What happened to Carmy's restaurant just happened to us...

Author

Jeff Sauer
August 02, 2025

In partnership with

The Bear taught me something painful about business

Why chasing stars can strain your team

Sometimes TV hits way too close to home.

I've been watching Season 4 of The Bear on FX, and honestly... it's been uncomfortable.

Because what happened to Carmy and his restaurant team is almost exactly what just went down in our business post-merger.

The Pursuit That Pains

In the show, Carmy gets obsessed with earning a Michelin star. Sounds noble, right?

But he starts changing the menu every single day. Chasing perfection. Never satisfied.

His team is drowning. Overworked. Stressed. Throwing away mountains of expensive food because nothing meets his impossible standards.

The restaurant is hemorrhaging money.

And here's the kicker - everyone loves Carmy. He's genuinely one of the best chefs in the world. But his pursuit of perfection is killing everything he's built.

Nobody can get through to him. Until someone unexpected finally does.

When Art Imitates Life

Without spoiling anything (for the show OR our business)...

We had our own version of this exact scenario.

Perfectionism getting in the way of progress.

Team members trying to make individuals happy instead of doing what's right for the business.

People following guidance that was actually holding them back, without realizing it.

A lot of stress. A lot of waste. A lot of really good people burning out.

And then... someone had a realization.

Just like in the show, it came from an unexpected conversation. A moment of clarity that changed everything.

The Bombshell

Season 4 ends with a decision that nobody saw coming. Not the team, not the audience, nobody.

We're all hanging there wondering - is this going to make things better or worse? What happens to everyone now?

Our real-life version had its own bombshell moment too.

And honestly? I'm still processing it all.

The Lesson

Sometimes the thing you think you want most is the thing that's destroying what you actually need.

Sometimes the people you respect most are the ones accidentally leading you astray.

Sometimes the breakthrough comes from the person you least expect to deliver it.

And sometimes... you have to make decisions that feel impossible in the moment but necessary for survival.

What Happens Next

I'm not going to broadcast all the details here. Some stories need to be told privately.

But if you're curious about how this all played out - either the TV version or the real-life business version - just hit reply.

I'll tell you the whole story.

Because sometimes the most valuable lessons come from the messiest situations.

And sometimes the best thing you can do is stop chasing stars and start taking care of your people.

To Your AI-First Success,
Jeff Sauer

P.S. I've created three ways to help you succeed, depending on how much support you need:

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Coming Up at ProfitSchool

Saturday, Aug 2, 1:00 – 2:00 AM CST

When does your "imposter echo" get loudest, and what triggers it?

This call is for ProfitSchool Pro Members

Tuesday, Aug 5, 11:00 PM – Wednesday to Aug 6, 12:00 AM CST

Think about your business. Where is the friction? What's the one task that's eating your time or blocking your growth this week? Join Jeff for strategies for creating and implementing AI bots through powerful prompts to solve your biggest challenges.

This call is for ProfitSchool Pro Members

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