I relinquished my Chief Marketing Officer title to focus on the areas where I truly excel.
Mid-Day Squares: A Family Affair Turned Success Story
In 2018, the chocolate snack industry saw a new player emerge, as the company Mid-Day Squares was co-founded by a dynamic trio: the author, their sister, and her husband. The unique blend of protein and fiber in their product quickly set them apart from competitors.
The founders' commitment to their family and professional relationship was evident from the start, with one of them taking on the role of a therapist to help navigate any potential challenges.
The author initially had reservations about taking on the role of Chief Marketing Officer (CMO), given their skills in social media and community building. However, they resisted the idea of giving it up, and soon found themselves leading the marketing efforts for Mid-Day Squares.
In 2019, the author was given a new title: "Rainmaker". In this role, they focused on building networks, meeting people, and bringing various stakeholders to the company. This shift was a testament to the author's ability to pivot and lean into what truly energized them.
The author learned that leadership is about having the courage to pivot and lean into what makes them come alive. This lesson was not just about job titles, but about identifying one's unique strengths and superpowers and aligning them with the company's goals.
To identify these superpowers, the founders suggest a three-step process:
- Identify Unique Strengths and Superpowers
- Observe which tasks feel natural and energizing, and where others seek your help most often.
- Use tools like self-assessment quizzes and 360-degree feedback from colleagues, friends, or family to gain external perspectives.
- Reflect on what activities make you feel alive and infectious with positive energy.
- Ask for Feedback and Document Impact
- Regularly gather honest feedback from trusted peers to uncover blind spots and reinforce strengths.
- Keep track of accomplishments and how your unique contributions drive results.
- Make Hard Changes to Align With Superpowers
- Once your superpower is clear, be willing to make hard decisions, such as changing your role or job title, to focus on where you add the most value.
- Embrace leadership as a continual growth journey, not fixed titles or functions.
- Use self-leadership qualities, like calmness, clarity, curiosity, and compassion, to approach change with kindness toward yourself.
- Sustain and Leverage Superpowers
- Develop your superpowers further by focusing on positive energy sources like passion for your mission and connections with the people you serve.
- Place meaningful reminders in your space and practice habits that renew your energy and curiosity daily.
As the "Rainmaker", the author has helped Mid-Day Squares secure partnerships with retailers such as Target, Whole Foods, and Sprouts Farmers Market. The company has grown significantly, with production increasing from 50 squares a day to over 130,000 in a day, and sales exceeding 55 million.
The author's co-founders are still the co-CEOs of the company, and they, along with the author and other team members, still attend therapy sessions together. This commitment to open communication and personal growth has been instrumental in Mid-Day Squares' success.
The author's journey from reservations about their role as CMO to embracing their superpower as the "Rainmaker" serves as a powerful example of the importance of self-awareness and courage in leadership. By identifying their unique strengths and aligning them with the company's goals, the founders of Mid-Day Squares have created a thriving business that is truly a family affair.
- The founders of Mid-Day Squares, a successful business in the chocolate snack industry, emphasize the importance of identifying one's unique strengths and superpowers in leadership roles.
- In the company Mid-Day Squares, the author, initially hesitant about their role as Chief Marketing Officer, learned that leadership requires courage to pivot and focus on what energizes them most.
- The author, now titled the "Rainmaker" in Mid-Day Squares, has played a significant role in securing partnerships with well-known retailers and contributing to the company's impressive growth through their unique leadership qualities and strengths.
- To maintain the success of Mid-Day Squares, the founders encourage regular feedback, documenting impact, and making hard changes to align with one's superpowers, as demonstrated by the author's shift from CMO to the "Rainmaker" role.
- The journey of Mid-Day Squares, from a family affair to a thriving business, serves as a testament to the power of self-awareness, courage, and the alignment of individual strengths with business goals in scaling a startup and achieving sustainable growth, in both business careers and personal lives.
