#6: Thanksgiving Special
#6: Thanksgiving Special
Discover why Thanksgiving isn't my favorite holiday, explore insights on nurturing growth and care, and access exclusive resources from me.
Catch up on ‘Newsletter #5 Let's make an agency salad’ if you missed it.
Alright, from a business perspective, I have a strong dislike for Thanksgiving and, frankly, all other holidays, especially the winter ones. Why, you ask? Well, let's dive into this ‘Thanksgiving special’.
My frustration with the holiday season stems from the disruption it brings to professional service businesses.
Take Thanksgiving, for instance. Typically celebrated on the 23rd of November, it essentially disrupts the whole workweek. Even if the public holidays are just the 23rd and 24th, the impact is much broader.
In the appointment-setting line of business where Belkins operates, the days surrounding Thanksgiving – say, the 22nd or 21st – are almost useless for prospecting. People are either already out of the office or too wrapped up in pre-holiday tasks.
Then there's the aftermath – the following Monday and Tuesday can be chaotic, making it hard to get back on track.
For us, this two-day holiday disrupts the entire month.
I much prefer choosing my own holidays, integrated into my lifestyle, where I can truly relax, rather than dealing with the idea that November will be a challenging month because of Thanksgiving.
Now, I know some of you might have already closed this newsletter in frustration, but let's face it, holidays:
Can disrupt our calendar planning
Complicate management of global teams due to differing holiday schedules (Europe doesn’t celebrate Thanksgiving)
Pressure businesses into rushing, delaying, or entirely dropping certain activities
However, holidays aren't all bad. They provide a much-needed opportunity to recharge.
At Belkins, we've implemented a policy of taking at least one week off every three months. Personally, I strive to disconnect every weekend, dedicating time to family and friends.
In my seven years with Belkins, I've never had to work a weekend, and I strongly disagree with the notion that sacrificing family time is necessary for success.
In fact, I recently shared my thoughts on this in a LinkedIn post and in an interview with Jim Cathcart.
So, while I may dislike the forced nature of holidays and the pressure they put on me and my team, it's important to recognize the benefits of regular breaks.
Work smart, not hard – that's the key.
Part 2: Thank You
‘Thanksgiving special’ is not just about expressing frustration with holidays; it's also a time for gratitude.
I’d like to extend my heartfelt thanks to everyone who's been a part of Belkins' journey over the past seven years. Whether it was writing an email, finding a lead, sending a message, posting a job offer, or writing a line of code, your contribution has been invaluable. Thank you everyone!
Even though some of us have parted ways, my appreciation for what we achieved together remains strong. Belkins and its customers will continue to thrive long after my leadership, just as those who started with us have left an enduring impact.
To my dear team, this newsletter is also my thanks to you. Your passion, dedication, and sleepless nights have made Belkins in what it is today.
As of October 2023, Belkins is handling 200 ongoing client relationships with a team of over 300 people, juggling 400 ICPs, coordinating across 600 Slack channels, executing 1,000 types of email campaigns, and processing 300,000 leads with 1.5 million emails sent. This remarkable operation functions seamlessly because of your hard work.
My heart, thoughts, and passion are with you. I am truly grateful and couldn't ask for a better team.
To my dear subscribers, remember, your people are your most valuable asset. They are a reflection of you. In upcoming newsletters, I'll share my experiences in building teams. The key message today is to underscore the importance of people in your agencies.
From Belkins' early days, we've brought on board best friends, spouses, siblings, and acquaintances. In fact, 25% of our hires in the first 3 years were from our inner circles. I even brought in my best friend 7 years ago, and our relationship has only grown stronger. I believe that a strong HR culture plays a crucial role in attracting and retaining top talent.
Strive to build a culture where both your team members and clients would want their loved ones to join in some capacity.
We've seen former clients become team members and former team members become clients. This fluidity is a testament to the strength of our relationships and culture.
Reflecting on the lead generation industry, one of our biggest competitors, Cience, has experienced significant staff turnover, both at the executive and specialist levels, for reasons unknown to me, but I have my guesses, of course. This has seemingly slowed their growth and impacted their operations negatively.
At Belkins, we strive not to repeat these mistakes.
We don’t use the term ‘employees’.
I don’t employ anyone; we work together as partners in building this company. Everyone, from myself as my CEO’s second-in-command to every team member, carries the responsibility of their team. We are all serving leaders.
Take care of your people, and they will take care of you.
Part 2: Growth and caring
Growth changes dynamics but not core values.
Even though it might seem like people have stopped caring or that corporate culture is changing, in reality, cultures evolve organically, often in ways that serve people more effectively. As leaders, embracing this evolution is a key part of growth and success.
Here's how caring evolves in a growing company:
At 10 People:
1-1 with every person daily
Friday beer and table games
Celebrating holidays and occasions together
Individual coaching and mentoring
Direct communication, open feedback
Instant approvals, no complex processes
Everyone is responsible for everything
New hires come from the inner circle, word of mouth
Knowledge of all clients and hands-on involvement
At 50 People:
Established organizational hierarchy
Delegation and individual areas of responsibility
Implementation of KPIs and metrics
1-1s are still a thing, but on a bi-weekly or monthly basis
Structured processes are built
New hires primarily from recruitment
Monthly hangouts or celebrations for wins
Everyone is informed about everything; information is easily shared
You know all people by name and are personally involved in hiring
Continued tradition of table games and social bonding
Knowledge of all clients but limited direct engagement
Finding replacements becomes challenging when someone leaves
At 200 People:
A four-level management structure: C-level → heads → team leads → specialists
Processes govern everything, including vacations or day-offs
Direct interactions with the C-level become rare
Not knowing everyone's name is okay
Communication becomes more structured and guided
Budgeting and financial planning drive growth
Limited direct client interaction
A shift in openness: not everything gets communicated
Employee turnover becomes a norm
Informal activities like table games fade away
HR’s role becomes pivotal in creating a positive environment
Direct recruitment overshadows referral hires
Gossip, though not ideal, becomes part of the landscape
A recent situation stood out to me.
My style of direct communication and forward-coming attitude usually sits well with people.
However, there was an instance where, due to my direct and no-fluff questioning, a team member felt I was dissatisfied and even negative towards their work. It even led to the thought that this could affect their position within Belkins.
After this incident, I realized my rare interactions with this person might be why my engagement seemed more frustrating than encouraging. Consequently, I ceased working with that department.
An effective manager typically leads 7-8 people. Previously, Vlad and I managed teams of 30-50 without the support of line managers - a mistake we learned from.
At 200, team leaders are crucial for robust people management. Make sure you develop your leadership programs early in your growth.
This comparison (10, 50, 200 people) illustrates that while growth necessitates changes in mechanisms, it doesn't mean compromising on core values. The caring remains constant, but it's the form of expression that evolves.
Don't get swayed by the ‘Belkins isn't what it used to be’ narrative; we're growing, but our heart stays the same.
Part 3: Thanksgiving Gifts
Let's start a new Thanksgiving tradition - sharing gifts of knowledge and recommendations!
Here's a bounty of resources, from practical tools to my selection of entertainment for November:
P&L Template: the same spreadsheet we used during Belkins’ early days for financial planning
My Tools for Business Growth:
Sales: HubSpot
Customer Success & Account Management: PlantHat
Knowledge Management: Notion
Security: 1password
Video Recording: Loom
HR Management: HiBob
Recruitment: Lever
Design: Figma
Writing Assistance: Grammarly
VPN: NordVPN
Automation: Zapier
Meeting Recording: Fireflies.ai
Corporate cards to share: Ramp
Payments: Waveapp
Task Management: Trello
Presentations: Pitch
Contract Management: PandaDoc
Mindmapping: Miro
List of 75 B2B Creators Worth Following
LinkedIn Guide: System for B2B Creators
My Content Recommendations for November:
Book Recommendation: ‘Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win’
Movie: ‘The Peasants’
TV Show: ‘Silicon Valley’
My Travel Recommendations for November:
Best Steak: Sala de Corte, Lisbon
Wine to discover: Château Palmer, France
Travel in November: Ericeira, Portugal
As we wrap up our first Thanksgiving together, I’m filled with gratitude. Your engagement and feedback fuel this journey ‘From Zero To Agency Hero’
Looking forward to another year of growth, learning, and sharing – with a promise of more special content in the pipeline.
Happy Thanksgiving! 🍁🥂