The Agile Scaleup

Remove PG; Ultimate Flywheel; Vinyl vs. Digital; Jun 7 - 8

No way to surf a square wave.
                                                Karol Popa, Scaling Up Coach

We use ChatGPT to write code…[Software development that] used to take anywhere from eight to 10 weeks…now can be done in less than a week.
                                                Girish Mathrubootham, CEO, Freshworks

Please take 5-15 minutes to “sharpen your saw” each week – enjoy these curated pieces.

Getting Out of Personal Guarantees (Scaling Up Case Study)
This Scaleups.com article details how Jim Sobeck acquired a construction supply firm using a combination of bank debt, sub-debt, seller financing, and the equity in his home. Being heavily leveraged, it served as a forcing function to remain profitable as he scaled from $10 million to $100 million using the Rockefeller Habits. He then worked to get his personal guarantee (PG) removed from the debt and the interest rate lowered (the article describes how he did it)! Notes Jim: 

Once I had no PG’s I loaded on more debt and doubled in size in two years (two acquisitions plus organic growth) and increased EBITDA 4x.

Ultimately, he exited, with skin still in the game, and wrote a book titled The Real Business 101: Lessons from the Trenches with an advance from a Chinese publisher! Noted Jim in an email that led to the article: 

I used most of your principles (daily huddles, monthly meetings, two retreats a year, one-page strategic plan, etc.) and I give you partial credit for my great exit.

Virtuous Cycle -- Starting with Employees
To continue, Jim and his leadership team created a hardship fund to help employees with unforeseen financial challenges, began offering paid parental leave and started covering 100% of healthcare premiums for employees. That helped them attract top talent as they scaled. “We shared the wealth, and that became a virtuous circle,” he says.  Please take 2-minutes to read his story, including his worse period when revenues dropped in half (things don’t always go well), and then shamelessly steal his many “lessons from the trenches.”

Ultimate Flywheel – Master Class
The ultimate flywheel – to create a virtuous vs. vicious cycle. Taking care of your People lets you attract better talent which frees you to work on Strategy while having the team to drive flawless Execution which generates the Cash to take better care of your People!! People, Strategy, Execution, Cash®. Join me for our virtual Scaling Up Master Class June 7 – 8 (3 hours each day) to accelerate your flywheel.

3 Key Systems Driving ProService’s Flywheel
CEO of Hawaii-based ProService, Ben Godsey, in an email to me this week, noted: 

Over the past two years, post-pandemic, we've been strengthening and re-installing the Rockefeller Habits both in ProService and across the other businesses we've opened or acquired. 

He adds:

The hard thing is to keep the main thing the main thing, and for us that's been consistently driving Rockefeller Habits, Topgrading, and healthy teams (Lencioni’s Five Dysfunctions). They are our three key systems in support of turning our flywheel.  These things have been the foundation of our growth and success.  

Good News – Silver Lake Investment Partner
Ben goes on to note in his email: “I'm excited about where we can go with Silver Lake.  We keep scaling up, Verne!”  Insight readers might note that Silver Lake helped Michael Dell take Dell private and then public again. Silver Lake and Michael own 58% of Dell Technologies. Silver Lake has $95 billion under management and their portfolio firms, including ProService, generate more than $282 billion in revenue and employ approximately 713,000 people worldwide. Congrats Ben on this partnership to scale ProService.

OS’s Last Century; Platforms This Century
Language matters. I hear leaders talk about installing an “operating system” to run their business – and often refer to Scaling Up as such. Like Microsoft’s DOS, an OS is just one piece of a total solution – and normally refers to just the software. The preferred term this century is Platform. Scaling Up is a Performance Platform (labeled on our website) and provides the framework to support a variety of additional tools/techniques which are necessary to provide a 100% solution. More broadly, what you want your company to be is a platform firm upon which additional markets, product lines, and acquisitions can be added in order to scale. Platform is the right term; OS is not.

Circles vs. Squares – Vinyl vs. Digital
Square objects subtly suggest danger because of their sharp edges. Round connote flow. This is why vinyl records provide a richer and deeper musical experience. If the vinyl is pressed from a live recording vs. digital recording, the grooves provide a complete range of harmonics whereas digital squares off the sound. And as DJ (with 5000 vinyl records) and Scaling Up coach Karol Popa suggests, “You can’t surf a square wave.” Vinyl is back!!

Order a box of 20 Scaling Up and Mastering the Rockefeller Habits books
Want to save 50% over the price on Amazon? Get the box of 20 Scaling Up books here and the box of 20 MRH books here for less!

Planning to Exit – Critical Whitepaper
Selling your firm, for its maximum value, is the most important negotiation in which a business owner will participate. You are typically negotiating with 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, stealing tens of millions from you. Seeking help, owners discover 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). Email me to get a whitepaper on how to maximize your valuation and avoid the psychological games buyers play [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]

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

Denver, CO – May 30, 2023 (Virtual)
Denver, CO – May 31, 2023 (In-Person)
Barcelona, Spain – Jun 1, 2023 (Virtual)
Mexico City, Mex – Jun 1, 2023 (In-Person)
Melbourne, Australia - Jun 6, 2023 (In-Person)
Madison NJ – June 7, 2023 (Virtual)
Nashville, TN – Jun 8, 2023 (Virtual)
Toronto, Canada – Jun 8, 2023 (Virtual)
Paris/Amsterdam/Warschau - Jun 13, 2023 (Virtual)
Birmingham, UK – Jun 22, 2023 (In-Person)
Toronto, Canada – Jul 6, 2023 (Virtual)
Houston, TX – Jul 11, 2023 (In-Person)
Sydney, Australia – Jul 20, 2023 (In-Person)
Toronto, Canada – Aug 10, 2023 (Virtual)
Sydney, Australia – Aug 11, 2023 (In-Person)
Denver/Englewood, CO – Aug 24, 2023 (In-Person)
Melbourne, Australia - Sep 5, 2023 (In-Person)
Grand Rapids, MI – Sep 12, 2023 (In-Person)
Toronto, Canada – Sep 14, 2023 (Virtual)
Brisbane, Australia – Oct 4, 2023 (In-Person)
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)
Dallas, TX – Dec 6, 2023 (In-Person)
Toronto, Canada - Dec 7, 2023 (Virtual)

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.

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.

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

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

Follow Verne on Instagram: @scalingup2.0

Connect with Verne on LinkedIn: Verne Harnish

Follow Verne on Twitter: @agilescaleup

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

Sign up for Verne's Weekly Insights  


*This email newsletter may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. If you choose to purchase after clicking a link, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Billionaire Dies; PEe Yourself; Chief Hurdle Officer; GGOB Master Course

PEe Yourself!!
                                                Verne Harnish

We say the cloud is the enabler, data is the driver, and A.I. is the differentiator.
                                                Julie Sweet, CEO Accenture

Please take 5-15 minutes to “sharpen your saw” each week – enjoy these curated pieces.

Billionaire Sam Zell Dies
Age 81, real estate legend Sam Zell died yesterday. Credited with creating what became the first REITs, this 4-minute Bloomberg video piece gives you a flavor for how beloved he was by the media and industry while known for speaking his mind. Author of the book I named the best biz biography the year it was published, Am I Being Too Subtle is a playbook for working your network with his famous annual music box gift to his top 400+ list. Thank you, Sam, for sharing your wisdom with all of us.

PEe Yourself!!
I’m serious about PEing ourselves i.e. do to your firm what private equity (PE) will do if they purchase your organization. The key is identifying your inside advantage and then pour on debt (2 parts debt to 1 part equity) to scale organically and via acquisitions (it’s how Sam Zell and most wealthy do it). Higher interest rates have dampened this somewhat, but most of us don’t leverage enough debt to match our own equity. The second key is fixing your cash flow so you can easily pay the debt over 5 – 7 years and now you have a firm usually worth 3x – 10x. Let us help you scale your valuation 10x and cash flow 2x.

Senator Tannas Scales via 100 Acquisitions
Scott Tannas has scaled Canadian insurance firm Western Financial Group to $1.5 billion via 100+ acquisitions using Scaling Up (his endorsement on the back of the book). This Scaleups.com article details how he’s approached these many acquisitions. One key:

We bought companies that looked like ours in towns that looked like the ones we live in.

When the team identified strong targets, Tannas would show up, without bringing up questions about whether the owners were ready to sell and invite them out for coffee. Sometimes, this took place long before they were ready to exit. Getting to know them made it easier to work together when they reached the stage where they wanted to move on.

“In 75% of the transactions, we did it without a sales process that involved anyone else,” says Tannas. 

Please take 2-min to read more of the details of how he showed he cared about the acquisition teams and drove strategy. This is the perfect environment to scale thru acquisitions.

Chief Hurdle Officer – $4 million to $420 million
Terry Fulwiler scaled his family’s label manufacturing business from $4 million to $420 million using Great Game of Business principles (I can’t take credit for everything 😊). Before Jack Stack wrote his book, Terry created internal bonus systems built around addressing the #1 constraint in his business WS Packaging Group. He saw himself as Chief Hurdle Officer. Through extensive data gathering, he would focus his organization on the hurdle (constraint) inhibiting growth (what is yours?). He also helped his employees understand the financials of the business – P&L and Balance Sheet. He recently exited the business and now serves on the board of the Green Bay Packers. I got to try on his ¼ lb platinum Super Bowl ring – wow.

Great Game of Business Master Course – Gamify Your Biz
Terry and tens of thousands of firms have used The Great Game of Business approach to setting critical numbers, cascading KPIs, and bonus plans to drive superior performance. Jack Stack scaled his own firms to over $1 billion and taught for me for years in the exec ed program I founded with MIT. His influence is all over our work – and I’ve ALWAYS recommended leaders attend his programs. That’s why we’re excited we are hosting his virtual Great Game Master Course – launching in a few weeks. Have your COO and CFO, at a minimum, sign up together – just 2 hours per week, it’s the perfect follow-up to Scaling Up and you’ll see huge results.

CEO Tapes RH Checklist to Laptop!
Erik Martinsson is CEO of Svea Solar, one of Europe’s largest solar companies and one of Sweden’s fastest-growing scaleups, currently at a turnover of around $300 million and 1200 employees. Coach Pelle Tornell (center) shared this photo of 35-year-old CEO Erik’s laptop with the RH Checklist taped to his laptop. He’s shared how he will not take it off until all boxes are ticked!! Notes Pelle: 

They have gone all in on ScalingUp since last August (when I started coaching them) and are meticulously ticking off the boxes of the Rockefeller Habits checklist month by month.

More info here: https://sveasolar.com/en 

Virtual Scaling Up Master Class – 6 Hours LIVE with Verne
Twice per year I personally teach a Master Class LIVE – 3 hours June 7 and 3 hours June 8. It’s a chance to review and renew your focus on implementing our tools. Scott Nash’s team will be attending for what must be the 25th time as they’ve scaled from a few million to hundreds of millions. Like tennis and golf, you need to review the fundamentals constantly. Sign up new leaders and/or your team. Past CEOs always attend for free.

Order a box of 20 Scaling Up and Mastering the Rockefeller Habits books
Want to save 50% over the price on Amazon? Get the box of 20 Scaling Up books here and the box of 20 MRH books here for less!

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 >

Planning to Exit – Critical Whitepaper
Selling your firm, for its maximum value, is the most important negotiation in which a business owner will participate. You are typically negotiating with 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, stealing tens of millions from you. Seeking help, owners discover 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). Email me to get a whitepaper on how to maximize your valuation and avoid the psychological games buyers play [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]

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

Boulder, CO – May 25, 2023 (Virtual)
Denver, CO – May 30, 2023 (Virtual)
Denver, CO – May 31, 2023 (In-Person)
Barcelona, Spain – Jun 1, 2023 (Virtual)
Mexico City, Mex – Jun 1, 2023 (In-Person)
Melbourne, Australia - Jun 6, 2023 (In-Person)
Nashville, TN – Jun 8, 2023 (Virtual)
Toronto, Canada – Jun 8, 2023 (Virtual)
Paris/Amsterdam/Warschau - Jun 13, 2023 (Virtual)
Birmingham, UK – Jun 22, 2023 (In-Person)
Toronto, Canada – Jul 6, 2023 (Virtual)
Houston, TX – Jul 11, 2023 (In-Person)
Sydney, Australia – Jul 20, 2023 (In-Person)
Toronto, Canada – Aug 10, 2023 (Virtual)
Sydney, Australia – Aug 11, 2023 (In-Person)
Denver/Englewood, CO – Aug 24, 2023 (In-Person)
Melbourne, Australia - Sep 5, 2023 (In-Person)
Grand Rapids, MI – Sep 12, 2023 (In-Person)
Toronto, Canada – Sep 14, 2023 (Virtual)
Brisbane, Australia – Oct 4, 2023 (In-Person)
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)
Dallas, TX – Dec 6, 2023 (In-Person)
Toronto, Canada - Dec 7, 2023 (Virtual)

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.

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.

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

Did you miss previous insights? - read here

Follow Verne on Instagram: @scalingup2.0

Connect with Verne on LinkedIn: Verne Harnish

Follow Verne on Twitter: @agilescaleup

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

Sign up for Verne's Weekly Insights  


*This email newsletter may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. If you choose to purchase after clicking a link, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Cannabis Coach; CEO Gets Intimate; Work Friends; McKinsey AI Paper

TDC (thinly disguised contempt) is bad. TDC is toxic. It lingers. It spills out over everything.
                                                Brad Feld, VC

This is the year for efficiency – AI can really help everyone in the firm. Get on it!
                                                Verne Harnish

McKinsey’s Definitive Paper on AI
McKinsey’s paper on “generative AI essentials for CEOs” is an excellent and easy read. It includes four case uses for improving organizational effectiveness among the early adopters (writing software and assisting salespeople are a couple key uses). And they address the CEO’s vital role in positioning an organization for success with generative AI. Better than reading a book, please invest 15 minutes to get up-to-speed – then have your broader leadership team read and discuss at your upcoming Monthly Leadership Team Meeting – give the topic 3 hours!!

Entrepreneurs@Scale: How to Maximize the Value of Your Firm (podcast)
This 52-minute podcast is a succinct summary of the four most important moves to increase the valuation of your business – and other key ideas I’ve picked up in my 41 years of helping growth firms. Thank you to coach Neale Lewis for the thoughtful interview.

Game Changer for Your Sales Growth (HBS Case Study)
Large deals are getting harder to land. Managing Director, Oliver Ray, Number8, contracted Hunt Big Sales (HBS) to create a sales growth strategy.  Notes Oliver:  

Out of three large deals we brought in, we would have never landed one of them, and the other two would have been at 1/3 the size they ultimately were without HBS’ coaching. It’s not just a sales system. It is a whole new way of thinking about sales and your sales process - from start to finish. It did force us to look at how we not only did sales but how we did business. For us… it was a game-changer.

HBS, who keynoted our Summit last year, has delivered over $18B of new sales with their clients and is helping Scaling Up firms grow as well.  Here is a copy of the Case Study. For more information reach out to them at [email protected] or 317-847-8037.

Eliminate Thinly Disguised Contempt (TDC)
VC Brad Feld took a stroll down memory lane and shared a few of his favorite blog posts over the past 19 years. His and my favorite is the blog post on the importance of eliminating “thinly disguised contempt” for customers and each other in the organization. Allowing your people to negatively comment or make fun of customers is toxic. Brad’s blog, and the way he describes it, is worth sharing and discussing with everyone in your firm!!

Work Friends Key to Getting Through Recession
Earlier this year I highlighted Gallup CEO Jim Clifton’s exclamation that employees who have a good friend at work at considerably more engaged, productive, happy, etc.! This is why referrals from existing employees are so important. This Fortune article supports the same. The key paragraph:

A recent survey we conducted at the Achievers Workforce Institute (AWI) uncovered that having strong workplace relationships is one of the best predictors of resilience and productivity. Furthermore, the respondents who say their company supports them in building relationships at work are almost three times as likely to report high organizational resilience. They are also three times more likely to report being their most productive selves at work.

Please invest 2 minutes to read the rest of the details. One key tool, from EO/YPO, is the lifeline exercise. Do this together with team members to deepen relationships (Google what it is if you don’t know).

Yet Another CEO Gets Intimate…with Customers
When I suggest you live with your clients, Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky did just this the past six months – and found the core problem of his business. This Fortune article details what he learned. In short, how a few bad apples can spoil their entire reputation – and given inflation and the slow down they are seeing in bookings, the importance of going back to their original biz model of renting rooms at a lower price point than entire places. What your customers/clients are wanting in 2023 is likely different than what they wanted from you in 2022 - get out and hang with them!!

Cannabis Coaching Niche – Leadership Team High!
The riches are in the niches. This Scaleups.com article shares how Scaling Up Coach Bruce Eckfeldt has carved out a niche coaching cannabis firms. Like many entrepreneurs who have a deep passion for and knowledge of their product, they often lack the tools/techniques to handle the complexities and drama that come with scaling. Plus: 

I’ve run meetings where the entire leadership team is high, because that’s how they operate, and we’re running through a cash flow analysis!

As the industry legalized, the professionalism of the firms needs to keep up. Bruce has stepped in, with his Lean background having scaled his own firm, to bridge this gap. Pls take 2 minutes to read (www.scaleups.com) his interesting niche using our tools.

Order a box of 20 Scaling Up and Mastering the Rockefeller Habits books
Want to save 50% over the price on Amazon? Get the box of 20 Scaling Up books here and the box of 20 MRH books here for less!

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

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 >

Planning to Exit – Critical Whitepaper
Selling your firm, for its maximum value, is the most important negotiation in which a business owner will participate. You are typically negotiating with 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, stealing tens of millions from you. Seeking help, owners discover 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). Email me to get a whitepaper on how to maximize your valuation and avoid the psychological games buyers play [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]

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

Amsterdam, The Netherlands – May 16, 2023 (In-Person)
Barcelona, Spain – May 18, 2023 (Virtual)
Nashville, TN – May 18, 2023 (In-Person)
Boulder, CO – May 25, 2023 (Virtual)
Denver, CO – May 30, 2023 (Virtual)
Denver, CO – May 31, 2023 (In-Person)
Mexico City, Mex – Jun 1, 2023 (In-Person)
Melbourne, Australia - Jun 6, 2023 (In-Person)
Nashville, TN – Jun 8, 2023 (Virtual)
Toronto, Canada – Jun 8, 2023 (Virtual)
Paris/Amsterdam/Warschau - June 13, 2023 (Virtual)
Birmingham, UK – Jun 22, 2023 (In-Person)
Toronto, Canada – Jul 6, 2023 (Virtual)
Houston, TX – Jul 11, 2023 (In-Person)
Sydney, Australia – Jul 20, 2023 (In-Person)
Toronto, Canada – Aug 10, 2023 (Virtual)
Sydney, Australia – Aug 11, 2023 (In-Person)
Denver/Englewood, CO – Aug 24, 2023 (In-Person)
Melbourne, Australia - Sep 5, 2023 (In-Person)
Grand Rapids, MI – Sep 12, 2023 (In-Person)
Toronto, Canada – Sep 14, 2023 (Virtual)
Brisbane, Australia – Oct 10, 2023 (In-Person)
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)
Dallas, TX – Dec 6, 2023 (In-Person)
Toronto, Canada - Dec 7, 2023 (Virtual)

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.

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.

Did you miss previous insights? - read here

Follow Verne on Instagram: @scalingup2.0

Connect with Verne on LinkedIn: Verne Harnish

Follow Verne on Twitter: @agilescaleup

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

Sign up for Verne's Weekly Insights  


*This email newsletter may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. If you choose to purchase after clicking a link, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

$20 1st; Anti-Fragile Life; Michael Hui; Jun 7 - 8

Judge a man by his questions rather than his answers.
                                                Voltaire

Recipe for greatness: Become just a teeny bit better than you were last year. Repeat every year.
                                                Kevin Kelly, Excellent Advice for Living

Repeat Every Year – Virtual Scaling Up Master Course
Like golf or tennis lessons, repetition of the fundamentals is key to mastery. Anyone on your team need a review/jumpstart with Scaling Up (Rock Habits)? Four 90-minute virtual sessions taught by me (Verne) – 3 hours June 7; 3 hours June 8. In-person coach-led workshops listed below throughout the year. For more info and to register.

EdVentureCo Scales to AUD80 Million via Acquisitions
ED Michael Hui’s Sydney and Manilla-based ed-tech firm trains 20,000 students annually thru 700 instructor-led courses. Scaling via several acquisitions, parent firm Arowana (my friend Kevin Chin is Chair) has a playbook for identifying and integrating these acquisitions while supporting all stakeholders using Scaling Up’s daily huddles, quarterly meetings, etc. Both firms are B Corps. Please take 2 minutes to scan this Scaleups.com article for details. Note’s Hui, “Like an airline, we never want a plane to go down” so they’re in the trenches making sure all their acquisitions are successful.

Powerful $20 First Impression
Guy Berry, COO of Redirect Health, shared during our CEO Boot Camp a simple yet powerful way to make a great first impression with a new employee. During the process of 1-on-1 interviews, the recruiting team asks the applicant, “What is an indulgence you love that is under $20?” As a recruiting question, they can see the culture and friendliness of the person in how they answer.

Crazy Socks, Special Chocolate
Guy continues: “If we choose to hire a candidate, we have the item bought and waiting for the person when they show up on day 1.  If we have a bunch of new team members, this creates great intro conversations as team members share what item they received. We have bought someone a specific or unique drink from Starbucks; special chocolates; pizza from specific restaurants for lunch; or even crazy socks that someone told us they love.” It is a powerful first impression for the new team member and under $20!! They learned this concept from Michel Flacon https://www.michelfalcon.com/.

Simple and Inexpensive Healthcare
FYI (and I get no commissions) if you want to save a bunch on healthcare insurance for your employees, please consider Redirect Health. It’s so affordable, they offer all their own employees free healthcare. They’ve taken a radically different approach to insurance and it’s working. I’m a client.

More CEOs Hanging with Customers
A few weeks ago, I noted new Lyft CEO David Risher spending time shuttling passengers. Notes Fortune, “It’s a tried-and-true management tactic that’s been resurfaced recently by Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi and new Starbucks CEO Laxman Narasimhan, as Fortune‘s Paige McGlauflin reports here. Are you spending enough time with your customers experiencing your products/services?

Become Anti-Fragile to be Happy
This New Trader U article details how to become anti-fragile which means you benefit/strengthen from the chaos swirling around the economy/environment. The “how-to” specifics are insightful, but here are the key takeaways:

• Welcome change and remain flexible
• Seek personal growth through challenges
• Build resilience to maintain happiness amid adversity
• Manage stress effectively
• Manage stress effectively for a more balanced life
• Cultivate deep, supportive relationships for enhanced well-being
• Focus on aspects of life within your control to boost self-confidence and satisfaction
• Embrace the present moment and practice gratitude for a happier life

Excellent Advice for Living by Kevin Kelly

Published May 2, founding editor of Wired magazine Kevin Kelly (71) shares “wisdom I wish I’d known earlier.” I started reading it last night – hundreds of pithy sayings and quotes – enjoy a few each day worthy of sharing with your team/family/following.

Order a box of 20 Scaling Up and Mastering the Rockefeller Habits books
Want to save 50% over the price on Amazon? Get the box of 20 Scaling Up books here and the box of 20 MRH books here for less!

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.

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

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 >

Planning to Exit – Critical Whitepaper
Selling your firm, for its maximum value, is the most important negotiation in which a business owner will participate. You are typically negotiating with 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, stealing tens of millions from you. Seeking help, owners discover 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). Email me to get a whitepaper on how to maximize your valuation and avoid the psychological games buyers play [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]

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

Denver, CO – May 10, 2023 (Virtual)
Brisbane, Australia – May 10, 2023 (In-Person)
Toronto, Canada - May 11, 2023 (Virtual)
San Francisco, CA - May 12, 2023 (In-Person)
Amsterdam, The Netherlands – May 16, 2023 (In-Person)
Barcelona, Spain – May 18, 2023 (Virtual)
Nashville, TN – May 18, 2023 (In-Person)
Boulder, CO – May 25, 2023 (Virtual)
Denver, CO – May 31, 2023 (In-Person)
Melbourne, Australia - Jun 6, 2023 (In-Person)
Nashville, TN – Jun 8, 2023 (Virtual)
Toronto, Canada – Jun 8, 2023 (Virtual)
Paris/Amsterdam/Warschau - June 13, 2023 (Virtual)
Birmingham, UK – Jun 22, 2023 (In-Person)
Toronto, Canada – Jul 6, 2023 (Virtual)
Houston, TX – Jul 11, 2023 (In-Person)
Sydney, Australia – Jul 20, 2023 (In-Person)
Toronto, Canada – Aug 10, 2023 (Virtual)
Denver/Englewood, CO – Aug 24, 2023 (In-Person)
Melbourne, Australia - Sep 5, 2023 (In-Person)
Grand Rapids, MI – Sep 12, 2023 (In-Person)
Toronto, Canada – Sep 14, 2023 (Virtual)
Brisbane, Australia – Oct 10, 2023 (In-Person)
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)
Dallas, TX – Dec 6, 2023 (In-Person)
Toronto, Canada - Dec 7, 2023 (Virtual)

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.

Did you miss previous insights? - read here

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