People in Business: The Foundational Pillar and Its Challenges

As someone who's been documenting my entrepreneurship journey for 1,817 consecutive days, I've learnt a thing or two about what truly makes or breaks a business. Today, I want to focus on people—why they're absolutely vital for any business, and why they can also be the hardest aspect to manage.

Whether you're an employee, business owner, partner, or part of any team, you'll inevitably work with people. And with that comes both massive opportunities and significant headaches.

The Three Pillars of Business Success

From my experience, there are three foundational pillars that support any successful, sustainable, and scalable business:

• People

• Systems and Processes

• Data

All three are equally important—for now! With the rise of AI and automation, the role of people might diminish in the future, but that’s a topic for another day. For today, let's keep people firmly in the spotlight.

Why People Are So Variable

Unlike systems, which are pretty black and white (they either work or they don’t), people come with their own personalities, agendas, and ambitions. Whether it’s company owners, partners, employees, contractors, or suppliers, every individual brings something unique to the table—and sometimes, that uniqueness leads to friction.

When everyone sticks to their word and plays their part, business relationships flourish. But when things go off-script, that's where the trouble starts. The key issue is that managing people is rarely black and white—more often, it’s various shades of grey.

The Challenge of Partnerships

Having run businesses both with partners and independently, I’ve seen the complexities partnerships can introduce. Sure, a great partnership can fast-track growth—especially when skills are complementary. But personal circumstances change, and when they do, it can quickly lead to deadlock or chaos. That’s why I now prefer running ventures solo. It might scale a bit slower, but the simplicity and autonomy make it worthwhile for me.

People Management: The Real Challenge

Even with the best systems in place, it all falls apart if people aren’t on board. Getting the right people—those who fit the culture and buy into your vision—is incredibly challenging. I’ve found that sometimes, less is more. Keeping lean teams and working with a select handful of the right people can save a world of stress and complexity.

My Approach Moving Forward

These days, I’m not chasing stratospheric growth. I’m focused on building lifestyle businesses that give me autonomy and allow me to help others without the added complexities of large partnerships or teams. For those still growing and scaling, just remember: people are your greatest asset, but they can also be your biggest challenge.

Final Thoughts

People will always be central to business—at least for the foreseeable future. If you’re building a business, focus on the right relationships, keep things simple, and never underestimate the human variable.

Stay positive. Stay happy. See you tomorrow!