RedBalloon

March 2025 Freedom Economy Index An analysis of RedBalloon.work and PublicSquare's March Freedom Economy Index Survey, hosted by John Solomon.

If there’s a cheaper option out there—why wouldn’t you take it? Because not all hires are created equal. Some people don’t settle. They demand more from themselves. And they’ll give you the most successful quarter your business has had yet. But they aren’t hanging around waiting to be discovered. They take chasing after. They take effort. And yes, they cost real dollars. But taking your team to the next level? That’s worth paying for.

“Meets Expectations” doesn’t move the ball forward. ? “Satisfactory Performance” doesn’t change the world. ? “Acceptable Results” doesn’t build your brand. ? "Meets the Minimum” doesn’t grow your company. ? “Appears On Track” doesn’t innovate new products. ? “Unremarkable” doesn’t shape your workplace culture. ? “Sufficient” doesn’t get you big wins. ? "Room for Improvement” won’t help you succeed. ? “Hits the Standard” doesn’t make an impact. ? “Performs as Expected” won’t wow your customers. ? Find people that make a difference. ? Hire with RedBalloon.

Your mom swore her friend would be a great hire. But then the interview started… and her friend didn’t even know how to use Zoom. Hiring based on familiarity or pressure to give someone a shot is a recipe for disaster. Hiring isn’t about making someone feel like the right fit—it’s about knowing they are. A solid hiring process separates real contenders from well-meaning referrals. Don’t let good intentions lead to bad decisions.

It’s only once they’re in, that you feel it. The eye rolls in meetings. The subtle comments that undercut team spirit. The ones who spread negativity, drain energy, and drag down morale—while claiming they’re “just being real.” Trust me, it’s worth the extra work to figure this out before they’re inside your four walls. A single bad attitude can infect your entire team, slow down progress, and turn a strong culture into a toxic one. And by the time you figure it out, the damage is already done. You don’t want to discover this one the hard way.

It’s not about liking Elon—it’s about recognizing results. Business owners are paying attention. He’s cutting through the noise, solving problems, and making things work. Because sometimes the best solutions don’t come from trying the same thing, or even from within your industry. Who could you bring in from a different sphere to sharpen your vision?? To help you cut costs? To make your company more efficient? Fresh eyes bring fresh answers.

Good enough is a disease. And it’s spreading. There’s a mentality in business that says “good enough” is the benchmark. That’s loser talk. Good enough doesn’t win. If your team thinks “good enough” is acceptable, you’ve already lost. Mediocrity doesn’t happen overnight—it starts with a single compromise. A single person who shrugs and says, “good enough.” Don’t hire people who settle. Hire the ones who refuse to stop until it’s excellent. Because in business, second place is just the first loser.

The best people don’t want handouts. They want to win because they earned it. When you make race the deciding factor, you diminish their achievement. You undermine their hard work. You create doubt where there should be confidence. ? No one wants to wonder if they got the job because of a box someone needed to check. They want to know it was about skill, excellence, and the value they bring to the table—nothing more, nothing less. Hire for merit. Leave the quotas behind.

We all celebrate big moments – like catching a rocket with chopsticks. But we don’t always see the full story. The full story is thousands of hours of work. Testing. Failing. Adjusting. And refusing to quit. Big wins don’t come from people who play it safe. They come from teams that push limits, challenge assumptions, and aim higher—literally. This is what happens when excellence is the standard. Because history is made by people who refuse to stop reaching for the impossible.

Doom to Boom ?? Our new Freedom Economy Index survey of 50K Main Street businesses reveals a total sentiment shift: 80% feel a massive optimism surge since Nov. 68% predict huge 2025 growth - while in Oct, 57% were bracing for recession. Epic turnaround ???? PublicSquare + RedBalloon https://lnkd.in/eArXnVbi