"Vision without execution is hallucination.”
A few years ago, we kept seeing the same pattern.
Web projects would kick off with big plans and enthusiastic high-fives.
And then … grind to an absolute halt.
Not because something went wrong. Just too many options and time to rethink things that were fine as-is.
Weeks stretched into months. And by the time something was ready to launch, it already felt dated. Because it WAS.
[ 6 months = an eternity in tech ]
***
Maybe you’ve been there?
We were too. Supporting other teams as subcontractors.
What we realized is that long timelines don’t create better … ummm … anything.
When the schedule is wide open, work gets bogged down with everyone’s opinions instead of solving the actual problem it was meant to solve.
So we completely changed our process and took back project control.
We condensed everything into focused sprints because pressure does something super useful. It forces decisions and makes tradeoffs visible.
You can’t hide behind “we’ll get to that later” when later is (literally) next week.
***
Some other surprising benefits:
People actually prepared. When time is legit-tight, no one wants to be the one called out for wasting it.
Feedback got clearer. Instead of abstract opinions, it turned into either, “this works,” or “this doesn’t.” Period.
Decision fatigue disappeared. Funny how the brain stops spiraling when it knows there’s a deadline coming up.
Ownership showed up faster. When a sprint is short, you can really see who’s invested and who’s just coasting. On your own team too.
Clients trusted us with more work. Because projects moved along and actually got DONE. (Who knew, right?!)
None of that was guaranteed when we made the shift.
It just happened once the work stopped taking longer than anyone could (realistically) stay excited about it. Heh.
You don’t need endless time to make progress on your brand. You just need enough time to stay committed and get something out there.
Turns out, 30 days is plenty for that. 😉
***
Same work. Less weight.
Most founders aren’t bad at business. They’re just carrying the entire operation in their head. [ Guilty 👋 ]
That gets H-E-A-V-Y.
My friend Christy Beard helps women-led service businesses move all of that out of their brain and into something repeatable.
Clear workflows. Reliable systems and processes. A week that doesn’t have to be rebuilt from scratch every Monday.
Her Visionary Prep Pass is an amazing place to start if you’re ready to lighten the load.
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Victory Points
By: Mike Shary
My board-game-loving, copywriter extraordinaire and mentor, Dad ❤️
Pan Am is a route building and stock game about turning a little airline into a serious investment for two to four players.
Based on the golden age of flight when Pan Am Airways ruled the skies, the board shows a world map divided into regions. Each round you place your engineers on action spaces to claim new airport rights, buy bigger planes, grab juicy routes, or pick up event cards that twist the rules.
Once placement is done, you fly your planes along completed routes and start earning income. At set moments, the Pan Am airline expands across the globe along printed paths and offers to buy your routes for cash.
The real goal is not to own the biggest network. It is to turn that network into shares of Pan Am stock at the right time.
You need a clear plan for which routes you will build, which ones you will sell, and when you will hold your nerve in the stock auction. Big visions without planes on the map, cash in hand, and routes in the right regions will not win you the game.
Your brand works the same way. It is not enough to imagine a bold position or a perfect customer journey. You need concrete routes from idea to action. A good brand strategist helps you pick the right markets, build real touchpoints, and convert that vision into assets that pay you back, one share of attention and trust at a time.
If you enjoy thoughtful games that blend planning, timing, and a touch of economic tension, Pan Am is a polished and surprisingly approachable flight into classic airline strategy.
Make it a great week! 🙌
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