I just realized that CEOs are nuts.  OK, I’ve known that for a long time, but I mean we’re nuts in the way we quickly send out emails to our whole company saying “Hey, everyone, read this book…  When what we really mean is, I was browsing through this book on the plane, and my ADD kicked in, and I realized that there might be some good stuff in here for some of you to read.  However, instead of me taking the time to think about which chapters or pages to read, I simply told you all to read the whole darn thing.

What a freaking waste of time, it’s like spamming all your employees.

I do NOT want your employees to read my book.  In fact, I don’t want you to read it either.

Instead, I think EVERY CEO who cares about growing his company should read only Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, 12 & 17 of Double Double.  And you should also get ALL your employees that you don’t plan on firing anytime soon to read and focus on Chapters 2, 6, 9, 10, 13 & 15.

ONLY read the other chapters of Double Double if they are related to core projects that you or your team are working on this quarter.  Otherwise – stay focused.

You can get a free copy of chapter 1 of Double Double here.  The book is also available on Amazon, iTunes, Audible, Get Abstract etc., and is available in hard copy, audio and Kindle formats.

Since publishing Double Double in April 2011, I’ve been getting quite a few questions from CEOs or business people who also want to write their own book.  So, instead of answering them all one at a time going forward, I figured I’d blog about it.

Here is how I wrote mine – it may not be the ‘perfect’ process, but it worked for me, and it got my book into tons of Hudson’s Bookstores in Airports in the USA & Canada.  So here goes.  Hope it helps…

• I first decided on a theme for the book.  I wanted it to be a practical, how to guide, for all businesses to teach their employees how to double revenue & profit in three years or less.  I wanted it to be easy to implement systems, that didn’t require a bunch of MBAs to figure out how to use them.  And I wanted it filled with real world experience, NOT theory.
• I created a rough Table Of Contents, for all the areas I wanted my book to cover.
• I then created a mini table of contents for each chapter.  I carefully thought about all the key points I wanted each chapter to cover.
• Then, over the course of a few months, I walked around my house and office, wearing a wireless headset and I digitally recorded myself thinking out loud about all the ideas for each chapter.
• I sent those audio files, and the DVDs that I sell for companies to learn from, to a transcriber in Sweden who I found on eLance.com I had her send me all the notes typed up.
• I took all of her notes, and deleted, copied and pasted, and began making each of the chapters into a rough version of the final product today.  This took me about a year.  I should have in retrospect gone offsite to some retreat and bashed through them all in a couple weeks without distractions.
• Once I had the finalized 16 chapters, I sent them out to CEOs who volunteered to proof read & comment on them.  I sent 3 chapters to roughly 5-7 different entrepreneurs.  In all, I had about 50 CEOs proof reading all the chapters for me, and they gave me some really valuable insights.  I thanked them all at the front of the book.
• Then, the 1st round of editing began to include some of their comments.  Some ideas I tossed out.  Some I used.  Once I edited all the chapters, I sent them to a writer, who polished them all up for me and made them sound better than I could.
• Then it was how to get published.  I could self publish, or use a traditional publisher, but luckily I stumbled on a hybrid of those two models in Greenleaf Books from Austin Texas.  I was actually teaching their CEO at MIT’s Entrepreneurial Masters Program the very week I’d finished editing.
• The rest is history…  multiple rounds of editing and design help from Greenleaf, and my book Double Double is now helping thousands of companies grow.

If y0u’ve read Double Double already – I’d love your comments here on Amazon… and I’d love it if you’d email me your comments on the book, and a photo of you with it.

If you haven’t read it… You can get it here in Audio, eBook or hardcover.

Many organizations have been set up globally to support and foster entrepreneurial growth. Organizations such as Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO), Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO) and Vistage all have ‘forum’ programs.

Members join forums of eight to twelve other non-competing entrepreneurs who then meet monthly in a confidential setting to assist each other in growing their companies.  They provide invaluable ‘board-like’ learning, mentoring and accountability.

I can say that the years in an EO forum in Vancouver provided a quantum leap in my business learning and I wouldn’t be close to where I am today without that investment.

If you’re serious about building a fast growing, lasting company, spend time looking into different organizations in your area.  I’ll bet if you asked a successful entrepreneur what they’ve learned from these organizations, their comments would be outstanding.

When I meet people at meetings and conferences I take note of who is sharp and possibly how they could be of help to me in the future. I also make a note regarding their specific strengths on the back of their business card.

I’ll make sure to enter their contact information into my computer and write the word ‘mentor’ and also jot down a few key areas where they are strong, like, ‘mentor marketing,’ ‘YPO,’  ‘employee engagement,’ etc..  The idea behind building this database is to not only accumulate names, but to build relationships with them over time so I can turn to them for mentoring when I need it.  I have a friend who calls his list of contacts his ‘MBA’: Mentor Board of Advisors.

I’ve never been smart enough to know how to figure stuff out. I have, however, been wise enough to connect with the really smart people and do what they tell me. In addition to the lists I’ve built in my contacts on my laptop, I’ve also built lists of connections on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter, and reach out to those people often. You don’t need a formal board of advisors for yourself, just a long list of people you’ve met over the years who you can start calling on.  Start your list now.

“I don’t have all the answers – just all the questions.” – quote from a Fortune 500 CEO, but I forget who!

OK, based on requests from a ton of people who like to listen to books while driving or on planes, here it is…

The Audio version of Double Double is now available here…

Most of you know that I do speaking events as a core part of my business.  In fact, I’ve done them in 18 countries over the past year at major conferences, for major companies, and for YPO & EO Forums and Chapters.

What you may not know is that many groups also hire me to speak via a webinar or Skype. Months like August & December work great for webinars, as employees don’t want to travel to hear speakers.

I have some spots on my calendar that would work well, if you want me to speak but maybe aren’t ready to pay my rate for a keynote, or if it’s last minute and you need something extra for your event.

It’s certainly always better to have me out live – but certainly very worthwhile to book me this way for your group as well.  In fact, I’m doing three webinars next week for a company in Europe.

Drop me a note here – if you’d like to discuss.

The highest performing leaders and companies reach out to many outside experts for advice in addition to having a Board of Advisers.

As humans, we’re hard-wired to help each other. When people reach out to us for advice it makes us feel good.

I’m not old or bored enough to be on traditional boards yet, but advisory boards are a great way I help entrepreneurs make their dreams happen.

I’ve been coaching entrepreneurs for over twenty years now and have helped many establish and execute their strategic plans. I’ve also worked with them to teach them easy to implement, scalable systems in order to grow their companies.

Most high-ranking CEOs have coaches or mentors, even if they never talk about them. Successful people learn from other successful people.  Iron sharpens irons.

Get a coach (or some coaches). You’ll wonder how you survived without one.

Grieg Clark, Founder of College Pro Painters

25 years ago in Dec 1985 I was admitted to what I now know was my real world MBA.  And the guy in the picture Grieg Clark started it all in 1971.

Almost 40 years later, College Pro Painters is still, in my opinion, the single biggest reason I am where I am today in business.

That December I was awarded the Sudbury franchise of College Pro Painters.  And I was scared to death.  I remember my father telling me, go ahead, sign the 62 page franchise agreement.  Worst case scenario is you’ll go bankrupt, but what do you have to lose at 21.  You’ll learn a ton.  And wow, he underestimated what I learned.  And what I made.

I ran my franchise for 3 summers.  Over the three summers with College Pro Painters, I earned approximately $60,000 in profit.  I paid 100% of my own way through University.  And at 23 years old I invested the remaining money I had in my first house.  Yes, I was debt free, owned a house, and had paid my entire way through school.

In addition to making great money, and being able to take university girls to the top restaurants in Ottawa on dates, I learned a ton.  I had 12 full time employees at 21 years old.  I ran sales, marketing, advertising, operations, production, hiring, etc.  I learned how to interview, lead people, and even deal with lawyers.  I ran my own accounting system.  I literally learned how to run a business, and not from Professors who I quickly learned were all theory, I learned from brilliant leaders like Steve Rogers, James Jones, Mary Mowbray, Kevin Carter, Ron Martin, Paul Hayman, Don Darby and the list goes on.  It’s funny really.  I can’t tell you the name of a single professor I had, nor what I learned in University.

I’m so lucky I had what it took to get awarded a franchise, and to succeed at running it: early signs of Leadership, Attainment, Tenacity, Introspection, Precision etc.  However, what I really had were the systems of an awesome company, and the passion and skills of those people who taught me.  Everything I learned 25 years ago, I still use in building companies and coaching CEOs today.

Funny, my brother and sister both ran franchises with College Pro too.  And we all own and run our own companies today.  Sure glad I didn’t go get that high paying $15/Hr job at GM.

We’ve all heard some motivational speaker use this one: “God gave you two ears and one mouth; use them in that ratio.”

Too many leaders race to get their two cents in, trying desperately to be heard, without hearing what others are saying first.

I used to think this saying was only applicable to CEOs but it should be applied to everyone at your company.

Are you arguing a point because you want to be right or is it because you’re passionately trying to explain yourself?

Here’s a hint: if you’re communicating with others only to tell them how you want things done, then you’re not communicating effectively.

“Seek first to understand, then to be understood,” wrote Steven Covey, the author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People Often the key to great communication is simply listening— really listening to what the other person has to say and waiting to respond once you’ve digested what they’ve said.  Then, if necessary, after you’ve asked a couple of clarifying questions–and only then–is it worth discussing your points.

Here is the TEDx talk I gave a few weeks ago.

I have a tendency to be hyper critical of myself and this one especially so.  I was really nervous. Felt a ton of pressure to deliver a new idea to the masses.  I went too fast. I rambled at times. I was distracted with my A.D.D. even though I’d spent about 80 hours on this talk. And I think I could have used a few different words besides ‘sucked’ so often.

Anyway, I’m passionate about this. Hope you can get that sense.

Kids really can create companies to solve every problem the world has, and to capitalize on all the ideas they have already.

Let’s help them.

Let’s teach kids the skills they need to be Entrepreneurs. Let’s teach them that being an Entrepreneur is an awesome career.