![](https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/older-than-ten.png?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=623&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=82&w=1568&s=ddfee1576b9a286d2dd3762cc2ff5f62 1568w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/older-than-ten.png?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1246&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=61&w=3136&s=d0380b98082018b66e65f963a18042a5 3136w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/older-than-ten.png?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1869&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=41&w=4704&s=546f399b87eeedffef962f609fdfabea 4704w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/older-than-ten.png?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=407&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=82&w=1024&s=fd4e281a0b71654df242ac78ea7c4c67 1024w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/older-than-ten.png?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=814&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=61&w=2048&s=4c27a6848e3ac001b95b8ca4e9ae3074 2048w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/older-than-ten.png?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1221&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=41&w=3072&s=bcadd1aee04edf0884b05d3c576d5a44 3072w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/older-than-ten.png?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=304&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=60&w=766&s=3463c4e82c8221d0ae3d9c4307475e5c 766w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/older-than-ten.png?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=608&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=45&w=1532&s=72044a65dc7b9f556328b416506a516f 1532w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/older-than-ten.png?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=913&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=30&w=2298&s=e015a02cbbc0964db05903c1d33ec996 2298w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/older-than-ten.png?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=178&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=60&w=448&s=ec13e4d3a36dfeae223bd0f2c37ec712 448w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/older-than-ten.png?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=356&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=45&w=896&s=b735d9c884f74810548a8bb547762490 896w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/older-than-ten.png?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=534&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=30&w=1344&s=eb8a3364faaa92db69a28850bad78887 1344w)
Welcome to a Louder Than Ten special edition. This one is packed with goods. We’ve got...
- A new birthday suit
- A plan for overcoming corporate tyranny
- A new course launching this spring
It’s February. You’ve probably settled into a pattern of heavy sighs to punctuate your meeting breaks. Maybe it’s those ten hours spent glued to your computer chair, dusting existential crumbs off your elbows? Or not understanding the meaning of the word ‘weekend’ anymore? There is a strange boredom and self reflection that comes from looking down the long tube of your week and not seeing a perforation where Saturday starts. So this is where we are. 2021. Killing it.
I could leave you here to wallow, but that would be cruel and I’m not a masochist. I want to share what we’re excited about this year because it’s in the dark that we do our best dreaming. And the dreams we dream become our future. Walk with us a minute...
A new birthday suit
First off—Louder Than Ten just turned 11 years old, which makes us not only Louder but Older (and wiser to boot). We’re celebrating this milestone in our quarantine PJs with an article that tells the tale of our decade-long journey.
Here are some birthday highlights. Over the past 11 years, we ...
- Converted from a design studio into an education company
- Launched three different training programs that allow new and seasoned project leads to hone their skills in a supportive environment
- Trained 111 apprentices who have generated more than $11 million for their companies across three continents
Our present: we’re incorporating things we’ve learned like…
- Immersive apprenticeships change companies for good—and we have the case studies to prove it
- Companies that focus on output over outcome can’t usually be ‘fixed,’ and aren’t worth our time
- Healthy companies don’t rush—change takes time (and time blocking)
The future: here’s what has our toes curling…
- Launching a brand-spanking-new course this spring that is focused on aligning project management and sales. The classic process
- We’re stomping out traditional operational practices that are oppressive (and have their roots in slavery) and replacing them with collaborative and consensus based approaches
And finally ... Drum roll, please.
One of our biggest announcements this year is our decision to convert to a worker-owned cooperative. Why? Because we deeply care about the people who help run Louder Than Ten and we want them to feel equally empowered as owners. When we build this business for everyone, it outlasts us all. This means we collectively shape our shared future and turn the idea of democracy in the workplace into action for years to come.
“In a 20-year study, worker-owned cooperatives, the most democratic form of organization, are more financially stable, last longer, more productive, have less income disparity, and report higher levels of employee satisfaction and quality of life than standard corporations.
We all support democracy in our governments, and will fight tooth and nail to preserve it (or at least our perception of it), so why do we design our companies like dictatorships? Nothing affects a person’s quality of life and access to basic needs as much as their job, yet they rarely have a say in the decisions that affect them most.
Democracy needs to be built into the world of work intentionally, or the daily grind begins to look and feel a lot like authoritarianism.”
It’s our birthday, and all we want is democracy in the workplace.
New on Louder Than Ten
![The ZGM team at the 2019 Anvil Awards](https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/zgm-anvils.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=882&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=82&w=1568&s=d8d72baa646c40acc18ec7699b18dc15 1568w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/zgm-anvils.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1764&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=61&w=3136&s=a3a803be00d7540e8e9e105ac7e713b8 3136w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/zgm-anvils.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=2646&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=41&w=4704&s=a4065953a12eff537459757b9761dc42 4704w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/zgm-anvils.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=576&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=82&w=1024&s=6cf4662e51e512dbb1799df3e7435355 1024w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/zgm-anvils.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1152&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=61&w=2048&s=e91130e6f8a227fbc500ab9d179f0e12 2048w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/zgm-anvils.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1728&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=41&w=3072&s=22e954ae669795939832c4455487f7fe 3072w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/zgm-anvils.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=430&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=60&w=766&s=e78f936565581d58000f710b1c022e56 766w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/zgm-anvils.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=861&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=45&w=1532&s=9a6b40584255fbc75cdffb545e5d75a2 1532w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/zgm-anvils.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1292&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=30&w=2298&s=d1a361a2c9f26b017150204e89616de1 2298w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/zgm-anvils.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=252&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=60&w=448&s=b65780a2787ca702670df2cec961e5c9 448w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/zgm-anvils.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=504&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=45&w=896&s=80554d77f0e30ea3d213120d13a23ab0 896w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/zgm-anvils.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=756&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=30&w=1344&s=eba8d1639c9e5a5437e308a0745e21cf 1344w)
ZGM Case Study
Our apprentices are making magic in here. Our latest apprenticeship grad, Conlan, went from developer to a director level technical PM leading a department in 8 months. Find out how the Apprenticeship helped ZGM increase project profit by 23% and retainer revenue by 436%.
Out of the changes I implemented came a drastic increase in profitability. For projects that required a long-term engagement (min. 6 months), our new methods of scoping, risk mitigation, and estimation yielded an increase in profit up to 23%. For smaller maintenance tasks, I created a minimum engagement amount, and in some cases, increased revenue by up to 463%. By creating, selling, and running a new service offering, I was able to generate over $100,000 within the first 8 months.
![Sales to PM Super Glue](https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/sales-to-pm.png?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=882&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=82&w=1568&s=e807fa33e7e14a5b5befb343a1d0077f 1568w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/sales-to-pm.png?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1764&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=61&w=3136&s=3e911b7ed4ddcb679570507597562e8f 3136w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/sales-to-pm.png?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=2647&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=41&w=4704&s=bf8f5f3fe1a5672583d82b8ce571950f 4704w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/sales-to-pm.png?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=576&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=82&w=1024&s=61d7beb2a181d88b029863f373fd8931 1024w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/sales-to-pm.png?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1152&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=61&w=2048&s=91256ed76e43fd7bc473636e62de4be7 2048w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/sales-to-pm.png?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1728&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=41&w=3072&s=d7e330ed3038bf513e0fe5975863af44 3072w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/sales-to-pm.png?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=431&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=60&w=766&s=7f84edab2a226cb6eba470ee99a5052b 766w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/sales-to-pm.png?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=862&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=45&w=1532&s=579754bcd7a085900fc85acb5d8b6038 1532w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/sales-to-pm.png?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1293&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=30&w=2298&s=74d309bf42c78a8ba00e3c1f2c1689e5 2298w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/sales-to-pm.png?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=252&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=60&w=448&s=c0a8879e2bdf1752b2ebcb47028e7fbe 448w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/sales-to-pm.png?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=504&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=45&w=896&s=f68d8bd863936ecbe06a3c07d7dee285 896w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/sales-to-pm.png?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=756&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=30&w=1344&s=542cfa403d9a5fd3a012df2bd3935b3d 1344w)
Remote training for client services teams
Sales to PM Super Glue
Our brand spanking new course is nearly here! We’ll teach your sales and project management teams how to turn project hiccups into harmony.
Registration opens in March. Get the details.
From the #bookshelf
The best links posted in Slack this week. Straight from our apprentices and their trainers:
You Don’t Have to Love Your Job
What if workers channelled their passion into organizing for better pay and conditions instead?
How to Destroy ‘Surveillance Capitalism’
Read Cory Doctorow’s entire (short) book on how big tech changed the fabric of the web and how to take it back.
What’s Wrong with the Way We Work?
Americans are told to give their all—time, labour, and passion—to their jobs. But do their jobs give enough back?
9 ways you can celebrate Black History Month in 2021
Don’t just post an out-of-context MLK speech snippet in ‘solidarity’ or steal a chance to show off your latest product launch, turn Black History Month into a chance to do something to truly support and elevate BIPOC folks every single day.