Transcript
WEBVTT
1
00:00:05.559 --> 00:00:08.509
Hey there, this is James Carberry, founder of sweet fish media and one
2
00:00:08.509 --> 00:00:11.390
of the cohosts of this show.
For the last year and a half I've
3
00:00:11.390 --> 00:00:15.150
been working on my very first book. In the book I share the three
4
00:00:15.269 --> 00:00:19.670
part framework we've used as the foundation
for our growth here at sweetfish. Now
5
00:00:19.710 --> 00:00:22.820
there are lots of companies that have
raised a bunch of money and have grown
6
00:00:22.859 --> 00:00:25.780
insanely fast, and we featured a
lot of them here on the show.
7
00:00:26.539 --> 00:00:30.780
We've decided to bootstrap our business,
which usually equates to pretty slow growth,
8
00:00:31.300 --> 00:00:34.899
but using the strategy outlined in the
book, we are on pace to be
9
00:00:35.060 --> 00:00:38.850
one of inks fastest growing companies in
two thousand and twenty. The book is
10
00:00:38.929 --> 00:00:42.929
called content based networking, how to
instantly connect with anyone you want to know.
11
00:00:43.490 --> 00:00:45.530
If you're a fan of audio books
like me, you can find the
12
00:00:45.570 --> 00:00:48.649
book on audible or if you like
physical books, you can also find it
13
00:00:48.770 --> 00:00:55.000
on Amazon. Just search content based
networking or James carberry CR be aary in
14
00:00:55.200 --> 00:00:59.119
audible or Amazon and it should pop
right up. All right, let's get
15
00:00:59.119 --> 00:01:03.200
into the show. Welcome back to
be to be growth. I'm Logan lyles
16
00:01:03.280 --> 00:01:07.189
with sweet fish media. Today is
another episode in our behind the curtain series.
17
00:01:07.430 --> 00:01:11.629
As always, in this series I
am joined by my good buddy,
18
00:01:11.670 --> 00:01:15.790
founder and CEO and now author of
content based networking, James Carberry. Once
19
00:01:15.829 --> 00:01:18.859
up. Man. Hello, man, that's still feels weird to hear and
20
00:01:19.140 --> 00:01:23.579
say I'm signing books this morning.
That feels even more weird to think that
21
00:01:23.739 --> 00:01:27.540
people actually think my signature is worth
anything. So, man, I'm but
22
00:01:27.620 --> 00:01:30.299
I'm I'm pumped to be talking about
we're going to be talking about today.
23
00:01:30.340 --> 00:01:34.650
Yeah, absolutely, Man. So
we are fresh off of spending some time
24
00:01:34.890 --> 00:01:38.489
in person together from our leadership team
retreat last week. We were it was
25
00:01:38.489 --> 00:01:42.849
kind of fun being in the same
place that the week that that your book
26
00:01:42.849 --> 00:01:46.489
launched. So that was fun,
a little chaotic, as you talked about,
27
00:01:47.159 --> 00:01:51.879
but one of the big things that
we was focusing on and putting language
28
00:01:51.920 --> 00:01:55.159
to what we call our why and
our mountain top. Now a lot of
29
00:01:55.239 --> 00:01:59.680
people call these their mission statement and
their vision statement, and I think maybe
30
00:01:59.760 --> 00:02:01.269
to set the stage a little bit
there, let's talk a little bit about
31
00:02:01.390 --> 00:02:06.310
why we chose to give different language
to them and then we'll talk about,
32
00:02:06.349 --> 00:02:09.069
you know, the process of landing
on what we landed on. Yeah.
33
00:02:09.189 --> 00:02:13.909
So, so mission envision was really
what I was going into this thing thinking
34
00:02:13.990 --> 00:02:17.860
we were going to call it.
I've been just I'm a leadership junkie and
35
00:02:19.340 --> 00:02:23.939
have been listening to a lot of
folks talk about mission vision values. And
36
00:02:24.180 --> 00:02:29.860
last year we spent a good part
of last year not just establishing our values,
37
00:02:29.979 --> 00:02:31.889
we did that at the beginning of
the year, but then really baking
38
00:02:32.050 --> 00:02:38.490
those values into the fiber of our
culture. And so we instituted things like
39
00:02:38.610 --> 00:02:44.719
doing a monthly values champion that the
entire team votes on every every month and
40
00:02:44.800 --> 00:02:49.479
we celebrate those on slack and and
so we're talking about why people exuded,
41
00:02:49.800 --> 00:02:53.240
you know, one of our three
court values. It's probably the best email
42
00:02:53.240 --> 00:02:57.039
of the months that that we all
get, just seeing how everybody on the
43
00:02:57.120 --> 00:03:00.469
team is being in our values.
I close all of my leadership team videos
44
00:03:00.870 --> 00:03:06.430
with our values. We talked about
our values all the time on slack when
45
00:03:06.469 --> 00:03:09.949
we see people operating out of them. So really baking the values and was
46
00:03:10.030 --> 00:03:14.099
huge for us and I knew that
coming into our leadership or treat this year.
47
00:03:14.300 --> 00:03:17.979
I wanted to get clear on mission
envision and as I was talking about
48
00:03:19.020 --> 00:03:22.340
it with Ryan from our team,
he's our director of people, ops and
49
00:03:22.419 --> 00:03:27.770
culture, he was really confused by
the language. Now, Ryan doesn't necessarily
50
00:03:27.849 --> 00:03:31.129
come in with, you know,
a whole lot of business background or he's
51
00:03:31.210 --> 00:03:34.610
one of our first employees, are
sweet fish, so he's been with us
52
00:03:34.689 --> 00:03:38.210
for close to half a decade now. So all of his experience is really
53
00:03:38.250 --> 00:03:43.400
sweet fish experience and when he hears
the term mission envision he's like, man,
54
00:03:43.439 --> 00:03:46.319
James, that just that sounds kind
of confusing, like I don't know
55
00:03:46.520 --> 00:03:51.840
how to delineate between the two.
And the more I tried explaining to him
56
00:03:52.240 --> 00:03:54.439
why and of it needed to be
mission and vision, the more I convinced
57
00:03:54.520 --> 00:04:00.110
myself that it really is confusing language, like you're you're on a mission and
58
00:04:00.310 --> 00:04:02.789
this is the vision, and I
can very much see how that's confusing.
59
00:04:02.870 --> 00:04:06.509
And so we were at the retreat, we were talking through some ideas and
60
00:04:08.270 --> 00:04:12.500
he came outside and he was like
I got it. It's not mission envision,
61
00:04:12.699 --> 00:04:15.180
it's our why and our mountain top, and I was like, oh
62
00:04:15.259 --> 00:04:17.339
my gosh, I guess soon as
he said it we all thought that's it,
63
00:04:17.899 --> 00:04:21.220
that's what we're going to call.
What most people call their mission envision
64
00:04:21.699 --> 00:04:26.290
is our why. WHY ARE WE
IN EXISTENCE? Obviously, Simon Sink,
65
00:04:26.689 --> 00:04:30.370
you know, kind of made that
verbiage a lot more popular the last the
66
00:04:30.449 --> 00:04:33.009
last several years because of his Ted
talk and his book. But our why
67
00:04:33.250 --> 00:04:38.009
is really why we exist, and
then our mountain top is where we're going.
68
00:04:38.449 --> 00:04:41.879
And that doesn't mean that once we
get to that mountain top we're not
69
00:04:41.920 --> 00:04:45.839
going to keep climbing and and set
a new mountain top, but it does
70
00:04:46.000 --> 00:04:48.639
mean that that's where we're heading right
now and I just thought that was really
71
00:04:48.720 --> 00:04:55.230
cool language to wrap around the work
that we were embarking on a time over
72
00:04:55.269 --> 00:04:58.069
the leadership or treat yeah, I
love it, man. I mean I
73
00:04:58.269 --> 00:05:00.589
saw I saw this debate going back
and forth on twitter a little while back
74
00:05:00.629 --> 00:05:05.149
and then Dave Gearhart, Andy Raskin, I think maybe Guy Tano was was
75
00:05:05.350 --> 00:05:09.180
in on that. I can't remember
who else, but this, okay,
76
00:05:09.259 --> 00:05:12.860
mission and vision really feels like like
splitting hairs, kind of like what you
77
00:05:12.899 --> 00:05:16.220
were saying there and trying to explain
it and talk about it between you and
78
00:05:16.339 --> 00:05:19.860
Ryan. A couple things I like
is you get away from that. Oh,
79
00:05:19.980 --> 00:05:25.689
the words just sound the similar.
So there's there's that issue and your
80
00:05:25.810 --> 00:05:28.610
why and your mountain top. You
know, we talked a lot about in
81
00:05:28.810 --> 00:05:32.089
coming up with our language for these
in coming up with our values last year,
82
00:05:32.569 --> 00:05:35.480
what sort of visual metaphors we want
to have, and I just love
83
00:05:35.560 --> 00:05:39.680
that that mountain top. It's very
clear. Okay, why? All right,
84
00:05:39.759 --> 00:05:43.040
that's very self explanatory and mountain top, that's where we're trying to go
85
00:05:43.439 --> 00:05:46.480
and that gives us a goal and
you know, we spent a good bit
86
00:05:46.560 --> 00:05:48.920
of time on it and you know, you said something was weird chatting this
87
00:05:49.029 --> 00:05:54.029
morning about, you know, the
importance of this that you know we have
88
00:05:54.149 --> 00:05:59.310
been very growth gused. We've had
some exponential growth in the last three years
89
00:05:59.790 --> 00:06:04.220
and you know the this language is
going to be important as it informs how
90
00:06:04.300 --> 00:06:08.620
we approach growth. Can you speak
to that and kind of the importance and
91
00:06:09.019 --> 00:06:13.339
where you feel that plays a role
for maybe other leaders and other teams man?
92
00:06:14.019 --> 00:06:20.569
Yeah, so establishing your why really
gives you much more purposeful meaning for
93
00:06:20.850 --> 00:06:26.009
pursuing growth. I think for for
a long time, I mean I'm guilty
94
00:06:26.089 --> 00:06:29.769
of this, it was really pursuing
growth for Growth Sake. I mean,
95
00:06:29.810 --> 00:06:33.000
if we're we're honest, growth is
exciting, growth is new, growth is
96
00:06:33.480 --> 00:06:39.480
it's I think as human beings we
are wired to desire growth, but when
97
00:06:39.519 --> 00:06:46.279
you layer in understanding the why and
really being thoughtful about what is it,
98
00:06:46.399 --> 00:06:50.670
what's a deeper, more purposeful meaning
behind what you're doing thing, it just
99
00:06:50.910 --> 00:06:56.189
gives you more fuel to want to
grow, because now you're not just growing
100
00:06:56.389 --> 00:07:00.620
for Growth Sake, but you're growing
because there's something meaningful that's going to make
101
00:07:00.660 --> 00:07:03.779
the world you know a little bit
better. And I want to be real
102
00:07:03.899 --> 00:07:10.259
careful about you. You know every
SASS company mission statement is. You know
103
00:07:10.420 --> 00:07:14.139
something about you know how our data
analytics platform is going to change the world
104
00:07:14.180 --> 00:07:17.129
and and that like and I think
you'll see, I think listeners will will
105
00:07:17.250 --> 00:07:21.050
hear as we talk through what our
why and what our mountaintop is. We
106
00:07:21.209 --> 00:07:26.209
went away from that direction. We
didn't do this super ethereal. You know,
107
00:07:26.370 --> 00:07:29.610
anything you do can change the world, even though I do believe that.
108
00:07:29.689 --> 00:07:31.519
I think how we live in our
day to day lives has an impact
109
00:07:31.560 --> 00:07:35.920
on the world. It may not
be at the scale that that statement makes
110
00:07:35.959 --> 00:07:40.160
you think it is, but it
does have an impact. But I still
111
00:07:40.240 --> 00:07:44.120
wanted to stay away from that language
because it just it didn't feel like us
112
00:07:44.550 --> 00:07:47.470
and it felt too much like what
everybody else is saying and so all that
113
00:07:47.589 --> 00:07:51.470
to say, I do think that
nailing this stuff down, whether you decide
114
00:07:51.550 --> 00:07:57.310
for your organization that that having that
lofty you know, we want to change
115
00:07:57.310 --> 00:08:01.300
the world language, is is you
and is something that works for your organization
116
00:08:01.379 --> 00:08:07.139
and will empower and motivate them toward
pursuing the goals that you want to pursue.
117
00:08:07.740 --> 00:08:09.100
We even though we didn't do that. I'm not saying that that's wrong
118
00:08:09.139 --> 00:08:13.649
and they shouldn't, but I'm saying
that having your why define, whether you
119
00:08:13.810 --> 00:08:16.930
call it a mission or a vision
or why, or whatever you want to
120
00:08:16.930 --> 00:08:22.689
call it, man, it just
gives so much more purpose to pursuing growth
121
00:08:24.089 --> 00:08:26.600
when you have that is your North
Star. Yeah, absolutely, Man.
122
00:08:26.879 --> 00:08:31.680
So with that you want to you
want to share both of them today and
123
00:08:31.759 --> 00:08:35.799
then speak a little bit to how
we're planning to kind of bake those into
124
00:08:35.600 --> 00:08:39.279
our regular rhythm as a team throughout
the year. Yeah, so this was
125
00:08:39.320 --> 00:08:45.470
a fun process. I came into
this for the probably last six months I
126
00:08:46.029 --> 00:08:50.110
have been thinking about, you know, mission vision and I knew that in
127
00:08:50.190 --> 00:08:52.350
two thousand and twenty, the same
thing that we've been able to pull off
128
00:08:52.429 --> 00:08:56.940
with our values really getting everyone on
the team on board with our values,
129
00:08:56.539 --> 00:09:01.860
knowing what they are, using them
in everyday language. I wanted that to
130
00:09:01.940 --> 00:09:05.779
be the case with mission and envision
what obviously turned out to be wide mountaintop.
131
00:09:07.100 --> 00:09:09.090
But the reason for that is because
I really do think that you can
132
00:09:09.090 --> 00:09:13.690
go further faster when everybody's on the
same page and everybody's aligned around where the
133
00:09:13.769 --> 00:09:18.450
organization is going and why they're going
there. So I'd been crafting some messaging
134
00:09:18.690 --> 00:09:22.210
for prop for on and off for
about six months leading up to this retreat.
135
00:09:22.450 --> 00:09:26.840
Maybe not quite exposed to like for
four or five months. Regardless.
136
00:09:26.960 --> 00:09:31.080
I had some pre you know,
kind of prebaked notions of what it would
137
00:09:31.080 --> 00:09:35.799
be and I remember we're sitting at
a pizza place around the table and I
138
00:09:35.960 --> 00:09:39.429
threw out like hey, this is
what I'm thinking, and it basically got
139
00:09:39.509 --> 00:09:43.590
shot out of the sky like like, you know, like it really cannon.
140
00:09:43.870 --> 00:09:46.230
I mean I threw it out and
it was just like I could just
141
00:09:46.429 --> 00:09:50.669
tell everybody is like, which nobody
wants to be told that their baby's ugly.
142
00:09:50.990 --> 00:09:54.019
I've been working on this for four
or five, six months like that.
143
00:09:54.100 --> 00:09:58.419
Kind of sucks to hear that.
Every you know everybody's reaction. It's
144
00:09:58.460 --> 00:10:01.860
just kind of like like that.
That's not you know, that's not super
145
00:10:01.940 --> 00:10:07.649
motivate anger. And I think the
one thing that I was really excited about
146
00:10:07.769 --> 00:10:11.809
is as much as kind of in
that moment I had hurt feelings and,
147
00:10:11.970 --> 00:10:15.929
you know, my baby just caught
called ugly. What ended up happening is
148
00:10:16.289 --> 00:10:18.889
we, together as a team,
kind of took what I said as a
149
00:10:18.970 --> 00:10:24.519
base and kind of reshaped and reformed
and over the course of the next I
150
00:10:24.879 --> 00:10:28.639
don't know, twenty four hours.
It didn't we didn't land on anything that
151
00:10:28.799 --> 00:10:31.200
night, but you know, a
couple people had some really good ideas.
152
00:10:31.279 --> 00:10:37.830
Ryan in particular had a kind of
a fundamentally different way of US thinking about
153
00:10:37.870 --> 00:10:41.509
it, and that took us into
the next day where we ended up landing
154
00:10:41.669 --> 00:10:45.350
on on what those two statements were
going to be for us. But we
155
00:10:45.429 --> 00:10:48.470
ended up getting to the better result
because we collaborated together to get there.
156
00:10:48.789 --> 00:10:54.460
So for the CEOS listening to this, I would say him be be open
157
00:10:54.620 --> 00:10:58.580
to what like allowing your leadership team
to have input. If it works out
158
00:10:58.580 --> 00:11:03.580
the way that it did for us, the end product of what those statements
159
00:11:03.620 --> 00:11:07.850
are are going to be so much
more rich and so much more fulfilling if
160
00:11:07.850 --> 00:11:11.169
you have other people in your organization
speaking to them, because they're really going
161
00:11:11.210 --> 00:11:15.289
to be the flag bearers for this. As much as it's going to come
162
00:11:15.330 --> 00:11:18.399
from the top and the CEO is
got to preach it, your senior leadership
163
00:11:18.440 --> 00:11:22.120
team has to be preaching it as
well. And something that Ryan said to
164
00:11:22.200 --> 00:11:26.240
me when I first, you know, kind of told him what are,
165
00:11:26.559 --> 00:11:28.840
what our why or what I wanted
our mission vision to be. He said,
166
00:11:28.840 --> 00:11:33.429
James, if I've got to be
a flag bearer for this, I've
167
00:11:33.470 --> 00:11:35.669
got a really believe in it and
I've got a really be passionate about it
168
00:11:35.870 --> 00:11:39.909
and what we have right here,
I just I don't know that I understand
169
00:11:39.950 --> 00:11:43.950
it and I don't know that I
can get really excited about it. And
170
00:11:43.029 --> 00:11:46.789
as soon as I heard that I
thought, man, will we go back
171
00:11:46.830 --> 00:11:50.019
to the drawing board then, because
because I need everybody at this table being
172
00:11:50.059 --> 00:11:54.580
a flag bearer for this, for
this mission and vision. So so the
173
00:11:54.700 --> 00:11:58.299
next day what we ended up landing
on is something that I just I am
174
00:11:58.379 --> 00:12:01.330
super fired up about, and it's
this. It's our why is to inspire
175
00:12:01.370 --> 00:12:09.649
people to own their career, because
ninetyzero hours of your life shouldn't suck and
176
00:12:09.929 --> 00:12:13.049
what I like so much about that? Why? Statement One. It's not
177
00:12:13.409 --> 00:12:18.279
grandios and we're going to change the
world, but it's very specific and it's
178
00:12:18.360 --> 00:12:22.360
very focus. We spend according I
think it was a either a deloit study
179
00:12:22.080 --> 00:12:26.519
or might have been another study we
were looking at, say that you spend
180
00:12:26.559 --> 00:12:31.669
over ninetyzero hours of your life at
work, and when I read that last
181
00:12:31.710 --> 00:12:35.590
year I thought, man, that
is a powerful statistic because when I talk
182
00:12:35.669 --> 00:12:39.830
to most people about their work,
they hate their job. They have no
183
00:12:39.029 --> 00:12:45.539
passion for their job. There's another
study we read that eighty seven percent of
184
00:12:45.940 --> 00:12:50.100
Americans have zero passion for their work, and that to me is just freaking
185
00:12:50.139 --> 00:12:56.500
sad that the thing that we spend
ninetyzero hours of our life at we have
186
00:12:56.659 --> 00:13:01.250
no passion for. When I think
about how sweetfish can solve that problem.
187
00:13:01.009 --> 00:13:05.450
You know, there are lots of
organizations. Patrick and see Onis Organization is
188
00:13:05.570 --> 00:13:11.490
one that they consult leadership teams.
They go in and they help organizations get
189
00:13:11.610 --> 00:13:16.000
healthy through Patrick's, you know,
consulting and is speaking and his books and
190
00:13:16.159 --> 00:13:20.639
it's phenomenal. They're coming at it
from the top. They know that if
191
00:13:20.679 --> 00:13:24.879
they can change the leadership team,
they can change the cultural organizations and ultimately,
192
00:13:26.320 --> 00:13:30.909
you know, create much healthier organizations
and and help people not hate their
193
00:13:31.429 --> 00:13:35.070
hate their work. The direction we're
coming at it from is from the content
194
00:13:35.190 --> 00:13:39.470
that we create, and so that
verbiage of owning your career. We're not
195
00:13:39.590 --> 00:13:43.019
talking necessarily just to the leadership team, though I think our content is helpful
196
00:13:43.059 --> 00:13:48.820
to them. We're talking to everyone
in an organization and with our strategy to
197
00:13:48.340 --> 00:13:54.019
launch shows in hundreds of industries and
job categories, you know, in HR
198
00:13:54.220 --> 00:14:00.129
industry and manufacturing, like all of
these different topics that we're rolling out shows
199
00:14:00.169 --> 00:14:03.090
for. I think if anybody in
those industries consumes our content, it is
200
00:14:03.210 --> 00:14:09.289
going to inspire and empower and equip
them to really own their career, take
201
00:14:09.330 --> 00:14:11.240
their career into their own hands and
not say, oh well, you know,
202
00:14:11.399 --> 00:14:15.000
I got a wake up and go
to this job that I hate because
203
00:14:15.440 --> 00:14:18.440
that's just the cards I've been dealt
I'm so packed. You know, our
204
00:14:18.519 --> 00:14:22.000
third core value is on the result. Take your life into your own hands.
205
00:14:22.120 --> 00:14:28.509
Like don't, don't let life happen
to you. You happen to life.
206
00:14:28.029 --> 00:14:31.710
And if someone doesn't love what they're
doing, we hope that through the
207
00:14:31.830 --> 00:14:39.179
content were producing, they are empowered
and inspired to pursue something different or become
208
00:14:39.340 --> 00:14:43.539
better at their job so that they
don't have to hate what they're doing.
209
00:14:43.620 --> 00:14:46.700
And so that's that's a little bit
of the thinking behind behind our why logo.
210
00:14:46.779 --> 00:14:50.419
What are your thoughts on I mean, I had a couple times.
211
00:14:50.419 --> 00:14:56.330
So you mentioned for CEOS going into
this exercise with their team and while you
212
00:14:56.450 --> 00:14:58.570
know, like you said, it
sucks when your baby gets called ugly,
213
00:15:00.090 --> 00:15:03.529
you know I recommend, as you're
saying, that that whoever kind of is
214
00:15:03.649 --> 00:15:07.360
coming to the table with with kind
of the first idea or some things that
215
00:15:07.399 --> 00:15:11.320
they've been mowing on, keep your
mind open, because if you're not getting
216
00:15:11.320 --> 00:15:16.519
pushed back, that means that you're
probably you don't have people who are vested
217
00:15:16.600 --> 00:15:20.919
in carrying that flag. Because if
they're not pushing back and they're just saying
218
00:15:20.320 --> 00:15:24.029
okay, maybe they're in any agram
like me, any Graham nine like me,
219
00:15:24.149 --> 00:15:28.950
and they're just agreeable, but the
more likely thing is that it's not
220
00:15:30.029 --> 00:15:33.669
going to mean much. They're not
going to carry carry the flag forward on
221
00:15:33.789 --> 00:15:37.980
that. So the pushback that that
may feel tough is actually something you should
222
00:15:37.980 --> 00:15:41.700
be looking for, because the lack
of it should actually be an alarm bell
223
00:15:41.820 --> 00:15:46.179
for you that your leadership team might
not be bought in Blie Gage, leaving
224
00:15:46.220 --> 00:15:48.419
that flag for it right. So
I really like what you said there and
225
00:15:48.700 --> 00:15:52.610
I think that's a big takeaway for
other leaders. Let's talk a little bit
226
00:15:52.809 --> 00:15:56.970
about the mountain top. As we
moved on to that, you know,
227
00:15:56.090 --> 00:16:00.289
to me going through this exercise,
at times I kind of caught myself thinking
228
00:16:00.370 --> 00:16:04.000
like and we're spending a lot of
time on, you know, two sentences.
229
00:16:04.600 --> 00:16:07.080
But what I loved about it is, you know what you were talking
230
00:16:07.080 --> 00:16:11.000
about, both with our why and
with our mountain top, it was like
231
00:16:11.120 --> 00:16:14.799
this molding process. We're adding some
we're taking some away. We were seeing
232
00:16:14.840 --> 00:16:18.039
some good parts and then we saw
parts that were like up, maybe that's
233
00:16:18.039 --> 00:16:19.509
not as good, you know.
And to your point about the why,
234
00:16:19.950 --> 00:16:25.350
we started with something that was a
little bit more narrow and didn't encapsulate that.
235
00:16:25.629 --> 00:16:27.590
On your career, it kind of
spoke to well, let's see,
236
00:16:27.629 --> 00:16:32.429
just get better at your job,
because then you'll be happier. But own
237
00:16:32.509 --> 00:16:34.899
your career could mean be better at
the job that you have, move up
238
00:16:34.940 --> 00:16:38.139
within your organization. It could mean
hey, you totally want to switch,
239
00:16:38.179 --> 00:16:42.700
you want to go from selling copiers
to joining a startup in podcasting like I
240
00:16:42.820 --> 00:16:48.570
did, and so I think in
both just thinking, having that mindset,
241
00:16:48.649 --> 00:16:51.690
that that words do matter and it's
going to have an impact on your team.
242
00:16:51.929 --> 00:16:53.570
So with that, let's move to
mountain top. I need have yeah,
243
00:16:53.649 --> 00:16:57.970
so Logan we ended up defining our
mountaintop is this. It's to educate
244
00:16:59.210 --> 00:17:03.759
one million people every single day.
And when you think about that, you
245
00:17:03.879 --> 00:17:07.799
think, well, that's that's really
short. Like that's aren't most? Aren't
246
00:17:07.880 --> 00:17:11.799
most statements like that, more along
and grandios and I would say yeah,
247
00:17:11.799 --> 00:17:18.349
they are. Most statements are really
long and grandiose and most employees have no
248
00:17:18.549 --> 00:17:22.990
idea what their company's vision is.
And as we were looking at kind of
249
00:17:23.029 --> 00:17:27.309
some examples of some other really large
companies, quite frankly, man, I
250
00:17:27.509 --> 00:17:33.059
was bored reading through a lot of
where these where these companies have said that
251
00:17:33.180 --> 00:17:37.900
they're going and what their vision is, and it was it was long and
252
00:17:37.980 --> 00:17:41.619
drawn out and not exciting. And
I think something that I've been very passionate
253
00:17:41.619 --> 00:17:45.930
about, I'm very aligned with Donald
Miller's line of thinking on this, is
254
00:17:45.529 --> 00:17:51.369
clarity is everything and if you confuse
you'll lose, and that means both internally
255
00:17:51.410 --> 00:17:55.130
and externally. So with your marketing
message, externally, but internally with your
256
00:17:55.210 --> 00:18:00.279
people. If your messaging is not
clear and concise, people aren't they're just
257
00:18:00.359 --> 00:18:03.119
not going to remember it. And
I think knowing that the direction that we're
258
00:18:03.160 --> 00:18:08.079
going as a company, shifting away
from being a podcast service provider, shifting
259
00:18:08.240 --> 00:18:14.950
into becoming a media company that owns
media properties, this statement means so much.
260
00:18:15.190 --> 00:18:18.950
I mean it changes how we measure
success here at sweetfish. Instead of
261
00:18:19.109 --> 00:18:23.789
looking, you know, just at
the number of downloads for a given podcast
262
00:18:23.829 --> 00:18:29.539
as a metric of success, we
are now looking at daily reach numbers.
263
00:18:29.740 --> 00:18:36.900
So how many times has the content
from this show been seen across instagram,
264
00:18:36.980 --> 00:18:41.450
across youtube, across it's linked in, across the podcast, across the blog
265
00:18:41.569 --> 00:18:45.250
article associated with it, and starting
to kind of package all of that up
266
00:18:45.289 --> 00:18:49.410
together, because it's not so it's
not as much about the medium anymore.
267
00:18:49.690 --> 00:18:53.809
We used to be very focused on
podcast, podcast, podcast, podcast,
268
00:18:55.049 --> 00:18:59.000
and that was a great way for
us to start, but now we're really
269
00:18:59.039 --> 00:19:04.079
a podcast first media company. But
the implication of that is media company is
270
00:19:04.160 --> 00:19:07.799
much is way more all encompassing than
just one channel. And Yeah, the
271
00:19:07.880 --> 00:19:11.589
content starts as a podcast, but
the video that we're creating from it,
272
00:19:11.710 --> 00:19:15.710
the written content were creating from it, all of that stuff has the potential
273
00:19:17.309 --> 00:19:21.630
of inspiring someone to own their career. So, you know, the dashboards
274
00:19:21.670 --> 00:19:25.099
were going to be creating this year, allowing us to give us really insight
275
00:19:25.299 --> 00:19:30.660
and and visibility into how many people
are we reaching every day with each of
276
00:19:30.740 --> 00:19:33.339
our shows, is ultimately going to
roll up to, you know, US
277
00:19:33.460 --> 00:19:37.769
achieving our vision. What sure you
measure in John Door's book, you know
278
00:19:37.890 --> 00:19:44.450
about okrs. It's you measure,
measure what matters and having clarity around this
279
00:19:44.569 --> 00:19:47.650
vision. You know what we call
our mountain top. I think is going
280
00:19:47.730 --> 00:19:51.650
to help us set the right metrics
so that we can start measuring what actually
281
00:19:51.690 --> 00:19:55.039
matters to us as an organization.
Yeah, absolutely, Man. I mean
282
00:19:55.079 --> 00:19:59.839
the why gives you that that motivation. That mountain top helps you see where
283
00:19:59.839 --> 00:20:03.519
you're going and either motivates you more
to get there. So it kind of
284
00:20:03.519 --> 00:20:06.680
has a similar effect, but it
also tells you are we there or not?
285
00:20:06.880 --> 00:20:08.789
Right like if you're just in a
fast growth company. And again,
286
00:20:08.829 --> 00:20:12.069
going back to that growth for Growth
Sake, yeah, we're growing. Are
287
00:20:12.109 --> 00:20:15.829
we growing at the clip that we
wanted to? And it gives us that
288
00:20:15.990 --> 00:20:18.950
language to make decisions. Are we
going to invest here? Are we going
289
00:20:18.990 --> 00:20:22.460
to are we going to take on
this project? And we can stop and
290
00:20:22.500 --> 00:20:26.579
say, very much like when we're
evaluating, you know, team performance or
291
00:20:26.619 --> 00:20:32.299
celebrating wins. We have that language, as you talked about earlier with our
292
00:20:32.380 --> 00:20:34.849
values. You know, we use
on the result as a Hashtag on slack.
293
00:20:34.930 --> 00:20:38.849
Often Times they're baked into the values
champel word that we give out each
294
00:20:38.890 --> 00:20:44.250
month. Are Why in our mountain
top give us that common language to talk
295
00:20:44.289 --> 00:20:48.410
about our goals, like our OK
ours, as we get into that methodology
296
00:20:48.490 --> 00:20:51.680
this year. So I'm really excited
about it. I love where we landed,
297
00:20:51.759 --> 00:20:55.640
even though I thought the first iteration
it wasn't super ugly. So I'll
298
00:20:55.680 --> 00:20:59.799
give you. I do really like
where we ended up landing and and I
299
00:20:59.920 --> 00:21:04.150
appreciate our leadership team so much for
being willing to push back, for putting
300
00:21:04.430 --> 00:21:08.950
thought and effort to it and,
you know, being able to disagree in
301
00:21:10.029 --> 00:21:12.910
a very healthy way. I'm so
thankful for our team in that way and
302
00:21:14.430 --> 00:21:17.950
can't wait to see what the rest
of two thousand and twenty and and beyond
303
00:21:18.029 --> 00:21:21.180
looks like. Man Well, as
always, thank you, so much for
304
00:21:21.259 --> 00:21:23.579
listening. Folks, this is this
is always fun. Hope you get a
305
00:21:23.660 --> 00:21:27.220
ton of value of hearing from hearing
James and I riff a little bit,
306
00:21:27.299 --> 00:21:30.980
sure, a little bit behind the
curtain here. If anybody listening to this
307
00:21:32.099 --> 00:21:36.369
would like to stick connected with us, Linkedin is often an easy way to
308
00:21:36.410 --> 00:21:38.690
do that, or hit us up
on instagram. James, thanks so much,
309
00:21:38.690 --> 00:21:45.650
man. This ton of fun.
Thanks, Atma man. We totally
310
00:21:45.769 --> 00:21:48.559
get it. We publish a ton
of content on this podcast and it can
311
00:21:48.599 --> 00:21:52.240
be a lot to keep up with. That's why we've started the BTB growth
312
00:21:52.440 --> 00:21:57.039
big three, a no fluff email
that boils down our three biggest takeaways from
313
00:21:57.039 --> 00:22:03.750
an entire week of episodes. Sign
up today at Sweet Fish Mediacom big three.
314
00:22:03.069 --> 00:22:07.430
That sweet PHISH MEDIACOM Big Three