You Are Not Your Job
You’ve heard it before, but maybe you didn’t believe it. Maybe you still don’t.
Austin Linney isn’t new to the game. He’s built hospitality businesses, owned Airbnbs in seven states, flipped hotels into short-term rental machines, and helped people get sober. He’s also lived in an RV while building consulting companies and realized this: he’s not an operator. Not anymore.
That’s not failure. That’s clarity.
We live in a time where people want to box themselves in. “I’m a founder.” “I’m a closer.” “I’m an HVAC guy.” That’s fine, until it isn’t. Because what happens when you don’t want to be that anymore? Most folks feel stuck. Trapped in an identity they built in their 20s and are too scared to tear down in their 40s.
(This is something I’ve seen over and over—smart people who could pivot, but don’t. Not because they can’t. Because they won’t.)
From Addiction to Automation
Austin’s story runs deeper than real estate. He’s a former addict who now helps others find clarity. The biggest trap in recovery? Labeling. “I’m a recovering alcoholic.” That’s fine... until it holds you hostage. You’re sober, but still talking like you’re not. That language matters.
Same goes for business.
If you walk around saying, “I’m just a small business owner,” guess what? You’ll operate like one forever. Not in a good way either.
And if you’ve ever wondered how addiction recovery ties into business, here’s the simple bridge: both require brutal honesty. Both require forward motion. Both require you to be someone new, long before you feel like someone new.
AI Won’t Replace You. Unless You Ignore It.
We riffed on AI for a while.
It’s not just spellcheck and chatbots. You can take a photo of an HVAC system, drop it into ChatGPT, and get an SOP back with tools, specs, and process. You can scan a barcode and get full system specs ready to upload into ServiceTitan.
Most business owners haven’t even scratched the surface.
Your average HVAC or plumbing operator doesn’t know what Zapier is. They don’t know what GPTs can do. And they don’t need to know everything. They just need to stay one step ahead. That’s it. Not 10 steps. One.
(This is why most of my automation clients get results fast. I’m not teaching them to code. I’m just teaching them to think like a business owner who doesn’t want to do the same thing 10,000 times.)
Coaching Isn’t a Scam. But It Can Be.
We talked about coaching too—because it’s a hot topic and people love to fight about it online.
Here’s the short version: therapy looks back, coaching looks forward. But coaching only works if the coach has been through it. That’s the litmus test.
I don’t want a coach who read a book and made a funnel. I want someone who’s fired people, missed payroll, sold companies, and rebuilt themselves. If your coach has done those things, their advice will cut deeper. If they haven’t, they’re just guessing with confidence.
Every Owner Hits a Wall
You can grow a business to $5M, even $10M. But at some point, you will hit a ceiling.
Most owners I talk to have reached the end of their personal skillset. Their marketing company sucks. Their CRM is a mess. Their ops team is toxic. They have no idea where the money’s going. They’re not broken—they’re maxed out.
And most of the time, they don’t need new ideas. They need clarity. Clean cadence. Fewer tools. Stronger managers. Less noise.
That’s what good consultants bring.
Not magic.
Just fewer mistakes.
You Don’t Need a $5M Deal. You Need a Real Business
There’s this myth that you should only buy companies doing $2M+ with $500K in EBITDA. That’s great if you’ve got PE money or a five-year runway. But a lot of people don’t.
Austin’s friend just bought a million-dollar water restoration company with zero online presence. No website. No SEO. No Google reviews. Just a reputation and a phone number.
They’re about to double it—maybe more.
Why? Because they bought a good business, not a pretty one. And because they know what to do with it.
(I’ve told buyers to buy “jobs” like this before. The growth is easier. The mistakes are fixable. The people are local. Most importantly, you’ll learn.)
Buy vs. Build? Depends on Your Energy
Austin said it best: “To build, you need Goggins energy. To buy, you need Buddha energy.”
One is about brute force. The other is about steady stewardship. Different muscles. Neither is wrong.
But before you do either, ask yourself: do I want to lead people?
Most don’t ask that. Then they get mad when managing employees makes them miserable.
Final Thought: Everything Is Choose Your Own Adventure
Small business isn’t linear. You aren’t climbing a ladder. You’re flipping pages.
You choose the next chapter.
You build or buy. You coach or consult. You work 10 hours or 60. You can be sober and still trapped. You can own a company and still broke. You can have a “team” and still feel totally alone.
There’s no prize for doing this the hard way. But there’s peace in doing it your way.
Just keep turning the page.
Connect with Austin
X/Twitter - https://x.com/AustinLinney
Website - https://www.proactiveoperators.com/
Connect with Me
X/Twitter - https://x.com/ryanraysr
Website - www.dashops.co
