Rebel Intrapreneur (Bill Cushard)

A Rebel Intrapreneur is a radically different kind of employee. One who furthers the mission of the organization he/she services while simultaneously challenging the status quo from the inside. My true goal with this podcast is to create a new category of employee. 

In this episode, we define the term rebel intrapreneur and walk through how we came to this definition.

Get the show on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and Amazon.

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In this episode, I recap two learning I had from Melissa Perri's appearance on the Dragonboat CPO Series webinar that are directly related to the essence of what a great rebel intrapreneur is. Without knowing it, Melissa Perri answered questions in the webinar giving career advice that is perfect for how we define this new category of employee, the rebel intrapreneur.

The first question from the audience was:

How do I acquire the skills necessary to become a chief product officer before I get the job?

To appreciate Melissa's answer, let's just recap the definition of a rebel intrapreneur:

"...an employee who takes initiative to further the purpose of the organization by simultaneously challenging and working within the system."

Melissa's answer was practical. Start doing the work of that job without having the job. Take initiative and just starting doing it. Don't ask for permission. She told a story of someone who attended her CPO Accelerator program who wanted to prepare her self to become a CPO. This person simply started creating strategy plans on her own and shared them with the team. She just started. It didn't matter whether the strategies would be approved and implemented. What mattered was the act of creating the strategy, sharing it with the team, hearing feedback, thinking through the strategy again, making updates.

This person starting building the skill of product strategy design by designing product strategies. She just acted.

Melissa Perri offered this valuable advice, "When you are the CPO, the calvary is not coming. It's up to you to make the product strategy happen. No one is coming to save you. You have to save you. You have to create the strategy and make it happen."

The second question that Melissa answered in the CPO Series webinar was:

How to work with a founder as a CPO?

Melissa's advice was kind of a warning...remember that the founder has been thinking about this problem 24 hours a day for a long time. The company is the founder's baby. It's not going to land well if you come in to a company, reporting to the founder and say, 'Hire smart people and let them do their job. Now that I'm here, an expert in a function you need (product, in this case), which is why you hired me, I got this. I'll take it from here.'

Not so much.

What you should say to a founder in this case, explains Melissa is, "Help me, help you."

A rebel intrapreneur first looks to further the mission of the company, then challenges the process from within. Said another way: Seeks first to understand, then to be understood. 

You have to gain trust of the founder first.

The essence of a rebel intrapreneur: Mission first. Challenge second.

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In this episode of Rebel Intrapreneur, we talk about agency, how it is more in your control that you think, how a rebel intrapreneur has agency, and what Teresa Torres says about agency in her book, "Continuous Delivery Habits: Discover Products that create customer value and business value."

In this episode we talk about what rebel intrapreneurs want. As a rebel intrapreneur yourself, you know what they want: autonomy.

Get the show on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and Amazon.

Follow us in Twitter and Linkedin.

In this episode, we talk to Megan Macaluso, senior director of customer success strategy and transformation at OneTrust, about her career journey and why there is nothing about her (according to her) that says her work is the type of work she should be doing.  

In this episode, I react to a Twitter thread that Wes Kao wrote about managing up. Wes is the co-founder of Maven and someone I consider a mentor, even though I have never met her. This topic about managing up is a personal weakness of mine, which is why it caught my eye. If it’s not a weakness, I do tend to avoid this topic, or otherwise get uncomfortable when I am faced with the decision to improve how I manage up. This is why I am choosing to face up to it. Rebel intrapreneurs manage up, and I need to learn how to do it better. Thank goodness for Wes Kao’s solid advice.  

Here is the link to her Tweet thread: https://twitter.com/wes_kao/status/1451926441239719947?s=21

Get the show on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and Amazon.

Follow us in Twitter and Linkedin.

In this episode, I talk to Sheik Ayube, VP of business development at ESG, which does customer success as a service. Sheik and I talk about possibly being stuck between being an employee and wanting to be an entrepreneur. Sheik calls it a wantrapreneur. 

Get the show on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and Amazon.

Follow us on Twitter and Linkedin and rebelintrapreneur.com.

In this episode, I talk to Carlos Quezada, head of digital services strategy and customer success at Aruba, a Hewlett Packard Enterprise company about his career, which basically started when he was 18 years old volunteering to join a meeting to translate and ended the meeting having closed a gigantic telecommunications contract, outshining everyone in the room. Don’t miss this story.

Get the show on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and Amazon.

Follow us on Twitter and Linkedin and rebelintrapreneur.com.

Today’s episode is about knowing what to do without knowing what to do.If you are an expert, you are expected to know what to do. EXCEPT. You can't always know what to do. EXCEPT. You are an expert who knows what to do. Rebel Intrapreneurs know how to solve this dilemma.  

Get the show on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and Amazon.

Follow us on Twitter and Linkedin and rebelintrapreneur.com.

Daniel Quick, SVP of content strategy at Thought Industries joins Rebel Intrapreneur to talk about his book, The Customer Education Playbook: How Leading Companies Engage, Convert, and Retain Customers and how to advance a movement.

Get the show on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and Amazon.

Follow us on Twitter andLinkedin and rebelintrapreneur.com.

Tech layoff announcements are dominating the news. Rebel Intrapreneurs are at least paying attention, if not down right distracted by it. If you have been laid off, I hope this episode helps you get through this. I share what I did when I got laid off in 2009 during the mortgage crisis. For what it’s worth, I hope it gives you some ideas for how to get back on your feet as quickly as possible. 

Get the show on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and Amazon.

Follow us onTwitter andLinkedin and rebelintrapreneur.com.

In this episode, I talk to Martina Lauchengco, author of “Loved: How to Rethink Marketing for Tech Products.” Martina is also product marketing partner at Silicon Valley Product Group (SVPG) and partner at Costanoa Ventures. We talked about her book, and if there is one thing to learn from her book, it’s that “good product marketing can happen (in any organization) if capable individuals are willing to do the work.” In other words, anyone can do it. This is an opportunity for rebel intrapreneurs. We talked about early career lessons from Bill Gates, that the market determines the value of your strategy, the mindset shift necessary to do great product marketing, and how rebel intrapreneurs can implement product marketing as Martina describes it in her book. 

More about Martina:

Book: Loved: How to Rethink Marketing for Tech Products - https://amzn.to/3EPm6yT 

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/martinalauchengco/ 

Silicon Valley Product Group (SVPG): https://www.svpg.com/team/

Castanoa Ventures: https://www.costanoavc.com/team/ 

More about Bill:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billcushard/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/billcush 

Podcast website: rebelintrapreneur.com.

A few things we talked about: 

Thank you to Emilia D’Anzica, founder and managing partner at Growth Molecules for introducing Martina to us. 

Emilia on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emiliadanzica/
Emilia on Twitter: https://twitter.com/emiliadanzica

Growth Molecules: https://growthmolecules.com/

Get the show on:

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rebel-intrapreneur/id1644520357 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6C3PzWhzNZe5ZEMIsbpBZU 
Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9zdW5mbG93ZXItcmFiYml0LWE1bWIuc3F1YXJlc3BhY2UuY29tL3BvZGNhc3Q_Zm9ybWF0PXJzcw?sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj2xKGIipP6AhXfYTABHUpOCJgQ9sEGegQIARAC 

Amazon: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/fd4abd5c-f76e-494a-92ca-93c2cc9ee35d/rebel-intrapreneur 

One experience that inspired me to explore the idea of being a rebel intrapreneur is a conversation I had on Helping Sells Radio with Tendayi Viki, author of “Pirates in the Navy: How Innovators Lead Transformation” and Associate Partner at Strategyzer. We talked about his book and about how someone can drive innovation inside an organization. This is not an easy thing to do considering that organizations are designed to optimize for the existing way of doing things and NOT transforming itself.

Do you really want to be a rebel intrapreneur? 

More about Bill:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billcushard/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/billcush 

Podcast website: rebelintrapreneur.com.

A few things we talked about: 

Tendayi Viki on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tendayiviki/

Strategyzer: https://www.strategyzer.com/

Book: Pirates in the Navy: How Innovators Lead Transformation: https://amzn.to/3VfLGU8 

Get the show on:

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rebel-intrapreneur/id1644520357 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6C3PzWhzNZe5ZEMIsbpBZU 
Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9zdW5mbG93ZXItcmFiYml0LWE1bWIuc3F1YXJlc3BhY2UuY29tL3BvZGNhc3Q_Zm9ybWF0PXJzcw?sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj2xKGIipP6AhXfYTABHUpOCJgQ9sEGegQIARAC 

Amazon: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/fd4abd5c-f76e-494a-92ca-93c2cc9ee35d/rebel-intrapreneur 

In this episode, I talked to Gail Montgomery, CEO & Co-founder and Bruce Montgomery, President and Co-founder of Experience Yes about their book, The Improv Mindset: Change your Brain, Change your Mind. We talked about improv as an antidote to poor progress, low performance, and unengaged people in our organizations. If I learned one thing from Bruce and Gail it’s that improv is a process that rebel intrapreneurs can implement. Improv is a process and a way of working that can increase innovation. After this conversation, I’m sold. 

More about Gail and Bruce:

Bruce Montgomery on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bruce-montgomery-7773162/ 

Gail Montgomery on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gailmontgomery/ 

Their company - Experience Yes: https://www.experienceyes.com/ 

Book: The Improv Mindset: Change your brain. Change your business: https://amzn.to/3ETEPu3

More about Bill:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billcushard/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/billcush 

Podcast website: rebelintrapreneur.com.

A few things we talked about: 

Megan Macaluso episode and the Melissa story: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/006-megan-macaluso-on-non-traditional-career-paths/id1644520357?i=1000581960575

Megan Macaluso on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/megan-macaluso-9a031a14/

Second City and Improv: https://www.secondcity.com/

Get the show on:

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rebel-intrapreneur/id1644520357 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6C3PzWhzNZe5ZEMIsbpBZU 

Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9zdW5mbG93ZXItcmFiYml0LWE1bWIuc3F1YXJlc3BhY2UuY29tL3BvZGNhc3Q_Zm9ybWF0PXJzcw?sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj2xKGIipP6AhXfYTABHUpOCJgQ9sEGegQIARAC 

Amazon: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/fd4abd5c-f76e-494a-92ca-93c2cc9ee35d/rebel-intrapreneur 

In this episode, I react to CZ’s Principles blog. Changpeng Zhao, known as CZ, launched Binance in July 2017 and, within 180 days, grew Binance into the largest cryptocurrency exchange in the world. His principles blog is informative for rebel intrapreneurs who want to create for themselves a set of principles by which to live. This blog has inspired me to create my own set of principles, then live by them. 

More about CZ:

CZ’s Principles blog: https://www.binance.com/en/blog/from-cz/czs-principles-6343713009794494746

CZ on Binance: https://www.binance.com/en/about

On Twitter: https://twitter.com/cz_binance

More about Bill:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billcushard/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/billcush 

Podcast website: rebelintrapreneur.com.

Bill’s book: The Art of Agile Marketing: A Practical Roadmap for Implementing Kanban and Scrum in Jira and Confluence https://www.amazon.com/Art-Agile-Marketing-Implementing-Confluence-ebook/dp/B079GLKWB1/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2SE4RO1UTSNX&keywords=art+of+agile+marketing&qid=1669916670&sprefix=art+of+agile+marketing%2Caps%2C115&sr=8-1

That previous episode I referenced. How to know what to do without knowing what to do: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/010-knowing-what-to-do-without-knowing-what-to-do/id1644520357?i=1000585119942

Get the show on:

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rebel-intrapreneur/id1644520357 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6C3PzWhzNZe5ZEMIsbpBZU 

Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9zdW5mbG93ZXItcmFiYml0LWE1bWIuc3F1YXJlc3BhY2UuY29tL3BvZGNhc3Q_Zm9ybWF0PXJzcw?sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj2xKGIipP6AhXfYTABHUpOCJgQ9sEGegQIARAC 

Amazon: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/fd4abd5c-f76e-494a-92ca-93c2cc9ee35d/rebel-intrapreneur 

Paul Henderson is the founder of Outcome Leaders, a consulting and training company that helps B2B companies identify and capture Unrealised Income. Paul has a new book out called, Income from Outcomes: Tap into unrealised income through a customer outcome program, and we talk about how to build a customer outcome program and what it means for the rebel intrapreneur. 

More about Paul:

Book: Income from Outcomes: Tap into unrealised income through a customer outcome program: https://amzn.to/3tUNKFi 

His company, Outcome Leaders: https://outcomeleaders.com/ 

On Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulhenderson5/

More about Bill:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billcushard/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/billcush 

Podcast website: rebelintrapreneur.com.

Bill’s book: The Art of Agile Marketing: A Practical Roadmap for Implementing Kanban and Scrum in Jira and Confluence https://www.amazon.com/Art-Agile-Marketing-Implementing-Confluence-ebook/dp/B079GLKWB1/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2SE4RO1UTSNX&keywords=art+of+agile+marketing&qid=1669916670&sprefix=art+of+agile+marketing%2Caps%2C115&sr=8-1

A few things we talked about: 

Our past conversation about his previous book on Helping Sells Radio: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/107-paul-henderson-the-only-things-that-matters-is/id1080713333?i=1000430685246

Get the show on:

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rebel-intrapreneur/id1644520357 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6C3PzWhzNZe5ZEMIsbpBZU 

Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9zdW5mbG93ZXItcmFiYml0LWE1bWIuc3F1YX

In this episode, I react to a Glassdoor blog post, How to find meaning in your work (even at a job you don’t love). Finding meaning in our work is important. It is also very personal and unique to each of us. What isn’t unique are a few standard negative things at work that are barriers to finding meaning at work. Rebel intrapreneurs need to be aware of these barriers so we can minimize them and further the missions of the organizations we serve. 

Find the Glassdoor blog post here: https://www.glassdoor.com/blog/how-to-find-meaning-in-your-work/

Visit Glassdoor: https://www.glassdoor.com  

More about Bill:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billcushard/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/billcush 

Podcast website: rebelintrapreneur.com.

Bill’s book: The Art of Agile Marketing: A Practical Roadmap for Implementing Kanban and Scrum in Jira and Confluence https://www.amazon.com/Art-Agile-Marketing-Implementing-Confluence-ebook/dp/B079GLKWB1/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2SE4RO1UTSNX&keywords=art+of+agile+marketing&qid=1669916670&sprefix=art+of+agile+marketing%2Caps%2C115&sr=8-1

Get the show on:

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rebel-intrapreneur/id1644520357 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6C3PzWhzNZe5ZEMIsbpBZU 

Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9zdW5mbG93ZXItcmFiYml0LWE1bWIuc3F1YX

Abhijeet Khadilkar, managing partner at Spearhead and best-selling author of Unlock!: 7 Steps to Transform Your Career and Realize Your Leadership Potential joins the show to talk about his book, how rebel intrapreneurs can lead successful transformations, and how organizations need to stay focused on their why. Abhijeet says that every organization needs someone who is the re-iterator of the vision. Most of the time, this is the CEO, but CEOs also need rebel intrapreneurs to help them constantly re-iterate the company vision. 

A few things we talked about: 

Essay: Aliens, Jedi, and Cults by Richard Burton: https://medium.com/balance-io/aliens-jedi-%EF%B8%8F-cults-b1d52b681b8 

The Steven Pressfield book: The War of Art: https://amzn.to/3iTJ4xf 

Book: Writing without B******t by Josh Bernoff: https://amzn.to/3hnqmxG 

Elon Musk’s Master Plan for Tesla in 2006: https://www.tesla.com/blog/secret-tesla-motors-master-plan-just-between-you-and-me 

More about Abhijeet:

On Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/khadilkar/

His Company, Spearhead:  https://spearhead.so/

His Book: Unlock!: 7 Steps to Transform Your Career and Realize Your Leadership Potential https://www.amazon.com/Unlock-Transform-Realize-Leadership-Potential/dp/1646870301/ref=sr_1_1?crid=EVIO8ULZ8FPH&keywords=Abhijeet+Khadilkar&qid=1669389645&sprefix=abhijeet+khadilkar%2Caps%2C133&sr=8-1

More about Bill:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billcushard/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/billcush 

Podcast website: rebelintrapreneur.com.

Bill’s book: The Art of Agile Marketing: A Practical Roadmap for Implementing Kanban and Scrum in Jira and Confluence https://www.amazon.com/Art-Agile-Marketing-Implementing-Confluence-ebook/dp/B079GLKWB1/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2SE4RO1UTSNX&keywords=art+of+agile+marketing&qid=1669916670&sprefix=art+of+agile+marketing%2Caps%2C115&sr=8-1

Get the show on:

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rebel-intrapreneur/id1644520357 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6C3PzWhzNZe5ZEMIsbpBZU 

Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9zdW5mbG93ZXItcmFiYml0LWE1bWIuc3F1YXJlc3BhY2UuY29tL3BvZGNhc3Q_Zm9ybWF0PXJzcw?sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj2xKGIipP6AhXfYTABHUpOCJgQ9sEGegQIARAC 

Amazon: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/fd4abd5c-f76e-494a-92ca-93c2cc9ee35d/rebel-intrapreneur

In this episode, I analyze a recent Lever.co blog post by Eraina Ferguson, “Are you preventing or pushing quiet quitting?” Ferguson describes six ways to prevent, or otherwise, minimize quiet quitting. I think rebel intrapreneurs should be aware of this phenomenon for two reasons. First, we should help our organizations minimize quiet quitting and help our colleagues be more positively engaged at work. That’s what leaders do. Second, rebel intrapreneurs should recognize that doing one’s job well is good, and despite the definition of quiet quitting that people decide only to do their job is good. We should also encourage that. 

More about Eraina Ferguson:

Lever.co blog - https://www.lever.co/blog/preventing-or-pushing-quiet-quitting/ 

On Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erainaferguson/

On Twitter: https://twitter.com/goodliferaina 

More about Bill:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billcushard/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/billcush 

Podcast website: rebelintrapreneur.com.

Bill’s book: The Art of Agile Marketing: A Practical Roadmap for Implementing Kanban and Scrum in Jira and Confluence https://www.amazon.com/Art-Agile-Marketing-Implementing-Confluence-ebook/dp/B079GLKWB1/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2SE4RO1UTSNX&keywords=art+of+agile+marketing&qid=1669916670&sprefix=art+of+agile+marketing%2Caps%2C115&sr=8-1

Get the show on:

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rebel-intrapreneur/id1644520357 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6C3PzWhzNZe5ZEMIsbpBZU 

Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9zdW5mbG93ZXItcmFiYml0LWE1bWIuc3F1YX

Dave Derington’s mission is to help SaaS professionals in all parts of their organization, from Sales to Customer Success to Product Marketing. Dave’s career journey is instructive for how to make transitions, stay open to opportunities, and further a movement in parallel to one’s career. 

More about Dave:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/derington/

Customer education podcast:  https://customer.education

ServiceRocket: https://www.servicerocket.com/managed-services/customer-education-services

Blog: https://www.servicerocket.com/managed-services/customer-education-blog

Link to recent Linkedin live stream: https://www.linkedin.com/video/event/urn:li:ugcPost:6999385765432475648/

More about Bill:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billcushard/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/billcush 

Podcast website: rebelintrapreneur.com.

Bill’s book: The Art of Agile Marketing: A Practical Roadmap for Implementing Kanban and Scrum in Jira and Confluence https://www.amazon.com/Art-Agile-Marketing-Implementing-Confluence-ebook/dp/B079GLKWB1/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2SE4RO1UTSNX&keywords=art+of+agile+marketing&qid=1669916670&sprefix=art+of+agile+marketing%2Caps%2C115&sr=8-1

Get the show on:

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rebel-intrapreneur/id1644520357 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6C3PzWhzNZe5ZEMIsbpBZU 

Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9zdW5mbG93ZXItcmFiYml0LWE1bWIuc3F1YX

Rav Dhaliwal is an investor and venture partner at Crane Venture Partners. He previously led customer success organizations at Slack, Zendesk, and Yammer, and before that support at Salesforce and IBM. In this episode, we talked about Rav’s newest article, “The problem with customer success,” which is a little jab at the customer success community, who seems to be at risk of drifting into the category of overhead. And in an economy in which keeping customers should be a number one priority, customer success is frustratingly unwilling to commit to numbers that drive the business. Rav’s article is a wake up call to the customer success community. 

More about Rav:

On Linkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/ravinderdhaliwal/ 

Rav’s latest article, The Problem with Customer Success: https://ravsterd.medium.com/the-problem-with-customer-success-91a2b6985ec3

Crane Ventures: https://crane.vc/ 

Important book we mentioned. Ram Charan, What the CEO wants you to know: https://www.amazon.com/What-CEO-Wants-You-Know/dp/0609608398 

Rav and I have a history of doing podcasts about his articles. Here are two from my previous customer success podcast, Helping Sells Radio: 

Helping Sells Radio Episode 208: There’s no such thing as post sales: https://helpingsells.substack.com/p/208-rav-dhaliwal-go-to-market-is#details 

Helping Sells Radio Episode 268: The missing piece in software sales: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/268-rav-dhaliwal-the-missing-piece-in-software-sales/id1080713333?i=1000521797852 

More about Bill:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billcushard/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/billcush 

Podcast website: rebelintrapreneur.com.

Bill’s book: The Art of Agile Marketing: A Practical Roadmap for Implementing Kanban and Scrum in Jira and Confluence https://www.amazon.com/Art-Agile-Marketing-Implementing-Confluence-ebook/dp/B079GLKWB1/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2SE4RO1UTSNX&keywords=art+of+agile+marketing&qid=1669916670&sprefix=art+of+agile+marketing%2Caps%2C115&sr=8-1

Get the show on:

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rebel-intrapreneur/id1644520357 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6C3PzWhzNZe5ZEMIsbpBZU 

Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9zdW5mbG93ZXItcmFiYml0LWE1bWIuc3F1YX

Kristi Faltorusso is VP of customer success at ClientSuccess and an award winning Customer Success Executive with experience in building, scaling and transforming Customer Success organizations at hyper-growth B2B SaaS companies. Kristi joins Rebel Intrapreneur to talk about her Linkedin post on healthy conflict, a critical skill that rebel intrapreneurs need to develop. 

More about Kristi:

On Linkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristiserrano/ 

Kristi’s Linkedin post on healthy conflict: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:6993564265609633795/

Book, "Think Again" by Adam Grant: https://www.amazon.com/Think-Again-Power-Knowing-What-ebook/dp/B08H177WQP/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1B4UWGJVDOADM&keywords=think+again+by+adam+grant&qid=1675730106&sprefix=think+again%2Caps%2C140&sr=8-1 

ClientSuccess: www.clientsuccess.com 

Keeping CS Simple: www.keepingcssimple.com 

More about Bill:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billcushard/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/billcush 

Podcast website: rebelintrapreneur.com.

Bill’s book: The Art of Agile Marketing: A Practical Roadmap for Implementing Kanban and Scrum in Jira and Confluence https://www.amazon.com/Art-Agile-Marketing-Implementing-Confluence-ebook/dp/B079GLKWB1/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2SE4RO1UTSNX&keywords=art+of+agile+marketing&qid=1669916670&sprefix=art+of+agile+marketing%2Caps%2C115&sr=8-1

Get the show on:

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rebel-intrapreneur/id1644520357 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6C3PzWhzNZe5ZEMIsbpBZU 

Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9zdW5mbG93ZXItcmFiYml0LWE1bWIuc3F1YX

Beth Yehaskel is both a Revenue Architect (Winning by Design) focused on helping companies build strong, sustainable recurring revenue growth engines within their organizations, and an Executive Coach (just started her own firm, Flashpoint Coaching) working with individuals and groups to set goals and work towards them. Beth wrote a Linkedin post about career blind spots that hit home with me. She joins Rebel Intrapreneur to talk about it. 

More about Beth:

On Linkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/beth-yehaskel-4b71a/ 

Beth’s Linkedin Post on blind spots: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:6987858783196639232/ 

Beth’s executive coaching firm: https://www.flashpointcoaching.com/ 

Winning By Design: https://winningbydesign.com/team/certified-trainers/beth-yehaskel/ 

More about Bill:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billcushard/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/billcush 

Podcast website: rebelintrapreneur.com.

Bill’s book: The Art of Agile Marketing: A Practical Roadmap for Implementing Kanban and Scrum in Jira and Confluence https://www.amazon.com/Art-Agile-Marketing-Implementing-Confluence-ebook/dp/B079GLKWB1/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2SE4RO1UTSNX&keywords=art+of+agile+marketing&qid=1669916670&sprefix=art+of+agile+marketing%2Caps%2C115&sr=8-1

Get the show on:

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rebel-intrapreneur/id1644520357 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6C3PzWhzNZe5ZEMIsbpBZU 

Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9zdW5mbG93ZXItcmFiYml0LWE1bWIuc3F1YX

In this episode, I react to a Wes Kao Twitter thread called, “Be an end to end operator.” This is an excellent thread, in which Wes argues the importance of being good at both strategy and execution. That’s end to end. Be good at both. 

In a related episode, please listen to my conversation with Megan Macaluso in which we argue about which is more important, strategy or execution. Get Megan’s episode (006) here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/006-megan-macaluso-on-non-traditional-career-paths/id1644520357?i=1000581960575

More about Wes Kao:

Wes Kao’s Twitter Thread: Be an end to end operator: https://twitter.com/wes_kao/status/1553037410421936130 

On Twitter: https://twitter.com/wes_kao 

On Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/weskao/ 

Her personal website: https://www.weskao.com/

Her company, Maven: https://maven.com/ 

More about Bill:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billcushard/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/billcush 

Podcast website: rebelintrapreneur.com.

Bill’s book: The Art of Agile Marketing: A Practical Roadmap for Implementing Kanban and Scrum in Jira and Confluence https://www.amazon.com/Art-Agile-Marketing-Implementing-Confluence-ebook/dp/B079GLKWB1/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2SE4RO1UTSNX&keywords=art+of+agile+marketing&qid=1669916670&sprefix=art+of+agile+marketing%2Caps%2C115&sr=8-1

Get the show on:

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rebel-intrapreneur/id1644520357 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6C3PzWhzNZe5ZEMIsbpBZU 

Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9zdW5mbG93ZXItcmFiYml0LWE1bWIuc3F1YX

In this episode, I talk about what makes me qualified to create a new category of high performing employee, and why I decided to start this podcast. I also share my crazy, big, bold vision of this new category.

More about Bill:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billcushard/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/billcush

Podcast website: rebelintrapreneur.com.

Bill’s book: The Art of Agile Marketing: A Practical Roadmap for Implementing Kanban and Scrum in Jira and Confluence https://www.amazon.com/Art-Agile-Marketing-Implementing-Confluence-ebook/dp/B079GLKWB1/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2SE4RO1UTSNX&keywords=art+of+agile+marketing&qid=1669916670&sprefix=art+of+agile+marketing%2Caps%2C115&sr=8-1

Get the show on:

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rebel-intrapreneur/id1644520357

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6C3PzWhzNZe5ZEMIsbpBZU

Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9zdW5mbG93ZXItcmFiYml0LWE1bWIuc3F1YX

The “rebel” part of rebel intrapreneur is the part of us that wants to improve the organizations we serve in pursuit of its mission. The question I get most from listeners like you is why “rebel?” That it has a negative connotation. I disagree. I think the rebel in us wants to make our organizations better. The inspiration for that part of the definition came from The Leadership Challenge and one of the five practices of leadership: challenge the process.

A few links: 

The episode in which a break down the full definition of rebel intrapreneur: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/002-what-is-a-rebel-intrapreneur/id1644520357?i=1000579399873 

Book: The Leadership Challenge: https://amzn.to/405BD6q (affiliate link if you’d like to support the show.

Talks at Google with Jim Kouzes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kt3hTGpfrSE 

More about Bill:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billcushard/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/billcush 

Podcast website: rebelintrapreneur.com

Bill’s book: The Art of Agile Marketing: A Practical Roadmap for Implementing Kanban and Scrum in Jira and Confluence https://www.amazon.com/Art-Agile-Marketing-Implementing-Confluence-ebook/dp/B079GLKWB1/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2SE4RO1UTSNX&keywords=art+of+agile+marketing&qid=1669916670&sprefix=art+of+agile+marketing%2Caps%2C115&sr=8-1

Get the show on:

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rebel-intrapreneur/id1644520357 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6C3PzWhzNZe5ZEMIsbpBZU 

Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9zdW5mbG93ZXItcmFiYml0LWE1bWIuc3F1YX

Focus is one of the hardest things to do in business. Things change so fast. But focus is one of the most important skills of a rebel intrapreneurs. Focus helps cut out the noise so we can advance important missions. In this episode, I share three stories of focus to help you understand what is required to get teams on track and keep them on track. 

A few links: 

Book: Hangry: A startup journey: https://amzn.to/3LohrZl (affiliate link if you’d like to support the show)

James Altucher podcast with GrubHub CEO Mike Evans: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/waist-management-hangry-customers-grubhubs-mike-evans/id794030859?i=1000585449914

That Herb Kelleher (Southwest Airlines story from the book, “Made to Stick.” Of course. https://amzn.to/3z0kWOx (affiliate link if you want to support the show)

More about Bill:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billcushard/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/billcush 

Podcast website: rebelintrapreneur.com

Bill’s book: The Art of Agile Marketing: A Practical Roadmap for Implementing Kanban and Scrum in Jira and Confluence https://www.amazon.com/Art-Agile-Marketing-Implementing-Confluence-ebook/dp/B079GLKWB1/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2SE4RO1UTSNX&keywords=art+of+agile+marketing&qid=1669916670&sprefix=art+of+agile+marketing%2Caps%2C115&sr=8-1

Get the show on:

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rebel-intrapreneur/id1644520357 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6C3PzWhzNZe5ZEMIsbpBZU 

Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9zdW5mbG93ZXItcmFiYml0LWE1bWIuc3F1YX

Shana Lebowitz Gaynor wrote an important book, Don’t Call It Quits: Turn the Job You Have into the Job You Love, to help people make the most of their present job and to give people important ideas for how to decide whether to stay or leave a job. Guest what? The grass is not always greener on the other side of the fence. We know this, but we don’t always remember it. 

According to Gaynor, “You are more likely to achieve happiness and fulfillment at work when you identify what you like and dislike about your job.” Right. But how can we identify what we like and dislike about our jobs? With these 15 questions:

What are your favorite parts of your current workday?

When during your career have you felt most engaged?

What might that gratifying experience look like now?

What are the three most important attributes you bring to a work environment?

What's most important to you in a job right now?

Is it conceivable that you might get those things from your current role?

Do you remember what drew you to this job in the first place?

What's the gap between what you expected this job to be like when you started and what it’s like now?

What are your least favorite parts of your workday?

How do your least favorite parts of your workday make you feel?

Why do you think your managers have you perform these tasks?

If you told your manager today how you wanted to reshape your role, how do you think your manager would react?

If you're not that concerned about your manager's reaction, what else might be stopping you from making some changes at work?

If you are looking for a new job or company, what do you think the new role will give you that you're not getting from your current position?

If someone else were feeling stuck the way you are right now, what's the first piece of advice you would offer? 

A few links: 

Book: Don’t Call It Quits: Turn the Job You Have into the Job You Love: https://amzn.to/42h3Skv (affiliate link if you’d like to support the show)

Book: Escaping the Build Trap: How Effective Product Management Creates Real Value by Melissa Perri: https://amzn.to/3JIjhD6 (affiliate link if you want to support the show)

More about Bill:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billcushard/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/billcush 

Podcast website: rebelintrapreneur.com.

Bill’s book: The Art of Agile Marketing: A Practical Roadmap for Implementing Kanban and Scrum in Jira and Confluence https://www.amazon.com/Art-Agile-Marketing-Implementing-Confluence-ebook/dp/B079GLKWB1/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2SE4RO1UTSNX&keywords=art+of+agile+marketing&qid=1669916670&sprefix=art+of+agile+marketing%2Caps%2C115&sr=8-1

Get the show on:

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rebel-intrapreneur/id1644520357 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6C3PzWhzNZe5ZEMIsbpBZU 

Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9zdW5mbG93ZXItcmFiYml0LWE1bWIuc3F1YX

Speed. Be agile. Move fast and break things. These are mantras of the silicon valley start up culture. Faster. Faster. Faster. Here’s the thing: creating a high speed company that operates with urgency does not require working faster, faster, faster. It requires building a company culture that is able to operate more quickly because of the way it is set up.

To find out how to do this, just look at the table of contents of Jason Jennings’ book, The High-Speed Company: Create Urgency and Growth in a Nanosecond Culture, and you will know what it takes. It’s not at all what you think. 

A few links: 

Book: The High-Speed Company: Create Urgency and Growth in a Nanosecond Culture  https://amzn.to/3JKx38c (affiliate link if you’d like to support the show)

More about Bill:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billcushard/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/billcush 

Podcast website: rebelintrapreneur.com

Bill’s book: The Art of Agile Marketing: A Practical Roadmap for Implementing Kanban and Scrum in Jira and Confluence https://www.amazon.com/Art-Agile-Marketing-Implementing-Confluence-ebook/dp/B079GLKWB1/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2SE4RO1UTSNX&keywords=art+of+agile+marketing&qid=1669916670&sprefix=art+of+agile+marketing%2Caps%2C115&sr=8-1

Get the show on:

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rebel-intrapreneur/id1644520357 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6C3PzWhzNZe5ZEMIsbpBZU 

Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9zdW5mbG93ZXItcmFiYml0LWE1bWIuc3F1YX

I read and react to this Anne Caulfield article titled, “5 tips to succeed in your career in 2023.” I found the tips to be valuable and not the standard career tips I might have expected. Here is a link to the article: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/5-tips-succeed-your-career-2023-anne-caulfield/

More about Bill:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billcushard/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/billcush 

Podcast website: rebelintrapreneur.com.

Bill’s book: The Art of Agile Marketing: A Practical Roadmap for Implementing Kanban and Scrum in Jira and Confluence https://www.amazon.com/Art-Agile-Marketing-Implementing-Confluence-ebook/dp/B079GLKWB1/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2SE4RO1UTSNX&keywords=art+of+agile+marketing&qid=1669916670&sprefix=art+of+agile+marketing%2Caps%2C115&sr=8-1

Get the show on:

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rebel-intrapreneur/id1644520357 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6C3PzWhzNZe5ZEMIsbpBZU 

Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9zdW5mbG93ZXItcmFiYml0LWE1bWIuc3F1YX

Not only does Christian Jakenfelds evangelize the customer success category as a field researcher at Planhat, but he is doing so on his Linkedin Live show, CSNext. In fact, he doesn’t just evangelize the category. He is challenging it. 

More about Christian:

On Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christianjakenfelds/ 

Christian’s CSNext episode with Bill: https://www.linkedin.com/events/csnext-ep-4-stockholmsyndrome7034518494930972672/comments/ 

More about Bill:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billcushard/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/billcush 

Podcast website: rebelintrapreneur.com.

Bill’s book: The Art of Agile Marketing: A Practical Roadmap for Implementing Kanban and Scrum in Jira and Confluence https://www.amazon.com/Art-Agile-Marketing-Implementing-Confluence-ebook/dp/B079GLKWB1/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2SE4RO1UTSNX&keywords=art+of+agile+marketing&qid=1669916670&sprefix=art+of+agile+marketing%2Caps%2C115&sr=8-1

Get the show on:

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rebel-intrapreneur/id1644520357 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6C3PzWhzNZe5ZEMIsbpBZU 

Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9zdW5mbG93ZXItcmFiYml0LWE1bWIuc3F1YX

I did not meet Jason Alba until I saw a tweet he posted about speaking up at work, when to know, and considering the risks to one’s job and possibly career. I replied to this tweet by saying, I did not know how to decide when or whether to do this. So I invited him on the show to discuss. We talked about the many layers of issues about which to speak up and their various levels of consequence. 

More about Jason:

His tweet: https://twitter.com/jasonalba/status/1635670322614792192 

On Twitter: https://twitter.com/jasonalba

His career courses on Pluralsight: https://www.pluralsight.com/profile/author/jason-alba 

His personal CRM and career tracker, Jibber Jobber: https://www.jibberjobber.com/login.php 

More about Bill:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billcushard/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/billcush 

Podcast website: rebelintrapreneur.com.

Bill’s book: The Art of Agile Marketing: A Practical Roadmap for Implementing Kanban and Scrum in Jira and Confluence https://www.amazon.com/Art-Agile-Marketing-Implementing-Confluence-ebook/dp/B079GLKWB1/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2SE4RO1UTSNX&keywords=art+of+agile+marketing&qid=1669916670&sprefix=art+of+agile+marketing%2Caps%2C115&sr=8-1

Get the show on:

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rebel-intrapreneur/id1644520357 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6C3PzWhzNZe5ZEMIsbpBZU 

Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9zdW5mbG93ZXItcmFiYml0LWE1bWIuc3F1YX

This is a special episode because it isn’t Rebel Intrapreneur. This is a recording of my appearance on Christian Jakenfeld’s CSNext Linkedin Live show, which he also publishes as a podcast. Christian appeared on this podcast in episode 32 and he agreed to let me publish his recording here. CSNext is a show dedicated to pushing the envelope of the customer success category to find out where it could go next. Christian is challenging the status quo and pushing customer success to its next place. 

I joined to talk about my experience moving from customer success to sales and how my perspectives have changed. And they have changed. We talked about whether customer success should have veto power over new deals, how my perspectives have changed from services to sales, and how to use empathy to bring teams together. I hope you find this discussion useful. 

Bill’s articles we talked about:

Customer success is a business mode innovation: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/customer-success-business-model-innovation-cs-leadership-network/

The Seesaw Effect: A ustomer success leader's effect on company evaluation: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/seesaw-effect-customer-success-leaders-company-valuation-/

More about Christian:

On Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christianjakenfelds/ 

Christian’s CSNext episode with Bill: https://www.linkedin.com/events/csnext-ep-4-stockholmsyndrome7034518494930972672/comments/ 

More about Bill:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billcushard/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/billcush 

Podcast website: rebelintrapreneur.com.

Bill’s book: The Art of Agile Marketing: A Practical Roadmap for Implementing Kanban and Scrum in Jira and Confluence https://www.amazon.com/Art-Agile-Marketing-Implementing-Confluence-ebook/dp/B079GLKWB1/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2SE4RO1UTSNX&keywords=art+of+agile+marketing&qid=1669916670&sprefix=art+of+agile+marketing%2Caps%2C115&sr=8-1

Get the show on:

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rebel-intrapreneur/id1644520357 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6C3PzWhzNZe5ZEMIsbpBZU 

Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9zdW5mbG93ZXItcmFiYml0LWE1bWIuc3F1YX

It still kind of blows me away a little that there are only 4,000 chief customer officers (CCO) on Linkedin, while there are 57,000 CMOs and 200,000 CFOs. After all, customers pay everyone’s salary. Rod Cherkas argues that there is a huge opportunity for a new CxO role rise, and he wrote The Chief Customer Officer Playbook: 8 Strategies That Will Accelerate Your Career and Win You A Seat At The Executive Table to make his case.

I wanted to talk to Rod because I think if rebel intrapreneurs had to pick one skill to learn, it would be to become great with customers. Rod’s book is a practical career guide for anyone with ambitions on becoming a chief customer officer.

More about Rod:

Rod’s book: https://amzn.to/432uTIs (affiliate link, if you’d like to support the show)

Rod’s Website: www.rodcherkas.com

On Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rodcherkas

Link to this resources page for the book: https://rodcherkas.com/resources/

More about Bill:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billcushard/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/billcush

Podcast website: rebelintrapreneur.com.

Bill’s book: The Art of Agile Marketing: A Practical Roadmap for Implementing Kanban and Scrum in Jira and Confluence https://www.amazon.com/Art-Agile-Marketing-Implementing-Confluence-ebook/dp/B079GLKWB1/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2SE4RO1UTSNX&keywords=art+of+agile+marketing&qid=1669916670&sprefix=art+of+agile+marketing%2Caps%2C115&sr=8-1

Get the show on:

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rebel-intrapreneur/id1644520357

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6C3PzWhzNZe5ZEMIsbpBZU

Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9zdW5mbG93ZXItcmFiYml0LWE1bWIuc3F1YX

Rebel intrapreneurs give a damn, and CEOs, especially founder/CEOs, crave people who give a damn. As Pascale Finette describes, the number of people who give a damn is in short supply.  Pascale Finette’s newsletter issue, “Give a Damn,” on The Heretic: https://www.theheretic.xyz/p/give-a-damn

More about Bill:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billcushard/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/billcush 

Podcast website: rebelintrapreneur.com.

Bill’s book: The Art of Agile Marketing: A Practical Roadmap for Implementing Kanban and Scrum in Jira and Confluence https://www.amazon.com/Art-Agile-Marketing-Implementing-Confluence-ebook/dp/B079GLKWB1/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2SE4RO1UTSNX&keywords=art+of+agile+marketing&qid=1669916670&sprefix=art+of+agile+marketing%2Caps%2C115&sr=8-1

Get the show on:

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rebel-intrapreneur/id1644520357 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6C3PzWhzNZe5ZEMIsbpBZU 

Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9zdW5mbG93ZXItcmFiYml0LWE1bWIuc3F1YX

On April 19, 2023, Linkedin came out with "The 50 best workplaces to grow your career in the US,” so I was left to wonder, “Is this the list for Rebel Intrapreneurs? When choosing a place to work, rebel intrapreneurs ask two fundamental questions, 1) Is the company mission something I can get behind?; and 2) Will I be able to make a meaningful contribution?

In this episode, we analyze the Linkedin list to find out whether rebel intrapreneurs should use it to advance their career trajectory. 

The Linkedin Top Companies 2023: The 50 best workplaces to grow your career in the U.S: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/top-companies-2023-50-best-workplaces-grow-your-career-us%3FtrackingId=Cp8lpbgYT32MrIlH7WE2dA%253D%253D/?trackingId=Cp8lpbgYT32MrIlH7WE2dA%3D%3D

More about Bill:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billcushard/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/billcush 

Podcast website: rebelintrapreneur.com.

Bill’s book: The Art of Agile Marketing: A Practical Roadmap for Implementing Kanban and Scrum in Jira and Confluence https://www.amazon.com/Art-Agile-Marketing-Implementing-Confluence-ebook/dp/B079GLKWB1/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2SE4RO1UTSNX&keywords=art+of+agile+marketing&qid=1669916670&sprefix=art+of+agile+marketing%2Caps%2C115&sr=8-1

Get the show on:

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rebel-intrapreneur/id1644520357 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6C3PzWhzNZe5ZEMIsbpBZU 

Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9zdW5mbG93ZXItcmFiYml0LWE1bWIuc3F1YX

During the Product-led Alliance Product Operations Festival 2023, I attended a session called five steps to accelerating your product operations career trajectory. Eduardo Magalhães, head of product operations at RD Station gave the talk. And his five steps are not typical ways to speed up a career, but they are vastly under-estimated steps that rebel intrapreneurs should implement. 

More about the Product-Led Alliance: https://www.productledalliance.com/

Product Operations Festival 2023: https://productops23.productledalliance.com/

Eduardo Magalhães: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dudumagalhaes/

More about Bill:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billcushard/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/billcush 

Podcast website: rebelintrapreneur.com.

Bill’s book: The Art of Agile Marketing: A Practical Roadmap for Implementing Kanban and Scrum in Jira and Confluence https://www.amazon.com/Art-Agile-Marketing-Implementing-Confluence-ebook/dp/B079GLKWB1/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2SE4RO1UTSNX&keywords=art+of+agile+marketing&qid=1669916670&sprefix=art+of+agile+marketing%2Caps%2C115&sr=8-1

Get the show on:

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rebel-intrapreneur/id1644520357 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6C3PzWhzNZe5ZEMIsbpBZU 

Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9zdW5mbG93ZXItcmFiYml0LWE1bWIuc3F1YX

When I saw the headline, “From intern to CEO,” I clicked. When I read Caroline Wanga’s story I was hooked. Especially when she said, “It’s never about a role. It is always about experiences. This is a story about how Caroline Wanga went from intern at Target to CEO at Essence and what rebel intrapreneurs can learn from it if CEO is the path they want to pursue. 

More about Caroline Wanga:

Her story on The Path from Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/never-role-always-experience-how-caroline-wanga-ceo-mapped-roslansky/?trackingId=H4QpsqdkQ4yrxZiOhM0y7g%3D%3D

On Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wangawoman/

On Twitter:https://twitter.com/wangawoman

More about Bill:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billcushard/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/billcush 

Podcast website: rebelintrapreneur.com.

Bill’s book: The Art of Agile Marketing: A Practical Roadmap for Implementing Kanban and Scrum in Jira and Confluence https://www.amazon.com/Art-Agile-Marketing-Implementing-Confluence-ebook/dp/B079GLKWB1/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2SE4RO1UTSNX&keywords=art+of+agile+marketing&qid=1669916670&sprefix=art+of+agile+marketing%2Caps%2C115&sr=8-1

Get the show on:

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rebel-intrapreneur/id1644520357 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6C3PzWhzNZe5ZEMIsbpBZU 

Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9zdW5mbG93ZXItcmFiYml0LWE1bWIuc3F1YX

This is a follow on episode from 039 about how rebel intrapreneurs can pursue career tracks that lead to CEO. CEO is not the ultimate rebel intrapreneur career path, but it is one path. Written by the authors of the book, CEO Excellence: The Six Mindsets that Distinguish the Best Leaders from the Rest, this article lays out a path to help rebel intrapreneurs become a qualified CEO candidate.  

McKinsey Article: https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-insights/stepping-up-becoming-a-high-potential-ceo-candidate

Book, CEO Excellence: https://amzn.to/3WvISnE (affiliate link, if you want to support the podcast)

More about Bill:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billcushard/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/billcush 

Podcast website: rebelintrapreneur.com.

Bill’s book: The Art of Agile Marketing: A Practical Roadmap for Implementing Kanban and Scrum in Jira and Confluence https://www.amazon.com/Art-Agile-Marketing-Implementing-Confluence-ebook/dp/B079GLKWB1/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2SE4RO1UTSNX&keywords=art+of+agile+marketing&qid=1669916670&sprefix=art+of+agile+marketing%2Caps%2C115&sr=8-1

Get the show on:

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rebel-intrapreneur/id1644520357 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6C3PzWhzNZe5ZEMIsbpBZU 

Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9zdW5mbG93ZXItcmFiYml0LWE1bWIuc3F1YX

The organization had an urgent need, and I volunteered to take on a general manager role to turn around a flailing SaaS business, even though I was terrified it might lead to my firing if I failed. It turned out to be one of the best experiences of my career. 

At some point during the first three to six months, I started getting past the “survival” aspect of my new GM role and got to the realization that I was a sort of CEO of this business. I call it a baby CEO. I had the pressure of the P&L, but not of making payroll. BIG difference. But there I was, a baby CEO, and I realized that if I wanted to be successful, I had to learn to be a CEO. So I read a lot of books about being a CEO and written by CEOs.  

I read some good ones. Learned a ton. And I thought, since I’ve done two other episodes on how rebel intrapreneurs can become CEOs, that I would share the list of books I read for my personal education. I am not saying you should read these books. Just that these books helped me, and how they might help you.

So here they are: The 8 books I read that helped me be a better baby CEO. 

(Links to each book are affiliate links. So if you want to support the podcast please use the links below. Otherwise, just go search for these books separately). 

The Five Temptations of a CEO: A Leadership Fable by Patrick Lencioni: https://amzn.to/3oJO37d 

The Rookie CEO: You Can't Make This stuff Up by Bill Miller: https://amzn.to/3OZoaux 

The Great CEO Within: The Tactical Guide to Company Building by Matt Mochary, Alex MacCaw, Misha Talavera: https://amzn.to/3NiMxCt 

The CEO Only Does Three Things by Trey Taylor: https://amzn.to/3oID0et 

How to Become CEO: The Rules for Rising to the Top of Any Organization by Jeffrey J. Fox: https://amzn.to/3qzkvJH 

Survival to Thrival: Building the Enterprise Startup by Bob Tinker and Tae Hea Hahm: https://amzn.to/3CfvCdx 

Reboot: Leadership and the Art of Growing Up by Jerry Colonna: https://amzn.to/3NfGkXE 

CEO Excellence: The Six Mindsets That Distinguish the Best Leaders from the Rest by Carolyn Dewar, Scott Keller, Vikram Malhotra: https://amzn.to/3J1W4ey 

More about Bill:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billcushard/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/billcush 

Podcast website: rebelintrapreneur.com.

Bill’s book: The Art of Agile Marketing: A Practical Roadmap for Implementing Kanban and Scrum in Jira and Confluence https://www.amazon.com/Art-Agile-Marketing-Implementing-Confluence-ebook/dp/B079GLKWB1/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2SE4RO1UTSNX&keywords=art+of+agile+marketing&qid=1669916670&sprefix=art+of+agile+marketing%2Caps%2C115&sr=8-1

Get the show on:

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rebel-intrapreneur/id1644520357 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6C3PzWhzNZe5ZEMIsbpBZU 

Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9zdW5mbG93ZXItcmFiYml0LWE1bWIuc3F1YX

I reunite with my friend, Sarah E. Brown, VP of Marketing at Sastrify, to talk about her new book, Lead Upwards: How Startup Joiners Can Impact New Ventures, Build Amazing Careers, and Inspire Great Teams. My biggest weakness as a startup executive is leading upwards. In fact, a former boss of mine once said to me, “Why don’t you call me once in a while, Bill.” Doh! I prefer to lead downwards. So, when Sarah published this book, I thought it was time to own up and improve. 

More about Sarah: 

Lead Upwards: How Startup Joiners Can Impact New Ventures, Build Amazing Careers, and Inspire Great Teams - https://amzn.to/43ElQwK (affiliate link, if you want to support the show)

Sarah’s previous book: Power to Startup People: How to Grow Your Startup Career When Your Not the Founder - https://amzn.to/3Q0DgRb (affiliate link, if you want to support the show)

On Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-e-brown/ 

More about Bill:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billcushard/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/billcush 

Podcast website: rebelintrapreneur.com.

Bill’s book: The Art of Agile Marketing: A Practical Roadmap for Implementing Kanban and Scrum in Jira and Confluence https://www.amazon.com/Art-Agile-Marketing-Implementing-Confluence-ebook/dp/B079GLKWB1/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2SE4RO1UTSNX&keywords=art+of+agile+marketing&qid=1669916670&sprefix=art+of+agile+marketing%2Caps%2C115&sr=8-1

Get the show on:

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rebel-intrapreneur/id1644520357 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6C3PzWhzNZe5ZEMIsbpBZU 

Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9zdW5mbG93ZXItcmFiYml0LWE1bWIuc3F1YX

Most people don’t prototype to learn; they prototype to confirm a hypothesis with A/B testing. This statement from Bob Moesta’s book, Learning to Build: The 5 Bedrock Skills of Innovators and Entrepreneurs, made me do a double take. I thought I was supposed to test a hypothesis. No, Bob tells me. Testing is not really learning with an open mind. It is confirming something you already suspect. If I truly want to learn, the goal has to be to learn, not confirm. 

More about Bob: 

Bob’s book: Learning to Build: The 5 Bedrock Skills of Innovators and Entrepreneurs 

https://amzn.to/440KWXb (Affiliate link, if you wish to support the show)

The Re-Wired Group: https://therewiredgroup.com/ 

On Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobmoesta/ 

Bob’s Previous Book: Demand-Side Sales 101: Stop Selling and Help Your Customers Make Progress: https://amzn.to/442nN6N (Affiliate link, if you wish to support the show) 

More about Bill:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billcushard/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/billcush 

Podcast website: rebelintrapreneur.com.Bill’s book: The Art of Agile Marketing: A Practical Roadmap for Implementing Kanban and Scrum in Jira and Confluence https://www.amazon.com/Art-Agile-Marketing-Implementing-Confluence-ebook/dp/B079GLKWB1/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2SE4RO1UTSNX&keywords=art+of+agile+marketing&qid=1669916670&sprefix=art+of+agile+marketing%2Caps%2C115&sr=8-1

Get the show on:

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rebel-intrapreneur/id1644520357 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6C3PzWhzNZe5ZEMIsbpBZU 

Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9zdW5mbG93ZXItcmFiYml0LWE1bWIuc3F1YX

Henry Stewart’s book, The Happy Manifesto: Make Your Organisation a Great Place to Work - Now! moved me on two levels. First, how purposeful he is about designing organizations full of happy high performing people because it gets results. Second, the idea that he has a set of 10 principles for creating a happy workplace that anyone can adapt and follow. All Rebel Intrapreneurs should embrace these principles.

More about Henry: 

Henry’s book: The Happy Manifesto: Make your organisation a great place to work - now!:  https://www.happymanifesto.com/the-books/ 

Happy Manifesto Podcast: https://www.happymanifesto.com/the-podcast/ 

On Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/henrystewart/ 

On Twitter: https://twitter.com/happyhenry 

More about Bill:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billcushard/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/billcush 

Podcast website: rebelintrapreneur.com.

Bill’s book: The Art of Agile Marketing: A Practical Roadmap for Implementing Kanban and Scrum in Jira and Confluence https://www.amazon.com/Art-Agile-Marketing-Implementing-Confluence-ebook/dp/B079GLKWB1/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2SE4RO1UTSNX&keywords=art+of+agile+marketing&qid=1669916670&sprefix=art+of+agile+marketing%2Caps%2C115&sr=8-1

Get the show on:

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rebel-intrapreneur/id1644520357 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6C3PzWhzNZe5ZEMIsbpBZU 

Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9zdW5mbG93ZXItcmFiYml0LWE1bWIuc3F1YX

As Brandi Starr argues, the CMO is best positioned to become the CRO, CMOs already work cross-functionally, putting them in an ideal position to bring everyone together around the customer experience. Afterall, marketing doesn’t support the business. Marketing IS the business. We talk about this from her book. CMO to CRO: The Revenue Takeover by the Next Generation of Executive.

More about Brandi: 

Brandi’s book: CMO to CRO: The Revenue Takeover by the Next Generation of Executive: https://amzn.to/3NR8EQE (Affiliate link, if you’d like to support the show)

On Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandistarr/ 

Her company, Tegrita: https://tegrita.com/ 

More about Bill:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billcushard/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/billcush 

Podcast website: rebelintrapreneur.com.

Bill’s book: The Art of Agile Marketing: A Practical Roadmap for Implementing Kanban and Scrum in Jira and Confluence https://www.amazon.com/Art-Agile-Marketing-Implementing-Confluence-ebook/dp/B079GLKWB1/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2SE4RO1UTSNX&keywords=art+of+agile+marketing&qid=1669916670&sprefix=art+of+agile+marketing%2Caps%2C115&sr=8-1

Get the show on:

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rebel-intrapreneur/id1644520357 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6C3PzWhzNZe5ZEMIsbpBZU 

Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9zdW5mbG93ZXItcmFiYml0LWE1bWIuc3F1YX

Engineering is not a role traditionally associated with customer contact. Why not? Driving real impact in the world requires front line work, does it not? Palantir thinks so. They have a job called “Forward Deployed Software Engineer,” which works directly with customers to quickly understand their greatest problems and design and implement solutions. Rebel intrapreneurs seek opportunities to work with customers to make a real impact in the world. And if engineers have direct contact with customers, it’s time to reimagine other roles.

Links mentioned in the show: 

Ryan Singer’s tweet: https://twitter.com/rjs/status/1669287965250428931?s=20 

Palantir’s job description for the forward deployed engineer: https://jobs.lever.co/palantir/dab396d4-2f14-4796-aac0-0d82883dccf0 

More about Bill:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billcushard/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/billcush 

Podcast website: rebelintrapreneur.com.

Bill’s book: The Art of Agile Marketing: A Practical Roadmap for Implementing Kanban and Scrum in Jira and Confluence https://www.amazon.com/Art-Agile-Marketing-Implementing-Confluence-ebook/dp/B079GLKWB1/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2SE4RO1UTSNX&keywords=art+of+agile+marketing&qid=1669916670&sprefix=art+of+agile+marketing%2Caps%2C115&sr=8-1

Get the show on:

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rebel-intrapreneur/id1644520357 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6C3PzWhzNZe5ZEMIsbpBZU 

Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9zdW5mbG93ZXItcmFiYml0LWE1bWIuc3F1YX

When Angela Guedes, head of customer success at Claap, posted about fighting procrastination, with three very specific meetings, I was floored. Sure, I block my calendar so I can “get work done,” but often those meetings foster procrastination. There is no purpose other than to prevent other meetings from being booked. Angela taught me to be specific when I block my calendar. We talk about her three specific meetings and how she sticks to it. 

More about Angela: 

Angela’s Linkedin post: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/angelaguedes_saas-startups-customersuccess-activity-7067764110175694850-vGFN

On Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angelaguedes/

On Twitter: https://twitter.com/AGuedes

Her Substack newsletter, GritLab: https://angelaguedes.substack.com/ 

Works at Claap: https://www.claap.io/ 

More about Bill:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billcushard/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/billcush 

Podcast website: rebelintrapreneur.com.

Bill’s book: The Art of Agile Marketing: A Practical Roadmap for Implementing Kanban and Scrum in Jira and Confluence https://www.amazon.com/Art-Agile-Marketing-Implementing-Confluence-ebook/dp/B079GLKWB1/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2SE4RO1UTSNX&keywords=art+of+agile+marketing&qid=1669916670&sprefix=art+of+agile+marketing%2Caps%2C115&sr=8-1

Get the show on:

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rebel-intrapreneur/id1644520357 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6C3PzWhzNZe5ZEMIsbpBZU 

Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9zdW5mbG93ZXItcmFiYml0LWE1bWIuc3F1YX

When I heard about this job search strategy from Kristi Faltorusso, VP of Customer Success at ClientSuccess, I said to myself, “Duh.” This is one of those ideas that the genius is on how obvious it is after you hear about it. If I were looking for a job, I would do what Kristi did. 

More about Kristi:

Kristi’s Episode 23: https://open.spotify.com/episode/031WK61G5y4dpCeHssMIxs?si=uXcOtxO7RrST9gy-SthKQQ 

On Linkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristiserrano/ 

More about Bill:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billcushard/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/billcush 

Podcast website: rebelintrapreneur.com.

Bill’s book: The Art of Agile Marketing: A Practical Roadmap for Implementing Kanban and Scrum in Jira and Confluence https://www.amazon.com/Art-Agile-Marketing-Implementing-Confluence-ebook/dp/B079GLKWB1/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2SE4RO1UTSNX&keywords=art+of+agile+marketing&qid=1669916670&sprefix=art+of+agile+marketing%2Caps%2C115&sr=8-1

Get the show on:

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rebel-intrapreneur/id1644520357 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6C3PzWhzNZe5ZEMIsbpBZU 

Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9zdW5mbG93ZXItcmFiYml0LWE1bWIuc3F1YX

Anna Frost is an elite, ultrarunning mountain runner. She has won some of the most challenging ultra marathons, including the Hardrock 100, twice. I learned from her an important lesson about growth and moving forward, not just as an athlete, but also in my career. I talk about what I learned from listening to Anna on the Trail Runner Nation podcast. 

More about Anna:

Anna Frost on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/annafrosty/

Anna’s website: https://www.annafrosty.org/

Anna’s Linktree: https://linktr.ee/annafrosty 

The Trail Runner Nation episode: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/running-with-purpose-rediscovering-joy/id484661268?i=1000617291904

Trail Runner Nation: https://trailrunnernation.com/2023/06/ep-628-nurturing-your-relationship-with-running-amidst-change/ 

More about Bill:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billcushard/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/billcush 

Podcast website: rebelintrapreneur.com.

Bill’s book: The Art of Agile Marketing: A Practical Roadmap for Implementing Kanban and Scrum in Jira and Confluence https://www.amazon.com/Art-Agile-Marketing-Implementing-Confluence-ebook/dp/B079GLKWB1/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2SE4RO1UTSNX&keywords=art+of+agile+marketing&qid=1669916670&sprefix=art+of+agile+marketing%2Caps%2C115&sr=8-1

Get the show on:

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rebel-intrapreneur/id1644520357 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6C3PzWhzNZe5ZEMIsbpBZU 

Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9zdW5mbG93ZXItcmFiYml0LWE1bWIuc3F1YX

When Grant Hunter, founder and COO at Product Growth Leaders, called product management an entrepreneurial role, I thought, “You mean, intrapreneurs.” Guess what we talked about? 

More about Grant: 

Grant’s Tweet: https://twitter.com/grantwhunter/status/1672601746894405633?s=46&t=fGuag9a7e5cArkXT9v96pQ

Grant’s company: https://www.productgrowthleaders.com/ 

Value Creation Matrix: https://www.productgrowthleaders.com/post/if-it-s-not-valuable-why-do-it

The Product Growth Leaders Community: https://community.productgrowthleaders.com/feed  

On Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/granthunter/ 

On Twitter: https://twitter.com/grantwhunter 

Other things we talked about: 

Rob Fitzpatrick, The Mom Test (I bought it, by the way): https://www.amazon.com/Mom-Test-customers-business-everyone-ebook/dp/B01H4G2J1U/ref=sr_1_1?crid=6WEFUYKNZOP7&keywords=the+mom+test&qid=1690844061&sprefix=the+mom+tes%2Caps%2C139&sr=8-1 

Geoffrey A. Moore, Crossing the Chasm: https://www.amazon.com/Crossing-Chasm-3rd-Disruptive-Mainstream/dp/0062292986/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=crossing+the+chasm&qid=1690844109&sprefix=crossing+the+cha%2Caps%2C140&sr=8-1 

Everett Rogers’ book, Diffusion of Innovations. The source of the technology adoption lifecycle: https://www.amazon.com/Diffusion-Innovations-5th-Everett-Rogers/dp/0743222091/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=diffusion+of+innovations&qid=1690844130&sprefix=diffusion+of+i%2Caps%2C135&sr=8-1 

In the Lab Product Management with Emily Patterson: https://inthelabpm.com/about/ 

More about Bill:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billcushard/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/billcush 

Podcast website: rebelintrapreneur.com.

Bill’s book: The Art of Agile Marketing: A Practical Roadmap for Implementing Kanban and Scrum in Jira and Confluence https://www.amazon.com/Art-Agile-Marketing-Implementing-Confluence-ebook/dp/B079GLKWB1/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2SE4RO1UTSNX&keywords=art+of+agile+marketing&qid=1669916670&sprefix=art+of+agile+marketing%2Caps%2C115&sr=8-1

Get the show on:

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rebel-intrapreneur/id1644520357 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6C3PzWhzNZe5ZEMIsbpBZU 

Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9zdW5mbG93ZXItcmFiYml0LWE1bWIuc3F1YX

I love when people flip an idea on its head. And then view it in a contrarian way. Nick Mehta, CEO of Gainsight, did this the other day on a Linkedin post raising a question that leadership teams struggle with every week: "What are people leaving our company?" Then he flips it and says, “”I think a more powerful question is ‘why do our employees stay?’ ”

References for this episode:

Nick Mehta’s Linkedin post: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/nickmehta_a-common-discussion-for-leaders-is-why-did-activity-7086713335919902720-HO7X/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop 

Book, Don’t Call it Quits: https://www.amazon.com/Dont-Call-Quits-Turn-Have-ebook/dp/B09TPXZQ4J/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=don%27t+call+it+quits&qid=1691156963&sprefix=don%27t+call+it+quits%2Caps%2C127&sr=8-1 

More about Bill:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billcushard/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/billcush 

Podcast website: rebelintrapreneur.com.

Bill’s book: The Art of Agile Marketing: A Practical Roadmap for Implementing Kanban and Scrum in Jira and Confluence https://www.amazon.com/Art-Agile-Marketing-Implementing-Confluence-ebook/dp/B079GLKWB1/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2SE4RO1UTSNX&keywords=art+of+agile+marketing&qid=1669916670&sprefix=art+of+agile+marketing%2Caps%2C115&sr=8-1

Get the show on:

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rebel-intrapreneur/id1644520357 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6C3PzWhzNZe5ZEMIsbpBZU 

Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9zdW5mbG93ZXItcmFiYml0LWE1bWIuc3F1YX

The more Mary Poppen talked about following her passion and the link there was to her effectiveness, the more I realized the power of rebel intrapreneurs being down with the missions of the organizations we serve. I think there is a 4-boxer there between passion and effectiveness. Hmmm. 

More about Mary: 

On Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marypoppen/ 

Mary’s book, Goodbye, Churn. Hello, Growth!: Harness the Power of Customer Intelligence: Your guide to creating a customer-centric company through data: https://www.amazon.com/Goodbye-Churn-Hello-Growth-customer-centric/dp/B0B92P284S/ref=sr_1_1?crid=BU7RYUQIB866&keywords=Goodbye%2C+Churn.+Hello%2C+Growth&qid=1689636299&sprefix=goodbye%2C+churn.+hello%2C+growth%2Caps%2C140&sr=8-1 

More about Bill:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billcushard/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/billcush 

Podcast website: rebelintrapreneur.com.

Bill’s book: The Art of Agile Marketing: A Practical Roadmap for Implementing Kanban and Scrum in Jira and Confluence https://www.amazon.com/Art-Agile-Marketing-Implementing-Confluence-ebook/dp/B079GLKWB1/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2SE4RO1UTSNX&keywords=art+of+agile+marketing&qid=1669916670&sprefix=art+of+agile+marketing%2Caps%2C115&sr=8-1

Get the show on:

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rebel-intrapreneur/id1644520357 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6C3PzWhzNZe5ZEMIsbpBZU 

Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9zdW5mbG93ZXItcmFiYml0LWE1bWIuc3F1YX

After I read the book, The CEO Next Door: The 4 Behaviors that Transform Ordinary People into World-Class Leaders, I took the CEO Genome assessment to grade myself against the 4 behaviors in the book. I share my results and what I plan to do about it. 

References for this episode:

Link to CEO Genome Assessment: https://ceogenome.com/quiz/

Book: The CEO Next Door: The 4 Behaviors that Transform Ordinary People into World-Class Leaders - https://www.amazon.com/CEO-Next-Door-Behaviors-World-Class-ebook/dp/B072MXQNNK/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1691766173&sr=8-1 

Book: Traction: Get a Grip on Your Business - https://www.amazon.com/Traction-Get-Grip-Your-Business-ebook/dp/B007QWLLV2/ref=sr_1_1?crid=SLDOIW5G5CI7&keywords=gino+wickman+traction&qid=1691766226&sprefix=gino+wickman+tractio%2Caps%2C130&sr=8-1 

EOS Traction Model: https://www.eosworldwide.com/eos-model 

David Sacks on Cadences: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0sMviH3G24 

Sarah E. Brown episode: https://open.spotify.com/episode/22rajzY7WF1BGcHgh5MzjY?si=5df3cf40dfbc471c 

Mary Poppen episode: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7bspFqKpVAzDxLDjEcNg2H?si=YjwfkhubRiOIz0kZYew--A 

More about Bill:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billcushard/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/billcush 

Podcast website: rebelintrapreneur.com.

Bill’s book: The Art of Agile Marketing: A Practical Roadmap for Implementing Kanban and Scrum in Jira and Confluence https://www.amazon.com/Art-Agile-Marketing-Implementing-Confluence-ebook/dp/B079GLKWB1/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2SE4RO1UTSNX&keywords=art+of+agile+marketing&qid=1669916670&sprefix=art+of+agile+marketing%2Caps%2C115&sr=8-1

Get the show on:

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rebel-intrapreneur/id1644520357 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6C3PzWhzNZe5ZEMIsbpBZU 

Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9zdW5mbG93ZXItcmFiYml0LWE1bWIuc3F1YX

Chad Horenfeldt is one of the original expert influencers in customer success, and he is on a mission to up-level this function which may be losing its way. Rebel intrapreneurs are on notice to continue to earn trust with customers and not to take getting closer to customers for granted. 

More about Chad: 

On Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chadhorenfeldt/ 

Substack Newsletter: Customer Success & Failures: https://chadhorenfeldt.substack.com/ 

Other things we talked about: 

7 habits of highly effective people by Stephen R. Covey: https://www.amazon.com/Habits-Highly-Effective-People-Powerful-ebook/dp/B07WF972WK/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=7+habits+of+highly+effective+people&qid=1692108379&sprefix=7+habits+of+%2Caps%2C147&sr=8-1 

The score takes care of itself by Bill Walsh: https://www.amazon.com/Score-Takes-Care-Itself-Philosophy-ebook/dp/B002G54Y04/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=the+score+takes+care+of+itself+by+bill+walsh&qid=1692108407&sprefix=score+tskes+care+of+%2Caps%2C134&sr=8-1 

The one thing by Gary Keller: https://www.amazon.com/ONE-Thing-Surprisingly-Extraordinary-Results-ebook/dp/B00C1BHQXK/ref=sr_1_1?crid=19PXY66HLYFLE&keywords=the+one+thing&qid=1692108453&sprefix=the+one+thing%2Caps%2C136&sr=8-1 

That a16z blog: Customer Success is Broken: https://a16z.com/2023/07/11/customer-success-is-broken/  

More about Bill:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billcushard/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/billcush 

Podcast website: rebelintrapreneur.com.

Bill’s book: The Art of Agile Marketing: A Practical Roadmap for Implementing Kanban and Scrum in Jira and Confluence https://www.amazon.com/Art-Agile-Marketing-Implementing-Confluence-ebook/dp/B079GLKWB1/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2SE4RO1UTSNX&keywords=art+of+agile+marketing&qid=1669916670&sprefix=art+of+agile+marketing%2Caps%2C115&sr=8-1

Get the show on:

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rebel-intrapreneur/id1644520357 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6C3PzWhzNZe5ZEMIsbpBZU 

Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9zdW5mbG93ZXItcmFiYml0LWE1bWIuc3F1YX

If we put a category lens on the rebel intrapreneur, we can change the way companies look for high performing employees and change the way high performing employees position themselves as rebel intrapreneurs. We explore how to use category design to create the rebel intrapreneur. 

More about Bill:

Bill Cushard on Linkedin

Bill Cushard on Twitter

Rebel Intrapreneur podcast website

Bill’s book: The Art of Agile Marketing: A Practical Roadmap for Implementing Kanban and Scrum in Jira and Confluence 

Get the show on:

Apple Podcasts 

Spotify

Google Podcasts

What do you mean forget the funnel? Everything we do is designed to optimize the flow of leads through the funnel. We even call them “funnel metrics.” After talking to Claire Suellentrop, co-author of Forget the Funnel: A customer-led approach for driving recurring revenue, I have come around to the idea that funnels are about us and not the customer. So, I say, “forget the funnel.”

More about Claire:

Claire’s book: Forget the Funnel: A customer-led approach for driving recurring revenue: https://www.amazon.com/Forget-Funnel-Customer-Led-Predictable-Recurring-ebook/dp/B0C386KSTG/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3FDMB7E3KTX9D&keywords=forget+the+funnel&qid=1692563216&sprefix=forget+the+funnel%2Caps%2C153&sr=8-1 

Claire’s company: https://forgetthefunnel.com

Claire on X / Twitter: https://twitter.com/ClaireSuellen 

Claire on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/clairesuellentrop/

More about Bill:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billcushard/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/billcush 

Bill’s book: The Art of Agile Marketing: A Practical Roadmap for Implementing Kanban and Scrum in Jira and Confluence https://www.amazon.com/Art-Agile-Marketing-Implementing-Confluence-ebook/dp/B079GLKWB1/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2SE4RO1UTSNX&keywords=art+of+agile+marketing&qid=1669916670&sprefix=art+of+agile+marketing%2Caps%2C115&sr=8-1

Get the show on:

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rebel-intrapreneur/id1644520357 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6C3PzWhzNZe5ZEMIsbpBZU 

Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9zdW5mbG93ZXItcmFiYml0LWE1bWIuc3F1YX

The intrapreneur is not new. Far from it. For decades, perhaps longer, organizations have been driven forward by innovative intrapreneurs who are seeking something better. 

This is not just an assumption. 

The intrapreneur has been written about in the past. 

Most notably, and originally by Gifford Pinchot III, in his book, Intrapreneuring: Why you don't have to leave the corporation to become an entrepreneur. 

I have been reading this book (second half of August) and am finding many relevant to today. So far, the The intrapreneur's 10 commandments seems particular relevant as a set principles by which the intrapreneur should live. 

Here they are: 

The intrapreneur's 10 commandments:

* Come to work each day willing to be fired.

* Circumvent any orders aimed at stopping your dream.

* Do any job needed to make your project work, regardless of your job description.

* Find people to help you.

* Follow your intuition about the people you choose, and work only with the best.

* Work underground as long as you can, publicity triggers the corporate immune mechanism.

* Never bet on a race unless you are running in it.

* Remember it is easier to ask for forgiveness than for permission.

* Be true to your goals, but be realistic about the ways to achieve them.

* Honor your sponsors.

This list is so good, it is to be put on the fridge.

As I read Intrapreneuring, I will share what I learn. So far, it’s been quite good.

The book: 

Intrapreneuring: Why you don't have to leave the corporation to become an entrepreneur

By Gifford Pinchot III 

More about Bill:

Bill Cushard on Linkedin

Bill Cushard on Twitter

Bill’s book: The Art of Agile Marketing: A Practical Roadmap for Implementing Kanban and Scrum in Jira and Confluence 

Get the show on:

Apple Podcasts 

Spotify

Google Podcasts

All this talk about building a personal brand and being a creator and growing an audience assumes most people know what to write about and understand who they are they are writing for. 

Not everyone knows. 

It’s a big hurdle. 

Jacob Warren, founder and CEO of GrowGlad, has a better solution. He suggests sharing the Linkedin content that your company is posting. But don’t just repost. Add a unique point of view, some context, a reason for two for why you are sharing it. 

If you are a rebel intrapreneur and want to further the mission of the company where you work, why not share what’s going on at your company. Yes, it benefits the company, but it also benefits you and helps you build your brand. 

Warren shares several strategies for doing this well. Doable strategies you can start on today. 

More about Jacob: 

Jacob Warren’s Linkedin post 

Jacob Warren on Linkedin 

Jacob Warren’s company: GrowGlad  

More about Bill:

Bill Cushard on Linkedin

Bill Cushard on Twitter

Rebel Intrapreneur podcast website

Bill’s book: The Art of Agile Marketing: A Practical Roadmap for Implementing Kanban and Scrum in Jira and Confluence 

Get the show on:

Apple Podcasts 

Spotify

Google Podcasts

According to Rohan Tailor, principal consultant at ABR Talent, you have 15 seconds to get your CV noticed. If you take Tailor’s advice in his CS Insider article, Evolving with Customer Success: How to Shine in a Competitive Market, 15 seconds might just be all you need.Tailor offers 7 practical things to do, if you want to stand out in your job search. 

More about Rohan: 

Rohan Tailor’s CS Insider article 

Rohan Tailor’s Linkedin post 

Rohan Tailor on Linkedin

Rohan Tailor at ABR Talent

More about Bill:

Bill Cushard on Linkedin

Bill Cushard on Twitter

Rebel Intrapreneur podcast website

Bill’s book: The Art of Agile Marketing: A Practical Roadmap for Implementing Kanban and Scrum in Jira and Confluence 

Get the show on:

Apple Podcasts 

Spotify

Google Podcasts

2023 has been the year of operational efficiencies in SaaS, and many customer success teams have customers struggling with this. Maranda Dziekonski, senior vice president of customer success, posted on Linkedin about the importance of having proactive empathy for customers who may not have gone through such a process of improving efficiency. Dziekonski says to customer success managers, “What your customers care about has changed significantly over the past year! CS, if you do not adjust, your bottom line will be impacted.” We explore how customer success teams can adjust. 

More about Maranda: 

Maranda’s Linkedin post on adapting with your customers. 

Maranda’s Linkedin post about receiving 1,400 applications to her job posting.  

Maranda Dziekonski on Linkedin.

More about Bill:

Bill Cushard on Linkedin

Bill Cushard on Twitter

Rebel Intrapreneur podcast website

Bill’s book: The Art of Agile Marketing: A Practical Roadmap for Implementing Kanban and Scrum in Jira and Confluence 

Get the show on:

Apple Podcasts 

Spotify

Google Podcasts

“You’re not listening.” This point from Bob London in his KamCon 2023 talk, The Five Customer Love Languages, hit me at just the right time. “I am listening,” I thought to myself. What if I’m not? 

If you have ever worked at a startup trying to find product-market fit, you can relate this. 

You listen. 

You hear what people say. 

You act on what they say. 

Then, nothing happens. 

I was listening. I heard what they said. We built what they wanted. They didn’t buy it. Maybe I wasn’t listening. Bob London has a way of getting people to open up with questions and disrupt conversations with the right questions. That’s why his company is called Chief Listening Officers, and why we had him on the podcast. To become better listeners. 

More about Bob:

Recording of Bob London’s talk at KAMCon 2023 in Boulder, The Five Customer Love Languages

Bob London’s Linkedin post

Bob’s company, Chief Listening Officers

Bob London on Linkedin

Strategic Customer Convos

Gary Chapman’s book, The Five Love Languages

More about Bill:

Bill Cushard on Linkedin

Bill Cushard on Twitter

Rebel Intrapreneur podcast website

Bill’s book: The Art of Agile Marketing: A Practical Roadmap for Implementing Kanban and Scrum in Jira and Confluence 

Get the show on:

Apple Podcasts 

Spotify

Google Podcasts

If you have ever assembled a team or have been a part of a team, you know how difficult it can be to get everyone on the team to row in the same direction. People have different skills, styles, work preferences. They also have their own ideas about the purpose of the team and how things should be done. 

David Burkus simplifies how to build great teams and shares it in his book, “Best Team Ever: The Surprising Science of High Performing Teams.” It is such a practical book for rebel intrapreneurs at all levels to build better teams. 

More about David: 

David Burkus’s book, Best Team Ever: The Surprising Science of High Performing Teams 

Find David Burkus 

More about Bill:

Bill Cushard on Linkedin

Bill Cushard on Twitter

Rebel Intrapreneur podcast website

Bill’s book: The Art of Agile Marketing: A Practical Roadmap for Implementing Kanban and Scrum in Jira and Confluence 

Get the show on:

Apple Podcasts 

Spotify

Google Podcasts

In early 2023, ServiceRocket sold its Atlassian Apps business to AppFire. Peter John Marquez, chief customer officer at ServiceRocket, had to decide where to take the company next? So, now the question is, how does a rebel intrapreneur decide what to build next? Peter John suggests that a solid “why” will tell you where you are and where you need to be. We talked about how this “why” can drive what to build next and how to build it. 

More about Peter: 

Peter John Marquez on Linkedin

Peter John Marquez at ServiceRocket

ServiceRocket sold Apps business to AppFire (Jan 2023)

Other things to talked about: 

Innovation Stack: Building an Unbeatable Business One Crazy Idea at a Time, by Jim McKelvey (affiliate link, if you want to support the show).

Better, Simpler Strategy: A Value-Based Guide to Exceptional Performance by Flelix Oberholzer-Gee (affiliate link, if you want to support the show)

More about Bill:

Bill Cushard on Linkedin

Bill Cushard on Twitter

Rebel Intrapreneur podcast website

Bill’s book: The Art of Agile Marketing: A Practical Roadmap for Implementing Kanban and Scrum in Jira and Confluence 

Get the show on:

Apple Podcasts 

Spotify

Google Podcasts

Katie McEwen is The Procurement Girl, but she didn’t come up with that name. She was at a conference and a woman came up to her and said, “Hey, You’re the procurement girl.” The name stuck. McEwen had been working for a software startup in the procurement space and started posting on Linkedin to spread the word about procurement and the company. Word spread. An audience gravitated towards McEwen and now, she is changing the perception of procurement and elevating it’s strategic contribution. This is an excellent conversation about how a rebel intrapreneur can grow a company and a category and a personal reputation at the same time. Everyone wins. 

More about Katie: 

Katie McEwen’s Linkedin post about rebels and renegades in procurement

The Procurement Girl website

On Linkedin

Sarah E. Brown introduced us. Here is her episode. 

More about Bill:

Bill Cushard on Linkedin

Bill Cushard on Twitter

Rebel Intrapreneur podcast website

Bill’s book: The Art of Agile Marketing: A Practical Roadmap for Implementing Kanban and Scrum in Jira and Confluence 

Get the show on:

Apple Podcasts 

Spotify

Google Podcasts

This episode is for everyone who has hit a career plateau and cannot figure out how to break through to the next level. You’ve tried everything; talked to your boss, read all the right books, moved companies, but nothing seems to work. Katy McFee, an executive coach who is on a mission to help 1,000 women get executive positions, talks about three things that are holding you back, or at least keeping you on the plateau. 

More about Katy: 

Katy’s Linked post about feeling intimidated by the executive level and how disappointed she was when she got to the c-suite

Katy McFee’s newsletter 

On Linkedin

Katy McFee’s executive coaching practice: Insights to Action

McFee’s program on getting a seat at the table

More about Bill:

Bill Cushard on Linkedin

Bill Cushard on Twitter

Rebel Intrapreneur podcast website

Bill’s book: The Art of Agile Marketing: A Practical Roadmap for Implementing Kanban and Scrum in Jira and Confluence 

Get the show on:

Apple Podcasts 

Spotify

Google Podcasts

This episode is brought to you by a practical way to set your marketing team up for success. Get my book, The Art of Agile Marketing: A Practical Roadmap for Implementing Kanban and Scrum in Jira and Confluence. 

And, if you like this episode with Vijay, I recommend getting his book, The New Automation Mindset: The Leadership Blueprint for the Era of AL-for-All (affiliate link, if you’d like to support the show).

As Vijay Tella, co-founder and CEO of Workato, describes in his book, The New Automation Mindset: The Leadership Blueprint for the Era of AI-For-All, the more digital, task-oriented apps we buy, the more manual work we create for ourselves. It’s an application toggling tax that slows us down and makes us less productive. It’s a paradox. Tella says the main message of his book is that the success of AI and automation in the enterprise will depend not on technology, but on a new mindset in the organization. 

More about Vijay: 

The New Automation Mindset: The Leadership Blueprint for the Era of AI-For-All

Workato

Workato’s Walnut IQ 

On Linkedin 

More about Bill:

Bill Cushard on Linkedin

Bill Cushard on Twitter

Rebel Intrapreneur podcast website

Bill’s book: The Art of Agile Marketing: A Practical Roadmap for Implementing Kanban and Scrum in Jira and Confluence 

Get the show on:

Apple Podcasts 

Spotify

Google Podcasts

Today’s episode is brought to you by Figma. Two important tools of the Rebel Intrapreneur are the business model canvas and the value proposition canvas. Figma has templates for both. I used the value proposition canvas template to design the listener profile and value map for this show. You can do it, too. Try Figma for free (use this link if you want to support the show), and get your innovation projects off the ground fast.

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When people start preparing to ask for a raise for promotion, they spend most of their time thinking about the ask. “How much should I ask for?” “What position do I want?” Yes, you have to know what you want. However, the ask is 5% of the conversation. What about the other 95%? 

That’s what you should be preparing for. 

What do you do when the answer is no? 

What do you do if the answer is maybe? 

What do you do if the answer is yes? 

Are you prepared to quit if the answer is no? Stay? 

Are you prepared with a plan if the answer is maybe? 

Are you prepared to relocate across the country if the answer is yes? 

There are so many questions to be prepared for that the ask itself is probably the last thing you should prepare for. 

In this episode, I explore some ideas for how to prepare for these questions. 

Part of my process comes from Simon Sinek, and in the show, I said I would add a link in the show notes, so here it is:

More about Bill:

Bill Cushard on Linkedin

Bill Cushard on X

Rebel Intrapreneur podcast website

Bill’s book: The Art of Agile Marketing: A Practical Roadmap for Implementing Kanban and Scrum in Jira and Confluence 

Get the show on:

Apple Podcasts 

Spotify

Google Podcasts

Today’s episode is brought to you by Figma. Two important tools of the Rebel Intrapreneur are the business model canvas and the value proposition canvas. Figma has templates for both, so you can design your innovation projects fast. I used the value proposition canvas template to design the listener profile and value map for this show. Try Figma for free and try it yourself. 

The 2023 job market is tough. So tough, that I have seen several Linkedin posts from hiring managers sharing how they are receiving hundreds or thousands of resumes. There seem to be more people competing for fewer opportunities, which makes it all the more important to stand out in some way. A good resume is a big part of that. 

Erin Lewber is a top career coach to follow in Linkedin and head of strategic account management at Amazon. She knows what good resumes look like and wants you to know about three things hiring managers want you to change about your resume. 

More about Erin: 

Erin Lewber’s Linked post

Erin’s website 

Erin’s Resume Blueprint

Top Career Coach to Follow on Linkedin 

On Linkedin 

More about Bill:

Bill Cushard on Linkedin

Bill Cushard on Twitter

Rebel Intrapreneur podcast website

Bill’s book: The Art of Agile Marketing: A Practical Roadmap for Implementing Kanban and Scrum in Jira and Confluence 

Get the show on:

Apple Podcasts 

Spotify

Google Podcasts

Today’s episode is brought to you by Figma. Two important tools of the Rebel Intrapreneur are the business model canvas and the value proposition canvas. Figma has templates for both, so you can design your innovation projects fast. I used the value proposition canvas template to design the listener profile and value map for this show. Try Figma for free.

Dave Martin, co-author of this great new book: The Product Momentum Gap: Bring Together Product Strategy and Customer Value (with co-author, Andrea Saez, who will also be on the show coming up in November), makes a bold statement early in the book: “It’s time to stop squandering resources by using a roadmap as the primary means of executing your product strategy. It doesn’t work.” 

Wait, I thought. Isn’t roadmaps what product teams do? 

I get it. The word “primary” is in there. Product managers shouldn’t ditch the roadmap. However, the roadmap is not the objective. But sometimes product teams do get caught up in the gravity of making the roadmap the main thing. After all, everyone is asking to see the roadmap, even customers. If the roadmap doesn’t look good, it must be because we have no product strategy. 

No problem. Improve the roadmap. Improve the product strategy. 

Of course this is flawed and incorrect. 

Think of it this way.

Marketing generates leads

Sales secures new customers.

Customer success retains and expands customers. 

Product builds roadmaps? 

No.

According to Dave and Andrea: Product “should” create new customer behaviors. 

When you listen to this conversation with Dave (and the November episode with Andrea) and read their book, you will understand.

Product creates new customer behaviors.

More about Dave: 

The Book: The Product Momentum Gap: Bringing Together Product Strategy and Customer Value (affiliate link, if you’d like to support Rebel Intrapreneur)

Dave Martin on Linkedin

Dave Martin’s Website: RightToLeft Consulting 

More about Bill:

Bill Cushard on Linkedin

Bill Cushard on Twitter

Rebel Intrapreneur podcast website

Bill’s book: The Art of Agile Marketing: A Practical Roadmap for Implementing Kanban and Scrum in Jira and Confluence 

Get the show on:

Apple Podcasts 

Spotify

Google Podcasts

Today’s episode is brought to you by Figma. Two important tools of the Rebel Intrapreneur are the business model canvas and the value proposition canvas. Figma has templates for both. I used the value proposition canvas template to design the listener profile and value map for this show. You can do it, too. Try Figma for free, and get your innovation projects off the ground fast.

I had a fundamental misunderstanding of the concepts of product velocity. Being lazy, I just accepted that product velocity is about speed. In fact, when I google product velocity, I find numerous definitions and opinions that all say some version of, “how quickly new products or features can be released.” 

OK. Go faster. Work harder. I never thought to question this. 

Until this past week.

Osama Bedier, president of GoDaddy Commerce, gave a talk at the Dragonboat Accelerate 2023 virtual conference that woke me up to the difference between velocity and speed, exposing my fundamental misunderstanding of speed. 

Bedier relates that we’ve all worked on products (or in organizations) that felt like we were working fast, but seemed to be going nowhere. Just spinning our wheels. We might have thought we were working hard and going fast but often thought, “Where are we going with this?”  A tough question to handle, especially for high performing product teams. 

High performers want to achieve great things. Make a difference. Have an impact. And we cannot do those things if our efforts are not making progress towards a specific, important direction. 

Bedier reminded me that there is a big difference between speed and velocity.

What is product velocity?

He defined each. Simply.

Speed = Going Fast.

Velocity = Speed + Direction. 

The purpose of speed is to go fast. 

The purpose of velocity is to go fast in a specific direction. 

That specific direction could be towards a: 

* Goal

* Mission

* Deadline

* Requirement

* Regulatory change

* Any other important “why”

Take a look at that list. When product teams understand the direction, speed is easy.

Velocity as leadership principle

Direction clarifies. 

Direction minimizes distractions. 

Direction focuses energy on something specific. 

Without direction, we could speed up beyond our wildest imagination and still not accomplish any important goal, mission, deadline, requirement, regulatory change, or any other important “why.” 

In this context, speed is irrelevant. Or downright counter productive. 

Imagine assembling a team of high performers, telling them to go faster, and NOT telling them where to go.

Leadership principle: Pursue velocity, not speed.

More about Bill:

Bill Cushard on Linkedin

Bill Cushard on X

Rebel Intrapreneur podcast website

Bill’s book: The Art of Agile Marketing: A Practical Roadmap for Implementing Kanban and Scrum in Jira and Confluence 

Get the show on:

Apple Podcasts 

Spotify

Google Podcasts

Rebel Intrapreneurs use the Strategyzer Business Model Canvas FigJam template to turn possibilities into plans. Learn about the business model canvas FigJam template here and Try FigJam for free.

One book that inspired this podcast is called The 10% Entrepreneur: Live Your Startup Dream Without Quitting Your Day Job by Patrick J. McGinnis. When I read it, I took a ton of notes and after reviewing those notes recently, I thought it was time to talk through them with you, so you could get an idea of what was going through my mind as I read the book. 

In the book, McGinnis talks through a process to help readers think through whether one wants to be an entrepreneur or a 10% entrepreneur, and if it’s the latter, how to design one’s career to be a 10% entrepreneur. 

I’d say The 10% Entrepreneur is required reading for rebel intrapreneurs. 

More about the 10% Entrepreneur:

The book: The 10% Entrepreneur: Live Your Startup Dream Without Quitting Your Day Job (Affiliate link) by Patrick J. McGinnis

Talks at Google with the author, Patrick J. McGinnis

Sponsor:

Today’s episode is brought to you by Figma. Two important tools of the Rebel Intrapreneur are the business model canvas and the value proposition canvas. Figma has templates for both. I used the value proposition canvas template to design the listener profile and value map for this show. You can do it, too. Try Figma for free, and get your innovation projects off the ground fast.

More about Bill:

Bill Cushard on Linkedin

Bill Cushard on X

Rebel Intrapreneur podcast website

Bill’s book: The Art of Agile Marketing: A Practical Roadmap for Implementing Kanban and Scrum in Jira and Confluence 

Get the show on:

Apple Podcasts 

Spotify

Google Podcasts

Rebel Intrapreneurs use the Strategyzer Business Model Canvas FigJam template to turn possibilities into plans. Learn about the business model canvas FigJam template here and Try FigJam for free.

I intended to talk to Lihong Hicken, founder and CEO of TheySaid, about how her company helps customers understand customers better and even predict growth potential and churn risk by using a metric called, customer perceived value (CPV). We did talk about that, but not before we started off talking about Lihong’s desire to be an intrapreneur. 

In fact, the main reason Lihong started TheySaid is because she wanted to create a solution to understanding customers that she wished she had when she was an intrapreneur in previous jobs. In fact, part of her thinks that when she does make this solution work, she can go back to being an intrapreneur and use it. 

What a way to start a company. 

Side note: If you are reading this before November 8, 2023, you might want to catch a Linkedin Live event, hosted by Lihong Hicken and TheySaid called, Linkedin Live Debate: Is NPS a Vanity Metrics? Lihong hosts a panel to have this great debate: Bill Cushard

Adam Mullen

Colby Bock

Dave Jackson

Greg Daines

Manil Vasantha

More about Lihong: 

Lihong Hicken’s blog on customer perceived value (CPV) 

Lihong Hicken’s company, TheySaid 

Lihong Hicken On Linkedin

Sponsor:

Today’s episode is brought to you by Figma. Two important tools of the Rebel Intrapreneur are the business model canvas and the value proposition canvas. Figma has templates for both. I used the value proposition canvas template to design the listener profile and value map for this show. You can do it, too. Try Figma for free, and get your innovation projects off the ground fast.

More about Bill:

Bill Cushard on Linkedin

Bill Cushard on Twitter

Rebel Intrapreneur podcast website

Bill’s book: The Art of Agile Marketing: A Practical Roadmap for Implementing Kanban and Scrum in Jira and Confluence 

Get the show on:

Apple Podcasts 

Spotify

Google Podcasts

Rebel Intrapreneurs use the Strategyzer Business Model Canvas FigJam template to turn possibilities into plans. Learn about the business model canvas FigJam template here and Try FigJam for free.

It’s time to take your exam on intrapreneurship. This test is from the book, Intrapreneuring: Why You Don't Have to Leave the Corporation to Become an Entrepreneur by Gifford Pinchot. The test is called, Are you an intrapreneur? 

It is a set of 12 questions to which you’d answer a simple yes or no. Gifford suggests that if you answer “Yes” to most of the questions, you might already be behaving like an intrapreneur. 

* Does your desire to make things work better occupy as much of your time as fulfilling your duty to maintain them the way they are? 

* Do you get excited about what you are doing at work? 

* Do you think about new business ideas while driving to work or taking a shower? 

* Can you visualize concrete steps for action when you consider ways to make a new idea happen? 

* Do you get in trouble from time to time for doing things that exceed your authority? 

* Are you able to keep your ideas undercover, suppressing your urge to tell everyone about them until you have tested them and developed a plan for implementation? 

* Have you successfully pushed through bleak times when something you were working on looked like it might fail? 

* Do you have more than your share of both fans and critics? 

* Do you have a network of friends at work whom you can count on for help? 

* Do you get easily annoyed by others’ incompetent attempts to execute portions of your ideas? 

* Can you consider trying to overcome a natural perfectionist tendency to do all the work yourself and share responsibility for your ideas with a team? 

* Would you be willing to give up some salary in exchange for the chance to try out your business idea if the rewards for success were adequate? 

So that is the list of 12 questions to help you determine if you are an Intrapreneur. 

Please take the test and share your results in the comments. How’d you do? 

Today’s episode is brought to you by Figma. Two important tools of the Rebel Intrapreneur are the business model canvas and the value proposition canvas. Figma has templates for both, so you can design your innovation projects fast. I used the value proposition canvas template to design the listener profile and value map for this show. Try Figma for free. 

The book, Intrapreneuring: Why You Don't Have to Leave the Corporation to Become an Entrepreneur (affiliate link, if you want to support the show).

More about Bill:

Bill Cushard on Linkedin

Bill Cushard on Twitter

Rebel Intrapreneur podcast website

Bill’s book: The Art of Agile Marketing: A Practical Roadmap for Implementing Kanban and Scrum in Jira and Confluence 

Get the show on:

Apple Podcasts 

Spotify

Google Podcasts

Rebel Intrapreneurs use the Strategyzer Business Model Canvas FigJam template to turn possibilities into plans. Learn about the business model canvas FigJam template here and Try FigJam for free.

If there is one takeaway that rebel intrapreneurs can take away from Andrea Saez’s book, it’s how to help product teams know what to focus on. This idea prompted me to ask Andrea, “Is this a leadership book as much as a product management book?” You can imagine her answer. 

In a way, that insight about her book, The Product Momentum Gap: Bringing Together Product Strategy and Customer Value (written with co-author Dave Martin, episode 70) led me to abandon my original conversation plan and spend most of our time talking about organizational alignment, providing clear direction, and empowering teams to create value for customers and for the business without being micromanaged. 

More about Andrea: 

The Book: The Product Momentum Gap: Bringing Together Product Strategy and Customer Value (affiliate link, if you’d like to support Rebel Intrapreneur)

Andrea Saez On Linkedin

Andrea Saez On X

Sponsor:

Today’s episode is brought to you by Figma. Two important tools of the Rebel Intrapreneur are the business model canvas and the value proposition canvas. Figma has templates for both, so you can design your innovation projects fast. I used the value proposition canvas template to design the listener profile and value map for this show. Try Figma for free. 

More about Bill:

Bill Cushard on Linkedin

Bill Cushard on Twitter

Rebel Intrapreneur podcast website

Bill’s book: The Art of Agile Marketing: A Practical Roadmap for Implementing Kanban and Scrum in Jira and Confluence 

Get the show on:

Apple Podcasts 

Spotify

Google Podcasts

Rebel Intrapreneurs use the Strategyzer Business Model Canvas FigJam template to turn possibilities into plans. Learn about the business model canvas FigJam template here and Try FigJam for free.

On November 8, 2023, I participated in a debate on Linkedin Live, hosted by Lihong Hicken, the founder and CEO of TheySaid, which is a software company that helps customers discover risks to customer churn by asking the right question to the right person at the right time. TheySaid leverages a concept called customer perceived value (CPV), which gets to the bottom of what each stakeholder of a customer organization perceives as value. 

The topic of the debate was “Is NPS a vanity Metric?” What Lihong did was assemble two teams of go-to-market leaders to take either side of the question and make the case for why NPS is or is not a vanity metric. 

This is a full recording of that debate. 

I want to share with you why I am posting this recording on the Rebel Intrapreneur podcast.

It’s not really about the debate or about NPS or whether NPS is or is not a vanity metric. 

The idea I want you to take away from this debate, as a rebel intrapreneur, is the systems thinking aspect of this debate. 

As a rebel intrapreneur, you will implement new things in organizations where you work. And you know as much as anyone that implementing new things is hard, no matter how smart or prepared you OR your organization is. What makes things even more difficult is implementing something:

* Without a clear purpose, reason, goal, or very strong WHY. 

* When you question the very system or process you are implementing, change it, skip steps entirely. When you do this, you are no longer implementing the system, but something else entirely. No wonder it didn’t work. 

As you listen to this debate, you will hear things like; NPS does or does not affect revenue growth, retention, engagement, or custom satisfaction. NPS does not prompt companies to make strategic changes to improve the overall business. 

Is NPS designed to address all of that? Are we drifting from the original purpose of that system? 

I think so.

Rebel Intrapreneurs have an important skill: keeping teams on track and focused on the mission. Rebel intrapreneurs are like a meditation coach, helping people bring back their focus when they drift. And everyone drifts. 

So for me, the big lesson of this debate was not whether NPS is a vanity metric or not. The big lesson for me was, are companies using NPS as designed or are they drifting, and then complaining it doesn’t work, “for them.” 

This is not about NPS. You can take NPS and replace it with anything and ask the same question. That is how a rebel intrapreneur should operate. It is certainly how I try to operate in my work, which I don’t always live up to. But I strive. 

I hope you listen to the full debate and ask yourself, “How can I keep my teams on track with the purpose of “X system” that we are implementing in our organization?” 

About the event: 

Link to event on Linkedin.

Lihong Hicken’s company, TheySaid. 

Lihong Hicken On Linkedin.

Debate participants:Bill Cushard

Adam Mullen

Colby Bock

Dave Jackson

Greg Daines

Manil Vasantha

Today’s episode is brought to you by Figma. Two important tools of the Rebel Intrapreneur are the business model canvas and the value proposition canvas. Figma has templates for both, so you can design your innovation projects fast. I used the value proposition canvas template to design the listener profile and value map for this show. Try Figma for free. 

More about Bill:

Bill Cushard on Linkedin

Bill Cushard on Twitter

Rebel Intrapreneur podcast website

Bill’s book: The Art of Agile Marketing: A Practical Roadmap for Implementing Kanban and Scrum in Jira and Confluence 

Get the show on:

Apple Podcasts 

Spotify

Google Podcasts

Rebel Intrapreneurs use the Strategyzer Business Model Canvas FigJam template to turn possibilities into plans. Learn about the business model canvas FigJam template here and Try FigJam for free.

What started off as a discussion about Ari Hoffman’s Influitive blog, Unlocking Revenue Growth Through Customer Marketing: Your 6-Step Blueprint, turned into a conversation about ruthless prioritization, working with stakeholders to prioritize together, and what paying lip service to a function looks like in the real world. 

This big lesson for me in this conversation was how Ari describes the real tendency to want to do everything, even though we know we cannot. Part of the solution is to prioritize based on what’s most important. Ari calls this, “doing less, more.” Easier said than done. But vital. 

Do Less, More. - Ari Hoffman

Another part of the solution is to prioritize with your peers. Come into those conversation with a mind set of, “let’s solve this together.”

That helps. 

The final piece of this prioritization puzzle, which is the big lesson for me is accept that some fires will burn themselves out. We don’t have to do everything or jump on everything that comes up at the moment. In fact, doing that will likely be counter-productive. Don’t do it. 

Let some fires burn themselves out. 

More about Ari: 

Ari Hoffman’s Blog

On Linkedin

The newsletter that Ari mentioned

Today’s episode is brought to you by Figma. Two important tools of the Rebel Intrapreneur are the business model canvas and the value proposition canvas. Figma has templates for both, so you can design your innovation projects fast. I used the value proposition canvas template to design the listener profile and value map for this show. Try Figma for free.

More about Bill:

Bill Cushard on Linkedin

Bill Cushard on Twitter

Rebel Intrapreneur podcast website

Bill’s book: The Art of Agile Marketing: A Practical Roadmap for Implementing Kanban and Scrum in Jira and Confluence 

Get the show on:

Apple Podcasts 

Spotify

Google Podcasts

Rebel Intrapreneurs use the Strategyzer Business Model Canvas FigJam template to turn possibilities into plans. Learn about the business model canvas FigJam template here and Try FigJam for free.

Have you ever noticed the subtle way people sometimes belittle others by labeling their input as "tactical"? This often happens when someone offers a practical idea, and the response is quick: “Yeah, but that’s tactical. We need to think strategically about this.” Such statements, intended or not, dismiss a person’s contribution.

Sure, strategic thinking has its time and place. There are moments when we need to think strategically, but more often than not, we need to be tactical. Yet, in meetings, I've observed people hiding behind the safe blanket of strategic thinking, making statements like, “Let’s zoom out” or “Is there another way to think about this?”

However, strategic thinking can sometimes be a way to avoid the nitty-gritty details, work, or making tough decisions. It's a way to sidestep admitting that we don’t know what to do next.

I understand the importance of being strategic. As Peter Drucker wisely said, “There is nothing so useless as doing efficiently that which should not be done at all.” Strategy helps us focus on the right things, avoid working on the wrong ones, and make progress toward our ultimate purpose.

I firmly believe that strategy is everyone's responsibility, not just CxOs. Jeroen Kraaijenbrink, in his book "The One-Hour Strategy: Building a Company of Strategic Thinkers," emphasizes that strategy should be part of everyone’s job. Although not everyone needs to attend the annual executive planning offsite, everyone should allocate some time to work on strategy that aligns with their contributions.

Kraaijenbrink introduces the One Hour Rule:

* Executives spend one hour per day

* Managers spend one hour per week

* Employees spend one hour per month on strategy.

This rule provides a reasonable proportion of time that people should dedicate to strategy.

However, there's another perspective that advocates for leading with tactics. This school of thought suggests that you can and should execute your way to a strategy, especially when starting something new. Acting, doing, and trying are essential for learning and figuring things out.

The Lean Startup methodology, Scrum, and A/B testing all revolve around this principle of learning through action. Just having a strategy, no matter how impressive the slide deck, doesn't guarantee it's the right or a good strategy. The only way to find out is to tactically execute it.

So why do we sometimes belittle tactics? Criticizing others for being tactical misses the point. Most important things are accomplished by taking tactical action, even without perfect information.

If we wait too long to develop a perfect strategy, the world will pass us by. Let’s check ourselves every time we think of criticizing someone for being tactical. Remember, tactics make things happen. If you truly want to be strategic, follow the one hour rule.

Resources: 

The book: The One-Hour Strategy: Building a Company of Strategic Thinkers by Jeroen Kraaijenbrink

Today’s episode is brought to you by Figma. Two important tools of the Rebel Intrapreneur are the business model canvas and the value proposition canvas. Figma has templates for both, so you can design your innovation projects fast. I used the value proposition canvas template to design the listener profile and value map for this show. Try Figma for free. 

More about Bill:

Bill Cushard on Linkedin

Bill Cushard on Twitter

Rebel Intrapreneur podcast website

Bill’s book: The Art of Agile Marketing: A Practical Roadmap for Implementing Kanban and Scrum in Jira and Confluence 

Get the show on:

Apple Podcasts 

Spotify

Google Podcasts

Rebel Intrapreneurs use the Strategyzer Business Model Canvas FigJam template to turn possibilities into plans. Learn about the business model canvas FigJam template here and Try FigJam for free.

A rebel intrapreneur must learn the discipline of innovation. By definition, a rebel intrapreneur furthers the mission of the organization, while simultaneously challenging the system from within. This means improving existing things or launching new things. Innovation is required. 

When Helene Cahen released her book, Fire Up Innovation: Sparking and Sustaining Innovation Teams, I thought, “She wrote this book for rebel intrapreneurs.” After listening to this episode, I think you will agree.  

We talked about a lot of things, including: 

* 4 Ps of creativity 

* Creating a culture of starting small, prototyping, and not asking for permission

* The reality that if you don’t innovate, you are dead (organizationally, speaking)

* Stay and fight for innovation or leave and go somewhere else

* Some organizations are fast and some are slow and some have different definitions of fast and slow

* Diversity in the way we solve problems 

* Understand the problem before we leap to solutions

* Your role in innovation is moving the process along

* The need to define success clearly

* Brainstorming and clustering 

* Innovation is about change

* The wall of assumptions 

* The key to innovation is to “Find a project you can start on”

* 4 principles of applied innovation

More about Helene Cahen and her book: 

* For more information about the book: https://www.fireupinnovation.com/book

* Purchase on Amazon, Barnes & Noble Barnes & Noble or Independent bookstores Independent bookstores

* Business Website: www.fireupinnovation.com

* Blog: https://www.fireupinnovation.com/blog

* Email: info@fireupinnovation.com

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fireupinnovation

Special offers for listeners to help grow your business and support your innovation teams

* Sign up for Helene’s monthly newsletter for tips and invitations to webinars and events

* Schedule a free consultation to discuss your unique challenges by contacting us on our website www.fireupinnovation.com

* Curious about the book? Download a sneak peek of the first chapter at https://www.fireupinnovation.com/book

Today’s episode is brought to you by Figma. Two important tools of the Rebel Intrapreneur are the business model canvas and the value proposition canvas. Figma has templates for both, so you can design your innovation projects fast. I used the value proposition canvas template to design the listener profile and value map for this show. Try Figma for free. 

More about Bill:

Bill Cushard on Linkedin

Bill Cushard on Twitter

Rebel Intrapreneur podcast website

Bill’s book: The Art of Agile Marketing: A Practical Roadmap for Implementing Kanban and Scrum in Jira and Confluence 

Get the show on:

Apple Podcasts 

Spotify

Google Podcasts

Rebel Intrapreneurs use the Strategyzer Business Model Canvas FigJam template to turn possibilities into plans. Learn about the business model canvas FigJam template here and Try FigJam for free.

I was listening to a podcast the other day, and the guest asked the host, “Do you have an outcome that you want to create for your audience?“

I don’t think he had a good answer.

Here was the answer: 

“What I am trying to create is to show optimism. Show light. Show the good in humanity and surround myself with that? But how do you measure that? I’m really trying to optimize for love. Love for my guests. Love for the audience.” 

He goes on a little more. But I’ll stop there. 

First of all, the good part. Optimism is good. Good for humanity is good. Love is good. But I really don’t know what any of those things mean. 

I was thinking as I heard the answer, “That’s a vague answer.” 

I also thought, “This host is not ready for that question.” 

And then I thought, “What is my answer? Do I have a good answer? A bad answer? Any answer? Am I ready for that question?” 

Anyway, it made me think about my answer to the question: “Do you have an outcome that you want to create for your audience?”

This episode is my answer to that question. 

Today’s episode is brought to you by Figma. Two important tools of the Rebel Intrapreneur are the business model canvas and the value proposition canvas. Figma has templates for both, so you can design your innovation projects fast. I used the value proposition canvas template to design the listener profile and value map for this show. Try Figma for free. 

More about Bill:

Bill Cushard on Linkedin

Bill Cushard on Twitter

Rebel Intrapreneur podcast website

Bill’s book: The Art of Agile Marketing: A Practical Roadmap for Implementing Kanban and Scrum in Jira and Confluence 

Get the show on:

Apple Podcasts 

Spotify

Google Podcasts

Rebel Intrapreneurs use the Strategyzer Business Model Canvas FigJam template to turn possibilities into plans. Learn about the business model canvas FigJam template here and Try FigJam for free.

I have always prioritized 1:1s with my direct reports; sometimes declining and canceling meetings with my bosses in favor of meetings with my team. In some work cultures, that was not always a good move on my part. But I told myself, early on in my people management career, that I would not be the kind of manager who, at the last minute, over and over, canceled or rescheduled meetings with people on my team. 

I was not going to be THAT manager.

And I wasn’t.

I say that to say this. 

Nic Bryson gets it. Being a people manager is a vital role and the 1:1 meeting is a vital tool of the people manager. 

I know Nic knows this because he founded a company to help managers have better 1:1 meetings. 

I approve.As Nic says, “Effective leadership depends on better communications.”

Nic Bryson was employee #13 at Wrike.com, building and leading every customer-facing team across sales & CX over 9 years which lead to the $800 million acquisition by Vista Equity. Nic also led various CX functions at Workfront and was acting CCO during the $1.5 billion acquisition by Adobe. Nic has most recently launched Orgnized.com, in beta, as a new tool to help leaders better manage their 1-on-1 meetings with their team members. 

More about Nic: 

Nic Bryson’s Linkedin post about asking for raise  

Nic Bryson on Linkedin

Nic Bryson’s company, Orgnized 

Nic Bryson on X

Today’s episode is brought to you by Figma. Two important tools of the Rebel Intrapreneur are the business model canvas and the value proposition canvas. Figma has templates for both, so you can design your innovation projects fast. I used the value proposition canvas template to design the listener profile and value map for this show. Try Figma for free. 

More about Bill:

Bill Cushard on Linkedin

Bill Cushard on Twitter

Rebel Intrapreneur podcast website

Bill’s book: The Art of Agile Marketing: A Practical Roadmap for Implementing Kanban and Scrum in Jira and Confluence 

Get the show on:

Apple Podcasts 

Spotify

Google Podcasts

Rebel Intrapreneurs use the Strategyzer Business Model Canvas FigJam template to turn possibilities into plans. Learn about the business model canvas FigJam template here and Try FigJam for free: https://psxid.figma.com/d8auy7

Jason Lemkin posted about BambooHR's survey, saying employee happiness is at a three-year low. BambooHR even called it, “The Great Gloom.” The Great Gloom? Thanks for the pep talk, sunshine. Is it really that bad, or just a tiny dip in a bigger upward trend? And seriously, what even is employee happiness, and does it really matter for a company's performance? I mean, people don't quit their jobs the minute they're unhappy, right? On the other hand, layoffs, stress, and pressure from higher-ups can certainly lead to anxiety and all that.

So, I dug a bit deeper. Checked out a few reports—BambooHR, Gallup, and the Conference Board. Turns out, they all tell slightly different stories about 2023. A mixed bag.

Now, here's the real question for rebel intrapreneurs: What can we do with this info? 

I ask that question because I don’t accept The Great Gloom. I know that Rebel Intrapreneurs have enough agency in our spheres of influence that we can make a difference. 

Cracking the Employee Engagement Code with Agency

First off, Quantum Workplace developed a cool model with six key drivers of employee engagement. 

These are: 

* The leaders of their organization are committed to making it a great place to work.

* Trust in the leaders of the organization to set the right course.

* The belief that the organization will be successful in the future.

* Understanding of how I fit into the organization’s future plans.

* The leaders of the organization value people as their most important resource.

* The organization makes investments to make employees more successful.

And they can be boiled down into two categories: "I trust leadership" and "Leadership cares about me." Nice and simple.

Let’s look at each and how Rebel Intrapreneurs can use them to maximize employee engagement. 

My belief in leadership

Three of the drivers of employee engagement are about whether, and to what degree, employees believe in leadership’s ability to “steer the ship” successfully. In the context of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, people want to know they have a place to live and pay their bills and have a base level of safety and security. If leaders understand and respect these needs, then leaders also know that part of addressing those needs is to persuade people to believe that the organization will be successful.

Knowing this, let’s look at three of the key drivers of employee engagement together:

* The leaders of their organization are committed to making it a great place to work.

* Trust in the leaders of the organization to set the right course.

* Belief that the organization will be successful in the future.

Notice how these drivers are about employee expectations for how the leadership team should act. People want to believe in the mission and the ability of leadership to make progress towards that mission. Pay attention rebel Intrapreneurs, this is on us. We must go beyond the superficial employee engagement tropes, and be conscious of how we instill confidence in our people that we know what we are doing, even when we don’t have all the answers.

OK, so how? 

Quantum Workplace did some research on best practices for improving employee engagement that leadership teams should put into practice. These are: 

* Inspire committed and aligned leaders

* Prioritize regular communications with employees

Let’s talk about each

First: Inspire committed and aligned leaders

It all starts with leadership. Of course that means the leadership / Exec team. But we rebel intrapreneurs can lead by example too. When you want to implement or communicate anything throughout your organization, we have to involve other leaders. We cannot skip layers of people. Going through managers is how we scale anything in our organizations. You must prioritize communications with managers by communicating with them first.

If you want to inspire committed and aligned leaders, you must show your managers respect and say to them, “You are important to this organization and we value your participation, which is why we are telling you first.” You want to give managers the opportunity to seek clarity about “why” this message or decision or program or initiative is happening. Managers must understand “why” so they can communicate most effectively with their teams. Give managers the opportunity to ask why, and to ask follow up questions, until they are “committed and aligned.”

The next thing to do with managers is to seek their input and hear them out about challenges and possible changes to the message, decision, or program. You might make changes with their input. If you don’t make changes, you can reiterate the “why,” which helps managers understand the reasoning so that if they don’t agree with the decision, they know why the decision was made and they have the tools to communicate with their teams.

When you do this, managers will have what they need to carry out cascading messages to their teams.

Prioritizing and involving managers is how you scale messages, decisions, and programs throughout your organization.

Even though I use the term manager, rebel intrapreneurs can apply this to any leader on the team. High performing individual contributors and other influential people. Include them first. Get them onboard. Make them feel included and heard. Give them a chance to question things. So they can process the information and get on board. 

If you go from decision to announcing, you skip this vital step and risk your announcement falling flat, being ignored, or even downright sabotaged. 

So, inspire committed and aligned leaders. 

The next one is:

Prioritize regular communications with employees

Once you have inspired committed and aligned leaders by prioritizing your managers, you must still ensure there is a culture of consistent and ongoing communications with employees. Quantum Workplace suggests many ideas for how to do this, but the overall point is to use all communications channels at your disposal and do so frequently. 

Although you should communicate with managers first and empower them to cascade communications to their teams, your communications job has just begun. Employees should see the c-suite communicate frequently across the entire organization, not to replace or override what the managers are communicating, but to support what the managers are communicating.

Your leadership team should continuously share information that shows progress, results, and status of decisions and programs that are priorities in the company. If your employees want to feel confident that you are steering the ship in the right direction, you must share progress.

Share.

Share.

Share.

Employees are watching, and they are looking for your ability to lead a successful company. If you want engaged employees, you must help people believe the company is making progress towards the company mission.

My belief they care about me

Let’s look at the second category: the leadership team cares about me. Engaged employees not only need to believe the company is going in the right direction, but that the company (leadership in particular) actually cares about them. 

Look at these three drivers:

* Understanding of how I fit into the organization’s future plans.

* The leaders of the organization value people as their most important resource.

* The organization makes investments to make employees more successful.

Let’s talk about some ideas for how to ensure our people that we actually care about them.

Encourage and support people on making progress and link it back to organization's future plans

People want to feel a sense of belonging and to know that the work they do is valued and makes a contribution. Exceptional leaders (that’s you rebel intrapreneurs) help people believe how their work matters. So, it’s not enough to set a clear vision for the company (or your team) and ask people to “get on board.” Leadership teams need to acknowledge when people are “getting on board.” The more visible these acknowledgements are, the better. We should catch people doing something positive and acknowledge it.

Every rebel intrapreneur should have a daily practice of writing ten meaningful comments on people’s posts in Slack or Workplace or Teams or in comments in Jira, Notion, Clickup, etc. A meaningful comment means, one must read the post, and possibly some of the other comments, and write a comment that acknowledges the behavior and reinforces the contribution it makes.

People will notice this. “OMG The CTO commented on my post. Wow. I’m going to do something else worth posting about.” People will be inspired that the CTO took the time to acknowledge their work.

Try it.

Ten meaningful comments a day.

Talk about the investments you are making

Your company has a tuition reimbursement, a leadership development program, a profit sharing plan, generous benefits, flexible work scheduling, and other meaningful perks. You are investing in your employees. Heavily. Do you know whether employees use these benefits and to what extent? Do you know whether employees value these benefits? Or want something else? Are you communicating with your teams about the benefits people are not using?

You should.

This goes for time and tools and other resources. “We bought this new software” or “we did that integration so that ……” OR “He hired someone” OR “we removed that unnecessary business work……..” 

All of these things are to invest in people so they can make a difference. Rebel Intrapreneurs need to talk more about that.

These investments go beyond “talk” about caring for employees. It is one way an organization can “show” they care. 

Actions speak louder than words.

Let’s wrap this up and summarize what employees want. Rebel intrapreneurs should understand what people want so we can contribute and do something to maximize employee engagement.

What employees want

There are two main takeaways from the Quantum Workplace research: 

* Engaged employees believe in the direction of the organization and that the leadership team is capable of leading the organization into that future.

* Engagement employees believe the leadership team cares about them as individuals.

If you think about employee engagement in these two categories, it simplifies what action you need to take to improve employee engagement.

Links to Employee Engagement Reports: 

Jason Lemkin’s Tweet

BambooHR Report: The Great Gloom: In 2023, Employees Are Unhappier Than Ever. Why? 

Gallup: U.S. Employee Engagement Needs a Rebound in 2023

Conference Board Job Satisfaction 2023 

Today’s episode is brought to you by Figma. Two important tools of the Rebel Intrapreneur are the business model canvas and the value proposition canvas. Figma has templates for both, so you can design your innovation projects fast. I used the value proposition canvas template to design the listener profile and value map for this show. Try Figma for free. 

More about Bill:

Bill Cushard on Linkedin

Bill Cushard on Twitter

Rebel Intrapreneur podcast website

Bill’s book: The Art of Agile Marketing: A Practical Roadmap for Implementing Kanban and Scrum in Jira and Confluence 

Get the show on:

Apple Podcasts 

Spotify

Google Podcasts

Rebel Intrapreneurs use the Strategyzer Business Model Canvas FigJam template to turn possibilities into plans. Learn about the business model canvas FigJam template here and Try FigJam for free: https://psxid.figma.com/d8auy7

Atlassian is an exceptionally successful enterprise software company, currently valued at $50 billion. When you look into why Atlassian has been so successful, one thing you will find is scores of articles that talk about how Atlassian had no sales team even well after its IPO. 

While this is technically true, Atlassian did have a gigantic sales force all over the world in the form of resellers, services, and technology partners. Also known as, channel partners. Steve Cross was one of the first partner managers at Atlassian, who managed a large territory of partners for Atlassian. He documents his experience at Atlassian and his entire career in channel sales in his new book called “Managing SaaS Partnerships.”

We talk to Steve about his career in channel management and why it’s so important to company growth. 

More about Steve Cross: 

His book, Managing SaaS Partnerships (affiliate link, if you’d like to support the show)

Steve Cross on Linkedin

Today’s episode is brought to you by Figma. Two important tools of the Rebel Intrapreneur are the business model canvas and the value proposition canvas. Figma has templates for both, so you can design your innovation projects fast. I used the value proposition canvas template to design the listener profile and value map for this show. Try Figma for free. 

More about Bill:

Bill Cushard on Linkedin

Bill Cushard on Twitter

Rebel Intrapreneur podcast website

Bill’s book: The Art of Agile Marketing: A Practical Roadmap for Implementing Kanban and Scrum in Jira and Confluence 

Get the show on:

Apple Podcasts 

Spotify

Google Podcasts

Rebel Intrapreneurs use the Strategyzer Business Model Canvas FigJam template to turn possibilities into plans. Learn about the business model canvas FigJam template here and Try FigJam for free: https://psxid.figma.com/d8auy7

I did an episode (Ep 36) about giving a damn about one’s work, in which I reacted to a Pascal Finette newsletter article called Give a Damn in his The Heretic newsletter, which I like. This article resonated with me because giving a damn is what rebel intrapreneurs do. 

You know this. Rebel intrapreneurs want to further the missions of the organizations we serve. Yes, we also want to challenge/push/improve the system from within (the rebel part), but we do that in service of the mission.

Giving a damn. 

So, rebel intrapreneurs, it is our responsibility to give a damn. 

We chose to give a damn. With actions. And words. Both. Not faking it. Actually giving a damn. 

So that’s our job as rebel intrapreneurs.

What about the other side of the coin? Entrepreneurs, founders, executives, hiring managers, etc. What’s their job? Their job is to hire people who give a s**t. 

There is a yin yang relationship going on here. 

Intrapreneurs who give a damn and entrepreneurs who hire people who give a s**t. 

Hiring people who give a s**t is not my phrase. I just learned about it from Alexandr Wang, founder and CEO of Scale.ai. He wrote a newsletter article back in November 2020 called “Hire people who give a s**t. A simple formula for success.“ 

Alexandr makes two main points: 

First: 

“Over time interviewing, I’ve found that I mainly screen for one key thing: giving a s**t. To be more specific, there’s actually two things to screen for:

* they give a s**t about Scale, and

* they give a s**t about their work in general.

The first is critical, and will only become more important as time goes on. There is no future if we hire people who do not identify with our mission, our product, and our problem. We will become an undifferentiated crowd of uninspired people who will not have a shot at creating a generational company. While it is not guaranteed that someone who gives s**t will do great work, it is guaranteed that they will not do good work if they do not give a s**t.”

Second: 

The second (giving a s**t about work in general) is equally important. It’s possible to fake fervor in the course of an interview and say the right things to convince us of enthusiasm for Scale, but the proof is in the pudding. If someone is applying to Scale and has never been deeply obsessed about something before, then it’s a bad bet to think Scale will be the first. I have a particular line of questioning around this…

He has a list of interview questions for figuring out whether people give a s**t about their work in general, which I won’t list here. If you want those questions, please go subscribe to Alexandr’s newsletter. 

The point I want to make is that there is a way that entrepreneurs can find and hire rebel intrapreneurs by screening for people who give a s**t. 

Links in the show: 

My episode 36 about Pascale Finette newsletter (The Heretic) about giving a damn

Alexandr Wang, founder and CEO of Scale.ai, wrote a Substack newsletter article back in November 2020. Hire people who give a s**t.

Today’s episode is brought to you by Figma. Two important tools of the Rebel Intrapreneur are the business model canvas and the value proposition canvas. Figma has templates for both, so you can design your innovation projects fast. I used the value proposition canvas template to design the listener profile and value map for this show. Try Figma for free. 

More about Bill:

Bill Cushard on Linkedin

Bill Cushard on Twitter

Rebel Intrapreneur podcast website

Bill’s book: The Art of Agile Marketing: A Practical Roadmap for Implementing Kanban and Scrum in Jira and Confluence 

Get the show on:

Apple Podcasts 

Spotify

Google Podcasts

Rebel Intrapreneurs use the Strategyzer Business Model Canvas FigJam template to turn possibilities into plans. Learn about the business model canvas FigJam template here and Try FigJam for free: https://psxid.figma.com/d8auy7

Katrin Zimmerman, Managing Director of TLGG USA, isn’t just an innovation expert that advises clients on digital transformation and innovation. She was an operator who co-founded and led the Lufthansa Innovation Hub, which by the way was named the best digital lab by Capital Magazine in 2017 and 2018. 

Who better to talk to us rebel intrapreneurs about how we can lead innovation efforts in our organizations? 

We talked about: 

* Her experience co-founding and leading the Lufthansa Innovation Hub

* How she leverages her experience helping clients build innovation functions

* Innovation risk tolerances, time horizons, return expectations, and 

* The future of the intelligent organization

* How to build an innovation team

* An under-appreciated skills all rebel intrapreneurs should develop

More about Katrin Zimmerman: 

On Linkedin

Company: TLGG USA 

Today’s episode is brought to you by Figma. Two important tools of the Rebel Intrapreneur are the business model canvas and the value proposition canvas. Figma has templates for both, so you can design your innovation projects fast. I used the value proposition canvas template to design the listener profile and value map for this show. Try Figma for free. 

More about Bill:

Bill Cushard on Linkedin

Bill Cushard on Twitter

Rebel Intrapreneur podcast website

Bill’s book: The Art of Agile Marketing: A Practical Roadmap for Implementing Kanban and Scrum in Jira and Confluence 

Get the show on:

Apple Podcasts 

Spotify

Google Podcasts

Rebel Intrapreneurs use the Strategyzer Business Model Canvas FigJam template to turn possibilities into plans. Learn about the business model canvas FigJam template here and Try FigJam for free: https://psxid.figma.com/d8auy7

In episode 77, I go on a little rant about how being tactical gets a bad rap. Tactical work is often devalued in favor of this so-called, high value strategic thinking. Of course strategy is critical, but it’s only 5% of the work. The other 95% is executing the tactical actions necessary to make the strategy happen. 

As I continue to read Intrapreneuring: Why You Don't Have to Leave the Corporation to Become an Entrepreneur (affiliate link, if you’d like to support my work) by Gifford Pinchot, I came across this passage with the heading, Pursuing the Pleasures of Mundane Work, which makes the point about tactical work beautifully:

From the book section, Pursuing the Pleasures of Mundane Work:

[Intrapreneurs] don’t have standards about what sorts of work are beneath them. They do the mundane work that is part of every new project. As entrepreneur Howard Head of Head Ski Company described the start up situation, “When the floor needed sweeping, I swept it. When the sales force needs a rousing speech, I gave it. I did whatever needed to be done.”  

To only a slightly lesser degree, that is the lot of the intrapreneur. 

Instead of thinking up ways to make their [intrapreneurs] services to the company into profit centers, and then wishing it could happen, intrapreneurs print brochures and solicit new customers. 

This tendency to prefer hands-on work gets the job done and helps intrapreneurs stay quite literally in touch with all aspects of their intraprise.

When an entrepreneur starts their venture they do everything because they have to. As their venture grows, they must hire and delegate, but their tendency is still to “sweep the floor.” 

Most traditional managers and individual contributors stick to their job description with the attitude, “That’s not my job.” 

But Intrapreneurs are floor sweepers, though to a “lesser degree” than entrepreneurs. Intrapreneurs roll up their sleeves and do the work. 

Traditional managers and individual contributors consider sweeping the floor low value work and won’t do it. 

Low value work? 

If no one sweeps the floor or takes out the trash, after a few days, employees don’t want to come to work and customers no longer want to come into the store. Even if I am exaggerating, the point is still true. 

And you think sweeping the floor is low value work? 

Sweeping the floor is a metaphor for work that needs doing.  

I personally hate it (a pet peeve of mine) when people express the attitude that something isn’t their job.

My attitude is, “I’ll do it.” 

Rebel intrapreneurs don’t judge levels of work. We do whatever work is necessary to further the mission. 

Today’s episode is brought to you by Figma. Two important tools of the Rebel Intrapreneur are the business model canvas and the value proposition canvas. Figma has templates for both, so you can design your innovation projects fast. I used the value proposition canvas template to design the listener profile and value map for this show. Try Figma for free. 

More about Bill:

Bill Cushard on Linkedin

Bill Cushard on Twitter

Rebel Intrapreneur podcast website

Bill’s book: The Art of Agile Marketing: A Practical Roadmap for Implementing Kanban and Scrum in Jira and Confluence 

Get the show on:

Apple Podcasts 

Spotify

Google Podcasts

Rebel Intrapreneurs use the Strategyzer Business Model Canvas FigJam template to turn possibilities into plans. Learn about the business model canvas FigJam template here and Try FigJam for free: https://psxid.figma.com/d8auy7

I’ll let you in on a little secret. One way I find guests for Rebel Intrapreneur is by searching on Amazon for books that are scheduled to be published in the next 30-60-90 days. I figure most authors want to promote their book at launch time and are very willing to get on a podcast to do so. 

When I found Topsy Kola-Oyeneyin’s book, Unleash: The Blueprint for a Life that attracts Uncommon Opportunities, it wasn’t just the book that caught my eye, but the phrase from the book description, “You are not too young. At the age of twenty-eight, I became a General Manager in Nigeria’s oldest Bank — a role typically occupied by people in their fifties.”

The weight of that sentence would stop a team of oxen in its tracks. 

It stopped me in mine.

General Manager? 

Nigeria’s oldest bank? 

Age 28? 

How did she do that? 

This episode is about that question, how did she do that? 

Spoiler alert. 

The answer to that question is largely in her book. 

Topsy Kola-Oyeneyin is a self-described intrapreneur and a partner at McKinsey & Company where she is the inaugural co-lead of the payments practice for Eastern Europe, Middle East, and Africa.

More about Topsy Kola-Oyeneyin: 

Book: Unleash: The Blueprint for a Life That Attracts Uncommon Opportunities (affiliate link, if you’d like to support my work)

Topsy’s website: TKO Insights

At McKinsey & Company

On Linkedin

On X

Today’s episode is brought to you by Figma. Two important tools of the Rebel Intrapreneur are the business model canvas and the value proposition canvas. Figma has templates for both, so you can design your innovation projects fast. I used the value proposition canvas template to design the listener profile and value map for this show. Try Figma for free. 

More about Bill:

Bill Cushard on Linkedin

Bill Cushard on Twitter

Rebel Intrapreneur podcast website

Bill’s book: The Art of Agile Marketing: A Practical Roadmap for Implementing Kanban and Scrum in Jira and Confluence 

Get the show on:

Apple Podcasts 

Spotify

Google Podcasts

Rebel Intrapreneurs use the Strategyzer Business Model Canvas FigJam template to turn possibilities into plans. Learn about the business model canvas FigJam template here and Try FigJam for free: https://psxid.figma.com/d8auy7

Colby Bock, director of customer success program delivery at ESG, takes customer feedback seriously. He tells a story about how he’d brag to customers that he reads every survey response. All of them. One customer decided to test Colby and wrote in the survey comments, “Hey Colby. If you’re reading this, tell me what the weather is like in Colorado.” 

When Colby read this, he got a colleague to go outside with him and take a picture with the mountains in the background and emailed it to the customer. 

Colby goes on to say that this customer was so impressed with this action, that he [the customer] told that story at every user conference for the next 3 years.

When I say, Colby takes customer surveys seriously, I mean it. 

More about Colby Bock: 

Colby Bock on Linkedin

ESG, Customer Success as a Service

The NPS Debate hosted by TheySaid

Today’s episode is brought to you by Figma. Two important tools of the Rebel Intrapreneur are the business model canvas and the value proposition canvas. Figma has templates for both, so you can design your innovation projects fast. I used the value proposition canvas template to design the listener profile and value map for this show. Try Figma for free. 

More about Bill:

Bill Cushard on Linkedin

Bill Cushard on Twitter

Rebel Intrapreneur podcast website

Bill’s book: The Art of Agile Marketing: A Practical Roadmap for Implementing Kanban and Scrum in Jira and Confluence 

Get the show on:

Apple Podcasts 

Spotify

Google Podcasts

Rebel Intrapreneurs use the Strategyzer Business Model Canvas FigJam template to turn possibilities into plans. Learn about the business model canvas FigJam template here and Try FigJam for free: https://psxid.figma.com/d8auy7

As I was doing some research around career planning tools, I came across this article from Indeed called, 7 Tools to Plan Your Career the Right Way. The article lists 7 useful tools: 

* SWOT Analysis

* Career testing

* Self-assessment

* Research

* Community resources

* Personality tests

* Career planning process

Not bad. Not great either. I look at this list and find myself asking, “How is this list useful?” I do a SWOT Analysis on myself. Then what? 

I think of career tools a bit differently. Tools that are useful, specific to my needs, and appropriate for the right stage in my career.  

Most careers progress through four stages. 

Phase 1: Landing a job

Phase 2: Progressing in a job

Phase 3: Getting promoted

Phase 4: Transitioning to new career or function

We could add a fifth phase for people who start their own business, but those people then become entrepreneurs and have no further need for Rebel Intrapreneur. So we will leave that phase out. 

In each of the above four phases, there is some level of career planning and execution that occurs with varying degrees. Some planning is deliberate, intentional, and in-depth. Some planning is a lot more spontaneous and opportunistic. 

Both work. 

The main point I want to make is that at each stage of our careers, we have different decisions to make and these decisions require different levels of thinking.  

Let me show you what I mean. Here is a list of tools that I think is useful:

* Business Model Canvas

* 90-day plan

* Goal setting framework

* Cadence system

* Leadership style

* Decision-making framework

* Personal productivity system

* Customer value / research tool

Each of the tools are useful in the context of a specific need and career stage. Some are useful in multiple career stages. For example, for starting anything new, one should use the business model canvas and the 90-day plan. For progressing in a current role, a goal setting framework, cadence system, and personal productivity system are necessary. 

Just two examples. 

The point is that you need a tool for the job, so you are always ready. 

Let’s go through each of these tools in summary, so you can figure out what tools you need to learn.  

Business model canvas

Instead of doing a generic SWOT analysis, a business model canvas is a specific way to design a career (or a new program, product, or project at work) because it considers what you do, the value you deliver, who it's for, and how you deliver that value. It is also useful in re-designing a career. I have used it to both redesign my career and make career transitions. It is quite useful. In fact, I think it’s a required tool for Rebel Intrapreneurs in all four stages of a career.  

90-day plan

Everyone needs a 90-day plan template. Period. For starting a new job. New project. New anything. We need a way to plan out the first 90 days of any new endeavor. Why? Two reasons: 1) to think through the first 90 days and provide clarity for ourselves on what we should do; and 2) establish the quick wins we need to deliver in those critical first 90 days. Go find a 90-day plan template. Deb Liu, CEO of Ancestry has a good one on her Substack newsletter, Perspectives. The popular book, The First 90 Days (affiliate link, if you’d like to support the show). I found The New Leader’s 100-Day Action Plan (affiliate link) more useful. Search for “90-Day Plan template” and find one that you like.

Goal setting framework

Don’t take this for granted. Find, learn, and use a goal setting framework that works for you. There are many. Get one. Even if you have to use the goal setting process that your company uses, if you use the one you are most comfortable with, you will be more confident in your goals and it will certainly help you use the process at work. 

Cadence system

This is especially important for rebel intrapreneurs who lead teams. A cadence system is a way of setting up a team on an operating system of predictable and scheduled ceremonies. To over simplify this, a cadence system would define what team events to do and when to do them. Publicly traded companies have this built into the business because every quarter, earnings reports must be delivered. So everything in the company needs to occur at specific intervals in order to deliver on the earning reports. Cadence systems could be SCRUM, EOS Traction, or David Sack’s process. Figure this one out. It might be the most under-valued tool and skill you can develop to level up your executive presence and effectiveness.

Leadership style

Rebel intrapreneurs need to be able to answer the question, “What is your leadership style?” And your answer cannot be vague (not that I’ve ever had a vague, meaningless answer). Your leadership style needs to be specific and describe the way you lead (people, teams, projects, etc). Your ability to articulate your leadership style establishes credibility and instills confidence in others. There are many leadership frameworks. Find one. Pick one. Make it your own.

Decision-making framework

Rebel intrapreneurs need a tool for how we evaluate questions, options, and opportunities, so that when something comes up, we can lead ourselves and our teams through a decision making process. Above all, using a decision-making tool demonstrates to others that we know what we are doing, even when we don’t. Of course, there are limitless ways to make decisions; Cost/Benefit analysis, OODA loop, principles, Vroom-Yetton decision-making model (yes, that’s a real thing), etc. Find one that works for you. 

Personal Productivity System

No matter what tools and processes exist at your company, rebel intrapreneurs need to have a personal productivity system. One that grounds them, keeps them organized, focused on priorities, and doesn’t let things fall through the cracks. This is not about software. This is about having a system (as simple or complex as necessary) to make sure you stay on track. A productivity system could be as simple as just putting everything you need to do on your calendar or just making a to do list every day. OR it could be implementing David Allen’s Getting Things Done (GTD) or Brian Tracy’s Eat that Frog. Search on YouTube for “personal productivity system” and see what happens. Whatever. Find one that works for you. 

Customer value / research tool

You need a way to find out what customers actually want, what they value, and what they need, so you can figure out what product or service they are willing to pay for. There are many tools that do this. OR you can use the simple processes of just plain talking to as many customers/prospects/people as you can to figure this out. Either way, when the question comes up, “What should we work on next?” OR “What else do our customers need?” OR “Why aren’t our customers buying this or that?” You have an answer. Some examples, Customer Value Mapper, from Dave Martin (Ep 70) and Andrea Saez (Ep 74), the Value Proposition Canvas, the Customer-led Growth Framework Claire Sullentrop (Ep 56), the Value Creation Matrix from Grant Hunter (Ep 50). And this is a shirt list.

I don’t claim this to be a complete list, but I do claim this to be an essential list. Add these to your quiver. 

It’s possible you already use some of these tools. To acquire the rest, just start with one and build up to this entire list over time. It’s better to learn one of these well, internalize it, and make it a habit, before moving on to the next one. 

What other tools do you use? What did I miss? 

Today’s episode is brought to you by Figma. Two important tools of the Rebel Intrapreneur are the business model canvas and the value proposition canvas. Figma has templates for both, so you can design your innovation projects fast. I used the value proposition canvas template to design the listener profile and value map for this show. Try Figma for free. 

More about Bill:

Bill Cushard on Linkedin

Bill Cushard on Twitter

Rebel Intrapreneur podcast website

Bill’s book: The Art of Agile Marketing: A Practical Roadmap for Implementing Kanban and Scrum in Jira and Confluence 

Get the show on:

Apple Podcasts 

Spotify

Google Podcasts

Rebel Intrapreneurs use the Strategyzer Business Model Canvas FigJam template to turn possibilities into plans. Learn about the business model canvas FigJam template here and Try FigJam for free: https://psxid.figma.com/d8auy7

Buyers don’t trust us. They tell us that every day when they do research on their own, delay speaking with vendors as long as possible, and make up their minds when they finally talk to us. 

Traditional sales and marketing is not solving this problem. It might be causing it. 

So what are rebel intrapreneurs to do? 

Learn customer marketing and customer-led growth. 

Jeff Ernst, co-founder and CEO of SlapFive, has an ethos: 

Anything that a company can do with its sales, marketing, and customer success people, customers can do better; with more authority, more trustworthiness, more authenticity, and more believability. 

When I heard that all I could say was, “How is that possible?” 

It’s the trust gap between buyers and sellers. Buyers want to hear from our customers. The real stories. Not the standard hero’s journey which makes the vendor the hero. Cringe.

Jeff Ernt started SlapFive and wrote the customer-led manifesto to close this gap and bring buyers and sellers together. 

More about Jeff Ernst:

The Customer-Led Manifesto

Jeff’s company: SlapFive

Jeff on Linkedin 

Today’s episode is brought to you by Figma. Two important tools of the Rebel Intrapreneur are the business model canvas and the value proposition canvas. Figma has templates for both, so you can design your innovation projects fast. I used the value proposition canvas template to design the listener profile and value map for this show. Try Figma for free. 

More about Bill:

Bill Cushard on Linkedin

Bill Cushard on Twitter

Rebel Intrapreneur podcast website

Bill’s book: The Art of Agile Marketing: A Practical Roadmap for Implementing Kanban and Scrum in Jira and Confluence 

Get the show on:

Apple Podcasts 

Spotify

Google Podcasts

Rebel Intrapreneurs use the Strategyzer Business Model Canvas FigJam template to turn possibilities into plans. Learn about the business model canvas FigJam template here and Try FigJam for free: https://psxid.figma.com/d8auy7

Atlassian just released a report based on over three years of its official location policy that says employees can choose where they work. They call it Team Anywhere. Atlassians, as people who work at Atlassian are known, have been able to choose to work from home, in one of their 12 global offices, a mix of both, or somewhere else entirely (within some stated parameters). 

This report documents Atlassian’s experience, results, and a copy of its location policy. 

In this episode, I share four main takeaways that Rebel Intrapreneurs can use to influence the cultures in their organizations.

Takeaway #1: The RTO crowd is analog native. The distributed crowd is digital native

Borrowing a concept from Christopher Lochhead, analog natives and digital natives have a fundamental difference in worldview. Analog natives want people to come back to the office because in-person means in the office. Digital natives don’t want to come back to the office because in person means any means by which people communicate with each other; online or off. 

The best example of this tension is manifested in a corporate video released by a company called Internet Brands, which is the parent company of WebMD. It is a video of the analog natives communicating with the digital natives and the conflict that has yet to be resolved.

Time will tell. 

Takeaway #2: As Atlassian says, teams are already distributed

Let’s face it, many companies and teams are already distributed and have been for a long time.  Companies like Accenture have largely been distributed for decades and have grown to multi-billion businesses. So the question is not, where do we get our best work done, but HOW!

Companies that prioritize where are fighting an inevitable wave washing distributed work architectures onto the beach.

Takeaway #3: We should also admit that it’s easier to be distributed when our product is digital 

It is difficult to work remotely when a company has factories and inventory and physical products and warehouses and retail stories. You cannot make or serve coffee remotely.

So let’s admit: For some types of businesses, distributed work works. For others it does not. 

Of course that does not mean digital product companies automatically choose remote work. Notion, which makes collaboration software, hires people (On-Site) and makes this clear in their job postings. Atlassian, which makes similar software, has distributed location policy. 

Different strokes for different folks.  

Takeaway #4: Rebel Intrapreneurs can use this report to both influence their company culture and to evaluate new work opportunities

How can a rebel intrapreneur use this report? I think of this in two ways:

* As a leader running teams and culture (distributed or centralized); AND

* As a high performing employee seeking places to work. 

As a leader running teams

Whether you work in a distributed workplace already or want to make the case for being more distributed, understanding the data in this report can help you 1) make your case for a distributed work culture; and 2) design a work culture that improves performance and engagement.  

As a rebel intrapreneur seeking a new opportunity

You can use this report, combined with your personal preferences, to analyze opportunities asking questions about flexibility, work culture, location policy, focus on where versus how work gets done, and how the company and the hiring manager operates its work culture. Rebel Intrapreneurs should look for contrasts between written company policies and what hiring managers say. 

A fundamental principle of the Rebel Intrapreneur is to further the mission of the organization. Finding a culture and mission to further is critical to our success. Use this Atlassian report to ask questions and find the fit for you.

Resources and more about 1,000 Days of Distributed at Atlassian: 

* Atlassian Report: 1,000 Days of Distributed at Atlassian  

* Annie Dean’s post on Linkedin  

* Annie Dean on Linkedin

* Annie Dean on X

* The Internet Brand’s (Parent company of WebMD) Return to Office (RTO) video

Today’s episode is brought to you by Figma. Two important tools of the Rebel Intrapreneur are the business model canvas and the value proposition canvas. Figma has templates for both, so you can design your innovation projects fast. I used the value proposition canvas template to design the listener profile and value map for this show. Try Figma for free. 

More about Bill:

Bill Cushard on Linkedin

Bill Cushard on Twitter

Rebel Intrapreneur podcast website

Bill’s book: The Art of Agile Marketing: A Practical Roadmap for Implementing Kanban and Scrum in Jira and Confluence 

Get the show on:

Apple Podcasts 

Spotify

Google Podcasts

Rebel Intrapreneurs use the Strategyzer Business Model Canvas FigJam template to turn possibilities into plans. Learn about the business model canvas FigJam template here and Try FigJam for free: https://psxid.figma.com/d8auy7

Anytime someone comes to us at the Rebel Intrapreneur podcast using the term non-traditional, our ears stand up. Our guest today is no different.

Lori Sussle Bonanni is the founder of elssus, a multi-disciplinary communications consultancy. She is also a self-described non-traditional publicist. She helps her clients go beyond press releases about announcements and launches and helps them communicate with their ideal customers in a more sustainable way. 

In this episode we talked about: 

* Lori’s rebel intrapreneur career journey in communications 

* The career transitions she made across multiple disciplines and how she did it

* Starting her own company

* Lesson about sustaining communications to our markets and ideal customers beyond our launches and announcements

And no…it is not OK to find a press release template from a Google search, alter the company name and middle paragraph, and then send it out. 

That’s not gonna work. 

More about Lori Sussle Bonanni: 

Her company, elssus

Lori on Linkedin

Lori’s Ask Me Anything sessions

Need a plan but can execute on your own? Lori has you covered

Lori speaking engagements

Lori’s Funding Announcement servicesLori can ghostwrite for you

All of elssus services

Today’s episode is brought to you by Figma. Two important tools of the Rebel Intrapreneur are the business model canvas and the value proposition canvas. Figma has templates for both, so you can design your innovation projects fast. I used the value proposition canvas template to design the listener profile and value map for this show. Try Figma for free. 

More about Bill:

Bill Cushard on Linkedin

Bill Cushard on Twitter

Rebel Intrapreneur podcast website

Bill’s book: The Art of Agile Marketing: A Practical Roadmap for Implementing Kanban and Scrum in Jira and Confluence 

Get the show on:

Apple Podcasts 

Spotify

Audible

Rebel Intrapreneurs use the Strategyzer Business Model Canvas FigJam template to turn possibilities into plans. Learn about the business model canvas FigJam template here and Try FigJam for free: https://psxid.figma.com/d8auy7

When most of us hear “Chief of Staff,” we think of the president’s chief of staff. We think of that role as a government (or public sector) role. That might have been true in the olden days, but the chief of staff has been growing in the private sector, especially in tech companies. 

As I am writing this, I searched job listings on Linkedin and found 626 openings for chiefs of staff. 

I don’t know about you, but it’s blowing my mind. 

It looks like a perfect role for rebel intrapreneurs who want to make an outsized contribution to an organization. I think to myself, “Where has this role been my whole life?” 

I had to learn more. 

Then I discovered Emily Sander. She has been a chief of staff. She coaches chiefs of staff. And she wrote the book on chiefs of staff.  

After reading Emily’s book and talking to her, I am coming to believe that the chief of staff role is made for Rebel Intrapreneurs like us. 

After you listen to this conversation, I wonder if you agree. 

More about Emily Sander: 

Her book: An Insider’s Perspective on the Chief of Staff: Why You Need One and How to Be a Great One

Her company: Next Level Coaching

Her podcast: Leveraging Leadership

On Linkedin

Today’s episode is brought to you by Figma. Two important tools of the Rebel Intrapreneur are the business model canvas and the value proposition canvas. Figma has templates for both, so you can design your innovation projects fast. I used the value proposition canvas template to design the listener profile and value map for this show. Try Figma for free. 

More about Bill:

Bill Cushard on Linkedin

Bill Cushard on Twitter

Rebel Intrapreneur podcast website

Bill’s book: The Art of Agile Marketing: A Practical Roadmap for Implementing Kanban and Scrum in Jira and Confluence 

Get the show on:

Apple Podcasts 

Spotify

Audible

Rebel Intrapreneurs use the Strategyzer Business Model Canvas FigJam template to turn possibilities into plans. Learn about the business model canvas FigJam template here and Try FigJam for free: https://psxid.figma.com/d8auy7

I admit that I do not have a codified set of core beliefs, values, principles, or whatever else you want to call them. I know that I should have them, but I don’t. It’s something I’ve procrastinated. Successful people I know have told me that they procrastinated it too, but when they finally put in the work to write out their core beliefs, everything changed for the better. 

So when I had the opportunity to talk to Robyn Bolton, founder & chief navigator at MileZero, about innovation, I wanted to spend time talking about her 5 core beliefs because her short list says a ton about how she views innovation and how she helps her clients do great things. 

Robyn Bolton’s 5 core beliefs: 

* Innovation is something different that creates value.

* Innovation requires curiosity, courage, and commitment.

* Any organization can innovate, and any person can be an innovator.

* People (even your customers and your boss) decide with their hearts and justify with their heads.

* Ideas are a dime a dozen. Decisions are priceless. Action is perfection. 

To me, this list tells me much of what I need to know about Robyn and her innovation approach. 

The lesson here for Rebel Intrapreneurs (and me personally) is this: written core beliefs clarify what we think about a topic and how we approach it. All of us should write down our core beliefs. 

More about Robyn Bolton: 

Robyn’s 5 Core Beliefs

Her company, MileZero

Robyn’s Innovation Assessment

The Adobe Kickbox story blog

On Linkedin

On X 

Today’s episode is brought to you by Figma. Two important tools of the Rebel Intrapreneur are the business model canvas and the value proposition canvas. Figma has templates for both, so you can design your innovation projects fast. I used the value proposition canvas template to design the listener profile and value map for this show. Try Figma for free. 

More about Bill:

Bill Cushard on Linkedin

Bill Cushard on Twitter

Rebel Intrapreneur podcast website

Bill’s book: The Art of Agile Marketing: A Practical Roadmap for Implementing Kanban and Scrum in Jira and Confluence 

Get the show on:

Apple Podcasts 

Spotify

Audible

Rebel Intrapreneurs use the Strategyzer Business Model Canvas FigJam template to turn possibilities into plans. Learn about the business model canvas FigJam template here and Try FigJam for free: https://psxid.figma.com/d8auy7

People join startups thinking they will strike it rich, but successful startup opportunities like this are the exception, not the rule. As Gus Bessalel, author of “The Startup Lottery: Your Guide to Navigating Risk and Reward,” tells me on Rebel Intrapreneur, “Don’t go into a startup, thinking you’re going to become an instant millionaire. You go into startups because of all of the experiences that you gain from being in that environment.” 

Startups are intense. And it takes a certain personality type and risk profile to make the experience of working at a startup worthwhile. 

Bessalel wrote The Startup Lottery to help Rebel Intrapreneurs like us evaluate start up opportunities. The evaluation has essentially three parts: 

A self evaluation: Should I work for a startup? 

A financial evaluation: What will it take for my equity to pay off? 

A progress evaluation: Should I stay or have this startup? 

A Rebel Intrapreneur should put all of these parts together before deciding on joining any startup. Bessalel’s book will help us do that. 

I learned a lot from reading The Startup Lottery and my conversation with Gus. I hope you find it useful. 

More about Gus Bessalel: 

Gus Bessalel’s book, The Startup Lottery: Your Guide to Navigating Risk and Reward

On Linkedin

Today’s episode is brought to you by Figma. Two important tools of the Rebel Intrapreneur are the business model canvas and the value proposition canvas. Figma has templates for both, so you can design your innovation projects fast. I used the value proposition canvas template to design the listener profile and value map for this show. Try Figma for free. 

More about Bill:

Bill Cushard on Linkedin

Bill Cushard on Twitter

Rebel Intrapreneur podcast website

Bill’s book: The Art of Agile Marketing: A Practical Roadmap for Implementing Kanban and Scrum in Jira and Confluence 

Get the show on:

Apple Podcasts 

SpotifyAudible

Rebel Intrapreneurs use the Strategyzer Business Model Canvas FigJam template to turn possibilities into plans. Learn about the business model canvas FigJam template here and Try FigJam for free: https://psxid.figma.com/d8auy7

In one Linkedin post, Nils Davis showed me how my resume (all of ours) should tell the story I want the hiring manager to know. Primarily that I am the role they are looking for. 

Let’s face it, we have 6-10 seconds to get the hiring manager to know we are the one for them. 

How?

Redesign our summary section. 

Nils suggests the following format: 

* I am a …

* I have …

* I have a reputation for …

This seems one heck of a lot better than a summary section with a bullet point list of skills. 

Rebel Intrapreneurs are good at positioning themselves in their areas of expertise and selling themselves and their ideas. Nils and I discuss the importance of treating our resume as a sales letter. 

More about Nils Davis: 

His Linkedin post that we talked about 

Nils Davis on Linkedin 

The Perfect PM Resume

The Secrets of Product Management Podcast 

His Book: The Secret Product Manager Handbook 

Today’s episode is brought to you by Figma. Two important tools of the Rebel Intrapreneur are the business model canvas and the value proposition canvas. Figma has templates for both, so you can design your innovation projects fast. I used the value proposition canvas template to design the listener profile and value map for this show. Try Figma for free. 

More about Bill:

Bill Cushard on Linkedin

Bill Cushard on Twitter

Rebel Intrapreneur podcast website

Bill’s book: The Art of Agile Marketing: A Practical Roadmap for Implementing Kanban and Scrum in Jira and Confluence 

Get the show on:

Apple Podcasts 

Spotify

Audible

The one question we have not explored on this podcast, for obvious reasons, is whether one should be a rebel intrapreneur in the first place? Maybe we shouldn’t. Erin Andrea Craske makes the case that pursuing a rebel intrapreneurial career is a recipe for stress and disillusionment. 

In one part of our conversation, Erin talks about three types of people at work. Those who: 

* Blend in.

* Do their best, even though they don’t really accept or believe what is going on in the organization. Those people eventually burn out.

* Disagree and quit.

None of these are rebel intrapreneurs. 

So, does this mean we should not pursue intrapreneurship? That is what we discuss. 

Prepare to be challenged.

More about Erin Andrea Craske: 

Erin’s Linktree

Her website

Book: From purpose to profit: How to avoid costly mistakes, build a self-selling brand, & achieve effortless business profitability

On Linkedin

More about Bill:

Bill Cushard on Linkedin

Bill Cushard on Twitter

Rebel Intrapreneur podcast website

Bill’s book: The Art of Agile Marketing: A Practical Roadmap for Implementing Kanban and Scrum in Jira and Confluence 

Get the show on:

Apple Podcasts 

Spotify

Audible 

Rebel intrapreneurs can make a huge impact in any function or any role. There are no constraints, other than one’s creativity and passion for making a difference. 

One rebel intrapreneur path is to CEO. 

Johnny Page, CEO of SaaS Academy is a self-described intrapreneur who pursued and became CEO two different times in his career. 

“I am the definition of an intrapreneur.”

We talked to Johnny about how he became CEO. 

And how he did it twice.

Johnny has been thinking a lot about his journey and designed a set of stages to describe how he did it. I’d like to think that by listening to this conversation, you can learn from what Johnny did to pursue his intrapreneur journey, and design your own path.

A short summary of Johnny Page’s Intrapreneurial Journey:

Stage 1 - Mastering Customer Empathy

* Deep Understanding of the Customer

* Grasping the Problem Landscape

* Client Success Expert

* In the Trenches

Stage 2 - Operationalizing Success through a Team  

* Team Building

* Process Design

* Team Leadership

* Scaling Excellence 

Stage 3 - Amplifying Your Authority & Influence in the Market

* Leverage Customer Knowledge

* Develop an Inbound Marketing Strategy

* Build Personal Authority

* Generate Leads

* Foster Market Affinity

Stage 4 - Operationalizing Sales & Marketing

* Choose Your First Focus

* Demonstrate Your Value

* Hire the Right Team

* Build Processes and Playbooks

* Continual Growth

Stage 5 - Securing Ownership Stake

* Assess Your Value

* Prepare Your Case

* Negotiate for Ownership

* Be Prepared to Walk

More about Johnny Page: 

SaaS Academy 

SaaS Academy Podcast

thejohnnypage.com 

Linkedin

Instagram 

How to become CEO

We have covered the topic of how a rebel intrepreneur can become a CEO in several episodes. So if you’d like to listen to a companion episodes to this conversation with Johnny, you can dive deeper here: 

Episode 39: From intern to CEO

Episode 40: How to become CEO

Episode 41: How I learned to be a baby CEO

Episode 53: I took the CEO Genome assessment and it’s not good

More about Bill:

Bill Cushard on Linkedin

Bill Cushard on Twitter

Rebel Intrapreneur podcast website

Bill’s book: The Art of Agile Marketing: A Practical Roadmap for Implementing Kanban and Scrum in Jira and Confluence 

Get the show on:

Apple Podcasts 

Spotify

Audible