The Second CEO
Accelerating Scale When Following the Founder
by Matt Sharrers
This title was previously available on NetGalley and is now archived.
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Pub Date Jun 11 2024 | Archive Date Jun 11 2024
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Description
The first roadmap for a Founder-CEO succession like no other.
If you’ve been tapped on the shoulder to follow a founder or you’re interested in being in the running, be forewarned that this isn’t your average transition. The founder has skills, talents, and personality that have built the company and the culture. It’s the Second CEO’s job to respect the founder and their vision while creating a culture and vision of their own and adding massive value. But how?
Matt Sharrers knows, firsthand, what you have to get right and what common roadblocks you should be on the lookout for. He details it all in The Second CEO: Accelerating Scale When Following the Founder. Sharrers understands what it takes to create culture and value when you’re following a founder. And not just because he did it himself, leading through double-digit revenue growth, but also because he has coached and mentored dozens of Second CEOs through their transitions as well as their first years.
This book takes you step-by-step, through your own journey, whether you’re already in the running or you want to be. And whether the founder is leaving entirely, staying on in a different position, or moving solely to the board, Sharrers has you covered with real-life stories and tips from founders, serial Second CEOs, and private equity investors. And he offers his own advice, called Key Accelerants, that will best position you to drive the kind of growth you need to get to your next benchmark.
In The Second CEO, Matt Sharrers brings his decades of helping leaders improve the enterprise value of their companies to you in an interactive format. Each chapter details his proven process for cultivating culture and driving value and helps you craft your own plan. You’ll learn about the crucial mindset you need, discover the qualities far more important than degrees or even experience. You’ll learn what you need to do during the first twelve months and beyond―to think and act like the leader who’s going to take the company to the next level.
Advance Praise
"Founding a business is heroic. It takes vision and fortitude. Founders ignite businesses, but do not always have the skills to scale the business they created. This is where The Second CEO comes in. With complimentary skills and attributes, the Second CEO drives the business to fulfill its potential. This book gives any CEO following a founder the insights and playbook for success. Matt Sharrers brings acute understanding and years of relevant experience to this important topic."
Simon Freakley
CEO, Alix Partners
"Following a founder is one of the toughest challenges a new CEO can face, and there’s little guidance for how to do it. Matt Sharrers is the first to offer a clear path and proven approach for how to succeed. His advice is simple, practical, and powerful. Every second CEO will benefit from reading this book and applying its hard-earned lessons."
Randy Street
Vice Chairman, GH Smart
"As investors in dozens of founder-operated businesses, we have witnessed first-hand the fraught nature of transitioning to the Second CEO. Even when everyone is operating with good intentions, there is a sense of flying into the unknown and of navigating by intuition. Based on authentic, courageous reflection on his own experiences, Matt has written the definitive guide to getting this transition right. At Resolve, this book will serve as the platinum standard in our role as board members and investors to help a Second CEO accelerate through the scaling process."
Jit Sinha
Founder and Managing Partner, Resolve Growth
"Matt is uniquely qualified to share his experiences following a founder and transitioning his business into a professionally run organization. Matt’s passion, energy, leadership style, and 'scorecard' approach to an organization all come out in this important book that is a fantastic read. The different case studies and experiences he shares shows that following a founder is never straight forward, but the lessons he and others learned can help setup a Second CEO for a successful transition. As a private equity investor and board member on many founder-run companies over the past twenty years, I wish I had access to this book years ago!"
Justin Lipton
Partner and Co-Head, Harvest Partners
