09/12/17

Editing for CEOs — CEO Shoptalk

Editing for CEOs, Big Red Car? Huh?

Big Red Car here on a perfect Austin By God Texas morning, y’all. Day for a long run with the top down in the 70F weather? Indeed!

OK, today, we talk about editing in the context of finally getting you to commit to writing the Strategy for your company, dear CEO. Just a first draft.

That is Strategy in the Vision, Mission, Strategy, Tactics, Objectives, Values, Culture continuum with a side of crawl, walk, run. Whew! That is a mouthful.

Nothing is done until it is done and that means you have to edit it. So what exactly does that mean?

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09/11/17

11 September 2001 — FREEDOM

Big Red Car here on the sixteenth anniversary of one of the worst days in the history of the United States of America. It ranks with Pearl Harbor in the minds of Americans.

That day triggered what has been a continuous war on terror which took the US into a new phase in the history of our country. It has not changed since then, and, maybe, it has gotten worse.

The terrorists succeeded in one thing — imprinting that date on our collective memories for all time. In the important things, the terrorists failed miserably.

It has changed some things about our lives, but it has not changed the bedrock value of freedom. It is our freedom that was at the core of the terrorists hatred of the United States.

Freedom has prevailed and it always will. Freedom is what makes us Americans and freedom was the target of that attack.

God bless America. God bless freedom. Never forget who we are and what we stand for. No terrorist can change that value. Ever.

I know that and I am a Big Red Car.

09/7/17

New Hampshire Voter Fraud 2016

Voter fraud, Big Red Car?

Big Red Car here on an early Friday morning to discuss New Hampshire Voter Fraud in 2016.

Let me share two important facts:

 1. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D) won New Hampshire by 2,736 votes.

HRC (D) 348,526 votes
DJT (R) 345,790 votes

 2. Senator Kelly Ayotte(R) was defeated by Governor Maggie Hassan(D) by 1,017 votes.

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09/3/17

Growing Up — Job Descriptions

Job descriptions, really, Big Red Car?

Big Red Car here on a gorgeous, sunny Texas day. All the rain has lowered temperatures, everything is green, and it feels like fall already (which doesn’t normally happen until mid-October). Houston is still flooded, but it is starting to drain. Now, the real work begins.

I had a hard time figuring out the right title for this bit of wisdom, so I used Growing Up – Job Descriptions. I would have to give myself a D- on the title. Sorry. The message is deeper than that.

I am seeing a lot of successful startups failing to improve their basic functions as they get out of the cradle into the crawl, walk, run continuum. I am also seeing some struggling to make it so.

Working with a more mature, serial entrepreneur on a largish turnaround, it became apparent how different it is when a startup is using crayons and a more mature enterprise — even a turnaround — is able to operate at a higher level, using fine point pen competence.

So, when do you know that you have to take off the training wheels? Not important, as long as you know you have to one day. Here is an example.

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09/2/17

Strategy — First Draft

Strategy — let’s get you writing that First Draft, shall we? First, let’s figure out where it fits.

Big Red Car here on a sunny, dry ATX morning. Sun is shining, but it is cool. Maybe the summer is over? Haha, you’re so silly. This is Texas. Summer doesn’t end until October 23.

OK, so I keep getting folks who don’t get where Strategy fits into the Vision, Mission, Strategy, Tactics, Objectives, Values, Culture continuum.

I want to help y’all, so I made a picture of it for you.  Continue reading

09/1/17

Gasoline Prices

Big Red Car here (with a full tank of regular, y’all) telling you what’s going to happen with the price of gasoline in Texas and the rest of the country.

[Note: The country is actually divided between Texas and the “rest of the country.” Sorry. Deal with it. If y’all had better barbecue and wider acceptance of breakfast tacos, this wouldn’t be happening, but, no, you don’t. Do you? Whose fault is that?]

This is what’s going on in Texas. The people are fighting back. The Texas National Guard is there. The Colorado National Guard is there. Help is pouring in faster than the rain. This is after all, Texas. Just for the record: No KKK, white supremacists, Nazis, BLM, ACLU, SPLC, or Antifa. Texans, National Guard, serious people doing serious work. God, this makes me proud of our Nation, my State, and our people. This is who we are.

Hurricane H [we are not longer saying THAT name, son-of-a-bitch] has knocked out all of the Gulf Coast refineries. This has dampened supplies of gasoline and other products.

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