Blair Forrest
@blair-forrest.bsky.social
Founder @ AMZ Prep | Global Amazon 3PL with 50+ warehouses globally
Most of these I learned the hard way. Hopefully you do not have to.
What lesson hit you hardest in your twenties?
What lesson hit you hardest in your twenties?
January 20, 2026 at 1:17 PM
Most of these I learned the hard way. Hopefully you do not have to.
What lesson hit you hardest in your twenties?
What lesson hit you hardest in your twenties?
9. Show up in person.
A $400 economy flight turned into a $2.4M contract. Emails do not close deals like handshakes do. Get on planes.
A $400 economy flight turned into a $2.4M contract. Emails do not close deals like handshakes do. Get on planes.
January 20, 2026 at 1:17 PM
9. Show up in person.
A $400 economy flight turned into a $2.4M contract. Emails do not close deals like handshakes do. Get on planes.
A $400 economy flight turned into a $2.4M contract. Emails do not close deals like handshakes do. Get on planes.
8. Your team is everything.
A players hire A players. B players hire C players. The minute you compromise on talent is the minute you start failing.
A players hire A players. B players hire C players. The minute you compromise on talent is the minute you start failing.
January 20, 2026 at 1:17 PM
8. Your team is everything.
A players hire A players. B players hire C players. The minute you compromise on talent is the minute you start failing.
A players hire A players. B players hire C players. The minute you compromise on talent is the minute you start failing.
7. Admitting what you do not know builds trust faster than pretending.
I lost clients early on because I faked expertise. The ones who came back did so because I started saying "I don't know, but I'll figure it out."
I lost clients early on because I faked expertise. The ones who came back did so because I started saying "I don't know, but I'll figure it out."
January 20, 2026 at 1:17 PM
7. Admitting what you do not know builds trust faster than pretending.
I lost clients early on because I faked expertise. The ones who came back did so because I started saying "I don't know, but I'll figure it out."
I lost clients early on because I faked expertise. The ones who came back did so because I started saying "I don't know, but I'll figure it out."
6. Rest is a growth strategy.
I used to grind 7 days a week and thought I was winning. I was not. Taking Sundays off made me sharper on Monday. Exhausted founders make expensive mistakes.
I used to grind 7 days a week and thought I was winning. I was not. Taking Sundays off made me sharper on Monday. Exhausted founders make expensive mistakes.
January 20, 2026 at 1:17 PM
6. Rest is a growth strategy.
I used to grind 7 days a week and thought I was winning. I was not. Taking Sundays off made me sharper on Monday. Exhausted founders make expensive mistakes.
I used to grind 7 days a week and thought I was winning. I was not. Taking Sundays off made me sharper on Monday. Exhausted founders make expensive mistakes.
5. Owning 100% is worth the middle seat.
VCs wanted in. I said no. Now I fly economy while competitors fly private. But every dollar of growth is mine. That discomfort is temporary. Giving away your company is forever.
VCs wanted in. I said no. Now I fly economy while competitors fly private. But every dollar of growth is mine. That discomfort is temporary. Giving away your company is forever.
January 20, 2026 at 1:17 PM
5. Owning 100% is worth the middle seat.
VCs wanted in. I said no. Now I fly economy while competitors fly private. But every dollar of growth is mine. That discomfort is temporary. Giving away your company is forever.
VCs wanted in. I said no. Now I fly economy while competitors fly private. But every dollar of growth is mine. That discomfort is temporary. Giving away your company is forever.
4. FOMO will cost you more than patience.
I wasted $500K on a sales team because competitors were ramping outbound. The ROI was not there. Content and referrals worked better. Stop reacting to what others are doing.
I wasted $500K on a sales team because competitors were ramping outbound. The ROI was not there. Content and referrals worked better. Stop reacting to what others are doing.
January 20, 2026 at 1:16 PM
4. FOMO will cost you more than patience.
I wasted $500K on a sales team because competitors were ramping outbound. The ROI was not there. Content and referrals worked better. Stop reacting to what others are doing.
I wasted $500K on a sales team because competitors were ramping outbound. The ROI was not there. Content and referrals worked better. Stop reacting to what others are doing.
3. Bad revenue is more expensive than no revenue.
Saying no to money that does not fit feels reckless at first. But chasing the wrong deals costs you time, focus, and the clients you actually want.
Saying no to money that does not fit feels reckless at first. But chasing the wrong deals costs you time, focus, and the clients you actually want.
January 20, 2026 at 1:16 PM
3. Bad revenue is more expensive than no revenue.
Saying no to money that does not fit feels reckless at first. But chasing the wrong deals costs you time, focus, and the clients you actually want.
Saying no to money that does not fit feels reckless at first. But chasing the wrong deals costs you time, focus, and the clients you actually want.
2. Hiring before you feel ready is the move.
I waited too long because I was cheap and thought no one could do it better. That stubbornness led to burnout. The right people are not an expense. They are the best investment you can make.
I waited too long because I was cheap and thought no one could do it better. That stubbornness led to burnout. The right people are not an expense. They are the best investment you can make.
January 20, 2026 at 1:16 PM
2. Hiring before you feel ready is the move.
I waited too long because I was cheap and thought no one could do it better. That stubbornness led to burnout. The right people are not an expense. They are the best investment you can make.
I waited too long because I was cheap and thought no one could do it better. That stubbornness led to burnout. The right people are not an expense. They are the best investment you can make.
1. Saying yes to everyone will break you.
Early on, we took any client with a pulse. It nearly killed us. A defined ICP makes everything easier. Sales, ops, support. We ended up firing customers we never should have taken.
Early on, we took any client with a pulse. It nearly killed us. A defined ICP makes everything easier. Sales, ops, support. We ended up firing customers we never should have taken.
January 20, 2026 at 1:16 PM
1. Saying yes to everyone will break you.
Early on, we took any client with a pulse. It nearly killed us. A defined ICP makes everything easier. Sales, ops, support. We ended up firing customers we never should have taken.
Early on, we took any client with a pulse. It nearly killed us. A defined ICP makes everything easier. Sales, ops, support. We ended up firing customers we never should have taken.
The rate card is the last thing you should compare.
Execution gaps and hidden fees will eat the savings you thought you were getting.
What is the biggest surprise you have found on a 3PL invoice?
Execution gaps and hidden fees will eat the savings you thought you were getting.
What is the biggest surprise you have found on a 3PL invoice?
January 19, 2026 at 1:08 PM
The rate card is the last thing you should compare.
Execution gaps and hidden fees will eat the savings you thought you were getting.
What is the biggest surprise you have found on a 3PL invoice?
Execution gaps and hidden fees will eat the savings you thought you were getting.
What is the biggest surprise you have found on a 3PL invoice?
5. Look at retailer compliance.
Every retailer has different requirements. If they cannot walk you through how they handle Target vs. Walmart vs. Costco, that is a red flag.
Every retailer has different requirements. If they cannot walk you through how they handle Target vs. Walmart vs. Costco, that is a red flag.
January 19, 2026 at 1:08 PM
5. Look at retailer compliance.
Every retailer has different requirements. If they cannot walk you through how they handle Target vs. Walmart vs. Costco, that is a red flag.
Every retailer has different requirements. If they cannot walk you through how they handle Target vs. Walmart vs. Costco, that is a red flag.
4. Ask where their clients have been burned.
The best partners will tell you honestly. The wrong ones will pretend it never happens.
The best partners will tell you honestly. The wrong ones will pretend it never happens.
January 19, 2026 at 1:08 PM
4. Ask where their clients have been burned.
The best partners will tell you honestly. The wrong ones will pretend it never happens.
The best partners will tell you honestly. The wrong ones will pretend it never happens.
3. Check their integration capabilities.
SPS Commerce. EDI. Your ERP. If they fumble this answer, expect manual work and errors. Clean integrations prevent chargebacks.
SPS Commerce. EDI. Your ERP. If they fumble this answer, expect manual work and errors. Clean integrations prevent chargebacks.
January 19, 2026 at 1:08 PM
3. Check their integration capabilities.
SPS Commerce. EDI. Your ERP. If they fumble this answer, expect manual work and errors. Clean integrations prevent chargebacks.
SPS Commerce. EDI. Your ERP. If they fumble this answer, expect manual work and errors. Clean integrations prevent chargebacks.
2. Get real on-time fulfillment numbers.
Not the number on their sales deck. Ask for merchant references. Call them. One missed delivery window can damage a retail relationship that took years to build.
Not the number on their sales deck. Ask for merchant references. Call them. One missed delivery window can damage a retail relationship that took years to build.
January 19, 2026 at 1:08 PM
2. Get real on-time fulfillment numbers.
Not the number on their sales deck. Ask for merchant references. Call them. One missed delivery window can damage a retail relationship that took years to build.
Not the number on their sales deck. Ask for merchant references. Call them. One missed delivery window can damage a retail relationship that took years to build.
Here is what you can do about it:
1. Ask about chargebacks.
Who owns accountability when a retailer issues one? A mislabeled case or missed appointment can cost $100K. If they dodge this question, that is your answer.
1. Ask about chargebacks.
Who owns accountability when a retailer issues one? A mislabeled case or missed appointment can cost $100K. If they dodge this question, that is your answer.
January 19, 2026 at 1:08 PM
Here is what you can do about it:
1. Ask about chargebacks.
Who owns accountability when a retailer issues one? A mislabeled case or missed appointment can cost $100K. If they dodge this question, that is your answer.
1. Ask about chargebacks.
Who owns accountability when a retailer issues one? A mislabeled case or missed appointment can cost $100K. If they dodge this question, that is your answer.
Founders who scale are not working more hours.
They are ruthless about which hours matter.
What's the one thing you do that probably shouldn't require you anymore?
They are ruthless about which hours matter.
What's the one thing you do that probably shouldn't require you anymore?
January 16, 2026 at 3:15 PM
Founders who scale are not working more hours.
They are ruthless about which hours matter.
What's the one thing you do that probably shouldn't require you anymore?
They are ruthless about which hours matter.
What's the one thing you do that probably shouldn't require you anymore?
I stopped measuring my day by how many things I touched
and started measuring it by what actually moved.
Fewer hours in reactive mode.
More time on the work only I can do.
and started measuring it by what actually moved.
Fewer hours in reactive mode.
More time on the work only I can do.
January 16, 2026 at 3:15 PM
I stopped measuring my day by how many things I touched
and started measuring it by what actually moved.
Fewer hours in reactive mode.
More time on the work only I can do.
and started measuring it by what actually moved.
Fewer hours in reactive mode.
More time on the work only I can do.
Everything else gets delegated, batched, or dropped.
The real trap is feeling productive.
Emails expand to fill the day.
Meetings multiply.
Approvals pile up.
You stay busy.
Nothing important actually changes.
The shift for me was realising effort is not output.
The real trap is feeling productive.
Emails expand to fill the day.
Meetings multiply.
Approvals pile up.
You stay busy.
Nothing important actually changes.
The shift for me was realising effort is not output.
January 16, 2026 at 3:15 PM
Everything else gets delegated, batched, or dropped.
The real trap is feeling productive.
Emails expand to fill the day.
Meetings multiply.
Approvals pile up.
You stay busy.
Nothing important actually changes.
The shift for me was realising effort is not output.
The real trap is feeling productive.
Emails expand to fill the day.
Meetings multiply.
Approvals pile up.
You stay busy.
Nothing important actually changes.
The shift for me was realising effort is not output.
The founders I respect most spend time on a very narrow set of things.
They build the team.
Hiring well. Coaching hard. Removing the wrong fits.
They talk to customers directly.
Not just dashboards and reports.
They hunt for whatever is slowing the company down
and remove it.
That’s it.
They build the team.
Hiring well. Coaching hard. Removing the wrong fits.
They talk to customers directly.
Not just dashboards and reports.
They hunt for whatever is slowing the company down
and remove it.
That’s it.
January 16, 2026 at 3:15 PM
The founders I respect most spend time on a very narrow set of things.
They build the team.
Hiring well. Coaching hard. Removing the wrong fits.
They talk to customers directly.
Not just dashboards and reports.
They hunt for whatever is slowing the company down
and remove it.
That’s it.
They build the team.
Hiring well. Coaching hard. Removing the wrong fits.
They talk to customers directly.
Not just dashboards and reports.
They hunt for whatever is slowing the company down
and remove it.
That’s it.