Ty Hoesgen

Do you ever try to explain something in a meeting,
but it doesn’t come out as clearly as you want it to?

You over-explain.
You're not concise. 
Or you leave the meeting overthinking:

“I should have said that better.”

Most people assume they just need "more practice"
That’s rarely the problem.

It's actually about a lack of structure.
And how your brain responds to pressure. 

That's why I work with professionals who want 
to be seen as more clear, confident, and credible.

(especially in high-stakes situations)

So far, I’ve coached 330+ professionals with a 99% success rate. 

Many are managers, directors, executives, and founders. 
People in positions where clarity matters. 

Our work focuses on 3 things:

1.) Clear, concise speaking on the spot

2.) Confidence and composure under pressure

3.) Executive presence in important situations

Everything is customized and built around 
the real-life meetings, presentations, and 
conversations you'd like to speak better in. 

If crystal clear speaking would be helpful 
for you and your professional life,

DM me “CLEAR" to learn more.

Founder & CEO / Communication Coach

🧠 Advanced Growth Institute is dedicated to helping individuals and organizations from around the world master their communication and people skills. 

🏆 1.) Elite Private Coaching — for individuals who want to gain a positively unfair advantage in their life and career. 

💬 Our Elite Communication Accelerator is a private coaching program for growth-minded individuals who want to:

✅ Advance their career
✅ Become strong, influential leaders
✅ ​Get more respect
✅ Earn what they deserve
✅ ​Elevate their social life
✅ Form deeper relationships
✅ ​Live a less stressful life 

📈 AGI works closely with clients on their communication and people skills, helping them overcome unique challenges and accomplish their personal and professional goals. 

⭐ 2.) Custom Corporate Trainings — for organizations who care deeply about their team members and clients, and want to maximize their success in every interaction. 

🎤 Attendees are taught practical, science-backed communication strategies to boost sales, form deeper relationships, build trust and influence, listen with intention, and connect better with clients, co-workers, and customers.

✍️ Our captivating presentations have attendees smiling, laughing, rapidly taking notes, and leaving with a ton of actionable takeaways. 

📖 3.) Other Resources — best-selling books, courses, guides, video trainings

Mark Zuckerberg is a highly skilled speaker. 

If I had to pick one CEO to learn communication from, it would be him. 

(Smiling to myself while writing this) 

Okay, I’m obviously kidding. 

He has improved over the years. 

But then you see clips like this…

And you’re reminded he still has a long way to go 😂

Agree?

Speak clearly and confidently under pressure in 90 days (guaranteed) / World Class Certified Speaking Coach / 3x Bestselling Author / TEDx Speaker / 330+ clients coached

You are not Elon. You are not Zuck. 
The same rules don't apply to you. 

Someone in my DMs the other day said: 

"Idk, not everyone needs to be good speaker. 
Look at Elon, Zuck, and many of those guys. 

They don't speak that well. Look at where they are."

And this is true. 

But they didn't get this far 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 of their communication. 

They got this far 𝐢𝐧 𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐨𝐟 their communication. 

How? 

Because they're literal geniuses. 

And even then, they've both put a ton of work 
into their communication skills over the years. 

Now if you already have everything you want 
from your career or business,

Or you're just a chill person and 
are content with where you're at, 

Don't worry about speaking. 

Keep doing your thing. You've won. 

But if you want to grow,
(especially professionally) 

Improving your speaking has a high ROI. 
No matter what role or industry you're in. 

Finally, let's be realistic with 
who we compare ourselves to. 

Agree?

The fastest way to RUIN your speech or presentation…

Is to realize you’re short on time.

Because most people get this wrong. 

Let me explain:

Early on in my career, whenever I realized I was short on time… 

Whether it was a presentation, speech, or even a meeting…

I’d speed up. 
Stop pausing.
Try to get through all the content I had planned. 

But every time… it was terrible.

People’s eyes would glaze over.

They were clearly struggling to follow along.

And it made me look disorganized.

Here’s what I learned: 

When you rush to get through everything, the audience doesn’t think:

“Wow, he is so efficient! 
He wants me to get the most out of this!”

They actually think: 

“He clearly didn’t manage his time well. 
Now he’s rushing to compensate.”

The best speakers do the opposite.

When they realize time is tight, they continue to keep their pace under control. 

But they edit on the spot. 

They cut anything that isn’t crucial.

They only say what’s most important.

If you do this right, your listeners should have no idea what’s happening. 

So if you’re running out of time, don’t rush your words. 

Edit them. 
Finish calm. 
Finish under control. 

You got this.

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Helping leaders & teams communicate with clarity & confidence 🏆 World Class Certified Speaking Coach / 3x Bestselling Author / TEDx Speaker / Trusted by leaders at Amazon, Microsoft, & More

Welcome, I appreciate you being here. Quick question - can you relate to any of these?

→ You don't always explain your points clearly and concisely.
→ You sometimes feel nervous when speaking or presenting to groups.
→ You don't feel as confident in difficult situations (or around certain people).
→ You find it hard to organize and articulate your thoughts on the spot. 

If so, I totally get it. 

Even the lifetime overachievers and high performers feel this way sometimes. 

But what if you could make these 3 changes?

1) Learn to speak with unshakeable confidence
2) Master charisma to captivate any audience
3) Learn to organize and articulate your thoughts clearly and concisely 

(Especially on the spot or in high pressure situations)

If you do, you could gain:

— The ability to stay calm under pressure
— The power to own the room when speaking
— Increased respect from everyone you meet 
— A strong reputation in your company and industry 
— Open doors to new career/business opportunities

Now you might be thinking, 

"This all SOUNDS good Ty, but how the heck do you actually get there?" 😅

Great question. That's where coaching comes in! 

There are 3 key parts of my coaching program: 

1.) Personalized 1-on-1 coaching sessions tailored to your needs
2.) Step-by-step weekly plans to ensure constant improvement
3.) Messaging access for additional support and questions throughout the week 

Everything in the program is backed by science (and has been done with hundreds of people)

Because I know everything works, there's a 100% money back guarantee.

And if you're curious, here's a bit more about me:

→ Former shy, awkward farm kid who was a TERRIBLE speaker and loved avoiding people 

→ Today, 330+ professionals coached 1-on-1 across tech, sales, healthcare, finance, and more

→ World-Class Certified Speaking Coach
(Trained by Craig Valentine, former #1 ranked public speaker in the world) 

→ 3x best-selling author on communication skills 

→ TEDx speaker (recent talk given April 2025)

With all that said...

If you're ready to elevate your speaking skills and advance your career...

DM me the word “COMMUNICATION” 

Happy to have a quick chat about how everything works.

***Please mention whether you're interested in:

- 1-on-1 coaching programs
- Corporate group trainings

Book Your Free Strategy Session

Speak Like a Confident Leader in 7 Days

Heart of the City Piano Program (HCPP) is a volunteer-driven non-profit organization that provides music lessons to underprivileged youth.

How I answer questions that I DON’T know the answer to:

If you hate saying “I don’t know”

This is for you. 

Step 1: 

Acknowledge that you don’t know everything. 

But in a way that doesn’t make you sound silly. 

“I haven’t looked into that much yet”
“I don’t have all the details on that yet”

Step 2: 

Say whatever you DO know. 

“But what I do know is X”
“But what I can tell you is X”

Together: 

“I haven’t looked into that much yet, but what I do know is X.”

Now you get to answer in a way that sounds polished and smooth.

Doesn’t that sound better?

I used to get talked over in meetings ALL the time. 
Until I learned to do this:

Start my points with conviction. 

Not feelings. 

❌ “I feel like this might work better" 

This creates doubt.

✅ “This is a better option. The reason is...”

This creates respect.

And when people respect you more, 
they talk over you less. 

One of the things I often help clients with is 
explaining their points in a clear, concise way. 

When they improve this, 
everything else feels easier:

- Higher confidence speaking on the spot 
- Mouth and brain on the same page
- More composure in high pressure moments

You can excel in this too. 

Because it's just another learnable skill. 

P.S. Do you ever get talked over?

I used to hate meeting people.

Now I love it.

And it’s made life a lot easier.

But I didn’t become more outgoing.

I worked on 3 skills: 

1. First impressions. 

- Confident body language 
- Focus on the other person
- The right tone of voice 

2. Small talk. 

- Best questions to ask 
- Building connections quickly
- Steering conversations in positive directions 

3. Answering questions. 

- Making boring answers more interesting
- Being confident but not arrogant 
- Knowing when to joke and when to be serious 

Having go-to answers for common questions like: 

“What do you do?”

Has been particularly helpful. 

That one skill alone has led to clients, referrals, and opportunities I never expected.

My clients experience this too.  

One of my clients ended up interviewing for a job with a 30% higher salary… 

Because of a conversation with someone he met on the train. 

The man said my client "made a great first impression"

And connected him with someone from his company. 

My client didn't take the job because they needed him in the office more than he wanted, but the point still stands 😅

The more you level up these skills, 

The more these things will happen. 

What do you think - is this something you could level up in 2026?

And what have you found helpful when meeting new people?

I still replay conversations in my head.

I think, “I should have said that differently”

And it bothers me. 

But thankfully, it doesn’t happen much anymore.

In fact, it’s pretty rare now. 

Only because I have tools I can rely on.

Tools to:

— Speak more clearly 
— Stay more composed 
— Articulate with intention 

And most of the time, I say what I mean to say.

But when I don’t….

There are other tools that help me move on quickly. 

(The “toolbox” has grown a lot over the years 🧰) 

Because there’s a big difference between: 

1.) Being annoyed about something for a few MINUTES 

vs.

2.) Being annoyed about something for a few DAYS 

Remember this: 

You don’t need to speak perfectly.

You just need the right tools to speak at your best.

Do you ever replay conversations in your head?

And do you ever think “I should have said this differently”?

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I used to feel overlooked in conversations.
It was my fault. These 5 things fixed that.

No personality change.

Just small communication shifts,
used consistently.

1. I stopped softening my words.

→ I removed maybe, probably, I think.
↳ I spoke in clear decisions.

"Let’s test this out."

2. I cut unnecessary apologies.

→ I stopped saying sorry by default.
↳ I shifted to thank you statements.

"Thanks for giving us an extra day."

3. I ended messages without cushioning.

→ No added details at the end.
↳ No extra convincing.

Precision.
I made my point land harder.

4. I accepted praise without shrinking.

→ I stopped deflecting compliments.
↳ I accepted, then went silent.

"I appreciate that."

5. I asked for what was needed.

→ No begging language.
↳ No drill sergeant orders either.

"Would you mind sending this by EOD Tuesday?"

Respectful. 
But gets the job done.

Do you ever feel overlooked 
in particular meetings? 

Or around certain people?

3 Simple Things I Do to Sound
More Confident Under Pressure: 

When I learned these, 
I no longer had to fake confidence. 

1.) Stop filling space with useless words. 

- Uses pauses instead.
- Pauses show you're in control. 

2.) Slow down and show composure. 

- Most people speed up when nervous.
- Confident people take their time. 

3. Speak to a person, not the room. 

- Don’t try to impress the group. 
- Speak as if you’re talking to 1 person. 

(people will feel more connected to you)

The good news is none of 
these take long to master. 

As long as you practice the right way,

You'll improve much quicker than you think.

Which 1 stands out most to you?

Know too much about your topic? 
Here are 7 cheat codes for complex ideas:

Because most professionals know 
a LOT about what they do. 

But clarity isn’t about saying more.

It’s about saying it with precision. 

In a way that's easy to follow and understand. 

Having coached 300+ professionals 
to speak more clearly and concisely, 

I return to these 7 cheat codes again and again: 

𝟭.) 𝗨𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 "𝟭𝟬-𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗼𝗹𝗱 𝗸𝗶𝗱" 𝗳𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗲 
 ↳ Could you explain it to a 10-year old?
 ↳ Would they understand what you mean?

𝟮.) 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝟭 𝗜𝗱𝗲𝗮 𝗢𝗻𝗹𝘆 
 ↳ Multiple ideas at once is muddy. 
 ↳ What's the one thing you want to get across?

𝟯.) 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 = 𝗰𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 
 ↳ No structure leads to word salad.
 ↳ DM me for a list of my favorite structures. 

𝟰.) 𝗔𝗻𝘀𝘄𝗲𝗿 "𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁?"
 ↳ People don’t care unless you make them care.
 ↳ “This is important because…”

𝟱.) 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗮 𝗖𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝗣𝗵𝗿𝗮𝘀𝗲 
↳  Have one key sentence to capture your big idea.
↳ Should be easy to say and remember. 

𝟲.) 𝗧𝗿𝗶𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗮𝘁 
 ↳ You're probably adding unnecessary details. 
 ↳ Cut them out.

𝟳.) 𝗨𝘀𝗲 𝗥𝗔𝗥:  𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗱 → 𝗔𝗻𝗮𝗹𝘆𝘇𝗲 → 𝗥𝗲𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗲
 ↳ Record yourself explaining it on the spot.  
 ↳ Analyze weak spots. Refine until polished

Communication isn’t about 
dumping information on people. 

It’s about getting them to 
understand and resonate with it. 

And most importantly, 
take action on it. 

Agree?

Are you usually a confident person, 
But don’t always speak at your best under pressure?

This is very common. 

I work with a lot of high-performers who are exceptional at what they do.

But when:

- The pressure’s on 
- They're put on the spot 
- Intimidating ppl are around

Their communication doesn’t always reflect that at the highest level.

They walk out of meetings thinking:

“That didn’t come out the way I wanted it to.”

Here’s the good news.

If you’re already confident most of the time, you don’t need to change much.

For example, one of my clients Kim was in a solid place in her career.

But with high-level stakeholders,

She didn’t always like how she was coming across.

She’d rush through things or second-guess herself after speaking.

And after completing my 1-on-1 program,

She doesn't have to worry about those things anymore.

Why? 

- She knows how to speak with calm authority.
- She gets to the point clearly and quickly.
- She leaves conversations feeling proud of how she spoke.

3 months from now, that could be you as well.

-

If that sounds interesting and you want to learn more...

Message me the word “CLEAR”

-

And no matter where you're at on your communication journey right now…

I'm rooting for you.

You don’t get better at speaking by thinking about speaking.

But you do need 1 thing BEFORE you start practicing. 

Clarity on your flaws. 

We can also say “areas of improvement” if that makes you feel better 😅

Progress starts from awareness. 

Because if you don’t know what you’re doing wrong, 

How are you supposed to fix it?

So pay extra attention the next few days. 

Notice: 

- When you ramble 
- Which filler words you use 
- When the words don’t come out right 
- Which situations feel less comfortable  

No judgment. 

Just see what comes up.

You got this.

It’s 2026. STOP overexplaining yourself. 
(That means no more word zomit)

Have you ever heard someone take 3 mins to explain something that should have taken 30 secs? 

How frustrating is that to listen to? 

If you want to stand out as a clear, concise speaker, try using structure when explaining something. 

Here’s an example of structure: 

1.) Main idea/message 
2.) Why you think it
3.) Example or story to support it 
4.) Restate main idea/message 

In practice: 

1.) “Communication is one of the most valuable skills to learn.”

2.) “It helps you get more respect, build deeper relationships, and advance your career.”

3.) *Example of how improving my communication made me more successful*

(Or an example of how it helped someone else)

4.) “That’s why communication is one of the best skills a person can learn.”

I teach clients how to build the skills to speak with structure like this on the spot. 

So even if you don’t have time to prepare…

(which is most situations)  

You can be confident knowing you have the skills to give a clear, powerful answer. 

If you want to learn the exact process for building your speaking on the spot skills…

Message me the word “CLEAR”

Let’s leave the word vomit in 2025. 

Would you agree?

This is something a lot of people 
don’t think about with communication…

It’s the level of intention they have. 

Most people are on autopilot throughout the day.

And their communication suffers. 

Don’t be one of them. 

My challenge to you is the following: 

Before the next conversation you have…

Set an intention for:
 
- How you want to show up 
- How you want to communicate 

It costs nothing. 

And it takes almost no time. 

I bet you’ll notice a difference. 

Do you accept the challenge?

"I want to feel totally in control when I speak."

It's one of the first things I heard from a recent client...

So we dived right in: 

Each week, we met for a 1:1 session.
And we focused on one thing.

Helping him build the skills to speak with 
more clarity, confidence, and credibility.

(Even when he’s put on the spot 
and in moments that feel stressful)

We do a full analysis. 

Then we start building his skills. 

How to: 

→ Organize and structure his thoughts
→ Articulate them clearly and concisely 
→ Reduce overthinking and doubt 
→ Stay composed under pressure 
→ Speak with authority and credibility

After each session, he gets a plan with 
specific things to practice that week.

And he sends me updates and recordings 
throughout the week so I can track his progress.

1 month in, things weren’t perfect. 

But they were feeling a lot smoother.

→ Less overthinking and second guessing
→ Leading meetings with more clarity 
→ Getting more buy-in on ideas 

But it's not magic. 

It’s just a system that’s backed by science
and has been fine tuned with 300+ clients.

And he still had to be intentional and consistent. 

Until I figure out how to put speaking skills 
into a peptide, consistency is required. 

If you’re curious about what 
this would look like for you,

Message me the word “clear"

Happy to walk you through how it works.

Why even bother with 
improving your communication?
Who cares?

Well...

– It positions you to grow much faster in your career/biz
– It helps you understand people and their behavior
– It turns ideas into influence and opportunity

And speaking will NOT be replaced by AI. 
(only written communication will be)

Expecting to grow your career 
without strong communication
is like driving with no steering wheel.

You will move...
but you're not in control.

Agree?

Here’s the real reason you overthink important conversations:

It’s not just a lack of certainty or confidence.

It’s also what pressure does to your thinking. 

When Josh and I started working together, high-pressure moments scrambled his thoughts.

Sales calls with big prospects. 
Important internal meetings.

He knew his material. 
And was an intelligent guy. 

But when the pressure kicked in, 

He overthought what to say and how to say it.

So what did we do? 

1.) Trained him to simplify, organize, and clearly articulate his thoughts

2.) Taught him science-backed tools to stay more calm and composed under pressure 

3.) Focused on communicating with control and intention (verbally and nonverbally)

Here’s the part most people miss.

Confidence doesn’t come from forcing yourself to be bold.

It comes from clarity and control when it matters.

Shout out to Josh for being such an awesome client. 

He was hard-working, eager to learn, and followed the plan step-by-step. 

And the good news is this:

These are skills ANYONE can learn.

Do you agree?

You’ve lost your audience’s attention when speaking. 

How do you get it back?

Here are 3 things the best speakers in the world do: 

1.) Add some vocal variety.

— Speed up or slow down your pace 
— Raise or lower your volume 
— Emphasize a word or phrase 

2.) Ask a question.

Example:

"Has this ever happened to you? *pause*

How did that feel?" *pause again*

The pauses give them a chance to answer the question in their minds. 

3.) Get them involved with an exercise.

a.) Have them turn to the person next to them.

And practice what they just learned.

Or if that doesn’t make sense…

b.) Have them trade ideas on something that you just spoke about. 

This should be quite quick.

Around 30 seconds or so. 

Summary: 

— Vocal variety
— Questions
— Exercises

(Bonus: Tell a story)

Ideally these things would already be planned in advance. 

That way you don't lose your audience's attention to begin with. 

But if it does happen… 

You need to have the right tools on your tool belt. 

-

P.S. Do you have any presentations or speeches coming up this year? 

(Even short ones at work count)

I made 3 BIG mistakes when 
learning to speak better...

1.) Thinking “just speaking more” would help me improve
2.) Memorizing scripts with fancy words 
3.) Copying other people who sounded confident

These seem like they could be helpful. 

But they don’t solve anything. 

Here’s what actually makes a difference:

(Based on over a decade of learning and 300+ clients)

1.) Clarity
Clear and concise = easy for others to understand 

2.) Delivery
Engaging voice = easy for others to keep listening 

3.) State 
Optimized state = easy for you to speak at your best 

If you're lacking in one of these,

Things are harder than they need to be. 

But they're all important to learn. 

Do you agree?

Unclear communication doesn't 
just affect your daily work life...
It quietly limits your growth.

It changes how people see you. 

In every meeting, interview, and conversation.

Over the last couple of weeks, I’ve spoken to a handful of people who all shared similar things: 

→ A meeting where they over-explained 
→ A comment they didn't know how to respond to 
→ A thought of "I should have said that better"

These aren’t just speaking issues.

They’re clarity issues.

→ Organizing thoughts on the spot 
→ Articulating them concisely 
→ Getting people to buy-in

What's the mistake most people make next?

Practicing random tips or things they heard online

before they build a real foundation of skills. 

Otherwise it’s the same patterns again.

Different meeting.
Same overthinking. 

The hardest part isn’t learning what to say.

It’s admitting that your skills aren't where they need to be.

Business is Simple, it's Just Not Easy... Ready to Fire Your Boss?

I help self-employed people think and lead like CEOs
in their business and their life.

Most of the people I work with have made progress.
From the outside, things look successful.
Internally, something feels misaligned.

Not because they are failing.
Because the life and business they have built
no longer match who they are becoming.

I believe business is downstream of belief.

What you believe
→ shapes how you behave
→ determines who you become

When belief and behavior are out of sync,
no strategy fixes it.

At Atomic Business Coaching, my partner Tom and I work
inside a single conversation.

Two perspectives
→ intuitive
→ strategic

Working in real time.

That is how we help founders
→ stop being the bottleneck
→ step fully into the role of CEO
→ in life and in business

I do not sell hacks.
I do not share surface-level advice.

I share ways of thinking that create
→ clarity
→ grounded decisions
→ progress that feels whole

If you are self-employed, capable,
and sensing it is time to lead more intentionally,
we will probably have a good conversation.

Adam Thomas Hurd
Co-Founder, Atomic Business Coaching
www.BeThe.CEO

Adam Thomas Hurd

Pay attention to how your mornings start.

Business is simple.
It’s just not easy.

If your day begins in reaction
emails, messages, fires, notifications
your business will feel chaotic no matter how hard you work.

Here’s the difference I see between operators and CEOs:

CEOs decide first.
Then they engage.

They don’t let the world tell them what matters.
They choose what matters -- and then respond accordingly.

Reaction creates urgency.
Decision creates simplicity.

When you decide first, everything else has context.
What to ignore.
What to delay.
What actually deserves your attention.

That’s how chaos turns into clarity.

Simple businesses aren’t built by faster reactions.
They’re built by intentional starts.

So tomorrow morning, ask yourself one question before opening anything:
What am I deciding today -- before the world decides for me?

Beliefs create behavior. Behavior creates results. I help self-employed people become the CEO of their life and business — simplify & focus.

Most people say they want freedom.

But what they really want
is less discomfort.

Business is simple.
It’s just not easy.

Freedom doesn’t come from escape.
It comes from ownership.

And ownership requires staying close to reality...
not stories,
not excuses,
not complexity you can hide behind.

Complexity is convenient.
It gives you something to blame.

Reality is uncomfortable.
It asks you to decide.
To own outcomes.
To stop outsourcing responsibility to strategy, systems, or timing.

Freedom isn’t the absence of pressure.
It’s the ability to carry it without flinching.

So be honest with yourself:

Where are you blaming complexity...
instead of accepting responsibility?

Co-Founder of BeThe.CEO | A private program that upgrades your beliefs and behaviors so you become the CEO of your life and business

Most people think delegation is a skill.

It’s not.
It’s a behavior.

And that misunderstanding is why delegation feels so heavy.

Here’s the trap:
You keep explaining.
You keep clarifying.
You keep jumping back in to “help.”

That’s not delegation.
That’s disguised control.

Real delegation is simple:

1. Define the outcome.
2. Define the constraints.
3. Get out of the way.

When you stop explaining how
and start defining what good looks like,
the business gets lighter fast.

Less back-and-forth.
Less dependency.
Less noise.

Business is simple.
It’s just not easy.

And the shift from explaining to defining
is one of the fastest ways to feel that simplicity again.

Where are you still explaining
instead of clearly defining the outcome?

As I head into this new year, something finally clicked for me.

Tom and I know exactly who we are and what we’re building.
The real question is… how does anyone else know?

I see this with clients all the time.
They’re exceptional at what they do.
Highly skilled.
True specialists.

And almost no one can clearly explain who they are or how they help.

Marketing matters. A lot.

Years ago, if you were on Main Street, visibility was built in.
Same people. Same block. Same routines.

Today, you’re shouting across the globe on social media.
And being genuine in that environment is harder than it looks.

I know this firsthand.
I’ve gone through at least six versions of how I’ve tried to show up online.

What’s always worked best for me is in-person connection.
But that has a ceiling.
Limited time. Limited reach.

So social media feels like the answer.
Until you realize you might be playing a game you never chose to win.

Here’s the lesson that finally landed for me:
Marketing isn’t about novelty.
It’s about clarity and consistency.

The real work looks like this:
- Know what you do.
- Know who you help.
- Know the results you create.
- Know why someone should care.

Then say that...
again and again.

Not chasing trends.
Not reinventing yourself every month.
Not grabbing attention you don’t actually want.

Just repetition.
In different formats.
Over time.

Look at the best companies in the world.
Apple. Nike...

Same core message.
Year after year.

That’s not boring.
That’s sustainable.

Business is simple.
It’s just not easy.

And content becomes much easier
when you stop overcomplicating what should be clear.

I used to think growth came from pushing harder.

Business is simple.
It’s just not easy.

But I was wrong.

Real growth didn’t come from more force.
It came from staying steady longer.

Holding the line when it wasn’t exciting.
Repeating what worked instead of chasing what was new.
Letting time do its job.

That’s what maturity looks like in business.

Not intensity.
Not urgency.
Not constant change.

Consistency.
Patience.
Trusting the process you already chose.

Force feels productive in the moment.
Steadiness compounds quietly over time.

So here’s the real question:

Where are you still confusing force...
with actual progress?

People delegate because they want to feel lighter.

Business is simple.
It’s just not easy.

But here’s the hard truth:
That’s not leverage.
That’s surrender.

When you hand something off too early,
you don’t just lose control
you lose judgment.

And judgment is the real asset.
If you’ve never done the work deeply,
you can’t evaluate it clearly.
You can’t spot problems early.
You can’t tell good from great.

Delegation without understanding
creates blind spots, not scale.

Real leverage comes later.
After you’ve learned the terrain.
After you’ve earned discernment.

Then, and only then...
does handing it off make the business lighter without making it weaker.

So be honest with yourself:

What did I delegate...
before I truly understood it?

What you tolerate today
is who you become tomorrow.

Business is simple.
It’s just not easy.

Messy standards create messy businesses.
Loose boundaries create constant stress.
Unchecked behavior becomes culture -- fast.

And here’s the part most people miss:
That’s not personality.
That’s identity.

Calm CEOs don’t have magic traits.
They have clear standards.

What gets addressed.
What gets ignored.
What’s acceptable.
What’s not.

Every tolerance is a vote.
Every standard shapes who you’re becoming
and what your business turns into.

If your leadership feels chaotic,
it’s rarely a strategy problem.
It’s usually a standards problem.

Clean standards create calm leadership.
Calm leadership creates simple businesses.

Where are you tolerating something today
that’s quietly shaping the wrong future?

Most founders stay busy
so they don’t have to think.

Business is simple.
It’s just not easy.

Busyness feels productive.
It fills the day.
It quiets the discomfort.

But it’s not leadership.
It’s hiding.

Here’s the real distinction:

CEOs decide.
Operators react.

Decision requires pause.
Pause creates clarity.
Clarity forces responsibility.

So instead of asking,
“What else can I do today?”

Ask this:

What decision am I avoiding...
by staying “productive”?

I used to believe trust was built in big moments.

Business is simple.
It’s just not easy.

But I was wrong.

Trust isn’t built in speeches, promises, or big decisions.
It’s built in the small, boring moments.

What you tolerate.
What you ignore.
What you follow through on.
What you quietly let slide.

Those moments compound.
And they train people how to experience you.

Trust isn’t what you say you’ll do someday.
It’s what people can predict you’ll do today.

Consistency creates safety.
Standards create credibility.

So ask yourself this honestly:

What pattern am I quietly training people...
to expect from me?

Every single day, you’re making one of two choices.

Business is simple.
It’s just not easy.

You’re choosing between comfort and leadership.

Comfort keeps you busy.
It fills your calendar.
It gives you the illusion of progress.

Leadership shapes who you become.
It asks for clarity.
It demands decisions.
It forces you to choose long-term over relief.

Here’s the truth most people miss:
Simple businesses aren’t built by people who work harder.
They’re built by people who choose leadership more often than comfort.

Comfort feels good now.
Leadership pays off later.

And the accumulation of those daily choices?
That’s what determines the business you build -- and the person you become.

So today, don’t ask what feels easiest.
Ask what a leader would choose.

Where are you choosing comfort
when leadership is required?

Doing something different today.

Going to post this weeks newsletter copy as a post.

Wondering if it hits differently... LMK. Thanks.

----

Adam's Thoughts

I recently came across a philosophy that stopped me in my tracks:
Your intuition speaks to you in statements.
Your anxiety speaks to you in questions.
Damn—that’s powerful.

Think about your inner dialogue for a moment. When you hear a clear statement, it often compels action. It feels direct. Grounded. Almost like it’s coming from somewhere deeper—your unconscious, your intuition, your spirit, your muse.

Anxiety, on the other hand, tends to sound very different. It’s wrapped in uncertainty. It shows up as questions. Not curious questions meant to learn—but fearful ones rooted in I don’t know.

This past week, I’ve been digging deeper into intuition. Tom and I have always said we’re intuitive coaches, which can be hard to explain. What it really means is that we use our intuition to sense what a client needs right now—in this moment, at this phase of their path.

But we also coach our clients to trust and use their own intuition.

Because the truth is, most of the time, we already know exactly what we need to do to move forward.

We hear it.
We just don’t listen.

Adam's Lessons

I’ve decided to pay closer attention to my intuition—not just in coaching, but in everyday life.

Here’s a simple example.

The other night, Tom and I were at one of our events. It wrapped up around 9:30 p.m. I’d been so busy talking with people that I hadn’t eaten anything or even taken a bathroom break.

By the time we locked up and got to the parking lot, it hit me: I had a 30-minute drive home, and this was going to be uncomfortable, because I really had to pee!

As I was driving, I was coming up to a Paris Baguette—a place my family loves. We rarely go because it’s far from home and, let’s be honest, not exactly health food.

As I approached it, a thought came in clear as day:

“You should stop here and bring pastries home for your family.”

That was intuition. A statement.

Then anxiety chimed in:
“I wonder if they’re even open? It’s kind of late.”

I looked up the hours at a red light. They were open. But by then, I’d already driven past. To turn back would mean extra time—and I really needed a bathroom.

So I kept driving.

The rest of the ride home was miserable. No singing to music. No strategic thinking. No creativity. Just one thought: please don’t pee your pants.

After I finally got home and relieved myself, it hit me.
My intuition had been right.

If I’d listened, I could’ve stopped, used the bathroom, and brought home something thoughtful for my family.

Instead, I let anxiety ask questions that didn’t lead to action—only discomfort and regret.

Closing Thought

Here’s what I’ve figured out:
I’m going to start doing more than hearing my intuition.

I’m going to listen to it—by acting on it.

Because more often than not, it’s already proven itself right throughout my life.

Maybe yours has too.

This week on the "Be The CEO" Podcast we discuss standards.

And here's what most people get wrong:

They think standards are just rules or guidelines.

But standards are behaviors.

They're the actions that form your identity as a company, as a CEO.

Everything you do, those expectations, those patterns, it's really a way of behaving.

And if you don't have good standards, if you don't know what your standards are, you struggle with everything else.

Take Joe Rogan's podcast.

He's genuinely curious about what people say.

There's no agenda to sell a movie or push a book.

His standard has always been simple: only bring people on that he's interested in talking to.

We also talked about focus versus flow.

Maybe focus has a lot to do with how long or short your windows of time are.

When you're in flow, everything happens smoothly, seamlessly.

Time goes by fast naturally.

But focus is intentional.

That's part of enjoying the journey, being present, not worrying about results.

Find us on YouTube, Spotify and everywhere podcasts are found.

P.S. Want to ask better questions in your business?

Follow Us. https://lnkd.in/eHAbEh7W

The hardest belief to let go of in business is this one:

“If I don’t do it, it won’t get done right.”

It sounds responsible.
It sounds disciplined.
It even sounds like leadership.

But it’s incredibly expensive.

Business is simple.
It’s just not easy.

As long as you believe quality only comes through you,
you cap your business at your own capacity.

You become the bottleneck.
You slow decisions.
You exhaust yourself.

And the business never really scales.

The real shift happens when you adopt a different belief:
Other people can own outcomes.

Not tasks.
Not checklists.
Outcomes.

That belief changes everything.

Because scaling doesn’t happen when you do more.
It happens when you let go
and allow others to carry responsibility with you.

Leadership isn’t about control.
It’s about trust, clarity, and ownership.

And until you let go of that belief,
growth will always feel heavier than it needs to be.

Where are you still holding on
because it feels responsible
but is actually costing you scale?

Most founders think pressure means something is wrong.
It doesn’t.

Business is simple.
It’s just not easy.

Mistaking pressure for a problem isn’t insight...
it’s avoidance.

Pressure usually shows up for one reason:
you’re finally responsible.

No hiding.
No outsourcing the hard decisions.
No excuses left.

That’s not failure.
That’s leadership.

Pressure is the moment where the business can no longer carry you...
you have to carry it.

And most people try to escape right there.
They look for relief instead of responsibility.

But pressure isn’t something to run from.
It’s something to hold.

So ask yourself this honestly:

What pressure am I trying to escape
instead of learning how to carry?

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Adam Thomas Hurd

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