Gwen Bortner is a business advisor who provides outside perspective and unwavering accountability. She’s also the one to ask the hard questions others won't. After four decades of working across 47+ industries, Gwen has learned that marketing and sales have built-in feedback loops — you know quickly if they're working. But the behind-the-scenes engine that runs your business? That's where the blind spots live. That's where successful businesses secretly start breaking down, even when everything looks fine from the outside. Gwen's monthly newsletter provides tips to help you identify bottlenecks others miss so you can build a business that performs well without consuming your life.
[Weekly Question] Do you know the difference between an investment and an expense?
|
Reader — Many business owners struggle to distinguish between investment and expense – an investment, of course, being something with a rate of return that exceeds its cost, while an expense is a cost of doing business. What recent business purchase are you justifying as an investment that might actually be an unnecessary expense? Or what expense have you been avoiding that might actually be an investment? Think about it – and let me know what comes up. I’d love to hear from you (and give you some personalized feedback!) Speak soon, Gwen |
Gwen Bortner | Everyday Effectiveness
Gwen Bortner is a business advisor who provides outside perspective and unwavering accountability. She’s also the one to ask the hard questions others won't. After four decades of working across 47+ industries, Gwen has learned that marketing and sales have built-in feedback loops — you know quickly if they're working. But the behind-the-scenes engine that runs your business? That's where the blind spots live. That's where successful businesses secretly start breaking down, even when everything looks fine from the outside. Gwen's monthly newsletter provides tips to help you identify bottlenecks others miss so you can build a business that performs well without consuming your life.
Reader — With just two days left in 2025, I’m making this email relatively short and sweet. No matter how you feel about this year, it’s about to be over. The calendar page turns whether we want it to or not. If you haven’t yet, I recommend spending a little time reflecting on the year and deciding what you want to carry forth into 2026 and what you want to leave behind. Deep Thoughts on Finish Lines Tonya and I had some fun crossing episodes with our friends over at Listening for the...
Reader — Running your own business can take so much from you – but it can give so much back, too. What are you grateful for in your business? What does running your own business allow you to do, that you might not otherwise be able to? I’d love to hear what comes up for you, so let me know! I read and respond to every email personally. Speak soon, Gwen
Reader — As we head into the final stretch of the year, I want to pause and simply say thank you. Thank you for opening these emails each month. Thank you for replying — we really do read every single one. Thank you for listening to the podcast, showing up to our events, sharing the episodes, and telling your friends about the work we do here. Every time you engage with something Tonya or I create, it reminds us why we do this. Your trust and attention are gifts we don’t take lightly. Back to...