The SAKAPIS™ Framework
Your Superpower might be Killing Your Business.
The "Founder’s Paradox"
Why do smart, hardworking entrepreneurs get stuck? They read the books, they buy the courses, they put in the hours. Yet, they hit a ceiling they can’t break.
Conventional wisdom says you need a better marketing funnel. John Kendale argues you need a better mirror.
Through years of analyzing distressed businesses, John Kendale discovered a disturbing pattern: The exact traits that helped a founder start the business are often the exact traits that destroy it later.
We call this the SAKAPIS™ Paradox.
It is not a lack of effort. It is unmanaged behavior. You are not failing because you are weak; you’re stuck because you are overusing your strengths until they become toxic.
The 7 Traits of SAKAPIS™
There are seven distinct archetypes in the small business world. None are "bad." All are necessary. But when left unmanaged, they grow from assets into liabilities.
1. S - The Spender
The Lie: "This new software/tool/program will fix everything."
The Reality: Spenders are optimistic. They aren't afraid to invest. But when spending replaces strategy, you end up with a stack of unused subscriptions and zero profit.
The Shift: What begins as Investment becomes Waste.
2. A - The Adrenaline Junkie
The Lie: "I work best under pressure. I’ll just handle it myself."
The Reality: You are the ultimate firefighter. You save the day, every day. But if you are always fighting fires, you are never building the fire station. You are addicted to the chaos because it makes you feel necessary.
The Shift: What begins as Resourcefulness becomes Chaos.
3. K - The Know-It-All
The Lie: "I’ve already tried that. It doesn't work."
The Reality: You survived the hard years on grit and instinct. You trust your gut. But now, your experience has turned into stubbornness. You are rejecting new solutions because they don't fit your old map.
The Shift: What begins as Expertise becomes Limitation.
4. A - The Avoider
The Lie: "I’m focusing on the creative work right now. I'll get to the numbers later."
The Reality: You are brilliant at the parts you love. But you ignore the parts that scare you—usually finances or difficult conversations. The monster you ignore grows in the dark.
The Shift: What begins as Focus becomes Instability.
5. P - The Perfectionist
The Lie: "If I don't do it, it won't be done right."
The Reality: Your standards built your reputation. But now, you are the bottleneck. You can't scale because you refuse to accept "good enough" from anyone else. You have built a prison where you are the only guard.
The Shift: What begins as Excellence becomes Exhaustion.
6. I - The Idea Machine
The Lie: "I just saw a huge opportunity we need to pivot toward."
The Reality: You are a visionary. You see what others miss. You are exhausted because you change direction every Tuesday. You start ten bridges and finish none of them.
The Shift: What begins as Innovation becomes Fragmentation.
7. S - The Stressed (Burned Out)
The Lie: "I just need to get through this week."
The Reality: This is the terminal stage. You have carried the weight too long. You are making decisions out of fatigue, not clarity. You aren't running the business; the business is dragging you.
The Shift: What begins as Dedication becomes Depletion.
Why Strategy Fails
You can implement the FACARDS™ Framework. You can use the Grow-Scale-Grow™ Model. You do the right things with Core-Chore-Explore™.
But if you are a Perfectionist, you will never let your team run the Core. If you are an Idea Machine, you will spend 80% of your money on Exploring new ideas and get nowhere fast.
Behavior eats strategy for breakfast.
John Kendale created the SAKAPIS™ Framework to help you identify which character you are playing, so you can stop self-sabotaging and start leading.
Which one are you? We have developed a 60-second diagnostic based on the SAKAPIS™ methodology.
Find your dominant trait.
See the hidden cost.
Get the fix.