Last week, a prospect jumped onto a virtual call, looking like he just pulled three all-nighters fueled by sheer willpower and bad coffee or a super sugary energy drink. His business card might say "CEO," but his eye twitch screamed, "Chief Everything Officer."

Ok, I know bad Dad Joke. My kids tell me all the time to stop.

Sound familiar? You’re not alone.

Here are the three biggest rookie mistakes that keep business owners stuck in survival mode—and how to break free before you find yourself answering emails in your sleep.

 🏈 1. Playing Every Position on the Field

The Trap:

You're the salesperson, customer service rep, and janitor—because "no one can do it like me." (Which, by the way, is the entrepreneurial equivalent of “It’s not you, it’s me.”)

You start as everything in your company, but let’s be honest, you aren’t the be-all and end-all to everything you have been doing.

The Fix:

✔ Fire yourself from ONE task this week. Start small—maybe don’t hand over your financial strategy yet, but someone else can definitely schedule your meetings.
✔ Create a "Not-To-Do List." Write down the tasks that are sucking the life out of you and reference it daily. What takes you a long time that others can breeze right through?

 🤖 2. Building a Team of Robots Instead of Leaders

The Trap:

Your team won’t take the initiative. If you're not around, everything grinds to a halt. You’ve trained them to wait for orders instead of making decisions. At first, they will mess up, but get over it. Let them fail at small stuff as they learn.  

The Fix:

✔ Next time someone brings you a problem, ask: "What would you do if I were unreachable for a week?" Then, let them do exactly that.
✔ Implement a "Figure It Out First" rule. No one can bring you a problem without also bringing a potential solution.

❄️ 3. Treating Your Business Like a Snowflake

The Trap:

Every client project feels like a brand-new adventure. Your process only exists in your head, which makes your brain both indispensable and completely overwhelmed. I struggled with this one at first because we were doing 1,000s of projects every year. Take a step back and acknowledge the similarities and how others can help.

The Fix:

✔ Document your most common process TODAY. Not tomorrow. Not when you "have time." Open a Google Doc right now and brain-dump the steps.
✔ Create templates for anything that happens more than twice. Your future self will thank you.

⌚ Your 5-Minute Challenge

This week, "fire yourself" from one task. Document it, delegate it, and—this is the hard part—don’t micromanage the handoff.

What task are you firing yourself from? Reply and tell me. (Warning: The relief can be addictive.)

Here’s to working smarter, not harder,
[Your Name]

P.S. Still stuck playing Chief Everything Officer? Ask for help before it is too late.

🤔 REFLECT: Your Turn

❓ If you disappeared for a week, would your business keep running smoothly—or would it grind to a halt waiting for your return?

❓ What’s one task you’re holding onto that someone else could handle 80% as well as you (and that’s good enough)?

Share your story at [email protected].

Stay awesome, stay confident, and keep soaring higher!

— Cheering you on, Nick