The Agile Scaleup

Stories Needed; Acquisitions; Hungary; Feb 1 Topgrading Webinar 11am ET

The key to making acquisitions is being ready because you really never know when the right big one is going to come along.
                                                James McNerney

There aren’t a lot of levers you can throw to grow your business. If you don’t include acquisitions, you’re leaving out one big lever.
                                                Dale Robinette

Grab a Tissue – Heartwarming Story
Ron Lovett, who has scaled VIDA Living through a series of acquisitions, held a contest among his thousands of residents – below is the heartwarming short video of making someone’s holiday!!! This is why we do business!!!!

Acquiring Talent Now – Feb 1, 11am ET Webinar
With major companies laying off tens of thousands of people, now is the time to attract and hire A-Players. Join this free live training titled "Assemble Your Dream Team: The 4 Steps to Attract, Train & Retain A-Players" on February 1st, 2023, with Chris Mursau President of Topgrading Inc. Save your spot! While the future of business is uncertain, there is one core characteristic that continues to separate the good from the great: your team. Click Here to Learn More & Sign Up!

Need Your Stories -- Growth Through Acquisition(s) Book
Has part or all your growth been through acquisitions? I’m looking for examples we can include in a new book we’re writing. Please email me at [email protected] and I’ll have our writers interview you for the book.

Five Reasons to Acquire a Firm
The Fortune 500 have indicated growth through acquisitions is a #1 priority in 2023 and it should be a part of your playbook as well. Recessionary times are a good time to make a move, if you have cash or access to cash. In turn, you can often acquire a firm for little or no money of your own. There are five reasons to acquire (buy vs. build). Let us know, if you’ve made an acquisition, which of these reasons: 

• Buy and Grow – one client dominates their city; they are purchasing two firms in nearby cities as bases to grow all three markets to a combined $150 million
• Buy and Fix – what many PE firms aim to do including Fortune 500 firms like Danaher
• Buy to Enhance – a set of acquisitions fills out a product suite and/or completes the 100% solution your market seeks.
• Buy for Arbitrage – you acquire for a lower multiple than what the combined entity’s multiple will be.
• Buy for Access – the acquisition has key licenses, markets, approvals, or influential relationships.

Lessons from Tyco – An Acquisition Machine
Scaling Up Coach Dale Robinette learned the art of mergers and acquisitions at Tyco Electronics where Dale was in on the ground floor and stayed until it grew to $13.2 billion! This Scaleups.com article details many of the lessons Dale learned from this experience. Let us know if you’re considering acquisitions and let us help you make sure you choose the right targets and integrate/inculcate the acquisition properly (like waiting a year to change the name externally!).

“How Has VIDA Impacted Your Life?” Contest -- $2500 Winner
Ron Lovett, who scaled his first venture, thru acquisition and organic growth, to 3500 private security guards and exited for 24x earnings, is at it again. Acquiring and fixing up low-income housing, he has over 2000 doors. Always engaging his residents, he held a contest over the holidays asking his customers “How has VIDA impacted your life?” Hundreds submitted stories and one lucky resident won $2500. This 2-minute video captures the moment!!

Scaling Up in Hungarian
Thank you to Scaling Up Coach Horváth Balázs for helping us get Scaling Up translated and published in Hungarian (27^th language). Here’s a link to purchase.

Brightly-Colored Suite Entry Doors
Inspired by the book Joyful: The Surprising Power of Ordinary Things, which I named one of the top 5 books in 2021; and inspired by the “Doors of Dublin” featured in the book, Ron Lovett painted all his suite entry doors in bright colors. This Facebook post shows the resulting look. The response from the residents has been overwhelmingly positive with many commenting on how cheerful it makes them feel in their submissions to Ron’s contest. Vandalism, cleanliness, etc. have all improved as well. How are you adding a little joy to the lives of your customers and employees? Grab a copy of the Joyful book for ideas.

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

SCALING UP WORKSHOPS:
Engage your team with interactive workshops to optimize your company’s performance.
(list of workshops below)

Denver, CO – Feb 2, 2023 (Virtual)
Amsterdam, The Netherlands – Feb 7, 2023 (In-Person)
Franklin, TN – Feb 9, 2023 (Virtual)
Sydney, Australia – Feb 9, 2023 (Verne Live In-Person)
Madrid, Spain - Feb 9, 2023 (Virtual)
Sydney, Australia – Feb 10, 2023 (In Person)
Boulder, CO – Feb 10, 2023 (Virtual)
Costa Mesa, CA – Feb. 16, 2023 (In-Person)
Toronto, Canada – Feb 16, 2023 (Virtual)
Franklin, TN – Feb 16, 2023 (Virtual)
Barcelona, Spain – Feb 20, 2023 (Virtual)
Washington, DC – Feb 22, 2023 (In-Person)
Boulder, CO – March 2, 2023 (In-Person)
Amsterdam, The Netherlands – Mar 7, 2023 (In-Person)
Melbourne, Australia - Mar 7, 2023 (In-Person)
Oxford, England – Mar 8, 2023 (In-Person)
Melbourne, Australia - Mar 14, 2023 (In-Person)
Sydney, Australia - Mar 15, 2023 (In-Person)
Melbourne/Sydney, Australia - Mar 16, 2023 (Virtual)
Toronto, Canada – Mar 16, 2023 (Virtual)
Hong Kong/Singapore – Mar 22, 2023 (Virtual)
Franklin, TN – Mar 23, 2023 (Virtual)
Wilmington, NC – Mar 24, 2023 (In-Person)
Bengaluru/Hyderabad/India – Mar 29, 2023 (Virtual)
Scottsdale, Az – Apr 6, 2023 (In-Person)
Toronto, Canada – Apr 13, 2023 (Virtual)
Grand Rapids, MI – April 20, 2023 (In-Person)
Franklin, TN – April 20, 2023 (Virtual)
Sydney, Australia – Apr 27, 2023 (In-Person)
Dallas, TX – May 3 & 4, 2023 (2 Day) (In-Person)
Toronto, Canada - May 11, 2023 (Virtual)
Franklin, TN – May 18, 2023 (Virtual)
Melbourne, Australia - Jun 6, 2023 (In-Person)
Franklin, TN – Jun 8, 2023 (Virtual)
Toronto, Canada – Jun 8, 2023 (Virtual)
Toronto, Canada – Jul 6, 2023 (Virtual)
Sydney, Australia – Jul 20, 2023 (In-Person)
Toronto, Canada – Aug 10, 2023 (Virtual)
Melbourne, Australia - Sept 5, 2023 (In-Person)
Grand Rapids, MI – Sep 12, 2023 (In-Person)
Toronto, Canada – Sep 14, 2023 (Virtual)
Toronto, Canada - Oct 12, 2023 (Virtual)
Sydney, Australia – Nov 2, 2023 (In-Person)
Toronto, Canada - Nov 9, 2023 (Virtual)
Grand Rapids, MI – Nov 9, 2023 (In-Person)
Melbourne, Australia - Nov 14, 2023 (In-Person)
Toronto, Canada - Dec 7, 2023 (Virtual)

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].

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.

Become an Authority and Reduce Your Marketing Investment
Top leaders know that branding is not a luxury, it’s a necessity. Becoming an authority means you and your brand are synonymous with trust and confidence. Growing brand equity translates to greater pricing power and the ability to reduce marketing costs. If you’re interested in proven strategies to help outflank your competition and grow your audience, request a free copy of Authority Marketing.

COACHING:
Does it feel as if your business has hit a wall? If you don't see a clear path forward, it's a good time to bring in a coach.  All of our Scaling Up Certified Coaches™ are masters at guiding you and your leadership team through the implementation of the Scaling Up Performance. Our promise is a custom diagnostic approach from Day 1, including how we match you with a coach. We even have a team member dedicated to helping you find the perfect Scaling Up Certified Coach.™

Schedule a complimentary, personal follow-up. Or check out our FAQs. Additional questions can be sent to [email protected].

TECHNOLOGY:
Scaling Up 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.

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 >

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

Connect with Verne on LinkedIn: Verne Harnish

Follow Verne on Twitter: @agilescaleup

Sign up for Verne's Weekly Insights   

Pancreatic Cancer; Recession Moves; Felon Startups; Wikipedia Book

At that point, my traditional oncologist sent me home and said, ‘enjoy your last days.’
                                                Steve Spencer

Strong margins help a company ease through macro headwinds.
                                                Fortune

Helping Convicted Felons Get a New Start (Scaling Up Coach)
At age 78, Scaling Up Coach Bob Lobos isn’t slowing down. Working with the Louisiana Department of Corrections and Workforce Investment Council of Louisiana, Bob is providing training to pre- and post-release felons to help them start businesses. This Scaleups.com article details the program and results (80% success rate so far) with a BHAG to help launch 250 startups in five years. He’s also working with the Louisiana Rehabilitation Council to help people with disabilities launch startups as well. Bob, we’re honored to have you among our ranks!

Three Key Moves in a Recession
This Fortune article details research that measured what companies did in previous recessions that drove the best shareholder return: 

• Improve Margins – and the sooner the better
• Optionality in the Balance Sheet – reduce debt, improve retained earnings, etc.
• Timing and Balance Key – again, move quick and balance all the above

Overall, the key is being very proactive vs. reactive. Please take 2 minutes to read the details and then act! Most of the things are good biz practices anyway and this environment gives you the air coverage to make the moves.

Wikipedia for Business 2023
Wikipedia is usually the first link that pops up when you search for anything – so make sure your Wikipedia listing is accurate and useful (my birthdate was wrong and I didn’t like my picture). Josh Green’s newly released book, Wikipedia for Business 2023: The Rules & Latest Developments that Businesses & Communicators Need to Know to Succeed covers some of the notable changes, challenges and successes his firm saw in 2022 with Wikipedia, along with a look ahead at what to expect in 2023. Plus, he has a new chapter on the importance of Wikipedia to your SEO strategy and how they are connected.  Or just reach out to Josh and have his firm do the work for you – we do (I get no commissions for promoting Josh) [email protected].

Stage 4 Pancreatic Cancer – Cured
We continue to cut, burn, and poison people with cancer – and sometimes it works, though the patient (and family) suffers tremendously along the way. Steve Spencer came to the Riordan Clinic (I’m Vice Chair of the Board) with stage 4 pancreatic cancer and a concomitant MRSA infection. The conventional oncologists told him there was nothing more they could do. Steve's wife, Miriam, would not accept that as an answer. 18 months after starting care with us, Steve has no evidence of pancreatic cancer, no evidence of MRSA infection, recently participated in a marathon, and welcomed another grandchild into his family. Steve agreed to tell his patient story. We published it in our Health Hunter Newsletter and hosted them on a podcast.

The Riordan Clinic Integrative Oncology Team
If you know anyone with cancer, the non-profit Riordan Clinics is in its 43^rd year of curing the incurable. I’ve been associated with the clinic for 33 of those years. Our oncology team consists of two board-certified naturopathic oncologists Dr. Lucas Tims and Dr. Kirsten West; our Chief Medical Officer Dr. Ron Hunninghake; and Laura Stauffer, a very talented nurse practitioner gifted in cancer and complex chronic illness care. All are additionally certified in the Metabolic Approach to Cancer. This team is arguably one of the most credentialed, most highly experienced, integrative oncology teams in North America. Please reach out if we can be of service – [email protected].

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

TECHNOLOGY:
Scaling Up 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.

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 workshops to optimize your company’s performance.
(list of workshops below)

Bengaluru/Hyderabad/India – Jan 25, 2023 (Virtual)
Madrid, Spain - Jan 26, 2023 (Virtual)
Denver, CO – Feb 2, 2023 (Virtual)
Amsterdam, The Netherlands – Feb 7, 2023 (In-Person)
Franklin, TN – Feb 9, 2023 (Virtual)
Sydney, Australia – Feb 9, 2023 (Verne Live In-Person)
Madrid, Spain - Feb 9, 2023 (Virtual)
Sydney, Australia – Feb 10, 2023 (In Person)
Boulder, CO – Feb 10, 2023 (Virtual)
Costa Mesa, CA – Feb. 16, 2023 (In-Person)
Toronto, Canada – Feb 16, 2023 (Virtual)
Franklin, TN – Feb 16, 2023 (Virtual)
Barcelona, Spain – Feb 20, 2023 (Virtual)
Washington, DC – Feb 22, 2023 (In-Person)
Amsterdam, The Netherlands – Mar 7, 2023 (In-Person)
Melbourne, Australia - Mar 7, 2023 (In-Person)
Oxford, England – Mar 8, 2023 (In-Person)
Melbourne, Australia - Mar 14, 2023 (In-Person)
Sydney, Australia - Mar 15, 2023 (In-Person)
Melbourne/Sydney, Australia - Mar 16, 2023 (Virtual)
Toronto, Canada – Mar 16, 2023 (Virtual)
Hong Kong/Singapore – Mar 22, 2023 (Virtual)
Franklin, TN – March 23, 2023 (Virtual)
Bengaluru/Hyderabad/India – Mar 29, 2023 (Virtual)
Scottsdale, Az – April 6, 2023 (In-Person)
Toronto, Canada – Apr 13, 2023 (Virtual)
Grand Rapids, MI – April 20, 2023 (In-Person)
Franklin, TN – April 20, 2023 (Virtual)
Toronto, Canada - May 11, 2023 (Virtual)
Franklin, TN – May 18, 2023 (Virtual)
Melbourne, Australia - Jun 6, 2023 (In-Person)
Franklin, TN – June 8, 2023 (Virtual)
Toronto, Canada – Jun 8, 2023 (Virtual)
Toronto, Canada – Jul 6, 2023 (Virtual)
Toronto, Canada – Aug 10, 2023 (Virtual)
Melbourne, Australia - Sept 5, 2023 (In-Person)
Grand Rapids, MI – Sep 12, 2023 (In-Person)
Toronto, Canada – Sep 14, 2023 (Virtual)
Toronto, Canada - Oct 12, 2023 (Virtual)
Toronto, Canada - Nov 9, 2023 (Virtual)
Grand Rapids, MI – Nov 9, 2023 (In-Person)
Melbourne, Australia - Nov 14, 2023 (In-Person)
Toronto, Canada - Dec 7, 2023 (Virtual)

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].

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.

Your Brand as Marketing Powerhouse with a Forbes Books Content Partnership
If you want to be “top of mind” with your audience, then you need a strategy to build your authority in your field. Investing in media services with your personal brand can help you grow your audience and distinguish you as a trusted authority because you are educating, not selling. Learn how your brand can work harder for your business with a free brand audit.

COACHING:
Does it feel as if your business has hit a wall? If you don't see a clear path forward, it's a good time to bring in a coach.  All of our Scaling Up Certified Coaches™ are masters at guiding you and your leadership team through the implementation of the Scaling Up Performance. Our promise is a custom diagnostic approach from Day 1, including how we match you with a coach. We even have a team member dedicated to helping you find the perfect Scaling Up Certified Coach.™

Schedule a complimentary, personal follow-up. Or check out our FAQs. 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

Connect with Verne on LinkedIn: Verne Harnish

Follow Verne on Twitter: @agilescaleup

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.

AI Images; March Resolutions; Kristen’s Posters; Pricing Webinar Jan 25

The strength of the team is each individual member. The strength of each member is the team.
                                                Phil Jackson

The goal of life is to make your heartbeat match the beat of the universe, to match your nature with Nature.
                                                Joseph Campbell

Setting Prices in the Context of both Inflation and Recession – Jan 25, 1pm ET
Should you raise prices a little, several times, or all at once? No time for guessing (amateur hour decisions!). Adam Echter with Simon-Kucher, one of the world’s recognized experts on pricing strategy, and profitability expert Jonathan Byrnes, will reveal the truth about effectively raising prices and gaining leverage—what works, what doesn’t, what you need to do now—during Chief Executive’s Pricing Masterclass on January 25, 2023, 1pm – 3pm ET. There are proven strategies that work and fail! Sign up now >>

Wait Until March to Set New Year’s Resolutions (Sept Southern Hemisphere)?
Per Joseph Campbell’s quote above, winter is considered the “night” in nature. So, if you aren’t feeling motivated to set personal goals for 2023, there could be a good reason. This AOM article details how winter has historically been a time for humans and nature to rest, put down roots, reflect – and that you start running when the sap does! March 20 might be a better time, when the days are finally longer than nights, to sit down and set goals that you plan to achieve by Dec 21, the first day of winter. Please take 2 minutes to read this insightful article including the 5 activities perfect for your winter (I love when old bromides, like setting New Year’s resolutions, are challenged).

AI Generated Images – Core Values, Quarterly Themes and Rocks/Priorities
Ray King, Scaling Up fan and founder of Porkbun (where I have all my URLs parked for half the price of GoDaddy) used Dall-e 2 to AI generate images to represent each of his quarterly rocks this quarter. Scaling Up Coach Bill Gallagher used Midjourney to AI generate images for each of his core values – this one representing “Think and Ask Why.” Have a daughter or son of an employee familiar with these new sites do this for you!

From Top Executive to Scaling Up Coach
Have you considered transitioning to coaching? This Scaleups.com article details how Jim Jubelirer went from corporate executive to one of our 247 certified Scaling Up Coaches. Notes Jim: “My job is to free you up from the low-value activities you are doing, so you can focus on high-value activities and become the expert in your industry.” Please take 2-minutes to read Jim’s story and email me at [email protected] if you would like to join our growing tribe around the globe.

Would It Be Okay With You If Life Got Easier?
This is the title of one of Jim Jubelirer’s workshops. Notes the Scaleups.com article: 

One challenge for many clients is workaholism. Although they’re great at “doing,” they don’t often take time away from their inbox. He works with them to start taking days off and limiting their contact with work when they are away. Clients may set goals such as never missing a child’s birthday. “When you apply the Scaling Up Framework to your business with the help of a coach, you truly can accomplish more than you ever thought possible,” he says.

Email me if you would like life to be easier. As noted in “The Barriers” chapter of Scaling Up, we helped Alan Rudy go from 80 work weeks to just 8 working in the business so he could spend the balance of the week focused on more strategic activities to scale his business, which he successfully exited.

Kristen Gale’s Family Value Posters
Scaling Up fan and founder of Canada-based The Ten Spot beauty bars, Kristen Gale has been using core values not just in her business but in her family for years. To make them more visual, she made some movie poster-style versions of each value. Complete with quotes, images, tag lines, and awards, they review one each month with their sons (both 11). It’s been easier and more engaging to have these gigantic-sized posters throughout their home than simply listed on a piece of paper written out in paragraphs.

AI Generated Images for Jules Verne Musical
One of my passion projects is producing a musical on Jules Verne’s life. Singer/songwriter Jimmy Webb is writing the music and we have a VR team producing the first visuals to go with Jimmy’s opening song, which I’ll use to raise the $10 million to complete this project. To help with the imagery, we turned to AI to do some heavy lifting (we think Jules Verne, the father of science fiction, would approve). Here’s what Midjourney generated in 7 seconds with the right prompts.

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

Your Brand as Marketing Powerhouse with a Forbes Books Content Partnership
If you want to be “top of mind” with your audience, then you need a strategy to build your authority in your field. Investing in media services with your personal brand can help you grow your audience and distinguish you as a trusted authority because you are educating, not selling. Learn how your brand can work harder for your business with a free brand audit.

COACHING:
Does it feel as if your business has hit a wall? If you don't see a clear path forward, it's a good time to bring in a coach.  All of our Scaling Up Certified Coaches™ are masters at guiding you and your leadership team through the implementation of the Scaling Up Performance. Our promise is a custom diagnostic approach from Day 1, including how we match you with a coach. We even have a team member dedicated to helping you find the perfect Scaling Up Certified Coach.™

Schedule a complimentary, personal follow-up. Or check out our FAQs. Additional questions can be sent to [email protected].

TECHNOLOGY:
Scaling Up 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.

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 workshops to optimize your company’s performance.
(list of workshops below)

Hong Kong – Jan 18, 2023 (Virtual)
Amsterdam, The Netherlands – Jan 19, 2023 (In-Person)
Toronto, Canada – Jan 19, 2023 (Virtual)
Columbus, Ohio – Jan 20, 2023 (In-Person & Virtual options)
Bengaluru/Hyderabad/India – Jan 25, 2023 (Virtual)
Ann Arbor, MI – Jan 26, 2022 (In-Person)
Madrid, Spain - Jan 26, 2023 (Virtual)
Denver, CO – Feb 2, 2023 (Virtual)
Amsterdam, The Netherlands – Feb 7, 2023 (In-Person)
Sydney, Australia – Feb 9, 2023 (Verne Live In-Person)
Madrid, Spain - Feb 9, 2023 (Virtual)
Sydney, Australia – Feb 10, 2023 (In Person)
Boulder, CO – Feb 10, 2023 (Virtual)
Costa Mesa, CA – Feb. 16, 2023 (In-Person)
Toronto, Canada – Feb 16, 2023 (Virtual)
Washington, DC – Feb 22, 2023 (In-Person)
Amsterdam, The Netherlands – Mar 7, 2023 (In-Person)
Melbourne, Australia - Mar 7, 2023 (In-Person)
Oxford, England – Mar 8, 2023 (In-Person)
Melbourne, Australia - Mar 14, 2023 (In-Person)
Sydney, Australia - Mar 15, 2023 (In-Person)
Melbourne/Sydney, Australia - Mar 16, 2023 (Virtual)
Toronto, Canada – Mar 16, 2023 (Virtual)
Hong Kong/Singapore – Mar 22, 2023 (Virtual)
Bengaluru/Hyderabad/India – Mar 29, 2023 (Virtual)
Toronto, Canada – Apr 13, 2023 (Virtual)
Toronto, Canada - May 11, 2023 (Virtual)
Melbourne, Australia - Jun 6, 2023 (In-Person)
Toronto, Canada – Jun 8, 2023 (Virtual)
Toronto, Canada – Jul 6, 2023 (Virtual)
Toronto, Canada – Aug 10, 2023 (Virtual)
Melbourne, Australia - Sept 5, 2023 (In-Person)
Toronto, Canada – Sep 14, 2023 (Virtual)
Toronto, Canada - Oct 12, 2023 (Virtual)
Toronto, Canada - Nov 9, 2023 (Virtual)
Melbourne, Australia - Nov 14, 2023 (In-Person)
Toronto, Canada - Dec 7, 2023 (Virtual)

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].

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.

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

Connect with Verne on LinkedIn: Verne Harnish

Follow Verne on Twitter: @agilescaleup

Sign up for Verne's Weekly Insights   

Quit; CEO Trends; 3-Day Friends; Cash Webinar Jan 11

Contrary to popular belief, winners quit a lot. That’s how they win.
                                                Annie Duke

If you feel like you’ve got a close call between quitting and persevering, it’s likely that quitting is the better choice.
                                                Annie Duke

Quit: The Power of Knowing When to Walk Away by Annie Duke
Quitting is integral to success! Please read that again. The author of Thinking in Bets has a new excellently titled best-seller out called Quit (what word or two do you own!). If you saw my Top 10 biz books for 2022, I was remiss in including Annie’s book. You might recognize her as one of the top former professional poker players. The book is outstanding (please read the full description on Amazon) – and worth staring at the cover for all of 2023!! Where in your business and life do you need to walk away? Start the “stop doing” list for 2023 this weekend.

2 CEO Boot Camps This Spring
Deciding when to hold ‘em or fold ‘em? Join 7 other CEOs and their #2s for an intense and fun 3-days in beautiful places/spaces (Tues evening thru Fri lunch): 

March 28 – 31 YPO-Only Nashville

April 18 – 21 Squaw Valley/Lake Tahoe, CA

Experience why many CEOs have attended multiple times given the depth and one-on-one time I’m able to share with each team. For details www.ceo-bootcamp.com

What Is Keeping Biz Leaders Up at Night
This Fortune article details what CEOs are talking about – in short, more about inflation and less about a recession. Their number 1 focus is growth!! And there is a lot more focus on India than China. India is where we’re going to see the most growth this decade – poised to scale given the young, wicked smart, workforce – and the largest democracy in the world. It helps that they speak English as well!!

Losing Money is a Poor Business Strategy at Scale
The current environment gives you plenty of air coverage to make deep cuts where needed. It’s time to stop losing money in various aspects of your business. Question even your lost leaders. As this Register article details, you can offer services for free as part of your overall offering and end up getting in big trouble at scale! Thx to Scaling Up coach Bill Gallagher for suggesting this article.

7 Levers to Elevate Cash with Alan Miltz – Jan 11, 12pm ET
Aussie Alan Miltz is the world’s expert on cash flow (he co-authored “The Cash” section of Scaling Up). A few 1% and 1-day changes to your operations can have dramatic impacts on profit and cash. In his 90-min free webinar, he’ll walk you thru the 7 simple levers to improve cash. Have you and your CFO sign-up, click here

30 Min., 3 Hr., and 3-day Friends
As part of filling out my own One-Page Personal Plan (OPPP) for 2023 -- one of the Growth Tools in Scaling Up (download at www.scalingup.com) -- biz coach Vince Corsaro suggested an exercise where you list friends in one of three columns -- where 30 min. is enough time (grab a coffee); 3 hrs. is the max (an evening dinner party); and those special 3-day friends. Next weekend I’m with a handful of those 3-day friends. How many of those do you have?

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

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].

COACHING: 
Does it feel as if your business has hit a wall? If you don't see a clear path forward, it's a good time to bring in a coach.  All of our Scaling Up Certified Coaches™ are masters at guiding you and your leadership team through the implementation of the Scaling Up Performance. Our promise is a custom diagnostic approach from Day 1, including how we match you with a coach. We even have a team member dedicated to helping you find the perfect Scaling Up Certified Coach.™

Schedule a complimentary, personal follow-up. Or check out our FAQs. Additional questions can be sent to [email protected].

TECHNOLOGY:
Scaling Up 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.

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 workshops to optimize your company’s performance.
(list of workshops below)

Boulder, CO – Jan 10, 2023 (Virtual)
Amsterdam, The Netherlands – Jan 13, 202 (In-Person)
Hong Kong – Jan 18, 2023 (Virtual)
Toronto, Canada – Jan 19, 2023 (Virtual)
Columbus, Ohio – Jan 20, 2023 (In-Person & Virtual options)
Bengaluru/Hyderabad/India – Jan 25, 2023 (Virtual)
Ann Arbor, MI – Jan 26, 2022 (In-Person)
Amsterdam, The Netherlands – Feb 7, 2023 (In-Person)
Sydney, Australia – Feb 9, 2023 (Verne Live In-Person)
Sydney, Australia – Feb 10, 2023 (In Person)
Costa Mesa, CA – Feb. 16, 2023 (In-Person)
Toronto, Canada – Feb 16, 2023 (Virtual)
Washington, DC – Feb 22, 2023 (In-Person)
Toronto, Canada – March 16, 2023 (Virtual)
Hong Kong/Singapore – March 22, 2023 (Virtual)
Bengaluru/Hyderabad/India – March 29, 2023 (Virtual)

Your Brand as Marketing Powerhouse with a Forbes Books Content Partnership
If you want to be “top of mind” with your audience, then you need a strategy to build your authority in your field. Investing in media services with your personal brand can help you grow your audience and distinguish you as a trusted authority because you are educating, not selling. Learn how your brand can work harder for your business with a free brand audit.

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.

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

Connect with Verne on LinkedIn: Verne Harnish

Follow Verne on Twitter: @agilescaleup

Sign up for Verne's Weekly Insights