5 Unfortunate Realities Business Leaders Should NOT Be Thankful For

This time of year, most companies share thoughts of gratitude. We’re grateful for plenty too — our clients, our partners, our team.

But today, we want to shine a light on something different: The traditional marketplace norms that companies shouldn’t have to be thankful (or settle) for.

What follows is a list of all-to-common barriers that are unfortunately (and unnecessarily) holding too many business leaders back…

1: Companies Forced to Manage Revenue Blindfolded
We’re not thankful that 65% of CEOs say their revenue forecasts are “only somewhat or not at all accurate.” (Source: McKinsey)
We are thankful that smarter systems and predictable, math-driven diagnostics can replace that chaos with clarity.

2: Strategies That Look Good on Paper but Die in Execution
We’re not thankful for beautifully designed decks from traditional consultants that never turn into operational momentum, and that only 11% of organizations report that their strategies are executed successfully. (Source: HBR)
We are thankful that teams can now implement strategy at the speed the market demands — with priority sequencing, accountability, and measurable lift.

3: The Overload of Data Without the Insight
We’re not thankful that companies have dashboards, KPIs, and reports everywhere… yet still feel under-informed because up to 73% of enterprise data goes unused. (Source: IDC)
We are thankful that AI now closes the gap between information and direction — revealing not just “what’s wrong” but “why and how to fix it.”

4: The Narrative That Uncertainty Means Standing Still
We’re not thankful for the idea that growth must pause until the world calms down.
We are thankful for the operators using uncertainty as an advantage. Companies that continue investing during downturns outperform peers by 10%+ in recovery periods (Source: Bain & Co.) — gaining ground while others hesitate.

5: Time Lost to Processes That Don’t Move Revenue
We’re not thankful that high-performing teams and leaders spend up to 50% of their week on low-value coordination work that doesn’t drive outcomes. (Source: McKinsey)
We are thankful that companies can now redeploy that time toward deliberate, coordinated, revenue-generating action.

The Truth Behind This List:
Every “not thankful” item reflects the environment our clients operate in — not shortcomings, but challenges.

They’re market conditions. They’re systemic issues. They’re the friction that slows down growth even inside exceptional companies.

And they’re exactly what NorthShift and A(i)scent were built to address.

We don’t solve hypothetical problems. We solve the real ones — the ones leaders feel every quarter, every pipeline review, every board meeting.

What We Are Thankful For:
We’re thankful for the companies who refuse to settle. For the leaders who want clarity instead of noise. For the teams who want a path, not just a plan.

And we’re especially thankful for the privilege of helping organizations move from:
• Guesswork → Precision
• Uncertainty → Alignment
• Stagnation → Momentum

This year, gratitude looks like this: We’re thankful that the problems in the market are solvable — and that we get to help solve them.

Stark Townend – November 25th, 2025

NorthShift’s mission: To provide companies with our proven experience building optimized revenue engines and improving business valuation through the power of AI, and to do so without the burden of large overhead or expensive full-time hires.

We believe: Any company can grow, and building things that deliver value is a joy.

We combine the power of AI with the rigor and wisdom of human experience.
We value transparency, predictability, and accountability.
We create solutions with milestones, momentum, and results.