The Propeller - you'll like this! - 5-11-2025

Entrepreneurship: A Masterclass in Business Metrics

When shopping for a few sodas recently, I noticed something strange:

A 12-pack of Coke was $5.99

A 24-pack case was $14.99

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That’s $0.50 per can if you buy two 12-packs…

…vs. $0.62 per can if you buy the 24-pack.

Let that sink in.

The bigger package was more expensive per unit.

And yet, people were still grabbing the 24-pack without thinking twice.

Why?

Because people:

– Don’t run the numbers
– Assume bigger = better
– Trust the packaging, not the math

Here’s the business lesson:

If you’re not obsessively looking at the right numbers in your business, you’re probably leaving profit on the shelf too.

A few real-world business examples…

– A marketing agency offering packages with more services at lower margins, thinking it’s a “better deal” for clients but never checking profitability per hour.

– A contractor who discounts full-home remodels to land big projects, not realizing they’re making more per hour doing smaller, high-margin repairs.

– A bank offering a premium business account with all the bells and whistles, but when they ran the numbers, it cost more to service than it earned.

Here’s how to apply this in your business:

1. Know Your Profit Per Unit

Whether it’s per product, per service or per hour, you should know which offers actually drive profit — not just revenue.

2. Audit Your “Best Sellers”

Sometimes your most popular offerings are your least profitable.

Run a true cost analysis — including time, labor and emotional bandwidth.

3. Don’t Confuse Volume With Value

Growth doesn’t always mean doing more. It often means doing the right things more consistently.

4. Train Your Team to Think Like CFOs

Everyone — from sales to fulfillment — should understand the impact of margin and cost efficiency.

Teach them to ask, “Is this the 24-pack?”

Bottom line…

If you’re not watching your cost per can, you’re probably wasting money.

You don’t get rich scaling inefficiency.

You get rich scaling what works.

Where have you found the overpriced 24-pack in your business?

And for those not interested in the business aspect of this, be careful when you go grocery shopping. Many times the smaller package is cheaper per ounce/unit/can/etc. Be especially careful at places like Costco and Sam’s Club when you buy those huge packages, the per unit price is usually not cheaper than just going to your regular grocery store – and you’re forced to buy a LOT of whatever it is. These warehouse clubs use tactics like odd sizes to fool you into thinking you’re getting a deal. Do the math!

Entrepreneurship: The Secret to Entrepreneurial Success

Every aspiring entrepreneur has been there, drowning in a sea of advice, opinions, and endless “must-do” lists. One expert says you need a perfect business plan, another insists on market research, and yet another swears by networking before launching. But here’s the truth: 99% of advice is noise. The real answer? Just start. It’s that simple. No amount of planning will replace the lessons learned from actually doing. Action beats theory every time. The fastest way to learn? Get your Minimal Viable Product (MVP) to market.

Think about the most successful entrepreneurs. They didn’t wait for the perfect moment, the perfect strategy, or the perfect funding. They took the leap, launched an MVP, and refined it based on real customer feedback. Your first version won’t be perfect, and that’s okay. The magic happens when you start, iterate, and grow. So stop overthinking, stop waiting, and stop searching for the “right” way. Just start. Get your MVP out there, test, learn, and improve. Your future self will thank you.

Tech: 8 Hidden Copilot and ChatGPT Commands That 90% of Users Don’t Know

Most people use ChatGPT like this:

“Write a post,”
“Make a list,”
“Explain this…”

But if you’re doing that, you’re missing out on 90% of its real power.

Here are 8 advanced commands that will make Copilot and ChatGPT work at its full potential:

“Act as…” – Turns Copilot and ChatGPT into any expert.
→ Generic prompts give weak answers. Defining a clear role improves results dramatically.
→ Example: “Act as a luxury brand marketer. Develop a high-end product promotion strategy.”

“Break this answer down into 3 levels: beginner, advanced, expert.”
→ You get a response tailored to different skill levels.
→ Perfect for learning, articles, scripts, and marketing.

“Write this in the style of [author, blog, book, article].”
→ ChatGPT can mimic specific writing styles if you provide examples.
→ Great for content creation, storytelling, and email marketing.

“Turn this into a step-by-step guide with a checklist.”
→ Converts complex topics into easy-to-follow instructions.
→ Ideal for tutorials, guides, and SOPs.

“Ask me 5 clarifying questions before answering.”
→ Forces Copilot and ChatGPT to deeply understand your request before responding.
→ Useful for business strategy, problem-solving, and development.

“Give me 3 unconventional solutions to this problem.”
→ Copilot and ChatGPT usually provides obvious answers. This command makes it think outside the box.
→ Perfect for brainstorming and innovation.

“Analyze this text and improve it based on three factors: [structure, engagement, tone].”
→ Instead of writing from scratch, refine and optimize existing content.
→ Great for blogs, marketing copy, and sales pages.

“Compare the pros and cons of these options and suggest the best one.”
→ Helps you analyze ideas, products, or strategies efficiently.
→ Quick way to identify strengths and weaknesses before making a decision.

Bonus Tip:

If Copilot or ChatGPT’s answers seem weak, use the Generate → Criticize → Rewrite method:

1. First, ask it to generate a response.
2. Then, tell it: “Analyze this answer and find weaknesses or areas for improvement.”
3. Finally, say: “Now rewrite it, improving based on your own critique.”

Finance/Investing: The Huge Effect of Mortgage Rates on Payments

Ah, mortgage rates, the silent budget assassin lurking in the shadows of homeownership dreams. When interest rates rise, your once-reasonable monthly payment can balloon into something resembling a second and third car payment (except this one last for 30 years). A higher rate means you’re not just paying for the house, you’re paying for the privilege of borrowing money to buy the house. And trust me, lenders aren’t shy about collecting their cut. That cozy little bungalow you had your eye on? With a higher interest rate, it might start feeling more like a luxury mansion – at least in terms of what you’re shelling out each month. Suddenly, your budget for avocado toast and weekend getaways is looking a little thin.

Here are some hard number examples:

30-Year Fixed Mortgage Rates:
• 2020: ~2.68%
• 2025: ~6.78%

A $300,000 mortgage now costs significantly more in interest over its lifetime.

Impact on Monthly Payments:
• 2020 Mortgage: ~$1,200/month
• 2025 Mortgage: ~$1,950/month

That’s an extra $750 every month, or $9,000 annually.

Now, if you’re one of the rare unicorns who can pay cash for a house, congratulations, you’ve officially won the game of real estate. No mortgage means no interest payments, no lender breathing down your neck, and no waking up in a cold sweat wondering if rates will spike again. Paying cash lets you sidestep the financial rollercoaster entirely, leaving you free to enjoy your home without the burden of decades-long debt. Plus, sellers love cash buyers, which can give you an edge in negotiations. So while the rest of us are calculating how much of our paycheck is going straight to the bank, cash buyers are out there living their best lives – probably sipping coffee in a fully paid-off kitchen

Quote of the Week

“The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page.”
Saint Augustine

Travel isn’t just about seeing new places, it’s about expanding your understanding of the world.
Every journey is like turning the page of a book that’s constantly unfolding. When you stay in one place, you miss out on the richness that the world offers.

This quote reminds us that we can only truly know the world (and ourselves) by stepping out of our comfort zones. Every trip, big or small, is a new chapter in your own personal story.

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This is re-published from the weekly email sent by Leonard Mack entitled The Propeller. To subscribe, visit https://www.LeonardMack.com/subscribe and read it every Sunday evening.

This intellectual nourishment is intended for informational purposes only. One should not construe anything herein as being legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice.

My rule is this – I have no advice to give, only experience to share. I have no interest in being a guru or telling people what they should do. Rather, I share my own experience because there is no right or wrong. Your mileage may vary.

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