John Barkhouse

Do you know what the fuel is that keeps your business airplane in the sky? It’s Cash. I’ve learned from experience (not fun!) that if you’re not paying attention to your cash position, life can get very uncomfortable very quickly. Make sure you’ve got a solid plan with visibility for the upcoming weeks and months. Keep in mind that the good stuff always takes longer than you expect, and the bad stuff always comes quicker than you want. Build a conservative plan with plenty of buffer and it will bring you peace of mind.         #CashIsKing #PlanYourCash #KeepWatch #NeverMiss #BetterEveryDay

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You might be surprised to hear me say that smart manufacturing alone is not enough. Here’s what I mean by that. I thought Kevin Johnson said it perfectly when I interviewed him recently. “Everyone is doing smart manufacturing. So, we’ve got to create unique competitive advantage.” Smart manufacturing and everything it means – Industry 4.0, innovation, transformation, digitization, reinventing the way we make things. Every single company, every single region is doing some variation of the very same things. It’s become table stakes. To stand out and break away from the pack, we have to focus on the strategic areas where Northeast Ohio has a proven edge, things we are – or can become – famous for. This includes EVs, polymers, additive manufacturing, precision production, and water quality/safety. We have to place big bets in these areas and come together as a region to attract major investments and massive projects. This is the only way that we can lead the way in smart manufacturing. #smartmanufacturing #manufacturingsuccess #manufacturingleadership #makeitbetterohio #collaboration MAGNET: The Manufacturing Advocacy and Growth Network

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The latest episode of our podcast Make It: Frank Conversations on the Future of Manufacturing is a fascinating interview with GOJO, Makers of PURELL CEO Carey Jaros. We talk about everything from tough pandemic decisions weeks after she stepped into the CEO chair to how Industry 4.0 helped the Akron-founded company increase production by 300% when COVID skyrocketed demand. Carey shares GOJO’s Hollywood-worthy origin story and explains how the innovative spirit and values that founded the company still drive success today. Listen to the podcast here: https://lnkd.in/eZU5MbeD (or on Apple, Amazon, or Spotify!) Watch the video here: https://lnkd.in/evBvvqaS Follow #magnetvideo and #magnetpodcast for new episodes. And if you’d leave our podcast a review on one of the platforms, we’d really appreciate it! #manufacturingsuccess #smartmanufacturing #makeitbetterohio #CEOinsights

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Going Beyond Traction. https://lnkd.in/gxWTQuQf Many CEOs and companies have spent a lot of time and money to gain a better foothold and navigate various rocks and obstacles along their path. Then they discover they are on the wrong road or just going around in circles. Ready for next steps? https://lnkd.in/gxWTQuQf. We have partnered with four firms to provide a comprehensive range of solutions to leverage the foothold that you've stablished so far. If you are an advisor in this space and realize that your clients may grow out of the resources you provide, reach out to us for training, education, tools, and resources to take your clients to the next level.

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“It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.” Confucius When your Company has “stop and goes,” how do you move forward? What is the best path for your Company? Aldridge Kerr can facilitate defining how to not stop but continue that forward motion.

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The 10 Components Necessary to Maximize the Value of Your Company Join us for a unique Virtual Roundtable to discuss these components and more. Please reach out to me. 1. Focus on profitability: Make sure your company is profitable or on a clear path to profitability. Company financials must be crisp, consistent, and ‘tells the company’s story.’ 2. Increase revenue: Can your company demonstrate a path to dynamic and/or sustained growth? Make sure the company follows a creative strategic marketing and sales plan. 3. Reduce costs: Does the company have a process and performance improvement plan to control costs as the company grows? 4. Build a strong team: It is critical to build a flat and responsive organization built for speed. This objective can only be achieved by building a Leadership Team to whom the CEO can delegate responsibility and authority, resolve conflicts, and hold each other accountable in a positive way. 5. Focus on customer satisfaction: Companies must continually check the pulse of customer satisfaction and demonstrate it to potential buyers. 6. Invest in technology and innovation: Stay ahead of the competition by investing in technology and innovation. This could involve improving existing processes, adopting new technologies, and ensuring the company and customer data is secure. 7. Build a strong brand: Invest in building brand awareness and creating a positive reputation in the marketplace. 8. Acquire new talent and ‘prune’ marginal talent. Accomplish this task through building strategic partnerships, invest in internal training, implement measurements against performance and build a positive culture by design to retain key employees. 9. Focus on scalability: Build a business model that is scalable and can grow rapidly without requiring significant additional resources. This will help you maximize the value of your company and attract potential investors or buyers. 10. Prepare for an exit: Even if you're not planning to sell your company right away, it's important to prepare to prepare for an eventual exit. Do you have an Exit Strategy plan? Hope is not a strategy.

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The key to setting SMART rocks in a scaling business is to prioritize the activities that will have the most impact on achieving your long-term vision. #SMART #Rocks 🤓 @Elevator Strategic Hub

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🎙️ Pleased to share my conversation with Dan Marks, CEO of Bohr Electronics on the newest episode of "Get Unstuck & On Target." 🎯 Dan takes us on a riveting ride from his early days in his father's repair shop to leading a global locomotive component supplier. He shares candid insights on the power of humble beginnings and the lessons he learned along the way that shaped his approach to leadership and innovation. 🎯 We dive deep into the workings of the locomotive industry, exploring how Dan's company has been pivotal in maintaining and manufacturing essential components that keep our trains running smoothly. 🎯 But what really stands out is how he fosters a culture of trust and empowerment, proving that the right leadership style doesn't just drive a business forward—it can revolutionize an entire industry. 🎯 Join us as we unpack the mechanics of leadership that transcends the conventional, proving once again that great leaders are made on the ground, in the thick of challenges. 🎧 Please click the link in the comments for the full episode 🎧 #Leadership #Innovation #Manufacturing #CareerDevelopment

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What are your Keystone Habits? If you've read The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg, I bet you remember the story of Alcoa (Aluminum Company of America). The manufacturer had struggled to produce financial results, so they hired a new CEO, named Paul O'Neill. And in 1987 that new CEO implemented a safety program that had investors scratching their heads. All he talked about was worker safety, and reducing the number of days lost to injury. And at first, no one understood why. But when O'Neill left the company 13 years later, not only was Alcoa one of the safest companies in the world, it was also one of the most profitable. All because O'Neill understood the power of Keystone Habits. He knew that if he could shift the company culture around safety, the ripple effects would impact every piece of the company. And those results would show up on the bottom line. And the same is true in your business. Focusing on a few Keystone elements can transform your business. Get the foundations right. And hammer your key items again, and again, and again; until those Keystone Habits are second nature for you, your team, and your business. This might mean practicing your values daily. It could be routines that are ingrained in your daily tasks. Or it could be something deceptively simple, like worker safety. Whatever Habits you decide to implement in your business, just be sure you bring the same conviction that O'Neill did at Alcoa. Because getting those Keystone Habits right can, and will, transform your business over time. What are the Keystone Habits in your business?

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How good are you at lifting the performance of your team? Do you manage to raise the performance of your team, so they all perform at an 8, 9 or 10 out of 10? Be honest and score YOURSELF out of 10 at this key skill. Performance Expert and Vistage Speaker Mark Robb led my Vistage UK CEO Peer Group through a great workshop last week, in which a lot of the group admitted that there was a lot of scope to get better at this key leadership skill. Three key questions arose: 1.     Did you know that the biggest impact on performance is SHOWING THAT YOU REALLY CARE FOR YOUR PEOPLE? Do you know about their family, their interests, their issues and concerns? 2.     Then do you have one or just a few KEY GOALS for the business or are your people really not clear about what you and the business seek to achieve? Mark said ‘Goal setting is surgery, man with one hat should not ride two horses!’. Focusing on the vital few to inspire and drive people; we all love clear goals – just think of what sport is all about! 3.     Did you appreciate that WHAT YOU TOLERATE IS WHAT YOU TEACH? Mark said ‘tolerating bad attitudes and behaviours destroys culture’. Do you spend time with everyone talking about the standards they need to achieve? Try codifying what your best performers do. Do you raise the bar every year? Are you tough or soft on probation periods? If someone you employ turned up today, would you still give them the job? Mark said that usually 30% of your team do 50% of the work, they carry low performers and can resent it. These are just a few of the things that Mark covered with us, he shared a number of excellent techniques to raise performance and at the end of the session my CEO Group took away some very good learnings to put into practice. If you'd like to know more about how being a member of a Vistage UK CEO Peer Group helps you to develop your skills and make better decisions to grow your business, then do contact me! #peergroup #executivecoaching

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The Vistage Peer Group Approach A proven, comprehensive path to success. Our formula has withstood the test of time for over 65 years. • Gather monthly with a private peer advisory group of 12–16 high-caliber executives for confidential discussions. • Meet one-to-one monthly with an accomplished business leader to discuss your most pressing challenges. • Learn from remarkable thought leaders at workshops, regional events, and boot camps. • Receive curated content and proprietary research backed by expert analysis. • Connect to subject-matter experts and recommended on-demand service providers for advice. #PersonalGrowth #ProfessionalDevelopment #CapistranLeadership #ExpandingHumanExcellence #Vistage #BostonPeerGroups #CEOs #BusinessOwners #ExecutiveCoach #BostonCoaching #TrustedAdvisors capistranleadership.com

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At Beneva Group, we encourage diving headfirst into problem-solving, channeling the spirit of Henry Ford’s wisdom. It’s about more than finding quick fixes—it’s about creating lasting solutions that drive progress and innovation in the industry. #HenryFord #ProblemSolving #Innovation #TalentThatTransforms #BenevaGroup #LEANManufacturing #ContinuousImprovement #OperationalExcellence #AutomotiveInnovation #LeadershipMindset

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"IGNITING AMERICAN MANUFACTURING" These guys are igniting this community... Why Manufacturing is Good for Communities: The ripple or multiplier effect – for every factory job created, 5 to 8 jobs spring up in the local area. That's right, 5 to 8 supporting roles, ranging from direct trade and vendor jobs to new infrastructure positions. Factory workers typically earn wages that are about 30% higher than the national average. Their increased disposable income supports and creates service jobs in restaurants, local shops, and even hospitals. It's a good day when The Factory comes to town. It's a great day when AESC comes to town. AESC is Igniting American Manufacturing ! #AESC #reshore #FlorenceSC #IgnitingAmericanManufacturing #workforcedevelopment #AmericanManufacturingSupercycle #EV #EVecosystems #EVbattery

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Listen in as Greg Trim shares some of his top leadership tips!

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Align your strategies with the evolving sales landscape and stay ahead. Join us on 🗓 Tuesday, May 14 at 🕑 2pm ET for an exclusive webinar with Sandler's Executive Chairman, @Dave Mattson. You'll learn how to navigate the modern buying journey, integrate technology and sales, and develop future-forward sales leaders. Register now: https://lnkd.in/e5HJyCtp #SandlerTraining #Technology #SalesSuccess

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Align your strategies with the evolving sales landscape and stay ahead. Join us on 🗓 Tuesday, May 14 at 🕑 2pm ET for an exclusive webinar with Sandler's Executive Chairman, @Dave Mattson. You'll learn how to navigate the modern buying journey, integrate technology and sales, and develop future-forward sales leaders. Register now: https://lnkd.in/dn5FXZJx #SandlerTraining #Technology #SalesSuccess

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Align your strategies with the evolving sales landscape and stay ahead. Join us on 🗓 Tuesday, May 14 at 🕑 2pm ET for an exclusive webinar with Sandler's Executive Chairman, @Dave Mattson. You'll learn how to navigate the modern buying journey, integrate technology and sales, and develop future-forward sales leaders. Register now: https://lnkd.in/dTafv9j5 #SandlerTraining #Technology #SalesSuccess

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