We celebrate starts and finishes, but rarely discuss the messy journey in between, where odds are defied and great teams and products are ultimately made. Whether you're an entrepreneur, and artist, or leading a turnaround, you know you're in "the messy middle" when you find yourself lost, navigating ups adn downs, with no end in sight. To find your way through, you must employ tactics to endure your own self-doubt and the uncertainty and ambiguity that accompany every new venture. You must also relentlessly optimize your product and team, while seeking empathy with your customers' needs. Packed with actionable insights and stories, The Messy Middle outfits you with the knowledge to make every low less low, and every high a little higher than the one before it. The middle isn't pretty, but it is illuminating. It's where you realize you're capable of more than you ever thought possible. So it's time we start talking about it. --

• The messy middle
• Introduction
• Leading through the anguish and the unknown
• Strengthening your resolve
• Embracing the long game
• Optimizing your team
• Building, hiring, and firing
• Culture, tools, and space
• Structure and communication
• Clearing the path to solutions
• Optimizing product
• Simplifying nad iterating
• Anchoring to your customers
• Optimizing yourself
• Planning and making decisions
• Crafting business instincts
• Sharpening your edge
• Staying permeable and relatable
• The state of finishing
• Approaching the finish line
• Passing the baton
• Never being finished