The Forbidden "A" Word

Hey there entrepreneurs,

Welcome to the Better Business Brief, where I share takeaways from:

running businesses I’m building to sell for millions
My advisory with other business owners building to sell for millions
tips and tricks you can use to do the same

I got caught up in something really harmful recently…

I assumed based on what I was thinking and feeling that someone had certain intentions.

And it turned out I was totally wrong.

And it’s not like this should have surprised me.

One of the most dangerous habits I’ve caught myself (and others) falling into is assuming.

Assumptions sneak into our decisions when we don’t have the full picture, but we want to move fast.

Sometimes they seem like they’ll save time.

Most of the time, they cost money, progress, and relationships.

So today, in less than 5 minutes, I’ll give you:

⚠️ 3 Assumptions That Hurt Businesses

🧠 Why They Show Up

🛠️ How to Avoid Them

You know the old saying.. when you assume, you make an a*s out of you and me.

Couldn’t be more true.

There are 3 key types of assumptions I make and see many other business owners make all the time that lead to lots of issues.

But it doesn’t have to be that way…

ASSUMPTION #1
Customers think like you do.

When you know your product or service inside out, it’s easy to assume your customers see the same value and want it for the same reasons you would, the same way you do.

But they don’t.

They buy for their own reasons.

Sometimes logical, but more often emotional.

This makes it dangerous, because you end up building messaging for yourself instead of them.

The best way around this is to constantly test your sales and marketing with actual customer feedback.

Ask them why they bought, and you’ll probably hear things that surprise you.

In fact, you will often find that you were totally wrong.

But business isn’t about being right. It’s about doing what works.

ASSUMPTION #2

Your team thinks like you do.

You ever thought that your team just “gets it” just to find out they didn’t know what you wanted or what you meant at all?

Yeah, me too.

This is probably the one I’m worst at.

Why? Because I like to move fast.

And I’m not alone on this. This one costs leaders a lot…

You think you were clear. You got acknowledgement of the task or goal.

Your team thinks they understood. They acknowledge what you said because they don’t want to look incompetent.

You move on because you have other fish to fry.

But the gap between what was said and what was heard is usually bigger than you expect.

That gap creates wasted work, frustration, and missed goals.

The fix: repeat vision and goals often, and don’t just ask “any questions?”..

instead, ask people to tell you back what they heard and why the plan is what the plan is.

Alignment comes from clarity, not just hope that it was clear enough to move on.

ASSUMPTION #3
Your partners think like you do.

When you’re working with business partners, it’s easy to assume you’re on the same page just because you share the same goals.

But goals don’t automatically mean alignment.

I’ve had many situations where I thought a partner viewed an opportunity, risk, or decision the same way I did, only to find out later they were coming from a totally different angle.

That assumption can cause tension, missed opportunities, or even breakdowns in the relationship.

The fix: don’t just talk about the what (the goal)… talk about the how and the why.

Over-communicate your expectations, check in often, and make sure you’re not filling in their perspective with your own bias.

So however easy it feels to lean on assumptions, just know that reality always wins. Test, ask, measure, and never let your bias fill the gaps where truth should live.

If you like these ideas or found this informative, stick around and subscribe. I do this newsletter every week.

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Happy value-building to you!

See you next time for Better Business Brief,

-Brody