poquillo™

You know that feeling when you’re staring at a business problem for hours, creating spreadsheets, mapping out complex strategies… and then someone says something so simple it makes you want to facepalm?

Yeah, me too. And I just read a tiny book that called me out on it. ✨

Why I’m Telling You This

My coach dropped a book recommendation during our group call that changed how I think about problem-solving. “Go order Obvious Adams right now,” he said. “It’s $10 on Amazon.”

So I did. And here’s the wild part—I finished it in 10 minutes. But those 10 minutes? They hit different, amiga.

The message was so simple it actually hurt a little: we’re making things way more complicated than they need to be.

Why We Stop Seeing the Obvious

As kids, we were naturally curious. We asked “why?” about everything and accepted simple answers.

But somewhere along the way, we picked up this idea that good solutions need to be clever, creative, and complex. Like if the answer is too simple, it can’t possibly be right.

The book tells the story of a guy named Adams—just an ordinary person with no fancy background. But he had one superpower: he didn’t get carried away trying to be clever. He just looked at the facts squarely and analyzed what was actually there.

And you know what? He got so good at stating the obvious that he built a whole reputation on it.

The Story That Made Me Feel Called Out

Here’s the example that made me cringe because I would 100% be the person doing this wrong:

Two stores. One making money, one not. The struggling store kept posting ads just like the successful one, but nothing worked.

A whole team spent THREE HOURS trying to solve this “mystery.” They created presentations, analyzed data, brainstormed creative strategies. They got so frustrated they broke for lunch.

At lunch, someone mentioned, “We should probably visit that struggling store.”

The response? “We don’t have time for that!”

So they sent Adams instead. He showed up, looked around, and spotted the obvious: the store was in a completely hidden location. Nobody could find it!

Solution? Don’t renew the lease. Move to a better spot. Problem solved.

Meanwhile, they’d spent months and a bunch of money on “creative strategies” when the answer was literally just… go look at the store. 🤦‍♀️

The 5 Tests of Obviousness

The author breaks down how to check if your solution is actually obvious (because apparently, doing the obvious isn’t as simple as it sounds). Here’s the simplified version:

1. Is It Actually Simple?

The obvious is nearly always simple. If your idea is clever, ingenious, or complicated, it’s probably not obvious.

Think about it—when you find yourself creating elaborate plans or using fancy terminology to explain something… that’s a red flag.

2. Does It Make Sense to Regular People?

Here’s the test: Can you explain your idea to your friends and family without them looking at you like you’re speaking another language?

If you don’t feel comfortable explaining your “obvious” solution to the people closest to you, it’s probably not obvious at all.

The public’s mind is simple and direct. If your closest circle doesn’t get it, neither will your customers.

3. Can You Write It Down Super Simply?

Try this: Write your idea using words a kid would understand. One or two syllables max.

Can you explain it in 2-3 short paragraphs? If you can’t, you probably haven’t found the obvious answer yet.

Remember: when you find the real answer, it will be simple.

4. Does It Make People Say “Why Didn’t I Think of That?”

The truly obvious solution should make people slap their foreheads.

It’s so clear that it doesn’t need prolonged consideration or explanation. If people are confused or need you to walk them through it multiple times, keep digging for the real obvious answer.

5. Is the Timing Right?

Sometimes the obvious solution is perfect… but not yet. Or maybe the moment has already passed.

The book gives an example of a company that had research and solutions ready, but the cost was too high. They needed to wait until the price became competitive.

No tiene que ser complicado, but it does need to be the right time.

Let’s Get Real About Your Business

Here’s what this means for you and me:

“I need more clients.”

What’s the obvious solution? Do activities that focus on that. Go to places where your ideal clients hang out. Have conversations. Show up where they are.

Sounds too simple, right? That’s exactly the point.

We want to create elaborate marketing funnels and complex social media strategies (and yes, those can help!). But sometimes the obvious answer is just… be where your people are and start talking to them.

“My offers aren’t converting.”

Obvious question: Have you asked your past clients what actually made them say yes? Not what you think they want—what they actually told you they needed?

“I’m overwhelmed with too much to do.”

Obvious solution: Stop doing some things. (I know, I know—but which things? The ones that aren’t directly bringing you clients or revenue, amiga.)

Your Tiny Action Step

This week, pick one problem you’ve been overthinking. Just one.

Run it through these questions:

• What would a kid suggest as the solution?
• What would my best friend tell me to do?
• What am I avoiding because it seems “too simple”?

Sometimes the answer you need is sitting right there in plain sight. We just need to stop trying to be so clever and start being more obvious.

Because honestly? The obvious approach usually works. ✨

What business problem have you been overcomplicating? Drop it in the comments—sometimes saying it out loud helps us see the obvious solution we’ve been missing.

Cheers,
Gaby

P.S. If you’re thinking “but my situation is different and more complex”… that’s exactly what everyone in that three-hour meeting about the stores was thinking too. Just saying! 😉

P.P.S. Connect with me on LinkedIn: Gabriela Estrada, MSM | LinkedIn