While I can’t pinpoint just one business hero, I’ve been fortunate to have a close group of accomplished individuals who have influenced and supported me throughout my career. Among them are Frank Weishaupt, Frank Vitagliano, Donna Grothjan, Blaine Raddon, and Ken Marks. These individuals embody the trait I admire most: integrity.

Their guidance, mentorship, and example have helped me develop, realize and hone my skillset. I value their insights and the opportunity to share ideas and concepts with them. While there are a host of others I could name, these individuals have played a significant role in my professional growth, and I’m grateful for their continued support and interaction.

One of the biggest mistakes I’ve made in my career was moving too fast. At times, I would take the faster path with less feedback to get the job done, and try to move as efficiently as possible. While I’ve always had a passion for problem-solving and driving sales, I realised very quickly that rushing through projects without considering feedback from stakeholders can lead to suboptimal outcomes.

What I learned from this mistake is the importance of creating an environment where every stakeholder has a voice in the process. By doing so, you can leverage the unique perspectives of individuals to create stronger and more sustainable outcomes for all involved. This approach not only leads to better results but also fosters a safe space for creativity, where diverse ideas can flourish.

Today, I ensure to actively seek input from all stakeholders, encouraging collaboration and ensuring that everyone’s insights are included and considered. This approach has not only improved the quality of work but has also strengthened relationships and led to more successful outcomes overall.

The book offers practical strategies for creating structure in daily routines and making incremental improvements. It emphasises the importance of consistency, perseverance, and the belief that through continuous growth and improvement, one can achieve extraordinary things.

Despite economic uncertainty continuing to bring about tight budgets this year, employees still have high expectations and want robust and up-to-date tech stacks. As a result of these budget constraints, channel and sales departments must work closely with other areas of the business to adopt a strategic and efficient approach to resource allocation and align goals.

For example, we’re seeing the increasing influence CFOs and CIOs have on tech purchasing decisions and how that ties into their desire for robust tech tools. Employees and tech leads want ‘plug and play’ tools that are intuitive, easy to use, and can be set up in only a few minutes. Additionally, tech leaders often need to align their choice of tools with business growth, meaning they want technology that can provide flexibility to scale depending on company needs.