MSMP 27: Ray Blakney on Goal-Driven Management

/32:36 /E27

What Does MSMP 27: Ray Blakney on Goal-Driven Management Talk About?

In this episode of the Mads Singers Management Podcast, host Mads Singers interviews Ray Blakney, a computer engineer turned online entrepreneur who has built a 150-person virtual company spanning five continents. Ray shares his management philosophy, which emphasizes a people-first approach layered with goal-driven management. He discusses the challenges he faced as his business grew and how he overcame them by listening to employees and adapting his management style. Key topics include delegation, the skip-level technique, and the importance of consistent daily actions over quick wins, drawing a parallel to successful stock market investing. Ray's insights offer practical advice for managers and entrepreneurs looking to improve their leadership skills and build sustainable businesses.

Managing people and business is not static. No matter where you are starting from, you can always get better.Ray Blakney

Who Is Featured on MSMP 27: Ray Blakney on Goal-Driven Management?

Ray Blakney is the founder of Live Lingua, an online language learning platform, and has been building online businesses for over a decade. With a background in computer engineering, he now leads a global team of around 150 staff members across five continents. His company operates 100% virtually through Slack, and he is known for his goal-driven management approach that prioritizes people first. Ray's experience scaling a remote team and his focus on continuous improvement make him a valuable voice in modern management.

What Are the Key Takeaways From MSMP 27: Ray Blakney on Goal-Driven Management?

  • Successful management requires consistent daily efforts over a long period, similar to investing in the stock market.
  • Listening to employees is crucial for effective goal-driven management.
  • Delegation is a key skill that must be developed to scale a business.
  • The skip-level technique, where managers meet with employees two levels below, helps uncover hidden issues.
  • Managing people and business is not static; you can always improve regardless of your starting point.
If you hope to make a fortune in a day, you're not going to be successful. What matters most is what you do day by day over a long period of time.Ray Blakney

Is MSMP 27: Ray Blakney on Goal-Driven Management Worth Listening To?

This episode is highly recommended for managers and entrepreneurs who want to learn practical strategies for leading remote teams and scaling a business. Ray Blakney's insights on goal-driven management and the skip-level technique are actionable and backed by real-world experience. The conversation is engaging and offers a fresh perspective on putting people first while maintaining focus on goals. Listeners will come away with concrete tips to improve their management style and build a more effective team.

Who Should Listen to MSMP 27: Ray Blakney on Goal-Driven Management?

  • Managers
  • Entrepreneurs
  • Remote team leaders
  • Business owners

What Are Listeners Saying About This Episode?

★★★★★

This episode was a game-changer for me. Ray's approach to listening to employees and using skip-level meetings transformed how I manage my team. Highly recommended!

Alex T.
★★★★★

As a new manager, I found the advice on delegation and consistent daily actions incredibly valuable. Ray's story is inspiring and practical. Five stars!

Jordan K.
★★★★★

I loved the analogy between management and stock market investing. It really resonated with me. Great insights on building a people-first culture. A must-listen!

Sam L.

Active Management is a lot, like investing successfully in the stock market. If you hope to make a fortune in a day, you’re not going to be successful. What matters most is what you do day by day over a long period of time.  

Just exactly as how my guest today, Ray Blakney paced his way through in building online businesses. 

In today’s episode of Mads Singers Management Podcast, Ray Blakney joins me to share how listening to employees made his goal-driven Management a lot easier. 

Ray Blakney had training for computer engineering but has been building online businesses over the last ten (10) years. He holds around 150 staff members around the globe from over five (5) different continents. 

As his business grew over time, significant changes had to be made to keep things going. Ray runs his virtual company 100% and operates through Slack


Driven by goals, he makes sure he invests in the right things to make it happen. For him, it’s always people first layered with management. 

This mindset is the excellent news Ray wishes to impart - that managing people and business is not static. No matter where you are starting from, you can always get better. 

Key Learning: 


  1. Ray Blakney’s Management Philosophy - 1:52
  2. Ray Blakney’s Management Challenges and Ways of Overcoming -  6:52, 24:43
  3. Ray Blakney’s Take on Delegation - 18:30
  4. Management Tips from Ray Blakney - 29:30


Golden Nugget: 


Ray Blakney’s Skip-Level Technique - 9:30, 12:00

Resources mentioned: 

  1. Slack 


Connect with Ray Blakney on the following online handle(s): 


  1. Live Lingua 
  2. Linkedin 
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