Most service-based founders didn’t start their business to run spreadsheets, chase team issues, or babysit backend chaos.

But that’s where they end up—wearing the COO hat, buried in operations, and stuck running a business they never meant to build.

That’s where I come in.

I work hands-on with founders to:
- Plug profit leaks
- Create clarity with cash
- Build simple systems that scale
- Reclaim time, margin, and control

My 8-week Profitable Growth Accelerator™ is built for service businesses doing $300K–$2M who are ready to grow on purpose, get paid properly, and stop the chaos—without adding more hours.

📊 We start with your numbers
📈 We fix what’s broken
🧠 You get your business—and your life—back

If that sounds like the kind of help you’ve been hunting for, DM me or visit the link above.

Damien Foglio

I had a tough chat with a new client yesterday. He asked his top employee to perform a task, and the response was: "Nope." 

This pattern only happens because it’s been allowed to happen before. 

I told him, "Your business will only be as good as what you tolerate." 

Tolerate poor behavior, sloppy work, or low standards — and you’ll keep getting the same results. 

No amount of warnings or conversations will change that. 

Change only happens when you decide enough is enough and stop accepting what’s unacceptable. 

Leadership isn’t just about messaging — it’s about setting clear standards and holding your team accountable. 

Because growth begins where tolerance ends. 

What’s your take on how leadership sets the boundaries that drive success?

undefined undefined

Cash Flow Freedom - Dec 1

Workshop

📌 On Monday, January 19th at 7 pm EST I am hosting a 1-hr workshop: Profitable Gameplan helping business owners get a jump start on achieving their 2026 goals. 

https://calendly.com/coach-damien/workshop

It's only $25 to join. 
Includes bonuses and a replay.


Hands-on help for $300k-$3M Service Owner-Operators to ditch the COO hat, fix their cash flow, and build a route to profitable growth - and finally get paid | All Inside the 8-Wk Profitable Growth Accelerator™

Meeting with a prospective client yesterday, one thing became apparent: 
He had great revenue ($1M+), was even making 5%+ profit, but had no cash flow to float payroll. 

Truth is, every small business owner wants steady cash flow, 
but not all of them have it. 

Start with this fact: 
The biggest reason small businesses struggle to keep the lights on is because they don’t have enough profit.

Sounds simple, right? 

But here’s the kicker: 
Even if you’re making a profit, you’re not necessarily staying afloat. 

Why? 

Because most business owners are spending that profit right away:
Debt payments, owner draws, bonuses, or just plain old overspending.

If you want to build predictable cash flow, you need to control what you’re extracting from your business.

Here’s my advice: 
Review your monthly financials like a hawk. 

Understand where every dollar is going.
If you’re not doing that already, you’re flying blind.

Profit isn’t just an end-of-month number. 
It’s the fuel that keeps your cash flow alive.

Stop spending your profit like it’s Monopoly money. 
Reclaim your financial clarity, and your cash flow will follow.

Are you ready to take control? 

Do this, starting today: 
1️⃣ Start by reviewing your numbers weekly.
2️⃣ Review your P&L's by percentage (in accordance to revenue) monthly. 
3️⃣ Make decisive actions to improve the outliers. 

Because no matter how busy you are, 
if your profit isn’t growing, your cash flow isn’t either.

Let’s get real about your numbers. 
Your business depends on it.

One of my favorite follows here on is Blake Harber. 
Building a business from scratch, while sharing his journey along the way. 

But he recently asked a question that I love answering: 
How do you set up your week on Sunday? 

Here's my answer with a little more detail: 

Every Sunday afternoon, I take 1-2 hours and plan out my week: 

1️⃣ Confirm and schedule all personal items with my wife: Work schedules, pickups, drop offs, dates, following weekend plans, etc. 

2️⃣ Schedule all my client coaching appointments in my calendar and notebook. (I love analog). This is my "working" schedule for the week and must make times. 

3️⃣ I then plan all my workouts (4 x /week, 40 min ea) around those items. Day 1 through 4. With what I am going to work out and when. 

4️⃣ With the remaining time I build in my "business building" hours. 

I choose 3 strong objectives (My big 3) each week to accomplish by Friday afternoon. 

I then do 3 small tasks (My Little 3) each day to accomplish them - and schedule that time around all of the items above. 

5️⃣ And finally, I set out my clothes, grind all my coffee, and food prep for week (even though I work from home). 

Doing this every Sunday gets me motivated to get out of bed and start tackling everything every Morning. 

Do you have a Week prep routine? 
If so, let me know what works for you!

I build GTM teams for early stage founders | GTM Partners for Founders

Last week I sat on a call with a client and his brand-new admin.

He’d just had to move on from the previous one.
Clean break. Fresh start.
And one big problem:

The admin wanted to do a great job.
The client had no idea where to start.

So instead of training task-by-task...
or dumping a massive SOP doc on them...

We focused on just three things.

Not forever.
Just to get momentum.

Here’s what we did:

Defined the start of the day
What does “a good day” look like the moment they log in?
Clear tasks. Clear ownership. No guessing.

Defined the end of the day
Before signing off, what must be done for it to count as a win?
This alone removed 80% of the anxiety.

Prioritized the middle
A simple list of the best use of time in between.
Not everything. Just what matters most.

That’s it.

No micromanaging.
No overtraining.
No “let’s cover every edge case.”

And here’s the result:

The admin was up and running by day 2.

Not perfect.
But confident.
And moving.

This worked because most people try to train for completeness…

When what people actually need is clarity.

Clarity creates confidence.
Confidence creates momentum.
Momentum buys you time to refine later.

If you’re onboarding someone right now:

Start with the bookends.
Then fill in the middle.

What’s the first thing someone should own when they start their day?

—

If this was useful, say 👋 or steal the framework.
I share real behind-the-scenes moments like this often.

Being married to a business coach is not always a smooth ride. 

I sometimes think that living with someone who talks about goals, habits, and growth every day would be inspiring. 

But honestly? Sometimes it can be exhausting. 

Imagine waking up each morning to reminders to "review your goals," "track your progress," or "stretch outside your comfort zone." 

It’s like living with a personal development seminar 24/7. 

Some nights, I just want to binge-watch Netflix without a "what did you learn today" quiz. 

And then there’s the constant push to "be better," "do more," or "get uncomfortable." 

It’s inspiring, sure. But it can also be draining. 

Because growth isn’t always a straight line. 

Sometimes, it’s just about surviving the day without feeling like you’re under a microscope. 

So if you’re married to a coach, here’s the truth: 

Yes, they’re dedicated to helping others grow. 

But they’re also human. 

They get tired. 

They forget that sometimes, a good nap is a better goal than a new habit. 

And that’s okay. 

Because at the end of the day, the real growth comes from understanding each other—not just the goals we chase. 

Now, tell me—what’s the most surprising thing about living with someone obsessed with growth? 

I’ll start—some days, I feel like I’m married to my personal coach. And honestly, I wouldn’t have it any other way. 

But sometimes, I just want a break from the growth talk. 

And that’s the real lesson: balance. 

Even the most passionate coaches need to step back and breathe. 

Because growth isn’t just about pushing forward—sometimes, it’s about enjoying the ride. 

What’s your take?

No alternative text description for this image

I say a lot of things on LinkedIn, but never did I expect something I said to turn in to a "mini-viral" moment.   At least in my small world.  

But apparently my post on Sunday struck and nerve and invited new people into the conversation of leadership.  

In this case, an employee was asked by the owner of the company (his dad) to perform a client request, to which the employee (the son) refused to do. 

The requested service was well within the scope of work and the owner felt it was helping a long term client out.  The employee felt it was a waste of time.

So, who is right in this situation?  

I might argue that as long as the work order and service request is within the scope of work the company provides, the employees are to do what is requested of them.  

That's what this conversation is all about.  

However, part of what I learned from this post is that context matters.  
And I completely agree with that.  

Without context there is a cliff hanger.  A desire to know more. 

But then the question is: 

With more context would it have gotten the response that it did?  
Did the fact that my post lacked context create the curiosity to join the conversation?  

Not really clear, but one more thing I learned: Keeping up with a post like this, providing context and responses to every single comment is a lot.  

Almost overwhelming, but worth it.  

Here is the link to the original post: 
https://lnkd.in/g-x5QhwM

One of my favorite new perspectives on life and learning is from Alex Hormozi. 

In one of his older podcasts, he mentioned that only reads books to solve a specific problem or challenge. 

Or in other words: his next biggest constraint to his goals. 

As a business coach, for me that might be: 
+ Lack of leads
+ Low sales conversion
+ Improvement in my program
+ Long term growth

And as small business owners, it could be similar: 
> Lack of consistent revenue and profit. 
> Low cash flow and no system to manage it. 
> Hiring and retaining the best people. 
> Leadership and building a long term business. 

Or whatever it might be. 

We all have limited time - only so much available per day. 

𝗢𝗻𝗲 𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗜 𝗮𝘀𝗸 𝗺𝘆𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳, 𝗶𝗳 𝗜 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝘀𝗼𝗹𝘃𝗲 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻 𝗺𝘆 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲, 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗺𝘆 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲 𝗮 𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗹𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿, 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗶𝘁 𝗯𝗲? 

The answer to that question is how I spend my available time and energy. 

I watch YouTube videos on it during my lunch break. 
I fill any social media feed with people that solve that challenge. 
I read books at night before I go to bed on how to solve it. 
I join workshops to help me accelerate my learning. 

I don't stop until I solve it. 

And, when I do, I find my next biggest roadblock. 

Curious – What are you currently reading? 
And how do you choose which book to read next?

Founder Acquisition.com, Co-Founder Skool.com. Get your free scaling roadmap👇

I don't sit around waiting for life to happen.

From my understanding, there are three kinds of people:

1. Those who wait for something to happen.
2. Those who wonder what happened.
3. Those who make it happen.

I'm the third: Always making it happen.

Set my goals.
Build my plan.
Take steps day by day.

But I've learned two big lessons from this way of living:

First, sometimes you need to hit pause to stay on course.
Second, rest isn't a luxury. It's part of the plan.

Going 16 hours a day, seven days a week, 52 weeks a year? 
That kills momentum long term.

So I schedule rest. 

Not because I'm lazy, but because I get energy from tinkering, thinking, moving.

Balance keeps me moving forward, keeps my momentum alive.

No shortcuts, no burnout. 
Just steady progress. 
That's how you make things happen.

What type of person are you? 
where do you find your energy?

Let me know in the comments!

If you are anything like me, you have planned your future as if it is guaranteed. We save for the obvious, set fixed goals, but often forget one critical thing...the unknown. 

My wife and I do this every year on our family planning trip. 
We ask ourselves: 

What are we not seeing? 
What surprises might come our way? 
What unexpected opportunities or challenges could pop up? 

It's the biggest reason folks miss out on game-changing moves. 

- Buying that house down the street to rent out 
- Investing in a friend's business just about to take off 
- Handling a health scare without freaking out 
- Weathering a job loss and keeping the lights on 
- Taking time for yourself and your family without guilt 

Your future isn't guaranteed. 

But why do so many plan for a future they can't predict, 
yet leave the unknown unaddressed? 

What if we started prepping for the unexpected? 

Over the past 6 weeks, my wife and I experienced this firsthand, taking over a family home to turn into a part-time vacation rental. 

We weren't planning for anything like this. 

But because we focus on preparing for the unknown, we were ready when opportunity knocked. 

Think about it. 

How are you preparing for what you don't see coming? 
Because the right preparation today can unlock a world of possibilities tomorrow. 

Don't wait for the surprise to hit , start planning for the unknown now. 
Your future depends on it. 

What's one thing you're doing today to prep for what's coming next?

Many service-based business owners are scared to bring me into their business. They fear being judged for a messy business — no clear financials, no clear direction, and no clear goals. 

I’ve talked to many owners who are nervous — almost scared — about what I might discover when I dig into their books and systems.

Here’s the truth: 

That mess? It’s exactly where I thrive.
That chaos is a goldmine.

It’s where the real story lives — the hidden leaks, the missed opportunities, the profit leaks buried in the clutter.

And here’s a secret: Just because the data looks bad doesn’t mean the business is bad.

Problems are honest messengers.

They tell us where we need to fix things, where to tighten margins, where the profit leaks are hiding.

The key isn’t solving everything at once — it’s starting with ONE thing, the biggest challenge, and knocking it out.

Like pushing snow downhill, solving one frustration snowball makes everything easier moving forward.

So, if your business feels like a mess, remember — that’s where growth begins.

Tackle the biggest pain first, and watch how momentum builds.

Ready to turn your chaos into clarity? 
Let’s start cleaning up those profit leaks today.

"Will growth always be like this?" 
He doubled his business in 2 years. 

On paper, that's a win. 
But behind the scenes? 
He was drowning in questions, requests, and frustrations. 

Every day felt like chaos. 
Staff issues. Client demands. Fire drills. 

Growth doesn't have to feel like chaos. 

It can be structured. 
Predictable. 
Even freeing. 

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝗿𝗲𝘁 𝗶𝘀𝗻'𝘁 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸. 
𝗜𝘁'𝘀 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂. 

Growth becomes manageable, not maddening. 

Ask yourself, has your growth felt like freedom or friction? 
If it's friction, you're missing the systems that make growth sustainable. 

Stop the chaos before it stops you. 
Build for scale, not chaos. 

It's a choice. What's yours?

Last week I was looking at a client’s numbers and had to pause.

Not because they were flashy.
But because of how quiet the growth was.

In 2023: $160k revenue | $60k pay/profit

In 2024: $652k revenue | $130k profit

This year? On track for $800k with $200k profit.

Same business. Same market. No hype.

So what actually changed?

We didn’t add more chaos. 
We removed it.

Here’s what we did:

1️⃣ Restructured pricing
2️⃣ We stopped winging it.
3️⃣ Built a firm pricing list.
4️⃣ Then increased it intentionally each year. 

No apologizing.
No custom quotes for everything.

Focused on the most profitable services
Not the busiest ones.
The repipes that actually made money.

If it wasn’t profitable, it stopped being a priority.

Changed how talent was paid
Instead of bloated fixed costs,
we paid a fixed % per job.

Cheaper access to great talent.
Costs stayed predictable.
Margins stopped getting crushed.

That one shift did two things at once:

More jobs completed per week

Cost per job finally stayed under control

This worked because most businesses try to grow revenue first...

When the real unlock is structuring profit before scale.

Revenue is loud.
Profit is quiet.
But profit compounds.

If you doubled revenue tomorrow, would your profit double too — or disappear?

—

If you want help tightening the engine before pushing harder, say the word.
I share what’s actually working behind the scenes.

Part of me wants to raise daughters who are great team players and dependable employees: self-aware, responsible, respectful, and willing to go above and beyond.

But another part of me dreams of raising entrepreneurs.

Ones who push boundaries, question things to better understand, and aren't afraid to forge their own path.

Honestly, either path works for me, as long as they are happy.

Every Thursday night, on the way to hip-hop dance class, my 11-year-old Harper and I talk about the business she wants to build.

It's become our weekly ritual, reviewing her "business plan," updating it, and figuring out what's missing.

And since I promised to be her first investor and biggest supporter, it's crucial we build that investor-entrepreneur relationship early.

Right now, we are building "Fit & Fashion" where local ladies can gather, purchase Alo quality items at Rack prices, while joining in fitness classes. 

The real question: are we empowering her to chase her dreams or just teaching her to follow orders?

Either way, I know one thing , what she learns now will shape her future.

And honestly, I wouldn't have it any other way.

What about your kids? Do you want them to follow a well-trodden path or blaze their trail?

Let's talk about it in the comments.

This week was... loud.

Multiple client calls.
Same issue. Different employees.

People asking for more money —
using every tactic in the book to get it.

Market rates.
Past titles.
What their friend makes.
What they feel they deserve.

So here’s how I look at it:

Compensation = the value the position brings to the company.

That’s it.

Your prior experience?
Relevant to getting hired — not getting a raise.

Your prior pay or title?
Relevant to your resume — not your compensation here.

Other companies paying more for “the same role”?
Then that role might make sense... at that company.

Titles, responsibilities, leadership, expectations —
they vary too much for pay-by-comparison to mean much.

So what’s the real goal?

Stop playing their game.
Play your game.

The one built around:
1️⃣ Profit
2️⃣ Growth
3️⃣ Sustainability

If someone materially contributes to those —
work to keep them.

If they don’t —
don’t take the easy road and pay more for the same value you already had.

When I evaluate compensation, I come back to two questions:
1. What would it cost to replace them in their current role?
2. Knowing what I know now, would I hire them today at the pay they’re asking for?

Those two answers solve a lot of future problems.

One more thing most people don’t like hearing: When someone worked for me, compensation was discussed once per year.

That’s it.

Not open-ended.
Not ongoing.
Not emotional.

Because compensation should:

1️⃣ Align with responsibilities
(As clearly defined in the job description.
If responsibilities change → comp gets reviewed.)

2️⃣ Scale with growth
Every role should have a clear formula for what growth with the company looks like.
When compensation is tied to revenue and/or profit percentages,
most “raise conversations” disappear.

Clarity beats negotiation.
Structure beats pressure.

Curious — how do you think about compensation when emotions enter the room?

Saturdays are my favorite days of the week. 
But not because I don't do much, in fact, quite the opposite...

My wife and I are very intentional about planning our weekends in advance. 

And one thing we have been more focused on lately is planning weekends with nothing - completely open. 

To work around the house, clean things up in the garage, and be prepared for our next adventure. 

Today is one of those days. 

These days very much look the same: 

Wake up later than normal, usually around 8:30. 
Make a big pot of coffee. 
And plan out my day - Even on my weekends, I am spending time writing out my To-do List. 
Start at the top of the list. 

This season I am focusing on having everything I need ready for Spring to ensure I get a good jump on my yard, the house, and items, so we can have more time and weekends away, enjoying the summer. 

But, no matter what, my goal is to have everything completed by 4 pm on Saturday, to rest and Sabbath till 1 pm on Sunday. 

Curious – What do your Saturday's away from work look like?

The great Sunday reset. 

Our preparation today is going to make a great Monday. 
And a great Monday makes a great week. 

We make our momentum and follow it. 
We push through our comfort and seek our goals on the other side. 
We plan our time rather than wondering what happened. 

We grow personally. 
We grow professionally. 
We grow our closest relationships. 

By this time next week we will be that much closer to our goals. 
We will be one week further from last weeks troubles. 

Planning our 3 strategic objectives for the week. 
Planning our 3 daily task each day to ensure they are done. 

Who's with me?

The grind of growing a small service business is real. 

When I took over the branch office of my family's business, it felt like a mountain too high to climb. 

Sure, it had revenue of $440k annually, but was losing -$50k per year. 

But now, looking back, I wish I knew then what I know now: 
It is much simpler when you have a repeatable system. 

A system that when implemented into the business, followed, and reviewed, changes everything. 

One that is planned annually, built quarterly, monitored weekly, and executed daily. 

One that turns current revenue profitable. 

One that tells cash where to go - Instead of wondering where it is.

One that manages time on the right things. 

One that sets goals and defined the future destination. 

One that provides the exact daily and weekly plan to follow. 

One that retains all current clients, while adding new ones. 

One that ensures the pricing is profitable and competitive. 

One that puts revenue on repeat. 

This is now what I coach to my clients in a 8-week program: 
The Profitable Growth Accelerator. 

If you might be interested in hearing more about this system, please reach out. 

My desire is not to sell you something you don't want, 
but to implement the right system in your business. 

One that makes today the last day your business looks like it does. 

If you want to take a peek, shoot me a DM.

Most owners obsess over the big numbers: 
Clients, revenue, net profit. 

I used to do the same. 

Then I learned the real power isn't in the top line. 
It's in the denominator. 

For me, it was 'per hour'. 

'Revenue per hour' 
'Gross profit per hour' 
'Cost per hour' 

Why? 

Because I used to bid my work per hour. 

When I added a 100-hour contract, I knew instantly what it would bring in revenue, profit, and costs. 

That denominator "per hour" became the engine. 

Scale it, and everything else moves. 

For plumbers, it's per job. 
For consultants, per project. 
For you, it's whatever makes your model tick. 

What's the one number that drives your business? 

Figuring that out can change everything. 

If you want help finding it, shoot me a DM. Tell me about your business, and I'll help you identify that key number for free. 

Stop chasing totals. Focus on what truly moves your engine.

Are you the type to make New Year's Resolutions, or do you skip them altogether?

Honestly, I believe everyone needs at least one goal, because real growth only happens when there's change.

We don't need more information. We need transformation. 

But here's the catch: Change doesn't just happen.
It starts with a clear, measurable goal, a timeline, and a plan.

Whether your goal is to lose 20 pounds or grow your business by 20%, breaking it into 90-day chunks makes it manageable.

Want to drop 20? Focus on 5 pounds every 90 days.
Looking to scale? Aim for a 5% growth each quarter.

It's not about WHEN you start, 
it's about HAVING a goal and a plan to reach it.

Goals for 10 years, 3 years, and 1 year are important.

But the real magic? 
Breaking them down into actionable steps for the next 90 days.

Know where you are now, define where you want to go, and map out your 90-day milestones.

Set your goals today , whether it's New Year's or a random Tuesday.
Grow in every aspect, and make this year different than the last.

One goal at a time.
One 90-day sprint.

Struggling to define your next 90-day goals?
Reach out, I'd love to help you turn big dreams into achievable plans.

Let's make this year your best yet.

PS: My goal is to help 100+ small service-business owners build better businesses in 2026. Improving pay, satisfaction, and profit - all without adding more hours.

My wife and I have started the process of looking for a new family vehicle. 

We simply cannot fit our family of 4 and our luggage (We all have a tendency to overpack a bit.) in either of our two current cars. 

But while talking to sales people and dealerships one thing stood out. 
This dealership 20 min south, does not negotiate. 

They go by a one-price motto. 

I was a bit used to this when purchasing Audi's in my previous life, but for a Toyota? 

But that's it. 

The price they give you in store is the price they sell it. 
Everyone gets the same price. 

Then I started thinking about all of the positives of this...

Eliminates possible discrimination. 
Levels the ground for different levels of negotiations. 
Allows each person to get the same deal, no matter their purchasing power. 

I hated it as a buyer, as I wanted to negotiate. 
I want to feel like I am winning something more. 

But as a business, I love it. 

Too many times, service-based business owners build their price, but are open to negotiation. 

They lower their price to make a customer happy. 
Or provide a discount to help get the sale. 

But this can work in the opposite direction. 
It cheapens the service. 

1️⃣ Build your perfect profitable price for each service. 
2️⃣ Stick to it. Don't negotiate. 

Some of my clients are hesitant to tell clients their pricing. 
When that is the case, we...
1️⃣ Post it to a website or landing page. 
2️⃣ Point every client to that page. 
3️⃣ Have them book a call at the bottom. 

Easy peasy.

(PS: This was last night's sunset from the dealership. God's creation is beautiful!)

🔻 Running a stagnating business sucks.

Every successful founder had that season:

↓ Staring at the same P&L every month
↓ Fixing 1 problem to uncover 2 more
↓ Working thru nights and weekends
↓ Seeing your best people leave
↓ Falling behind competitors
↓ Losing motivation

Then you start wondering: "Am I in the right business?"

If you're in this season right now, we need to talk.

👋 Hi, I'm Lian.

For 12+ years, I led growth initiatives in businesses
from 8-ppl startups to global 150-ppl companies.

I helped dozens of founders push through growth ceilings,
and add $52M+ in revenue and 24M+ users (in aggregate).

But I also was tired of hearing founders complain about:

↓ Paying $6,000 to a coach to be "more motivated".
↓ Spending $12,000 on a consultant to hear basic advice.
↓ Wasting $18,000 on a marketing agency to get a few leads.

... while their real bottleneck had nothing to do with it.

In my experience, every growth problem traces back
to ONE bottleneck at a time. Fix it, and growth follows.

But you need to find, prioritize, and execute on the right one.

Therefore, I created:

🔹 Reclaim Growth - Your Growth Partner with Guaranteed ROI.
→ We help founders break through plateaus when nothing else works.

It's like having an integrated growth executive,
without paying $300k/yr for that level of expertise.

We spot bottlenecks, build strategies,
and guide execution to help you scale faster.

Cause here's the reality:

- More information
- More motivation
- More labor

Won't fix a broken model.

If none of the other things worked for you,
and you're still reading, I hope you see why.

So if you're curious to see whether
your model is holding you back,
we have a few things to offer:

🔹 Get a Free 60-Minute Bottleneck Analysis

→ We'll analyze your business, pinpoint your biggest growth constraint,
and show you how to approach fixing it. No strings attached.

Since it's free, we only take 10 calls a month.

🔹 Apply to work with us as your Growth Partner

→ We spot bottlenecks, build strategies,
and guide execution to help you break through. 

To protect the quality, we only work with
a small number of founders at a time.

If any of that sounds interesting to you,
click the links in my Featured section ⤵

See what founders say about us:

💬 "The perfect blend of strategic insight and practical implementation..."
- James K., Founder at Njin AI

💬 "If you want a clear, comprehensive view of your business..."
- Tatiana T., Founder at TSCH Agency

💬 "Simple system for scaling businesses. Highly recommend!"
- Sergio A., CEO at Led Lights Direct

Lian Turc

99% of AI-first businesses you see are doomed.
 
Not because AI is a bubble (it isn't).
 
But because founders built them around
what current models can't do (yet).
 
When the model gets better, your "core feature" becomes a free checkbox.
 
Here's the difference I'm seeing:
 
𝗧𝘆𝗽𝗲 𝟭: 𝗬𝗼𝘂'𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗽𝘁
 
• The value is the output
• The core is prompt engineering
• The customer can get it in ChatGPT in 30 sec

(yes, maybe not today, but wait for 6-12 months)
 
𝗧𝘆𝗽𝗲 𝟮: 𝗬𝗼𝘂'𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺
 
• The value is the system + outcome
• The core is data, workflow, and integrations
• Each model upgrades make your product better

Want to build software that gets better with every model?
 
1️⃣ 𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗹 𝘀𝘄𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 
↳ Treat LLMs like a replaceable component, not your core product.
 
2️⃣ 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝘅𝘁, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗽𝘁𝘀
↳ Collect and store custom user data that improves the model's outcomes.

3️⃣ 𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗳𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗸𝗲𝘆 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲
↳ Focus on the process, user experience, and outcomes.
 
If your customers leave the day ChatGPT ships something new…
 
You don't have a product.

You have a temporary interface.
 
𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗴𝗲𝘁𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗺𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗹 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲.

P.S. Are you building a prompt wrapper or a system?

Let me know in the comments (be honest)👇

♻️ Repost to help founders in your network.
➕ Follow for more business growth content.

Growth Partner For Founders from $500k to $10M. We spot bottlenecks, build strategies, and guide execution to help you break through. Learn more ⤵

Most founders haven’t heard of this paradox.

But it’s changing the way businesses use AI.

In economics, it normally works like this:

🕹️ New tech makes something more efficient
↓
💰 You get the same results using less of it
↓
📉 So total usage should go down

→ Take LED bulbs.

They’re ~10x more efficient, but:

• We don’t buy 10x more of them
• We don’t leave the lights on 10x longer

We just pay less to light up our homes.

👉 But some things behave differently.

When total usage goes up instead,
we call it the 𝗝𝗲𝘃𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗼𝘅.

🤖 As AI gets cheaper and faster,
we generate and build more than ever:

• More text written
• More apps created
• More media generated

Not just a little bit more, but A LOT!

On 𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗥𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗲𝗿 alone, usage jumped:

𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺: ~500 million tokens in Jan 2025
𝗧𝗼: ~7 trillion tokens in Nov 2025

𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁’𝘀 𝟭𝟰× 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵 𝗶𝗻 𝟭𝟭 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗵𝘀.

Here’s what it means to you as a founder:

1/ Get your seniors using AI. Their output will spike.

2/ Get your juniors using AI. They’ll do better work.

3/ Don’t just replace people with AI.
Replace those who refuse to leverage it.

AI isn’t ready to replace people yet.

But it’s ready to 10x their output.

P.S. Are you doing more with AI or less?

♻️ Repost to help founders in your network.
➕ Follow for more business growth content.

When was the last time you couldn't help yourself

but tell others about something you love?

Like you literally wouldn't shut up about it:

Even after you ranted for a whiiiile?
Even after everyone was asking you?
Even after they swore they'd check it out?

Think about it. What was it?

A new song?
Or an old book?
A YouTube video?

But does it even matter?

One thing is certain: it was awesome.

You were blown away.
You were excited.
You were in it.

But one thing I can tell you for sure:

It was something non-trivial.

Unexpected.

(unless you were living under a rock for a while,
and just found out people invented the Internet...)

That feeling you had is what you
want 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗿𝘀 to experience.

(and share with everyone they know)

Wouldn't that be awesome?!

But you never get there on day one, because:

𝗚𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝗨𝗜 doesn’t “explain itself” at first.
→ You iterate and improve until it does.
 
𝗚𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁 doesn’t “sell itself” at first.
→ You earn the reputation, so it can.
 
𝗚𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 doesn’t “run itself” at first.
→ You painfully simplify it until it runs smoothly.
 
That’s the hard, boring part.
 
The tiny improvements.
The awkward first drafts.
The good-enough releases.

(and the customer feedback that hurts)
 
But then one day…
 
Someone uses your thing,
and you can feel it:
 
They like it.
They get it.
They smile.

It solves their problem so well,
they can't help themselves but share it.

They send it to a friend without asking you.
 
Because you finally made something worth talking about.
 
So if you’re not there yet, good.
 
It means you’re still in the part where greatness is made.

Keep building.✊ 
 
P.S. What was the thing you couldn't help but share?
 
Let me know in the comments👇
 
♻️ Repost to help founders in your network.
➕ Follow for more business growth content.

90% of new founders bite the same bait:

— "You can't out-sell a broken offer!"
— "Hustle can't save a wrong strategy!"
— "Branding can't save a terrible funnel!"

👆 I call it: "Sell a problem, then sell a solution."

Every influencer wants you to focus on one problem.
(usually the one that they sell a solution to 😅 )

But it doesn't mean this problem is your bottleneck.

New founders get influenced by that all the time:

• They pay $ for a new content system...
→ While their bottleneck is product.

• They pay $$ to repackage their offers...
→ While their bottleneck is operations.

• They pay $$$ to revamp their brand...
→ While their bottleneck is sales.

Heck, even mature founders make these mistakes!

• My client spent $50k+ to optimize their funnel.
→ While their real bottleneck was operations.

🤔 So, how do you avoid that?

• Measurement - get the data
• Benchmarks - find the ideal
• Analytics - know the delta

For example:

If your close rate is 10% and the ideal is 30%,
you've got room to grow. That's the goal.

But if you're already at 30%,
don't buy another sales training.

There's a problem with more ROI.
Find it. Focus on it. Solve it.

If someone sold you a problem,
don't rush to buy their solution.

P.S. Have you ever solved the wrong problem?
(and what was the real one?) 🤔

80% give up on New Year’s resolutions by Jan 10th.

Founders aren't exceptions. We call it "Quitter's Day"...

I’ve seen it even in working with $10M+ businesses:

Most founders have aggressive targets for the year.

But by the end of Q1, they’re already off track.

If you're one of them, keep reading.

This is for you.

So, why is this happening?

1️⃣ 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘇𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗴𝗼𝗮𝗹𝘀.

The founder sets a revenue target.
But the calendar stays the same.

If your goals never show up in meetings,
dashboards, or team priorities, they don’t exist.

2️⃣ 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗸 𝗴𝗼𝗮𝗹𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀.

“Grow 40%” isn’t a strategy.

• What does Marketing need to own?
• What’s Sales accountable for?
• How does Ops support it?

If it’s not mapped by the department,
your team’s just guessing.

3️⃣ 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝘀𝗲𝘁 𝘂𝗽 𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗰𝗸𝗽𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁𝘀.

The goal is announced in January.

Then silence.

If you’re not reviewing progress every 1-4 weeks,
you'll feel like drifting, not driving.

Every founder I’ve seen miss Q1 had the same issues:

No clean, articulated strategy.
No cross-departmental plan.
No operating calendar.
No cadence to adapt.

Now you're thinking:

"Good, but how do we fix it?"

Here's how:

✅ 𝗦𝗲𝘁 𝗮𝗻 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗲𝘁, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗮 𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻
E.g. “Grow revenue” → “Add $280K/quarter via enterprise deals” (measureable, anchored, specific, time-bound)

✅ 𝗕𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗸 𝗶𝘁 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻𝘀
→ Marketing: 50 qualified demos/month
→ Sales: 30% close rate, avg deal $6K
→ CS: Churn below 5%
→ Founder: Hire revenue ops lead by Feb

✅ 𝗥𝘂𝗻 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵 𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗰𝗸-𝗶𝗻𝘀 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝟭-𝟰 𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗸𝘀
→ Review KPIs, root causes, roadblocks
→ Adjust scope, timeline, or resources
→ Keep the whole org in sync

It's not you failing to hit your goals,
it's the strategy and the system,
that you don't have in place yet.

If it’s not in your business ops,
and not on your personal calendar,
it’ll likely end up on your regrets list.

P.S. Are your 2026 goals scheduled?

👇 Yes / No in the comments. (be honest)

High-level skills change your worldview forever.

Not philosophically. Literally:

Learn how to write, and you'll read differently.
→ Notice peculiar passages. See intentional rhythm. 

Learn how to code, and you'll browse differently.
→ Recognize little bugs and broken CSS styles.

Learn how to use AI, and it will change everything.
→ You can build an MVP in just a few hours.
→ You do PhD-level research to buy socks.
→ Your virtual copy is your psychologist.
→ You don't read your emails, AI does.
→ You make impossible video clips.

(!) But here's what most people miss.

Knowing that AI can do it for you,
doesn't change how you see the world.

Doing that with AI over and over does.

I'm going to prove it right now.

You know that people use skateboards,
to do tricks, jump off of stairs, ride the rails...

Everybody knows it. We've all seen it.

But when was the last time you walked by a long staircase on the street, and thought it would be nice to jump off it?

Exactly. Never.

But that's what someone good at skateboarding
thinks every time they see the staircase.

Skills change your worldview.

Not just knowledge.

Pick yours.

P.S. What's the skill that has changed your worldview?

Harvard studied 62,000,000 CVs and job postings.

The numbers tell us something wild...

2025 Harvard study analyzing 62 million resumes and job postings across 285,000 U.S. firms (2015–2025).

→ Companies adopting AI stop hiring juniors.
→ Senior roles stay the same.

This isn't just about tech jobs.
It’s any job where juniors used to:

• Clean data
• QA software
• Do initial research
• Draft marketing copy

All of that is now getting offloaded to AI.

But here’s the kicker:

Firms aren’t firing juniors.
They just stop replacing them.

Because juniors are no longer “mission-critical.”

AI handles repetitive, lower-skill tasks
more efficiently and cost-effectively.

𝗜𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂’𝗿𝗲 𝗮 𝗳𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿
This is your moment to rethink structure. Now you need specialists who can think, not just do.

𝗜𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂’𝗿𝗲 𝗮 𝗷𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗼𝗿
Don’t panic. But don’t wait. You need to move up the value chain, fast.  Learn how to:

• Own outcomes, not tasks
• Make judgment calls
• Lead small projects

AI is changing the ladder.
The bottom rung is collapsing.

P.S. Founders, are you still hiring juniors?

Most founders overcomplicate growth strategy.

If you're below $1,000,000 a year, do this:

❌ Avoid:

- Testing 50 new ads per week
- Tweaking sales script every call
- Changing your landing page monthly

✅ Instead:

- Clearly map your customer journey
- Start collecting data on every step
- Research industry 𝗯𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗵𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝘀
- Spot your biggest bottleneck
- Fix it, then do a new one

Focus on this until you get big enough so
you have specific teams and departments,
working on individual parts of the process.

Until then, here's how you can do it:

𝟭/ 𝗠𝗮𝗽 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗷𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘆
↳ List all major steps people take from
their first interaction with your business.

💡 Pro tip: Add steps after the sale, like
activation, retention, referrals, etc.

𝟮/ 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗮 𝗼𝗻 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗽
↳ Gather all metrics in a simple Google Sheet
this will help you understand what's up.

💡 Pro tip: alongside conversion rates,
track the time it takes to pass each stage.

𝟯/ 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘆 𝗯𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗵𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝘀
↳ Ask ChatGPT, talk to people, spy on competitors,
read industry reports, listen to podcasts...

Find the data!

You need to know what's considered a good CTR,
good contact rate, good close rate in your space,
for businesses of similar size and services.

𝟰/ 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗯𝗶𝗴𝗴𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗯𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗰𝗸
↳ Compare the success of your user journey
with industry 𝗯𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗵𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝘀. Find the most lagging.

💁‍♂️ Example:
Your contact rate is 40%, the industry average is 60%
while your close rate is 10%, the industry average is 30%.

Your contact rate is 1.5 times smaller than 'average.'
Your close rate is 3 times smaller than the 'average.'

Rank all your bottlenecks like that
and work on what sucks the most.

💡 Pro tip: often times your close rate is bad
because you don't qualify prospects enough.

Keep in mind that each stage affects the next one.

𝟱/ 𝗙𝗶𝘅 𝗶𝘁, 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗮𝘁 𝗮 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲
↳ After you lined up your bottlenecks,
and picked one to fix, analyze the causes,
and dive into tactics all you want.

💁‍♂️ Example:

You figured that your close rate sucks,
so this is your target to solve.

Why tho?

• Google how to increase close rate
• Read a chapter from a book
• Watch a YouTube video
• Ask your mentor
• Figure it out

1. Close the knowledge gap.
2. Come up with the hypothesis.
3. Implement the change and test.

Worked? — Great.
↳ Move to the next problem to solve.

Didn't? — Great.
↳ Lesson learned. Try another way.

This is about as complex as it should be.

P.S. Do you use benchmarks in your strategy?

♻️ Repost to help founders in your network.
➕ Follow for more business growth content.

taplio

The Battle

Damien Foglio

Lian Turc

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance ScoreDamien Foglio's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreLian Turc's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

taplio

The Battle

Damien Foglio

Lian Turc

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Damien Foglio's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreLian Turc's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

Performance ScoreDamien Foglio's LinkedIn Performance