Wim GE De Vos

Small businesses with a BIG impact

R&D👩🏼‍🔬 and Cash💰: a balancing ⚖️ act

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As a technology business we need to keep innovating 👩🏼‍🔬, test new products, build new solutions. Without it we stand still and die a slow/fast death.

Innovation needs money💰. Lots of it sometimes…certainly when operating at the higher end of the market.

So we are in a constant balancing act. ⚖️

A few things we have done over the years to get the balance right (and there is more):

  • be first to market with true innovations – early adopters typically provide initial ROI
  • partner up with manufacturers and offer structured feedback on beta-versions (vs always buying every new product that comes out)
  • we have created an Outlet on our PartnerZone to give super deals on (nearly) new equipment to our clients
  • work closely with our best integration partners to co-invest & co-test together
  • when building new solutions act as if it is going to a client. Often the result will be an innovation investment you can sell on later on. No cutting corners – go for perfection.

Combining innovation + positive cash flow is more of an attitude 💪🏻 and culture 🤝 than a plan. But it is absolutely essential to be successful as a small company.

PS: quick reminder of why cash is king (beyond what you already knew…)

The art of plorking. ⚒+ 🎮

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The art of plorking.
Do the best you can but do not take it too seriously.  🤡
You are not at your best when you are simply working⚒. Nor when you are just playing🎮.
You are at your best when you do both at the same time…and that my friend is plorking ⚒+🎮.
Say it out loud 📣: “I am at my best when I am plorking”.
Imagine the smile on your face, the creativity and productivity.
It is infectious and obvious. It is how you create a BIG impact 💥.

Who is the king 👑 of the ants 🐜?

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Reading up on Seth Godin the Jedi Master last week… stumbled on this question:

Who is the king 👑 of the ants 🐜?

Ants 🐜 do not have a king, or queen. They organize locally. They develop a culture. That culture gives them the strength to make them one of the world’s most numerous creatures.

It turns out that culture is the most powerful force 💪🏻 available to us. Culture comes from each of us, from the connections between. Culture isn’t created by presidents, Popes or kings nor queens.

Hollywood has a culture, not a king 👑. Silicon Valley too. Every company has a culture.

Change the culture (slowly and persistently) and you can change everything… Be the change you want to create.

Small businesses with BIG impact💥. Just like you.

Growth partner: Origin Acoustics

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In a previous post I highlighted the importance of working with growth partners and the value + meta-value they bring. Todays spotlight is on Origin Acoustics.

We have been growing 🚀 the business together with Origin Acoustics just over a year. The result has been phenomenal 💥 in sales, market share and profit for both our partners and ourselves.

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

Growth: 🚀

  • market share: Origin Acoustics made it to the number 2 position in the CEPro100 list for architectural speakers in only their 4th year.
  • portfolio: Without a doubt the most complete range of architectural speakers on the market. Both for the home and superyachts.
  • numbers: Genesis Technologies is growing its business with Origin Acoustics triple  digit in 2018. Not a coincidence. Proof of focus, dedication and a solid growth 🚀 partnership.

Innovation: 👩🏼‍🔬

  • products: Origin Acoustics brings several innovations to market year after year. The most significant probably still being the Zip-Clip which makes our specialist installers much more efficient in terms of labour, sales and cash-flow.
  • role in the value chain: by going beyond the offering of great products we share Origin Acoustics dedication to making our partners more successful. Support and tools that help our partners market, sell and install great systems is probably more important than the pure product spec.

Loyalty: 🙏🏻

  • Origin Acoustics is made up of people who live and die with the specialist installer channel. They are committed and focussed on making us all successful. Their actions from the past and promises for the future are as solid as a bank guarantee.
  • The team at Origin Acoustics has been standing shoulder to shoulder with us to meet, but more importantly to listen to our clients. This is how we become stronger as a tribe.

Together we will continue to shape and build our own future. And while doing so 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.