The Agile Scaleup

Rich House; Next Unicorns; Daily Huddle Video; Sept 1 Deadline

I’ve always thought that a big laugh is a really loud noise from the soul saying, “Aint that the truth!”
                                                Quincy Jones​ per Tim Ferriss’s 5 Bullet Friday

It takes guts to get healthy.
                                                Best tagline, Pendulum Life

Buffett’s Weird Calendar Habit – Friday Deadline – Sept 5 Kickoff
Last week, I shared Warren Buffett's key calendar habit of setting time aside for reflection and strategic thinking. In that spirit, consider investing time, as have thousands of other CEOs/CXOs, in our “Scaling Up Master Business Course.” Dive deeper with your team online, apply the methodology, and gain direct coaching from our leading Scaling Up experts. Enrollment closes next Friday at 8pm ET, and the first class kicks off on September 5th at 11am ET. Don't miss out! Click Here to Learn More About the Course and Enroll https://hubs.li/Q02057fN0

Next Billion Dollar Firms – Pendulum Life
Forbes each year identifies 25 venture-backed startups (from the over 50,000) expected to become the next unicorns – and their track record is excellent! One of the firms profiled is Pendulum Therapeutics, a rapidly growing probiotics maker whose flagship product is designed to help type 2 diabetics manage their blood sugar.

Gut Health – But How?
Pendulum is the firm with the clever tagline noted above “It takes guts to get healthy.” My health advisors turned me on to their probiotics a year ago and they have been extremely beneficial. Your gut biome is foundational to health. I take their Akkermansia and Glucose Control probiotics (I was getting sluggish after eating). They have a quiz that identifies the best probiotics for you. FYI, Halle Berry is one of their spokespersons along with several well-known doctors – and Mayo Clinic is their first investor and research partner. Shows the power of influencers (as I write this from our Harvard CEO Summit!).

“Job to be Done” and Influencers
The job of an iPod -- “1000 songs in your pocket.” Pendulum’s is “healthy gut.” RedBalloon’s “Gifting Experiences.” 3M’s “Science. (period)”. Scaling Up’s “Scaling your valuation.” What is the job to be done for your products and services? Is it reflected in your tagline as it is in the firms just mentioned? And who are your influencers – endorsements, testimonials, board members? Get these two things right and a lot of your marketing takes care of itself.

Good Daily Huddle Video Example – Dancer Concrete
Nick Dancer, Dancer Concrete, shares at the 4:15 mark in this video how they structure their 7 a.m. daily huddle with their crews each morning – held standing up next to a whiteboard that helps them visualize the day. Lasting only a few minutes, he confirms a 10x ROI – for every minute in the huddle it saves each person 10 minutes. The entire 18-minute video, shot at their shop by a local hospital group, is an excellent “how to” in running a scaleup and building a strong culture. Again, at least watch the 2-minute segment on daily huddles – 4:15 mark in the video.


Scaling Up -- As Seen On “Rich House, Poor House”
Auckland coach Rob Morris was watching the British TV series “Rich House, Poor House” where a wealthy family swaps houses with a less wealthy family for a week. In Season 9, Episode 3, the wealthy person, Harry, is a mid-20s founder of a successful SEO firm. As Rob was watching, his eagle-eyed 16-year-old son Oskar spotted Scaling Up sitting on the entrepreneurs’ bookshelf! Love this product placement!! Thank you, Oskar.


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!

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.

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

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]

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].

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

Johannesburg, South Africa – Sep 4, 2023 (In-Person)
Brussels/Paris/Geneva – Sept 5, 2023 (Virtual)
Melbourne, Australia - Sep 5, 2023 (In-Person)
Barcelona, Spain – Sep 6, 2023 (Virtual)
Hong Kong / Singapore – Sep 6, 2023 (Virtual)
Grand Rapids, MI – Sep 12, 2023 (In-Person)
Bengaluru / Hyderabad, India – Sep 13, 2023 (Virtual)
EMEA – Sept 14, 2023 (Virtual)
Toronto, Canada – Sep 14, 2023 (Virtual)
Denver, CO - Sept 18, 2023 (Virtual)
Brisbane, Australia – Oct 4, 2023 (In-Person)
Toronto, Canada - Oct 12, 2023 (Virtual)
Brussels, Belgium – Oct 17, 2023 (In-Person)
Dallas, TX – Oct 25, 2023 (In-Person)
Denver, CO - Oct 30, 2023 (Virtual)
Sydney, Australia – Nov 2, 2023 (In-Person)
Hong Kong / Beijing / Singapore – Nov 8, 2023 (Virtual)
Wellington, NZ – Nov 9, 2023 (In-Person)
Toronto, Canada - Nov 9, 2023 (Virtual)
Grand Rapids, MI – Nov 9, 2023 (In-Person)
Melbourne, Australia - Nov 14, 2023 (In-Person)
Bengaluru / Hyderabad, India – Nov 15, 2023 (Virtual)
Auckland, NZ – Nov 16, 2023 (In-Person)
London, UK – Nov 16, 2023 (In-Person)
Dallas, TX – Dec 6, 2023 (In-Person)
Toronto, Canada - Dec 7, 2023 (Virtual)
Auckland, NZ – March 11, 2024 (In-Person)
Christchurch, NZ – May 30, 2024 (In-Person)

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.

Canary Islands; Buffett’s Hack; Secret Meanings; 3 Acquisitions

Sitting and thinking may be a much higher priority.
                                                Bill Gates

Then came an overwhelming sense that all was perfection just as nature had intended.
                                                Nic Askew

Canary Islands and Adelaide Australia – Two New CEO/COO Boot Camps
In addition to Lake Tahoe Sept 19 – 22 (two seats left); I’ve added CEO Boot Camps hosted in the beautiful Canary Islands Jan 9 – 12; and a YPO-only in a YPOer’s beautiful resort in Adelaide, Australia Feb 13 – 16. For details and application join 7 other CEOs and their COOs/Presidents for 3 intense “scaling up valuation” days and nights.

Warren Buffett’s Weird Calendar Habit
This Inc. article details investor Warren Buffett’s key calendar habit – blocking entire days where he has no appointments – and why this is so critical to driving creativity and personal performance. It’s also key to getting the important vs. urgent completed. Please take 2 minutes to read, then reduce over-scheduling yourself!!

Secret Meaning of Brand Logos
As biz leader, I find it important/fun to know the nuances of our biz world. This Readers Digest article details the hidden meaning in many of the most famous brand logos. I especially loved the Museum of London and IBM logos for their secret meanings! Something fun to review with your children as well. What secret meaning have you designed in your logo? Time to update? Thank you to marketing guru Paul Berman for sharing.

FocalPointe’s Acquires 3 Firms – Key Mindset Change
This Lawn&Landscape article details the 3 acquisitions St. Louis-based FocalPointe has made in the last few months (if you need first-class commercial lawn care in Oklahoma, Kansas, Illinois, or Missouri, call them). To accomplish this, I, along with the other advisory board members, worked to get CEO John Munie comfortable with taking on the debt required to make these acquisitions.

8x vs. 6x Multiple
The immediate result of these acquisitions: the combined revenues of the 4 entities now exceed a key multiple of earnings threshold in the landscaping and services industry – an increase in multiple from 6x to 8x earnings. Multiply these two extra turns with the greater combined profits and the significant bump in valuation greatly exceeds the additional debt. And the increased profits generate 4x the cash flow needed to service the debt. This is how PE firms create such huge value, leveraging debt to invest and drive valuation, and then using profits to pay it off. It’s time you PE’d yourself!! Let us help guide you to do the same.

Acquire Key Talent
The largest of the acquisitions is Brett Gordon’s Oklahoma City firm Signature Landscape. Strong on operations, Brett is the new COO of the combined firms. It’s the primary reason the board encouraged John’s first acquisition – to get a key talent he was missing in the mother ship. What key talent are you missing? Maybe an acquisition will fix this and add access to new markets?

Cheer Up – As Nature Intended
Nik Askew’s Soul Biographies are beautifully crafted short videos. Need a boost? His latest 4-minute video is titled “As Nature Intended” – watch and surrender.

EOers -- Meet Me in Barcelona Oct 18 – 20
Join EOers from 28 countries already registered for this year’s EO Unlimited event in Barcelona, Oct 18 – 20. 62 seats left. I’ll be keynoting along with Dandapani, Christopher Pommerening, Florencia Andres, and others.

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!

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

Nashville, TN – Aug 24, 2023 (Virtual)
Denver/Englewood, CO – Aug 24, 2023 (In-Person)
Brussels/Paris/Luxembourg/Geneva – Aug 25, 2023 (Virtual)
Johannesburg, South Africa – Sep 4, 2023 (In-Person)
Brussels/Paris/Geneva – Sept 5, 2023 (Virtual)
Melbourne, Australia - Sep 5, 2023 (In-Person)
Barcelona, Spain – Sep 6, 2023 (Virtual)
Hong Kong / Singapore – Sep 6, 2023 (Virtual)
Grand Rapids, MI – Sep 12, 2023 (In-Person)
Bengaluru / Hyderabad, India – Sep 13, 2023 (Virtual)
Toronto, Canada – Sep 14, 2023 (Virtual)
Denver, CO - Sept 18, 2023 (Virtual)
Brisbane, Australia – Oct 4, 2023 (In-Person)
Toronto, Canada - Oct 12, 2023 (Virtual)
Dallas, TX – Oct 25, 2023 (In-Person)
Denver, CO - Oct 30, 2023 (Virtual)
Sydney, Australia – Nov 2, 2023 (In-Person)
Hong Kong / Beijing / Singapore – Nov 8, 2023 (Virtual)
Toronto, Canada - Nov 9, 2023 (Virtual)
Grand Rapids, MI – Nov 9, 2023 (In-Person)
Melbourne, Australia - Nov 14, 2023 (In-Person)
Bengaluru / Hyderabad, India – Nov 15, 2023 (Virtual)
London, UK – Nov 16, 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.

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

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]

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].

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.

Unconfuse Me; Global 500 Rev/Emp; Law Firm Needed; Aug 10

Would I enthusiastically rehire you to do the job you are doing?
                                                Scott Farquhar, co-founder Atlassian

85% of “rich people” report reading at least 2 books per month.
                                                Tom Corley, author of Rich Habits

Needed: Law Firms Over $10 Million for Book
My team is writing Scaling Up for Lawyers.  We need some stories of law firms over $10 million in revenue using Scaling Up – please email me [email protected] if willing to be featured in the book. Thank you.

Scott Farquhar’s Key Question
This Financial Review article details Atlassian co-founder’s key question when it comes down to people.  Notes Scott Farquhar:

I’ve read almost every business book there is around leading people and how to performance manage, but at the end of the day, the conversation I have with myself is, can I look every person in the eye who works for me and say that I would enthusiastically rehire you to do the job you are doing? If the answer is ‘no’, go back to the office today and work out what conversation you need to have with them.

The article goes on to detail the changes Atlassian has made, getting managers back coding instead of managing and tightening up everywhere – similar to Facebook’s “Year of Efficiency.” Invest 2 minutes to see how Scott has been thinking and approaching all of this in a tough tech environment. Thx to coach Keith Millar for sharing.

New Podcast “Unconfuse Me with Bill Gates”
Last Thursday Bill Gates launched a new and interesting podcast. Notes Bill:

The name of the podcast comes from something I say often. Whenever I can’t solve a problem, I like to talk to smart people who can “unconfuse me” and help me understand the subject better. I think it’s one of the best ways to learn something new.

The first episode tackles Alzheimer’s in a humorous way.  Next week’s is with Sal Khan, founder of Khan Academy, and the role AI is playing to help tutor students.  Check it out.

Reading Helps with Sleep and Alzheimer's
This NatFluence article shares the normal stats that correlate reading/learning with income (2.8x) and success.  It also shares some data I hadn’t seen before.  To quote the piece:

• These statistics by SleepJunkie show that 50% of those who read before bed report getting better sleep than non-readers. Plus, the same study found that bedtime readers slept an additional hour and 37 minutes per week, compared to those who didn’t read in bed
  
• Reading has been shown to make you 2.5 times less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease, compared to those who spent their time on less mentally stimulating activities.

More reasons to read! Thank you to coach Rick Crossland for sharing.

Fortune Global 500 List (Fun Facts)
Fortune released its global list this week.  Some fun facts:

• The combined revenues of the Fortune Global 500 were $41 trillion, equal to more than one-third of global GDP. Together they employ more than 70 million people.
• Walmart once again topped the list, for the 10th year in a row, but Saudi Aramco was a surprisingly close No. 2 and also the most profitable company ever on the list, earning $159 billion last year.
• The number of U.S. companies on the list rose to 136—the highest since 2010.

Global 500 Revenue/Employee $586,000; Profit/Employee $42,900
How does this compare to your firm? Pick a few firms closer to your sector and see how you stack up.

The World's GDP 112.6 Trillion in 2023 against 103.86 Trillion in 2022.
This is up from $34 trillion in 2000. If you can’t find a way to make a million or a billion, it’s a problem with your business model.

Free Scaling Up Workshop – Aug 10, 11 am ET – 90 Minutes
I get this question all the time: “How can I grow my company without losing control of my life?”

In the early days of running a company, you had to say “yes” to everything. But as you scale, you need to start saying “no.” The true essence of the Scaling Up methodology is to have the focus and discipline to grow your business without working 18-hour days. 

Next week, my partner and Growth Institute CEO, Daniel Marcos is leading a free live training to help you put those time-saving systems in place!  Click here to save your seat for The Life of a Scaling Up Company: How one system gave these leaders 80% of their time 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].

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

Toronto, Canada – Aug 10, 2023 (Virtual)
Sydney, Australia – Aug 11, 2023 (In-Person)
Brussels/Paris/Geneva – Aug 16, 2023 (Virtual)
Boulder, CO – Aug 16, 2023 (Virtual)
Nashville, TN – Aug 17, 2023 (Virtual)
Nashville, TN – Aug 24, 2023 (Virtual)
Denver/Englewood, CO – Aug 24, 2023 (In-Person)
Brussels/Paris/Luxembourg/Geneva – Aug 25, 2023 (Virtual)
Johannesburg, South Africa – Sep 4, 2023 (In-Person)
Brussels/Paris/Geneva – Sept 5, 2023 (Virtual)
Melbourne, Australia - Sep 5, 2023 (In-Person)
Barcelona, Spain – Sep 6, 2023 (Virtual)
Hong Kong / Singapore – Sep 6, 2023 (Virtual)
Grand Rapids, MI – Sep 12, 2023 (In-Person)
Bengaluru / Hyderabad, India – Sep 13, 2023 (Virtual)
Toronto, Canada – Sep 14, 2023 (Virtual)
Brisbane, Australia – Oct 4, 2023 (In-Person)
Toronto, Canada - Oct 12, 2023 (Virtual)
Dallas, TX – Oct 25, 2023 (In-Person)
Sydney, Australia – Nov 2, 2023 (In-Person)
Hong Kong / Beijing / Singapore – Nov 8, 2023 (Virtual)
Toronto, Canada - Nov 9, 2023 (Virtual)
Grand Rapids, MI – Nov 9, 2023 (In-Person)
Melbourne, Australia - Nov 14, 2023 (In-Person)
Bengaluru / Hyderabad, India – Nov 15, 2023 (Virtual)
London, UK – Nov 16, 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.

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

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]

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.