Riding the Lion - starting, growing and surviving in leading a small business. Presentation given by Red Sky CEO Jess Flynn to the Boise Metro Chamber of Commerce for their Business Owners Success Series in September 2014

2. RIDING
THE LION
STARTING, GROWING, SURVIVING
(AND NOT GETTING EATEN)

3. GROW UP START UP GROW FORWARD

4. FUELED BY
COMPETITION

5. …STILL COMPETING

7. GEN X ATTITUDE
• Skeptical
• Self-reliant
• Cynical
• Change as a constant
• Had to fight for…
Our voice
Our impact
Our seat at the table

8. VORACIOUS CURIOSITY

9. ENTREPRENEURIAL GENES

12. PUSH #1

13. 20 YEARS AGO

14. CAREER MOVE #1

15. CAREER MOVE #2

17. CAREER MOVE #3
HACK è FLACK

18. 10 YEARS AGO

19. FRONT SEAT TO A
STARTUP
Inspiration to Operation
Micromanage damage
Danger of hierarchy
Power of communication

20. PUSH #2
NO JOB = CREATE ONE

22. GROW IN TOUGH TIMES
• Didn’t know what
we didn’t know
• Willing to do it differently
• Democratization of
communication
• Delivered nationally
• Handled strategy to tactics
• Extended teams

23. STATE OF TRIAGE

24. 24

25. OUR VALUE
Counsel . Connections . Content

26. OUR VALUE
EVANGELISTS
STRANGERS STAKEHOLDERS FANS
Paid Owned Earned Organic
Where We Live

27. PUSH #3: 1 YEAR AGO

31. FIND YOUR TRIBE
Sherpas
Support System
Strengths Partners
Perspective Givers
Devil’s Advocates

32. FIND YOUR PERSON
Support System
Devil’s Advocate
Bringer of Balance
Perspective Giver

33. 7 LESSONS
LEARNED

35. DO YOU HAVE THE
SAME DEFINITION?

37. (THIS IS CRAP)

39. OPTIMISTS
+ PESSIMISTS

42. (CHEER) LEAD

43. KNOW YOUR WHY

45. OUR CORE
Vocal & visible values
A Strengths culture
Invest in employees
• Grow leaders
• Cross train
• Prof Dev Budgets

46. LEAVE THE ECHO
CHAMBER

47. OUR CORE
Ownership Thinking
§ Open Book
§ Crowdsource Biz Plans
§ Start. Stop. Continue.
§ Flat Org Structure
§ and…

48. EVERYONE
IS RED SKY