In partnership with
Ever run into someone successful and go? How is THAT guy successful? He is such a jerk.
Yet, we see the aggressive, hard-driving leader put on a pedestal all the time. Steve Jobs, Gordon Ramsey, the entire cast of Shark Tank lol.
Years ago, I watched this documentary by Max Joseph, where he interviews Hollywood directors, psychologists, and leadership experts to answer a single question: do you have to be a dick to be a great leader?
One of the coolest parts about working in M&A is that I get to meet incredibly successful people all the time, who often fit this hardo leadership type. This, at times, has made me question: am I too soft?
Because when I started building my M&A advisory, I did what felt natural. Being collaborative, democratic, negotiating deals that were a ‘win-win’. I wanted everyone to like me. Sound familiar?
But here's what I noticed: the deals that stalled often had me being too accommodating. Too willing to let things slide. Too worried about rocking the boat.
Meanwhile, the closers I admired? They weren't cruel. But they weren't pushovers either.
Psychologist Adam Grant calls this the "disagreeable giver" — someone who genuinely wants to help others succeed, but isn't afraid to be direct, say no, or make unpopular calls when necessary.
The lesson? You don't have to become an asshole to win. But you do need:
A clear vision — If you don't know exactly what you want, people will fill that vacuum for you.
Consistency — You don't have to be hard. You just have to be predictable.
The ability to be uncomfortable — Sometimes the right call makes people unhappy. That's leadership.
As director Peter Berg put it: "You don't have to be angry about your vision. But you better have a f***ing vision."
I learned this the hard way.
When I let standards slip on my team (avoided uncomfortable conversations to keep the peace) I wasn't being kind. I was being negligent.
Because here's the brutal truth: if you don't drive the cadence of your team, you're putting everyone's job at risk.
Allowing your standards to slip, you start missing deadlines, and nobody is executing the plan. Eventually the business fails because you were too "nice" to hold people accountable, guess what happens next? You lay everyone off.
That's the real jerk move. Not pushing your team to be better, but avoiding the hard stuff until it's too late.
Former Snowflake CEO Frank Slootman (a known hardo) put it perfectly:
"[Young CEOs] just think, 'I hire a bunch of people, and then I sit back and wait for greatness.' They have no idea that they have to relentlessly drive every second of the day, every interaction, and seek confrontation."
This responsibility falls on the founder. No one else.
So yeah, sometimes you gotta be a jerk. But it's so you can avoid being a BIG jerk when the business goes under.
The Future of Shopping? AI + Actual Humans.
AI has changed how consumers shop by speeding up research. But one thing hasn’t changed: shoppers still trust people more than AI.
Levanta’s new Affiliate 3.0 Consumer Report reveals a major shift in how shoppers blend AI tools with human influence. Consumers use AI to explore options, but when it comes time to buy, they still turn to creators, communities, and real experiences to validate their decisions.
The data shows:
Only 10% of shoppers buy through AI-recommended links
87% discover products through creators, blogs, or communities they trust
Human sources like reviews and creators rank higher in trust than AI recommendations
The most effective brands are combining AI discovery with authentic human influence to drive measurable conversions.
Affiliate marketing isn’t being replaced by AI, it’s being amplified by it.
idea of the week 💡
credit: ideabrowser.com
Problem: The tech is standing in a customer's kitchen staring at a Whirlpool washer that won't drain. Error code F21. He Googles it. First result is a forum thread from 2014. Second is a grainy YouTube video from someone who maybe fixed this model once. Thirty minutes gone and he hasn't opened his toolbox. He guesses. Orders a part. Wrong one. Callback scheduled. $150-200 lost. Happens weekly.
Idea: Sure Fix — an AI diagnostic tool that ends the guessing. Snap a photo of the error code or say what's broken. The AI returns the diagnostic path: what to check first, which part is likely dead, where to order it. Sixty seconds from staring at a code to walking toward the van with the right part. Build a knowledge base from repair manuals, failure patterns, and diagnostic decision trees. Start with 10 local shops and their 20 most common call types. Get obsessively accurate on those first. Every solved job feeds the system. The AI gets smarter with every repair.
How it makes money: Target independent shops running 3-5 techs who bleed money on callbacks. Charge $99-$299/month depending on shop size. One avoided callback pays for the year.
Why it might win: These shop owners are in appliance repair Facebook groups complaining about manufacturers hoarding documentation. They're watching margins shrink every time a tech drives back to a job they should've fixed the first time. First-call fix rate goes up. Callbacks go down. Word spreads. When one guy starts finishing jobs in half the time, the rest of the shop wants to know how.
friday fitness
at-home workout
No equipment needed. Just you and 20 minutes.
Complete 4 rounds:
15 burpees
20 jump squats
15 push-ups
20 high knees (each leg)
30-second plank
Goal: Minimal rest between exercises. 60 seconds between rounds.
gym workout
A push/pull/legs circuit to hit everything.
Complete 4 rounds:
10 barbell back squats
8 dumbbell shoulder press
12 lat pulldowns
10 Romanian deadlifts
12 dumbbell chest flyes
Goal: Pick a challenging weight. Rest 90 seconds between rounds.
outdoor workout
For time:
800m run
30 bench dips
40 walking lunges
20 incline push-ups (hands on bench)
400m run
Rest 2 minutes, then repeat for 2-3 total rounds.
tweet of the week
writing of the week
For most business buyers, debt is not a risk, it is a tool. Here is how leverage works in acquisitions, how SBA loans make it possible, and what lenders actually look for when financing your deal —> read HERE
my plugs
Schedule a 15-minute consultation call to discuss buying or selling your business.
Subscribe to my newsletter for weekly insights on business and founder fitness.
Subscribe to Main Street Memo for the best tips on buying small businesses.
every second counts