BACKSTAGELENSES

All kinds of economic changes affect businesses, whether full-blown recessions or market fluctuations. Unfortunately, financial uncertainty can cause companies to fail entirely, but it’s possible to push through the storm and succeed.

Who better to learn how to weather economic uncertainty than those who have already done it?

For this piece, we surveyed hundreds of owners who led their businesses through the Great Recession of 2008, and more recently, the COVID-19 pandemic, and asked them for the strategies that propelled their companies through.

Table of Contents

• How Entrepreneurs Navigated Recessions
• Current Economic Downturns & How to Prepare for the Next One

How Entrepreneurs Navigated Recessions

Let’s dive into what business owners told me about how they successfully navigated through the Great Recession.

1.Cut The Lard

The most common strategy adopted by business owners who survived the Great Recession was to cut unnecessary costs.

A quarter of survey respondents said that operating lean saved their businesses.

While keeping a team intact where possible is a priority, many business owners reduced headcount, trimmed the number of hours worked, or gave essential staff furlough days in lieu of layoffs.

Managing inventory and payables was another popular cost-cutting measure, including:

• Not purchasing new equipment
• Only buying what you need to get by for 30 days
• Paying essential vendors

Many business owners reduced their advertising costs, and, where possible, eliminated their rent by going fully remote.

Ernest Montgomery, founder of the creative agency Tmg, adopted a more drastic cost-cutting measure — he relocated from New York to the Dominican Republic to reduce his living and business costs.

While these hard cuts are often painful, business owners such as Samantha Blumenthal, former director of Communication at thredUp, recommend making them “quickly to keep the business running: “Don‘t wait, and make sure they’re deep enough that you only have to do it once.”

2. Offer Discounts

Many respondents said they offered free or discounted services during the recession to grow their customer base, which makes sense because a larger customer pool leads to increased sales as the economy recovers.

“We endeared ourselves to our local community,” said Bill Tobin of New York’s Tribeca MedSpa. “At one point we offered free facials. Many of these customers we have today. We funded the company at a loss for a while believing that times would be good again.”

It wasn’t always easy, but it paid off.

Revenue dropped nearly 50% during the recession, down to just $350k per year. “We were at the end of our rope by the time things started to come back,” Tobin wrote, “I am glad we stayed the course because we had regular 20% YoY increases in revenue for the next decade.”

3. Make Strategic Acquisitions

When your competitor closes, their clients are left in the lurch. Some respondents found that a recession was a good time to make a strategic acquisition.

“Don’t be afraid to reach out to competitors that are struggling to try to purchase their market share,” said Michael Moore of TJM Promos, Inc., a marketing company that was started in 2004.

By acquiring customers this way, Moore kept his business steady through the recession, and has quadrupled in size since then, growing from $3m to $13m per year in revenue.

4. Stay Young at Heart

The average age of companies that increased revenue during the Great Recession was three times lower than that of companies that suffered significant loss in revenue over the same period.

One hypothesis: Younger companies are often leaner and more agile than their more established counterparts.

A clear takeaway from successful business owners was this: Don’t wait for an economic crisis to be lean.

“Do not over-hire or get yourself locked into expensive recurring costs,” said Scott Baker of Baker Hesseldenz Studio in Arizona. “Resist the urge to overspend during the good times.”

5. Be Nimble

Willingness to adapt, put ego aside, and pivot where necessary proved to be a successful strategy for many companies (18% of all respondents) that survived and prospered in the Great Recession.

Brad Emerson, of St. Louis, Missouri, owner of FixYourOwnBindery.com, attributed his survival of the recession in part due to “follow[ing] where the market took the business.”

6. Create Strategic Partnerships

Of the companies that pursued strategic partnerships as a way of staying afloat, nearly all (88%) saw revenue either increase or stay the same.

North Carolina-based 2 Hounds Design, for example, partnered with dog trainers, veterinarians, and behaviorists to build influence and promote its products.

Pre-recession, the company’s revenue was around $300k. By 2010 it was $1m, and in 2012, it reached $2m. The business continues to use this influencer approach today.

7. Pick A Winning Strategy Based on Your Business

There were two very clear and distinct approaches taken by business owners to survive the recession.

• Aggressive, “promotional‘’ companies with the means and extra cash to do so took full advantage of changing market conditions by expanding, buying competitors, pivoting, or developing strategic partnerships.

• Other companies with less wiggle room, perhaps as a result of already low margins, focused on minimizing downside risk by cutting costs, pivoting, or digging into their emergency cash stash to keep operations afloat.

8. Avoid Debt

While only 2% of respondents reported using traditional SBA loans to keep their business afloat during the recession, several mentioned borrowing from friends, or charging up credit cards, and several reported that this kind of leveraging was one of the hardest and most stressful decisions they had to make.

Others report having a strong aversion to debt, a habit which they believe may have saved their businesses.

“Debt is never a good thing,” said Tom Villane, president of Design 446, a New Jersey-based marketing company. His company saw its business drop from $15m to $4m during the recession. “Had we carried a lot of debt into the recession, we would have never survived.”

9. Promotion Beats Prevention

Overall, those that chose a defensive strategy reported losing revenue more often than those that chose an offensive strategy.

Roughly 47% of respondents that implemented a defensive strategy reported that revenue went down a lot, with only 5% saying that it went up a lot.

Meanwhile, among those that chose an offensive, or promotion-based strategy, only 13% reported that revenue went down a lot, while 30% saw dramatic increases in revenue either during or shortly following the recession.

10. Communication Is Key

Companies that grew placed a lot of focus on communication and transparency with their teams. Of the respondents that expressly mentioned the importance of communicating with employees, 80% saw revenues grow during the recession, sometimes tremendously.

“During tough times, you genuinely realize what a difference a good team makes and you want to work to keep that team strong,” said TJM Promos‘ Moore. “Let them know what’s going on, make sure no one is blindsided with tough decisions — be vulnerable.”

Others echoed this sentiment.

“Beyond focusing on your plan, be close and over-communicate during rough times with your team, vendors, and the community,” said Grant Rowe, CEO of Arizona-based Valor Healthcare, which doubled its revenue from 2007 to 2009. “Be positive, transparent, and real.”

Current Economic Downturns & How to Prepare for the Next One

I asked small business owners exactly how they’ve handled current economic downturns (period between 2020 and now), and how they’re preparing for whatever is to come throughout this year (2025).

Most respondents who ran a business during the pandemic or unstable financial times that followed (pre-2025) told me that their most significant preparation was cutting operating expenses. 23% restructured their budget, and 22% increased their focus on customer retention or temporarily shut down their business.

These results didn’t surprise me: consumers tighten their budgets and are more intentional about spending during economic downturns. So, businesses trying to stay afloat need to make up for potential loss of cash in other ways, and cutting expenses and restructuring budgets can help do that.

I’m also not surprised by the focus on customer retention, as keeping those you already have is a guaranteed revenue source during a time when acquisition becomes more challenging.

Outside of their preparations, the key strategies business owners used to keep their companies moving during uncertainty remain (unsurprisingly) similar: cuts to operating expenses (40%), focusing on customer retention (35%), and raising prices (23%).

Regardless of preparation strategies, a majority of owners say the most significant change to their company during that era (COVID-19 through to the end of 2024) was a decrease in overall revenue (39%) which adds up because of what I mentioned before: consumers are strict about their spending habits and they tend to spend the most money on essentials (food, housing and bill payments, and personal care needs) and businesses that didn’t fall into that category likely saw it reflected in profit numbers.

Now, nearly halfway through 2025, we’re back in “uncertain financial times.” For example, the S&P 500 dropped more than 2% in April before picking back up. A majority of the results for “Are we in a recession?” Google search says no, not right now, but if markets continue to drop and fluctuate, we could be in one by the end of the year.

Either way, a majority of small business owners told me that, yes, their company is already seeing the effects of 2025’s economic fluctuations. One anonymous respondent said, “Yes, less business is happening so [our] income has decreased,” and another stated, “High inflation is cutting our profit and causing us to lose clients.”

I followed up and asked how they’re preparing for the rest of the year, and the top three priorities make sense:

• Focusing on customer retention (44%), since keeping existing customers around is a guaranteed way to retain revenue when potential new customers might be cutting back their spending.
• Planning to raise prices/already raising prices, which can help counteract any revenue losses that can come from lower acquisitions.
• Cutting or reducing operating expenses, which ensures that you’re only spending money on the most critical business functions that help you stay afloat.

Just 12% of respondents said they aren’t making any preparations at all.

I’ve made over 11,000 cold calls. I’ve booked 335 meetings, closed over $287k at a startup company and $40m in an enterprise multinational company, and saw what works. I’ve also seen what burns out reps fast. I remember one call early in my career that still haunts me — in a good way.

I dialed a prospect I’d researched for hours. I thought I had the perfect pitch. I started strong, hit all the value points, and delivered what I thought was a flawless opener. I was proud of it. But before I could even ask a question, I got hit with a brutal, “Not interested. Take me off your list.”

I froze. I didn’t push back. I didn’t clarify. I just said “Thanks for your time” and hung up. I felt the rejection hard. I told myself I had failed. But instead of brushing it off, I replayed the call. I asked myself what went wrong. And, that’s what I’ll talk about here today.

Table of Contents

• My Time At the Phone
• Common Cold Calling Mistakes I’ve Seen Reps Make
• Pivoting From Mistakes to Success

My Time At the Phone

I’ve spent 17 years in the outbound sales trenches — and I mean the real trenches, the ones where your day lives and dies by that first 30 seconds on the phone.

I’ve made 11,519 cold calls. Sent over 650k emails. And I’ve learned that success doesn’t come from talent. Instead, it comes from pattern recognition, consistency, and a willingness to get punched in the mouth and dial again.

I didn’t start off great. I used to talk too much. I’d come in trying to prove value before earning the right to be heard. I thought I had to sound like I knew everything. But the truth? I didn’t need to sound smart. I needed to be curious. I needed to make it about them, not me.

So I made the shift. I began opening with relevance, not rapport. I asked better questions. I focused on timing, context, and urgency. I wanted to learn why now, not just why us. From there, everything changed.

Over time, I started noticing patterns. I saw reps over-script and under-listen. I watched reps freeze when objections came up, or worse, avoid them entirely. I saw people mistake politeness for the pipeline.

I realized I didn’t want to be that rep. I didn’t want to manage feelings. I wanted to drive outcomes.

So I built a system. I tracked every metric. I A/B tested intros. I treated every “no” like a feedback loop. I turned cold calling into something structured, repeatable, and scalable.

That’s how I’ve booked 335 meetings, converted 69.1% into SQLs, kept my no-show rate below 18%, and closed over $287k in new business from cold outreach alone.

But beyond the numbers, what really matters to me is this: I’ve coached SDRs, AEs, and founders who felt stuck in their outreach, who were burnt out from the constant rejection, who were tired of the same empty scripts that didn’t reflect their voice or their value.

Together, we fixed that. We rewired their mindset. We redesigned their messaging. And we rebuilt their confidence.

I’ve done this across every continent I’ve worked in, from startups to corporates, across industries. I’ve supported teams in the USA, Brazil, LATAM, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, helping them sharpen their outbound playbooks and land meetings with people they never thought would pick up the phone.

This isn’t theory. This is lived experience.

So if you’re making cold calls or leading a team that does, I’ve probably seen your exact challenge before. And, I’m here to tell you: cold calling isn’t dead. It’s just misunderstood.

Beyond that, cold calling is like science, meaning it’s always evolving. Today, the trend is a multi-channel approach plus hyper-personalization, using ABM (account-based marketing) strategies.

It’s like a sales funnel idea, when you have more opportunities of contacting that lead, you can increase the chances of having better conversations and conversions, so your KPI’s and sales improve with a solid strategy.

Common Cold Calling Mistakes I’ve Seen Reps Make

1. Pitching Too Early

I used to jump into the call like it was a 100-meter sprint. As soon as someone picked up, I felt this rush to pitch. I thought, “I have 30 seconds. I’d better say something brilliant before they hang up.” So I led with features, results, big client names, all the things I thought would grab their attention.

It didn’t work. Not because my pitch was bad, but because I hadn’t earned the right to give it yet.

People don’t want to be pitched. They want to be understood. They want to know why you’re calling them specifically, right now, and whether it’s worth their time to stay on the line.

Once I stopped trying to impress, I started to engage. I learned to open with context. I showed that I knew the company by mentioning a funding round they just raised, a new initiative their company launched, or a role they recently stepped into. Then, I asked a smart question, one that opened a door instead of slamming one shut.

That approach changed everything. When the first 10 seconds feel tailored, people stop bracing for the pitch and start listening for value.

2. Over-Relying on the Script

I’ve seen this play out across so many teams. The rep prints out a script, memorizes it word for word, and reads it like a customer service manual. No pauses. No personalization. No flexibility.

I used to do this too. Especially when I was new, the script gave me confidence. It felt safe, that is, until it didn’t.

The moment someone interrupted me or said something I wasn’t prepared for, I froze. The call derailed. I didn’t know how to recover, because the script didn’t give me permission to think.

That’s when I made a shift. I stopped treating the script like gospel. I started using it like a compass. Something to guide direction, not dictate every word.

I created frameworks instead, with openers that had modular parts. Objection responses that could be adapted. A structure that gave me freedom to be human, while still staying intentional.

The result? I sounded more natural. More confident. More in control. The person on the other end noticed, and they stayed on the line longer.

3. Mistaking Politeness for Pipeline

Early on, I celebrated every polite response.

“Interesting.”

“Send me more info.”

“Sounds like a good fit.”

But guess what? None of those people replied to my follow-ups. None showed up to meetings. None converted. I learned that these platitudes weren’t real signals. They were soft deflections — ways for the prospect to end the conversation without conflict.

I learned that politeness isn’t a commitment, and vague enthusiasm isn’t a pipeline. So, I started clarifying.

• “When you say interesting, what stood out to you?”
• “Is this something you’re actively exploring or just a general interest?”
• “Would it make sense to schedule something now, or is this not a priority?”

When you start qualifying early, you stop wasting time. Your calendar gets tighter. Your pipeline gets healthier. Most importantly, your energy stays focused on real opportunities, not on chasing ghosts.

4. Panicking at Objections

Early in my career, objections scared me. A “no budget,” or “we already use someone,” or “we’re not interested” would throw me off completely. I’d feel defeated. I’d try to defend or overexplain. Worse, I would just end the call and tell myself, “They weren’t ready anyway.”

Then, I realized something: Objections aren’t rejection. They’re engagement.

If someone pushes back, it means they’re thinking. It means they heard you. They care enough to have a perspective.

So I changed my relationship with objections. I tracked them. I studied them. I wrote down every common pattern and created responses to reframe pushback. Now, when I hear an objection, I lean in with curated responses.

• “Oh, that’s exactly why I’m reaching out.”
• “Totally understand. Can I ask you something about that?”
• “What would need to change for this to be more of a priority?”

Objections became my signal that I was getting closer, not further.

5. Talking More Than I Listen

In the beginning, I treated every call like a performance. I thought I had to drive the entire conversation, always have the next point ready, and sound confident.

Then, I realized that the more I talked, the less they did. The less they talked, the less I learned. The less I learned, the weaker my pitch became. In the end, I was pitching to assumptions, not real context.

So, I flipped it. I trained myself to ask, pause, and wait. I practiced listening to both their words and their tone. Their energy. Their timing. I used techniques like mirroring, summarizing, and layering my questions. Prospects opened up. They told me what they actually cared about. What was urgent? What was blocking them?

From there, it stopped being a pitch and started becoming a real conversation — one built on curiosity, not control.

6. Not Personalizing the Opener

I used to start every call with “How are you today?” or “Do you have 30 seconds?” And while it felt polite, it also felt … forgettable. Because, that’s what everyone says.

In cold calling, sounding like everyone else is the fastest way to get ignored. So, I stopped being generic. I started being specific. If they just hired a new CRO, I opened with that. If they announced a new partnership, I mentioned it. If they posted something on LinkedIn, I referenced it in the first line.

Personalization isn’t fluff. It’s friction removal. It shows you’ve done your homework and that this call isn’t just random. You came prepared to speak to them, not just a persona.

When you do that, people listen. Not because they owe you time. But because you’ve earned their attention.

7. Giving Up Too Soon

There was a time when every “not interested” felt like a wall. I’d thank them, hang up, and move on. I told myself, “They’re just not ready.” But in reality, I gave up too early.

Then I started treating every call, good or bad, as data. I tracked my tonality, my timing, my opener, even the time of day. I started noticing patterns.

• Sometimes, a quick “no” was actually a timing issue.
• Sometimes, I could re-engage the same contact two weeks later and get a yes.
• Sometimes, I wasn’t even getting rejected. I was just poorly positioned.

Now, I use every no to improve the next yes. I refine the script. I test new angles. I follow up smarter, not just harder.

In cold calling, you’re not looking for approval. You’re collecting intel. If you treat every objection as insight, your strategy sharpens with every call.

Pivoting From Mistakes to Success

Let me close this with something I wish someone had told me earlier in my career. It would’ve saved me from a lot of stress, burnout, and second-guessing.

The real difference between the rep who dreads cold calling and the one who turns it into a predictable pipeline machine? It’s not experience. It’s not talent. It’s not even confidence. It’s perspective.

Cold calling isn’t punishment. It’s power.

When I saw it as a grind, it drained me. When I saw it as a numbers game, I rushed it. When I treated it like a race to quota, I burned out faster than I hit my goals. But now? I treat cold calling like a craft. It’s a skill set I keep sharpening.

Cold calling, done right, is strategic. It’s personal. It’s one of the last places in business where real human connection still happens in real time. That alone makes it valuable, and rare.

That call I mentioned earlier — the one that crushed me at the time — taught me valuable lessons. The experience showed me that rejection doesn’t define you, but rather it redirects you. I learned that connection is always more powerful than performance. And, it reminded me that if you’re willing to pause, listen, and learn, every failure becomes part of your system.

So to every SDR, AE, founder, or sales leader reading this:

• Don’t just make dials, craft conversations.
• Don’t just chase pipeline, build momentum.
• Don’t just listen for gaps, listen for growth.

Because, cold calling isn’t just about getting the meeting. It’s about becoming the kind of rep who knows how to earn attention, build trust, and open doors that most people gave up on.

That’s what I’ve committed the last 17 years to. That’s what I teach. And if you’re serious about leveling up, just know, I’ve been where you are. I’m here to walk with you, call by call, pattern by pattern, breakthrough by breakthrough.

And, once you learn how to create that? You never look at the phone the same way again.

If you’re looking for a way to show off the value of your product or service to potential customers, proof of concept (POC) in sales is a real-world method with tried-and-true results. Although I wasn’t well-versed in the subject going in, by talking to sales experts I discovered how POC can help you connect with customers, set yourself apart, and lock in that first sale.

Whether you’re selling a software, service, or product supply, the process is the same. Here, I’ll guide you through what the experts had to say when I asked how they demonstrate POC in sales and what they learned through trial and error.

The biggest takeaway? POC isn’t about securing a one-time sale. It’s about building trust, confidence, and ongoing relationships — and it’s a pivotal part of an overarching sales methodology.

Table of Contents

• What is proof of concept in sales?
• Importance of Sales POC
• Types of Sales POC
• How to Demonstrate Proof of Concept in Sales

What is proof of concept in sales?

Proof of concept (POC) is a way to demonstrate value in a real-world setting. But — as I found out firsthand — the term can be confusing because a POC will look very different depending on the life stage of your product or idea.

Say you’ve just come up with a new business concept, and you have nothing tangible yet. In that case, a POC is a chance to test your idea’s real-world potential and validate it for stakeholders.

In a sales context, though, POC is a demonstration of an offering’s value to potential customers in order to propel their purchase. (You might also hear the term “customer POC”).

Unlike a sales demo, which can be generic, a sales POC focuses on solutions specific to a client within their unique environment. The point is to allow the potential buyer to interact with the product or service before investing in it, enabling them to make a more informed decision.

Importance of Sales POC

But how does a sales POS actually translate into a sale? It’s all about lowering risks (and anxieties) on the side of the customer.

Since buying is dependent on trust, a POC ensures that what you’re selling speaks for itself. There’s no need for a prospect to trust in a rep, or even a product description, when they can gain trust in the product directly. As they say, the proof is in the pudding.

POC in sales goes further than just showcasing your product’s hypothetical value. Instead, firsthand user experience demonstrates its real-world value by solving an individualized problem, integrating into a particular context, and impacting actual results. This makes it an important step in your sales process, as you move a prospect from lead to closed customer.

Types of Sales POC

How you demonstrate POC will depend on what you’re selling, but there are two broad categories that a POC can fall into.

• Limited: This type of POC offers a test or sample version of your product or service, but limits the functionality, quantity, or engagement.

This can look like a digital product with fewer features than the paid version, a service that offers a complimentary first-time experience, or a tangible product distributed as a free sample. Sometimes these are self-service (without a rep there for guidance), but in general, a POC involves communication between buyer and seller.

• Pilot: A pilot offers a full version of your product but on a smaller scale.

For example, let’s say a business wants to implement your product throughout all its departments, but it seems pretty high-risk to do so. A pilot can allow the company to test it in just one department, at full scale, for a given amount of time, to ensure it’s a good fit.

While a pilot may permit greater customization, communication, and iteration, both approaches work to build credibility and trust — as well as momentum.

How to Demonstrate Proof of Concept in Sales

After learning about the underpinnings of POC in sales, I reached out to experts to ask about their experience with putting these ideas into practice. What goes into an actual POC demonstration? And how does POC fit into their overall sales strategy?

Drawing from their success stories, here’s a list of five essential steps for an impactful POC.

1. Identify client needs.

The first step to setting up a successful POC is understanding the prospective client’s specific needs and challenges.

“Proof of concept always comes down to demonstrating value how the customer defines it,” says Elisa Montanari, head of organic growth at Wrike.

“To understand their needs, you must gather data through marketing, interactions, discovery calls, and the like so you can tailor your POC in a way that makes sense and adds the most value for them. Showing how the solution works in their context sets you up for better relationships and success.”

“I prioritize learning their goals and pain points by asking the right questions during discovery,” adds Harry Morton, founder of Lower Street. “Once I have that, I create a POC to address their problems. Whether creating pilot episodes, presenting solutions, or highlighting ROI, every detail is designed to speak to them.”

My key takeaways: No matter how you go about collecting information, detailing pain points at the start ensures that what you present matches what the client needs.

2. Define success metrics and show tangible results.

Once you understand the customer’s needs, the next step is to decide how a successful POC will be defined, so that you can be sure to deliver results.

“Getting input from their key people right from the start helped us define what success looked like for the POC,” Lloyd Pilapil, founder of Pixelmojo, tells me.

“By demonstrating clear improvements in their response times and overall productivity during this phase, we not only proved that our solution worked but also showed how it could provide a strong return on investment.”

While working with a client hesitant about investing in their SEO services due to past disappointing experiences with other agencies, Shoaib Mughal, managing director of Marketix Digital, Australia, offered a focused POC that contributed to measurable sales growth.

“This success demonstrated not only the effectiveness of our methodology but also gave the client confidence in our ability to deliver on a larger scale,” says Mughal.

My key takeaways: Quantifiable solutions are an opportunity to get customers on board for the long haul.

3. Customize your POC to solve one critical problem.

Successful POC is all in the personalization. On one hand, it’s about focusing on a client’s specific needs. And on the other, it’s about tailoring your offering so it addresses only those critical needs.

Carl Jacobs, co-founder and CEO of Apicbase, describes “a classic mistake” his company made during a POC.

“We tried to show them everything Apicbase could do at once,” says Jacobs. “It didn‘t land. Instead of building excitement, we overwhelmed them. What they needed was simple: proof that we could fix their most pressing problem. And that’s exactly what got lost in our over-ambitious POC.”

“Somehow, they didn‘t lose faith in us altogether,” he continues. “So, we regrouped. This time, we focused the POC entirely on their central production unit. That was the turning point. The leadership team saw not just the improvements, but the potential to scale these results … What I learned was that it’s best to start small, solve one critical problem, and let the results do the talking.”

My key takeaways: Laser focus on a crucial need can have greater impact than trying to solve all of the customer’s problems at once.

4. Communicate throughout the POC process.

One thing that distinguishes a POC from other types of sales demos or trials is the ability for reps to be in continuous conversation with potential customers. This is an opportunity to answer questions, show how certain features add value, and also develop relationships.

At PWA Media, during a POC where the company advised a client to concentrate on a specific niche within their business, the importance of “focusing on strategy and timely communication” became clear, says content writer Rachel Hansen.

“By reducing the size of the POC to what was possible to control, and through constant communication, we gained credibility and verified our reputation,” summarizes Hansen.

CEO of Brand Ignite, Muhammad Imran Khan, agrees: “Collaboration matters. I invited constant feedback, which helped refine the direction and kept the client engaged.”

My key takeaways: Frequent check-ins are fundamental to keeping the POC process on track and establishing trusted relationships.

5. Gather feedback, assess results, and iterate.

When a POC is complete, the primary goal is to close the sale. But beyond that, a POC can provide invaluable information to guide future product iterations, as well as adapt your sales methodology.

“Post-POC, we collect and act on feedback to refine both product and sales approach,” Morten Bruun, CEO and co-founder of FlashDocs, tells me. “We treat POCs as part of an ongoing dialogue, not a one-off event, leading to better conversions.”

Similarly, Michael A. Monette, founder of Office Furniture Plus, describes for me a time early in his career when he set up a functional workspace using a sample of proposed furniture for a large-scale office redesign. “The feedback was immediate: they recognized the tangible benefits and approved the full project.”

“Going forward, I incorporated POC as a standard practice for larger projects. It refined our methodology by emphasizing personalized solutions and proactive client engagement. Whether through mock-ups, temporary setups, or detailed product trials, this hands-on approach consistently led to higher client satisfaction and repeat business,” he says.

As Harry Morton concludes, “I treat every POC as an opportunity to learn.”

My key takeaways: While closing the sale is the principal goal, it’s not the end of the process. The POC is only a jumping off point to build connections, iterate on your product, and refine your sales strategies.

Taking It into the Real World

Now that you know the inside scoop on proof of concept in sales, you’ve got a leg up on getting started yourself. And that means taking this approach into the real world. But luckily, that’s exactly what POC is all about: moving a concept off the page and proving its worth in everyday experience. By following these tips for success, you’re ready to do just that.

Imagine if you could pinpoint when you’ll have the cash flow to hire another employee, or how a supply chain disruption would affect your business.

As a small business owner, I’m not a financial expert and I can’t predict the future. What I can’t learn or do myself, I automate. That’s how I started using AI for financial forecasting.

While AI in finance is useful for entrepreneurs, it’s helping companies of all sizes make more accurate predictions and better, data-based decisions. Join me as I explore the basics of AI financial forecasting and how you can test and adopt it yourself.

Table of Contents

• Why Use AI for Financial Forecasting?
• How to Use AI for Financial Forecasting
• 8 AI Financial Forecasting Tools to Try
• How to Get Started With AI Financial Forecasting
• Automate Forecasting for Faster, Smarter Decision-Making

Why Use AI for Financial Forecasting?

According to Gartner, 58% of finance functions are using AI in 2024, up 21% since 2023. More than a quarter of companies (28%) use AI for finance analytics, including forecasting. That number is rising fast. They’re using AI for everything from sales and demand forecasting to risk assessment to budget forecasting.

Here’s why companies are clamoring to add AI-powered financial forecasting to their toolbox.

1. Better Efficiency

AI models process data faster than humans — far faster. This speed saves time and costs from manual forecasts. Companies have reported lower operational costs and greater operational efficiency after implementing AI for finance.

“Our finance team spends 40% less time with AI forecasting compared to manual work,” reports Chunyang Shen, co-founder of Jarsy, Inc. “This saves time and leaves us with more time and effort to make key business decisions instead of doing computations.”

2. Fewer Errors

You can use AI to find anomalies and human errors in large datasets like expense reporting and invoices. One study found that machine learning models reduce forecasting errors by approximately 30% over traditional statistical approaches.

3. More Accurate Forecasts

With better data analysis, AI can create more accurate forecasts. Infosys reports that 80% of financial planning and accounting teams are now projecting more often and more accurately with AI tools.

4. More Timely, Data-Backed Decisions

Better, faster forecasts mean companies can make smarter decisions in real-time. AI can alert companies when forecasts change or key performance benchmarks are breached. That means that instead of waiting for monthly or quarterly forecasts, you can take decisive action now to reach your benchmarks.

And how do AI tools impact financial performance? Nearly 60% of companies using AI for corporate finance reported growing revenue, with 10% reporting growth of over 10%. Additionally, 31% of the same companies found that AI implementation cut costs, with 7% cutting costs by over 10%.

Limitations of AI in Financial Forecasting

AI is good at speed, scalability, and pattern identification. But it’s not without limitations. Inaccurate data inputs or not enough baseline data can result in faulty results. Then, there can always be outlier events.

“The future patterns are very useful and the algorithms can work with real-time data, but AI does not exclude all unexpected factors,” warns Shen. “Human management is still required for monitoring these factors or market fluctuations.”

How to Use AI for Financial Forecasting

All of this is exciting, but before diving in, I want to take a minute to understand how AI in financial forecasting works and how it differs from traditional forecasting.

“Historically, financial forecasting and analysis were predominantly qualitative, relying on small sample data and human expertise,” writes researcher Olubusola Odeyemi. “The methods employed were largely based on fundamental and technical analyses which involved scrutinizing financial statements and market trends to make predictions about future market behaviors.

“The advent of AI and machine learning has ushered in a new era, characterized by the processing of vast amounts of data and the application of sophisticated algorithms to uncover deeper insights and patterns,” she explains.

Welcome to the new paradigm — out with manual processes, and in with predictive intelligence.

So does AI financial forecasting work? In a nutshell, AI models use machine learning to analyze inputs from internal and external data sources to create future predictions.

Financial forecasting depends on inputs from historic and external data to produce outputs. AI models process, prioritize, and analyze financial data to help companies predict revenue, cash flow, expenses, and more. Here are the steps.

1. Data Collection

An AI model collects input from large amounts of data. This starts with your own historical financial data from costs to transaction histories to financial performance. You can also use retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) to connect your current sales or accounting software to AI to pull new data in real-time. The models then clean and process the data for analysis.

Some models also consider external data like stock prices, economic indicators, and social media sentiment.

2. Identifying Key Patterns

Next, the model uses feature engineering to identify the most important data points, like price trends or seasonality, to make the best predictions.

3. Choosing a Model

Based on the goal, AI financial forecasts may use different models. A time series model predicts trends over time like season sales, while deep learning models like LSTM can predict stock prices from historical data.

4. Testing and Training

The model learns from historical data, tests, and fine-tunes its model.

5. Forecasting

Now, we get to the output — the forecast. Once the model is ready, humans can prompt it to make specific predictions, set it to run at regular intervals, or send alerts if a prediction changes.

I think it’s helpful to see this in action. Here’s an example of how a forecast could look:

8 AI Financial Forecasting Tools to Try

I’ve got good news for you: You don’t have to build your own AI model to leverage AI financial forecasting.

The tools I curated below can integrate with your existing systems and analyze your financial data.

AI Financial Forecasting Tools for Small Businesses and Startups

1. Quickbooks

If you already use Quickbooks for accounting, great! No need to add a separate tool. Quickbooks apps like Fathom, LivePlan, and Clockwork can take your financial data and generate powerful cash flow and revenue predictions without messing with spreadsheets.

Quickbooks has also announced it’s adding AI forecasting features to the Quickbooks Online Advanced plan, so an upgrade could eliminate the need for a third-party app.

2. Upmetrics

If you’re a founder creating a business plan and projecting financial scenarios, Upmetrics will give you financial forecasts and a whole lot more. Built for collaboration, the tool leverages predictive analytics from historical data to anticipate future trends.

I love that the software walks you through financial planning, like identifying when you will have the cash flow to make a hire or purchase equipment.

3. Cube

Cube integrates with Google Sheets, Excel, and other systems so you can aggregate your financial data into a single source. Its AI tool can flag data anomalies, highlight variances, and even create multiple forecasts based on different scenarios.

AI Financial Forecasting Tools for Mid-Sized and Large Businesses

4. Datarails

Live in Excel? Datarails may be your sweet spot. Rather than replacing existing tools or documents, Datarails turns your Excel files into beautiful, intelligent forecasts.

One feature I like is its customizable dashboards and visualization options for reporting. Its “what-if” scenario modeling helps teams anticipate potential outcomes based on variables.

5. Vena Solutions

Vena Solutions uses AI pattern analysis and pattern recognition to analyze large financial data sets and model scenarios. Its automated forecasting frees financial teams up to focus on other activities and react quickly to real-time insights.

One feature I like is the integration of Microsoft Copilot so users can request forecasts and information with unstructured language (i.e., chat).

6. Planful Predict

Planful Predict uses machine learning to generate accurate forecasts based on historical data to identify trends and make predictions. I think scenario planning and a user-friendly database are the top benefits of the platform, along with its wide range of integrations.

Planful Predict has 1,400 pre-built connectors with software including Salesforce, Workiva, Workday, ADP, and NetSuite.

AI Financial Forecasting Tools for Enterprises

7. Anaplan

If you need the enterprise package of financial planning solutions, this is it. Anaplan integrates scenario planning, revenue planning, and headcount planning together in a complete connected planning software. Model “what if” scenarios to your heart’s content with Anaplan’s AI-powered tools.

8. IBM Planning Analytics

This software harnesses the power of IBM Watson to help finance professionals model multiple scenarios to ensure their business stays on track. One distinctive feature: IBM Planning Analytics can run several algorithms side-by-side to find the best fit.

How to Get Started With AI Financial Forecasting

If you’re bullish about the power of AI financial forecasting, slow down. I believe it’s best to take a measured approach to AI testing and implementation. So let’s see how you can take it one step at a time.

1. Set goals and priorities.

First, be sure to set clear goals for the implementation. Do you want it to save time and operational costs, or grow revenue?

Next, assess your current tech stack to determine which financial tools you already have at your disposal and which new forecasting tools could enhance those. Identify any must-haves for your product search.

2. Allocate resources.

Consider whether you have the expertise and resources in-house to start a program or whether you need to hire a consultant or data scientist.

In a Nvidia study, companies reported that their top challenges in implementing AI financial forecasting are data issues (privacy and disparate locations), AI talent shortages, and budget shortages.

“Using AI comes with its own set of hurdles, as with any tool,” says Marin Cristian-Ovidiu, CEO of Online Games, who recently adopted AI forecasting. “The initial integration into existing financial systems can be quite daunting at best and often demands a good amount of resources. There’s also a continuous requirement to update and train the AI models to keep pace with evolving market conditions.”

3. Train your team.

Shen underscores the importance of training your team for success. “Teams have to know how to properly analyze AI outputs together with qualitative data,” he shares. “I suggest introducing comptrollership skills through training sessions for corporate teams, using group education and training that merge the financial and technological teams.”

For instance, HubSpot Academy offers training for sales forecasting and analytics. I definitely recommend checking out these resources!

4. Run an AI financial forecasting pilot.

To test the waters before implementing at scale, start with a pilot. I find this true for any new technology you’re adding to your stack.

“I highly recommend starting with a more targeted approach,” says Cristian-Ovidiu. “Try to pick a specific financial aspect where AI can immediately demonstrate its value, and expand from there.”

Identify your top-priority area to test, like sales forecasting, and pilot the platform, then compare results with your traditional forecasts and actual financials. Once you’ve assessed the results and made any necessary adjustments, you can roll it out to other financial areas.

5. Learn and adjust.

Of course, just like traditional forecasting, AI forecasting isn’t perfect and can make mistakes. It’s important to set up your model and tools correctly, monitor trends, and double-check numbers when they don’t seem right or when using them to inform major decisions.

“The most effective feature was the feedback loop, where other members of the team contributed ideas that allowed for the improvement of the AI model’s outputs,” shares Shen, who led a pilot with a dozen members of Jarsy, Inc.’s team for AI financial forecasting.

“After a lot of brainstorming by our team and continuous fine-tuning, it became natural to include AI in our finance work.”

Automate Forecasting for Faster, Smarter Decision-Making

While researching for this article, I learned that AI financial forecasting has the potential to reduce human error, make predictions faster, and marry your financial data with market intelligence. Huge benefits, in my opinion.

While no tool can eliminate uncertainty, AI can reduce it significantly, helping you make data-backed decisions faster and with more confidence.

If you’re wondering what the secret formula is for going from freelancer to entrepreneur, then building a thriving business model, then achieving goals for that business, I’d say to just ask Jim Huffman.

Huffman, the CEO and Founder of GrowthHit, knows how to own his lanes. From owning a high-performance agency that focuses on web design and optimization, growth marketing, and creative services to being a bestselling author of The Growth Marketer’s Playbook, he’s truly got his formula for success down pat.

In this article, I’ll talk about Jim’s tips for inspiring innovation and creativity, scaling a business effectively, and I’ll also share how he utilizes his founder’s mindset to lead GrowthHit.

Let’s get to the good stuff.

Table of Contents: 

• From Freelancer to Millionaire Entrepreneur: Key Milestones
• Freelancer vs. Entrepreneur
• What is GrowthHit?
• GrowthHit’s Playbook
• Choose Your Fate

From Freelancer to Millionaire Entrepreneur: Key Milestones

Regardless of where you are in your business venture journey, you’re bound to encounter the standard steps of growth – from the good to the not-so-good – especially as you work your way up to things like expanding your clientele or finding your niche (Huffman calls this “horizontal focus”).

But if you happen to still be in the very early stages of building your brand, I’m here to help you attack the basics, and this starts with understanding how you should be self-identifying based on the type of work you do.

Whether you’re a freelancer or an entrepreneur, there are certain terms and conditions to either route. And although everyone’s journey is truly one-of-a-kind, here’s a brief preview of what you should anticipate as you progress down one path or the other:

Key Milestones for a Freelancer

1. You’ll land your first client (silent applause).

This is often the most significant milestone you’ll experience as a freelancer.

When this finally happens, it’ll offer a much-needed boost of confidence and establish your credibility in the market. It can also lead to more opportunities and referrals (which equals more money, cha-ching).

2. You’ll get a steady stream of clients.

As a freelancer, your success often depends on your ability to consistently attract and retain clients.

This may involve building a strong online presence (if you haven’t already, getting started on LinkedIn is a mandatory platform to start doing this on), networking effectively, and providing a comprehensive look into your services/what it’s like to work with you 1:1.

3. You may (or may not) choose a niche.

As you gain experience, you may decide to specialize in a particular niche or area of expertise. Whatever your knack is, when you choose to do it exclusively, this decision will help you stand out from the competition and attract clients who are specifically seeking your skills.

4. You might start looking for some backup.

As your business grows, you may need to hire additional team members or collaborate with other freelancers to handle increased workload or offer a wider range of services. This could be a strategic move that serves you well; you might be able to scale your business and take on larger projects.

Next, let’s talk about what pivotal moments look like in the life of an entrepreneur:

Key Milestones for an Entrepreneur

1. You’ll launch your first venture; you’ll feel totally awesome.

This is often the most rewarding milestone for an entrepreneur, primarily because it represents the realization of your vision and the first step towards building a successful business.

2. Your business will pick up some momentum.

As your business grows, you may face new challenges and opportunities. This could involve expanding into new markets, hiring additional team members, or securing specific funding.

3. You’ll overcome some major obstacles.

I’d be lying if I said entrepreneurship is without challenges. Along the way, you may encounter setbacks, financial difficulties, or competition. But how you react – your ability to overcome these obstacles and learn from them – is what matters most when it comes to long-term success.

4. You may decide it’s time to say goodbye.

At some point, you may decide to be less involved in your business or transition into a new venture. This can be a bittersweet moment, but it also represents the culmination of your hard work and dedication put in over the years.

Now that we’ve covered most of the grounds for both freelancing and entrepreneurship, let’s next review a few benefits and drawbacks of both:

Freelancing Pros and Cons

Pro #1: You choose how the money goes into your business.

As a freelancer, you have complete control over your income. You can choose how much you earn by taking on as many or as few projects as you want.

This flexibility is incredibly empowering and it allows you to set your own salary/rates, prioritize projects that align with your financial goals, and enjoy greater autonomy over the work you create.

Pro #2: You get to level-up your skill set.

You’ve probably discovered this perk already, but freelancing offers a unique opportunity for rapid skill development. Because you’re constantly exposed to new challenges and projects, you’re also constantly learning new techniques, improving your existing skills, and staying up-to-date with industry trends.

This continuous learning is incredibly rewarding and can also make you more marketable to potential clients.

Pro #3: You can do things when you want, how you want.

One of the biggest perks of freelancing is the flexibility it offers. You can set your own schedule, work from anywhere, and choose projects that genuinely interest you. This freedom can allow you to achieve a better work-life balance and pursue other passions or hobbies.

Con #1: You might have some trouble collecting your coins.

As a freelancer, you may experience the dreaded: Clients delaying payments. This can cause some financial difficulties, especially if contracts state that payments are Net 30, sometimes even Net 60.

That said, you must have a clear payment policy in place and (regardless of how mean you might sound over email) follow up promptly if you don’t receive payment on time.

Con #2: Freelancing is a dog-eat-dog world, which is something you’ll have to get used to.

Competition looks like a lot of things when you’re a freelancer, so I won’t drag this one out for too long.

However, I will say this: The freelancing market is a highly competitive space, especially in popular fields like content strategy, copywriting, or graphic design.

This can make it difficult to stand out and find clients. To combat these expected hurdles, I propose building an exquisite portfolio that illustrates what kind of work you do and the results it’s produced, get some client testimonials to feature on your website or LinkedIn, and create packages that are tailored to specific opportunities (i.e., if you’re a copywriter, I suggest making a package of social media copy, a package for website and SEO copy, etc.)

Con #3: You’re going to have to deal with shifting expectations.

As a freelancer, you’ll often find that the expectations of your clients will shift. A lot. Probably more than you’d think.

They may change their minds about the scope of a project, request additional features, or have new ideas that didn’t occur to them initially. This can be challenging and time-consuming, requiring you to constantly return to the drawing board and make edits and adjustments as needed.

Entrepreneurship Pros and Cons

Pro #1: You can build the work world you want to see.

Just like Jim, as an entrepreneur, you have the unique opportunity to create a company culture that aligns with your values and goals.

This can lead to a more fulfilling and enjoyable work environment for both you and your team.

Pro #2: You can lean on a team that you trust.

Building a strong team of talented individuals can provide you with the support, expertise, and motivation you need to succeed.

Plus (and more on this later), just as Jim has shared, a team that is aligned with your goals and values can help you achieve your business objectives more efficiently and effectively.

Pro #3: You can make the investments you’ve always wanted.

Being an entrepreneur allows you to invest in opportunities, partnerships, and people that could put you and your company on the map.

By building a reputation for early adoption or risk-taking through the choices you make, both financially and strategically, you can position your company for success.

Con #1: Higher barriers to entry.

Starting a business often requires significant financial resources, which proposes several barriers to entry for many entrepreneurs.

Additionally, depending on the industry, there may be numerous regulations and permits that you need to obtain before you can start your business. This can be frustrating and costly, making it more difficult for your company to reach a respective market.

Con #2: You’ll have to hire and, subsequently, fire.

Hiring and managing employees can be time-consuming and challenging, especially on your own. You’ll need to develop effective hiring practices, provide training, and manage employee performance.

…Or you can take Jim’s advice from above and find an excellent employee to do all of this for you. Either works.

Con #3: You might burn out faster than you’d think.

As an entrepreneur, you’re going to get used to wearing multiple hats, juggling countless tasks, and working long hours to get your business to where it needs to be. And, you may not notice it weighing on you at first, but you’ll feel it at some point.

This relentless pace could potentially lead to burnout, especially if you’re not taking care of your physical and mental health.

What is GrowthHit?

GrowthHit is a growth team specializing in running growth experiments for businesses. GrowthHit sits at the intersection of web design and optimization, growth marketing, and creative services.

Although the GrowthHit team is small (currently, there are fewer than 50 employees, which is pretty damn impressive), its achievements certainly aren’t.

Thus far, the GrowthHit team has generated over $247 million in revenue, and that’s just from running tests for enterprises nationwide. Some of those companies include Panera, Sephora, WeWork Labs, Tech Stars, and General Assembly.

Those names are only a few out of the 114 businesses that GrowthHit has been able to assist through its radical methods for, as Huffman puts it, “leading with strategy, not execution.”

GrowthHit’s Playbook

When it comes to “leading with strategy,” Jim has many guiding principles, most of which are anchored in how, as an entrepreneur, he chooses to approach both organizational leadership and client acquisition.

Here are a few of them that I gathered from his conversation, that I figured would be the most useful and actionable for aspiring entrepreneurs and freelancer folks:

1. Hire senior people, not junior people.

“Junior people can work but they require hand holding,” Huffman told Trends.co. And while Huffman’s words may seem harsh, they’re not as cold as they seem once you get to the bottom of his logic.

You see, if you break his philosophy down a bit more, you’ll find that Huffman’s concern is not with, literally, junior employees – they’re not bad at their jobs or anything – it’s with the level of work they’re likely to produce at the stage of development that they’re probably at.

“The right senior hire will do your job five times better and grow revenue [at the same time],” he elaborated.

According to Huffman, senior-level employees will remove problems from your plate because, considering where they’re at in their professional careers, they are skilled at doing so.

2. Leverage tech to be a one-person sales org.

Jim revealed one of his close-kept secrets for doing work well: “Build a one-person sales team off of a tech stack,” Jim mentioned to Trends.co.

If anything, I think this piece of advice may be one of the most important, especially for my freelancers out there. Don’t do more work than you have to, especially if most of your energy should be spent searching for the leads that matter.

Now, in Jim’s case, he uses Zapier, Superhuman, Qwilr, and Mailshake to help him work smarter, not harder. Every tech stack looks different based on the needs of the person behind them. However, starting with a CRM may be a good place to start — I suggest HubSpot’s.

3. Culture is everything.

If you want the key to controlling work culture, Jim says you should start with the small things, not the big ones. “Get tactical about the habits that make up your culture, then applaud them,” he recommended.

Here’s Jim’s specific guide to making GrowthHit one of the best places possible for his employees to work and, of course, produce quality results:

• No repeat work. (Jim says: “If we can automate tasks, let’s do it.”)
• No jerks.
• Default to kindness.
• Show, don’t tell.

Plus, he added this gem: “The best thing that you can do for A-players is hire other A-players that are aligned in their values and reason.” Jim’s perspective demonstrates that building a well-oiled company starts with attention to detail and a commitment to creating a supportive, inspiring ethos that employees can not only follow but witness tangible impact from.

4. Embrace results (not hours) and give generously.

This tenet is directly connected to the previous one. According to Jim, “If you want A-players, give them a lifestyle you would want.”

Truthfully, you can do this however you’d like. Maybe this looks like paying for top employees’ dinners, or even tacking on an extra remote day to their hybrid work schedule.

However, for Huffman, this looks like “giving spot bonuses to employees that over-deliver and push the business forward.”

Huffman’s bible for delivering on things like company culture, scaling, and ROI is truly full of awesome takeaways.

Choose Your Fate

Whether you decide to embark on a path similar to Jim’s or not, both entrepreneurship and a career as a freelancer requires one thing: Commitment to your dream.

This means being dedicated, persistent, and willing to put in the hard work necessary to achieve your goals. Remember: Success won’t happen overnight, so be patient with whatever your business throws your way, and enjoy as much of the process as possible.

I have taken my fair share of notes as a senior coordinator (and former assistant and coordinator). For most of my career thus far, I’ve taken notes in at least half of the meetings I’ve been in. At roughly one page of notes per meeting, 20 meetings a week for five years, that’s … a lot.

Many individuals applying for jobs in this title range may roll their eyes when they view yet another job description stating: “Take notes during meetings to track important discussion points and next steps.” While it may seem tedious and, frankly, boring, meeting minutes are actually essential and ensure time spent meeting face-to-face isn’t in vain.

Personally, taking meeting minutes has significantly improved my attention to detail. When I sit in on dozens of meetings each week, there are times when my attention span and memory aren’t as strong, so it’s helpful to have an active task that keeps me focused and engaged.

Table of Contents

• What Are Meeting Minutes?
• How to Take Meeting Minutes
• Meeting Minutes Template
• Meeting Minutes Best Practices
• A Meeting Minutes Pro in Minutes

If, like me, you’re the one assigned to take meeting minutes, you should view it as an opportunity. In my experience, it forces you to listen closely to the conversation and decide what information is most important for the team to recall later.

Taking meeting minutes can also help you better understand complex concepts and processes. Research has found that taking notes involves cognitive processing and creates new neural pathways, which promote a greater understanding of the topics and better retention of information over time.

Read on for some of my tips and tricks for taking the best possible notes.

1. Assign someone to take the notes.

The best way to start is, of course, to have someone to take the meeting minutes. There are a few ways to manage this process.

First, you may have a dedicated person who always takes the note, like an assistant or coordinator. This person may be you. If so, hello and welcome!

Second, you may choose to rotate who takes notes each meeting. This is a great strategy as it relieves some of the load from an individual who may otherwise need to take notes in several meetings. This also helps provide diverse note-taking styles, making the meeting minutes more interesting.

Lastly, you can assign multiple individuals to take notes in each meeting, after which their notes are combined. This is helpful as one person may pick up on and record something another individual missed. My team typically uses this strategy, which I’ve found incredibly useful since it also provides a safety blanket if someone has technical difficulties or can no longer join the meeting.

In this guide, I will share tips for instances where one person (you!) is the sole note-taker.

2. Create and share an agenda.

There’s nothing more frustrating than joining a meeting where no one knows what they’re meant to discuss. Issues like this can lead to being inefficient and unproductive, so it’s helpful to be proactive by sharing an agenda.

I create a live, running document that I continuously update with every meeting occurrence. This Google document is linked in the meeting invite so everyone can access it on their own time.

The document includes the name of the meeting series, the most recent or upcoming meeting date, and a section at the top with the agenda, which helps guide my later note-taking. I organize the agenda as follows:

I primarily complete the agenda by emailing the meeting invite attendee list one day before the meeting and asking if anyone has any agenda items to discuss. Team members directly email me their topics, and I fill them out in the above table. The table lives in the shared Google Doc so everyone can view the information and prepare accordingly.

Another way to gather agenda items is to remind individuals at the beginning of a new meeting series to fill in agenda items in the shared Google Doc on a rolling basis before each meeting. While this puts more power in attendees’ hands, it also leaves more chance for people to forget to enter agenda items altogether.

For this reason, I recommend reaching out directly and inquiring about agenda items, especially for recurring meetings. To remember to do this, I put a recurring reminder on my calendar the day before each meeting.

This method also makes it more evident if there are no agenda items for an occurrence and if the meeting can be canceled. After all, meeting hygiene is fundamental.

3. Format the document as simply as possible.

It’s time for the meeting, and you’re ready to capture the meeting minutes! Before you get started, consider how you will organize the notes.

As mentioned, I typically create a live, running Google Doc for recurring meetings that can be added onto during each meeting occurrence. However, this isn’t how I take notes for myself.

I consider myself an erratic personal note-taker, and I typically jot things down in my iOS Notes app. While I find a method in the madness, I respect that this note-taking style isn’t for everyone. That’s why I adopted a cleaner, more organized meeting minute structure in Google Docs.

The notes come below the agenda and next steps (which I’ll get to later). It’s organized something like this:

This format works for me and my team because we can immediately see the most critical information. The meeting date, which is especially important for recurring meetings, is listed at the top of each section of notes. The actual meeting minutes have bolded headlines and are written in a bulleted list.

Pro tip: To save time creating a new meeting minutes structure, use a pre-existing meeting minutes template to keep your notes clean and consistent.

4. Summarize, don’t transcribe.

Not to toot my own horn, but I have a good ear (15 years of musical training will do that) and an impeccable memory, which makes me a strong note-taker. However, these two qualities also make it easy to jot down meeting minutes verbatim.

But people don’t typically want to read a word-for-word meeting transcription if they can’t join — and especially if they do. It’s easy to copy exactly what was discussed, but it takes a clever, attentive mind to note what is most meaningful.

My strategy is to copy down meeting minutes naturally and later go through and pare them down. If you’d rather not do the extra work, you can summarize from the get-go. However, you don’t want to accidentally miss some of the discussion when recording the most important information.

How best to summarize and not transcribe a meeting depends on your industry and the types of meetings you conduct. In my meetings at Nickelodeon, I search for keywords that alert me that the information being shared is brand-new to some folks and, thus, crucial to remember.

I also record the results of any debates or votes, such as if we vote on our favorite version of a new series’s key art, and any wide announcements or impending changes that need to be implemented into processes moving forward, such as the team hiring a new agency.

5. Include relevant materials.

While some meetings are strictly verbal, there are times when materials get shared. For example, someone may share a slide presentation, document, creative assets, or a link.

First, check with the team member that the materials they shared are okay to be shared post-meeting for others to view on their own time. After all, some materials may be highly confidential.

If you get the go-ahead, include relevant materials throughout the notes. I recommend uploading PDFs and other documents, presentations, or video files to your company’s preferred collaboration tool and including a link to the materials in the appropriate section of the meeting minutes.

6. Capture action items.

Most meetings I attend end with action items, barring the rare few in which we solve everything live (the best!). Action items are one of the most important things I capture in meeting minutes, as these next steps are typically the result of the conversation we had in the meeting.

In my experience, action items are also often easily forgotten, which is why capturing them in the meeting minutes is imperative.

When summarizing notes, I listen for any asks or offers to handle something beyond the meeting time. For example, someone might say, “Swetha, can you check with [Team Member] to see when the brief is due?” and someone else may later add, “I will hunt down that video file and send it to you by early next week!”

I always record those kinds of statements in my meeting minutes with clear owners, verb directives, and due dates. However, I also include them in a separate section below the agenda and above the meeting minutes near the top of the live document, as seen below:

7. Jot down attendees.

Listing attendees for recurring meetings may seem repetitive, but this point is especially helpful for one-off meetings. While people can usually view all invitees on the calendar invite, not everyone will necessarily join.

Create a list at the top of the meeting minutes listing those planning to attend the call. If someone lets you know they can’t attend the meeting, include this information, too. That way, if someone had an agenda item that specifically applied to an absent individual, they can remove it and discuss it offline to save time. For example:

This also helps guide the next steps post-meeting, as a task may be assigned to someone who wasn’t present and is unaware of their action item.

8. Re-read and revise.

Taking the meeting minutes during the meeting is only half the battle. Preparing them to be shared afterward is an essential step.

If, like me, you prefer to take notes in a manner that may only be comprehensible to yourself, I recommend initially recording the meeting minutes in a space other than the live, shared Google Doc.

I have a separate, private Google Doc structured the same way where I can take notes freely. Post-meeting, I use this document to re-read the notes with fresh eyes and make revisions.

I check for spelling and grammatical errors and re-phrase points in clear subject + verb + object sentence structures (i.e., [Team Member] shared three variations of the trailer for approval). I also make content-based edits. Some parts can be cut down while others can be removed altogether.

After the notes are in a good place, I copy them into the shared document. Then, I add new action items to the Next Steps section and update the status of existing items. Lastly, I email the meeting minutes or alert attendees that the notes are available in the shared document.

This detailed guide should kickstart your next round of meeting minutes, but continue reading for a template to make the process even more seamless.

Meeting Minutes Template

I’ve shared portions of my meeting minutes template throughout the previous section, but you will find my complete template below. I’ve used this for all meeting note-taking at Nickelodeon over the last couple of years, and I hope it provides a seamless organizational structure for you, too.

[Company Logo or Name]

Meeting Name:

Date:

Meeting Agenda

Next Steps

Meeting Minutes

If you prefer a downloadable template that works across various file formats, check out our free meeting minutes template.

Download HubSpot’s meeting minutes template for free.

Meeting Minutes Best Practices

1. Prepare ahead of time.

I admit I’ve occasionally found myself guilty of being underprepared for meetings. Meeting minute preparation often gets pushed to the back burner when my bandwidth is low. However, as the recorder of meeting minutes, it’s essential to go into meetings knowing the meeting purpose, topics of discussion, and key decisions to be made.

Meeting preparation only takes a few minutes, which can make a huge difference later. Set aside time to email attendees about agenda items the previous day, and set up the meeting minutes document with the meeting date, attendees, and agenda items, so that you’re ready for go time.

2. Understand how your team prefers meeting minutes to be taken.

While I prefer taking notes on the side during a meeting and revising them later to be shared, I’ve also had to take live meeting notes in video conferencing calls. This means I would share my screen with the meeting notes document and take notes for all attendees to see.

I know — this sounds daunting. While there is some added pressure with this method, it does have some pros. It helps me stay even more vigilant during the call so I don’t miss any pressing information. In addition, it helps me use correct spelling and grammar and write clear, concise notes from the get-go, rather than writing in shorthand and adapting the language later.

Lastly, I typically don’t have to do any work post-meeting besides emailing the notes to attendees. Since I was on top of taking outward-facing notes during the meeting, I likely won’t need to go back and make revisions.

Find out from your superior which method is preferred. It may not be as effective for in-person meetings or those in which people share their own screens. However, it’s good to set expectations with your manager and understand how public or private your note-taking will be.

3. Write how you’d want to read.

When in doubt, I’m inclined to write more than less. After all, it’s better to include everything than miss something, right?

Wrong. The whole point of meeting minutes is that it’s a quick, easy way for attendees to refresh their memory on what occurred and, for those who couldn’t make it, to learn the most noteworthy information they missed. If you include too much of the conversation, people will probably not even bother reading the meeting minutes and instead ask you for a verbal recount.

When revising meeting minutes to be shared, I always ask myself, “What would I want to read?” I would want the notes to be less than one page long (preferably half a page for a half-hour meeting). I would want the sentences to be short and bullets to be limited under a single header. And I would want important details to be bolded, italicized, highlighted, or underlined.

Remember what you would like to see as a receiver of meeting minutes and apply these strategies to your notes. This will improve your attention to detail and ability to sort through copious amounts of information for the key points.

4. Distribute minutes promptly.

Typically, there is an urgency to meetings — hence the reason they were held. Pressing action items and deadlines may arise that need to be tackled with some immediacy.

That’s why I always send meeting minutes as soon as possible after the meeting. The deadlines I usually set for myself are:

• For meetings before noon: Send out notes by the end of the day.
• For meetings after noon: Send out notes within 24 hours.

Of course, you may have more pressing responsibilities that can delay meeting note revision, organization, and distribution. Those should take precedence as long as you clear the need for flexibility and additional time on the meeting minutes with your superior.

5. Store meeting notes in an easily accessible space.

As mentioned, I keep all meeting minutes for a meeting series within the same rolling Google Doc, linked in the calendar invite. I recommend this method because it’s easy for me and other attendees to access the document regularly.

You can also use a different cloud-based storage service if your organization doesn’t use Google Drive. Otherwise, if you don’t have access to a remote cloud server, you may keep the meeting minutes in a downloaded file attached to the meeting invite. This would be a last resort, as this requires more manual labor — you would need to continuously update the document, delete the old one, and attach the new version with every meeting occurrence.

The key is giving attendees easy access to the meeting minutes so they don’t need to prompt you. This creates an efficient, self-motivated workflow.

A Meeting Minutes Pro in Minutes

As a long-time meeting minutes taker, I’ve come to realize how important this role is to a team. We often lament the sheer number of meetings we attend and how difficult it is to keep track of discussion points and action items.

As the recorder of meeting minutes, you make it easier for attendees to worry less about remembering the discussion and to focus on the collaboration. But I know taking meeting minutes is no simple job, so I hope the tips and templates above help alleviate the pressure on you.

I want this guide to help you see the significance of what you do and how beneficial it is to others while offering you vital steps, best practices, and template ideas that can take your notes from good to outstanding.

As a freelance writer, I constantly learn about new industries and how they work. Lately, I’ve started to learn more about entrepreneurship through acquisition.

In my former life as a Spanish teacher, private equity and acquisition entrepreneurship weren’t on my radar. Instead, I was more focused on learning to make the language more comprehensible. So, to learn more about how goal-oriented entrepreneurs can establish a new career path through business acquisitions, I knew I needed to talk to an expert who could break it all down for me.

Recently, I spoke with Kelly Roddy, CEO of WOWorks, to understand entrepreneurship through acquisition. Although Roddy’s company operates as a business to acquire other businesses, he has some excellent insight for individual entrepreneurs who want to purchase a company.

In this post, I’m sharing what I’ve learned so that you can make entrepreneurship through acquisition work for you.

Table of Contents

• What is an entrepreneurial acquisition?
• The Pros of Entrepreneurial Acquisitions
• The Cons of Entrepreneurial Acquisitions
• When Entrepreneurial Acquisitions Work Best
• Examples of Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition
• Acquisition Entrepreneurship: A Direct Path to Business Owner

What is an entrepreneurial acquisition?

Entrepreneurship through acquisition, or ETA, is a unique opportunity for individuals who want to step into entrepreneurship without building a startup. Instead, individuals buy and grow existing businesses. Typically, these existing businesses are already established and generate consistent revenue. Entrepreneurs acquire these businesses and grow them to become even more successful.

Roddy’s company, WOWorks, acquires businesses through the same means. He told me, “We buy businesses that are already up and running. So we didn’t actually start them, and we’re not the founders of these businesses. We typically buy businesses from the founders.”

For WOWorks, that means working with a private equity firm to acquire health-conscious restaurants that align with their current business practices. For an individual entrepreneur, it means working with a mergers and acquisitions company or investors to purchase a business that aligns with your career goals and expertise.

Who are becoming business owners and why?

Interestingly, 46% of Gen Z and Millennials are entrepreneurs. There are plenty of reasons why entrepreneurship is an attractive career path.

According to a recent survey:

• 46% of entrepreneurs say owning a business is a great way to escape the 9-5 grind.
• 26% of entrepreneurs run a business because they’re passionate about the opportunity.
• 16% say they take on the job to make more money.

Entrepreneurial acquisition is an excellent option for entrepreneurs who don’t want to spend time building a brand. With the right processes, like working with a mergers and acquisition firm, entrepreneurs can bid on for-sale brands and quickly become owners of an established brand.

(Pssst! Looking for more insights on the state of entrepreneurship? Check out The Hustle’s 2024 Entrepreneurship Trends Report.)

The Pros of Entrepreneurial Acquisitions

Like any business venture, there are various pros and cons. To understand if managing an ETA business is your best option, we need to explore it. Since Roddy is an expert, I asked him about some of the pros of entrepreneurial acquisitions. Here’s what he told me.

1. No need to create something new.

Starting a business requires ingenuity and creativity. If those are not your strengths, entrepreneurship through acquisition might be right for you.

According to Roddy, there’s no need to reinvent the wheel and start a new business venture. ETA allows you to take charge of established brands without sacrificing time and money wading through the startup process.

Roddy told me, “The pros are these businesses are established already. And we’re not having to create something new. So, they already have an established business model.”

He says, “We have the chance to look at it to determine if we think it’s a good business model or not. So, we have the advantage of buying an existing business model.” According to Roddy, when you purchase an established business, many necessary operations, like team members and marketing strategies, are already in place.

This can save you time and money as an entrepreneur. Roddy adds, “A lot of the marketing costs to launch the brand have already been invested.”

2. You can purchase a business that aligns with your experience.

Roddy told me that WOWorks focuses on acquiring health-conscious restaurants for one simple reason: It’s easy to align the same marketing and business practices across all WOWorks brands when their audiences and businesses are similar.

Roddy told me, “We can take marketing principles from one fast-casual restaurant to another because they, in general, work very similarly. The operations all work very similarly. And so, what we’ve been able to do is build this large business while acquiring small brands.”

Although WOWorks operates as a business, this pro of acquisitions also rings true for entrepreneurs. Acquiring brands that fit your experience and career goals can be easier to manage.

You can take what you know to be true for your niche based on your industry experience, like which marketing strategies work best for your audience or which revenue operations strategies are most effective, and apply those same effective strategies to your newly acquired business.

3. Buying a business comes with lower risks.

Acquiring a business often comes with lower risks than starting a new one. When you purchase an already established business, you don’t have to wonder if it will generate revenue — it already does!

Roddy told me, “It’s a much lower risk to buy an established brand.” In theory, you could simply take ownership of the brand without tweaking its marketing or revenue operations strategies, and you’ll still generate income. Unless you make several ill-advised changes to operations, it’s not likely you’ll outright tank the business.

Roddy mentioned that buying a business is often easier than creating a startup. According to Roddy, the heavy lifting has already been done. He says, “It’s much easier than trying to start from scratch, for sure.”

The Cons of Entrepreneurial Acquisitions

While the pros of acquisition entrepreneurship are significant, you need to be aware of some of the cons, too. It can be challenging to acquire a brand and learn the ins and outs of how it operates — especially if you’re acquiring a brand outside of your niche or business model.

I asked Roddy about the cons. He told me there are two major cons to entrepreneurship through acquisition, and both of them involve making changes after purchasing a brand to ensure it continues to be profitable.

“You have to make a few changes, and it’s a little bit disruptive,” he says.

1. Changing business terminology can be challenging.

Roddy told me that when WOWorks acquires a new brand, they spend significant time relabeling common terms. This might mean that certain positions within the company get a rebrand.

Roddy gives an example of this. He says, “The people who help oversee the stores and coach the franchisees, sometimes they have a title of ‘franchise business coach.’ Sometimes, they’re ‘business consultants.’ Sometimes, they’re ‘advisors.’ We change the names and the titles of a whole lot of different things, including procedures and processes. And so it’s just teaching people a new common language.”

While you may not change the terminology of the brand you buy, you’ll have to learn a whole new set of vocabulary to ensure you’re on the same page with your employees. Although this is challenging, it’s necessary to operate a business smoothly.

2. Implementing new technology can be a challenge.

Just like rebranding common terms to keep everyone on the same page, Roddy told me that technology sometimes poses a challenge, especially when implementing a new tech stack.

He told me, “We have an IT team trained around a certain type of technology. We may have to switch out a brand’s POS systems or their multi-programs so that we can run a common technology platform.”

Learning a new point-of-sale system isn’t always easy and can be challenging for you and your employees. If you immediately change the tech stack when you acquire a new company, you might hear a few grumbles and complaints as everyone learns a new, more streamlined system.

3. Upfront costs can be expensive.

Roddy didn’t mention this, but I think it’s safe to say that another drawback of entrepreneurship through acquisition is its associated costs. In fact, 36% of entrepreneurs say raising capital and funds is the most challenging part of buying a business.

There are four ways an entrepreneur can go about acquiring a new business. They can:

• Work with a mergers and acquisition firm to fund searches to acquire a new company.
• Self-fund their own search, giving them more control over the acquisition process.
• Work with an independent sponsor who identifies acquisition opportunities and works out deals with investors.
• Operate as a holding company, allowing an entrepreneur to purchase multiple businesses simultaneously.

Whichever way you decide to acquire a business, you’ll need between $15,000 and $30,000 to get started. It can be challenging to raise capital from investors, considering you’ll need to convince them why helping you acquire a new brand is in their best interest. Alternatively, you can self-fund your acquisitions or apply for an SBA loan.

When Entrepreneurial Acquisitions Work Best

If you’re ready to enter entrepreneurship through acquisitions, it’s helpful to understand the circumstances when these investments work best.

Since Roddy is an acquisition expert who has been working with WOWorks for several years, I thought he would be the best person to ask which conditions are more favorable for a successful acquisition.

He told me it’s best to search for well-established brands available for purchase. He says, “I would say that it’s usually more successful because you have a business that’s been running for several years.”

Because the business has been profitable for years, it’s a good indication it’s a good investment of your time and resources. Roddy says, “The best predictor of the future is the past. You know these brands have been running well for many years. So there’s a really good chance that they’re going to continue to run well.”

As I mentioned before, it’s unlikely that you’ll run your newly acquired business into the ground unless you continually implement ill-advised strategies. This is why it’s helpful to search for brands that fit within your niche, industry experience, and overall career goals. Your background knowledge of the niche can help you steer the company in the right direction.

Examples of Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition

Let’s look at a few examples of successful ETA businesses purchased by individual entrepreneurs. If you’re on the fence about entrepreneurship through acquisition, I think you’ll find these entrepreneurs’ stories interesting.

1. Autumnwood Designs

I find Ken Massey’s acquisition of Autumnwood Designs inspiring. Massey learned about entrepreneurship through acquisition after chatting with friends and reading Walker Diebel’s book, Buy Then Build.

Using what he learned, he researched merger and acquisition companies before partnering with Vikings Mergers and Acquisitions. Their insights helped Massey purchase an available business that matched his expertise.

Massey found acquiring a business a successful path to entrepreneurial success for multiple reasons. Massey says, “There are a lot of things to celebrate, and the business is doing well. But it’s not just about generating revenue. The fact that I love what I do — and I work hard, and I work a lot — but I don’t feel worn out at the end of the day.”

2. Boston Tree Preservation

I think it’s helpful to understand that when you work with a merger and acquisition business like Massey did, you can work with experts to help you find the type of business that fits within your business goals and career aspirations.

However, sometimes, opportunities present themselves to you when you least expect them, just as they did for Carlos Rodriquez Laconi when he acquired Boston Tree Preservation.

Laconi’s background and experience weren’t an exact match for Boston Tree Preservation’s niche, but they were pretty close. After talking with the owner, he realized running the company was something he would enjoy doing.

When I read Laconi’s acquisition story, something stuck out to me. Remember how Roddy told me it’s best to acquire a well-established business? This played into Laconi’s decision to purchase the company.

Laconi says, “Everyone knew the company. If you are in the area, you knew this company forever.” Because Boston Tree Preservation has been in business since 1977, Laconi was confident the business would continue to succeed.

3. Upper Park Disc Golf

As a small business owner, I think it’s important to recognize there are plenty of reasons entrepreneurial acquisitions are an attractive path to business ownership. Sure, generating recurring revenue is one reason. However, there are other reasons entrepreneurs turn to acquisitions, too.

Life after the 2020 pandemic left Martin Bispels rethinking his choices. Ultimately, this led him to acquire Upper Park Disc Golf.

Bispels not only enjoys playing disc golf but loves running his own company. He says, “I get to work in this great space here in the barn, in a creative space, my commute is short, and I work with really talented people all over the world to grow this business.”

For Bispels, success isn’t just recurring revenue — although it is a good indicator of success. His ETA journey allows him to spend time doing what he loves.

Acquisition Entrepreneurship: A Direct Path to Business Owner

I find it really interesting that business acquisitions, like those made by Kelly Roddy and WOWorks, are very similar to entrepreneurial acquisitions. Instead of managing a business to acquire other brands, a solo entrepreneur can purchase an existing business without worrying about the startup costs or wondering if the company will be a success.

If you’re looking for a career change and want to add “business owner” to your LinkedIn profile, acquisition through entrepreneurship might be the right path for you.