My Dad was a hard-working Vietnam veteran who took no crap and expected hard work, period.

He demanded my older sister work hours of 7 am - 7 pm for the years she worked for him.

Every significant component of the company was reliant on him. He controlled the sales, assets, and most of the critical business relationships. When he got burnt out and sporadically retired, it all crumbled to an abysmal low.

It took me years to rebuild the company beyond its eight-figure peak under my father’s direction.

Distressed businesses have one thing in common, leadership.

In smaller businesses, the success of the company is dependent on the owner. They control every move of the company until they can’t anymore.

The owners are tired, stressed, burnt out, and rather be anywhere but “work.” They have a deep resounding love-hate relationship with the company.

They created the company for freedom, yet what they got was a prison. If they could escape, they would.

But’s it’s not always leadership.

Other reasons a business is distressed is due to poor direction, confusing structure, and little leadership.

Revenues are low, and cash flow is, well, what’s cash flow?

There are no systems to guide daily activity, and the team is a grumpy bunch of gossipers who terrorize any semblance of a healthy culture.

If a company is distressed, the best solution is to find a new leader or sell the company.