[#006] My First Billion: Disappointment, Detours & Destiny
This week was filled with pivots, fresh wins, and some powerful reminders about growth, leadership, and alignment.
Let’s break it down
MONDAY & TUESDAY: Field Trip, Frustration & Flow
I started the week driving down to Jekyll Island for a two-day overnight field trip with my 11-year-old, Royal (aka RoRo).
I had volunteered to be a chaperone, but was actually denied after a background check, which hasn’t happened to me in 20+ years.
Instead of breaking all that down here, I wrote a longer post about it you can check out here.
But even while traveling, I stayed on top of my health commitments and coaching sessions.
My favorite part?
Doing coaching calls and meetings
overlooking the ocean.
(This is my view from my balcony)
God is so good. When I booked the room, I got the regular option and was like I’m gone trust God to get me the complimentary upgrade lol.
And He did it!
Between meditations on the balcony and deep convos with clients, it reminded me
why we do this… to enjoy freedom, not just revenue.
THE PARTNERSHIP PIVOT
The deal I’d been updating you on for weeks, the potential equity-based partnership, officially pivoted.
We mutually agreed not to move forward with the full partnership for now.
Instead, we’re staying in a retainer agreement, with the understanding that we’ll revisit equity once we hit a certain revenue milestone.
Big lesson: Sometimes the best partnerships are the ones you press pause on. Clarity
over chemistry.
SALES LEADERSHIP UPGRADE
Maisha officially stepped into her sales leadership role on Monday.
She’s been tightening up SOPs, dialing in scripts, and leading like a boss.
This is one of those internal shifts that won’t show up on Instagram, but moves the whole
business forward.
I’m hyped about where this is headed and frees up a ton of bandwidth for me.
STRATEGIC SCALE FROM THE BEACH
While out of town, I worked with our team on prep for our One-Day AI Marketing School.
We hosted that yesterday (and a bonus day today).
And right after that…
Shot two new YouTube videos, which are in post-production now.
The beauty of what we’ve built is being able to deliver value and lead the company, even
while unplugged from the usual routine.
That’s what we help our clients do, too.
PRODUCT LAUNCH: AI-POWERED CLIENT ATTRACTION SYSTEM
We launched the productized version of our AI-Powered Client Attraction System.
This version is designed to:
- Save 20–25 hours/week of manual labor
- Help expert-based business owners attract 5K–10K clients more predictably
- Give more people access to what’s working
(without a huge upfront investment)
We don’t have all the data yet, but early signs suggest the higher-priced offer may actually convert better. Still testing.
Regardless, I’m excited about the impact and accessibility this unlocks.
STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT: 2026 NORTH STAR I finalized our 2026 North Star, including
→ Targets
→ Team structure
→ Mission
→ Vision (3, 5, 10, and 20 years)
→ And cultural outcomes…
And shared it with the team in our CEO Update newsletter.
It’s one thing to set goals.
It’s another to make them real and share them with the people who will help you hit them.
WEEKLY + MONTHLY REVIEW
- Did my Wednesday Protocol (halftime review)
- Started the week with a full monthly review + personal board meeting
- Realigned goals, assessed growth areas, and locked in what matters most
WHAT I’M READING…
No new books this week, continuing with the same stack from last week.
And David Perceived He Was King by Dale Mast:
A reminder that just because you’re anointed doesn’t mean you’re appointed yet.
My Daily Devotionals are:
For my business book…
It Doesn’t Have to Be Crazy at Work from the founders of Basecamp.
Final Thought:
This week reminded me of something I often forget:
Sometimes God reroutes you on purpose… not to punish you, but to position you.
From the denied chaperone slot…
To the paused partnership…
To the test of our new offer…
None of it went as planned.
But each created space for something better.
Even during my devotional time this week, I was reminded of that.
That’s actually when the theme for my next teaching series for church dropped in my spirit… and it’s still 8 weeks away.
It’s wild how detours make room for divine downloads.
Keep building,
Marquel
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