Tom Cuthbert
2020 Book of the Year
2020 Book of the Year
Tom Cuthbert
Pitbull is Right

These are stressful times with hard decisions and long days. For many of our members, this is the first economic downturn they have faced. This is my sixth downturn and... I believe that we will win.

Pitbull is Right
Tom Cuthbert
2019 Book of the Year

I read (and listened) to 24 fantastic books in 2019.  Most of them were business related, personal growth or pure entertainment.  I rate books based on impact to me and add bonus points if I reread it. The 2019 nominees are:

2019 Book of the Year
Tom Cuthbert
Nebulosities Kill Clarity

Nebulosities create a lack of clarity in our communication. They contribute to vagueness and ambiguity. They’re the language of “saying things indirectly.” We may think we’re getting our point across without being too aggressive. Instead, we make it a cloud of words. Often times, they come to a different conclusion.

Nebulosities Kill Clarity
Leadership, Communication
Tom Cuthbert
Companies Break in the Middle

After spending over 1,000 hours per year with CEO’s I have an observation, companies break in the middle.

Hold a stick with both hands at each end. Your right hand is the CEO, your left hand is the front-line employee. Everything in between is the middle. Now bend the stick…until it breaks.

The break will happen somewhere in the middle. No matter the strength of the branch, it will break with the right amount of pressure. This is why it is so important to pay attention to the middle.


Companies Break in the Middle

start up

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7 Thoughts for the Start Up CEO

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Fairly often, I am asked to chat with entrepreneurs about their start ups. I enjoy this immensely and find their excitement contagious!  I had such a call today and thought I'd post some of the feedback I shared.

  1. Find your voice - at some point, something you do will resonate with customers.  Find that "sore tooth" and sell to solve.  Keep digging by asking a lot of questions.
  2. Don't explain what you do - I say this 100 times a week, "It's not what you do, it's what. what you do, does for your customers".  Find an analogy, catch phrase, illustration or imagery that makes the benefit easy to understand and remember.
  3.  Partner up - Finding allies for a young company is critical.  Map out the eco-system and find those with common interests and enemies.  Look for ways to work together, refer to each other and brainstorm.
  4.  Leverage your investors - Money is overrated.  The value in an investor is the experience and relationships they bring to the party.  Ask them for help, introductions and referrals.  Put both their time and their money to work for you.
  5. Disrupt - Find a way to leverage your data, your solution, your service... to disrupt.  Change things, challenge the status quo and push out messages that hit at the heart of the problem.   Find a way to make waves, become known and valued.
  6. Stop emailing  - Email is our enemy, not our friend.  Pick up the phone, invite to coffee or camp on their doorstep.  Nothing replaces a conversation.  Get out to conferences, events and go "old school"... face to face.
  7. Zip it and listen - Ask  10 questions for every statement you make.   Find people that have been there, outside your industry and your comfort zone.  Perspective is valuable and you won't get it if you don't listen.  Join a peer advisory group, get a coach or mentor and learn to zip your lip!

I'm always happy (as time allows) to talk to those at the beginning of the journey.  Let me know if I can help.

Tom Cuthbert