AmiSights

I recently read a Wall Street Journal article about Fernando De Leon who built a multibillion-dollar empire by investing in businesses most people ignore—dental practices, veterinary clinics, insurance, and other essential service companies. His philosophy is simple: look for fragmented industries, challenge accepted assumptions, and buy when others are pulling back. It's a reminder that you don't need to chase the next hot trend to build wealth. Some of the best opportunitie

Everyone seems eager to blame AI for rising unemployment among recent college graduates. But according to new research highlighted by NPR, remote work may be a bigger factor. Employers appear less willing to hire and train inexperienced workers in fully remote environments, preferring candidates who can contribute immediately. That finding resonates with me. Early in a career, some of the most important learning happens by sitting near experienced people, listening, observing

We spend a surprising amount of time worrying about what might go wrong. Our minds predict setbacks, delays, and disappointments long before they happen. Yet, if life teaches us anything, it's that the future is rarely as predictable as we think. The quote, “It’s quite possible things will turn out far better than you could imagine,” reminds us that uncertainty works both ways. The same unknown future that holds challenges also holds opportunities, breakthroughs, and moments

If you arrange financing for small business owners, you should care what happens after the loan closes. That sounds obvious. But in the brokerage business, it’s surprisingly difficult to know. Many brokers focus on getting a deal approved. They collect a commission and move on. I’ve always wanted to know more. Which borrowers succeed? Which struggle? Are we helping clients obtain financing that positions them for long-term success? The challenge has always been access to info

The SBA finally clarified its position on investors tied to prior SBA loan defaults, and the news is better than many in the ETA and acquisition community feared. According to a recent Forbes article , earlier this year, lenders began seeing deals rejected if any investor on the cap table had previously backed a company that defaulted on an SBA loan. The new guidance stops short of a blanket ban and instead creates a waiver process for passive, minority investors who had no c

In this episode of the AmiSights Podcast, we interview Anthony Trucks. He is a coach, motivational speaker, author, former NFL player, and CEO of Dark Work and Identity Shift. During the conversation, he shares how he overcame significant challenges in his life and transformed them into opportunities for growth and success. "Your business should be boring. We do this, attract this. It's boring, but here's the thing: that boringness gets me into exciting rooms, on exciting sta

According to the Wall Street Journal, U.S. importers are beginning to receive refunds after the Supreme Court struck down several Trump-era tariffs earlier this year. For many small and middle-market businesses, the money is arriving at the right time. Companies featured in the article say they plan to use the refunds to pay suppliers, reduce debt, replenish inventory, and fund growth initiatives that had been delayed by rising costs and ongoing supply-chain pressure. The big

Carl Jung said it plainly: "If the path before you is clear, you're probably on someone else's." We spend so much energy looking for clarity. And yet Jung is pointing at something most of us quietly know: the life that was meant for you was never going to be easy to see. Your path, the real one, tends to announce itself through fog. Through a pull you can't quite explain, a question that won't leave you alone, a door you keep walking past but can't stop looking at. It's rarel

I used to joke that COVID was an extrovert’s worst nightmare and an introvert’s best dream. Now I’m starting to think AI might be the introvert’s best dream too. You can spend hours immersed in nonstop conversations with a machine — learning, brainstorming, debating ideas, even feeling understood — without ever needing to speak to another human. The funny part is I designed a t-shirt in AI that says “ClaudeVert.” It started as a joke… but it’s actually becoming a thing. AI is