Are you ready to transform your business and inspire your team? The host of The Deep Wealth Podcast and post-exit entrepreneur, Jeffrey Feldberg, speaks with James Balladis whose background is as fascinating as his success journey. James is a seasoned trial lawyer with 37 years of experience, an inventor, an entrepreneur, and a mentor to CEOs. But James isn’t just about business success; his journey reveals a powerful lesson about vision and how it can transform not just a company, but lives. Let’s jump into the conversation and discover his secrets.
James Ballidis has worn many hats throughout his career. He’s a trial lawyer with a track record spanning 37 years, an entrepreneur, a patented inventor, and a business owner. But in the past six years, he's taken on the role of a mentor, helping other CEOs navigate their own paths. It’s through this mentoring that James had a revelation: he realized his well-intentioned advice often stifled the grand visions of others.
Determined to change, James discovered a way to control this vision-killer instinct in himself and others. He started focusing on helping business owners create and implement actionable big visions. He shares his insights in his book, "Vision Maker."
Start With a Powerful Vision
One of the first things James learned is that having the right vision is crucial. Many people set small goals, like increasing revenue by 50%. But James urges us to think bigger. He quotes, “Nobody else cares about your revenue goal. They want to know what the product is going to do for them. But more importantly, they want to know the vision that your product is going to fulfill for them.”
A bigger vision doesn’t just resonate with customers; it draws in your entire team. James shares how he transitioned out of law to focus on helping business owners dream bigger. He emphasizes, “All vision killing is in how you get it done. The key component is to set that aside and focus on what you really want to do. Expanding the vision makes the success even bigger.”
James emphasizes that having a vision is crucial for any business. He says, “Oftentimes, we create a vision that's too small. I want to increase my revenue by 50 percent next year. But truthfully, we have to ask ourselves, is that really a vision? Nobody cares that you want to double your revenue. They want to know what the product is going to do for them.”
So, what's the solution? James suggests that your vision needs to be aligned with your customers. It should be big enough to inspire both your team and your customers. "Your vision has to be bigger than you and bigger than your customer. It explodes. You have this tremendous success."
One of the biggest challenges in creating a vision is avoiding "vision killers." These are the doubts and fears that stop you from dreaming big. James gives an example, “All vision killing is in how do you get it done. We need to set that aside for a moment and talk about what we really want to do. That expands us and expands our vision.”
James advises that when you’re talking about your vision, initially avoid discussing how you’re going to achieve it. Instead, focus on what you want to achieve. This mindset allows you to dream bigger without getting bogged down by the details.
Collaboration Is Crucial
To bring a vision to life, you can’t do it alone. In Week Two of his three-week program, James talks about the power of collaboration. Business isn’t just about having the best idea; it’s about enrolling others to believe in and support that idea. He says, “You need to talk about your vision even at a cocktail party to see if others might join you and collaborate.”
James advises, “If you don’t know how to communicate your vision, you’re losing out on potential employees, business partners, and customers who can help you achieve it.” He uses a technique of communicating simple yet powerful visions to engage others.
In the second week of his *Vision Maker* program, James talks about the importance of collaboration. He says, “It's in collaboration, not just your people around you, but with almost anybody. You're so excited about your vision. And they're excited because it's bigger than you. And that's what you want.”
Collaboration helps you expand your vision and get new perspectives. It’s important to involve people who might not be in your inner circle. Whether it’s during a meeting or at a cocktail party, talk about your vision and see who gets excited about it. You never know where your next big idea or partner might come from.
Evangelize Your Vision
In the final week of his program, James emphasizes the importance of evangelizing your vision. It means you are so committed to your vision that you speak about it passionately everywhere you go. He explains, “If I’m merely communicating something, I’m passing it on. But if I’m evangelizing, I’m fully committed to that idea.”
This type of enthusiastic storytelling can draw in investors, customers, and talented employees who align with your vision. When you evangelize your vision, you create a movement. James shares, “The quick start, the easy method, you don’t need the book, you heard it today. Start sharing your vision and talk to your customers to find out what your product or service is doing for them. That’s the beginning of your vision search.”
In the third week, James encourages you to take your vision to the world. But not just any way – he wants you to evangelize it. “To be an evangelist, you have to be so committed to this. It has to be in your core. If I'm communicating something, okay, I'm passing it on. But if I'm evangelizing, I'm really committed to that idea.”
Evangelizing means you’re so passionate about your vision that it becomes a part of who you are. You talk about it with everyone you meet. This kind of enthusiasm is contagious and can attract the people and resources you need to turn your vision into reality.
One of the best examples James offers for a simple, compelling vision is Disney’s. He shares how Disney’s vision is just four words: “To make people happy.” Despite its simplicity, it’s incredibly effective. Everyone understands it and can rally around it.
James suggests, "When you ask your team about the company vision, you want them to be able to articulate it clearly. If they can’t, your vision isn’t clear enough. A simple, powerful vision should be easy for everyone to understand and communicate."
Real-Life Impact
To underscore the transformative power of having a big vision, James shares a real-life example. An engineer who created a security protocol for online transactions was struggling to communicate his value. James simplified his vision into something understandable: "I make sure you're secure when you do an online transaction." This clarity helped the engineer attract talent and grow his business significantly.
James also points out how life-changing a clear vision can be for a company. He notes, "One client tripled her revenue in one year by adopting a new vision. Instead of focusing on event planning, she created a vision around what her work meant for her clients, and people flocked to her business."
James offers a practical way to start this journey. He says, “See if you can't communicate with a couple of your customers directly. Find out what your customer, not just what they're, this is what the typical inquiry is in marketing and sales departments is do you like the product, do you like the service, did you have this, did you have that. I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about the customer and what it is that they wanted to achieve.”
By understanding what your customers want and need, you can begin to shape a vision that speaks to them. This is a great first step that costs nothing but can yield incredible results.
Conclusion: The Power of Vision
James Ballidis brings a unique approach to business growth, combining his legal expertise and entrepreneurial spirit to help companies think bigger and more clearly about their visions. His three-week Vision Maker program is all about killing the vision killers, collaborating effectively, and evangelizing your vision to the world.
So, what’s your vision? How big can you dream? Remember, a compelling vision is more about your customer's needs and less about your personal goals. As James says, "Start sharing your vision. You'll be surprised at how people respond."
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