Forget The Firefighting – Do This First

“What do I do first?” This was a question asked by an overwhelmed business owner recently.

Whether a Founder, a Managing Director, or maybe a solo operator-turned-employer, whatever your title, one thing is true: The business you once built with excitement will at some stage feel like it’s running you. Emails pile up. Cash flow is tight. Your team looks to you for answers, but deep down you’re asking yourself:

Where do I even begin to sort this?

Feeling lost at the top is normal. I’ve worked with CEOs of large, established firms and owner-operators of smaller lifestyle businesses with a team of two. One thing is true, the overwhelm is universal. But, here is the good news: The solution is simple. Although it might not be what you think.

You’re Not Alone – But You Are Responsible

Every thriving business I’ve worked with has had a leader who stopped reacting and started leading. They looked inward and then outward. They started asking better questions. And they got the right support before they burned out.

The first step is simple. Not easy, but definitely simple:

Choose clarity over chaos.

Finding Your McConaissance

By the early 2000s, Matthew McConaughey was known for romantic comedies. He was successful, bankable, and typecast. But, he wasn’t fulfilled. He wanted to do serious dramatic work. Roles with depth. Stories with substance. But he knew no one in Hollywood would take that version of him seriously… he had to do that first.

So, he made a bold first step: He stopped accepting rom-com scripts entirely. For nearly two years, he turned down multimillion-dollar offers. He went dark. The phone stopped ringing. He was willing to risk it all for alignment and he stuck to his principles when the work dried up.

Then, slowly, the pivot became reality. The Lincoln Lawyer. Mud. Dallas Buyers Club. True Detective (if you haven’t seen him in that make that your next binge watch by the way). He eventually won an Oscar. The term McConaissance was born.

Over the next 3 weeks, I’ll send you a move to try – step by step, one thing at a time. That means in 1 month’s time, if you follow it, you’ll get back some clarity, focus and reignite your purpose – why you’re even doing this in the first place. Let’s start today with the first step.

This Week’s Move:  Forget the Firefighting. Start with the Mirror.

When you are under pressure the desire is for quick wins: Better cash flow, more sales, tighter processes. All valid. But there’s one pattern I see over and over: The business itself is confused because the leader is confused. Priorities follow decisions; changing priorities come from changing decisions; regularly changing priorities leads to confused staff and customers.

That’s not an insult. That’s an invitation. Before we fix your pricing strategy, your team performance, or your operational chaos, we need to answer a far more important question:

What do you want this business to do for you?

That’s the root of everything. A business is a tool to leverage what you desire from life. If you don’t define what success looks like, for your life, your family, your earnings, your sanity, you’ll be on a path to keep building something that likely doesn’t fit what you want.

Everything else builds from there.

Author: Niall McGinnity, CEO @ Nuvem9

More from the Make The First Move Series

Helping leaders and businesses drive success forward

Here at Nuvem9, we do things a bit differently – we’re not your traditional accountants or financial advisors.

We empower ambitious business owners to grow with clarity and confidence. Based in the UK, we specialise in working in creative and service-led industries that demand a financial partner who gets it — responsive, knowledgeable and always easy to talk to.

Whether you’re scaling up, navigating change, or just need someone who speaks your language, we bring experienced financial and commercial advice and proactive support that keeps your finances clear, compliant, and under control. No jargon. No delays. Just sharp insights and a team who’s got your back.

Want to see if we could be a fit for your business? Let’s connect virtually (we’ll be live, no robots here).