Ep. 102 - 2026 is won in Q1
Does your business wait until Valentine’s Day to get moving, or are you winning the year on Day 1?
2026 is won in Q1 #102
We are coming to you LIVE from the Bike Shed in London's Shoreditch! In this special panel episode, Gary and George are joined by a live audience and four industry heavyweights to tackle the post-Christmas "sludge." We’ve all been there: the year technically starts in January, but the real momentum doesn't kick in until February.
How do you accelerate out of the blocks? We discuss the critical difference between strategy and execution, how to mobilize a team before they’ve even left for the holidays, and what to do if your Q1 performance hits the rocks.
Featuring an expert panel:
Mark Pestridge (EVP & GM, Telehouse Europe)
Fiona Richards (Group COO, Aphelia Group)
Rich Best (Fractional CRO, Syntellik & Founder, RW Best Co)
Neil Anderson (CEO, Smart Tasking)
Key takeaways from this episode:
Q1 actually starts in Q4: The most successful leaders set the strategy and communication before the Christmas break, not after.
Swerve perfection: Pace beats perfection—don't let the need for consensus slow down decision-making in the critical early months.
Don't over-engineer: When asking what not to do, the resounding answer is to avoid over-complicating processes. Keep it simple.
The "George Grill": Our panelists face tough questions on keeping the lights on whilst innovating, handling regulatory pressure, and the emergency levers to pull when revenue lags.
Links & references:
Gary Gamp: https://www.linkedin.com/in/garygamp
George Clode: https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgeclode
The Company Doctor: https://www.thecompanydoctor.com/
Highlights:
“Nothing changes unless behavior changes.” - 04:16 - Mark Pestridge
“Don't give me 20 things to do. Give me 3 things. I'll be really clear.” - 11:43 - Mark Pestridge
“If you've hired great people... give them that North Star, give them the clarity and the guardrails, and let them build their own plans.” - 12:06 - Rich Best
“Pace beats perfection and consensus doesn't swerve scrutiny.” - 17:09 - Rich Best
“There is nothing you can do about a disastrous first quarter, other than looking at quarters 2, 3, and 4... That's done, move on.” - 30:20 - Fiona Richards
