This article pulls insights from internal team calls and sprint reviews with Dennis Yu, and Dylan Haugen

Some people treat time like it’s endless. We don’t. Time is the most valuable resource we have. How we use it reveals everything about how we operate.

Time Is the Real Test

It’s not about how many hours you put in. It’s about what those hours produce. We’ve seen this firsthand in our sprint reviews.

Dennis said: “I’ve demonstrated that I could go start to finish on an article in 10 minutes. While I was doing that, I had another one working. In an hour, I had six or seven articles written.”

That’s how execution beats intention. That’s how time turns into results.

“Can I make a one-minute video in one minute? Yes. With no prep. Right off the bat.” – Dennis Yu

It’s not about being polished. It’s about producing and iterating quickly. Time doesn’t wait for you to feel ready. You either act or fall behind.

Don’t Confuse Busy with Valuable

We’ve all seen people working nonstop without moving anything forward.

“Let’s say I’m working really hard… but making mistakes. I’m sleep-deprived, grinding 18 hours a day, and hoping someone sees how much I care.” – Dennis Yu

Hard work without smart execution is noise. It doesn’t build the business. It slows it down. We don’t reward effort alone. We reward outcomes.

“If you’re not delivering results, you shouldn’t be rewarded just for showing up.” – Dennis Yu

Time Without Focus Is Wasted

Dennis reminded us: “The biggest issue is the mindset.” The mindset behind what your doing will produce the result.

Time doesn’t lie. It reflects priorities. Your calendar exposes what matters to you. Ownership means using your hours to create value; not to explain why something didn’t get done.

“We all have 24 hours. It’s how you use them that determines what you own.” – Dennis Yu

And when someone isn’t showing up consistently?

“Dragging people doesn’t scale.” If I have to chase you, you’re not an owner. Dennis reiterated this during the call.

Time becomes the filter. The people who build with it rise. The ones who waste it disappear.

Make Your Time Count

That’s why we keep score. That’s why we care more about shipping than speaking. Every task, every call, every decision; it all adds up.

Are you using your time to build? Are you producing results that matter?

If yes, we’ll move fast together.

If not, time will tell.

Think you’re an A-player? Prove it. Reach out.

How are you using your time? Send us what you’ve built.

We’re not hitting our goals. Not because of bad strategy. Not because of lack of opportunity. It’s because we don’t have enough A-players.

Here is what we’re seeing in our own words:

• “We have a lot of clients right now that aren’t paying… partially on me and partially on a lot of things” – Dennis Yu
• “We’re doing like a B job on the content. Maybe like a C job… It’s not making the phone ring” – Dylan Haugen
• “If I have to chase you like a VA… and I care more about your business than you, then what’s up?” – Dennis Yu

We talk big, but we underdeliver and that’s a talent gap.

Ownership Isn’t for Everyone

Some people want equity but think like employees. That doesn’t work.

Ownership means taking initiative, solving problems, and driving results. If you need reminders, if you avoid hard problems, or if you work without moving the needle, you’re not ready to own anything.

Too much time is going to excuses. Not enough to results.

• “There can’t be excuses. We just have to make it happen” – Sam McLeod

Dragging people doesn’t scale.

Results Over Effort

Working 50 hours doesn’t matter if the output is weak. A-players get results fast:

• “Yesterday, we made 14 videos in an hour… turned those into ads… already got customers” – Dennis Yu
• “I demonstrated I could go start to finish on an article in 10 minutes… In an hour, I had six or seven articles written” – Dennis Yu

We need people who:

• Show initiative
• Deliver without being told twice
• Focus on impact
• Own their outcomes

The Strategy Is Proven

We don’t need to reinvent the plan.

• Build authority
• Generate leads
• Create content that ranks
• Follow the documented playbooks

If your execution is weak, your results will be too. The fix starts with who’s doing the work.

We’re hiring for impact, not intentions.

If you take ownership, move fast, and drive results; then reach out.

Show us what you’ve built.

If we have to chase you, it’s already a no.

We want teammates, not task-doers.

Let’s talk if you’re ready to build.

Dennis Yu recently shared a playbook that changed how I think about content. The biggest opportunity isn’t to publish more for the sake of it. It’s to find the best things you’ve already made—your interviews, customer wins, podcast clips, YouTube videos, articles, and press—and put them to work where they actually drive sales. That idea sounds simple, but most teams don’t have a clean way to do it. Things are scattered across platforms, lost in old folders, or buried under newer posts.

That’s where Grok 4 Heavy comes in. Think of it less like “AI magic” and more like a very persistent research and editing crew that doesn’t get tired. In Dennis’s model, it pulls everything said about you into one place, even pieces from years ago that you forgot existed, and then helps surface the strongest material. From there, those pieces get turned into practical assets—clear write-ups, short clips you can use as ads, proof sections for landing pages, and simple emails that move people to the next step.

What stood out to me is the focus on proof. Anyone can post more. Not everyone has strong testimonials, case studies, or memorable moments from interviews. If you’ve been at it for a while, you probably have plenty—you just haven’t collected and used them well. When those proofs are easy to find and shown where they matter, conversion rates go up. Pages feel more trustworthy. Ads land better. Sales calls start warmer.

Dennis also makes a clear point about scale and cost. He tested credit-based tools and burned $600 in 48 hours on one of them, only to get less depth than Grok delivered at a flat $300/month. The predictable cost means you can run deeper analysis without worrying about hitting a daily cap right when the useful insights start to emerge.

Here’s how his playbook works in practice. First comes the master inventory. Grok gathers what’s public—podcasts, videos, articles, reviews, social posts, press—and puts it in one place so you can actually see what you have. Next, it flags the strongest pieces: clips, quotes, and stories with clear results or authority—moments that build trust with buyers.

Those pieces are then put to work where they’ll have impact: as articles or LinkedIn posts that explain your approach, short clips and ad angles that catch attention, and tight landing-page proof blocks that show results without fluff. The final step is placement and tracking. Each asset is matched to a stage of the funnel—awareness, consideration, or conversion—and measured (CTR, opt-ins, booked calls, assisted revenue) so the strongest items get more visibility and weaker ones get revised or retired.

If you’re unsure whether you have enough material to make this worthwhile, Dennis would say you probably do. Most founders and teams who’ve been publishing for a few years are sitting on a surprising amount of usable proof: customer wins buried in threads, standout moments from podcasts, or quotes hidden in long videos. Once everything is collected and ranked, a handful usually stand out—and those are what deserve the polish.

 I’ve had more free time recently. So with this free time, I thought I might as well read some books to help me learn. There’s a book I was supposed to read that a lot of you guys probably know about called Good To Great by Jim Collins. I was supposed to read this for a business class I had a couple semesters ago, but I never really got around to it.

And so with the free time I’ve had, I’ve been plugging away at it. And I recently just finished the other day, so I wanted to make a video and share some of my takeaways. Obviously the biggest one from the book is the Hedgehog concept. The hedgehog concept summed up is something that a company or a person can rely on to help them stay focused in their career, business or life pursuits so that they don’t get distracted by other means or their decisions or opportunities.

And hedgehog concept is you see three circles that work together like a Venn diagram. One of them is what are you deeply passionate about? What drives your economic engine and what you can be the best in the world at Since reading this book I’ve worked on developing each circle for myself, what my economic engine is, what I’m really passionate about, not just oh, I like human performance and I like learning whatever it is, or I like business, but what makes me passionate?

Like things like creation, innovation, creating opportunity for other people, impacting people’s lives. Those are things that can be molded and changed to different subjects. And it doesn’t just lock you in on one thing. And then also what can be the best in the world at, I’m still trying to figure that out,

but reading this book and going through what it talks about has really helped me define more what I wanna do with my career and help me hone in on the things that I’m actually good at and the skills that I have that can be reputable and that can, help drive my economic engine, help create impact in the lives of those around me.

The Story Behind Whiskey Gap Leather

Every brand has a story, and for my mom’s leather company, Whiskey Gap Leather, the name itself carries generations of history, heritage, and meaning.

The History of Whiskey Gap

When early LDS Saints traveled north from Utah and the western United States into Canada, they crossed the plains, coulees, and rivers that stretched across the borderlands. Along their route was an area that would eventually become known as Whiskey Gap.

The name came from a colorful chapter in border history: after the Saints passed through, others used the same route to smuggle whiskey across the border—sometimes hiding it in dead pigs or cows to slip past authorities. Over time, the place itself became known as Whiskey Gap, a rugged gateway along the Canadian–U.S. border in southern Alberta, near Montana.

A Family Rooted in Ranching Life

My mom grew up just outside this historic area, in a little town called Barnwell, only about twenty minutes from Whiskey Gap. Her parents—both ranchers—raised her in the thick of cowboy culture: cattle, pigs, crops, and combines were part of her daily life.

Her father was more than a rancher, though. He was also a craftsman. He made spurs, belts, boots, buckles, saddles—just about anything that could be fashioned out of leather. When the ranch was eventually sold and the family moved into the nearby town of McGrath, that spirit of hard work and artistry stayed with her.

Honoring a Legacy Through Leather

Years later, my mom wanted to find a way to honor her father’s legacy. Inspired by the leatherwork he poured his time and skill into, she began crafting custom leather bags. Each piece she made was a nod to the tradition she grew up in, blending rugged practicality with timeless beauty.

When it came time to choose a name for her company, Whiskey Gap felt like the perfect fit. It wasn’t just a place on the map—it was a story of migration, resilience, and heritage. It tied her work to her roots, and it gave her customers something more than just a bag: it gave them a piece of history.

Whiskey Gap Leather Today

Today, Whiskey Gap Leather continues to grow. My mom creates custom bags for customers across the country, working with individuals online and through partnerships with women’s boutiques. Each bag reflects the craftsmanship she inherited and the values she hopes to pass on: durability, authenticity, and a respect for the past.

At Whiskey Gap Leather, you’re not just buying a bag—you’re carrying a story.