1. What have you found most challenging as a leader of a small or medium enterprise?

Having enough resources to respond to growing market demand.

2. How did you become a leader of an SME? Can you please briefly tell the story?

I started my first company at age 25. After selling that company I spent a few decades in larger corporations, eventually gravitating to the strategic, special forces-like teams that broke into new markets. Still, larger companies could not move quickly enough to capture new market share or change an industry. This led me back to SME and I've spent the last two decades leading and advising leaders in SME.

3. How do you structure your work days from waking up to going to sleep?

0430 wake up

0445 exercise

0600 arrive at the office

0600 - 0900 Strategic Work

0900 - 1700 meetings, zoom calls, tactical activities in support of my direct reports

1700 - 1900 recap daily progress and plan the next day's 0600 - 0900 strategic work

1930 home for dinner and family time (We have adult children)

2100 lights out

4. What's the most recent significant leadership lesson you've learned?

Schedule 15-20 minutes between 0900 and 1700 for a mental break. Meditate. Brisk walk. Stare out the window. I need to schedule margin for non-critical thoughts.

5. What's one book that has had a profound impact on your leadership so far? Can you please briefly tell the story of how that book impacted your leadership?

Team of Teams: New Rules of Engagement for a Complex

World.

Understanding that conventional organizational structures cannot adapt to an increasingly complex market. Building teams that trust each member, with a clearly defined objective, and the operational authority to adapt and improvise as needed is super useful. By building multiple teams like that, you end up having a "Team of Teams."

6. How do you build leadership capacity in an SME?

I offer everyone opportunities to lead, from leading a meeting to a project to a team. Leadership tends to surface well before being given any title or authority.

7. What is one meaningful story that comes to mind from your time as a leader of an SME so far?

I saw clear leadership potential in an individual that was less confident in their abilities than I was. With a not so gentle nudge, I place the individual in a position to lead a team. The team thrived. I moved to a different company, and that individual has been promoted 3 more times and is a key member of senior leadership