76. How To Turn Your Company into a Productivity Machine | Nick Sonnenberg
Tweetable quote from Nick
“Your brain's for having ideas, not holding ideas.”
Summary
In this episode, we dive deep into the world of business efficiency with Nick Sonnenberg, entrepreneur, best-selling author of "Come Up For Air," and founder of Leverage. After experiencing a challenging business partner breakup and nearly going bankrupt, Nick discovered the importance of operational efficiency and effective communication in the workplace.
Nick shares valuable insights on how to create systems that allow teams to work together seamlessly, ensuring that everyone is aligned and focused on their unique strengths. Whether you're running a small startup or a large corporation, this episode is packed with actionable advice to help you run your business like a well-oiled machine.
About our guest:
Nick Sonnenberg is an entrepreneur, Inc. columnist, guest lecturer at Columbia University, and the WSJ bestselling author of Come Up for Air: How Teams Can Leverage Systems and Tools to Stop Drowning in Work. He is the Founder and CEO of Leverage, a leading operational efficiency consultancy that helps companies implement his CPR® Business Efficiency Framework. This is the culmination of Nick’s unique perspective on the value of time, efficiency, and automation which stems in part from the eight years he spent working as a high-frequency trader on Wall Street. The CPR (Communication, Planning, and Resources) Framework consistently results in greater output, less stress, happier employees, and the potential to gain an extra full day per week in productivity per person—just by using the right tools in the right way, at the right time. Nick and his team have worked with organizations of all sizes and across all industries, from high-growth startups to the Fortune 100.
📲Find out more about Nick
Podcast: https://theoptimizepodcast.com/
Website: https://nicksonnenberg.com/
Get his book at https://comeupforair.com/
Course: https://maven.com/comeupforair/inbox-zero
📲Find out more about Dr Espen
Website: https://drespen.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drespenwoldjensen
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr_espen/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@dr_espen
Check our upcoming events: https://bit.ly/3whDgVo
💡Episode Highlights:
00:00:00 - Episode Trailer
00:02:08 - Origins of the CPR framework for business efficiency
00:05:43 - The importance of systems for freeing up mental capacity
00:08:08 - Where to start with streamlining communication
00:10:38 - Investing time for long-term returns
00:13:31 - Optimizing time usage and repurposing "dead time"
00:15:29 - Hiring as a last resort and maximizing team efficiency
00:18:48 - Important AI and automation tools for 2025
00:24:58 - AI replacing virtual assistants and optimizing workflows
00:28:31 - Top tips for entrepreneurs looking to scale
00:30:53 - Nick's main focuses for 2025
00:32:30 - Espen's goals and corporate wellness work
00:35:27 - Key benefits of reading "Come Up For Air"
00:36:34 - Nick's message to the world