An Interview With Fotis Georgiadis
Know your belief, purpose and vision: Everything begins with belief. Why does your business exist beyond making money? Ultimately, this is your brand, and ignites your purpose. What is your company going to do about your belief? Vision is then the bold, ambitious, but accessible future that your company will create.
Startups usually start with a small cohort of close colleagues. But what happens when you add a bunch of new people into this close cohort? How do you maintain the company culture? In addition, what is needed to successfully scale a business to increase market share or to increase offerings? How can a small startup grow successfully to a midsize and then large company? To address these questions, we are talking to successful business leaders who can share stories and insights from their experiences about the “5 Things You Need To Know To Successfully Scale Your Business”. As a part of this series, we had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Scott Hancock.
Scott is Partner and CEO at San Diego based branding agency BLVR. He brings over a decade of award-winning creativity, strategy, design and business-building experience to global brands like Andis, Vessel, Futures Fins, and TravelWifi.
Passionate about redefining the role of business for a positive impact on society, Scott is a founding board member of B Local San Diego, a community of certified B Corps driving change. He also serves on the board of Love Light + Melody, a non-profit organization working to amplify the stories of vulnerable children and bring them hope through the power of education.
Thank you for joining us in this interview series. Our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you tell us a bit about your ‘backstory’?
I graduated college with a degree in Fine Art but quickly discovered that making a living as a painter and installation artist would be tough. After a brief stint as a chef, I left to work at a publishing company where I learned digital design and the publishing trade.
After two years of designing and laying out books, I launched my first startup, Risen Magazine — an award-winning pop culture publication distributed nationally at Walmart, Barnes & Noble, and Virgin Mega Stores, to name a few. Risen shared the stories of some of the world’s most influential influencers, such as artist Shepard Fairey, actor Adrian Brody, and the band Kings of Leon. From hiring a team to fundraising to managing distribution, it was a crash course in entrepreneurship and running a fast-paced business.
With a newly discovered passion for business and entrepreneurship, I co-founded another startup called Glue Network. Glue was a global digital marketing platform connecting consumers with brands such as Cisco, TOMS, and Hurley to fund projects by non-profits including World Vision, Red Cross, and Surfrider Foundation. Over five years, we helped raise nearly five million dollars in donations and inspired thousands of young people to get involved in making a difference.
It was through Glue Network that I reconnected with a college friend, Adam McWethy, who had a small digital agency with his brother in San Diego, CA. They had a unique opportunity to work with a new golf brand, Vessel. I joined them as a contractor to conduct the initial research, build a purpose-driven strategy, and give the company its name. We realized that we worked well together and shared a similar heart for using business as a force for good. Eventually, I became Partner/CEO, renamed the agency, and shifted our focus from simply building websites to building belief-led brands that create categories, challenge markets, and shape culture. Today, BLVR is a global belief company and certified B Corp that works with fearless brand leaders to transform businesses, people, and the world.
You’ve had a remarkable career journey. Can you highlight a key decision in your career that helped you get to where you are today?
When I look back over my career, there’s a string connecting everything I’ve done. Whether painting pictures, plating food, or starting and running a business, it has always been about trying to improve the world we’re in. In the thick of it, I didn’t understand it, I didn’t see this string. If I did, my efforts could have been more of a bullet than a shotgun blast. When you know what you believe to be true about the world, you gain the perspective and power to do something about it — you get clarity of purpose. Uncovering this truth has profoundly affected my life as a creative business leader.
What’s the most impactful initiative you’ve led that you’re particularly proud of?
I have been lucky to be a part of many incredible initiatives and collaborate with brave leaders who make a difference in the world. They have inspired me and shaped my perspective on business, philanthropy, creativity, and many other things. One initiative I’m very proud of at BLVR is our commitment to becoming a certified B Corporation. For over twenty years, we’ve provided pro bono work and monetary donations to support humanitarian organizations that provide disadvantaged children and families around the globe with opportunities to thrive. In 2020, we joined over 4,000 like-minded companies on a global scale that share our commitment to creating a positive impact in the world. B Corp certification recognizes our purpose-driven efforts and reinforces our commitment to using our business as a force for good.
Our first major initiative as a B Corp was our 2020 partnership with Love Does, an extraordinary organization started by bestselling author Bob Goff. Love Does brings light and joy to the world by fighting for human rights and providing education to children in conflict zones. Through our partnership and their Love Does Launch program, we have been able to fund full-ride college scholarships for twelve students in Northern Uganda. I’m proud of our team and the impact we’ve been able to make, especially at a time when we were navigating so many challenges with the start of the pandemic.
Sometimes our mistakes can be our greatest teachers. Can you share a mistake you’ve made and the lesson you took away from it?
I have had many failures in my career, and a few of them have been pretty challenging and painful to get through. I’ve experienced great depression, loneliness, and even doubt after going through various career-related events.
But the one I’ve learned the most from is to not go it alone. Early on, I tried to do too many things on my own, things I had never done before. I was reluctant to stop and get advice or counsel. Looking back, I could have prevented a lot of challenges, pain, and setbacks if I had just asked for support. Today, when coaching other entrepreneurs, I emphasize the importance of having many counselors and mentors — people you trust and who want to see you succeed.
How has mentorship played a role in your career, whether receiving mentorship or offering it to others?
The older I get, the more I realize how important it is to have a mentor who has been through similar situations before, who can offer insight and advice but, most importantly, reassurance. I have a handful of mentors that I meet with regularly — some for business, some for spiritual and life mentorship.
My co-founder at Glue Network, Shawn, also founded a global brand development agency called Bulldog Drummond. I was lucky to know him before joining as CEO/Partner at BLVR. He’s been an invaluable guide, sharing his own experiences with me — the things that he found helpful, and just as importantly, not helpful.
Like Shawn has done for me, I get to pay it forward by mentoring others. It truly is one of the most gratifying things in life — fellowship with another person and walking together. We aren’t supposed to go it alone.
Developing your leadership style takes time and practice. Who do you model your leadership style after? What are some key character traits you try to emulate?
The most critical leadership characteristic I’ve discovered is belief and having the bravery to live it out no matter what. Yvon Chouinard, the founder of Patagonia, has modeled this exceptionally well. From ocean waves to mountain peaks, nature happened to Yvon, and it drives his purpose to this day — to save Mother Earth. It’s a mission that his employees believe in, and his customers align to. Many business and brand leaders celebrate the summit Yvon has reached, but few will follow his lead. The cost is too high, and the promise is too hard to keep. But it’s this fearless conviction that has led to his success.
Thank you for sharing that with us. Let’s talk about scaling a business from a small startup to a midsize and then large company. Based on your experience, can you share with our readers the “5 Things You Need To Know To Successfully Scale Your Business”? Please give a story or example for each.
1. Know your belief, purpose and vision: Everything begins with belief. Why does your business exist beyond making money? Ultimately, this is your brand, and ignites your purpose. What is your company going to do about your belief? Vision is then the bold, ambitious, but accessible future that your company will create.
2. Behavior: Behavior is where the rubber meets the road — how your company lives through its marketing and communications, product innovation, employee experience and culture, customer experience, and corporate stewardship.
3. Positioning: Whether or not you’re aware of it, your brand and product already have positions in the marketplace. And if you aren’t standing out, you’re not positioning yourself well. Think about where you want to be, and how you want to be perceived.
4. People: Great talent with shared values and a dedication to shaping culture together is critical for a business to scale well. Organizational structures, accountability, growth plans, processes, tools, etc., are all there to support and empower your team to achieve a shared vision.
5. Strategic & Operational Plans: Understanding the difference between an “operational plan” and a “strategic plan” is essential. The strategic plan is about setting a direction for the organization, devising goals and objectives, and identifying a range of strategies to pursue so that the organization might achieve its goals. The operational plan presents highly detailed information to direct people to perform the day-to-day tasks required to run your organization. Management and staff should frequently refer to the operational plan in carrying out their everyday work. The operational plan provides the what, who, when, and how.
Can you share a few of the mistakes that companies make when they try to scale a business? What would you suggest to address those errors?
One mistake leaders make when trying to scale their company is not putting belief at the center of their business strategy. Belief is the new benefit. It’s a company’s guide for understanding the world. Great brands don’t just sell products; they sell a belief about what the consumer is becoming by engaging with this brand. This informs their ideas on personal potential, purpose, and even destiny. Beliefs are the center of meaning. This is the real magic that both your consumers and employees are going to buy into.
Another mistake companies often make is misbehavior. If a company claims to believe something, it must live it out consistently through every action across the entire business. Behaviors can become compromised when key stakeholders push to scale. Companies quickly lose sight of their conviction as growth and money become their new why. Don’t allow this to happen, never forget your why.
Scaling includes bringing new people into the organization. How can a company preserve its company culture and ethos when new people are brought in?
People are the backbone of any organization and key to shaping its culture and ultimately, its success. Executive leaders should act as guides helping to create the right environment for the rest of the team. One of the best ways to preserve company culture is to hire carefully. Be sure that new hires aren’t just qualified but are a good fit. Use a team approach when interviewing. Look at how candidates interact with the people they will be working with on a daily basis. Share with them why the company exists and what your core values are to ensure alignment. Ask the team for their thoughts. It matters.
Many times, a key aspect of scaling your business is scaling your team’s knowledge and internal procedures. What tools or techniques have helped your teams be successful at scaling internally?
At BLVR, we are a close-knit team of specialists with a lot of overlap. With everyone being so dependent on one another, it gives us a lot of opportunities to share knowledge and resources rather than being in siloed teams.
We have just shifted to a pod operational structure that flattens our organization, empowers everyone on the team, and creates deeper levels of accountability. Everyone knows our numbers, and we have regular executive and departmental team planning meetings. As a team, we constantly look for new technologies and tools to try. Ways to improve our processes and save time and money. Opportunities to protect and increase joy and wellness.
What software or tools do you recommend to help onboard new hires?
For years, we’ve followed principles from the book ‘The Ideal Team Player’ by Patrick Lencioni. He talks about finding people who are humble, hungry, and smart.
- Humble people are quick to share credit, praise others freely, and celebrate the team’s collective win. They demonstrate strong alignment towards the team’s goals and are self-confident without being arrogant.
- Hungry people are always looking for more. They are intrinsically motivated and diligent, constantly thinking about the next step and the next opportunity (for the team).
- By smart people, Lencioni refers to emotional intelligence and interpersonal awareness. These people ask good questions, listen to what others say, and stay engaged in conversations intently. They have great judgment and intuition around the subtleties of group dynamics and are fully aware of the effect their words will have on the team.
Lencioni argues that when a team member significantly lacks one or more of these virtues, the process of building a cohesive team becomes hard, and in some cases, impossible. I would agree. So, look for people who demonstrate these attributes and actively develop these qualities in the people you already have.
How can our readers further follow your work online?
https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottsetonhancock/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/blvr/
Thank you so much for these excellent stories and insights. We wish you continued success in your great work!
Scott Hancock Of BLVR On 5 Things You Need To Know To Successfully Scale Your Business was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
