When Curt Richardson started OtterBox in 1998, he didn’t have a college degree. But that didn’t stop him from building a business that generated $1B in revenue in 2019. Hear how he did it in this inspiring interview on NPR’s How I Built This, with Guy Raz.
Creating the environment you need to be a better business owner—to do the work that matters most to your business—takes structure. You need to structure your communication system, workspace and calendar in a way that lets you escape the tactical work that gets in the way of being a true Entrepreneur. And once you’...
If you’ve followed along in this series, you’ve (hopefully) started the work of organizing your inbox and your physical environment in a way that allows you to focus on your priorities as a business owner. In this piece, we’ll home in on your most valuable resource—time.
Here we are at the beginning of a new year (and a new decade!)—an incredible moment that offers the opportunity to metaphorically wipe the slate clean and start fresh. And what if you really could start fresh, start anew? What if this were the year you could achieve the dream we know so many business owners have, ...
To grow your business, you need a dedicated physical space to do the strategic work of growing it—a place for dreaming, thinking and planning. And many business owners don’t have that. Instead, they work from a mobile location, share a space with employees, or have a desk that’s more of a dump zone than a place ...
As the owner-operator of your business, you’re often the first point of contact for anyone trying to connect with any part of your company. So no doubt your inbox is a constant distraction—even a point of overwhelm. And no matter how diligent you are about managing your email, messages can still build up quickly. ...
The key to transforming your business is accountability. So tell us—what’s your business resolution for the year ahead?
As a business owner, you’re the person primarily responsible for your company’s finances. Not your bookkeeper. Not your accountant. You.
I recently heard an incredible statistic about how working less boosts productivity. It came from a study done this year at Microsoft Japan, where for the entire month of August, employees worked four (as opposed to five) days a week. It caught my attention because Japanese work culture is notorious for grueling h...
As the owner and leader of your business, you may find yourself facing the year-end with a mixture of thoughts and feelings: excitement, hope, joy—and maybe some disappointment.
Whether you’re exasperated by inconsistent sales, poor employee performance or your own role in the business, all frustrations can be solved with the right systems. Our free guide will help you build the systemic solutions you need.
“I’m overwhelmed.” It’s a phrase we hear often and from everyone, from parents to business owners. There’s always so much to do, so many details to track and deadlines to manage. Nobody wants to feel overwhelmed—but in today's busy world, what can you do about it?
So, you’ve noticed a lack of clarity and consistency in how projects are managed in your business and taken the essential step of implementing a project management system. Congratulations! Project management systems—and the tools used to execute them—are crucial to ensuring every project you take on in your busine...
In this final article on systems development, I want to address the question we get most from our clients when it comes to building systems in their business: where do I begin? In this article, I’ll provide a blueprint for the most important, foundational systems in your business—and the ideal order in which to bu...
Last week I covered how an operations manual can save your business (and your life), much like the operations manual on Apollo 13 saved Jim Lovell’s life. This week, I want to take you on a journey into systems strategy: Reality dictates you will be building systems while working in your existing business. We call...
During the last long-haul flight I was on, I re-watched Apollo 13 (the one with Tom Hanks as Jim Lovell). Perhaps not the best choice as I was hurtling through the sky at 500 mph in a tin-can myself, but there’s something to be said for the thrill. If you haven’t seen the film, it's based on real-life events and i...