Category: Business Insights Series

This story is part of our Business Insights Series, where I dive into real conversations with mission-driven founders working at the intersection of purpose, tech, and impact.

In our first interview, we explored what happens before the MVP. Mariam Chadi, a fierce advocate for equal opportunity in education who is pushing forward a vision of education for hearing-impaired persons, of which Egypt alone accounts for over 2 million and is estimated to account for some 5% of the global population, over 360 million people, reminded us that real innovation doesn’t begin with code, it begins with conviction. Now, weeks later, I had the privilege of speaking with her again, and this time, the conversation shifted toward a different kind of challenge: traction, visibility, and the very human cost of building something meaningful in public.

Saying no to the wrong kind of yes

We explored the dilemma many early-stage founders face: when someone offers resources and technical support, but their goals or values don’t fully align. These offers can be tempting, especially when they come with funding or development help, but they often carry hidden costs.

Mariam stood firm. While others suggested monetisation models that introduced paid content or tiered access, she reaffirmed her vision of equal access for all users. Her stance is clear:

“This platform is 100% for free. My role model in this business model is Duolingo. They remain free, and they still found ways to be sustainable.”

We also discussed how easy it is to rush into early partnerships that feel helpful on the surface but create pressure to compromise later. Choosing collaborators at this stage isn’t just about capacity, it’s about shared values, long-term trust, and aligned vision. Without that, even generous offers can become liabilities.

Visibility as strategy, not vanity

When we spoke last, Mariam was pouring her energy into branding, website, videos, visual identity. This time, she told me she’s revising her plan to reduce the focus on branding and shift toward outreach and traction.

“You changed my mind about a lot of things. A huge part of my plan was branding.”

And that shift matters. Because as I shared with her: the path forward isn’t polish, it’s people. It’s getting seen, getting heard, and letting your community grow with you. What you build matters, but who you bring with you matters even more.

“I’m not that type of person to go online every day. I hate it. I don’t even use social media for myself. But I know exposure makes a lot. One post could save me years.”

This wasn’t a founder avoiding visibility. This was someone redefining how to use it, with integrity, with focus, and in a way that doesn’t burn her out.

Platforms don’t sell. People do.

One of Mariam’s biggest questions was: should I build the platform first, or build the community first? My answer: the platform doesn’t matter if no one knows it exists. And more importantly, if no one cares.

“You’re always selling. But you’re not selling a product. You’re selling a vision. And that sale happens way before the tech is ready.”

Mariam has a working plan. She has documented ideas, mapped out audiences, even sized her initial target market in Egypt down to the granular level. She knows the real numbers, but she also knows the real fear:

“I finally reach two million people here in Egypt, it’s a very niche market. […] Is that an attractive number to show off while I’m pitching?”

But as I reminded her, two million is never a small number. Especially when you’re changing lives.

A movement, not a moment

What’s next for Mariam? She’s working on a revised 90-day plan. Less time on branding. More time on outreach. She’s building a pitch, prepping for meetings, and finding the courage to become visible without becoming the product.

“I don’t want to be the brand. I want people to remember the platform, not me.”

She told me she doesn’t enjoy the spotlight and would rather stay behind the scenes. But she also recognises that, for now, she needs to speak up and step forward to help the mission grow.

That’s the moment every mission-driven founder reaches: when the idea demands more than your comfort. And Mariam is rising to meet that moment.

This is what purpose looks like in practice. Not hype. Not headlines. Just brave decisions, one step at a time.

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This interview is part of our Business Insights Series, where we explore the strategies, mindset shifts, and real-life tradeoffs behind purpose-driven innovation.

This story is part of our Business Insights Series, where I dive into real conversations with mission-driven founders working at the intersection of purpose, tech, and impact.

In a world obsessed with launching fast and scaling faster, some entrepreneurs are choosing a different path—one that begins long before code is written or an MVP is shipped. In my recent conversation with Mariam Chadii , it was clear: the work starts with belief. And it’s that unwavering conviction that makes her journey so powerful.

Mariam is on a mission to build a platform that empowers the hearing-impaired community with literacy and trade skills. But her journey isn’t just about technology. It’s about social transformation, visibility, and making systems more inclusive from the ground up.

“It’s more like a baby, and you want to do the best for them. And everything costs money,” she shared. Despite working two jobs, pursuing a master’s degree, and managing family obligations, she continues to push her vision forward.

The scale of the problem

Before we even talk about MVPs or funding rounds, it’s worth taking a hard look at the scale of the problem Mariam is tackling.

According to the African Union’s 2023 Ear Health & Hearing Loss Fact Sheet, more than 136 million people in Africa experience disabling hearing loss—and that number is expected to double to 234 million by 2050. Most of them live in regions with limited access to inclusive education or support services.

Globally, over 1.5 billion people live with hearing loss, and around 430 million of them need rehabilitation. Yet, in many countries, less than 10% of people who need hearing aids actually have access to them—and even fewer have access to formal sign language education or vocational training programs.

These numbers aren’t just statistics. They represent a vast, underserved population that is excluded from full participation in the economy, education, and digital society.

Mariam’s mission—building a platform that equips the hearing-impaired community with literacy and trade skills—isn’t just a worthy cause. It’s a high-leverage intervention that could help bridge this gap at scale.

Selling the vision before the product

During our strategy call, I offered this guiding principle: “The sale can and should begin long before the product is available.” My advice? Don’t just sell an MVP. Start by selling the problem, the human cost of inaction, and the social value of inclusion.

This resonated deeply with Mariam, and she’s already connecting with NGOs, technologists, and volunteers. But she was candid about her internal conflict when it comes to accepting unpaid help:

“They are doing it for me, not for the idea itself… I do want to use them wisely and use their time, not use them. There’s a difference.”

That nuance revealed a powerful part of her leadership—a deep sense of empathy and fairness, even at personal cost.

I reminded her not to underestimate the power of purpose-driven contribution: “They are not doing it for free. They are doing it for meaning.” In fact, excluding willing volunteers could hinder the very mission she’s trying to build.

Building with purpose, not pressure

Mariam’s path isn’t without its challenges. She’s questioning the balance between risk and readiness:

“Should I let go for now and start working on finding a fund in this phase? Or be patient a little more until I have this MVP and then start to let go?”

It’s a question many mission-driven founders face: When is the right time to leap? She’s not afraid of hard work—she’s been doing it for years. But she’s also wise enough to know that purpose alone doesn’t pay for studios, dev time, or outreach. She’s looking for the path that honors both her mission and the people who believe in it.

“I’m trying to minimise the risk, not avoid the risk, but to have like a risk management as much as I can,” she explained.

She’s also mindful of how hard life is for many people. Despite offers of help, she struggles with asking for free labor, especially from close friends. Her goal is long-term commitment, not one-time favors.

Funding through alignment, not just capital

While many startups chase venture capital as a first step, Mariam is building broader. I encouraged her to cast a wider net—one that includes social funds, NGOs, and partnerships with state actors.

In 2023, for example, a European organisation called Radel Stung raised €80,000 specifically for training programs supporting the impaired. I pointed out that institutions like Egypt’s Ministry of Solidarity could also be a match for Mariam’s mission.

She’s not just banking on traditional funding. She’s building a network of aligned supporters who care about the cause—not just the product.

Tech with a head start

Mariam’s vision also includes smart use of technology—but not from scratch. With guidance, she’s exploring how existing American Sign Language datasets can be adapted for Egyptian Sign Language using transfer learning.

“You are able to train a model based on one data set… and then leverage that to an extent to fine-tune an already trained model on another language,” I explained.

Mariam had already identified that sign languages vary significantly by region and culture. Egyptian Sign Language, for example, is different from American Sign Language—not just in vocabulary, but in grammar, gestures, and usage. She pointed out that one of her major challenges is the lack of datasets for localised sign languages, which limits the ability to build inclusive, multilingual educational content for the hearing-impaired community.

This is where AI holds immense promise.

Just as researchers are using artificial intelligence to help revive endangered and extinct languages—like the Akkadian language once used in Mesopotamia—by training models on multiple dialects and reconstructing linguistic structures, a similar approach could be applied to sign languages. Read the research here.

AI models trained on robust datasets from American Sign Language can be fine-tuned with smaller, region-specific datasets to generate educational content in local sign languages. This includes:

• Automatically generating localised video content or animations in regional sign languages
• Creating adaptive learning tools that respond to user progress using sign recognition
• Producing interactive learning modules that bridge multiple sign language systems
• Translating text and speech to sign language for better accessibility in real time

These applications could accelerate the development of educational tools that are not only accessible but culturally relevant—without requiring years of manual content production. It’s a strategy that turns a data limitation into an opportunity for innovation.

What comes next

As I reminded her, building a foundation is not just about finding money:

“Your responsibility inside your vision will be and is to focus on the points of maximum leverage.”

That means Mariam is now prioritising messaging, partnerships, and getting her voice heard. Her next steps, from white papers to conference speaking gigs, are all about traction before transaction.

She’s also beginning to shape her public presence—sharing her voice on LinkedIn, exploring recorded interviews, and using every conversation as a chance to scale her message.

“Speak once, have a thousand, 10 thousand, a million people hear your voice.”

And if her current momentum is any indicator, she’s well on her way.

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This interview is part of our Business Insights Series, where we explore the strategies, mindset shifts, and real-life tradeoffs behind purpose-driven innovation.

This piece is part of the Business Insights Series—a collection of candid conversations with business leaders, educators, and change-makers across the world. These are not sales calls. They’re real talks about what works, what breaks, and what drives meaningful growth.

My recent conversation with James Fleming MQ , founder of the UK’s fastest-growing leadership training company (The Power Within Training), stuck with me. His company has trained leaders inside the top three construction firms in the UK. Their program is grounded in neuroscience, but what makes it stand out isn’t just the science—it’s how deeply it connects with human behavior.

Leadership vs. management: two different conversations

“Most people go on a leadership course and they’re very rooted in management mindset and communication style” James told me. “Being a manager and being a leader are very intertwined but are two completely different skills sets and communication styles… when you try and teach someone who is rooted in a manager mindset things about how to be a great leader, it doesn’t pass by their filter, so it just bounces off and goes ‘yeah it sounds good but probably won’t work for me. Leadership mindset and communication is an entirely different thing altogether.”

According to James, that resistance isn’t stubbornness—it’s neurology. Their framework, called Motivational Intelligence (MQ), is designed to cut through those filters using storytelling, shared experience, and emotional resonance.

“When somebody says to you, ‘let me tell you a story,’ automatically your mind opens up to possibility”, James explained. “And in that story is a lesson or a best practice. That’s how we bypass the filter. We open their mind to possibility and then embed the learning”.

The formula for real transformation

As someone who has seen firsthand how difficult it is to shift organizational culture, I found this approach incredibly refreshing. It doesn’t start with telling people what to fix. It starts by getting them to see it for themselves.

James broke it down in three simple steps:

“They have to think it’s a good idea, they’ve got to believe they’re capable of the results, and they’ve got to find out what’s in this for me. Change and best practices become inevitable once you meet those three objectives for everyone.”

That simple framework stuck with me, because it explains why so many change efforts fall flat—not because the tools are wrong, but because the mindset isn’t ready. When we skip those internal checkpoints—belief, confidence, and personal relevance—our best strategies never land.

The leadership perception gap

One of the most telling moments in our conversation was when James brought up a statistic:

“Between 90 and 95% of managers and leaders believe they’re great leaders and great managers. Now, ask their direct reports… 30% to 32% would say yes. So you get 70% of people saying absolutely not.”

That number stopped me in my tracks. It’s one thing to say there’s room for improvement—it’s another to realize there’s a deep disconnect between how leaders see themselves and how they’re actually experienced by their teams.

The lesson here? Leadership isn’t just about skills or experience—it’s about perception, trust, and emotional impact. And those things are invisible unless you’re actively asking, listening, and learning.

From internal mindset to external messaging

Now, what struck me beyond the framework itself was James’s humility about the challenges his own company is facing in marketing. Despite all the success, conversion rates have dropped from 20% to 2% as they scaled.

James openly shared:

“We’re experts at leadership and management and business development. We’re not experts at digital marketing.”

This vulnerability and self-awareness was a perfect full-circle moment. Because just like with leadership, marketing requires understanding how people think, what they fear, and what language actually resonates.

As I told James:

“Maybe it’s not the right people coming back to the website… maybe you got too broad.”

That moment made me reflect on how important it is—not just to lead well on the inside, but to communicate clearly on the outside too. Whether we’re growing a team or reaching out to new clients, how we show up matters. If our messaging doesn’t match what our audience needs to hear, we might be working harder than we need to—and still missing the mark.

Final thought: real change starts with alignment

What James helped reinforce for me is this: real change isn’t a matter of telling—it’s a matter of tuning in. Whether you’re trying to lead a team or reach an audience, the breakthrough comes when your message resonates with how people actually see the world. When your vision speaks their language, when your goals connect with their lived experience—that’s when alignment becomes influence, and communication becomes transformation.

Over the past few months, I’ve been on a mission to connect with entrepreneurs, operators, and decision-makers across the world—not to pitch but to listen. To ask better questions. To discover the silent breakthroughs and behind-the-scenes brilliance happening in businesses we rarely hear about.

That’s how I found myself in conversation with John Golding, Chief Operating Officer of DragonPass International. If you haven’t heard of DragonPass, you’re not alone. Their website is outdated (which John mentioned is about to change dramatically soon), and they don’t make noise on social media. Yet, they quietly serve over a million new customers a month, working with giants like Visa and Mastercard across 170 countries.

Let that sink in.

“We’re a bit of a niche player,” John told me. “You’ve probably never heard of us […]. But we’re already growing. There’s no reason to be a big bullfrog at the pond when you’re already growing.”

That quote stuck with me. In a world obsessed with vanity metrics and performative thought leadership, DragonPass has been doing something radical: growing with intention, not attention.

Doing a bit of due diligence, I looked up DragonPass International LTDs financials, which, according to pomanda.com, have jumped from £10M in 2021 to almost £58M in 2022 and over £143M in 2023.

Scaling Without Crashing

One of the most eye-opening parts of our conversation was hearing John describe what it’s like to scale at that level.

“The growth, ironically, is really tough to manage,” he said. “Operationally, the growth can tear you apart because you can’t keep up.”

It reminded me of a principle I often share with clients: don’t automate chaos. Before you add tools, ramp up marketing, or chase new hires, your operations have to be strong enough to carry the weight. DragonPass lives that reality every day—delivering to thousands of issuing banks in wildly different regulatory environments, all while trying not to burn out their team.

“In two years, there’s been a 10,000% increase in support tickets,” John shared. “You can’t just keep on adding bodies.”

Decisiveness Over Perfection

I asked John how they make strategic decisions in a business running this hot. His answer was simple but powerful:

“The only thing worse than a bad decision is no decision. Just make the call. You’ve got a safety net. If, after a month or whatever, it’s the wrong call, just go back. It’s okay. Just keep on going. Keep moving forward.”

That mindset—humble, decisive, and execution-focused—is the opposite of what many “growth at all costs” companies practice. And it’s probably why they’ve managed to double year over year.

When I reflected back on how impressive that revenue-per-employee ratio was, I said:

“That puts you almost at NVIDIA’s revenue per employee numbers. That’s incredible.”

He just laughed and moved on.

That, in itself, says a lot.

The Quiet Blueprint for Success

What struck me most was how much DragonPass represents a kind of hidden excellence. It’s the kind of company you won’t find topping LinkedIn roundups or award stages—and yet it’s redefining what operational mastery and thoughtful growth look like in 2025.

No loud campaigns. No ego. Just clear execution, constant iteration, and the humility to adjust when needed.

There’s a lesson here for all of us:

• You don’t need to be loud to grow.
• Growth without strategy is just burnout in disguise.
• Execution beats branding—until your scale demands both.

Final Thoughts

These are the kinds of stories I live for. They don’t just inspire me—they sharpen my own perspective on what sustainable success actually looks like.

At Serenichron, we are on a mission to uncover what actually works in modern business. In this Business Insights Series, I sit down with founders, consultants, and unconventional leaders to dig into the overlooked insights that drive real success. No fluff. No performative thought leadership. Just honest, human conversations that spark better strategy.

Recently, I had the chance to speak with Beth Penfold, a resilience consultant who works with leaders, veterans, and neurodivergent individuals. Our conversation opened my eyes to the deep connections between brain wiring, leadership, and emotional survival in business.

Why neurodivergence isn’t a deficit—it’s a leadership advantage

We’ve all heard the stereotypes: ADHD means disorganised. Autism means antisocial. But Beth sees something completely different in her work:

“We are great at having a million ideas before breakfast… we have amazing out-of-the-box ideas.”

What some call a disorder, she reframes as a strength. Traits like hyperfocus, adaptability, and calm under pressure don’t just belong in leadership—they thrive there. As Beth put it:

“Just about the time when everybody else is panicking… our brains behave differently, and we actually become really calm.”

In high-stakes environments like business, that kind of wiring isn’t a flaw—it’s a feature.

Neurodivergence is broader than just ADHD or autism. Beth regularly works with people diagnosed with dyslexia, dyspraxia, and other forms of neurodivergence that affect how the brain processes information, learns, or communicates. Each comes with its own challenges—and its own hidden strengths.

Beth also encourages clients to rethink what neurodivergence is. Instead of viewing it as a disorder or deficit, she frames it as a phenotype—a combination of genetic traits and environmental factors, often shaped by early life experiences. This shift in language matters. It helps reduce shame and creates space for empowerment. She also notes that medical recognition of neurodivergent traits varies greatly by country. In the UK, for example, conditions like ADHD, autism, and dyslexia are recognized by the National Health Service (NHS) as disabilities, but even then, formal diagnosis can take years due to systemic backlogs. In contrast, in other jurisdictions, these traits may not be recognised or supported at all, making it even more important for individuals to find language and frameworks that empower them, regardless of formal labels.

From structure to chaos: Why veterans and founders struggle alike

One unexpected parallel that emerged in our conversation was the link between military veterans and entrepreneurs. Both are used to high structure. Both face burnout when that structure disappears.

Beth explained:

“Veterans are not just kicked out into civilian life where there’s no routines and no structure… they’ve got the neurodivergence on top of that.”

The same thing can happen to founders. You leave a corporate job—or start a new venture—and suddenly you’re expected to build your own systems from scratch. Without support, that transition can be overwhelming.

Beth’s coaching centers around emotional resilience and self-awareness. Her goal? Helping people build internal systems that match how their brains actually work.

This includes identifying the beliefs and emotional baggage people carry about being neurodivergent—especially guilt, shame, or feelings of inadequacy rooted in a lifetime of feeling “different.”

Hyperfocus and dopamine: When gaming becomes a blueprint for growth

I shared an experience from my own life. I described someone (okay, it’s me) who had spent entire days immersed in gaming—hyperfocused, fully engaged, and yet struggling to stay connected with the rest of life. I asked Beth:

“If that person is able to identify and replace their nominal addiction… potentially what was something very debilitating becomes an extremely desirable character trait.”

Her answer? A big yes.

“It’s not really an addiction when you’re born with a deficit of something”

So the question becomes: How can you make sure you’re getting high-quality dopamine instead of just junk dopamine?

Beth pointed out that neurodivergent brains often seek out dopamine the same way a hungry person seeks food. The goal isn’t to eliminate the need—it’s to channel it into meaningful work.

For many of us, that means treating business like a game: clear goals, feedback loops, and rewards that feel earned.

Designing systems that support the brain (not fight it)

Beth’s work is incredibly practical. She helps leaders stop fighting their brain and start designing with it. A few of the tools she uses:

• Gamify your workflows—progress bars, streaks, and rewards
• Body doubling—working alongside someone (even virtually) to stay focused
• Flow-state planning—protecting high-focus windows and using them wisely

These systems aren’t just productivity hacks—they’re resilience tools. And they work best when they start from a place of self-acceptance.

Beth is also critical of traditional coaching models that try to help people “fit in” to neurotypical molds. Instead of forcing square pegs into round holes, she believes in creating systems that align with how each brain naturally operates.

Final thoughts: Leading with what makes you different

Neurodivergence isn’t something to overcome. It’s something to understand. Whether it’s ADHD, autism, dyslexia, dyspraxia, or something else entirely, the traits that made traditional school or jobs hard often make you a stronger leader today.

Beth said it best:

“You are a human being in the middle of this… and when you are a human, leading humans, other humans are unconsciously picking up information about you all the time.”

When we stop trying to mask how our brains work and start building systems that support us, we not only lead better—we feel better doing it.

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This article is part of Serenichron’s Business Insights Series. Each piece is drawn from real conversations with unconventional thinkers, highlighting what truly moves the needle for business leaders in 2025.

Over the past couple of months, the Serenichron team and I have embarked on a journey of discovery. Ever since our agency’s inception, we have guided businesses through the exercise of identifying and building the critical systems, and automating the eligible workflows that they rely on to grow sustainably, and yet for almost as long, all our relationships and client work has been driven by referrals and recommendations.

We sought to change that, and over these two months we have started reaching out to hundreds of fellow entrepreneurs, stakeholders and decision-makers in the educational, training and coaching industries, for conversations where we dive into the challenges they encounter, and share insights from our own experience that can transform these challenges into success.

In a conversation last week, I sat down with Dr. Ahmad M. Misto, regional manager of the Cialdini Institute.

It was a joyful meeting, and I am grateful for the opportunity to learn from Dr. Misto’s extensive experience.

In an era when many entrepreneurs prioritize rapid revenue growth over long-term refinement, Dr. Misto stands out with his unique approach “MENTORTRAIL”: an online platform that helps coaches and trainers productize & monetize their expertise into a sustainable business, achieving financial independence without tech, sales or marketing skills in just 90 days.

“None has created the full journey,” Dr. Misto asserted, describing his structured process that helps clients transform their expertise into polished, marketable offerings. This emphasis on quality over speed is a deliberate choice, even as Misto acknowledges the common pressures that lead many businesses to sacrifice refinement in the name of faster returns.

Dr. Misto’s unconventional perspective extends to his view of the sales process itself. Rather than framing it as “closing” a deal, he sees it as “opening” a relationship – one that must be nurtured and expanded upon rather than simply consummated. “You are not closing the deal, you are opening the deal,” he explained. “The deal only begins at that moment.”

Dr. Misto’s philosophy extends beyond business. He believes in striving to be the best version of oneself—not just as an entrepreneur, but as a father, son, husband, and friend. His approach to sales and business is deeply rooted in faith, seeing it as a way to serve a higher purpose by excelling in all aspects of life.

In the world of sales and business relationships, we’ve long embraced the term “closing a deal” as the ultimate goal. It’s the moment of triumph when signatures hit paper and money changes hands. But what if this terminology—and the mindset it creates—is fundamentally flawed?

The problem with “closing” language

The word “closing” implies an ending, a finality. It suggests that once the contract is signed, the relationship is complete. This creates a dangerous psychological framework for both sales professionals and their clients.

When we frame the sale as “closed,” we subconsciously signal that the most important part of the relationship is over. This can lead to:

• Diminished focus on customer success after purchase
• Reduced attention to implementation and adoption
• Lower priority on relationship nurturing and growth
• Missed opportunities for expansion and referrals

Reframing: The deal “opening”

What if instead, we recognized that the moment of purchase isn’t the end, but rather the beginning of the real relationship? When a customer decides to buy from you, they’re not “closing” anything—they’re opening a door to a new partnership.

This mental shift transforms how we approach the entire customer journey:

Traditional “closing” mindset:

• Focus on getting the signature
• Pressure to finalize before end of quarter/month
• Relief when the deal is “done”
• Handoff to customer success team as an afterthought

“Opening” mindset:

• Focus on starting a successful partnership
• Emphasis on proper onboarding and implementation
• Excitement about the value to be delivered
• Seamless transition to the next phase of the relationship

In our conversation, we also explored the Seven Principles of Persuasion and their impact on both personal and professional success. Dr. Misto is currently finalizing his book on the ‘Persuasive Selling Methodology,’ which integrates these principles into contemporary sales practices. This work aims to provide sales professionals with a robust, ethical, and effective framework to engage customers, build trust, and drive successful sales outcomes.

Why this matters to your business

This isn’t just semantic wordplay. Research consistently shows that customer retention is significantly more cost-effective than acquisition. Acquiring a new customer can cost five times more than retaining an existing one, while increasing retention rates by just 5% can increase profits by 25-95%.

When you view a sale as an “opening” rather than a “closing,” you naturally prioritize the long-term success of the relationship. This leads to:

• Higher customer lifetime value
• More predictable revenue streams
• Stronger referral networks
• Better product feedback loops
• More meaningful work for your teams

How to adopt the “opening” mentality

1. Revise your sales language: Replace “closing” terminology with “opening” or “beginning” language in your team communications.
2. Redesign compensation structures: Reward sales teams not just for new business, but for successful implementations and customer retention.
3. Create seamless handoffs: Eliminate the gap between sales and customer success by involving success teams earlier in the process.
4. Celebrate beginnings: When a deal is signed, frame team celebrations around the start of a new partnership rather than the end of a sales cycle.
5. Measure relationship health: Track metrics beyond the initial sale, including implementation milestones, adoption rates, and expansion opportunities.

The customer perspective

From the customer’s viewpoint, the distinction is even more important. When they sign a contract, they aren’t looking to “close” anything—they’re investing in a solution to a problem. Their journey is just beginning, and they need partners who recognize this reality.

By shifting your language and mindset, you signal to customers that you’re committed to their long-term success, not just interested in their initial purchase.

Conclusion: Open for business

Dr. Misto’s approach aligns closely with ETHICS & FAITH, emphasizing that influence, trust, and ethical persuasion are essential in converting potential clients into long-term partners. By understanding the psychological triggers behind decision-making, businesses can cultivate sustainable growth through relationship-driven sales.

The next time you’re tempted to celebrate “closing” a deal, pause and re-frame. You haven’t closed anything—you’ve opened a relationship filled with potential. This simple shift in terminology reflects a profound shift in mindset that can transform your business relationships and your bottom line.

Remember: Great businesses don’t close deals. They open relationships.

This discussion is particularly relevant for the principles of ethical influence, which serve as a guiding framework for educators and business leaders alike. To follow Dr. Misto’s transformative work as an ‘Influence and Growth Mentor’ and learn more about his platform MENTORTRAIL, visit his website at https://ahmadmisto.com/.