Susko - The Metronome Effect: The Journey To Predictable Profit

Copyright 2014 by Shannon Byrne Susko

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ISBN: 978-159932-461-6

LCCN: 2014943065

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Interior layout by Megan Elger.

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To my husband, Sko, and my children

Cain, Matthew and Embyr-Leewith Love.

Thanks for supporting me through all of these journeys.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the many people who saw me through this book.

I would like to thank the Advantage Media team: especially Christa Bourg, Brooke White, George Stevens, Patti Boysen and Megan Elger for enabling me to publish this book.

Thanks to Verne Harnish for supporting me through my journey with Mastering the Rockefeller Habits and challenging me to find my metronome.

Thanks to ACETECHfirst and foremost my CEO roundtable of 10+ years for the unending encouragement and support. The inaugural ACETECH Growth Strategy Program attendees for their interest, questions, and commitment to the program, and Kathy Troupe, Simon Cloutier, Liz Bowell, Paulin Laberge and Holly MacDonald for their excellent execution, enthusiasm and belief in the metronome effect.

I would like to thank the Paradata team of the time for their never-ending belief, their support to follow the untraditional and their commitment to the process.

I must also thank my co-founding partner of Subserveo, Mike Hagerman, for his enthusiastic encouragement and unwavering belief in this process. With thisa big thank you to the Subserveo team for continuing to challenge and evolve the metronome effect methodology.

Even though my father passed away in November 2006, he was an extraordinary example of a life long entrepreneur. I am so thankful for his entrepreneurial spirit, passion and guidance he provided through building his own companies. And I would be remiss not to express my deepest gratitude to my mother, the backbone of the Byrne family, for her consistent unwavering support for all my endeavours.

Above all I want to thank my husband, Sko and my three children, Cain, Matthew and Ember-Lee, who supported and encouraged me in spite of the time it took me away from them.

Last but not least: I beg forgiveness of all those who have been with me over the course of these years and whose names I have failed to mention.

WE ARE WHAT WE REPEATEDLY DO. EXCELLENCE, THEN, IS NOT AN ACT, BUT A HABIT.

ARISTOTLE

FOREWORD BY VERNE HARNISH

Shannon is the real deal. While some people can teach and others can do, Shannon can do both, scaling up and exiting several fast growth businesses and now helping other CEOs do the same. And along the way create companies that generate predictable profits in an unpredictable world.

I first met Shannon Byrne Susko at Canadas Top 40 Under 40TM Leadership Forum in April of 2001. I was hosting and moderating this three-day forum. Shannon, one of the forty leaders chosen from across Canada to participate, first approached me during a break. She wanted to know what a daily huddle was. Then, at the next break she was back asking about Good Newsand then, at the next break, she wanted to learn more about our one page plan. Shannon was thirsty for information on the best way to scale up her business. She knew she was at a point where change was required in order to grow further. For the rest of the forum, Shannon tried to drain as much information from me, and the other speakers, as possible (leaders are learners!).

About a month later, I received an email from Shannon with questions about the next steps, and then, the next month, another email. This went on for about a year. Shannon was working with her team to implement what is now called the Rockefeller Habits.

About two and a half years later I was moderator of the Business Development Bank of Canadas Young Entrepreneurs Forum. Shannon was the kickoff speaker. Her topic, unbeknownst to me, was how she had led her team through a full and successful implementation of the Rockefeller Habits over the last eight quarters. It blew me away.

Shannon is a student of strategy and execution. She has implemented the Rockefeller Habits methodology through four different companies: small-private, large-private, start-up and, finally, a large-public company. Shannon understands how to use the Rockefeller Habits to raise capital as well as manage two successful exits. As a young entrepreneurand, still, 20 years latershe remains a ferocious reader and implementer of the practical strategic tools of the business thought leaders of our time.

Today, were excited that Shannon is working with us as a Gazelles Certified coach who continues to fulfill her core purpose of helping others grow. This book is a testament toand how to ofher philosophy. The Metronome Effect is drawn from Shannons experience as CEO and is a prescriptive account of how she and her team incorporated some of the best strategic and execution tools of our time from thought leaders such as Jim Collins, Michael Porter, Patrick Lencioni, Brad Smart, Geoffrey Moore, and myself.

So I invite you to read, reflect and utilize Shannons practical learning and experience gained through implementing and working with the Rockefeller Habits for over thirteen years. I hope you enjoy and learn from Shannons journey in setting your metronome to drive Predictable Profit .

V ERNE H ARNISH , Founder, Gazelles and EO

Author: Scaling Up (Fall 2014); The Greatest Business Decisions of All Time; Mastering the Rockefeller Habits

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

I was recently the keynote speaker at a luncheon hosted by a software company. After I was introduced, I stood up in front of this roomful of people and started clapping. I didnt say anything; I just clapped. Pretty soon, a few people in the audience started clapping along with me. Then more people joined in. If I sped up, the room sped up with me. If I slowed down, the room slowed down with me. It wasnt long before the entire room was clapping together in unison.