In fact, it has been argued that the number two position is the toughest job in a company. COOs are typically the key individuals responsible for the delivery of results on a day-to-day, quarter-to-quarter basis. They play a critical leadership role in executing the strategies developed by the top management team. And, in many cases, they are being groomed to be—or are actually being tested as—the firm's CEO-elect. Despite all this, the COO role has not received much attention.Riding Shotgun: The Role of the COO provides a new understanding of this little-understood role. The authors—a scholar and a consultant—develop a framework for understanding who the COO is, why a company would want to create this position, and the challenges associated with successful performance in the COO role. Drawing heavily on a number of first-person accounts from CEOs and other top executives in major corporations, the authors have developed a set of strategies or principles to inform individuals who aspire to serve in such a position. The executives who share their experiences in this book are from some of the most established and important companies in today's economy: AirTran; American Standard Companies; Amgen; Adobe Systems, Inc.; Autodesk, Inc; eBay; Heidrick & Struggles; InBev; Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Company; Mattel, Inc; Motorola; PepsiCo; Raytheon Company; Starbucks; and many others. Excerpts from the Book:On focusing on success"The primary goal I set for myself on how I define what success looks like for me is am I working at a company that matters? Am I working with somebody who I think affects positive change? Am I providing a benefit to my family? Am I enjoying myself? Why would I put a limitation on my enjoyment? There is an old view on Wall Street that says, 'They love you until they don't.' I am going to stay happy until I am not."—Dan Rosensweig, COO Yahoo!On the relationship between the CEO and COO"Deep down, you have to trust each other and you have to like each other. If you don't like each other, and/or don't trust each other, it may work, kind of, but it will be at a fifty percent level at best."—Craig Weatherup, Director, Starbucks, and former Chairman, PepsiOn the challenges of transitioning into the COO role"If you can't conceptualize the strategic objectives or help drive that or participate in that, I don't think you are going to succeed. But, equally, if you can't translate that into an executable plan, you are not going to succeed either."—Shantanu Narayen, COO, Adobe SystemsAdditional Quotes:"Miles & Bennett tackle an important and drastically under-researched area: the role, personalities, fit and success factors of COOs. We've seen several COOs who have been total winners, but it's striking how different the models of success can be depending on role, personal competencies, business situation/cycle/type, team strengths, and CEO strengths. The authors have done a very nice job of tying all of this together."—Jim Williams, Partner, Texas Pacific Group"The lessons reported in this book will be very useful to Boards, Heads of Human Resources and CEOs as they consider succession planning and organizational design."—Dale Morrison, President & Chief Executive Officer, McCain Foods Limited"The job of COO is becoming more important as companies and their boards look internally for succession alternatives. One question they face: Will the organization continue to run as the number 2 becomes the number 1? Riding Shotgun will help answer this and many more questions about the COO role in today's corporate structure."—John Berisford, Senior Vice President, Human Resources, The Pepsi Bottling Group"The COO plays a critical leadership role in most businesses, but its particularly true in the natural resources

    Some of these are brands that have come from nowhere and created new categories, some have challenged the hegemony of long-standing leaders, and some are decades-old brands which have continuously reinvented themselves to stay on top.Drawing from her rich experience with brands in India, Anisha Motwani has created a powerful package of inspiration and methodology. With a Foreword by insights specialist Santosh Desai and an Afterword by innovation specialist Ranjan Malik, Storm the Norm will leave you altered. This book is replete with crucial untold secrets of businesses that made all the difference.

    For instance, the average mall shopper will spend about $100, then leave when she hits that limit. She'll probably buy shoes rather than clothing, because she doesn't want to think about her dress size. And the store most likely to get her money isn't the one with the nicest display or the deepest discounts-it's the one closest to her parking spot.In his consulting with dozens of leading companies, Michael J. Silverstein has interviewed thousands of customers, extracting fascinating patterns about what really drives their purchase decisions. His first book, the acclaimed bestseller Trading Up, has taught a generation of marketers about the "new luxury" phenomenon, and why consumers will happily pay a steep premium for goods and services that are emotionally satisfying, from golf clubs to bathroom fixtures to beauty products.But Trading Up revealed only part of the story of the new consumer. The same middle-class people who are happily trading up at Victoria's Secret and Panera are going on treasure hunts at Costco and Home Depot. And they are often getting as much emotional satisfaction in the discount stores as in the luxury stores. TREASURE HUNT shows how even the most mundane shopping-for things like paper towels and pet food-has become an adventure rather than a tedious chore.In just about every category, both the high end and the low end are growing and innovation- rich. Many middle-class consumers gladly spend $5 a day for a Starbucks venti latte; others spend forty cents a day on home-brewed coffee, feel good about their frugality, and save up the difference to buy Apple's newest Nano. TREASURE HUNT explains the success of companies as diverse as Dollar General, H. E. Butt, eBay, Commerce Bank, and Tchibo.But beware: in our bifurcated global market, businesses need a clear strategy for aiming high or low, while avoiding the treacherous middle, where so many have recently stumbled. If your offering isn't exciting enough to inspire trading up, but not enough of a bargain to satisfy the treasure hunters, you'll have no emotional connection with your target audience. And then, as many fallen companies have discovered, your tried-and-true marketing strategies will go into a severe stall.TREASURE HUNT takes us into the homes of real people making real decisions, and into the CEO's offices of innovative companies finding new ways to accommodate them. Written with the same flair, empathy, and intelligence that made Trading Up an instant classic, this is an essential guide to the moods and habits of the constantly changing consumer.

    This translates into lackluster performance, lost opportunities, and a staggering loss of profits. So how does a team leader turn a business-as-usual team into a remarkable" "one? "Remarkable! "is an entertaining and enlightening business parable that has the power to turn any team around. Through the humorous and eye-opening story of Dusty, leaders will discover how to build a culture that inspires team members to bring the best of who they are to the table every day. Addressing the three dimensions of culture--values, beliefs, and behaviors--"Remarkable! "introduces readers to the Four Maxims of Value Creation: creativity, positivity, sustainability, and responsibility. It shows leaders the most effective ways to cultivate these qualities in their team members and how to craft a corporate culture where people can thrive.

    You can get a cup at any caf, sandwich bar or restaurant anywhere. So how did Starbucks manage to reinvent coffee as a whole new experience, and create a hugely successful brand in the process? The Starbucks Story tells the brand's story from its origins in a Seattle fish market to its growing global presence today. This is a story that has unfolded quickly - at least in terms of conventional business development. Starbucks is a phenomenon. Unknown 15 years ago, it now ranks among the 100 most valuable brands in the world. It has become the quintessential brand of the modern age, built around the creation of an experience that can be consistently reproduced across the world. Originally published in 2004 as 'My Sister's A Barista: How they made Starbucks a home away from home', this new 2012 edition has been updated to bring the brand up to date.

    In order to burst through ceiling after ceiling and innovate with growth, a company must develop a reliable system that prompts leaders to be proactive and pivot when the need arises.You also need to learn simple systems to empower everyone in your company to become and stay focused, aligned, and accountable.In Rhythm, you’ll discover all this and more, including:• How to identify potential setbacks and avoid them;• Think-Plan-Do rhythm to fire up and maintain great execution;• The inside scoop from growth companies showing you how they turned their potential setbacks into opportunities;  • Practical tools that you can use immediately;• The habits you should start building to achieve your own breakthroughs.Patrick Thean’s process applies to any growing business and ensures that your organization gets into the habit of achieving success, week after week, quarter after quarter, year after year.Get your copy now and start leading your business towards successful growth today!

    In fact, Serve to Be Great: Leadership Lessons from a Prison, a Monastery, and a Boardroom will train you to make this a reality. Although it’s not an easy process, it is a worthwhile one.By making a shift in your approach to leadership, you can become a highly effective leader who enjoys your work and makes the world a better place. The shift is simply a matter of gradually becoming more focused on how you can serve others and increase your capacity to do so.Matt Tenney introduces us to the principles in this book through the story of going from selfish to servant while on his journey from prisoner to monk to social entrepreneur. He also cites numerous business case studies and research that demonstrate how putting serving first results in: - Attracting top talent - Increased engagement and lower turnover - A more innovative team culture - Better customer service - A better ROI on marketing efforts The book also offers practical, actionable guidance for making the shift to becoming an extraordinary leader who is devoted to serving and inspiring greatness in others.All of the author proceeds from the sale of this book are donated to charity.

    Whether you’ve dabbled in Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) and been disappointed with the results, are a complete SEO newbie looking for a large slice of the ranking pie or you’re a seasoned professional looking to stay up to date with the best SEO practices, this book is for you. How would it feel to… Understand how Google chooses which websites to rank? Know exactly what keywords to target to attract people who are ready to buy what you sell? Have your most profitable keywords hit the top spot? Confidently be able to tweak your website and its structure (no technical know-how needed!) for fast gains? Be able to write killer content that Google and your visitors love? Build relationships with key publication players in your industry and have them begging for your content? Have crafted a complete SEO strategy to laser-target your focus and get big results? What kind of results can you achieve? One of our clients came to us in 2015 asking for help. His business was making $2k per month in sales, and he was contemplating closing shop. Today, that business turns over $3.4million per month, thanks to the strategies in this book.You’ll read about this business and others in the book. Every strategy is data-backed and battle-tested by the Exposure Ninja team, who grow real businesses like yours. What's inside? Section 1: The Foundations You’ll learn: The four free ways to appear on the first page of Google How to identify keywords that will drive hordes of hungry traffic to your website The key to seeing ranking gains in just weeks Why snooping on your competitors is crucial, and how to steal the good bits. Section 2: Your Website Transform your website’s ranking by: Structuring it to make it easy for Google AND visitors to use Using content to 10x your traffic Transforming your blog into a sales generator Avoiding the SEO pitfalls that can do more harm to your website than good Section 3: Promoting Your Website You’ll find out: The exact process that took one business from 35 to 3,450 leads a month How to get links from national newspaper websites The easy way to pitch content sounding desperate How to get links from social media Section 4: Designing Your SEO Strategy SEO can be overwhelming. Replace panic with serene calm as you: Put everything into a comprehensive strategy Pick the key tasks to get results if you’re low on time Learn which metrics to track and which to ignore Implement three key practices that will ensure long-term improvement, whatever Google throws at you "But how do I know all this is possible?" Tim Cameron-Kitchen started out as a professional drummer. After building and ranking a website for his next-door neighbour, he got bitten by the SEO bug. Hundreds of clients later and with a team of 100 at his agency Exposure Ninja, Tim's story shows that anyone, even if you don't have a background in SEO, can learn what it takes to rank their website on Google.

    In the past 30 years, there has been an incredible amount of research and growth in the sales profession to help modern sales professionals better serve their customers. However, after reading Rory Vaden's New York Times Bestseller "Take The Stairs" and learning that "95% of all books that are purchased are never completely read" and "70% of all books ever purchased are never even opened" we wanted to write a book that everyone could read and take action on immediately.This book is a step-by-step guide for the modern sales professional. We want to give you the framework, knowledge, and skills to fill a sales pipeline with highly qualified opportunities. It's all practical advice - no cutesy stories, no rants, and no product pitches.There are really only two ways to fill a funnel: inbound leads or outbound prospecting. We focus this book exclusively on outbound prospecting, because it's the half of the formula that an individual sales rep can control (that's why so many sales job descriptions include the phrase "we're looking for a hunter").

    Start using it strategically. Identify specific, actionable goals. Apply business discipline and proven best practices. Stop fearing risks. Start mitigating them. Measure performance. Get results. You can. This book shows you how. Jason Falls and Erik Deckers serve up practical social media techniques and metrics for building brands, strengthening awareness, improving service, optimizing R&D, driving better leads--and closing more sales. "Conversations" and "communities" are wonderful, but they're not enough. Get this book and get what you really want from social media: profits. Think social media's a passing fad? Too risky? Just a toy? Too soft and fuzzy? Not for your business? Wake up! It's where your customers are. And it ain't going away. Does that suck? No. It doesn't. Do social media right, and all those great business buzzwords come true. Actionable. Measurable. And...wait for it...here comes the big one. Profitable. Damn profitable. Want to know how to do it right? We'll show you. And, yeah, we know how because we've done it. This is the bullshit-free, lie-free, fluff-free, blessedly non-New-Age real deal. You're going to learn how to use social media to deliver absolutely killer customer service. How to R&D stuff people actually want. Develop scads of seriously qualified leads. You'll figure out what you want. You know, the little things like profits, market share, loyalty, and brand power. You'll figure out how to measure it. And then you'll go get it. One more thing. We know what scares you about social media. Screwing up (a.k.a., your mug on the front page of The Wall Street Journal). So we'll tell you what to do so that won't happen. Ever. No B.S. in this book. Just facts. Metrics. Best practices. Stuff to warm the hearts of your CFO, CEO, all your C-whatevers. And, yeah, you. So get your head out from under the pillow. Get your butt in gear. Let's go make some money.

    As a result, Sir Terry is now one of the world's most admired business leaders, widely acclaimed for his drive, flair and no-nonsense approach.In Management in 10 Words he draws on his experience and expertise to pinpoint the ten vital attributes that make successful managers and underlie great organisations. He tackles the challenges that every manager faces, in a series of insights that are personal, provocative, and down to earth. And he explains:- Why initial failure often leads to ultimate success.- Why profits stem from a company's values, not its day-to-day business.- Why competition should always be welcomed.- Why simplicity leads to innovation.- Why trust is the bedrock of effective leadership.The result is an inspiring, thoughtful and supremely practical guide that will prove invaluable to all managers in all types of organisation.

    Now she reveals the winning framework she uses to transform markets and industries.Get to Aha! shows how to establish the kind of foundation world-class brands are built on. Too many business leaders fail to ask the most basic questions about their company--Who are we? And why do we matter?--before they leap right into branding. Big mistake. A company must first know itself (establish its position) before it can express its identity (execute its branding).There are three types of companies in the world, each with its own DNA: Mothers are customer-oriented, Mechanics are product-oriented, and Missionaries are concept-oriented―and it's absolutely critical for business leaders to know which type their company is to create an authentic and ultimately "sticky" position in the market. A company's DNA is the key to achieving this and with it, a competitive advantage. Why? Because if a Mechanic creates a marketing campaign based on its belief that it is a Missionary, the underlying positioning will not ring true and the company won't gain a foothold in the market. But if a company positions itself in alignment with its DNA, it will resonate authentically and establish its role and relevance even in the face of a major competitor.Get to Aha! presents a clear step-by-step framework that will help you determine your company's precise position in the marketing landscape, using Andy's DNA-based methodology. It takes you through the process of performing "genetic testing" on your company, examining the market through the six Cs of positioning, and developing your positioning statement--a rational, factual statement about your company's role and relevance. Then and only then can you create a branding and marketing strategy that will build market momentum and crush the competition.Trust Andy. Steve Jobs did.

    The bad news is there might be something wrong with you.

    Additional narrators include Geoffrey Palmer O.B.E., Sir Donald Sinden, and Elaine Stritch. Music: 'Reverie De Sebastian' by Steve Davies.

    Organized around a strategic marketing framework"Services Marketing" guides readers into the consumer and competitive environments in services marketing. The marketing framework has been restructured for this edition to reflect what is happening in services marketing today.