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“I love the fact that the radar1 has got us thinking about what we should focus on in the future … ” Bob2 said, and then paused … “but surely we should be considering other things as well.”
It was lunch break, and Bob and Jane had decided to use the time to work on their Radar2.
“What was that framework called again?” Bob asked. “Hygiene and Health?”
Jane leaned back in her chair, “Yeah, thats right. Hygiene, is about short term profitability. Health is long term. You need both, and we are obviously under-managing the long term stuff.”
Bob nodded slowly, then began counting on his fingers.
“Well … let’s see
We’ve invested in marketing to raise awareness.
We’ve lowered prices to win more business.
We’ve spent a lot of time managing accounts and offerings that haven’t been profitable.
He looked up.
“So maybe,” he said thoughtfully, “we are already doing some of the health work already?”
Health even over3 Hygiene
What it means to focus on health
Do you think the topics Bob mentioned will help improve their health?
Will they help build a sustainable business?
They sound like the right moves:
✅ Investing in marketing
✅ Lowering prices to attract more business
✅ Managing low-profit accounts and underperforming services
But here’s what we need to ask ourselves:
👉 Lowering prices might win more deals — but are they the right deals?
👉 Marketing can raise awareness — but are we attracting better business?
👉 Managing unprofitable clients might feel productive — but are we solving the root cause, or just firefighting?
👉 Maybe we should be asking ourselves: Is it time to let some of this go?
When it comes to long term profitability it’s not about chasing margins.
Have the courage to let go.
It’s about:
📌 Understanding which clients and offerings truly grow with you… and which quietly drain you.
📌 Investing in the parts of the business that scale profitably — not just the ones that keep you busy.
📌 And letting go of what doesn’t serve your future.
📌 It’s not just about doing more. It’s about doing what’s right! - Consistently and with clarity.
📌 It’s about doing what actually strengthens your business in the long run.
So if you’re serious about building a healthy, sustainable business — start with clarity.
And now for the hardest lesson of them all:
Sustainable growth doesn’t come from doing everything - it comes from doing what matters most — and having the courage to say no to the rest.
💬 I’d love to hear your thoughts:
Are you balancing short-term wins with long-term health — or are you undermanaging the future without even realizing it?
If this resonates with you, stay tuned — I’ll be exploring more silent blockers to sustainable growth in the coming posts, starting with one that’s surprisingly common (and rarely admitted): underdelegation.
Long term profitability is not about chasing margins
MEET THE WRITER
Damian Barnett …
is a seasoned Technology & Business Leader with global experience across the U.S. and Europe. Having held roles in Sales, Engineering, and as a former CTO and Marketing Lead, he brings a cross-functional perspective to the challenges of growth and transformation. Damian specialises in intentionally scaling teams and organisations, helping companies move beyond operational maintenance toward long-term, sustainable success and regularly shares his insights on leadership and transformation.
The views expressed here are Damian’s own and do not necessarily reflect those of his current or former employers.
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1 To find out more about Radar’s - as they will be popping up regularly - read https://newsletter.themvpletter.com/p/offthemill and Check out MVP’s Radar App here: https://staxmpa.vercel.app/radar
2 “Bob” and “Jane” are completely fictitious characters. If you’re thinking, “Wait… I know them,” then congratulations — you are in good company! 😉
3 If you’d like to learn more about the concept of “even over” and how to use it to drive clarity in your organization, check out Unblocked by Jurriaan Kamer.