Wim GE De Vos

Small businesses with a BIG impact

Build bridges 🌉

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As a small business looking to make an impact 💥 you want to build bridges🌉.

And I mean build bridges like…all the time. This is related to the importance of partnering up I talked about a while back.

Don´t worry too much about where they lead to. Nobody says you have to cross them…

Bridges give you options♦️♠️♥️♣️. Bridges allow for 2-way traffic.

The building itself is a process that enriches you.

When you build, you learn. When you build together, you learn exponentially more.

If you wonder if aside from business there is a political angle to my statement. Rest assured, there absolutely is😎.

Build bridges, not walls.* (Dr. Martin Luther King)

*and if the wall is built, dig a tunnel while you prepare to tear it down 

 

Growth partner spotlight: Control4 🖲

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In my post a few days ago I mentioned the importance of working with growth partners and the value + meta-value they bring. Todays spotlight is on Control4.

We have been growing the business together with Control4 now for over 8 years. Together we grew every single year.

A quick look at Control4 according to the 3 criteria for growth partners I mentioned:

Growth: 🚀

  • market share: Control4 now is the undisputed market leader in our markets as the leading control system for the connected home.
  • portfolio: With the acquisition of Pakedge networking and iHiji monitoring we are now able to offer the digital foundation of what has become the standard for every home of today and tomorrow. Total Available Market increase and scope for growth long into the future.
  • numbers: Genesis Technologies has grown its business with Control4 triple and high double digit for over 8 years in a row. Not a coincidence. Proof of a solid growth 🚀 partnership.

Innovation: 👩🏼‍🔬

  • products: Control4 has released new, simple and innovative products year after year. And shipping on announcement. A point often underestimated because true innovation only counts when it hits the market… (“true artists ship”… S. J.)
  • role in the value chain: together we have moved from simply supplying products towards investing in our partners to make them more successful. Innovating wrt  the role we have in the market is just as important as keeping up with Moore´s Law.

Loyalty: 🙏🏻

  • 8 years straight, over 3000 days working and growing together and counting.  Most are presidents that last less…we can debate if that is a good thing later 😎
  • Loyal tribe of system integrators: For us loyalty through the channel is equally important as margin through the channel. It takes long term vision and commitment. But once achieved multipliers start popping up where you least expect them.

As continue to shape and build the future we will find great things ahead of us. The past and present have taught us that much so far.

Be well, be you. And keep looking for growth partners 🚀🤝👩🏼‍🔬 if you want to create impact as a small business.

 

 

growth partners 🤝: 3 criteria for meta-value

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As a small business looking for BIG impact I have learnt over the years to work with growth partners 🤝.

They bring much more to the table than you see on the surface. I call it meta-value***.

We have overhauled our partners over the last few years according to the following criteria:

  • growth 🚀 >>> growth businesses have fuel and energy, it also pushes them to come up with their better self.
  • innovation 👩🏼‍🔬 >>> this is a mindset – innovators see what can be instead of what is.
  • loyalty 🙏🏻 >>> growthhacking is only possible when ideas flow freely and there is mutual trust to promote risk-taking.

Making this choice is harder than first perceived. Often the obvious is.

Because it involves saying no to many, and asking yes from a few.

If you agree, don´t just nod.

Do or do not, there is no try….* Master Yoda

*** more on meta-value soon.

Partner up 🤝

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Me looking “peaky blinder”-silly next to partner and friend Lars Omme, Steinway Lyngdorf

You are an entrepreneur or work at a small business and determined to make an impact💥. That requires doing things you – and maybe nobody – has ever done before. R-I-S-K. Good. Expose yourself.

But you do not want to be the lone rider, the kid on the playground without friends,… You can survive alone,  but you cannot grow 🚀 or be truly successful all on your own.

Partner up 🤝. Determine who you are, why you do what you do and find like-minded people. Don´t take anyone. Be picky but partner up.

You will have to work on the partnership. But when you do it will be worth it for all involved. Also your customers.

PS: and if it does not work out – be straight and fold. No drama.