The warning signs I ignored for too long

It wasn’t competition that almost killed my business.

It wasn’t the economy. 

It wasn’t some big brand moving in on our turf.

It was denial.

For years, we were skating on thin ice. I kept telling myself we’d grow through the mess. 

Sales were up. Customers were happy. And from the outside, it looked like we were killing it.

But the numbers didn’t lie.

We didn’t have enough cash to pay for everything we were on the hook for.

Despite the big revenue, we were going backwards rapidly.

How We Got Here

It didn’t happen overnight. Avoiding things happens over time. 

We kept telling ourselves the same lies most founders do:

• “It’s just a quiet month.”
• “Next quarter will be different.”
• “It’s just a rough patch.”

And we kept chasing any and all revenue.

But the truth was: Growth doesn’t fix broken foundations. It just amplifies all the problems.

The Real Problem

Denial stops you from facing the real numbers early enough to do anything about them.

You tell yourself it’ll sort itself out, so you delay those tough decisions.

All that does is let small fires grow into full-blown infernos.

And by the time you wake up to it, the problem isn’t just financial anymore.

It’s cultural. It’s emotional. It’s fucking existential.

Like I said at the start, competition doesn’t kill most businesses. Denial does.

What I’d Do Differently

The moment the numbers looked tight, here’s what I should have done:

1. Confront reality fast. No sugar-coating, no “maybe next month.”
2. Simplify the data. One page, one dashboard, one truth for all Managers.
3. Act early. Waiting for the perfect plan is just another form of denial.

For You

If you’ve got a number in your head right now you’ve been avoiding…

If there’s a cultural problem you secretly hope will fix itself…

It won’t.

The fire you face today will cost 10x more if you leave it until next year.

Again… Competition won’t kill you. Denial will.

Take care and have a great week.