EP169: James Orsini: The Power of Vision and Execution

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Behind every successful business is a visionary with a groundbreaking idea. But what many business owners fail to recognize is that the vision isn’t enough—you need direction. And you can’t have that if you don’t know where you stand.

For big-time entrepreneur enabler James Orsini, there are two vital things a growing business needs besides vision: knowing your numbers and integration. These allow entrepreneurs to recognize patterns and ultimately grow.

James began his career in public accounting at KPMG Peat Marwick, where he discovered his natural propensity for creativity and business execution. He’s since landed nearly all C-suite levels you can think of, such as MSL CFO, SITO Mobile CEO, eventually becoming CIO and then COO at VaynerMedia. Today, he collaborates with business savant Gary Vaynerchuck and is president of The Sasha Group: a VaynerX company built to help businesses grow exponentially.

In this episode of the Perfectly Mentored Podcast, James Orsini discusses the significance of integration, understanding the numbers, and working with A-players in growing a successful business.

Topics Covered:

  • James Orsini’s career journey. [2:09]
  • Did you always see yourself as a creative person? [5:58]
  • Are you more of a visionary or an integrator? [7:58]
  • Have you ever felt any friction between old and new strategies? How did you share that with Gary? [11:42]
  • What was it about professionals like Gary that attracted you to working with them? [14:59]
  • How do you get SMBs to invest in hiring skilled, well-connected people and focus only on top-line revenue despite the financial risk? [19:36]
  • Does it shock you that there are business owners who still don’t understand their numbers? [23:07]
  • What numbers should business owners be paying attention to the most on a daily basis? [24:56]
  • Should you focus on your top line or your bottom line? [30:01]
  • How do you go from managing people in one place with one work culture, then maintaining that in a remote setup? [33:25]
  • What post-pandemic workspaces might look like. [38:58]
  • What patterns have you seen and applied that business owners can use to grow and scale their brands? [41:10]
  • How do you network with the A-players without sounding transactional? [45:00]

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