When the Jeans Start Talking Back…

I was having one of those days that makes a person feel like one has conquered the world.

Work had gone great. I had been productive, checked off everything on my list, and was especially excited because that evening my wife and I were heading to a baseball game with friends. There is just something about a ballgame that makes life feel right. Good company, stadium lights, overpriced snacks, and the promise of yelling advice to professional athletes who are far more qualified than I am.

So after work, I marched into the closet with confidence to grab my favorite pair of jeans. These were dependable and loyal jeans. The kind of jeans that had seen me through many fine evenings of hot dogs and questionable dessert choices.

But then disaster struck. They did not fit.

Now, being a reasonable and logical person, I immediately blamed whoever had clearly shrunk them in the wash. There could be no other explanation. Certainly, it had nothing to do with me. So, I wrestled with those jeans like a cowboy trying to saddle a wild horse. I sucked in everything that could be sucked in, pulled with determination, and after what felt like an Olympic level performance in fabric negotiation, I got them buttoned.

Victory was mine. Or so I thought.

Because the entire evening, I sat at that baseball game in a level of discomfort usually reserved for airline middle seats and folding chairs at church banquets. Yet there I was, puzzling over this mystery while eating a hot dog, fries, nachos, popcorn, and washing it all down with a large sweet iced tea with a side of ice cream. I kept wondering how these jeans could betray me so cruelly.

Later that night, back at home, I shared my confusion with my wife. In her calm and gentle way, she reminded me that I had not exactly been faithful to my exercise routine lately. She also mentioned, with remarkable restraint, that my recent eating habits may have contributed to what she called “the denim rebellion.”

Then I made the fatal mistake. I asked her why she had been feeding me so poorly. The moment those words left my mouth, I wanted to catch them and throw them in reverse.

But it was too late. She looked at me with that expression wives have perfected over centuries, and said, “No worries about that. It’s salads from now on, big guy.”

That was the moment I knew two things. First, I had lost this argument before it began. Second, it was time to do something about my health.

So, what does this have to do with running an online business? Well, I’m glad you asked!

The truth is, businesses can end up just like my jeans situation. Everything may seem fine on the surface. Sales might still be coming in, customers may still be smiling, and the lights are still on. But if you are not paying attention, small warning signs begin to show up. Systems get outdated. Technology falls behind. Customer communication starts slipping. Before long, the business equivalent of your favorite jeans refuses to button.

Just like personal health, business health requires regular checkups. You cannot keep feeding your business junk processes, outdated tools, neglected customer follow up, and poor communication, then act surprised when things begin to squeeze and strain. Healthy businesses need maintenance, awareness, and honest evaluation.

Sometimes the warning signs are subtle. Maybe your website is loading slower than it should. Maybe your email follow ups are inconsistent. Maybe your customer experience is not as smooth as it once was. These little issues add up over time until one day you are sitting there wondering why things feel so uncomfortable.

A strong business owner stays aware and they notice the warning signs before they become full blown problems. They make adjustments early, invest in better systems, improve communication, and keep their business in shape before things become painfully tight.

Five Reasons to Diagnose and Maintain Good Business Health

1. It helps catch small problems before they become expensive disasters.
2. It keeps your customer experience strong and reliable.
3. It ensures your tools and technology stay competitive.
4. It improves efficiency and saves time.
5. It helps your business adapt and grow instead of stagnate.

Think of your business like a living thing. It needs care, attention, and the occasional honest look in the mirror. Ignoring warning signs does not make them disappear. It just makes the eventual fix harder and more uncomfortable.

The healthiest businesses are not the ones that never have problems. They are the ones with owners who are willing to assess, adjust, and improve before trouble gets out of hand. Whether that means updating your website, improving your customer communication, streamlining your systems, or learning new strategies, staying proactive matters.

That is one reason I appreciate communities like the Internet Profits Academy. Having access to training, tools, and people who can help you spot blind spots in your business is invaluable. Sometimes we all need someone to gently point out that our business jeans are getting a little tight.

So how about you? Have you checked the health of your business lately, or are you still blaming the washing machine? Leave me a comment below. I would love to hear your thoughts.

And as for me, my wife ended the evening by patting me on the shoulder and saying, “Tomorrow we start with lettuce and stretchy pants.”

“However beautiful the strategy, you should occasionally look at the results.” — Sir Winston Churchill

“The greatest danger in times of turbulence is not the turbulence. It is to act with yesterday’s logic.” — Peter Drucker

And of course, a few VERY BAD Dad jokes:

I gave my computer system a wellness exam. The diagnosis was clear. Too many cookies.

I told my doctor I wanted to get back in shape. He said, “Round is a shape, but let’s aim higher.”

Until next time, STAY FRESH, Friends!

 

 

 

**If you are curious about building and maintaining a healthy online business, I invite you to subscribe to my newsletter here and continue following my blog. My hope is not only to create the freedom I have long desired, but also to share what I am learning with others who are working toward the same dream.