"...keeping you great" Ten Minutes with the Growth Guy
HEADLINES: Perform or Perish -- this is the cover story of the current BusinessWeek issue (Nov 5) that mentions Geoff Smart's Topgrading methodology being used to assess CEOs of private-equity backed firms. It describes in the article the traits of those CEOs that succeed vs. those that tend to fail -- there's a big mess in the private equity markets -- here's a link -- NOTE: Geoff Smart is hosting his annual one-day Topgrading workshop Nov 6 in Denver -- and yes, its always in Denver, since that is where he lives -- and yes, just once/year (he's in huge demand). If you need to hire even one person in the next 12 months, get someone to this workshop -- those that bet big bucks on important hires trust their methodology, so no reason to use something inferior. The Inside Advantage -- for over a decade I've been looking for this book -- a book that provides a simple process for nailing down the Sandbox and Brand Promise part of our One-Page Plan AND gives some practical insights into how to make this strategy "remarkable" -- a Seth Godin idea. Robert Bloom has done just this in his new book "The Inside Advantage: The Strategy That Unlocks the Hidden Growth in Your Business." It is also one of the best written "how-to" books I've ever read. Here's a link to getting the book on Amazon. Southwest, BMW, Perrier, TGI Fridays -- and tanning salons and ball bearing manufacturers -- they have all built their growth strategies using Bob Bloom's process. A 73 year-young retired US Chairman and CEO of Publicis Group, it was in Bob's offices in Dallas that the first plans to launch Southwest Airlines were made -- and it was Bob's firm that created the "LUV" promotion. "Who" is more than a demographic -- Bob's "Who, What, How, and Imaginable Acts" Growth Discovery Process keeps the strategy process simple, yet not so simple that it becomes meaningless. For instance, he's right in that most of us describe our customers insufficiently using simple demographic descriptions i.e. 25 -- 40 year old males; or chemical manufacturing firms in the Northeast. His methodology takes you beyond these simplistic approaches and provides real teeth for describing your customers, products/services, and the methods for communicating your value proposition. I've provided a detailed example under DETAILS below -- the one Bob shared at our Growth Summit in Vegas. TIME Magazine's "Heroes of the Environment" features long time Gazelles' client Rory Stear, founder and Chairman of Freeplay Energy, and his lovely wife Kristine Pearson, founder of Freeplay Foundation. They manufacture and distribute the hand powered radios bringing education to remote parts of the planet (and to Home Depots near you!). They are truly making a difference in the world -- congrats Kristine and Rory. Here's a link to the story. Top Five Fastest Growing PCI (Private Company Index) Firms Announced -- in partnership with Gazelles, Stephen Watkins, CEO of Entrex, announced the top five Q3 growth firms -- ABC Packaging Direct, Indigenous Designs, Kindermusik, NouvEON, and TicketCity.com -- here's a link to the winners -- and a place for you to sign-up your firm -- you simply report anonymously your revenue each month to be included in this Index that the media is recognizing as the definitive measure of private company performance in the economy -- we owe it to our world to let the markets know the importance of private firms in the economy -- sign-up now. And check out Stephen Watkins interview on Fox Business News on Monday.