Sublime

I follow the first principle of the Bushido—the way of the warrior: keep death in mind at all times. If a warrior keeps death in mind at all times and lives as though each day might be his last, he will conduct himself properly in all his actions. Similarly, if a CEO keeps the following lessons in mind, she will maintain the proper focus when hirin

In discussing what makes a leader, Eric emphasizes the importance of mastering one skill or area before branching out to other areas.

Sequencing markets correctly is underrated, and it takes discipline to expand gradually. The most successful companies make the core progression—to first dominate a specific niche and then scale to adjacent markets—a part of their founding narrative.

At any point, a leader is either above the line or below the line. If you are above it, you are leading consciously, and if you are below it, you are not. Above the line, one is open, curious, and committed to learning. Below the line, one is closed, defensive, and committed to being right.

His life’s work is devoted to helping experts build better businesses.

Many within our profession (and those like it) have yet to learn that it’s not about being the smartest person in the room, but rather being the person who is the most capable of reading the room, and then doing something meaningful with the information you gather by speaking in a language that others can relate to and understand.

And it’s clear that Jeff has often followed his gut instincts over the years. He respects leaders who are willing to do the same.