Balancing Vision and Action - Zac Smith - Not Another CEO Podcast - Episode #33
What does it take to build and scale a successful company? In this episode of Not Another CEO Podcast, David Politis sits down with Zac Smith, Co-Founder and Former CEO of Packet.
Zac discusses the importance of structured execution, hiring for passion, and balancing long-term vision with short-term execution. Whether you're a founder, leader, or aspiring entrepreneur, this conversation is packed with valuable insights on leadership, company building, and decision-making.
Takeaways:
- The Power of a 10-Year Vision: Zac believes that thinking long-term is critical for building meaningful businesses. He explains how setting a bold 10-year goal helps guide decision-making and prioritization in the short term.
- Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) for Success: One of Zac’s most impactful lessons was implementing EOS to create structure and accountability within his companies. He shares how this system helped him move from gut-driven decisions to a scalable business framework.
- Execution is the Differentiator: Most companies operate at a 3 or 4 out of 10 in execution. Zac explains how simply executing at a 7 or 8 puts businesses ahead of the competition and increases the likelihood of success.
- Hiring for Passion & Curiosity: Beyond skills, Zac prioritizes candidates who show genuine interest and curiosity. He shares how small actions, like trying a product before an interview, can reveal whether someone is truly invested in a company’s mission.
- Lessons from Leading Through Crisis: From navigating financial challenges to making tough leadership decisions, Zac reflects on some of the hardest moments of his career, including when he and his co-founder decided to replace themselves as leaders to save the company.
- Building a Personal Brand in B2B Sales: In enterprise sales, people buy from people, not just companies. Zac shares how investing in personal brand-building—through speaking, blogging, and community engagement—was key to winning customers at Packet.
Quote of the Show:
- “ I don’t need to run a 10 out of 10 for a company. Most companies are operating at a 3 or a 4. I just want to be a 7 or an 8.” - Zac Smith
Links:
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zsmith
Ways to Tune In:
- Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1NQ9oAB2XKlgWeL8iEQXg0
- Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/not-another-ceo-podcast/id1751581707
- Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/7c6328f0-9b42-41db-8fe2-d263b4fbb261
- Transistor: https://podcast.notanotherceo.com/
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@NotAnotherCEOPodcast
#NotAnotherCEO #BusinessSuccess #Packet
Chapters:
0:00 Intro
1:25 What You’d Do Again As CEO
3:18 Deep Dive into EOS and Its Benefits
7:41 Building a Passionate and Accountable Team
9:50 The Importance of Vision and Long-Term Goals
13:20 Effective Interview Techniques and Identifying Passion
19:57 Communicating Vision and Values
29:33 Go-to-Market Strategies and Early Customer Acquisition
34:38 Early Users and Initial Challenges
39:22 New York Tech Scene Evolution
45:25 Biggest Challenge Faced
51:41 Rich’s Background
1:05:49 Advice to Younger Self
1:02:21 Outro
Creators and Guests
