Scot Chisholm & Co.

Managers, save this post: After managing 300+ people, here are 20 tips that actually work: Focus or fail. Own your shit. Move fast, decide faster. Listen more than you talk. Fight complexity at all costs. Address conflicts immediately. Never stop growing as a leader. Lead with data but trust your gut. Create rhythms your team can trust. Reward performance, not participation. Give feedback privately, praise publicly. Take feedback like an adult, not a child. Build teams that can manage themselves. Delegate outcomes instead of specific tasks. Three goals max, anything more creates chaos. Protect your top performers like your life depends on it. Provide context so clear that no one needs to read your mind. Set standards high enough to matter but low enough to achieve. Create systems that drive accountability without micromanaging. Weave your mission and vision into every conversation with your team. What did I miss?

Managers, save this post: After managing 300+ people, here are 20 tips that actually work: Focus or fail. Own your shit. Move fast, decide faster. Listen more than you talk. Fight complexity at all costs. Address conflicts immediately. Never stop growing as a leader. Lead with data but trust your gut. Create rhythms your team can trust. Reward performance, not participation. Give feedback privately, praise publicly. Take feedback like an adult, not a child. Build teams that can manage themselves. Delegate outcomes instead of specific tasks. Three goals max, anything more creates chaos. Protect your top performers like your life depends on it. Provide context so clear that no one needs to read your mind. Set standards high enough to matter but low enough to achieve. Create systems that drive accountability without micromanaging. Weave your mission and vision into every conversation with your team. What did I miss?

Most founders wing their financial planning. I know because I did too at first. But after raising $200M+ and having to explain our numbers to some pretty intimidating investors, I learned a vital lesson: A weak financial plan will sink you faster than a bad product. Through decades of painful board meetings and investor updates, I've identified the 7 essential building blocks of any solid financial plan. Miss one of these, and your whole plan falls apart 👇 ___ 📌 PS. You can unsubscribe to dozens of newsletters after subscribing to this one: https://lnkd.in/gRxdayew

Hiten Shah has invested in some of the best companies on the planet… Now over 1,000 companies 🤯 A few months ago, he dropped pure gold in our Highland fireside. Here are his 3 unfiltered tips for founders that everyone should know. If you're a founder and want to be apart of these live fireside conversations with some of the best thought leaders out there, I'd love to have you be apart of my Highland community. We've got some incredible sessions lined up for 2025 that you won't want to miss. Apply here (or dm me with questions): https://lnkd.in/gWqNamTw

Your employees aren't lazy. They're just sick of your bullshit. A shocking 59% of workers are now "quiet quitting" - doing the absolute minimum to keep their jobs. But here's the truth most leaders miss: This isn't about lazy employees. It's about failed leadership. Quiet quitting happens when: 👉 People can't connect to a larger purpose 👉 The future feels like more of the same Here's how to actually fix this: 1. Link daily work to mission. When people understand why their work matters, they lean in.     2. Paint a future worth fighting for. Give people something bigger than themselves to get behind.     3. Welcome diverse voices. Different perspectives = better solutions.     4. Align incentives. People care 10x more about company goals if they're paid for hitting them.     5. Create self-managing teams. High performers thrive when you get out of their way. Bottom line: Your team isn't broken. They just need a reason to care. Fix this, and watch what happens. ___ 📌 PS. Like this post? Try the only leadership newsletter you'll ever need:https://lnkd.in/gRxdayew

Your company doesn't need 100% of your time. It needs 100% of your best self. Most founders think 'balance' means getting everything done. But they couldn't be more wrong. You could work until 2 am every night and still never complete your to-do list. I learned this the hard way at Classy. For years, I got the work-life balance completely wrong. I was that “Always on" founder. Then I realized being busy isn't a badge of honor. It's a sign of poor prioritization. Balance means having the courage to: 👉 Set hard constraints on your schedule 👉 Say no to most things 👉 Create protected time for family 👉 Actually be present (not just physically there) The truth is your company doesn't need 100% of your time. But it needs 100% of your best self. And your best self needs: 👉 Rest 👉 Family time 👉 Personal interests 👉 Mental space Building a company is a marathon, not a sprint. Pace yourself accordingly. ___ 📌 PS. Like this post? Try the only leadership newsletter you'll ever need:https://lnkd.in/gRxdayew

Startups have a MASSIVE advantage over big companies right now. Think about it: - You’re starting with a clean slate - You can embed AI from day one - You move faster than anyone else Meanwhile, big companies are like aircraft carriers trying to turn around. They have: - Legacy systems - Outdated processes - Internal politics - Fear of disruption Every major technological shift creates a new wave of iconic companies. AI will create more wealth and opportunity than any shift before it. More than the internet, PC, or electricity. The playing field hasn't been this level in decades. The opportunity is massive. The barriers are lower than ever. The timing is perfect. If you've been waiting to start something... Now is your moment. I really enjoyed this conversation with my friend Mark Roberge who spoke to our Highland members in a private podcast setting (we call them firesides). If you'd like to be a part of conversations like these and you're a founder, you should join Highland. Apply here, or shoot me a DM and we can chat: https://lnkd.in/gWqNamTw ___ 📌 PS. If you enjoyed this post, try reading the only leadership newsletter you'll ever need:https://lnkd.in/gRxdayew

Jotted down the 7 books every leader should read in 2025: The world’s most successful leaders share one habit: they read. But they don’t just read anything—they dive into books that challenge their thinking and provide timeless insights. Start with these seven. And let me know what you'd add.

"HR handles culture" A founder once told me this when I was evaluating an investment. It was a major red flag. And I didn't invest because of it. Why? Because culture is not any one function's responsibility. It's the responsibility of the leader. Don't pass "culture" off. Study the ingredients of great cultures. Then add them to your team... With your own unique flavor. Become the 'culture chef'. ______ 📌 PS. Join our free newsletter & community of 100,000+ https://lnkd.in/gRxdayew 📌📌 PSS. If you're a founder or CEO, you should check out Highland, my community + accelerator to help scale you & your teams. Apply here: https://lnkd.in/gWqNamTw

Most people think great leadership is about charisma. It's not. After working with hundreds of founders and leading Classy from 0 to $100M+, I've noticed something interesting... The best leaders are actually obsessed with 3 very unsexy things. You won't see these on inspirational posters. You won't hear about them at leadership conferences. But they're the difference between good and great. Here are the 3 obsessions all great leaders share 👇 _____ 📌 PS. Join our free newsletter & community of 100,000+ https://lnkd.in/gfMMvV6c 📌📌 PSS. If you're a founder or CEO, you should check out Highland , my community + accelerator to help scale you & your teams. Apply here: https://lnkd.in/gWqNamTw