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Welcome back. Let’s dive into Part 2: Strategy.

I want to share a few critical ideas that will shape how you think about strategy—and how you apply it in your business.

First things first—get yourself a subscription to the Harvard Business Review. It’s online. Remember, that phone in your hand? It’s not just for scrolling—it’s a learning machine.

Buy this case study: “Can You Say What Your Strategy Is?”—it’s about $8.95. It’s life-changing. Inside, it breaks down the foundations of great strategy.

You’ll learn how to:

• Define your mission—why you exist.

• Clarify your values—what you believe in and how you behave.

• Shape your vision—what you want to be when you grow up.

• Craft your strategy statement—clear, specific, and powerful.

• Build a balanced scorecard—track what really matters.

• Understand your value proposition versus your competitors.

• Pinpoint your strategic sweet spot.

• And map your activity system—the core actions that drive your business.

Now, I’m not just saying this to tick a box. I’m telling you—read this case study. With a pen. With a ruler. Underline it. Reread it. Get a workbook and work it through.

I told a friend recently, “The enemy of progress isn’t failure. It’s not starting.” So start. Not perfectly. Just start. I’m up to version 28 of my own strategy. It’s a living document.

Your strategy statement should answer three things:

1. What’s your objective? Grow from X to Y. Revenue from A to B. Earnings from C to D.

2. What’s your scope? What are you selling? Where? To whom?

3. What’s your advantage? Why should a customer choose you over anyone else?

If that sounds new to you—go read the case study. Learn it. Study it. Apply it.

Get others involved—your partner, your older kids, your friends. Teach it back to someone. That’s how you’ll know it’s stuck.

Everyone talks about strategy. This is the best explanation I’ve ever seen. And it works.

Have a crack. Start today.