Business Casual Great Advice That Doesn’t Work
Jan 24, 2026
A look at why perfectly sensible advice can flop when it conflicts with your audience or values. Stories about rejecting expert design tips and launching misaligned products. Practical questions to test whether advice fits your goals. Ways to salvage useful parts of guidance while staying true to your business.
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Barefoot Contessa’s Unconventional Cookbook
- Ina Garten designed her cookbook to feel lived-in and accessible, rejecting slick cookbook norms.
- She listened to a famous designer but politely ignored his changes because they conflicted with her vision.
Great Advice Can Still Be Irrelevant
- Great advice can be wrong for you if it doesn't match your goals or vision.
- Recognize when expert advice conflicts with your target audience or mission and adjust accordingly.
Pat Flynn’s 'Be Everywhere' Advice Didn’t Fit
- Matt recounts Pat Flynn's 'be everywhere' advice about piggybacking other audiences via forums and links.
- That tactic didn’t apply because Matt's pool audience didn't exist on those platforms for his niche then.
