Passion Alone Won't Build Your Business: The Power of Numbers and Planning
"Passion might drive the car, but it's the planning, effort, and numbers that fill the gas tank, map the route, and ensure you reach your destination, helping you to Plan It, Do It, PROFIT."
Today, I'm going to challenge a belief that's so commonly accepted in business circles: the idea that passion alone can lead to success.
The truth?
It's utter nonsense.
I'm Mahmood Reza, and in this episode of Numbers Knowhow, we're diving deep into why passion without planning and sweat is a recipe for failure.
The heart of today's episode is a hard look at what truly builds equity in your business.
Passion can get you off the starting block, but it's the routine, the daily grind, and the small incremental gains that make the difference.
So, what will you gain from spending 30 minutes with me on this podcast?
For starters, a clear understanding of how numbers are the heartbeat of your business. We'll touch on why respecting metrics and data can save you from costly mistakes and how planning helps you navigate the inevitable bumps on the road.
By the end of this episode, you'll be better at interpreting your business data, planning for sustainable growth, and differentiating between passion-driven hobbies and profitable enterprises.
Numbers don't lie, and neither does the hard work behind them.
Remember, we're Helping you to Plan It, Do It, PROFIT.
Transcript
Foreign.
Speaker:There are many misconceptions that float around in the business
Speaker:world, some that become received wisdom. And one of
Speaker:those is the idea that passion is all you need to make it
Speaker:in business. You've heard that phrase before. Follow your passion
Speaker:and the profits will follow. In this week's podcast, I'm
Speaker:going to be looking at the idea that that concept, that idea,
Speaker:that thought process is balderdash. I'd say
Speaker:something stronger, but this is a family podcast, all said and done.
Speaker:Now, passion is great on its own, though it is
Speaker:never enough. In fact, it can even trip you up. Your
Speaker:business isn't built on feelings. It's built on planning,
Speaker:effort and numbers. Let's crack on and dive in as to why.
Speaker:Having a planning mindset and sweating the details
Speaker:is what really gets you the price is what really gets you the
Speaker:equity.
Speaker:Now let me paint a picture for you. Just imagine you're in your
Speaker:car on a road trip. Passion is what's dominating your thoughts,
Speaker:your excitement about your end destination. Substitute in
Speaker:what that end destination is. It could be a beach, it could be a
Speaker:coastline, it could be your friends. Doesn't matter now. Excitement
Speaker:won't actually get you there if you don't have a map, your car, your it
Speaker:doesn't have fuel in there and maybe you need some snacks along for the journey.
Speaker:Now this is where the planning aspect comes in. It's the part where you figure
Speaker:out the route, the stops, and also the budget you need. In
Speaker:your business, a planning mindset represents your map.
Speaker:It's what keeps you on track even when the road gets bumpy, even when there
Speaker:are potholes, even if you take a wrong turn.
Speaker:Without that map, all the passion in the world won't keep your
Speaker:business moving forward. And it certainly won't get you to where you want to get
Speaker:to. Do I mentioned sweat at the the beginning of this podcast.
Speaker:I'm not talking about the glamorous, inspirational kind you see in those
Speaker:motivational videos, One man against the World.
Speaker:But we're talking about the hard, the unsexy kind. Those occasional
Speaker:late nights, balancing the books, working how to stretch out your cash
Speaker:flow, learning from your mistakes, thinking about how you're going to get your next
Speaker:customer. Think about processes. That's the reality for most
Speaker:businesses. Now here's the true folks. Sweat gets you the equity.
Speaker:It's your blood, your sweat, your tears, and that of your
Speaker:team that ultimately builds value over the time, not the
Speaker:initial rush of enthusiasm. That rush of endorphins. That adrenaline rush
Speaker:is wonderful, but you need to Think of this like building muscle.
Speaker:Now, passion might get you to the gym, but it's the actual turning
Speaker:up, the repetition, the grind. And it's the small
Speaker:incremental gains that you make over time that build up that
Speaker:muscle and that make you stronger, fitter and healthier. Here's
Speaker:why passion can sometimes lead all of us
Speaker:astray. Holds hand up for being guilty of this. That's like being
Speaker:in love with the idea of running a marathon, but you refuse to train.
Speaker:You imagine visualize crossing that finishing line, feeling
Speaker:euphoric. Without the miles and miles of preparation, you'll never get
Speaker:there. Or worse, you'll injure yourself trying. You have this deluded
Speaker:idea that merely turning up for the race is all that you need to do.
Speaker:The running of business is no different. Passion will get you excited about the goal,
Speaker:the idea of running your business, the idea of what it
Speaker:looks like when you arrive. But it's the planning and the effort that's going to
Speaker:get you across that finishing line. So how do we actually make sure we're building
Speaker:something sustainable, something that's going to survive, something that's going to
Speaker:prosper, something that's going to grow? Well, start with your numbers.
Speaker:Numbers are your business's heartbeat. They're your best friend in business.
Speaker:They give you the truth, when actually avoiding the truth might be
Speaker:something that you prefer. But they tell you what's working, what's not, and
Speaker:where to adjust. Now, you don't have to be a maths whiz, just somebody who
Speaker:respects the data, understands the data, or knows somebody who can
Speaker:interpret that data for you and use it to make informed decisions about
Speaker:the customers that you work with, where you're losing money, where you can gain
Speaker:money. Put yourself in a position of somebody who's passionate about making
Speaker:candles. I'll just sell candles if you like. You love the
Speaker:creativity, the craft, the glow of a beautifully lit
Speaker:candle. But if you ain't planned, if you don't cost out the materials, set
Speaker:realistic sales goals for yourself. Smart goals, if you prefer that term.
Speaker:Monitor your cash flow. Excuse the pun, but you'll quickly burn
Speaker:out. Now, passion by itself is like
Speaker:planting a seed and hoping, fingers crossed, that it's going to
Speaker:rain. The sweat you put in is the watering of that seed, the
Speaker:weeding, the daily care, now the planning. That's the blueprint for the
Speaker:garden. It's knowing how much space you'll need, what kind of soil
Speaker:works best, and how to rotate your crops to get the best yield.
Speaker:Effort and planning create equity because they build systems,
Speaker:repeatable processes, and ultimately value, financial
Speaker:value. And if you're not in business to make money, then you've got a hobby
Speaker:on your hands. All businesses, whatever type, they are not for
Speaker:profit. Private companies need to generate surpluses, need to
Speaker:generate profit if they're to sustain, prosper and
Speaker:continuing to deliver the why. So what's
Speaker:the takeaway? Well, the takeaway is don't ditch the passion, but
Speaker:don't let it dictate your thinking. Don't let it run your show. Build
Speaker:your business like an architect or build a house. Passion
Speaker:can be the inspiration, but your numbers, sweat and
Speaker:planning are the bricks, mortar and scaffolding for any builders out there.
Speaker:By the way, I know it's the builders who do the physical hard work, but
Speaker:the architect does play a pretty important role. Now instead of asking yourself
Speaker:what am I passionate about? Reframe it. Ask yourself,
Speaker:what problem can I solve? What transformation can I make for somebody,
Speaker:and how can I do it sustainably? Because sustainability,
Speaker:not the excitement, is what builds your legacy. Thanks for tuning
Speaker:in to this week's Numbers Know how podcast. I hope the episode has created
Speaker:a new way of thinking about passion, planning and sweat. And it
Speaker:takes all those to build something lasting. Now, if you found this
Speaker:useful, please share it with a friend or a colleague who might need a slight
Speaker:nudge towards purpose driven thinking. Until next time.
Speaker:Remember, numbers don't lie and neither does the hard work behind
Speaker:them.
