Michelle Crow’s Post

A common mistake many businesses still make in 2024: Adding more services instead of mastering one thing really, really well. Just because a client asks for something doesn’t mean you should provide it. More services dilute your focus and weaken your core offering. Instead, stay laser-focused on solving the core pain point. Next time you're tempted to add a new service, ask yourself: Will this make a huge impact? (Less is often more when it comes to delivering real value.) P.S Here is a photo I took of art made entirely from moths at a local art museum. Follow me, Chase Binnie, for more on acquisitions and entrepreneurship.

Max Shapiro knows a thing or two about a thing or two. He’s founded businesses, scaled businesses, and invested in businesses. By many measures, he’s been successful several times over. And he shared with me some advice that he learned the hard way (so you don’t have to). Investors will always look to your team first. First and foremost in their minds is; “is this a team of A players?” Max’s advice? “Hire slow. If it’s not a great fit, fire fast.” Your team is everything.  Don’t settle. Don’t rush. Build your A-Team. #Staffing #TeamBuilding #StartupAdvice

Did you know I had 22 successful businesses before Restocks? Let me recap a conversation with an investor during a pitch meeting for Restocks. Investor: Was Restocks your first successful business? Me: No, I had 22 successful exits during my career. Investor: Wow, are you a rich man now? Me: That depends on how you define "rich." Investor: Can you explain more? Me: Sure. Each business idea was driven by an ambitious kid with a vision. Some were intended to make me rich, I won't lie about that. But 90% were about learning and growth. Even though those 22 businesses never made me a lot of money, they were my training ground. They prepared me for my Champions League moment. Investor: What was your turning point? Me: Founding Hosty, my SaaS hosting company. I managed everything alone: marketing, sales, finance, webdesign and customer support. It was exhausting but rewarding. Those 22 businesses taught me skills that I used to build Hosty. Investor: What happened with Hosty? Me: I operated Hosty for 14 years, always ready to help my clients. During the peaks, I managed 4500 clients all by myself. I didn't have the resources, funding, or skills to scale Hosty effectively, which led to losing my passion. Eventually, I sold it and started from scratch, taking all those learned skills with me. TAKEAWAY → Never give up. → Every failure is a lesson. → Each step brings you closer to success. → If a business no longer fuels your passion, it's okay to move on. That's what I did, and it led me to found Restocks, scaling it to 180 employees in three years. Now with Restocks behind me, I feel that every end, whether good or bad, can be a successful one to be proud of. If you have any questions or topics you'd like me to dive deeper into, feel free to leave a comment or send me a DM. Let's inspire each other.

Thanks ABCMoney for publishing this interview about how at The Grafter we are helping Founders to sell their businesses using our #8figureexit service supported by our industry leading Exiteers 🚀

It's launch day for Lola, a venture by Jack Studios. Welcome! We are Claire Keet and Sabeeha Banubhai. As serial founders, we know why a vital part of running a business is to deeply understand customers. We’ve experienced the successes of truly knowing our customers - and the failures of thinking we know our customers, but don’t. Our vision is a world where businesses thrive because they truly solve people’s problems. Which starts with knowing customers as people first. Not numbers. Between us, over the past ten years, we’ve spoken to hundreds and hundreds of customers across our various businesses. When we’ve listened, known, understood our customers, we’ve seen true success. It is our mission to help other entrepreneurs achieve the same success by using the gold mine they’re already sitting on: People Insights. https://lnkd.in/dDnNYwCc

Running a business is hard, but running a business without resources is harder. From a young age, I knew I wasn’t cut out for the 9-to-5 grind. The idea of building something of my own, an empire, was far more appealing than clocking in and out for someone else. But the dream of entrepreneurship quickly met reality—starting a business requires more than just passion. It needs resources—both financial and human. At 23, I launched my first company, and while securing over 40 million naira in investment was a significant milestone, it wasn’t just about the money. The right team played a crucial role in bringing the vision to life. Having the right people by your side—those who believe in your mission as much as you do—can make all the difference. As the co-founder of Swiftlyrescue.com, I’ve seen firsthand how essential it is to have both the financial backing and a strong, dedicated team. In just 11 months, we’ve raised thousands of dollars and assembled a group of talented individuals who are committed to our success. Together, we’ve navigated various challenges, from securing investments to overcoming operational hurdles. The right resources—whether financial or human—are the backbone of any successful venture. Surround yourself with people who share your vision, and never underestimate the power of a solid team combined with the right financial strategy.

Business owners FAIL because of one major reason. And this reason was why my previous ventures didn’t make it very far. As I sit in a room of billionaires including Kevin Harrington, Larry Namer, and a few others who prefer to be private, I realized that they are all saying the SAME THING. “Build a great team”. Too many of us believe we have to do it alone. We can’t. We shouldn’t. To select the best in class for each department of your business will define the speed and size of your growth. Business growth and stability is a team sport. Grow your team and choose the best.

Sharing my latest blog post, "The Best Way to Approach Investors?" In the Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition (EtA) community, particularly within the search fund niche, I often encounter this question from potential business buyers on how to approach investors to help fund their search and/or acquisition. Leveraging all that I've seen and learned, I offer three steps toward creating a vivid portrait for your entrepreneurial journey. My work in developing the EtA Launch Hub, a pre-accelerator for prospective business buyers, led me to write a comprehensive 200-page guidebook and launch VAULT, a mini-TV channel, both dedicated to helping searchers create that vision and execute on it. A clear and well-crafted vision aligns your aspirations with your current position, helping you attract the right resources and avoid missteps. Read the full post here: https://lnkd.in/g4hRBe9s

Some people get pitching investors wrong. They think if you have a solid presentation and big numbers, you win. But here’s the thing: - The best investor pitches are actually just conversations - The best decks are really just whiteboard sessions - The best negotiations are simple discussions of priorities No successful entrepreneur or groundbreaking startup has ever pitched by the book. Instead, they created their own paths by actually vibing with the other person: - Conveying their energy, - Sharing their true story, - Making them feel their feeling Investors call on us to be innovators in our field, to think outside the box and bring in new possibilities. And not because we fit into the current landscape of the investor’s portfolio. So whether it’s a personal journey or a company’s mission, let’s not repeat the same old (boring) pitches. Because, in the end, you’ll be partners!

Some people get pitching investors wrong. They think if you have a solid presentation and big numbers, you win. But here’s the thing: - The best investor pitches are actually just conversations - The best decks are really just whiteboard sessions - The best negotiations are simple discussions of priorities No successful entrepreneur or groundbreaking startup has ever pitched by the book. Instead, they created their own paths by actually vibing with the other person: - Conveying their energy, - Sharing their true story, - Making them feel their feeling Investors call on us to be innovators in our field, to think outside the box and bring in new possibilities. And not because we fit into the current landscape of the investor’s portfolio. So whether it’s a personal journey or a company’s mission, let’s not repeat the same old (boring) pitches. Because, in the end, you’ll be partners!