I'm constantly asked where I see our business in 3 to 5 years. What's amazing is how rare it is that people ask me about how we work as a team to operate better, refine our processes and social ads offerings, and service our clients better on a daily basis.
Similarly, I'm frequently interviewing candidates who are interested in "strategy" and "big decision making."
The real work gets done day in day out operating a little bit better. By focusing unrelentingly each day at getting a little better you are driving down the road to exponential growth and big revenue ramps.
The way to get to the top of the mountain is not by obsessing about the top of the mountain, but rather by training your body, becoming a great hiker and hiking team, and putting one leg in front of you - building strong base camps, eating healthy meals, and making sure your gear is in good shape.
If you are at a pre revenue startup, the question is now "how do we do $1 million?" but rather, "how do we do our first $50K in a way that is scalable, earns a renewal, and is high quality?"
The time for big thinking is evenings, walks in the park, and when you get stranded in an airport with your teammates. It often comes in the middle of a week of executing, when you step out of the shower with a better way to price, service, or reconfigure the technology. You dash an email, investigate, or call a huddle.
I'm not completely adverse to planning and long term goals. We certainly employ them and discuss them frequently. I simply feel that there tends to be an overemphasis on long term thinking and an underemphasis on focused execution, and the fact that focused execution is what is ultimately taking you up the mountain.
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