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Hi! I'm a Chris

The dip isn’t the story... your response is!

Published about 2 months ago • 3 min read

Howdy Reader,

September DONE and dusted! I tell you it has been a ROLLERCOASTER. But lets focus on the first week of October...

  • I felt the wobble of "things not being as strong as I thought"... however then momentum returned.
  • Dips reminded me to tighten systems, not to chase drama.
  • The goal didn’t change... my job was to close the gap.

Last Newsletter can be read here​

BACKPACKS 4 VIC KIDS $20,000 Fundraiser:

A big thank you to ALL of you who have shared, donated, supported and been a part of this years B4VK's fundraiser, we are almost wrapped up with final donations and looking to land close to $8.546K AUD, which will change the lives of 251 kids.

More details to come and we may have some leftovers to still auction off!

More WhatNots to come too! https://www.whatnot.com/s/5cw7qOSY​

✨ Lessons/Reflections

This week I have & Lessons from the week of business I want to share with you which I hope can be leveraged for parallels to life and your own journeys:

  • #HighsAndLowsAreNormal
    • Wins and dips are both data. Enjoy the highs; use the lows to tune your approach.
  • Don’t Confuse Busy with Effective
    • If you’re not advancing the plan, you’re just moving. Re-point energy to what actually moves the needle.
  • Targets Require Systems
    • Goals are destinations; systems are the vehicle. When you miss the mark, upgrade the vehicle BUT not the dream.
  • Build Buffers Before You Need Them
    • A margin (time, cash, energy) turns a dip into a detour. In life: sleep, savings, support network.
  • Complacency Is the Quiet Enemy
    • “Happy but not satisfied” keeps you improving without self-trash talk. Celebrate and then iterate.
  • Plug Holes, Don’t Panic
    • When results sag, find leaks (offer, process, pipeline), patch one at a time. Calm > chaos.
  • Direction Beats Perfect Days
    • A few imperfect days pointed the right way > a perfect day pointed nowhere.

If you are keen I have some HOMEWORK for you :

  • One Leak to Fix: Pick the single biggest bottleneck and remove it.
  • One Lever to Pull: Double down on the activity most correlated with results.
  • One Buffer to Build: Add 10% margin (time block, recovery, backlog).
  • One System to Tighten: Document a repeat task; make it idiot-proof.

Reflect on these?

  • Where did I drift from my plan last week? Why?
  • What small system, if improved 10%, would raise results 50%?
  • What buffer (sleep, savings, schedule) would make dips less scary?
  • What am I “happy but not satisfied” with—and what’s the next 1% upgrade?

A Challenge for you... Pick one:

  • Fix one leak you’ve been tolerating.
  • Book one non-negotiable block for your highest-impact work.
  • Build one buffer you can feel by Friday.

Business Snapshot for 2025 (currently):

September finished better than expected, even being down 14.6% in Sales we still managed to keep things turning over, paying staff, rent and keep a margin better than expected!

How is October Shaping up? Early view but its filling up the gaps from September already:

Content

Latest Content:

Closing thoughts

I hope to see you around via my Youtube, my Instagram or maybe even in person!

Thanks!

Chris Furlong // say hello@clfurlong.com

LINKS & AFFILIATES:

AMEX:

I recently got the American Express® Business Platinum Card to ease my cash flow - not saying it’s a must-have, but if you’re considering, definitely worth a peek! (Not financial advice.) If you are curious or looking for one, reach out as I can send you a referral for some bonus points.

PEOPLE:

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Also, I have had more people in the last week ask me what boxes and bags do I use for my Clothing on eBay, so here they are:

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use CLFURLONG20 to save up to 56% off Magic Mind

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Hi! I'm a Chris

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