Steve says recurring or subscription revenue can provide more visibility, but customers can still cancel and different arrangements do not offer equal certainty. A recurring offer needs an ongoing reason to stay, such as a clear benefit or reward for loyal customers, rather than a subscription label alone.

Recurring revenue can reduce uncertainty without removing churn
Contract and payment structures create different levels of predictability
Customers need a continuing reason to remain subscribed
Loyal subscribers should receive a meaningful benefit

“not all 46 30 recurring revenues created equal”
Steve McLeod · 46:30

“what's the reason what's the benefit how 47 00 are you going to reward your loyal subscribers”
Steve McLeod · 46:30

#recurring revenue#subscription#retention

Hot Take· 1

Hot Take19:30

Steve's Extreme-Hours Crisis Work Stance

Steve argues that founders facing an acute threat or unusual opportunity should temporarily work extremely long hours, describing 15-plus-hour days and his own severely shortened sleep that week. This is a time-specific personal stance from March 2020, not an established requirement for business survival or a health recommendation.

Steve frames extraordinary effort as a temporary crisis response
He applies the stance to both threatened businesses and unusual opportunities
His claim that extreme hours are necessary is an opinion, not demonstrated fact
He reports sleeping only a few hours on several nights that week

“right now if you're not working 15 plus hours a day”
Steve McLeod · 19:30

“I reckon I went to bed at 2 30 a m I 33 30 was up at 6 00 a m”
Steve McLeod · 33:00

#work ethic#founder mindset#crisis

Explainer· 1

Explainer14:00

Purpose Sets the Boundary for Selling

Steve says a crisis should push founders back to why their business exists and whom it is meant to help. In his view, selling remains legitimate when the company delivers on its promises and gives customers value for money; purpose supplies the ethical test rather than removing the need to sell.

Return to the reason the business exists
Connect sales activity to a real customer benefit
Deliver on promises rather than relying on sympathetic messaging
Do not confuse helpful selling with sitting passively and waiting

“going back to our purpose which is why are we actually in”
Steve McLeod · 14:00

“there's nothing wrong with selling every business and every person sells something as long as we're selling it in the right way”
Steve McLeod · 14:30

#purpose#sales#customer value

Q&A· 1

Q&A43:30

Should You Launch During a Crisis?

Steve's answer is conditional: launching can make sense when the founder can identify a customer, a current important problem, and a credible way to help. He advises tempering growth projections and modelling costs against slower outcomes rather than assuming the original forecast will hold.

A crisis does not eliminate every launch opportunity
The offer should solve a specific problem that remains relevant now
Founders should be able to name the ideal customer and the help provided
Costs should also work under lower growth scenarios

“if we can still help those problems and those problems are still relevant today then I think it's great time to launch a business”
Steve McLeod · 44:00

“if you cannot answer who is my ideal customer what is the problem that they have this is how I solve it and help them…”
Steve McLeod · 45:00

#launch#customer problem#entrepreneurship

Takeaway· 3

Takeaway08:30

Keep Selling Without Exploiting a Crisis

Steve argues that businesses should not automatically stop sales and marketing during a downturn, because revenue remains a recovery lever. He draws a firm distinction between offering relevant help and using a crisis as a pretext to profit from fear, warning that the latter can damage the brand.

Preserve sales activity that can still reach buying customers
Make the message about how the business can genuinely help
Use free content, demonstrations, or trials where they fit the need
Avoid fear-based targeting or opportunistic crisis language

“sales is what's going to get them through”
Steve McLeod · 09:30

“let's not go and take advantage of people let's make sure we help people with the areas that really need”
Steve McLeod · 13:00

#ethical sales#brand#crisis marketing

Takeaway16:00

Limit News Exposure to Protect Focus

Nathan describes a personal episode of consuming extensive news and then going into what he calls panic mode. Steve says he checks the news once near the end of the day and otherwise concentrates on decisions within the business's control. This is their personal focus practice, not a medical recommendation.

Nathan says heavy news consumption negatively affected his state
Steve limits his own news check to once a day
Move attention from uncontrollable events to actionable business choices
Stay informed without repeatedly refreshing distressing coverage

“I went deep and it just absolutely just [ __ ] with my head”
Nathan Chan · 16:30

“I look at it once a day six seven pm”
Steve McLeod · 19:00

#focus#news#mindset

Takeaway24:00

Remote Teams Still Need Informal Connection

Nathan says he feels some disconnection after the move to remote work and considers leaving the video call open around lunch. Steve suggests asking the team to design a rhythm for social contact, such as virtual coffee, games, or another shared challenge, instead of imposing one activity from above.

Remote work can remove the social contact some people draw energy from
Leave room for optional informal interaction
Ask the team what kind of connection would actually help
Use a repeatable social rhythm rather than a one-off gesture

“I'm feeling a little bit kind of 24 00 like that disconnection”
Nathan Chan · 24:00

“ask them and say you know what team I'm not sure they're gonna be able to work at our best”
Steve McLeod · 24:30

#remote work#team culture#connection

Frameworks in this episode

Crisis Scenario Response Map

Existing-Customer Discovery Sprint

Greatest-Good Business Triage

Key-Person Continuity One-Pager

Needs-versus-Wants Cash Review

Remote Team Accountability Rhythm

Insights & moments

⚡Myth Buster· 1

Recurring Revenue Is Not Automatically Durable

◆Hot Take· 1