Dyson’s Decision; Father of iPod; Japan’s Coach; Shanghai Next Week

Dear ScaleUps, 

Hope it’s been a productive and purposeful week. Here are some insights/opportunities to help you outlearn/outthink the competition.

…the silver lining of this horrible decision is we can concentrate on those (other exciting projects).
	James Dyson on deciding to stop electric car project

Latest ScaleUp News --
Entries still open for Amazon ScaleUp Awards; Bob Glazer’s Elevate book excerpt – this news and more at ScaleUps.com, your one-stop weekly update. 

Dec 3 – 6 CEO Boot Camp --
With January selling out and March filling up, John Ratliff and I added Dec 3 – 6, Marathon, FL (great time to be where it’s warm) for another CEO Boot Camp – join 7 other CEOs where we bring our content and contacts to the table to remove the constraints in your business. 

Dyson Says No --
Saying “no” is often more important than saying yes – and this is just what billionaire inventor James Dyson did last week. Fortune’s exclusive interview with Dyson details why he pulled the plug on his electric car development after dumping $2.5 billion and 2 years into the project. Notes Fortune:

The story of his audacious but ultimately failed project also says much about Dyson, the rare executive who can combine blue-sky dreaming with steely-eyed financial discipline. At a time when every company speaks about innovation and disruption, Dyson’s decision to kill his electric car is a case study in the delicate balancing act of embracing ingenuity while keeping an eye on profits.

Please take 4 minutes to read Dyson’s story. 2018 revenues were up 25% to $5.6 billion and for the first-time profit exceeded $1 billion as his 14,000-employee firm (wow, I had no idea it was this big) continues to reinvent basic industries. What do you need to say no to, especially where it’s draining the firm and the resistance to stop is ego driven? 

Japan’s Rugby Team Defying All Odds – Coaching is Key --
For the first time making it into the quarter finals, Japan stunned Scotland, beating them 28 – 21 earlier this week. The key has been their coaching – and a deep understanding of how to play to one’s strengths. Notes this BBC report 2 days ago:

Conscious that Japanese players will generally be of smaller stature than their opponents, Hasegawa has compared his scrummaging technique with Japan to a punch, where "punching faster" will cause more impact than "punching harder". His breakthrough came in two Tests against Ireland in June 2017. Japan were overpowered in the scrum in the first Test. However, a minor change in the angle of the hooker saw the Brave Blossoms compete the following week. It was then the Japan forwards realised his ability to transform the scrum.

How do you turn a potential disadvantage into a dominating strategy with just the tweak of an angle in your business? Thank you UK Scaling Up Certified coach Neale Lewis who has been in Japan for the entire rugby world cup, sending me regular updates. 

Creator of iPod Shares Details --
Yes, it was locking up a Toshiba flash drive for 3+ years in an “exclusive supply” agreement that gave Apple the runway it needed to scale up the iPod and save the company. In this 9to5Mac Q&A with Tony Fadell, known as the “Father of the iPod”, he reveals details behind the iPod strategy including a later $4 billion purchase order for Samsung flash drives for the iPod nano, the largest purchase order in the company’s history to date. He also details why Sony didn’t compete and how a personal friend (and reporter) of Steve Jobs convinced him to make the iPod compatible with PCs. What key industry “constraint” do you need to lock up in a long-term exclusive arrangement to thwart the competition? Thank you to Scaling Up Certified coach Bill Gallagher for pointing me to this insightful interview.

Shanghai Next Week – Launch of Chinese (simplified) --
Over 200 YPOer and EOers and their teams will join me next week for 2.5 days in Scaling Up their firms – and participate in the book launch of Scaling Up in Chinese (simplified). Thank you to YPOer Mergen Chuluun for all your efforts to host this workshop.

CEO-BOOTCAMP: spend 3.5 days with Verne, serial entrepreneur John Ratliff, and 6 other CEOs in a beautiful retreat setting, addressing the constraints holding back you, your business, and your industry. Dec 3 - 6, 2019; Jan 14 - 17 (Sold Out); Mar 10 - 13; Jul 21 - 24; Aug 18 - 21, 2020.

ORDER a BOX of 20 SCALING UP BOOKS --
Want to save 50% over the price on Amazon? Go to this link. 

EXITING: Looking to sell the business in the next 18 to 36 months? Want to avoid the traps many sellers fall into with today's buyers? You can download the white paper Seven Traps Sophisticated Buyers Deploy Against Unwary Sellers from align5 advisors here

Looking to take a deeper dive? Join the align5 team at the Exit Strategy Retreat Oct 21-24 in Marathon, FL - same amazing venue as CEO Bootcamp! This event is limited to 5 growth company entrepreneurs. All aspects of the exit process will be covered in depth. Additional benefits for attendees and Retreat amenities detailed at the Exit Strategy Retreat site.

Write Your Own Book --
Whether you want to make it to the bestseller lists or just sell a lot more of your goods or services, with a profound competitive edge over the competition, Book The Business: How to Make BIG Money With Your Book Without Selling a Single Copy is for you!

Request your free copy of this ground-breaking book at advantagefamily.com/scalingup.

COACHING:

Have you ever wondered if working with a coach might accelerate your company's growth, exponentially? Do you have what it takes to move the dial from good to great? The Scaling Up team is prepared to support you. We have helped 40,000 other organizations over the past 30+ years, in scaling up their organizations through coaching, workshops, online training and more.

We would like to offer you a complimentary, personal follow-up from our Scaling Up team to share how we can support you in scaling your organization.

YES! I WOULD LIKE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT COACHING & RECEIVE A COMPLIMENTARY FOLLOW-UP (CLICK HERE)

For questions or more information contact us at [email protected]

TECHNOLOGY:

Create Accountability - Drive Execution with Align, cloud-based software designed to scale up your Rockefeller Habits implementation. www.alignwithscalingup.com - on your computer, tablet or phone. Click here to watch an introductory video.

Better Book Club -- What's your team reading? Increase your books read per team member. Easy, Proven, and in the Cloud at http://www.BetterBookClub.com.