My wife and I have gotten hooked on the History Channel series Alone

They take ten people and drop them off in the wilderness with the bare minimum of tools, and they need to get water, fire, shelter, and food on their own. It’s fascinating to watch.

One thing we’ve noticed is that almost all the contestants starve. Finding food consistently is the most challenging part of their survival.

Some contestants make a plan before they come, and they lean into that plan, whether it gets them food or not. The ones who have the hardest time find food initially, but then the weather changes or for some other reason that strategy starts to fail. They keep going back to “what worked” when they are walking past other sources of food that could keep them from starving.

Why are we talking about wilderness survival?

When I talk to agency owners about new business (finding food), I see a similar pattern.

Everyone loves the referral leads, the business that walks in the door halfway sold. For some of us, we’ve survived for years on those leads.

“Sure, they weren’t all my favorite clients, and some of them either weren’t profitable or didn’t result in a business that we’re proud of…but we never went hungry!”

Relying on one strategy for new business (food), and doubling down on that strategy when it isn’t performing for you isn’t a great strategy on Alone or in your business.

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Chip Griffin discussed this in detail on his live YouTube show this week. Take a peek and let me know if you get any useful ideas. I’d love to hear any questions it raises for you.