Art & Espresso - Talking Business Growth With Greg Beck

Just because you kept score for a game doesn't mean you are qualified to coach.Greg BeckChief Growth Officer & Sunbelt M&A AdvisorFocalPoint Advisory Serivceshttps://gregbeck.focalpointcoaching.com/https://transactionreadiness-gregbeck.scoreapp.com/gbeck@focalpointcoaching.comgbeck@sunbeltnetwork.comOffice: Office: 937-866-4611 ext 5Cell: 513-379-2399www.linkedin.com/in/greg-beck

It doesn't always make sense.  But when it does, it works REALLY wellGreg BeckChief Growth Officer & Sunbelt M&A AdvisorFocalPoint Advisory Serivceshttps://gregbeck.focalpointcoaching.com/https://transactionreadiness-gregbeck.scoreapp.com/gbeck@focalpointcoaching.comgbeck@sunbeltnetwork.comOffice: Office: 937-866-4611 ext 5Cell: 513-379-2399www.linkedin.com/in/greg-beck

If you are sending them to everyone, you might as well send them to no one.Greg BeckChief Growth Officer & Sunbelt M&A AdvisorFocalPoint Advisory Serivceshttps://gregbeck.focalpointcoaching.com/https://transactionreadiness-gregbeck.scoreapp.com/gbeck@focalpointcoaching.comgbeck@sunbeltnetwork.comOffice: Office: 937-866-4611 ext 5Cell: 513-379-2399www.linkedin.com/in/greg-beck

With enough time and money, everything is easy.  What happens when you don't have a lot of both?  That is why SMB M&A is harder.Greg BeckChief Growth Officer & Sunbelt M&A AdvisorFocalPoint Advisory Serivceshttps://gregbeck.focalpointcoaching.com/https://transactionreadiness-gregbeck.scoreapp.com/gbeck@focalpointcoaching.comgbeck@sunbeltnetwork.comOffice: Office: 937-866-4611 ext 5Cell: 513-379-2399www.linkedin.com/in/greg-beck

The path to success isn't a path...it is like riding a roller coaster.  In the dark.  Our guest knows this better than anyone.  In this episode David shares all the ups, downs, twists, and turns.He can be reached via all the ways below:ddetling@theattractionsgroup.comhttp://www.linkedin.com/company/attractions-group/http://www.theattractionsgroup.com/Greg BeckChief Growth Officer & Sunbelt M&A AdvisorFocalPoint Advisory Serivceshttps://gregbeck.focalpointcoaching.com/https://transactionreadiness-gregbeck.scoreapp.com/gbeck@focalpointcoaching.comgbeck@sunbeltnetwork.comOffice: Office: 937-866-4611 ext 5Cell: 513-379-2399www.linkedin.com/in/greg-beck

Who Is In The Room?When it comes to the initial team you engage internally with, trust is first.  Capability is second.  But you do need both.  Start now if you have doubts on either. Greg BeckChief Growth Officer & Sunbelt M&A AdvisorFocalPoint Advisory Serivceshttps://gregbeck.focalpointcoaching.com/https://transactionreadiness-gregbeck.scoreapp.com/gbeck@focalpointcoaching.comgbeck@sunbeltnetwork.comOffice: Office: 937-866-4611 ext 5Cell: 513-379-2399www.linkedin.com/in/greg-beck

M&A For Innovation – Part 2:1+1 CAN equal 4 but it will take a radically different, collaborative mindset where the pie gets bigger rather than simply dividing up what you have now.  Greg BeckChief Growth Officer & Sunbelt M&A AdvisorFocalPoint Advisory Serivceshttps://gregbeck.focalpointcoaching.com/https://transactionreadiness-gregbeck.scoreapp.com/gbeck@focalpointcoaching.comgbeck@sunbeltnetwork.comOffice: Office: 937-866-4611 ext 5Cell: 513-379-2399www.linkedin.com/in/greg-beck

M&A For Innovation – Part 1:Innovation and M&A are not mutually exclusive.  But you better be REALLY clear on the “why”.  Otherwise, this is a nasty mix of distracting and expensive.Greg BeckChief Growth Officer & Sunbelt M&A AdvisorFocalPoint Advisory Serivceshttps://gregbeck.focalpointcoaching.com/https://transactionreadiness-gregbeck.scoreapp.com/gbeck@focalpointcoaching.comgbeck@sunbeltnetwork.comOffice: Office: 937-866-4611 ext 5Cell: 513-379-2399www.linkedin.com/in/greg-beck

I seldom am this direct.  If you have used HR as a shield or (even worse) a weapon with your employees then DO NOT let them ANYWHERE near a strategic transaction.  Greg BeckChief Growth Officer & Sunbelt M&A AdvisorFocalPoint Advisory Serivceshttps://gregbeck.focalpointcoaching.com/https://transactionreadiness-gregbeck.scoreapp.com/gbeck@focalpointcoaching.comgbeck@sunbeltnetwork.comOffice: Office: 937-866-4611 ext 5Cell: 513-379-2399www.linkedin.com/in/greg-beck

People, more so than ANY other part of a deal, will impact the real value of your deal.  But people don't "spreadsheet out" well.  Act accordingly. Greg BeckChief Growth Officer & Sunbelt M&A AdvisorFocalPoint Advisory Serivceshttps://gregbeck.focalpointcoaching.com/https://transactionreadiness-gregbeck.scoreapp.com/gbeck@focalpointcoaching.comgbeck@sunbeltnetwork.comOffice: Office: 937-866-4611 ext 5Cell: 513-379-2399www.linkedin.com/in/greg-beck

This is from the heart.  Greg BeckChief Growth Officer & Sunbelt M&A AdvisorFocalPoint Advisory Serivceshttps://gregbeck.focalpointcoaching.com/https://transactionreadiness-gregbeck.scoreapp.com/gbeck@focalpointcoaching.comgbeck@sunbeltnetwork.comOffice: Office: 937-866-4611 ext 5Cell: 513-379-2399www.linkedin.com/in/greg-beck

The small things don't matter.  Right up until they do and derail your deal. Greg BeckChief Growth Officer & Sunbelt M&A AdvisorFocalPoint Advisory Serivceshttps://gregbeck.focalpointcoaching.com/https://transactionreadiness-gregbeck.scoreapp.com/gbeck@focalpointcoaching.comgbeck@sunbeltnetwork.comOffice: Office: 937-866-4611 ext 5Cell: 513-379-2399www.linkedin.com/in/greg-beck

Working Capital = Value Improvement:This is the LEAST sexy part of business but the value it can unlock is substantial.  GET THIS RIGHT!!!!  Greg BeckChief Growth Officer & Sunbelt M&A AdvisorFocalPoint Advisory Serivceshttps://gregbeck.focalpointcoaching.com/https://transactionreadiness-gregbeck.scoreapp.com/gbeck@focalpointcoaching.comgbeck@sunbeltnetwork.comOffice: Office: 937-866-4611 ext 5Cell: 513-379-2399www.linkedin.com/in/greg-beck

How To Make High Performers Worse:Pains me to say it, but HBR really did get this one right.  Greg BeckChief Growth Officer & Sunbelt M&A AdvisorFocalPoint Advisory Serivceshttps://gregbeck.focalpointcoaching.com/https://transactionreadiness-gregbeck.scoreapp.com/gbeck@focalpointcoaching.comgbeck@sunbeltnetwork.comOffice: Office: 937-866-4611 ext 5Cell: 513-379-2399www.linkedin.com/in/greg-beck

Full Succession Planning:It needs to expand beyond the C-suite to those who ACTUALLY make the company run.Greg BeckChief Growth Officer & Sunbelt M&A AdvisorFocalPoint Advisory Serivceshttps://gregbeck.focalpointcoaching.com/https://transactionreadiness-gregbeck.scoreapp.com/gbeck@focalpointcoaching.comgbeck@sunbeltnetwork.comOffice: Office: 937-866-4611 ext 5Cell: 513-379-2399www.linkedin.com/in/greg-beck

Starbucks Doesn't Know How To Win:Be the best, know the customer better, or have a better product.  Pick one.  Starbucks is trying to do all 3.  Greg BeckChief Growth Officer & Sunbelt M&A AdvisorFocalPoint Advisory Serivceshttps://gregbeck.focalpointcoaching.com/https://transactionreadiness-gregbeck.scoreapp.com/gbeck@focalpointcoaching.comgbeck@sunbeltnetwork.comOffice: Office: 937-866-4611 ext 5Cell: 513-379-2399www.linkedin.com/in/greg-beck

The next time you see a ‘strategy' document, ask “what are the cultural norms that must be true in order to deliver this thing”.  This is the last thing that leaders tend to think about and yet is the #1 killer of progress.Greg BeckChief Growth Officer & Sunbelt M&A AdvisorFocalPoint Advisory Serivceshttps://gregbeck.focalpointcoaching.com/https://transactionreadiness-gregbeck.scoreapp.com/gbeck@focalpointcoaching.comgbeck@sunbeltnetwork.comOffice: Office: 937-866-4611 ext 5Cell: 513-379-2399www.linkedin.com/in/greg-beck

Standards, not goals. How are the two related?  And please pick your executive and accounting friends up off the floor as they likely passed out reading that.  Greg BeckChief Growth Officer & Sunbelt M&A AdvisorFocalPoint Advisory Serivceshttps://gregbeck.focalpointcoaching.com/https://transactionreadiness-gregbeck.scoreapp.com/gbeck@focalpointcoaching.comgbeck@sunbeltnetwork.comOffice: Office: 937-866-4611 ext 5Cell: 513-379-2399www.linkedin.com/in/greg-beck

What REALLY is a trusted advisor?  What does that even mean?  And why can't EVERY advisor be a “trusted” advisor?Greg BeckChief Growth Officer & Sunbelt M&A AdvisorFocalPoint Advisory Serivceshttps://gregbeck.focalpointcoaching.com/https://transactionreadiness-gregbeck.scoreapp.com/gbeck@focalpointcoaching.comgbeck@sunbeltnetwork.comOffice: Office: 937-866-4611 ext 5Cell: 513-379-2399www.linkedin.com/in/greg-beck

Music and business have A LOT more in common than you think.  I explore it a little bit here. Greg BeckChief Growth Officer & Sunbelt M&A AdvisorFocalPoint Advisory Serivceshttps://gregbeck.focalpointcoaching.com/https://transactionreadiness-gregbeck.scoreapp.com/gbeck@focalpointcoaching.comgbeck@sunbeltnetwork.comOffice: Office: 937-866-4611 ext 5Cell: 513-379-2399www.linkedin.com/in/greg-beck

What problem are you trying to solve?  Every strategic transaction starts with this question.  The better you define it, the easier the process will go.  Greg BeckChief Growth Officer & Sunbelt M&A AdvisorFocalPoint Advisory Serivceshttps://gregbeck.focalpointcoaching.com/https://transactionreadiness-gregbeck.scoreapp.com/gbeck@focalpointcoaching.comgbeck@sunbeltnetwork.comOffice: Office: 937-866-4611 ext 5Cell: 513-379-2399www.linkedin.com/in/greg-beck

Ronnie Coleman…and Simon Sinek?“Everyone wants to be a body builder but no one wants to lift no heavy ass weights” – Ronnie Coleman.  What do these two have in common?Greg BeckChief Growth Officer & Sunbelt M&A AdvisorFocalPoint Advisory Serivceshttps://gregbeck.focalpointcoaching.com/https://transactionreadiness-gregbeck.scoreapp.com/gbeck@focalpointcoaching.comgbeck@sunbeltnetwork.comOffice: Office: 937-866-4611 ext 5Cell: 513-379-2399www.linkedin.com/in/greg-beck

This ties together the last two podcasts.  Where companies go off the rails in M&A is when they are consumed by the deal and forget about the day-to-day business.  It won't be easy by a long shot but if you strike the right balance, you are WAY ahead of the curve. Greg BeckChief Growth Officer & Sunbelt M&A AdvisorFocalPoint Advisory Serivceshttps://gregbeck.focalpointcoaching.com/https://transactionreadiness-gregbeck.scoreapp.com/gbeck@focalpointcoaching.comgbeck@sunbeltnetwork.comOffice: Office: 937-866-4611 ext 5Cell: 513-379-2399www.linkedin.com/in/greg-beck

When you give your teams full permission to actually focus on their jobs and not get distracted by all the noise that comes along with M&A you have won 50% of the battle.Greg BeckChief Growth Officer & Sunbelt M&A AdvisorFocalPoint Advisory Serivceshttps://gregbeck.focalpointcoaching.com/https://transactionreadiness-gregbeck.scoreapp.com/gbeck@focalpointcoaching.comgbeck@sunbeltnetwork.comOffice: Office: 937-866-4611 ext 5Cell: 513-379-2399www.linkedin.com/in/greg-beck

Excellence is what we do every day.  It is the little things done well repeatedly.  If M&A is an event and not a way of doing business, you are already expensively behind the curve. Greg BeckChief Growth Officer & Sunbelt M&A AdvisorFocalPoint Advisory Serivceshttps://gregbeck.focalpointcoaching.com/https://transactionreadiness-gregbeck.scoreapp.com/gbeck@focalpointcoaching.comgbeck@sunbeltnetwork.comOffice: Office: 937-866-4611 ext 5Cell: 513-379-2399www.linkedin.com/in/greg-beck

You can have the most dynamic and innovative leader EVER, but if you didn't hire people who embrace innovation you are going nowhere and going there at great expense.Greg BeckChief Growth Officer & Sunbelt M&A AdvisorFocalPoint Advisory Serivceshttps://gregbeck.focalpointcoaching.com/https://transactionreadiness-gregbeck.scoreapp.com/gbeck@focalpointcoaching.comgbeck@sunbeltnetwork.comOffice: Office: 937-866-4611 ext 5Cell: 513-379-2399www.linkedin.com/in/greg-beck

Business is hard enough.  Knowing when to change it is even harder.  Hopefully this will help with that strategic awareness.Greg BeckChief Growth Officer & Sunbelt M&A AdvisorFocalPoint Advisory Serivceshttps://gregbeck.focalpointcoaching.com/https://transactionreadiness-gregbeck.scoreapp.com/gbeck@focalpointcoaching.comgbeck@sunbeltnetwork.comOffice: Office: 937-866-4611 ext 5Cell: 513-379-2399www.linkedin.com/in/greg-beck

The size of the business does not matter - improving this will improve the value of your business immediately.  Greg BeckChief Growth Officer & Sunbelt M&A AdvisorFocalPoint Advisory Serivceshttps://gregbeck.focalpointcoaching.com/https://transactionreadiness-gregbeck.scoreapp.com/gbeck@focalpointcoaching.comgbeck@sunbeltnetwork.comOffice: Office: 937-866-4611 ext 5Cell: 513-379-2399www.linkedin.com/in/greg-beck

Learn the concepts of No Mind and The Void!  It will help you think (or NOT THINK) about business in a whole new way. Greg BeckChief Growth Officer & Sunbelt M&A AdvisorFocalPoint Advisory Serivceshttps://gregbeck.focalpointcoaching.com/https://transactionreadiness-gregbeck.scoreapp.com/gbeck@focalpointcoaching.comgbeck@sunbeltnetwork.comOffice: Office: 937-866-4611 ext 5Cell: 513-379-2399www.linkedin.com/in/greg-beck

Have a listen for an exciting update on the business and the why behind it!  Greg BeckChief Growth Officer & Sunbelt M&A AdvisorFocalPoint Advisory Serivceshttps://gregbeck.focalpointcoaching.com/https://transactionreadiness-gregbeck.scoreapp.com/gbeck@focalpointcoaching.comgbeck@sunbeltnetwork.comOffice: Office: 937-866-4611 ext 5Cell: 513-379-2399www.linkedin.com/in/greg-beck

Per Hugh Macleod:Leaders want their people to be excellent, and they should. And their people want to be excellent too. Every person on some level aspires to one form of excellence or another. The need to excel and to fulfill our potential is innate and irrevocablBut it's not that simple. Because humans also want autonomy, connection, and respect. We don't like being commanded around – and we don't want to feel like cogs in a machine.  Excellence cannot be commanded. It cannot be compelled. It has to be inspired. It has to be drawn out. It has to be earned. When people feel like they are part of a winning team on an inspiring mission, high performance and the pursuit of excellence is the natural outcome.Greg BeckChief Growth Officer & Sunbelt M&A AdvisorFocalPoint Advisory Serivceshttps://gregbeck.focalpointcoaching.com/https://transactionreadiness-gregbeck.scoreapp.com/gbeck@focalpointcoaching.comgbeck@sunbeltnetwork.comOffice: Office: 937-866-4611 ext 5Cell: 513-379-2399www.linkedin.com/in/greg-beck

Bikeshedding, also known as Parkinson's law of triviality, describes our tendency to devote a disproportionate amount of our time to menial and trivial matters while leaving important matters unattended.  DO NOT LET THIS IMPACT YOUR BUSINESS!!!  Greg BeckChief Growth Officer & Sunbelt M&A AdvisorFocalPoint Advisory Serivceshttps://gregbeck.focalpointcoaching.com/https://transactionreadiness-gregbeck.scoreapp.com/gbeck@focalpointcoaching.comgbeck@sunbeltnetwork.comOffice: Office: 937-866-4611 ext 5Cell: 513-379-2399www.linkedin.com/in/greg-beck

There are a LOT of similarities between business and architecture.  When things are built with vision and intention, they are both beautiful AND effective.  Apply this thinking to you business  Greg BeckChief Growth Officer & Sunbelt M&A AdvisorFocalPoint Advisory Serivceshttps://gregbeck.focalpointcoaching.com/https://transactionreadiness-gregbeck.scoreapp.com/gbeck@focalpointcoaching.comgbeck@sunbeltnetwork.comOffice: Office: 937-866-4611 ext 5Cell: 513-379-2399www.linkedin.com/in/greg-beck

They are NOT all created equal and can be misleading.  Take them with a grain of salt.  Greg BeckChief Growth OfficerFocalPoint Advisory Serivceshttps://gregbeck.focalpointcoaching.com/https://transactionreadiness-gregbeck.scoreapp.com/gbeck@focalpointcoaching.com513-379-2399www.linkedin.com/in/greg-beck

This is the single biggest regret of any business owner.  Don't fall prey to it.  Greg BeckChief Growth OfficerFocalPoint Advisory Serivceshttps://gregbeck.focalpointcoaching.com/https://transactionreadiness-gregbeck.scoreapp.com/gbeck@focalpointcoaching.com513-379-2399www.linkedin.com/in/greg-beck

Lens 1 or 2?  2 or 3? Greg BeckChief Growth OfficerFocalPoint Advisory Serivceshttps://gregbeck.focalpointcoaching.com/https://transactionreadiness-gregbeck.scoreapp.com/gbeck@focalpointcoaching.com513-379-2399www.linkedin.com/in/greg-beck

If the two are substantially different, why?  Greg BeckChief Growth OfficerFocalPoint Advisory Serivceshttps://gregbeck.focalpointcoaching.com/https://transactionreadiness-gregbeck.scoreapp.com/gbeck@focalpointcoaching.com513-379-2399www.linkedin.com/in/greg-beck

This will kill a deal or a company's value as fast as anything. Greg BeckChief Growth OfficerFocalPoint Advisory Serivceshttps://gregbeck.focalpointcoaching.com/https://transactionreadiness-gregbeck.scoreapp.com/gbeck@focalpointcoaching.com513-379-2399www.linkedin.com/in/greg-beck

There are very real political and psychological reasons why people say they agree when they really don't.  There are also numerous reason why leaders are so willing to accept that fake compliance.  Ignore this at your collective peril. Greg BeckChief Growth OfficerFocalPoint Advisory Serivceshttps://gregbeck.focalpointcoaching.com/https://transactionreadiness-gregbeck.scoreapp.com/gbeck@focalpointcoaching.com513-379-2399www.linkedin.com/in/greg-beck

What is the one business activity that you HATE doing but are always happy when you have completed it?  Greg BeckChief Growth OfficerFocalPoint Advisory Serivceshttps://gregbeck.focalpointcoaching.com/https://transactionreadiness-gregbeck.scoreapp.com/gbeck@focalpointcoaching.com513-379-2399www.linkedin.com/in/greg-beck

If you could only have a mobile phone (no apps or emails) and a desktop OR a no phone but a tablet / laptop...which would you chose and why?Greg BeckChief Growth OfficerFocalPoint Advisory Serivceshttps://gregbeck.focalpointcoaching.com/https://transactionreadiness-gregbeck.scoreapp.com/gbeck@focalpointcoaching.com513-379-2399www.linkedin.com/in/greg-beck

If you only had 5 working hours before you had your phone/computer/internet taken away...how would you spend it?  Greg BeckChief Growth OfficerFocalPoint Advisory Serivceshttps://gregbeck.focalpointcoaching.com/https://transactionreadiness-gregbeck.scoreapp.com/gbeck@focalpointcoaching.com513-379-2399www.linkedin.com/in/greg-beck

You have to both do something that requires tremendous willpower every day AND make time for the diminished resource to replenish.  Greg BeckChief Growth OfficerFocalPoint Advisory Serivceshttps://gregbeck.focalpointcoaching.com/https://transactionreadiness-gregbeck.scoreapp.com/gbeck@focalpointcoaching.com513-379-2399www.linkedin.com/in/greg-beck

Sorry gentle listeners, I have all the questions but NONE of the answers today.  Greg BeckChief Growth OfficerFocalPoint Advisory Serivceshttps://gregbeck.focalpointcoaching.com/https://transactionreadiness-gregbeck.scoreapp.com/gbeck@focalpointcoaching.com513-379-2399www.linkedin.com/in/greg-beck

The greatest creative types usually worked a well defined schedule but no real agenda within those times.  They also never told themselves no, but rather "yes , and..." to keep the creative process going.  Greg BeckChief Growth OfficerFocalPoint Advisory Serivceshttps://gregbeck.focalpointcoaching.com/https://transactionreadiness-gregbeck.scoreapp.com/gbeck@focalpointcoaching.com513-379-2399www.linkedin.com/in/greg-beck

Good news - these are 100% addressable.  Bad news - you have to have the humility to ask for help from experts.  Greg BeckChief Growth OfficerFocalPoint Advisory Serivceshttps://gregbeck.focalpointcoaching.com/https://transactionreadiness-gregbeck.scoreapp.com/gbeck@focalpointcoaching.com513-379-2399www.linkedin.com/in/greg-beck

Of all the reasons a transaction can "fail", these by far are the most common ones.  And NO ONE wants to talk about them.Greg BeckChief Growth OfficerFocalPoint Advisory Serivceshttps://gregbeck.focalpointcoaching.com/https://transactionreadiness-gregbeck.scoreapp.com/gbeck@focalpointcoaching.com513-379-2399www.linkedin.com/in/greg-beck

What makes this so insidious is that these CANNOT be fixed.Greg BeckChief Growth OfficerFocalPoint Advisory Serivceshttps://gregbeck.focalpointcoaching.com/https://transactionreadiness-gregbeck.scoreapp.com/gbeck@focalpointcoaching.com513-379-2399www.linkedin.com/in/greg-beck

There are 7 deadly sins of a strategic transaction and they occur at 3 points in a deal.  Knowing this alone, as G.I. Joe said...is half the battle.Greg BeckChief Growth OfficerFocalPoint Advisory Serivceshttps://gregbeck.focalpointcoaching.com/https://transactionreadiness-gregbeck.scoreapp.com/gbeck@focalpointcoaching.com513-379-2399www.linkedin.com/in/greg-beck

Both humiliating and transaction related!  Greg BeckChief Growth OfficerFocalPoint Advisory Serivceshttps://gregbeck.focalpointcoaching.com/https://transactionreadiness-gregbeck.scoreapp.com/gbeck@focalpointcoaching.com513-379-2399www.linkedin.com/in/greg-beck

They can wreck your car, your trip...or your company.  Greg BeckChief Growth OfficerFocalPoint Advisory Serivceshttps://gregbeck.focalpointcoaching.com/https://transactionreadiness-gregbeck.scoreapp.com/gbeck@focalpointcoaching.com513-379-2399www.linkedin.com/in/greg-beck