Level Up

Hey, friend.

Feels like I’ve been on the go a decent amount since the holidays. Marty and I took our wives to Scottsdale, AZ ahead of a few days of strategic planning for Honestly. Then, I was in Pennsylvania meeting with an agency Honestly is talking to.

Fun times for sure, but a little more miles than usual.

In Scottsdale, we had the chance to play Desert Highlands. It was a blast. For this native North Carolinian, experiencing golf in such a different landscape and climate is a privilege. The best part of that loop in the desert was getting to know the member they paired us with.

The gentleman was a long-time business leader who had taken his underperforming $100m company to a thriving $1B company in 10 years. Wow!

He was generous with his experience and answering our questions, so we took advantage of it. He walked us through the importance of diffusing the culture and values you want throughout the organization. He also stressed the importance of hiring the best talent at every stage of business growth. Sometimes that means having to make personnel or leadership changes if people don’t level up with what the business needs. A lot of times these people have become friends or were friends you brought in to help the business grow. But if they can no longer perform, you have to have hard conversations.

This is a hard but necessary reality. And it remains challenging. But stewardship is doing what’s best for the business even when it’s difficult.

Seen, heard, or read anything interesting? Anything you’re digging right now?

• This Coach K interview about leadership and culture on Glue Guys was stellar
• As we’re on the precipice of another Super Bowl, I hope I see advertising as good as this one from Volvo
• "By our effort to discover the origin of things, we confess our belief that everything was made by Someone who was made of none." ~ A. W. Tozer

Been great catching up.

Talk soon,

David