A couple years ago I was discussing a potential project with the CEO of $70M...

Noah Fleming

April 17, 2025

A couple years ago I was discussing a potential project with the CEO of $70M company that desperately needed to upgrade their sales processes, management training, and technology stack. Their own conservative analysis showed these improvements would generate at minimum a 2% increase in annual revenue - about $1.4M extra per year, mostly pure profit.

The solution would cost $150,000 and take 90 days to implement.

Their response? "Too expensive. We need to research alternatives."

That was TWO YEARS AGO.

They're still "researching" - and have now foregone $2.8M in additional revenue (roughly $2.5M in profit) to avoid spending $150,000 on something they themselves calculated would work.

This happens because of what I call the "Tyranny of Input Thinking"

Companies become so fixated on upfront costs that they completely lose sight of the outcomes those investments generate. It's like focusing on how many hours your employees work rather than what they actually accomplish.

Here's a thought experiment that illustrates this perfectly...

Would you rather have an employee who:

Works 14 hours daily but completes only 60% of their work

Works 5 hours daily, finishes 100% of their tasks, AND identifies new value opportunities

The answer seems obvious, yet I consistently see leaders obsessing over inputs (hours, costs, resources) at the expense of outputs (results, revenue, growth).

This backward prioritization is crippling businesses across every industry I consult with. And it's completely unnecessary.

The truth is simple: You don't pay for hours. You pay for value.

Next time you're evaluating an investment decision, force yourself to quantify the opportunity cost of inaction. What are you leaving on the table by waiting, researching, or saying no?

I guarantee the numbers will shock you.

🎥 Check out my video for more on this concept and a challenge that will transform how your organization approaches productivity and growth.

What's the most significant opportunity your company is currently "researching" instead of executing? The comments section is open for honest reflection.