Don’t be fooled into believing that your business will naturally gain efficiencies as it grows. This is a false expectation. It's hidden behind the idea that economies of scale will increase margins. They do — assuming all else equal. But it neglects the fact that bigger also means more complex. Complexity has a cost and more often tha...

There is a flaw in the generally accepted marketing agency model. Agencies are expected, and incentivized, to prove their worth immediately. This is inherently wrong and brings with it significant repercussions. 1. Decisions are prioritized for short-term results – at the expense of long-term benefits. 2. The new ideas brought by an ag...

Growing is not always comfortable. Growing a business isn’t either. There are points that require a substantial shift to reach the next level. A business coach of mine called this the 5’s & 10’s of business. Each time a business moves from an annual revenue starting with a 5 or a 10, to a revenue starting with the other, a change is ne...

How confident are you in what your top line revenue will be next month? In 6 months? Consider what having predictable revenue would do for your business. No, not educated guesses from fancy spreadsheets. I’m talking about predictable revenue. “Predictable revenue is the portion of revenue that can be counted on coming in – just by doin...

Don’t worry about the competition. They are only direct competitors if you follow their lead. Instead, set your own course. Play your own game. If you have played (or watched) sports, you’ve experienced the difference that this makes. Even when two teams are evenly matched, one can dominate the other for an extended period of time – or...

Constraints occur naturally in day-to-day business. There is a limited amount of cash and people available to get the work done – not to mention a myriad of approaching due dates. In the moment, these feel like obstacles that are in the way of accomplishing the objective. In reality, they help you make the best decisions. Tough decisio...

There is a draw to a perfectly crafted, comprehensive business plan. I have fallen for this before. But a business is a journey. You do not know what you will encounter along the way, so you cannot know the entire path to get there. Trying to create a perfect business plan is, well, wishful thinking. What is essential, is answering the...

We partner with good teams to achieve massively more in their business by working together. We go deep — beginning with strategy and uncovering the essence of the brand. But we do not stop there. We understand the integrated nature of a business. We take a cohesive strategy and precisely execute it through our teams — all beautifully c...