The Agile Scaleup

Verne’s Insights – McKinsey’s Top 5; Compounding Progress; Thief of Joy

Weekly scaleup news from Verne Harnish  Comparison is the thief of joy.                          Theodore Roosevelt  When the going gets rough, turn to wonder.                          Jerry Colonna Inside Personal Growth Podcast Greg Voisen interviews me for his latest podcast episode. Go to: 4:27 – #1 challenge to scaling 6:30 – what is the formula for innovating and iterating 12:17 – #1 quality of an effective leader in a scaleup Power of Wonder – Avoid Reacting This week I shared the stage with VC and author Jerry Colonna. He noted, pulling from his excellent book Reboot: When the going gets rough, turn to wonder. Turn from reaction and judgment to wonder and compassionate inquiry. Ask yourself, “I wonder why they feel/think this way?” or “I wonder what my reaction teaches me about myself?” Set aside judgment to listen to others—and to yourself—more deeply. Such a powerfully simple yet hard thing to remember to do in the moment.  Power of Compounding Progress I don’t know who this guy is who lost $4 billion, is being sued, facing divorce, etc. (maybe you do?), but this short Instagram video features him sharing how he dealt with all this and highlights the power of making a little progress every day. It’s the power of “compounding progress” like compounding wealth. McKinsey – Five Keys to Sustainable Growth and Performance This January 13 McKinsey article details five keys to drive sustainable growth based on their research – five reminders to start 2025 that align with our Scaling Up Performance Platform (how many do you have?): Set an ambitious long-term goal – the key is one that is ambitious – and then keep everyone focused on it through regular town halls and updates (we suggest real-time scoreboards and weekly messaging from the CEO). Act audacious – Eighty-three percent of outperformers in our survey indicate that they encourage their teams to test new ideas, fail quickly and affordably, and learn from the results.  Listen to your customers – for real. McKinsey details many ways to do this, using predictive analytics and frequent customer interaction. Using GenAI to interact with customers also lets you better see patterns of opportunity. Rally a dream team for growth – fewer than 8 percent of respondents express high confidence in their end-to-end talent strategy (that is, recruiting, integrating, upskilling) to deliver the workforce needed to drive future growth. Executing with excellence – a robust operating rhythm (meeting rhythm) is key and removing roadblocks quickly. Nothing really new – the key is doing it. Join the over 4200 firms that use our coaching services globally to make this stuff happen. Thank you to coach Craig Overmyer for sharing this article with me. Power of the Daily Huddle The 8 – 10 minute Daily Huddle, when executed properly, helps you accomplish much of what McKinsey’s research found is key to scaling. And it aligns with what Jim Clifton, CEO of Gallup, said is the one of key things their 50 years of research has found drives employee engagement and effectiveness – which is embedded in our Daily Huddle agenda: What’s Up – #1 Priority Today – helps you see if the team is focused on the right priorities that align with your ambitious goals. Daily Metrics – keeps outcomes top of mind and quicker to see patterns of concern as you course correct quicker. Where are you stuck? – as McKinsey noted, you have to identify roadblocks and address quickly. Yet you can’t fix what you don’t know. Please let us help you execute with excellence the Daily Huddle and other disciplines/habits proven to make scaling easier and more rewarding. Buy a box of 20 books Save 50% over the price on Amazon for Scaling Up, and Start to Scale books here for less! SCALING UP WORKSHOPS: Engage your team with interactive Scaling Up workshops. Here's our list of workshops Planning for 2025 – Get a Coach or Be a Coach It’s best if the planning session is professionally facilitated according to experienced CEOs. This way they can participate in the process (and not dominate it). If you’re looking for a facilitator, click here. And if you’re interested in becoming a coach/facilitator, we’re always looking to add to our 296 experienced partners around the globe. To learn more, click here. EDUCATION Scaling Up Master Business Course Scaling Up Free Mini Course TECHNOLOGY Scaling Up Scoreboard is AI-enabled and integrated with Salesforce, Slack, and Zapier (allowing it to connect with 1000s of systems). Use Scoreboard to provide your team (working remotely even more important!) with a real-time visual dashboard of cascading priorities and metrics. Get a personalized tour of the Scaling Up Scoreboard to see how you can use it to better implement Scaling Up in your business. Planning to Exit – Critical Whitepaper Selling your firm, for its maximum value, is the most important negotiation in which a business owner will participate. You are typically negotiating with sophisticated buyers who have done hundreds of acquisitions whereas this is often your first rodeo. And these buyers have a formula for ripping you off – and it works, stealing tens of millions from you. Seeking help, owners discover the big M&A firms, especially those specializing in your industry, are more beholden to the buyers than the sellers (they will tell you otherwise). Email me to get a whitepaper on how to maximize your valuation and avoid the psychological games buyers play [email protected]. *This may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. If you choose to purchase after clicking a link, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Verne’s Insights – My View Founder Mode; When to Micromanage; Zingerman’s Booklet

Weekly scaleup news from Verne Harnish Real is what the world will remember.                          Mark Levy  Delegate (and outsource) everything but the soul of the business.                          Verne Harnish Using the Obvious to Stand Out – In Business and Life Mark Levy nailed successful branding in this 17-minute TEDx talk. The challenge – you’re too close to what you do that could make you stand out from the crowd and get more noticed. Some key questions he suggests toward the end: What is painfully obvious to me about what we do but not to the rest of the world? What about what we do is surprising/unexpected? What is it about our work that other people just can’t forget? Aim to be real vs. impressive. Real is what the world will remember. These are important marketing questions – watch the video then work thru the answers with your team. Founder Mode – My Take Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky along with Y-Combinator’s Paul Graham, ignited a dialogue last year around this idea of “founder mode” vs. “manager mode.” My take, after testing ideas with various founders – to be in “founder mode” is to remain focused (maniacal if you need to be) on the soul of the business – the soul being the key to your ongoing success, generating raving fans. For examples, go to 12:40 in this interview I did with Philip Masiello on his Crunching Your Growth podcast – the piece is just 1 minute long. Then identify the soul of your business and micromanage if necessary. When to Micromanage Gap’s former CEO Mickey Drexler learned that micromanaging can be a good thing from the late Steve Jobs. This Fortune article quotes Drexler: I’m proud to be a micromanager for what a customer sees, feels, and hears. Drexler served on the board of Apple with Steve Jobs and came to appreciate his intense attention to design – making sure all the screws on a device were horizontal – like the importance of the buttons being right for a shirt or jacket. Remain maniacal about what matters most to the customer! How to Get Everyone to Micromanage All 700 employees at single location Zingerman’s Deli ($80 million in revenue) know how to identify “dumb stuff” that frustrates customers and themselves. And they have a process to each lead the change to guarantee it’s doable, the right thing to do, and implemented without all of it rolling up to the anarchist founder Ari Weinzweig (68) to deal with. They have a beautiful little pamphlet entitled Bottom-Line Change – and a mini-course you can take. Top Five Biz Books In case you missed it last week… …here’s a link to the article published on ScaleUps.com (www.scaleups.com). Details for why I chose each and summaries are in the article. Here’s the list: PEOPLE – Never Lead Alone by Keith Ferrazzi STRATEGY – Scale Up Faster by Pete Martin EXECUTION – How Big Things Get Done by Bent Flyvbjerg and Dan Gardner CASH – Elon Musk by Walter Isaacson (yes, please read it again – I’m on my 4th) PERSONAL – Likeable Badass by Alison Fragale Buy a box of 20 books Save 50% over the price on Amazon for Scaling Up, and Start to Scale books here for less! SCALING UP WORKSHOPS: Engage your team with interactive Scaling Up workshops. Here's our list of workshops Planning to Exit – Critical Whitepaper Selling your firm, for its maximum value, is the most important negotiation in which a business owner will participate. You are typically negotiating with sophisticated buyers who have done hundreds of acquisitions whereas this is often your first rodeo. And these buyers have a formula for ripping you off – and it works, stealing tens of millions from you. Seeking help, owners discover the big M&A firms, especially those specializing in your industry, are more beholden to the buyers than the sellers (they will tell you otherwise). Email me to get a whitepaper on how to maximize your valuation and avoid the psychological games buyers play [email protected]. Planning for 2025 – Get a Coach or Be a Coach It’s best if the planning session is professionally facilitated according to experienced CEOs. This way they can participate in the process (and not dominate it). If you’re looking for a facilitator, click here. And if you’re interested in becoming a coach/facilitator, we’re always looking to add to our 296 experienced partners around the globe. To learn more, click here. EDUCATION Scaling Up Master Business Course Scaling Up Free Mini Course TECHNOLOGY Scaling Up Scoreboard is AI-enabled and integrated with Salesforce, Slack, and Zapier (allowing it to connect with 1000s of systems). Use Scoreboard to provide your team (working remotely even more important!) with a real-time visual dashboard of cascading priorities and metrics. Get a personalized tour of the Scaling Up Scoreboard to see how you can use it to better implement Scaling Up in your business. *This may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. If you choose to purchase after clicking a link, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Top 5 Biz Books to Thrive in ‘25

Weekly scaleup news from Verne Harnish

Not all readers are leaders, but all leaders are readers.                            Harry S. Truman  A book is a gift you can open again and again.                          Garrison Keillor Thrive in ’25 – Five Key Books Thrive in 2025 by reviewing the fundamentals in these five books with your team.  Choose someone on the leadership team to read one of them – all (with one exception) published in the past year – and share a couple of ideas to jump-start and/or accelerate engagement, growth, profit and cash. Organized around the key decisions in our Scaling Up framework – People, Strategy, Execution, Cash and Personal – here’s the top book for each to help you scale.  Enjoy. PEOPLE – Never Lead Alone: 10 Shifts from Leadership to Teamship by Keith Ferrazzi Grab a copy and go right to Chapter 4.  Notes Ferrazzi: Fifty-eight percent of employees say that they trust strangers more than they trust their own associates at work. The key to overcoming this is scheduling some fun bonding events in 2025 – similar to the dogfight pickup football game in Top Gun: Maverick. Active quarterly themes with celebrations, a key component of Scaling Up, are key to building teamwork. Then read the rest of Ferrazzi’s excellent book to nail the little things that create a much more engaged and effective team.  Think about implementing one idea per month or quarter. STRATEGY – Scale Up Faster: The Secrets of the World’s Quickest-Growing Bootstrapped Companies by Pete Martin Pete Martin, a kindred spirit in the growth movement, embarked on a 2 ½-year odyssey to unlock the secrets of the top 1 percent of performers among the Inc 5000 list of the fastest-growing private companies in America.  The result is Scale Up Faster. It’s a treasure trove of battle-tested and specific strategies for entrepreneurs who want to break free from the pack. Here are three of many specific insights, the first being my favorite: They had one way of selling that had a high close ratio – one extremely focused approach. Meditations by Marcus Aurelius is the most-read book by Bootstrapped Fast Growth (BFG) companies. These firms focused on the “job to be done” for customers. EXECUTION – How Big Things Get Done: The Surprising Factors That Determine the Fate of Every Project, from Home Renovations to Space Exploration and Everything in Between by Bent Flyvbjerg and Dan Gardner How do you bring in one-of-a-kind creative projects, ranging from remodeling your kitchen to constructing a multi-billion-dollar cultural institution, on time and under budget?  The authors detail seven key steps in an entertaining and insightful way. The two contrasting big projects used to open the book – the Sydney Opera House and the Guggenheim in Bilbao – highlight the differences between an iconic project that came in over budget by 700 percent and ruined the career of its young 36-year-old architect and the other, which delivered on time and under budget by 3% and launched the career of famed architect Frank Gehry. The keys to success include lots of upfront iterations before starting the project, creating the right culture for the team (including ample use of posters!), liberally utilizing reference projects, and taking a Lego approach to assembling.   It’s a fun read, providing the back stories behind iconic projects around the globe we’re all familiar with.  Once you’ve enjoyed them, apply the authors’ ideas to your next big project driving your scale. CASH – Elon Musk by Walter Isaacson Yes, please read it again – and again.  Going through it for a fourth time, I’m still picking up ideas I missed the first three times from the entrepreneur who right now has more business and political influence than anyone on the planet. And yes, I chose it as one of the five top biz books of 2023.  It’s just that there clearly wasn’t a better CEO biography (for which I reserve this category) in 2024. His “algorithm” is the soul of all his businesses – a mantra that is repeated at the beginning of each of his daily huddles and weekly meetings.  Look it up and practice it within your own firm.  The key?  Eliminating all the dumb stuff BEFORE automating – otherwise you’re just speeding up a mess. My favorite moment in the book is when he’s kicked out of PayPal yet goes and breaks bread with each of the partners to maintain their relationships.  Later, when he badly needed $20 million, these same partners stepped up and saved him.  That’s EQ, for those who claim Musk has none.  Absorbing the lessons in this book could transform your business in 2025 – and beyond. PERSONAL – Likeable Badass: How Women Get the Success They Deserve by Alison Fragale Warmth and competence – the two dimensions on which we immediately judge most people – are the basis for noted research psychologist, professor, and consultant Alison Fragale’s book Likeable Badass, recommended highly by Adam Grant. As Fragale points out,  status (perceived competence) is how you get influence and power vs. the opposite. How you attain this status – in combination with your personal warmth – makes you a Likeable Badass. It’s a quick and fun read with some surprising insights, like the importance of obtaining status to convey competence (i.e., a Harvard appointment).  Although Fragale wrote the book with women in mind, much of the advice is relevant for men, personally, and for those who mentor women or have daughters in the workplace. Set a goal for 2025 to seek an emblem of status, like writing a book, and to be much more likable – she teaches you how.

Buy a box of 20 books
Save 50% over the price on Amazon for Scaling Up, and Start to Scale books here for less!

SCALING UP WORKSHOPS:
Engage your team with interactive Scaling Up workshops.
Here's our list of workshops

TECHNOLOGY
Scaling Up Scoreboard is AI-enabled and integrated with Salesforce, Slack, and Zapier (allowing it to connect with 1000s of systems). Use Scoreboard to provide your team (working remotely even more important!) with a real-time visual dashboard of cascading priorities and metrics. Get a personalized tour of the Scaling Up Scoreboard to see how you can use it to better implement Scaling Up in your business.

Planning to Exit – Critical Whitepaper
Selling your firm, for its maximum value, is the most important negotiation in which a business owner will participate. You are typically negotiating with sophisticated buyers who have done hundreds of acquisitions whereas this is often your first rodeo. And these buyers have a formula for ripping you off – and it works, stealing tens of millions from you. Seeking help, owners discover the big M&A firms, especially those specializing in your industry, are more beholden to the buyers than the sellers (they will tell you otherwise). Email me to get a whitepaper on how to maximize your valuation and avoid the psychological games buyers play [email protected].

Planning for 2025 – Get a Coach or Be a Coach
It’s best if the planning session is professionally facilitated according to experienced CEOs. This way they can participate in the process (and not dominate it). If you’re looking for a facilitator, click here.

And if you’re interested in becoming a coach/facilitator, we’re always looking to add to our 296 experienced partners around the globe. To learn more, click here.

EDUCATION
Scaling Up Master Business Course
Scaling Up Free Mini Course

*This may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. If you choose to purchase after clicking a link, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Unoffendable; CEO of the Year; Get Hygge; Thrive in ‘25

Weekly scaleup news from Verne Harnish

Become unoffendable.                          Brant Hansen  I don’t believe leaders are born. I believe leaders are trained.                          Lisa Su, CEO AMD Unoffendable – How Just One Change Can Make All Life Better It’s enough to purchase the book and read the cover every day! How can you become unoffendable? As author Brant Hansen suggests, learn how to replace perpetual frustration and anger with refreshing humility and gratitude. It will make everything else in your life better, for sure. Women Biz Owners Need Your Help Tis the season – if you have any funds left in your end-of-year donation coffers, please consider a cause near and dear to our hearts – scholarships for women biz owners hit hard by inflation, city challenges, etc. – to attend Million Dollar Women’s programs that boost their sales and businesses – see below for more details. Thank you for giving – entrepreneurs to entrepreneurs. Last Business Article 2024? CEO of the Year Stock up 40x in a decade ($3 to $121), Lisa Su CEO of AMD was named Time Magazine’s “CEO of the Year.” This article details how she’s done it. Racing past Intel, the key question: can she come close to catching up and beating NVIDIA founded by her cousin (all in the family!). NVIDIA has 95% market share in the data center space. It’s worth 3-minutes to get an inside glimpse at her strategy. One glimmer of hope in a political charged environment – the two largest supercomputers in the world are powered by AMD chips, not NVIDIA! Get Hygge This Holiday Season Kari Leibowitz is a psychologist and the author of How to Winter: Harness Your Mindset to Thrive on Cold, Dark, or Difficult Days (applicable six months from now for my readers in the south). This podcast interview details how those living in the most northern Artic regions, with only two hours of sunlight, avoid most of the seasonable depression issues that come with extended darkness. One way is the Nordic practice of hygge which can make darkness feel cozy – and why the Danes are some of the happiest people on earth. She also emphasizes the importance of getting outside and remaining social. Enjoy this podcast with your favorite warm beverage sitting around a roaring fire all cozy and comfy. Skip New Years Planning – March 20 Instead We’re meant to hibernate in the winter, so take pressure off (and put off) your New Years’ Resolutions until the spring solstice, March 20. I did it this last year and it worked so much better – focusing on accomplishing personal goals between the Spring and Winter Solstices – and then hibernating – giving myself a break! If the calendar were 14 months, we would set 14 month goals – so why not accomplish in 9 what it normally takes 12. Bridge the Gap Campaign As you finalize your end of year giving, please consider a contribution of $50, $100, $250 or more to MDW Fund this giving season. I am a proud supporter of MDW Fund (Million Dollar Women Fund), a 501c(3) non-profit that provides business scholarships to underrepresented women small business owners. MDW Fund is the nonprofit arm of Million Dollar Women and every dollar raised goes toward making it possible for underrepresented entrepreneurs to build scalable, profitable, and fundable businesses. Check out this video explaining the fund by founder Julia Pimsleur. Bonnie McPike – MDW Works Bonnie McPike, a recent Million Dollar Women Accelerator Grad, shares in this short video how Julia’s program, based on Scaling Up and her Sales CURE program, helped Bonnie reach her first $100k revenue month! Not a scholarship recipient (Julia shares those scholarships with women truly in need), the video is a beautiful testament to the quality of MDW’s training for women entrepreneurs. Thrive in 2025! Happiest of Holidays and New Year. I’ll be back with more insights after the first of next year. In the meantime, hygge up and become unoffendable in the coming year.

 

Buy a box of 20 books Save 50% over the price on Amazon for Scaling Up, and Start to Scale books here for less! EDUCATION Scaling Up Master Business Course Scaling Up Free Mini Course SCALING UP WORKSHOPS: Engage your team with interactive Scaling Up workshops. Here's our list of workshops TECHNOLOGY Scaling Up Scoreboard is AI-enabled and integrated with Salesforce, Slack, and Zapier (allowing it to connect with 1000s of systems). Use Scoreboard to provide your team (working remotely even more important!) with a real-time visual dashboard of cascading priorities and metrics. Get a personalized tour of the Scaling Up Scoreboard to see how you can use it to better implement Scaling Up in your business. Planning to Exit – Critical Whitepaper Selling your firm, for its maximum value, is the most important negotiation in which a business owner will participate. You are typically negotiating with sophisticated buyers who have done hundreds of acquisitions whereas this is often your first rodeo. And these buyers have a formula for ripping you off – and it works, stealing tens of millions from you. Seeking help, owners discover the big M&A firms, especially those specializing in your industry, are more beholden to the buyers than the sellers (they will tell you otherwise). Email me to get a whitepaper on how to maximize your valuation and avoid the psychological games buyers play [email protected]. Planning for 2025 – Get a Coach or Be a Coach It’s best if the planning session is professionally facilitated according to experienced CEOs. This way they can participate in the process (and not dominate it). If you’re looking for a facilitator, click here. And if you’re interested in becoming a coach/facilitator, we’re always looking to add to our 296 experienced partners around the globe. To learn more, click here. *This may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. If you choose to purchase after clicking a link, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Highest Ever; Now’s the Time; Wendell Weeks; $311.97

Weekly scaleup news from Verne Harnish

CEO optimism ‘is as high as we’ve ever seen.’                          Deloitte Survey  Do not be afraid to give up the good to go for the great.                          John D. Rockefeller

CEO Optimism Post US Election – Highest Ever
This Yahoo/Finance article shares the results from Fortune/Deloitte’s latest survey of CEOs post the US election. Notes the article:

140 CEOs of the world’s largest and most influential companies, 84% expressed optimism about their company’s performance in the next year. Nearly half are optimistic about the global economy, up from 7% a year ago, and two-thirds see opportunity in AI.

The article links to the complete survey results. As goes the world’s largest firms seems to go mid-market firms.

Land Large Accounts – Now is the Time with Optimism High
number8, a growing software development company, faced challenges in securing large accounts due to a lack of a defined sales process and inconsistent messaging. To address these issues, they partnered with Hunt Big Sales for a comprehensive strategic sales system. Within nine months, number8 successfully landed three deals exceeding $3 million each.  Notes MD Oliver Ray:

If You Only Read One Article…And I’ll Break It Down
First, here’s an IG Reel to the author’s quick summary of her story on Corning.

Her Fortune article details how the 173-year-old firm that created Edison’s glass for his lightbulbs – and Apple’s iPhone screens – and is one of the hottest firms in Silicon Valley – stock up 50% this year as Corning powers GenAI with their optical fiber. 

How do you maintain such prominence across so many centuries and generations?  For those who truly want to build a lasting firm (and scale in the short run), please absorb the key lessons outlined in the article.

The article includes an audio version of the piece – 14 minutes.  Please gift yourself a Fortune magazine subscription – they, and HBR, are the two biz subscriptions to own – the best in-depth insights – not fluff reporting.

Nurtures Influencers – and Becomes Their Close Friends
Notes Fortune, Corning’s CEO Wendell Weeks:

…counts some of the biggest names in business as his close friends and confidants, including Amazon’s Jeff Bezos and Andy Jassy, Samsung Executive Chairman Jay Y. Lee, and Ford’s Jim Farley.

He vacations with Jony Ive, who up until 2021 was Apple's Chief Design Officer.

How many of you have this kind of relationship with your top customers? I always loved how Jack Stack, SRC (Great Game of Business) hosted bass fishing tournaments in Springfield, MO, bringing in their major customers and having a great time together over a weekend.  Jack shared it was the best money he ever spent helping he and his team become best friends with their clients.

Sam Goodner who created the largest Microsoft Solution Provider did the same by nurturing a list of the top 100 key people at Microsoft.  Make your list and work it.

Listens and Remembers – and Acts – How Rare
Notes Fortune, one of Corning CEO’s best traits is listening deeply to his friends and customers and remembering the questions or problems they are trying to solve. Shares Jony Ive:

What absolutely blows me away is that four years could pass and he will then bring out a case and bring out a sample of a completely innovative material that they designed and developed based on that very careful listening to me. Just the modesty and the humility of quietly doing the work–you know how rare that is.

Ive goes on to note “He is utterly consumed by trying to work with you to solve difficult, sometimes almost seemingly impossible challenges.” 

Humble and Team Oriented
Notes the author of the article, Weeks joined Amazon’s board in 2016. Jeff Bezos described how remarkably humble Weeks is (which fact checks, as Weeks was quick to point out to me that Bezos is a “much better CEO” than him).  Notes Bezos:

“He is very team-oriented. I don’t think I’ve ever heard Wendell say, ‘You guys should do this or that.’ He says, ‘We should do this or that.’ It’s very deep inside him. He’s an MVP from a team player orientation.”

Complete and Utter Passion for Glass
The author goes on to note:

As with every feature, some things were left on the cutting room floor. One of my favorites: Weeks doesn’t leave glass at his 9-to-5. He takes great pride in his personal glass art collection featuring the works of Stanislav Libenský and Lino Tagliapietra, and serves on the board of the town’s big tourist draw, the Corning Museum of Glass.

And you have to love that he keeps a small, yellowed piece of paper in a dark wood frame behind his desk. Dated Nov. 17, 1880, it’s Thomas Edison’s $311.97 order for Corning Glass Works to produce the glass for a risky new invention of his: the lightbulb. 

Buy a box of 20 books
Save 50% over the price on Amazon for Scaling Up, and Start to Scale books here for less!

EDUCATION
Scaling Up Master Business Course
Scaling Up Free Mini Course

SCALING UP WORKSHOPS:
Engage your team with interactive Scaling Up workshops.
Here's our list of workshops

TECHNOLOGY
Scaling Up Scoreboard is AI-enabled and integrated with Salesforce, Slack, and Zapier (allowing it to connect with 1000s of systems). Use Scoreboard to provide your team (working remotely even more important!) with a real-time visual dashboard of cascading priorities and metrics. Get a personalized tour of the Scaling Up Scoreboard to see how you can use it to better implement Scaling Up in your business.

Planning to Exit – Critical Whitepaper
Selling your firm, for its maximum value, is the most important negotiation in which a business owner will participate. You are typically negotiating with sophisticated buyers who have done hundreds of acquisitions whereas this is often your first rodeo. And these buyers have a formula for ripping you off – and it works, stealing tens of millions from you. Seeking help, owners discover the big M&A firms, especially those specializing in your industry, are more beholden to the buyers than the sellers (they will tell you otherwise). Email me to get a whitepaper on how to maximize your valuation and avoid the psychological games buyers play [email protected].

Planning for 2025 – Get a Coach or Be a Coach
It’s best if the planning session is professionally facilitated according to experienced CEOs. This way they can participate in the process (and not dominate it). If you’re looking for a facilitator, click here.

And if you’re interested in becoming a coach/facilitator, we’re always looking to add to our 296 experienced partners around the globe. To learn more, click here.

*This may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. If you choose to purchase after clicking a link, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Verne’s Insights – Buffett’s Parenting Tip; #1 Culture Key; Federer’s Note

Weekly scaleup news from Verne Harnish

When your children are mature, have them read your will before you sign it.                          Warren Buffett  Let’s start with the obvious: you beat me—a lot.                          Federer’s note to Nadal

Bonuses/Recognition Align with Customer Expectations This Scaleups.com article details how CEO of Paradigm Mechanical Corp Melinda Dicharry, with the help of coach Karie Kaufman, has aligned bonuses and their “Bragging Rights” recognition program with important company and client outcomes. Notes Melinda: “A project earns Bragging Rights if it meets criteria like no injuries, beating budget, job files that are organized, and a client recommendation.” So far this year, the company has paid employees $40,000 in Bragging Rights bonuses. The article goes on to share what Melinda jokingly calls “Melinda’s plan to take over the world” – a five-year vision, structured with the help of coach Karie.  Not surprisingly, it’s already coming truer than she expected. Please invest 2-minutes to read the rest of her story including their Purpose, Brand Promises, acquisition strategy, etc. Smooth Holiday Jazz Videos Providing a warm image and holiday cheer during the opening, breaks, and lunch of our two-day YPO International Scaling Up workshop this week, we played these two smooth holiday jazz videos – one providing a comforting snowy mountain villa scene and the second a coffee shop, holiday, snowy lake scene. Enjoy, at home, work, or during holiday events on your big screen. Warren Buffett’s Advice to Parents This CNBC article provides a good summary of Warren Buffett’s surprising letter offering “suggestions to all parents” re: passing along your wealth to your children (see quote above). Always thoughtful, his 4-page letter is worth perusing. Key to Being a Great Leader — Buffett …and this Fortune article highlights Buffett’s two keys to being a great leader. His first supports my notion that your strategy decisions come before your people decisions. Notes Buffett, good leaders…: …have to have a clear vision of where you’re going, so that you can get others to follow you. This is why it’s crucial as a leader to have AMBITIOUS goals -- like Melinda expresses in the article noted above -- not attainable ones as some profess. If my vision was to simply start a local entrepreneurs club in Wichita, I would not have attracted Reagan’s, Jobs’, or Dell’s support for launching ACE and YEO (now EO) globally. What is your CLEAR and BOLD vision for 2025 and beyond? And please remember to give it a name – Thrive in 25? Words Cast Spells The second key to being a great leader, notes Buffett, is to create a strong culture. Everyone says this, but HOW do you do it as a leader? For Berkshire…: …(I) create a strong culture through what I write, and what I say… I can’t overemphasize, as I did at our YPO International two-day Scaling Up Workshop in New Orleans this week, the importance of the CEO sending out a weekly email, voicemail or video – or hosting a weekly all hands meeting like Zuckerberg’s “Q&A with Mark” 5pm PT every Thursday - where the CEO reinforces the quarterly/annual theme, stories where core values are lived, concerns and updates, and generally what they are thinking/feeling. Being vulnerable at times is also super helpful. This is the simplest routine to maintain a strong culture. Roger Federer’s Note to Rafa Nadal Speaking of “words casting spells,” Steve Hall alerted me to of this heartfelt message Roger posted marking Nadal’s retirement from the sport of tennis. Notes Steve: To me this sets a high bar for athletes that every parent, school and university should aspire their student athletes to achieve -- more focus on leadership and being a great competitor than "winning at all costs" because winning at all costs actually costs you everything in the long run. Please invest 2-minutes to read this classy message– a lesson for all of us hoping our competitors retire 😊. 3hrs Each Day Dec 11 - 12 – Virtual Scaling Up Master Class LIVE with Verne Harnish Your annual review of the fundamentals (like golf and tennis lessons) for you and your team. 90 minutes each People, Strategy, Execution, and Cash – and a bonus session for CEOs only. For more info and to register (recording included).

 

Buy a box of 20 books

Save 50% over the price on Amazon for Scaling Up, and Start to Scale books here for less! Buy 2 boxes of Start to Scale and automatically get one free seat to our 2024 December Master Class.

Planning for 2025 – Get a Coach or Be a Coach
It’s best if the planning session is professionally facilitated according to experienced CEOs. This way they can participate in the process (and not dominate it). Email [email protected] if you’re looking for a facilitator.

And if you’re interested in becoming a coach/facilitator, we’re always looking to add to our 296 experienced partners around the globe. Email [email protected]

TECHNOLOGY
Scaling Up Scoreboard is AI-enabled and integrated with Salesforce, Slack, and Zapier (allowing it to connect with 1000s of systems). Use Scoreboard to provide your team (working remotely even more important!) with a real-time visual dashboard of cascading priorities and metrics. Get a personalized tour of the Scaling Up Scoreboard to see how you can use it to better implement Scaling Up in your business.

EDUCATION
Scaling Up Master Business Course
Scaling Up Free Mini Course

SCALING UP WORKSHOPS:
Engage your team with interactive Scaling Up workshops.
Here's our list of workshops

Planning to Exit – Critical Whitepaper
Selling your firm, for its maximum value, is the most important negotiation in which a business owner will participate. You are typically negotiating with sophisticated buyers who have done hundreds of acquisitions whereas this is often your first rodeo. And these buyers have a formula for ripping you off – and it works, stealing tens of millions from you. Seeking help, owners discover the big M&A firms, especially those specializing in your industry, are more beholden to the buyers than the sellers (they will tell you otherwise). Email me to get a whitepaper on how to maximize your valuation and avoid the psychological games buyers play [email protected].

*This may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. If you choose to purchase after clicking a link, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Verne’s Insights – 2025 Predictions; ScaleUp Deficit Disorder (SDD); Joey Wat China

Weekly scaleup news from Verne Harnish Hopefully you find people you love to work with, you push each other to succeed, you push each other outside your comfort zone.                          Tom Brady Just watch (the customers) with heart.                          Joey Wat Black Friday Special – Mindvalley Scaling Up Master Class 22 short episodes (4 – 10 min each), Mindvalley’s founder Vishen Lakhiani (fellow EOer) partnered with me to produce a first-class mini-Scaling Up course. Billed as a 22-day or 22-week challenge, you can get the course for a deeply discounted $199 Mindvalley annual membership – and have access to all their other excellent mindset programs. Nice balance to our more comprehensive Growth Institute Master Courses. This 3-minute video gives you a preview. Then go here to sign up. And a perfect gift to anyone (one of your children?) wanting to jumpstart the Scaling Up process. CEO Playbook for 2025 This Boston Consulting Group (BCG) report details their predictions for 2025. In short: AI is a #1 priority for 90% of C-Suite execs, but they are struggling gaining momentum with it. My recommendation – partner with a local university’s data analytics dept. (I spent Wed afternoon on the phone with Harvard’s team working on a project for us). Even with AI, there are serious talent shortages. My recommendation, find a strange “fishing hole” to find a consistent stream of talent. Supply chain concerns given the tariff threats. I’m hearing this among EO members – so time to shore up multiple sources. Good news – growth and investment looking good for 2025 Please invest a few minutes to read the details. A few good nuggets. Unlocking Explosive Growth – Hunt Big Sales Speaking of revenue growth, Tipton Mills, a food manufacturer, was struggling with client dependency. By partnering with Hunt Big Sales, they implemented a strategic plan that led to $200,000+ in additional monthly revenue from just four new accounts. Ready to supercharge your business? Book your free 45-minute Silver Bullet Coaching session today. Visit Hunt Big Sales to learn more. I continue to feature them because their comprehensive process works to drive sales. Chinese Fast-Food Mogul Watches Customers This Fortune article details how Joey Wat, the CEO of Yum China — the company behind the Chinese versions of KFC China and Taco Bell — credits part of KFC China’s success to her practice of sitting in the restaurants and watching what customers enjoy. The strategy has led to some of the restaurant's most popular dishes. What are you doing to observe your clients in action using your products/services? Focus groups won’t do; firsthand intel is key. ScaleUp Deficit Disorder (SDD) I love the term – first I’ve heard anyone coin it. This Vanguard article highlights Ziad Maalouf TEDx talk – he’s a Seven Up Bottler in Nigeria supporting scaleups. 3hrs Each Day Dec 11 - 12 – Virtual Scaling Up Master Class LIVE with Verne Harnish Your annual review of the fundamentals (like golf and tennis lessons) for you and your team. 90 minutes each People, Strategy, Execution, and Cash – and a bonus session for CEOs only. For more info and to register (recording included).   Buy a box of 20 books Save 50% over the price on Amazon for Scaling Up, and Start to Scale books here for less! Buy 2 boxes of Start to Scale and automatically get one free seat to our 2024 December Master Class. Planning for 2025 – Get a Coach or Be a Coach It’s best if the planning session is professionally facilitated according to experienced CEOs. This way they can participate in the process (and not dominate it). Email [email protected] if you’re looking for a facilitator. And if you’re interested in becoming a coach/facilitator, we’re always looking to add to our 296 experienced partners around the globe. Email [email protected] Planning to Exit – Critical Whitepaper Selling your firm, for its maximum value, is the most important negotiation in which a business owner will participate. You are typically negotiating with sophisticated buyers who have done hundreds of acquisitions whereas this is often your first rodeo. And these buyers have a formula for ripping you off – and it works, stealing tens of millions from you. Seeking help, owners discover the big M&A firms, especially those specializing in your industry, are more beholden to the buyers than the sellers (they will tell you otherwise). Email me to get a whitepaper on how to maximize your valuation and avoid the psychological games buyers play [email protected]. TECHNOLOGY Scaling Up Scoreboard is AI-enabled and integrated with Salesforce, Slack, and Zapier (allowing it to connect with 1000s of systems). Use Scoreboard to provide your team (working remotely even more important!) with a real-time visual dashboard of cascading priorities and metrics. Get a personalized tour of the Scaling Up Scoreboard to see how you can use it to better implement Scaling Up in your business. EDUCATION Scaling Up Master Business Course Scaling Up Free Mini Course SCALING UP WORKSHOPS: Engage your team with interactive Scaling Up workshops. Here's our list of workshops *This may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. If you choose to purchase after clicking a link, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Verne’s Insights – Watch; Buffett’s Latest; New Book; ABM; Dumb

Weekly scaleup news from Verne Harnish ….and you become like their therapist (why CEOs shouldn’t do one-on-ones)                         Brian Cheskey, Airbnb If we dumb things down, they become dumb.                         Seth Godin Who’s Scaling – B2B Cybersecurity Firm (Case Study) $115 million when Mike Linton became CEO in 2020, today VLCM will do $150 million with 150 employees. This Scaleups.com article details how Mike started with the Rockefeller Habits 18 years ago when he launched a successful division inside VLCM – and has continued using our tools/techniques including a 15-minute daily huddle and Topgrading for hiring. Dumbing Down is Dumb – Daily Huddle Those who have copied and dumbed down our methodology/tools/techniques in the name of simplicity, by eliminating the daily huddle, have caused firms to leave so much money and time on the table. As Seth Godin suggests in his quote above, it’s just dumb. What to Watch – Domino’s Strategy “Hungry for MORE” is the name of Domino’s five-year strategy (you’ve named yours?). With stock up 7000% since going public, and Warren Buffett buying $500 million of Domino’s stock this week, watch the first 2 minutes of this NY Stock Exchange interview with CEO Russell Weiner. He details their four-pillar strategy that spells the word MORE. Have you produced a similar video for your team/market explaining in simple terms your strategy? It’s not too late for 2025 – let us help. What to Read – The Revenue Engine Priced at $0.99 right now on Kindle and released this week, go right to Chapter 10 of Kara Brown’s The Revenue Engine. This book is for B2B firms – and her chapter on Account Based Marketing (ABM) is fresh and important. Marketing properly to your existing customers is an important process in driving revenues. Then read the rest of her book if you want to rev up your revenue engine. How to Pay – Elon Musk Lower salaries and bigger stock grants – Musk’s approach at Tesla to compensation according to this Business Insider article. Thx to coach Rob Nankervis for sharing. Our Scaling Up Compensation book is worth reviewing for year-end strategies to adjust compensation. For Your Health – Survival Rate Doubled New research reinforces what we’ve seen for decades – high-dose IV vitamin C doubles the survival rate of pancreatic cancer, according to this Medical Express article. And quality of life if on chemo is greatly improved. I’ve received a 25-gram IV C infusion almost every month for decades as a preventive measure and to boost health/energy. Buy a box of 20 books Save 50% over the price on Amazon for Scaling Up, and Start to Scale books here for less! Buy 2 boxes of Start to Scale and automatically get one free seat to our 2024 December Master Class. Planning for 2025 – Get a Coach or Be a Coach It’s best if the planning session is professionally facilitated according to experienced CEOs. This way they can participate in the process (and not dominate it). Email [email protected] if you’re looking for a facilitator. And if you’re interested in becoming a coach/facilitator, we’re always looking to add to our 296 experienced partners around the globe. Email [email protected] SCALING UP WORKSHOPS: Engage your team with interactive Scaling Up workshops. Here's our list of workshops Planning to Exit – Critical Whitepaper Selling your firm, for its maximum value, is the most important negotiation in which a business owner will participate. You are typically negotiating with sophisticated buyers who have done hundreds of acquisitions whereas this is often your first rodeo. And these buyers have a formula for ripping you off – and it works, stealing tens of millions from you. Seeking help, owners discover the big M&A firms, especially those specializing in your industry, are more beholden to the buyers than the sellers (they will tell you otherwise). Email me to get a whitepaper on how to maximize your valuation and avoid the psychological games buyers play [email protected]. TECHNOLOGY Scaling Up Scoreboard is AI-enabled and integrated with Salesforce, Slack, and Zapier (allowing it to connect with 1000s of systems). Use Scoreboard to provide your team (working remotely even more important!) with a real-time visual dashboard of cascading priorities and metrics. Get a personalized tour of the Scaling Up Scoreboard to see how you can use it to better implement Scaling Up in your business. EDUCATION Scaling Up Master Business Course Scaling Up Free Mini Course *This may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. If you choose to purchase after clicking a link, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Most Powerful; Teamship; Overrated; Never Lead Alone

Are you truly committed to one another in the organization?
                     Keith Ferrazzi

…just focus on staying sane and taking care of yourself.
                     Martin Casado, a16z

An invitation to invest 2 to 22 minutes in your executive education this week.

The Courageous Podcast
I was Ryan Berman’s guest. Please go to 2:50 for a good Autobahn analogy of how “routine sets you free” – and the true role of core values and brand promises in guiding the business – it’s just a 2-minute segment.

First Ever “Most Powerful People in Business”
Fortune’s newest list was released this week and no surprise, Elon Musk is the #1 most powerful person in business in the world. Notes Fortune:

Representing 40 industries spanning the world, these are the world's most influential leaders shaping the global business landscape. The list includes 70 US-based companies, 15 from Asia regions, 14 in Europe, and one from the Middle East. Eighteen of the list's CEOs and leaders are female.

Careship vs. Leadership – Hubert Joly
Maybe it’s time to get rid of the word “leadership” like the label “manager.” Hubert Joly, who turned around Best Buy, has suggested the term “careship” which more accurately describes what the senior team needs to do for the employees. There’s no way your team players will care for your customers, company, or you if they don’t feel you care for them.

Teamship vs Leadership – Keith Ferrazzi
Keith Ferrazzi has weighed in with his new (and outstanding) book, released this week, entitled Never Lead Alone: 10 Shifts from Leadership to Teamship. Grab a Kindle version and go right to Chapter 4. Notes Ferrazzi:

Fifty-eight percent of employees say that they trust strangers more than they trust their own associates at work.

The importance of finding ways to truly bond with each other is key – think the pickup football game on the beach in Top Gun Maverick, the most important scene in the movie that drove the success of their mission. Jack Little, Mathworks, enthusiastically spends $25 million bringing all 6000 employees together for an event that bonds them – the best money he feels he spends.

Are You Truly Committed to One Another in the Organization?
Chapter 4 opens with this “red flag” statement. It starts with the onboarding process and continues with fun social gatherings. Our coaching partners who spend time with each other doing fun things are clearly more bonded. What are you doing to create bonds throughout your organization – it matters. Please read the balance of Chapter 4 and then start back at Chapter 1 and please read the rest of Keith’s book – it’s a quick and easy read underpinning the need to “co-elevate behaviors” and utilizing “twenty-first-century collaborative processes and tools.”

Feedback is a Gift
Shari Conaway, former Managing Director of People for Southwest Airlines and now working closely with our organization has noted that 360 feedback was positioned (and viewed) as a gift. Ferrazzi notes the same at the end of Chapter 3.

Productivity Hacks Overrated?
Selling his own firm for $1.25 billion, a16z VC Martin Casado shares in this TechCrunch article:

Founders need to understand that it will likely take years to achieve success, and there’s no guarantee that they ever will. Lifestyle hacks that may work to hit an approaching deadline might not be sustainable as a way of life for years.

It might mean at times you need to sleep in, not “eat the frog”, and take a break. He goes on to share:

Things always take way longer than you expect. And I think the people that actually just focus on their well-being are the ones that survive…If you can survive, at the end of the day, you’ll have a shot at winning.

Thank you to coach Bill Gallagher who pointed me to this article and added the context:

(Founders/entrepreneurs) are naturally obsessive so put more attention on just taking care of yourself and going organically with what works for you.

Order a box of 20 books
Save 50% over the price on Amazon for Scaling Up, and Start to Scale books here for less!
Buy 2 boxes of Start to Scale and automatically get one free seat to our 2024 December Master Class.

Additional Books 
Scaling Up Compensation, a quick read helping you get much greater impact and outcomes from one of your largest expenses; and The Greatest Business Decisions of All Time, which provides you with some great ideas to borrow/steal for your own business are available on Amazon.

Planning for 2025 – Get a Coach or Be a Coach
It’s best if the planning session is professionally facilitated according to experienced CEOs. This way they can participate in the process (and not dominate it). Email [email protected] if you’re looking for a facilitator.

And if you’re interested in becoming a coach/facilitator, we’re always looking to add to our 296 experienced partners around the globe. Email [email protected]

COACHING: Unlock Explosive Growth with a Scaling Up Coach
As we enter the fourth quarter, ensure your business thrives amidst economic uncertainties with expert guidance from a Scaling-up Coach. Our proven methodology and proprietary tools will help align your team, translate strategy into action, and drive measurable results. Schedule a complimentary call today to take the first step towards a clear, actionable Q4 strategy. For additional questions, email [email protected] or check our FAQs.

Have you considered becoming a Certified Scaling Up Coach?
Learn more about what it takes to certify and what being a coach is like. Pop into our Coach Office Hours to talk with our coach certification coordinator and a certified Scaling Up Coach. Learn More & Register for Office Hours here >

SCALING UP WORKSHOPS:
Engage your team with interactive Scaling Up workshops. Here's our list of workshops

San Francisco, CA – Nov 19, 2024 (Virtual)
Paris, France – Nov 26, 2024 (Virtual)
Franklin, TN – Dec 5, 2024 (Virtual)
Chile – Dec 10, 2024 (Virtual)
San Antonio, TX – Dec 10, 2024 (In-Person)
Pune, India – Dec 12, 2024 (In-person)
Ontario, Canada - Dec 12, 2024 (Virtual)
San Francisco, CA – Dec 18, 2024 (Virtual)
Columbus, OH – Jan 10, 2025 (Virtual)
Washington, DC – Jan 28, 2025 (In-Person)
Sydney, Australia – Feb 20, 2025 (In-Person)
Sydney, Australia – March 5-6, 2025 (2 Day - In-Person)

Planning to Exit – Critical Whitepaper
Selling your firm, for its maximum value, is the most important negotiation in which a business owner will participate. You are typically negotiating with sophisticated buyers who have done hundreds of acquisitions whereas this is often your first rodeo. And these buyers have a formula for ripping you off – and it works, stealing tens of millions from you. Seeking help, owners discover the big M&A firms, especially those specializing in your industry, are more beholden to the buyers than the sellers (they will tell you otherwise). Email me to get a whitepaper on how to maximize your valuation and avoid the psychological games buyers play [email protected].

TECHNOLOGY:
Scaling Up Scoreboard is AI-enabled and integrated with Salesforce, Slack, and Zapier (allowing it to connect with 1000s of systems). Use Scoreboard to provide your team (working remotely even more important!) with a real-time visual dashboard of cascading priorities and metrics. Get a personalized tour of the Scaling Up Scoreboard to see how you can use it to better implement Scaling Up in your business.

EDUCATION: 
Scaling Up Master Business Course
Scaling Up Free Mini Course

Sign up for Verne's Weekly Insights  

*This may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. If you choose to purchase after clicking a link, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

CEO DNA; Mulally’s Signature; NPS Warning; Complimentary Seat

It’s nice to be important, but more important to be nice.
                     Alan Mulally

Q: Where are mediocre things made? A: At a Satis-factory.
                     Fred Reichheld, father of NPS

An invitation to invest 2 to 22 minutes in your executive education this week.

CEO DNA Podcast – My Latest Insights
Michael Kloep, host of the CEO DNA podcast, is a great interviewer and editor. This 51-minute podcast provides a good summary of my latest insights. Here are the timestamps:

• 00:00 The DNA of a Successful CEO
• 07:55 Customer Obsession and Market Immersion
• 17:46 Essential Habits for CEOs
• 24:33 Facing Brutal Facts and Making Tough Decisions
• 34:17 Learning from Success and Failure
• 43:06 Leadership in Times of Crisis
• 49:13 The Future: AI and Business Strategy

NPS – Valid Only If 90% of More Answer
Fred Reichheld, the father of the Net Promoter System (NPS), keynoted our summit this week – and emphasized that firms at the top of their industry in NPS outperformed by 5.1x. And he noted that an NPS score is only valid if you get 90% or more of your clients to answer the two simple questions. The key is emphasizing how important you value their response and taking 1-minute to complete – and making it super easy (in the flight path of activity) to complete.

Organic Growth and Disciplined M&A
This is THE formula for many of you to scale – a combination of organic growth and disciplined M&A. This Scaleups.com article details how Joshua Lamberg – a former minor league baseball player – has used this strategy to scale Lamb Insurance Services to $80 million with 225 associates. With the help of Scaling Up Coach Rich Manders and equity firm CVC, Lamberg has used our One-Page Strategic Plan, tools, and techniques to execute flawlessly. Please invest 2-minutes to read about their weekly town hall meetings, KPIs, and focus on cash.

Alan Mulally’s Signature
The “American Icon” (great book by the same title) Alan Mulally, who turned around both Boeing and Ford, keynoted our Chief Executive magazine Leadership Summit this week. Always brilliant, he shared that “leadership is a matter of how to be, not how to do.” And you signal your being through everything you do, including your signature. Alan signed all the most important contracts as you see in the image. And he shared that when he was recruited to Ford from Boeing after the team suggested some elaborate drawings of cars, they settled on the same image, suggesting it represented a flying car. Ha!

Trust Matters More Than Ever – Published Nov 5
Trust underpins ALL performance. It’s at the foundation of Pat Lencioni’s work. David Horsager’s latest book gives you and your team the practical tools to build and maintain trust. Released earlier this week, it’s entitled Trust Matters More Than Ever: 40 Proven Tools to Lead Better, Grow Faster, and Build Trust Now. Go right to the chapter titled “8 Pillars of Trust” to get a quick summary – then choose the one you feel your firm needs to focus on the most next and read that chapter together as a team – and use the 2 or 3 tools he shares. Then choose one Pillar each quarter.

Intern to Corner Office – HP’s CEO
A good article for your high school and college students – this Fortune article details how to navigate an internship and career that leads you to being the CEO of a Fortune 500 firm. The key? Enrique Lores volunteered for various international assignments and kept moving into new jobs within HP. Please have your adult children read this article if they are embarking their career inside a major firm.

Complimentary $395 Seat – Scaling Up Master Class Dec 11 - 12
Order two boxes (20 each) of Start to Scale, a quicker and simpler read than Scaling Up for your team to learn the language and disciplines of scaling, and get a complimentary seat for our virtual Scaling Up Master Class Dec 11 – 12 (3 hours each day) plus invite to our CEO-only session (90-minutes) on Dec 10.

Order a box of 20 books
Save 50% over the price on Amazon for Scaling Up, and Start to Scale books here for less! 

Additional Books 
Scaling Up Compensation, a quick read helping you get much greater impact and outcomes from one of your largest expenses; and The Greatest Business Decisions of All Time, which provides you with some great ideas to borrow/steal for your own business are available on Amazon.

Planning for 2025 – Get a Coach or Be a Coach
It’s best if the planning session is professionally facilitated according to experienced CEOs. This way they can participate in the process (and not dominate it). Email [email protected] if you’re looking for a facilitator.

And if you’re interested in becoming a coach/facilitator, we’re always looking to add to our 296 experienced partners around the globe. Email [email protected]

EDUCATION: 
Scaling Up Master Business Course
Scaling Up Free Mini Course

COACHING: Unlock Explosive Growth with a Scaling Up Coach
As we enter the fourth quarter, ensure your business thrives amidst economic uncertainties with expert guidance from a Scaling-up Coach. Our proven methodology and proprietary tools will help align your team, translate strategy into action, and drive measurable results. Schedule a complimentary call today to take the first step towards a clear, actionable Q4 strategy. For additional questions, email [email protected] or check our FAQs.

Have you considered becoming a Certified Scaling Up Coach?
Learn more about what it takes to certify and what being a coach is like. Pop into our Coach Office Hours to talk with our coach certification coordinator and a certified Scaling Up Coach. Learn More & Register for Office Hours here >

SCALING UP WORKSHOPS:
Engage your team with interactive Scaling Up workshops. Here's our list of workshops

Chile – Nov 12, 2024 (Virtual)
Melbourne, Australia – Nov 12, 2024 (In-Person)
United Kingdom – Nov 13, 2024 (Virtual)
Sydney, Australia – Nov 14, 2024 (In-Person)
Ontario, Canada - Nov 14, 2024 (Virtual)
San Francisco, CA – Nov 19, 2024 (Virtual)
Paris, France – Nov 26, 2024 (Virtual)
Franklin, TN – Dec 5, 2024 (Virtual)
Chile – Dec 10, 2024 (Virtual)
San Antonio, TX – Dec 10, 2024 (In-Person)
Pune, India – Dec 12, 2024 (In-person)
Ontario, Canada - Dec 12, 2024 (Virtual)
San Francisco, CA – Dec 18, 2024 (Virtual)
Columbus, OH – Jan 10, 2025 (Virtual)
Washington, DC – Jan 28, 2025 (In-Person)
Sydney, Australia – Feb 20, 2025 (In-Person)

Planning to Exit – Critical Whitepaper
Selling your firm, for its maximum value, is the most important negotiation in which a business owner will participate. You are typically negotiating with sophisticated buyers who have done hundreds of acquisitions whereas this is often your first rodeo. And these buyers have a formula for ripping you off – and it works, stealing tens of millions from you. Seeking help, owners discover the big M&A firms, especially those specializing in your industry, are more beholden to the buyers than the sellers (they will tell you otherwise). Email me to get a whitepaper on how to maximize your valuation and avoid the psychological games buyers play [email protected].

TECHNOLOGY:
Scaling Up Scoreboard is AI-enabled and integrated with Salesforce, Slack, and Zapier (allowing it to connect with 1000s of systems). Use Scoreboard to provide your team (working remotely even more important!) with a real-time visual dashboard of cascading priorities and metrics. Get a personalized tour of the Scaling Up Scoreboard to see how you can use it to better implement Scaling Up in your business.

Sign up for Verne's Weekly Insights  

*This may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. If you choose to purchase after clicking a link, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.