03-09-26 MEDM AM

March 09, 2026

Your broke brother-in-law who's never sold anything in his life has ALL the ideas about why your business won't work.

Your old high school buddy who collects a paycheck every two weeks knows EXACTLY what you should do differently.

People who've never built anything love telling builders how to build.

Sadly, some of you actually listen to them.

Quick true story:

Back in the 1950s a business owner named Sam had a small mom-and-pop store but wanted to open multiple discount stores in small towns.

Everyone around him told him it was stupid. They said small towns couldn't support it.

But Sam had done the research and wasn't flying blind. He ended up opening the first Walmart in Rogers, Arkansas anyway. Population 5,700.

That same year, Kmart launched in big cities with all the money and advantages. 

By by 1991, Walmart was the largest retailer in America.

Kmart filed for bankruptcy in 2002. While Walmart has around 5,000 locations in the US as of 2026.

Sam didn't ask the peanut gallery for permission. Others laughed at him but he bet on himself anyway. And the research he did early on is why his stores are still going strong today.

Unfortunately most business owners listen to the wrong people.

They get in your head when you're already stressed out and pretty soon you start doubting everything.

You need discernment. Listen to people who understand risk vs recklessness. Who've been where you're trying to go. Who understand setbacks, where to pivot but also when to push even harder.

Everyone else? Noise.

Stop taking business advice from people who've never run a business.


Mark Evans DM