Build newsletter

I see too many people overcomplicating marketing in growth businesses. That’s why I love Rebecca’s practical approach to tackling the marketing challenges that many founders face.

Artificial intelligence is everywhere, yet few founders can point to a single process it has genuinely improved inside their business. The reason is simple: most start with the technology, not the outcome. This short guide shows you how to deliver a working AI system in days.

Hey there, I’m a big believer in the power of collabs in helping founders to build businesses. That’s why throughout July, August and September I’m … Read More

I spend a lot of time working on organisational design projects for clients. To be honest there are times I end up waking up at … Read More

It’s been a busy couple of weeks in my inbox so I was spoilt for choice while selecting the most useful articles for founders who … Read More

Hey there, I’ve been thinking a lot about deep work recently. It’s something that’s vital for people in scaling businesses to have space to do. … Read More

Hey there, It’s Simon here with today’s quick issue of Build – my newsletter read by more than 1,400 founders taking an intentional approach to … Read More

This week in Build I’m looking at a favourite topic of mine: decision-making. Most of the founders I work with are grappling with the challenge … Read More

Once again Wednesday is with us, so I bring you the three most interesting things to cross my path this week: ​1. Why is change … Read More

Hey there, You might know I became an ICF qualified coach last year. I was surprised me that a lot of the coaching course (and … Read More

In last week’s Build newsletter I looked at why systems win out over goals. This week it’s time to share three of the things I … Read More

A couple of weeks ago I wrote about goal setting and why OKRs aren’t the only game in town for founders to help get things … Read More

This week I’ve got three fascinating articles that grabbed my attention plus a quick recap from last week’s issue: ​1. What you see is what … Read More

A couple of years ago I was being asked to do a lot of work to help founders with objectives / key results (OKRs). That … Read More

Today I’ve got three interesting founder-friendly links worth your time: 1. Four keys to leading today​ Not another leadership article, surely Simon? In this one … Read More

Many years ago I remember a founder in a company we acquired. He was charismatic, bright, forceful and outwardly hero leading his business. But once … Read More

After the joys of last week’s look back at 50 issues of Build, normal service resumes today. Here’s my round-up of the most interesting things … Read More

Today’s Build has a slightly self-indulgent feel. I’m taking a look back over the last 50 issues of my newsletter for founders. I was going … Read More

Hope your week’s going well and you’ve got a little corner of brain space for three interesting articles I spotted recently: ​1. Measuring knowledge work … Read More

I’ve worked closely with founders in growing businesses since 2014. Over those years I’ve noticed a few patterns that hold true almost everywhere. One is … Read More

A quick canter through three interesting things I spotted this week: 1. We are shaped by place​ Jindy Mann explores how place shapes who we … Read More

Our life experience shapes who we are and the way we work. It strongly influences the way we perceive those around us and our interactions … Read More

This week’s pick of three interesting things has a people and relationships strand running through it. I won’t claim that’s by any kind of inspired … Read More

I’m fascinated with the enduring tension between seeking predictability and embracing agility in growth businesses. It’s a classic tightrope for founders to walk. What shows … Read More

Here’s your weekly dose of thought provoking links, curated to help you take a different perspective on building your company: 1. Organisations are mirrors​ An old … Read More

I’ve been noodling around with thinking about the future of work since first reading Reinventing Organisations by Frederic Laloux back in 2014. Laloux’s “Evolutionary-Teal” paradigm … Read More

Here are three things I spotted recently for founders in scaling businesses to think about: 1. ​Zola’s decision-making method​Often when debating decisions extroverts tend to … Read More

Founders are natural problem solvers. Creating a business from nothing means spotting and solving problems, over and over again. In my work, I often talk … Read More

I’ve got three things I spotted recently for founders in scaling businesses: 1. Reorganisations aren’t the answer​ Colin Mulholland explains why the restructure is often the … Read More

I’m collaborating with a co-founder on a new venture. It’s been a while since I’ve spent time at this formative stage of a business…thrashing out … Read More

Last week’s fungi-related ponderings elicited a good few suggestions about personal consumption of mushrooms, alongside the more usual work-related responses I tend to get. Today I bring … Read More

Late Autumn is my favourite time of year to get out running in the woods near our house. I love the combo of the near … Read More

I tried ​googling to learn about operating models​. I waded through the hundreds of complicated consultants’ charts that said so little in so many slides. … Read More

I had a thought about leading a business as a founder having listened to a podcast recently Your real role as a business leader is … Read More

I was chatting with a founder friend recently. He’s been running his tech product business for more than a decade now and it’s doing ok. … Read More

Last month I spent five days on a coaching course, developing my skills in that side of my work. Self-reflection is a big part of … Read More

If we look at the great teams in the worlds of sport and business, it’s clear they don’t happen by accident. Creating a team that’s … Read More