My $100,000 Wake‑Up Call

My $100,000 Wake‑Up Call

Lesson: Growth Can Hurt When You’re Not Ready‍

Year one at Blue Ocean Pool Service was supposed to be a slow burn. Conservative projections, steady cash flow—that was the play. Nine months later we hit $1 million in revenue, and I let the dopamine do the planning. I pre‑bought trucks, hired a mid‑level management layer, and geared up for a doubling curve that never arrived. When growth cooled, I was stuck with surplus CAPEX and payroll. That single misstep cost us close to $100K—and nearly sank the business I meant to nurture for the long haul.

Insight: Anchor Every Decision to Your Core Vision

• Match Risk to Goals. I wanted a cash‑flow business, not a hockey‑stick rocket ship. Losing sight of that created unnecessary risk.
  
  
• Beware the Emotional High. Early wins can trick you into thinking the curve only goes up. It doesn’t.
  
  
• Cash Beats Ego. A shiny new truck feels good until you’re covering idle expenses with personal savings.
  
  

The takeaway? Any venture can skyrocket, but you must know whether you’re willing (and able) to finance that trajectory—or stomach the burn when it stalls.

Action Item: Run the “Vision Check” Before You Spend

1. Write Down Your Core Goal (cash flow, lifestyle, exit, etc.).
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2. List Your Next Big Expenses—then ask if each one truly serves that goal.
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3. ‍Sleep On It: Revisit the list 24 hours later with a clear head. If it still aligns, proceed; if not, course‑correct before it costs you.