Articles

Real Growth, Not Hacking

By Jim Sterne on Mar 25, 2021 in Articles by Jim Sterne

"You should write a book," I told Felix Velarde when I finally understood what he was up to.

Real Growth, Not Hacking
Felix Velarde

I took an instant liking to Felix five years ago while working with People-Centered Internet. He is humorous, massively intelligent, and self-deprecating by way of having been there and done that.

We recognized each other's kindred spirit as the kind of people who have a huge vision but want to get right to work rather than talk about it all day. We also recognized that we shared a lot of history along parallel paths in our separate but equally groundbreaking Internet efforts in the early 1990's.

How Does He Do It?

Over any number of lunches, cocktail hours, and dinners, Felix described how he helps medium-sized companies, large projects, and executive teams get organized for growth based on his having started, run, and sold an impressive number of companies himself.

The longer I listened, the more fascinated I became.

His approach is a process for creating a unique Roadmap for each client rather than a set of procedures that are supposed to fit everybody.

The 2Y3X method is logical, forthright, and psychologically sound. It is a proven way of helping companies create their own to-do list, in the right order, with the right people responsible for success.

This is the antidote to so many Growth Hackers who have One Simple Trick for doing the one thing business owners think will solve all their problems.

It's the "If Only" problem:

              If only we had a solid social media game
              If only we had a solid hiring method
              If only we had a solid marketing plan
              If only we had a solid finance structure
              If only we had a solid customer care capability
              If only we had a solid time management system
              If only we had a solid content management program
              If only we had a solid employee satisfaction metric

              If only ...

Any one of those is great but all of them are necessary for a company to get back to making great strides.

It Isn't Magic

Lots of moving parts must all go well for a start-up to get fully started, for a moribund company to get growing again, for a project to get on track and stay on track, or for a team of executives to move the needle.

The 2Y3X approach gets companies past the growth slump by helping people

              See what needs to be done
              Sequence those things in the proper order
              Assign responsibility to ensure completion
              Own the whole process to create a virtuous cycle

It isn't magic, it just looks like it from the outside.

I am wildly enthusiastic about new ideas and very skeptical about making things happen. I love great ideas - and then I pull them apart piece by piece to see what makes them tick.

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I needed to talk to dozens of computer scientists and programmers in the 1980's before I was willing to throw myself into selling business computers to companies that had never owned one before. My clients from 40 years ago still thank me for helping them automate.

I had to interrogate a hundred Internet experts before I started teaching online marketing and ended up writing ten books on the subject.

I peppered the smartest people I could find with a thousand questions to really understand artificial intelligence so I could properly explain its value to marketing executives.

With that same skepticism, I quizzed Felix for hours about how on Earth he could help a business owner double or triple their revenue by working with them for only one day per month. What was the secret? What was the One Simple Trick? I was determined to sniff out the smoke behind the mirrors.

I failed.

He doesn't have One Simple Trick. He has loads of experience built on making every mistake and then turning to people like Jim Collins (Good to Great),  Geoff Smart (Who), Oren Klaff  (Pitch Anything), and Chris Averill (Build Sell Retire) to put together the rules of thumb,  key metrics, and standard operating ideas.

These aren't secrets. These are researched, proven methods brought together in a unique way.

 

              The process is logical.
              The process is forthright.
              The process is psychologically sound.

 

Why Do Companies Hit the Growth Slump?

"Because they've solved all of their staffing and operations and delivery problems for when they were smaller. Those things still work fine for an organization to stay in place, but they no longer foster growth. They don't propel the company forward. The team gets stuck."

I told Felix he should codify the whole thing, write a book, and entice other consultants to join him.

Several months later, Felix sent an attachment - a manuscript. He asked me to read it and offer up my honest assessment.

Not only was I impressed with his easy-to-read style, I learned a great deal in the reading.

              "Did it entice you to join me?"

It did.

I now represent 2Y3X for North America West, joining a dozen others around the world. Clearly, I am excited about the method and am finding the work with clients amazingly rewarding.

Now, I have a Call to Action for you: Please pre-order

Scale at Speed:How to Triple the Size of Your Businessand Build a Superstar Team

It comes out at the the of September, 2021 and I want you to read it. I want you to grow your company. I also want Felix to have a great first day of sales.

And if your team, your company, or your executive committee is ready to get reenergized and back on the growth track, please get in touch.

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