Whatever you have to say, say it with love.
The Universe (daily post)
If it’s not coming from a place of love, it’s probably about you.
Sebastian Ross
An invitation to invest 2 to 22 minutes in your executive education this week.
Coronary Calcium Test – Please Get One
Do you have a Diagonal Earlobe Crease (DELC)? More on that below, but I lost two friends – not sure why one collapsed Sunday, but it’s normally a heart condition. And the other died of heart disease. An early warning is a crease in your earlobe. And one of the least expensive, non-invasive tests you can get is a coronary calcium test – mine cost $150. It’s an early, early warning sign of potential heart issues. Please get one.
Rough Week
So many articles, videos, etc. I wanted to share with you this week – including the numbers from the Fortune Global 500 released this week– they averaged $581,560 rev/employee and $42,127 profit/employee as a benchmark. But I’m just heartbroken and unable to write further about anything but my two friends who passed…
…John Ruhlin Passed Away Sunday
Leaving behind his lovely wife Lindsay and 4 beautiful young daughters, Giftology author John Ruhlin was vacationing with his family when he collapsed on Sunday, unable to be revived. The EO, author, biz, and his friend community (and he had so many) are shocked. Many of you might remember the times we’ve had John keynote our Fortune Summits – and share his wisdom with our coaching community on the power of gifting and how to do it beautifully. This IG post provides details of his passing and sites to offer support for his family.
Memory of John – Sara Blakely Interview
…the first memory that immediately came to mind, when I heard the news, was of John’s sit-down interview of Sara Blakely and Jesse Itzler for EO’s GLC which was held virtually because of the pandemic. EO clearly chose the right guy to host this amazing interview of two of the most iconic entrepreneurs of our time. I remember tuning in LIVE to watch and being blown away by John’s interview.
Important Lesson – Take That Extra Leap
This LinkedIn post captures the post excitement for John’s interview and notes:
Sara mentioned on stage that she has never had anyone fly down the day before and grab a meal prior to an interview with her.
John goes on to note, and this is the lesson:
I say it all the time when it comes to gifting, but it also applies to life in general too. Most people settle for “what’s the least I can do” vs “what’s the most I could do” take that extra leap when it comes to your business and watch things change around you.
Best Gift Ever – Portrait Made of Spanx Packaging
John then precedes, post the interview, to present Sara and Jesse with the most special gift to thank them for giving back to our EO community during such a crazy time for most of us during the pandemic. It was a massive (must have been 6ft or 7ft tall) portrait of Sara, Jesse, and their children comprised of pieces of packaging from Spanx. It might sound strange, but it is stunningly beautiful and memorable and one-of-a-kind. So many people have been touched by the special gifts John has given and made happen, including a $1000 coffee mug I was gifted by coach Andy Bailey that captures the history of my life beautifully. It’s one of the few cherished items I packed up and brought to Spain after moving from Boulder.
…and Gene Kirila Passed Away – Youngest Hero of Manufacturing
Last Saturday I attended the memorial for my dear friend Gene Kirila (60). Named by Fortune the youngest hero of manufacturing for revolutionizing several industries and featured in Mastering the Rockefeller Habits and Scaling Up, Gene passed away from a long-standing heart ailment leaving behind his lovely wife Ginger and four grown children. A family friend as well, Gene a specialist coach for Scaling Up, was an EO/Birthing of Giants grad, and early Rockefeller Habits client. And I learned more from Gene than I’m sure Gene learned from me.
Monthly Meeting Master
He was a master at Lean and the first to show me the power of hosting his broader leadership team for a monthly meeting (4pm - ?) at his lake retreat. It was these longer meetings that helped bond the team over a fun dinner, dig in and resolve a key constraint or two, and give Gene a chance to pass along some of his wisdom as the team used their own company as a working case study from which to learn and grow.
Gene’s Personal Framework – Family, Self, Spirit, Work
In addition to Ginger, all four of his children spoke at his memorial, with each addressing one of the four pillars of Gene’s framework for setting goals – something he passed down to his children and all the people who worked closely with Gene. Literally expressed as a picture frame, he encouraged everyone to set goals that equally focused on Family, Self, Spirit, and Work.
Gene’s Obituary
Gene, I miss you dearly and thank you for the wisdom you’ve shared with so many, including myself. Here’s an image (click to view in full) of his obituary.
Coronary Calcium Test
This Stanford Medicine article discusses what is referred to as Frank’s sign, a Diagonal Earlobe Crease (DELC) – and it includes photos. It’s correlated to arterial disease. I recently noticed that I’ve developed this crease and showed it to my doctor at the Riordan Clinic. He had me get a Coronary Calcium test, and sure enough, mine is elevated. Not in the super danger zone, but high enough that I’m addressing it. Please get tested.
Be Well
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Additional Books
Scaling Up Compensation, a quick read helping you get much greater impact and outcomes from one of your largest expenses; and The Greatest Business Decisions of All Time, which provides you with some great ideas to borrow/steal for your own business are available on Amazon.
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].
TECHNOLOGY:
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EDUCATION:
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COACHING: Unlock Explosive Growth with a Scaling Up Coach
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SCALING UP WORKSHOPS:
Engage your team with interactive Scaling Up workshops. Here's our list of workshops
Adelaide, Australia – Aug 13 & 14, 2024 (2 Day, In-Person)
Ontario, Canada - Aug 15, 2024 (Virtual)
San Francisco, CA – Aug 28, 2024 (Virtual)
Brussels, Belgium – Aug 29, 2024 (In-Person)
Sydney, Australia – Sep 5, 2024 (In-Person)
Chile – Sep 10, 2024 (Virtual)
Melbourne, Australia – Sep 10, 2024 (In-Person)
Ontario, Canada – Sep 12, 2024 (Virtual)
Denver, CO – Sep 17, 2024 (In-Person)
San Francisco, CA – Sep 24, 2024 (Virtual)
Nottingham, UK – Oct 1, 2024 (In-Person)
London, UK – Oct 2, 2024 (In-Person)
Brisbane, Australia – Oct 2, 2024 (In-Person)
Jeddah, Saudi Arabia – Oct 7, 2024 (In-Person)
Phoenix, AZ – Oct 10, 2024 (Virtual)
Ontario, Canada - Oct 10, 2024 (Virtual)
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – Oct 14, 2024 (In-Person)
Chile – Oct 15, 2024 (Virtual)
Fort Lauderdale, FL – Oct 15, 2024 (In-Person)
San Francisco, CA – Oct 16, 2024 (Virtual)
Columbus, OH – Oct 25, 2024 (In-Person)
Chile – Nov 12, 2024 (Virtual)
Melbourne, Australia – Nov 12, 2024 (In-Person)
Sydney, Australia – Nov 14, 2024 (In-Person)
Ontario, Canada - Nov 14, 2024 (Virtual)
San Francisco, CA – Nov 19, 2024 (Virtual)
Franklin, TN – Dec 5, 2024 (Virtual)
Chile – Dec 10, 2024 (Virtual)
San Antonio, TX – Dec 10, 2024 (In-Person)
Ontario, Canada - Dec 12, 2024 (Virtual)
San Francisco, CA – Dec 18, 2024 (Virtual)
Washington, DC – Jan 28, 2025 (In-Person)
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