I’ve been watching The Traitors like it’s market research.
I was looking for brainless entertainment… and somehow found myself picking up Business Strategy from The Traitors Round Table instead.
Starting with the celebrity series late last year — and loving it.
(…who didn’t?! Alan Carr murdering Paloma Faith in plain sight? Priceless.)
But most of all, watching a reality series where contestants were actually kind and considered was incredibly refreshing. And oddly cathartic with all that’s going on in the world right now.
They played the game.
And they stayed true to themselves while doing it.
So naturally, I went on to Season 4 (‘civilian’ edition).
Again, there was strategy, restraint, and a quiet confidence that didn’t need to perform for the cameras.
Then curiosity got the better of me and I went all the way back to Season 1…
Big mistake.
The Roundtable Trap: Following the Loudest Voice
Where the most recent seasons had been riveting, largely wholesome (murder excluded) entertainment… Season 1 was loud, performative, and adrenaline-fuelled for all the wrong reasons.
Everyone following whoever shouts the hardest — even when they’re completely wrong and with zero evidence to back up their theory.
Meanwhile, in the background, Claudia is serving candid eyerolls like: “Babes… what are we doing?”
…then cooly herding the cats (sorry…contestants) back into focussing on catching an actual Traitor.
And watching it gave me flashbacks — because I’ve done the business version of Season 1.
Way back in my earliest seasons of entrepreneurship, I assumed the most confident voice must be the correct one.
So I listened to people who were more experienced than me… but not in my sector.
Not building the kind of boutique business I was building.
Not living the kind of life I wanted to live.
But they sounded certain.
So I tried to do it their way.
And it did not work out.
The tools and techniques were too clunky.
The hustle culture was relentless (and rubbed hard against my instincts).
And there was no way what worked for a seven figure e-com business in rapid-scale-up mode was translating to a stand-alone brick & mortar boutique — operated single-handedly — on a quiet west end street in Edinburgh.
It all felt… off.
Busy. Performative. Exhausting.
Like I was ‘playing’ the part of entrepreneur, acting out a business I didn’t actually want.
Why Season 4 Energy Is Different
It’s grounded, clear — and the results are almost inevitable.
Yes — they’re playing a role.
But they’re doing it on different terms.
Theirs.
They have clear values.
Clear boundaries.
Clear “this is what I will not compromise on.”
Of course there are wobbles
(Will the product launch go to plan? Will your clients leave rave reviews and return again and again? Will Rachel stay loyal to Stephen?)
But when your decisions come from “I’ve thought about this” rather than “I saw this [insert any random thing] online…” spaghetti-throwing strategy… you’re far more likely to win.
And this is the Business Strategy from The Traitors Roundtable to borrow: don’t confuse noise (new tools, hot tactics, flashy ‘do this now’ reels) with a strategy that actually fits the business you’re building.
So, are you building your business like Season 1… or Season 4?
Season 1 business looks like:
- reacting quickly
- chasing what’s loud
- changing direction because someone swayed you with a showy reel
- obsessively doing ‘what works’ for everyone else even when it doesn’t work for you
Season 4 business looks like:
- choosing a few principles and sticking to them
- making moves that match your values (even when nobody’s clapping yet)
- playing the long game with quiet certainty
- building a brand that feels curated to your vision, not an influencer or anyone who hasn’t been where you are.
If there’s one thing to take from this business strategy from The Traitors Roundtable, is ask yourself:
Whose voice are you following — and is it leading you to the vision of your own fantastic future life… or someone else’s?
Because strategy without alignment is just chaos.
And you deserve better than your business being ‘murdered’ by cookie-cutter ideas that don’t fit.
The Evidence: Planet A (Real-life Proof This Matters)
Planet A came to me in full Season 1 energy — spinning their wheels, trying everything, tweaking the tiny things, consuming advice from all directions… and still not getting the footfall or sales growth they knew was possible.
So we stopped the spray-and-pray ‘solutions’ other people had sworn by.
Picked one clear objective.
And built a strategy that matched their values, their resources, and their reality — a three-day in-store event series designed to bring locals through the door and convert browsers into buyers.
The results?
Weekly sales conversion +80%, event weekend sales +184% (vs the same period the year before), and footfall +77% on previous weekly average. Plus the beginnings of a brand new customer database designed to nurture loyalty and build community on shared values.
But the best bit wasn’t even the numbers. It was the personal impact underneath them:
“Having a fresh pair of eyes has been so valuable—especially when they come with Sarah’s experience and insight. We’ve come away with new ideas and renewed energy, but most importantly, we feel much more grounded and optimistic about the future.”
That’s Season 4 business.
Less chaos. More clear, strategic steps.
Less performance. More progress.
If you want help turning your values into a strategy you can actually execute (without banishing everything you believe in), start with a complimentary Breakthrough Session.
We’ll cut through the noise, get clear on your next best step, and map out a plan that swaps performative hustle for smart moves — and begin building a business you can really believe in.
✨ Book your Breakthrough Session here.
Your personal Reinventress.
– Sarah C
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Click the buttons below to send this their way! Whether they’re side hustling, launching something new, or rebuilding from the ground up—it could be the ‘round table’ moment that changes everything. ✨
Thank you so much for reading!