Businesses are in Vermont for the simple reason they want to be. Businesses do not typically locate in Vermont because costs are low or the resources they need for their work are here — mines or ports for instance. Of course many are: Omya, Rock of Ages, etc. For the most part, though, businesses locate in Vermont because of Vermont. The one factor cost which could drive them away is taxes.

Here is a scenario: A young couple starts a small business with a unique position in an industry. It becomes a labor of love. They are on the cutting edge in the industry and become experts. They take care of their employees, inspire deep loyalty, and they each occupy a hallowed place in the business as it grows. The founders’ personas become so embedded that in reality the mission of the business is simply to support the founders as they grow the business. What needs to happen to preserve and grow this success?

…. I am an adventure racer. Adventure racing is a sport for tightly knit teams combining multiple disciplines and objectives: typically the events involve biking, trekking, running, paddling and orienteering. A race can last from 4 hours to more than 7 days. The heart of the race is the challenge to get from checkpoint to checkpoint along a course with only a map and compass to guide your team.

In one race, our team was neck and neck for the lead seven hours into a twelve-hour race. We were so focused on two other teams coming out of one checkpoint, and they on us, that all three teams committed a critical failure. We did not take the time necessary to figure out where we were. We proceeded to race up the wrong flooded streambed for three hours, searching for the next checkpoint. It was not until all three teams crested the ridge of the Green Mountains with a full view of the breadth of our bad decision, that we admitted being out of position, and functionally out of the race. In business, failure to focus on strategy first and execution second, and to make sure the execution is aligned around the strategy, does not diminish the amount of work to be done; it just means you may be working tremendously hard only to end up on the top of the wrong hill….