Vick TipnesLinkedIn · 2026-08-10

Growth is a character audit nobody signs up for. It exposes the gap between what you claim to value and what you actually do. In real time. Under real pressure. With real consequences. The goal was never the money. It was becoming mature enough to carry it. Run this before every big move: Am I chasing this? Or am I ready for what chasing it will cost? Pressure doesn't build character. It makes the existing one undeniable.

Vick TipnesLinkedIn · 2026-09-16

I walked out of a store with $5,000 still in my pocket. Showed the salesperson a photo of what I wanted. "We don't have it." Then she turned around and walked away. No redirect. No effort. Nothing. The hats weren't even bad. One enthusiastic "we don't have that one, but try this" and I'm buying. Instead I walked out. And now I actively tell people not to go there. That's the math nobody talks about: One disengaged employee doesn't just cost you a sale. They cost you the customer's network, their word of mouth, and every future dollar attached to it. If you run a business and you're not mystery shopping your own team, You have no idea what's happening on your floor. Your people are your brand. Inspect accordingly.

Vick TipnesLinkedIn · 2026-08-10

Sales training obsesses over scripts. Nobody teaches reps to shut up. Most deals don't die because of a bad pitch. They die because the rep was too busy building one while the prospect was handing them exactly what they needed to hear. The bartender-turned-owner doesn't need a polished deck. He needs to know someone actually got curious about the decade it took him to get there. Context is the most underrated asset in sales. Chase it like it's commission. Because when you know someone's story, you don't need a script. You already know the next move.

Vick TipnesLinkedIn · 2026-08-12

The Real Truth - There are three types of people: Those who can see, Those who see when shown and those who can’t see.

Vick TipnesLinkedIn · 2026-08-05

Profit is not a dirty word. ​ The startup world convinced founders that burning cash is a badge of honor. ​ It's expensive denial with a pitch deck. ​ Growing without profit discipline is driving fast with no fuel gauge. ​ We took the harder road. ​ Some quarters made me question everything. ​ But we're still here. ​ A lot of the hyper-growth names from three years ago aren't. ​ Build something real or build something that looks great on a slide. ​ You cannot do both.