Last Monday, ICP Solar held its first ever annual review board of directors meeting. What a mind-growing event for me. We had a packed agenda and had some members fly in from the USA, while another joined by teleconference from Sweden.
For myself, as Chairman, it showed me the depth of the people I have surrounded myself with. Deals on the table were not automatically accepted without challenge and request for modification. Employment agreements had to be justified. Options had to be vested over a longer period of time so as to truly act as “incentives to stay” (some call these golden handcuffs!).
The fact is that in the past seven months, ICP Solar has added a full Board of Directors (even now with audit and compensation committees), a VP of Marketing and Global Strategy, Senior Product Manager, Executive Assistant, Chief Financial Officer, Director of Operations, Managing Director for regions outside of America, Graphic Design artist, two sales coordinators and more are to join shortly….(I can hear the shareholders saying “watch those expenses” and don’t worry, its all in the equation!).
All to say that its a completely different company from one year ago with very few exceptions (including yours truly still at the top). For how long will I stay at the top of this organization depends on two things only:
1. Do I deliver to the board and the shareholders that which I promise?
2. Am I still the person for the job as the company grows and develops new requirements from its leader?
These are two probing questions which challenge me each and every day through this growth phase. It will be interesting to come back to this posting at year end and see just how well I’ve fared in delivering on those two fronts.
Sass