The Best and Worst Deals
November 12, 2024
by a searcher from Massachusetts Institute of Technology - MIT Sloan School of Management in Florida, USA
Whats the best company you've ever invested in or acquired, and the worst, and why?
In your experience, what's the single biggest factor that separates the great from the good?
from Texas State University in Sidney, NE 69162, USA
IMHO, the answer to both questions is and will always be "people." It's literally the biggest wildcard in business.
Best Company: The best was one where a strong operator already existed in the business, aligned seamlessly with the existing culture, and drove the business forward with vision and execution. Great leadership, combined with a cohesive team and systems, unlocked exponential growth.
Worst Company: The worst was a promising business hindered by severe owner-dependence and no scalable systems. Despite placing a capable operator, lack of foundational processes and resistance to change at best slowed (at worst, prevented) growth and ROI.
TL;dr -- The Single Biggest Factor: In a word—people. Specifically, a great business succeeds when leadership aligns with and elevates the culture, turning vision into consistent execution.
from The University of Chicago in Philadelphia, PA, USA