Everyone is NOT an Expert - Difference Between Advice and Opinion

In this much-needed episode of Big Dreams Great Teams, Paula Maidens dives into a growing issue that’s costing business owners serious time, money and peace of mind. It is the difference between advice and opinion. Paula unpacks how well-meaning but misinformed recommendations can derail your decision-making and explains how to safeguard yourself and your business by learning to tell the difference. Drawing on her own 20+ years in HR, recruitment and business ownership, she shares practical guidance on when to lean into others" experiences, and when to seek genuine, expert advice that will stand up under pressure. If you’ve ever been swayed by someone else’s "this worked for me" suggestion, hired based on a referral in a Facebook group, or used a shared document as a legal template, this episode is a must-listen. Paula also introduces her Team Performance Audit, her powerful service designed to give business owners personalised, expert advice about their unique team setup, challenges and goals. 🎧 Listen in and learn the key questions to ask when someone is giving you input so you can stop relying on borrowed opinions and start making confident, informed decisions that truly suit your business. WHAT YOU"LL LEARN:The critical difference between advice, opinion and shared experienceFour common ways that advice gets confused with opinion (and why it matters)How to protect your business from costly mistakes by asking better questionsWhy your growing business needs to move beyond scrappy, borrowed adviceThe shift every CEO must make from free Facebook feedback to expert guidance EPISODE CHAPTERS 00:00 – Introduction: The advice epidemic in business 01:31 – The danger of taking opinion as expert advice 03:12 – Paula’s personal standard for giving advice 05:40 – The “sample size of one” problem and the difference between advice and opinion 08:22 – Generalists giving specialist advice 10:41 – Industry norms versus legal compliance 12:52 – Why Paula refers clients to lawyers 15:12 – The risks of taking advice from Facebook groups 17:34 – Who you should take advice from (and why) 20:00 – Evolving beyond scrappy startup decisions 22:14 – Questions to ask to test real expertise 24:28 – Introducing the Team Performance Audit 25:40 – Final thoughts: Protect your business with real advice LINKS MENTIONED: Explore the Team Performance Audit – a powerful tool to pinpoint where trust (and performance) is breaking down in your business. This includes a detailed questionnaire, a 45-minute strategy call, and a written recommendations report. Click here: 👉🏻 https://paulamaidens.com/go/team-performance-audit/ CONNECT WITH PAULA: Website:https://paulamaidens.com/ Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/paulamaidensconsulting/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/paulamaidensbuildingawesometeams LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulamaidens/