Company of One

Three tools for powerful focus and incredible results. Sound like a big promise? Perhaps - but these three proven tools have a long track record of results in companies like Google, Intel, Youtube, and MyFitnessPal. The three tools are 1) Four Disciples of Execution, 2) Objectives and Key Results, and 3) Entrepreneurial Operating System. Each of the three tools is similar in that they drive focus...

Become Better at Your Job? I know that you are likely thinking, "I am already good at my job!"I hope that is true. But, can you become better at your job? I think we all know the answer is yes - we can always be better. Why should you? If you can become better at your job you will have greater work satisfaction, improve your relationships with your coworkers, be more productive, impress...

Seven things you must know about your boss. Too often we think that our job description is supposed to tell us about our job. Of course, we all know that is does not, and it is often the joke - or the point of contention. But forget your job description - after all, it is more about protecting your employer legally than it is about you. So what is your real job description? Your Boss = Your Custom...

There are only three kinds of people at work. I am not talking about the normal grouping of the three kinds of people you might have heard of before: Those that make things happen. Those that watch what happens. Those who wonder what happened.(By the way, I might add a fourth - those who have no idea anything happened. But that is not my point today.)But, I have noticed that we can divide three ki...

Ready to grow your own company of one. Since the title of this podcast is Company of One, many of you are asking lately, "What do I mean by the "company of one?"So today, I want to help you understand this concept and grow your own Company of One. Why? It will help you see some of the misconceptions about the work we have been taught. It will bring your freedom. It will help you mak...

How can you further your career during the COVID crisis? Or put another way, how can you use the crisis to grow? While there are many people who are out of work or on limited hours, the separation and time warp we are living in has pushed us all to do some things differently. Besides wearing masks, washing our hands, and social distancing - this crisis should be giving us some new unexpected skill...

Is fear stopping you from starting your business? Before you answer this question, make sure you look clearly at all the common signs of fear. If you think it is something else holding you back from your startup, you might not be doing the right things to get past it. Today we want to look at the common signs that fear is controlling you. Like anything else, identifying the core problem is half of...

Our ugly startup story is something I have told many times - usually when I am speaking at an event. But, since I recorded the 9 steps to generate $30,000 per year, I have been talking to many of you about how you can start something. A lot of misconceptions and overcomplicated ideas out there. I wanted to open up and show you what a startup looks like for real (not the idealized things you see in...

How you can serve and thrive in a crisis? This is a question being asked by many people. While the current COVID-19 crisis has created a lot of panic and financial stress, this is a great time to rethink how you can serve more and thrive doing it. I have heard many pundits, podcasters, and coaches telling us they will teach how you can serve and thrive in a crisis - but I often hear generalities a...

Learn how to make $30k on the side. Think about it - $30,000 a year extra (that is $2500 per month) is not chump change, but many people have no idea how to make $30k on the side. But I coach people to do this all the time - and as you might guess - simple steps. Not easy - but simple. Here’s how to make $30k on the side in 9 Steps (Podcast Outline) Identify what you love to do.  Uncover fun ways...

Making money in a crisis might sound counter-intuitive - but be clear that there is always an opportunity to serve. A crisis is no exception. So if you are willing to serve others and looking for ways to start making money in a crisis - you are in the right place. But I know what you are thinking. Making money in a crisis is just plain greedy. Others need FREE help. Maybe - but before you judge to...

Want to know how to get more of what you want? Last week we talked about the question: ”Is it OK to want more?” so today we will tackle how to get more. Let's dive into where we left off and how to get what you really want. The secret that always works. It works for individuals, companies, and teams. My example of how to get more will use a popular weight lifting app-  StrongLiftsFirst the si...

It is OK to want more. Really. I will tell you why in a minute. But the statement I keep hearing is “I want more” I want more out of my job. I want more out of my career. I want more out of my degree. I want more out of my life. We all get restless at times and feel like everything is moving but yet not much is happening. We feel like it might not matter anymore. Like we have no place to go. Like...

Being bored at work seems normal. Studies indicate 43% of office workers are bored - many hoping to find a new job. So if you are bored, then note that you are normal. Now - does that make you feel any better? I thought not. So what do you do? Quit and find another job? Some of you will take this path, only to quickly be bored again. So instead of quitting and starting again at a new place, maybe...

Who is living your dream? Do you know? Or put another way, who do you want to grow up to be? Whether their occupation, their success, their ministry, their impact on the world - who is your role model for success? John, a CIO at a multi-billion $ company told me “No one ever asks me how to be me. No one seems to want to be CIO.”His statement was odd because the same statement is written in the boo...

Finding your path after 30 has some unique challenges. College is just a memory. You have a good career. You have a family. But when you look around at what you do and what comes next - you might be yearning for some direction. The words I hear so often are, "I want more."A client recently told me this:When you get into your 30’s, you do not know where to go. Up to now, you had a plan. H...

Have you forgotten how to dream? I asked that question of a client the other day as he was talking through all of his options. Should he take the job that was a minor promotion (my words - not his) or should he take the job in the other company which is also a minor promotion? (Again - my words not his.) As he described both, I could tell his heart could care less? “What do you really want?” I ask...

Do you hate marketing yourself? The other day someone told me “I hate having to market myself. It just feels slimy - like I am a used car salesman."  (No apologies to the used car salesmen out there - the label is well earned.) But, a central component of any business is marketing and promotion. So, in the Company of One model - where you look at yourself as a business - marketing YOU is impo...

You need to become a better reader. I know - this might be something you have not heard since grade school. The old adage “leaders are readers” might not be 100% accurate, but I have found that most people who are getting things done and breaking new ground are in fact, avid readers. I have also found that those who do not do a lot of reading are typically not growing and average. They usually do...

Write your 15 minute business plan and then get moving providing goods and services for other people. After all, the only person who reads most business plans is the person who wrote it - the business owner. But unlike all those people who spend months writing a plan, you need to develop your 15-minute business plan and then start with the execution phase. Here is all you need. 15 Minute Business...

Stupid lies about money are certainly prevalent. Like weight loss, everyone has advice about how to make money and grow wealth. The problem is  - most of that advice comes from people who do not have any money. Kinda like taking weight loss advice from a fat person. OK - to be transparent I am not fat. Oh - you really do not care about that, do you. Maybe you care more about this. I have zero debt...

Is finding joy on the job - even when you work for an idiot  -  even possible? No, I am not asking is working for an idiot possible - we all know that it is. Painfully! But finding joy on the job is an important part. Can it be done if you work for that idiot?  I think so. In fact, I know you can find joy at work, even while working for an idiot. Here are some ideas on how. Finding Joy on the Job...

Leadership void is much more common than we want to admit. In fact, I think it is the norm. Some voids are caused by poor leaders who provide little vision or direction. Others are caused by transitions in roles (esp for your leaders) and the inability for overall leadership to define issues and set a strategy. Either way - as John Maxwell puts it - "Everything rises and falls on leadership.&...

Looking to grow your income without leaving your day job? Growing our income is one of the most common goals we all have - but we rarely talk about it like growth. Instead, I hear others tell me “I want to make more money”But what does that mean? Usually a new job or a pay raise. When I ask “How are you going to make that happen?” the answers come back  Wait for my boss to give me a raise, I guess...

What are the first 5 steps to starting your own business or side hustle? You could do what most people do when they start a business. Write a business plan. Yes, get bogged down in the nasty details that really will not matter nor be read by anyone. Go find funding — usually a loan. Avoid these stupid steps for almost everyone. Here is what to do instead. The First 5 Steps to Starting Your Own Bus...