You Thought You Could Fix It Later

Jerry Brazie has built, bought, and sold more than a dozen companies over thirty years. He was doing $25 million a year in revenue and clearing a quarter million a month in profit when a $4 million transportation company came across his desk. He took the financials to his peer group — the same people he'd been sitting with for twelve years, whose advice had helped build everything he had. They said no. He came back the next month with more answers. They said no again. He bought it anyway. The integration started falling apart almost immediately. It took three to four years of working through the wreckage to discover that the quarter million he thought he was making should have been $310,000 — his core business had been leaking while he was looking the other direction. Six years and roughly $10 million later, he was out. "I was high on my own supply." Guest links: KronosGroup.org If you recognized something in this episode — joesteele.com Follow Decision State on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube. ________________________________ CHAPTERS 00:00 — “Everything Is Your Fault” 00:34 — What Jerry Is Running Right Now 03:24 — “I’m The Rock Everyone Crashes Against” 05:57 — Running Multiple Companies Simultaneously 08:01 — The Acquisition Everyone Told Him Not To Make 13:07 — When He Realized They Were Right 15:43 — “I Was High On My Own Supply” 15:52 — The Hire You Already Knew Was Wrong 19:13 — The Difference Between A Bad Hire And A Bad Deal 21:57 — Why Speed Felt Safer Than Hesitation 25:25 — Momentum Over Clarity 31:24 — The Voice He Never Forgot