My $100,000 Wake-Up Call (and How You Can Avoid It)

My $100,000 Wake-Up Call (and How You Can Avoid It)

Lesson: When a Win Turns Into a Budget Bleed

Blue Ocean Pool Service was supposed to be a slow-and-steady cash-flow business. Nine months in, we hit $1 million in revenue. High on success, I over-invested—new trucks, extra managers, you name it—assuming growth would keep snowballing. Two flat quarters later, I was stuck with excess CAPEX, payroll I couldn’t justify, and a $100K hit that nearly sank the company.

Insight: Core Vision Beats Hockey-Stick Hype

1. Stay Anchored to Your Why
   I wanted a dependable cash-flow business, not a rocket ship. Losing sight of that skewed my risk tolerance.
   
   
2. Emotion ≠ Strategy
   Rapid growth feels great, but feelings aren’t a forecast. Use data, not dopamine, to drive spending.
   
   
3. Risk vs. Consequence
   Every growth bet has a cost if momentum stalls. Know ahead of time whether you can stomach that burn.
   
   

Action Item: Run a Vision Check on Your Next Big Spend

1. List Your Upcoming Expenses
   
   
2. Match Each Expense to Your Core Goal (cash flow, lifestyle, exit, etc.)
   
   
3. Sleep on It and re-evaluate with a clear head. If it still aligns, proceed; if not, cut or delay.
   
   

Want More Real-World Lessons—Minus the $100K Price Tag?

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