Transcript of Catapult Groups Podcast Episode 6

"I'm not interested in competitors. I'm interested in customers," says Brad Mishlove, founder, and CEO of Catapult Groups. So many companies nowadays get bogged down in trying to replicate the actions of their competitors. That's not to say that you shouldn't pay attention to what your competitors are doing, but, Brad says, you should pay more attention to your customers' feedback.

In this episode of the Catapult Business Growth podcast, Brad discusses his best tips on turning your customers into collaborators as a strategy for innovation in your business. As a CEO, he recommends that you get out in the field regularly and listen to the feedback you get from customers. Then take that feedback to create new products and services that your customer really wants.

Brad shares a story from his own business experience that showed him how innovation on behalf of a client opened up new streams of revenue for his business. If you're ready to turn your customers into collaborators, then this episode is for you… after all, "customers buy. Competitors don't."

• Do you think companies spend too much time focusing on the competition?
• How do you get your customers to engage with you?
• What kind of innovation can come from engagement with your customers?
• Is the idea of turning customers into collaborators a hard sell for a lot of CEOs?

• Why customer-centric companies (like Southwest) win
• How listening to customer feedback helps you innovate better than your competitors
• Why getting out in the field has tremendous value for a CEO
• Why focusing on your competition will not grow your business
• Why a customer-centric strategy requires you to slow down a bit (not easy for many CEOs)

Transcript of Catapult Groups Podcast Episode 6

Transcript of Catapult Groups Podcast Episode 5

Are you ready to make 2018 a banner year for your business? The forecast for 2018, by all accounts, is a positive one here in Las Vegas. We know plenty of you will be ready to make big investments on the path to an even more profitable business.

In this episode of the Catapult Business Growth podcast, Brad Mishlove, founder, and CEO of Catapult Groups discusses the top strategies for fueling business growth in 2018. From thinking outside the box when hiring new employees, to taking advantage of digital marketing platforms, to using automation for greater efficiency and accuracy, Brad talks about the many options for taking your business to the next level.

Brad also shares some of the unique things he's seen companies do to innovate on their path to growth. In the end, he says, it comes down to two main things: people and a plan. Listen to the full episode to get his insight.

• Do you think we're going to see more businesses taking more risks as a result of the current state of the economy?
• How should companies be investing in people?
• What can more established companies who have been slower to adopt digital do to keep up with the intensifying competition and the growth that happens from the internet?
• What are some innovative things that you have seen companies do to increase their business?
• What is your number one recommendation for aggressive CEOs who want to double their business in 2018?

• Why businesses have reason to celebrate in 2018
• What type of risks are "smart risks" for your company
• Why this is a time to hire with confidence
• Why it's important not to abandon the tried and true techniques for growing revenue in favor of the "new marketing"
• Why an integrated growth strategy is always the best strategy
• The most important things Brad thinks your company can be doing to improve the value of online service.

Transcript of Catapult Groups Podcast Episode 5

Transcript of Catapult Groups Podcast Episode 4

It's not uncommon for companies to be paralyzed by over-thinking and analyzing. In many organizations, the amount of boardroom discussion about projects far outpaces the amount of action that's actually taken on those projects.

In this episode of the Catapult Business Growth podcast, Brad Mishlove, founder & CEO of Catapult Groups, talks about why analysis paralysis is a common state for many businesses. We delve into where this inaction comes from and what can be done to move past it.

Ultimately, it's action that's going to create value for your firm. But because many firms don't have sufficient profitability, they don't have time to implement new initiatives. Brad talks about the connection between margin and the ability to implement a strategy.

If you're ready to give yourself some time to think strategically, and in turn, spur your team into action, give this episode a listen for inspiration.

• Is analysis paralysis just a result of today's fast pace of business or does it come from another place?
• What keeps CEOs from taking action?
• How can leaders develop a proclivity for action?
• How does a peer advisory board help people get past their analysis paralysis?

• Why organizational bandwidth (or lack thereof) keeps companies from taking action
• Why many companies excel at taking ideas and turning them into reality while others never get past strategy
• When it's time to move forward on an idea (and stop talking about it)
• What you, the CEO or business owner, can do right now to get out of the discussion phase and into the action phase
• Why consistent action is good for your company and its culture
• How a peer advisory board can help you move faster in your business

• Our recent podcast episode on Blending Strategy with Tactics
• Get your Free Gap Analysis
• Connect with Brad on LinkedIn
• Follow Catapult Groups on Twitter
• Connect with Catapult Groups on Facebook

As the CEO of an organization, you may have invested in leadership development for you and your team, thinking it was the right thing to do.  Employee "empowerment" has been a buzz word in business circles, but you may not know how it translates to the long-term health of your business.

In this episode of the Catapult Business Growth podcast, Brad Mishlove, founder & CEO of Catapult Groups, tackles the topic of leadership vs. management. Why developing leaders within your company is a solid growth strategy, and how, in the end, a management approach will end up costing you more.

If you're struggling with where to start as you make the transition from manager to leader, Brad recommends you begin with some simple conversations.

He also shares lessons learned from his years as a business owner, how they led him to change his approach and set a solid path for growth. If you're not convinced that a managerial style will likely go the way of the dinosaur, you will be after this episode.

• What is the distinction between leadership and management?
• Why is it so important to understand the difference?
• Can leadership be taught?
• How important is it for managers to exhibit leadership skills?
• What can CEOs do to develop their leadership skills?

• Why leadership is the preferred long-term strategy for thriving companies
• The rare occasion when a management approach could be effective
• What it takes to build a leadership culture within an organization
• The sense of empowerment that comes from a leadership culture and how that translates to a company's bottom line
• Why a management culture is ultimately less scalable and more expensive for your business

• 3 Management Mistakes CEOs Make in Business
• Get your Free Gap Analysis
• Connect with Brad on LinkedIn
• Follow Catapult Groups on Twitter
• Connect with Catapult Groups on Facebook

As a business owner, it's likely you've led your share of strategic planning sessions. Big ideas are generated, exciting plans are made. And yet, something happens along the way that causes a disconnect, and those amazing ideas never see the light of day. 

In this episode of the Catapult Business Growth podcast, Brad Mishlove, founder & CEO of Catapult Groups, talks about the great divide between strategy and tactics. If you've ever been frustrated by the fact that your strategic plans never seem to come to fruition, this episode is for you.

We discuss what causes the gap between strategy and implementation, how fixing it is not a linear process for most businesses, and how to integrate your team into the planning process for better results.

After listening to this episode, you'll have a better idea of how much time to devote to strategy versus execution and what the story of a blind football player can teach us all about working together as a cohesive team.

Questions we ask Brad:

• What steps can a business owner take to repair the disconnect between strategy and execution?
• What role does communication play in making sure a team is onboard with the company vision and knowing what's expected of them?
• What steps should a business owner take after creating a strategic plan to make sure it doesn't sit on a shelf?

What you'll learn:

• How to close the gap between strategy and execution
• Why team input is crucial to generating a strategy that can be executed
• What Apple's latest iPhone launch teaches us about brilliant execution
• How executives can improve their communication for better results
• The one thing you can do if you're having trouble blending strategy with execution

Links to things we talked about and get in touch with Brad:

• The story of the blind football player at USC: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/03/sports/ncaafootball/jake-olson-blind-snapper-usc.html?mcubz=0
• Get your Free Gap Analysis
• Connect with Brad on LinkedIn
• Follow Catapult Groups on Twitter
• Connect with Catapult Groups on Facebook

Did you like this conversation?  We'd love for you to leave us a review on iTunes. 

Welcome to first episode of the Catapult Business Growth podcast. We kickoff this podcast series with an interview with the founder & CEO of Catapult Groups, Brad Mishlove.  Our subject is peer advisory boards: what they are and how they can help your business.

If you are unfamiliar with the concept of a peer advisory board, Brad discusses his experience with them, first as a customer and now running Catapult Groups.  

In Brad's words, a peer advisory board is "part business education, part mastermind group." As most CEOs know, it can be very lonely at the top.  Where do you turn when you need to make an important decision?  It's not always appropriate to get input from your employees.  

A peer advisory board gives you an informal board of directors, people who are doing the same job in a different industry.  Their experience and their input can help with decision-making and generating answers to questions that have thus far kept you stuck.

Brad tells a story of a major decision he made in his landscape company that was facilitated by the help of his peer advisory board.  He speaks about the confidence he had to move forward on the decision as a result of the insightful questions asked by his fellow board members.

• What is a peer advisory board?
• What goes on in most peer advisory board meetings?What triggers a CEO to get assistance from a peer advisory board?

• The transformation a business can achieve by meeting with business leaders from different industries on a regular basis
• How taking a step back and slowing down a little bit can actually improve productivity and results for a business owner
• The big decision Brad made in a previous business that was a game changer and came only from the wisdom of his peer advisory board
• What the term "care-frontational" means and how it helps business owners stay accountable

• Get your Free Gap Analysis
• Connect with Brad on LinkedIn
• Follow Catapult Groups on Twitter
• Connect with Catapult Groups on Facebook

Did you like this conversation?  We'd love for you to leave us a review on iTunes.