But What if They Stay?

There’s a great Zig Ziglar line I think about a lot:

"What if we invest in our people and they leave?"

"Yeah, but what if we don't, and they stay?"

So - it begs the question “What does investing in your global talent look like?”

I’ve never really seen any good option.

I want my team to learn all sorts of things - how to use technologies (Clickup, Notion, Zapier, all sorts), soft skills, sales, accent stuff, whatever!

I really want to develop our team… but there wasn’t anything out there!

So….I decided to fix that by launching Sagan University.

Our first live, instructor led class at Sagan University is scheduled to start two weeks from today - May 20 2024.

The topic?

“Filipino Accent Reduction”

Here’s the great instructor we recruited (click to watch a short intro):

Why?

I want to upskill our wonderful PH based staff - and this is their biggest weakness.

We are building live classes that I want MY team to take - and this is first in the long list of curriculum we have in the pipeline.

Live group, 2X per week, 4 weeks long (For this one - length will vary based on subject).

Expect dozens over the next year - all live, all instructor led.

Developing & upskilling your team is a REQUIREMENT to run & build a kick ass company - why would it be different with global talent? 

Our next two Sagan University classes:

1) "Becoming a First Line Manager" - We are promoting our global talent into junior management, and they need to learn fundamental skills!

Taught by career entrepreneur, Harvard Business School grad 

2) "Using an Assistant - for High Performers" - We have many members who want their executives, sales reps, and other high performers to use an assistant to get more work done. This shows them how.

Taught by the one and only @BinsiDevadasan

 We debated long and hard about how much we should charge for this.

Other corporate training programs charge thousands per student - and even more for enterprise membership.

Just kidding - this was an easy decision. 

Free.

It will be free for Sagan Passport members - because I want to show these poopy influencer backed companies that sometimes product wins - not just distribution.

Added bonus: If you already have staff from PH (even if we didn't help hire them) they can come for free too - as long as you are a member.

Do you have suggestions for courses we should organize?

We’ve got a TON of instructors and curriculum in the pipeline - but are always looking for more ideas.

My “White Whale” course is “From Virtual Assistant to Chief of Staff” - but I think it would probably be a year long!

It’s in the works, so don’t worry, my dear reader.

Investing in your team is not just a nice-to-have; it's a must-have for any company that wants to succeed in the long run.

By providing your global talent with the tools, skills, and knowledge they need to excel, you are not only helping them grow personally and professionally but also strengthening the foundation of your entire organization.

Sagan University is all about INVESTING in your people, and I am excited to see the impact it will have on our team and your company.

Our greatest asset is our people.

Yallah Habibi,

Jon

P.S. To the small army of our competitors who I see opening and reading my newsletter, a short message:

Give up.

I’m coming for your jello soft value propositions, and your juicy juicy margins.

Below, a live shot of me eating your margins:

Passage of the Week:

When, in disgrace with fortune and men’s eyes,

I all alone beweep my outcast state,

And trouble deaf heaven with my bootless cries,

And look upon myself and curse my fate,

Wishing me like to one more rich in hope,

Featured like him, like him with friends possessed,

Desiring this man’s art and that man’s scope,

With what I most enjoy contented least;

Yet in these thoughts myself almost despising,

Haply I think on thee, and then my state,

(Like to the lark at break of day arising

From sullen earth) sings hymns at heaven’s gate;

For thy sweet love remembered such wealth brings

That then I scorn to change my state with kings.

P.P.S:

A few nice things people are saying about Sagan Passport.

"The economics on hiring through Passport are crazy. I've used them for 4 hires - each one amazing and crushing it!"

"I wanna gush about my new admin who started last month. She revamped my whole company." 

"We are going global thanks to Sagan! These last 3 hires [from the Philippines, Argentina, and Kenya] are amazing and we won’t be stopping anytime soon."