The Line Outside

This is the Minute Business Riff (MBR). Quick takes. Big swings. Leadership riffs you can read in less time than it takes to scroll LinkedIn aimlessly.

One minute. One idea. That’s it.

Today’s word count: 296

It took me 1 min 05s to read this.

A buddy of mine runs a small gym in Toronto.

No spa. No eucalyptus towels. No $15 smoothies.

Just concrete floors, iron plates, and hustle.

And yet — every morning at 5:45am, there’s a line outside the door. In the middle of winter. In Canada.

So I asked him:
“What’s the deal? You running some New Year’s promo or something?”

He laughed.

“Nah, man. People just want to be seen.”

Turns out, it’s not the equipment. It’s the coach.

There’s this one trainer who opens most mornings. He’s not jacked. Not famous. Doesn’t even post on social.

But he remembers everyone’s name. Their last PR. Their kid’s soccer game. If someone misses a workout, they get a text:
“Where you at? You good?”

When someone hits a goal, it’s not just a high five — it’s a moment.

He doesn’t motivate with hype. He motivates with care.

And that? That’s the difference.

The weights didn’t change. The workouts didn’t change.

The leader did.

And because of that — people line up, day after day, to be in the room with him.

Great leadership is boring like that. It’s not loud. It’s not sexy. It’s not on a TED stage.

It’s just consistent. Present. Intentional.

It’s remembering the thing they told you in passing. It’s following up when no one else does. It’s showing up first and staying a little after.

You don’t need a title to lead. You just need to give a damn.

Tactical Takeaway:

Want to build a team that lines up for you?

Steal this move:

Create a one-pager with everyone on your team. Name. Goal. Personal detail. Last win.
Review it weekly. Use it daily.
Your job isn’t to manage people. It’s to know them.

Be the one they line up for!

Think this was a banger? Think I’m full of it?

Either way, hit reply and drop some truth bombs.

I read every email 😁

Great leaders are made in minutes. Not meetings.