Look, every business goes through seasons. You’ve got expansion. You’ve got peak. Then comes contraction. And yeah, sometimes you hit the floor.
It’s all normal. It’s part of the cycle.
But here’s the key — don’t overreact. Just because you're in a growth phase doesn't mean you should rush out and hire 10 new people. I’ve seen it too many times: money starts flowing in, and suddenly you think you can afford everything. The temptation is to scale fast — but fast doesn’t always mean smart.
On the flip side, just because things are stable doesn't mean you stop leading. Stability can be dangerous if it makes you blind. You’ve got people on payroll? Great. But are they really pulling their weight? Are they adding value?
Sometimes, even when things feel calm — maybe especially when things feel calm — you’ve got to make hard decisions. That might mean letting someone go. Not because you're mean. But because leadership means doing what’s right for the mission, not just what feels good in the moment.
And yeah, I get it. I want to be the good guy too. But being a good guy doesn’t mean avoiding tough calls. It means leading with clarity, even when it’s uncomfortable.
Business is a cycle. Your job? Stay clear-headed through all of it.