We wrote a book (and would love your support today) Tough Enough is out September 29. Here’s why we wrote it and how to grab a copy early. Matt Hunter • August 21, 2026 The manifesto series (vision, mission, values, and standards) came out of two years of work (and decades of experience) that John Baird and I have now developed into a book. It's called Tough Enough: How to Lead a Team to Greatness Without Being a Jerk; it's out September 29, and it's available to pre-order today. The...
5 days ago • 1 min read
Your standards are too low and your team knows it If it's not explicit (and enforced), it doesn't exist Matt Hunter • August 11, 2026 Today, I am talking about standards, which is the fifth installment in my series on creating a great manifesto. You can read the first four posts here, here, here, and here to get up to speed. Values name what matters; standards are the explicit rules and thresholds that define what “great” looks like. Some standards are universal (how quickly decisions get...
15 days ago • 2 min read
Your "Company Values" Aren't Working Here’s why (and what Whole Foods co-founder John Mackey taught me about fixing them) Matt Hunter • July 28, 2026 Today, I am talking about company values and creating values that actually drive performance and alignment, which is the fourth installment in my series on creating a great manifesto. You can read the first three posts here, here, and here to get up to speed. Before we get into the post, here is a quick word from our sponsor. Values are your...
30 days ago • 3 min read
How to Create a Mission Statement That Drives Performance Here’s how great leaders think about mission statements Matt Hunter • July 14, 2026 Today, I am talking about your mission and creating a mission statement that actually drives performance and alignment, which is the third installment in my series on creating a great manifesto. You can read the first two posts here and here to get up to speed. Your mission names whom you serve, what you will build or do, the outcome you’re targeting,...
about 1 month ago • 3 min read
The key ingredient in high-performing teams How great leaders set a direction people actually believe in Matt Hunter • June 23, 2026 The stories we tell are some of the most important elements of success in business. If you have a bold mission, you must be able to share it compellingly to scale your business. That’s where good storytelling comes in. As Don Valentine, venture capitalist and founder of Sequoia, explains, “The art of storytelling is incredibly important. And many—maybe even most...
2 months ago • 3 min read
The recruiting pitch that lured engineers away from Google The one thing most leadership teams skip Matt Hunter • June 2, 2026 Great leaders serve up an intoxicating blend of bold vision, audacious goals, real resources, and—if you join them—the chance to make history. They tell stories about what the world could become and then live those stories as if they’ve already come true. That’s what gives them permission to demand excellence and attract top talent. Great companies, powerful social...
3 months ago • 3 min read
How Tinder built a dating empire with guerrilla tactics Hint: You need one small, winnable sandbox. Matt Hunter • May 19, 2026 Guerrilla tactics are bold, scrappy, low-cost strategies used to launch a new product or jump-start traction for an existing one. You show up where your users are and do remarkable things to achieve outsized visibility fast. The goal is to make enough noise in one small corner that momentum begins to snowball. These tactics tend to work well when you narrow the...
3 months ago • 5 min read
The practical playbook for building the next generation of great companies is coming Tough Enough is landing on bookshelves at the end of September Matt Hunter • May 6, 2026 I just finished co-writing a new book, Tough Enough: How to Lead a Team to Greatness Without Being a Jerk, which Hachette will publish in September 2026. As an exited founder turned executive coach, I’ve partnered with John Baird, one of Silicon Valley’s most respected executive coaches (Apple, Nike, DoorDash,...
4 months ago • 3 min read
How ChatGPT hit 1M users in 5 days The deadline trick that makes teams elite Matt Hunter • April 21, 2026 A launch serves as the defining moment of a company’s work. There’s a date on the calendar, a promise to stakeholders, and everyone must come together to make it succeed on time. A launch represents a public commitment. The world is watching, and you’ll be on stage, presenting real work or otherwise falling flat. This creates positive drama and tension, along with a supercharged layer of...
4 months ago • 3 min read