Garrett Delph: How Can Founders Conquer Disorganization?

11/20/24 • 19 min

Garrett Delph is a seasoned entrepreneur and founder of Clarity Ops, a boutique consulting firm specializing in transformational breakthroughs for small and medium-sized businesses. With 25 years of experience building three international businesses and hiring over 550 employees, Garrett has mastered navigating the "messy middle" of entrepreneurship. In our conversation, we explored his proven strategies for overcoming disorganization and building a foundation for sustainable growth through the three essential pillars he calls P3: People, Process, and Performance.

Garrett began by addressing the stark reality: "Nine in ten businesses fail because they’re disorganized and don’t understand how to succeed." Drawing from his bootstrapped journey, he shared practical solutions for tackling complexity and building a resilient organization. Here’s what we covered:

People: “Great people perform at their best when they’re led and cared for well.” Garrett emphasized starting with core values: “Figure out what you believe... it sets the stage for culture.” He also revealed actionable steps, like creating career paths for employees to visualize their growth and succession planning to ensure business continuity when top talent moves on. "When your great people leave—and they will—you need their knowledge documented for the next person to step in seamlessly."
Process: Clear and efficient processes are non-negotiable for success. Garrett shared how Clarity Ops developed tools like the SOP Journey Map, a “living doc” that replaces cumbersome 30-page manuals with concise, actionable workflows. “It’s fast, easy, and eliminates inefficiency,” he said, stressing the importance of well-mapped processes for guaranteed outcomes.
Performance: "Without accountability, we fall into chaos." Garrett explained how businesses can track and optimize performance with tools like culture surveys and churn calculators. “You’ll uncover gold—even if some of it’s hard to hear—and it will make you better.”

As a special gift to podcast listeners, Garrett is offering a free 60-minute problem-solving session to address your most pressing business challenges. "We'll evaluate a couple of your problems, and I'll provide a solution on how to solve those problems at the end of 60 minutes. Just mention the name of the podcast," Garrett shared.

He wrapped up the conversation with a thought-provoking reminder inspired by Steve Jobs: "The problem with most businesses is they don't think deeply about their business; they think superficially. If you want to win, think deeply. Think deeply about organizing and architecting your business for strength and scale, which will give you the growth and the win that you're looking for."

This episode is packed with actionable insights and practical tools for founders and leaders looking to overcome chaos and build thriving organizations.

People: “Great people perform at their best when they’re led and cared for well.” Garrett emphasized starting with core values: “Figure out what you believe... it sets the stage for culture.” He also revealed actionable steps, like creating career paths for employees to visualize their growth and succession planning to ensure business continuity when top talent moves on. "When your great people leave—and they will—you need their knowledge documented for the next person to step in seamlessly."
Process: Clear and efficient processes are non-negotiable for success. Garrett shared how Clarity Ops developed tools like the SOP Journey Map, a “living doc” that replaces cumbersome 30-page manuals with concise, actionable workflows. “It’s fast, easy, and eliminates inefficiency,” he said, stressing the importance of well-mapped processes for guaranteed outcomes.
Performance: "Without accountability, we fall into chaos." Garrett explained how businesses can track and optimize performance with tools like culture surveys and churn calculators. “You’ll uncover gold—even if some of it’s hard to hear—and it will make you better.”

This episode is packed with actionable insights and practical tools for founders and leaders looking to overcome chaos and build thriving organizations.

Previous Episode

Isaac Saul: How Can Balanced News Heal Political Divides?

Isaac Saul is a seasoned political journalist and founder of Tangle News. We spoke about his journey from feeling disillusioned with traditional media to building a platform designed to provide a balanced, nuanced approach to political news. Isaac’s mission is bold yet simple: to offer a space where readers can engage with perspectives from the left, right, and center on divisive issues—all in one place.

During the conversation, Isaac shared his insights on what’s broken in mainstream news and why many organizations fail to bridge the political divide. He explained his innovative model: a subscription-driven business that gives away 80-90% of its content for free, trusting that quality and transparency will convert readers into paying subscribers. "I want people to see more of our content, because I know we have really good content," he said, emphasizing the importance of building trust over time.

Isaac also described the mental and operational challenges of running a small but impactful newsroom. With a team of just five, Tangle tackles the monumental task of presenting unbiased reporting while staying true to its values. "The longer people read Tangle, the better they are at changing their minds, being open-minded, and having charitable perspectives," Isaac explained, illustrating the transformative effect of thoughtful engagement with diverse viewpoints.

Key takeaways from this episode include:

Why transparency matters: Isaac highlighted the importance of "correcting the record when we're wrong" and showing readers the reasoning behind every conclusion.
The subscription strategy that works: Tangle converts 15-20% of its readers into paid subscribers—far above the industry average—by prioritizing trust over quick paywalls.
How to stay sustainable: Isaac’s personal practices, like disconnecting from news on weekends and prioritizing team collaboration, offer a blueprint for avoiding burnout in high-pressure environments.
The impact of balanced news: "People realize that the world is not black and white... It helps turn the temperature down," Isaac said, reflecting on how nuanced reporting can reduce polarization.

This episode offers a unique perspective on reshaping the media landscape, building a mission-driven business, and fostering open-mindedness in an era of increasing division.

Next Episode

Ken Lundin: Are You Making These CEO Sales Mistakes?

Ken Lundin, Founder & CEO of RevHeat, is a seasoned sales strategist who has lived through the highs and lows of building, losing, and rebuilding companies. We spoke about the most critical mistakes CEOs and business leaders make when trying to scale their sales teams and what it takes to fix them. Ken shared insights from decades of experience, including growing a company from $2M to $78M in just four years and recovering from the personal devastation of bankruptcy to help over 60 companies worldwide transform their sales processes.

One of the standout points from our discussion was Ken's observation that "50% of salespeople don’t even have the skill sets to succeed in your industry or in sales at all." This stark reality underscores the need for CEOs to move beyond gut feelings and implement science-driven approaches to sales.

We explored the seismic shifts in sales dynamics since 2020, the importance of mindset in leadership and sales success, and the dangers of relying on 'product-led growth' without robust systems in place. Ken emphasized that "sales is 75% science and 25% art," explaining how the right processes can create consistent results while leaving room for individual excellence.

Key takeaways from the episode include:

Why the average head of sales only lasts 18 months and how to avoid the costly revolving door.
The necessity of understanding “the 21 core selling competencies” to objectively evaluate your sales team's potential.
How to build the perfect salesperson by balancing mindset, willpower, and tactical skills.
Practical steps to implement a sales system that turns chaos into predictable, scalable growth.

Ken also offered a compelling case study: a struggling company on the brink of bankruptcy grew by 122% in just 18 months and eventually sold for over $50M, all by combining “process with the artist's touch.”

If you’re a CEO or leader grappling with the challenges of scaling sales and fostering a high-performing team, this episode is packed with actionable insights and real-world wisdom you don’t want to miss.