In today’s competitive business landscape, there is a strong demand for cost-efficient and impactful brand, design, and marketing solutions. Companies recognize the need to establish a compelling brand identity, visually captivating designs, and effective marketing campaigns to attract and engage their target audience. By prioritizing cost efficiency and effectiveness, businesses can optimize resources while achieving tangible results, driving growth and establishing a strong market presence.
After gaining extensive experience working in and collaborating with numerous startups, Lance Richardson, Michelle Richardson, Chris Walker, and Madison Walker identified a pressing need for businesses to access high-level talent and expertise without the financial burden and risk of hiring full-time employees. Their collective insights highlighted several critical factors essential for business success and growth, including sales, people operations, marketing, and revenue generation. They sought to streamline business functions and achieve tangible results through creative problem-solving approaches, employing top-tier talent suitable for businesses at any stage. Their ultimate objective was to create and provide a service that they themselves would have found invaluable when building and managing their own startups.
The Visionaries
Lance Richardson, co-founder and CGO of Proper Seven, has extensive experience in the oil and gas and tech industries. He has raised millions of dollars through seed and series rounds and played integral roles in successful businesses. Lance is known for his creativity, impressive work ethic, and dedication as a husband and father. He takes joy in spending time with his children, engaging in various activities and adventures. He has a wide range of talents and accomplishments, including professional rodeo, world travel, shark diving, and fluency in Russian. Above all, he values his family and the Proper Seven team.
Michelle Richardson, Co-founder and CEO of Proper Seven, is a talented artist and entrepreneur. She excels in visual storytelling, brand building, and marketing, aiming to create lasting products and brands. Michelle has worked with successful businesses and startups, playing key roles in fundraising and leading victorious teams, campaigns, and projects. She is recognized for her contribution to building outstanding brands and takes pride in her work as a published editorial designer. As a trained artist and pianist, she cherishes the opportunity to create art daily. Michelle’s greatest pride lies in her family and children, and she is grateful to have her best friend and husband as her business partner.
Comprehensive Marketing Solutions
Proper Seven is a comprehensive creative marketing agency that covers all aspects of marketing, branding, growth, sales, and people operations. The firm’s ultimate goal is to assist clients and their business in reducing customer acquisition costs while maximizing the lifetime value of each customer. By harnessing Proper Seven’s expertise and extensive network, the team ensures that client’s business attain greater results with minimal effort, expenses, and risks.
Core Principles for Success
Lance and Michelle strongly believe in the core principles that drive success, including hard work, a cohesive team, strong connections and networking abilities, effective sales skills, maintaining a stellar personal and business reputation, and the ability to add value to both their team and clients. They emphasize that great opportunities can often be found in areas that may not be considered “sexy” or glamorous, contrary to what many entrepreneurs typically pursue. They have discovered that numerous overlooked jobs and industries, which may not appear flashy or captivating, can offer substantial financial rewards. Lance firmly asserts that a good opportunity remains valuable regardless of its nature. Nevertheless, they emphasize that hard work and determination consistently serve as the bedrock for achieving success.
Aligning Individuals and Company Vision
Lance and Michelle have discovered that the most crucial aspect is defining and understanding the shared goals and purpose of both individuals and the company as a whole. It is vital to ensure that everyone involved, including new hires, is aligned with the same vision and fits well within the company’s culture. The key is to be solving for the same objective, which can vary from security and consistency to revenue generation or achieving a good work-life balance. There is no right or wrong answer, but it is critical to have a team that believes in and works towards the same goals.
In addition to shared objectives, Lance and Michelle emphasize the importance of a hardworking team that values trust, honesty, open communication, and mutual respect. They also seek individuals with skills and talents that can bring added value to the business. As a consulting company, Proper Seven relies heavily on creative problem solving and innovation. Their success hinges on going beyond the basics and conventional norms. Innovative thinking is at the core of their business, enabling them to significantly enhance their clients’ business metrics by a margin of 30-50%. It is the foundation of everything they do.
Balancing Individual Heroics and Effective Team Processes
Lance and Michelle share the belief that organizations thrive through a combination of individual heroics and effective team processes. They recognize the significance of both aspects and understand that one cannot flourish without the other. It is essential to have individuals with exceptional talents who can bring innovation, creativity, and drive growth to the table. At the same time, these individuals must also collaborate effectively within team processes, providing stability, following established procedures, and ensuring consistency.
When building their team at Proper Seven, Lance and Michelle sought out individuals with unique superpowers—distinctive talents and strengths that could be harnessed and integrated into efficient processes. By combining individual heroics with team processes, they aimed to maximize business success. This approach allows for the unleashing of innovative thinking and creativity, while also ensuring the stability and structure necessary for consistent performance and positive outcomes.
Driving Success through Synergy
Lance’s primary responsibilities at the company revolve around driving growth, revenue generation, sales, and overseeing company and client metrics and projections. He takes on the role of a creative problem solver, tackling challenges and finding innovative solutions to propel the business forward.
On the other hand, Michelle is primarily responsible for the brand management, marketing strategies, design elements, and overall vision of the company. She brings her expertise in crafting a compelling brand identity, implementing effective marketing campaigns, and ensuring that the company’s design elements align with its overarching vision.
Together, Lance and Michelle complement each other’s roles, working in synergy to achieve the company’s goals and foster its success.
Lance’s happiest part of the daily routine is the opportunity to work alongside his team, engaging in meaningful work together. After a challenging and productive day, he finds immense joy in spending quality time with his loved ones, including his children. The feeling of coming home to their smiling faces is unparalleled and brings him the utmost happiness.
Advice for First-Time Leaders
Lance advises individuals taking on their first leadership role that the journey ahead won’t be smooth sailing, and feelings of inadequacy and unreadiness may linger, perhaps indefinitely. He emphasizes the importance of resisting the temptation to imitate others or adopt a persona that doesn’t align with who they truly are. Lance believes that one’s unique qualities and quirks are their greatest superpowers, and they should bring them to the table with confidence.
Lance reminds aspiring leaders that everyone is navigating uncharted territory every day, and with each experience, they grow and become more proficient. He encourages them to adopt a mindset where there are only two outcomes: either winning or learning. By focusing on adding value to their team, they can also facilitate their team members’ growth and help them unleash their full potential.
For Lance, the key is to create an environment that encourages personal and professional development, where team members can contribute their skills and talents to drive the business forward and enhance its overall value. By helping individuals become the best versions of themselves, leaders can foster a culture of growth and success.
