People respond well to those that are sure of what they want.
Anna Wintour
Be an amateur. Not everything you do has to be good, especially at first.
Ann Handley
YPO CEO Boot Camp – Nov 8 – 11, Quail Ridge Lodge 
The CEOs and their #2s who participated in last week’s Vail CEO Boot Camp universally exclaimed it was the most impactful executive education they’ve experienced. The depth of discussions around critical constraints is once more unleashing significant expected growth. Taking 3 days to work deeply “on” the business, and addressing questions that break open one’s creative side – in addition to my one-on-one sessions – is the power of the event. From a K1-funded acquisition to a 60-store running shoe chain to a Netherlands-based firm working in 14 countries to enhance cognitive capabilities to one of the US’s top wound care firms – it’s a lot of fun working with these firms changing the world. Next one is for YPOers-only Nov 8 – 11 www.ceo-bootcamp.com
4 Secrets to Handling Emotionally Charged Arguments 
This “Barking Up the Wrong Tree” post pulls content from psychiatrist Mark Goulston’s book Talking to Crazy. The 4 secrets are applicable to all conversations and provide some powerful insights into handling really tough and scary conversations. One secret:
List the darkest, most ugly thoughts they might be having about you. The ones they might be terribly ashamed of. Don’t be afraid to get extreme. You’re unloading the guilt from them. They won’t say it — so you will. “You probably hate me. You wish you never married me. Sometimes you probably hope I would just die.”
Please take 3-minutes to read the entire article – one I’ve reread several times and have bookmarked to go back to if and when I face another similar situation.
Seeking Failed Entrepreneurs
David Cummings has scaled 10 firms employing thousands including Pardot which he successfully exited – and is the lead investor in Calendly. He also founded the 4th largest tech hub in the US, Atlanta Tech Village, celebrating its 10th anniversary. He’s seeking failed entrepreneurs who want to partner 50/50 in launching one of a hundred companies Cummings has identified as having significant potential market caps.
Start-Up Studio 
Over the next ten years David, a Scaling Up fan (I recently toured his 100,000 sq ft facility), wants to launch two firms per year. Labeled a “Start Up Studio” instead of incubator, he has a team of six, including himself, that serve as an entrepreneur’s #2 – in addition to facilities and infrastructure. Why is he seeking failed entrepreneurs? They have something to prove – and they are willing to learn and be coached. Sign up for David’s blog, one I read every time!
Infiltrate Talent Networks
David shared the phrase “infiltrate talent networks” as a better label for the “fishing holes” I reference in locating pools of talent from which to recruit. Pick a company, university, adjacent sector, or location from which to source talent. Once you get a few to join your company, they will recruit their colleagues. The same for customers. Northrock Partners recruiting NBA great Tony Parker to lead a new division focused on managing the wealth of professional athletes and entertainers. Once you get a couple, they’ll refer their friends.
Outthink Your Competitors – Oct 4, 5pm ET Webinar 
Without a truly differentiated strategy, the next three to five years of execution are going to be more complex than you think—or at least not as much fun! My go-to expert on strategy, Kaihan Krippendorff, will share the 5-step guide to outthink your competitors in a free webinar next Tuesday, hosted by Growth Institute. Join our community of CEOs/CXOs on October 4th at 5 PM ET. This 90-minute training will provide a clear next step to create a strategic advantage in 2023 and beyond. Kaihan will provide you with an approach to get the job done. Sign up here https://hubs.li/Q01nlFVb0
Forbes 400 Richest – Fun Facts
Forbes annual list is out this week. No surprise, Elon Musk tops the list at $251 billion, followed by Jeff Bezos, Bill Gates, Larry Ellison, and Warren Buffett. The top 400 lost $500 billion for a total of $4 trillion. Take 2-minutes to scan down the list to see where your favorite billionaire landed on the list. Then send them a note of congratulations!!
Scaling Up Summit – Oct 18 – 19 (CEO-only Oct 17 evening)
Prepare your team for 2023 – deep dive and updates to Scaling Up taught by Verne (Newly Revised Edition of Scaling Up out Oct 18) – plus four main keynotes including the #1 biz book of 2022. Entertainment included both days from a top “The Voice” competitor in a beautiful setting – the Denver Center for Performing Arts. Oct 18 – 19, Denver.
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.
COACHING: 
Now is the time to start planning for a strong Q4 and 2023. Implementing Scaling Up is not an overnight process but you can see quick wins if you know where to start. Our Scaling Up Certified Coaches™ are masters at guiding you and your leadership team through the implementation of the Scaling Up Performance Program. Using our custom diagnostic approach from Day 1, we can match you with the right coach to help you scale faster.
We even have a team member dedicated to helping you find the perfect Scaling Up Certified Coach.™ Schedule a complimentary, personal follow-up. CLICK HERE! Or check out our FAQs. Additional questions can be sent to [email protected].
EDUCATION:
Growth Institute Online Executive Education:
Master of Business Dynamics
Scaling Up Master Business Course
Exponential Organizations Master Business Course
Topgrading Master Business Course
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].
SCALING UP WORKSHOPS:
Engage your team with interactive workshops to optimize your company’s performance.
(list of workshops below)
Amsterdam, The Netherlands – Oct 5, 2022 (In-Person)
Brisbane, Australia – Oct 5, 2022 (In-Person)
Rochester, NY- Oct 6, 2022 (in-Person)
Toowoomba, Australia – Oct 6, 2022 (In-Person)
Minneapolis, MN – Oct 6, 2022 (In-Person)
Oxford, UK – Oct 12, 2022 (In-Person)
Toronto, Canada - Oct 13, 2022 (Virtual)
Auckland, New Zealand – Oct 18, 20220 (In-Person)
Singapore & Hong Kong – Oct 19, 2022 (Virtual)
Singapore & Hong Kong – Oct 26, 2022 (Virtual)
Sydney, Australia – Nov 2, 2022 (In-Person)
Phoenix, AZ- Nov 3, 2022 (In-Person)
Boulder, CO – Nov 8, 2022 (Virtual)
Melbourne, Australia – Nov 8, 2022 (In-Person)
Indiana & Michigan – Nov 8, 2022 (Virtual)
Toronto, Canada - Nov 10, 2022 (Virtual)
Salisbury, England – Nov 15, 2022 (In-Person)
Indiana & Michigan – Nov 16, 2022 (Virtual)
Washington, DC – Nov 16, 2022
Boulder, CO – Nov 17, 2022 (Virtual)
Amsterdam, The Netherlands –Nov 17, 2022 (In-Person)
Melbourne, Australia – Nov 29, 2022 (In-Person)
Toronto, Canada - Dec 1, 2022 (Virtual)
Dallas, TX – Dec 8, 2022 (In-Person)
Annapolis, MD – Mar 7, 2023 (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.
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.
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