Most teams aren’t underperforming.

They’re just operating with friction they can’t see.

Marketing is optimizing for leads no one can close
Sales is rewriting the pitch on every call
Ops is patching over problems product never solved

The machine looks like it’s moving.

And now AI is entering the system, which makes it worse.

Because AI doesn’t fix friction.

It amplifies whatever’s already there.

• If your GTM is scattered, AI just scales noise.

• If your workflows are messy, AI moves bad work faster.

• If your leadership loop is broken, AI accelerates the disconnect.

What the best teams do differently:

They simplify before they scale.
They align before they automate.
They subtract before they multiply.

Because growth isn’t about more motion.
It’s about removing drag — and then applying force.

What I’m seeing:

The operators who are winning in this market aren’t chasing the next tool.

They’re fixing the system first
Then they’re using AI, capital, and team capacity as multipliers.

If you’re seeing this friction show up in your world.
Hit reply and subscribe. I’d love to hear how you’re navigating it.