You Can’t Read the Label from Inside the Jar

Recently, we were in a room full of business owners…folks who had been working together in a close-knit ecosystem for months. The topic?

Marketing and social media.

At the beginning, everyone was a little tense. A little unsure. They all admitted some version of the same thing:

“I feel overwhelmed.” “I don’t know what to say.” “I’m not sure I’m doing this right.” “We don’t have the time or people for this.”

It was clear they felt undermanned and unprepared to show up online

Then something powerful happened…

The rest of the room, all business owners who knew each other, started jumping in.

• “Have you ever tried this?”

• “Here’s what I’ve seen work.”

• “You should totally post that story — that’s gold.”

• “If I were you, I’d be showing this part of the business.”

And suddenly, the people who felt stuck… weren’t stuck anymore.

One by one they said, “Wow. I would’ve never thought of that on my own.”

What they needed wasn’t a social media guru or a million-dollar campaign. They needed perspective…someone outside their “jar” who could read the label.

This isn’t just about marketing!

We met with a business owner not long ago who felt equally stuck but in a completely different way.

He had a clear problem in his company. And he’d already decided the only solution was to hire someone new.

But as we started asking questions, something became clear:

• What if someone on your current team could step up?

• What if a contractor could handle it?

• What if you personally need to be the one doing this — for now?

The conversation opened up options he hadn’t considered.

And later that day, he texted us:

“Today’s meeting was incredibly beneficial. My brain is on fires with ideas. Got a lot of clarity.”

Again, all it took was a little external input to unlock clarity and momentum.

Guess what, you’re not broken — you’re just inside the jar!

This happens to leaders all the time.

They’re not confused because they are bad at business. They’rejust too close to their own problems.

You can’t read the label from inside the jar.

That’s why outside voices matter:

• A trusted peer

• A sharp coach

• A team of fellow business owners who’ve been in the trenches too

You don’t always need someone to solve the problem for you, you just need someone to help you see it clearly.

Your Turn

What decision are you stuck on right now? What challenge feels like a wall you can’t break through?

Maybe it’s not that you’re out of options…maybe you’re just missing perspective.

• Ask someone outside your jar.

• Borrow a brain or two.

Do whatever you need to do to get help reading your 'label'!