Follow the Leaders
VACEOs Adds 47 New Members in 2017
(12/29/17 Editor’s Note: Final membership count for 2017 is 221.)
The Virginia Council of CEOs has experienced an unprecedented year in 2017. Three very important milestones were reached early in the year, including a membership count of 200, a record number of sponsors to come on board, and an alliance with the Virginia Chamber of Commerce.
The year is also marked by another important development: more new members came on board in 2017 compared to previous years, bringing the final membership count to 218 at press time (December 13).
The Council has grown tremendously this year, thanks in part by our expansion into the Charlottesville market and the extremely high member retention rate we have, which hovers around 90 percent each year,” says Scot McRoberts, Virginia Council of CEOs executive director. He adds, “Our Roundtables and Forums are humming, and we have an incredible lineup of events and programs planned for 2018. Everyone is excited about bringing more entrepreneurs from Charlottesville into the fold.”
We would like to officially welcome the Virginia Council of CEOs Class of 2017 to the organization.
VACEOs Welcomes New Members in 2017 (as of December 13, 2017)
http://www.vaceos.org/news/2017/02/20/the-history-and-evolution-of-vaceos/
Wishing You Health, Happiness and Prosperity
One of the real joys this holiday season is the opportunity to say thank you and wish you the very best for the new year.
For those of us at the Council, we couldn’t be more thankful and excited about what 2017 promises to bring. From a shiny new world headquarters to an exciting new state-wide partnership we will announce in January, we welcome the New Year with open arms and a joyous heart.
Wishing you and your family health, happiness and prosperity in 2017.
Sincerely,
Scot, Connie, Kat
and everyone in the VACEOs family
VACEOs Office Move
We are moving. And then, we are moving.
In November December we will be in cool new space in the Handcraft Building in Scott’s Addition, with one brewery in the building, and two more within two blocks.
Until that space is ready, we are camping out in some very nice space in the Virginia Center area. If you need to find us, we are co-located with our friends The Fahrenheit Group at 1015 Technology Park Drive, Glen Allen, VA 23059. This was formerly Create Digital’s office, and still has some of their signage.
Finish Big
No, this is not another end of the year, rah rah blog post. Rather, I just started reading Inc. editor Bo Burlingham’s new book, Finish Big. Bo co-led our 2008 CEO Retreat with Doug Tatum.
The book starts with “Every entrepreneur exits. It is one of the few absolute certainties in business.” There are damn few certainties in the life of a business owner. Still, many pay scant attention to their coming exit until it is too late. This book will motivite you to get going, and give you an outline to pursue.
Well, Bo is sucking me in, so I will be through it shortly. His writing is powerful. His genius is in distilling and sharing experiences, all the while telling a good story. If you would like my copy of Finish Big when I am done, let me know. – Scot
Culture Eats Strategy For Breakfast
The statement above is attributed to business guru Peter Drucker. I don’t think Drucker wanted to diminish the importance of strategy, but instead wanted to dramatically illuminate how little focus most managers pay to corporate culture. There are some firms where culture drives strategy – or at least is a primary strategy. Think Zappos, Disney, and RVA’s own Snagajob.
In fact, culture is a strategy at the Virginia Council of CEOs. We call our culture “Safe Haven” and it means that our members and sponsors participate in the Council to learn from, and share with, one another. Further, we respond to others when they ask for the benefit of their experience. To make it easier for folks in the Council to do this, we just launched a new HAMO (Help A Member Out) tool.
Both culture and strategy are on the agenda for our CEO Retreat next month. I am always inspired to think differently by the smart people we bring in for a few days each April.
And, on May 8, Caroline Hipple, former CEO of Storehouse, will speak at our quarterly meeting from her new book A Pathway to Profit: Culture Impacts Performance. Hipple will share how she led a struggling company to profitability through cultural transformation.
So, here’s to culture, and to strategy. Give me a shout if you would like to discuss either.
– Scot McRoberts, Executive Director
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