I hop out of bed every morning...fired up and excited to get to work.

Why?

God has a plan.  I finally realized I'm along for the ride, but I need to be an active participant.

His plan put me in situations where I succeeded, failed, and learn some tough lessons.
Likely true for most of us.

After selling my startup I "fell" into the world of executive search.  And I loved it.  Still do (strange to say).

Then it happened.

God sent me down a path I didn't see coming.  An opportunity to join a startup as employee #4...at at time where I had found comfort running a small consultancy - and success.  

I didn't think I could learn, grow and frankly, find ways to be better at this point in my career.
Instrumentum is a special place, with an amazing team.  We are reinventing the surgical landscape.

Change is hard.  We are a dedicated bunch, committed to seeing this through.

As Chairman and Founder of Cruxible Partners, I get to watch an amazing group of talented "talent finders" grow that business as well.

Unfortunately, that's not how many people feel about their job, or their state in life.
Doesn't need to be that way.

Trust God, but don't be a passive participant in the journey.

Try a hobby.
Start a side hustle.
Meet new people (on LinkedIn, I've met some wonderful people who inspire and teach here).

If I can be this energized at this stage, so can you...

Pete Durand

MacGyver’d the hotel AC today.  

Taking video calls from the desk, AC blowing 40 degree air on my bald noggin unless I shut it off.  

Then sauna like temps. 

Improvised a little curtain. 

Problem solved.  

#macgyver

President, Instrumentum | Host of the Eating Crow Podcast | Chairman, Cruxible Partners

No alternative text description for this image

Most companies have a plan.  

We do. 

2025 was about laying a foundation after several acquisitions and heavy integration. 

A few lessons, a few scars, and a few wins.  

Looking back it’s about the people who joined the team more than anything.   Amazing people.  

We laid the foundation together. 
We built this plan together. 

2026 is off to a great start - we are firing on all cylinders, well ahead of plan.

It’s rare air.  

Grateful for our team who work tirelessly to care for our customers, travel nonstop and support each other. 

Many of us go through entire work life without experiencing this feeling. 

I freaking love my job and am blessed to know how lucky I am.  Heard the same energy from our team today 💪👍👏

Hope everyone finds an opportunity to be part of a fast growing company who isn’t afraid to dare, think big, stumble now and then, but get back up and go. 

It’s a blast. 

Jeff Eardley Dean E. Darby Hubbell Rachel Meador (Knorr) Austin Wratchford, FACHE Bradley Schoening, CFO, MBA, CPA Ken Maready Jennifer Del Real, MSHRM Candy Schlicklin

SPD is not a sexy investment conversation.

Until you see the numbers.

I'm presenting at LSI USA '26 next week in Dana Point, CA — and I'll be making the case that the most overlooked bottleneck in surgical growth isn't clinical. It's operational.

Health systems are adding ORs. Recruiting surgeons. Forecasting case volume.

And then hitting a wall they didn't see coming.

Tray capacity. Sterilization throughput. SPD.

Instrumentum removes that ceiling. Variable costs tied to volume. No massive capital outlay. No construction timeline.

The ASC market grew 33% year over year. That growth goes somewhere.

Make sure it's going to you.

See you in Dana Point.

"I'm so sorry, how can I help?" 

This response seems natural, but ACTUALLY helping tends to put us in a place of discomfort, and so we say it, but don't really mean it.

This hit me during my morning meditation.  The topic:  The Corporal Works of Mercy (Matthew 25:35-46): 

Feed the hungry
Give drink to the thirsty
Clothe the naked
Shelter the homeless
Visit the sick
Visit the imprisoned
Bury the dead

If I'm being honest, my batting average is low here.

Jesus wasn't pulling any punches.  How will we be judged by these works?

Time to reassess my priorities, which typically focus on "things of this world" and prayer, when action should the call of the day.

Visit the imprisoned?  

Pick any of the above; probably not at the top of most of our to-do lists.

Perhaps they should be?

Admitting there is a better way is difficult.




Southwest's new "That Was Wild" ad campaign does this with humor, humility and tremendous creativity.

At Instrumentum, we are constantly trying to find a better way.  The industry needs it, the old ways don't work.

And yes, it's wild 🙃

Michal Bohanes

Stop Depending on Referrals. Helping 120+ B2B Consultants Add an Extra $30k/m & Solve Client Acquisition Forever

𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐦 #𝟏 for Owners of B2B Service Businesses: 
Depending on Referrals, Inbound & Network --> Revenue Volatility.
𝐒𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: Learn how to approach & convert strangers. Here's how we'll do it 👇

🏭 𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐖𝐄 𝐃𝐎 and 👨 𝐖𝐇𝐎 𝐖𝐄 𝐒𝐄𝐑𝐕𝐄 👩
We work with Agencies, Consultants & other B2B Service Providers
We help you
✅ define 3-5 offers &  5-10 pain points
✅ reach out to strangers via Cold Email & DMs
✅ test different pain-offer combinations, see what books sales calls
✅ build consistent deal flow that eliminates volatility & adds $10-50k/month revenue

Most of all, we help you reach a predictable CAC-LTV ratio
(Client Acquisition Cost - Customer LifeTime Value)
Once we're done with you, you will know your formula:
Put $1 in, get $3-5 out.
Consistently.
Predictably.

190+ clients served.
Every one of them who followed our playbook
…got at least a 300% ROI within six months (many got way more than that)

🥂 𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐔𝐋𝐓𝐒
𝐍𝐢𝐤 𝐋𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐨𝐬 - Data & AI consultant depending on referrals. Closed $85k in new business from 3 deals originated via LinkedIn conversations.
𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐲 𝐊𝐚𝐮𝐟𝐦𝐚𝐧 - Productized his done-for-you service into a course & coaching format, went from 0-$20k/mo in a few months' time
𝐃𝐚𝐧𝐚 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐚 - from employee to marketing agency owner - closed her first $4k client within 6 weeks
"That clarity I got in our first session was worth the entire investment"
𝐓𝐨𝐧𝐲 𝐖𝐢𝐥𝐬𝐨𝐧 - Fractional CFO - signed his first $5k/month retainer client within 2 months
𝐏𝐚𝐯𝐥𝐞 𝐌𝐢𝐡𝐚𝐣𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐜 - PE consultant, added 4 large retainer clients
𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐯𝐞 𝐂𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐬 - Fractional CMO. 126 personalized outreaches, 3 calls booked, 1 closed (at $5.5k/mo)
𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐤 𝐖𝐨𝐣𝐜𝐢𝐤 - HR consultant, from inconsistent 5-$10k months to $25k/mo
"The results I got were nothing short of incredible."
𝐋𝐢𝐳 𝐃𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐧 - closed her first $5k coaching client (who paid on the call) within 5 days of working with us 
“I can’t believe what just happened, happened!”

Many more on: www.AlphaLeadAcademy.com (scroll down)

🧪 𝐇𝐎𝐖 𝐃𝐎 𝐖𝐄 𝐃𝐎 𝐈𝐓?
Cold email & DMs, Lead Nurturing, Closing.
It's not difficult. 1000s people just like you have done it. You can do it, too.

Best part - we have a money back guarantee.
If you don’t make money, we don’t make money.
The risk is 100% on our end, so we’re on the hook to get you the results 😬.

Curious?
Go to www.AlphaLeadAcademy.com (sorry, you’ll have to copy-paste this one)

I see you over there!
Much love
Michal

Founder and CEO

WHAT WE DO
We help you (small B2B company, solopreneur) build an effective client acquisition system taking into account that some people want to sign up NOW and others need more time.

HOW DO WE DO IT
We help you implement The Funnel 🔻and The Pot 🍲 in your business - 
🔻 Create a compelling acquisition journey for your inbound prospects, taking into account all possible questions and objections they may have.
🍲 Gradually build a content powerhouse that allows you to nurture the "maybe later" people who simply need more time.
Our system allows you to do both: Win new clients instantly as well as create assets for the long run. 

SPECIAL SAUCE
We're not a one-size-fits-all kind of company. 
✅ You need to win new clients pronto? No problem, we'll create a plan to do that. (watch how Dana got herself a client in her first two weeks and Liz in 4 days and Matt made $30k within 11 days of working with us: www.alphaleadacademy.com)
✅ Business is fine, you just want to add rocket fuel? Bingo, we'll create the greatest Pot 🍲 the world has ever seen.
So far, EVERY single client of ours who consistently applied our methodology had at least 300% ROI. And even if it takes you a while - we work together until you start winning big.

KNOW MORE? 
Learn more at www.alphaleadacademy.com

Excellent Cold Email. 👇

Here's why it wins:

1) Leads with identity. 
It shouldn't matter, of course, that he's a father of 3 and husband. 
But in a world where childless bros dominate, it's a different style

2) Shows his numbers
65% close rate is insane. And I'm sure that's not from cold traffic. Can't be. 
Even Hormozi wouldn't accept such a close rate. In this case, you're underpriced. 
But it sure grabs attention.

3) Uses the right lingo. 
He knows his audience. 
In other cases, "B2C Biz Op" and DFY DWY verbiage might land flat. 
But that's the world I inhabit. 
So good on him

4) Actually links to a recent sales call video. 
It's very recent. Like 3 weeks old. 
I can IMMEDIATELY check his work. 
However, this probably also means that he's personalizing heavily and NOT running a spray and pray campaign. 
(otherwise a link in a first email would destroy his deliverability.)
The alternative would be to send a question if I'm ok with him sending me that link. 

Really well done Milos.

I build outbound + VSL growth engines for agencies & B2B consultants​ ==​> replace referrals with 10–20 qualified sales calls/month | CEO & Founder at Alpha Lead Academy | 200+ clients served, 2000+ sales calls booked

The main reason you HAVE to do VIDEO 

...is that more and more people sound the same in writing. 

Just read an interesting post from someone I know. 
But it didn't SOUND like them. 
No idea: was it THEM or the MACHINE? 

And that's why video is such a must. 
Sure, at some point the bots will be good enough to impersonate people. 
But for now, it's not good enough yet.

Peter Steinberger (founder of OpenClaw)

“As soon as it smells like AI, I block. Zero-tolerance policy.”

The more senior your decision maker avatar, the less tolerance there will be for AI generated content, even if it emanates directly from your previous content. 

Use AI directly for content generation AT YOUR PERIL. 

AI needs to be deployed behind the scenes:
1) Scouring the best performing hooks & serving them to you on a silver platter
2) Suggesting the best bits from a recent podcast appearance you made
3) Summarizing interesting points you made on a recent coaching call and suggesting 1-minute clips from that. 
4) Taking a recorded ramble from you and organizing your thoughts. 

But it should NOT script your content for you. 
People will smell it. 
And the most valuable members of audience will, like Steinberger, apply a zero tolerance approach and block you. 
And then their eyeballs are gone from your content forever. 

Don't risk that. 
You are the FIREWALL that separates your audience from the ocean of AI slop. 
Build up that trust. 
And never ever betray it.

AI can create a more beautiful Mona Lisa 

Its value would be zero. 

Sam Altman: "The value that people put on visually perfect, AI-generated art... effectively rounds to zero.”

Why?

2 reasons:
1) Beautiful AI images are abundant and extremely cheap to produce. 
And although the Louvre is big, it's still one building with a finite amount of rooms. 
Scarcity drives value. 

2) The story behind the art is what makes it really valuable
That's why even a miniature replica of Michelangelo's David costs $9.99
And the real deal has throngs of people staring at it in awe.

David is not only artistic perfection.
It's about how Michelangelo made it and how he suffered making it.
It's what it symbolizes in the context of Florentine history. 
It's what his determined gaze meant to the city.
It's all its "baggage" that makes the statue so uniquely precious.

It turns out, we don't really revere the art itself. 
We revere the artist.
The fact a mere mortal, made from the same flesh and blood as us, was able to produce something so unimaginably beautiful and imbue it with so much meaning that centuries later, people worship at its feet (literally).
THAT is what we celebrate. 

In art, and - to a lesser extent - in business.
We work with and trust the people whose content is infused with experience

Takeaway for YOUR content creation journey? 
First - Write well. Speak well. Make "good art". 
Technical mastery of 
--> hooks
--> storytelling
--> topic selection
--> cliché avoidance 
--> laying out an argument
--> questioning yourself whether you're just parroting others
and a million other things that matter in business content, whether LinkedIn or YouTube.

Invest in being actually GOOD with content. 

Second - Keep it human
Use AI for idea generation, parsing & structuring your thoughts - sure. 
But for God's sake don't allow it to "edit" for you. 
Or - even worse - actually do the writing and YOU then edit it. 

Write and speak your own words.
Always.

Should you mention in the cold email

...how much you charge?  🤔

No. 

And here's why. 

Because we want the prospect to respond. 
Not to analyze. 

Sharing the fee up front kicks off a thought process
1) "Is 15% good or bad?"
2) "I think this other guy I spoke to does 12%"
3) "Hmm, I guess I should start shopping this around..."

So Version 2 wins. 
Keeping them curious gets more replies.

We send prospects a video telling them to cancel the sales call.

Before they even show up.

Sounds insane.

It's our highest-converting asset.

We call it a Thesis Video.

Here's what's in it 👇

1. Our philosophy 
How we think client acquisition should be done.

2. What we believe 
Sales before marketing. 
Volume solves everything. 
Bog standard offers.

3. Who it's NOT for 
We list specific reasons they should cancel the call.

The people who cancel after watching?

They weren't going to buy anyway.

The people who show up say:

"I love this. This is exactly what I believe."

The sales call becomes logistics. Not convincing.

They've already decided they want in.

Your process should: 
→ Repel bad fits 
→ Keep good fits moving forward

Less drama. More control.

A prospect took my free working session.

Got massive value. Said yes to $12k. Agreed on the call.

2 hours later?
Email: "Sorry, too expensive, but thanks for the tips!"

My first instinct was rage.
Send a nasty email. Tell him exactly what I thought.

Then I realized:
This was 100% my fault. Not his.

→ I offered a free session to someone who wasn't qualified 
→ I didn't take payment on the call when I had the chance 
→ I acted like a Golden Retriever instead of a leader

If someone plays you, it's because you left the door unlocked.

I changed the rules of engagement
✅ Qualify before offering anything free 
✅ Use a €250 taster instead of free sessions
✅ Take payment on the call 

Everything in sales is your fault.
You build the system. You set the rules.
Not to be cynical - but it's wise to design your process for the worst in people.

"Personalize everything." "Research each prospect." "Quality over quantity."

It's killing your business.

Here's why 👇

Hyper-personalized outreach: 5% booking rate. Maybe even 10%. Sounds amazing.

But here's what nobody tells you:

Each email takes 30 minutes. You can send maybe 20/day. That's 1 booked call.

Mass emails: 0.1% booking rate. Sounds terrible.

But:

Each email takes 0 seconds (machine does it). 
You send 15,000/day. 
15 booked calls.

1 call vs 15 calls.

This isn't even close.

"But my market is different..."

No. It's math.

Match your effort to your market size.

If your TAM is 100 companies, personalize everything. If your TAM is 100,000 companies, volume is the lever.

Stop overinvesting in prospects who might not even have the pain you solve.

Bog-standard emails at volume beat sniper shots.

Every time.

Hormozi recently advised a “B2B Data Consultant” 

…on how to get clients. What stood out: 👇


𝟏) 𝐇𝐞 𝐢𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐡𝐢𝐦 
“What’s the dollar and cents output of what you do? 
I pay you money - what money do I get back?”

Many B2B consultants struggle with this question.
And having an answer is SO predictive of your proactive client acquisition success that I would invite you to consider adjusting your offer UNTIL you find an answer. 

I’d be willing to bet that
→ If your service doesn’t offer tangible, straight-line ROI within 3-12 months, you’re FAR more likely to depend on referrals. 
→ If your service DOES offer it, you’ll be able to turn strangers into clients with reasonable predictability. 


𝟐) 𝐃𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐞 𝐛𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐫 
That should go without saying. 
Charging hourly is the opposite of value-based pricing. 
You become an expense instead of an investment. 


𝟑) 𝐈𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭, 𝐝𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐤 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 “𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐚”
Data - no one cares about.
It’s boring. 
Talk about BENEFIT of data
Your content: Demonstration of what occurs as the result of your services. 


𝟒) 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐨𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫 = 𝐆𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝟓 𝐨𝐧𝐞-𝐨𝐧-𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮, 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐟𝐫𝐞𝐞. 
But only for companies that meet your criteria
The problem with lead magnets in “data consulting”: There will be such a HUGE variability in their situation that’s not universally solvable with a simple lead tool/audit/assessment. 
So it’s best to give away your time as the foot-in-the-door offer. 
That way, you can prepare for a proper enterprise-style sale. 

As you set the stage for this offer on the discovery call, ask them if they’re cool with you telling them on the 5th call what working with you would look like. 
“In the meantime, I want to provide a lot of value”

Also, caveat: 
On the calls, talk ABOUT the solution
Don’t talk about HOW TO DO the solution. 
The calls shouldn’t be about giving them the exact step-by-step. 
They should be about painting a picture of the promised land. 

If they ask about specifics on how to do something (procedural knowledge), keep it broad.
There is still value in mere declarative knowledge (knowing that something exists)

The key is to frame the calls up front
Call it the “Data Value Diagnostic: 5 executive working sessions to quantify where data is leaking value and where to focus in the next 12 months.”

Scope the free series clearly:
What is free:
→ Current state + pain + constraints discovery
→ High-level data maturity / opportunity assessment
→ Prioritized list of 3–5 initiatives with rough business cases
→ Decision support: where data investment is and isn’t worth it

What is not free:
→ Detailed solution architecture
→ Specific model / pipeline designs
→ Specs, runbooks, implementation plans, vendor selections
→ Internal stakeholder decks, full financial models, etc.

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