Ian Smith | The Portfolio Partnership

Meetings Needed to Scale Your Private Company

by Ian Smith | Jul 22, 2014 | Meetings, Scaling

We hate meetings. We love meetings. But despite the trendy articles that we need to avoid them, we need them. Here are my top 10, with the desired outcome from the meeting. I hope they help! Top 10 Essential Meetings As an overall set of rules for every meeting, I...

Zero-Based Roles – Structure Your Business For Alignment

by Ian Smith | Jul 15, 2014 | Chief Operating Officer, Execution Tips, Org Charts & Org Structures, Organizational Charts & Structures

You may have heard of the term zero-based budgeting. The basic thesis is to look at your business through the eyes of a start up. If you were starting today from scratch, what would you spend money on? Costs creep on over time and before you know it your business is...

20 Big Protocols To Help You Scale Your Business

by Ian Smith | Jul 8, 2014 | Execution Tips, Scaling

Ironically, putting in place the right processes allows for greater innovation, allows for greater freedom in key areas, and it takes the stress out of managing people. It feels contrarian but building rules into your business drives efficiency. It gives...

Looking in the Wrong Direction – the Uber Phenomenon

by Ian Smith | Jun 24, 2014 | Strategy

You can complain about Uber, you can strike, you can lobby your politician, claim unfairness but you are looking in the wrong direction. The direction you should be looking in is the customer. The question is not, why should Uber be allowed to disrupt my business...

Scaling Your Business Starts with Insightful Questions

by Ian Smith | Jun 17, 2014 | Scaling

We all know how important a good question is. The incisive interrogation of Richard Nixon by David Frost. Ronald Regan’s question for the nation prior to voting in 1980 – Are you better off than you were four years ago? Questions define you. Great solutions can’t be...