David C Barnett Small Business and Deal Making M&A SMB Corporate Executives Make These Small Business Mistakes
Mar 9, 2026
A primer for corporate leaders eyeing small business ownership. Covers why corporate skills can become blind spots in a small firm. Talks about when to do the work yourself versus delegating, and why cash management beats grand strategy at the start. Explores practical leadership tactics like daily huddles, role shadowing, and earning customer trust the hard way.
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Document Only Mission Critical Processes
- Avoid overbuilding process and capture only mission-critical SOPs where mistakes cost customers or money.
- Leave well-running tasks alone to prevent wasted time, bogus data entry, and slowed sales (example: overfilled CRM fields).
Prefer Constraint Solutions Before Spending Resources
- Solve problems with focus and discipline before spending scarce cash or headcount; sometimes do nothing and wait for a low-cost solution.
- Use the "Peruvian solution" example: wait, observe, and only act when a clear fix appears.
Convert Expert Leadership Into Hands-On Coaching
- Lead doers with clear instructions, daily huddles, visible scoreboards and ride-alongs to create fast feedback loops.
- Shadow employees and check work frequently so delegated tasks are actually performed as intended.
