Reflections from the Rockies
Welcome to the Dojo!
For close to a decade now, every September, I take a few days off the grid and head 11,000 feet up in the Rockies with a few close friends (each with a bow 🙂).
This year, we got the full package: rain, hail, snow—and then days of surprising heat. Four seasons in one trip. Out there, themes have a way of surfacing on their own, unplanned and unavoidable. This year, the theme was clear: preparedness. Read through the "Reflections from the Rockies” section below, I’d love to hear your thoughts.
On the Mat
- Reflections From the Rockies
- Ask Feras: From One Market to Another
- Sharpen Your Blade: Don’t Get a CRM Yet (Do This Instead)
Let's Train
Reflections From the Rockies
In the harsh conditions of the wilderness (and this applies to life and business as well), preparation isn’t optional—it’s survival. Forget some things and you’ll only face small annoyances. Forget others and you’ll deal with real discomfort. But miss a few essentials, and it could mean not making it back to camp.
Here’s how it came into focus for me during my trip to the Rockies this year:
- Preference: Miss these, and it’s just annoying. (e.g. your favorite snack.)
- Inconvenience: Miss these, and you’ll push through, but it’s uncomfortable. (e.g. running out of dry socks.)
- Discomfort: Miss these, and you’ll feel it in your bones. (e.g. no extra layer in a storm.)
- Essential: Miss these, and the trip could be over. (e.g. water, fire-starting tools, or navigation gear.)
I keep a checklist of 100+ items. Not because I love lists, but because the mountain doesn’t care if you forgot your headlamp or waterproof jacket.
Preparedness doesn’t make the trip easy. But it turns what could be life-threatening into just another story to tell around the fire.
And isn’t it the same in life and in business?
Preparedness doesn't mean perfection. Most of the time, missing a detail only causes inconvenience. Sometimes it creates real discomfort.
But if you miss an essential—a relationship, cash flow, or your health—the consequences can be fatal.
Preparedness doesn’t guarantee comfort or success. But it gives you another shot at the target. Another day to keep going.
Ask Feras Recap
“What’s the real challenge of cloning a business idea from one market to another?”
The Challenge
Cloning the idea is the easy part. The hard part is adapting it to the local market—where buying habits, regulations, and infrastructure can be completely different.
What I Learned the Hard Way
I’ve seen businesses fail because they assumed what works in the U.S. would automatically work abroad (or vice versa). For example, a consulting firm that thrives in the U.S. selling expensive retainers and digital-first workshops may struggle in markets where clients expect in-person delivery, prefer project-based engagements, and are highly price-sensitive. Without adapting the offer and delivery model, the business won’t get traction.
What I Told Them
If you can solve for the local challenges, you become incredibly valuable—both as a business and as an acquisition target. It’s not just about copying, it’s about adapting.
Sharpen Your Blade
Before you spend cash on a CRM—pause.
In the early stages of your business, your #1 job isn’t finding the “perfect” software. It’s selling and delivering your service. Too many founders get stuck tinkering with tools instead of building momentum.
Here’s what worked for me: in every business I’ve scaled to 7 and 8 figures, I started with a simple spreadsheet.
Google Sheets. Excel. That’s it. Manage your leads simply, stay focused, and only upgrade when you’ve got 50–100 qualified leads and active clients.
Until then? Keep it lean. Protect your cash. Focus on closing sales—the real engine of growth.
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