2024 started! Did I achieve what I had in mind for 2023?

As a Founder of the NXT GROUP , I always try to set myself a dot on the horizon at the beginning of each year.

The dot symbolizing what I want to have achieved by the end of the year.

My Dot for 2023

In January of 2023, I set myself the goal to 'finish' the foundation of the NXT platform - but I did not concretely have in mind what that would mean. It just felt like I had to pursue that mission.

Last week I was preparing our internal FOCUS 2024 presentation. The presentation that I would give to the NXT leadership team as a kick-off session into 2024.

When preparing it made me realize that I accomplished my 2023 mission.

Damm, today NXT truly is an international Multi-Market Distribution Platform which now spans 15 trading houses, positioned in 4 economic regions and connected to over 75 channel partners. And still growing its wings...

It dawned on me that the NXT ability, giving businesses (Brands & Manufacturers) instant access to more then 25 markets around the globe with the option to create local brand presence and activate sales instantly is quite mesmerizing.

By realizing what we have become, I could now make our 2024 leadership "MANTRA" all about developing and nurturing scalability. I could formulate this, because we managed to finalize the legal infrastructure of the NXT platform in 2023.

The Pandemic Era

I realize today, that the NXT organization managed quite wel through the pandemic era. Despite travel bans our boots on the ground and legal presence in Europe, Turkey and India enabled us to support many different companies by safeguarding there running businesses and for others, since their regular business declined, we were allowed to develop their online omni-channel presence and sales.

Already before COVID our global team was managed as one ecosystem and our crew was familiar with managing remote markets and operations. As such we remained resilient and agile during the pandemic.

Whereas some partners were in the past sceptic about the NXT team structure and often dropped me question marks and remarks on how, for example: somebody located in Turkey could run the digital marketing in Europe.

It seems now that the Pandemic Era, somehow changed peoples minds and remote working seems to be the 'hot' thing.

A nagging feeling

Over the x-mas period I started to have this nagging feeling again.

Is it the start of the new year? That moment that I always need to give myself a new mission to achieve?

"Mike, realize that - For the NXT platform it does not matter anymore if we have 1 brand or 10 companies to serve in a market. For our crew it does not matter anymore if they have to manage a single or multiple product market combinations for a partner. It does not matter anymore if we list a 100 or 5000 sku's on Amazon, our software can handle it."

It simply means, NXT has become scalable in the broadest sense.

The 2024 mantra

In my mind it became obvious, in 2024 I will only force myself to think in terms of scalability. To create the scalability awareness within NXT I decided it had to become our mantra this year.

Since change starts from the TOP, I worked on setting up my weekly agenda and daily task planner focussed on achieving scalability of myself as the CEO of the company. If I can become scalable, so can my team and if my team can become scalable the whole platform will start to organically grow with scalability running in its veins.

On the 8th of January 2024 - I organized the New Year kick off meeting with our Senior Leadership team and took the opportunity to share my vision for NXT in 2024 and 2025 and convey why I believe scalability should be our new matra for this year.

When I talk a lot about something I am passionate about, like NXT or Corvettes, for example. I can loose myself and continue talking forever...and I think I lost myself somehow in the kick off meeting talking about scalability. Ah my new passion kicked-in.

After closing the meeting the team seemed to be quite pumped. I did not wanted to steal much of their time anymore, since they all had to have a chat with their own crew members.

During the day I overhead some internal meeting conversations when walking through the office to get a cup of coffee. To my surprise I already heard the words 'platform' and 'scalability' buzz around...I did not secretly want to listed to the details of the conversations, but I just hope that the words were spoken off in a motivating and positive way.

My new Dot

For this new year I have put a new dot on my horizon; by the end of 2024 I want to have the feeling that I am obsolete in the day to day business of NXT.

Because, I can only grow NXT to the next level if I become scalable. If I am scalable, then the crew will be able to implement my visions for our future without my micro-management involvement.

To make myself scalable, I need to make sure the world and my crew will understand me better and will be better able to follow my thoughts. To enable them, I have decided to no longer shy away of expressing my thoughts, ideas and opinions.

Mike...accept yourself...

Only if you speak out, you are able to express your true self.

Only if you show your true self, your crew or anybody in your vicinity will be able to show its true self. (the mirror effect)

Self discovery

So, as I embark on the journey of 2024, two questions linger in my mind for the last few days:

Who am I?

What am I?

Finding the answers will not only define my journey but also shape the growth of NXT and its incredible team.

Happy hunting Mike!

Happy New Year, everyone!