Chris Gardener's Linkedin Analytics

Markets are bleeding. Fear is loud. Don’t panic—be the leader your business needs now ... Trade wars. Inflation. Interest rate noise. It’s tempting to feel like you should pause. Or pivot. Or panic. But your business doesn’t live in headlines. It lives in conversations. In delivery. In trust. The global economy moves in trillions. You operate in markets of hundreds or thousands. And that’s not a weakness. It’s your advantage. You don’t need to predict the macro. You need to influence demand. Demand is your greatest point of control. Relevance. Visibility. Sales conversations. Client outcomes. If supply costs rise, you adjust. But if demand disappears, you’ve got a problem. This is when founders lead. Not by watching the markets. But by leading THEIR market. The world may wobble. But your job stays the same ... Solve problems. Serve well. Stay visible. Calm is a competitive advantage. Use it.

They were the perfect candidate. Until they weren’t. One conversation changed everything ... In a big company, a bad hire is frustrating. In a small business, it can be crippling. Every person plays a critical role. Every salary is a big proportion of costs. And when you think you’ve found the perfect fit, it’s easy to move fast—sometimes too fast. One founder I know faced this exact challenge. The founder's #2 was performing well. They needed them to step up. The opportunity was clear: a promotion, a significant salary increase, and a bigger role in shaping the company’s future. Everything looked right. Then came the conversation. On offering the promotion, the candidate asked for significantly more—well beyond market rate. It was a turning point. The founder had expected partnership—a mutual commitment to growth and leadership. Instead, they got a negotiation that changed the entire dynamic. Two key concerns became obvious: 1. The candidate lacked commercial awareness - pricing themselves out of the market and potentially out of a job. 2. Their commitment seemed conditional - if money was the main driver now, what happens when a competitor offers more? The founder’s excitement faded. They paused. Reconsidered. Reset expectations. Because making the wrong hire - or promoting the wrong person - is far worse than waiting for the right one. HIRING IS A DECISION YOU CAN’T AFFORD TO RUSH Promoting from within feels safe - but is it right? Many founders make the mistake of assuming that because someone is good in one role, they’ll thrive in a bigger one. But leadership isn't just about doing more—it’s about thinking differently. The real risk isn’t just in hiring the wrong person. It’s in moving forward without absolute clarity on whether this person is truly the right fit. HOW TO AVOID THIS HIRING TRAP ... Before promoting someone into a key role, ask: ↳Are they truly ready for this level of responsibility, or just the salary increase? ↳Do they understand the business reality behind their compensation? ↳Are they committed for the long term, or is this just a stepping stone? ↳Would you still hire them if they weren’t already inside the business? If you’re unsure about any of these ... Pause. Rethink. Because hiring in haste leads to problems that take years to fix. What about you? Have you ever hired or promoted someone, only to realise later it was the wrong call? Or have you ever seen someone fumble an opportunity by asking for too much, too soon?