OGM Notes: Value Delivery

It’s been a while since I did one of these OGM Notes. I think it’s appropriate to get back to it at the beginning of this year. The last time I did an OGM Notes on this book it was about the idea of Value Creation.  This time I will be sharing my notes from the same book, but this time the section of the book that focuses on Value Delivery.

This section of the book is quite dense. It’s lengthy and very detailed.  With that in mind this newsletter is centered around the top 25 ideas from this section and a brief explanation or summary of the idea to go along with it.  I hope it’s as enlightening and useful to you as it has been for me.

The book in question in case you were wondering is The Personal MBA by Josh Kaufman.

Think of this as a working reference. Something to return to as you build, refine, and scale.

Value Delivery Is the Promise Kept
Value Delivery is everything that ensures what we promised actually lands for the customer.  Cleanly, consistently, and on time.

Delivery Is the Business, Not the Afterthought
Inventory, fulfillment, support, follow-ups, all those are where trust is either earned or quietly lost.

Overdelivery Builds Gravity
The best businesses don’t just meet expectations, they slightly outperform them, every time.

Satisfied Customers Compound
Happy customers come back, spend more, and market for you without being asked.

Value Requires a Value Stream
Value doesn’t teleport. It flows through a sequence, from creation to delivery.  Every step matters.

Zoom Out on the Whole Process
Creation and delivery are separate, but thinking about them as one system improves both.

Map the Value Stream
When we map the process, inefficiencies surface fast, and leverage becomes obvious.

Smaller Streams Are Stronger Streams
The simpler and tighter the process, the easier it is to manage, scale, and improve.

Distribution Determines Reach
Distribution is how value moves from us the creator to the customer=, and it shapes everything else.

Direct-to-User = Control
Direct channels give us full ownership of quality, experience, and reputation.

Direct-to-User = Constraint
Time and energy cap growth. When demand exceeds capacity, quality suffers.

Intermediaries Multiply Exposure
Resellers and platforms increase reach by putting the product everywhere customers already are.

Distribution Is a Trade-Off
More reach means less control. The upside is scale; the risk is diluted standards.

Reputation Can Be Outsourced. Carefully.
If intermediaries fail at delivery, the customer still blames the brand.

Expectations Shape Perceived Quality
Quality isn’t absolute.  It’s performance, measured against expectations.

Sell High, Deliver Higher
Expectations must be strong enough to close, but delivery must exceed them.

The Expectation Effect Is Real
Unexpected bonuses are powerful, but only if the core promise is predictable.

Predictability Builds Trust
People love surprises, but they hate uncertainty about what, when, and how.

Uniformity, Consistency, Reliability
Predictable delivery comes from sameness, stability over time, and error-free execution.

Quality Is Multi-Dimensional
Performance, durability, aesthetics, serviceability.  Quality isn’t one thing, it’s a checklist.

Perception Is Part of Quality
Reputation and signaling influence how value is judged, before it’s even experienced.

Quality Signals Reduce Doubt
When value is hard to see, signals reassure customers they’re making the right call.

Throughput Reveals Leverage
Throughput shows how fast the system creates profit, products, or satisfaction.

Duplication Enables Scale
What works once should work again, without needing more effort each time.

Systems Compound Everything
Small improvements inside scalable systems amplify over time and raise the barrier to competition.

There’s much more in this section of the book that could be shared and expanded upon, but I think these 25 are core values that should always be referenced when it comes to value delivery.