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OPERATIONAL MODERNIZATION

Closing the Continuity Gap

Building Organizations That Improve Themselves

A new management thesis for continuously improving how work gets done across the enterprise.

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Operational Modernization and the Disciplines That Came Before It
BizOps

Operational Modernization and the Disciplines That Came Before It

Ask an experienced operating executive about Operational Modernization for the first time, and a fair question usually comes back before any agreement does. Isn't this just Lean with a new name? Agile applied to the whole company? Another pass at digital transformation? The skepticism is earned. Most executives in this audience have sat through at least one initiative that promised to change how the business ran and delivered a project instead.

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The 5 Operational Bottlenecks That Show Up Around $10M in Revenue
BizOps

The 5 Operational Bottlenecks That Show Up Around $10M in Revenue

One of the biggest misconceptions in business is that growth solves problems. It doesn't. Growth usually exposes them. In the early stages of a company, it's surprisingly easy to hide operational inefficiencies. Everyone is close to the customer. Communication happens naturally. Leadership has direct visibility into most of the business. If something breaks, the team figures it out quickly because everyone is involved in everything.

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Most Companies Don't Need AI… Yet
AI & Automation

Most Companies Don't Need AI… Yet

Over the last year, I've had more conversations about AI than any other topic. CEOs are talking about it. Boards are talking about it. Investors are talking about it. Every software vendor seems to be adding AI capabilities to their platform, and every company is trying to figure out where AI fits into their business. In many ways, it feels similar to the early days of cloud computing when organizations knew the technology was important but weren't entirely sure how to apply it.

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The Build vs. Buy Conversation Has Moved Downstream
AI & Automation

The Build vs. Buy Conversation Has Moved Downstream

For most of my career, the build versus buy conversation was reserved for large enterprises. If you were a Fortune 500 company with a massive IT budget and an internal development team, building custom software was a realistic option. You had unique workflows, complex requirements, and enough scale to justify the investment. Everyone else bought software.

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Check Out Brian on the Forged for Growth Podcast!
AI & Automation

Check Out Brian on the Forged for Growth Podcast!

In the podcast, Brian is interviewed by Sho Rust and Thomas Belhacene, who are founders of SHO.ai, a tech startup in the branding industry. They discuss Brian's background and the sales profession as a whole.

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Finding a Player-Coach for Your Startup's Early Executive Role: Is It Even Possible?
BizOps

Finding a Player-Coach for Your Startup's Early Executive Role: Is It Even Possible?

In the fast-paced world of startups, the search for the right executive can feel like searching for a needle in a haystack. As a founder, you may find yourself dreaming of a "player-coach" who not only possesses the experience and strategic insight to guide your company but is also willing to roll up their sleeves and contribute on the ground level. But is this ideal candidate truly out there? And if so, can you afford them without jeopardizing your startup's financial health?

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Your Desire for Constant Pipeline Updates is Actually Hurting Your Sales Process
Systems & Tech

Your Desire for Constant Pipeline Updates is Actually Hurting Your Sales Process

What most non-salespeople don't understand is the struggle to build trust & rapport between seller and prospect. Sure, follow up is important and persistence is key. But, the cadence of your follow up should be dependent on the prospect and not when your manager has to provide their boss with an update.

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Why Are There So Many Bad Leaders?
Leadership & Growth

Why Are There So Many Bad Leaders?

We all deal with insufferable people at work. Maybe the worst of the bunch is the person who has no problem telling you how great they are. There is a certain level of arrogance and dishonesty in these people that I'll probably never understand. It's even more difficult when those people are in charge. The truth of the matter is that about 2/3 of the people you interact with at work are mediocre at their job, half of them are below average, and over 15% of them are really bad.

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The Pros and Cons of Working From Home
Leadership & Growth

The Pros and Cons of Working From Home

Remote work and work from home was a movement well before we were all hit with this pandemic but the coronavirus forced many who were unwilling to give it a try. Low and behold, there are many benefits to work from home. This gave the work from home (WFH) movement steam but people have been writing about "the changing workplace" for several years. In some cases, businesses will finally make the transition to a permanent work from home stance or at least the option to work from home if you'd pref

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Sales & Marketing - What's the Difference Anymore?
BizOps

Sales & Marketing - What's the Difference Anymore?

The buying environment has changed significantly over the past 10 years. Buyers are more informed now than ever before. They have access to more information than any business can control. Whether you're in a B2B or a B2C setting, consumers of your product or service will know enough through 3rd party reviews, referrals, and your website to make a decision before even speaking with someone from your organization. So what does that mean in terms of how businesses adjusting?

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4 Things COVID-19 Has Taught Us About Data
AI & Automation

4 Things COVID-19 Has Taught Us About Data

We live in the age of information. It is literally, at our fingertips. You can pull many data sets from multiple data sources with a few taps on your phone. We are all learning a lot during this pandemic. One thing that has become clear over the past few weeks is the importance of data. Regardless of your profession or which industry you're in, you've probably heard your co-workers or bosses talking about "data-driven" this or that. Here are 4 takeaways about how data is used from our experience

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Every Sales Organization Must Eventually Make This Transformation
BizOps

Every Sales Organization Must Eventually Make This Transformation

One of Henry Ford's greatest contributions to the world of industry was the development of the assembly line. The core concept of the assembly line is that the specialization of job functions leads to increased productivity and efficiency. Rather than having an individual own a process from start to finish, you have individuals specialize in smaller, specific micro-processes.

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6 Skills You Can't Coach
RevOps

6 Skills You Can't Coach

As your company grows, you will inevitably need to add sales people to your team. You'll create the job ad, get tons of applications, screen lots of resumes, and start interviewing. But now, the big question is, "what are you looking for in a sales candidate?" There are a multitude of attributes that may be leading indicators to success in sales. Sales leaders will have differing opinions on what those may be but there is one simple rule that you should always follow when hiring.

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Everyone Should Spend 1 Week as a BDR (at least)
RevOps

Everyone Should Spend 1 Week as a BDR (at least)

Maybe this is a radical idea but hear me out. I think every single new employee at your company should spend at least one week as a business development representative (BDR) or sales development representative (SDR). From the C-suite down to entry-level, I mean every single employee should do it. It's the most critical position when it comes to getting the ground-level truth about the product and the customer.

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3 Types of Competitiveness
Systems & Tech

3 Types of Competitiveness

Without a doubt, one important characteristic of being successful in sales is competitiveness. But that may come in a few different forms. It's one of the things I'm looking for when I interview salespeople.

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What the Hell is a Sales Playbook?
RevOps

What the Hell is a Sales Playbook?

Simply put, a sales playbook should be a sales rep's bible. They should sleep with it, eat next to it, and read it every night. A sales playbook is an aggregation of lots of different documents that will support the sales rep throughout the sales process. It should assist in all stages of a seller's journey from prospecting, cold calling, demonstrating, to overcoming objections, negotiation, and closing the deal.

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6 Things to Consider Before Working for a Startup
Systems & Tech

6 Things to Consider Before Working for a Startup

Startups are fun, kind of. It’s exciting to work for a company that is on the brink of disrupting an industry and changing lives. We’ve all heard stories or seen movies or TV shows that romanticize life in a startup. However, the truth is that working in a startup environment isn’t always rainbows and butterflies. It’s not for everyone. In fact, it isn’t for most people.

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The Real Difference Between Features, Benefits, & Value
BizOps

The Real Difference Between Features, Benefits, & Value

I've gotten into arguments about this. People often confuse the three, primarily benefits and value. Salespeople talk about their "value proposition" and then go on to list the features and benefits of the product they are selling. In my mind, there is a very distinct difference between the three and it is important to understand not only when selling but when building a valuable company (pun intended).

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4 Ways Millennials Are 'Different' And Why That's A Good Thing
BizOps

4 Ways Millennials Are 'Different' And Why That's A Good Thing

What makes people born during that 20-year window between 1980 and 2000 so different from the generations that preceded them? (Yes, we are different). Is it because they were promised they can be anything they want when they grow up? No. Is it because they were given participation trophies and told, "it's not about what the scoreboard says, it's about having fun!" Nope. Is it because all Millennials are addicted to the devices in their hands, on their wrists, and in their pockets?

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