I’ve guided companies trying to grow. As a salesperson.
Too often, they're holding on to a product like it's gold.
But really, it’s a rotten apple.
Looks okay from a distance.
Maybe someone bites.
But one taste and they’re done.
You can even sell it.
But when it gets to the customer onboarding stage.
You can see the customer's frustration.
The product hasn’t changed in years.
No new features.
No evolution with the market.
Internally, they’re technical.
Strong builders.
But allergic to facing reality.
“Let’s expand!”
“Let’s cut the price!”
“Marketing isn’t doing their job!”
It’s not the packaging.
It’s the apple.
Rotten inside.
“But people used to love it!”
Sure—they did.
When it was fresh.
Now those customers are gone.
And if you don’t change fast, you’ll follow them.
Adapt or close up.
You don’t fix this with slogans or discounts.
You fix it by creating a product people want now.
Not one they wanted then.
Ask for help.
From someone who sees the rot clearly—technical, strategic, or market-focused.
They’ll help you grow something new.
Because you can’t sell a rotten apple forever.
