Welcome back to Business Unfiltered with Mercer and Jeff Sauer today's topic is the Power of Saying No in Business. 0.00: Mercer and Jeff discuss the power of saying no in entrepreneurship, with Mercer sharing how it's an essential skill to prioritize resources and focus. Mercer discusses three dimensions of saying no: supply, demand, and strategic value. Saying no to opportunities to focus on what's truly important. 2:52: Jeff believes quitting something that's not working can be empowering, not failing. Mercer agrees: saying no to opportunities can be a skill, not just about passing up chances. He emphasizes the importance of resources when deciding whether to pursue a new opportunity, stating that if it's not an obvious yes, it's a definite no. Jeff agrees, noting that creating a second line of income can dilute focus and require significant resources, leading to advice to prioritize one area of passive income before investing in others. 7:22: Prioritizing business goals and saying "no" to distractions. Jeff emphasizes the importance of saying "no" to distractions and focusing on one's primary business to achieve financial success. He shares his experience of helping clients reach their goals by setting a "no yes barrier" around their business and only allowing exceptional opportunities to pass through. 10:00: Prioritizing tasks and saying no to non-essential commitments. Jeff shares his approach to saying no, prioritizing personal and business tasks, and avoiding solving problems that don't exist. Sauer and his team have learned to say no to ideas that don't align with their goals, focusing on what's truly important and avoiding distractions. 11:59: Saying no, prioritization, and decision-making. Mercer struggles with saying no to ideas for improving customer experience, fearing loss of potential opportunities 13.40: Jeff offers an alternative approach to saying no, providing value even when unable to say yes. He emphasizes the importance of saying no in business but notes that it's crucial to have data to back up decisions. Jeff shares his approach to decision-making, which involves gathering information and opinions before making a final decision. He highlights the difference between procrastination and taking the time to gather quality data before making a decision. 17:16: The power and limitations of saying "no". Jeff uses the concept of "no" as a powerful tool for focus and defense, recognizing that it takes time and effort to make ideas stick. Mercer agrees, noting that "no" can be a chainsaw-like tool for cutting through distractions, but it requires awareness and control to avoid procrastination and potential failure. They discuss the importance of recognizing when to say "no" and being mindful of the consequences of misusing the tool. 20:03: Saying no to distractions and prioritizing tasks. Mercer discusses the power of saying no, highlighting how it can be used for self-awareness and productivity management. He shares his personal experience with procrastination and how he's implemented a system to encourage himself to say no to tasks that are easily postponed. He recognizes the importance of saying yes to tasks that require exceptional use of AI and other productivity tools to get ahead. Mercer discusses the importance of prioritizing tasks and saying no to non-essential tasks to focus on what's truly important. AI can be used to assist with drafting and editing copy, providing specific feedback on areas for improvement. Jeff uses AI to train a copy critic, freeing up time for more strategic feedback and improving overall copy quality. 25:52: Prioritizing "no" for personal and professional growth. Jeff prioritizes saying "yes" to opportunities for growth and connection, even if it means stepping out of his comfort zone. He recognizes the strategic value of saying "no" in certain situations to make time for what's truly important. 28:08: Saying no to distractions and focusing on priorities. Mercer and Jeff discuss the importance of saying no to tasks that are not aligned with one's goals or values. Mercer shares tips on how to say no more effectively, such as focusing on where one is saying no to things that they shouldn't be and finding systems to encourage saying yes to more important tasks. Jeff agrees and shares his struggle with saying no, acknowledging the need to be more intentional about focusing resources on high-priority tasks.