Tag Archives: success

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Nothing Great Was Ever Built on Minimums!

I recently attended a conference in Anaheim, CA and one of the presenters, Earl McClellan, made a statement to the effect of “Nothing great is built on minimums!”

It took a minute or two for that to sink in . . .

My mind raced through business cases, famous start-ups, and concepts like Minimal Viable Products (MVPs from Eric Ries). There are so many examples of great movements and uber-successful businesses starting from precarious, humble, and minimalistic origins. So how could this statement be true?

However, after a few minutes of thought, I concluded that I agree with the statement and this is why!

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WTF?: What’s the Future and Why It’s Up to Us

The book review for this week is What’s the Future by Tim O’Reilly.

O’Reilly outlines the process he uses to understand and successfully identify developing trends that will make an impact in the future. He explains how to build this set of tools and mindset in yourself and in your organization. There are many great examples and personal stories provided to illustrate the concepts that he is teaching.

The last section of the book identifies a number of societal shaking trends that are developing and how we can position ourselves and our businesses to leverage these trends successfully.

My takeaway from this book is what O’Reilly calls the business model map for the new economy which consists of the following seven components outlined below and shown in his graphic:

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What I Learned in 2017 and Why It Is Critical to Your Success

This past year was a great year of learning for me! Transitioning out of the big corporate world into my own business consulting has given me the opportunity to adjust my “point of reference” and to see the world from yet another very valuable perspective!

In addition to this monster change, I was also able to either consult or serve in a board role in two not-for-profit organizations, a landscape company, a drywall company, a home renovation company, an equipment sales company, and a start-up engineering company. In the middle of all this, I started a Mastermind Group of senior level business leaders.

It was definitely a year full of change, learning, and growth!

And, as I have in done previous years, this post shares my biggest lessons learned over the past year.

What I Learned in 2017

The most important things I learned in 2017 are:

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How to Navigate Marketplace Complexities

This past year was a year full of transitions, amazing challenges, and stunning opportunities!

It was a year that saw many extremes including:

  • Outrageous political antics
  • Frightening political standoffs
  • Stunning Bitcoin valuations
  • Record breaking stock indices
  • Oil price climbing back to the $55-$60/bbl
  • Continued company downsizing
  • Record company profits
  • First recycled (reused) rocket
  • Great advances in hyperloop technology
  • #metoo movement

Some businesses experienced amazing growth (NVIDIA, Google, Apple, Amazon) while some saw their business shrink (Sears, Macys, GE). Others saw their market shift in an entirely new direction. Some took advantage of this shift and others were damaged by it!

This unprecedented rate of change and marketplace complexity can cause business leaders no end of sleepless nights and stressful days! However, this is where Thinking Business can help you thrive!

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What Are Your Most Pressing Problems and How Can I Help?

This is not my typical weekly blog post! I am looking for some very specific feedback from you.

Are there areas where you or your business need a little extra help to push through to the next level of success?

Drive for Success

Most business leaders have an incredible drive to be successful and to make their business ventures successful. They are motivated to continually improve and grow as individuals and to transfer that growth and improvement to their business and their staff.

Not only do they want to provide for themselves and their family, they want to build a thriving and growing business that offers a solid career for their staff and makes an impact in their communities and in the world.

Problems

However, there are times where leaders hit a wall or get stumped by problems that limit their business success. I have been a business executive for many years and I have experienced the highs and the lows of business. I know what it is like to be hit with issues that limit business success so I can help!

I would like to know what problems you are facing so that I can enable you by providing relevant and helpful content and tools. Are you having issues with: