Michael Girdley
@girdley.bsky.social
I share 25 years of direct business knowledge and life advice. $100M (and counting) HoldCo owner. Fireworks, software, school + 9 others.
Writing weekly playbooks for small business owners → https://bit.ly/small-business-MBA
Writing weekly playbooks for small business owners → https://bit.ly/small-business-MBA
Would you rather own:
1- The manufacturer of the lift
2- The dealer/servicer
3- The rental company
4- The contractor using it
Rank them best to worst business to own.
(Bonus for explaining your answer.)
1- The manufacturer of the lift
2- The dealer/servicer
3- The rental company
4- The contractor using it
Rank them best to worst business to own.
(Bonus for explaining your answer.)
May 3, 2025 at 2:00 PM
Would you rather own:
1- The manufacturer of the lift
2- The dealer/servicer
3- The rental company
4- The contractor using it
Rank them best to worst business to own.
(Bonus for explaining your answer.)
1- The manufacturer of the lift
2- The dealer/servicer
3- The rental company
4- The contractor using it
Rank them best to worst business to own.
(Bonus for explaining your answer.)
Only 5 of 102 candidates followed the instructions in our job ad recently.
Two takeaways:
• Hiring is still super tough
• Small, specific hurdles in your job posting will save a bunch of time
Two takeaways:
• Hiring is still super tough
• Small, specific hurdles in your job posting will save a bunch of time
May 2, 2025 at 12:15 PM
Only 5 of 102 candidates followed the instructions in our job ad recently.
Two takeaways:
• Hiring is still super tough
• Small, specific hurdles in your job posting will save a bunch of time
Two takeaways:
• Hiring is still super tough
• Small, specific hurdles in your job posting will save a bunch of time
I've built free resources on everything from great business ideas to hiring, meetings, and growing an audience on social media.
But my Dr Evil Master Plan is to ask for your email address to get them.
(Then, I'll send you Chili's menu tips.)
girdley.beehiiv.com/c/resources
But my Dr Evil Master Plan is to ask for your email address to get them.
(Then, I'll send you Chili's menu tips.)
girdley.beehiiv.com/c/resources
No-fluff resources for small businesses | Girdley's Small Business MBA
Templates, guides, and walkthroughs for common small business problems, from entrepreneur and holdco owner Michael Girdley.
girdley.beehiiv.com
April 29, 2025 at 2:00 PM
I've built free resources on everything from great business ideas to hiring, meetings, and growing an audience on social media.
But my Dr Evil Master Plan is to ask for your email address to get them.
(Then, I'll send you Chili's menu tips.)
girdley.beehiiv.com/c/resources
But my Dr Evil Master Plan is to ask for your email address to get them.
(Then, I'll send you Chili's menu tips.)
girdley.beehiiv.com/c/resources
1) Go to VRBO / Airbnb
2) Find a rental you like.
3) Identify the property manager firm in listing
4) Google firm name
5) Book property on their website
6) Save $400
Every. Single. Time.
2) Find a rental you like.
3) Identify the property manager firm in listing
4) Google firm name
5) Book property on their website
6) Save $400
Every. Single. Time.
April 28, 2025 at 2:00 PM
1) Go to VRBO / Airbnb
2) Find a rental you like.
3) Identify the property manager firm in listing
4) Google firm name
5) Book property on their website
6) Save $400
Every. Single. Time.
2) Find a rental you like.
3) Identify the property manager firm in listing
4) Google firm name
5) Book property on their website
6) Save $400
Every. Single. Time.
I asked an auditor:
"What's the #1 way to prevent theft as a business owner?"
He said:
"Simple. Each month, review every transaction. Don't hide that you're doing it."
"What's the #1 way to prevent theft as a business owner?"
He said:
"Simple. Each month, review every transaction. Don't hide that you're doing it."
April 27, 2025 at 7:00 PM
I asked an auditor:
"What's the #1 way to prevent theft as a business owner?"
He said:
"Simple. Each month, review every transaction. Don't hide that you're doing it."
"What's the #1 way to prevent theft as a business owner?"
He said:
"Simple. Each month, review every transaction. Don't hide that you're doing it."
I’ve been an entrepreneur for 30 years now.
I’ve started 12+ businesses.
I wrote a 40-page guide.
Boiled it down to 4.
Download free!
girdley.com/products/lr...
I’ve started 12+ businesses.
I wrote a 40-page guide.
Boiled it down to 4.
Download free!
girdley.com/products/lr...
Michael Girdley | The Low-Risk Business Cheat Sheet
Your 3-minute guide to starting durable businesses.
girdley.com
April 26, 2025 at 7:00 PM
I’ve been an entrepreneur for 30 years now.
I’ve started 12+ businesses.
I wrote a 40-page guide.
Boiled it down to 4.
Download free!
girdley.com/products/lr...
I’ve started 12+ businesses.
I wrote a 40-page guide.
Boiled it down to 4.
Download free!
girdley.com/products/lr...
HOW TO DEAL WITH PANIC ATTACKS (they suck)
Get too stressed in life and business -> they can happen.
Many leaders have had them, whether you recognize it or not.
Three thoughts:
Get too stressed in life and business -> they can happen.
Many leaders have had them, whether you recognize it or not.
Three thoughts:
April 26, 2025 at 2:00 PM
HOW TO DEAL WITH PANIC ATTACKS (they suck)
Get too stressed in life and business -> they can happen.
Many leaders have had them, whether you recognize it or not.
Three thoughts:
Get too stressed in life and business -> they can happen.
Many leaders have had them, whether you recognize it or not.
Three thoughts:
"Hire smart people. Leave them alone."
Terrible advice.
Terrible advice.
April 25, 2025 at 12:15 PM
"Hire smart people. Leave them alone."
Terrible advice.
Terrible advice.
One reason CEO roles are so draining:
There's no boss to give you positive reinforcement for good work.
There's no boss to give you positive reinforcement for good work.
April 22, 2025 at 12:15 PM
One reason CEO roles are so draining:
There's no boss to give you positive reinforcement for good work.
There's no boss to give you positive reinforcement for good work.
I boiled my 40-page business incubation system down to 4 pages.
And made it free.
But I’m still harvesting your email for nefarious purposes!
girdley.com/products/lr...
And made it free.
But I’m still harvesting your email for nefarious purposes!
girdley.com/products/lr...
Michael Girdley | The Low-Risk Business Cheat Sheet
Your 3-minute guide to starting durable businesses.
girdley.com
April 15, 2025 at 7:00 PM
I boiled my 40-page business incubation system down to 4 pages.
And made it free.
But I’m still harvesting your email for nefarious purposes!
girdley.com/products/lr...
And made it free.
But I’m still harvesting your email for nefarious purposes!
girdley.com/products/lr...
Not long ago, the housing market hit its lowest point in 30+ years.
For many Gen Z and Millennials, buying a house is as realistic as flying to Mars.
How did we screw this up so badly?
Let’s dig in, Margot-Robbie-in-a-bathtub style.
For many Gen Z and Millennials, buying a house is as realistic as flying to Mars.
How did we screw this up so badly?
Let’s dig in, Margot-Robbie-in-a-bathtub style.
April 15, 2025 at 2:00 PM
Not long ago, the housing market hit its lowest point in 30+ years.
For many Gen Z and Millennials, buying a house is as realistic as flying to Mars.
How did we screw this up so badly?
Let’s dig in, Margot-Robbie-in-a-bathtub style.
For many Gen Z and Millennials, buying a house is as realistic as flying to Mars.
How did we screw this up so badly?
Let’s dig in, Margot-Robbie-in-a-bathtub style.
Sad prediction:
AI and offshoring are going to wreck the accounting profession for junior jobs in the next decade.
Combine that with the pain every company has with this function and it’s a recipe for economic disaster.
AI and offshoring are going to wreck the accounting profession for junior jobs in the next decade.
Combine that with the pain every company has with this function and it’s a recipe for economic disaster.
April 14, 2025 at 2:00 PM
Sad prediction:
AI and offshoring are going to wreck the accounting profession for junior jobs in the next decade.
Combine that with the pain every company has with this function and it’s a recipe for economic disaster.
AI and offshoring are going to wreck the accounting profession for junior jobs in the next decade.
Combine that with the pain every company has with this function and it’s a recipe for economic disaster.
I made this guidebook for my 1-1 manager meetings with reports.
What would you change or improve?
What would you change or improve?
April 13, 2025 at 7:00 PM
I made this guidebook for my 1-1 manager meetings with reports.
What would you change or improve?
What would you change or improve?
I've built free resources on everything from great business ideas to hiring, meetings, and growing an audience on social media.
But my Dr Evil Master Plan is to ask for your email address to get them.
(Then, I'll send you Chili's menu tips.)
girdley.beehiiv.com/c/resources
But my Dr Evil Master Plan is to ask for your email address to get them.
(Then, I'll send you Chili's menu tips.)
girdley.beehiiv.com/c/resources
No-fluff resources for small businesses | Girdley's Small Business MBA
Templates, guides, and walkthroughs for common small business problems, from entrepreneur and holdco owner Michael Girdley.
girdley.beehiiv.com
April 12, 2025 at 7:00 PM
I've built free resources on everything from great business ideas to hiring, meetings, and growing an audience on social media.
But my Dr Evil Master Plan is to ask for your email address to get them.
(Then, I'll send you Chili's menu tips.)
girdley.beehiiv.com/c/resources
But my Dr Evil Master Plan is to ask for your email address to get them.
(Then, I'll send you Chili's menu tips.)
girdley.beehiiv.com/c/resources
Reading 25-year-old business books is bizarre.
Especially when the author is like:
“You can see this method used at the greatest companies of our time like Enron, WorldCom, Kodak, Pets .com, and GE.”
Especially when the author is like:
“You can see this method used at the greatest companies of our time like Enron, WorldCom, Kodak, Pets .com, and GE.”
April 11, 2025 at 2:00 PM
Reading 25-year-old business books is bizarre.
Especially when the author is like:
“You can see this method used at the greatest companies of our time like Enron, WorldCom, Kodak, Pets .com, and GE.”
Especially when the author is like:
“You can see this method used at the greatest companies of our time like Enron, WorldCom, Kodak, Pets .com, and GE.”
I'm hosting a free lecture today at 12 CT / 1 ET:
Top Roles to Offshore to LatAm
Join me and the @hirewithNear CEO Hayden Cohen, and bring your questions!
RSVP here to get the link: lu.ma/dfh81ogm
Top Roles to Offshore to LatAm
Join me and the @hirewithNear CEO Hayden Cohen, and bring your questions!
RSVP here to get the link: lu.ma/dfh81ogm
Top Roles to Offshore to LatAm · Zoom · Luma
lu.ma
April 10, 2025 at 2:00 PM
I'm hosting a free lecture today at 12 CT / 1 ET:
Top Roles to Offshore to LatAm
Join me and the @hirewithNear CEO Hayden Cohen, and bring your questions!
RSVP here to get the link: lu.ma/dfh81ogm
Top Roles to Offshore to LatAm
Join me and the @hirewithNear CEO Hayden Cohen, and bring your questions!
RSVP here to get the link: lu.ma/dfh81ogm
The next free event in my holdco lecture series is this Thursday:
Top Roles to Offshore to LatAm
Me + @hirewithnear CEO Hayden Cohen.
Join us at 1 ET and bring your questions!
lu.ma/dfh81ogm
Top Roles to Offshore to LatAm
Me + @hirewithnear CEO Hayden Cohen.
Join us at 1 ET and bring your questions!
lu.ma/dfh81ogm
Top Roles to Offshore to LatAm · Zoom · Luma
lu.ma
April 7, 2025 at 7:00 PM
The next free event in my holdco lecture series is this Thursday:
Top Roles to Offshore to LatAm
Me + @hirewithnear CEO Hayden Cohen.
Join us at 1 ET and bring your questions!
lu.ma/dfh81ogm
Top Roles to Offshore to LatAm
Me + @hirewithnear CEO Hayden Cohen.
Join us at 1 ET and bring your questions!
lu.ma/dfh81ogm
I love sitting down to record new Acquisitions Anonymous podcasts.
- Bill teaches ecommerce
- Heather teaches funding
- Mills teaches services & PE
- I make dad jokes about Chili’s
Sponsorship slots opening up soon!
- Bill teaches ecommerce
- Heather teaches funding
- Mills teaches services & PE
- I make dad jokes about Chili’s
Sponsorship slots opening up soon!
April 7, 2025 at 2:00 PM
I love sitting down to record new Acquisitions Anonymous podcasts.
- Bill teaches ecommerce
- Heather teaches funding
- Mills teaches services & PE
- I make dad jokes about Chili’s
Sponsorship slots opening up soon!
- Bill teaches ecommerce
- Heather teaches funding
- Mills teaches services & PE
- I make dad jokes about Chili’s
Sponsorship slots opening up soon!
“Will you join our advisory board?”
“Sure. What is the deal?”
“Well, we give you 0.0001% of the company and you work for a few hours a month unpaid and we put you on our slide deck alongside 16 other advisors.”
“Sure. What is the deal?”
“Well, we give you 0.0001% of the company and you work for a few hours a month unpaid and we put you on our slide deck alongside 16 other advisors.”
April 6, 2025 at 2:00 PM
“Will you join our advisory board?”
“Sure. What is the deal?”
“Well, we give you 0.0001% of the company and you work for a few hours a month unpaid and we put you on our slide deck alongside 16 other advisors.”
“Sure. What is the deal?”
“Well, we give you 0.0001% of the company and you work for a few hours a month unpaid and we put you on our slide deck alongside 16 other advisors.”
Question for the Twitter crowd:
Who would be great-fit sponsors for my newsletter?
- 42K readers (and growing)
- 62% business owners, multiple business owners, or professionals
- Almost entirely US readers
Got a few slots opening up!
Who would be great-fit sponsors for my newsletter?
- 42K readers (and growing)
- 62% business owners, multiple business owners, or professionals
- Almost entirely US readers
Got a few slots opening up!
April 5, 2025 at 7:00 PM
Question for the Twitter crowd:
Who would be great-fit sponsors for my newsletter?
- 42K readers (and growing)
- 62% business owners, multiple business owners, or professionals
- Almost entirely US readers
Got a few slots opening up!
Who would be great-fit sponsors for my newsletter?
- 42K readers (and growing)
- 62% business owners, multiple business owners, or professionals
- Almost entirely US readers
Got a few slots opening up!
This question came up in @joinScalepath recently.
Here’s two uncommon takes on the question 👇
Here’s two uncommon takes on the question 👇
April 5, 2025 at 2:00 PM
This question came up in @joinScalepath recently.
Here’s two uncommon takes on the question 👇
Here’s two uncommon takes on the question 👇
I published a new free resource last weekend.
The boiled-down version of my “low-risk business” system.
(Originally a 40-page ebook — way too long for the internet.)
Subscribe and read it in 3 minutes or less!
girdley.com/products/lr...
The boiled-down version of my “low-risk business” system.
(Originally a 40-page ebook — way too long for the internet.)
Subscribe and read it in 3 minutes or less!
girdley.com/products/lr...
Michael Girdley | The Low-Risk Business Cheat Sheet
Your 3-minute guide to starting durable businesses.
girdley.com
April 2, 2025 at 7:00 PM
I published a new free resource last weekend.
The boiled-down version of my “low-risk business” system.
(Originally a 40-page ebook — way too long for the internet.)
Subscribe and read it in 3 minutes or less!
girdley.com/products/lr...
The boiled-down version of my “low-risk business” system.
(Originally a 40-page ebook — way too long for the internet.)
Subscribe and read it in 3 minutes or less!
girdley.com/products/lr...
When should you hire your first salespeople? Sales managers?
Here’s how to know.
Here’s how to know.
March 31, 2025 at 12:15 PM
When should you hire your first salespeople? Sales managers?
Here’s how to know.
Here’s how to know.
Compelling writing is a learned skill.
It helps me write emails, memos, X posts, YouTube, video shorts — everything.
My Favorite 4 rules for great writing:
It helps me write emails, memos, X posts, YouTube, video shorts — everything.
My Favorite 4 rules for great writing:
March 30, 2025 at 2:00 PM
Compelling writing is a learned skill.
It helps me write emails, memos, X posts, YouTube, video shorts — everything.
My Favorite 4 rules for great writing:
It helps me write emails, memos, X posts, YouTube, video shorts — everything.
My Favorite 4 rules for great writing:
I’ve been an entrepreneur for 30 years now.
I’ve started 12+ businesses.
I wrote a 40-page guide.
Boiled it down to 4.
Download free!
girdley.com/products/lr...
I’ve started 12+ businesses.
I wrote a 40-page guide.
Boiled it down to 4.
Download free!
girdley.com/products/lr...
Michael Girdley | The Low-Risk Business Cheat Sheet
Your 3-minute guide to starting durable businesses.
girdley.com
March 29, 2025 at 7:00 PM
I’ve been an entrepreneur for 30 years now.
I’ve started 12+ businesses.
I wrote a 40-page guide.
Boiled it down to 4.
Download free!
girdley.com/products/lr...
I’ve started 12+ businesses.
I wrote a 40-page guide.
Boiled it down to 4.
Download free!
girdley.com/products/lr...