Half a Bubble Out

06/15/2026

Strategic time is essential. Building a thriving company without it is almost impossible.

And yet, among the few who do take it, the session often gets squeezed into a slot. The moment it's over, the calendar starts screaming again, and very little actually changes.

Here's what very few leaders see:
Strategic time is one of the most important things you do. Strategic time without margin around it is one of the most wasted.

In this week's issue of The Leadership Contrarian, discover the hidden half of strategic time and why the most valuable breakthroughs often happen outside the meeting itself.
https://hubs.li/Q04lrZkK0

Discover the importance of strategic time for leaders and learn how to create essential margins for effective planning and reflection in your business.

06/12/2026

If your business has been in permanent harvest for two years, that’s not a strong work ethic; it’s unsustainable and ultimately starves the future of your company.

We need to make sure that we are taking time to work, time to rest, and regular time to invest in the core relationships in our world.

Click the link in comments to read Issue #024 of The Leadership Contrarian and learn more.

06/11/2026

Many business owners and leaders have been living as if every day is harvest season, working longer hours, carrying more pressure, and believing that slowing down means falling behind.

Harvest is a season. Not a lifestyle.

Click the link in comments to read issue #024 of The Leadership Contrarian.

06/10/2026

We had a great time spending the day with Ryan Levesque in Vermont, talking business, leadership, and life while taking in the beauty of his farm.

Before we left, our staff had one request: “You have to get a picture of the pigs.” So naturally, we made sure to deliver.

06/08/2026

"My greatest tension is between my family and my business.”
I hear some version of that from founders all the time.

The task list gets longer. The pressure increases. And before long, work starts crowding out the people and relationships that matter most.

But what if the problem isn't your workload?
What if the problem is believing every season has to be harvest season?

In the newest issue of The Leadership Contrarian, explore why the grind is not the same thing as a strong work ethic, what agriculture can teach us about leadership, and why healthy businesses are built on rhythms, not relentless hustle.

➡️ Click the link in the comments to read the full issue.

06/05/2026

Most businesses focus on delivering a product or service. The best businesses focus on what happens after it's delivered.

Does it eliminate a recurring frustration?
Save someone time?
Increase their confidence?
Make life noticeably easier?

That's the difference between a transaction and a transformation.

And transformation is what customers remember, talk about, and recommend to others.

Because great testimonials aren't marketing artifacts.
They're evidence that something genuinely made a customer's life better.

Click the link in comments to read Issue #023 of The Leadership Contrarian and learn more.

06/03/2026

Most business owners understand the power of testimonials when they’re the customer.

They read reviews.
Ask friends.
Trust referrals.
Watch videos before buying.

But many never stop to ask a deeper question: “What kind of experience are we creating for our own customers?”

Because the companies people talk about most usually aren’t the ones obsessing over testimonials.

They’re the ones obsessing over the customer experience.

Click the link in comments to read Issue #23 of The Leadership Contrarian.

06/01/2026

Why do people rave about certain products for years?

Why do some companies naturally create word of mouth while others constantly have to ask for reviews and testimonials?

A great testimonial is not a marketing artifact. A great testimonial is evidence of transformation.

People naturally talk about the products, services, and experiences that genuinely improve their lives. That’s true for kitchen gadgets, great meals, trusted brands, and businesses that create experiences worth remembering.

Because great testimonials usually aren’t collected.

They’re earned.

This week’s issue explores why the strongest testimonials are created long before anyone asks for a review, and what that reveals about the way great businesses build trust, loyalty, and customer experiences people can’t stop talking about.

➡️ Click the link in the comments to read.

05/29/2026

The leaders who thrive over the long haul are the ones who build wise counsel around them.

People who can see what they cannot, who will say what others won’t, and who keep them honest about the gap between where they are and where they think they are.

05/28/2026

What’s dangerous about Syndrome 27 is that it rarely looks dangerous.

It looks like success.
Experience.
Confidence.
Strong opinions.
Quick answers.

It’s the belief that your perspective is complete and that there’s not much left for you to learn.

However the best leaders never stop staying curious, seeking perspective, and questioning themselves along the way.

Click the link in the comments to read the newest issue of The Leadership Contrarian.