Bill Carr single-handedly transformed my thinking on operating high-growth businesses. He spent 15 years at Amazon leading digital media. The processes he lays out in his book, Working Backwards, are game changing. He is one of those rare consultants that can actually execute. I met him 5 years ago through Dan Levitan. We clicked right away, and he flew to Birmingham to help us implement his Working Backwards principles. The frameworks he brought to Landing immediately changed how we operated, and our team still uses them daily. These are three that have had the biggest impact: • Inputs vs. Outputs: Focus on controllable inputs, not lagging metrics. • Leadership Principles: Defining guiding principles at Landing, like Execute Relentlessly. • Bar Raiser Hiring: Keep standards high and hire for speed, grit, and excellence. Thank you, Bill. You’re the best in the business and a great person to work with. Leaders: Consider reading Bill’s book, Working Backwards, and check out his website: workingbackwards.com

In 2018, I helped found a bank to solve a problem. As someone who built several businesses, I knew how crucial it is to have trusted bankers on speed dial. That type of service is in short supply, so we built it. CommerceOne was born, and so was our motto: Relentless and responsive. Most people don’t want to call a 1-800 number – we don’t even have one. They want to talk to someone who knows their business and can find a solution. That’s what we do. We partner with bankers who specialize in niche industries – people who truly understand the businesses they serve. Whether it’s services, manufacturing, commercial real estate, healthcare, or another vertical, our bankers bring deep expertise and the ability to move fast. As entrepreneurs, we see banking as a partnership, not a process. — If you're interested in getting introduced to one of our bankers, shoot me a DM or comment below.

I’ve been lucky enough to have a core team stick with me through multiple exits. The top qualities I look for when I’m building teams: • Taking extreme ownership • Fixing problems and building without waiting for direction • Wearing multiple hats • Holding others accountable – and speaking up when it matters. But what really sets a lasting team apart? Resilience during tough times. Every business will face challenges. It’s in those moments that your team is truly tested. When you find people with these qualities – who show up, take ownership, and stick with you through the hard stuff – hold onto them. They’re the ones you want to win with.

I talk to “wantrepreneurs” regularly. They want to be an entrepreneur, but they won’t take that step, take that risk, and just go do it. Ideas are worthless unless they’re executed. If you start building, you’ll be ahead of 99% of people. The best entrepreneurs just 𝘨𝘰.

If you can get 1% better every week, in 10 years, your business will be 150 times better. That's a 16,000% improvement. And if you improve 1% a day, you’ll be about 1.615545 quadrillion times better! That’s the magic of compounding. It’s incomprehensible. It’s driven by your choices each day. The greatest impact comes from the hard ones.

Founders spend too much time worrying about what could go wrong. Most of the time, those things don’t happen. There are no perfect conditions, and there’s no perfect product. The first version of Shipt failed. We started in big-box retail and ended in grocery delivery. That’s happened in every business I’ve started – what worked in the end wasn’t what I set out to do. You have to let go of the “plan” and be willing to pivot. Just get in the game day by day, and the compounding adds up. Keep going. — This was the original idea for Shipt that flopped. (I was spot on with Target at least!)

In 2019, I met Marcus Higgins while looking for a CEO for Shipt. He was sharp, thoughtful, and clearly thought differently. But I decided during the process that it was time to build another company, so I put the search on hold. We stayed in touch and met up in Dallas a few times. Eventually, I asked him to join me. This was before Landing was even Landing. He came on board at the end of 2019 and has been an incredible partner ever since. Marcus has unmatched experience in building startups and played a major role in transforming our business. He was the biggest champion of our Autopilot model and helped us bring it to life. He’s relentless when he believes in something. He sees my blind spots and knows how to talk me off a cliff. He takes big ideas and breaks them down into steps we can actually execute. He’s also one of the most hands-on leaders I know. Marcus invests in people, challenges them, and gives them room to win. Many have followed him across companies. Some have built businesses of their own. And on top of all that, he brings the energy. You might catch him at a quiet golf event in a ridiculous costume. Grateful to be building Landing together, Marcus.

I’ve always said you have to “own the cookie.” When people ask what makes Landing different, I tell them: we own the demand. We’ve built a loyal following of customers that keeps our apartment units filled at high occupancy, and that’s what drives revenue for our Partners. Own the cookie, and you won’t need to worry about competition. — Reach out to @JJCreel to learn more about partnering with Landing.

People always ask how I think about competitors. I don’t. If you’re focused on them, you’ll build a worse version of their product and be six months behind. Know what’s happening. But don’t let it distract you. Winning isn’t just about having the best product. It’s about violent execution. Let the competition be background noise.

When I was a kid in the ’90s, I spent summer days watching CNBC. I dreamed of being a trader on the floor of the NYSE, in the middle of the action. Luckily, I didn’t go that route – trading has gone almost fully electronic. But last August, I got to live out that dream in a different way. I had the incredible opportunity to visit the NYSE and represent @HelloLanding. It was surreal seeing Landing’s branding all over the mecca of capitalism. In the nine months since, Landing has continued to scale. When you find product-market fit, it feels like magic. To entrepreneurs: keep grinding and compounding. You’d be amazed at what happens when you get 1% better every day.

People that don’t keep their phone on silent (constant ringing/notifications especially at restaurants), listen to videos on speaker, or have conversations on speaker in public are obnoxious. Have some decency!

Is it just me or does the whole Trump / Elon deal feel like when Axe and Dollar Bill staged a fight and falling out in Axe’s office on Billions?

I hate 1:1s. Not because I don’t want to talk to my team. We talk all the time. Everything is out in the open. We talk in the middle of the office and in public Slack channels. If I’m having a conversation that can help one person, it should help everyone. Closed-door conversations lead to miscommunication, gaps in expectations, and messes no one wants to clean up. If you want to get the best out of your team, give them transparency. – Do you do 1:1s with your team? Let me know your thoughts in the comments.

When I was building Shipt in San Francisco, I met Kathy MacDonald, an incredible recruiter. She’d placed several EAs for people like Steve Jobs & Elon Musk – way higher-flying leaders than I am. I told her I needed an EA in Birmingham and knew she would find the right person. She asked me to give her three months. After a couple of months, she called me and said: “I found your people. Three candidates are flying to Birmingham next week. You’re going to meet with them and pick one.” She was right – they were all awesome. But Rosemary stood out. My wife and I clicked with her immediately and knew she’d be the perfect fit. She moved to Birmingham from Dallas and joined the team. After one year, Rosemary was promoted to Chief of Staff. Rosemary has played a major role in all of my businesses since. She tackles anything and everything head-on. Give Rosemary a problem, she hands you a solution. She’s relentless, knows every detail of our business, and never fails to follow up. We’ve built something really special together, and Rosemary has built an incredible life here in Birmingham. She met her husband and now lives right up the street from me. Leaders: Find your Rosemary. Hire someone like her, and you’ll have a true partner in life and business.