Scale Like a $100M World Cup Team, Not a One-Man Show

22,000 subscribers strong — welcome to the movement!

Everyone is talking about AI hacks, new funding rounds, and the next unicorn startup.

But here’s a quieter truth that separates the businesses that scale from the ones that stall:

Leadership isn’t about doing more.
It’s about doing the right things — at the right time — with the right team.

So today’s edition is about unlocking the leadership code that turns a struggling business into a scalable machine.

The Analogy: Business Is Football

Let’s simplify the entire leadership challenge with a metaphor you’ll never forget.

Running a business is like running a football team:

• The Attacker (CEO/Founder):
  Sets the pace, generates attention, and scores the early wins. Great for momentum, but can't defend or manage the field alone.

• The Midfielder (COO/Operations):
  Connects the vision with execution. They ensure structure, systems, and delivery stay aligned with growth.

• The Defender (CFO):
  Protects cash, mitigates risk, reads the game ahead, and ensures the business doesn’t collapse under its own ambition.

Below is an ideal plan for succession planning:

STEP 1: The Founder becomes CEO

STEP 2: Sales leader (attacker), Operations leader (midfielder). Finance leader (defender)

STEP 3: Manage investors, banks, risk through a CFO and delegate governance to NEDs. In smaller companies, create an executive committee.

Problem: Most Founders Stay in the Attacker Role

Let’s be honest.

If you’re a passionate founder, you probably:

• Focus on customers and sales

• Neglect the numbers and internal systems

• Avoid “boring” stuff like cash flow forecasts or investor reporting

But without a midfielder and a defender, your business isn’t scalable — it’s fragile.

And fragile businesses don’t get funded. They get forgotten.

Case Study 1: What Happens When You Don’t Evolve

(The Negative Example: WeWork)

Adam Neumann was an incredible attacker.
He sold the world a dream. Raised billions.

But without a strong midfield or defense, WeWork scaled chaos.

• No financial discipline.

• No operational clarity.

• No CFO with authority to say “no.”

The company went from a $47B valuation to near-collapse.
It wasn’t because of market failure. It was leadership imbalance.

Case Study 2: What Happens When You Get It Right

(The Positive Example: Salesforce)

Marc Benioff started Salesforce as a visionary founder.
But he didn’t cling to control.

Instead, he:

• Hired a strong CFO (Mark Hawkins) to build investor confidence

• Created a global operating system with clear accountability

• Let go of decisions that didn’t need him

Salesforce became a $250B+ business not because of technology — but because of leadership design.

Solution: The 3 Roles of Leadership

Here’s the framework we teach in the Exponential Blueprint:

1. Create the Attack (Founder/CEO):
   Set the vision, build attention, and generate momentum.

2. Build the Midfield (COO/Integrator):
   Structure operations, hire teams, systemize performance.

3. Secure the Defense (CFO/Financial Strategy):
   Manage cash, ensure investor readiness, scale without risk.

If you’re doing all 3, you’re not a founder — you’re a bottleneck.

Which Level of CFO Support Do You Need?

We’ve worked with 100s of businesses to identify the right level of financial leadership:

👉 Reply if you’re not sure which level you are — we’ll help you figure it out.

The Exponential Blueprint: For Founders Ready to Build Real Wealth

Let’s be honest—you don’t need more content.
You’re surrounded by hacks, tips, and endless theories. But none of that builds real businesses.

What you need is a breakthrough.
Clarity. Direction. Momentum.

That’s exactly what the Exponential Blueprint delivers.

20 transformative videos that unlock how the world’s top companies—like Apple, Disney, and Microsoft—create massive value
A 3-phase strategy that helps you scale with purpose: Intellectual Property, Leadership, and Global Expansion
A financial engine that makes your business investor-ready—so you attract capital instead of chasing it

This isn’t just another course.
It’s a proven path to shift from founder fatigue to founder freedom.

If you’re tired of playing small and ready to build a business that outlives you,
this is your moment.

Let’s create value the world can’t ignore—and wealth you can’t outlive.

🔥 Special Summer Offer:
Enroll before 19th July at 3 PM GMT and receive 20% off as part of our limited-time summer discount.

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Our YouTube podcasts:

More than 16,000 YouTubers have watched this CEO/CFO encounter with Sam Palazzolo, New York-based investment banker

Expert corner : Marguerite Bolze, M&A Expert from Indonesia

“UNDERSTANDING SELLERS’ FEARS”

Acquiring bolt-on companies can be daunting for sellers, especially those going through it for the first time. Whether it is the extensive list of documents to prepare or the number of people looking closely at every area of the company…. The process can be scary! That's why building a relationship of trust is crucial for success, not just during the transaction but also throughout the post-merger integration.

Smaller bolt-on targets may have risks that may only come to light by having a good relationship with the seller.

Sometimes, sellers might even agree to stay on for a year or two to ensure a smooth transition for both customers and employees. Ultimately, M&A is a successful growth strategy only when the human element is fully integrated.

Would you like to discuss this further? Do not hesitate to contact me.

Marguerite Bolze

[email protected]

Want to discover how to grap a piece of $3.5 trillion M&A economy? Watch this podcast with Indonesia-based, Marguerite Bolze (14 M&A transactions on record and co-partner at D Davis Consulting, M&A specialists)

COMING SOON: A podcast with James Hunt, private market expert and Asset Match partner. Watch a 50-second preview of what promises to be a memorable episode to access capital markets for small businesses.

HOW DID OUR BANKING SYSTEM GET SO MESSED UP?

Running a business without the right leadership team is like going into a World Cup match with just a striker.

Final Thoughts

Running a business without the right leadership team is like going into a World Cup match with just a striker.

You might score early. But you won’t win the tournament.

If you’ve outgrown doing everything yourself, it’s time to design the business like it’s meant to win.

Want Help?

If you’re ready to:

• Escape the founder bottleneck

• Attract serious investors

• Build a valuation-worthy business

Then join our flagship 6 weeks’ CFO Program — part of the Exponential Blueprint system.

You’ll get:
20 transformational videos
6 strategy sessions over 6 weeks
Immediate clarity on leadership, valuation, and investor readiness

🎯 Start with one question: What role are you stuck in — and what’s the one hire you’re avoiding?

💬 Let's Discuss

Reply to this email and tell me:

• What leadership role are you currently stuck in?

• Have you hired a defender yet?

• What’s holding your team back?

I personally respond to every message.

—
Matteo Turi
Founder, Exponential Blueprint
CFO | Entrepreneur | Valuation Strategist