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Books by Thomas Metz


Business & Economics:

Entrepreneurs: The Economic Spark

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Selling the Intangible Company

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Defining Excellence

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Perfect Your Exit Strategy

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Golf:
Best Golf Tips of All Time

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Defining Excellence         

The Discipline of Company Definition

by Thomas Metz


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                              Soft Cover and Kindle, 160 pages
                            Bettencourt Publishing Ltd., July 2019                  

A business exists for only one reason—to deliver value to its customers. Therefore, a company should be defined by its customers, not by its products or services. Company definition matters because it impacts how you think about your company—how you perceive your markets, your customers and new opportunities for growth.

Company definition impacts every corporate communication—press releases, investor presentations, annual report, 10Q and your website. Clarity is not optional.

The first part of the book presents guidelines to craft an intelligent and powerful definition. It describes the theory behind an effective company definition and putting the customer at the center of the enterprise. It introduces the concept of “knowledge space” and presents numerous examples that illustrate clarity of company definition. It includes best practices and 16 rules to construct a first-rate definition.

The second part of the book describes how company definition underpins a firm’s strategy for growth. The thesis is that if a company defines itself differently then it will view growth opportunities in a new light.

Growth is the essential element for creating shareholder value. Initiatives associated with growing revenue drive more value than any other action. Growth is the key predictor of success over the long term. Growth strategy includes exploring for new opportunities. Topics include:

  • The nature of opportunity
  • Enemies of opportunity
  • Adjacent markets and opportunities
  • New business models
  • Ecosystems and platforms
Companies must keep fresh, find new problems to solve, gain new skills and explore for attractive new sectors. Go down uncharted alleys and see what’s at the end. Many times, these are dead ends, but sometimes they open up to broad avenues and exciting new markets. Recalibrating your company definition is an excellent way to open the door to new areas for opportunity and growth.


About the Author
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Thomas Metz founded the boutique investment bank T.V. Metz & Co., LLC in 1983 and has been an investment banker for more than four decades. The firm specializes in arranging mergers and acquisitions in the technology industries.  Mr. Metz has arranged the sale of 78 companies across a broad spectrum of technology markets in North America and Europe.

Mr. Metz has a B.S. degree in Mathematics and Computer Science from the University of Oregon. He holds an MBA degree from the University of California at Berkeley.

Tom has authored four books:

  • Selling the Intangible Company—How to Negotiate and Capture the Value of a Growth Firm (John Wiley & Sons, 2009)
  • Perfect Your Exit Strategy—7 Steps to Maximum Value (Bettencourt, 2016)
  • Defining Excellence—The Discipline of Company Definition (Bettencourt, 2019)
  • Entrepreneurs: The Economic Spark (Bettencourt, 2025)

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