Field Notes
Straight talk for operators
building real businesses
Ideas on growth, operations, and the decisions that actually matter - written for service business owners in the thick of it.
Featured Posts
The Org Chart Lies. The Accountability Chart Doesn't.
Most org charts show who reports to whom.
Accountability charts show who owns the result.
One creates structure. The other creates clarity.
Pick One: Sell It or Grow It
You can't maximize EBITDA and invest for growth at the same time. They pull in opposite directions. Here's how to figure out which one your business actually needs this year, and why picking the wrong goal will cost you.
The Owner Sets the Standard by What They Tolerate, Not What They Say
Dave was good at his job. That's not the point. Every time his president let a blowup slide, the whole team learned what actually gets tolerated around here, and it almost cost him his best new hire.