You’re collecting your team’s time sheets — but are you using them to make smarter decisions?

In this post, I’m breaking down two simple but powerful metrics every service-based business should be tracking: utilization rate and realization rate.

Whether you bill hourly, earn commission or charge a fixed fee, these numbers tell you exactly how your team is spending their time - and how much of it actually turns into revenue.

Even with a profitable, growing business, it’s common to feel stuck - unsure whether to hire, expand, or just finally act like the CEO instead of the operations mgr.

In this post, I’m sharing:

• Why successful owners still feel overwhelmed

• How to know when it’s actually time to hire

• What to do with that extra $80K sitting in your chequing account

If you’re running a business that looks good on paper but still feels heavy, this one’s for you.

Plus: Get the details on The Monthly Reset — the strategy support you didn’t know you needed.

Thinking of opening a second location? Read this first.

At a backyard BBQ just south of Saskatoon, I met a business owner who’d recently opened a second clinic… without ever running a cash flow projection. Let’s just say - it wasn’t going well.

In this post, I break down the risks of expanding on gut instinct alone, what happens when growth quietly drains your first location’s profits, and how a simple projection could save you from million-dollar regret.

If you’re planning to scale - or already feeling the pressure of a new location - this one’s for you.

Click to read the full post.

What does a management consultant actually do?

(Hint: it’s more than spreadsheets.)

If you’re staring down a big decision — like opening a second location, restructuring your team, or trying to figure out why your clinic’s profitable on paper but not in real life — this is for you.

Inside, I’m breaking down the real behind-the-scenes work we do with founders and EDs to clean up cash flow, raise profit margins, and make growth decisions that actually make sense.

Click to read the full post.

When a key employee starts asking for partnership — but isn’t quite ready — what do you do?

In this post, I break down three real options beyond “just give them half”:

→ Commission models that actually incentivize the right behaviour

→ Cost-sharing arrangements that protect your brand and bottom line

→ Small equity stakes with performance-based growth

If you’re a founder navigating the sticky side of employee retention, ownership, and sustainable growth, this is a must-read.

Click to read the full post — and yes, there’s a Suits reference. Obviously.

Is your payroll way too high? (Spoiler: probably.)

If your income statement looks fine but your profit margins are thinner than they should be, it might be time to ask a better question:

Are my payroll expenses normal for my industry?

In this post, we break down benchmark wage ratios by industry (accounting, law, physio, design + more), the hidden reasons service businesses overspend on payroll, and the operational fixes that actually move the needle.

If you’re bleeding cash and not sure why, start here.

Click to read the full post - and find out if your business is the outlier.

Still not using AI in your business? It’s costing you — big time.

From manual appointment booking to over-engineered spreadsheets and email replies written from scratch — there are simple, low-effort ways to automate and streamline your operations today.

In this post, I break down three real examples where service-based businesses are overspending (by $43K+/year!) and how AI can help fix it — fast.

If you’re ready to save money without sacrificing quality or control, start here.

Click to read the full post — and let’s get your ops out of 2015.

If your days are full of meetings, admin, client follow-ups, and answering “quick questions” — you’re not leading your business, you’re running it.

In this post, I share why so many owners stay stuck in the weeds, how we help clarify what a CEO should be doing (spoiler: not Summer Party planning), and how a CEO Functions Doc can transform your day-to-day.

If you want to lead your business like an actual CEO — not its head admin — this is where you start.

Click to read the full post — sangria optional, clarity guaranteed.

What’s on your Summer Projects list?

If you’re still holding onto a post-it that says “revamp org chart” or “finally figure out second location” — this one’s for you.

In this post, I’m sharing the low-lift, high-impact projects my consulting team helps business owners tackle during summer, from updating admin workflows with AI to creating strategic hiring/firing plans and redefining the CEO’s role.

Bonus? It might all start with patio drinks.

Click here to read the full post — and let’s turn your “someday” list into done.