Growth.

People often ask "what makes you tick".  To me it's all about growth.  Growth is fun. Growth is about winning.  And wherever I have worked, growing revenue and profits has always the end game,  But to get there - it's about a lot more than just the numbers.  Growth is about challenge.  It's about digging in and figuring it out, finding or creating the right team, and making it happen.  There is no formula, no one way to get there but along the way I have learned a few vital elements that have made it possible for me to be a part of a number of significant growth stories.

PEOPLE & CULTURE

It can't be done alone.  In my early days, I was a really good individual contributor.  A grinder.  I could and did work harder, longer, and sometimes smarter than most.  An avid reader, I ran across The Leadership Pipeline and with it the realization that an individual can only do so much. I saw so many opportunities, had so much to think about, so much to do, and came to the realization that 'I can't do it alone'. And at that point my work plane altered - it became about developing others, building teams and ensuring others came first. 

Working in multiple companies, offices and locations around the globe over the years I was able to view first hand an incredible array of cultures and business practices.  Unfortunately, a lot of what I saw were abusive work environments; talented people were belittled, embarrassed, dragged down, ideas co-opted by those above, silos, untenable levels of stress.   More often than not, the results reflected it. Yet, there were environments where it was obvious that something was different.  People enjoyed their work, their jobs and even their coworkers. There was a different sense of energy. I decided to pursue a path where we could prove that you could win and GROW revenue and profits by building an environment (Culture!) that made work an enjoyable (Fun!) place to be.  I have been fortunate to have found a number of places where we were able to create such environments - and each time the growth has been spectacular.  It's not a coincidence. 

STRATEGY & EXECUTION

To me, strategy and alignment are paramount to driving growth. Figuring it out. Getting everyone to pull in the same direction. Getting the job done.  Too often strategy is a 50 page deck, laden with charts devised years earlier,  and/or 'something that we have to do every year'.  In teaching the concept of strategy to my senior-level marketing class at Marquette University, at its core, strategy is simply "decisions and directions".  Of the infinite choices of paths to take, strategy is really 'what will we focus on & why' - and as importantly, what we will not chase.  To get there takes time and thinking. It takes being open to gaining insights from very different places and methods. I have seen many folks struggling with strategy, taking months and months fretting about 'getting it perfect'.  In my experience, it is more about having A DIRECTION that is understandable and executable than endlessly churning to find THE BEST DIRECTION.  Having the company functional leaders be an active participant in devising the strategy is key to getting everyone pulling in the same direction. Everyone gets to (must) share their voice, and when the decision and direction is set, we all march to the same tune.  If there is alignment internally, and all resources are focused on the customers and the opportunity, it's amazing what can happen.

BRANDS & MARKETING,
and ALIGNING WITH SALES

Spending a lot of years in branded CPG organizations, I have seen firsthand the power of brands and what marketing can do.  Brands drive margin.  Brands provide continuity.  Brands ward off the knock offs.  Brands are fun.  Done properly, brands can connect with consumers, becoming a part of their lives. I am often asked 'what was your favorite product or brand to market?'  The answer is often surprising... having worked on beer, with literally hundreds of millions to spend, jelly, juice, sauces, outdoor gear, among the many, my favorite was scissors.  How can people ever get excited about scissors?  It was one of my Aha moments.  There are folks out there passionate about everything. Finding the core enthusiasts - they are out there - engaging with them and helping them become a part of the brand is incredibly rewarding.  Check out the Fiskars case study. 

A secret of great marketing results is having a strong partnership with your sales team.  As the marketer, do you know what the sales team is up to ?  Their goals?  Their issues?  When sales and marketing are aligned and communicating, growth usually follows.  Creating the right programs to build sales & profits can't be done alone in an office.  Revenue growth hides a lot of mistakes and inefficiencies... partnering with sales to drive profitable volume makes everyone's job better.