When we launched Valhalla three years ago, we knew our differentiation would come not just from what we do but from what we believe. Over the past year, I’ve been capturing those beliefs in short reflections I call #ValhallaEssentials.
Today, I’m proud to share our first 50.
They cover everything from trust and client service to leadership, culture, finance, and discipline. Some are lessons learned the hard way. Others are reminders from mentors, colleagues, and authors who’ve influenced our journey. All of them are part of the DNA we’re building at Valhalla.
A few favorites:
- “The harder I work, the luckier I get.”
- “Culture isn’t just one aspect of the business game — it IS the game.”
- “In professional services, one currency is competence. An even more important one is trust.”
- “The smartest move in some games is simply to decline to play at all.”
This series has been energizing for me, and I’m grateful to those who’ve engaged with the ideas along the way. We’ll keep going — because I am confident that beliefs shape behaviors, and behaviors shape outcomes.
Here’s to the next 50.
#ValhallaEssentials #Leadership #Culture #ClientService
#ValhallaEssentials - 1: "Everything else being constant, friends do business with friends. Everything else not being constant, friends do business with friends." 11/22/24
#ValhallaEssentials - 2: "If you want to do business with someone, teach them something." 11/23/24
#ValhallaEssentials - 3: "The harder I work, the luckier I get." 11/24/24
#ValhallaEssentials - 4: “You lose business the same way you win business. Be careful how you win business." 11/25/24
#ValhallaEssentials - 5: “For high performing teams, the work itself is a form of celebration.” 11/27/24
#ValhallaEssentials - 6: "If you act as though a prospect is a customer long enough, eventually they will get around to doing the paperwork and hire you." 11/29/24
#ValhallaEssentials - 7: "Effective leadership involves telling your team the truth; Respect for your team calls for telling them the truth; Talent development also calls for telling the truth. So, tell the truth!" 12/3/24
#ValhallaEssentials - 8: "Don’t get confused. The customer is always the boss." 12/4/24
#ValhallaEssentials - 9: "Doing great work for clients is satisfying. Earning financial security for yourself and your family is vital. But, there is nothing more satisfying in business than helping members of your team find meaning and financial security for themselves and their families. THAT is the gold that leaders mine for." 12/7/24
#ValhallaEssentials - 10: "There is a role for paranoia in business. The challenge is avoiding paralysis from paranoia. We are looking for a balance; productive paranoia is the goal." 12/11/24
#ValhallaEssentials - 11: “Your energy influences everyone around you; So be mindful of the energy you give.” 12/13/24
#ValhallaEssentials - 12: "Leadership matters. Emerson wrote, ‘An institution is the lengthened shadow of one man.’ He was right.” 12/16/24
#ValhallaEssentials - 13: “What you do speaks more clearly about who you are than anything you say.” 12/17/24
#ValhallaEssentials - 14: "If everything is a priority, nothing is a priority. Set the right priorities.” 12/18/24
#ValhallaEssentials - 15: "Measure twice and cut once. Measure 3x if warranted. But, darn it, we need a bias towards action.” 12/19/24
#ValhallaEssentials - 16: “There are two reasons people do things: the one they share, because it sounds good, and the real one, which they keep to themselves.” 12/23/24
#ValhallaEssentials - 17: “To be an effective leader in business, you must have command of the dynamics in your market.” 12/27/24
#ValhallaEssentials - 18: “Referrals are gold for our business and some marketing experts suggest that customer satisfaction is actually improved after providing a referral. So, ask for referrals!” 12/30/24
#ValhallaEssentials - 19: “Plans are not that useful. Planning is incredibly useful. Invest into planning.” 1/3/25
#ValhallaEssentials - 20 : “Fire bullets first, then, after validation, consider firing cannonballs.” 1/4/25
#ValhallaEssentials - 21: “Bank reconciliations are an important source of truth. Emphasize them every month.” 1/5/25
#ValhallaEssentials - 22: “The earlier hours are uniquely productive. The early bird gets the worm. It is the morning. Let’s go!” 1/6/25
#ValhallaEssentials - 23: “Clients deserve a level of service that only authentically arises from a culture of fanaticism around the topic of client-focused value creation.” 1/7/25
#ValhallaEssentials - 24: “Data should not be confused with information. Information without knowledge is not useful. Knowledge without wisdom can be dangerous. We must be evidence-based in our navigation of business, but we should never short-change the value of wisdom, which is primarily earned through experience.” 1/11/25
#ValhallaEssentials - 25: "Identifying problems is important, but equally important is presenting potential solutions. We expect that, when you bring issues to light, you should strive to offer a recommended solution—ideally—or at the very least, propose possible options for discussion." 1/13/25
#ValhallaEssentials - 26: "We learn, grow, and succeed not despite our challenges but because of our response to them. As a consequence, we should greet our challenges with gratitude." 1/14/25
#ValhallaEssentials - 27: “When in doubt, first assume positive intent.” 1/28/25
#ValhallaEssentials - 29: "Seeking 'win-win' outcomes to transactions and relationships is not about being nice; It is certainly not a sign of weakness. It is a deliberate choice and world view that encourages collaboration, driving productivity and creating wealth. The world is richer when we look for ways to succeed together. Look for 'win-win' whenever possible." 1/29/25
#ValhallaEssentials - 30: “Part of the joy that arises from participating in a successful business is observing its impact on the community. In addition to serving the community by providing desired products and services, and in addition to the economic impact of employees and capital investments, business also creates impact through ‘spill over’ of culture, philanthropy, and individual community engagement. Communities are richer as a result of each of these contributions.” 1/30/25
#ValhallaEssentials - 31: “If you need a legal document to feel confident about a partnership, you shouldn’t do the partnership. Then, when you feel confident about it without documents, take the time to create a written agreement.” 2/3/25
#ValhallaEssentials - 32: “In our business, people are the primary source of value. Processes matter. Platforms matter. But people are the foundation of everything. Jim Collins wrote about the advantages to, ‘First who, then what.' This view is foundational to our firm.” 2/6/25
#ValhallaEssentials - 33: “Culture isn’t just one aspect of the business game — it IS the game.” 2/9/25
#ValhallaEssentials - 34: “Scarcity creates focus. Focus creates intentionality. Intentionality creates success.” 2/11/25
#ValhallaEssentials - 35 : “Business people should seek advice and counsel but they should always beware of the well intentioned yet disastrous GSBA: Good Sounding Bad Advice.” 2/17/25
#ValhallaEssentials - 36: “There may be temptation to cut corners, or “innovate,” in matters of regulatory oversight and compliance. It shouldn’t be done. Compliance is like oxygen; Without it, we die. Full stop.” 2/20/25
#ValhallaEssentials - 37: “Success in sales - like in business - is about balance. Research without action is useless. Action without strategy is reckless. The winners prepare, execute, and refine as they go." 2/27/25
#ValhallaEssentials - 38: “While individual wellness programs can be well-intended, true employee well-being starts with addressing the broader working conditions that drive stress and burnout. At Valhalla, we take a holistic, autonomy-driven approach to ‘work-life balance’—creating sensible frameworks for professional life while supporting our team. We believe that a shared sense of service orientation and mission-driven purpose is essential to our culture and a key criterion for joining Valhalla." 3/3/25
#ValhallaEssentials - 39: “Extraordinary things aren’t built overnight. Lasting value comes from steady, intentional effort — small improvements, compounded over time.” 3/4/25
#ValhallaEssentials - 40: “If a document matters enough to warrant your signature, it matters enough to be read carefully. Never sign what you don’t understand.” 3/5/25
#ValhallaEssentials - 41 : “Vision without execution is hallucination. Success isn’t just about great strategy—it’s about relentless follow-up, accountability, and seeing things through." 3/6/25
#ValhallaEssentials - 42 : "Organizations are perfectly designed to produce the results they get. For different results, something must change. At its core, this is the role of leadership." 3/8/25
#ValhallaEssentials - 43: "Sometimes, you need to slow down to speed up. Stepping back provides clarity, context, and perspective. Recharging isn’t just self-care -- it’s a strategy for being the best leader and professional you can be." 3/11/25
#ValhallaEssentials – 44: “In professional services, one currency is competence. An even more important one is trust. Both are earned slowly and deliberately. Invest into your competency. Be deserving of people's trust.” 3/24/25
#ValhallaEssentials – 45: “Net Working Capital (NWC) is like water for a small business – you don’t think much about it until it’s running low. Yet, too much cash on the balance sheet can be a sign of missed opportunities. The key is intentionality.” 3/31/25
#ValhallaEssentials – 46: “Leaders must confront brutal facts, but first they must develop means by which to identify what the facts are. Measure what matters -- and beware false precision.” 4/9/25
#ValhallaEssentials – 47: “There’s a word for putting your client’s interest ahead of your own: fiduciary. More health and welfare benefit clients – i.e. employers – will come to expect this standard. And when they do, many will discover that their current advisors have long-standing conflicts they never disclosed. Be different. Be better.” 4/21/25
#ValhallaEssentials – 48: “A surprising amount of good management is just staying organized, prioritizing what matters, and following up.” 5/12/25
#ValhallaEssentials - 49: “Talent strategy is community strategy; Great teams aren’t found randomly - they’re referred, attracted, and aligned.” 6/11/25
#ValhallaEssentials - 50: "The smartest move in some games is simply to decline to play at all." 7/8/25
