Brooks Bell Explains the Secret to Loving Your Own Company in Inc. Magazine

“Everyone assumes the company’s CEO is fully committed to the vision,” Brooks Bell explains in the latest issue of Inc. magazine. “The truth is, a lot of CEOs aren’t.” And this misalignment leads to a company that is unpleasant to work for and prone to floundering, strategically.

Fixing this can be a difficult—even painful—process. Around 2007, Brooks went through this with her own company, transitioning Brooks Bell Inc. from a creatively driven email marketing agency to a data-driven testing and optimization firm. The transformation was challenging but in the end a stronger, more deeply aligned organization emerged.

“It was the first time I finally embraced the idea of thinking strategically,” Brooks explains. “I got to go out and create the market I wanted.”

And there’s a lesson here for all business leaders:

Most entrepreneurs won’t admit they’re not all in and are feeling less committed than they once did. But realize: It starts with you. Have a vision of what you want. Let there be a huge gap between where you are and how you’re going to get there. Map out the next two steps and let the rest be a gray area. Trust that you’ll get there if you stick to that vision.

Read the rest in the latest issue of Inc. magazine.

Wondering how aligned your company is to a data-driven strategy? Use our assessment to find out.