What Days 3 & 4 on the Fence Taught Us About Strategic Business Decisions
In business, we are taught that speed is everything. Move fast, make calls, execute, iterate. But when you are standing at the edge of a significant investment—like committing resources, logistically setting up across the country, and putting your brand on the showroom floor at Dallas DIYCON in November—hasty decisions can prove costly.
Sometimes, the best move you can make is to sit on the fence a little longer.
Following our initial decision-making phase, Day 3 and Day 4 of our “fence-sitting” strategy forced us to slow down, shift perspectives, and look at trade show commitments through a clear, unhurried lens. Here is what sitting on that split-rail post for two full days revealed about making high-stakes business decisions.
Day 3: Sustaining Momentum When Comfort Isn’t an Option
By Day 3, sitting on a wooden fence isn’t just a metaphor—it starts to get uncomfortable.
When you pause a decision to gather more data, the initial excitement fades, and discomfort sets in. In business, this is the stage where team members get restless and pressure mounts to “just make a call.”
On Day 3, we brought out a full tea setup onto the fence post. It was a visual reminder: if you’re going to take the time to deliberate, you have to make yourself comfortable with the discomfort of waiting.
Key Takeaways from Day 3:
- Resist the urge to rush just to clear your desk: Indecision feels uncomfortable, but rushing into a commitment like a major trade show without full alignment is far more expensive.
- Refining the input: On Day 3, we realized we needed outside perspectives. When you’re too close to a decision, the best thing you can do is open the floor to your community, partners, and customers of MyCROCEMENT™ to vote on the outcome.
Day 4: Switching Up the Routine (And Why Dunkin’ Saved the Day)
By Day 4, the foliage around us was turning red and orange, and the landscape was visibly shifting. A decision that seemed static on Day 1 looks completely different after a few days of market movement and reflection.
Day 4 also brought a critical lesson in business pivoting: fancy options aren’t always better options.
After fancy tea on Day 3, Day 4 called for standard New England fuel—a classic Dunkin’ coffee and a sandwich. As it turns out, the previous day’s tea was just a bit too much setup. Dunkin’ kept it simple, practical, and grounded.
Key Takeaways from Day 4:
- Strip away the non-essentials: When evaluating whether to attend an event like Dallas DIYCON, ignore the fluff. Focus purely on the core ROI: Will this build strong retail partnerships? Does it deliver value to independent hardware owners and contractors?
- Recognize environment changes: Just as the New England foliage turns, market timing matters. Taking four days to evaluate allowed us to analyze registration numbers, partner interest, and supply logistics without reacting on impulse.
Should We Stay or Should We Go?
Sitting on the fence isn’t about avoiding responsibility; it’s about deliberate timing. It gives you the space to ask your network, evaluate logistics, and ensure that when you finally jump off the fence, you land on solid ground.
We’ve laid out the arguments, had our coffee, and analyzed the numbers. Now, we want to hear from you.
Are you attending Dallas DIYCON this November? Should MyCROCEMENT™ be there on the floor with our ready-to-use microcement systems?
Drop your vote in the comments below or reach out directly—help us make the final call to get off this fence!