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👋 Good Morning. "We're both stuck and we don't know why" was the 1998 reality for two entrepreneurs sitting at $1M revenue. When Brian Scudamore wrote his future in present tense on a dock, he wasn't making a vision statement, he was creating the blueprint that would generate $106M in six years.

Read time: 3 minutes | 614 words

STORY 

👀 How Cameron Herold Weaponized Vision

It's 1998, and two entrepreneurs are stuck. Brian Scudamore's junk removal company has flatlined at $1 million for eight years. Cameron Herold's businesses are stagnant too.

Here's what makes Cameron's story wild: He grew up with severe ADD and dyslexia, failing traditional school. His entrepreneur father taught him something radical: hate jobs, love building companies. By 18, Cameron had 14 businesses. By 21, he had 12 employees while still in university.

Brian and Cameron were forum mates in Entrepreneurs' Organization. After watching Cameron build two companies to $100 million each, Brian had an idea. He escaped to his parents' dock on Bowen Island and wrote something he called a "Painted Picture."

Not a business plan. A vivid, present-tense description of what 1-800-GOT-JUNK? would look and feel like on December 31, 2003. No spreadsheets. No "how." Just pure vision.

Cameron joined as employee #14, becoming COO. The results:

• $2 million to $106 million in six years

• 3,100 employees across 330 cities

• 5,200 media placements including Oprah

• #1 franchisor in the world

After they parted ways in 2007, Cameron noticed every CEO could visualize their future but kept it locked in their heads. Teams can't execute what they can't see.

So he systemized Brian's concept into "Vivid Vision": present tense, three years out, 3-4 pages, shared with everyone.

The 2018 book became his keynote worldwide. The kid who couldn't pass eighth-grade math created the blueprint for billion-dollar growth.

One employee wrote on their vision wall: "Can you imagine our name on Starbucks cups?" Ten million cups later, vision became reality.

👉 Get the audiobook for $5 on Amazon.

TOGETHER WITH ROKU

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Read our guide to find out why growth marketers should make sure CTV is part of their 2026 media mix.

Learn more.

INSIGHT + ACTION

🎯 Vivid Vision Playbook for 2026

The Insight: Your vision is worthless if it stays in your head. Cameron discovered every CEO can see their future clearly—but teams can't execute invisible dreams. Brian Scudamore's Painted Picture took 1-800-GOT-JUNK from $2M to $106M because everyone could see exactly where they were going.

1. Write December 31, 2028 in Present Tense Don't plan the future. Describe it as if you're already living it. "We have 500 clients" beats "We will grow to 500 clients." Your brain and team respond to certainty, not possibility.

Action: Block 4 hours away from your office. Write every detail of your business on December 31, 2028 as if it's today. What does the culture feel like? What are customers saying? How does your day start?

2. Ban "How" From the Process The Painted Picture had zero strategy, zero metrics, zero roadmap. Just vision. Cameron joined without knowing how they'd hit the targets—but the clarity made execution obvious.

Action: Every time you write "we will implement" or "our strategy is," delete it. Only describe what you see, hear, and feel. Save "how" for January.

3. Share It With Everyone Hallmark's "Can You Imagine?" wall turned employee dreams into 10 million Starbucks cups. External sharing created accountability and attracted aligned partners.

Action: Send your 2028 vision to your team, investors, suppliers, and key customers by January 15. Post it publicly. Make it impossible to hide from.

The kid who failed math scaled billion-dollar companies by making the invisible visible. Your 2026 advantage isn't better strategy—it's clearer vision.

Bonus: Here’s how Brandon Turner (Bigger Pockets Founder, Real Estate Mogul) created his Vivid Vision, with example.

MEME