40 Strategy Blog

In This Episode: As a highly successful CEO or entrepreneur, your journey has been marked by hard work, exceptional skills, and the creation of your business from the ground up. However, as your business evolves or undergoes changes in ownership, relinquishing control can be a daunting challenge. In this episode, we explore how loosening your grip on your business may be precisely what it needs. Our featured guest, Brad Koehn, boasts three decades of experience in IT Consulting, with a background in software engineering, leadership, and executive coaching. Today, he operates a solo practice catering to the unique needs of small business owners, specializing in helping them navigate the complexities of growth, acquisition, and divestiture. Brad's guidance empowers his clients to make their businesses more profitable, easier to manage, and more valuable when they consider selling. Tune in to the full episode to gain insights into how Brad coaches business leaders to overcome fear

In This Episode:    While strategic planning certainly plays a huge role in the business world, a version of strategic planning also drives our local, state, and federal government. We usually just don’t notice it, because we can’t see behind the scenes. But there are still important lessons that entrepreneurs can learn from those who have worked in the public sector. Our guest this week is someone who has plenty to teach.   Andy Takata has worked as a city manager and has over 21 years of experience with three full-service cities and two contract cities. He’s worked in economic development, planning, recreation, development, and municipal-operated water, wastewater, and electrical utilities.    Tune into the full conversation for more on some of the differences in effective strategic planning for the private sector vs the public sector, how to avoid getting distracted by “shiny objects” when you already have a set plan (plus the potential benefits of noticing those shiny objects

In This Episode:    Authors — and business owners — write books for all kinds of reasons. They want to build an audience, earn money, share their expertise, attract leads, or maybe even try to become famous. But one of the most important things that happen during the book-writing process is the *internal* transformation. And that’s what our guest this week is an expert at leading people through.   Dr. Kent Gustavson is a prize-winning writer, entrepreneur, and musician, who has published hundreds of books and worked with thousands of authors on achieving their goals.   Tune into the full conversation for more about the ghostwriting process, what makes a good ghostwriter (and why they should be similar to therapists), the benefit of writing with a small audience in mind, the big mistake that many first-time authors make, and a lot more.   Here’s a Glimpse of What You’ll Learn:    More about Kent’s ghostwriting business, and how he and his team do it differently than the typi

In This Episode:    When we think of pushing ourselves — in business, sports, or just life — many of us aim to be the very best at what we do. But sometimes pushing yourself can actually mean *leaving* that top spot — and setting off on a completely new journey. And that’s exactly what our guest this week did in her accomplished athletic career.    Wendy Fisher was a member of the U.S. National Ski Team and earned a spot on the 1992 Winter Olympic team in Albertville, France. She transitioned into big mountain skiing, becoming a two-time World Extreme Skiing Champion and one of the top skiers in the world.    Listen to the full episode for more about Wendy’s journey (from the U.S. National Ski Team, to quitting skiing, to a completely new branch of the sport), how she got through tragedy in her life, the habits she’s kept in her life, what she’s working on now, and a lot more.   Here’s a Glimpse of What You’ll Learn:    More about Wendy’s journey from childhood skiing to th

In the span of just a couple of years, Marques Ogden went from being an NFL offensive lineman — to part-time custodian, getting other people’s trash spilled on his clothes as he worked for $8.25 an hour. And while most people can’t relate to playing football at the highest level like our guest this week did, everyone can learn from his valiant comeback — from bankrupt and working part-time, to an inspirational public speaker.    After spending five years in the NFL as an offensive lineman, Marques retired from the league. At 27, he founded a construction company called Kayden Premier Enterprises, which eventually went bankrupt in 2010. During his darkest hours, Marques pulled himself together, got a part-time job as a custodian, and with hard work and determination became an inspirational keynote speaker, executive coach, best-selling author, and marketing leader.    Tune into the full conversation for more on Marques’ NFL career, what he calls his “spoiled milk” moment that helped

In This Episode:    In the span of just a couple of years, Marques Ogden went from being an NFL offensive lineman — to part-time custodian, getting other people’s trash spilled on his clothes as he worked for $8.25 an hour. And while most people can’t relate to playing football at the highest level like our guest this week did, everyone can learn from his valiant comeback — from bankrupt and working part-time, to an inspirational public speaker.    After spending five years in the NFL as an offensive lineman, Marques retired from the league. At 27, he founded a construction company called Kayden Premier Enterprises, which eventually went bankrupt in 2010. During his darkest hours, Marques pulled himself together, got a part-time job as a custodian, and with hard work and determination became an inspirational keynote speaker, executive coach, best-selling author, and marketing leader.    Tune into the full conversation for more on Marques’ NFL career, what he calls his “spoiled mi