Emma Tamir

The hardest grind. January 2026 Newsletter

Helplessness spread through my body, and then quickly morphed into frustration.

Sitting on my living room floor, dried minnows in hand, I was forced to resign to the fact that unrelenting pushing would not be the winning strategy.

Pickle, our beagle-dachshund stubborn ball of cuddly cuteness, had regressed.

A bad grooming experience put us into a position where his nails hadn’t been trimmed for months.

The vet told us the only option was to put him to sleep and cut his nails far beneath the quick: a painful procedure that would need to be done every 4-6 months for forever.

There was absolutely no way I was going to do that.

So I started searching for non-surgical solutions. We couldn’t force him to suddenly comply with nail trims. But what if we could train him to?

I went to YouTube and found an easy-to-follow training plan for positive, at home nail trims.

I bought a silent nail grinder and the highest value, tastiest treats I could find: raw duck, beef liver, and dried minnows.

Every day we’d sit down together, slowly progressing to the next challenge when he seemed ready. Building his confidence and confronting his fear of the evil grinder.

Weeks passed before I could even touch the grinder to his paw without hysterics. 

And then over a month into what felt like standstill progress, we achieved a single .5 second grind.

There was an impulse to force the rest. But this is a pivotal moment in the training plan. Instead I accepted the single success, gave him copious rewards, and wrapped up the session.

So many situations bend with the application of enough will.

But not this one.

In fact, forcing would only destroy the limited progress we’d made and send us backwards.

The hardest part wasn’t making the time.

It was accepting that success wasn’t fully in my control.

Some people call this weakness.
I call it leverage.

Last week a reader reached out about working together after being on my email list for three years. No clicks. No replies. No messages in three years.

Patience didn’t look productive. It worked anyway.

Now, onto January’s rundown:

For the Growth Grind: 

AI is changing e-commerce at an insane pace. Watch these videos to understand what’s happening. Plus, subscribe so you know what’s coming next:

For the Ad Grind:

Start 2026 strong with $100 toward your first Amazon Sponsored Products campaign!

Already running this ad type in your main marketplace? No problem. You can redeem this offer for your first campaign in up to 3 new marketplaces. 

If you are new to Amazon Advertising, or already a user but want to try it in other countries, use my CODE: ESCHRSPEST to redeem a $100 ad credit today, T&C.

For the Content Grind:

The best tool I’ve found to edit, chop, and repurpose video content, lickity-split. I used to use Descript. This blows it out of the water.

For the Gym Grind:

I’ve fallen back in love with strength training. My trainer taught me that correct form starts with the right footwear. These have quickly become my favorite weight lifting shoes I’ve ever owned. Also great for life outside of the gym.

For the Event Grind:

  • Event season is picking up, and I’m building my calendar. What’s your go-to, must-attend event? 

  • If events are bringing you to Vegas, let us know! We’d love to connect or give you our favorite recommendations for food and fun.

  • Want an engaging speaker for your upcoming event or podcast? Let’s chat!

Liked what you read? Have some feedback? Need help growing your business? Send us a message and let us know!

Onwards!

- Emma

 


Emma Tamir

Author

Leave a comment

Please note, comments must be approved before they are published