As we approach the end of 2024, it’s the perfect time to reflect on your recent acquisition and set the stage for a successful 2025.

Your priorities in the first 90 days are to learn the business, build trust with the employees, and reduce customer/employee churn. If you are past these initial hurdles, perhaps now is the time to capitalize on the opportunities ahead. A well-crafted strategy is the cornerstone of achieving your goals. But let’s face it, lengthy 30 page strategic plans often end up gathering dust on shelves. 

A Simpler Approach to Strategic Success

That’s why I advocate for a concise, actionable strategy. A one-page plan, supported by clear OKRs and accountability checkpoints, can empower your team to focus on what truly matters to start scaling your newly acquired business.

Here’s a simple framework to guide your strategic thinking:

1. Define your vision: Claim what makes you unique in your market and set a destination that will inspire people.
2. Focus your strategy: State the vision in a way everyone in the business “gets it” and gives you a clear path toward success.
3. Clarify your values, habits, and culture: Name your values, identify the habits that will make them a reality, and the culture you will create as a result.
4. Create a filter for decision-making: Decide who you will be in the pursuit of this plan.
5. Execute with confidence: Make bets on the future. Determine what you want to be true in the next few years and build goals that help you get there.

It is essential to recall that “strategy is a learned skill and a habit that a team forms overtime”. In many instances, your leadership team has never had a CEO who brought them together to work ON the business. This is an opportunity to help them build this key skillset under your leadership.