Podcast Summary: Ep. 431 - Vision Driven Founder, Jennifer Hudye

Introduction

In Episode 431 of the “Second in Command: The Chief Behind the Chief” podcast, host Cameron Herold engages in an insightful conversation with Jennifer Hudye, the founder and CEO of Vision Driven. This episode delves deep into the transformative power of the Vivid Vision concept and its profound impact on entrepreneurs and their businesses. Jennifer shares her journey, the evolution of Vision Driven, and offers actionable strategies for CEOs aiming to craft compelling visions that inspire and align their teams.

Background of Jennifer Hudye and Vision Driven

Jennifer Hudye founded Vision Driven in 2016 after a pivotal conversation with Cameron Herold at a Culinary Dropout event. At the time, she was bootstrapping her copywriting business with no team or significant industry recognition. The introduction of the Vivid Vision process revolutionized her approach, enabling her to clarify her long-term goals beyond immediate financial concerns. This clarity led to rapid growth, allowing her to collaborate with top thought leaders like Joe Polish, Dan Sullivan, and Tony Robbins. Today, Vision Driven has crafted vivid visions for over 650 companies and supported thousands more through retreats, workshops, and online courses.

The Vivid Vision Concept

The Vivid Vision is a comprehensive five-page document that outlines a company’s future state three years ahead. It encapsulates what the company will look like, how it will operate, and the culture it will embody. Jennifer likens the Vivid Vision to a sales page, but instead of selling a product, it sells the company’s future to its team, partners, and stakeholders. “It’s writing a sales page for the company's future so that everybody on the team, as well as vendors, partners, were bought in to bringing this vision to life” ([05:57] Jen Hudi).

Common Challenges in Creating a Vivid Vision

CEOs often encounter several pitfalls when crafting their Vivid Vision:

1. Overemphasis on Strategy: Many leaders mistake the Vivid Vision for a business plan, leading them to focus excessively on tactical details rather than the overarching future state. “[CEOs] get really caught up in the how sometimes they think the Vivid Vision is a business plan” ([07:07] Jen Hudi).

2. Vagueness: Some visions are too general, lacking specific details that can inspire and align teams. “They, it’s just too vague and they’re not boldly standing for what is the problem that we're solving or that we have solved in the future” ([07:07] Jen Hudi).

3. Indecision: CEOs may struggle to finalize their vision, resulting in prolonged uncertainty and stalled progress. “[Sometimes] they'll get lost in the areas that they're not clear up” ([07:07] Jen Hudi).

The Process of Crafting a Vivid Vision with Vision Driven

Vision Driven employs a structured approach to help CEOs articulate their Vivid Vision clearly and effectively:

1. Initial Consultation: Understanding the CEO’s current position and desired future.
2. Extraction of Ideas: Jennifer and her team work closely with the CEO to distill their thoughts into a cohesive narrative.
3. Iterative Writing: Multiple iterations ensure the vision is both inspiring and actionable.
4. Design and Finalization: The final document is professionally designed, ready for distribution to the entire organization.

Jennifer emphasizes starting with what the CEO knows for sure about their company’s future to build a solid foundation. “Start with what you know for sure and let’s really focus in on that” ([08:29] Jen Hudi).

Pricing and ROI of Vivid Vision

Crafting a Vivid Vision with Vision Driven starts at $6,500. This investment includes comprehensive services: interviewing, facilitating, writing from scratch, multiple iterations, custom design, and rollout best practices. Jennifer argues that the return on investment far outweighs the cost by preventing issues like turnover and misalignment.

Cameron highlights the concept of the Cost of Inaction (COI), stating, “The cost of not doing it [Vivid Vision] far outweighs the cost of paying to have it done” ([18:20] Cameron Harold).

The Importance of CEO Clarity in Vision

A clear and compelling vision is crucial for organizational alignment and growth. Jennifer shares an anecdote about a CEO who faced significant turnover due to a lack of vision clarity. “He was like, so I understand, like, okay, this is important, but nobody teaches you how to use it or the process to actually go through crafting a vision” ([19:25] Jen Hudi). This underscores the necessity for structured processes like the Vivid Vision to translate abstract goals into tangible, inspiring narratives.

Incorporating Leadership Teams in the Vivid Vision Process

CEOs often consider involving their leadership teams in crafting the Vivid Vision to foster ownership and buy-in. However, Jennifer advises caution. Drawing an analogy with Steve Jobs and the original iPhone, she emphasizes that while input is valuable, the CEO must ultimately lead the vision to ensure it remains bold and uncompromised. “I think the leader has to actually just take what they already know and work with someone like you to craft the Vivid Vision so that other people are so inspired” ([22:00] Cameron Harold).

Implementing and Rolling Out the Vivid Vision in Organizations

Effective implementation ensures the Vivid Vision becomes an integral part of the company’s culture:

1. Leadership Buy-In: Share the vision with the leadership team first to secure their support.
2. Company-Wide Distribution: Distribute the vision to all employees, ensuring everyone understands and aligns with it.
3. Stakeholder Engagement: Share the vision with external partners, suppliers, and customers to unify all stakeholders.
4. Regular Reiteration: Revisit the Vivid Vision quarterly to reinforce alignment and track progress.

Cameron recommends, “Every quarter, have all of my employees and shareholders reread it again” ([29:11] Cameron Harold), to keep the vision top-of-mind and guide quarterly planning.

Refreshing the Vivid Vision

A three-year timeline is standard for a Vivid Vision, after which it should be refreshed to reflect new insights and developments. Cameron shares his personal approach, where he begins crafting the next Vivid Vision three months before the current one expires, ensuring a seamless transition and continuous alignment. “I just explained this is one I wrote three years ago. We're coming to completion with that and I'm excited about rolling out the next one” ([26:44] Cameron Harold).

Conclusion

This episode of the “Second in Command” podcast provides a comprehensive exploration of the Vivid Vision concept through the expertise of Jennifer Hudye. Listeners gain valuable insights into the importance of a clear, inspiring vision, the common challenges leaders face in crafting one, and actionable strategies to implement and maintain a Vivid Vision within their organizations. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, CEO, or a leader striving for alignment, this conversation equips you with the tools to create and sustain a powerful roadmap for your company's future.

Notable Quotes:

• Jen Hudi [05:57]: “Instead of writing a sales page for a product, we were writing a sales page for the company's future so that everybody on the team, as well as vendors, partners, were bought in to bringing this vision to life.”

• Jen Hudi [07:07]: “They get really caught up in the how sometimes they think the Vivid Vision is a business plan.”

• Cameron Harold [18:20]: “The cost of not doing it [Vivid Vision] far outweighs the cost of paying to have it done.”

• Cameron Harold [22:00]: “I call it a bit of a Kumbaya group hug. So I think any group leader or any CEO is pretty cognizant of their business area.”

• Jen Hudi [29:11]: “How do you ensure that those team members also understand the longer term vision?”

Resources Mentioned:

• Vision Driven Retreats and Workshops: Offering immersive experiences to help companies craft their Vivid Vision.
• Vision Driven Online Course - Vision Driven Quest: An online platform for self-guided creation of Vivid Visions.
• COO Alliance: Mentioned as a resource for COOs and second-in-commands seeking professional development ([00:00]).

For more insights and to explore the resources mentioned, visit coolalliance.com.