Friday with Frary: Stability, Margin, and Faithfulness

by | Feb 3, 2026 | Chief Of Chaos, Adventures in Growth, Affiliate Management, Brand, Brand Building, Growth as a Service, Partnerships

Friday with Frary

Video Series

New episodes on Fridays

Stability, Margin, and Faithfulness

A short reflection on seasons that feel “fine” from the outside—but are quietly brutal on the inside.

From the outside, it can look like everything’s going great.
But the truth is — even high-performing entrepreneurs go through seasons that are quietly brutal.

I’ve been inconsistent here, and I want to be honest about why.

2025 was hard.

I went through two lawsuits where I wasn’t paid — and while they eventually resolved positively, the process was draining.
At the same time, I was building Chief of Chaos and a partner agency slower than I wanted, trying to do things the right way:
give-first, relationship-driven, long-term.

Finally, I found myself in situations that I was always extending myself to others, but not always getting back similar in return.
2025 I was running a deficit in ALL areas.

Here’s the lesson I had to relearn the hard way:

👉 Giving first doesn’t mean giving endlessly.
If you’re not careful, you can lose energy, time, focus, and peace — and call it virtue.

Three non-negotiables

As I came out of that season, three things became non-negotiable for me:

1
Stability
Stability isn’t boring — it’s generous. When you create stability in your life, the people closest to you feel safer.
And safety creates happiness.

2
Margin
Margin financially. Margin with time. Enough to breathe. Enough to be present.
Enough to invest where it actually matters — especially family.

3
Faithfulness
Faith in the people I care about. Faith in doing the right thing when it’s slower.
And faith in a higher power when the path feels unclear.

If you’re in a tough season right now…

Especially one that feels lonely — you’re not broken. You’re being refined.

Keep going. But do it with clarity, boundaries, and faith.

Happy Friday.

Want more Fridays like this?

Friday with Frary is a quick weekly reset—real lessons from the field, with a bias toward building the right way.

© Friday with Frary • Stability • Margin • Faithfulness

Matt Frary helps brands unlock explosive growth through strategic affiliate marketing, performance partnerships, and digital transformation. As the Founder & CEO of Chief of Chaos, Matt’s  spent 25+ years scaling startups and Fortune 500s alike—delivering results through data-driven marketing, channel orchestration, and cutting-edge AI-powered solutions.

Matt Frary helps brands unlock explosive growth through strategic affiliate marketing, performance partnerships, and digital transformation. As the Founder & CEO of Chief of Chaos, Matt’s  spent 25+ years scaling startups and Fortune 500s alike—delivering results through data-driven marketing, channel orchestration, and cutting-edge AI-powered solutions.