One-Page Strategy Map: A Clear Plan Any CEO Can Use to Align the Team

By Eric Partaker

1. Purpose

Why do we exist?

Keep it clear, benefit-driven & under 15 words.

Example: “We help people ship anything, anywhere, in under 24 hours.”

2. Vision

Where we’ll be in 3-5 years.

Prompt your thinking:

  • Where will we stand globally?
  • Who wins the most because we exist?
  • What headline will Forbes write about us?
  • How is the world different because of us?

Checklist for a clear vision:

  1. Date: Pick a specific year.
  2. Customer: Who are we built to serve?
  3. Outcome: One bold, measurable result.
  4. Emotion: One word for how people will feel.

Example: By 2028, our “Send-Anywhere” platform helps 50M people ship across borders in 24 hours. All while cutting carbon per package by 50%. We’re called “the FedEx of the digital age.”

3. Advantage

What sets us apart, and keeps us ahead.

Ask yourself:

  • What do we do 10x better than anyone else?
  • What can’t be copied in a year (data, tech, brand)?
  • What proof backs each claim?
  • What do we need to protect or grow today?

Common competitive edges (aka moats):

  • Price leader
  • Unique speed
  • Beloved brand
  • Proprietary tech
  • Exclusive network

Example: Network: 200,000 couriers in 130 countries. AI Routing: 30% faster delivery. Next Move: Quarterly upgrades to route accuracy.

4. Execution

How we turn strategy into motion.

90-day game plan:

  1. 3 Key Moves — Start with a verb
  2. Owner + Date — One name, one deadline
  3. Weekly Check-In — Green / Yellow / Red
  4. CEO Blitz — Remove one blocker weekly

Fast filters:

  • What starts this week?
  • What can we cut?
  • Who needs a yes/ no today?

Example Plan:

Action

Owner

Due

Status

Action

Owner

Due

Status

Open EU Hub

Lina

Jul 31

Series B Pitch Deck

Omar

Aug 15

Beta to 1,000 Users

Yuki

Sep 10

5. Metrics

How we measure what matters.

Pick 4 scorecard categories:

  1. Money — Runway, gross margin
  2. Growth — Weekly users, revenue
  3. Customer — On-time %, churn
  4. Love — NPS, referral rate

Traffic Light System:

  • Green: Stay the course
  • Yellow: Flag at stand-up
  • Red: Fix in 48 hours (CEO owns it)

Example Metrics:

Metric

Target

Review

Cash Runway

12 mo

Monthly

New Users / Week

25,000

Weekly

On-Time Delivery

≥ 95%

Weekly

NPS

≥ 70

Quarterly

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