Fear is the single biggest barrier preventing business leaders from making necessary changes. In this episode, we tackle the core fear many founders face: "What are they going to think of me?".

Dean warns against staying in a business due to familial maps or external expectations (like second-generation ownership) when economics dictate failure. He emphasizes that this is a mindset issue: you must be ready to change how you think. If you merely fake the change, the effort will fail.

We explore why experts and smart people get themselves into the most trouble—they believe they are too brilliant to follow simple rules (like a pilot ignoring the fuel gauge). The path to overcoming fear is through radical self-accountability. Dean shares his realization: you must accept that you are "already wrong in some way, to some degree I’m not yet aware of". This truth is freeing.

To manage overwhelming stress and anxiety—the indicators of problems ahead—Dean provides a practical solution: Document your issues. Writing down every stressor and anxiety moves them from the "forefront of your brain to the back," immediately clearing brain capacity and reducing stress by at least 25%. Stop pretending everything is fine—you'll only change when everything is shattered, so why not do it the easy way now?.

Next time, we discuss the essential components of leadership.

If you're ready to stop spinning and start winning, this hour is the best investment you'll make.

• Pre-order/Order Trojan Horse: The Unseen Solution to Critical Business Problems, dropping Fall 2025.

• Learn to identify your unseen problems: DeanSvarc.com