Are you solving the wrong problem?
In this episode of Tales of Abundance, Randy Lorensen, Dr. John Oberg, and Anthony Marino break down one of the most expensive mistakes in business and life: fixing symptoms instead of solving the real problem.
The conversation starts with John’s frustrating HVAC experience, where a technician tried to turn a $50 switch into a brand-new air handler. From there, the guys dig into why smart people and companies so often chase the wrong solution—whether it is bad incentives, poor diagnosis, ego, weak listening, or simply failing to ask better questions.
They explore real-world examples from Sears, Toyota, Intuit, CollegeClub.com, sales teams, medical diagnosis, customer experience, AI regulation, and startup pivots. The core lesson: problem solving is a skill, and the first step is not rushing to a solution. It is making sure you are solving the right problem in the first place.
In the Abundance Briefing, the conversation shifts to a 12-year-old entrepreneur building a high-margin 3D printing business, the promises and risks of GLP-1 drugs, AI moving from answering questions to doing real work, and what young people should do in a tougher job market.
If you run a business, lead people, sell anything, build systems, or just want to make better decisions, this episode will help you slow down, ask better questions, and stop wasting time fixing the wrong thing.
Show Notes
00:00 – John’s HVAC story: turning a $50 switch into a fake replacement problem
01:11 – Incentives, incompetence, and why companies misdiagnose customers
01:30 – Sears, Walmart, and solving the wrong retail problem
03:14 – Why customer experience was the real issue
03:41 – Symptoms vs root cause
04:40 – A medical example: same symptoms, different diagnosis
05:26 – The hero syndrome and rushing to solve too fast
06:48 – The window business: price, value, and knowing who you are
08:15 – How honesty builds trust with customers
09:36 – Repeat business, pricing mistakes, and long-term consequences
10:50 – Why talking to the customer reveals the real issue
11:31 – Listening, empathy, and asking better questions
12:25 – Anthony’s Sears story: “Does Kohl’s have different weather?”
13:52 – Why shame and embarrassment make problem solving harder
14:23 – Intuit, remote deposit, and solving a problem technology erased
16:16 – CollegeClub.com and the cost of optimizing for the wrong metric
19:45 – Being good at solving problems vs choosing the right problem
21:17 – Why investors like founders who can pivot
22:00 – Toyota’s Plan, Do, Check, Act framework
25:19 – Creating a culture where mistakes can be discussed
26:23 – Errors of omission vs errors of commission
28:12 – AI regulation and the risk of solving the wrong problem
31:12 – AI safety, government regulation, and unintended consequences
34:08 – Bad actors vs bad tools
36:28 – What to do first when you see a problem
38:38 – Gemba: get out of the chair and observe the real work
39:44 – Intuit’s “follow me home” customer research
41:55 – Four Seasons and empowering employees to solve guest problems
42:13 – Problem solving as a skill everyone needs to build
43:34 – Anthony’s final warning: make sure the problem is worth solving
Abundance Briefing
46:07 – A 12-year-old entrepreneur builds a 3D printing business
48:31 – GLP-1 drugs, weight loss, muscle loss, and longevity
49:13 – Why resistance training matters with GLP-1s
52:03 – Recreational GLP-1 use and medical oversight
55:40 – AI moving from answering questions to doing actual work
56:30 – How John is using AI inside his organization
57:38 – How Anthony uses AI for sharper decision making
58:45 – Randy on using AI agents, Claude Code, spreadsheets, and strategy
1:00:55 – The job market is tougher for new graduates
1:02:22 – Are there jobs available, or just not the jobs people expected?
1:05:00 – Trades, electricians, AI skills, and future-proofing your career
Links Mentioned
AG1
https://shop.drinkag1.com/tales
YouTube: https://youtu.be/GxNVhXBS4JU
