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Hey Reader,

I was in my kitchen when my phone buzzed. A friend had sent me a text with a picture I could barely make out from the preview screen, but the words immediately caught my attention.

We are heartbroken by the loss…

My heart sank when I opened the link.

Adam Robinson, a friend, role model, and fellow content creator, had passed away in a tragic airplane crash alongside his family.

I stared at the picture of his family in disbelief.

I was just binge-watching his content last week. I even brought him up this morning during our daily standup. I can't believe what I'm reading.

Adam played a significant role in shaping my journey as an entrepreneur. Today, I want to honor his memory by sharing three lessons he taught me.

Build in Public

I personally watched two of Adam's software businesses go from zero to rapid growth in a remarkably short period of time, with much of that journey documented publicly on LinkedIn.

Adam shared something about his entrepreneurial journey nearly every day. Even if you'd never spoken to him, you felt like you knew him.

And it wasn't just the wins.

He shared when customers churned, when growth stalled, and when ideas failed. He gave everyone a front-row seat to the realities of building a business.

His transparency was infectious.

Adam taught me that there's something even more rewarding than achieving success yourself: sharing what you've learned so others can succeed too.

He had an incredible drive to grow his businesses, matched only by his desire to help others grow theirs.

Don’t Trust Your Intuition

Not long ago, I came to a difficult realization: my FP&A software, Model Wiz, wasn't growing the way I'd hoped. We hadn't achieved what entrepreneurs call product-market fit.

Adam described product-market fit as the point where customers are pulling your product out of you rather than you pushing it onto them. Word of mouth drives so much demand that even if you stopped selling, the business would keep growing.

One of the ways Adam found it was through customer discovery: conversations designed to challenge your assumptions rather than validate them. His team conducted over 300 of these calls in just a few months.

I'd spent years building a successful consulting business around budgeting and forecasting, convinced I understood what finance professionals needed.

But the more I spoke with potential customers, the more I realized how much I didn't know.

Adam taught me to set aside what I think I know, listen to others, and have enough conversations for the patterns to emerge.

On Your Own Terms

When I spoke with Adam over Zoom last year, I shared my dream of building a business that I could eventually sell for a life-changing amount of money.

To my surprise, he challenged me.

Why sell a business you love running? Why not build something you can enjoy for decades, on your own terms?

That was Adam's philosophy, and it challenged nearly everything we're taught about entrepreneurship.

He favored bootstrapping over raising venture capital, ran businesses generating millions with just a handful of employees, and rarely worked weekends or holidays.

He questioned nearly every convention of entrepreneurship and built a business and lifestyle entirely on his own terms.

Our conversation made me rethink what I was ultimately working toward.

There's a lump in my throat as I write these words. I'm holding back tears thinking I'll never get to read another post from Adam, sharing some new lesson or unconventional way of looking at the world.

This is the part where I'd usually say something cheesy…like live in the present. Show those around you how much you appreciate them.

But not this time. That's not what this email is about.

It's about the pain of losing a friend. The tremendous impact he had on my life. And how grateful I am to have known him.

Adam…I'll miss you, bud.

Josh
Your CFO Guy

Quick note: While I love sharing my finance & accounting knowledge, remember I'm Your CFO Guy, not Your Personal CFO. Everything I share comes from my experience, but each business is unique. My content is educational, not professional advice - always consult with your own qualified advisors for decisions about your specific situation.