by Ian Smith | Mar 25, 2018 | Execution Tips, Leadership, Strategy
Why do so some companies win and others fail? How is it possible for a new management team to transform the performance of a business? What is the essential difference between winners and losers? In a previous post a few years ago I emphasized the importance of...
by Ian Smith | Aug 23, 2016 | Execution Tips, Strategy
The toughest job for any CEO of any sized business is not strategy. It’s not execution. It’s both. How you translate a great strategy into actions that work, is the difficult bit. Let me help you with this problem by sharing 10 actions I’ve found...
by Ian Smith | Jul 19, 2016 | Execution Tips, Operational Blueprints, Problem Solving, Scaling
The biggest barrier to scaling a business is often the culture. Bad culture allows silo-thinking to dominate. Smart, successful cultures let dynamic, multi-departmental projects be defined and executed in a spirit of collaboration. Egos minimized. Results are key....
by Ian Smith | May 17, 2016 | Execution Tips
I founded The Portfolio Partnership in 2009 after 25 years of building businesses to solve one problem – better execution. I was fortunate to work in many industries including publishing, software, investment banking, and private equity. I fulfilled leadership roles...
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...
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...
