Coffee, Culture and Curveballs

Tag: leadership

  • Why Businesses Must Embrace Change to Survive

    Why Businesses Must Embrace Change to Survive

    Because coffee is essential for survival, culture makes or breaks a business, and life… well, life always throws a few curveballs.

    Doing things the way they’ve always been done is comfortable. It’s familiar. It doesn’t ask too many questions, doesn’t demand too much effort, and lets everyone get on with their day without rocking the boat. It’s the business equivalent of ordering the same takeaway every Friday night — no surprises, no stress, and no chance of discovering something new.

    The current way is proven, right? It got you this far. And yes, it requires less effort than sitting down to rethink how things could be better. But here’s the thing: “the way it’s always been done” has one big problem. At some point, it stops working. Dinosaurs did things the same way for a very long time too… and we know how that ended.

    It’s easy to confuse “what worked yesterday” with “what will work tomorrow.” Businesses fall into this trap all the time. They perfect their systems, they polish their processes, and then they stop looking ahead. For a while, the results keep coming in, and everyone pats themselves on the back for sticking to the formula. But then the market shifts, technology evolves, customer expectations change — and suddenly the formula isn’t delivering. The dinosaur is still stomping around proudly, but the asteroid is already on the way.

    Courage

    Clinging to old ways feels safe. Innovation feels risky. It requires energy, creativity, and often investment. And sometimes it fails — which is terrifying for leaders who are trying to protect the business. But the bigger risk is not failing at innovation. The bigger risk is failing to innovate at all. Because in business, standing still is not neutral. Standing still is falling behind.

    The danger is subtle at first. Maybe you lose a deal to a competitor who’s adopted new technology. Maybe your once-loyal clients drift toward someone who offers a slicker, more modern service. Maybe your team feels frustrated because they can see the world moving on, but leadership won’t budge from “the way we’ve always done it.” Eventually, the gap grows too wide to ignore. And what used to be a strength — your consistency, your predictability — becomes a weakness.

    This is why leaders need to resist the comfort zone. A comfort zone is a great place to rest, but it’s a terrible place to build a business. Innovation doesn’t mean reinventing everything overnight. It means having the courage to ask uncomfortable questions. Is this process still working? Is there a smarter way to do this? Does this strategy prepare us for the next five years, or just get us through the next five months?

    And let’s be clear: not all traditions are bad. Some old ways survive because they really do work. But they only stay effective because someone, at some point, checked whether they still made sense. The key isn’t to throw everything out; the key is to keep testing what you’ve got against the world you’re operating in. A business that refuses to test its assumptions is a business that’s waiting for extinction.

    So yes, doing things the way you’ve always done them is easier. It’s the low-effort, low-risk option. But easy doesn’t build the future. Easy doesn’t differentiate you from competitors. Easy doesn’t inspire your team or excite your clients. Some leaders build teams around this and think they are doing a fabulous job. Easy is just… easy. And in business, easy almost always comes before irrelevant.

    The challenge

    The challenge for every leader is to balance the comfort of what works with the curiosity of what could work better. To resist the temptation of sitting in yesterday’s success and instead keep asking what tomorrow demands. Because in the end, the businesses that thrive are the ones that evolve. They adapt, they innovate, they embrace change. They don’t wait for the asteroid.

    The leadership lesson is simple: don’t be a dinosaur. Respect the past, but don’t live in it. Keep moving forward, even if it’s uncomfortable. Especially if it’s uncomfortable. Because discomfort is the sign that you’re growing, while comfort is the sign that you’ve stopped. And in business, once you’ve stopped, it’s only a matter of time before you’re nothing more than a fossil.

  • Why Company Culture Beats Strategy Every Time

    Why Company Culture Beats Strategy Every Time

    You’ve probably heard the line: “Culture eats strategy for breakfast.” It’s one of those quotes that gets tossed around in boardrooms and LinkedIn posts. But here’s the thing — it’s true.

    Now, don’t get me wrong. Strategy is important. Without it, you’re like a GPS with no destination plugged in — plenty of maps, but no idea where you’re going. But culture? Culture is the fuel in the tank. Without it, the car isn’t going anywhere.

    Culture is how your team behaves when nobody’s watching. It’s the vibe in the office, the way your people talk to clients, and the unspoken rules about “how we do things around here.”

    If your culture is toxic, even the most brilliant strategy won’t stick. It’s like planting a beautiful garden in concrete — you can water it, fertilise it, talk to the plants if you want… but nothing’s growing except perhaps the weeds.

    On the flip side, if your culture is strong, your strategy finally has the soil it needs to take root and grow.

    Culture doesn’t just “happen.” It’s shaped — by values and brand identity.

    • Values are your non-negotiables. The things you stand for.
    • Brand identity is how those values show up to the world. It’s not just your logo; it’s the promise you make to clients — and how your team lives that promise daily.

    When your values and brand are clear, your strategy has direction. Without them, you’re just another business chasing targets with no real differentiator.

    Here’s where most businesses stumble: tough times hit, and suddenly the temptation of “easy wins” takes over.

    • Drop prices just to land clients.
    • Take mandates for properties that are unlikely to sell. Lots of listings make us look busy and successful.
    • Copy what the competition is doing.
    • Cut corners.

    And yes, the numbers might look good — for about five minutes. But in chasing easy wins, you risk blending in. You become just another face in the crowd. And in business, especially real estate, if you’re the same as everyone else… why should anyone choose you?

    Differentiators are the Secret Weapon….Your differentiators are what make you stand out. But here’s the catch: differentiators only work if your team understands them and lives them. If even one person doesn’t buy in, the cracks show. And clients notice cracks faster than you think.

    A sustainable business isn’t built on one-off wins; it’s built on consistency. Quick profits are great for bragging rights, but repeat clients and referrals are what keep the lights on long-term.

    Sustainability means sometimes saying “no” to a deal that doesn’t align with your values. It means prioritising the brand’s reputation over short-term numbers. And yes, it means you’ll sleep better at night — which is worth more than a quick commission any day.

    Wrapping it up

    At the end of the day, strategy is what you plan. Culture is what you practice. And practice beats plans every time.

    If you protect your culture — through hiring, decision-making, and client service — your strategy has the foundation it needs to succeed. If you compromise on culture, even the best strategy won’t save you.

    Leadership lesson: Don’t hire anyone who doesn’t align with your differentiators and values. If you make a mistake and recruit someone who is not aligned, the culture will spit them out. The cost of a misaligned hire lasts far longer than their tenure. The right culture lasts long after the storm has passed.

  • The Art of Recruiting the Right People

    The Art of Recruiting the Right People

    Everyone is unique. Find the right match for your culture.

    Because coffee is essential for survival, culture makes or breaks a business, and life… well, life always throws a few curveballs.

    Recruiting isn’t about filling seats. It’s about shaping the future of the business. The people you bring in define the culture, the reputation, and the ability of the business to grow. Which means every hire is either a step forward… or a step back.

    And let’s be honest: we’ve all had that one hire who looked fantastic on paper but turned out to be about as useful as a screen door on a submarine. That’s why the rule is simple: don’t just hire smart people — hire the right people. Experience in the industry can be the biggest setback when trying to move forward.

    Culture is like Wi-Fi: you can’t always see it, but when it’s weak, everyone notices.

    A company’s culture is the invisible framework that drives how people think, act, and treat clients. When someone aligns with that culture, they amplify it. When they don’t, they disrupt it.

    The best hires see their career as an ongoing project, not a final product. They’re the ones who read, ask questions, seek feedback, and occasionally send you an article at 11pm because they’ve just discovered a new trend (you can curse them for the late-night email, but you’ll secretly admire it too).

    A team made up of these kinds of people raises the bar for everyone else. Growth-minded people are contagious — in the best possible way.

    The business world changes faster than the hairstyle choices of a teenager. If your team can’t adapt, you’ll be stuck playing catch-up.

    The right people don’t just tolerate change — they lean into it. They’re the ones who suggest smarter ways of doing things, who aren’t afraid of new tech, and who look at disruption as a chance to get ahead. The wrong people, meanwhile, will still be clutching their flip phones while the rest of the industry moves online.

    It’s like dating…

    Recruiting is like dating — if you rush it, you’ll regret it. Filling a vacancy with the first available option usually ends in heartbreak (and possibly legal fees). Be intentional.

    • Hire for values, not just skills. A great CV means nothing if the values don’t line up.
    • Ask culture-driven questions. “Tell me about a time you chose long-term gain over a quick win.” If they stare blankly, you’ve got your answer.
    • Look for curiosity. People who ask good questions in an interview are more likely to keep learning.
    • Test resilience. Ask how they’ve handled failure or change. If they’ve “never failed,” either they’re lying, or they’ve been asleep for most of their career.
    • Don’t rush. A short vacancy is less painful than a long-term mistake.

    The right hire is like planting a tree: the benefits grow over time and provide shade for years to come. The wrong hire is more like planting a weed: it spreads quickly, chokes the good stuff, and takes forever to remove.

    The impact of recruiting the right people shows up in team energy, client satisfaction, and business sustainability. And the impact of hiring the wrong ones? Let’s just say it’s the gift that keeps on giving — and not in a good way.

    Examine the detail.
  • What You’ll Find Between the Coffee and the Curveballs

    What You’ll Find Between the Coffee and the Curveballs

    Because coffee is essential for survival, culture makes or breaks a business, and life… well, life always throws a few curveballs.

    Every good series needs an introduction, so here’s mine. It’s not a blueprint, not a textbook, and certainly not a “10 steps to guaranteed success” kind of thing (if only it were that simple). This is just me — sharing what I’ve learned, what I’ve messed up, what I’ve tried, and what I’ve seen in business, leadership, and life.

    The series is called Coffee, Culture & Curveballs for three reasons:

    1. Coffee is essential. Without it, most of us wouldn’t make it through the first email of the day, never mind a board meeting.
    2. Culture is the heartbeat of any business. It’s what keeps strategy alive, teams motivated, and clients coming back. Get it right, and everything flows. Get it wrong, and… well, you’ll be needing more coffee.
    3. Curveballs are inevitable. Life, leadership, real estate, business — they all have a way of throwing surprises when you least expect them. Some you swing at and miss, some you connect with beautifully, and some smack you square on the head and leave you dazed for a bit.

    I’m not writing this series because I have all the answers. Far from it. If leadership has taught me anything, it’s that nobody really has it all figured out. We’re all just trying, failing, adjusting, and trying again. But along the way, I’ve read books that made me rethink everything, worked with people who taught me lessons (sometimes the hard way), and lived through experiences that were equal parts humbling, frustrating, and funny in hindsight.

    Some of what I’ll share will be lessons in leadership, some in running a business, and some in just navigating life when it feels like the universe is throwing curveballs faster than you can duck. I’ll share what worked, what didn’t, and what I’d never, ever do again (consider this a gift to your future self).

    You’ll find stories about hiring the right people, protecting culture like your life depends on it, stepping out of comfort zones, avoiding the dreaded “rotten apple hire,” and the ongoing battle of resisting easy wins when the long game matters more. And yes, there will be dinosaurs, apples, and the occasional dodgy metaphor involving Wi-Fi.

    This isn’t about being perfect. It’s about being intentional. It’s about leading in a way that balances business goals with human realities. And it’s about remembering that coffee, culture, and curveballs aren’t just catchy words — they’re the daily reality of anyone trying to lead, grow, and survive in business. So grab a cup, settle in, and join me for the ride. I can’t promise I’ll always be right, but I can promise it’ll be honest, light-hearted, and hopefully useful. And if nothing else, at least you’ll get a laugh or two along the way.