The Agile Scaleup

Gates Top 5; Polite vs Kind; Tom Cruise; Jan 11 - 14

Gratitude is riches. Complaining is poverty.
                                                  Doris Day

And though I ebb in worth, I’ll flow in thanks.
                                                  John Taylor

CEO Boot Camp – Jan 11 – 14
2 spots left for CEOs and their #2. Join Verne Harnish and John Ratliff, along with 6 other CEOs/#2s, for 3 intense days of working on the business in preparation for 2022. www.ceo-bootcamp.com

Politeness vs. Kindness – Important Distinction
Please read this a few times -- quoting Adam Grant this week “With Thanksgiving approaching in the U.S., it's worth remembering that politeness is not the same as kindness. Being polite is saying what makes people feel good today. Being kind is doing what helps people get better tomorrow. In polite cultures, people bite their tongues on disagreement and criticism. In kind cultures, people speak their minds respectfully.

Bill Gates’ Top 5 Books
Notes Bill in his blog: “My holiday reading list this year includes two terrific science fiction stories. One takes place nearly 12 light-years away from our sun, and the other is set right here in the United States—but both made me think about how people can use technology to respond to challenges. I’ve also included a pair of non-fiction books about cutting-edge science and a novel that made me look at one of history’s most famous figures in a new light.” 

Hourly Workers Millionaires
From Forbes this week: “Food maker Chobani has filed to go public, an event that could lead some of its hourly workers to make $1 million or more in stock awards—an uncommon outcome in an industry rarely lauded for its treatment of employees.” This is the new competition for workers – and why I’m pushing industries to rollup and go public via SPACs. We need this equity arrow in our quiver of compensation tools – something we’ve added to our Scaling Up Master Class teachings.

Week of Giving Thanks
It’s a short week in the US with my favorite holiday of the year – Thanksgiving. This is the week we prepare our list of top influencers (150), gather updated mailing addresses, and choose our annual gift – this year the famous Tom Cruise Bundt Cake. I added his example to my presentation on the topic this year and through this would be a great way to reinforce the importance of every firm making a list, checking it twice, and rewarding those that have been nice to you!

Weekend Countdown – 1-Minute of Wisdom
Enjoy this kickoff to your weekend – some bits of wisdom from a fresh set of wise teachers, updated each weekend.
https://vimeo.com/showcase/weekendcountdown

Order a box of 20 Scaling Up books
Want to save 50% over the price on Amazon? Go to this link.

Planning to Exit?
It’s the most critical decision a business owner will make in their lifetime – and over my 40 years of helping firms I’ve seen owners taken advantage of time and time again – leaving tens of millions on the table. You’re up against 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. Seeking help, owners find 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). They are not your friend in the process, just another transaction. Email me to get a white paper on what to avoid when exiting [email protected].

TECHNOLOGY: 
ScalingUp Scoreboard
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!) a real time visual dashboard of cascading priorities and metrics. Get a personalized tour of Scaling Up Scoreboard to see how you can use it to better implement Scaling Up in your business.

EDUCATION: 
Growth Institute Online Executive Education:
Master of Business Dynamics
Scaling Up Master Business Course
Exponential Organizations Master Business Course
Topgrading Master Business Course

We’re still in business coaching and training firms:
London, UK - Nov 25, 2021 (in-person)
Ann Arbor, MI – Jan 27, 2022 (Virtual)
Indianapolis, IN– Feb 17, 2022 (Virtual)
Dallas, TX - Feb 24, 2022 (In-Person)
Brisbane, Australia – March 23, 2022 (In-Person)

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.

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:
Ready to scale but looking for guidance?
Work with a Coach! Scaling a company is hard, but you don’t have to go it alone. Our Scaling Up Certified Coaches™ are masters at guiding you and your leadership team through the implementation of the Scaling Up Operating system, all with a custom and diagnostic approach to each unique company. 

Learn more about what it’s like to work with a Scaling Up Certified Coach™ by scheduling a complimentary, personal follow-up. CLICK HERE! Or check out our FAQ’s. Additional questions can be sent to [email protected]. 

Did you miss previous insights? - read here

Read Verne's Insights on Kindle http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003SX13YI 

Follow Verne on Instagram: @scalingup2.0

Sign up for Verne's Weekly Insights  

 

Scaling Up,
1660 NE Miami Gardens Dr, Ste 4, Miami, FL, USA

Update your email preferences to choose the types of emails you receive.

Beatles; Safest Place; End Now!; Dec 8 – 9 Master Class

The secret of getting ahead is getting started.

Mark Twain

Being realistic is the most commonly traveled road to mediocrity.
                                                  Will Smith

Drama-Free Firm
Join me as I lead my twice-yearly virtual Scaling Up Master Class Dec 8 – 9. 3-hours each day (90 minutes each People, Strategy, Execution, Cash) – time to “sharpen your saw” for 2022 and beyond. And see below, the safest place to be and why.

Beatles Experience March 10 – 14 – London/Liverpool
Over this epic 4-day experience you’ll write and record original songs (though no musical ability required!) at Abbey Road Studios in London with some of the best in the business (writers for Adele, Ed Sheeran, John Mayer, etc.) while dining at some of the finest and historic landmarks. Then off to Liverpool as you visit the fab fours childhood haunts while continuing to dine and celebrate, including a Martini Masterclass. With just a couple spots left, this event is led by former rock musician and event producer PJ Loughran. For more information email me at [email protected] and I’ll introduce you to PJ. FYI, I’m receiving no compensation (and PJ didn’t ask me to promote) – just think this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for any musician at heart!

End Division of Labor? Need Examples
Industrialization brought a division of labor. Is it time to dramatically reduce this process? Harley Davidson eliminated assembly lines, replaced by teams of five or six that assemble an entire motorcycle. Engagement, quality, and productivity soared. Is it time for services firms to do the same? Most of the delays/issues occur at the handoff point in a process. With the help of a well-functioning technology platform, less people doing more of a process creates the same gains in engagement, quality, and productivity. Experiment with one smaller cross-trained team to see if the touchpoints can be dramatically reduced.

Reduce Division of Labor at Home? Need Stories
Has the same division of labor, at home, divided relationships? Rather than “you cook, I’ll do the dishes”; consider sharing the cooking and cleaning duties. Same with yard work and housework. I’m writing a new book that will touch on this “division of labor” topic and would love to include your stories/examples from both home and work. [email protected]

Safest Place to Be? Power of Checklists
My latest trivia question for audiences (besides the 2^nd most translated author in history) asks what is the safest place to be? Flying on a US-based commercial airplane. Check out this safety record dataset to get a feel for just how safe commercial airliners have become. Between 2000 and 2010, not counting 9/11, there were 246 fatalities from 11 fatal accidents. The next ten years? 2 fatalities – a 100x improvement. And one of those was a first for Southwest Airlines after 50 years of flying. They key? Checklists relentlessly updated and followed – and pilots required to receive 60 hours of training each year, the most of any profession (thx goodness)! The Rockefeller Habits checklist will lessen the drama in your own firm – and the Scaling Up Master Class is your annual refresher “pilot” course.

Scaling Up Services Firms – More Sub-Branding Needed
Product companies name/brand/label everything they make – down to the fasteners. In turn, service firms name/brand hardly anything. In this Scaling Up Services podcast, I address this issue (in the first couple minutes) and more, including compensation issues unique to professional services firms. Thank you to Scaling Up Certified coach Bruce Eckfeldt for hosting.

Weekend Countdown – 1-Minute of Wisdom
Enjoy this kickoff to your weekend – some bits of wisdom from a fresh set of wise teachers, updated each weekend.
https://vimeo.com/showcase/weekendcountdown

Order a box of 20 Scaling Up books
Want to save 50% over the price on Amazon? Go to this link.

Planning to Exit?
It’s the most critical decision a business owner will make in their lifetime – and over my 40 years of helping firms I’ve seen owners taken advantage of time and time again – leaving tens of millions on the table. You’re up against 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. Seeking help, owners find 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). They are not your friend in the process, just another transaction. Email me to get a white paper on what to avoid when exiting [email protected].

TECHNOLOGY: 
ScalingUp Scoreboard
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!) a real time visual dashboard of cascading priorities and metrics. Get a personalized tour of Scaling Up Scoreboard to see how you can use it to better implement Scaling Up in your business.

EDUCATION: 
Growth Institute Online Executive Education:
Master of Business Dynamics
Scaling Up Master Business Course
Exponential Organizations Master Business Course
Topgrading Master Business Course

We’re still in business coaching and training firms:
Melbourne, VIC, AUS - Nov 23, 2021 (Virtual)
London, UK - Nov 25, 2021 (in-person)
Ann Arbor, MI – Jan 27, 2022 (Virtual)
Ann Arbor, MI – Feb 17, 2022 (Virtual)
Dallas, TX - Feb 24, 2022 (In-Person)
Brisbane, Australia – March 23, 2022 (In-Person)

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.

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:
Ready to scale but looking for guidance?
Work with a Coach! Scaling a company is hard, but you don’t have to go it alone. Our Scaling Up Certified Coaches™ are masters at guiding you and your leadership team through the implementation of the Scaling Up Operating system, all with a custom and diagnostic approach to each unique company. 

Learn more about what it’s like to work with a Scaling Up Certified Coach™ by scheduling a complimentary, personal follow-up. CLICK HERE! Or check out our FAQ’s. Additional questions can be sent to [email protected]. 

Did you miss previous insights? - read here

Read Verne's Insights on Kindle http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003SX13YI 

Follow Verne on Instagram: @scalingup2.0

Sign up for Verne's Weekly Insights  

 

Toxic Family; Newsjacking COP; Wide Bans; ESOPs

Brains are in; heavy lifting is out. That’s the essential nature of the new knowledge-based economy. Therefore, the development of knowledge is close to job No. 1 for corporations.
                                                  Tom Peters

The best preparation for tomorrow is doing your best today.
                                                  H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

How Panama and Geoversity Newsjacked COP26
Marketing guru David Meerman Scott (DMS) blogged yesterday about how a rag tag team from Geoversity in Panama managed to “newsjack” (a DMS term) the COP26 climate conference in Glasgow (BBC, Bloomberg, Time magazine, etc.). In a lesson on how to beg forgiveness vs. ask permission, please take 2-minutes to read how the indigenous Guna people of Panama brought attention to their plight. Sometimes the backdoor is better to use than the front door, as DMS suggests. FYI, DMS is on the board of Geoversity, an organization I co-founded with Nathan Gray. 

Toxic Effect of Branding as “Family”?
This latest HBR article questions the idea of branding your culture as “family-like.” Does this mean the employer is the parent and workers the children? What about letting someone go for performance reasons? More difficult in a family environment. While there are aspects of family that are positive, maybe there are better analogies? I prefer the professional sports team analogy or other models of high-performing organizations. Please take 3-minutes to scan the article for some possible reasons to shy away from the family brand, even in family-owned firms. Or watch a couple episodes of “Succession!”

Wide Pay Bands – More from Allied Printing Services
YPOer John Sommers, whose firm has a 10x wide pay band for salespeople ($60k to $600k) also has 2x wide pay bands for other positions – something we recommend in Scaling Up Compensation. The average comp for his 11 customer service reps is $63k with a range of $45k to $89k. Similarly, his 19 production planners (engineers) have an average salary of $89k with a range of $68k to $140k. Wide pay bands with clear KPIs for advancing within the band, is key to establishing an effective compensation plan that accommodates the differences in individual performance. Again, the range of pay within a band should be at least 2:1.

Hiring 90, ESOP Key to Lowest Employee Turnover in 7 Years (Scaling Up Case Study)
This Scaleups.com article details how a 100+ year old distributor of building materials, Palmer-Donavin, is scaling rapidly with the help of Scaling Up coach Rick Crossland. Adding an additional 90 employees this past year, the 560-employee firm will generate $280 million in revenue. One key is the Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), which has also given CEO Robyn Pollina an advantage in acquiring firms. Notes Pollina:

With similar offers on the table, a selling owner is much better off from a tax perspective selling to an ESOP versus a non-ESOP. 

If you are a US-based firm, please take 2-minutes to read through the details of Palmer-Donavin’s ESOP and other employee benefits.

Nextdoor Goes Public Via a SPAC
Led by CEO Sarah Friar, who we hosted on one of our virtual Summits last year, the neighborhood-focused social media firm went public this week via a SPAC. Valued at $4.3 billion on revenues of $120 million, SPAC’s remain a viable way for many mid-market firms to maintain control (you normally give up less than 20% ownership) while giving you an equity component to your compensation scheme to attract talent. We’re helping firms get SPAC-ready, with over $147 billion sitting in SPACs needing to find acquisitions within 15 to 24 months. Email me [email protected] if interested.

4D Weekly Meeting Template in Align/Scoreboard
Make your weekly meetings even better with our brand new 4D Meeting Template in our SaaS offering called Align/Scoreboard. This meeting gives you a 4D look at the business – and emphasizes the proper sequence of an effective weekly meeting: Discover, Discuss, Decide, Delegate. Now you can customize your meetings to follow this format precisely, saving time in both planning and execution and boosting productivity for each meeting. Schedule a demo here.

Using OKRs vs. KPIs/Rocks?
We have a “switch” we can turn on to use the OKR language instead of KPI/Rocks inside Align/Scoreboard. We’ve also implemented several improvements to the Huddles Meeting view, including easier navigation of your Critical Numbers. Give your teams the same instant and nicely formatted access to your data (mobile-ready) as you do the stats of your favorite sports team or figure.

Weekend Countdown – 1-Minute of Wisdom
Enjoy this kickoff to your weekend – some bits of wisdom from a fresh set of wise teachers, updated each weekend.
https://vimeo.com/showcase/weekendcountdown

Order a box of 20 Scaling Up books

Want to save 50% over the price on Amazon? Go to this link.

Planning to Exit?
It’s the most critical decision a business owner will make in their lifetime – and over my 40 years of helping firms I’ve seen owners taken advantage of time and time again – leaving tens of millions on the table. You’re up against 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. Seeking help, owners find 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). They are not your friend in the process, just another transaction. Email me to get a white paper on what to avoid when exiting [email protected].

TECHNOLOGY: 
ScalingUp Scoreboard
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!) a real time visual dashboard of cascading priorities and metrics. Get a personalized tour of Scaling Up Scoreboard to see how you can use it to better implement Scaling Up in your business.

EDUCATION: 
Growth Institute Online Executive Education:
Master of Business Dynamics
Scaling Up Master Business Course
Exponential Organizations Master Business Course
Topgrading Master Business Course

We’re still in business coaching and training firms:
Sydney, Australia - Nov 17, 2021 (In-Person)
Toronto, Canada - Nov 18, 2021 (Virtual)
The New Forest/Wiltshire, England – Nov 18, 2021
Melbourne, VIC, AUS - Nov 23, 2021 (Virtual)
London, UK - Nov 25, 2021 (in-person)
Ann Arbor, MI – Jan 27, 2022 (Virtual)
Dallas, TX - Feb 24, 2022 (In-Person)
Brisbane, Australia – March 23, 2022 (In-Person)

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.

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:
Ready to scale but looking for guidance?
Work with a Coach! Scaling a company is hard, but you don’t have to go it alone. Our Scaling Up Certified Coaches™ are masters at guiding you and your leadership team through the implementation of the Scaling Up Operating system, all with a custom and diagnostic approach to each unique company. 

Learn more about what it’s like to work with a Scaling Up Certified Coach™ by scheduling a complimentary, personal follow-up. CLICK HERE! Or check out our FAQ’s. Additional questions can be sent to [email protected]. 

Did you miss previous insights? - read here

Read Verne's Insights on Kindle http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003SX13YI 

Follow Verne on Instagram: @scalingup2.0

Sign up for Verne's Weekly Insights  

Scaling Up,
1660 NE Miami Gardens Dr, Ste 4, Miami, FL, USA

Update your email preferences to choose the types of emails you receive.

Vesting Bonuses; Ferriss Revisited; Rock in Shoe; Nov 11 ExO Webinar

A Ship in the harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for.

John A. Shedd

Be so good they can't ignore you.
                                                  Steve Martin

CEOs Attend for Free
Any CEO who has attended a Scaling Up Master Class (or the online Master Course) is our guest to attend any future Master Classes for no charge, so long as you bring along at least one-paid attendee – honor system.  Please use code CEOVIP for the Dec 8-9 Scaling Up Master Class.  Below is the reason why, if interested!  Thx.

$60k - $600k Pay Band – and Vesting Bonuses
Tuesday, I presented to YPO Connecticut River Valley (yesterday to EO Richmond) my content based on our new book Scaling Up Compensation . YPO Day Chair John Sommers, CEO of Allied Printing, shared how they’ve structured super-wide pay bands for both sales and customer service. Salespeople can earn anywhere from $60k to $600k (they are a significant printer for the Fortune 50), and their customer service reps can advance from a starting hourly wage to salary. In addition, 50% of bonuses are paid out at the end of the year; and the other 50% pays out over the next 7 years! Thus, there is an increasing pot of money sitting there that employees risk losing if they leave! Remember, people will do more to avoid a loss than to get a gain. Great compensation and retention plan, John.

Revisiting the “4-Hour Work Week”
Cal Newport is one of my favorite thinkers/writers. His latest New Yorker piece revisits Tim Ferriss’s huge bestseller The 4-Hour Work Week and how prescient it is in today’s environment. Notes Newport, on the real lesson from the book:

If you concentrated on the efforts that actually mattered, your professional contributions could be compressed into a handful of efficiently planned weekly hours. 

At the heart of Scaling Up (Rockefeller Habits 2.0), and our coaching/training/technology, is helping you identify this “main thing” – and getting everyone in the firm (OK, 2/3rds) to focus on what is most important each day/week. Please take 3-minutes to read through the article.

Alex Otanez, CEO Shockoe’s Ah-Ha (Scaling Up Case Study)
Alex, whose Richmond, VA-based company Shockoe builds significant mobile apps for major firms (Amex, JB Hunt, AC Moore), shared how his new Scaling Up coach Bill Gallagher, in their first meeting after the CEO Boot Camp he attended, helped him identify a significant time sync and eliminate it, freeing up hours a week of time. The key question “what is the biggest rock in your shoe?” It was an entire series of activities which Bill bluntly suggested “let’s get someone else to do for you” and they did. I know, I know, it should be obvious, but it often isn’t. BTW, I have a new coach, at $10k/month, who is doing the same for me – and I teach this stuff!  Get a coach.

Exponential Organizations – Salim Ismail Nov 11, 2:30pmET
Technology and data are changing the very face of how we all operate. In this new world, only the smartest, most adaptable organizations will flourish. A few years ago, Salim Ismail literally wrote the book describing what this organization looks like. And next week, 11/11, he’ll be sharing that formula in this live training. He’ll reveal the proven, systematic process you can use to leverage all this change and use it to grow that much faster. Thinking exponential…what a time to be alive. Whether or not you’ve entered the “digital space”, there’s no question about it. Learn more and register here: https://hubs.li/H0-zj590

CEOs Attend for Free
Why?  Many CEOs like using our Master Class to “inculcate” new team members into the Rockefeller Habits 2.0 system – and they enjoy taking the course with them to support the learning and as a review for themselves.  But if you’re like me, you don’t want to have to keep paying each time – so you don’t have to.  In addition, we have many CEOs that invite/pay for their suppliers or customers or colleagues to participate, a way to build relationships. 

Weekend Countdown – 1-Minute of Wisdom
Enjoy this kickoff to your weekend – some bits of wisdom from a fresh set of wise teachers, updated each weekend.
https://vimeo.com/showcase/weekendcountdown

Order a box of 20 Scaling Up books

Want to save 50% over the price on Amazon? Go to this link.

Planning to Exit?
It’s the most critical decision a business owner will make in their lifetime – and over my 40 years of helping firms I’ve seen owners taken advantage of time and time again – leaving tens of millions on the table. You’re up against 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. Seeking help, owners find 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). They are not your friend in the process, just another transaction. Email me to get a white paper on what to avoid when exiting [email protected].

TECHNOLOGY: 
ScalingUp Scoreboard
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!) a real time visual dashboard of cascading priorities and metrics. Get a personalized tour of Scaling Up Scoreboard to see how you can use it to better implement Scaling Up in your business.

EDUCATION: 
Growth Institute Online Executive Education:
Master of Business Dynamics
Scaling Up Master Business Course
Exponential Organizations Master Business Course
Topgrading Master Business Course

We’re still in business coaching and training firms:
Sydney, Australia - Nov 17, 2021 (In-Person)
Toronto, Canada - Nov 18, 2021 (Virtual)
The New Forest/Wiltshire, England – Nov 18, 2021
Melbourne, VIC, AUS - Nov 23, 2021 (Virtual)
London, UK - Nov 25, 2021 (in-person)
Dallas, TX - Feb 24, 2022 (In-Person)

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.

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:
Ready to scale but looking for guidance?
Work with a Coach! Scaling a company is hard, but you don’t have to go it alone. Our Scaling Up Certified Coaches™ are masters at guiding you and your leadership team through the implementation of the Scaling Up Operating system, all with a custom and diagnostic approach to each unique company. 

Learn more about what it’s like to work with a Scaling Up Certified Coach™ by scheduling a complimentary, personal follow-up. CLICK HERE! Or check out our FAQ’s. Additional questions can be sent to [email protected]. 

Did you miss previous insights? - read here

Read Verne's Insights on Kindle http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003SX13YI 

Follow Verne on Instagram: @scalingup2.0

Sign up for Verne's Weekly Insights