫 Everyone pretends everything's perfect
🚫 Teams feel isolated in their struggles
🚫 Nobody learns from mistakes
🚫 Real growth stops happening

Guess what that creates?
A culture of fear.

People keep thinking vulnerability = weakness...
But forget the one thing that actually builds trust:

The answer is clear:
SHARE SHARE SHARE.

Your failures first.
Every single time.

Here's what I'd do to build real connection:

🗣️ Own your mess-ups publicly
⇢ Tell the story of what went wrong
⇢ Don't sugarcoat it or make excuses

💡 Explain what you learned
⇢ Skip the generic "lessons learned" fluff
⇢ Get specific about what you'd do differently

🤲 Make it about them, not you
⇢ Share how your failure can help others avoid the same trap
⇢ Turn your L into their W

⏰ Do it while it's fresh
⇢ Don't wait months to share
⇢ Real-time honesty hits different

🎯 Focus on the process, not just results
⇢ Show your thinking at the time
⇢ Help people understand the "why" behind your choices

💪 Connect it to growth
⇢ Explain how failing changed your approach
⇢ Show the person you became because of it

Because vulnerability = connection.
Connection = trust.
Trust = everything.

People don't follow perfect leaders.
They follow honest ones.

So if you want real influence...
Start failing out loud.

👊

What’s the biggest lesson a failure ever taught you? 💬👇

---

♻️ Repost if you believe failure is the best teacher

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I’m on a mission to inspire 1M everyday people to start their own business and find their voice in the process.

Saying “no” isn’t the hard part. 
Knowing what to say no to is.

When you’re building your career or biz, 
every invite feels like an opportunity.

And it might be... 
but not every one deserves your time.

Protecting your time isn’t about closing doors.

It’s about choosing which ones are worth opening.

Here’s a simple framework to help you decide faster:

1️⃣ Start with your goals.

Know what you want this quarter.
If an offer doesn’t move you closer, it’s a no.

2️⃣ Review regularly.

Every month, look back at what you said yes to.
Would you say yes again?

3️⃣ Use filters.

I use 9 questions to spot real opportunities from distractions.
They’ll save you hours every week.

✅ Is it urgent or just loud?
✅ Does it use your strengths?
✅ Does it align with your goals?
✅ Does it excite you or drain you?
✅ Is it something only you can do?
✅ Will it help others see your value?
✅ Will it move you forward long-term?
✅ Does it fit your current season of life?
✅ Can you learn something new from it?

Protecting your time isn’t about saying no to everything.
It’s about saying yes to what actually matters.

Decide fast.
Filter often.
Keep your calendar sacred.

That’s how the best in the world stay focused and open to opportunity.

👊

What's the hardest 'no' you've ever said that turned out to be the right call? 💬👇

---

♻️ Repost to help someone say no to the right things

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I'm on a mission to inspire 1M everyday people to start their own business and find their voice in the process.

How to actually master habits that stick.

Most people think habits are built through discipline.
They’re not.
They’re built through design.

If your system is messy... your habits will be too.

Here’s how to build habits that last in business:

1. Make it visible
If it’s not in your face, you’ll forget.
Want to check metrics daily? Put the dashboard as your homepage.
Want to coach your team weekly? Block it on your calendar.

2. Make it easy
Reduce the effort it takes to start.
Keep templates ready. Use automation.
Habits die when they feel heavy.

3. Make it rewarding
Your brain repeats what feels good.
So celebrate small wins.
Post your progress in Slack. Tell your team when something works.

4. Make it social
Accountability keeps habits alive.
Share goals w/ your peers or your VA.
If others see you doing it, you’ll keep doing it.

5. Make it reviewable
Reflection turns action into learning.
Every Friday, ask:
⇢ What habit worked?
⇢ What slipped?
⇢ What can I tweak next week?

Once you know how habits work...
it’s about locking them into your routine.

✅ Morning: start with one habit that sets the tone for the day
(check metrics, journal, or plan priorities)

✅ During work: tie habits to triggers you already do
(after each meeting → document one takeaway, after lunch → check inbox once)

✅ Evening: reflect on what went well and what slipped
(write down one win, one lesson, one tweak for tomorrow)

✅ Weekly: review patterns
If you missed a few days, no stress. Focus on streaks, not perfection.

You don’t need massive change.
You just need small wins that keep compounding.

Because the truth is...
you don’t rise to the level of your goals.
You fall to the level of your habits.

And remember...
1% better every day = 37x better by end of year.

👊

What habit finally stuck once you redesigned the system? 💬👇

---

♻️ Repost to help someone build habits that actually last

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I'm on a mission to inspire 1M everyday people to start their own business and find their voice in the process.

Every team has 5 types of communicators.
And if you can't speak all 5 languages, you're failing as a leader.

Most leaders think everyone should adapt to their style.

Wrong.

That's like expecting everyone to speak English in a global company.
It doesn't work.

The best leaders become multilingual.

Here's the translation guide that transformed how I lead:

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗮 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗿:
⇢ Needs numbers, proof, logic
⇢ Give them time to analyze
⇢ Follow verbal with written summaries
⇢ Skip the feelings, stick to facts

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗼𝗺-𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗿:
⇢ Wants the point upfront
⇢ Hates long meetings
⇢ Needs clear outcomes
⇢ Zero patience for fluff

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲-𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁:
⇢ Cares how decisions impact the team
⇢ Needs consensus building
⇢ Wants reassurance during change
⇢ Values relationship over results

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗶𝗴-𝗣𝗶𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗲𝗿:
⇢ Must understand the "why"
⇢ Loves exploring possibilities
⇢ Needs context before details
⇢ Wants permission to challenge

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻-𝗧𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗿:
⇢ Just tell them what to do next
⇢ Needs specific deadlines
⇢ Wants clear ownership
⇢ Thrives with structured plans

I used to get frustrated when people "didn't get it."

Now I realize...
They got it fine.
I just said it wrong.

Same message.
5 different deliveries.
100% better results.

Your job isn't to change how people receive information.
It's to change how you deliver it.

When you force everyone to translate...
You lose half your message.

When you speak their language...
You get their best work.

Great leaders aren't just great speakers.
They're great adapters.

👊

What's one communication shift that helped you lead better? 💬👇

---

♻️ Repost to help a leader connect with their team

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Most people ask questions the wrong way.

They make "yes" the only acceptable answer.

But humans are hardwired to say no.

It's not personal.
It's psychological.

No protects us.
No keeps us safe.
No maintains control.

So I flipped the script.

Started framing questions where "no" becomes the positive response.

Instead of: "Do you have time for this?"
Try: "Would it be wrong to assume you have time?"

Instead of: "Can you help me with this?"
Try: "Would you be against helping with this?"

Instead of: "Are you interested?"
Try: "Is this a ridiculous idea?"

Notice the pattern?

You're not fighting human nature anymore.
You're working with it.

The psychology at play:

1/ No feels safer than yes
↳ Yes creates obligation... no creates freedom

2/ People want to correct you when you're wrong
↳ "Would it be terrible if..." makes them want to say "No, not terrible!"

3/ Negative framing reduces pressure
↳ They're rejecting the negative, not rejecting you

4/ It creates cognitive ease
↳ Their brain doesn't have to fight its default setting

Real examples that work:

⇢ "Would you hate it if I shared an idea?"
⇢ "Is it too much to ask for 5 minutes?"
⇢ "Would it kill the vibe if we tried this?"
⇢ "Am I crazy for thinking this could work?"

Each one makes "no" the path forward.

The shift is subtle but powerful.

You're not manipulating.
You're just speaking their brain's language.

Because when you frame for "no"...
you actually get more yeses.

Weird how that works.

👊

What question do you need to flip to get better results? 💬👇

---

♻️ Repost to help someone stop fighting human psychology

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The fastest way to lose trust?
Over-promise.

I've watched entrepreneurs lose deals, clients, and reputations...
All because they talked a big game but couldn't back it up.

They made bold commitments.
Set vague timelines.
Then went silent.

And when the deadline passed?
Excuses. Blame. Radio silence.

That's not how you build trust.
That's how you destroy it.

Here's what I learned the hard way:

People don't remember your pitch.
They remember your follow-through.

The entrepreneurs who win?
They under-promise and over-deliver. Every single time.

Here's exactly what to say to build trust through delivery:

1/ When setting timelines
↳ Don't say: "I'll have it to you ASAP"
↳ Say: "You'll have this by Friday at noon. Possibly sooner."
↳ Specific beats vague. Every time.

2/ When scoping a project
↳ Don't say: "We can definitely do all of that"
↳ Say: "Let's nail these 3 things first. If we finish early, we'll tackle the rest."
↳ Constraint builds confidence.

3/ When giving updates
↳ Don't say: nothing (then scramble at the deadline)
↳ Say: "Quick update - we're on track. Here's where we are."
↳ Silence kills trust. Updates build it.

4/ When you're ahead of schedule
↳ Don't say: "Here it is, right on time"
↳ Say: "Finished early. Wanted to give you extra time to review."
↳ Early delivery = instant credibility.

5/ When you might miss
↳ Don't say: "Sorry, running behind" (at the last minute)
↳ Say: "Heads up - we're 2 days behind. Here's why and here's the new timeline."
↳ People forgive delays. They don't forgive surprises.

The math is simple:

Promises build expectations.
Results build reputation.

One gets you in the door.
The other keeps you in the room.

Stop impressing people with your promises.
Start surprising them with your results.

👊

What's one phrase you use to set expectations with clients? 💬👇

---

♻️ Repost to help someone build trust through delivery

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Delegation isn’t about control.
It’s about letting go.

Letting go of doing it all yourself.
Letting go of needing it done your way.
Letting go of the idea that your value comes from being busy 24/7.

Delegation isn’t lazy... it’s leadership.

If you want growth, trust, and time to focus on what really matters...
you’ve gotta get better at letting go.

5 lessons that helped me level up delegation:

1/ Clarity beats control

↳ Be super clear on the outcome. Let them figure out the how.
↳ People surprise you (in the best way) when you give them space.

2/ Feedback beats fixing

↳ Don’t jump in to “fix” it. Give feedback.
↳ That’s how people learn. That’s how teams grow.

3/ Ownership beats micromanagement

↳ Let people take real responsibility, not just small tasks.
↳ Trust builds when folks feel like they actually own something.

4/ Patience beats perfection

↳ It won’t be perfect the first time. That’s okay.
↳ Progress takes reps. Give folks room to mess up and get better.

5/ Support beats silence

↳ Don’t ghost after delegating. Check in, ask how it’s going.
↳ Being available builds confidence... and better results.

You can’t do everything.
And you shouldn’t try to.

Leadership isn’t about doing more...
it’s about doing less, better.

👊
What’s one thing you’re holding onto that someone else could run with this week?

---

♻️ Repost if you know a leader who needs to hear this.

✚ Follow Cory Blumenfeld for more entrepreneurial insights and motivation.

I’m on a mission to inspire 1M everyday people to start their own business and find their voice in the process.

You're losing thousands ($$$) every year…

Not from bad investments or missed opportunities.
From something much sneakier:

Those 10 minutes here.
20 minutes there.
Quick emails.
Calendar tweaks.
"No big deal" tasks.

Your time is worth $100/hour.
But you're doing $10/hour work.

Let's do the math:

5 mins/day = 25 mins/week = 21 hrs/year
⇢ That's $2,100 gone

10 mins/day = 50 mins/week = 43 hrs/year
⇢ That's $4,300 gone

1 hr/day = 5 hrs/week = 260 hrs/year
⇢ That's $26,000 gone

And what are you spending that time on?

⇢ Manually updating your CRM
⇢ Organizing files nobody looks at
⇢ Scheduling back-and-forth emails
⇢ Finding the perfect Canva template
⇢ Formatting that report for the 5th time
⇢ Tasks someone else could handle for $15/hr

The time tax is real.
And you're paying it every single day.

Delegate it.
Automate it.
Or just stop doing it.

But whatever you do...
Stop trading your best hours for busy work.

👊

What's the ONE task eating your time that you know you should delegate? 💬👇

---

♻️ Repost to help someone reclaim their valuable time

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I'm on a mission to inspire 1M everyday people to start their own business and find their voice in the process.

"Done is better than perfect" doesn't mean do sloppy work.

It means knowing when good enough is actually... enough.

But nobody teaches you what "done" looks like.

So you keep polishing.
Keep tweaking.
Keep "improving."

Meanwhile, opportunity expires.

Here's how to know when something is DONE:

✅ Does it solve the problem? It's done.
✅ Would you be happy receiving this? It's done.
✅ Will the next 10% take 90% more time? It's done.
✅ Are you fixing things nobody will notice? It's done.
✅ Are you editing the same sentence for the 5th time? It's done.

The 80% rule I live by:

If it delivers 80% of the value...
And the last 20% would double your time...
It's done.

Here's what that looks like in practice:

⇢ Proposal: Value is obvious = submit
⇢ Email: Clear point + clear ask = send
⇢ Report: Answers the question = deliver
⇢ Project: Meets the objective = complete
⇢ Presentation: Core message lands = present

Ask yourself:

"Am I improving this or am I hiding behind it?"

If you're hiding, you're done.

The expensive truth:

Your 80% done is someone else's 110%.
Your "needs work" is someone else's "exactly what I needed."

Perfect is a moving target you'll never hit.
But done? Done changes everything.

👊

What's your test for knowing when something is "good enough"? 💬👇

---

♻️ Repost to help someone stop perfecting and start delivering

✚ Follow Cory Blumenfeld for more entrepreneurial insights and motivation.

I'm on a mission to inspire 1M everyday people to start their own business and find their voice in the process.

To really understand your clients...
You have to live it.

Because:

Feedback tells you what hurts.
Experience tells you why it matters.

Data shows patterns.
Empathy shows pain.

6 Ways to Actually Understand a Client’s Problem:

1️⃣ Step into their shoes
⇢ Walk through the process they deal with daily.
⇢ Feel the friction yourself.
⇢ See the gaps others overlook.

2️⃣ Ask before you assume
⇢ Curiosity beats confidence.
⇢ Open questions uncover hidden details.
⇢ The truth lives beneath the first answer.

3️⃣ Sit in their environment
⇢ Context changes everything.
⇢ What works in theory collapses in practice.
⇢ Culture shapes behavior more than logic.

4️⃣ Track emotions, not just numbers
⇢ Stress points reveal priorities.
⇢ Excitement shows opportunity.
⇢ Patterns of feeling guide better solutions.

5️⃣ Shadow the struggle
⇢ Observe without fixing.
⇢ Notice the workarounds and frustrations.
⇢ The small annoyances usually cost the most.

6️⃣ Test your own solution
⇢ If you wouldn’t use it, they won’t either.
⇢ Shortcuts always show cracks.
⇢ Credibility comes from walking the talk.

Understanding isn’t about reports or research.
It’s about connection.

Live their problem.
Earn their trust.
Solve what actually matters.

👊

Tell me about the last time you stepped into a client’s shoes… what did you learn? 💬👇

---

♻️ Repost to remind someone to step into their client’s shoes

✚ Follow Cory Blumenfeld for more entrepreneurial insights and motivation.

I’m on a mission to inspire 1M everyday people to start their own business and find their voice in the process.

The only mindset shift you need to beat imposter syndrome:
(save this for later)

I’ve teamed up with my past self... 
the one who doubted everything.

Together, we fight self-doubt
↳ and build confidence in biz

This guide will help you:

✓ Show up without overthinking
✓ Share your work with confidence
✓ Actually feel like you belong

Here’s how to stop feeling like a fraud ↓

1/ You don’t need to be the best

↳ Just be a step ahead of who you’re helping
↳ That’s already valuable
↳ You’re allowed to grow while you serve

2/ You’re not “faking it”

↳ You’re figuring it out like everyone else
↳ Confidence comes from taking action

3/ You belong in the room

↳ Doubt is normal
↳ But so is being qualified

More belief.
More confidence. 
More momentum.

This mindset shift gives you all three.

👊

What helps you feel calm when doubt shows up? 💬👇

---

♻️ Repost to help someone push through self doubt today

✚ Follow Cory Blumenfeld for more entrepreneurial insights and motivation.

I’m on a mission to inspire 1M everyday people to start their own business and find their voice in the process.

Your best people are drowning in confusion right now.


Not because they're incompetent.
Because you haven't defined their roles.

Every unclear role is a silent killer.
It confuses priorities, blurs accountability, and slows everything down.

When roles aren't defined…

🚩 People duplicate work
🚩 Projects fall through the cracks
🚩 Everyone's busy, but nothing moves forward

That's not a people problem.
That's a clarity problem.

You don't build great teams by accident.
You build them by defining what success looks like.

You say: "We need better customer retention."
Your lead defines: "90-day retention above 80%."
Your team executes: "Weekly check-ins for new accounts."

That's how alignment happens.
Top-down clarity.
Bottom-up ownership.

Want to fix it?

✅ Encourage questions when clarity fades.
✅ Make accountability visible, not assumed.
✅ Write down who owns what (no overlaps).
✅ Define success in simple, measurable terms.
✅ Review roles every quarter, businesses evolve.

When everyone knows their role, their purpose, and what "done" looks like...
that's when execution happens.

Because here's what most leaders miss:

Your team isn't confused about the work.
They're confused about their worth.

Fix the roles, and watch them prove it.

👊

What's one thing you'll clarify with your team this week? 💬👇

---

♻️ Repost to help someone create clarity for their team today

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I'm on a mission to inspire 1M everyday people to start their own business and find their voice in the process.

Every conversation is actually a negotiation.

You're always trying to achieve something.
Whether it's closing a deal or just being heard.

Most entrepreneurs think negotiation only happens in boardrooms.
But you're negotiating all day:

⇢ With clients about scope
⇢ With vendors about pricing
⇢ With yourself about priorities
⇢ With your team about deadlines

The entrepreneurs who win?
They treat every conversation like it matters.

Here's how to negotiate better starting today:

1️⃣ Listen more than you talk
↳ Let them reveal what they really want
↳ Ask questions before making offers
↳ The person talking most usually loses

2️⃣ Know your walk-away point
↳ Decide your bottom line before you start
↳ Write it down so you don't forget
↳ Bad deals cost more than no deals

3️⃣ Give them options, not ultimatums
↳ "We could do X or Y" beats "Take it or leave it"
↳ People want control, even if it's an illusion
↳ Multiple paths make everyone feel like they won

4️⃣ Trade value, don't just cut price
↳ "I can do that if you can do this"
↳ Bundle things that cost you little but mean a lot
↳ Never discount without getting something back

5️⃣ Use silence as a weapon
↳ After making your offer, shut up
↳ Most people hate awkward pauses and will fill them
↳ The first person to speak usually loses ground

6️⃣ Focus on their problems, not your solution
↳ Understand their pain before pitching
↳ Frame everything as solving their issue
↳ They buy outcomes, not features

7️⃣ Always get it in writing
↳ Handshakes are nice, contracts are better
↳ Document even small agreements
↳ Memory fades, emails don't

The best negotiators aren't the loudest or pushiest.

They're the ones who understand that every conversation is about finding common ground.

Master this and watch how fast things start going your way.

👊

Share your last negotiation story where both sides walked away happy? 💬👇

---

♻️ Repost to help an entrepreneur find success

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I'm on a mission to inspire 1M everyday people to start their own business and find their voice in the process.

Most creators quit at post 1.
Or worse... they never even start.

I posted for 6 months straight with barely any likes.

Zero engagement doesn't mean zero progress.

I used to obsess over every metric.

🔴 Question if I was wasting my time
🔴 Compare myself to viral creators
🔴 Refresh the page 20 times a day
🔴 Wonder why that post flopped
🔴 Think about quitting... daily

The reality?
⇢ My best client found me on a 12-like post.

Building in public isn't about going viral.
It's about staying visible.

Here's what actually matters when the numbers suck:

1/ Every post is practice

↳ You're training your voice, not chasing applause
↳ Bad posts teach you more than good ones

2/ Consistency builds compound trust

↳ People need to see you 7+ times before they care
↳ Your 50th post matters more than your 5th

3/ Low engagement = high focus time

↳ Use the quiet to refine your message
↳ Test different angles without pressure

4/ Your ideal client isn't everyone

↳ 10 perfect readers beat 1,000 scrollers
↳ Depth over reach wins long-term

5/ Revenue lags behind content

↳ Today's post plants next quarter's deal
↳ Trust compounds slower than likes

The hard truth:

Most people never hit publish on post #1.
They're too busy perfecting a draft that'll never see daylight.

The ones who do post?
Most quit by post 10 when the likes don't come.

But if you're not getting engagement...
Keep posting.

If you're not seeing results yet...
Keep showing up.

Because the only real failure?
Never starting or quitting to soon.

👊

What kept you going when nobody was watching? 💬👇

---

♻️ Repost to help someone finally hit publish on post #1

✚ Follow Cory Blumenfeld for more entrepreneurial insights and motivation.

I'm on a mission to inspire 1M everyday people to start their own business and find their voice in the process.

Are you secretly scared of success?

I see talented people destroy their own dreams daily.

They want the business but won't tell anyone their idea.
They want the promotion but find reasons they're not ready.
They want to create content but "who am I to teach anyone?"

It's not imposter syndrome.
It's success phobia.

Deep down, they're terrified of being seen.

What if people judge me?
What if I can't handle the pressure?
What if I don't deserve this?

So they find problems before anyone else can:

🔴 "I'm not expert enough yet"
🔴 "My family needs me to play small"
🔴 "I need one more certification first"
🔴 "The market's too saturated anyway"
🔴 "Successful people are probably miserable"

They convince themselves that wanting less is noble.
That staying hidden is humble.
That playing small is safe.

But you know what's actually dangerous?

Dying with your music still in you.

Here's how to stop hiding from your own success:

1/ Call out the real fear

↳ "I'm afraid of success because _____"
↳ Say it out loud. Shame dies in the light.

2/ Question your "proof"

↳ Who told you that you don't deserve this?
↳ Why do you believe them?

3/ Start before you're ready

↳ Post with 0 followers. Apply for the role.
↳ Perfect is just procrastination dressed up.

4/ Reframe attention as service

↳ Being visible isn't vanity.
↳ Your success gives others permission to try.

5/ Find evidence you can handle it

↳ You've survived every challenge so far.
↳ This won't be the one that breaks you.

The brutal truth:

Nobody's thinking about you as much as you think they are.

They're too busy worrying about themselves.

Your fear of judgment is keeping you from the life you actually want.

Stop finding problems.
Start finding courage.

You already deserve everything you're afraid to want.

👊

What’s something you’re proud of that you don’t share enough? 💬👇

---

♻️ Repost to help someone choose courage today

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I'm on a mission to inspire 1M everyday people to start their own business and find their voice in the process.