By West McDonald, Vice President of Business Development, Print Audit & Owner, FocusMPS
One of the hardest things around planning an event like the Top 100 Summit is finding the right keynote speaker. The Summit is focused on change and helping office equipment dealers to prepare their businesses for the next wave of uncertainty that is upon our industry. I interviewed and met with a ton of candidates but nobody quite fit the bill. I was feeling dejected.
Then I met Scott Fritz. He is the author of an incredible business how-to entitled “The 40 Hour Work Year.” I was fortunate enough to sit through one of his keynotes at a gathering for entrepreneurs. His message blew me away and I knew that attendees of the Top 100 Summit deserved to have him as their keynote.
Scott currently oversees funding and strategy for Vision Group Management (vgmfunding.com), VGM is a website transaction company focused on the acquisition and monetization of over 50 websites around the world. He also founded Growth Connect. By leveraging business coaching services, advisory board development and angel investment resources, Growth Connect specializes in transforming businesses into assets. Since 2008, Scott has facilitated over 300 strategic coaching sessions. He has successfully grown and sold a bunch of other companies for tremendous profits. Talk about packing a lot into 40 hours a year.
Here is the fascinating interview with Scott you don’t want to miss:
West: Give us a little background on what you do.
Scott: You captured a lot of what I do in the introduction. I currently provide business coaching and exit planning services to over 30 clients throughout the US and Canada. I speak to over two dozen entrepreneurial groups a year on topics including strategy, building a 40 Hour Work Year, angel investing and exit planning. In addition, I am currently involved as an investor / advisor to four different companies in the US.
West: Let’s talk more about building a 40 Hour Work Year. We are actually providing copies of “The 40 Hour Work Year” to all attendees of the Top 100 Summit.
Scott: I had been sharing my story with hundreds of entrepreneurs around the world at conferences and private sessions for several years. When I would finish my presentation, someone would always ask me “when is the book coming out?” After being asked this question dozens of times, I finally sat down and wrote the book!
West: It’s a great book. How have its core business principles helped you to be so successful?
“The only constant is change. My experience share on this is very simple – identify your TRUE passion, become laser focused on that passion, and create a team to execute and think as “intrapreneurs” in your business.”
Scott: I practice what I preach…the mindset philosophies, processes, filters and exercises in the book are exactly the same solutions I use to coach my clients. I also use these same tools with my angel investments and other ventures. I know they work, they work for my clients, and they allowed me to achieve The 40 Hour Work Year!
West: The Managed Print Services space is in a great time of change. Millennials entering the workforce, people printing less, and pressure from adjacent industries. If you had one piece of advice for business owners going through all this change, what would it be?
Scott: The only constant is change. My experience share on this is very simple – identify your TRUE passion, become laser focused on that passion, and create a team to execute and think as “intrapreneurs” in your business.
West: Intrapreneurs, I like that! We can’t wait to see you in Park City, Utah. Anything you are looking forward to in particular?
Scott: My passion is connecting with, and helping entrepreneurs achieve hyper growth in every industry and at every level of development. I look forward to doing just that at this event, and potentially for years after!
West: You are no stranger to hyper growth. I read that one of the companies you built and sold, Human Capital, experienced growth rates in excess of 1,000% and made its way onto the Fortune 500 list! What will you do to top that off?
Scott: My personal business mission is to transition 100 business owners to Passive Investors by 2020. I’m on track and excited to reach my goal.
West: Everybody at the Top 100 Summit gets a copy of your book, The 40 Hour Work Year. Any advice on other books they should look at?
Scott: Sure. I always recommend E-Myth, Think & Grow Rich and Good to Great – classics and MUST reads for hyper growth. These books and The 40 Hour Work Year will all help Top 100 attendees to accomplish their own great goals.
West: Scott, I can’t thank you enough for taking some time out of your 40 Hour Work Year to do this interview. We are excited to have you present as the keynote at the Top 100 Summit.