STRATEGIC DIRECTION
- Refresh 3-year vision & clear measurable north-star goals.
- Validate business model against market shifts every qtr.
- Prioritize top 3 growth bets and kill distractions.
- Share strategy widely so everyone knows the game.
- Track progress with quarterly goals and adjust fast.
- Pressure-test assumptions with mentors, peers & clients.
- Align pricing, product roadmaps & resources with vision.
- Celebrate wins that move the company toward goals.
- Map competitive landscape and moot twice a year.
REVENUE ENGINE
- Map ideal customer profile and refine yearly.
- Build repeatable sales process with clear stage exits.
- Track pipeline health weekly and remove stale deals.
- Invest in high-ROI marketing channels, pause low ones.
- Review pricing and packaging each quarter for margin.
- Upsell & cross-sell existing customers with tailored offers.
- Model revenue forecasts monthly & stress test downside.
- Align sales, marketing and product on growth targets.
- Celebrate frontline wins reinforcing revenue culture.
CASH & CAPITAL
- Maintain 13-week cash forecast and update weekly.
- Keep at least 3 months operating cash runway.
- Review gross margin drivers and cut hidden costs.
- Negotiate favorable payment terms with suppliers early.
- Collect receivables fast, enforce clear credit policies.
- Monitor burn rate versus growth plan each month.
- Secure flexible credit line before needing extra cash.
- Evaluate capital-raise scenarios yearly w/ dilution math.
- Tie investment decisions to expected payback periods.
TEAM & CULTURE
- Hire for attitude, coach for skills.
- Define clear roles, expectations, and career paths.
- Hold weekly one-on-ones focusing on support & feedback.
- Document core values and live them daily.
- Share financials openly to build ownership mindset.
- Celebrate wins and learn quickly from misses.
- Offer continuous learning budget for every employee.
- Address toxic behavior swiftly and transparently.
- Review compensation against market twice a year.
SCALABLE OPERATIONS
- Map key processes and remove manual handoffs.
- Implement step-by-step playbooks for every team.
- Automate recurring tasks to reduce error and cost.
- Set service-level targets on track daily performance.
- Review supply-chain risks and diversify suppliers.
- Choose systems that integrate, avoid data silos.
- Hold improvement workshops each qtr for fresh ideas.
- Monitor unit economics per product and customer.
- Maintain lean inventory using reliable demand forecasts.
CUSTOMERS & RETENTION
- Define clear onboarding journey & time-to-value targets.
- Assign success manager for every key account.
- Track net retention and churn monthly.
- Collect feedback using surveys and direct conversations.
- Share product roadmap updates to deepen loyalty.
- Build self-serve center reducing support tickets.
- Run quarterly business reviews with top customers.
- Act on churn signals before contracts cancel.
- Reward referrals with simple, compelling incentives.
TECHNOLOGY & DATA
- Document tech stack & eliminate redundant tools yearly.
- Ensure systems share data through simple connectors.
- Track key metrics on live dashboards everyone sees.
- Backup data automatically and test restores quarterly.
- Enforce single sign-on and strong password policies.
- Review cybersecurity posture with external audit yearly.
- Invest in automation to scale without extra headcount.
- Sunset legacy tools that slow development or support.
RISK & COMPLIANCE
- Keep current register on financial, legal, ops threats.
- Establish incident-response plan and run drills annually.
- Maintain proper insurance coverage, review limits yearly.
- Stay current on tax laws and filing deadlines.
- Monitor data-privacy rules impacting customer data.
- Enforce segregation of duties to reduce fraud risk.
- Protect intellectual property with trademarks & patents.
- Vet vendors for security and compliance standards.
- Report key risks to board or advisors quarterly.
BRAND & MARKET PRESENCE
- Clearly unique value proposition that resonates with ICP.
- Keep visual identity consistent across every channel.
- Publish thought-leadership content that solves ICP pains.
- Encourage team to amplify brand on social media.
- Track share of voice and sentiment quarterly.
- Gather customer stories and post case studies regularly.
- Speak at industry events to boost credibility.
- Monitor competitor messaging & adjust positioning.
- Respond to public feedback promptly and politely.
LEADERSHIP & SELF-MASTERY
- Block weekly reflection time to review wins and misses.
- Seek mentorship or coaching for tough decisions.
- Read one business book or podcast monthly.
- Be transparent in communication, especially in setbacks.
- Delegate outcomes, not tasks, to develop leaders.
- Solicit upward feedback and act on themes.
- Protect personal health (sleep, exercise, and family time).
- Model company values even under pressure.
BOARD & ADVISORS
- Build diverse board w/ financial, product, industry experts.
- Send concise board packs at least 5 days prior.
- Highlight decisions needed, not just updates, in meetings.
- Track board action items and close the loop.
- Meet advisors between meetings for candid guidance.
- Use independent directors to challenge blind spots.
- Review board composition annually as company evolves.
- Compensate advisors fairly with cash or equity.
EXIT & LONG-TERM OPTIONS
- Clarify personal goals (grow forever, sell, or step back).
- Keep clean financials and contracts for due diligence.
- Track valuation drivers and improve multiples steadily.
- Build middle management to reduce owner dependency.
- Explore strategic partnerships that could be acquirers.
- Understand buyer types: strategic, financial, or employee.
- Document processes to show transferable operations.
- Review estate and tax planning with professionals.