The Vault Unlocked — “How to Scale From a Business Startup to $1B Without a 5-Year Plan”

Host: Kayvon Kay

Guest: Roy Owsing (“Be Different or Be Dead”)

Episode Date: February 25, 2026

Episode Overview

Kayvon Kay dives deep with Roy Owsing, the architect of “Be Different or Be Dead,” into the heart of what actually drives business growth — beyond bland five-year plans, empty claims of being “the best,” and one-size-fits-all strategies. Roy recounts how he grew an early-stage data company into a billion-dollar juggernaut (now $18 billion run-rate), not by following conventional strategy, but through relentless, actionable differentiation and execution. This conversation candidly exposes the hidden levers behind scaling, why most strategic planning fails, and the three questions that power enduring business growth.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Differentiation: The Core Growth Driver

• Roy’s Mantra: “Be different or be dead.” Differentiation is non-negotiable. Most companies falsely claim superiority but fail to stand out in ways customers care about.

  “[Everyone says they’re better, they're best... But if you sound like everyone else, you disappear with everyone else.]” — Kayvon Kay, 00:00

• Not Narcissism: True differentiation is about being special in a way that matters to others, not just yourself.

  “Being different is about being special in a way other people care about.” — Roy Owsing, 04:57

• No Silver Bullet: Growth isn’t from a single secret or tactic. It’s a relentless accumulation of small, people-driven, passion-fueled behaviors and decisions.

2. Why Traditional Strategic Planning Fails

• Standard 5-year plans are “crap” — slow, detached from reality, and encourage kicking the can down the road.

• Most planning is overly complex and built for theory, not execution.

  “I don't believe five-year plans exist because the fourth year never shows up.” — Roy Owsing, 06:44

• Roy’s Approach: Execute-first, plan-second. Built what he calls “strategic game planning” that can be done in 48 hours — designed for action, adaptability, and speed.

3. The Three Questions That Drive Real Growth

(Timestamps refer to first full breakdown at 06:30–10:10)

Question 1: How big do you want to be (in 24 months)?

• Focus on top-line revenue — not profits or net income.
• Forget “realistic.” Set audacious, even unrealistic targets, to force innovation.
• If you know how to reach your goal, your goal isn’t big enough.
  • Kayvon: “Is this your BHAG, your big hairy audacious goal?”
  • Roy: “If you can tell me how to do it, the number’s not big enough.” — 13:18

Question 2: Who do you intend to serve, and what do they crave?

• Go beyond “market segments” or ICPs — get razor specific (see the “whites of their eyes”).

• Don’t focus on “needs” (basic, often already satisfied); focus on “cravings” — the emotional, unspoken desires that drive action and are less sensitive to price.

  “Cravings...are what you lust for, what you desire, what you covet. Those are emotional triggers.” — Roy Owsing, 08:38

• Use every customer interaction to gather insights into real cravings, not through exhaustive research, but through conversations and sharp observation.

Question 3: How will you compete and win?

• Don’t aim to be “the best”; aim to be “the only.”
• Craft your “Only Statement”: We are the only ones who...

  “You either are the only one, or you’re not. That’s the binary. And this gets the kids off the street.” — Roy Owsing, 09:08

4. Cravings vs. Needs — The Language That Changes Everything

• Focusing on “needs” traps you into commodity thinking and product features; “cravings” drive higher value, emotional attachment, and are often unique.
• Language steers strategy: Use words that elevate your thinking from the ordinary.
• Typical surprise-and-delight stories (“element of surprise”) create lifelong advocates:

  Story (18:31–22:14): How Roy saved a $10M account for a restaurant whose phones failed by quickly fixing the problem, cutting a $50K check, and delivering a “craved” retro phone as a surprise — turning a crisis into the client’s favorite story to share.

5. Secret Gathering & Human-Centric Selling

• Stop glorifying sales “units” — incentivize gathering “customer secrets” (i.e., personal cravings, little details).

• Champions a “human-being lover” culture.

• Salespeople evaluated not only on sales but on depth/quality of their “secrets” (customer insights).

  "If you don't know who your high-value clients are by name, and you don't keep in touch with them, what the hell are you doing with your time?" — Roy Owsing, 26:18

• Put the customer in the loop (customers rate salespeople), build relationships, and move away from “wham, bam, thank-you ma’am” sales.

6. Execution Over Perfection: Short Cycles, Constant Tuning

• 48-hour strategic game planning brings the leadership team together, flattens the hierarchy, and builds consensus.
• Everything is a draft — plan, execute, learn, and adjust every 90 days.
• Short-term (24-month) plans, continually reviewed and re-tweaked, outpace theoretical “long-term” plans.

  “If you’re looking for silver bullets, there are none. Guys, you got to put in work.” — Roy Owsing, 49:01

7. Differentiation, Simplicity, and the Will to Execute

• Roy’s differentiation: Simplicity and relentless focus. “Nobody else can take something esoteric and dumb it down so people can understand it.”
• Only works with clients who are serious about execution — refuses those just seeking surface-level plans or “ego stroking.”
• Advocates storytelling, emotional connection, and building cultures that light fires in people.
• Fast-and-easy wins fuel run rate for bigger, compounding future success — focus here early.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “[Everyone says they're better... But if you sound like everyone else, you disappear with everyone else.]” — Kayvon Kay (00:00)
• “There's no silver bullet. There's a whole bunch of little things that rely on people and their passion... keep driving, driving, driving.” — Roy Owsing (03:41)
• “My planning process: execute first, plan second. Built for execution.” — Roy Owsing (06:30)
• “Cravings...are what you lust for... emotional triggers... typically insensitive to price, relatively speaking.” — Roy Owsing (08:38)
• “We are the only ones who... And that becomes your elevator pitch.” — Roy Owsing (10:11)
• “If you don't know who your high-value clients are by name... what the hell are you doing with your time?” — Roy Owsing (26:18)
• “If you're looking for silver bullets, there are none. Guys, you got to put in work.” — Roy Owsing (49:01)
• “The plan is always a draft. It's alive, it's amorphous, it's organic.” — Roy Owsing (58:25)
• “Every time I got hit with something, I would ask, How am I going to do this differently?” — Roy Owsing (61:00)

Timestamps for Important Segments

| Time (MM:SS) | Topic | |--------------|-------| | 00:00–01:08 | Kayvon’s intro — why differentiation matters, Roy’s “Be Different or Be Dead” credentials | | 03:41–05:00 | “No silver bullets” — business growth as an accumulation of small, people-driven actions | | 06:30–10:10 | Breakdown of Roy’s 3 critical questions for growth | | 13:18–14:26 | Why targets should be “unrealistic” to drive innovation | | 18:31–22:14 | Account-saving story: surprise, speed, and the power of “cravings” | | 24:16–25:46 | Difference between “needs” and “cravings”; selling outcomes and experiences | | 26:18–28:27 | Specific examples of finding unique value in unexpected places (e.g., landscaping, boats) | | 34:55–36:42 | Rewiring sales culture — the “secret gatherer” approach and customer-powered evaluations | | 48:08–52:41 | 48-hour strategic game planning — team consensus, action-ready, not theoretical | | 55:27–59:39 | “Short-term plans, executed and iterated, beat theoretical long-term playbooks” | | 61:00–61:15 | Roy’s “Different Lens” personal practice and final challenge to listeners |

Actionable Takeaways

• Ask yourself and your team: How big do we really want to be? Who do we serve, and what do they crave (not just “need”)? How will we win — as the only one doing what we do?
• Scrap the 5-year PowerPoints. Build and tweak a 24-month, action-focused plan, and obsessively measure and adjust every 90 days.
• Make secret-gathering core to your culture. Incentivize gathering real, granular customer insights.
• Surprise, delight, and share stories. Turn “problems” into moments of differentiation that create lifetime advocates.
• Never stop learning and evolving your own process. The world changes. Execution is everything. Be bold, be different, or be dead.

For more tools, stories, and to connect with Roy Owsing, visit his blog or email him directly at roy.osingmail.com
“Every time you face a challenge, ask: How am I going to do this differently?” — Roy Owsing

(Summary by Prompt A.I. — The Vault Unlocked, February 25, 2026)