The 20/80 Opportunity

In this episode of Business Brain, Shannon introduces a new concept called the 20-80 Rule, a twist on the traditional 80/20 principle. His version suggests that investing two years of hard work upfront—building systems, making mistakes, and laying a solid foundation—can result in eight years of sustained revenue and business growth. He emphasizes patience, long-term thinking, and warns against the illusion of quick success.

Dave reinforces this idea with a story about launching Mac Observer in 1998, explaining how it took nearly two years to become sustainable, and highlighting the importance of building strong systems early to support future growth.

The hosts also dive into the idea of “coopetition”—collaborating with competitors to create mutually beneficial opportunities. Dave shares how BackBeat Media was born after competitors asked for help with hosting and ad sales. Shannon echoes the sentiment, recalling how sharing large product deals early in his career led to reciprocal opportunities down the line.

They criticize the scarcity mindset and the tendency of some business owners to guard information out of fear, arguing that execution and collaboration matter far more than secrecy. The episode closes with encouragement to share ideas, build in public, and seek partnerships instead of isolation.

Listeners are invited to share their thoughts on the 20-80 Rule and coopetition at feedback@businessbrain.show.

00:00:00 Business Brain – The Entrepreneurs’ Podcast #642 for Wednesday, April 23rd, 2025 April 23rd: National Email Day 00:01:21 The 20/80 Rule 00:09:39 SPONSOR: Shopify – For anyone to sell anywhere, sign up for a one-dollar-per month trial period at Shopify.com/BusinessBrain and upgrade your selling today! 00:11:08 SPONSOR: Insta360 X5 Camera. To bag a free invisible selfie stick worth US$24.99 with your purchase, head to store.insta360.com and use the promo code “brain”, available for the first 30 purchases only. 00:12:40 Prioritize Coopetition The pie is infinite! Apple SuperDrive 00:24:00 Business Brain 642 Outtro Review Business Brain Subscribe to the show feedback@businessbrain.show Call/Text: (567) 274-6977 X/Twitter: @ShannonJean & @DaveHamilton, & @BizBrainShow LinkedIn: Shannon Jean, Dave Hamilton, & Business Brain Facebook: Dave Hamilton, Shannon Jean, & Business Brain

The post The 20/80 Opportunity – Business Brain 642 appeared first on Business Brain - The Entrepreneurs' Podcast.