$100 Million CEO Tell All

Summary

• Success often has a high cost, and for me, it's been privacy. Success means sacrificing privacy as a luxury.
• Embedding company culture into everything, especially the hiring process, is crucial for scaling. It's easier to hire for values than to create them.
• In the hiring process, I ensure candidates possess core shared values to maintain a strong culture, making it clear that our intensity might not suit everyone.
• Culture is about unteachables like honesty and kindness. We can train skills but can't create intrinsic values like competitive greatness or sincerity.
• Core values must align with the company's long-term vision. For Acquisition.com, these values evolved from Gym Launch's experiences, highlighting the need for continuous growth and sincerity.
• Competitive greatness is essential. Everyone must strive to improve to maintain company growth.
• Clarity in communication avoids friction and helps maintain momentum, crucial for company success. Sincere candor is about clear, kind communication.
• Distilling core values to three makes them memorable and actionable. Simplifying values avoids overwhelming the team.
• Critical thinking and breaking down big goals into steps help bridge the gap between current capabilities and future aspirations.
• Practice critical thinking by planning out big visions, breaking them into manageable steps, and continually checking projections.
• Regularly clear your calendar to focus on strategic planning, ensuring clear, achievable metrics.
• Building a company requires balancing personal growth with strategic thinking, and being open to learning from every experience.
• Fear is just extra energy. Use it to fuel your projects rather than letting it paralyze you.
• Facing fears and challenges head-on helps develop toughness and resilience essential for leadership.
• Understand the emotional cost of making tough decisions, but focus on what is right for the company and majority.
• Transparency and confidentiality are critical in leadership. Maintain confidentiality even if it means being misunderstood.
• Reframing negative situations into opportunities ensures you see life as 100% opportunity.
• Forgiving yourself quickly for tough decisions is vital for maintaining leadership effectiveness.
• New leaders should build relationships first, observe, and then suggest thoughtful, well-researched changes.
• Always look for quick wins that can add value without major changes initially.
• Continually question and understand why current systems are in place before proposing changes.

Video

How To Take Action

I would suggest implementing a strong company culture by focusing on shared values in your hiring process. Look for honesty, kindness, and competitiveness in candidates; these are values you can't teach, unlike skills. Use interviews to make the importance of these values clear. If someone values a 9-to-5 job over growth and intensity, they might not be the right fit. This approach will help you attract the right people and repel the wrong ones.

A good way of embedding these values is by distilling them into three core ideas. Keep it simple to ensure everyone remembers and lives them. For instance, use values like "Integrity,” "Sincere Candor,” and "Competitive Greatness.” These will support clear and efficient communication, reducing friction and maintaining momentum in your team.

Practice breaking down big goals into smaller steps. Spend time planning your long-term vision, like what kind of people you need and what milestones you should hit each year. Regularly clear your calendar for strategic planning sessions to track progress and adjust as necessary.

Use fear as extra energy to fuel your projects instead of letting it paralyze you. When facing tough decisions, remember to forgive yourself quickly to remain an effective leader. Understand that sometimes tough decisions are necessary for the greater good of your company.

Lastly, reframe negative situations into opportunities. See challenges as a chance to grow tougher and more resilient. If you ever feel misunderstood during hard decisions, maintain confidentiality and focus on what’s best for the majority. By reframing life as 100% opportunity, you’re better positioned to lead and grow your business or personal ventures.

Quotes

"Privacy is a luxury now"

– Leila Hormozi

"What's the price of success"

– Leila Hormozi

"If you guys like it then we’re going to make it to a series"

– Leila Hormozi

"It probably makes more sense to hire people for values"

– Leila Hormozi

"I need people who want to put discretionary effort in"

– Leila Hormozi