
The Grey Brief
Insights to help business owners scale smarter, plan better, and navigate strategic transitions.
The 3 Numbers That Predict Growth
Growth becomes predictable when you manage the right numbers. Here’s how founders can use lead volume, close rate, and average ticket size to scale with control.
Don’t Just Add Services—Add Margin
Adding services feels like growth—but often creates margin drag and buyer concern. Here’s how to test your service lines and focus where value’s created.
What to Do 12, 24, and 36 Months Before a Sale
Strong revenue doesn’t guarantee a clean exit. This breakdown shows what to fix 12, 24, and 36 months out—before buyers start digging in.
How Buyers Model Founder Risk
Buyers don’t just evaluate the business. They evaluate who it depends on. This article breaks down how founder dependency gets priced into every deal—and how to de-risk yourself before it does.
The Founder Trap: Running a Business That No One Else Can
When a business only works with the founder at the center, buyers walk—or discount heavily. This article shows how to spot founder dependency and unwind it before it becomes a liability.
The 5 Reports Every Ops Manager Should Review Weekly
Most operators track lagging financials—but ignore the five weekly reports that buyers actually care about. Here's how to fix that—and where to start today.
Why Some Businesses Get Bought—And Others Get Studied Then Passed
Growth, margin, and clean books aren’t enough. This article breaks down why buyers walk away from businesses that look great—and what separates the ones that actually get bought.
Where to Look First: 7 Places Value Leaks in Service Businesses
Most founders don’t know where their business is leaking value—until a buyer shows them. This article highlights seven areas where operational drag shows up and how to fix them before it gets priced in.
You’re Not Building a Business—You’re Building a Case for Value
You’re not just running a business—you’re building a case that buyers will underwrite. This article breaks down how to frame operations, margin, and systems in a way that maximizes enterprise value.
Systemized Services Get Premium Valuations—Everything Else Gets Discounted
Buyers don’t reward service-line sprawl. They pay premiums for clean, repeatable operations. This article breaks down how systemization drives value—and what complexity really costs you.
Buyers Read Your P&L Differently Than You Do
Your financials may look strong—but buyers apply a different lens. This article breaks down how investors evaluate risk, margin consistency, and founder reliance before they ever price a deal.
Your P&L Looks Fine—But the Field Is Bleeding Margin
Your financials might look strong—but margin erosion starts in the field. Learn how to track job-level profitability, control operational complexity, and protect enterprise value.
Fire 20% of Your Revenue
Most founders protect the wrong revenue. This article breaks down how to identify low-margin, high-friction work—and how to eliminate it without disrupting the business.
You Don’t Need to 10x—You Need to Grow the Right 20%
Most service businesses don’t need more revenue—they need more of the right revenue. Here’s how the best operators identify the 20% of their work that actually drives margin, value, and long-term exit potential.