The "We're a Family" Lie

You've heard it before. Maybe you've even said it yourself:

"We're not just a business, we're a family.

"Stop. Right. There.

This well-intentioned lie is destroying your business from the inside out.

Here's why:

Families don't fire underperformers.
Families don't demand results.
Families don't compete to be the best.

But successful businesses? They do all of these things and more.

I’d fire my own mother if it were the right thing to do for Impact Theory. My company isn’t my family. (Well, except for, my wife/co-founder, Lisa.) Instead of thinking of my employees as a family, I think of them as my championship team.

The Team Mindset: Your Secret Weapon

Here's how to form your own championship team.

1. Reward Merit, Not Tenure

In families, the firstborn often gets special treatment. In business, that's a recipe for disaster.

Action step: Implement a clear, performance-based reward system. Make it transparent. Make it fair. Watch your top performers soar.

2. Set Sky-High Standards

Families accept you as you are. Teams push you to be better.

Action step: Clearly communicate your expectations. Make them challenging but achievable. Then raise them. Repeat.

3. Demand Open Feedback

No passive-aggression. No back room bitching. Just honest, constructive feedback.

Action step: Institute a regular feedback system. Train your team on how to give and receive criticism effectively. Make it a core part of your culture.

4. Focus on Continuous Improvement

In families, love is unconditional. In business, success is earned daily.

Action step: Set up personal development plans for each team member. Track progress religiously. Celebrate growth. Fire anyone who isn’t able to improve.

5. Support Each Other (The Right Way)

Teams support each other to win. It's not about making everyone feel good – it's about achieving collective success.

Action step: Foster a culture of peer mentorship. Encourage skill-sharing. Create opportunities for collaboration on high-stakes projects.

The Hard Truth About Kindness in Business

Here's where people get it twisted: Being kind doesn't mean lowering your standards.

True kindness in business is:

Giving honest feedback that helps people grow
Holding people accountable to their potential
Creating an environment where excellence thrives

It's not:

Tolerating mediocrity
Avoiding tough conversations
Prioritizing feelings over results

The Championship Mindset

Think about the greatest sports teams in history. They weren't families – they were groups of elite performers united by a common goal.

That's the mindset you need to cultivate.

It's demanding. It's challenging. And it's the only way to truly succeed in today's hyper-competitive business landscape.

Ready to Take Your Business to the Next Level?

If you're fired up about building a championship team and want more tools to make it happen, I've got something special for you.

Check out our community for entrepreneurs, Zero to Founder. This "team, not family" philosophy we just discussed? It's just the tip of the iceberg.

ZTF contains a treasure trove of tools and resources we use at my company every day. Whether you're looking to start a business or grow an existing one, ZTF gives you a proven, step-by-step roadmap and a supportive community to help you launch your dream business.

Inside, you'll find:

Live coaching sessions with me
A step-by-step bootcamp to turn your idea into a viable business
Access to a supportive community of entrepreneurs
My Founder's Billion Dollar Blueprint full of templates and tools I use in my business every day

Don't just dream about success – start building it. Join Zero to Founder today and turn your entrepreneurial vision into reality.

>>>Yes, I Want To Jumpstart My Business!<<<

Remember: You're not hosting a family reunion. You're building a business that can change the world.

Are you ready to leave the "family" mindset behind and build a championship team?

Let's get to work.