November 2022

I hoped that The Greatest Business Decisions of All Time by Verne Harnish and the Editors of Fortune would not only tell me about great decisions, but would also explain how those decisions were made. Some of the 18 chapters do exactly that, but most fall far short. The stories are usually still interesting and entertaining, so the book is an enjoyable read, just not as helpful as it could be.

Read the full review here.

Or, if you do want a book that describes decisions (whether great or not) and how they were made, you might enjoy my book on decisions made throughout the 100+ year history of one company. You can download it for free (or order a printed copy) here: https://blog.sdgstrategy.com/a-sprint-to-the-finish/

Almost by definition growth is foundational to both startups and scaling enterprises. However, the nature of that growth and how it is achieved changes dramatically as a business matures. Similarly, the role of the company’s leader in that growth will also change. If you are the founder of a startup transitioning to become CEO of a scaling enterprise, what do you need to do to successfully navigate those changes and keep your business on a healthy growth trajectory?

In the article linked below, I explore how Marketing, Sales, and Scaling Operations change as a business moves through three phases: startup, as it begins to scale, and as it begins to mature.

Read the full article here.

Growing a business is hard. So often it seems like a chaotic journey of hard decision after hard decision with periods of intense focused execution in between. Early in my career I learned that hard decisions become much easier once you have a strategic framework in place to guide those decisions. The structure and clarity a framework provides often immediately eliminates half the options on the table and simplifies the process of evaluating the other half.

Scaling Up by Verne Harnish is all about structure and clarity, but takes the benefits well beyond a strategic framework. The book is organized around four categories of decisions that leaders must address: people, strategy, execution, and cash. The four sections covering those four types of decisions all start with a collection of tools helpful in making those decisions. In the intro to the book Harnish says “we’ve learned that CEOs and executives of growth firms want ideas and tools they can implement immediately to improve some aspect of their business”. 

In short, Scaling Up provides tools you can use immediately for whatever hard decision your company is facing today.

Read the full review here.

One of my clients recently asked for my perspectives on how he could involve God more directly in his business. This is a big and important question.

There is no single answer that will work for everyone and every business. If you earnestly seek to involve God in your business, it will require the means of grace that God has provided including prayer, time in His Word, the Bible, and fellowship with other Christians, seeking their wise and Godly counsel.

This client knows that, and he was seeking my wisdom and counsel as part of that process. I gave him a quick answer that I think was helpful. I have identified a variety of resources to provide a more comprehensive view of what it might look like to involve God in your business.

I share both in the article available here.