Overnight Success Is a Myth: Real Advice for Young Entrepreneurs
Overnight Success Is a Myth: Real Advice for Young Entrepreneurs One of the most common questions I get from aspiring business owners is this: “What’s the biggest piece of advice you’d give to a young entrepreneur?” I always pause before answering—not because I don’t know what to say, but because I remember what it felt […]
The Worst Business Advice I Ever Took (And What It Cost Me)
The Worst Business Advice I Ever Took (And What It Cost Me) Owning a business is a constant education—sometimes the lessons are expensive, and sometimes they’re just plain painful. One of the most important lessons I’ve learned came from a piece of well-meaning but ultimately damaging advice from a coach I hired when my company […]
Why So Many Small Businesses Fail (And What We’re Not Telling Each Other)
Why So Many Small Businesses Fail (And What We’re Not Telling Each Other) There’s no shortage of statistics out there about small business failure. You hear the numbers all the time—50% fail within five years, only a third survive beyond ten. But I think the real story behind those numbers isn’t just about cash […]
“Wrong Business?” Why That’s the Wrong Question
“Wrong Business?” Why That’s the Wrong Question Over the years, one of the most common things I’ve heard from young entrepreneurs—especially when they’re hitting rough patches—is:“Maybe I got into the wrong business.” They say it with frustration, exhaustion, and sometimes, quiet resignation. There’s this belief that their challenges are unique to their industry, their team, […]
The Dark Side of Scaling: What No One Tells You at $5 Million
The Dark Side of Scaling: What No One Tells You at $5 Million There’s a point in the life of every growing business where the excitement of growth begins to feel less like a rush—and more like a weight. For me, and for many entrepreneurs I’ve spoken with, that point tends to hit right arou […]
Faith, Business, and the Bible: Why It Still Matters — The Story of Ben Haugh
Ben Haugh didn’t grow up in a classroom. He didn’t learn grammar, spelling, or the rules of punctuation. But he did learn the Bible. As a child, his entire education revolved around scripture. He wasn’t enrolled in any formal school. He didn’t learn to read or write in the conventional sense. But by the time […]
From “Them vs. Us” to “Us Together”: How the Right Banker Changed My Business
Fifteen years ago, I started my company, All Nation Restoration while banking with a large, well-known international bank. Like most small business owners in the early days, I spent a lot of time walking through their doors—making deposits, paying off credit cards, asking questions, trying to figure out how to keep the wheels turning. But […]
When Leadership Means Picking Up the Phone: The Reality of Business Ownership at All Nation Restoration
When Leadership Means Picking Up the Phone: The Reality of Business Ownership at All Nation Restoration Running a small business means wearing every hat — especially when things go sideways. One lesson I’ve seen lived out daily at All Nation Restoration is this: leadership isn’t about stepping back. It’s about being present. Our owner, Benjamin […]
Why Podcasting Might Be the Best Thing You Do as an Entrepreneur
Why Podcasting Might Be the Best Thing You Do as an Entrepreneur There’s something powerful—almost therapeutic—about podcasting. For Benjamin Haugh, founder of All Nation Restoration, podcasting has become more than a medium—it’s a mindset. In the middle of managing a high-pressure restoration business, Ben has discovered that podcasting offers something rare in the world of […]
Rethinking First Business Meetings: Why I Stopped Doing Lunch
I had a sit-down with Benjamin Haugh—not at lunch, but at his office—and asked him to talk to me about one thing: meetings. Specifically, how he connects with people in business for the first time. Now, I’ll admit—I’m a foodie. My idea of a good meeting often includes a menu and a great plate of […]
