Seven traits of Colorado success stories. Why some companies grow and others get stuck.

[Editor's Note: Over the past seven years, we have met with the CEOs or owners of over 200 private Colorado companies. These companies range from new technologies, products and services in such diverse fields as education, web conferencing, technology, construction, trucking, logistics, medical devices, outsourced services, among others. Some of these companies are growing - some quite rapidly; others are stagnant or stuck.]

Why are there such differences? Certainly companies that depend on some industries such as homebuilding or construction were severely impacted by the economic downturn. However, blaming stagnancy solely on economic malaise is an oversimplification. The recession – and subsequent “selective recovery” has highlighted the differences between the good, well-managed companies from those others whose fortunes rise and fall with the economy. We have found that industry, size, and the overall economy are not necessarily the determinants of company success.

Companies that have become "Colorado success stories" share certain traits. While this is not intended to be an all-encompassing list, this list is intended to provoke some thought about what breeds success.

1. Lifestyle or Equity Value. How many of you have ever been involved with a company where the owner was conflicted about current compensation or cash flow vs. investment for the future?
Be clear with what type of company you want to be. A lifestyle company can allow the owner to call his/her own shots and to move at his/her own pace. It is run for the cash flow and lifestyle benefits of the owner(s). In an equity value company, the owner strives to build real assets with a scalable, tangible value that can be bought and sold. This leader is willing to sacrifice some short-term gains in order to invest in growing the market value of the business. These “equity value” owners focus more on building value as seen by potential buyers: sustained improvements in revenue/EBITDA, and a strong management team that can operate and grow the business without the owner's constant involvement.

There is no right or wrong answer to the lifestyle vs. equity value question, but owners must be clear in the distinction. Straddling both lifestyle and equity value camps is sure to generate both lower current cash (compensation for the owners) as well as lower growth and value potential (lower equity value).
Below are some of the characteristics of Lifestyle vs. Equity Value companies.  Lifestyle companies tend to have a short –term focus; they tend to run at the owner’s pace or comfort level. Investment in the business may be secondary to a passion of the owner, such funding the as sponsorship of a team, or sport, or the arts. While these companies may have some elements of other management styles, in the end, there is a centralized nature to decision-making and authority. Likewise, since there may be limited empowerment or upward mobility for managers, high performers are not attracted to Lifestyle companies, or do not remain. See the article “Which do you have – a Lifestyle Business or an Equity Value business?”

Table 1

	Lifestyle	Equity Value
Focus	Short-term Lifestyle; Run for Owner’s compensation	Long-term Equity Value; sacrifice short –term comp
Pace	Owner’s pace	Dictated by desired outcome
Management style	Command & Control; Centralized	Decentralized; individual decision-making
Owner Management	Can tend to be viewed as inconsistent, capricious and changing	Consistent with overall strategy and core values
Expense Control/Spending decisions	Tightly controlled at top	Managed through approved dept budgets and policies
Outside Capital	Debt; Investors not interested; Growth may be restricted due to availability of capital	Equity investors
Empowerment	Limited; Loyalty Rewarded; Small circle of trust	Expansive; Performance rewarded; Systems to enhance empowerment
Objectives	May change at owner whim	Clearly outlined; transparent
Employee Equity	No	Yes; equity awarded
Career Development	Limited upside	Significant upside
Employee Capability	“Steady Eddies” Thrive here	High performers thrive here
Sale of Business	Usually only to Employees or Family	To third-party Buyers (Strategic or Financial)

2. Empower employees. Companies can't grow beyond a certain point if all of the real decision-making stays in the hands of the owner or a small group of managers. Growth companies look to empower employees to make decisions. They also develop a culture that allows employees to make mistakes and a mechanism so that they can learn and grow from the mistakes.

3. Hire for the next level. Companies that want to grow understand that they need talent that can manage at the next level. Successful companies hire people who can grow 1-2 levels higher in the organization so that the talent pool is constantly being strengthened. These companies also understand that paying more for top talent more than pays for itself.

4. Develop flexible strategies you can execute well. Traditional approaches to planning and execution assume away uncertainties and set a fixed plan in place for a year or more. Successful companies are developing multiple possible views of the future, developing a plan and actions, then revisiting the plan every 8-12 weeks to adjust to changes in the market or the competitive landscape. Otterbox, the designer and marketer of protective cases for smartphones, has grown from $15M revenue in 2008 to approx. $1B revenue with a flexible approach that re-evaluates all strategic operating plans every 6-8 weeks for possible adjustment. Other companies are utilizing scenario planning to develop and “rehearse” their responses to different possible future states in order to maximize their competitive position. See our article “Why every company should be doing scenario  planning” and the 5-part series on Scenario Planning.

5. Develop an adaptable organization. Successful companies focus on creating a culture of adaptability. They develop an organization, and leadership that can react quickly and make necessary course corrections in response to market opportunities. See the article “Adapt is new thinking” and the 7-part series on Creating an Adaptable Organization.

6. Focus on a superior customer experience. Dan King of ReadyTalk calls it developing "emotionally-connected" clients; Maria Vogt and Sonya Yungeberg of government contractor, Ayuda Management, call it "under-promising and over-delivering". These companies focus on wowing the customer and build systems and hire and reward people who want to delight the customer with every interaction. Engagement of customers is key.

7. Play offense instead of defense. If you do anything long enough it becomes a habit; then it becomes part of your culture. Many companies have created defensive cultures with several years of cost-cutting and deferring or eliminating new projects and new products. "NO" has become the operating word for "stuck" companies. Successful companies look for opportunities to develop and test new business models, new products and new projects. They see the market as ripe with opportunities to grow and innovate. "HOW" is their operating mantra.

Conclusion: Examine your company. Do you live the traits of successful companies?

Let us know your thoughts.

Four Possible Scenarios of the future: How would your company respond?¹

[Editor's Note: When we initially published this article in 2008, most business leaders were still expecting a "normal" recession and recovery cycle. We now know that we have seen a combination of uncertainty and slow growth. While many companies have reacted relatively passively, some are changing the dynamics. I hope you find this useful. - DPM]

 

Four Possible Scenarios of the future: 

How would your company respond?¹

 

1. Paralysis/Survival: This describes a situation where external events will be unknown and surprising, and companies will respond to them in a predominantly passive and reactive manner.

 

This, clearly, is the worst-case scenario. In this situation, "unexpected and disruptive events will increase over the next three years, and companies (and/or economies) will react by pulling into a protective shell." The external shocks could include economic developments such as the nationalization of major global industries (like oil, banking, auto) and significant disruptions to global material flows. On the political front, terrorist attacks could escalate in different parts of the world, and the U.S. led anti-terrorism coalition could fall apart. Isolationism and protectionism may be revived. Companies (could) react by trying to protect existing assets with layoffs, reduced R&D investment, reduced product development, and lower foreign direct investment. Consumers may compound the problem by reducing spending dramatically.

 

  The bottom line in this scenario: A long, global recession

 

2. Slow Growth:This scenario predicts a future where external events will be known and expected, but companies will respond passively to them.

 

This, too, is a grim scenario, though not as irredeemably dismal as the previous one. In this case, "disruptive events with moderate impact continue, and while seen as normal, they result in an economic malaise." This scenario would be marked by debt and currency problems in key world economies, though a full-blown long-term global recession is avoided. Unemployment would be higher but manageable, but consumer confidence would be low. Politically, the war against terrorism could head toward a stalemate situation. Companies would get used to the risks of terrorism and learn to cope with their losses. They would make modest investments.

 

The bottom line in this scenario: Life becomes an overpowering shade of gray

 

3. Thriving With Chaos: Here, external events will be unknown and surprising, but companies will respond mostly in an active and opportunistic fashion.

 

In this scenario life is still gray, but sunlight begins to filter through the gloom in some areas. "Unpredictable disruptive external events" would continue, but "corporate and national resolve to be successful in the face of adversity" would drive modest prosperity. While uncertainty would continue, it would be considered a cost of doing business. Companies would try to seize business opportunities amid the disruption and uncertainties, and make increasing investments in areas that seem to be potentially profitable. In the political arena, the continued global realignment of the U.S. with Russia and China would continue to open up new market opportunities, but the Islamic and developing nations would be shut out of these new alliances. The war against terrorism would continue without a clear victory.

 

The bottom line: Life could be better, but there's money to be made if you know where to look.

 

4. Global Growth: In this scenario, external events will be known and expected, and companies will respond actively and aggressively.

 

This, clearly, is the best-case scenario, one in which "countries and peoples of the world recognize common goals and focus on economic development and peace as the route to permanent stability." The key features of this scenario would be that the recession proves short-lived and the business cycle would return to normal; the global coalition against terrorism would evolve into a coalition for peace and commerce, and the threat of terrorism would fade. Investments in new technologies for energy management would reduce the role of oil in Middle Eastern politics. Consumers would feel confident about the future, increase their spending, and lay the foundations of a sustained economic recovery. Trade barriers would be lowered and the developing economies would grow in tandem with the developed ones.

 

If these four scenarios - or a combination of them - represent what lies ahead in the next three years, what strategies should companies put in place today to deal with them?  Clearly, though, neither these scenarios nor the strategies that follow from them will apply across the board. The scenarios will play out differently not only in different industries, but also in various regions of the world. Accordingly, the strategies that companies develop to cope with these situations will need to vary to reflect these differences.

 

It would be a mistake to allow the uncertainties that prevail today to put business decision making on hold. The future may be unclear, but one thing is certain: In today's circumstances, scenario planning is more than a tool. It is a weapon to combat uncertainty, and the future will belong to companies and executives that wield it well.   

      

How well is your company prepared to respond? Are you taking control of the things that you can? Are your actions strengthening your company  - or weakening it? Are you building flexibility into your plans? Have you changed your approach to planning?

The Mead Consulting Group helps dozens of companies and organizations - like yours - every year with scenario planning. The process has helped our clients consistently outperform  their competition.

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