Older, wiser, and chalk full of plans

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

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%.

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.