Be Different or be dead

April 7, 2025

How to Create a Heart-Led Business

How to Create a Heart-Led Business

(Heads up: This post is based on The Heart-Led Business Show podcast overview “Heart-Led Business Success: A Conversation with Roy Osing”.
I’m grateful to have been a guest on their show.)

In the latest episode of the Heart-Led Business Show, Tom Jackobs invites Roy Osing, a visionary leader known for transforming a startup into a billion-dollar enterprise.

The conversation delves into what it means to lead a business with heart, focusing on customer caring as a strategy for success.

Roy emphasizes the dual dimensions of a Heart-Led business: strategic and executional.

At its core, a Heart-Led approach prioritizes customer well-being as a strategic pathway to growth and profitability.
He warns against superficial aspirations that lack actionable follow-through, advocating for concrete steps that embed customer care into all business operations.

Roy shares unique insights from his career, demonstrating how focusing on customer experiences can create a competitive advantage.

He challenges traditional business norms by highlighting the importance of servant leadership and hiring for empathy—coining the term “hiring for goosebumps” to emphasize recruiting those who truly care about customer experiences.

Tom and Roy also discuss the common misconception that profit and heart-led leadership are mutually exclusive.

Roy insists that focusing on customer care naturally leads to business growth, stating that top-line revenue is a true indicator of customer satisfaction.

The conversation pivots to execution—Roy argues that many businesses fail because they spend too much time planning and not enough executing.

He champions a strategic micromanagement approach, where leaders actively engage in the nitty-gritty of business operations to drive strategy and ignite team commitment.

Roy’s approach flips the script on traditional business education, advocating for passion and emotional intelligence over pure logic to navigate rapid market changes.

He encourages business leaders to embrace simplicity in planning and prioritize execution, using customer cravings—not just needs—to drive innovation.

Tom underscores the episode’s takeaway: adopting a customer caring strategy is transformative.
By understanding and responding to customer cravings, businesses can differentiate themselves in crowded markets.

Whether you’re entrenched in the heart-led movement or seeking to integrate more compassion into your business strategy, Roy’s insights offer valuable guidance.

This episode of the Heart-Led Business Show is a must-listen for anyone aiming to intertwine purpose with profitability.

Cheers,
Roy
My podcast Audacious Moves to A BILLION shares the specific Moves I made to achieve jaw-dropping growth in an insanely competitive internet business.

• Posted 4.7.25 at 06:00 am by Roy Osing
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March 31, 2025

Surprising Reasons The Past Could Suddenly Destroy Us

Surprising Reasons The Past Could Suddenly Destroy Us

The allure of the past often lies in its familiarity and apparent safety.
However, relying too heavily on past successes can be perilous in a world characterized by rapid change and unpredictability.

As comforting as it may be to lean on time-tested methods, doing so assumes a static future—a notion that is absolutely untenable.

The past is a double-edged sword: it offers lessons and warnings, but it can also impose limitations if we allow it to dictate future actions uncritically.

Consider momentum, a powerful force that can drive innovation or, when unchecked, cement us in outdated paradigms.

Clinging to past practices may appear logical, but it overlooks the unique challenges each new day presents.

In business particularly, extrapolation from past to future is fraught with risk. The assumption that tomorrow mirrors yesterday can lead to misguided decisions, particularly when faced with today’s complexities such as technological advances, global interconnectedness, and shifting societal values.

Trend line thinking—the projection of past patterns into the future—can be dangerous, even disastrous.
It cultivates a false sense of security and stifles creativity and adaptation.

Take benchmarking, for example.
Studying ‘Best in Class’ practices offers insights, but replication without innovation is short-sighted.

What propelled success today rarely yields the same results in the future’s diverse landscape.

Instead of copying, we should be striving to create new paths, understanding that innovation often stems from trial, error, and the willingness to diverge from tradition.

One powerful approach is to ‘milk the past to feed the future.’

This means using past insights not as definitive guides, but as ingredients in creating something unique.

Endeavors to break trend lines and traditions can yield groundbreaking innovations.

Embracing discontinuity and accepting the inevitability of failure are central to developing distinctive solutions that set us apart.

Audacious Leadership requires foresight, boldness, and the courage to navigate uncharted waters.
It’s about creating opportunities in uncertainty, not just surviving but thriving amidst unpredictability.

We must cease seeing the past as a template and instead view it as a springboard for innovation.

This mindset encourages not just survival, but a dynamic evolution, positioning us to meet the demands of an uncertain future with agility and creativity.

By recognizing the constraints of extrapolating past successes and embracing innovation, we free ourselves to explore unconventional avenues.

It is this spirit of exploration and willingness to defy past norms that will equip us to handle future complexities with resilience and ingenuity.

The past may shape us, but it is our responses to its lessons that ultimately determine our ability to conquer the struggles of tomorrow.

Cheers,
Roy
My Podcast Show Audacious Moves to A BILLION shares the specific Moves I made to achieve jaw-dropping growth in an insanely competitive internet business.

”The Audacious Unheard of Ways I Took a Startup to A BILLION IN SALES” is the latest in my BE DiFFERENT or be dead Book Series.

• Posted 3.31.25 at 06:00 am by Roy Osing
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March 27, 2025

2 Simple Lessons From The Hudson’s Bay’s Staggering Death

2 Simple Lessons From The Hudson’s Bay Staggering Death

The closure of Hudson’s Bay, Canada’s oldest company established in 1670, marks the end of an era.

Once a dominant fur trading powerhouse under a royal charter from King Charles II, Hudson’s Bay shaped vast parts of what would becomep Canada, interacting with First Nations and operating numerous trading posts.

However, recent news has revealed that after 350 years, they are closing their doors.

Key factors contributing to this painful end include declining consumer spending exacerbated by inflation and economic uncertainties, as well as fierce competition from online giants like Amazon and trendy fast-fashion brands.

These forces have lured revenue away from traditional brick-and-mortar stores.

Digging deeper, it’s evident, however, that the real issue lies not merely in these external pressures, but in Hudson’s Bay’s diminishing relevance and lack of differentiation in today’s market.

The brand has struggled to offer value that resonates with modern consumers, resulting in declining revenues.

At the same time, it has failed to carve out a unique position that sets it apart from competitors, amplifying the competitive pressure it faces.

The critical takeaway from Hudson’s Bay’s downfall is that offering UNIQUE VALUE that caters to the specific CRAVINGS of the chosen customer segment is essential for survival.

Businesses that linger in a sea of sameness, unable to distinguish themselves, risk becoming obsolete.

It’s not just about avoiding bankruptcy; it’s about sustaining a vibrant and relevant connection with your audience in a rapidly evolving marketplace.

The lesson is clear: embrace innovation, understand your customers’ evolving wants and desires, and stand out by delivering unmatched one-of-a-kind value.

Not doing so risks a slow descent into irrelevance, as Hudson’s Bay poignantly illustrates.

In today’s world, if you’re not different, you’re dead—or soon will be.

Remember, differentiation isn’t just a strategy; it’s a necessity for survival.

Cheers,
Roy
My Podcast Show Audacious Moves to A BILLION shares the specific Moves I made to achieve jaw-dropping growth in an insanely competitive internet business.

”The Audacious Unheard of Ways I Took a Startup to A BILLION IN SALES” is the latest in my BE DiFFERENT or be dead Book Series.

• Posted 3.27.25 at 06:00 am by Roy Osing
• Permalink

March 24, 2025

4 Unusually Simple Keys to Unbelievable Business Success

4 Unusually Simple Keys to Unbelievable Business Success

I was fortunate to have led a startup internet company to a billion dollars in annual revenue. 
What I learned about how to grow a company isn’t about complex strategies, but about focusing on a few surprisingly simple, yet powerful principles. 

These principles aren’t industry-specific; anyone, in any business, can use them to achieve unbelievable results.

1. Be Different: Own Your “ONLY” Statement

Forget the textbook definition of a Unique Selling Proposition (USP).  The key to exceeding performance isn’t about being “better” or “best,” it’s about being the only one offering your specific solution in a unique way.

Prospective customers need a crystal-clear reason to choose you over the competition; being “The ONLY One” provides that clarity.

Traditional advice often centers on solving a customer problem.
While vital, this isn’t enough. You must have a relevant and compelling solution that only you provide.

A USP focused solely on internal perception is hollow. To a prospective customer, it can appear self-serving and narcissistic.
Your focus must shift to the customer.

Instead of a generic USP, craft a powerful “ONLY Statement” that highlights your distinct advantage.

For example, instead of saying “We provide excellent customer service,” try: “We are the ONLY company in this industry that guarantees a response to every customer inquiry within one hour.”

This statement creates a clear competitive advantage, making you stand out.

2. Be Obsessed: Master Perfect Execution

Allocate only 20% of your time to developing your strategic game plan.  It doesn’t need to be perfect; it needs to be good enough to start.
The remaining 80% should be dedicated to flawless execution.

In the unpredictable world of business, perfection is an illusion. Your mantra should be: “Execute an imperfect plan perfectly.”

Perfect execution demands relentless focus on internal efficiency.
This involves “cleansing the inside” of your organization. Identify and eliminate the internal friction that slows down value delivery to customers.

Get rid of those nonsensical rules and policies that frustrate both employees and clients.
Streamline processes, improve communication, and empower your team to operate efficiently.
This internal focus will drastically improve your external performance.

3. Be Serving: Embrace Leadership by Serving Around

Epic performance requires a leader who actively serves their team.  Constantly ask your employees, “How can I help?”

This isn’t about being friendly; it’s about identifying and removing obstacles hindering the efficient execution of your strategy.

Focus on eliminating friction points within the workplace that impede the value delivery system to customers.

“Leadership by Serving Around”, a concept I pioneered, is vital for driving organizational performance to unprecedented levels.
It’s about empowering your team, understanding their challenges, and removing roadblocks to success.

By focusing on the needs of your team, you indirectly, yet powerfully, serve your customers. 
A happy, efficient team translates to happy, well-served customers.

4. Be Do-It-Yourself: Lead by Example

Certain actions must be taken personally; they cannot be delegated. 

These include “selling” the organization’s strategy to employees – ensuring everyone understands and is invested in its success.

It also includes “painting a picture” of the desired customer experience, outlining how employees should interact with customers to create a memorable, “breathless” experience.

Finally, clearly define each employee’s role in the overall strategic execution.

These elements are crucial for alignment and success, and they require your personal touch.

Superlative performance happens when leaders take personal accountability for actions that are critical to strategy execution.

Your actions set the tone and inspire your team.

By focusing on these four seemingly simple principles – being different, obsessed, serving, and hands-on – you can unlock unbelievable business success.

It’s not about complexity; it’s about laser-focused execution and a commitment to excellence in every aspect of your business. 

Apply these, and watch your business flourish.

Cheers,
Roy
My Podcast Show Audacious Moves to A BILLION shares the specific Moves I made to achieve jaw-dropping growth in an insanely competitive internet business.

”The Audacious Unheard of Ways I Took a Startup to A BILLION IN SALES” is the latest in my BE DiFFERENT or be dead Book Series.

• Posted 3.24.25 at 06:00 am by Roy Osing
• Permalink