Tuesday, November 10, 2026
62.9% of US small business owners have less than three months of cash on hand if revenue slows. The Constraint Audit shows which problem to fix first before chasing more sales makes it worse.
The short answer: Making It Happen is a self-paced online masterclass for owners who already have a plan and are not finishing it. It costs US$297, one payment, with a 30-day money-back guarantee. It is not the right first step if your problem is finding customers, or if you want a person checking in on you every week.
A disclosure first: Simple-Growth publishes this program, so this is a vendor's description. The facts below come from the live sales page, read on 11 November 2026. Market: United States. Last updated 11 November 2026.
The sales page lists video training, pre-made templates, a key points summary, real-world examples from big brands and small businesses, and Kevin D'Ambros-Smith's hard-learned tips, with instant digital access. It does not state a total running time or lesson count, so ask before you buy if that matters to you.
| Option | Cost | Best for | Weak point |
|---|---|---|---|
| Making It Happen | US$297, one payment | Turning an existing plan into routines and accountability | Self-paced, no live coach |
| A productivity book | Low | Ideas and inspiration | No templates built for your business, no support |
| A peer group or an operating system such as EOS | Quoted on request | Structure and outside accountability | Bigger commitment; ask for twelve-month costs in writing |
| One-to-one coaching | Quoted after a free call | A plan built around your constraint, with regular review | Larger investment |
Many owners use a program to get moving, then add coaching for more accountability. That is a choice, not a rule. If you are weighing a peer group, read how to choose between a peer group and a coach.
The US Census Bureau's Business Trends and Outlook Survey found that about 17% of US firms with fewer than 20 employees said they use AI, against about 30% of firms with 250 or more employees, as reported by the Minneapolis Fed (29 May 2026). The gap is not only about price or access. Smaller teams have less time to set tools up and make them stick, which is why a routine and a named owner for each priority matter as much as the tool.
The sales page gives no total running time. It is self-paced, so you set the speed.
Yes. The page states a 30-day money-back guarantee: if it is not useful, ask for a refund.
It is written for ambitious SME owners in New Zealand and the USA.
Book a free 30-minute call with Kevin and talk through one-to-one options.
Pick the one priority you keep postponing. If you can name it and the plan is clear, Making It Happen is built for you. If you cannot name it, take the free call first.
Sources: Minneapolis Fed on US Census Bureau BTOS data (US firms by size, April 2026 supplement, reported 29 May 2026). Price, modules and guarantee from the live sales page, 11 November 2026. Results vary. Back to the growth tips hub.
Friday, October 30, 2026
If your business stops the moment you do, the problem isn't your team. It's how many of their problems you're still quietly carrying. Here's the fix, from a 1974 HBR classic.
Friday, October 30, 2026
One client had 123 customers. Eight of them delivered 42% of total revenue. Here's the A-B-C-D grading system that tells you which customers actually matter.
Friday, October 30, 2026
Nearly three in ten US owners name unpredictable demand as a top stressor. Here's the always-on marketing system (RACE) that replaces the feast-and-famine cycle.
Friday, October 30, 2026
If a prospect asked what makes you different, could you answer in one sentence? Here's the three-question positioning map that gets you there before your next pitch.
Thursday, October 29, 2026
Most sales die at silence, not at no. Here is how to build a first AI agent for sales follow-up in five steps, with a human in charge and NZ privacy and spam rules covered.
Thursday, October 29, 2026
AI speeds up whatever you point it at. Here is how to match it to the one link in your business that is actually limiting growth, before you spend on tools.
Thursday, October 29, 2026
36% of NZ SMEs use AI, but the smallest firms trail by 34 points. Here is a four-question test for choosing your first AI job, and a 30-day plan.
Thursday, October 29, 2026
Nearly half of SME owners say their business doesn't have a money problem — it has a time problem. Here's the 90-day Freedom Plan to fix it.
Thursday, October 29, 2026
A business with four equal customers loses 25% of revenue the day one leaves. Here's the customer-concentration math most SME owners never run, and three moves to fix it.
Thursday, October 29, 2026
A lot of owners try the wrong format, see no shift, and decide coaching doesn't work for them. Here's what a peer room is actually good for, what 1:1 coaching is actually good for, and a 3-check way to pick.
Thursday, October 29, 2026
HBR's review of meeting research found about 70% of meetings kept employees from the work they were meant to enable. Here's Verne Harnish's meeting rhythm, sized for an SME before year-end.
Thursday, October 29, 2026
Reps close 2.9x more deals at month-end and lose 11.4x more margin doing it, one major study found. Here's why the plan is the problem, not the rep, and three fixes.
Thursday, October 29, 2026
45% of US consumers used AI for a local business recommendation this year, up from 6% last year. Here's why schema markup won't fix your AI visibility, and what will.
Thursday, October 29, 2026
Jim Collins found that companies which broke away from average performance could name, with brutal precision, what they could be best in the world at. Here's the three-circle test and the goal that pairs with it.
Wednesday, October 28, 2026
Big-brand positioning is a decision, not a budget. Five questions, a one-sentence position and a five-touchpoint audit you can run this week.