312: Aligning the Dots to Accelerate Business Growth

312: Aligning the Dots to Accelerate Business Growth

312: Aligning the Dots to Accelerate Business Growth

What causes companies to experience rapid top-line revenue growth? Philippe Bouissou, PhD, provides the answer in this impactful conversation. His framework is brilliantly simple. Identify the four possible areas of misalignment between the company and the customer, then make changes to create alignment.

Philippe outlines the four areas and provides concrete examples of each. He also describes one of the world’s most successful companies that excels in aligning all four.

Philippe has been in Silicon Valley for 33 years. He launched and scaled Apple’s eCommerce business from zero to $350 million, working closely with Steve Jobs. Since leaving Apple, he’s had success as a CEO, entrepreneur, and venture capitalist, and he’s served on the board of 23 companies. He is a growth expert, a TEDx speaker with over one million views, and the author of the bestseller book Aligning the Dots.

Today, Philippe is Managing Partner at Blue Dots Partners LLC, a Palo Alto-based advisory firm he founded. The firm is dedicated to solving one problem: helping companies grow faster.

If you’re responsible for any part of top-line revenue growth in your company, this episode is a must-listen. And you’ll want to pick up a copy of Aligning the Dots, too!

You’ll discover

  • Why Philippe said Steve Jobs was the best leader he ever worked with
  • Key lessons Philippe has learned in his leadership journey
  • The one question he asks CEOs about their business (and it’s not, “What do you do?”)
  • The four axes of alignment required to grow a business
  • Why there’s a 5th axis that determines the execution of the other four

Watch the episode:

Connect with Philippe

  

Phillipe’s Resources

Website

Blue Dots Partners

Book

Aligning the Dots: The New Paradigm to Grow Any Business

TED Talk

The Secret to Grow Any Business

Connect with Your Team

Mastering the Top 10 Communication Skills

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Peer Coaching Made Simple

How to Do the 6 Things That Matter Most When Helping Someone Improve a Skill

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311: Former Amazon VP on Character and Leadership

311: Former Amazon VP on Character and Leadership

311: Former Amazon VP on Character and Leadership

Over the course of his career, Ethan Evans reviewed 10,000+ resumes, conducted over 2,500 interviews, and made more than 1,000 hires. He knows a thing or two about finding, onboarding, AND developing the right people.

In this high-energy conversation, Ethan shares the qualities he looked for and the aspects of character he believes are most important for leaders. You’ll find great value in reflecting on the lessons he learned from a big mistake he made at Amazon that got him in trouble with CEO Jeff Bezos.

Ethan is a former Vice President at Amazon. During his 15 years there, he helped invent many of the offerings that we take for granted today, like Prime Video, Amazon Video, and the Amazon App Store. Prior to Amazon, Ethan spent 12 years at 3 startups.

In September of 2020, Ethan retired from Amazon and made the decision to pay it forward. He devotes time teaching leaders to become true executives through courses he offers and free content he provides on LinkedIn and his website.

You’ll discover:

  • How Ethan added to the Amazon Leadership Principle of Ownership
  • What Ethan looks for when interviewing a candidate or considering someone for a promotion
  • The five steps in Ethan’s Magic Loop for managing up
  • What leaders can do to build trust quickly
  • A big mistake Ethan made at Amazon and the lessons he learned from it

Watch the episode:

 

Connect with Ethan

  

Ethan’s Website

Ethan Evans

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302: Becoming a Generous Leader

 

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296: Leadership and Sales in a Post-Trust World

296: Leadership and Sales in a Post-Trust World

296: Leadership and Sales in a Post-Trust World

​When you think about it, leadership and sales have a lot in common. For example, both require the ability to build trust quickly. In this value-packed episode, Larry Levine shares ideas from his new book, Selling In a Post-Trust World, that apply to leaders and salespeople alike.

Larry is also the international best-selling author of Selling from the Heart and the co-host of the award-winning Selling from the Heart Podcast.

In a world where it can be hard for salespeople to create trust, Larry helps sales teams leverage the power of authenticity to grow revenue, grow themselves, and enhance the lives of their clients. Larry has coached sales professionals across the world, from tenured reps to new millennials entering the salesforce.

You’ll discover:

  • The importance of identifying your WHY to have the greatest possible influence and impact
  • Why the ability to create authentic relationships must begin with being authentic with yourself
  • How you can create an inspirational experience for your team members and your clients
  • The power of learning what your unique “secret sauce” is and using it consistently
  • What you can learn when you’re curious and not making assumptions

Watch the episode:

Connect with Larry

  

Larry’s Resources

Websites

Selling from the Heart

Selling In a Post-Trust World

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Selling from the Heart: How Your Authentic Self Sells You

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290: Leadership Lessons from a Lifetime in Public Health Service

290: Leadership Lessons from a Lifetime in Public Health Service

290: Leadership Lessons from a Lifetime in Public Health Service

How did Dr. Antonia (Toni) Novello become the first woman and the first Hispanic to hold the position of U.S. Surgeon General in 1990? Hers is an inspiring story and compelling read as described in her book with Jill Tietjen, Duty Calls: Lessons Learned from an Unexpected Life of Service. In this conversation, we discuss Toni’s career path to that position as well as her role during 9/11 as the New York State Commissioner of the Department of Health.

Toni and Jill are both highly accomplished women, extraordinary leaders, and trailblazers in their respective fields, so it was a real honor to have them as guests.

Toni was born in Fajardo, Puerto Rico. She graduated from the University of Puerto Rico with a B.S. and an M.D. She completed her residency and internship in pediatrics at the University of Michigan and a fellowship in pediatric and adult nephrology at the University of Michigan and Georgetown University. Also, she received a Master’s and a Doctor of Public Health from Johns Hopkins University.

In 1990, Toni was sworn in as the 14th Surgeon General of the U.S. Public Health Service and became the first woman and the first Hispanic to hold this position. From 1999 to 2007, she was the New York State Commissioner of the Department of Health and served in this position during 9/11.

Jill S. Tietjen, PE, is an author, international speaker, and electrical engineer. After more than forty-five years in the electric utility industry, her professional focus is now on women’s advocacy worldwide. Her fifteen books include the bestselling and award-winning Her Story: A Timeline of the Women Who Changed America and Hollywood: Her Story, An Illustrated History of Women and the Movies. She has been inducted into the Colorado Women’s Hall of Fame and the Colorado Authors’ Hall of Fame and has been elected to the National Academy of Construction.

You’ll discover:

  • How Toni and Jill met and decided to collaborate on writing this memoir
  • What Toni learned from her mother in her early years that influenced her throughout her life
  • The experience that taught Toni to under-promise and over-deliver
  • Why loyalty is a core value of Toni’s and how it served her in her various roles
  • How always being prepared opened doors for Toni’s next position

Watch the episode:

Connect with Antonia

  

Connect with Jill

  

Resources

Website

Jill Tietjen

Book

Duty Calls: Lessons Learned from an Unexpected Life of Service

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288: Inspiring Others to Achieve Their Potential

288: Inspiring Others to Achieve Their Potential

288: Inspiring Others to Achieve Their Potential

One of the most important skills a leader can develop is the ability to help others expand their vision of themselves. Ilias Simpson has been practicing this skill for decades; and in this conversation, he gives a masterclass on how to do it effectively. You’ll be mesmerized by the stories he tells to illustrate what he does, and you’ll learn ways to build a culture where people perform at high levels and feel valued at the same time.

Ilias is a highly accomplished leader who transforms companies into profitable growth engines through operational excellence, lean improvements, and instilling a culture of success. With a focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion, Ilias ensures that employees at all levels feel heard, valued, and supported.

Previously, Ilias served as President of Modivcare Mobility, President and CEO of Radial Inc., CEO of PaLo Na, and Senior Director of Operations at Ryder System, Inc. Ilias graduated with a Master of Business Administration from the University of Dayton and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology from the University of North Texas. Additionally, Ilias is a decorated veteran of the United States Air Force.

You’ll discover:

  • How Ilias built trust and credibility at the age of 18 when he was put in a leadership position in the military
  • The experiences from his youth and from sports that shaped his leadership style
  • What Ilias does to help others expand their vision of themselves
  • Why Learning Agility is a crucial skill to develop for success in business
  • The benefits of having diversity of thinking on a team

Watch the episode:

Learn more about Ilias Simpson here

  

Resources

Website

Savoy Network

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