What To Do If You Get Sued?
I remember my first time getting sued. I was 19 and attending Colorado State University. A man knocked on my door. I opened it. “Are you Matthew Shoup,” he sternly asked. I answered. “You have been served.” I had never been served anything more than my favorite burger and fries at the local Chilis (or […]
Business and Leadership Lessons to My 20 Year Old Self
I recently appeared on a podcast where I was asked about the business and leadership lessons I would tell my 20-year-old self. Reflecting on this question is a valuable exercise for any business leader or entrepreneur. It offers a chance to uncover the wisdom and insights gained through experiences in life, leadership, and business. Here […]
What if You Don’t Reach the Top of the Tower
Last March, I took our leadership team on the Ultimate Immersion Experience to Spain. We spent an action-packed week all over Spain participating in adventures, challenges and experiences intentionally crafted to push the team way out of their comfort zone and develop their leadership. We did these things while enjoying the fun, sun, culture, cuisine, […]
How to Get Your Business to Run Without You
In last week’s blog, I asked the question, can your business run without you? If you could not answer “yes” to that question, that’s okay! Most entrepreneurs and small business owners cannot answer “yes”. Many small business owners end up being stuck and trapped to some degree in their business. They are the bottleneck, and […]
Can Your Business Run Without You?
The day I launched my first official business, M & E Painting, in March 2005, marked a turning point in my life. Having just been fired from a mortgage banking job, I stood in a parking lot with a banker’s box filled with my belongings. Although fear and anger initially overwhelmed me, these feelings soon […]
Start The New Year Off Right
January 1st is always a time for new beginnings, new goals, and a time to reflect on what is important in life. As we move into the new year, here are a few things I like to do. I hope you can put these into action, and that they help set you up for success […]
How to Handle a Bad Customer Review
At some point, every business will face a bad customer review. Many small business owners I’ve coached struggle to handle these reviews. In this blog, I’ll share practical tips for managing and responding to negative feedback. As we explore this topic, remember no business is perfect. There will be times when a customer is dissatisfied, […]
The Power of a Mentor in Small Business and How to Connect With One
When I started M & E Painting in 2005, I had limited connections with other business owners. My initial business lessons came from trial and error. A year into my venture, I met a seasoned carpet cleaning company owner at a coffee shop. He invited me to discuss business, and this chance encounter became a […]
Hiring Tips for Small Business Owners
A major challenge for small business owners is finding, hiring, and retaining exceptional team members. To make the leap from being a self-employed solopreneur to growing and scaling a business, involves hiring people. Over my past 20 years in small business, I have hired a lot of people. In the early days there were many […]
Business and Leadership Lessons From the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu mats
In 2007, I began training in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ), a discipline that has not only challenged me but also taught invaluable lessons about life, leadership, and business over the past 15 years. In the summer of 2007, I was driving to the Loveland Gold’s Gym for an afternoon workout. As I drove to the […]